New Covenant Presbyterian Church
Posted: December 10, 2009 Filed under: Nicholas T. Batzig Leave a commentWho is New Covenant Presbyterian Church?
LIGONIER’s New Site!
Posted: December 10, 2009 Filed under: Ligonier Leave a commentThey released their new site here!
God Harden Israel Himself to Send Forth the Gospel to You
Posted: December 10, 2009 Filed under: Romans 11 Leave a commentThe Apostasy of Israel and the Mission to the Gentiles. Many at times have no idea in how God bought forth redemption to the Gentiles. However Romans 11 shows the beauty of the Gospel in that God harden His own nation of Israel so that the Gentiles may know, see, hear, taste and partake in the Gospel – that they might become apart of Israel as well.
Romans 9:6-13 states,
“But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
You can read my paper that I wrote for Missions in the Old and New Testaments at PRTS here.
Dr. Joel Beeke Gives His Top Reads of 2009
Posted: December 9, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
#10 A Treatise on the Law and Gospel, by John Colquhoun, published by Soli Deo Gloria a Division of Reformation Heritage Books. In this book, Colquhoun helps us understand the precise relationship between law and gospel. He also impresses us with the importance of knowing this relationship. Colquhoun especially excels in showing how important the law is as a believer’s rule of life without doing injury to the freeness and fullness of the gospel. By implication, he enables us to draw four practical conclusions: 1) the law shows us how to live, 2) the law as a rule of life combats both antinomianism and legalism, 3) the law shows us how to love, and 4) the law promotes true freedom.
#9 Princeton Sermons, by The Princeton Faculty, published by Solid Ground Christian Books. This rare volume contains sixteen powerful sermons preached in the chapel at Princeton Theological Seminary during the academic year of 1891-92. One needs only to read these addresses to understand why Princeton had a worldwide influence for the Gospel of Christ during these years. This volume was especially prized because of two of the beloved professors, Caspar W. Hodge and Charles A. Aiken, were removed by death in the midst of that academic year.
#8 Wise Counsel: John Newton’s Letters to John Ryland, Jr., by Grant Gordon, published by The Banner of Truth Trust. John Newton (1725-
1807) has rightly been called ‘the letter-writer par excellence of the Evangelical Revival’. Newton himself seems to have come to the conclusion, albeit reluctantly, that letter-writing was his greatest gift. In a letter to a friend he confessed, ‘I rather reckoned upon doing more good by some of my other works than by my ‘Letters’, which I wrote without study, or any public design; but the Lord said, ‘You shall be most useful by them,’ and I learned to say, ‘Thy will be done! Use me as Thou pleasest, only make me useful.’ Indeed, he wrote to his close friend William Bull that if the letters were ‘owned to comfort the afflicted, to quicken the careless, to confirm the wavering, I may rejoice in the honour He has done me’, and not envy the greatest writers of the age.
#7 The Fading of The Flesh and the Flourishing of Faith, by George Swinnock, published by Reformation Heritage Books. Interest in the Puritans continues to grow, but many people find the reading these giants of the faith a bit unnerving. This series seeks to overcome that barrier by presenting Puritan books that are convenient in size and unintimidating in length. Each book is carefully edited with modern readers in mind, smoothing out difficult language of a bygone era while retaining the meaning of the original authors. Books for the series are thoughtfully selected to provide some of the best counsel on important subjects that people continue to wrestle with today. What will satisfy you when your flesh and heart fail?
#6 The Westminster Assembly: Reading its Theology in Historical Context, by Robert Letham, published by P&R Publishing. Drawing on new primary source material, it considers the Assembly’s theology in terms of the unfolding development of doctrine in the Reformed churches, in connection with the preceding and current events in English history, and locates it in relation to the catholic tradition of the western church. The book asks exactly what the divines meant at each stage of their task. At a time when claims are made that particular theologies represent historic Reformed doctrine, it is particularly important to grasp what this actually is.
#5 Concise Reformed Dogmatics, by J. van Genderen and W.H. Velema, published by P&R Publishing. A full treatment of Reformed systematic theology that is accessible to church officers and interested lay readers, as well as teachers and students of theology. Formatted in two visually distinct levels of discussion for use as an introduction or for more in-depth study. The appearance of this work in English is most welcome. Written from a confessionally Reformed perspective, with a special affinity for the work of Calvin and Herman Bavinck, it is alert to contemporary issues and problems without obscuring its primary concern to show the biblical basis of doctrines. Without sacrificing depth, it succeeds admirably with the wider circle of readers it has in view—other theologically interested persons as well as pastors, and teachers and students of theology
#4 Calvin, by Bruce Gordon, Published by Yale Press. During the glory days of the French Renaissance, young John Calvin (1509-64) experienced a profound conversion to the faith of the Reformation. For the rest of his days he lived out the implications of that transformation-as exile, inspired reformer and ultimately the dominant figure of the Protestant Reformation. Calvin’s vision of the Christian religion has inspired many volumes of analysis, but this engaging biography examines a remarkable life. Bruce Gordon presents Calvin as a human being, a man at once brilliant, arrogant, charismatic, unforgiving, generous and shrewd.
