Saved by Grace!

I'm very thankful to have grown up in a solid Christian home and church that stressed the truths of Reformed theology.  From the time I was a young boy, I learned the Bible verses and confessional phrases that talk about faith alone, Christ alone, grace alone, and so forth.  I would have told you when…

The Apocrypha and NT Studies

In chapter two of his excellent study of Jewish literature from the Second Temple period (586 BC - 135 AD), Larry Helyer discusses the Apocrypha (mostly Tobit and the Additions to the Book of Daniel).  In this chapter, Helyer takes some time to explain how a knowledge of the Apocrypha can be a helpful tool…

To Humbly Bow Before God’s Secrets

Here’s an excellent section (para. VIII) from the French Confession of Faith (1559).  There are, of course, parallels with the Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism in this paragraph – but more importantly, it is a great summary of Scripture’s teaching on God’s providence and sovereignty. “We believe that he not only created all things,…

New Creeds/Confessions Booklet

 Last year, a few friends and I edited a booklet of the Reformed Creeds and Confessions called Christian Truths Summarized.  It contains the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort. This booklet is around 100 pages long.  Along with the above documents, it contains an introduction to…

Making a Christ Out of Our Faithfulness

On this blog before, I've mentioned quite a bit how important it is to distinguish between the law and the gospel.   This was a huge part of the Reformation, from Luther to Calvin to Ursinus to Olevian forward to Turretin and Poole and ahead to Bavinck and others.  What does it look like when you blend the law…