The Free Offer, Thomas Boston, and the Marrow Controversy

The Marrow controversy in the Church of Scotland (1718-1726) was an important event in church history. In fact, its importance goes well beyond the Church of Scotland. The controversy was sparked when Edward Fisher’s 1645 work, The Marrow of Modern Divinity was republished in Scotland in 1718. The main points of contention had to do …

Come to Christ – A Promise! (Bunyan)

 Jesus often called people to come to him for help, salvation, healing, and hope.  And the Lord promised that those who come will not be heavily burdened or cast aside: whoever comes to me I will never drive away (John 6:37 NIV).  Sometimes people might be hesitant to come to Jesus for various reasons.  They might …

Definite Atonement, the Gospel Call, and Rejecting Christ (Newton)

 In a sermon on John 1:29, John Newton discussed definite atonement and the free offer of the gospel.  He admitted there is mystery in this area of Scripture's teaching: "I am not disheartened by meeting with some things beyond the grasp of my scanty powers in a book which I believe to be inspired by …

Addicted to Law (or Loving Legalism)

 Read this amazing piece by Walter Marshall (in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification). "We are naturally so prone to ground our salvation on our own works, that if we cannot make them procuring conditions and causes of our salvation by Christ, yet we shall endeavor at least to make them necessary preparatives, to fit us …

Hyper-Calvinism

I've bumped up against hyper-calvinism on and off for the past 15 years or so.  For a time I checked it out, dabbled with it, and thought about it.  Thankfully a wise pastor steered me away from its dangers.  What is hyper-calvinism?  I think of it as Calvinism on the steroids of rationalism; I also think of …