#3 The Righteous Shall Live by Faith: Romans, by R.C. Sproul, Published by Crossway. How exciting! Thousands of us have long been indebted to Sproul the teacher, and now, through the St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary series, we are indebted to Sproul the preacher, whose sermons are thoroughly biblical, sound doctrinal, warmly practical, and wonderfully readable. This series of volumes is an absolute must for every Reformed preacher and church member who yearns to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus. Tolle lege, and buy these volumes for your friends.
#2 The Calvin Handbook, by Herman J. Selderhuis, Published by Eerdmans. Research on French theologian John Calvin is flourishing around the world today, and Calvin’s quincentennial this year has lent such research even greater momentum. The Calvin Handbook is designed to support and stimulate this research. An international team of renowned scholars here offers a comprehensive view of Calvin’s biography, his theology, and the history of his reception. The Calvin Handbook is a uniquely helpful resource on Calvin for readers of every interest level.
#1 The Happiness of Heaven, by Maurice Roberts, published by Reformation Heritage Books. While belief in heaven is essential to the Christian faith, the fact that pilgrim believers have not yet experienced heaven leaves us with many questions about what it will be like. In The Happiness of Heaven, Maurice Roberts surveys Holy Scripture to tell us what heaven is all about. In his characteristic style, Roberts discusses the biblical data clearly and relevantly, making soul-searching application at every turn. This is not just a book of interesting facts about what heaven is like; it is an appeal to men and women to find their happiness in the eternal comfort of God in Christ.
In Dr. Beeke’s own words,
“I have seldom heard a minister preach with more relish, glow, and frequency about heaven than Rev. Maurice Roberts. In The Happiness of Heaven, Roberts shows that same giftedness in writing about the glorious state of eternal bliss. He writes with warmth, conviction, and longing, while not fearing to address biblically the difficult questions in masterful chapters such as ‘Children and Heaven’ and ‘The Dark Side of Heaven.’ This is one of the author’s best books yet. If you’re a believer, it will move you deeply and make you more homesick. Read it repeatedly to lift your soul up above the sin and mundane trivialities of this world and to set your affections on the Triune God and things above.”
Wanna Get to know Walther Eichrodt? Reading the Following
Posted: December 8, 2009 Filed under: Biblical Theology Leave a commentEichrodt, Walther. Ezekiel: A Commentary, trans. Cosslett Quinn, Old Testament Library Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1970.
___________. Man in the Old Testament, Studies in Biblical Theology 4, trans. K. and R. Gregor Smith. Chicago: Henry Regnery, 1951.
___________. The Flowering of Old Testament Theology. “Covenant” SBTS 1. 1st ed. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1992, pp. 30-42.
___________. The Flowering of Old Testament Theology. “Does Old Testament Theology Still Have Independent Significance within Old Testament Scholarship?” SBTS 1. 1st ed. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1992 pp. 43-57.
___________. Theology of the Old Testament, 5th rev. ed., 2 vols., trans. J. A. Baker Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1961-7; trans. of Theologie des Alten Testaments, 3 vols. Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1933-1939.
Spriggs, D. G. Two Old Testament Theologies: A Comparative Evaluation of the Contributions of Eichrodt and von Rad to our Understanding of the Nature of Old Testament Theology. Naperville, IL: Alec R. Allenson, 1974.
Read his bio. here.
The Manhattan Declaration: Why didn’t you sign it, R.C.?
Posted: December 8, 2009 Filed under: R.C. Sproul Leave a commentR.C. Sproul writes on The Manhattan Declaration,
“The Manhattan Declaration confuses common grace and special grace by combining them. While I would march with the bishop of Rome and an Orthodox prelate to resist the slaughter of innocents in the womb, I could never ground that cobelligerency on the assumption that we share a common faith and a unified understanding of the gospel.”
Read the rest here.
Pink on 1 John 2:2, “but also for the sins of the whole world”
Posted: December 8, 2009 Filed under: Calvinism 1 CommentPink writes,
THERE is one passage more than any other which is I appealed to by those who believe in universal redemption, and which at first sight appears to teach that Christ died for the whole human race. We have therefore decided to give it a detailed examination and exposition.
“And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). This is the passage which, apparently, most favors the Arminian view of the Atonement, yet if it be considered attentively it will be seen that it does so only in appearance, and not in reality. Below we offer a number of conclusive proofs to show that this verse does not teach that Christ has propitiated God on behalf of all the sins of all men.
