The St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva, Switzerland, where Calvin and Beza ministered for decades.
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The Kingdom of God (Revelation 11:15-19)
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,
We give thanks to thee, Lord God Almighty, who art and who wast, that thou hast taken thy great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but thy wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, for rewarding thy servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear thy name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying,
We give thanks to thee, Lord God Almighty, who art and who wast, that thou hast taken thy great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but thy wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, for rewarding thy servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear thy name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
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If you send your kids to public school, I'm not saying you're necessarily sinning, but the chances are really high you're sinning big time.
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Federal Vision Informational Resources:
In 2002, Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church held a pastor's conference entitled "The Federal Vision" which emphasized the objectivity of the covenant of grace and criticized the larger Reformed world for ceding much theological and practical ground to baptist influences. This ignited a years-long controversy which many new to Reformed theology are just now stumbling upon.
Unfortunately, misrepresentations and misunderstandings abound. The best place to begin is the "Joint Federal Vision Statement." Below are three illuminating civil discussions.
James White and Doug Wilson
Rich Lusk and Doug Wilson
Rish Lusk on Reformation Red Pill
If you're looking for reading material, below are the (in)famous denominational reports.
PCA FV & NPP 2007 Study Report
OPC 2006 Justification Study Report
RCUS FV 2006 Report
URCNA 2009 FV Report
And here are responses by various FV proponents:
Steve Wilkins re PCA
Jeffrey Meyers re PCA
Rich Lusk re PCA
Doug Wilson re PCA
Peter Leithart re OPC
Rich Lusk Pt. 1 re OPC
Rich Lusk Pt. 2 re OPC
Rich Lusk Pt. 3 re OPC
Doug Wilson re OPC
In 2002, Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church held a pastor's conference entitled "The Federal Vision" which emphasized the objectivity of the covenant of grace and criticized the larger Reformed world for ceding much theological and practical ground to baptist influences. This ignited a years-long controversy which many new to Reformed theology are just now stumbling upon.
Unfortunately, misrepresentations and misunderstandings abound. The best place to begin is the "Joint Federal Vision Statement." Below are three illuminating civil discussions.
James White and Doug Wilson
Rich Lusk and Doug Wilson
Rish Lusk on Reformation Red Pill
If you're looking for reading material, below are the (in)famous denominational reports.
PCA FV & NPP 2007 Study Report
OPC 2006 Justification Study Report
RCUS FV 2006 Report
URCNA 2009 FV Report
And here are responses by various FV proponents:
Steve Wilkins re PCA
Jeffrey Meyers re PCA
Rich Lusk re PCA
Doug Wilson re PCA
Peter Leithart re OPC
Rich Lusk Pt. 1 re OPC
Rich Lusk Pt. 2 re OPC
Rich Lusk Pt. 3 re OPC
Doug Wilson re OPC
Telegram
Protestant Post
One of the best pastor's conferences ever, the Federal Vision Conference held in 2002 at Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church, is available in full audio here. I would highly recommend it to your listening, especially the Q&A panels.
https://archive.org/d…
https://archive.org/d…
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To Be in the Church Is to Be in the Covneant:
Since the fall of Adam had brought disgrace upon all his posterity, God restores those, whom He separates as His own, so that their condition may be better than that of all other nations. At the same time it must be remarked, that this grace of renewal is effaced in many who have afterwards profaned it. Consequently the Church is called God’s work and creation, in two senses, i.e., generally with respect to its outward calling, and specially with respect to spiritual regeneration, as far as regards the elect; for the covenant of grace is common to hypocrites and true believers. On this ground all whom God gathers into His Church, are indiscriminately said to be renewed and regenerated: but the internal renovation belongs to believers only; whom Paul, therefore, calls God’s “workmanship, created unto good works, which God hath prepared, etc.
-- John Calvin, Commentary on Deuteronomy
Since the fall of Adam had brought disgrace upon all his posterity, God restores those, whom He separates as His own, so that their condition may be better than that of all other nations. At the same time it must be remarked, that this grace of renewal is effaced in many who have afterwards profaned it. Consequently the Church is called God’s work and creation, in two senses, i.e., generally with respect to its outward calling, and specially with respect to spiritual regeneration, as far as regards the elect; for the covenant of grace is common to hypocrites and true believers. On this ground all whom God gathers into His Church, are indiscriminately said to be renewed and regenerated: but the internal renovation belongs to believers only; whom Paul, therefore, calls God’s “workmanship, created unto good works, which God hath prepared, etc.
-- John Calvin, Commentary on Deuteronomy
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Piety =/= Pietism
Piety = serving and worshipping God
Pietism = emphasizing the individual "relationship" with God as experienced primarily through the emtions as the paramount of Christianity.
Piety = serving and worshipping God
Pietism = emphasizing the individual "relationship" with God as experienced primarily through the emtions as the paramount of Christianity.
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The Practical Importance of Liturgy:
I recently visited a conservative, Bible-believing, MacArthur type church where the pastor quoted Martin Luther.
