5. Objection: “But what if you fall from the grace of Christ? For you may sin and become weak, because it is a long and difficult road to heaven.” Answer: “Christ has not only merited and conferred his benefits on me but . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 5: What Does “World” Mean in John 3:16?
Without a doubt, one of the Reformed doctrines which evangelical and fundamentalist Christians find most scandalous is the doctrine of definite, personal or limited atonement. This rejection happens, in part, because the Reformed teaching is not always well understood. Sometimes the misunderstandings . . . Continue reading →
Calvin as Theologian of Consolation (Pt 4)
Part 3: His Theology of Consolation in The Institutes. III. Consolation and Pastoral Ministry For Calvin, christian consolation is not only a theological reality but it is also the result of good pastoral practice. Christians often fail to appropriate the consolation they . . . Continue reading →
Ursinus On The Structure Of The Catechism
The catechism of which we shall speak in these lectures consists of three parts. The first treats of the misery of man, the second of his deliverance from this misery, and the third of gratitude, which division does not, in reality, differ . . . Continue reading →
Why Is Guilt, Grace, and Gratitude Insufficient?
My doctrine of sanctification is the doctrine of the Heidelberg Catechism: Guilt, Grace, and Gratitude and the doctrine of the Belgic Confession Art. 24. We believe that this true faith, produced in man by the hearing of God’s Word and by the . . . Continue reading →
Calvin As Theologian of Consolation (Pt 3)
II. His Theology of Consolation (1559 Institutes) In the previous installment we looked at the way Calvin read Paul’s epistles and how he drew from them a doctrine of consolation, of God’s presence with his people in Christ, by the Spirit, in . . . Continue reading →
God, Not Man, Is The Author Of Sanctification
Sanctification is a work of the Triune God, that is ascribed more particularly to the Holy Spirit in Scripture. It is particularly important in our day, with its emphasis on the necessity of approaching the study of theology anthropologically and its one-sided . . . Continue reading →
Happy Birthday to the Heidelberger!
In January, 1563 the Heidelberg Catechism was adopted by the Palatinate Church (the German Reformed Church). That means that the Heidelberg Catechism, or the Heidelberger as it’s sometimes known, is 450 years years old this year. As with Calvin in 2009 there . . . Continue reading →
Francis Turretin On Natural Law
XV. …it is even most absurd that the rational creature as rational should not be subject to him [God] in the genus of morals and not be governed by him suitably to his nature (i.e., by moral means) by the establishment of . . . Continue reading →
Calvin As Theologian of Consolation (Pt 2)
Part 1: Introduction to Calvin’s Life and His Own Need for Comfort I. Calvin’s Exegesis of Consolation (in Paul) In the first part we saw that Calvin was a pilgrim who himself needed the consolation of the gospel, given by the Spirit, . . . Continue reading →
Jeremiah Burroughs On The Spiritual Value Of Distinguishing Between The Covenants Of Works And Grace
The doubts and fears of most Christians arise from hence because they have not a clear understanding of the difference between the covenant of grace and the covenant of works. There is nothing in the world would so satisfy the consciences of . . . Continue reading →
Using the HB Effectively
In our unceasing attempt to serve you we’re always adding features to the HB. One of them is the categories resource. It’s a useful way to track discussions on a particular topic. There is also a search option on the top of . . . Continue reading →
Calvin As Theologian of Consolation (Pt 1)
Wikipedia, that ubiquitous source of unimpeachable scholarship, defines “consolation” as “something of value, when one fails to get something of higher value….” That is precisely the opposite of what John Calvin (1509–64) meant by “consolation.”For Calvin, the consolation that Christ gives to . . . Continue reading →
Winter in North County San Diego December 2012
This gallery contains 4 photos.
Heidelcast 4: What Do We Mean By “Comfort”?
Reformed theology and piety has been frequently caricatured as “dry” by which I take it critics mean to suggest that it is overly academic, overly intellectual and unconcerned about the interior, spiritual life of the believer. That this is a caricature is . . . Continue reading →
Peter Martyr Vermigli on Law and Gospel
In the history of Christian theology there have been two ways of speaking about the relation between law and gospel: 1. historically and 2. theologically or hermeneutically. These two ways of relating law and gospel are complementary. The first way of relating . . . Continue reading →
Top Posts For 2012
The Most Downloaded Posts Of 2012 Baptism: The Doctrine that Caused Tears (4) Deconstructing Puritanism Resources on Understanding the Differences Between the Lutheran and Reformed Traditions Brothers We Are Not Perfectionists Baptism: The Doctrine That Caused Tears (1) Covenant Theology Is Not . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast Episode 3b: Follow Up to DGM (Part 2)
Heidelcast episode #3: A Gentle Rebuke to Brother John (pt 2)
Heidelcast 3a: A Gentle Rebuke to Brother John (UPDATED)
UPDATE: added to the two Heidelcast episodes audio clips from the video linked below. § These episodes grew out of the decision Desiring God Ministries to invite the de facto leader of the self-described Federal Vision movement to speak at the 2009 DGM . . . Continue reading →
Calvin on “Not Having a Righteousness of My Own”
He says, that believers have no righteousness of their own. Now, it cannot be denied, that if there were any righteousness of works, it might with propriety be said to be ours. Hence he leaves no room whatever for the righteousness of . . . Continue reading →