In the midst of our tangled earthly confusions, God sees all things clearly. As we are pressed with dangers on every hand, God remains unthreatened by them and unperturbed. This is why a right understanding of who God is must be considered the only rational basis of faith. “In the LORD put I my trust: …
In the Top Three
When the elders of Christ Church made the decision to appeal the tax decision that went against us last week, we also decided that (assuming a victory on appeal) we would pursue donating a comparable amount of money for city services, etc. What’s up with that? There are a number of minor issues that relate …
Slow Motion Helicopter Crashes
Okay, then. My previous post gave away the fact that I have been reading Not Reformed At All by Robbins and Gerety. Just three comments. First, I have read up through page 63 with that curious sense of fascination that one has while watching slow motion videotape of helicopter crashes. Second, why is it that …
As Reformed As I Wanna Be
In their recent book, Not Reformed At All, John Robbins and Sean Gerety ask the following, somewhat rhetorically. “Is Wilson suggesting that because parents are Christians, their baptized children also are Christians?” No, not at all. Baptism is not necessary. The unbaptized children of Christians are Christians. That’s why we baptize them. But I do …
First One Father, Then Another
Regeneration means becoming the seed of another—ultimately, having one family tree and then acquiring another. My father used to be Adam and now he is the second Adam. My father used to be the devil and now he is Abraham. A creature being summoned into being ex nihilo is being created. We might say he …
Starting With Generation
Before talking about regeneration, we have to remember the importance of generation. Out of the five points of Calvinism, three of them have to do with the decrees of God. “Total depravity” has to do with this morning’s newspaper (the record of man in the past), and is not one of the secret things hidden …
Holiness Off the Bay
You thunderheads from off the bay, give glory to God. You mighty ones, give glory and strength. You black mountains of water, give glory to Him. Come to shore worshiping, in the beauty of holiness, in thunderhead holiness. The voice of the Lord is on the waters the God of glory thunders — echo …
The Boy Who Complained About the Food
Once there was a little boy who turned into a Grumble. He didn’t mean to, but he did. He never liked the food his mother would prepare for the family, so he would always fuss with it, and fuss at it. Most of the time he would say something about it, but even when he …
Take, and Grow
We feed our children so that they might grow up. God feeds us for the same reason—we are His children, and He is growing us up into maturity. This Table is therefore one of the central instruments to resist one of the great idols of our age—that of calculated immaturity. In fashion, in music, in …
Noogie News
An insightful friend has written to me in order to inquire what happens when the devil gives you a noogie. Does it leave a mark? Well, now, we are starting to get into some of the deeper levels of Reformed theology here, and I am hesitant to say too much all at one time. Suffice …