I recently visited a liberal Episcopalian church where the homily was about waking the sleeping Christ within us.
Yet in which church did I confess my sins to God, receive absolution, take the Supper, read multiple passages of Scripture, recite ancient creeds, and pray theologically sound prayers written by Calvinists from the 1500s?
I'll give you a hint: not the one that looked like a rock concert. American evangelicals have for too long emphasised what we believe doctrinally on paper at the expense of how we worship in practice.
I recently visited a conservative, Bible-believing, MacArthur type church where the pastor quoted Martin Luther.
I recently visited a liberal Episcopalian church where the homily was about waking the sleeping Christ within us.
Yet in which church did I confess my sins to God, receive absolution, take the Supper, read multiple passages of Scripture, recite ancient creeds, and pray theologically sound prayers written by Calvinists from the 1500s?
I'll give you a hint: not the one that looked like a rock concert. American evangelicals have for too long emphasised what we believe doctrinally on paper at the expense of how we worship in practice.
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5 Reasons Churches Need Shorter Sermons
1) Beyond 25-30 minutes, what content needs to be said which cannot be said more briefly?
2) Shorter sermons make church more digestable and enjoyable for children.
3) Men do not particularly enjoy being lectured to at length and prefer to be more active participants in the service.
4) Shorter sermons are the historical norm for the church. Yes the Puritans went long, and yes the Papists went short, but overall, a half hour is quite standard historically.
5) Many pastors write their sermons in the same way freshman "heap up empty words" to meet arbitrary word counts and find it more difficult to summarize ideas more concisely.
1) Beyond 25-30 minutes, what content needs to be said which cannot be said more briefly?
2) Shorter sermons make church more digestable and enjoyable for children.
3) Men do not particularly enjoy being lectured to at length and prefer to be more active participants in the service.
4) Shorter sermons are the historical norm for the church. Yes the Puritans went long, and yes the Papists went short, but overall, a half hour is quite standard historically.
5) Many pastors write their sermons in the same way freshman "heap up empty words" to meet arbitrary word counts and find it more difficult to summarize ideas more concisely.
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Lutherans will maintain that the Reformed are arrogant for trying to explain or understand how Christ is present in the Eucharist.
Yet in the same breath, they will dogmatically assert that Christ's presence must be local or physical (and is the only valid viewpoint).
My Lutheran friends, it's difficult to take your critique seriously given this jarring irony.
Yet in the same breath, they will dogmatically assert that Christ's presence must be local or physical (and is the only valid viewpoint).
My Lutheran friends, it's difficult to take your critique seriously given this jarring irony.
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What is your view on the 2nd Commandment?
Anonymous Poll
8%
It's really part of the 1st (I'm RC or EO)
27%
All images are permissible, just not worship
18%
Images of Christ as man are permissible, but not of the Father or Spirit
17%
Silhouettes or symbols only are permissible (e.g., a dove, outlined manger scene, "hand of God")
23%
All images, symbolic or otherwise, pertaining to God are always wrong
8%
All images of God *and* creatures are wrong
Futurism inevitably degenerates into boomertard newspaper exegesis.
Historicism inevitably degenerates into speculative history book exegesis.
Idealism attempts to sidestep the whole question, forgetting there was never an Old Testament prophecy which no matter the metaphorical language nevertheless had a very real and concrete fulfillment.
Preterism rightly accounts for the prophetic dimension while also eliminating the weird obsessions people develop in eschatology and simultaneously explaining a myriad of other New Testament interpretive difficulties.
Historicism inevitably degenerates into speculative history book exegesis.
Idealism attempts to sidestep the whole question, forgetting there was never an Old Testament prophecy which no matter the metaphorical language nevertheless had a very real and concrete fulfillment.
Preterism rightly accounts for the prophetic dimension while also eliminating the weird obsessions people develop in eschatology and simultaneously explaining a myriad of other New Testament interpretive difficulties.
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Irish Articles of Religion: Article 36
When we say that we are justified by faith only, we do not mean that the said justifying faith is alone in man, without true Repentance, Hope, Charity, and the fear of God (for such a faith is dead, and cannot justify), neither do we mean that this our act to believe in Christ, nor this our faith in Christ, which is within us, doth of itself justifie us, nor deserve our justification unto us (for that were to account ourselves to be justified by the virtue or dignity of some thing that is within ourselves).
When we say that we are justified by faith only, we do not mean that the said justifying faith is alone in man, without true Repentance, Hope, Charity, and the fear of God (for such a faith is dead, and cannot justify), neither do we mean that this our act to believe in Christ, nor this our faith in Christ, which is within us, doth of itself justifie us, nor deserve our justification unto us (for that were to account ourselves to be justified by the virtue or dignity of some thing that is within ourselves).
