August 2018 Archive

Heidelcast Series: God’s Holy Law

by on August 31, 2018 | 7 Comments

The historic, confessional, Reformed understanding of Scripture is that it contains two kinds of words, law and gospel. The law promised eternal life to Adam on condition of perfect obedience on behalf of all humanity. Adam sinned, transgressed God’s holy law, and . . . Continue reading →

Machen Was Not Nice

by on August 31, 2018 | 4 Comments

But these physical hardships were not the chief battle in which Paul was engaged. Far more trying was the battle that he fought against the enemies in his own camp. Everywhere his rear was threatened by an all-engulfing paganism or by a . . . Continue reading →

What Passion City Gets Right And Wrong About The Sabbath

by on August 28, 2018 | 1 Comment

The last time we saw Atlanta Pastor Louie Giglio it was January 2013 and he was embroiled in controversy because he had been invited by President Obama to participate in his second inauguration. It had been discovered that Giglio held the biblical . . . Continue reading →

Salvation Through Grace Alone (Acts 15:11)

by on August 27, 2018 | 25 Comments

The claim by some that there are two stages of justification (initial and final) and that the so-called “initial justification” is by grace alone (sola gratia) through faith alone (sola fide) and the so-called “final justification” is in some degree (either partly . . . Continue reading →

Swain: Niceness Is Counterfeit Meekness

by on August 22, 2018 | 4 Comments

“Niceness” is a counterfeit of meekness or gentleness. The nice person always compliments, never disagrees because he is unwilling to risk his reputation for the sake of the good by opposing with anger what is evil. Scott Swain

Resources On Images Of Christ

by on August 19, 2018 | 2 Comments

The question whether because God the Son became incarnate Christians are free to create images of him has plagued the church since just after the close of the canon. The ancient church, however, rejected them with one voice and the Reformed and Presbyterian churches all confess against images of Christ on biblical and theological grounds. Continue reading →

Resources On Church Growth And Ordinary Means Ministry

by on August 16, 2018

The church growth movement has been one of the more influential movements in modern evangelicalism for the last 40 years. Pastors receive a steady stream of emails and advertisements promising to “grow the church” if only his congregation will buy this product or service. In some quarters it is unquestioned dogma, it is axiomatic that if the church is not growing numerically it is failing in its mission. Continue reading →

Of Calvin, Social Justice, And The Theology Of The Cross

by on August 14, 2018 | 21 Comments

Yesterday (August 13) was the 477th anniversary of a small but symbolic event in Reformation history. On that date in 1541 John Calvin returned to Geneva from Strasbourg, where he had been a happy exile for about three years. On his first . . . Continue reading →