Beginning in 1528 and 1529, Luther developed his primary defense of infant baptism. Without repudiating his earlier position on infant faith, Luther appealed instead to infant baptism as grounded on God’s gracious promised attached to the sign and God’s command to baptism . . . Continue reading →
New In Print: Samuel Miller On Presbyterianism
Samuel Miller (1769–1850) is significant figure in American Presbyterian Church history. He is a figure that anyone who is interested in Reformed theology, piety, and practice should know. He belonged to the Old School of American Presbyterianism. He was professor of Church . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 147: I AM That I AM (15): God’s Sovereign Arrangement Of All Things (part 2)
We are continuing our series on the doctrine of God, I Am That I Am. This is part 15 of the series, which begins with Heidelcast episode 123. This episode is the second part of our discussion of the doctrine of divine . . . Continue reading →
Synod Of Dort: The Law Neither Gives The Remedy Nor The Strength To Save Sinners
Perkins: We Exclude Good Works From The Act Of Justification And Salvation
“And here let it be remembered that we are not patrons of licentiousness and enemies of good works. For though we exclude them from the act of our justification and salvation, yet we maintain a profitable and necessary use of them in . . . Continue reading →
New In Print: The Works of William Perkins Volume 9
Few theologians are as important to Reformed tradition as William Perkins (1558–1602). Remarkably, as important as he was, Perkins works went out of print and remained so for centuries. We are truly fortunate to have a new edition of Perkins. To their . . . Continue reading →
Olevianus: The Reformed Retain The Distinction Between Law And Gospel
New Resource Page: On Dispensationalism
Dispensationalism describes a way of reading the Bible and a system of theology the nearest roots of which are in the 19th century. There have been premillennial (traditionally known as “chiliastic) movements, including some Reformed theologians, since the early church but most . . . Continue reading →
Perkins: Your Good Works Are Of No Value To Your Justification
New Resource Page: On The Unity Of The Covenant Of Grace (Link Updated)
Reformed theology teaches and the Reformed Churches confess that the Old and New Testaments are fundamentally unified in important ways. The triune God of the New Testament is the God of the Old Testament. The Apostle John says that God the Son, . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On The Unity Of The Covenant Of Grace
5. Now, if we choose to investigate whether it is right to administer baptism to infants, shall we not say that a man is talking nonsense or indeed raving who would halt with the mere element of water and outward observance, but . . . Continue reading →
The Wall In The Middle Of The Book: Evangelicalism To Presbyterianism
Office Hours: With Jon Payne On Discipleship And Revoice
Our Lord Jesus called the church to make disciples (Matt 28:18–20) and he even ordained means by which we might become disciples and grow in our discipleship. The Apostles followed this pattern (Acts 2:42; Rom 10:14). Nevertheless, when we think about discipleship . . . Continue reading →
Vos: God Allowed The Republication Of The Covenant Of Works
Everyone will have to agree that for Adam, perfect keeping of the law for a fixed period of time was the means to acquire eternal beatitude that cannot be lost. When the covenant of works was broken, God could have rescinded this . . . Continue reading →
Hywel Jones On Psalm 119: An Edifying Resource (For Especially Trying Times)
Hywel Jones is one of God’s gifts to his church. He is a model of piety and grace. He gave devotions every week in chapel for several years during his career at Westminster Seminary in California. One of those series was on . . . Continue reading →
Bavinck: The Reformers Taught One Covenant Of Grace In Two Administrations Against The Anabaptists
Vos: The Substance Of The One Covenant Of Grace Was In The Old Covenant
What Augustine so strikingly formulated concerning the relation of the two historic economies of the history of redemption: “Novum Testamentum in Vetere latet, Vetus in Novo patet” [The New Testament hides in the old, the Old reveals itself in the New] permits . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 146: I AM That I AM (14): God’s Sovereign Arrangement Of All Things
We are continuing our series on the doctrine of God, I Am That I Am. This is part 14 of the series, which begins with Heidelcast episode 123. We could not be addressing a more timely topic: providence. Heidelberg Catechism 27 asks: . . . Continue reading →
Perkins: Two-Stage Justification Is Not Protestant
Ebenezer Erskine On The Distinction Between Law And Gospel
This law of works or commandments requires and exacts of you what is impossible as a term or condition of life, and that is a perfect or sinless obedience. No mere man since the fall is able perfectly to keep the commandments . . . Continue reading →