Category Archives: Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theological & Doxological Meditation #42

By John D. Chitty on | Leave a comment

theological-doxological-meditations-logo.jpgThe Decalogue’s Sum 

Q.    What is the sum of the ten commandments? 

A.    The sum of the ten commandments is, To love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). 

Take Thou Our Minds, Dear Lord 

#593, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)

William Hiram Foulkes, 1918

SURSUM CORDA 10.10.10.10.

George Lomas, 1876 

Take thou our minds, dear Lord, we humbly pray; give us the mind of Christ each passing day; teach us to know the truth that sets us free; grant us in all our thoughts to honor thee. 

Take thou our hearts, O Christ, they are thine own; come thou within our souls and claim thy throne; help us to shed abroad thy deathless love; use us to make the earth like heav’n above. 

Take thou our wills, Most High! Hold thou full sway; have in our inmost souls thy perfect way; guard thou each sacred hour from selfish ease; guide thou our ordered lives as thou dost please. 

Take thou our selves, O Lord, mind, heart, and will; through our surrendered souls thy plans fulfill. We yield ourselves to thee—time, talents, all; we hear, and henceforth heed thy sov’reign call.

Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations, Thinking About Church History

Theological & Doxological Meditation #41

By John D. Chitty on | Leave a comment

theological-doxological-meditations-logo.jpgLegal Summary 

Q.    Where is the moral law summarily comprehended? 

A.    The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten commandments (Deuteronomy 10:4; Matthew 19:17). 

The Ten Commandments

#724, Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)

Versified by Dewey Westra, 1899-1979

Alt. in Psalter Hymnal, 1987

Tune Name: LES COMMANDMENTS DE DIEU 9.8.9.8.

Genevan Psalter, 1547

Arranged by Claude Goudimel, 1564; rev.  

My soul, recall with rev’rent wonder

how God amid the fire and smoke

proclaimed his law with thunder

from Sinai’s mountain when he spoke: 

“I am the Lord, your God and Sovereign,

who out of bondage set you free,

who saved you from the land of Egypt.

Then serve no other gods but me. 

“You shall not bow to graven idols,

for I, a jealous God, your Lord,

shall punish sin in those who hate me,

but love all those who keep my Word. 

“The Lord is God; his name is holy.

Do not his holiness profane.

God surely will not hold them guiltless

who take his holy name in vain. 

“Remember, keep the Sabbath holy,

the day God sanctified and blessed.

Six days you shall do all your labor,

but on the seventh you shall rest. 

“Honor your father and your mother;

obey the Lord your God’s command,

that you may dwell secure and prosper

with length of days upon the land. 

“You shall not hate or kill your neighbor.

Do not commit adultery.

You shall not steal from one another

nor testify untruthfully. 

“You shall not covet the possessions

your neighbors value as their own;

home, wife or husband, all their treasures

you shall respect as theirs alone.” 

Teach us, Lord God, to love your precepts,

the good commandments of your law.

Give us the grace to keep your statutes

with thankfulness and proper awe.  

Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations, Thinking About Church History

Theological & Doxological Meditations #39

By John D. Chitty on | 2 Comments

The Duty God Requires of Man 

Q.    What is the duty God requires of man? 

A.    The duty which God requires of man is obedience to his revealed will (Micah 6:8; I Samuel15:22). 

O For A Closer Walk With God

#534, The Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)

William Cowper, 1779 

O for a closer walk with God,

a calm and heav’nly frame,

a light to shine upn the road

that leads me to the Lamb! 

Return, O holy Dove, return,

sweet messenger of rest;

I hate the sins that made thee mourn,

and drove thee from my breast. 

The dearest idol I have known,

whate’er that idol be,

help me to tear it from thy throne,

and worship only thee. 

So shall my walk be close with God,

calm and serene my frame;

so purer light shall mark the road

that leads me to the Lamb.  

