Shepherd, as I see it, is going into an extreme…when I started to read what he said about j(ustification) by faith, I was hoping that he mean that this faith must be more than a merely abstract acceptance of a proposition; in other . . . Continue reading →
Sola Gratia
Heidelberg 60: Only By True Faith (5)
And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness (Rom 4:5; ESV) Continue reading →
Heidelberg 60: Only By True Faith (4)
“Yet God without any merit of mine, of mere grace, grants and imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never committed nor had any sin, and had myself accomplished all the obedience which Christ has fulfilled for me…” Continue reading →
Christ’s Merits Affirmed And Ours Denied In The Reformed Confessions
Christ’s Merit For Us Affirmed “only for the sake of Christ’s merits” (Heidelberg Catechism 21) “for the sake of Christ’s merits” (Heidelberg Catechism 84) “if they did not rest on the merit of the suffering and death of our Savior” (Belgic Confession, . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 60: Only By True Faith (3)
Only by true faith in Jesus Christ; that is, although my conscience accuse me, that I have grievously sinned against all the commandments of God, and have never kept any of them, and am still prone always to all evil; yet God without any . . . Continue reading →
Saved By The Blood Of The Lamb
I was blinded by the devil, Born already ruined, Stone-cold dead, As I stepped out of the womb Continue reading →
Heidelberg Catechism: Only By True Faith (2)
60. How are you righteous before God? Only by true faith in Jesus Christ; that is, although my conscience accuse me, that I have grievously sinned against all the commandments of God, and have never kept any of them, and am still prone always . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg 60: Only By True Faith
60. How are you righteous before God? Only by true faith in Jesus Christ; that is, although my conscience accuse me, that I have grievously sinned against all the commandments of God, and have never kept any of them, and am still . . . Continue reading →
The Whole Reason For Writing Romans
The sum and whole cause of the writing of this epistle is to prove that a man is justified by faith only; which proposition whoso denieth, to him is not only this epistle and all that Paul writeth, but also the whole . . . Continue reading →
Audio: Reformation Day 2014
Thanks to the brothers and sisters at Christ United Reformed Church, Santee, California for doing such a terrific job hosting their first ever Reformation Day conference last Saturday. The audio for the entire conference is available online. Here’s my talk on “By Grace Alone, . . . Continue reading →
What’s Wrong With Reformation Day? (UPDATED)
Each year on this date confessing Protestants remember Martin Luther’s protest against the abuse of indulgences. He followed the academic custom of the day by compiling a list of theses, short statements or claims. Sometimes one would follow from the other but . . . Continue reading →
Turretin: Justification Is The Saving Doctrine And Ground Of Secession From Rome
As in the chain of salvation justification follows calling (Romans 8:30) and is everywhere set forth as the primary effect of faith, the topic concerning calling and faith begets the topic concerning justification. This must be handled with the greater care and . . . Continue reading →
Luther: Right Understanding Of Justification leads To True Sanctification
When I was a monk, I thought by and by that I was utterly cast away, if at any time I felt the lust of the flesh; that is to say, if I felt any evil motion, fleshly lust, wrath, hatred, or . . . Continue reading →
Hodge: Salvation Is Entirely Of Grace
Vs. 8, 9. These verses confirm the preceding declaration. The manifestation of the grace of God is the great end of redemption. This is plain, for salvation is entirely of grace. Ye are saved by grace; ye are saved by faith and . . . Continue reading →
What Is The Gift In Ephesians 2:8?
Τῇ γὰρ χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι διὰ πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God (ESV) In response to the . . . Continue reading →
Against Erosion Of The Doctrine Of Justification
Solus Christus: The Erosion of Christ-Centered Faith As evangelical faith becomes secularized, its interests have been blurred with those of the culture. The result is a loss of absolute values, permissive individualism, and a substitution of wholeness for holiness, recovery for repentance, . . . Continue reading →
Justification By Faith Alone Is Presbyterian Doctrine
It’s hard to remember where I last saw an actual shell game. It might have been at the Nebraska State Fair or it might have been at some amusement park. It doesn’t matter. The fellow behind the table shows you three empty . . . Continue reading →
Justification By Faith Alone Is The Normative Reformed Doctrine
Way back in 2009, when the Federal Vision controversy was still going the claim was made by a proponent of the Federal Vision that there is not a single, agreed doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone but rather there . . . Continue reading →
Free Reformation Conference In Santee November 1, 2014
It’s Autumn and that means it’s Reformation season in Reformed congregations all across North America. Christ United Reformed Church, Santee, California is holding a free, one-day Reformation conference on Saturday November 1, 2014 featuring Mike Horton on “Scripture Alone” (sola scriptura), Bob . . . Continue reading →
By The Seat Of His Celestial Pants
If an angel comes in here and says, “Wait a minute. You can’t get to heaven by trusting Christ and Christ alone, and having the imputation of His merit. And the angel came here and said, “For you to really be justified . . . Continue reading →