In the first place, the fact that this verse opens with “and” necessarily links it with what has gone before. We, therefore, give a literal word for word translation of I John 2 :1 from Bagster’s Interlinear: “Little children my, these things I write to you, that ye may not sin; and if any one should sin, a Paraclete we have with the Father, Jesus Christ (the) righteous”. It will thus be seen that the apostle John is here writing to and about the saints of God. His immediate purpose was two-fold: first, to communicate a message that would keep God’s children from sinning; second, to supply comfort and assurance to those who might sin, and, in consequence, be cast down and fearful that the issue would prove fatal. He, therefore, makes known to them the provision which God has made for just such an emergency. This we find at the end of verse 1 and throughout verse 2. The ground of comfort is twofold: let the downcast and repentant believer (1 John 1:9) be assured that, first, he has an “Advocate with the Father“; second, that this Advocate is “the propitiation for our sins” Now believers only may take comfort from this, for they alone have an “Advocate“, for them alone is Christ the propitiation, as is proven by linking the Propitiation (“and”) with “the Advocate”!
In the second place, if other passages in the New Testament which speak of “propitiation,” he compared with 1 John 2:2, it will be found that it is strictly limited in its scope. For example, in Romans 3 :25 we read that God set forth Christ “a propitiation through faith in His blood“. If Christ is a propitiation “through faith”, then He is not a “propitiation” to those who have no faith! Again, in Hebrews 2:17 we read, “To make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17, R. V.)
In the third place, who are meant when John says, “He is the propitiation for our sins“? We answer, Jewish believers. And a part of the proof on which we base this assertion we now submit to the careful attention of the reader.
In Galatians 2:9 we are told that John, together with James and Cephas, were apostles “unto the circumcision” (i.e. Israel). In keeping with this, the Epistle of James is addressed to “the twelve tribes, which are scattered abroad” (1:1). So, the first Epistle of Peter is addressed to “the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion” (1 Pet. 1:1, R. V.). And John also is writing to saved Israelites, but for saved Jews and saved Gentiles.
Some of the evidences that John is writing to saved Jews are as follows. (a) In the opening verse he says of Christ, “Which we have seen with our eyes . . . . and our hands have handled“. How impossible it would have been for the Apostle Paul to have commenced any of his epistles to Gentile saints with such language!
(b) “Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning” (1 John 2:7). The “beginning” here referred to is the beginning of the public manifestation of Christ-in proof compare 1:1 ; 2:13, etc. Now these believers the apostle tells us, had the “old commandment” from the beginning. This was true of Jewish believers, but it was not true of Gentile believers.
(c) “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him from the beginning” (2:13). Here, again, it is evident that it is Jewish believers that are in view.
(d) “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us” (2:18, 19).
These brethren to whom John wrote had “heard” from Christ Himself that Antichrist should come (see Matthew 24). The “many antichrists” whom John declares “went out from us” were all Jews, for during the first century none but a Jew posed as the Messiah. Therefore, when John says “He is the propitiation for our sins” he can only mean for the sins of Jewish believers.*
In the fourth place, when John added, “And not for ours only, but also for the whole world”, he signified that Christ was the propitiation for the sins of Gentile believers too, for, as previously shown, “the world” is a term contrasted from Israel. This interpretation is unequivocally established by a careful comparison of 1 John 2:2 with John 11:51, 52, which is a strictly parallel passage: “And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad“. Here Caiaphas, under inspiration, made known for whom Jesus should “die“. Notice now the correspondency of his prophecy with this declaration of John’s:
“He is the propitiation for our (believing Israelites) sins.“
“He prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation.“
“And not for ours only.” “And not for that nation only.“
“But also for the whole world“-That is, Gentile believers scattered throughout the earth.
“He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.“
In the fifth place, the above interpretation is confirmed by the fact that no other is consistent or intelligible. If the “whole world” signifies the whole human race, then the first clause and the “also” in the second clause are absolutely meaningless. If Christ is the propitiation for every-body, it would be idle tautology to say, first, “He is the propitiation for our sins and also for everybody“. There could be no “also” if He is the propitiation for the entire human family. Had the apostle meant to affirm that Christ is a universal propitiation he had omitted the first clause of verse 2, and simply said, “He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.” Confirmatory of “not for ours (Jewish believers) only, but also for the whole world“-Gentile believers, too; compare John 10:16; 17:20.
In the sixth place, our definition of “the whole world” is in perfect accord with other passages in the New Testament. For example: “Whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world” (Col. 1:5,6). Does “all the world” here mean, absolutely and unqualifiedly, all mankind? Had all the human family heard the Gospel? No; the apostle’s obvious meaning is that, the Gospel, instead of being confined to the land of Judea, had gone abroad, without restraint, into Gentile lands. So in Romans 1:8: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world”. The apostle is here referring to the faith of these Roman saints being spoken of in a way of commendation. But certainly all mankind did not so speak of their faith! It was the whole world of believers that he was referring to! In Revelation 12:9 we read of Satan “which deceiveth the whole world”. But again this expression cannot be understood as a universal one, for Matthew 24 :24 tells us that Satan does not and cannot “deceive” God’s elect. Here it is “the whole world” of unbelievers.
In the seventh place, to insist that “the whole world” in 1 John 2:2 signifies the entire human race is to undermine the very foundations of our faith. If Christ is the propitiation for those that are lost equally as much as for those that are saved, then what assurance have we that believers too may not be lost? If Christ is the propitiation for those now in hell, what guarantee have I that I may not end in hell? The blood-shedding of the incarnate Son of God is the only thing which can keep any one out of hell, and if many for whom that precious blood made propitiation are now in the awful place of the damned, then may not that blood prove inefficacious for me! Away with such a God-dishonoring thought.
