The musical instruments he mentions pertained to the time of instruction.1 Nor should we stupidly imitate a practice which was proper only for God’s old [covenant] people…. They were for use under the legal cult.2 John Calvin, From his commentary on Ps . . . Continue reading →
Beza: No Judaistic Ceremony Or Stupid Superstition
We say that it is a superstition to esteem one day more holy than another. or to think that to abstain from labor is something which, in itself, pleases God (Rom 14:5, 6; Col 2:16, 17). But, following what the Lord has . . . Continue reading →
On Good Intentions, Spiritual Disciplines, and Christian Freedom
Carter Lindberg tells the story of how the Reformation began to break out in Zürich in 1522: During Lent of 1522, Zwingli was at the house of Christoph Froschauer, a printer, who was laboring over the preparation of the a new edition . . . Continue reading →
Lust Isn’t Only Excessive Desire But Desire Wrongly Focused
In other words, homosexuality is lustful not just because it has to do with excessive desire. It is lustful because by participating in homosexual behavior a person dismantles one of God’s most important sexual boundaries. Even in committed homosexual relationships, then, homosexual . . . Continue reading →
Implicit Faith And The Cult Of Personality
More than a couple observers of the Reformed and evangelical worlds have noted the rise and danger of the superstar pastor. Yesterday, however, in conversation with a colleague another came to mind: implicit faith. Implicit faith (fides implicita) is the medieval (and . . . Continue reading →
Calvin On Lent
At that time the superstitious observance of Lent had prevailed everywhere, because the common people thought that in it they were doing some exceptional service to God, and the pastors commended it as a holy imitation of Christ. On the contrary, it . . . Continue reading →
Garry Wills Talks Priesthood, Transubstantiation, and Hebrews
(HT: Jordan Huff). It’s not often that one sees discussion of transubstantiation on Comedy Central or anywhere else for that matter (except perhaps EWTN). It’s interesting that Wills, a Roman Catholic, seems to feel no reluctance to attack Romanist dogma. It reminds . . . Continue reading →
Dever on the Problem with Buildings, Bodies, and Budgets
(HT: Rich Barcellos)
The Problem Of Lent For Confessional Reformed Christians
After all, Protestants don’t have a history of self-inflicted pain to merit spiritual rewards. If as the gospel allies would have it that Lent is to remind us of Christ, then we should also be reminded that nothing we do to attack . . . Continue reading →
A Protestant Catechism On The Papacy
Have the Apostles any successors? To speak properly, they had none to succeed them in the degree and dignity of apostleship; and therefore when James was beheaded, none was chosen into his place. Otherwise all pastors and ministers of the gospel, who . . . Continue reading →
“At Least He Gets Jesus”
Questions About N T Wright
Or maybe not. For years people have said to me, “Well, Wright isn’t very good on justification but he’s solid on the resurrection and the deity of Christ.” The implication of this argument is that Wright is a well-placed, influential member of . . . Continue reading →
No Other Head Of The Church
There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the Pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalts himself, in the . . . Continue reading →
Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss
Benedict XVI, who turns 86 in April, will abdicate the papacy at the end of this month. The election of a new pope is a good opportunity for a brief tutorial on some of the aspects of the papacy that the mass . . . Continue reading →
A Simple Curriculum for Parrots, Perts, and Poets
I get occasional questions about a curriculum for Christian education programs. It’s probably more complicated than it seems—things usually are. Typically I agree to a project on the premise that, “Well, this seems straightforward” and then, of course, it isn’t. Nevertheless, I . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg Catechism Q. 18: One Mediator, Two Natures
The Reformation Debate
Part 1 Heidelberg Catechism Q. 18 asks: 18. But who now is that Mediator, who in one person is true God and also a true and righteous man? Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is freely given unto us for complete redemption and . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 9: The Secret of Knowing God’s Will (Pt 2)
An HB Classic
According to Deuteronomy 29:29 believers are to trust in, rely upon, listen to, and obey that which God has revealed rather than seeking what God has not revealed. In the history of redemptive history the practice of seeking God’s will where he . . . Continue reading →
Ursinus On Catechesis
The Greek word κατηχησις (catechesis) is derived from κατηχεω (catecheo), as κατχισμος (catechismos) is from κατχιζω (catechizo). Both words, according to their common signification, mean to sound, to resound, to instruct by word of mouth, and to repeat the sayings of another. . . . Continue reading →
Dr Benjamin Carson’s Address to the Prayer Breakfast
Dr Benjamin Carson’s biography is the stuff of legend and films. Born into terrible poverty, Carson is now the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the founder of the Carson Scholars Fund. A Seventh-Day Adventist, his views on creation . . . Continue reading →
Heidelberg Conference on Reformed Theology 2013: Our Only Comfort
18-21 July 2013
This is the 450th Anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism 1563). The SERK (Selbständige Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Heidelberg) is hosting a conference, in Heidelberg, this summer. The featured speakers are Joel Beeke, Mike Horton, Lyle Bierma, Victor E. d’Assonville, Jon Payne, Jason Van Vliet, . . . Continue reading →
Cocceius On The Definition Of Covenant
§5. The covenant of God with man is different than those made by men among themselves. For men make covenants for mutual benefits; however, God makes covenant for His people. Indeed, the covenant of God is nothing other than the divine declaration . . . Continue reading →