Open Forum Friday:

What pastor, theologian, or church writer has been most influential on you?

Seriously considered, the notion that something came from nothing and that man magically evolved from mud is far more preposterous than the very reasonable and universally self-evident idea that God created the world and man.

Collect for the 15th Sunday after Pentecost

Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness,
and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

But there is no absurdity in saying that God uses the sign as an instrument . . . Some are offended at this, thinking that it takes from the Holy Spirit what is peculiar to Him. But they are mistaken ... Nothing is attributed to the sign than to be an inferior instrument, useless in itself, except so far as it derives its power from elsewhere.

-- John Calvin, Commentary on Ephesians 5

Brothers, you cannot love your enemies if you have no enemies.

The best way most of us can obey Jesus' directive is to piss off God's enemies.

Arguing for the government to forgive student loans is like arguing for the government to reiumburse victims of theft.

It's the thief, in this case the colleges, which ought to make restitution (not taxpayers).

Lol. Just for fun.

What are some perplexing Bible verses?

After fall busy season, I would like to spend some time explaining difficult passages. What are some I should add to the list?

Most people in the PCA are middle-brow, middle-management. They're people who don't take risks intellectually or otherwise. 

-- C. R. Wiley

Gentlemen, let's aim a little higher. We are heirs of the Kingdom of Christ.

Baptism saves and the eucharist gives eternal life.

"in receiving the sacraments believers do nothing to deserve praise, and that even in this act (which on their part is merely passive) no work can be ascribed to them."

~ John Calvin -- Institutes 4.14.26

"Truly, Christ was sanctified from earliest infancy in order that he might sanctify in himself his elect from every age without distinction. ... we deny the inference from this that infants cannot be regenerated by God's power, which is as easy and ready to him as it is incomprehensible and wonderful to us."

~ John Calvin — Institutes 4.16.18

Again Saint Paul means not that baptism, that is to say the water hath the power to change us in such wise, that we should be clothed with our Lord Jesus Christ: for by that means God should be robbed of the praise that is due to himself alone. But he shows here the means whereby we may be certified that we are members of our Lord Jesus Christ's body ... Therefore let us learn, that it is only God that knits us to our Lord Jesus Christ, of his own mere goodness, and that he doth it by the secret power of his Holy Spirit, and yet notwithstanding ceases not to work by baptism as by an inferior instrument.

-- John Calvin, Commentary on Galatians 3

Collect for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost

Grant us, O Lord, we pray thee, to trust in thee with all our heart; seeing that, as thou dost alway resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so thou dost not forsake those
who make their boast of thy mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

We assert that the whole guilt of sin is taken away in baptism, so that the remains of sin still existing are not imputed. That this may be more clear, let my readers call to mind that there is a twofold grace in baptism, for therein both remission of sins and regeneration are offered to us. We teach that full remission is made, but that regeneration is only begun and goes on making progress during the whole of life. Accordingly, sin truly remains in us, and is not instantly in one day extinguished by baptism, but as the guilt is effaced it is null in regard to imputation. Nothing is plainer than this doctrine.

-- John Calvin, Antidote to the Council of Trent, 1.5