However men may quibble and wrest the Scriptures, one thing is certain: The Atonement is no failure. God will not allow that precious and costly sacrifice to fail in accomplishing, completely, that which it was designed to effect. Not a drop of that holy blood was shed in vain. In the last great Day there shall stand forth no disappointed and defeated Saviour, but One who “shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied” (Isa. 53:11). These are not our words, but the infallible assertion of Him who declares, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure” (Isa. 64:10). Upon this impregnable rock we take our stand. Let others rest on the sands of human speculation and twentieth-century theorizing if they wish. That is their business. But to God they will yet have to render an account. For our part we had rather be railed at as a narrow-minded, out-of-date, hyper-Calvinist, than be found repudiating God’s truth by reducing the Divinely-efficacious atonement to a mere fiction.
* It is true that many things in John’s Epistle apply equally to believing Jews and believing Gentiles. Christ is the Advocate of the one, as much as of the other. The same may be said of many things in the Epistle of James which is also a catholic, or general epistle, though expressly addressed to the twelve tribes scattered abroad.”
Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible
Posted: December 7, 2009 Filed under: Reformation Trust 1 Comment
Sola Scriptura, the formal principle of the Protestant Reformation, is essential to genuine Christianity, for it declares that the Bible is the inspired word of God, the church’s only rule of faith and practice. Yet this doctrine is under assault today as never before, both from outside and and inside the church.
In this book, several leading Reformed pastors and scholars, including Joel Beeke, Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Ray Lanning, John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Derek W. H. Thomas, and James White, unpack the meaning of the doctrine of sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”). They also explain where the attacks on the Bible are coming from and show how those who accept the Bible as God’s inspired Word should respond. Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible is a treasure trove of information and a comfort to those who grieve to see the twenty-first-century church wandering away from the safe harbor of the Bible.
Christ did not lay down His life to atone for the sins of all of mankind!
Posted: December 1, 2009 Filed under: Westminster Confession of Faith 4 Comments8:7 Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself;[37] yet, by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.[38]
Thoughts: Christ did not lay down His life to atone for the sins of all of mankind, nor for an indefinite number of saints. His sacrifice was indeed sufficient to save the whole world, had it been designed to do so; but in the purpose of God and in the undertaking of Christ, it was determined that He should make atonement for those who were elected in Him to everlasting life; these only He represented, and these only shall be saved through His redemption. This truth is commonly called limited atonement or what seems to be a better term in my book, particular redemption.
Christ fulfills and applies the Covenant of Grace
Posted: November 30, 2009 Filed under: Westminster Confession of Faith 2 Comments8:5 The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, has fully satisfied the justice of His Father;[34] and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for those whom the Father has given unto Him.[35]
It is in the office of mediator that Christ fulfills and applies the Covenant of Grace, and in doing so, accomplishes the Covenant of Works.
Doing what God Can Bless
Posted: November 29, 2009 Filed under: Sundays with Spurgeon Leave a commentThe Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto. (Deuteronomy 28:8)
If we obey the Lord our God He will bless that which He gives us. Riches are no curse when blessed of the Lord. When men have more than they require for their immediate need and begin to lay up in storehouses, the dry rot of covetousness or the blight of hard-heartedness is apt to follow the accumulation; but with God’s blessing it is not so. Prudence arranges the saving, liberality directs the spending, gratitude maintains consecration, and praise sweetens enjoyment. It is a great mercy to have God’s blessing in one’s iron safe and on one’s banking account.
What a favor is made ours by the last clause! “The Lord shall bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand unto.” We would not put our hand to anything upon which we dare not ask God’s blessing, neither would we go about it without prayer and faith. But what a privilege to be able to look for the Lord’s help in every enterprise! Some talk of a lucky man: the blessing of the Lord is better than luck. The patronage of the great is nothing to the favor of God. Self-reliance is all very well; but the Lord’s blessing is infinitely more than all the fruit of talent, genius, or tact.
Deny ANY teaching that places anyone between Christ and man
Posted: November 28, 2009 Filed under: Westminster Confession of Faith Leave a comment8:4 This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake;[22] which that He might discharge, He was made under the law,[23] and did perfectly fulfil it;[24] endured most grievous torments immediately in His soul,[25] and most painful sufferings in His body;[26] was crucified, and died,[27] was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption.[28] On the third day He arose from the dead,[29] with the same body in which He suffered,[30] with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sits at the right hand of His Father,[31] making intercession,[32] and shall return, to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.[33]
REJECT ANY teaching that denies or obscures the truth that Jesus is both God and man in two distinct natures
Posted: November 27, 2009 Filed under: Westminster Confession of Faith Leave a comment8:3 The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure,[15] having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;[16] in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell;[17] to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth,[18] He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety.[19] Which office He took not unto Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father,[20] who put all power and judgment into His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.[21]
Thoughts: The safest way of going with this is, to REJECT ANY teaching that denies or obscures the truth that Jesus is both God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever. It only leads to apostasy.
