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Archive for December 2011
Top Stories of the Year
Saturday, December 31, 2011Updated: Guidelines for True Christian Living
Wednesday, December 28, 2011Update: You can download a PDF of the book here. I have completed my translation of French Huguenot preacher Pierre Allix’s Guidelines for True Christian Living. You can read it by clicking on the title of the book. Here is my preface to the book: Our catechisms cover the basic doctrines of the Christian faith. [...]
No Church This Sunday—It’s Christmas
Tuesday, December 27, 2011There are probably few more telling commentaries on Christianity than this article in the Wall Street Journal. There is a general positive feeling about Christ and Christianity, but careful devotion is eschewed or even called legalism: Today, polls show Americans are much more inclined to put up a Christmas tree and decorations or go to [...]
Ten Suggestions to Help You Grow in Grace and Knowledge in the New Year
Monday, December 26, 2011Note: I posted this article by Andrew Webb last year, and I have thought about it throughout this whole year. I thought I should re-post it, since the insights are as relevant as ever. By Andy Webb‡ 1. Read your Bible before you read your email, login to FaceBook, turn on the radio, etc. Far [...]
He Was Born But Had Been Begotten
Sunday, December 25, 2011He was born — but He had been begotten: He was born of a woman — but she was a Virgin. The first is human, the second Divine. In His Human nature He had no Father, but also in His Divine Nature no Mother. Both these belong to Godhead. He dwelt in the womb — [...]
How does the holy conception and birth of Christ benefit you?
Saturday, December 24, 2011He is our mediator, and with his innocence and perfect holiness he removes from God’s sight my sin—mine since I was conceived.
Scrooge in Historical Context
Friday, December 23, 2011My children and I read through Dickens’ wonderful classic, A Christmas Carol, this week. We all enjoyed it. However, I had to wonder about some of Dickens’ statements about Scrooge Scrooge-like characters and their economic investments. For example, there were difficulties for Bob Cratchitt, but what would their life have been like in a pre-industrial [...]
Does the Internet Make You More Dumber?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011Mark Bauerlein has written a provocative book on Web usage entitled The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Ages Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopordizes Our Future (New York: Penguin Books, 2008). T. David Gordon mentioned this book in his lectures at the Second Annual Reformation Worship Conference at Midway Presbyterian Church in Powder Springs, Georgia which [...]
Turretin on the Celebration of Days
Tuesday, December 20, 2011In this section (Institutes, 11.15.13–15), Francis Turretin sets forth a balanced view of the celebration of days in the church. He urges toleration for those who celebrate them and those who do not, provided they agree in rejecting the superstitious use of them and the idolatrous rites of the Papists. On the other side, he [...]
Our Supernatural Religion
Monday, December 19, 2011Christianity is a religion that is based on a belief in supernatural intervention in history. Many in our culture despise this fact. Once again, Al Mohler comes to the defense of our miracle-based faith in an article on the virgin birth. He writes: “The Virgin Mary is an interesting prism through which to examine America’s [...]
David Dickson Against Antinomians and Legalists
Sunday, December 18, 2011Antinomianism. Legalism. Two dangers that often go together. How can we avoid the one without falling into the other? The Westminster Confession of Faith presents the classic Protestant answer on how to avoid legalism without falling into antinomianism. That answer is basically this. We are saved by God’s grace unto good works. We are not [...]
What Should We Preach? Christ.
Saturday, December 17, 2011What should Christian pastors preach? The short answer: Christ. As the Apostle Paul said, “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). I wonder how many people after listening to our teachers would consider that to be an accurate summary of our preaching. There are many [...]
What Is The Coming-to-Life of the New Self?
Friday, December 16, 2011It is wholehearted joy in God through Christ and a delight to do every kind of good as God wants us to.
Return to Your Rest, O My Soul
Friday, December 16, 2011Return unto thy rest, O my soul, to thy rest in calm and cheerful submission to God’s will, delight in his service, satisfaction in his presence, and joy in communion begun with him here below, which is to be perfected above in its full fruition. Holy souls rest in God, and in his will; in [...]
Understanding the Amyraldian Controversy
Thursday, December 15, 2011Unlike the case of Arminianism, there has been considerable debate about whether or not Amyraldianism is a legitimate expression of the Reformed faith. F.P. Van Stam in his book The Controversy over the Theology of Saumur, 1635–1650 (Amsterdam: Holland University Press, 1988), gives a very detailed account of the controversy that erupted in France among [...]
Can You Remember the Time of Your Conversion?
Wednesday, December 14, 2011But lest any poor soul should be discouraged under the display of this providence [in conversion], because he cannot remember the time, place, instruments, and manner, wherein and by which his conversion was wrought; I will therefore premise this necessary distinction, to prevent injury to some, whilst I design benefit to others. Conversion, as to [...]
Sibbes’ The Bruised Reed
Tuesday, December 13, 2011I would highly recommend to you Richard Sibbes’ classic The Bruised Reed based on Is. 42:3–4. It is one of the most edifying and encouraging of the Puritan Paperbacks. I would like to provide here a brief sample of his insights. It points us to a merciful and compassionate Savior. “If Christ had stood upon [...]
On the Education of Women
Monday, December 12, 2011This morning, Mrs. Rebecca VanDoodewaard, at The Christian Pundit pointed me to an excellent essay by Daniel Defoe entitled, “On the Education of Women.” I would highly recommend this short and thoughtful essay, especially for fathers of daughters. Defoe writes: And, without partiality, a woman of sense and manners is the finest and most delicate [...]
Revival Rivalries
Monday, December 12, 2011Lee Gatiss at the Meet the Puritans web site has a lecture to which I plan to listen. It is on George Whitefield and revival rivalries. Gatiss writes: The second talk here was called Revival Rivalries. I had a look here at John Wesley’s infamous sermon in which he compares Calvinists to the baby-sacrificing worshippers [...]
Pete Enns has left Biologos
Friday, December 9, 2011Pete Enns, Old Testament scholar and former professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, has been at the center of controversy over his views on the inspiration of Scripture and the existence of Adam. Rumors were going around that Pete Enns had left Biologos. Pete Enns confirms that on his blog . Daniel Wells offers a helpful [...]