John Piper, “Does God Really Save Us By Faith Alone?” (September 25, 2017)
“Final Salvation” Through Faith AND Fruit Is Not Reformation Doctrine
Both/And: Free Justification And Gracious Sanctification
Reformation season is drawing to a close for 2017. Quite naturally, there has been a great deal of emphasis on justification by grace alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide). What might have been a time of remembrance and celebration has . . . Continue reading →
Believers Are Not Out On Bail
In the American criminal justice system, for many charges, after one has been arrested and booked (photographed for a “mug shot,” fingerprinted, and paperwork completed) one goes to jail to await a preliminary hearing and after that a trial of the charge. . . . Continue reading →
Ferguson: Assurance Depends On Sola Gratia, Sola Fide
If final justification is dependent on something we have to complete it is not possible to enjoy assurance of salvation. For then, theologically, final justification is contingent and uncertain, and it is impossible for anyone (apart from special revelation, Rome conceded) to . . . Continue reading →
With Janet Mefferd On Sola Scriptura
As early as the late 4th century, challenged by a variety of claims of religious authority, many of whom claimed to have an unwritten secret tradition or revelation, Basil the Great (c.330–79), one of the Cappadocian Fathers, rather than standing on the . . . Continue reading →
The Reformed Churches: The Judgment Is Good News For Believers And Bad News For Unbelievers
…Then “the books” (that is, the consciences) will be opened, and the dead will be judged according to the things they did in the world, whether good or evil. Indeed, all people will give account of all the idle words they have . . . Continue reading →
The Reformed Churches: The Judgment Is A Source Of Comfort To Believers
52. What comfort is it to you, that Christ “shall come to judge the living and the dead”? That in all my sorrows and persecutions, with uplifted head, I look for the very same one, who before offered Himself for me to . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Reading Scripture As Literature (With Joel Kim)
The Bible is a story book. When I say “story” you might think of stories that are not true, tall tales like Paul Bunyan or the classical myths. The stories of Scripture are exciting and thrilling and, unlike myths, they are true. . . . Continue reading →
Geneva Catechism (1545): The Judgment Is A Delight For Believers
Q. 83. Does it give any delight to our conscience that Christ will one day be the judge of the world? A. Indeed singular delight. For we know assuredly that he will come only for our salvation. Q. 84. We should not . . . Continue reading →
Calvin: The Judgment Is Good News For Believers
Hence arises a wonderful consolation: that we perceive judgment to be in the hands of him who has already destined us to share with him the honor of judging [cf. Matt. 19:28]! Far indeed is he from mounting his judgment seat to . . . Continue reading →
What Good Works Do: Show Thankfulness, Confirm Faith, Win Others To Christ
170 Q. You are not saying, then, that good works are useless? A. They do not serve to make us right with God, either wholly or in part, but they do serve this purpose: after we have been freely and graciously justified . . . Continue reading →
With Chris Gordon On What It Means To Be Born Again (Part 2)
It has often been a great temptation to set God’s sovereign, life-giving, grace against the divinely ordained means that he uses to bring about new life. It has been an equally great temptation so to identify that grace with those means as . . . Continue reading →
Video: Sola Scriptura
David Dickson On Romans 2:13
Vers. 13. (For not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified.) Reas. 3. Especially intended against the Jews, who according to the rule of Righteousness, cannot be accounted for Righteous before . . . Continue reading →
Turretin: There Is No Future Justification By Grace And Works
II. However, we must premise here that God, the just Judge (dikaiokritēn), cannot pronounce anyone just and give him a right to life except on the ground of some perfect righteousness which has a necessary connection with life; but that righteousness is . . . Continue reading →
Thomas Cartwright Contra Rome On Romans 2:13
Verse. 13 For * ‖ not the hearers of the Law are just with God: but the doers of the Law ‖ shall be justified. RHEM. 5. [ 13. Not the hearers] This same sentence agreeable also to Christs words (Mat, 7. . . . Continue reading →
Leon Morris On Romans 2:13
13. For ties this in with the preceding and explains it. Those who hear the law reminds us of the circumstances of the day. People did not normally read for themselves (the scribe was a member of a skilled profession). They heard . . . Continue reading →
Cranfield On Why “Works Of The Law” Means More Than Mosaic Ceremonies
We turn now at last to Romans. The first occurrence of ἔργα νόμου is in 3:20: διότι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας. Dunn explains ἔργα νόμου here as meaning quite specifically those observances . . . Continue reading →
Turretin Contra Two-Stage Justification
VIII. Although our justification will be fully declared on the last day (our good works also being brought forward as the sign and proof its truth, Mt. 25:34–40), still falsely would anyone maintain from this a twofold gospel justification—one from faith in . . . Continue reading →
WSC Student Housing Construction Update 24 October 2017
This gallery contains 4 photos.