On Replying to Moralists (2)

Part 1 When I say “moralists” I mean primarily the doctrine that God justifies the sanctified because they are sanctified or that we are justified by grace and cooperation with grace.  This is the bottom line of the NPP. Justification is re-defined . . . Continue reading →

Yet It Alone Justifies

Since the 1970s the Norman Shepherd and his followers have argued that faith justifies because is it not alone. They reject the notion that sanctity is nothing but the fruit of justification. The funny thing is that Zacharias Ursinus, the primary author . . . Continue reading →

Surprise! Emergent Leader Embraces Pelagius

Tony Jones rejects Augustine, the North African church of the 4th century, the French Church of the 6th century, the entire medieval church, the Protestant Churches, and the Council of Trent (HT: Kevin DeYoung). Here’s one on which the confessional Protestants and . . . Continue reading →

D. A. Carson On Distinctions And Moralism

Failure to distinguish between the gospel and all the effects of the gospel tends, on the long haul, to replace the good news as to what God has done with a moralism that is finally without the power and the glory of Christ crucified, . . . Continue reading →

A Ruling Elder Pleads on Behalf of the Flock

One of the many excellent points that Lane Keister made in our recent Heidelcast interview is that at the heart of the FV controversy is the well-being and safety of the sheep. Hitherto it has too often seemed as if the under-shepherds . . . Continue reading →

Who Says the Gospel is No Motive to Holiness?

One of the more disturbing things I’ve heard during the recent decade of controversy concerning the various attempts to revise the Reformed doctrine of justification is the claim made by some well-regarded, quite influential, Reformed folks that “guilt, grace, gratitude” structure of . . . Continue reading →

What is the Power of the Christian Life?

For Christians who believe God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures and who confess the Reformed faith there can be no question whether we ought to live the Christian life. The question is, however, how do we live the Christian life? From where do . . . Continue reading →

Dare to Be on the Daniel Plan?

‘Dare to Be a Daniel” is one reason to adopt Mr Murray’s view that, in public worship, we should sing only God’s Word (I reached the same conclusion in RRC). Not only is the song itself tacky but its way of interpreting . . . Continue reading →

The Moralists Will Be Back

An HB Classic

It is an historical fact that moralism (the confusion of justification with sanctification) never dies, it just goes dormant periodically. The Reformation defeated 1000 years of moralism only to see forms of it re-emerge in the Protestant churches even before Luther died. . . . Continue reading →

Federal Vision Audio

In 2007 the Synod the United Reformed Churches in North America adopted a nine point declaration against the self-described federal vision movement. They described these points as “pastoral advice.” Here’s a written exposition of the Nine Points. These nine talks (below) also explain . . . Continue reading →

The Arminius Paradigm

For some time the Federal Visionists have been arguing that no one should criticize the Federal Vision until the church courts ruled on it. This is a strange argument since, on that basis Luther couldn’t have replied to Erasmus (the Augsburg wouldn’t . . . Continue reading →