Blogging and Reformed practice and ecclesiology blogosphere, Controversy, Elders, Federal Vision, Johannes Weslianus, Norman Shepherd, Siouxland Presbytery 5:48 pm
Some great new posts that are worth checking out @ Johannes Weslianus blog:
Part 5 of Norman Shepherd’s Anti-Protestant Doctrine of Justification by Faithfulness
A Chronological Overview of what happened in the Siouxland Presbytery
and Wes White asks the question of whether or not Teaching Elders are more qualified to deal with the Federal Vision than Ruling Elders.
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[Here is a paper I recently wrote for my Machen and Modernism class at Seminary]
With the turn of the Twentieth Century many forces were at work to undermine the foundations of American Presbyterianism which had long been toiling within populist, democratized American Christianity; and yet, a central figure immerged who would defend historic Presbyterianism against modernism in the Presbyterian Controversy of the 20s and 30s, J. Gresham Machen. One of his famed defenses of the faith is the monumental work, Christianity and Liberalism, which not only provided the intellectual rigor demanded in defending the doctrines of the church in the modern age but also displayed a picture of how historic Christianity fosters liberty and equity in society. On more than one occasion in this piece, Machen delineates, if not directly, how the church ought to function in society at large. This discussion seeks to show a theological relationship between Machen’s understanding of the church and her mission and his political convictions concerning justice and liberty; furthermore, the necessity of Machen’s message will be seen as indispensable for confessional Presbyterianism to prosper and for it to be faithful to its message of free forgiveness in the person and work of Jesus Christ. In order to see these proposals, Machen’s perspective on the church and her mission and his commentary on current political events should be taken into account.
Throughout his writings Machen outlined the message of the church, its doctrine, its beliefs about God and man, and the central message of salvation in no other name than Jesus Christ. He was opposed to the modern doctrines of ‘the brotherhood of man’ and the ‘fatherhood of God.’[1] The church as an institution was the place where certain facts were believed to be true and held in common by all. He states: “When, according to Christian belief, lost souls are saved, the saved ones become united in the Christian Church.”[2] This institution was a spiritual one and was not in existence for the community like a Rotary Club. As one can imagine this demeanor did not sit well with the attitude of many in the modern church.[3] Machen pointed to the immigration problem that existed in his day and of how religion was called in to ‘Americanize’ these peoples “with a Bible in one hand and a club in the other offering them the blessing of liberty.”[4] The church was not therefore merely another institution of society that was created for cultural endeavor or progress; rather, he saw them in the exact opposite relationship.
The church, then, was seen by him as a divine institution of supernatural importance with a specific task and mission it could not escape, namely bringing sinners to the Savior who rose again in real time and history almost two thousand years ago. For Machen the creedal nature of the church was inextricably tied to the historic work of Christ and the doctrines that explicated this redemptive event. With the nature of history as something that can be studied, certain things fail to change even though kingdoms rise and fall and philosophers don their caps to one another. Evangelical churches are by necessity creedal and united, not around a generic ‘Christian service’ or program, but around certain doctrines held to be true. For Machen faithfulness to this message was inextricably tied to the failure or success of the church. He went so far as declaring the need to separate from the theological modernists so this unique, supra-cultural mission could continue.[5] Such a separation was necessary. Truth was at stake, and old-fashioned civility and honesty were being thrown out. Machen wrote concerning officer subscription and oaths,
Yet immediately after making such a solemn declaration, immediately after declaring that the Westminster Confession contains the system of doctrine taught in infallible Scriptures, many ministers of the Presbyterian Church will proceed to decry that same Confession and that doctrine of the infallibility of Scripture to which they have just solemnly subscribed![6]
With the church’s mission and message in view, the confessionalism of Machen can be seen as that which provoked such a defense. The bland, nonspecific Christianity that held to no ecclesiastical creeds but belief in a Victorian, social conservatism that embellished modernist and fundamentalist alike could not defend the gospel. While many viewed his intolerance in the church as being a major character flaw in juxtaposition to his political views, Machen believed the church to be a voluntary society based on a unitary system of belief. Liberalism in the church was neither a heresy nor perversion of this system. Liberalism was an entirely different religion and therefore was in his estimation impermissible to the church.[7] In probably one of the most moving sections of the chapter on “The Church,” the Presbyterian cried out for elders to take their responsibility seriously in regards to the preached message of ministers. He wrote,
