48 Q. Since, then, you say that the additional name “Christ” or “Anointed” implies that He came with the command of the Father to establish a royal priesthood, explain first what the kingdom of Christ is. A. A kingdom is a kind . . . Continue reading →
Author Archives: R. Scott Clark
If Believers Are Playing Instruments In Heaven, Why May We Not? (2)
The question before us concerns what the church ought to do in public worship. Christians often ask, “If they did x in Scripture, why may we not do them now?” In part 1 we considered the problems associated with this approach to . . . Continue reading →
Organs Were “Purely Secular” Instruments Until The 10th Century
Known from the time of classical antiquity, the organ remained a purely secular instrument until the 10th cent., when it began to appear in major churches, such as Glastonbury and Winchester. What liturgical part, if any, it played remains largely unknown until . . . Continue reading →
If Believers Are Playing Instruments In Heaven, Why May We Not? (1)
Whenever a defense is advanced for something like the historic Reformed understanding of the rule of worship one of the objections that regularly arises is this: if musical instruments are being used in Scripture, we may we not use them now in . . . Continue reading →
Construction Progress!
Calvin: Psalm 88 Is A Form Of Prayer For The Afflicted
O Jehovah! God of my salvation! Let me call upon you particularly to notice what I have just now stated, That although the prophet simply, and without hyperbole, recites the agony which he suffered from the greatness of his sorrows, yet his . . . Continue reading →
Pastor: A Plea For The Gospel
The gospel really does become again a strange announcement, totally unexpected to fallen ears—especially when sermons are caught between “evangelical” encouragement and culture wars bellicosity. Anonymous, 2017.
Un Púlpito No Es Una Platforma
Desde principios del siglo 18, el cristianismo estadounidense ha estado dominado por personalidades. George Whitefield, los Wesley, y Jonathan Edwards ocupan un lugar destacado en cualquier narración de la historia del cristianismo estadounidense del siglo XVIII. Cuando pensamos en el siglo 19, pensamos en . . . Continue reading →
Not A Question Of Taste But Of Principle
Mark Tooley, of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, weighs in on the June 25 patriotic worship service held by First Baptist Church in Dallas. First Baptist is the home of Robert Jeffress, whom you might know from his frequent appearances on . . . Continue reading →
Westminster Confession On The Threefold Distinction In The Law And The Abrogation Of The Mosaic Judicial Laws
3. Beside this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly, holding . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On The Threefold Distinction In The Law And The Abrogation Of The Mosaic Civil Laws
The moral law (to begin first with it) is contained under two heads, one of which simply commands us to worship God with pure faith and piety; the other, to embrace men with sincere affection. Accordingly, it is the true and eternal . . . Continue reading →
Herman Hoeksema On The Twofold Kingdom
Hoeksema insisted that the Christian church, “as the manifestation of Christ’s body on earth, is universal in character; hence the church as an institution could not raise the American flag nor sing the national hymns.” The flag could be flown in the . . . Continue reading →
Ursinus: The Mosaic Civil Laws Pointed To Christ And Are Fulfilled
The use of the judicial, or civil laws, was, That they might contribute to the preservation of the Mosaic polity. That they might be types of the government of the church in the kingdom of Christ, inasmuch as the princes and kings . . . Continue reading →
Senator Sanders And The Twofold Kingdom
In early June (2017) Russell Vought appeared before a committee of the United States Senate as the president’s nominee to serve as the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). During the hearing, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) questioned Vought . . . Continue reading →
When Elders And Ministers Cross The Line
In my experience, the vast majority of elders and ministers are selfless, gracious, kind, patient, and Christlike men. Most serve sacrificially. Most serve out of love for their Savior and out of love for their brothers and sisters in Christ. Unless one . . . Continue reading →
How The Dutch Reformed Lost The Psalms
The king’s arbitrary actions roused very little public dissent. Most clergy were happy to get paid regularly again and their parishioners welcomed the restoration of the national church, even if it was subject to closer government control. Opposition against the new regime . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Zack Eswine On Pastoral Ministry According To Ecclesiastes
Any honest graduate of law school, med school, or seminary will tell you two things a) that he wishes he had paid attention in school and b) there is a lot about life as a physician, lawyer, or minister that you cannot . . . Continue reading →
Pan-Protestant Rejection Of An Earthly Golden Age Before Christ Returns
They condemn also others who are now spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being everywhere suppressed. Augsburg Confession (1530) art. 17 We further condemn . . . Continue reading →
Bavinck: Prayers For The Dead Undermine Christ’s Intercession
If the doctrine of purgatory is untenable, all offerings and prayers for the dead automatically fall with it. Veneration of the dead by sacrifices and prayers was common among pagans. Intercession for the dead became a practice among the Jews later (2 . . . Continue reading →
Our Secular Life Is A Covenant Of Works
It is vital for Christians to understand that, for their standing with God (justification) and their gracious and gradual conformity to Christ (sanctification), i.e., for their salvation from the wrath to come and their deliverance from the bondage of sin, they are . . . Continue reading →