For Those that find it necessary in signing The Manhattan Declaration
Posted: November 26, 2009 Filed under: Just My Thoughts Leave a commentI am reminded in this connection of the declaration of Jude, verses 3-4,
“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
If Jude begins his account dealing with the false teachers by describing the devious way they have slipped into the church, why would we today allow any means for such a gospel of the Roman Catholic church to pervert the Church today?
What may seem very little to the many evangelicals today, the Reformation Heroes laid down their lives for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that man did not have to ever agree with Rome, nor partner with Rome, and nor shall we Protestants today! For the Gospel of Protestant Faith, is not the same as Rome.
However, now is when someone to me says, “this is not a Gospel issue.” I understand that The sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife, and the rights of conscience and religious liberty are social justice problems, Yes. To which I respond, would you travel to Africa to help the water problem with Catholics, would you go to take food to the homeless with Catholics, would you have a homeless shelter with Catholics? Would you pass out Turkeys for thanksgiving along side the Roman Catholic church? My point is that these issues like The Manhattan Declaration are social justice problems.
Although many of them should be the Churches job, they should be the True Church, the elect of God – doing them together for the sake of the True Gospel, and not together with one that is false. Protestant theology affirms the sole authority of Scripture, for that we practice together among ourselves the True Faith that has been granted to us, and purchased by Christ for us.
Be Thankful for The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity
Posted: November 26, 2009 Filed under: Westminster Confession of Faith Leave a comment8:2 The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man’s nature,[10] with all the essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin;[11] being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance.[12] So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion.[13] Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.[14]
What This Means: Jesus Christ, as Head over all things for the sake of the Church, rules in perfect wisdom and justice over all parts of His creation including wicked men and devils. He makes them, and all their counsels and efforts, serve God’s glory in the plan of redemption.
It pleased God to ordain His Son for what reason?
Posted: November 25, 2009 Filed under: Westminster Confession of Faith Leave a comment8:1 It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man,[1] the Prophet,[2] Priest,[3] and King,[4] the Head and Savior of His Church,[5] the Heir of all things,[6] and Judge of the world:[7] unto whom He did from all eternity give a people, to be His seed,[8] and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.[9]
Here G.I. Williamson in his study of the WFC summarizes saying,
“This section of the Confession teaches us (1) that God has, from eternity, chosen a definite number of Adam’s posterity to be saved through the redemptive work of Christ, (2) that he also, from eternity, promised to give these elect persons to Christ as the reward for his suffering, (3) that Christ engaged to perform and suffer all that was necessary to that end, (4) that this messianic work required Christ to be the prophet, priest, and king of his elect people as head and Savior of the Church, and (5)that he must also be heir and judge of the world.”
What does this mean? is that Jesus, the Mediator, governs over all creatures and all their actions for His own glory. Submission is due to Him from all men and angels. All men, in every possible relation and condition, are under obligation to promote His gracious purposes according to His law. The hole angels minister, under His direction, to the heirs of salvation.
Joel Beeke has yet another Book coming out…
Posted: November 21, 2009 Filed under: Joel Beeke Leave a comment
Retail: $9.00
RHB: $6.50
Joel R. Beeke is president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, a minister of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as well as an international conference speaker and author of numerous books.
Publisher’s Description: When some people smile, they ignite smiles in people around them. They have contagious smiles. If that’s what a contagious smile is, what is contagious Christian living? It is living that is so godly and so consistent that people around them cannot help but be impacted and inspired. In Contagious Christian Living, Joel R. Beeke looks at four people in the Bible to find out how people today can live an influential life in dependence on the Holy Spirit. Here is your invitation to read about, and pray for, the sacrificial submission of Jephthah’s daughter, the Christ-centeredness of Bartimaeus, the contagious blessings of Jacob, and the consistent integrity of Daniel.
Applying Christ’s Supremacy: Learning From Hebrews
Posted: November 19, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment(posted by Jerry Bilkes) article will be in the Puritan Reformed Journal Spring 2010.
Each one of these points has import for Christian preaching. Preaching ought i) to adduce and proclaim God’s truth from Scripture; ii) to focus on Christ and salvation through Him alone; iii) to drive the message home to the hearers through application; and iv) to communicate the radical call of the gospel with earnestness. We could expand each of these points showing how the epistle to the Hebrews models this for us. In this article, I wish to examine only the third point, namely, how precisely the author of Hebrews applies the supremacy of Christ. In other words, how does he bring the glory of Christ’ supremacy to bear specifically and concretely upon his hearers in masterful avenues of application?
