Those who do not see the Law as valid in the life of the Christian must also assert that this world has passed away and that the new world has already been inaugurated. This proposition must be firmly rejected because only at Christ’s . . . Continue reading →
2015 Archive
Heidelberg 108–109: You Were Bought With A Price (2)
God’s Word is very clear about sexual immorality. Leviticus 18 illustrates how God views sexual immorality. It prohibits adultery and moves immediately in the next verse to warn against not offering one’s children to Molech, to a prohibition against male homosexuality, which . . . Continue reading →
How We Lost The Psalms
In the course of time the constraint of Calvin’s ideals has gradually come to be less felt in the worship of the Reformed Churches. A modification of view as to the relations of art and worship has permitted the harmonization of congregational . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Side By Side With Ed Welch
We live in a fallen world. It is broken and dysfunctional. More importantly for us, we are fallen. We are not what we were made to be and we’re not what we shall be. I do not know where you are right . . . Continue reading →
Reformed Psalmody: Inspired Songs To The Exclusion Of Uninspired Songs
But the Calvinistic Psalm took its authority and its appropriateness from its divine inspiration. It must be Holy Scripture, first of all; and then it became metrical merely to facilitate its congregational rendering. Calvin had determined to make the Psalter the praise . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 108–109: You Were Bought With A Price (1)
In reaction to the latest phase of the sexual revolution, in response to the discovery by a 5–4 majority of the Supreme Court of the United States of “right” to same-sex marriage, in reaction to the rise of a militant “transgender” (transsexual) movement and the normalization of homosexuality generally, it has become accepted wisdom in some quarters that sexual sin is no different than any other sin. Continue reading →
Bone Of His Bone, Flesh Of His Flesh
And they two shall be one flesh. They shall be one man, or, to use a common phrase, they shall constitute one person; which certainly would not hold true with regard to any other kind of relationship. All depends on this, that . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 105–107: You Shall Not Murder (2)
Imagine four American states utterly vacant. Since 1973 Americans have killed as many people as were killed during World War II. Continue reading →
Ambrose: Psalms Unite The Church
Psalms are song by emperors; the common people rejoice in them. Each man does his utmost in singing what will be a blessing to all. Psalms are sung in the home and rehearsed on the streets. The psalm is learned without labor . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 105–107: You Shall Not Murder (1)
The equivocal translation “you shall not kill” is a little confusing but it is odd that people should think that “you shall not kill” would be absolute. The very same Torah teaches that sometimes, in some cases, some people are to be put to death. This was taught even before the law given to Moses at Sinai. Continue reading →
Eusebius: The Command To Sing Psalms Is Universal
…the command to sing psalms in the name of the Lord was obeyed by everyone in every place: for the command to sing psalms is in force in all Churches which exist among the nations, not only for the Greeks but also . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 104: Authority And Submission (3)
Nevertheless, despite all our natural resistance to authority and despite our suspicion of the church the fact is that our Lord Jesus, whom we profess to love and whose Word we profess to believe, instituted the very visible church against which we so easily rebel. Continue reading →
Vos: Distinguishing Two Ages Is Not Platonism
If further inquiring into the characteristics of the aionion, still keeping its formal aspect rather than its substantial content in view, the first feature obtruding itself is that of the imperishableness, including the unchangeableness, of the things pertaining to it. Paul declares, . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 104: Authority And Submission (2)
In the first part we considered the most basic teaching of the fifth commandment. There are, however, several implications of this commandment on which the New Testament reflects explicitly. For example, the Apostle Paul spoke directly to the relationship between employers and . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: The Land Promise Was For Israel
And that thou mayest live long on the earth. Moses expressly mentions the land of Canaan, “that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Exod. 20:12.) Beyond this the Jews could not conceive of . . . Continue reading →
The Sacrament Of Autonomy
Even partial-birth abortion is — must be — a sacrament in the Church of “Choice.” This sect knows that its entire edifice depends on not yielding an inch on its insistence that what an abortion kills never possesses a scintilla of moral . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 104: Authority And Submission
In the fall Adam chose to exercise autonomy, to rebel against God. Since the fall humans have carried on Adam’s ignominious tradition. Cain rebelled against worshiping God truly and, in a jealous rage, murdered his brother who did worship God truly. We, . . . Continue reading →
Nazi Mengele Was An Abortionist
According to the documents released today [February 2, 1992—ed.], Josef Mengele, the Auschwitz death camp doctor known as the “Angel of Death” for his experiments on inmates, practiced medicine in Buenos Aires for several years in the 1950’s. He “had a reputation . . . Continue reading →
College Administrators Are Not Kings
One of America’s worst problems today is that people in official positions (university presidents, police officers, and others) think they are above the law and never accountable when they act illegally. The decision in Barnes puts college officials on notice that qualified . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 103: The Christian Sabbath (3)
103. What does God require in the fourth Commandment? In the first place, God wills that the ministry of the Gospel and schools be maintained, and that I, especially on the day of rest, diligently attend church, to learn the Word of . . . Continue reading →