Watch Transforming Grace: Our Need For Holiness

R. Scott Clark

on January 14, 2014 | 6 Comments

The theme for season 5 of Office Hours is New Life in the Shadow of Death. We’ve been talking about sanctification. Dovetailing with those 20 or so episodes is the annual WSC faculty conference, this Friday and Saturday, January 17–18, 2014, which . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours: The Struggle Of Sanctification In The Psalms (1)

R. Scott Clark

on January 13, 2014 | 4 Comments

Of the psalter (the 150 psalms) John Calvin (1509–164) wrote: “The varied and resplendid riches which are contained it this treasury it is no easy matter to express in words; so much so, that I well know that whatever I shall be . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours: Hywel Jones On The Role Of The Holy Spirit In Sanctification

R. Scott Clark

on January 6, 2014 | 3 Comments

The Holy Spirit has sometimes been described as the forgotten member of the Trinity. Whether that is true it is important to recognize the Spirit’s role in progressive sanctification, that gradual, gracious renewal to the image of Christ. He is the Spirit . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours: Mike Horton On Sanctification And Justification

R. Scott Clark

on December 30, 2013 | 13 Comments

The core question of the Reformation was this: how can a sinner be right with God? The medieval church had concluded that he cannot, that, before God can accept someone, a person must be entirely sanctified and sanctification is a process initiated . . . Continue reading →

Lloyd-Jones On Antinomianism

R. Scott Clark

on December 29, 2013 | 4 Comments

A very good way of testing any view that you may hold is this one: Is this view humbling to me, glorifying to God? If it is, it is probably right. You won’t go far wrong if whatever view you are holding . . . Continue reading →

The Principal Acts Lead To Others

Heidelblog

on December 22, 2013

By this faith, a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God Himself speaking therein; and acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the . . . Continue reading →

St Paul’s “Vile Speech”

Heidelblog

on December 21, 2013 | 1 Comment

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours: Sanctification, Perfectionism, And Romans 7

R. Scott Clark

on December 16, 2013 | 2 Comments

There are many ways to err in the doctrine and practice of sanctification. One of the most egregious errors the church has faced, which continues to afflict believers, is the teaching that believers can and should reach “entire sanctification” in this life. . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours: Hywel Jones On The Spirit Of Sanctification

R. Scott Clark

on December 2, 2013 | 2 Comments

Sanctification is a necessity. That cannot be denied. It is the clear teaching of Scripture: “be holy as I am holy.” It is clearly taught not only in the Old Testament (Lev 11:44) but also in the New (1Pet 1:15). Nevertheless, it . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 51: Happy Thanksgiving From The Heidelcast

Heidelcast

on November 27, 2013 | 2 Comments

According to the Heidelberg Catechism there are three great heads of the Christian faith: guilt, grace, and gratitude. There may be other motivations to godliness but the catechism isn’t structured by them. It is structured by gratitude. Yet, there are those who . . . Continue reading →

"Sola Fides" is not Sola Fide

R. Scott Clark

on November 21, 2013 | 11 Comments

I’m reading Rowan Williams on Arius. Early in the book he uses the expression “sola fides.” In context, he seems to be making an indirect reference to the Protestant doctrine of sola fide. I’ve seen this in other writers. When I first noticed . . . Continue reading →

Perkins On Christ’s Active Obedience And Our Gratitude

Heidelblog

on November 21, 2013

CHAP. XXXVII. CONCERNING THE SECOND DEGREE OF THE DECLARATION OF GODS LOVE. The second degree, is Justification, whereby such as believe, are accounted just before God, through the obedience of Christ Jesus. 2. Cor. 5. 21. He has made him to be . . . Continue reading →

Accounting For Original Sin In Our Doctrine Of Sanctification

Heidelblog

on November 18, 2013

1.2.1 We are all, by nature, void of all strength and ability to perform acceptably that holiness and righteousness which the law requires, and are dead in trespasses and sins, and children of wrath, by the sin of our first father, Adam, . . . Continue reading →

Resources On the Doctrine of Sanctification And The Third Use Of The Law

R. Scott Clark

on November 18, 2013 | 2 Comments

Apparently, there is only one way to speak about sanctification and it is no longer sufficient to uphold and teach the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, and the Westminster Standards (Reformed confessions) on justification, sanctification, and the third use of the law. . . . Continue reading →

Berkhof: This Third Use Is Denied By The Antinomians

Heidelblog

on November 17, 2013 | 2 Comments

A usus didacticus or normativus. This is the so-called tertius uses legis, the third use of the law. The law is a rule of life for believers, reminding them of their their duties and leading them in the way of life and . . . Continue reading →

Are God’s Demands Always Gracious? (Updated)

R. Scott Clark

on November 14, 2013 | 49 Comments

David Robertson is pastor in the Free Church of Scotland. He has a blog and recently he reviewed Tullian Tchividjian’s latest book, One Way Love. There has been some back and forth and most recently Robertson has written an Open Letter. In . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours: The Lordship Controversy Is Back

R. Scott Clark

on October 21, 2013 | 34 Comments

This is season 5 of Office Hours and we’re talking about sanctification: New Life In The Shadow Of Death. In this episode, Mike Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, and I time travel to the “Lordship Controversy” that raged . . . Continue reading →

New Life In The Shadow Of Death: The Sanctification Crisis In The Reformation

R. Scott Clark

on October 7, 2013

The doctrine of sanctification is a hot topic right now in evangelical and Reformed circles but the church had a doctrine (or doctrines) of sanctification for centuries before the current discussion. Indeed, one way to understand the Reformation is as a response . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours Season 5—New Life In The Shadow Of Death: Defining Sanctification

R. Scott Clark

on September 9, 2013 | 7 Comments

In season 5 of Office Hours we’re focusing on the biblical, Christian, confessional doctrine and practice of sanctification, the process of being made holy, of being brought into gradual conformity to Christ by the grace of the Spirit through dying to sin . . . Continue reading →

Hodge On The Care And Feeding Of The New Life

Heidelblog

on September 8, 2013 | 1 Comment

It is natural that those who have experienced the agitations which frequently attend upon conversion, and have felt the peace which flows from a hope of acceptance with God, to imagine that the conflict is over, the victory won, and the work . . . Continue reading →