The law shows us “what manner of persons [we ought] to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11), but it does not inform us by what means we may become such (Luke 10:27–28). Whereas, the gospel teaches us how . . . Continue reading →
HeidelQuotes
SCOTUS Takes Up Important Case With Far Reaching Consequences For Free Speech And Religious Freedom
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to weigh in on the constitutionality of Colorado’s ban on “conversion therapy” – that is, the effort to “convert” someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. That announcement came as part of a list of orders released on Monday . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: Through Faith Two Apparently Inconsistent Things Are Reconciled
Then these two things, though apparently inconsistent, do yet perfectly harmonize when we speak of faith; for the Spirit of God shows to us hidden things, the knowledge of which cannot reach our senses: Promised to us is eternal life, but it . . . Continue reading →
Owen: A Little Faith Gives The Whole Christ
True faith in the least degree, gives the soul a share in the first resurrection. It is of the vital principle which we receive when we are quickened. Now, be it never so weak a life we have, yet it is a . . . Continue reading →
DOJ Sides With Church In Zoning Dispute
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has intervened in a case involving a city’s use of zoning ordinances to stop the expansion of a church congregation. On March 3, the Justice Department section for the Western District of Pennsylvania filed a statement . . . Continue reading →
Nothing New Under The Sun
The year was 1972, the month was July, and I was living the summer school’s-out vacation dream in the small town of Senath, Missouri that I’ve often compared to Andy Griffith’s Mayberry. How was it like Mayberry? Well, I could walk two . . . Continue reading →
Colquhoun: The Law In Its Commanding Power Differs Much From The Gospel
The law in its commanding power differs much from the gospel. The law says, “Do and you shall live; you shall, by performing personal and perfect obedience, entitle yourselves to eternal life” (see Matt. 19:17). Whereas the gospel says, “Live, for all . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: Those Who Reject Infant Baptism Are “Fanatics”
Moreover, we believe, that since baptism is a treasure which God has placed in his Church, all the members ought to partake of it. Now we doubt not that little children born of Christians are of this number, since God has adopted . . . Continue reading →
Bavinck: All Heretics Quote Scripture
Every sectarian and heretical school of thought initially begins with an appeal to Scripture against the confession and would have us believe that its deviation from the doctrine of the church is required by Scripture. But in most cases further investigation leads . . . Continue reading →
Bringing Singles Into The Church
The OPC raised me well. Even in my earliest memories, my church felt like home. But when I returned as a young adult from serving two years on a mission field, I began to feel deeply the tension of being single and . . . Continue reading →
What The Cave Of Adullam Tells Us About The Visible Church
The cave of Adullam would not be David’s last place of residence. His life would not always be on the run with “everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul.” (1 Samuel . . . Continue reading →
In Person Is Best
But before one decides to avoid the alleged “ivory tower” of seminary, before one decides not to fight the battle of uprooting one’s self or family, we should count the costs. One of the benefits of in-person seminary education is that it . . . Continue reading →
Colquhoun: You Cannot Add Your Works To Christ’s
As this is a great error [to mingle law and gospel], so it is a very dangerous error. If a man attempts to add any works of his own to the consummate righteousness of Jesus Christ as the ground of his justification . . . Continue reading →
The Polish Reformed (1570) Rebuke The Anabaptists For Denying Infant Baptism
We also rebuke and reject all Anabaptists, who repeat their baptism and do not allow little children among God’s people to be baptized. James T. Dennison Jr. ed., Reformed Confessions of the 16th and 17th Centuries in English Translation: 1523–1693, vol. 3 . . . Continue reading →
Hungarian Synod (1567) Lumps The Anabaptists With Servetus And The Socinians For Denying Infant Baptism
We have decided, in accordance with the Word of God, that despite the howls of Servetus and the new Anabaptists, infants must be baptized together with adults, for the following reasons: 1. The matter of the sacrament, the covenant itself, righteousness, life, . . . Continue reading →
Antwerp Confession (1566): “I Reject The Error Of The Anabaptists” Who Detest The Baptism Of The Children Of Believers
I believe that baptism is the sign of the covenant of God with the seed of Abraham, ought to be given to those who belong to the covenant of grace, and, as a consequence, to the infants of believers. Thus I reject . . . Continue reading →
Second Helvetic Confession (1566): We Condemn The Anabaptists Who Deny Baptism To The Children Of Believers
We teach that baptism should not be ministered in the church by women or midwives. For Paul excludes women from ecclesiastical callings: but baptism belongs to ecclesiastical offices. We condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that young infants, born of faithful parents, are . . . Continue reading →
Beza (1561) At Poissy: “The Anabaptists Have No Stronger Enemies” Than The Reformed On Infant Baptism
I will not consider what concerns the administration of holy baptism, for I believe that none of us, sirs, wants to position ourselves among the Anabaptists, who have no stronger enemies than we. And concerning several other specific questions on this matter, . . . Continue reading →
Scots Confession (1560): “We Damn The Error Of The Anabaptists” For Refusing To Baptize The Children Of Believers
We confess and acknowledge that baptism appertains as well to the infants of the faithful as unto those that be of age and discretion. And so we damn the error of Anabaptists who deny baptism to appertain to children before they have . . . Continue reading →
33 Ministers And 26 Congregations Leave The CRC For The RCA After Synod Requires Churches To Uphold Christian Doctrine On Sexuality
At a church just outside Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Tuesday (Feb. 18), 33 ministers from the Christian Reformed Church in North America stood up to read aloud a declaration, officially accepting ordination in a rival denomination, the Reformed Church in America. Having . . . Continue reading →