Dr Machen answered my call to help in presenting the cause of The Presbyterian Church of America in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Presbytery of Bismarck of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. had painted Dr. Machen as a very unsavory and troublesome . . . Continue reading →
HeidelQuotes
On Jefferson’s Bible
The “Jefferson Bible” is arguably the most controversial religious text in American history. Perhaps the other most obvious contender is Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon. But while the Book of Mormon has become one of the most printed and widely distributed books . . . Continue reading →
Trueman: A Lethal Difference Of Attitude
There is all the difference in the world between the one who signs a confession because he passionately believes it to be an accurate summary of scriptural teaching and the one who signs it because, at a pinch, he can just about . . . Continue reading →
Federal Court Overturns California’s Gender Secrecy Policies
In a landmark class-action ruling, Thomas More Society achieved a historic victory in Mirabelli, et al. v. Olson, et al., ending California’s gender secrecy policies and restoring transparency and parental involvement in public education. The decision and federal court order issuing a . . . Continue reading →
The True Continuing Church
When John Henry Newman said, “To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant,” his basic argument was that if you look at the early church and compare its doctrine and practice to Protestantism, you will observe that the early . . . Continue reading →
Why Good Works Matter
Why do I exist? Who am I supposed to be? Questions of identity touch the heart of our human condition. They also broach some of the most challenging issues of the modern period. We need to know what it means to be . . . Continue reading →
The Little Steps That Led To Big Problems
The ordination of women in American Presbyterianism did not emerge overnight but through a long sequence of small decisions — in churches and eventually courts — that gradually reshaped the Church’s understanding of officers, ordination, their function, and authority. In my previous . . . Continue reading →
Perkins On The Covenant Of Works
In Adam’s sin there was the breach of the whole law in every commandment, either directly or by consequence, for he showed evident want of love to God in believing Satan more than God. Therein he chose Satan for his god; he . . . Continue reading →
Luther: God Wants Us To Listen
Thus [Paul] says also to the Romans (11:13): “Inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry.” That is to say: “I want men to receive me, not as Paul of Tarsus but as Paul the apostle or . . . Continue reading →
Boston: Sanctification Is The Work Of The Trinity
FIRST, I shall consider the kinds of sanctification distinguishable. Sanctification of a soul is twofold. 1. Initial sanctification, which is the implanting of the seeds of grace in the soul at first, and is the same with regeneration, 1 John 3:9 wherein . . . Continue reading →
Trueman: Your Prayer Life Needs The Doctrine Of The Trinity
Practically speaking, therefore, a healthy, vibrant prayer life depends to a large extent upon a good understanding of trinitarian doctrine. Only then will we both understand what it is we are doing and have confidence that it will be effective and powerful. . . . Continue reading →
Olevianus On How The Articles Of The Apostles’ Creed Give Us Assurance And Comfort
Give me some guidance as to what I should do to derive a firm confidence and sure comfort from the articles of faith. A. First of all, for each and every article of faith think about God’s promise that if you believe . . . Continue reading →
Luther: Of Course Error And False Teaching Springs Up In The Church
We should not marvel nor be terrified if there spring up among us many different false teachings and false faiths. Satan is constantly among the children of God. These words teach us how we should conduct ourselves toward these heretics and false . . . Continue reading →
RPCNA Removes Samuel Ketcham From The Ministry And Excommunicates Him
The Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America’s Presbytery of the Alleghenies on Saturday excommunicated Rev. Samuel Ketcham for his advocacy of kinism, the belief that insurmountable differences between races exist and justify some type of discrimination. After a trial, a church court . . . Continue reading →
Bavinck: A Universal Atonement Sacrifices Quality For Quantity
The universalists tend, therefore, to diminish the value and power of Christ’s work. What they gain in quantity—and then only seemingly–they lose in quality. Herman Bavinck | Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, trans. John Bolt and John Vriend . . . Continue reading →
Luther On Law, Gospel, And Conscience
Give no more to the Law than it has coming, and say to it: “Law, you want to ascend into the realm of conscience and rule there. You want to denounce its sin and take away the joy of my heart, which . . . Continue reading →
Unlocking Matthew’s Genealogy
Matthew opens his Gospel with a genealogy whose arithmetic has long been regarded as problematic. After tracing the line of promise from Abraham to Jesus (Matt. 1:2–16), Matthew divides the genealogy’s history into three sets of fourteen generations, totaling forty-two (Matt. 1:17). . . . Continue reading →
Religious Freedom Watch: San Jose Church Appeals To SCOTUS
Almost three years after the COVID pandemic was officially declared over, a church in California is still facing over $1.2 million in fines for keeping its doors open to minister to the spiritual needs of the public. Calvary Chapel San Jose’s legal . . . Continue reading →
Luther: The Afflicted Conscience Has No Remedy But Grace
Therefore the afflicted conscience has no remedy against despair and eternal death except to take hold of the promise of grace offered in Christ, that is, this righteousness of faith, this passive or Christian righteousness, which says with confidence: “I do not . . . Continue reading →
Sproul on Turretin on Justification
The difference between infusion and imputation is not a matter of semantics. It is not a tempest in a teapot. It is not a simple dispute between two words. No, the difference is systemic. The entire Roman Catholic structure of salvation is . . . Continue reading →