Book 4/Chapter 17 Worthy partaking (section 41) 1. How did the Romanists interpret worthy participation? 2. What did Calvin think that would mean for us? Faith and love (section 42) 1. How did the Roman approach deprive sinners? 2. What does worthy participation consist of chiefly? Trifles (section 43) 1. What sorts of issues does …
The Number of Chicken Bones is Irrelevant
Some have been wondering what I am up to in this recent jag about the absolute necessity of the new birth, and some are happily wondering if at last I have come to my senses and am returning to my evangelical roots. Well, I would be happy to return to them had I ever left …
Sold Down the River
This post on chapter five of Franke’s book will be a little, short one. That is because this chapter was unexceptional in itself, and said many good, wholesome things. It was on “Jesus, Truth, and the Trinity,” and said many things familiar to every orthodox Christian — ultimate truth is a Person (p. 43), truth …
The Grace of Imitation
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the …
Lobbying for Vanilla Bleh
I recently received a good set of questions about Christian political activism from a gentlemen I met at the Desiring God conference, a man engaged in the noble work of Christian activism. Since the questions have broad relevance for many others, I thought it would be good to attempt to set forth my answers here, …
Unity in the One Loaf
Book 4/Chapter 17 Superstition (section 37) 1. Once it has passed the bounds, what does superstition do? 2. Why should we not adore that concerning which Jesus said, “This is my body”? Mutual love (section 38) 1. How does bread represent unity? 2. When we disagree with our brother, what are we doing? 3. When …
Short Clip from a Recent Sermon
A little something for those who wonder if I preach works-righteousness . . .
Ye Must Be What Again?
Unbelief fragments. Faith integrates. God created a world abounding in distinctions, but not abounding in shattered pieces. From the beginning there were glorious distinctions between heaven and earth, between male and female, between land and sea, between soul and body. Faith received these distinctions with integrated understanding, without trying to tear one away from the …
No Adoration of the Elements
Book 4/Chapter 17 Unbelief at the Supper (section 34) 1. According to Calvin’s opponents, what do the wicked receive in the Supper? 2. Which church father does Calvin cite in opposition to this? 3. Where alone, according to Augustine, do the sacraments effects what they symbolize? Perverted rashness (section 35) 1. What has perverted rashness …
Gakkk
Soft despots love “the fact that the citizens enjoy themselves provided they dream solely of their own enjoyment. It works willingly for their happiness, but it wishes to be the only agent and sole arbiter of that happiness. It provides for their security, foresees and supplies their needs, guides them in their principal affairs, directs …