This is why God has to stoop down to us, which he does by means of the sacraments. This, then, is how we put on the Lord Jesus Christ at baptism . . . Thus, you see that our baptism becomes precious to us when we use it as a shield to deflect all assailing …
My Sane Baptist Friend
I recently had an email exchange with someone I shall call my “sane Baptist friend,” or SBF for short. He had some questions about the Auburn Avenue deal, and I thought our exchange might prove helpful to others. There are a couple back and forths here. For ease of following, my original words are underlined, …
Jesus or Aristotle?
I have to begin by saying that it should be self-evident that logical fallacies exist, and that they should be avoided. Having the mind of Christ includes avoiding the kinds of confusions and mistakes in reasoning that are so characteristic of our time. I think it was John Stott who said that fuzzy-mindedness is one …
Answering All the Questions
When trust breaks down, it is hard to say anything without the suspicious seizing upon whatever it is, and twisting it to suit themselves. This is just another way of saying that when trust breaks down, one of the first things that people forget is that affirmation of innocence until guilt is established and proven …
On His Last Legs
A diamondback rattlesnake checked into the emergency room of a hospital. He could scarcely breathe, slipped into unconsciousness, and the emergency staff hovered over him carefully. Their care increased all the more as the periodic death-rattles increased in frequency. All the appropriate medical treatments were being applied, for the staff were a dedicated group and …
Upcoming Debate
I am looking forward to my debate with James White this fall. I am currently halfway through his book The Roman Catholic Controversy, which is actually quite good. I agree with bunches and bunches of it. The debate, for those not up to speed, has to do with whether Roman Catholics are members of the …
The Potency of Sola Fide
One of the reasons why John Robbins and Sean Gerety are not to be trusted is because of their deliberate misrepresentations, as has been shown in previous posts. But there is another problem that runs throughout the book, which would be better classified as an inability to grasp the argument. For example, consider this: “In …
Working Out What He Works In
So then, for those who persevere, how they subjectively receive grace is part of what has been objectively given. We are to work out our salvation because God is at work in us to will and to do for His good pleasure. My continued subjective positive responses tomorrow must be considered as part of His …
Heart Change
Eventually, the view that natures are unchanged (or non-existent) has to go one of two directions—either we must minimize how bad unbelievers are, or we must emphasize how bad believers still are. Either way gets us into trouble, and the only alternative is to stick with some notion of the traditional evangelical and reformed notion …
Video or Snapshot?
Affirming the absolute need for personal regeneration is the sine qua non of historic evangelicalism. Affirming that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church is the sine qua non of historic catholicity. Deny the former only, and the end result is the deadly nominalism found in many quarters of the institutional Church. …