We are continuing to discuss the section in the Joint FV Profession on the decrees. We looked last time at how the decrees and the visible Church intersect. We consider now the common operations of the Spirit. Even though this would properly come up during the subject of calling, I deal with it here because [...]
Archive for February 2010
Reply to the Joint FV Profession, Part 4 — The Common Operations of the Spirit
Friday, February 26, 2010Reply to the Joint FV Profession, Part 3 — How Do We Speak to the Visible Church?
Thursday, February 25, 2010How Do We Speak to the Visible Church? We move on now to the section on the Decrees in the Joint FV Profession written by Doug Wilson and signed by PCA Pastor Jeff Meyers. The section on the decrees may be a little difficult for someone not familiar with the conversation to follow. I want [...]
Reply to the Joint FV Profession, Part 2 — The Use of Non-Scriptural Terminology
Wednesday, February 24, 2010I am beginning the actual critique of the Joint FV Profession, which was written by Doug Wilson and signed by PCA Pastor Jeff Meyers, with their fifth statement, which is on the proclamation of the Word. I have already critiqued their idea that the Trinitarian relationship is a covenant here. Where I have some questions [...]
Reply to the Joint FV Profession — Introduction
Tuesday, February 23, 2010I have decided to write a reply to the Joint Federal Vision Profession. This is a summary of Federal Vision beliefs signed by the most prominent proponents of this Federal Vision theology, including PCA Pastors Jeff Meyers and Peter Leithart. In this reply I want to both address the concerns of the Federal Vision and [...]
More on Justification by Faithfulness
Monday, February 22, 2010In case you missed it, I put together this movie to explain some of the basic problems with the Federal Visionists inclusion of faithfulness or loyalty in the faith that justifies. Now, I would like to compare the classic Protestant perspective on the faith that justifies over against that of the Federal Vision. 1. First, [...]
Are sinners justified by an obedient faith?
Friday, February 19, 2010The following movie is a summary of what’s in the article. Please read the article for further argumentation and explanation: The simple answer that Protestants have always given over against Rome, Socinianism, and some Arminianism is, “No.” The Protestant doctrine is that sinners are justified by faith looking to Christ and not by faith plus [...]
Proposal for Attaining Ruling Elder/Teaching Elder Parity in the Higher Courts in the PCA
Thursday, February 18, 2010Some Background The PCA has continually been plagued with the question of how to get ruling elders involved. A few years ago, they put together a task force to try and figure out how to get more Ruling Elders involved. You can read it here. At General Assemblies, Ruling Elders are generally outnumbered 2 to [...]
The Federal Vision Starts with a Wrong Definition of Covenant
Saturday, February 13, 2010First, let me review what Reformed covenant theology is. It is nicely stated in our Westminster Confession of Faith, 7.2-3. 2. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience. 3. Man, by his [...]
Does the Concept of Merit Merit Abandonment?
Wednesday, February 10, 2010In his little book, The Call of Grace, Norman Shepherd makes the astonishing claim that the root of the “problem” of evangelical Protestantism is that they have not “always rejected the very idea of merit itself” (p. 61). Consequently, he claims, they have never been able “to challenge the Romanist doctrine of salvation at its [...]
Are Teaching Elders More Qualified to Deal with FV than Ruling Elders?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010I have heard from a couple different places during the course of this Federal Vision controversy that Teaching Elders are either the only people or the most qualified people to deal with Federal Vision in our Church Courts. But what about the Ruling Elders? Should they just sit back and do nothing? Should they leave [...]
Norman Shepherd’s Anti-Protestant Doctrine of Justification by Faithfulness — Part 5 — Appendix: Comparison of Reformed and Shepherd Terminology
Friday, February 5, 2010You can read part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, and part 4 here. A Comparison of the Meaning of Terms for Shepherd and the Reformed Living and Active Faith Reformed: the faith that embraces Christ for justification also has sanctification in virtue of union with Christ. Shepherd: the chief part of the [...]
Norman Shepherd’s Anti-Protestant Doctrine of Justification by Faithfulness — Part 4 — Conclusion
Friday, February 5, 2010You can read part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, and part 5 here. Conclusion Norman Shepherd denies the Reformed doctrine of justification by faith alone. He denies the material cause. He denies the formal cause. He denies the exclusion of all our works. How can this possibly be called a Reformed view? [...]
Norman Shepherd’s Anti-Protestant Doctrine of Justification by Faithfulness — Part 3 — Norman Shepherd’s Doctrine
Friday, February 5, 2010You can read part 1 here, part 2 here, part 4 here, and part 5 here. Part 3 — Norman Shepherd’s Doctrine of Justification Pre-Fall Adam and Christ In order to understand Shepherd’s view properly, we must understand his view of how PF Adam and Christ are justified. The classic Reformed view has always been [...]
Norman Shepherd’s Anti-Protestant Doctrine of Justification by Faithfulness — Part 2 — The Reformed View
Thursday, February 4, 2010You can read part 1 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, and part 5 here. The Classic Reformed View Here we will only deal with how the Reformed defined the justification of a sinner. First, what is the material cause? The righteousness of Jesus Christ. Westminster Shorter Catechism Q/A. 33 — What is justification? [...]
Norman Shepherd’s Anti-Protestant Doctrine of Justification by Faithfulness — Part 1 — The Issue
Wednesday, February 3, 2010You can read part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, and part 5 here. How can sinners stand before a righteous and holy God? The Protestant Reformation said definitively, “Only by the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us.” John Calvin called this “the principal ground on which religion must be supported” (Institutes, [...]