The doctrine of the supremacy of Christ over all things is the glorious theme of the epistle to the Hebrews. It is announced in the opening verses (Hebrews 1:1-3), and functions much like a snowcapped mountain peak. No matter what verse of Hebrews you read, whenever you look up – there is this awe-inspiring sight of Christ’s supremacy. Yet, the doctrine of Christ’s supremacy is more than an imposing vista that takes one’s breath away. Through exposition and application, the snowcap feeds countless rivers, waterfalls, and streams that each conduct the glory of Christ to the faith and life of the church. For this reason, the theme of this epistle is more properly: The Supremacy of Christ Expounded and Applied. It operates as follows: in exposition, doctrine is released from the watershed of truth; in application this same truth travels the rivers and streams, whereby it reaches the remote stretches of land. This whole process lends to the epistle to the Hebrews a great force that ought to model for us how preaching should apply the supremacy of Christ to all the church in all of life.
The author to the Hebrews used three types of speech when applying his doctrines.
- Inference: drawing a logical conclusion (E.g., “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed,” 2:1; “Let us therefore fear,” 4:1; “Let us therefore come boldly,” 4:16)
- Interrogation: calling into question or raising the possibility of a certain case (E.g., “if we hold fast,” 3:6; “if we hold the beginning of our confidence,” 3:14)
- Identification: denoting one or other value judgment as true (E.g., “We are persuaded better things of you,” 6:9; “ye are dull of hearing,” 5:11)
These are the formal categories. However, there may be more helpful material categories. Let us survey a number of these applications to discover their inner mechanics, and see how they model for us how applications should operate in preaching. I believe there are essentially four kinds:
- Better Attention
- Closer Attachment
- Greater Assurance
- Further Ambition
Applying Christ’s Supremacy: Learning From Hebrews
Posted: November 18, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment(Post by Jerry Bilkes)
Why does the epistle to the Hebrews have the stunning force it clearly has? Of course, God’s Word is always “quick and powerful and sharper than any twoedged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Since it is God-breathed, every part of Scripture is not only true but also powerful. This does not obviate, however, the fact that there are ancillary reasons why one or other part of Scripture has a particular or pronounced force. I believe the following reasons help explain why this is true for the epistle to the Hebrews:
Firstly, the abundant and focused use of the Old Testament. The author is very concerned to bring forth out of the Scriptures, and Psalm 110 in particular, the revolutionary and sublime truth that it contains concerning the exaltation of Messiah. The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 110:1 explicitly four times (1:3,13; 8:1; 10:12; with Ps 110:4:) and verse 4 seven times (5:6; 6:20; 7:3,11,15,17,21). Moreover, every thing he states in the book can be related to these two verses, in either a direct or indirect way.
Secondly, the grand and exclusive focus on Christ. The author moves from the person of Christ (1:5-4:13) to his office (4:14-7:28), and then to the administration of that office (8:1-10:18). The argument of the book is compelling, coherent, and comprehensive. We have here the basic outline of what later would be developed in the locus of systematic theology we call Christology, and Christ is the sole of the whole book. The apostle moves from the exalted person of Christ to the exalted work of Christ. You could say that the author gives us Christ solely and totally.
Thirdly, the applicatory orientation of the book. As always in the Scriptures, the exposition of doctrine has an applicatory bent. Here in Hebrews, we see how basic and pervasive this applicatory bent is. The author himself calls it “a word of exhortation” (13:22). There is not only the frequent interspersing of application within the expositional argument, but also the tight relationship to the expository parts of the epistle in application. Moreover, there is the lengthy application at the end of the book (10:19-13:20). In every application, it is clear that the complete Christ sufficiently answers the challenge and need of the moment, whether it is trial, temptation, or false teaching.
Lastly, the radical nature and earnest tone of the apostle’s argument. The apostle sets forth a salvation that is superior, more excellent, eternal, perfect, etc., while at the same time, it is an exclusive, unique, and necessary salvation. The line the apostle draws is razor sharp. Salvation is full and free; yet, because of our unbelief and dullness, it is also easily mistaken and missed. This is the logic of the epistle of the Hebrews.
RHB Releases New Series on the Puritans – Puritan Treasures for Today
Posted: November 17, 2009 Filed under: Puritan Treasures for Today, Reformation Heritage Books Leave a comment
What is the “Puritan Treasures for Today” Series?
Interest in the Puritans continues to grow, but many people find the reading these giants of the faith a bit unnerving. This series seeks to overcome that barrier by presenting Puritan books that are convenient in size and unintimidating in length. Each book is carefully edited with modern readers in mind, smoothing out difficult language of a bygone era while retaining the meaning of the original authors. Books for the series are thoughtfully selected to provide some of the best counsel on important subjects that people continue to wrestle with today.
The Fading of the Flesh and The Flourishing of Faith
Retail: $10.00
RHB:$7.50
You can read the Sample Pages here.
George Swinnock (1627–1673) was an English Puritan, known for his vivid illustrations of biblical truth. His complete works have been reprinted in five volumes by Banner of Truth Trust.