Christian officers in the Church should show their loyalty to Christ in their capacity as members of the individual congregations. The issue often arises in connection with the choice of a pastor. Such and such a man, it is said, is a brilliant preacher. But what is the content of his preaching? Is his preaching full of the gospel of Christ? The answer is often evasive. The preacher in question, it is said, is of good standing in the Church, and he has never denied the doctrines on grace. Therefore, it is urged, he should be called to the pastorate. But shall we be satisfied with such negative assurances? Shall we be satisfied with preachers who merely ‘do not deny’ the Cross of Christ? God grant that such satisfaction may be broken down! The people are perishing under the ministrations of those who ‘do not deny’ the Cross of Christ. Surely something more than that is needed. God send us ministers who, instead of merely avoiding denial of the Cross shall be on fire with the gratitude to the blessed Savior who loved them and gave Himself for them![8]
The message of the church was therefore seen to be tied to the message the minister declared each Lord’s Day; such a message influenced the way people thought and therefore doctrine was seen as inherently practical and useful even though its immediate affects might not be seen.
An anti-intellectual spirit was seen at work in the church and society. Machen did not solely blame the pietists who refused to refute the liberals in the academy. No, he blamed liberalism as well for being anti-intellectual and unscientific.[9] The modern world was advancing collectivism, utilitarianism, and universal education, and Machen believed these things demeaned the human spirit in both the church and the public sphere.
While many believed Machen was being contradictory in his stance on political pluralism and confessional exclusivism, the man from Baltimore saw himself defending liberty of conscience in the church and in the public realm. The impoverishment of the human soul, of individual liberty, deeply affected the church like a virus. People no longer were seeking to base their lives on doctrines but upon immediate, inner, pragmatic experiences. These experiences welded both liberal and fundamentalist together. The modern emphasis on the practical was killing the church and society. He wrote,
The modern world represents in some respects an enormous improvement over the world in which our ancestors lived; but in other respects it exhibits a lamentable decline. The improvement appears in the physical conditions of life, but in the spiritual realm there is a corresponding loss. The loss is clearest, perhaps, in the realm of art. Despite the mighty revolution which has been produced in the external conditions of life, no great poet is now living to celebrate the change; humanity has suddenly become dumb. Gone, too, are the great painters and the great musicians and the great sculptors. The art that still subsists is largely imitative, and where it is not imitative it is usually bizarre. Even the appreciation of the glories of the past is gradually being lost, under the influence of a utilitarian education that concerns itself only with the production of physical well-being.[10]
This unprecedented decline in literature and art is only one manifestation of a far-reaching phenomenon; it is only one instance of that narrowing of the range of personality which has been going on in the modern world.
The whole development of modern society has tended mightily toward the limitation of the realm of freedom for the individual man. The place where Christians ought to influence society was the one place Machen saw them fleeing – influence on the mind.
What is today [a] matter of academic speculation begins tomorrow to move armies and pull down empires. In that second stage, it has gone too far to be combated; the time to stop it was when it was still a matter of impassionate debate. So as Christians we should try to mold the thought of the world in such a way as to make the acceptance of Christianity something more than a logical absurdity.
The way the church was to influence culture and politics was direct in relation to affecting the mind but indirectly through differing means and mission. This delineation that Machen held to fervently has much to teach the Presbyterian Church which he formed and the Reformed churches in communion with her.[11]
Relevance can be seen in current controversies concerning subscription and bending the language of the confessions within a voluntary society. While involuntary society is pluralistic and based on clear argumentation which wins the majority’s support, voluntary society is permissible in this atmosphere and cultivated when based on a singular statement that binds them, a creed. In defending liberty of association according to belief and conscience, Machen defended liberty and freedom upon which society is lawfully based. When the creeds of voluntary societies are violated, true liberty in family and culture is maligned. This view of culture and the academy had to be fought for in Machen’s time. “The present is a time not for ease or pleasure, but for earnest and prayerful work,” Machen stated.[12] The time continues to be dark as men fail to see the distinct message of salvation and means of grace the church alone provides, and when churchmen no longer interact with the intellectual realm of society. Machen, though, provided a way of interacting with culture that preserved liberty in both the church and in politics without mixing or mingling these two entities and kingdoms, paving the way for a more biblical, historic defense of the gospel in the church and in the society at large.
