Institutes of the Christian Religion: A Reader’s Guide to a Christian Classic
Calvin, like Scripture, highlights for us the importance of knowing God intimately (Jer. 9:23–24; John 17:3).
Unfortunately—and incorrectly—some people assume that Calvin’s magnum opus must be the bedrock of the so-called “five points of Calvinism” and that Calvin must have used his book largely to defend his “Calvinism.” That’s not correct. The first sentence of the Institutes orients us to its two great themes: “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that... Continue Reading
The “New” Antisemitism in America’s Universities
The antisemitic murder and mutilation spree in Israel and the antisemitic celebrations of it in America revealed to both Israeli and American Jews that despite their differences, they have a shared identity and a shared fate.
What is new about the “new” antisemitism is not the antisemitism, but the fact that it compels Jews to realize that they cannot escape their connection to Israel, because the attack against Zionism inevitably includes them. Israel’s enemies and Israel friends alike regard American Jews as Zionists. American Jews are thus made to understand that... Continue Reading
Let’s Hear It for the Second Parents
I thought it would be fitting today to draw attention to these second parents and second spouses, these God-given provisions for the needy and broken-hearted.
A man or woman has suffered the heartbreaking loss of a spouse and has then rejoiced as God has provided a second husband, a second wife. In almost every case, this second spouse had previously been unmarried and had reluctantly accepted that, though they desired to marry, God had not provided a spouse. They had... Continue Reading
51st General Assembly Reflections
As we conclude the 51st General Assembly, we know there is still yet work to do.
I pray that the PCA would continue to grow, and be fruitful in her ministry. I want to see the PCA live into the fullest expression of historic, reformed presbyterianism. After the past several General Assemblies, my spirit is encouraged. I am thankful and hopeful for the PCA. While one overture I had supported failed(Overture... Continue Reading
Southern Baptists Take a Stand
The SBC removes an historic church and passes an historic statement on IVF.
The historic First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Va., was removed from the “friendly cooperation” status after the congregation had expressed its support for women serving as pastors. The SBC’s confession of faith states that “the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture,” and messengers showed their unity on this question. The... Continue Reading
Where Things Went Wrong (Genesis 3)
Sin, not God’s original design, has damaged the relationship between the sexes.
Where did things go wrong between the genders? Not with God’s original design. God’s original design for men and women was good — not just good but very good. We dare not ignore the dignity of both men and women or eliminate the differences between them, because those differences are good. We have to look... Continue Reading
The Important New Book Helping Christians Make Sense of AI
Christians need to be part of the cultural conversation about AI. And we begin by using it wisely ourselves.
In his book, Driscoll has given us the beginnings of AI literacy: a framework and principles through which to think about AI Biblically. If AI is confusing or scary to you, then this book will give you the perspective not only to understand AI, but to see it through a Biblical lens: a lens that... Continue Reading
How Do I Know If I’m One of the Elect?
We work because God works. Be diligent to confirm your election.
We confirm that God called and elected us by cultivating the virtues listed in 1:5–7. We must be continually growing in those virtues. We must persevere in faith and good works until the end. Consequently, God will richly welcome us into his eternal kingdom (1:11)—like how the King richly welcomes Christian into the Celestial City... Continue Reading
How Jesus Brings Peace
There is nothing that cannot be remedied by the work of Jesus on the cross at Calvary.
Cosmic, consummative worldwide peace is entirely dependent on Jesus’ death on the cross. The effects of creaturely reconciliation are felt for all of eternity on account of His saving works. The vertical reconciliation of fallen men to God is foundational to the horizontal reconciliation of man to man. The former necessarily accomplishes and secures the... Continue Reading
ARP General Synod 2024 Brief Summary
Reverend David Walkup, pastor of Chapel by the Sea in Florida was elected Moderator Elect and Frank Hunt, III was elected Vice-Moderator Elect.
