Why is the redemption or reconciliation of humanity with God presented to us in the form of a covenant, indeed a covenant of grace? A: God compares the means of our salvation to a covenant, indeed an eternal covenant, so that we . . . Continue reading →
2013 Archive
Heidelcast 22: On The Relation Of The Kingdom To The Church
Steven writes to ask whether the Kingdom of God is synonymous with the visible church or whether it is broader than the visible church? These questions have been particularly a matter of discussion since the rise of the Dutch neo-Calvinist movement in . . . Continue reading →
The Revision of Belgic Confession Article 36 on Church and State
Eugene Osterhaven called this “the most difficult and disputed” article in the confession.1 As will appear below, the desire to revise this article has existed in the Reformed churches in both the Netherlands and in the USA since the late 19th century . . . Continue reading →
The Arminius Paradigm
For some time the Federal Visionists have been arguing that no one should criticize the Federal Vision until the church courts ruled on it. This is a strange argument since, on that basis Luther couldn’t have replied to Erasmus (the Augsburg wouldn’t . . . Continue reading →
Arminius’ Claims About The Belgic Confession And Heidelberg Catechism On Predestination
V. This Doctrine Of Predestination Is Not In Harmony With The Confessions Of The Reformed Churches With a minimum of contention or even trivial objection, it may be appropriately doubted whether this doctrine agrees with either the Belgic confession or the Heidelberg . . . Continue reading →
Reformed Churches Of Nassau (1578): No Organs In Church
Latin songs, as well as organs (first introduced into the churches by Pope Vitellianus about 665) are for the most part abolished in the churches of this land. Not that the use of the Latin language or of music is rejected of . . . Continue reading →
J. Gresham Machen on Jaywalking and Civil Freedom: Watch This Video
J. Gresham Machen (1881–1936) was a scholar of the New Testament who taught at Princeton Theological Seminary. He, along with several others, left Princeton in 1929 to found Westminster Seminary. He was driven out of what is today known as the Presbyterian . . . Continue reading →
The Tyranny of Options
Thanks to the good offices of Ken Myers at Mars Hill Audio (no connection to Mars Hill Church), several years I learned about the work of Thomas de Zengotita, whose book Mediated was instrumental in helping me to understand some important culture . . . Continue reading →
Out Now: Riddlebarger on 1 Corinthians
Kim Riddlebarger’s new commentary on 1Corinthians is out from Tolle Lege. He has all the ordering information on the RB.
When Philosophers Rebel Against Dystopia
Philosophers at San Jose St are speaking out about the problems associated with Distance Ed. Here are some excerpts from their open letter, published May 2, 2013, in The Chronicle of Higher Education (HT: Chris Chelpka). They are reacting to a move . . . Continue reading →
Clarkson: Public Worship To Be Preferred Before Private
“The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.”—Ps 87:2 THAT we may apprehend the meaning of these words, and so thereupon raise some edifying observation, we must inquire into the reason why the Lord is said . . . Continue reading →
Directory For The Publick Worship Of God
The Directory FOR The Publick Worship of God CHARLES I. Parl. 3. Sess. 5. An ACT of the PARLIAMENT of the KINGDOM of SCOTLAND, approving and establishing the DIRECTORY for Publick Worship. AT EDINBURGH, February 6, 1645. THE Estates of Parliament now . . . Continue reading →
Killing Infant Humans Is A Crime
Kermit Gosnell has been convicted of the murder of three infant human beings. If you haven’t been following this story, Gosnell, according to Reuters, was “accused of delivering live babies during late-term abortions and then deliberately severing their spinal cords.” The jury . . . Continue reading →
The Sad Saga of Family Radio Continues
Harold Camping has done a lot of good. Many people, who might otherwise never have heard anything like Reformation Christianity, learned about the doctrines of grace and amillennialism (i.e., that the 1000 years of Revelation 20 are symbolic of the period between . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Steve Baugh on Hebrews 11
You know that Hebrews 11 is the “faith” chapter of Hebrews. Perhaps you’ve been told that you should have faith like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. Well, you should perhaps but not in the way that you may have been told. WSC . . . Continue reading →
Where Was Our Church Before Luther And Zwingli? (3)
VI. The question is one of history, not of faith, the solution of which, therefore, is not necessary to salvation. It suffices for the private Christian to know and be persuaded that assembly in whose connection he lives is the true church, . . . Continue reading →
Preaching Genesis 1
We’ve been blessed by the ministry of pastor Chris Gordon at Escondido URC. He’s also the proprietor of the Gordian Knot and the host of the Abounding Grace Radio program, currently broadcast in the Pacific Northwest, Phoenix, and San Diego. Recently, he . . . Continue reading →
The Selective Genealogies Of Genesis 5 And 11
5:3-32 these verses contain 10 paragraphs, each written in the same form, which one paragraph for each generation in Adam’s line through Seth. There are some similarities, as well as significant differences, between this material and the Sumerian king list (written see. . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 21: What is the Order of Regeneration and Faith?
Today’s Heidelcast answers mail on the question of whether it is to the living or to the dead that God gives faith. Dan writes to ask “I believe, at least inferentially, that the Canons of Dort teach that regeneration logically precedes faith. . . . Continue reading →
Presbyterians and Quakers Together
I see that Tony Jones has posted something critical of small/cell groups (I don’t know where and I can’t find it now. You’re welcome to post a link in the comments). Perhaps now that a leader in the Emergent Village has suggested . . . Continue reading →