Christians are not Gnostics. Against the Gnostics, Christians have, since the first quarter of the second century, affirmed the essential, inherent goodness of creation. Against the Gnostics and Marcionites we also affirmed the unity of the covenant of grace. Both of those truths help us to address the problem of ethnic tensions in Christ’s church. Continue reading
June 2021 Archive
Perkins On The Pedagogical Use Of The Law
If life and justice come not by the law, the law then is in vain. And this objection is expressed by way of interrogation, ‘Wherefore then serves the law?’ The answer is in the next words, ‘It is added for transgressions,’ that . . . Continue reading →
A Notable Omission In The PCA Report On Sexuality: Nature
In that sense, the Bible’s view of sexuality is not motivated by small-mindedness, unloving moralism, discrimination, violence, and bullying, as its critics claim. Biblical sexuality comes from a theistic understanding of the universe, deeply rooted in the being of God Himself, which . . . Continue reading →
The Psalm I Want Sung At My Graveside
To my friends, no I am not, as far as I know, in imminent danger of death. My enemies shall have to wait a bit longer. My reflections this morning are inspired by a series of posts at TGC including “The Song Scott . . . Continue reading →
Quick Headphone Review For Podcasters: Beyerdynamics DT770 v. AKG K371
I have been using Beyerdynamics DT770s for 10 years. Continue reading
A Question For The PCA
If the PCA is a “Big Tent” denomination, Continue reading
One Of The Sheep Speaks Up
Yes, brothers, the world is watching, but so are those in your congregations. You have not been ordained to placate the goats. Jesus has called you to feed His sheep. I humbly and joyfully exhort you as your sister in Christ to . . . Continue reading →
The Confession Must Not Be A Lost Language For Reformed Pastors
We Are Talking About Theology, Piety, And Practice
I believe the importance of this subject for the PCA is now matched by its urgency. If I may speak personally, one of the most alarming trends that I’ve seen among candidates for the ministry and among teaching and ruling elders in . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 186: What Must A Christian Believe? (4)—A Summary Of The Creed
The question for this series comes from Heidelberg Catechism 22. The answer is that a Christian must believe “all that is promised us in the gospel, which the articles of our catholic, undoubted Christian faith teach us in sum.” We’ve traced the . . . Continue reading →
Schleiermacher In The Background: The PCA’s Struggle Over Confessional Identity
The struggle in the PCA over confessional identity is a microcosm of the macrocosm. The current discussions reveal that the PCA is on track to be another denominational domino to topple along with the mainline churches who have embraced theological liberalism. The . . . Continue reading →
The Weber Thesis Is Still Wrong (Updated)
Introduction The one thing Political Science profs (I earned a BA in Poli Sci, University of Nebraska, 1984) think they know about John Calvin (1509–64) is that his doctrine of predestination created grave doubts in the hearts and minds of his followers . . . Continue reading →
Perkins: Eternal Life Is By Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone
If the inheritance of life eternal be by the law, it is no more by the promise. But it is by the promise because God gave it unto Abraham freely by promise. Therefore it comes not by the law. The opposition between . . . Continue reading →
The Gospel Is About Justice But Not That Kind Of Justice
In an article in By Faith Online (Feb, 2021) Megan Fowler writes, “Moses Lee believes Gen Z isn’t asking philosophical questions about epistemology [the theory of knowing]. Gen Z wants to know that the gospel is beautiful and true, and that it is deeply concerned about justice.” Continue reading
The Proper Response To Postmodernism
There is a good deal of talk in contemporary evangelicalism about the rise, nature, and effect of so-called “postmodernism,” a movement in architecture, literature, philosophy, and religion associated with a circle of French writers such as Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida. In . . . Continue reading →
Flashback To 2006: “Presbyterians And Presbyterians Together” As The Background To The Open Letter (Updated)
Editor’s Preface This document was published in April, 2006 and provoked considerable discussion in conservative Presbyterian and Reformed world in connection to the Federal Vision controversy. Since that time the original publication site has been removed. Here are some responses from the . . . Continue reading →
Memo To NAPARC Re Side B/”Gay Christianity:” It Will Not End Well
The “Open Letter” writers complain about scare tactics in the run-up to GA. Continue reading
Dr David Noe Will Teach You Greek And Latin
Machen’s Response To The Open Letter
In Stephen J. Nichol’s fine biography on J. Gresham Machen, he refers to historian Bradley Longfield’s description of the real problem within the church during the modernist controversy: namely, the moderates, whom Machen called the “indifferentists.” Machen wrote in a letter to . . . Continue reading →
Why The Gospel Is Not In The Stars: Nature Is Not Grace
In 1882 the Lutheran minister Joseph A. Seiss (1823-1904) published the provocative volume, The Gospel in the Stars, Or, Prímeval Astronomy (Philadelphia: E. Claxton & company, 1882). Evidently it found an audience and it has been reprinted as recently as the early . . . Continue reading →
Machen’s Other Opponents: The Moderates
Machen considered the church in the book’s final chapter, where he argued that since modernism was a different religion altogether, the honorable thing for modernists to do was to withdraw from the church. Knowing this to be unlikely, Machen appealed to moderates . . . Continue reading →