“I won’t go through the whole thing point by point because you don’t need to split the same cord of wood twice, and I have done this three or four times already. About all I have around here is kindling.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 751
The Lens of the Covenant
“We look at the decrees through the lens of the covenant, and not the other way around. And when we are faithful in our use of these covenantal means, we do make our calling and election sure. We can see the decrees, but only if we don’t try to see them directly.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 750.
As My Views Are Decided
“I say this as one who affirms all forms of imputation as understood by the classic Reformed theologians—active, passive, and around the block three times imputation.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 748
Basic
“Not all Israel are Israel. Not all Christians are Christians.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 747
Knowing the Decree
“This does not mean that I cannot have assurance, or that I cannot know that I am decretally elect. Of course I can know that. It wouldn’t be assurance if I didn’t. But my decretal election is what I know; it is not how I know.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 746.
Forensic Declaration
“While a ‘not guilty’ verdict is imputation, so also is ‘I now pronounce you husband and wife’”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 745.
Braided Blonde Theology
“Some people want to say that this administration of grace is tightly woven in with a covenant of works, like a Scandinavian shield-maiden’s blonde braids, sheer law woven together with free grace, and there you go. What’s so hard to understand about that? And, then, to crown all these discussions, the people who want to intertwine these two covenants, one of grace and the other of works, want to accuse me of coming up with some kind of mutant golawspel. Heh. And, as Paul might say, were he here, again I say heh.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 742.
Walking Just LIke That
“The Westminster Confession says that the administration under Moses was gracious, and that it was [an] administration of the covenant of grace. So I take this (since me and the Westminster divines, we’re like that), wrap it around my neck, and go walking down the road like a two-year-old with his chin up and his chest out.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, pp. 741-742
WCF Slays
“ ‘These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith . . .’ (WCF 16.2). Notice here that good works are the ‘fruits and evidences’ of a ‘true and lively’ faith. Liveliness in faith is not the evidence, but rather is something that needs to be evidenced. Put another way, those who separate liveliness from the essence of saving life, or who in any way make that life merely evidence, are out of accord with the Confession.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 731.
Same Motive, Different Actions
“You know, believe what God said faith. The verb is not the direct object. If God tells one man to hop on his right foot and another man to hop on his left foot, they both obey when they believe Him and do what He says. Same faith, different feet.”
The Auburn Avenue Chronicles Vol. 2, p. 730.