The vote for Recommendation #1 to dissolve Second Presbytery passed 254 yes to 43 no. Second Presbytery will be dissolved…. The Canadian Presbytery of the ARP Church, humbly petitions the 220th General Synod the ARP to release our presbytery for the formation of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Canada beginning with our Fall Presbytery... Continue Reading
How Can the Command to “Honour Your Father” Apply to Good and Bad Fathers Alike?
The command is calling you to is a posture – not empty posturing, but a posture that will act in a way that is wise and beautiful.
The biblical command to honour your dad cannot be a licence for dads to be horrible knowing that their christian children have to suck it up and honour them. You are called to honour your dad. But the type of dad your dad is shapes the ways and the extent that you honour him. A... Continue Reading
Surprising Rebirth
The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God – a review of Justin Brierley’s remarkable new podcast series.
I have been encouraged and even energised by Brierley’s work. He has equipped us with fresh evidence of the Christian faith, with a vigorous recasting of old evidence, and a renewed confidence in the intellectual and logical rigour of Christianity. He has given us a fund of podcasts to share with others on their journey.... Continue Reading
This Liberal Academic Wants Christians to Leave Politics to Leftists
Liberalism is not a neutral system but is really a totalizing ideology that will have no other gods before itself.
Lilla obviously is not objecting only to a small band of Catholic thinkers. Rather, he wants all Christians to give up and let self-admitted liberal failures like himself have their way in politics. But to take his advice would be a betrayal of both our citizenship and the love we ought to show to our... Continue Reading
What Does the Failure of the Law Amendment Mean?
We still have the same problem that we had before our meeting in Indianapolis.
The Law Amendment was our chance to put an end to this debate and to give clarity about which direction the SBC is going. The failure of the Law Amendment means that we are likely to see more credentials challenges brought directly to the floor at future meetings. In other words, the failure of Law... Continue Reading
Assembly Demographics Matter in the PCA
The RE/TE balance is improving…or returning to “normal.”
The founders of the PCA viewed ruling elders as a reliable, commonsense bulwark against doctrinal and denominational decline. The founders were not insensible to the fact that teaching elder professors and influential large-church pastors had presided over the liberalization of the old Southern mainline church from whence the PCA came. The late increase in ruling... Continue Reading
You Need a Qualified Pastor—Not Just a Charismatic One
We might have character, capability, confidence, and conviction. But if we lack compassion we are little more than clanging cymbals.
I can’t help but wonder if we are so drawn to charismatic preachers because of their obvious confidence. Perhaps what we call “charisma” is actually just confidence. I remember the first dozen or so times I watched John Piper preach. He certainly helped me see things in Scripture that I hadn’t seen before. But in hindsight,... Continue Reading
What Will Help Those Who Love a Person with Dementia?
Approach the dementia sufferer as one made in the image of God.
Endurance is tested when ministering to a person with dementia. The family may listen to repetitive questions and stories. Patience is needed while the sufferer struggles to express a thought. The loved one may react with stubbornness or anger when attempts are made to protect them from danger or when a familiar routine must change.... Continue Reading
How Is Christ Exalted in His Session, Intercession, and Judgment?
Everything that God made has a purpose. He created all things and He governs all things, directing them to the right goal.
We should live in light of Christ’s return, under the power of His intercession. Christ sits at the Father’s right hand to secure a place for us. He intercedes for us to make sure that we arrive there safely. He shall return in glory to receive us to Himself and to judge the world. All... Continue Reading
The Inspiring Contagiousness of Submission
If God sanctifies us, we will be most influential to others when we are most afflicted.
Will you ask God for grace to be a contagious Christian of sacrificial submission, like Jephthah’s daughter and David Livingstone? You may say, “This all seems so impossible for me. You have set the bar far too high.” The bar is high, for two good reasons. First, too many of us today who profess Christ... Continue Reading
Joy in Evening Worship
A number of features of evening worship that are striking.
