Reformation Faith Today

Should we care about these happenings?

Middle school teacher must “remove a Bible that has been sitting on the corner of his desk for 21 years.” Here.

Public university employee writes an op-ed piece explaining her view on homosexuality, saying”I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are “civil rights victims.” She also said, “Daily, Jesus Christ is radically transforming the lives of both straight and gay folks and bringing them into a life of wholeness: spiritually, psychologically, physically and even economically.” She got fired! Here.

So, should this bother us? Oh, let’s be nice.

Check out this 1961 magazine article titled Will Life Be Worth Living in 2000 AD? Well, is it?

Monergism Books is giving away $200 in free books. Click here to register. 

I had the privilege of seeing the movie last weekend. I must say it was excellent both in cinematography and story. In my opinion it was better than the first movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I recommend it highly!

Christopher Cowan over at the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood also saw it and has some thoughts on Susan’s warrior role in the movie version.

Readers may recall that in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, though Father Christmas gave Susan and Lucy Pevensie weapons, he did not intend for them to use them in battle, for “battles are ugly when women fight.” In the film version, this is altered to “battles are ugly affairs.” Thus, the question of women in combat is neatly avoided.

Not so in Prince Caspian. Unlike the book, the film clearly depicts Susan as a warrior, Continue Reading »

Given all the discussion about the so-called Evangelical Manifesto and the ongoing attempts to re-define or re-label what have been historic Christian truths , I found the following brief article absolutely refreshing! Amazingly, the author had the boldness to entitle it “True Christianity”! Wow, you get orthodoxy and “orthopraxy” intermixed here…even before the buzzwords came to the fore!

I must admit, I have edited a few words that would give away the date of the article, but I’ll share the author’s name and date of the article at the end.

As you read this little article, give some thought to how the “church growth” and emerg*** church folks would interact with such clarity.

Here’s the article…..

True Christianity

(1) True Christianity has always taught the inspiration, sufficiency, and supremacy of Holy Scripture. It has told men that “God’s written Word” is the only trustworthy rule of faith and practice in religion; that God requires nothing to be believed that is not in this Word; and that nothing is right which contradicts it. It has never allowed reason, or the voice of the Church, to be placed above, or on a level with Scripture. It has steadily maintained that, however imperfectly we may understand it, the (Bible) is meant to be the only standard of life and doctrine.

(2) True Christianity has always taught fully the sinfulness, guilt and corruption of human nature. It has told men, that they are born in sin, deserve God’s wrath and condemnation, and are naturally inclined to do evil. It has never allowed that men and women are only weak and pitiable creatures, who can become good when they please, and make their own peace with God. On the contrary, it has steadily declared man’s danger and vileness, and his pressing need of a Divine forgiveness and atonement for his sins, a new birth or conversion, and an entire change of heart.

(3) True Christianity has always set before men, the Lord Jesus Christ as the chief object of faith and hope in religion–as the Divine Mediator between God and men, the only source of peace of conscience, and the root of all spiritual life. The main things it has ever insisted on about Christ, are–the atonement for sin He made by His death, His sacrifice on the cross, the complete redemption from guilt and condemnation by His blood, His victory over the grave by His resurrection, His active life of intercession at God’s right hand, and the absolute necessity of simple faith in Him. In short, it has made Christ the Alpha and the Omega in Christian theology.

(4) True Christianity has always honored the Person of God the Holy Spirit, and magnified His work. It has never taught that all professing Christians have the grace of the Spirit in their hearts, as a matter of course–because they are baptized, or because they belong to a Church. It has steadily maintained that the fruits of the Spirit are the only evidence of having the Spirit, and that those fruits must be seen! It has always taught, that we must be born of the Spirit, led by the Spirit, sanctified by the Spirit, and feel the operations of the Spirit–and that a close walk with God in the path of His commandments, a life of holiness, love, self-denial, purity, and zeal to do good–are the only satisfactory marks of the Holy Spirit.

Such is true Christianity. Continue Reading »

This may be old news to some, but this morning I saw a news item on Franklin Graham and the Olympics. Anytime I see a notable Christian leader featured in the press, it certainly evokes my interest.

Graham’s comments have created a great deal of consternation as observers wrestle with what should/should not be going on in terms of Gospel ministry in a country that opposes the Gospel.

You can read an article that sets forth the issues in the debate here.

Mr. Graham has issued a statement on evangelism at the Olympics.

What’s your take?

Here’s the statement… Continue Reading »

The Bayly brothers have a post about the plight of Lauren Richardson of Deleware. Apparently Heritage (Delaware) Presbytery couldn’t muster a majority vote on “a simple statement opposing the murder-by-starvation of 23-year-old Delaware resident Lauren Richardson.” They express unbelief and label the opposing voters pusillanimous.

Man are the Bayly brothers right! What has become of us? Here is David Bayly’s concluding paragraph:

Here’s a hint for the ignorant: when food and water are all that’s needed to maintain life, withdrawing them is no different than placing a plastic bag over a quadriplegic’s head. Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, a majority of PCA elders within Heritage Presbytery can’t see this. God help us when the state demands that we perform homosexual marriages and the personal cost to PCA elders of biblical fidelity is far higher than in the Lauren Richardson case. Pusillanimity is a terminal condition which respects no borders.

Shame on us. Read the post and about Lauren here. And, pray that God would protect this young woman’s life.

You may or may not know that the PCA will be considering an overture from the Philadelphia Presbytery that a study committee be set up on the subject of women as deaconesses. You can read the overture here. The Central Georgia Presbytery has overtured GA to NOT erect a study committee. Here is their overture.

There are several posts on this blog on the subject here and here for example. My views are no secret. The offices of elder and deacon are reserved for men. That is the current and historic position of the PCA. I agree with the Central Georgia Presbytery that we don’t need a committee to tell us what we already know.

But actually I think the committee Continue Reading »

UPDATE: Peter M. Head has another view. Read it here. We try to fair and balanced!

D.A. Carson on what he calls Red Letter Christians,

A particularly virulent form of this approach is hidden behind what Tony Campolo now approvingly calls “red letter Christians.” These red letter Christians, he says, hold the same theological commitments as do other evangelicals, but they take the words of Jesus especially seriously (they devote themselves to the “red letters” of some foolishly printed Bibles) and end up being more concerned Continue Reading »

Do Hard Things is a must read if you have children, especially if you have those we refer to as teens living in your home. I read it last week and now am getting ready to take my three sons through it (as soon as school is out). It is an outstanding book and one I hope that each parent and “teen” will read and heed.

Alex and Brett Harris are twin 19 year olds who at 16 founded The Rebelution, a web site challenging “low expectations” for teens. Check it out.

Below, I will put an excerpt from the book and part of Tim Challies’ review. I will not attempt a review as Challies has done a very able one. Youth pastors–get this book and read it! There is much in it that you need to help you challenge those in your pastoral care.

Challies writes about the book Continue Reading »