Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. The Samaritans at that time did, as we learn from the words of the woman, what is customary with those who have revolted from true godliness, to seek to shield themselves by the examples of the . . . Continue reading →
Author Archives: R. Scott Clark
John Owen Society: The Glorious, Indivisible, Trinitarian Work of God in Christ
If you are near Oxford (UK) on 4 May 2016 and interested in confessional Reformed theology and piety then you may be interested in hearing, Dr Jonathan Gibson, Associate Minister at Cambridge Presbyterian Church and author of From Heaven He Came and . . . Continue reading →
Strangers And Aliens (16d): Defending The Faith (1 Peter 3:13–17)
The pagans have no frame of reference by which to understand what we are saying. The Christian faith is a mystery. We claim that a Jewish rabbi was crucified and raised on the third day, that he was and remain, in fact, God the Son incarnate. There is nothing about paganism that prepares them to understand that. Further. the pagans think about religion as a matter of works, as a matter of a quid pro quo. They think that the gods are powers to be controlled and manipulated. We make offerings and we perform duties and thereby, they think, we have obligated the gods to be good to us. That is not the Christian faith. We say that God has been gracious to us in that while we were sinners (disobedient and judgment deserving), God sent his Son to obey for us, in our place, and to die for us, as our substitute. We say that we are right with God not by anything we have done or can do but merely because God has credited to us who believe all that Jesus did for us. That is a supernatural religion. The pagan has a natural religion. He elevates nature (works) into a religion and seeks to use it to control the gods. Continue reading →
Calvin On The “Rule of Worship” And The “Inventions Of Men”
On the second point, when God is worshipped by inventions of men, he condemns this “fear” as superstitious, though men endeavour to cloak it under a plausible pretence of religion, or devotion, or reverence. He assigns the reason, that it “hath been . . . Continue reading →
Calvin Contra Sadoleto On the Regulative Principle Of Worship
I have also no difficulty in conceding to you that there is nothing more perilous to our salvation than a distorted and perverse worship of God. The primary rudiments by which we are wont to train to piety those whom we wish . . . Continue reading →
Why American Evangelicals Convert To And Imitate Rome
Some 57,400 American Protestants converted to Roman Catholicism between 1831 and 1860… Protestants reacted strongly to such Catholic proselytizing. They attributed the Catholics’ success in part to the cultural appeal of their imagery and art. Accordingly, Protestants began to make use themselves . . . Continue reading →
What The Spirit Is Doing Or What We Are Saying? Distinguishing Reformed And Pentecostal Piety
What happens is that contemporary evangelical and charismatic folk describe ordinary phenomena in extraordinary, apostolic terms. They identify non-apostolic phenomena as apostolic. That is cheating but it is rhetorically powerful and persuasive. Many evangelicals do not want to live in the post-canonical, in between time. It is a drag. People want a power religion. Judged against the neo-Pentecostal and charismatic claims, Reformed Christianity seems decidedly weak and powerless (see all of 2 Corinthians). Continue reading →
Boston On Not Turning The Covenant Of Grace Into A Covenant Of Works
ARGUMENT. V. Though the patrons of the doctrine of the necessity of repentance in order to the obtaining of the pardon of sin, do not aim at any encroachment on the doctrine of free pardon; yet, with all deference to those learned . . . Continue reading →
Sasse: Baby Humans Are Not The Sum Of Their Body Parts
Calvin: The Pure Gospel Is Unadorned
[2 Corinthians 4:2] But renounce the hidden things. While he commends his own sincerity, he, on the other hand, indirectly reproves the false Apostles, who, while they corrupted by their ambition the genuine excellence of the gospel, were, nevertheless, desirous of exclusive . . . Continue reading →
Zwingli On Sacramentarians And Infant Baptism (1529)
Others, like the sacramentarians, (those are justly called sacramentarians, who attribute to the sacraments what they do not contain, and by high-sounding but false and made-up promises, lead men away from simple trust in the one God to belief in the power . . . Continue reading →
Nature, Gender, Rage, The Emperor’s Clothes, And Evangelical Docetism
The controversy over transgendered bathrooms is really a symbol of the success of subjectivism. Hans Christian Anderson (1805–75) anticipated this crisis in the early 19th century and told us a story about the “Emperor’s New Clothes.” If ever there was a parable for this age, this is it. In it people are told repeatedly to deny their sense experience in favor of political correctness. A small boy, however, unaware of the potential socio-economic consequences (or the rage of the LGBT lobby) of telling the truth, speaks truth to power to the everlasting shame of the adults. So it is in our time. The Transgender Emperor has the wrong clothes. Continue reading →
Berkhof: “Do This And Live” Is A Covenant Of Works
2. THE PROMISE OF THE COVENANT. The great promise of the covenant of works was the promise of eternal life. They who deny the covenant of works generally base their denial in part on the fact that there is no record of . . . Continue reading →
Hodge: “Do This And Live” Is A Covenant Of Works
1. The law of Moses was, in the first place, a re-enactment of the covenant of works. A covenant is simply a promise suspended upon a condition. The covenant of works, therefore, is nothing more than the promise of life suspended on . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: The Holy Spirit In Jesus’ Ministry
Scripture teaches and therefore all Christians confess that our Lord Jesus is true God and true man. As God the Son incarnate we understand that he has been in communion with the God the Spirit from all eternity. It is one thing . . . Continue reading →
So There ARE Limits To Self-Identity?
Turretin: “Do This And Live” Is A Covenant Of Works
A difference exists between a furnished and destitute state. The one is of the law considered in itself and its own nature; the other, in relation to us. The law was given to man in the beginning (before the fall) for life . . . Continue reading →
Coaches For Pastors: An Index Of The Identity Of American Culture And Evangelicalism
With the stench of decades of sweat fixed permanently in the air, its tile floor, and its fan-shaped basketball hoops mounted to the brick wall—the only protection against which being a thin, worn wrestling mat—the Community Center was the epitome of an . . . Continue reading →
Pictet On The Similarities And Differences Between The Covenants Of Grace And Works
God having thus entered into covenant with our Surety Christ Jesus, was pleased also to enter into covenant with us in him. Now this covenant we define to be, a free and gratuitous agreement between an offended God and offending man, in . . . Continue reading →
Strangers And Aliens (16c): Defending The Faith (1 Peter 3:13–17)
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15but in your hearts . . . Continue reading →