According to the Heidelberg Catechism there are three great heads of the Christian faith: guilt, grace, and gratitude. There may be other motivations to godliness but the catechism isn’t structured by them. It is structured by gratitude. Yet, there are those who . . . Continue reading →
Beginning at least in the 1560s, it was non-controversial for Reformed theologians to teach that God, before the fall, entered into a legal, probationary covenant with Adam, who was the representative of the whole human race, the condition of which was perfect . . . Continue reading →
Parts of the confessional Reformed world in North America are in the midst of a controversy over whether it is biblical, confessional, and historically Reformed to teach that the Mosaic covenant was, in some sense, a republication of the covenant of works. . . . Continue reading →
Parts of the confessional Reformed world in North America are in the midst of a controversy over whether it is biblical, confessional, and historically Reformed to teach that the Mosaic covenant was, in some sense, a republication of the covenant of works. . . . Continue reading →
On today’s Heidelcast, part 2 of our discussion about conditions in the covenant of grace. In episode 46 I tried to establish a distinction between two kinds of conditions in the covenant of grace: antecedent and consequent. An antecedent condition is a work, . . . Continue reading →
In Reformed theology we speak of three covenants, the pre-temporal covenant of redemption, the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace. In the covenant of redemption there are two aspects, works for the Son and grace for the elect. The Son was . . . Continue reading →
In this episode, part 2 of 2, we look specifically at what is new in the new covenant. Here’s part 1. Jeremiah 31:31–34 looks forward to four future blessings in the new covenant. The New Testament takes up those categories and elaborates . . . Continue reading →
We speak often about the old and new covenants or Old and New Testaments but what are they and especially what is the Old Testament or the old covenant? What is the relationship between the Old and New Testaments and what is . . . Continue reading →
Denial is the refusal to believe what our senses are telling us, of seeking an alternate explanation. Thomas wanted didn’t trust his eyes. One of the earliest heresies faced by the apostolic church was the claim that Jesus humanity was only apparent . . . Continue reading →
The Heidelcast considers the case of Fiona, who was raised in a broadly evangelical congregation. In that tradition, the emphasis was on unity over diversity. The congregation tolerated different approaches to the sacraments and to the doctrine of salvation. What bound them . . . Continue reading →
David Hall and the good folks at Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Powder Springs, GA are hosting the fifth annual Reformation Worship Conference next month (Oct 17-20, 2013). David joined me by phone this afternoon to talk about the conference and about . . . Continue reading →
We confess that Christ is Lord but what does that entail for the way Christians relate to the broader culture? Are we Christians because the culture is Christian? Do Christians separate themselves completely from the culture? Are we called to transform the . . . Continue reading →
An important part of recovering the Reformed confession is calling the churches back to our theology, piety, and practice. Church planting is a part of that practice. We’ve always been “missional.” We were missional before there was a cool word for it. . . . Continue reading →
The law of God is always relevant but the ninth commandment seems particularly relevant right now. We live in a time when truth seems to be out of fashion. I can’t remember a time when there has seemed to be so little . . . Continue reading →
The Heidelcast answers a phone call asking about NAPARC and what distinguishes the various confessional Reformed denominations and federations from each other. Thanks to the Rev Dr David Hall, Sr Pastor of Midway Presbyterian Church, (PCA) in Powder Springs, GA, the Rev Mr . . . Continue reading →
If you’ve been following the HB, the Heidelcast has been in re-runs for several months. Today, however, the Heidelcast is back with a brand new episode. Earlier this week I talked with Zeke Piestrup about his new documentary, “Apocalypse Later: Harold Camping . . . Continue reading →
Alleged manifestations of our Lord have been claimed for a long time since the close of the apostolic period. It is even more common for artists to represent what they imagine his likeness to have been in paintings. So widely accepted are . . . Continue reading →
Cornelius Van Til is one of the more important figures in modern Reformed history. He was much influenced by Abraham Kuyper but he also had other influences and he has influenced generations of American (and other) Reformed pastors and teachers. He is . . . Continue reading →
The doctrine of union with Christ has been a controversial issue in Reformed circles for several years. On the surface, judging by the older Reformed writers and by the Reformed confessions, it is difficult to see exactly why the doctrine of union . . . Continue reading →
The Reformation is not only a doctrine and a piety. It is those two things but it is also a practice. It entails change in the life of the congregation, not for its own sake but for the sake of bringing that . . . Continue reading →