Last week in the call to worship we considered the self-destructive effects of bitterness. We saw how the bitter person is actually in fundamental agreement with the person who wronged him. Because of what bitterness does – causing us to fall short of the g race of God – we should consider it a bit …
Shackling the Wind
If you have read the “When the Fork Floats” thread, this is a follow on to that, particularly the comments. This is what I am doing with the ordo, and for FV critics, it constitutes what I believe to be an unanswerable problem for them. I have said before in this space that the ordo …
A Billionaire in the High Chair
We continue our discussion of the relationship of the old Israel and the new Israel. And in making the obvious comparisons, Paul changes the figure slightly. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and …
When the Fork Floats
In the discussion over at Greenbaggins, one of the FV critics said something important. I responded to it there, but I want to amplify my response here. This is what he said: “We are not justified by a dead faith. We are not justified by a living faith, either. We have a living faith because …
More on Promise and Law
If our salvation is based on promise, not upon law, then what is the law for then? What is based on the law? What role does it have? Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by …
Confession of Sin
INTRODUCTION: Confession of sin is a basic activity that all Christians need to understand and practice. It is the most fundamental form of spiritual housekeeping. THE TEXT: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just …
Promise Before Law
We have learned that those who are under the law are under a curse. This is because being under the law does not mean that one keeps the law; rather, it means that one does not keep it, and is therefore under condemnation. How can sinful men be delivered from this state of condemnation? And …
Put Law and Gospel into a Story
I want to take a brief point I made in the comments section over at Greenbaggins and amplify it. The FV treatment of law and gospel creates the question of how “the law” relates to us as Christians in the course of our Christian lives. And so of course we hold that the law convicts …
Our Little Reformed Contretemps
Thanks to Randy Booth, who supplied me with some interesting quotes on general and special election from Calvin. Here, then, a twofold class of sons presents itself to us, in the Church; for since the whole body of the people is gathered together into the fold of God, by one and the same voice, all …
Abraham and the Gospel
We come now to the glorious example of Abraham, and the apostle Paul draws much gold out of the mines of Genesis. We will be occupied with this gold for much of the remainder of the third chapter of Galatians. Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye …