Office Hours: What’s In A Name? Julius Kim On Sola Fide

R. Scott Clark

on March 6, 2017

This is season 8 of Office Hours and we are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In confessional Protestant circles we use some short hand Latin phrases that we might not all understand, even though we use them frequently. Sola fide . . . Continue reading →

The Reformed Reject Lent In Basle In 1534

R. Scott Clark

on March 5, 2017 | 15 Comments

Article XI Concerning Things Commanded and Not Commanded Of self law (Autonomia) or power in the conscience, Relinquished to Christ alone in the church We confess that no one ought to command in any manner that which Christ has not commanded; also, . . . Continue reading →

The Westminster Divines On Holy Days

R. Scott Clark

on March 4, 2017 | 22 Comments

THERE is no day commanded in scripture to be kept holy under the gospel but the Lord’s day, which is the Christian Sabbath. Festival days, vulgarly called Holy-days, having no warrant in the word of God, are not to be continued. Nevertheless, . . . Continue reading →

The Disciples Confessed Christ’s Resurrection Because It Was Objectively True

R. Scott Clark

on March 4, 2017

…The belief of the disciples in the resurrection, according to the New Testament, was due simply to the fact of the resurrection. Those disciples came to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead for the simple reason that Jesus had risen . . . Continue reading →

“Relevance” Leads Back To Rome

R. Scott Clark

on March 2, 2017 | 8 Comments

In the Western church calendar Lent began yesterday on “Ash Wednesday.” Lent did not exist in any form in church law until 325 where the word appears in Canon 5 of the canons of Nicea. Even then there is no detailed prescription . . . Continue reading →

Lactantius (c. 250–c. 325): Where There Are Images There Is No Religion

Heidelblog

on March 1, 2017 | 3 Comments

Whoever, therefore, is anxious to observe the obligations to which man is liable, and to maintain a regard for his nature, let him raise himself from the ground, and, with mind lifted up, let him direct his eyes to heaven: let him . . . Continue reading →

The Gospel For Discontent Millennials (And Everyone Else)

R. Scott Clark

on March 1, 2017 | 10 Comments

HB reader David wrote to ask about a social program in which his congregation is involved and his question is one that I get regularly. My reading and experience with Millennials, i.e., those born between 1982 and 2004, tells me that there . . . Continue reading →

Epiphanius Of Salamis (c. 315–403): It Was Gnostics Not Christians Who Made Images Of Christ

R. Scott Clark

on February 28, 2017

They [the Gnostics] possess paintings—some, moreover, have images made of gold, silver and other materials—and say that such things are portraits in relief of Jesus, and made by Pontius Pilate! That is, the reliefs are portraits of the actual Jesus during his . . . Continue reading →

Machen On The Deity Of Christ

R. Scott Clark

on February 28, 2017

The Christian meaning of the term “deity of Christ” is fairly clear. The Christian believes that there is a personal God, Creator and Ruler of the universe, the God who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. So when the Christian says that Jesus . . . Continue reading →

Heidelcast 124: I Am That I Am (2)—The Categorical Distinction

Heidelcast

on February 27, 2017 | 2 Comments

The Creator/creature distinction is fundamental to Christian theology. The Ancient Christian church defended it against the pagan doctrine of the eternality of matter. Scripture is very clear: “In the beginning God…”. On this point, the classical, confessional Reformed theologians built their distinction . . . Continue reading →

The Reformed Followed The Ancient Fathers In Rejecting Images Of Christ

Heidelblog

on February 27, 2017

Therefore we approved the judgment of Lactantius [c.250–325], and ancient writer, who says: “Undoubtedly no religion exists where there is an image.” We also assert that the blessed bishop Epiphanius [c.315–403] did right when, finding on the doors of a church a . . . Continue reading →

Hippolytus: The Heretics Make Images Of Christ

R. Scott Clark

on February 26, 2017

(Now these heretics) have themselves been sent forth by Satan, for the purpose of slandering before the Gentiles the divine name of the Church. (And the devil’s object is,) that men hearing, now after one fashion and now after another, the doctrines . . . Continue reading →

Jacques Lefèvre d’Étaples On Lent

Heidelblog

on February 25, 2017 | 3 Comments

“There are men nowadays who teach a foolish godliness instead of Christ’s doctrine. What does it profit me to fast new Lents or to pay my tithes? Why trust myself to formulas of prayer of unknown authors and leave aside the prescriptions . . . Continue reading →

Relics Remain

R. Scott Clark

on February 24, 2017 | 7 Comments

It is a general, if unstated, assumption among moderns that whatever the causes of the Reformation might have been, they must be long past. Often, however, that assumption is ill-founded. In fact, the fundamental causes for the Reformation (e.g., the Roman denial . . . Continue reading →

Why Is Anyone Still Talking About The Federal Vision?

R. Scott Clark

on February 24, 2017 | 1 Comment

Thomas Manton On Law And Gospel

R. Scott Clark

on February 23, 2017

A godly person observed that Christians are usually to blame for three things: 1) they seek in themselves what they can only find in Christ; 2) they seek in the law what will only be found in the gospel; and 3) they . . . Continue reading →

Gillespie On The Twofold Kingdom

R. Scott Clark

on February 23, 2017 | 12 Comments

One Instance more of his mis-alledging and perverting of testimonies. In the close he cites a passage of Mr. Case his Sermon August 22. 1645. “He (Christ) is King of Nations and King of Saints. As King of Nations he has a . . . Continue reading →

Turretin Contra Two-Stage Justification

R. Scott Clark

on February 23, 2017 | 1 Comment

VIII. Although our justification will be fully declared on the last day (our good works also being brought forward as the sign and proof of its truth, Mt. 25:34–40), still falsely would anyone maintain from this a twofold gospel justification—one from faith . . . Continue reading →

New: Peter Martyr Vermigli For Children

R. Scott Clark

on February 22, 2017

In our age of screens (phones, tablets, computers, watches etc) it is counter-intuitive but nonetheless true to say that books are more important than they have been for a long time. They are more important precisely because our culture is drifting away . . . Continue reading →

Turretin: Justification Is The “Principal Rampart” Of The Christian Religion

R. Scott Clark

on February 21, 2017

I. As in the chain of salvation justification follows calling (Rom. 8:30) and is everywhere set forth as the primary effect of faith, the topic concerning calling and faith begets the topic concerning justification. This must be handled with the greater care . . . Continue reading →