At the center of the debate is the question of “the Israel of God” (Gal 6.16). Of course, this is not a new question. During our Lord’s earthly ministry and after his resurrection and before his ascension, the disciples asked him repeatedly, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1.6). Continue reading →
The first thing that the Reformed churches said in response to the Remonstrants, whom the Reformed saw as seeking to take the churches back toward the medieval system of salvation by grace and our cooperation with grace, was, in effect, “we are too sinful to be saved by any other way than by God’s unconditional favor” (sola gratia). The second thing that the Reformed did in response to the Remonstrants was to quote two passages: 1 John 1:9 and John 3:16. Continue reading →
Perhaps the most fundamental complaint of the Remonstrants against Reformed theology, the concern that most animated Arminius’ desire to revise Reformed theology, was the charge that the Reformed view makes God the author of evil. In his desire to fix this problem . . . Continue reading →
The Synod of Dort gathered for several reasons but among them two were chief: to defend basic Augustinian anti-Pelagian theology and preserve the Protestant Reformation doctrines of salvation by grace alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide). They Reformed churches from . . . Continue reading →
The Remonstrants were dissatisfied with the basic insights of the Reformation and thus of the Reformed faith. They did not agree with the Protestant articulation of the gospel, that Christ came for his elect, to be their obedient, righteous substitute, to die . . . Continue reading →
One of the most remarkable developments in late modern evangelical theology was the rise of the so-called doctrine of “Open Theism.” This doctrine holds that the future is genuinely unknown to God. It is “open” to him and he to it. According . . . Continue reading →
The Remonstrants were convinced that the Protestant doctrine of salvation by grace alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide) did not and could not produce sufficient sanctification (holiness) and obedience. Thus, without admitting to it, they turned the covenant of grace . . . Continue reading →
We would expect those outside the Augustinian mainstream of the Western church to object to the teaching of doctrine of predestination (i.e., the doctrines of election and reprobation) since they reject the doctrines. The reader might be surprised, however, to learn that . . . Continue reading →
The Christian life is not the instrument of salvation. To attempt to make it so is a self-defeating move, since none of us, in this life, shall attain perfect sanctification. Thus, all of us fall short of the mark. This is undeniably true. In that case, we are left to going back to the dog’s breakfast of the late-medieval doctrine of congruent merit, the doctrine rejected by the entire Reformation, that God imputes perfection to our imperfect efforts unto justification and salvation. Continue reading →
The Heidelcast has listeners from across the globe as well as across North America for listeners outside the USA and for the convenience of listeners within the USA, we have instituted a new way for you to leave voicemail for the Heidelphone. . . . Continue reading →
Congratulations to the Rev Mr Keith Giles of Belfast, NI, Rev. Mr. Richie Cronin of Cork, ROI, Miriam from Lancaster, PA, and Randy Bachman from Houston, TX. Their calls were featured episode 149 and for appearing on the Heidelcast they are each receiving a free copy of Baptism, Election, and the Covenant of Grace in the mail from the Heidelcast. Leave your question at (760) 618-1563 or send us a voice memo from your phone for our May call-in show. This is the 16th and last episode of the series on the doctrine of God, I AM that I AM and today we come to the biblical, Christian, and confessional Reformed doctrine of the divine decree. Earlier today, the Rev Dr Liam Golligher, Senior minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church, PCA, in Phila, PA wrote: Continue reading →
One of the myths that has been exploded in late modernity is that we Westerners are an “Enlightened” people, who have moved beyond demons, ghosts, and religion. We are not and we have not. I am not saying that we have not . . . Continue reading →
Why should we study what the Bible says about how we came to faith in Jesus? Isn’t it enough to simply believe and let it go? After all, do not such discussions only cause hurt feelings and doctrinal arguments among believers? These are good questions. Here are two answers. First, Jesus himself calls us to pay attention to His hard words. Continue reading →
In this episode Dr Clark continues the series on the Canons of Dort (1619). The first that the Reformed churches of Europe and the British Isles said to the world about their theology, in response to the challenge presented by the Remonstrants, . . . Continue reading →
It is not salvation attempted but but salvation accomplished. Continue reading →
Our comparison and contrast of the WCF with the 2LC continues through chapter 3, Of God’s Eternal Decree. In this installment we see some interesting revisions and one striking omission. WCF 2LC 1. God from all eternity did, by the most wise . . . Continue reading →
The Synod of Dort believed that God accomplished salvation only for the elect. Continue reading →
In this episode Dr Clark turns to Romans 9:1–5, where Paul begins to answer the question: why aren’t Jews receiving Jesus as the Messiah? He also answers a Heideltext from Jeremy about parallels between church history and our time. The opening audio . . . Continue reading →
In this episode Dr Clark turns to Romans 9:6–13, explains what Paul means when he says “not all from Israel are Israel,” and what Paul says about the spirituality of the Abrahamic covenant and its connections to the New Covenant in Paul’s . . . Continue reading →