Jonathan Klimek

“Maybe you go to mass every day. But if you live for your own selfish benefit, and have no concern for the difficulties of your neighbour, as if they did not touch you at all, then all you have done is take part in the sacrament in a merely outward way. The sacrifice of the mass, in a spiritual sense, means that we become one body with the Body of Christ, living members of His Church. If your love for things is guided by Christ, if you think all your possessions to be things you hold in trust for the good of all, if you take upon yourself the difficulties and sufferings of your neighbour as if they were your own, then you may take part in mass very fruitfully, because now you take part in a spiritual way…
But to worship Christ with nothing more than outward ceremonies, as if such worship were the height of spirituality, while all the time you are puffed up with self-importance, and condemn other people, and think yourself secure because you live and die in your outward worship: well, the very ordinances of worship that were meant to draw you to Christ will withdraw you from Him. Your religion is a rebellion against the spirit of the Gospel, a falling back into the superstitions and rituals of Judaism ...
The apostle Paul, the foremost defender of spiritual religion, never ceased trying to get the Jews to give up their confidence in outward works and rituals, and to lead them to spiritual realities. Yet I feel that the great majority of Christians have fallen back again into that sickness.”
― Erasmus The Dagger of the Christian Soldier, 4th and 5th Rules

“Wayne Mack advises that if he is truly repentant, he will manifests the following:
• He is willing to call it—sin.
• He is willing to accept personal responsibility for all his sinful and unbiblical thoughts, choices, and actions.
• He understands the seriousness and horrendous nature of his sin.
• He shows a concern about heart sins (his attitudes, desires, motivations) as well as behavioral sins (Matthew 5: 27-32; James 4: 8).
• He is willing to turn to Christ for the forgiveness of his sins and is willing to be saved by the grace of God alone.
• He displays a sincere desire to be free from sin itself, not just the problems caused by sin.
• He is willing to commit himself to obeying and serving God rather than self, and he takes the Lordship of Christ seriously.
• He is willing to work on changing the things in his life and marriage that are displeasing to God (Luke 3: 7-14; 2 Corinthians 7: 9-11; 1 Thessalonians 1: 9-10).”
― Wayne Mack

“True hope is found by looking to the Lord, resting in His powerful provision, and clinging to the promises of His Word. To hope in God is to fix your eyes on Him and His promises rather than on your own personal circumstances no matter how difficult they may be. If God is the source of your hope, it will never fail because He never fails. Those who hope in Him will never be disappointed (Romans 5:5).”
― N. Busenitz

“The center of the Christian message and the essential core of all biblical counseling is that Jesus, who existed eternally as God, came down from heaven and became a man, lived a life of unceasing and perfect love for God and neighbor, died in the place of sinners (and never sinned Himself) to bear the penalty of righteous wrath for their sins, rose to life to conquer death and give life to those who believe, presently intercedes for His followers, and anticipates a future return when He makes all things new and establishes a never-ending kingdom. (The Bible calls this message “the gospel.”
― Joshua Clutterham