Book I/Chapter 12 True Religion (section 1) 1. What does the knowledge of God not consist of? 2. What does Calvin hold “religion” to mean? 3. What is the value of religion? 4. Is it enough to concede the supreme honors to God? 5. What does Calvin mean by the “vast throng” surrounding God? Latria …
Righteous Vengeance/Romans 11
INTRODUCTION: Paul is walking the world through the meaning of honest confession before God. The unbelieving Gentiles don’t want to honor God as God, or give Him thanks, and so Paul set the grandeur of God right in front of them, as displayed in every created thing. The Jews don’t want God, and so Paul …
Let God Be True/Romans X
INTRODUCTION: We learned from the end of chapter two that not all Jews are Jews, along with the corollary that not all Christians are Christians. But keeping up with the apostle can be a strenuous effort sometimes, and we now learn in the first part of chapter three that the Jews who are not really …
Justice Is Not Patty-Cake
In his otherwise admirable book on evil, N.T. Wright makes the drastic mistake of leaving the subject of Hell entirely alone. But no matter how many helpful things you say, if you leave the really huge question out, then all you are really displaying is a real loss of proportion. “Well, other than that, how …
Covenant Sunglasses and the Decretal Sun
My thanks to Lane for working through our Federal Vision statement. This response of mine should tie that one off with a bow, and so it will be off to the next thing. Perhaps paedocommunion if we can work out a system. I agree with Lane that IAOC is not the same thing as imputation …
Anticipating Surprises
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) Growing Dominion, Part 160 “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Pr 27:12). A prudent man sees it coming. A prudent man is not quick to defer maintenance. There are certain things coming …
Quinquennium Neronis
The infamous Nero actually had a good run initially. He took power in 54 A.D. and until 59 (the same year he had his mother killed), Rome enjoyed a mini-golden age, the best since the time of Augustus. That period of time was one remarkable enough to be named the quinquennium Neronis. But between 59 …
And Then There is the Not So Militant Atheism
My daughter has a chuckle or two with some street level apologetics.
The Ancient Church Free of Images
Book 1/Chapter 11 Foolish Evasions (section 11) 1. What is the “wily distinction?” 2. Why does it not work? Art (section 12) 1. Is Calvin opposed to art? 2. What may we paint? The Pure Church (section 13) 1. How long was the Church free from images? 2. What images belong in Church? Nicea (section …
Gravity and Supply and Demand
The law of supply and demand is not a mere cultural artifact. In short, it is not comparable to the decision-making process that the lords of etiquette went through when deciding where the dessert fork should go relative to your plate. A moment’s reflection should tell you that they could have decided pretty much anything, …