Michael is a visitor to our congregation. He has a gift and zeal for boldness in witness. You may remember that, a while back, he was robbed. Well, he had another encounter with one of his robbers.
This fellow should experience two things from the two kingdoms. From the civil kingdom he should receive justice for his civil crimes but let us join Michael in praying that, in from the kingdom of God, he experiences saving grace. May the sovereign Spirit who grants new life, faith, and vital union with Christ grant these graces to this fellow.
R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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Thank you for pointing me to that wonderful story. Michael knows how to live according to the sermon on the mount better than I do.
It sounds like the young man was willing to go to church…I hope he does. There he will find Christ speaking to him.
-Wonderful story. I pray that man will take that message to heart and not be further suckered into legalism as I was when I first started going to church. A depraved understanding of the gospel twists the Word to make it a way to placate fears of God’s wrath by obedience to the law, making one to think they need to merit forgiveness.
It was a gracious act for that man not to demand back his Mp3 player.
Question: Would it be wrong to pray that this criminal can boast of God’s work and say “What I purposed for evil, God intended for good”, especially in light of earlier posts about interpreting providence rather than the Word?
Steven Carr said, “Michael knows how to live according to the sermon on the mount better than I do.”
Thanks, but no thanks, friend. My first instinct was to draw the knife, and indeed my hand was on it. The Lord graced my heart in the moment to do what I thought I would not, and no sooner, as He so often does in His saints.
Victor Hugo, I have attended OURC as a weekly visitor under Rev. Hyde and Dr. Clark for a year and a half. Doctrinal reservations have prevented my joining with a clear conscience, but the Lord has yet been gracious to bless me with wonderful and welcoming fellowship. There is no other body in the local area I would rather attend; indeed, I fear much of the mixture I would imbibe under other pulpits in the name of being with ones who share my present perspective (or lack thereof) regarding credobaptism.
Thank you for the kind regards.
Dr. Clark, thank you for posting my account for the saints to glorify God by.