D. Scott Meadows

      Theology is the doctrine of living for God through Christ. We can assert this as true (the dogmatic part). We can answer critics (the elenctic part). Now we must apply it (the practical part).

LI. General requirements. Live for God alone through Christ.

      (1) Please God above all others (Psa 16.8; Gal 1.10; 2 Cor 5.9).

      (2) Obey God. Make His will your only rule (1 Pet 4.2).

      (3) Make God Himself the goal of your whole life (Phil 1.20, 21).

      (4) Rely on God to live this way. Direct your whole physical, social, and spiritual life according to His precepts, for His glory, by His power.

LII. Specific requirements

      First, make God the goal of your life (1 Cor 9.26; Phil 3.14).

      (1) The highest goal is His glory. The call of our being (Isa 43.7), redemption (1 Cor 6.20), Savior (Matt 5.16). Therefore, this is the only worthy ultimate priority (1 Cor 10.31; Phil 1.10, 21).

      (2) The intermediate goal is your salvation (1 Pet 1.9) which accords perfectly with seeking God’s glory above all.

      (3) The last goal is helping others, especially toward salvation. We were born for this. Paul (1 Cor 9.19, 21) and Jesus (Matt 18.11) aimed for this. We light their way by a holy example (1 Cor 10.32).

LIII.The threefold norm (the standard)

      Second, direct all your actions to the right norm.

      (1) The Word of God (Psa 119.17; Gal 6.16).

      (2) The example of Christ (Matt 11.29; 1 Cor 11.1; Gal 2.20; 2 Cor 4.10).

      (3) The well-informed conscience (Acts 24.16).

LIV. Order (our priorities)

      Third, generally speaking, prefer spiritual things to physical, without neglecting the physical (Matt 6.33; Jn 6.27).

      (1) When forced to choose, neglect physical for spiritual (Heb 10.34; 11.26).

      (2) Attend to earthly things with a spiritual mind (i.e., according to His precept, for His glory, to advance His kingdom, our spiritual life).

      (3) Special time weekly and daily. Set apart every Lord’s Day and some parts of each day like David (Psa 55.17) and Daniel (Dan 6.11).

LV. Nine motives (the why), to persuade us to live for God this way.

      (1) To behave as His children (Mal 1.6).

      (2) To live as in union with Christ (Gal 2.20).

      (3) To manifest the Spirit of life (Rom 8.14).

      (4) To show a living faith (1 Pet 2.4, 5; Jas 2.17, 26). God makes us spiritually alive to grant us the power to act (righteously).

      (5) To demonstrate that we have the God of life (Rom 9.26; 1 Thess 1.9). The Father grants life to us (Gen 2.7), spiritual and immortal. The Son died to acquire life for us and restore life to us (Eph 2.5). The Holy Spirit by regeneration confers the seed of spiritual life (Jn 3.5, 6; 1 Pet 1.23). His purpose in this is that we might live for Him and render our life to Him.

      (6) To answer Jesus’ investment in us of all He is and had (2 Cor 5.15; Rom 14.7-9).

      (7) To respond to Jesus’ ministry to us. He created us, preserves us, fills us with all kinds of spiritual and temporal benefit, daily calls us by His precepts in His Word. Does He do all this to no purpose (2 Cor 6.1), much less for the purpose of eternal death?

      (8) To give God His due from us. Our most excellent Creator (Father), our most faithful Redeemer (Son), and our most delightful guide (Spirit) should have this from us.

      (9) To live for Him in eternity. Eternal life begins now (Jn 3.36; 1 Jn 3.15).

LVI. Three manners (ways)

      (1) With integrity (Jer 42.3, 5; Psa 119.101; 1 Cor 15.58). Make every act conform to every tenet of God’s good pleasure. Restrain ourselves from every sin. Abound in the Lord’s work at all times.

      (2) With diligence (2 Pet 1.5; Matt 6.33; Luke 10.42). Be fervent. Make every effort. Devote our main concern to living for God.

      (3) With constancy (1 Cor 15.58; 1 Chron 16.11; Matt 24.13; Dan 3.17, 18). Not now and then, haphazardly, but be serving the Lord always, continually, steadfastly, enduringly, in all states of mind.

LVII.Six Means (the how)

      (1) Regeneration (Jn 3.5, 6; Eph 2.1, 5, 6; Rom 8.7). This is first of all.

      (2) A true and living faith (Rom 1.17; Gal 2.20).

      (3) Union with Christ (Rom 6.11; Jn 15.5; Phil 4.13).

      (4) Firm resolution (Psa 119.44; Heb 13.18).

      (5) Steadfast striving (2 Cor 5.9; Acts 24.16).

      (6) Ardent prayers (1 Cor 15.10; 1 Thess 5.23, 24; Gal 6.16). “We would weary God so that He would enliven us, . . . preserve the good work He began in us, make it fruitful, until it attain to eternal life.”

      Many more things besides these we will mention later. Ω

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1. Petrus Van Mastricht (1630-1706), Theoretical-Practical Theology: Prolegomena, I.107-112 (RHB, 2018), a formatted summary by D Scott Meadows. Numbered points correspond with source.