A dogma may be defined as a doctrine, derived from Scripture, officially defined by the Church, and declared to rest upon divine authority. This definition partly names and partly suggests its characteristics. Its subject matter is derived from the Word of God and is, therefore, authoritative. It is not a mere repetition of what is [...]
Archive for October, 2008
Definition of Dogma
Posted in Louis Berkhof, Theological Definitions on October 31, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The Second Advent and the Millennial Hope
Posted in Church History, Creeds and Confessions, Eschatology, Louis Berkhof on October 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The early Christians were taught to look for the return of Jesus Christ and it is evident, even from the New Testament, that some of them expected a speedy return. The literal interpretation of Revelation 20:1-6 led some of the early Church Fathers to distinguish between a first and a second resurrection and to believe [...]
The Reformed Order of Salvation
Posted in Historical Theology, Louis Berkhof, Ordo Salutis on October 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
In Reformed theology, the ordo salutis acquired a somewhat different form. This is due to the fact that Calvin consistently took his starting point in an eternal election and in the mystical union established in the pactum salutis. His fundamental position is that there is no participation in the blessings of Christ except through a [...]
Augustine’s View of Grace
Posted in Augustine, Grace, Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology on October 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The will of man stands in need of renewal, and this is exclusively a work of God from start to finish – a work of divine grace. It is necessary to guard against a possible misunderstanding here. When Augustine ascribes the renewal of man to divine grace only, and, in this connection, speaks of “irresistable [...]
Scripture is Sufficient
Posted in John Knox, Sufficiency of Scripture on October 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
John Knox, in his first of several meetings with Mary, Queen of Scots, had this question put to him by her: “You [Protestants] interpret the Scriptures in one way, they [Roman Catholics] in another. Whom shall I believe? Who shall be the judge?”
Knox answered for all Bible lovers, and for us today:
You shall believe God, [...]
For the Lord’s Day (41)
Posted in Book of Jeremiah, For the Lord's Day on October 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, [...]
Asahel Nettleton (1783-1844) – 3
Posted in Asahel Nettleton on October 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Fundamentally, Asahel Nettleton was a Calvinist. Yet, Calvinism has taken many different forms and falls into many different schools of thought. Nettleton, as an ordained Congregationalist from Connecticut and a graduate of Yale, was heir, primarily, to the New England Theology. Even this label requires further definition. From the fountainhead of Jonathan Edwards (for whom [...]
Asahel Nettleton (1783-1844) – 2
Posted in Asahel Nettleton on October 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
For those who think of the major evangelists in terms of campaigns lasting several weeks, with daily services, it is important to see how Nettleton labored. Although he did spend, sometimes, months in a single location, Nettleton limited his preaching to a few times a week. Tyler says, for instance, that, during his most active [...]
Asahel Nettleton (1783-1844) – 1
Posted in Asahel Nettleton on October 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The chief source of information about Asahel Nettleton is the biography by his friend Bennet Tyler written shortly after Nettleton’s death. Following the style of popular biographies of that day (and, fortunately for the historian), Tyler loads his work with extensive extracts from primary sources: Nettleton’s own writings, contemporary articles from periodicals, and correspondence from [...]
George Whitefield
Posted in D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, George Whitefield on October 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I can sum up the rest of his life by just telling you this – that from that beginning in the open air in that way in 1739, he just went on and on doing this in all these countries until, at last, in the early morning of September 30, 1770, he breathed his last [...]