“This wonderful little book, written with charm, simplicity, and clarity by George Swinnock is bound to prove both a delight and a challenge to any Christian who values the riches of the gospel. It is a spiritual gem that deserves to be read and re-read. In addition, its charm, simplicity, and clarity make it a perfect entry point to the writings of the pastoral Puritans. Beautifully edited for the modern reader by Dr. Stephen Yuille, The Fading of the Flesh is a rare spiritual treat.” – Sinclair B. Ferguson
Interest in the Puritans continues to grow, but many people find the reading these giants of the faith a bit unnerving. This series seeks to overcome that barrier by presenting Puritan books that are convenient in size and unintimidating in length. Each book is carefully edited with modern readers in mind, smoothing out difficult language of a bygone era while retaining the meaning of the original authors. Books for the series are thoughtfully selected to provide some of the best counsel on important subjects that people continue to wrestle with today. What will satisfy you when your flesh and heart fail?
The Puritans frequently talked about dying well. That is something we do not discuss much these days, though we should. In this book, George Swinnock presents modern readers with valuable food for thought as he expounds Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” Swinnock combines careful explanation with vivid illustration to reveal the futility of earthly comforts and highlight the inestimable comfort, satisfaction, and joy afforded us in Christ. Displaying the relevance of the Puritans for today, you will find this sorely neglected and sobering topic an easy, thought-provoking, and compelling read.
C. H. Spurgeon said,
“George Swinnock had the gift of illustration largely developed, as his works prove.”
Limitless Riches
Posted: November 15, 2009 Filed under: Sundays with Spurgeon Leave a commentMy God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
Paul’s God is our God and will supply all our need. Paul felt sure of this in reference to the Philippians, and we feel sure of it as to ourselves. God will do it, for it is like Him: He loves us, He delights to bless us, and it will glorify Him to do so. His pity, His power, His love, His faithfulness, all work together that we be not famished.
What a measure doth the Lord go by: “According to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” The riches of His grace are large, but what shall we say of the riches of His glory? His “riches of glory by Christ Jesus”-who shall form an estimate of this? According to this immeasurable measure will God fill up the immense abyss of our necessities. He makes the Lord Jesus the receptacle and the channel of His fullness, and then He imparts to us His wealth of love in its highest form. Hallelujah!
The writer knows what it is to be tried in the work of the Lord. Fidelity has been recompensed with anger, and liberal givers have stopped their subscriptions; but he whom they sought to oppress has not been one penny the ~ nay, rather he has been the richer; for this promise has been true, “My God shall supply all your need.” God’s supplies are surer than any bank.
Happy 1,655th Birthday Augustine of Hippo!
Posted: November 13, 2009 Filed under: Augustine of Hippo Leave a comment
Pre-order Augustine of Hippo for 40% OFF Today ONLY!
Available to Ship: November 20th
Outside of the people in the Bible, Augustine of Hippo is the most influential person in church history. Yet how many people know his story? In this book, Simonetta Carr introduces young readers to the life and ministry of Augustine. Readers will come to know Augustine’s personal struggles and the high value he came to place on the Bible and truth. Readers will also see the difficult days in which Augustine lived, learning about his disputes with false teachers and the turbulent times during the fall of the Roman Empire. This volume is vividly illustrated, simply written, and full of interesting facts. It is written for young readers, but is sure to capture the interests of the whole family.
Authors
SIMONETTA CARR was born in Italy and has lived and worked in different cultures. A former elementary school teacher, she has home-schooled her eight children for many years. She has written for newspapers and magazines around the world and has translated the works of several Christian authors into Italian. Presently, she lives in San Diego with her husband Thomas and family. She is a member and Sunday School teacher at Christ United Reformed Church.
WESLEY (WES) LOWE has over 25 years experience as an illustrator, and has illustrated for advertising agencies and publishers in the US, Canada, and Europe. He lives with his wife in British Columbia, and works from his studio on the Sunshine Coast, which is a short ferry ride from Vancouver.
Blurbs
“A splendid way to introduce children-and adults too-to one of the most influential Christians who ever lived.”
-PHILLIP S. CARY, Scholar in Residence at the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University, and author of several books on Augustine
“Few figures in Western history are as important as Augustine. He is one of the early church fathers to whom the Reformers rightly looked as an inspiration for their theology and piety in many respects but he is more than that. He is an old and dear friend. Simonetta Carr has produced a clear, readable introduction to the life and work of this great Christian and our old friend.”
-R. SCOTT CLARK, Professor of Church History and Historical Theology at Westminster Seminary California
“Simonetta Carr offers a sympathetic, whirlwind tour of the life, times, and beliefs of Augustine of Hippo, one of the most important and long-loved figures for Western Christianity. Maps, illustrations, timelines, and photos engage the imagination at a pace that will hold the interest of young readers.”
-BRANDON AND MINDY WITHROW, authors of the popular church history series for children, History Lives
The Infiniteness of God
Posted: November 12, 2009 Filed under: Gospel Boasting Leave a commentJob 11:7-10 Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven- what can you do? Deeper than Sheol- what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea. If he passes through and imprisons and summons the court, who can turn him back?
Acts 17:24-25 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
God is free from all limitations; nothing and no creature can “box” Him in or limit Him in any way. There are no limits when we speak of God, as no mind can fully conceive all of Him, nor can any of even the best descriptions of Him give a complete fullness to unfolding Him. God is the only being of no limitations.