[2] Ibid.
[3] J. Gresham Machen, “The Separateness of the Church” God Transcendent (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1998), 105.
[4] J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism, 149.
[5] Ibid., 162-63.
[6] Ibid., 163. C.f. 169.
[7] Ibid., 174-75.
[8] Ibid., 175-76. Emphasis Added.
[9] Ibid., 8-10.
[10] Ibid., 9-10.
[11] J. Gresham Machen, ed. D. G. Hart, “Christianity and Culture” Selected Shorter Writings: J. Gresham Machen (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 2004), 404.
[12] J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism, 177.
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Question 31
Q. Why is He called Christ, that is, Anointed?
A. Because He has been ordained by God the Father, and anointed with the Holy Spirit,[1] to be our chief Prophet and Teacher,[2] who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption;[3] our only High Priest,[4] who by the one sacrifice of His body has redeemed us,[5] and who continually intercedes for us before the Father;[6] and our eternal King,[7] who governs us by His Word and Spirit, and who defends and preserves us in the redemption obtained for us.[8]
[1] Psa 45:7 (Heb 1:9); Isa 61:1 (Luk 4:18; Luk 3:21-22. [2] Deu 18:15 (Act 3:22). [3] Joh 1:18; Joh 15:15. [4] Psa 110:4 (Heb 7:17). [5] Heb 9:12; Heb 10:11-14. [6] Rom 8:34; Heb 9:24; 1Jo 2:1. [7] Zec 9:9 (Mat 21:5); Luk 1:33. [8] Mat 28:18-20; Joh 10:28; Rev 12:10-11.
Question 32
Q. Why are you called a Christian?
A. Because I am a member of Christ by faith[1] and thus share in His anointing,[2] so that I may as prophet confess His Name,[3] as priest present myself a living sacrifice of thankfulness to Him,[4] and as king fight with a free and good conscience against sin and the devil in this life,[5] and hereafter reign with Him eternally over all creatures.[6]
[1] 1Co 12:12-27. [2] Joe 2:28 (Act 2:17); 1Jo 2:27. [3] Mat 10:32; Rom 10:9-10; Heb 13:15. [4] Rom 12:1; 1Pe 2:5-9. [5] Gal 5:16-17; Eph 6:11; 1Ti 1:18-19. [6] Mat 25:34; 2Ti 2:12.
Also, follow my church as we go through the Heidelberg Catechism for Morning Class with Dr. Horton. These classes have been amazing. If anyone wants to hear Reformed confessionalism at its best, listen in.
Culture and Liturgy and Miscellaneous Classical Music, Culture, Mozart, Sacred Music, Video 12:05 pm
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When in the course of human events it becomes necessary to delineate one’s belief concerning justification, a clear sign someone is trying to pull down your pants while you are not looking is when they start talking of a distinct doctrine of justification from other confessional Protestants. For example when Norman Shepherd or FVers speak of a doctrine distinct from Lutherans, we can rightly be quizzical and befuddled. The real distinction that should be made is between the confessional Protestant view (including Reformed) and the Roman Catholic view/legalist view (which includes Norman Shepherd and the Federal Vision/NPP crowd) – a theology of the cross vs. a theology of glory. Wes White has the distinctions in line at his blog, part 2 and 3.
Culture and Liturgy and Miscellaneous Classical Music, Culture, Haydn, Sacred Music, Video 3:20 pm
Culture and Miscellaneous Celibidache Bruckner, Classical Music, Music, Sacred Music, Video 4:49 pm
Miscellaneous audio lecture, Michael Horton, Office Hours, R Scott Clark, The Gospel- Driven Life, Westminster Seminary CA 2:50 pm
Dr. R. Scott Clark interviews Dr. Michael Horton in Westminster Seminary California’s Office Hours on The Gospel Driven Life. You do not want to miss this great episode.
