I’m not sure why, as a child, the TV show Dragnet captured my attention and imagination. Perhaps it was the theme song with its beat and blaring horns or perhaps it was the staccato, film-noir dialogue or the claim that the episodes . . . Continue reading →
Before Adam’s fall it was not necessary for him to have Christ, because he was righteous and without sin, just as the angels have no need of Christ. If Adam had not fallen, it would not have been necessary for Christ to . . . Continue reading →
The Lordship controversy, which began years ago, continues and it lies in the background of some of the contemporary discussions about justification and sanctification. Some evangelicals speak of “making Christ Lord” and others reject that Christ is really, actually ruling over all things. They . . . Continue reading →
We should learn also from this passage, not to be induced by the will of any man to embrace any kind of religion, but diligently to inquire what worship God approves, and so to use our judgment as not rashly to involve . . . Continue reading →
In part 4 we considered how Jesus is the Israel of God. § The Dividing Wall Demolished (Ephesians 2:11–22) The movement of the history of redemption is on this order. The people of God were an international people from Adam to Noah to Moses. Under . . . Continue reading →
We cannot but admire the good hand of God in the great things done here already, particularly that the Covenant (the foundation of the whole work) is taken; Prelacy and the whole train thereof extirpated; the Service-book in many places forsaken; plain . . . Continue reading →
In part 3 we considered what Scripture says about national Israel. § Jesus the Israel of God It is the argument of this essay that Jesus Christ is the true Israel of God and that everyone who is united to him by grace alone, . . . Continue reading →
We had so contrived it with my Lord Wharton, that the Lords that day did petition the Assembly, that they might have one of the Divines to attend their House for a week, as it came about to pray to God with . . . Continue reading →
On sports-talk radio one gets a good sense of what is happening to the English language. College-educated hosts regularly abuse the language in ways that would frustrate their teachers to no end. For example, one of the hosts of one of my . . . Continue reading →
In part 2 we looked at the covenant of grace. § The New Covenant With Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension the promise which God made to Adam and repeated to Abraham remains, but the circumstances have changed. We who live on this side . . . Continue reading →
As we saw several synods in the 16th century and the National Synod of Dordtrecht in 1619 decided that only Datheen’s psalms were allowed in worship. On this ground it has many times been asserted that Calvinists in the Netherlands did sing . . . Continue reading →
In part 1 we began to look at the sort of kingdom Jesus brought. § Rather, Jesus came not to build an earthly Jewish kingdom now or later, but always and only his intention was to redeem all his people by his . . . Continue reading →
Wherefore we do not despise the interpretations of the holy Greek and Latin fathers, nor reject their disputations and treatises concerning sacred matters as far as they agree with the Scriptures; but we modestly dissent from them when they are found to . . . Continue reading →
Introduction There is much more to “end-times” or ultimate things (Eschatology) than what we say actually happens in the last days. We say what we do about eschatology because of what we think God is doing in history. At the center of . . . Continue reading →
Americans believe in and really like the extraordinary. We speak frequently—and not without some reason—of American exceptionalism. Since the 1720s Evangelical Christianity in America has been dominated by a desire to see and experience the extraordinary whether that be the attempt to . . . Continue reading →
For God in his mercy has permitted the powers of the intellect to remain, though differing greatly from what was in man before the fall. God commands us to cultivate our natural talents, and meanwhile adds both gifts and success. And it . . . Continue reading →
Because of the obsession with short-term results that may be contained with the terms and demands of a single life, the interest of community is displaced by the interest of career. The careerist teacher judges himself, and is judged by his colleagues, . . . Continue reading →
…there are many passing references to music scattered throughout the writings of the Fathers. Most of the passages deal with psalmody and vocal music, but a few are concerned with musical instruments. The authors of these passages were almost unanimous in rejecting . . . Continue reading →