The Gospel forbids private revenge, and Christ stresses this so often lest the apostles think that they should usurp the government from those who hold it, as in the Jewish dream of the messianic kingdom; instead, he would have them know their . . . Continue reading →
Eschatology
Calvin Against The Chiliasts
But Satan has not only befuddled men’s senses to make them bury with the corpses the memory of resurrection; he has also attempted to corrupt this part of the doctrine with various falsifications that he might at length destroy it. I pass . . . Continue reading →
The Polish Reformed And Lutherans Condemned The Doctrine Of A Future Earthly Golden Age
We also censure and reject all Jewish fables and those of present-day Anabaptists who expect some golden age here on earth before the day of judgment, so that faithful people should inherit all the kingdoms with Christ after destroying all their foes . . . Continue reading →
Keele: The Kingdom Of God In This Life Is Paradoxical
And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” (Luke 13:20-21) A similar dynamic is brought out with . . . Continue reading →
Sabbath Perspective
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, And in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, And on his head are many . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 216: Our Father (6): “Your Kingdom Come”
In this episode we answer a Heideltext and an email. The first is a question about how it is that the Baptists (from a Reformed perspective) confuse the divine decree with the external administration of the covenant of grace. The second is . . . Continue reading →
All Over-Realized Eschatologies Are Attempts To Change The Rules Of The Game
Some years ago, while explaining Heidelberg Catechism 114, on the moral law, I wrote, “Paul was not a Gnostic, a Valentinian, an Anabaptist, a Familist, nor an Antinomian. Continue reading
An Interesting Biographical Note On One Man’s Exodus From The TheoRecon Movement
Jacob Aitken, sometime author at the HB, left the TheoRecon movement. What is that? TheoRecon is a shorthand word I coined (as far as I know) for the theonomic-Christian reconstruction movement. Now you know why I use TheoRecon instead. Short story: the movement . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 207—What Must A Christian Believe? (23): Life Eternal
This is the 23rd and final episode in the series, What Must A Christian Believe? In our survey of the rule of faith, i.e., the Apostles’ Creed, we have reached the twelfth article, “life eternal.” The twelfth article has been a part . . . Continue reading →
Erick Read The End Of The Book
Eschatology Matters
Being nice or civil is now a sign of weakness. Having friends across the aisle is too. We can’t turn the other cheek or love our neighbors if they disagree with us. Loving our neighbors who are gay now means we have . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 206—What Must A Christian Believe? (22): The Resurrection Of The Dead
Happy New Year from the Heidelcast! This is episode 22 in the series, What Must A Christian Believe? In our survey of the rule of faith, i.e., the Apostles’ Creed, we have reached the eleventh article, “the resurrection of the dead.” The Ancient . . . Continue reading →
What Dispensationalism Misses About The Temple
This is a serious interpretive problem for those dispensationalists who argue, in effect, that redemptive history takes a U-turn in the millennial age, as the reality which is found in Christ’s fulfillment of the Old Temple imagery in his own body, supposedly returns to the types and shadows of the Old Testament. Continue reading →
Discovering the Reformed Confession: Ryan Broadhurst’s Journey From Left Behind To Loving Covenantal Baptism
Though the mode of baptism is not the primary argument that moved me away it was the starting point that caused me to re-examine Reformed covenant theology as a whole and Jeremiah 31 in particular. Continue reading →
Heidelcast 199—What Must A Christian Believe? (16): Christ Returning
This is episode 16 in the series, What Must A Christian Believe? In our survey of the rule of faith, i.e., the Apostles’ Creed, we have reached the seventh article: “Whence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.” Now . . . Continue reading →
Another Reason Why The Covenant Of Works Matters
Yesterday a prominent evangelical theologian tweeted “The gospel does not begin with Genesis 3 and human sin. The gospel begins with Genesis 1 and God’s goodness and our grandeur. If we start with Genesis 3, we make the gospel seem tiresome, predictable. . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 198—What Must A Christian Believe? (15): Christ Reigning
This is episode 15 in the series, What Must A Christian Believe? In our survey of the rule of faith, i.e., the Apostles’ Creed, we have reached the sixth article: “He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 195: What Must A Christian Believe? (12) On Christ’s Descent Into Hell
In our survey of the rule of faith, i.e., the Apostles’ Creed, we have reached the fourth article: “suffered under Pontius, Pilate, crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell.” In this episode we focus on the last clause, “he descended into . . . Continue reading →
Gregory of Nyssa Against The Chiliasts
Now if we loudly preach all this, and testify to all this, namely that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, always changeless, always imperishable, though He comes in the changeable and the perishable; never stained Himself, but . . . Continue reading →
How Christians May Avoid Panic In The Midst Of A Cultural Revolution
Christianity offers the best news in the world. The gospel declares that through faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the forgiveness of our sins. With this assurance of God’s love, comes the promise that we receive a citizenship in heaven, a home . . . Continue reading →
Hywel Jones: The Lamb Is The Lamp (Rev 21:23)
Whom will Christians see in Heaven? Will it be God or Jesus? Both answers have been given throughout the history of the Church and they are still to be heard today. But will it be the one and not the other? Or . . . Continue reading →