“Surely the Sacraments can remind us of grace, help us to appreciate grace, and exhort us to walk in grace, but do they actually give us the grace promised in the Gospel? The Reformed and Presbyterian confessions answer “yes” without hesitation. A Sacrament not only consists of the signs (water, bread and wine), but of …
Under His Feet/Psalm 8
The eighth psalm is another psalm of David. The import of the psalm is glorious, and the Gittith probably refers somehow to the joyful aspect and nature of the psalm. “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. . . .” (Ps. …
New Feature
If you go to Archives now, you will notice that posts are sorted by topic, and not only by date. Just a couple things to note about this. First, in the first couple months, while I was figuring this thing out, some posts were listed under “General Ruminations” which later, when I realized how much …
Darwin and Racism
“Apologetics in the Void” are repostings from an on-going electronic discussion and debate I had some time ago with members of our local community. The list serve is called Vision 20/20, and hence the name “visionaries.” Dear visionaries, In response to Susan’s post, two thoughts. How about this? Would it be appropriate for a government …
Grumbling at the Table
Every manner of unconfessed sin is inconsistent with communion at this table. But when the apostle comes to mention particular sins in conjunction with keeping our observance holy, it is notable which sins he singles out. One of them is murmuring. Not only are we to avoid golden-calf-like idolatries, not only are we to avoid …
The Unacknowledged Standard
“Apologetics in the Void” are repostings from an on-going electronic discussion and debate I had some time ago with members of our local community. The list serve is called Vision 20/20, and hence the name “visionaries.” Dear visionaries, This entire discussion — about the Joke, coming out as a gay or lesbian, appropriateness of coming …
Joke Police
“Apologetics in the Void” are repostings from an on-going electronic discussion and debate I had some time ago with members of our local community. The list serve is called Vision 20/20, and hence the name “visionaries.” Dear visionaries, All right. So someone posted a joke that you all consider tacky, inappropriate, and possibly illegal. But …
The Son of Jesse and His Marketing Agent
When David was preparing to meet the Philistine giant Goliath, we are fortunate that he did not have his marketing agent with him. And David said, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And his agent said, “David, I really do not think that this language is …
Set in Order
The image of God in you is not a static thing, a mechanical imprint. The image of God means to be orderly, in accordance with His word, in true righteousness and holiness. No human being is completely disordered or unhinged, and by God’s common grace, even non-Christians still reflect some of the order that was …
When Stuck, Try Theological Innovation
How is it that we are assailed for having a high (and very Reformed) view of the sacraments, when others, like the Lutherans and the Westminster West cadre, are given a pass by the anabaptist reformed? The answer that is given to this question is that there is a basic compatibility between the covenant of …