Also, How to Discover Your Calling by Dr. Horton.
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To see a more full development of mine on “Preaching and the Relationship of the Forensic Work of Christ to the Relational and Transformative Aspects of Salvation” look here.
Deuteronomy 31:9-13 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, ‘At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.’
1) This was to be the tradition handed down to the people, that in the presence of God (which Geneva Bible Notes takes to be the Ark of the Covenant) the law of God would be read. “Before the Ark of the covenant, which was the sign of God’s presence, and the figure of Christ.” This role can be seen as a legal renewal, a covenant renewal, ‘before the LORD.’
2) Keil and Delitzsch (Commentary on the Old Testament) comment on this section saying
Deu 31:1-13 describe how Moses promised the help of the Lord in the conquest of the land, both to the people generally, and also to Joshua, their leader into Canaan (Deu 31:2-8), and commanded the priests to keep the book of the law, and read it publicly every seventh year (Deu 31:9-13); and Deu 31:14-23, how the Lord appeared to Moses before the tabernacle, and directed him to compose an ode as a testimony against the apostasy of the people, and promised Joshua His assistance. And lastly, Deu 31:24-27 relate how the book of the law, when brought to completion, was handed over to the Levites; and Deu 31:28-30 describe the reading of the ode to the people.
3) The context is one of foretelling a future apostasy that would come upon the people. Moses creates an ode or song to remind the people of God’s commands and God’s promises to ‘go before them’ and Moses’ handing the office mediator to Joshua, specifically for future generations. They are to speak the words of the law as a means of reminding the people not to turn to wickedness of their hands. This act of Moses is done before entering into the promise land, as God would go before them and win the victories. John Gill comments on this “’he read from the beginning of Deuteronomy to Deu 6:4; hear, O Israel, &c. and then added Deu 11:13; then Deu 14:22; after that Deu 26:12; then the section of the king, Deu 17:14; next the blessings and the curses, Deu 27:15, with which he finished the whole section;’ and so we find that Joshua, the governor of the people after Moses, read all his laws, Jos 8:35; and so did King Josiah at the finding of the book of the law, 2Ki 23:2, and Ezra, Neh 8:3”
4) Interesting emphasis on hearing versus works of their hands. Their evil consists of turning aside from what is ‘commanded,’ spoken, as seen in the law of Moses. Disbelief in promises leads to disobedience to commands, provoking God to anger through the works of their hands.
5) K & D comments on vv 9-13 saying this speaking of the law is in reference to the covenant creation of Israel and Moses handing over the law officially to the Levites who would keep it, not to the exclusion of the elders.
The regulations as to the persons who were to undertake the reading, and also as to the particular time during the seven days’ feast, and the portions that were to be read, he left to the rulers of the congregation. We learn from Neh 8:18, that in Ezra’s time they read in the book of the law every day from the first to the last day of the feast, from which we may see on the one hand, that the whole of the Thorah (or Pentateuch), from beginning to end, was not read; and on the other hand, by comparing the expression in Deu 31:18, ‘the book of the law of God,’ with ‘the law,’ in Deu_31:14, that the reading was not restricted to Deuteronomy: for, according to v. 14, they had already been reading in Leviticus (ch. 23) before the feast was held.