Posted in: Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theological & Doxological Meditations #38

By John D. Chitty on | 2 Comments

Benefits in Resurrection

Q.  What benefits do believers receive from Christ in the resurrection?

A.  At the resurrection, believers being  raised up in glory (1 Corinthians 15:43), shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment (Matthew 10:32; 25:23), and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God (1 John3:2; 1 Corinthians13:12) to all eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).

Blessed Are the Sons of God

#526, The Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)

Joseph Humphreys, 1743 

 Blessed are the sons of God,

they are bought with Christ’s own blood;

they are ransomed from the grave,

life eternal they shall have:

with them numbered may we be,here and in eternity. 

They are justified by grace,

they enjoy the Savior’s peace;

all their sins are washed away,

they shall stand in God’s great day:

with them numbered may we be,

here and in eternity. 

They are lights upon the earth,

children of a heav’nly birth;

one with God, with Jesus one,

glory is in them begun:

with them numbered may we be,

here and in eternity. 

Posted in: Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theolgical & Doxological Meditations #37

By John D. Chitty on | 4 Comments


Q. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?

A. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness (Hebrews 12:23),
and do immediately pass into glory (Philippians 1:23);
and their bodies, being still united to Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:14),
do rest in their graves (Isaiah 57:2) till the resurrection

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

I know that my Redeemer lives,
and ever prays for me;
a token of his love he gives,
a pledge of liberty.

I find him lifting up my head;
he brings salvation near;
his presence makes me free indeed
and he will soon appear.

He wills that I should holy be:
who can withstand his will?
The counsel of his grace in me
he surely shall fulfill.

Jesus, I hang upon your Word:
I steadfastly believe
you will return and claim me,
Lord, and to yourself receive.
Posted in: Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theological & Doxological Meditations #36

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Benefits of Redemption’s Benefits

Q. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption and sanctification?
A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow
from justification, adoption and sanctification are,
assurance of God’s love,
peace of conscience,
joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom 5:1-2,5),
increase of grace (Pro 4:18),
and perseverance therein to the end (1 Jn 5:13).

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.

O Light that follow’st all my way,
I yield my flick’ring torch to thee;
my heart restores its boorowed ray,
that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
may brighgter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain
that morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
and from the ground there blossoms red
life that shall endless be.
Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theological and Doxological Meditation #35

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Sanctification
Q. What is sanctification?
A. Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace (2 Thes 2:13), whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God (Eph 4:24), and are enbled more and more to die unto sin,
and live unto righteousness (Rom 8:1).

Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

Blest are the humble souls that see
their emptiness and poverty;
treasures of grace to them are giv’n,
and crowns of joy laid up in heaven.

Blest are the men of broken heart,
who mourn for sin with inward smart;
the blood of Christ divinely flows,
a healing balm for all their woes.

Blest are the meek, who stand afar
from rage and passion, noise and war;
God will secure their happy state,
and plead their cause against the great.

Blest are the souls that thirst for grace,
hunger and long for righteousness;
they shall be well supplied and fed,
with living streams and living bread.

Blest are the men whose hearts do move
and melt with sympathy and love;
from Christ the Lord shall they obtain
like sympathy and love again.

Blest are the pure, whose hearts are clean
from the defiling pow’rs of sin;
with endless pleasure they shall see
a God of spotless purity.

Blest are the men of peaceful life,
who quench the coals of growing strife;
they schall be called the heirs of bliss,
the sons of God, the God of peace.

Blest are the suff’rers who partake
of pain and shame for Jesus’ sake;
their souls shall triumph in the Lord,
glory and joy are their reward.
Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theological and Doxological Meditation #34

By John D. Chitty on | 2 Comments

Adoption
Q. What is adoption?
A. Adoption is an act of God’s free grace (1 Jn 3:1), whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God (Jn 1:12).

