Covenant, Justification, and Pastoral Ministry

The Solution to a Great Lot of Problems

by on November 25, 2009 |

Antinomianism and legalism will always be with us. They have plagued the church since the apostolic age (read Galatians and 1 Corinthians). In the seventeenth century, however, appeared a marvelous remedy for both: The Marrow of Modern Divinity. The adjective “modern” is . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours Special: The Law is Not of Faith

by on November 16, 2009 |

Thanks to David VanDrunen, John Fesko, and Brian Estelle for putting in some Office Hours this week as they sit down to discuss their book, The Law is Not of Faith. In this volume, my above-mentioned colleagues along with Mike Horton, Steve . . . Continue reading →

Caspar Olevianus on "Final Justification" and "Spirit-Wrought Sanctity"

by on November 12, 2009 |

119 Q. Why the next article, “From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead”? A. As a further encouragement to our faith. Christ sits in heaven at the right hand of the Father and exercises His royal power . . . Continue reading →

Audio: Exposition of the Nine Points (Pt 8): Defining Grace and Faith

by on November 8, 2009 |

Exposition of the Nine Points (pt 8)-Defining Grace and Faith We reject the errors of those: who teach that Spirit-wrought sanctity, human works, or cooperation with grace is any part either of the ground of our righteousness before God or any part . . . Continue reading →

Audio: Exposition of the Nine Points (part 7) "Covenantal Arminianism"

by on November 1, 2009 |

Exposition of the Nine Points (Pt 7)-Covenantal Arminianism Synod rejects the errors of those who teach that a person can be historically, conditionally elect, regenerated, savingly united to Christ, justified, and adopted by virtue of participation in the outward administration of the . . . Continue reading →

Something Weird in the Siouxlands

by on October 28, 2009 |

I’ve been trying to follow recent events in the Siouxlands Presbytery but I’m confused about what’s happening. I’m not expert in the Book of Church Order of the Presbyterian Church in America (and I’m not going to become so) so I assumed . . . Continue reading →

Speaking a Foreign Language

by on October 26, 2009 |

In response to another post, Daniel F., one of Doug Wilson’s more ardent defenders, asked me to listen to a clip from a sermon which is supposed to demonstrate Wilson’s pristine evangelical, Protestant, Reformational orthodoxy on justification. What follows is a lightly . . . Continue reading →

Audio: Nine Points (Part 6) The Difference Between the Covenants of Works and Grace

by on October 25, 2009 |

Nine Points of Synod Schereville (part 6) This talk is part of the ongoing series in the adult class at the Oceanside URC, Carlsbad, CA. Today we looked at points 3 and 4 of the Nine Points of Synod Schereville (URCNA; 2007).

Why Do Some Reformed People Corrupt the Gospel of Grace?

by on October 12, 2009 |

Because it is our natural tendency to do so. It is our natural tendency to add works to grace as part of the way we are accepted by God because grace, being utterly free and unconditional to us sinners, seem so unlikely, . . . Continue reading →