6) and K & D comment further saying,
To answer this end, it should have been connected with the Passover, the festival of Israel’s birth. The reading stood rather in close connection with the idea of the festival itself; it was intended to quicken the soul with the law of the Lord, to refresh the heart, to enlighten the eyes, – in short, to offer the congregation the blessing of the law, which David celebrated from his own experience in Ps. 19:8-15, to make the law beloved and prized by the whole nation, as a precious gift of the grace of God. Consequently (Deu 31:12, Deu 31:13), not only the men, but the women and children also, were to be gathered together for this purpose, that they might hear the word of God, and learn to fear the Lord their God, as long as they should live in the land which He gave them for a possession. (Emphasis Added)
7) Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary notes the Suzerainty (and Reformation Study Bible Notes 287) covenantal transaction being further administered through giving a copy of the law to the people: “It was usual in cases of public or private contract for two copies of the engagement to be made – one to be deposited in the national archives or some secure place for reference, should occasion require. The other was to remain in the hands of the contracting parties (Jer 32:12-14). The same course was followed on this renewal of the covenant between God and Israel. Two written copies of the law were prepared, the one of which was delivered to the public representatives of Israel; namely, the priests and the elders.” (Also see Meredith Kline’s The Structure of Biblical Authority and other books by him)
8) The reading of the Scriptures, publicly and corporately by the elders and leaders of the congregations, was a covenantal act of renewal and refreshment. It was by such that the promises of God were declared so the people might not go out and apostatize. It is noted that the reading of the law was then discussed by the mediator, king, etc. as seen with Solomon as the preacher in Ecclesiastes according to Matthew Henry.
9) The writing of the law brought an end as mere oral tradition, continuing what was seen in Exodus.
10) Acts 15:21 shows how Moses’ work was read every Sabbath for generations and yet the people had rejected the one who came to fulfill that law on their behalf.
11) This Feast of Booths or the ‘year of release’ celebrated the physical redemption of Israel by forgetting debt and troubles and worldly matters (Poole 397). We are told this day is perfectly fulfilled in Luke 1 by Jesus Christ who proclaimed freedom to the captives and declared the acceptable year of the Lord, the ‘year of release,’ had truly come for someone had come to obey the law as their Covenant Surety. Interesting parallel between Jesus Christ’s reading of the Scriptures and expounding it as concerning Himself as the only True Israel in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. We see the New Covenant enlargement of reading the Scriptures with Christ and with Christ as the word of faith spoken of in Romans 10 reiterating Deuteronomy 30:11-14, which alone creates faith in its hearers.
12) Although Moses says in chapter thirty that these commands are easy to maintain, “He anticipates, however, that those with uncircumcised hearts and ears will raise questions denying these truths, and will seek to establish a righteousness of their own. Moses rebukes such stubbornness, insisting that the word of righteousness is found ‘in your mouth and in your heart’ – … in faith and humility of the Lord’s righteousness (Reformation Study Bible Notes 286).” The reading of Scripture is tied to the preaching of Scripture in Romans 10 by pointing to that Good News which produces a righteousness of faith and not of works.
13) Why the need of public reading every seven years? It is an event whereby God renews His covenant – publicly, outwardly, corporately in communion with His people. It is in Christ God’s work according to some. Public piety has priority, public reading of Scripture in worship is a unique event of God.
14) This translates well into the New Covenant Church where each Sunday Sabbath we celebrate the ‘year of release,’ the acceptable year of salvation whereby God comes down and serves His people in the Word read and Preached, confirming that Covenant Promise with the Sacraments.
Blogging and Covenant Theology and Grace and Justification and Literature and Reading Scripture and Reformed Confessions and Reformed practice and Sanctification and Soteriology and Theology and Theology of Glory and Theology of the Cross and ecclesiology and gospel Arminianism, Assurance, blogosphere, churches, confessionalism, false gospel, Federal Vision, Forgiveness, Heidelblog, Johannes Weslianus, Justification, Ligonier Ministries, New Perspective on Paul, reformed churches, reformed theology, Roman Catholicism, Tabletalk 9:21 am
Johannes Weslianus points out the similarities between the Federal Vision’s understanding of temporary forgiveness and the Arminian doctrine of forgiveness which are stunning. To top it off, the Federal Vision’s understanding of assurance sounds quite a bit like the Roman Catholic understanding of assurance.
This movement is the ugly step-child of the academicians N.T. Wright, E.P. Sanders, and James Dunn. Dr. Clark has the news about Tabletalk magazine of Ligonier Ministries taking on the New Perspective on Paul.
Books and Culture and Literature and modern church Books, Westminster Bookstore 10:31 am
Caspar Olevianus’ Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed has newly graced our presence and many of the web sites are promoting this newest edition to the Classic Reformed Theology series. This co-author of the Heidelberg Catechism is someone of repute that is more than worthy of mentioning. This would be an excellent addition to Ursinus’ Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism.
