In the manner of justifying, the two covenants (law and gospel) are locked in frontal combat. This is because the gospel justifies through grace through faith, not works. Samuel Rutherford, The Works of Samuel Rutherford: Arminianism: A Systematic and Theological Response, ed. . . . Continue reading →
Salvation
Rutherford: Contra The Remonstrants, Rome Does Deny The Doctrine Of Salvation
They hold that the Roman Church does not teach fundamental errors but only errors conditionally and improperly so, which do not undermine the foundation. But our theologians, like Perkins and Whitaker, have demonstrated that the papal church as such does not teach . . . Continue reading →
Rutherford: Salvation By Works Is Heresy
It is a Socinian and heretical position to conclude that we can be saved through keeping God’s commands even though we wrongly conceive of God in our minds and are ignorant of him, his nature, attributes, and works as they are revealed . . . Continue reading →
Turretin: Fatherly Chastisements Are Not Judicial Punishments
It is one thing to speak of punishments properly so called and satisfactory, inflicted by a judge for the satisfaction of justice; another to speak of punishments improper and castigatory or medicinal. We do not deny that the latter are often appointed . . . Continue reading →
The Woke Right And Gen Z
Older generations need to understand something uncomfortable: America’s youngest adults are not only trending in a new political direction — they’re doing so for reasons that most people over 30 haven’t even begun to diagnose. And if we don’t figure out why . . . Continue reading →
Turretin: We Obey Because We Live Not In Order To Live
Although Christ fulfilled the law for us as to obedience, it cannot be inferred that we are no longer bound to render obedience to God. It certainly follows that we are not bound to obey for the same end and from the . . . Continue reading →
John Brown of Wamphray: Once Justified, Always Justified
This new state of Justification is continuing and permanent; not in this sense, that God renews and frequently reiterates the enstating of them into this new relative state; but in this sense, that once justified always justified; they are fixed and preserved . . . Continue reading →
We Attain Heaven Through Faith Alone (Part 2)
What Is Salvation? In order to understand the biblical teaching we must first ask what is salvation? From what must we be saved? To what is salvation? Scripture is abundantly clear. The thing from which we must be saved is God’s holy . . . Continue reading →
Establishmentarian Politics And Evangelical Feast Days In The Dutch Reformed Church Calendar
Our church order has a separate article on ecclesiastical feast days which stands in a long tradition on this subject, going right back to the beginnings of Reformed churches in the Netherlands. In the following I wish to investigate the purpose and . . . Continue reading →
Piper’s Covenant Theology Is Not Reformed
Keeping the covenant of God did not mean living perfectly. It meant a life of habitual devotion and trust and love to the Lord, that turned from evil and followed him in his ways. When there was a shortcoming, a covenant-keeping person . . . Continue reading →
We Attain Heaven Through Faith Alone (Part 1)
For decades John Piper has taught the substance of what he wrote in the preface to Tom Shreiner’s 2015 book, Faith Alone: The Doctrine of Justification. The claim is that Christians should believe that we “attain heaven” by more than faith, i.e., by . . . Continue reading →
Waters: Piper Must Choose Between Edwards And The Reformation On The Definition Of Saving Faith
By way of preface, it is important to underscore the Reformational convictions in WSF that Piper repeatedly affirms – the sinner is justified through faith alone apart from works; faith is purely receptive in justification; the sinner is justified solely on the . . . Continue reading →
Bethlehem Baptist: “Final Salvation In The Age To Come Depends On The Transformation Of Life”
We believe that this persevering, future-oriented, Christ-embracing, heart-satisfying faith is life-transforming, and therefore renders intelligible the teaching of the Scripture that final salvation in the age to come depends on the transformation of life, and yet does not contradict justification by faith alone. . . . Continue reading →
Warfield: Christ Took The Jewish Sabbath Into The Grave With Him
The Sabbath came out of Christ’s hands, we see then, not despoiled of any of its authority or robbed of any of its glory, but rather enhanced in both authority and glory. Like the other commandments it was cleansed of all that . . . Continue reading →
Marshall On Seeking To Obey As The Condition Of The Right And Title Of Salvation
Those that endeavor to perform sincere obedience to all the commands of Christ, as the condition by which they are to procure for themselves a right and title to salvation, and a good ground to trust on Him for the same, do . . . 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 →
Bavinck: A Universal Atonement Isolates Christ From Covenant And Election
It gives precedence to the person and work of Christ over election and the covenant, so that Christ is isolated from these contexts and cannot vicariously atone for his people, since there is no fellowship between him and us. Herman Bavinck Reformed . . . Continue reading →
Review: Scripture and Metaphysics: Aquinas and the Renewal of Trinitarian Theology By Matthew Levering
Biblicism is a tough drug to kick, as recent years in evangelical circles have demonstrated. Arguments have proliferated about traditional understandings of God, his attributes, how to formulate the Trinity, how the unchanging God—as at least classical theists assert—relates to the changing . . . Continue reading →
Luther: To The Contrite We Offer The Gospel
Therefore when I see that a man is sufficiently contrite, oppressed by the Law, terrified by sin, and thirsting for comfort, then it is time for me to take the Law and active righteousness from his sight and to set forth before . . . Continue reading →
Bavinck: The Ground Of The Free Offer Is Not A (Hypothetical) Universal Atonement
For the universal offer of grace we need no other ground than this clearly revealed will of God. We no more need to know specifically for whom Christ died than we need to know specifically who has been ordained to eternal life. . . . Continue reading →