What wondrous love is this,
O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse
for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

To God and to the Lamb,
I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb,
who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme,
I will sing, I will sing,
while millions join the theme,
I will sing.

And when from death I’m free,
I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free,
I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity
I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on!
Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theological and Doxological Meditation #33

By John D. Chitty on | 1 Comment

Justification
Q. What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace,
wherein he pardoneth all our sins (Ephesians 1:7),
and accepteth us as righteous in his sight (2 Corinthians 5:21),
only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us (Romans 5:19),
and received by faith alone (Galatians 2:16).

Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
my beauty are, my glorious dress;
‘midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
with joy shall I lift up my head.

Bold shall I stand in thy great day;
for who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am
from sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

When from the dust of death I rise
to claim my mansion in thge skies,
ev’n then this shall be all my plea,
Jesus hath lived, hath died, for me.

Jesus, be endless praise to thee,
whose boundless mercy hath for me
for me a full atonement made,
an everlasting ransom paid.

O let the dead now hear thy voice;
now bid thy banished ones rejoice;
their beauty this, their glorious dress,
Jesus, thy blood and righteousness.
Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations, Thinking About Church History

Theological and Doxological Meditation #32

By John D. Chitty on | 15 Comments

Benefits of Redemption
Q. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
A. They that are effectually called do in this life
partake of justification (Romans 8:30),
adoption (Ephesians 1:5),
and sanctification,
and the several benefits which in this life
do either accompany or flow from them.

Joseph Humphreys, 1743; alt.

Blessed are the sons of God,
they are bought with Christ’s own blood;
they are ransomed from the grave,
life eternal they shall have:

With them numbered may we be,
here and in eternity.

They are justified by grace,
they enjoy the Savior’s peace;
all their sins are washed away,
they shall stand in God’s great day:

With them numbered may we be,
here and in eternity.

They are lights upon the earth,
children of a heav’nly birth;
one with God, with Jesus one,
glory is in them begun:

With them numbered may we be,
here and in eternity.
Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations, Thinking About Church History

Theological and Doxological Meditation #31

By John D. Chitty on | 2 Comments

Effectual Calling
Q. What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit (2 Tim 1:9),
whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery (Acts 2:37), enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ (Acts 26:18), and renewing our wills (Ezk 36:26),
he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ,
freely offered to us in the gospel (John 6:44).

What tho’ I cannot break my chain
or e’er throw off my load,
the things impossible to men
are possible to God.
Who, who shall in thy presence stand,
or match Omnipotence;
unfold the grasp of thy right hand
and pluck the sinner thence?
Faith to be healed I fain would have,
O might it now be giv’n;
thou canst, thou canst the sinner save,
and make me meet for heav’n.
Bound down with twice ten thousand ties,
yet let me hear thy call;
my soul in confidence shall rise,
shall rise and break through all.
Thou canst o’ercome this heart of mine,
thou wilt victorious prove;
for everlasting strength is thine,
and everlasting love.
Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theological & Doxological Meditation #30

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Mode of Application
Q. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

A. The Spirit applieth to us
the redemption purchased by Christ,
by working faith in us (Eph 2:8),
and thereby uniting us to Christ
in our effectual calling (Eph 3:17; 1 Cor 1:9).

By Grace I’m Saved, Grace Free and Boundless
#456, The Trinity Hymnal (© 1990)
Christian L. Scheidt, 1742, centro
Alt. 1990, mod.

By grace I’m saved,
grace free and boundless;
my soul, believe and doubt it not.
Why stagger at this word of promise?
Has Scripture ever falsehood taught?
No; then this word must true remain:
by grace you too shall heav’n obtain.

By grace! None dare lay claim to merit;
our works and conduct have no worth.
God in his love sent our Redeemer,
Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;
his death did for our sins atone,
and we are saved by grace alone.

By grace! O mark this word of promise
when you are by your sins oppressed,
when Satan plagues your troubled conscience,
and when your heart is seeking rest.
What reason cannot comprehend
God by his grace to you will send.

