Protestantism, Scripture and the Judgment of the Church
We need, in other words, to be clear on what the Protestant principle sola Scriptura means (and, perhaps more significantly, doesn't mean) before we can think clearly about how to approach tradition.
How many Protestants today, that is, could (or would) insist upon their own readiness to submit their determinations about Scripture’s meaning to “the judgment of the Church.” Calvin’s argument does not disallow individuals to obtain new insights into Scripture’s meaning, nor to share them with others. It does, however, force the individual to bow before... Continue Reading
A Word of Encouragement to Weary Pastors: God Does Not View Your Labors as “Filthy Rags”
Is God pleased with only Christ’s work, and always displeased with our own?
Sure, they are not perfect works–they are always tainted by sin to some degree. And yes, we cannot think for a moment that they merit salvation. They do not. But, they are the works of God’s own sons and daughters and he delights in them. When it comes to our justification–our legal standing before... Continue Reading
What Is Jesus to You?
Jesus is not someone we can just coexist with.
Jesus must judge us, but he does so by judging himself. That is the look we cannot stand—the gaze of someone who is really innocent taking the scorn and shame we deserved without seeking revenge. In that very gaze we see the love he has for us and the love that shelters us from death... Continue Reading
Was Herman Witsius A Federal Visionist?
One of the distinctive rhetorical tactics of the Federal Visionists is to quote an orthodox author saying something that seems heterodox.
The first and most important problem with the “covenantal justification” approach that he noted is that it is not taught in Scripture (p. 134–35). The second problem is that such a view necessarily puts baptism in charge of election, when, in fact, according to Scripture, baptism works for election not the other way round. Witsius... Continue Reading
Are We Victims of Sin?
One of the keys to the Christian life is getting the right balance between confessing personal sin and lamenting the universal consequences of sin.
In Depression, Sin & Self-Reformation Byron Yawn contrasts these two emphases when comparing pietism (which he equates with American evangelicalism) with reformed theology. He says: “While [pietism] fully confesses the concept of depravity on the individual level, it pays little attention to the universal consequence of Adam’s disobedience upon his posterity. On the other hand,... Continue Reading
Violent Peace
True peacemaking is not silence, it’s not getting over things, it’s not false apologies; but an honest, unapologetic attack on injustice, falsehood, and sin.
Peacekeepers often demand silence. They will ask you to act (pretend) like everything is okay. They will change subjects, misdirect conversation, formulate incoherent narratives. They will sometimes make ungodly compromises to keep the illusion of peace. Peacekeepers are self-protective instead of other-protective. Yesterday one of my sons was involved in a conflict with a... Continue Reading
Theological Primer: Divine Infinity
We can understand divine infinity in three ways
Most of us know the word “infinity.” Even kids love to use the word (“To infinity and beyond!” “I promise times infinity!”). We understand “infinity” to mean something like “going on forever and ever.” But what does the word mean when applied to God? There are a number of ways to categorize the attributes... Continue Reading
Jesus and the Federal Budget?
We continue to find ourselves in an environment where Christians of various stripes insist that the Bible gives us very specific commands for how the government should be run
“One of the clearest examples of this at the moment is last week’s announcement that over 100 evangelical and Roman Catholic leaders made a joint statement challenging the proposed budget set forth by the Executive Branch of the U.S. government.” One of the interesting aspects of Scripture is that it doesn’t tell us the precise... Continue Reading
Seven Unshakeable Promises for Anxious Souls
Believers are equipped with the tools we need to fight this battle for peace
“Time and again I’ve found that the greatest antidote to anxiety is to consistently remind myself of the unshakable promises we have in God’s word. When a circumstance suddenly threatens our peace, we can be ready to push it back and cut it down with truth. So here are seven unshakable promises for anxious souls... Continue Reading
A Truth Worth Dividing The Church (Sproul)
In order to get into heaven, will I be judged by my righteousness or by the righteousness of Christ?
“When you hear this glorious truth preached on Sunday rejoice and be thankful for the gospel of grace! If you don’t hear it preached, lovingly talk to your pastor and elders and discuss it. It’s not a side issue, nor is it a dry doctrine that is impractical for our daily living. “ At... Continue Reading