With The Presbycast On The Federal Vision

by R. Scott Clark on October 21, 2016

The self-described “Federal Vision” has been with us, in its most recent incarnation, since about 1974, when Norman Shepherd began to teach that we are justified through faith and works. That’s right. A professor of theology, in an ostensibly confessional school, openly . . . Continue reading →

Polycarp Versus The Progressives

by R. Scott Clark on October 20, 2016

In 1973, Charles Merritt Nielsen imagined what might have happened had Polycarp (69–155 AD), the senior pastor of the Christian congregation in Smyrna (today Izmir, Turkey), adopted the rhetoric of theological progressives, who look for approval from the broader, unbelieving world: Polycarp . . . Continue reading →

Does The Westminster Confession Contradict Calvin On Assurance And Faith?

by R. Scott Clark on October 20, 2016

For much of the 20th century it was a datum, a given, for many students of Calvin and the Reformed tradition that many of the English Reformed (especially the Westminster Assembly) abandoned Calvin and the Reformation doctrine of the faith and assurance. . . . Continue reading →

Luther On Defining Good Works (1520)

by R. Scott Clark on October 19, 2016

1. The first thing to know is that there are no good works except those works God has commanded, just as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden. Therefore, whoever wants to know what good works are as well . . . Continue reading →

Ad Diognetum On Harmony Of All The Parts Of Scripture

by R. Scott Clark on October 19, 2016

11:6 Furthermore, the reverence of the law is sung, and the grace of the prophets is recognized, and the faith of the gospels is established, and the tradition of the apostles is preserved, and the joy of the church exults. Ad Diognetum . . . Continue reading →

Strangers And Aliens (23e): Theology Of The Cross (1 Peter 5:6–11)

by R. Scott Clark on October 18, 2016

6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a . . . Continue reading →

Office Hours Season 8: Reformation 500—Backgrounds

by R. Scott Clark on October 17, 2016

This is season 8 of Office Hours and we are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In this episode we look at the background to the Reformation in the medieval church, how the medieval church set the stage for the Reformation . . . Continue reading →

Hodge: Abraham Was In A Spiritual, Gracious Covenant

by R. Scott Clark on October 16, 2016

Although the Church existed from the beginning, it was, before the calling of Abraham, for the most part in a state of dispersion. Too little is recorded of it, prior to that event, to give us definite knowledge of its nature and . . . Continue reading →

What “Every Thought Captive” Means In Its Original Context

by R. Scott Clark on October 14, 2016

One of the first slogans I learned as a young Reformed theologian was to be Reformed was to “take every thought captive.” I learned that this slogan signaled the determination by those from whom I was learning theology to bring every aspect . . . Continue reading →

D. G. Hart On CSpan Talking About American Evangelicals, Politics, And Mencken

by R. Scott Clark on October 14, 2016

You can see it here.

¿Debería Ser Bautizado Otra Vez?

by R. Scott Clark on October 14, 2016

Hace algunos días, me hicieron esta pregunta: ¿Debería ser Bautizado Otra Vez? pero, lo cierto es, que suelen hacérmela muy a menudo. Esto suele ocurrir en el contexto, de una clase con nuevos miembros en la iglesia cuando alguien que, apenas va . . . Continue reading →

Video: Who Are The Reformers? Guy De Bres

by R. Scott Clark on October 13, 2016

Calvin: God Gives Us Ministers So As Not To Swallow Us By His Majesty

by R. Scott Clark on October 12, 2016

We have seen heretofore, that Eliu intending to rebuke Job, protested that he himself was a mortal man as Job was, to the end he should not complain that he was handled with too high a power. And so he showed that . . . Continue reading →

Are Mainline Baptisms Valid?

by R. Scott Clark on October 11, 2016

A friend and HB reader writes to ask about the validity baptisms administered in mainline (liberal) congregations. Should a NAPARC (North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council) affiliated congregation receive as valid a baptism performed by a minister in a denomination that has . . . Continue reading →

Lake Hodges From Mt Israel At Sunset

by R. Scott Clark on October 10, 2016

Strangers And Aliens (23d): You Are Not Alone (1 Peter 5:6–11)

by R. Scott Clark on October 10, 2016

Politicians have often been tempted to declare “Peace in Our Time.” The most notorious example of this folly is the 1938 declaration by the Prime Minister of Great Britain that he and the German Chancellor Adolf Hitler had reached an accord to prevent war between them. Continue reading →

Bad News: Survey Shows American Christians Are Heretics

by R. Scott Clark on October 10, 2016

A survey of 3,000 people conducted by LifeWay Research and commissioned by Ligonier Ministries found that although Americans still overwhelmingly identify as “Christian,” startling percentages of the nation embrace ancient errors condemned by all major Christian traditions. These are not minor points . . . Continue reading →

What Is Repentance? Hint: It Is Not “I’m Sorry If Anyone Was Offended”

by R. Scott Clark on October 9, 2016

Q. 76. What is repentance unto life? A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but . . . Continue reading →

A Friendly Reply To Derek Regarding Calvin, Luther, And The Falling Of The Church

by R. Scott Clark on October 8, 2016

You can catch up with the flow of the discussion via Derek Rishmawy’s interesting essay but the short story is that Carl Trueman published an essay at First Things properly cautioning American evangelicals about re-making Luther into their own image and challenging . . . Continue reading →

Notes From The Didache On The Early Christian View Of Abortion

by R. Scott Clark on October 6, 2016

One of the more difficult and fascinating texts in the collection of texts known as the Apostolic Fathers is the Teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles by the Twelve Apostles usually known as a the Didache (Διδαχὴ). It is difficult because . . . Continue reading →