UPDATE: Turns out that Bookshop.org is slso an ignorant and bigoted business. They too have banned Anderson’s book. See the combox below (HT: HB Reader Daniel). 🤦🏻‍♂️ § Before there was Amazon readers used to browse through the shelves of local used . . . Continue reading →
“The Marrow Was Birthed To Avoid Legalism And Antinomianism”
The Marrow of Modern Divinity was regarded by the orthodox Reformed, in the 17th century, as a good summary of the orthodox view of law and gospel, justification, sanctification, and the third (normative) use of the law in the life of the Christian. . . . Continue reading →
It Is Not As Easy As It Looks
Everyone else’s job, the job that you and I are not doing, always seems easy. Continue reading
Calvin: The Whole Doctrine Of Godliness Rests Upon The Doctrine Of Salvation Through Free Grace
The principal design of preaching the Gospel is, that men may be reconciled to God, and this is accomplished by the unconditional pardon of sins; as Paul also informs us, when he calls the Gospel, on this account, the ministry of reconciliation, . . . Continue reading →
Updated Calvin Resource Page
John Calvin (1509-64) was one of the most significant figures in the history of the West. He was among the major Protestant Reformers in the sixteenth century. He contributed significantly to the Reformed wing of the Reformation. He was an industrious Bible . . . Continue reading →
Christian, Fear Not. You Have The Holy Spirit (Or Better, He Has You)
53. Q. What do you believe concerning the Holy Spirit? A. First, he is, together with the Father and the Son, true and eternal God. Second, he is also given to me, to make me by true faith share in Christ and . . . Continue reading →
A Brief Note On The History Of Amillennialism
There have always been three main types of Christian eschatology: chiliasm (historic premillennialism), postmillennialism, and amillennialism. From about the middle of the 19th century there developed subsets of chiliasm (e.g., pre-tribulational premillennialism etc). The same cannot be said of the nomenclature used to describe the views. Continue reading
Another Way The Reformed Confessions Can Help Us If We Let Them
I am in the studio today to work on an Office Hours podcast for May so there is just time for a quick thought about another way the Reformed confessions can help the churches be more faithful. Continue reading
Heidelcast 178: Responding To Criticisms Regarding Ontology, Feminism, Nature, and Grace
With this episode (the second this week) I am interrupting the series, on eschatology and 1 Peter, As it Was In The Days Of Noah, for a brief reply to some comments recently made on another podcast. In this episode I play . . . Continue reading →
The Spiritual Source Of Apostasy And Its Cure
Apostates will often give an ostensible intellectual reason for their apostasy but, in my experience, the root cause is rarely intellectual. It is typically spiritual. Continue reading
Apostasy Characterizes The Last Days
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. Continue reading
Christianity Is Not A Construct
In order for something to be deconstructed, it must first be a construct, i.e., an artifice, a mere human convention, something that could be other than it is, something that might not be. There are such things in the world (e.g., stop signs) but Christianity is not among them. Continue reading
What Does A Pastor Do?
This week I was chatting with someone who curiously asked me: “What does a pastor do?” Unsurprisingly, it’s a question I get from people inside and outside of the church. Sometimes it’s asked with a note of interested inquisitiveness, and other times . . . Continue reading →
A Guide To Interpreting Scripture: All Scripture Has Two Authors
It is common to hear admonishments to read the Bible and interpret it in context; that is, that we ought to avoid detaching a particular verse, story, or portion of Scripture from the immediate and original context in which it was written. . . . Continue reading →
There Is Only One Way—But Thank God That There Is A Way
The Illusion Of Choices One of the first Bible verses I learned as a young Christian remains near the forefront of my mind because it captures an essential truth. It is John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. . . . Continue reading →
Understanding Our Brave New World
The “narrative” (as people say) and the algorithm are real. Continue reading
A Phrase To Be Retired: Best Practice
Every human endeavor has its own vocabulary. Auto mechanics shorthand expressions and jargon—though beware if he or she tells you that you need a new Johnson Rod as you will pay good money for no part and no service—like every other endeavor under the sun. Continue reading
Heidelcast 177: As It Was In The Days Of Noah (21)—Be Not Surprised (2)
This series is a study of what Scripture says about eschatology, i.e., the relation of heaven to earth and last things. We began with a survey of what Scripture says generally and now we are working through 1 Peter. We have come . . . Continue reading →
How The Athanasian Creed Can Help Contemporary Evangelical Theological Discourse
33. Equal to the Father, as touching his deity: and inferior to the Father as touching his humanity (Aequalis Patri secundum divinitatem: minor Patre secundum humanitatem)—Athanasian Creed. Yesterday, in our Reformed confessions course, we were considering Belgic Confession articles 18 and 19 . . . Continue reading →
SCOTUS Rebukes Ninth Circuit For The Fifth Time, Sides With Religious Freedom Versus California
…The Ninth Circuit’s failure to grant an injunction pending appeal was erroneous. This Court’s decisions have made the following points clear. First, government regulations are not neutral and gener- ally applicable, and therefore trigger strict scrutiny under the Free Exercise Clause, whenever . . . Continue reading →