I love my country. Despite the apparently never-ending efforts of those who seek fundamentally to transform it into a replica of the European social-democratic states (which has provoked a Euro-nationalist-populist reaction), it is still a great country. Pace the president’s casual dismissal . . . Continue reading →
Talk radio is either the fertile valley or the fruited plains of popular speech. As a regular listener to several genres I have noticed both hosts and listeners confusing these two words: quasi and pseudo. One may almost understand why there might . . . Continue reading →
The transgender movement has never been about “gender.” It’s all about sex. Sex is the real target. “Gender” is merely the politicized linguistic vehicle that facilitates a legal ban on sex distinctions. There aren’t a whole lot of dots to connect to . . . Continue reading →
Sometimes Peter gives an exhortation followed by a reminder of the gospel and redemptive history. Sometimes, however, as in this case, he grounds his exhortation in the objective accomplishment of redemption for us by Christ. We live our Christian life in a sometimes hostile environment in light of Christ’s suffering for us. Peter begins v. 1 with a grammatical construction (genitive absolute) that establishes the circumstances of our existence and Christian experience. The Messiah suffered in the flesh (σαρκὶ). This reality, of course, was quite contrary to the popular expectation and contrary even to the expectations of the scribes and pharisees. Continue reading →
Dan writes to ask this question. It’s a good and important question and the answer is in two parts: anyone but not everyone. First, anyone may go to seminary. Since I teach at a seminary and I know how we operate, I’ll . . . Continue reading →
This overview is sufficient to show how the older writings can manifest the covenant doctrine in Reformed theology. But, one might perhaps say, that only applies to the covenant of grace. These historical data cannot prove that the covenant of works belonged . . . Continue reading →
What do sacraments do? Do they anything or are they just rituals we perform? These are some of the questions Les, Tanner, and I discussed on this episode of the Pubcast. The most fundamental question is whether God ordinarily uses means? In . . . Continue reading →
In the Nicene Creed (325, 381 AD) Christians everywhere confess that the Holy Spirit “spoke by the prophets.” Ancient Christianity was marked by the highest regard for the Scriptures as God’s Word, given by the Spirit through the prophets and apostles. Since . . . Continue reading →
On the most recent episode of the Mortification of Spin, Carl, Aimee, and Todd had a disagreement about whether women can teach men in a Sunday School class. In the wake of the discussion both Aimee and Todd have published posts explaining . . . Continue reading →
[11.] But what is this, “When He shall deliver up the kingdom?” The Scripture acknowledges two kingdoms of God, the one by appropriation (oikeiwsin), the other by creation. Thus, He is King over all, both Greeks and Jews and devils and His . . . Continue reading →
We too need to trust that Jesus is now ruling over all things. We live in a time of unprecedented change and challenge to the divinely instituted order. Christians face heavy fines and even jail for refusing to participate in homosexual weddings. Never has a government before declared that homosexual marriage is a legitimate institution. Never before has a government declared that males may declare themselves female (or vice versa) and cohabit bathrooms and showers. We have descended into moral and social anarchy and that descent is being led by a president who declared just a few years ago that he was opposed to such things on the basis of his Christian convictions. In light of these things some Christians might be tempted to conclude that Jesus is not yet ruling, that he will know that he is ruling if and when some sort of glory age descends upon the earth. Such a notion, however, is entirely contrary to Peter’s way of thinking. One of his major doctrines in 1 Peter is that we may not draw such false inferences. Rather, we are to know that he is ruling now, even though things are miserable for Christians, and that he is accomplishing his saving purposes and extending his Spiritual kingdom through the preaching of the holy gospel and through the use of the keys of the kingdom. Continue reading →
The covenant of grace partakes both of a testament and of a covenant. Hence it is not improperly called “a covenant by a testament,” “a testamentary covenant” and a “federal testament.” It is a covenant because after the manner of a covenant . . . Continue reading →
The following is Calvin’s Short Treatise on the Lord’s Supper (Petit traicté de la saincte cène; 1541). As general background to theology, piety, and practice of the Lord’s Supper and to Calvin’s doctrine of the Supper, we should put this treatise in . . . Continue reading →
Now there is an answer, thanks to a big, new experiment from economists at West Point, who randomly banned computers from some sections of a popular economics course this past year at the military academy. One-third of the sections could use laptops . . . Continue reading →
…there is nothing more inane than the claim to be “on the right side of history” —Peter Berger
Last Sunday I had the pleasure of speaking to the adult class at Christ United Reformed Church in Santee, CA. I was filling in for my friend and colleague, Dr Ryan Glomsrud, a ruling elder at CURC. He has been teaching a . . . Continue reading →
The nature and use of the law (which goes before the covenant of grace) having been unfolded, we must now treat of the covenant itself. Since it is of the greatest importance in theology (being as it were the center and bond . . . Continue reading →
They were saved (διεσώθησαν) “through the waters” (δι᾿ ὕδατος). What Peter says is that it was in the midst of the circumstance of the flood or from the flood that Noah and his congregation were saved. Peter is not saying that the water was an instrument of their salvation. He has already said that the ark was the instrument or means of their salvation. If you have ever been whitewater rafting or found yourself in rough waters in a canoe, you understand. The rapid waters do not save anyone. No one was saved by the rising flood waters in Hurricane Katrina. They were saved in the midst of them by clinging to a rooftop or by a brave member of the Coast Guard (known affectionately as “Coasties”) dangling from a helicopter. Continue reading →
Introduction In 25 years of ministry one of the most profound changes I’ve seen is the growing inability and/or unwillingness of Americans to read texts according to the intent of the author. One of the major reasons for this change was the . . . Continue reading →