When we are assaulted by Satan, or any way set upon by any of his instruments, or are in any distress or need, let us lift up the eyes of our faith higher than we can the eyes of our body, and in heaven behold this our head [Christ the head of the church, Eph. 1:21-23], who is invisible, and we cannot but receive from thence much comfort and encouragement.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 38.

The Lord gives His blessing to men while they are busy with their callings. Jacob’s faithful service to his uncle Laban moved God to bless him (Gen. 31:42). Joseph’s faithfulness to his master Potiphar was done in remembrance of God, who advanced him to be ruler in Egypt (Gen. 39:2). Moses was keeping his father-in-law’s sheep when God appeared to him in the bush, and appointed him a prince over his people (Ex. 3:1-2). David was sent for from the field, where he was keeping his father’s sheep, when he was anointed to be king over Israel (1 Sam. 16:11). Elisha was plowing when he was anointed to be a prophet (1 Kings 19:19). The shepherds were watching their sheep when that good news was brought to them that the Savior of the world was born (Luke 2:8). Not to insist on any more particulars, the promise of God’s protection is restrained to our callings, for the charge which God has given to the angels, concerning man, is to keep him in all his ways (Ps. 91:11).

William Gouge, Building a Godly House: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 22.

[I]t is not sufficient to perform general duties of Christianity, unless also we be conscientious in performing the particular duties of our individual callings. A conscientious performance of those particular duties is one part of our “walking worthy of the vocation wherein we are called” (Eph. 4:1).

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 18.

Nothing is acceptable to God but that which is performed through a true filial fear of God, a free, willing, ready, cheerful submission in good conscience. . . . A true fear of God makes us respect more what God requires and commands than what our corrupt heart desires and suggests. It subdues our unruly passions, and brings them within the compass of duty. It makes us deny ourselves and our own desires, and, though through the corruption of our nature and inborn pride we are loath to submit, yet God’s fear will bring down that proud mind and make us humble and gentle. It will keep those who are in authority from tyranny, cruelty, and too much severity, and it will keep those who are under subjection from giving half-truths, deceit, and conspiracies.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for a Family Life, 13.

“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” – Ephesians 5:21

“The fear of God” is both the efficient cause that moves a true Christian willingly to perform all duty to man, and also the purpose that he refers everything that he does. . . . the fear of God is an awe-filled respect of the divine majesty. Sometimes it arises from faith in the mercy and goodness of God. When the heart of man has once felt a sweet taste of God’s goodness, and found that all his happiness consists only in His favor, it is struck with such an inward awe and reverence, that it would not displease His majesty for anything. Rather, it would do whatever it knows to be pleasing and acceptable to Him.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 8.

The reason why all are bound to submit themselves one to another is because everyone is set in his place by God, not for himself, as for the good of others. . . . Let everyone therefore, high and low, rich and poor, superior and subordinate, magistrate and subject, minister and people, husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant, neighbors and fellows, all of all sorts in their various places take notice of their duty at this point of submission, and be careful to put it in practice.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family, 6.

All biblical books, particularly those with an epistolary character, are written communications that link an author to an audience within the setting of a particular historical, social, and cultural context, so that all of these factors should be taken into consideration as a basis for interpreting the text.

Revelation 1-5, Volume 52A (Word Biblical Commentary)” by Dr. David Aune

Bavinck also writes that an evolutionary understanding of the human race as perpetually improving has led to a false understanding of the role of education in society. The belief that man has “evolved himself from the smallest beginnings” leads to the belief in the “grand and mighty man” ([Philosophy of Religion] 272). Having an overestimation of the ability of man, apart from Christ and revelation, leads only to man as the source of redemption. Bavinck goes on to explain that when the constant improvement of mankind is the telos of humanity, this view will eventually lead to a utilitarian society.

TBR Article (bavinckinstitute.org)

I have noted a tendency among some Christians to find some inconsistency between moral effort and justification by grace through faith. . . .

So Scripture commands us to yield our lives to God (Rom. 6:19; Phil. 3:13-14; Col. 3:10; Heb. 12:1), to strive for holiness (Rom. 8:13; 2 Cor. 7:1; 1 Thess. 4:3; Heb. 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15; 2 Peter 1:5; 1 John 3:3), to don the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10-20) in order to fight against Satan and his angels, to put to death our sinful dispositions (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5). We can win this battle, not by the sword, but by truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation. Our only offensive weapons are the Word of God and prayer. This may seem a puny arsenal to the rulers of this world, but God tells us that it has more power than any of those rulers. People sometimes say mockingly, “Well, we can always try prayer.” But God’s weapons are more powerful than anything in the mockers’ arsenal. A gun will subdue a man, but only the sword of God’s Word wielded in prayer, will subdue Satan.

John M. Frame, Systematic Theology, 988.

The power or authority of church government is a spiritual power. Spiritual, not so perfectly and completely as Christ’s supreme government is spiritual, Who alone has absolute and immediate power and authority over the very spirits and consciences of men, ruling them by the invisible influence of His Spirit and grace as He pleases (John 3:8; Rom. 8:14; Gal. 2:20), but so purely, properly, and merely spiritual is this power that it really, essentially and specifically differs, and is contradistinct from that power which is properly civil, worldly and political, in the hand of the civil magistrate. Now, this power of church government is in this sense properly, purely, merely spiritual, and that may be evidenced many ways according to Scripture. Accordingly, the rule, fountain, matter, form, subject, object, end, and all of this power is only spiritual.

Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici, (Naphtali Press Special Editions, volume II), 103.

Synods and councils are to handle, or conclude, nothing, but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth; unless by way of humble petition, in cases extraordinary; or by way of advice, for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate.

Westminster Confession of Faith (1647), 31.5.