Is There A Covenant Of Grace?

It’s not unusual for evangelicals, which movements have been heavily influenced by  Anabaptist theology, piety, and practice since the early 19th century. In that case we would not expect them to be aware of the categories “covenant of works” and “covenant of . . . Continue reading →

Surrounded By Constantinians

There is some excitement in some quarters over the question of whether the United Reformed Churches confess the revised or unrevised version of the Belgic Confession. There is no evidence from the minutes of the URCs, of which I’m aware, that speaks . . . Continue reading →

Directory for the Publick Worship of God

The Directory FOR The Publick Worship of God CHARLES I. Parl. 3. Sess. 5. An ACT of the PARLIAMENT of the KINGDOM of SCOTLAND, approving and establishing the
DIRECTORY for Publick Worship. AT EDINBURGH, February 6, 1645. THE Estates of Parliament now convened, . . . Continue reading →

On Being Truly Postmodern

An HB Classic

There is a good deal of talk in contemporary evangelicalism about the rise, nature, and effect of so-called “postmodernism,” a movement in architecture, literature, philosophy, and religion associated with a circle of French writers such as Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida. In . . . Continue reading →

S-T-O-P Means Stop (or Does it?)

In 25 years of ministry one of the most profound changes I’ve seen is the growing inability and/or unwillingness of Americans to read texts according to the intent of the author. One of the major reasons for this change was the mutation . . . Continue reading →

Malthus or Althusius? An Introduction To A Pioneering Reformed Social Theorist

We seem to live in a Malthusian age, i.e., an age of increasing scarcity or perhaps fear of scarcity, where concern over how to divide an economic (and environmental) pie of limited size (called a “zero sum game”) has replaced the idea . . . Continue reading →

Semi-Pelagianism and Faith as the Instrument of Existential-Mystical Union with Christ (5)

Part 4. In part 4 we saw that William Perkins taught that believers are given new life by the Spirit and by the same Spirit given faith and through that faith united to Christ. It is particularly useful to be aware of . . . Continue reading →

The Free Offer of the Gospel

By John Murray with a new foreword by R. Scott Clark The foreword is ©2002 R. Scott Clark Foreword This essay was written by John Murray (1898–1975), professor of Systematic Theology in Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and Ned B. Stonehouse (1902–62), . . . Continue reading →

Classical Covenant Theology

Edited by and some translations by R. Scott Clark On Law and Gospel On the Covenant of Redemption (pactum salutis) On the Covenant of Works (foedus operum) On the Covenant of Grace (foedus gratiae) On Justification On Union with Christ On the . . . Continue reading →

M. Jay Bennett is Reading CJPM

It’s become clear in recent months that the FV/NPP controversies in the broader evangelical and Reformed worlds haven’t gone away. A leading congregation in the Gospel Coalition has implicitly endorsed N T Wright by having him speak to a church-sponsored gathering. There . . . Continue reading →

Caspar Olevianus on "Final Justification" and "Spirit-Wrought Sanctity"

119 Q. Why the next article, “From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead”? A. As a further encouragement to our faith. Christ sits in heaven at the right hand of the Father and exercises His royal power . . . Continue reading →

Audio: Nine Points (Part 6) The Difference Between the Covenants of Works and Grace

Nine Points of Synod Schereville (part 6) This talk is part of the ongoing series in the adult class at the Oceanside URC, Carlsbad, CA. Today we looked at points 3 and 4 of the Nine Points of Synod Schereville (URCNA; 2007).