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Irish Articles of Religion: Article 52
All worship devised by man’s fantasy, besides or contrary to the Scripture (as wandering on Pilgrimages, setting up of Candles, Stations, and Jubilees, Pharisaical sects and feigned religions, praying upon Beads, and such like superstition) hath not only no promise of reward in Scripture, but contrariwise threatenings and maledictions.
All worship devised by man’s fantasy, besides or contrary to the Scripture (as wandering on Pilgrimages, setting up of Candles, Stations, and Jubilees, Pharisaical sects and feigned religions, praying upon Beads, and such like superstition) hath not only no promise of reward in Scripture, but contrariwise threatenings and maledictions.
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Irish Articles of Religion: Article 68
There is but one Catholic Church (out of which there is no salvation) containing the universal company of all the Saints that ever were, are, or shall be gathered together in one body, under one head Christ Jesus: part whereof is already in heaven triumphant, part as yet militant here upon earth.
And because this Church consisteth of all those, and those alone, which are elected by God unto salvation, & regenerated by the power of his Spirit, the number of whom is known only unto God himself; therefore it is called Catholic or universal, and the Invisible Church.
There is but one Catholic Church (out of which there is no salvation) containing the universal company of all the Saints that ever were, are, or shall be gathered together in one body, under one head Christ Jesus: part whereof is already in heaven triumphant, part as yet militant here upon earth.
And because this Church consisteth of all those, and those alone, which are elected by God unto salvation, & regenerated by the power of his Spirit, the number of whom is known only unto God himself; therefore it is called Catholic or universal, and the Invisible Church.
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Do Baptist Parents Speak to Their Babies?
The question, "Should we baptize babies?" is of a piece with the question, "Should we talk to babies?" Paedobaptism is neither more or less odd and miraculous than talking to a newborn. In fact, that is just what paedobaptism is. God is speaking in water to a newborn child. If the child cannot understand what a parent is saying, is it rational for the parent to speak to him or her?
Baptist parents as well as others speak to their infants and do not expect the child to understand or to verbally respond for many months. They see nothing irrational in this. They speak to their children - that is, they employ symbols - not because they think the infant understands all that is being said or because they expect immediate response.
They speak to their child so the child will learn to understand them and talk back. So too, we baptize infants and consistently remind them of their baptism and its implications so they will come to understanding and mature faith.
We name them so they will grow up to respond to that name. We speak to them so they will begin to speak back. We name them in baptism so they will begin to live in and out of baptism.
-- Peter J. Leithart, The Baptized Body
The question, "Should we baptize babies?" is of a piece with the question, "Should we talk to babies?" Paedobaptism is neither more or less odd and miraculous than talking to a newborn. In fact, that is just what paedobaptism is. God is speaking in water to a newborn child. If the child cannot understand what a parent is saying, is it rational for the parent to speak to him or her?
Baptist parents as well as others speak to their infants and do not expect the child to understand or to verbally respond for many months. They see nothing irrational in this. They speak to their children - that is, they employ symbols - not because they think the infant understands all that is being said or because they expect immediate response.
They speak to their child so the child will learn to understand them and talk back. So too, we baptize infants and consistently remind them of their baptism and its implications so they will come to understanding and mature faith.
We name them so they will grow up to respond to that name. We speak to them so they will begin to speak back. We name them in baptism so they will begin to live in and out of baptism.
-- Peter J. Leithart, The Baptized Body
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Why Did God Reject Cain's Sacrifice?
Precisely becuase it was no sacrifice. God showed Adam and Eve what had to happen in order for sins to be covered-- blood must be spilled. Abel clearly knew this, as did Cain.
But Cain believed God should meet him on his terms, and engaged in will worship. Upon God's rejection of his non-sacrifice, Cain acts as if Abel is at fault or somehow stealing his birthright.
Eve arguably believed him to be the promised seed as she names him "Begotten" and attributes his birth first to the help of the Lord and not to Adam.
Precisely becuase it was no sacrifice. God showed Adam and Eve what had to happen in order for sins to be covered-- blood must be spilled. Abel clearly knew this, as did Cain.
But Cain believed God should meet him on his terms, and engaged in will worship. Upon God's rejection of his non-sacrifice, Cain acts as if Abel is at fault or somehow stealing his birthright.
Eve arguably believed him to be the promised seed as she names him "Begotten" and attributes his birth first to the help of the Lord and not to Adam.
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Irish Articles of Religion: Article 70
Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the word & Sacraments: yet, for as much as they do not the same in their own name but in Christ’s, and minister by his commission and authority, we may use their ministry both in hearing the word and in receiving the Sacraments.
Neither is the effect of Christ’s ordinance taken away by their wickedness: nor the grace of God’s gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which are effectual, because of Christ’s institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.
Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the word & Sacraments: yet, for as much as they do not the same in their own name but in Christ’s, and minister by his commission and authority, we may use their ministry both in hearing the word and in receiving the Sacraments.
Neither is the effect of Christ’s ordinance taken away by their wickedness: nor the grace of God’s gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which are effectual, because of Christ’s institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.
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