Under this head of doctrine we have considered the errors that Synod rejected—the Remonstrants turned the perseverance into a covenant of works—so now we turn to what Synod confessed positively about how Christ graciously preserves his people through their pilgrimage in this . . . Continue reading →
Sanctification
Canons Of Dort (30): God’s Gracious Assurance Of Perseverance
The single most frequent way to corrupt the doctrine of perseverance has been to turn it into a covenant of works. This happens regularly outside the Reformed churches. E.g., the Romanists teach that, in baptism, sins are graciously washed away, initial justification . . . Continue reading →
Does Romans 8:9–11 Require Believer’s Baptism?
A reader writes with a question about biblical interpretation and baptism: I was going through Colossians 2 when I read the footnote from the Reformation Study Bible… which sent me to page 41 for a more in-depth explanation. Infant baptism seems to make . . . Continue reading →
Romans Series (24): The Power Of God For Salvation (Rom 6:1–6:9)
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, that it is and has always been by his free favor alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide), in Christ alone. Continue reading →
Romans Series (25): The Power Of God For Salvation (Rom 6:9–23)
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
Office Hours: Jon Payne On The Gospel Reformation Network
The Protestant Reformation was a recovery of the biblical doctrine of salvation by God’s favor (grace) alone (sola gratia), through faith (trusting, resting, and receiving) alone (sola fide), in Christ alone and the Christian life governed by Scripture alone (sola Scriptura) as . . . Continue reading →
Romans Series: The Power of God For Salvation (27)
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
Romans Series: The Power of God For Salvation (28)
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
Distinguishing Reformed From Evangelicalism: Realism
As evangelicals become dissatisfied with the emphasis on personalities, annoying trendiness, and the shallowness of Modern evangelical theology, piety, and practice they begin to look around for an alternative. One challenge they face right away is that, in many cases, their religious . . . Continue reading →
Romans Series: The Power of God For Salvation (29)—chapter 7 (part 3)
Romans is one of the greatest resources available to the Christian faith and life. Written in the mid-to late AD 50s to the congregation in Rome, Paul sent this pastoral letter to make clear the gospel, that salvation is from the Lord, . . . Continue reading →
More Conference Audio: Q and A On Reformation, Sanctification, Good Works, And More
Here is the second installment of the audio from the conference, So You You Say You Want A Reformation? hosted by Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, MA. This is the question and answer session of the conference from Friday evening. Here . . . Continue reading →
More Conference Audio: Q and A On Reformation, Sanctification, Good Works, And More (pt 2)
Here is the third installment of the audio from the conference, So You You Say You Want A Reformation? hosted by Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, MA. This is the question and answer session of the conference from Friday evening. Here . . . Continue reading →
A Listener Explains The Benefit Of The Heidelcast Series On Nomism And Antinomianism
Dear Brother I want to thank you. Here, where I live, it is not easy to get Reformed teaching but thanks to technology I have been able to listen to the Heidelcast; specifically to the series on the Marrow of Modern Divinity. . . . Continue reading →
Romans The Power Of God For Salvation (30): Romans 8:1–8
In this episode Chris and I turn to Romans chapter 8, where Paul begins with the glorious good news: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1; ESV). This cones right on the heels of . . . Continue reading →
Owen: The Mortification Of Sin Apart From The Gospel Is Self-Righteousness
This was seconded by an observation of some men’s dangerous mistakes, who of late days have taken upon them to give directions for the mortification of sin, who, being unacquainted with the mystery of the gospel and the efficacy of the death . . . Continue reading →
As It Was In The Days Of Noah (26): 2 Peter 1:3–11 (part 1)
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. Continue reading →
As It Was In The Days Of Noah (27): 2 Peter 1:3–11 (part 2)
3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, . . . Continue reading →
Heidelcast 135: Calls About Bears, Corporate Repentance, Revoice, FV, And A Poll (UPDATED)
I am interrupting the series on the doctrine of God again to do the call-in show I have been promising. With this episode, you the listener get to vote on the Heidelblog. You tell me which call you liked best and I . . . Continue reading →
As It Was In The Days Of Noah (27): 2 Peter 1:3–11 (part 3)
For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins (2 Pet 1:8–9; ESV). Continue reading →
As It Was In The Days Of Noah (28): 2 Peter 1:3–11 (part 4)
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 →