One book that caught my eye was The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief. The product description makes it sound very interesting. I hope they go in to detail into their upbringing and that effect on their belief:
How did such folks as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens become such ardent atheists? If we are to believe them there are not enough rational grounds for belief in God. But is this the whole story? Could it be that their opposition to religious faith has more to do with passion than reason?
Another title is The Secret Providence of God by John Calvin, edited by Paul Helm. The ‘problem’ of providence is dealt with beautifully by Calvin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion. This work looks like it will be even better than the section in the Institutes:
In 1558 John Calvin held a prominent position of leadership in the Reform movement. He had written prolifically and his works had been widely circulated-and critiqued. It was at this time that he penned an answer to a critique of his position on divine providence, as articulated in the 1546 edition of the Institutes. His polemical defense of his beliefs, The Secret Providence of God, reflects the boisterous, argumentative tone of the Reformation era and is Calvin’s fullest treatment on this most important doctrine. Unfortunately, in recent decades this work has been largely forgotten.
Richard Baxter’s The Christian Directory is a substantial volume and within that is a piece on The Godly Home. In this work
Richard Baxter covers topics such as marriage, children, and family worship methodically and comprehensively through both hypothetical and real-life questions and concerns that arise in family dynamics. He uses arguments, objections, and frequent Scripture to help husbands, wives, and children to live godly lives.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones work The Kingdom of God has been republished and looks to be a great addition to those indebted to the Doctor.
Finally, a new up and coming title by Carl Trueman is worth looking in to, Histories and Fallacies: Problems Faced in Writing History. I am not the first to say this but anything by Carl Trueman is worth getting your hands on. His critique of culture, the church, theology today is invaluable. His insight and wit keep you on your toes. I will look forward to seeing what this entails. The description states:
Seeking to raise the bar for all historians, Histories and Fallacies addresses several problems in the historical disciplines: objectivity, evidence and meaning, anachronism, idealism, and causality and context. In each chapter author Carl R. Trueman gives an account of the problem, examines one or more classic examples of it, and suggests either a solution or an approach that will bear fruit.
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Christ URC, where I now attend, is participating and overseeing a church in Milan, Italy that will be reconstituted as a Reformed church in the near future. Pastor Michael Brown has the details and how you can support the Reformation in Italy.
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When Machen was writing in the 1920s about the lack of understanding in the churches, he did not merely point fingers at the Fundamentalists and pietists who refused to take the Liberals on in the academy. No, he blamed Liberalism as well for being anti-intellectual and unscientific. Apart of what the Modern world has done with its advancing collectivism, utilitarianism, and universal education is to demean the Human Spirit.
Machen defended this liberty of conscience in the Church and in the Public realm. He saw how modernism as a philosophical agenda was behind ‘Progressivism’ of both conservative and liberal stripes. This impoverishment of the human soul, of individual liberty, deeply affected the church like a virus. People no longer were seeking to base their lives on doctrines but upon experience. These experiences welded both liberal and fundamentalist together. One generation sought to explain them in supernatural terms, and the next disliked the non-evolutionary nature of historical creedalism.
Now, this Impoverishment was present in the early 1900s proceeding the Civil War and was only accelerated after the World Wars and the Great Depression. Today, we see such impoverishment when people are not allowed to speak their minds nor have the liberty to have public accusation, trial, and testimony. It is a weak-minded people that need to have secret Night-time courts and an impoverished race that has lost its Anglo-Saxon heritage that was held tenaciously until the post- Civil War era (Reconstruction).
