Canon VI: Wherefore, we can not agree with the opinion of those who teach: l) that God, moved by philanthropy, or a kind of special love for the fallen of the human race, did, in a kind of conditioned willing, first moving . . . Continue reading →
Assurance
Audio: Covenant Curses and Covenant Blessings
Here’s a recent sermon preached in my home congregation, the Escondido United Reformed Church, on Hebrews 6:4–20: Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and . . . Continue reading →
God’s Immutable Purpose In Christ
A Strong Source of Assurance
Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, He has out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of His own will, chosen from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own . . . Continue reading →
Faith-The Instrument By Which We Embrace Christ
We do not mean, however, properly speaking, that it is faith itself that justifies us — for faith is only the instrument by which we embrace Christ, our righteousness. But Jesus Christ is our righteousness in making available to us all his . . . Continue reading →
The Son Of God Appointed A Guarantor
The Son of God, having been appointed by God as Mediator of the covenant, becomes the guarantor on two counts: 1) He shall satisfy for the sins of all those whom the Father has given him; 2) He shall also bring it to pass that . . . Continue reading →
Calvin as Theologian of Consolation (Pt 5)
Part 4: Consolation And Pastoral Ministry IV. Consolation Preached In part one of this series we considered Calvin’s interpretation of several biblical passages on consolation. In part two we looked at how he harvested a theology of consolation from his exegetical work. . . . Continue reading →
How Do You Know? Ursinus On Assurance
5. Objection: “But what if you fall from the grace of Christ? For you may sin and become weak, because it is a long and difficult road to heaven.” Answer: “Christ has not only merited and conferred his benefits on me but . . . Continue reading →
Calvin as Theologian of Consolation (Pt 4)
Part 3: His Theology of Consolation in The Institutes. III. Consolation and Pastoral Ministry For Calvin, christian consolation is not only a theological reality but it is also the result of good pastoral practice. Christians often fail to appropriate the consolation they . . . Continue reading →
Calvin As Theologian of Consolation (Pt 3)
II. His Theology of Consolation (1559 Institutes) In the previous installment we looked at the way Calvin read Paul’s epistles and how he drew from them a doctrine of consolation, of God’s presence with his people in Christ, by the Spirit, in . . . Continue reading →
Calvin As Theologian of Consolation (Pt 2)
Part 1: Introduction to Calvin’s Life and His Own Need for Comfort I. Calvin’s Exegesis of Consolation (in Paul) In the first part we saw that Calvin was a pilgrim who himself needed the consolation of the gospel, given by the Spirit, . . . Continue reading →
Calvin As Theologian of Consolation (Pt 1)
Wikipedia, that ubiquitous source of unimpeachable scholarship, defines “consolation” as “something of value, when one fails to get something of higher value….” That is precisely the opposite of what John Calvin (1509–64) meant by “consolation.”For Calvin, the consolation that Christ gives to . . . Continue reading →
Who Are the True Catholics? (4) The Assurance of Salvation
Part 3: Original Sin Perkins’ third point against Rome concerned the assurance of salvation. According to Perkins, the Protestants and Rome agree that: A man in this life may be certain of salvation; and the same thing does the Church of Rome . . . Continue reading →
The Ground of Assurance
For even though the law requires perfect righteousness from believers, they refer the demanding law to Christ, in whom they have become the righteousness of God; that is, a righteousness that is acceptable to God (Col. 1:14). If the law demands that . . . Continue reading →
Not Much to Say But This: Sin and Its Consequences Are Truly Terrible
UPDATE 30 JUNE 2010 Daphne wrote just a few minutes ago to say that Steve is now with the Lord. Thanks for your prayers but please pray for his wife and two sons and the rest of us who will miss him . . . Continue reading →
When Hope Isn’t: Reflections on the Chicago Olympics
The phrase “the Chicago Olympics” (at least for the foreseeable future) refers only to a fantasy. Yet, thousands of people in Chicago poured their heart and soul into bringing the Olympics to Chicago and then stood broken-hearted and stunned (gobsmacked) as they . . . Continue reading →
Horror Films Online
Well, not quite but they might be to some. First, the video clip of my Reformation Day sermon from a couple of years ago was removed from YouTube (how bad must one be to be removed from YouTube?) and re-posted. It’s now . . . Continue reading →
Can I Have Assurance?
Joel asks, “Is it possible for a person to want/desire to know Christ as his/her Savior and not be among the elect?” 21. What is true faith? True faith is not only a certain knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that . . . Continue reading →
For Believers Who Have Lost a Child in Infancy
Martin understands.
True Assurance v "American" Assurance
Wes White has a great meditation for the Lord’s Day.
New in the Bookstore: Getting the Blues
There is a nasty, often unspoken law in American evangelical Christianity. It’s a kind of gnosticism – a secret knowledge that some have and others, such as I, apparently don’t have. That law is that we’re supposed to be happy all the . . . Continue reading →