“Believers find in their own experience how gladly they would hold and embrace the Word when they hear it and thus abandon this idea of the law and their own righteousness; but they feel in their bodies a great resistance against the Spirit. There is continual conflict in believers between believing what they have heard and observing the law. The conscience is always complaining that this is too easy a way. But once you have tried it properly, tell me how easy it is to believe what you have heard. He who gives is indeed great; moreover, he gives great things willingly and freely and does not upbraid people with them. But your capacity is limited, and your faith is weak, so that you are often unable to receive this gift. However much your conscience accuses you, and however often this “must” comes into your mind, stand fast and hold out until you overcome it. As faith increases little by little, that idea of the righteousness of the law will diminish. But this cannot happen without great conflict.“
Brothers and sisters. Let not Satan, nor demon, nor false teacher, nor your own conscience produce such utter heaviness, fear, terror, and guilt in your heart that leads you astray from the belief that salvation comes from something other than Jesus Christ. He is your salvation. He is your comfort. Simply rest in the belief of the righteousness of the blood of the Lamb that was slain. This is your justification. This is your salvation.
When the enemy comes to you and tries to convince you otherwise by terrorizing your mind, filling it with guilt, clouding your vision of Christ, fills your heart and mind with great heaviness of condemnation, you slit his throat, you shove it back into his face, your cry with a loud voice that Christ is your comforter, that Christ is your salvation. It is he and he alone that judges you, and he has deemed to pass his righteousness onto you. You flee to Christ. You tell your great enemy to STICK IT. You tell that enemy that your sins are DEAD. They were put to DEATH by Christ. You tell that enemy of yours that HE HAS LOST THE BATTLE AND THAT CHRIST HAS REIGN VICTORIOUS. You tell that enemy that you have been crucified with Christ and it is now Christ that lives in you. You tell that enemy that he has lost all power and dominion over you and that Christ is your master. You WAGE WAR WITH THAT ENEMY.
You live by faith. Rest in the comfort of faith. Rest in that Christ has died for you. Christ has transformed you. Christ will continue to transform you. Christ has opened your eyes.
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11:1) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Heb. 11:6) Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Phil. 2:12-13) Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. (1 Peter 1:8)
A great introductory book to the Five Points of Calvinism. This book is totally worth buying just for the second chapter where it defends each point which just loads of Scripture – no bias, no opinions – just Scripture.