We must observe, also, that the soul, after this life, goes either into heaven or into hell, and into no other place; for the scripture mentions no other, neither purgatory, nor limbus, nor subterranean caverns, nor Lethean streams; whatever is asserted in . . . Continue reading →
History of Redemption
Bavinck On The Limbus Patrum
Moreover, all have their own task and place. Roman Catholics assume that after death Old Testament believers waited in the limbo of the fathers and were not released until Christ freed them at his descent into hell; and they also believe that . . . Continue reading →
Vos On The Limbus Patrum
What is the limbus patrum of Roman Catholics? The limbus patrum (limbo of the fathers) is the place where the believing fathers of the Old Testament had to stay in a state of expectation before the coming of the Messiah. After His death on the cross, . . . Continue reading →
Calvin Contra The Limbus Patrum
Others interpret it differently: that Christ descended to the souls of the patriarchs who had died under the law, to announce redemption as accomplished and to free them from the prison where they were confined. To back up this interpretation, they wrongly adduce . . . Continue reading →
Berkhof On The Limbus Patrum
The Limbus Patrum. The Latin word limbus (fringe) was used in the Middle Ages to denote two places on the fringe or outskirts of hell, namely, the Limbus Patrum and the Limbus Infantum. The former is the place where, according to the teachings of Rome, the souls . . . Continue reading →
The Irish Articles Condemn The Limbus Patrum
102. The doctrine of the Church of Rome, concerning limbus patrum [The limbus of the fathers], limbus puerorum [the limbus of infants], purgatory, prayer for the dead, pardons, adoration of images and relics, and also invocation of saints, is vainly invented, without all warrant of Holy Scripture, yea, and . . . Continue reading →
Turretin Contra The Limbus Patrum (4)
X. What is said of “the sepulcher” and “death” (Gen. 37:35; 42:38)—that Jacob was about to go down with sadness (lsh’vl) (“into the grave”) is falsely drawn to limbo. Sh’vl or hadēs is the grave into which men descend after death. XI. “The pit wherein is . . . Continue reading →
Turretin Contra The Limbus Patrum (3)
VII. Third, the thief is admitted into paradise before the ascension of Christ according to his promise, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Lk. 23:43). Nor should it be said here that “today” must be construed with the preceding verb . . . Continue reading →
Turretin Contra The Limbus Patrum (2)
The reasons are: (1) the formula of the covenant of grace under which the fathers lived does not suffer them to be hurled into a limbo, but demands that they should be admitted into heaven. For since God promised that he would . . . Continue reading →
Turretin Contra The Limbus Patrum
This question lies between us and the papists who (the more easily to defend their hypothesis concerning the imperfection of the Old Testament) maintain that the fathers who lived under it were not immediately admitted into heaven, but were detained in limbo . . . Continue reading →
The Ascension Of Christ: A Primer
Every week, in both our morning and evening services, our congregation confesses or sings one of the historic creeds of the church before we receive the Lord’s Supper. Sometimes it is the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed or the Apostles’ Creed, and other times it . . . Continue reading →
Audio: Chad Vegas On “The Bride Groom Of Blood”
At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision (Ex 4:24–26 (ESV). Continue reading →
O Little Town Of Bethlehem And The Theology Of The Cross
For us Christians Bethlehem is a significant place because it is the birthplace of the Savior, Jesus, who shall save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21). For much of its history, however, it was a just an obscure city (Mic 5:2)1 . . . Continue reading →
Abraham Was Not Moses
Several years ago, I had the privilege of contributing an article to 9Marks. The point of my post there (and here) was not to argue the specifics of the paedobaptist (infant baptizing) case, but nevertheless, in response to that contribution, a correspondent . . . Continue reading →
For To Us A Child Is Born
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond . . . Continue reading →
The Commander Of Yahweh’s Army: The Son And The Covenant Of Grace Present In The Types And Shadows
When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the LORD‘S army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so (Joshua 5:13–15; ESV). Continue reading →
Paul On Personal Law-Keeping And The Work Of Christ
The Mosaic law itself did not originate the notion of personal obedience de novo, since it recapitulated a more fundamental creational principle of righteousness through obedience to the Creator’s covenant stipulations. Further, the Mosaic law did not introduce a new way of . . . Continue reading →
The Old Testament Is Like A Mystery Story
Despite how we know we should feel, even Christians who deeply love the Bible often feel a bit less than enthused if the preacher uses an obscure portion of the Old Testament as his sermon text. Some Old Testament books seem so . . . Continue reading →
Abrahamic Bookends
Father Abraham “Father Abraham has many sons, many sons has father Abraham…”. Amen! How many American evangelicals have sung that youth-group chorus without appreciating the implications of what they were singing? The Apostle Paul writes, What then shall we say was gained . . . Continue reading →
Silent Saturday
During this season, which many Christians call “Holy Week,” I am perversely drawn to Saturday.