Book 4/Chapter 12 Church discipline (section 1) 1. What does discipline depend upon? 2. What are the two kinds of discipline? 3. What are the sinews that hold the body of Christ together? Private admonition (section 2) 1. What is the first stage of church discipline? 2. Where does it end? Hidden and open sins …
Horrible By What Standard?
Here is another outtake from the Collision movie.
Maintaining Order
Book 4/Chapter 11 When the pope seized power (section 13) 1. When does Calvin hold that the pope attained power over princes? 2. Why did this happen? Instruments (section 14) 1. What three instruments do the popes use to attain these ends? Immunities (section 15) 1. In ancient times, in what sense were the clergy …
What’s It There For?
Jason’s next chapter is “The Bragging Calvinist,” and the basic principles he lays down are very good. He sticks close to the text of Scripture, and shows how bragging in your own autonomous glory apart from the Lord is excluded, and how the new covenant opens up new freedoms in which we may voluntarily submit …
The Power of the Sword
Book 4/Chapter 11 Bishops or princes (section 9)? 1. What does Calvin call the assumption of the power of the sword by bishops? 2. Where did the Lord prohibit such power to the church? How it happened (section 10) 1. How did bishops gain this power? 2. But what would they do if they had …
We Serve the God of all Comfort
I received word last night that Christopher Witmer, a frequent commenter on this blog, was killed yesterday in an traffic accident in Tokyo. He leaves behind a wife and seven daughters. Pastor Ralph Smith, the Witmer’s pastor, was here in the States for presbytery and our ministerial conference, and is heading back for Japan immediately. …
All That
I have very little to say about Jason’s next chapter because it was really very good. If I hunted around I know I could find something to argue with, but that would be a waste of time. This was a very good chapter. He begins with a discussion of Luther’s contrast between a theology of …
Opulence and Proud Titles
Book 4/Chapter 11 Priest and king (section 4) 1. What is not fitting? 2. Where is a good emperor? The aim of discipline (section 5) 1. What is the aim of ecclesiastical discipline? 2. What two things must be taken into account? Ancient elders (section 6) 1. What limits did Cyprian put on his authority? …
The Sanctified Profane
Jason’s next chapter, on worldliness, was a collection of very fine furniture, wonderfully arranged in the wrong room. The chapter was an enjoyable read, and Jason says many important things that many evangelical Christians need to learn and heed. God made stuff, and He wants us to enjoy it. We need to learn how to …
Binding and Loosing
Book 4/Chapter 11 Power of the keys (section 1) 1. What is the next part of ecclesiastical power? 2. Where does Calvin say the New Testament gives the church the authority to rule? 3. What does this authority rest upon? Binding and loosing (section 2) 1. What distinction does Calvin make between the binding and …