Because of a successive series of synods, ecumenical councils, general assemblies, and graduating classes of the seminaries, the Christian people of the land were greatly impoverished in their souls. Because of this, a great lament arose, and the people of all the congregations were greatly discouraged and wept most copiously. A traveler from another region …
Chimerical Doings
It is a long and convoluted story, but it seems that the Nez Perce County prosecutor was asked to look into whether or not there was any nefarious funny business on Paul Kimmel’s part with regard to his role in Christ Church’s and New St. Andrews’ original tax-exempt status. This request was made of Nez …
Dominion and Medicine
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 1611) Growing Dominion, Part 11 Among Christians, talk of dominion is just great so long as we keep it general. But the problem is that in order to actually exercise dominion in the world, a host of specific decisions are necessary. And the immediate decisions …
When the Wicked Strut/Psalm 12
All of God’s Word is of course profitable and applicable to our lives. But this psalm is particularly relevant to our contemporary condition, and is worth our careful attention. The great Puritan writer William Gurnall once said that just as one tap can drain a whole cask of wine, so one promise can obtain for …
All Things
The Sawtooth Bitterroot give glory to God! The North Pacific and all it contains, Trees in the wilderness, countless trees magnify the name of the Lord our God. But all things praise Him— Steam from a cup of coffee in a styrofoam cup, a truck stop in Wyoming, and miles of asphalt in the high …
The Face That Stuck
Once there was a little girl who made a face, and it stuck that way. This was most unfortunate, because she had been the kind of girl who was always so sweet when her parents were around, and all the adults at church used her as a good example when they were exhorting their children. …
Present or Absent?
For centuries, Christians have debated the “real presence” of the Lord Jesus in the Supper. Too often it is not noted that the alternative position is necessarily a belief in His real absence. This of course is silly, and so this should cause us to reflect. All orthodox Christians believe in the real presence—the debate …
Call It Regeneration
In order to take all baptized covenant members as participants in Christ in the “strong sense,” we would have to distinguish what is objectively given in Christ, and not what is subjectively done with those objective benefits. Perseverance would, on this reading, be what was subjectively done with what God has objectively given. In this …
A Different Father
In fact, biblically speaking, “nature” is not captured by a static Hellenistic definition, but rather something that is revealed through the process of generation. The nature of the father is found in the nature of the son. In order to acquire a different nature, I must acquire a different father.
According to Nature
Our interest in such passages should not have to do with the wickedness as such, but rather has to do with the divine “paternity suit” that follows on the basis of it. If some covenant members are children of the devil and others are not (as the quotation from 1 John indicates), then there must …