A third striking aspect of Sunday evening worship was that there seemed more time for prayer. Often the pastoral prayer in the evening service was longer, and we prayed more slowly, so to speak. The concerns of the congregation which were shared throughout the day could be brought before the Lord in the evening, whether... Continue Reading
Our Brother’s Keeper: The Sin of Causing Others to Stumble
Examining our Responsibility in Keeping Other Saints from Stumbling
In the Body of Christ, we have responsibility for one another because we are members of Christ and therefore members of one another (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:27). We are not independent but highly interdependent just like all of the parts of our bodies. What we do affects the rest of the Body, and what... Continue Reading
Seeing Jesus
In the Most Common Places
The wisest among us are those who keep their hearts pure and their eyes open to see the manifested Christ. Who study His ways and keep their vision unclouded by the things of this world. Who deal with any spiritual cataracts that cloud their souls and keep them from seeing the manifested Christ. For they... Continue Reading
When We Have Wasted So Much Time
God directs our lives by even using our mistakes to accomplish His plan.
We are still responsible for all those bad choices, it’s comforting to know that our God is in control over all things. And He could use even our bad choices for His glory and our good. We should also always go back to our Suffering Savior knowing that our misuse of time was fully paid... Continue Reading
Do Not Lose Heart
Our hope is not in our physical bodies surviving, but in God who will resurrect our physical bodies in glory.
It is when we have our minds focused on the things of earth that the glory of heaven doesn’t mean as much. When that happens, anxiety flares up, despair creeps in, and our world crashes in. But the things of this world are temporary; the things we don’t see are eternal. Our eyes begin... Continue Reading
How Can We Expect Things to get Better?
The prophet Micah brought urgent warnings from the Lord for rulers in particular. George Hutcheson discusses Micah’s words in the following updated extract from his commentary.
The Lord notices chiefly the disposition and affection of people’s hearts towards good or evil. It is a desperate condition, when not only your practice is out of course, but your affections also are alienated from God and inclined to evil. “You hate the good, and love the evil.” Whatever oppressors may claim to be the... Continue Reading
Pleasing Men or Christ?
Two things drove Paul from this self-centered thinking.
The gospel he received was not given to him by a man but by Jesus Christ. Paul felt he had no right to change, hide, or minimize the gospel to water it down so he would not offend. God had spoken, and his job was to deliver God’s word to needy people. For am... Continue Reading
Praying When I Don’t Feel like It
There is no greater peril in the Christian life than to make our emotions the touchstone of our duties.
Is it so mysterious that I am not growing? Couldn’t the main reason be my prayerlessness? We need to become focused on the encouragement of warm, loving times with our patient Savior—the One who does not cease whispering our names into the ears of His Father. We must deal with this besetting sin. We are... Continue Reading
Is the Book of Proverbs an Instruction Manual for Life?
The call of Proverbs is to rely on God rather than trust in the (supposed) orderliness of the world as a place where righteous behavior is always rewarded.
Readers are warned against thinking that they are wise (Prov. 26:12; Prov. 28:11, 26) and instead are urged to trust God (Prov. 3:7). A failure to note this teaching has led many to perceive a tension in the wisdom corpus, if not an irreconcilable conflict between Job-Ecclesiastes on one side and Proverbs on the other; however,... Continue Reading
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy: Article X
We can trust the copies and translations we have today so long as the translators have sought to translate and reproduce the biblical languages into English faithfully and accurately.
Our lack of the original autographs in no way impacts the Christian faith. If anything, it is the amazing unity and agreement between the ancient copies and manuscripts that we possess today that affirm God’s divine and sovereign hand over the transmission of His Word throughout the ages. It would be impossible for the multitude... Continue Reading
LGBTQIA+ — Why We Can Love But NOT Celebrate
Times change — truth does not.
The Creator made His plan obvious. Jesus said that since the beginning of creation, God created them male and female so that they would be joined together and become one flesh (Mark 10:6-8). Jesus adds, “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Verse 9). We can see from God’s original design that... Continue Reading