“What are we to make of the phrase ‘sons of Belial’? In every instance of the phrase in the Old Testament, it always refers to members of the covenant whose lives were completely at odds with the terms of it, and whose hollowness was exhibited in their behavior.”
Infidelity Within the Covenant
“Mark this well: adultery is not the same thing as divorce. It is certainly covenantal unfaithfulness and is grounds for divorce, but if there is no divorce, then the marriage remains binding on both parties. An adulterous husband is a covenant-breaking husband, not an ex-husband. In short, we must distinguish covenant-breaking from covenant-separation.”
My, What Big Ears You Have
“We should note that the sheep don’t have to go to graduate school to find out the difference between a shepherd and a wolf.”
All the Way Down Aaron’s Beard
“So what problem is created by the heretic? For instance, we have some who reason that since these other fellows (liberals, etc.) are certainly part of the visible Church, then our relationship with them should be collegial. In other words, we should schmooze with one another all the way down Aaron’s beard. Others reason that ‘if that lesbian bishop is a Christian, then I’m a Hottentot.’”
Breakable Covenants
“We like to pretend that the New Testament is filled with automatic covenant blessings, but the only way to maintain the illusion is to come up with an invisible covenant that no one can point to in such a way as to prove us wrong. We like to pretend that this is a point of distinction between the old and new covenants, whereas in fact it is one of the places where the New Testament draws parallels, with solemn warning. In this respect, the New Testament church was no different than the church of Jews in the wilderness. Jews in the wilderness apostatized; Christians in the first century apostatized. Much of the New Testament was written with this concern front and center.”
A Most Unfortunate Typo
“But breaking covenant occurs because of unbelief, lack of faith, and because of lack of good works.”
“But breaking covenant occurs because of unbelief, lack of faith, and not because of lack of good works.”
#1 “Reformed” Is Not Enough, p. 134, original #2 “Reformed” Is Not Enough, p. 134, there, fixed it
Real Apostasy
“The one cast out as a branch was a branch, and not some bit of tumbleweed caught in the branches. So there is such a thing as genuine covenantal connection to Christ which is not salvific at the last day”
A Straightforward Question
“Objective assurance is never found through trying to peer into the secret counsels of God, or into the murky recesses of one’s own heart. The gospel is preached, the water was applied, the Table is now set. Do you believe? The question is a simple one.“
Dyslexic Discipleship
[Concerning Matt. 18:3] “We have to be careful here because in many instances we get this turned around. We say that little children have to become like adults before they can enter the kingdom. They have to meet with the elders before they can come to the Table, and often preparation for communion seems more like preparation for ordination.”
No, Really
“For example, if the Scripture teaches election, then this is the ‘position’ of all churches in principle, regardless of what their denominational documents might say about it. This means that children of Baptists are in the covenant anyway, Nazarenes are eternally secure, and charismatics are not exercising the gift of prophecy.”