Machen writes about this in his time:
The modern world represents in some respects an enormous improvement over the world in which our ancestors lived; but in other respects it exhibits a lamentable decline. The improvement appears in the physical conditions of life, but in the spiritual realm there is a corresponding loss. The loss is clearest, perhaps, in the realm of art. Despite the mighty revolution which has been produced in the external conditions of life, no great poet is now living to celebrate the change; humanity has suddenly become dumb. Gone, too, are the great painters and the great musicians and the great sculptors. The art that still subsists is largely imitative, and where it is not imitative it is usually bizarre. Even the appreciation of the glories of the past is gradually being lost, under the influence of a utilitarian education that concerns itself only with the production of physical well-being. Christianity and Liberalism
While this is definitely true in our day, can it be said of Machen’s almost 100 years ago? He saw the decline beginning and the Church has done much to accelerate that decline through its anti-intellectual, pietistic nature. Evangelicalism of all brands fosters the decline of society and does nothing to rebuild the human spirit. Machen goes on in his analysis of culture and the Human Spirit saying,
This unprecedented decline in literature and art is only one manifestation of a more far-reaching phenomenon; it is only one instance of that narrowing of the range of personality which has been going on in the modern world. The whole development of modern society has tended mightily toward the limitation of the realm of freedom for the individual man.
Now, this topic has much to bear upon the recent controversies surrounding certain presbyteries of the PCA which have refused to remove those among them who are anti-Presbyterian in their conduct. By this I mean, these men are refusing to be removed or act decently and in order. (more…)
Blogging and Covenant Theology and Grace and Reformed Confessions and Reformed practice and Theology and ecclesiology and gospel and modern church blogosphere, confessionalism, false gospel, Federal Vision, Justification, reformed churches, reformed theology 2:51 pm
Green Baggins’ Lane Keister has an official refutation of TE Moon here (HT: Johannes Weslianus). He writes on his blog asking if God provides temporary forgiveness. Something that keeps coming up with the Federal Visionists and their baptismal formulations.
Lane Keister also writes the third part of his response to the TE Robert Rayburn in the NWest Presbytery who has defended Peter Leithart, here. It’s deja vu all over again at the Heidelblog concerning this issue.
Blogging and Culture and Literature and Miscellaneous and Philosophy Culture, Economics, History, Philosophy, Video 2:43 pm
Grace and Justification and Lectures and New Covenant and Old Covenant and Preaching and Reading Scripture and Reformed practice and Sanctification and Soteriology and Theology of Glory and Theology of the Cross and gospel and modern church audio lecture, Clarus 2008, Conference, Covenant of Grace, D A Carson, false gospel, Good Works, Justification, Law/Gospel Distinction, Michael Horton, New Covenant, Salvation, Sanctification, self-righteousness, Sinaitic Covenant, The Law is Not of Faith 12:20 pm
In lieu of recent discussions over justification and the Federal Vision, I thought it would be most helpful to re-post a link for a conference concerning self-justification and its inherent rejection of the once for all work of Christ. The Clarus Conference 2008 has been mentioned before by many. Every single one of these lectures is worth listening to. It is Dr. D. A. Carson and Dr. Michael Horton at their finest declaring God’s Good News for sinners not only at the beginning of Salvation but in the middle and right-up until life’s end. We need God’s free grace for Justification, Sanctification, Preservation, Glorification, etc.
Inherent to this discussion is the concept of Covenants. The conference works with passages in Galatians and deal explicitly with how Paul relates Old Covenant (Sinai) to the New Covenant (Zion). To confuse these covenants is to confuse Law and Gospel. While the Federal Visionists and Monocovenantalists believe they are saving reformed churches from a dispensational-like dichotomy and bringing us to a more continuous view of grace, they are in truth falling off the other side of the horse and are all wet. Just as Arminians confused the covenants and the Synod of Dort condemned their theology as ‘Pelagianizing,’ so too have the Federal Visionists been condemned for the same error.
Here are the topics:
by Dr. D. A. Carson and Dr. Michael Horton
“An Apostolic Disputation – and Justification” by D. A. Carson
Panel Discussion 1 (Friday Evening) by D. A. Carson and Michael Horton
“The Promise-Driven Life” by Michael Horton
“Justification / Righteousness and the Cross of Christ” by D. A. Carson
Panel Discussion 2 (Saturday Afternoon, Part 1) by D. A. Carson and Michael Horton
Panel Discussion 2 (Saturday Afternoon, Part 2) by D. A. Carson and Michael Horton
“Two Mothers, Two Mountains” by Michael Horton
Panel Discussion 3 (Saturday Evening) by Michael Horton
“The Ironies of the Cross” by D. A. Carson
