If then a man cannot distinguish aright between the law and the gospel, he cannot rightly understand as much as a single article of divine truth. If he does not have spiritual and just apprehensions of the holy law, he cannot have . . . Continue reading →
HeidelQuotes
Luther Contra Theonomy
A second kind of abrogation of the Law, an outward one, is that the political laws of Moses do not apply to us at all. Therefore we should not restore them to the courthouse or chain ourselves to them in some superstitious . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On The Relation Of Preaching And Sacraments To Our Mystical Union With Christ
To effect this union [with Christ], the Holy Spirit uses a double instrument, the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments. When we say that the Holy Spirit uses an external minister as instrument, we mean this: both in . . . Continue reading →
Who May Read The Scriptures In A P&R Service
It’s a rare week when I don’t receive a message from someone in the conservative Presbyterian and Reformed world reporting a practice that the scandalized sender has witnessed in a NAPARC church. Often the report is of females reading scripture or leading some . . . Continue reading →
Colquhoun: The Law And The Gospel Are The Sum And Substance Of Scripture
The law and the gospel are the principal parts of divine revelation, or rather they are the center, sum, and substance of all the other parts of it. Every passage of sacred Scripture is either law or gospel or is capable of . . . Continue reading →
Perkins: Rome Is An Old Testament Religion
It is further to be observed that Paul says the fathers of the Old Testament “were in bondage under the law,” after the manner of servants, specially by reason of rites and ceremonies. And hence it follows that the observation of a . . . Continue reading →
Riddlebarger: New Testament Eschatology Is The Fulfillment Of Old Testament Prophecy
Old Testament believers were aware that God was moving history toward a goal that lay far off on the distant horizon. That goal was the coming of the promised Redeemer who would bring to fruition the prophetic expectations and hopes of the . . . Continue reading →
Luther On The Relation Between Sound Doctrine To Harmony
And let me add this admonition in passing: It is the nature and the result of sound doctrine that when it is taught and learned well, it unites the minds of men in supreme harmony. But where men neglect the faithful doctrine . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: The Communication Of Christ To Believers In Preaching Is A Mystery
We believe this communication [of Christ via Gospel ministry] to be (a) mystical, and incomprehensible to human reason, and (b) spiritual, since it is effected by the Holy Spirit; to whom, since he is the virtue of the living God, proceeding from . . . Continue reading →
Vos: Man Belongs To Two Spheres
Man belongs to two spheres. And Scripture not only teaches that these two spheres are distinct, it also teaches what estimate of relative importance ought to be placed upon them. Heaven is the primordial, earth the secondary creation. In heaven are the . . . Continue reading →
Berkhof On Why Reformed Churches Affirm The Validity Of Roman Catholic Baptisms
[The Reformed Churches] have generally recognized the baptism of other Churches, not excluding the Roman Catholics, and also of the various sects, except in the case of Churches and sects which denied the Trinity. Thus they refused to honour the baptism of . . . Continue reading →
Colquhoun: The Law As Covenant Of Works
The law, then, as a covenant of works, does, in the most authoritative manner, demand from every descendant of Adam who is under it perfect holiness of nature, perfect righteousness of life, and complete satisfaction for sin. And none of the race . . . Continue reading →
Perkins’ Defense Of Infant Baptism
Infants of believing parents are likewise to be baptized. The grounds of their baptism are these. First, the commandment of God, “Baptize all nations” (Matt. 28:19), in which words the baptism of infants is prescribed. For the apostles by virtue of this . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: There Are Two Ministers In Preaching
In the preaching of the Word, the external minister holds forth the vocal word, and it is received by the ears. The internal minister, the Holy Spirit, truly communicates the thing proclaimed through the Word, that is Christ, to the souls of . . . Continue reading →
Luther On The First Use
Now if even the Moral Law of God, the Decalogue, gives birth only to slaves—that is, does not justify but only terrifies, accuses, condemns, and brings consciences to the point of despair—how, I ask you, could the laws of the pope or . . . Continue reading →
We Are Just Children
It was 1975 and our family was living in Regina, Saskatchewan. In this prairie city my Dad had his first posting as a pilot for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He’d been serving as an RCMP officer for a few years already, . . . Continue reading →
Forty Years Earlier . . . The 1984 (12th) GA: Unity Frays
The PCA General Assembly convened again a large convention ballroom at Baton Rouge’s Bellemont Hotel for its next Assembly. Meeting in the deep South and the furthest west to date, the 12th GA would continue hashing out areas of mission and expansion. The . . . Continue reading →
Riddlebarger On The Two Ages
The third aspect of New Testament eschatology is that the relationship of these two ages ensures that the blessings of the present age are a guarantee of the consummation of the age to come, which will bring even greater and final blessings. . . . Continue reading →
Perkins: Believers And Unbelievers Both Need Civil Government
Objection II. Believers are governed by God’s Spirit, and therefore outward government by magistrates is needless. Answer. In the visible church, hypocrites are mingled with true believers, and they are not governed by God’s Spirit, but by the spirit of the devil. . . . Continue reading →
Luther: Christian, You Are Isaac
Therefore just as Isaac has the inheritance from his father solely on the basis of the promise and of his birth, without the Law or works, so we are born as heirs by Sarah, the free woman, that is, by the church. . . . Continue reading →