The next chapter in By Faith Alone is entitled “Covenant, Inheritance, and Typology,” and is co-authored by R. Fowler White and Cal Beisner. Their argument is ingenious, intricate, and, I believe, entirely unsatisfactory. What they are seeking to do is understand the covenant of redemption, the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace in …
Like Gideon’s Men
Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord! The Lord said to my own Lord, Sit here, at my right hand. And as You sit, and as You reign, I will make a footrest from Your foes. The Lord shall send the rod of strength, From out of Zion comes …
The Kingdom of God is a Fine Automobile
The doctrine of the kingdom of God is like a fine automobile. Some parts of it are lush, and polished, and comfortable, with climate control, and windows that go up and down with the press of a button. Other parts of it are cold and metallic, greasy, heavy and far too . . . doctrinal. …
Cell Block E
I do have a couple of things to say about David VanDrunen’s contribution to By Faith Alone. First, he is guilty of continued misrepresentation of those he is debating with. “Although recent criticism of the traditional Reformed doctrine of justification has taken many forms, nearly all critics seem to concur in dismissing the idea of …
Picking Up Feathers
Gene Veith comments on Worldmagblog here. A friend drew my attention to this post of a few days ago. I have included below a comment which I posted at his site, but I also need to say something here. Given the climate in the Reformed world today, and given how many people go to Worldmagblog, …
Biblical Warfare
A subject clearly related to murder is the question of war. Whenever war is not conducted in accordance with the Word of God, then it amounts to nothing more than mass murder sanctioned by the civil authority. Consequently, it is important for us to know something of what biblical war looks like. When thou goest …
Sound Doctrine (1 Tim. 1:1-11)
Introduction: As we introduce this first letter in what are called the pastoral epistles, it is important to contextualize it. Reconstructing the chronology of the New Testament, we may conclude that Paul was probably imprisoned in Rome twice. The first is found at the end of the book of Acts, after which he was released, …
Geronimo!
The next chapter, “Reflections on Auburn Theology,” is by T. David Gordon, and I would like to return a compliment in the same words he uses. My father used to quote this poem when I was a kid, and Gordon applies it to us. I, not surprisingly, think that it is more apropos when swiveled …
And the Winner Is . . .
You should recall that some time ago, I invited contributions to a federal vision haiku contest. Rather than apologize for my tardiness in announcing the winners, let me just say that we all know that time is one of the tests of a classic. First prize is 15 clams off any purchase at Canon Press, …
Advanced Stages of Endustment
I don’t have a lot to say about the next chapter of By Faith Alone, other than that I enjoyed it. It was written by C. Fitzsimmons Allison, who also wrote a very good book that I also enjoyed entitled The Cruelty of Heresy. Allison is the retired Episcopal bishop of South Carolina, and so …