By grace! This ground of faith is certain;
so long as God is true, it stands.
What saints have penned by inspiration,
what in his Word our God commands,
what our whole faith must rest upon,
is grace alone, grace in his Son.

Posted in: Theological and Doxological Meditations

Theological and Doxological Meditation #29

By John D. Chitty on | 3 Comments


Redemption Applied

Q. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ,
by the effectual application of it to us (John 1:12)
by his Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).
Not what my hands have done
can save my guilty soul;
not what my toiling flesh has born
can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers and sighs and tears
can bear my awful load.
Thy work alone, O Christ,
can ease this weight of sin;
thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,
can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God,
not mine, O Lord, to thee,
can rid me of this dark unrest,
and set my spirit free.
Thy grace alone, O God,
to me can pardon speak;
thy pow’r alone, O Son of God,
can this sor bondage break.
No other work, save thine,
no other blood will do;
no strength, save that which is divine,
can bear me safely through.
I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
and with unfalt’ring lip and heart,
I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt;
I bury in his tomb
each thought of unbelief and fear,
each ling’ring shade of gloom.
I praise the God of grace;
I trust his truth and might;
he calls me his, I call him mine,
my God, my joy, my light.
‘Tis he who saveth me,
and freely pardon gives;
I love because he loveth me,
I live because he lives.
Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations, Thinking About Church History

Theological and Doxological Meditation #28

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Christ’s Exaltation
Q. Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation?
A. Christ’s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day (1 Cor 15:4),
in ascending up into heaven,
in sitting at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19),
and in coming to judge the world at the last day (Acts 17:31).
Blessing and honor and glory and power,
wisdom and riches and strength evermore
give ye to him who our battle hath won,
whose are the kingdom, the crown and the throne.
Soundeth the heav’n of the heav’ns with his name;
ringeth the earth with his glory and fame;
ocean and mountain, stream, forest, and flower
echo his praises and tell of his power.
Ever ascendeth the song and the joy;
ever descendeth the love from on high;
blessing and honor and glory and praise–
this is the theme of the hymns that we raise.
Give we the glory and praise to the Lamb;
take we the robe and the harp and the palm;
sing we the song of the Lamb that was slain,
dying in weakness, but rising to reign.
Posted in: Christocentricity, Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations, Thinking About Church History

Theological and Doxological Meditation #27

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Christ’s Humiliation
Q. Wherein did
Christ’s humiliation consist?
A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born,
and that in a low condition (Luke 2:7),
made under the law (Galatians 4:4),
undergoing the miseries of this life (Isaiah 53:3),
the wrath of God (Matthew 27:46),
and the cursed death of the cross (Philippians 2:8),
in being buried,
and continuing under the power of death for a time (Matthew 12:40).
Who is this, so weak and helpless,
child of lowly Hebrew maid,
rudely in a stable sheltered,
coldly in a manger laid?
‘Tis the Lord of all creation,
who this wondrous path has trod;
he is God from everlasting,
and to everlasting God.
Who is this, a Man of Sorrows,
walking sadly life’s hard way,
homeless, weary, sighing, weeping
over sin and Satan’s sway?
‘Tis our God, our glorious Savior,
who above the starry sky
is for us a place preparing,
where no tear can dim the eye.
Who is this? Behold him shedding
drops of blood upon the ground!
Who is this, despised, rejected,
mocked, insulted, beaten, bound?
‘Tis our God, who gifts and graces
on his church is pouring down;
who shall smite in holy vengeance
all his foes beneath his throne.
Who is this that hangs there dying
while the rude world scoffs and scrons,
numbered with the malefactors,
torn with nails, and crowned with thorns?
‘Tis our God who lives forever
‘mid the shining ones on high,
in the glorious golden city,
reigning everlastingly.
Posted in: Music for Mind and Heart, Theological and Doxological Meditations