Trinity Discussions » Church

About the Five Points of Calvinism

Robin Eckhardt — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:15:14 +0000

Pastor Steve Martin gives a good, short explanation of where the ‘Five Points’ came from and what they mean for us today.

What Value Holding to the 1689 Confession?

Robin Eckhardt — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:44:10 +0000

I am convinced that honest and rigorous confessionalism is the answer to the problem (doctrinal error continues to invade churches). Confessionalism does several very positive things.

First, it causes us to embrace doctrinal humility. I notice that the reappraisals and defections come as a result of individual inquiry. When I set myself up as the doctrinal authority (or rely on some other individual to do the same), I set myself up as the standard and criteria for judgment. How often have I heard someone say “I have studied this matter and here is my conclusion . . . .”, a conclusion often novel or out of harmony with received doctrine. When I submit myself to the wisdom of the church, gathered over the ages, I am kept from assuming a place of authority. In reality, I am in a position of submission. At this point, someone will protest, but what about Scripture? Isn’t it an authority over the Confession? Well, of course, and it always must be so. But the problem is that I never read Scripture apart from my own gloss on Scripture. It is too easy for me to think that my reading of the Bible is necessarily the correct one.

Secondly, confessionalism ties us to the church past and present. A good Confession of faith will express doctrines always believed by Christians. This was one of the great issues of the Reformation. The Reformers viewed themselves, not as innovators, but as recoverers of the tradition (read this as doctrine and practice as in 2 Thess 2:13-15) of the apostles and their successors. I think it was Anthony Lane who wrote that the Reformation was, in one sense, a dispute over the proper interpretation of the Fathers. This is a brilliant observation, pointing up a very important aspect of Reformation thinking: the truth is not new, it is old. When we adopt a Confession, we are identifying with every group of Christians which has confessed the same doctrine, all the way back to the apostles. Confessions keep us from theological and practical novelty.

excerpt from Prof. James Renihan’s blog – Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies

Communion of the Saints – Pastor Oliver Heywood

Robin Eckhardt — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:09:41 +0000

Gather yourselves together in solemn exercises of religion; especially in times of public calamity and common danger. Persons may be helpful one to another, God sometimes expects unanimous votes which make a great sound in His ears. Many combustibles make a great blaze; grapes put together ripen one another. Is communion of saints good in heaven, and is it not good here? Are not some Christians ignorant and want informing? Are not some dead and want quickening; hard and want softening; wandering and want reclaiming? Are not some staggering and want settling? Are not some weak, and should not we lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees? Get together here as you hope to come together hereafter.

Pastor Oliver Heywood 1629-1702

Thomas Manton’s Illustrations

Robin Eckhardt — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:53:47 +0000

When the sun is gone all the candles in the world cannot make it day.
Sin is a ill guest, for it always sets its lodging on fire.
To fix our confidence upon a dying world is folly. It is as if we were building our nests when the tree is being cut down, or decorating our cabin when the ship is likely to be dashed to pieces or already sinking.
The best of God’s people have abhorred themselves. Like the spire of a steeple (the higher it rises toward heaven the smaller it becomes) we are least at the highest. David, a king, was yet like a weaned child.
God will open the sinner’s eyes in the next world, not by a holy illumination, but by a forced conviction. ‘Be sure your sin will find you out.’ We forget it now, and think we shall never hear of it more; but God can make all occur to memory as fresh as if newly committed, and in an instant represent the story of an ill-spent life, and show us all the thoughts, words, and actions that ever we have been guilty of. The paper goeth white into the printing house; but within one instant it is marked within and without, and cometh forth stamped with words, and lines, and sentences, which were in no way legible there before, even so will it be with the soul when conscience is aroused at the last.
A wolf doth not worry a painted sheep, nor does the world annoy a mere professor. But when any are holy indeed, and of a strict innocency, they are hated, and contradicted, and spoken against.
Sometimes God letteth his people alone till their latter days, and their season of fighting cometh not till they are ready to go out of the world, that they may die fighting and be crowned in the field. But first or last the cross cometh, and there is a time to exercise faith and patience before we inherit the promises.

Pastor Thomas Manton 1620-1677

Local Church

Robin Eckhardt — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:16:33 +0000

Its funny how, when looking for instruction in the faith, we tend to favor remote sources while neglecting our local brothers and sisters in Christ. No doubt, RC Sproul, McArthur, Ligon Duncan, and other famous teacher/preachers are gifted and we can learn from them but two questions seem obvious:

1) Who holds these ‘remote’ sources accountable, and

2) Can these ‘remote’ sources know your situation better than those brothers and sisters in your own church?

Listen to Pastor Smith as he explores this subject in this 2 minute audio clip …

__________________

Then think about this aspect of the local church:

Formative church discipline is the church edifying and disciplining itself in love. It is the sanctifying mutual ministry and influence of each member to one another, both private and public (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14; 1 Peter 4:10-11). This is done by the use of and submission to the gifts of those both old and young, office bearer and member, which Christ graciously gives to it. If formative church discipline is well understood and practiced, and every member is satisfied with his God appointed place, all shall live to the glory of God and grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Regulative Principle

Robin Eckhardt — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:45:41 +0000

In our evangelistic zeal we are looking for programs that will attract people. We think we have put honey on the lip of the bitter cup of salvation. It is the story of the wedding of Cana all over again but with this difference. At the crucial moment when the wine failed, we took matters into our own hands and used those five stone jars to mix up a batch of Koo-Aid instead. It seemed like a good solution in terms of our American culture. Unfortunately, all too soon the guests discovered the fraud. Alas! What are we to do now? How can we possibly minister to those who thirst for the real thing? there is but one thing to do, as Mary the mother of Jesus, understood so very well. You remember how the story goes. After presenting the problem to Jesus, Mary turned to the servants and said to them, “Do whatever he tells you.” The servants did just that and the water was turned to wine, wine rich and mellow beyond anything they had ever tasted before.

With Reverence and Awe, Returning to the Basics of Reformed Worship, Hart and Muether, P & R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, page 87

Real Family

Barry — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:20:55 +0000

Tonight our church gathered for a time of prayer. There was adoration and praise, confession, thanksgiving, intercession, and supplication. What a glorious time it was to gather with my brothers and sisters in Christ to go to our Father God. The prayers were edifying as we in unison lifted up our voices and thoughts to God. When I think about it, it was really just a time of family prayer. While not downplaying at all the importance and significance of physical siblings, I find it really amazing what Jesus told the crowd in the 3rd chapter of Mark:

Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:31-35

Jesus’ brothers and mother were standing outside looking for Him. But instead of acknowledging them as His family, He in effect renamed who are his brothers and sisters. They are the ones who “do the will of God.” They are believers. When you think about it, these people are the ones we will share eternity with worshiping our Heavenly Father. While we hope and pray that our physical brothers and sisters my be in this group as well, our Christian brothers and sisters are our eternal and real family. I anticipate and relish the time spent with these spiritual siblings which also includes members of my physical family. Do you enjoy gathering with your brothers and sisters to pray, worship or fellowship? If not – why not? These are the folks with which we will be sharing eternity. If not – you probably will not enjoy heaven. If not and you profess to be a Christian, then perhaps you should go to your Heavenly Father and ask Him why you do not value your Christian family or the time spent with them.