The believer can study the Bible for years of his life and never be able to describe God fully. For He is limitless – being free from all rules according to His own nature. I must first start by mentioning that we know He cannot sin, nor would He ever break promises that He has already made to mankind. However, this does not limit Him in what He can do, nor does it stop Him from acting on, doing, or being anything. For there is no other like Him. How hard it is to grasp this because the believer has not seen with his eyes or heard here on earth of anyone like this. But for the believer, there are many areas like this one of God that cannot be fully understood until redemption occurs. For when difficult situations happen in life, and areas which are hard to understand come about, how dare the believer think, “God is wrong in doing this” or “God does not know what He is doing.” God is free from all limitations, and this means that what He wills, He does. He can do all things, allow anything, and create any situation that comes into the believer’s life.
This is boasted in the gospel by seeing that God is free from all things; and that alone makes Him beyond understanding, for no man can imagine what that would be like or feel like. The believer can rest in knowing that this God can do anything simply because He is the only being that can. God, being able to create and allow all things for the goodness of Himself, does so so that we can see God above that which we believers try to do in life. Boast that the God of the gospel is free from design. He is free from creating, free from grounds, and free from all reason on why and how He does anything. Now for you, believer, think: why and how would God ever allow you, filthy and rotten sinner, to come to the saving knowledge of Himself, through faith and grace alone? Is the believer really allowed to know this God who has no limitations? Yes, he is called to praise His character like no other of creation, and he is called to give glory to the name of God like no other creature – and does it for the sake of His name… for the glory of God alone.
Man can boast in this truth – and all of these truths – of the character of God, because His good news is free from any limitation or law that exists. It is self-sufficient – for it has been, is, and will ever be throughout time. His truth will never change – it is all-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful. His love is greater than any kind of love that exists here upon earth. His grace is sufficient for sinners to become saints. His glory is more beautiful than of all of creation. His mercy is endless. His holiness is purer than any snowflake that falls from the sky. His wisdom is greater than all things. And, most of all, He allows humanity – sinners – to come to know it all through faith alone, and in the grace which He calls and provides to His believers. God’s gospel in Him is the greatest news that exists, period.
The Self-Sufficiency of God
Posted: November 11, 2009 Filed under: Gospel Boasting Leave a commentActs 17:24-29 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘ For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
John 5:26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
God is complete in and of Himself as there is nothing He needs, or ever will need. He does not need creation to worship and glorify Him, nor does He need any kind of being to help Him in any way. God existed before creation and did not need humanity to boast in Him, but only allowed creation to boast in Him.
How foolish it is for the believer to think that God made man – or made any of creation – to make Himself feel good or to bring glory to Himself! God was always in perfect love and communion before any of creation existed. He Himself, the Son and the Holy Spirit, were in complete happiness with one another, and had perfect communion in their relationship. God is in no way dependent upon anyone or any thing but Himself. The self-sufficiency of God differs from His self-existence in the fact that although it is true that He has always been, this particular truth of the gospel brings more adoration to the name of God for who He is. God doesn’t need creation or humanity to be. God didn’t’t make mountains, seas, vast amounts of oceans and the deepest trenches to make Himself exist, nor does it help Him in existing. God is independent, period! There’s no room to discuss or bring arguments to the table. God doesn’t need food, water, a house or temperatures of the right nature, or medicine to help make Him feel better or help Himself continue living. God is. What do we believers not understand about His being – that He is? This is not hard to grasp when knowing the God whom we serve. I may remind you – the believer – of this, where Psalm 50:12-15 describes the self-sufficiency of the God whom we get to serve. It states:
If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.
This is the God whom we serve. This is the nothing-needed, most satisfied being that exists in Himself and needs no other requirement to live – for He exists in His being. God deserves all the worship, because He being who He is calls the believer to see his humbleness in that he is not even in the same category of being. Nor does He come close to it, because of the fact of his dependence. Believer, think on this: the gospel itself exists by itself. And God has allowed you to come and know that. Something that has no creation – and the good news of knowing, learning, and worshiping this God – calls you to serve and stand in awe of all areas of His character. But boast in it for His glorification alone, and not yours. We see this most when we know with our minds that He is different, and that His superiority is over all things, and His supremacy is higher and greater among all things. After knowing this in our minds it should affect our hearts to live it out and shout among the roof tops, “God is great!” God is great among all things, and His character alone brings us to the humble state where we can realize and know that we are His creation. It gives us humility, in the fact that, we alone could never know this God without Him allowing us to partake in this great gospel, the good news. The believer can find his or her enjoyment in that all spiritual desires and needs are met in this self-sufficient Spirit-giver. The One who holds all of spirituality in Himself and has had – and will have – perfect relationship with Himself, allows believers to know Him and fall in love with His good news, the gospel. Boast in God being God – for He needs nothing of you in order to exist. He allows you to glorify Him, yet He does not need you for His existence. It is a great benefit for the believer to get to know this truth of the gospel. So praise be to Him – for it is all due to His name, and He being who He is.
Gospel-Centered Musings 