THE present situation in the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. is only one phase of a situation that prevails in the Protestant churches throughout the world. Everywhere—in the countries of Europe and in mission lands—Christianity finds itself in a mighty . . . Continue reading →
Niceness Or Love?
Among members of the PCA, there is a huge dissatisfaction with how blogs are run today. Lack of love, harshness, unfounded accusations, and many like things are par for the course, they say. There is certainly an element of truth to this. . . . Continue reading →
Machen’s Warning To MDiv Students
You will have a battle, too, when you go forth as ministers into the church. The church is now in a period of deadly conflict. The redemptive religion known as Christianity is contending, in our own Presbyterian Church and in all the . . . Continue reading →
Shall We Be Satisfied Merely With “He Does Not Deny”?
Shall we be satisfied with preachers who merely ‘do not deny’ the Cross of Christ? God grant that such satisfaction may be broken down! The people are perishing under the ministrations of those who ‘do not deny’ the Cross of Christ. Surely . . . Continue reading →
Machen: The Good Fight Of Faith
The Apostle Paul was a great fighter. His fighting was partly against external enemies—against hardships of all kinds. Five times he was scourged by the Jews, three times by the Romans; he suffered shipwreck four times; and was in perils of waters, . . . Continue reading →
The Social Consequences Of Subjectivism
Well, in my heart and my mind, you know, life begins when the mother thinks it begins, not when anybody else thinks it begins…. For some women, it’s before they conceive; for some women, it’s never. Even after they deliver, it’s still . . . Continue reading →
Leithart’s Federal Vision Theology Injurious To The Peace And Purity Of The Church
On March 10, 2010, this Court decided the Bordwine v. PNWP case, 2009-06, holding that the Record of that Case suggested a strong presumption of guilt that Dr. Leithart’s views represent offenses that could be the subject of judicial process. This Court . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: There Are Two Parts In Christianity
Now, by these words the Apostle shows that there are two parts in Christianity which correspond with the two tables of the Law. Therefore, he who separates the one from the other, has nothing but what is mutilated and mangled. And hence . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On Tasting Of The Powers Of The Age To Come And Falling Away
But here arises a new question, how can it be that he who has once made such a progress should afterwards fall away? For God, it may be said, calls none effectually but the elect, and Paul testifies that they are really . . . Continue reading →
Calvin’s Law-Gospel Hermeneutic In Hebrews 6
He calls it a tasting of the good word of God; by which he means, that the will of God is therein revealed, not in any sort of way, but in such a way as sweetly to delight us; in short, by . . . Continue reading →
From A Reformed Martyr To His Wife
The grace and mercy of our good God and heavenly Father, and the love of His Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, be with you, my dearly beloved. Catherine Ramon, my dear and beloved wife and sister in our Lord Jesus Christ: your . . . Continue reading →
Where Was Our Church Before Luther And Zwingli? (7)
XV. But we add further that our church was in the papacy itself, in as much as God always preserved in the midst of Babylon a remnant for himself according to the election of Grace (to wit, true believers who, groaning under . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: Instruments In Public Worship Is The Restoration of Shadows
For even now, if believers choose to cheer themselves with musical instruments, they should, I think, make it their object not to dissever their cheerfulness from the praises of God. But when they frequent their sacred assemblies, musical instruments in celebrating the . . . Continue reading →
Bavinck On Gospel In The Narrow Sense
And indeed, strictly speaking, there are no demands and conditions in the gospel but only promises and gifts. Faith and repentance are as much benefits of the covenant of grace as justification (and so forth). Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, 4.454 (HT: James . . . Continue reading →
Where Was Our Church Before Luther And Zwingli? (6)
XIII. Third, as to place, the question can be understood in two ways. It may be understood definitely concerning the certain and constant seat of the church (such as Rome is) and in that continued series of bishops or pastors which the . . . Continue reading →
Where Was Our Church Before Luther And Zwingli (5)
X. Nevertheless, that we may not seem to shun the question (as if it were insoluble [alytos] by us), we can answer directly that the question puts on a fourfold relation or has reference to four things: (1) the doctrine and faith . . . Continue reading →
Where Was Our Church Before Luther And Zwingli? (4)
VIII. Fifth, the injustice of the demand appears also clearly in this—that they treacherously corrupt the writings of the fathers and endeavor to destroy whatever of candor remains and extinguish all memory of antiquity as far as they are able (most base . . . Continue reading →
Olevianus: Why Covenant Theology?
Why is the redemption or reconciliation of humanity with God presented to us in the form of a covenant, indeed a covenant of grace? A: God compares the means of our salvation to a covenant, indeed an eternal covenant, so that we . . . Continue reading →
Arminius’ Claims About The Belgic Confession And Heidelberg Catechism On Predestination
V. This Doctrine Of Predestination Is Not In Harmony With The Confessions Of The Reformed Churches With a minimum of contention or even trivial objection, it may be appropriately doubted whether this doctrine agrees with either the Belgic confession or the Heidelberg . . . Continue reading →
Reformed Churches Of Nassau (1578): No Organs In Church
Latin songs, as well as organs (first introduced into the churches by Pope Vitellianus about 665) are for the most part abolished in the churches of this land. Not that the use of the Latin language or of music is rejected of . . . Continue reading →