After Calvin: Recommended Reading

There is a popular view of church history that tells a story in which there was a pure, believing church during the apostolic age and then, for all intents and purposes, there was not a church (except for the Waldensians who alone . . . Continue reading →

Of Wheels, Spokes, And Ruling Elders (Part 2)

Previously, we looked at the office of Ruling Elder (RE) in P&R churches. Today, we continue that conversation. Truing The Spokes When a bloc of REs, however, becomes less a counter-weight to progressive tendencies and more an anchor to prevent Reformation according . . . Continue reading →

The Problems with Paraphrases and Continuing Revelation

My interest here is not so much paraphrastic Bible translations—though these may not be good for ecclesiastical use (e.g., worship) or close study, like a commentary, a paraphrase can put light on a passage or otherwise edify. My concern here is the . . . Continue reading →

The Gospel According To John (MacArthur)—Part 17

Dispensationalism is as much a theory of the church as it is of dispensations. Or rather, dispensationalism divides humanity into three distinct groups: Israel, the church, and the nations. The first two are in covenant with God. Israel has the starring role . . . Continue reading →

Hepimiz Gerçekten İbrahim’in Çocukları mıyız?

Geçenlerde duyduğum bir şey, üç büyük Batı dini hakkında sıkça dile getirilen bir iddiayı düşünmeme neden oldu: Yahudilik, Hristiyanlık ve İslam. Hepimizin sık sık “kitap ehli” ve aynı sıklıkta da “İbrahim’in çocukları” olduğumuz söylenir. Bazen bu iki ortak noktaya dayanarak, birbirimizi ortak . . . Continue reading →

Hyper-Calvinism, Rationalism, and Anti-Predestinarians

By definition, hyper-Calvinism is that doctrine which goes beyond (hyper) Calvin. Often, however, it is used incorrectly by critics of predestination to describe anyone who believes in reprobation. If teaching reprobation makes one hyper-Calvinist, then Calvin would be one himself, and that . . . Continue reading →

The Gospel According To John (MacArthur)—Part 16

In MacArthur’s account of the parables of the kingdom of God, the nature of saving faith, and in his use of sources, we face three interesting sets of questions and some recurring problems in chapter 13 of The Gospel According to Jesus. . . . Continue reading →

Are We All Really Abraham’s Children?

Something I heard recently led to me think about the claim that is frequently made about the three great Western religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We are all frequently said to be “people of the book,” and just as frequently said to . . . Continue reading →

Did Christians Teach Predestination Before Augustine?

A reader named David recently wrote to the Heidelblog to pass along a question that someone else asked of him: “What do the church fathers prior to Augustine believe about free will? I was told that all of the church fathers prior . . . Continue reading →

Sub-Christian Nationalism? (Part 12)

In article XIII: On the Great Commission, the Statement says, Article XIII: The Great Commission WE AFFIRM that Christ’s commissioning of His Church to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey all that He has commanded includes . . . Continue reading →

The Problem of the Minimalist Definition of “Reformed”

An essay on being Reformed was brought to my attention (the essay is no longer published on the original source) many years ago now.  It is an interesting piece because it represents a widely held position among Evangelicals and the broader Reformed . . . Continue reading →

Review: Puritan Portraits: J. I. Packer on Selected Classic Pastors and Pastoral Classics By J. I. Packer

J. I. Packer is a significant figure in a variety of circles. He is one of the last voices representing that generation of British evangelicalism which had roots in the Reformation, which was articulate, warm, and evangelical in the best sense of . . . Continue reading →