The Reformed Symbols and the Federal Vision
The true Reformed tradition are found in the Reformed confessions, creeds and catechisms, not in the personal views of Reformed ministers.
Calvin makes it clear that the sacraments do not “confer anything” on those who are not the elect, but instead work to their destruction. Calvin states that the Reformers were agreed on these points. There is simply no way that the Federal Vision proponents can twist Calvin’s words to favor their position. The Reformers agreed... Continue Reading
GPS, Spiritual Laziness, and God’s Word
If we can’t read God’s Word for ourselves and grasp the main idea, how can we identify when someone is twisting the truth?
Blindly following anything is usually not a good idea. We should know where we are and where we are going. There are parallels in this to our spiritual life. How often do we pick up a devotional to read before reading the actual Bible? How often do we let other people tell us what Scripture... Continue Reading
Augustine’s Retractions, Perfectionism, And Fakespectations
In the church, believers ought to find refuge from the ever-present judgment of the social media.
Sinners are to be restored, not ostracized and with gentleness, not arrogant self-righteousness. Embracing the spirit of the Retractions means being honest about our own sins and habits. It means graciously standing with, praying with, and even crying with fellow sinners as they share their struggles with sin. It means recognizing that, of ourselves, we are nothing. The congregation... Continue Reading
Crying “Wolf!”
We must equip God’s people to recognize wolves in sheep’s clothing.
They feed off the sheep rather than feed the sheep. Surely this is what Jesus meant above when he called them ravenous wolves. In Ezekiel, as the Lord chastised the false shepherds of Israel, he said, “You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock” (Ezek. 34:3). Thus,... Continue Reading
It Is Our Fault
"Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid god who creates a world which is so full of injustice and pain?”
In his rant, Fry omits and distorts much but his greatest omission is Jesus of Nazareth, who gives the lie to everything that Satan said and all that Fry repeated. Jesus did not grasp equality with God (Phil 2:6) not shake his fist at God. Rather, he cried out “Why have you forsaken me?” (Ps... Continue Reading
What You’re For, What You’re Against!
Being for biblical things means that we must necessarily be against non-biblical ideas and practice.
The Bible is filled with warnings and prohibitions, and sometimes the best way to understand what is true is to understand and reject what is false. The Church has solidified much of orthodoxy by standing against false teachers and their doctrine. While the Western world moves further down the road of insisting that tolerance (read:... Continue Reading
“But He Who Sends is Greater Than He Who is Sent”: Augustine Answers Definitively
That the Son is sent by the Father “proves” that the Son was in subordination to the Father in eternity, or does it?
As such, there is no eternal hierarchy implied by this sending, no order of authority or submission in eternity, no eternal subordination, nor any order of lesser and greater. The Son in His flesh is the sent one of the Father—He Himself in eternity, along with the whole of the Trinity, also sending. It is... Continue Reading
Why Do Christians Love the Law?
We must primarily see the law itself as a gracious gift from our Lord.
Our abundant life of freedom in Christ is not simply a freedom to do anything we want to do but to have the uninterrupted, Spirit-sustaining power to do what we know we ought to do as God the Holy Spirit changes our wants and daily transforms our God-given duties into God-glorifying delights. Why would... Continue Reading
Revival — Something for Which to Pray
Revival is a gracious gift of God sovereignly bestowed according to his secret and sovereign will.
God has promised never to abandon his people. He has promised to finish that which he has begun. Christ’s Spirit will fan into flame the person, family, neighborhood, and church of Jesus Christ as he is good and ready. He is the God who plans. He is the God who performs. He is the God who... Continue Reading
Are You All In on the Promises of God?
We can’t be half in and half out; we are either all in or all out
“Every moment of every day is an opportunity to declare our abiding faith in God and his promises. Each day is filled with any number of tough choices that we have to make that demonstrate if we are believing God or not.” “You can tell a lot about someone’s priorities by looking at their... Continue Reading