When God says, I have begotten thee, it ought to be understood as referring to men’s understanding or knowledge of it; for David was begotten by God when the choice of him to be king was clearly manifested. The words this day, therefore, denote the time of this manifestation; for, as soon as it became known that he [...]
Archive for January, 2009
John Calvin on Psalm 2:7
Posted in Book of Psalms, Eternal Generation, John Calvin on January 31, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Qualifications for Church Membership
Posted in Church Membership on January 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Calvin (Institutes, 4.1) regards all those persons as entitled to church membership who, by confession of faith, regularity in conduct, and participation in the sacraments, do truly acknowledge God and Jesus Christ. He pronounces it a disgrace to admit unworthy persons to the communion and counsels the expulsion of those who are openly immoral; yet, [...]
On the Holy Spirit
Posted in Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Gospel of John, Holy Spirit on January 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
At this moment, the only vindication of our existence is the presence and work of the Paraclete among us. Is He still working and witnessing for Christ? I fear He is not, in some churches, but here we behold Him.
Look at His workings in this place. Nearly twenty years ago, our ministry commenced in this [...]
A Visitor to the Metropolitan Tabernacle
Posted in Charles Haddon Spurgeon on January 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I feel like a boy who is to preach with his father to listen to him. I shall try not to know that you are there at all, but just preach to my poor people the simple word which has held them by their thousands these twenty-eight years. You do not know how those of [...]
Spurgeon vs. New “Revelations”
Posted in Charismatic Movement, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Gospel of John on January 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Spurgeon would have had no use for the charismatic movement. (He would have been, had he lived, 72 in 1906, the year of the original Azusa Street rumblings that launched the movement.) Things were already bad enough in his own day:
Take care never to impute the vain imaginings of your fancy to Him. I have [...]
On God’s Creation
Posted in Creation, Edward D. Morris on January 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
So far as the material universe is concerned, the question whether it is very good can receive but a single answer. Whether it be the best possible is a purely speculative problem which the human mind is not competent even to state intelligibly and is, clearly, incompetent to solve. We must rest in the simple [...]
For the Lord’s Day (54)
Posted in Book of Ephesians, For the Lord's Day on January 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Now, to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Chiasmus
Posted in Chiasmus on January 24, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Chiasmus. When the terms in the second of two parallel phrases reverse the order of those in the first to which they correspond. If the two phrases are written one below the other, and lines drawn between the corresponding terms, those lines make the Greek letter chi, a diagonal cross.
From: A Dictionary of Modern English [...]
Seeing God
Posted in Book of Isaiah, John Calvin on January 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I saw the Lord. It is asked, How could Isaiah see God who is a Spirit (John 4:24) and, therefore, cannot be seen with bodily eyes? Nay, more, since the understandings of men cannot rise to His boundless height, how can He be seen in a visible shape? But we ought to be aware that, [...]
Christ, the Mediator
Posted in Jesus Christ, Mediator on January 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Modern theology frequently doubts whether Jesus ever indicated, or even foresaw, the significance of His death for salvation. On the contrary, He both expected and foretold that He must die for His people. He came “to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). The term “ransom” occurs elsewhere in the Bible. In Israel, [...]
