SLEEP is as imperative for our physical well-being as is food and drink, and the one is as much the GIFT of our heavenly Father as is the other.

THE BLESSEDNESS OF SLEEP A.W. Pink A. W. Pink A. W. Pink “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth His beloved sleep”. [Psalm 127:2] How often is it now lost sight of that the Lord cares for the bodies of His saints as well as for their souls. This is more or less recognized and owned by believers in the matter of food and clothing, health and strength, but it is widely ignored by many concerning the point we are here treating of. SLEEP is as imperative for our physical well-being as is food and drink, and the one is as much the GIFT of our heavenly Father as is the other. We cannot put ourselves to sleep by any effort of will, as those who suffer with insomnia quickly discover. Nor does exercise and manual labour of itself ensure sleep: have you ever lain down almost exhausted and then found you were “too tired to sleep”? sleep bed restSleep is a DIVINE GIFT, but the nightly recurrence of it blinds us to the fact. When it so pleases Him, God withholds sleep, and then we have to say with the Psalmist, “Thou holdest mine eyes waking” (77:4). But that is the exception rather than the rule, and deeply thankful should we be that it is so. Day by day the Lord feeds us, and night by night He “giveth His beloved sleep.” Thus in this little detail—of Elijah’s sleeping under the juniper tree—which we are likely to pass over lightly, we should perceive the gracious hand of God ministering in tenderness to the needs of one who is dear unto Him. Yes, “the Lord pitieth them that fear Him,” and why? “for He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust” (Ps. 103:14). He is mindful of our frailty, and tempers His winds accordingly; He is aware when our energies are spent, and graciously renews our strength. It was not God’s design that His servant should die of exhaustion in the wilderness after his long, long flight from Jezreel, so he mercifully refreshes his body with sleep. And thus compassionately does He deal with us. Alas, how little are we affected by the Lord’s goodness and grace unto us. The unfailing recurrence of His mercies both temporally and spiritually inclines us to take them as a matter of course. So dull of understanding are we, so cold our hearts Godward, it is to be feared that most of the time we fail to realize WHOSE loving hand it is which is ministering to us. Is not this the very reason why we do not begin really to value our health until it is taken from us, and not until we spend night after night tossing upon a bed of pain do we perceive the worth of regular sleep with which we were formerly favored? And such vile creatures are we that, when illness and insomnia come upon us, instead of improving the same by repenting of our former ingratitude, and humbly confessing the same to God, we murmur and complain at the hardness of our present lot and wonder what we have done to deserve such treatment. O let those of us who are still blessed with good health and regular sleep fail not daily to return thanks for such privileges and earnestly seek grace to use the strength from them to the glory of God. [Quoted from A.W. Pink’s ‘Life of Elijah’] http://confessingbaptist.com/category/theology/page/10/ THE CONFESSING BAPTIST Reformed Resources from a 1689 Perspective About Contact Guidelines | T&C | FAQ Podcast Interview Headlines Book Review Categories News Theology Culture Audio Video Events Bapti-Bot Roundup CATEGORY: THEOLOGY POSTED ONNOVEMBER 24, 2014 The Church of Christ, who upon Confession of Faith have bin Baptised: Hercules Collins & Baptist Ecclesiology [PDF] By Steve Weaver Hercules Collins Below is the PDF of the paper that Steve Weaver presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in San Diego, California on November 19, 2014. You may purchase the audio for $3 here. The Church of Christ, who upon Confession of Faith have bin Baptised: Hercules Collins and Baptist Ecclesiology [19-Page PDF]: Download (PDF, 440KB) [source: Steve Weaver] POSTED ONNOVEMBER 22, 2014 ‘Reformed Baptist Trumpet’ e-journal [PDF] Vol.5 No.3 Jul.-Sep. 2014 out now The latest edition of the Reformed Baptist Trumpet, the e-journal of the Reformed Baptist Fellowship of Virginia, is out! Reformed Baptist Trumpet2 In this issue: – Editorial: Keach Conference: 2014 Reflections and 2015 Prospects – Article: “The Glory of the Mediator” by Jim Savastio – Article: “The Knowledge of God” by W. Gary Crampton – Book Review: John D. Currid’s Against the Gods by Jeffrey T. Riddle – Paradosis: Keach Sermon excerpt: “The Blessedness of Christ’s Sheep” 22 Page PDF: Download (PDF, Unknown) – Reformed Baptist TrumpetThe Reformed Baptist Trumpet is the quarterly e-journal of the Reformed Baptist Fellowship of Virginia (RBF-VA), a network of ministers, church officers, and congregations in Virginia committed to promoting renewal and reformation in congregations throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. The RBF-VA gladly affirms the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. The Reformed Baptist Trumpet editorial committee: Steve Clevenger, Pastor, Covenant Reformed Baptist Church, Warrenton, Virginia; Jeffrey T. Riddle, Pastor, Christ Reformed Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Virginia; W. Gary Crampton, Elder, Reformed Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia. The Editor is Jeffrey T. Riddle. POSTED ONNOVEMBER 19, 2014 Geoff Thomas’ ‘The Prayer of Daniel’ & ‘Lessons from the Lord’s Prayer’ sermons [TEXT] from the 2014 UK Banner of Truth Borders Conf. banner bordersconf2014 Geoff ThomasHere are both of Geoff Thomas‘ addresses given at the Banner of Truth Borders Conference in Carlisle, Cumbria on November 7 & 8, 2014. The conference theme was ‘Teach us to pray’. The Prayer of Daniel: …Daniel proceeded to pray one of the most complete and extraordinary prayers found in the Scriptures. It is recorded for us in Daniel chapter 9… Why is this such a perfect prayer? it begins and continues in a spirit of worship there is no attempt to blame others for the misery they are in Daniel is concerned for the honour of God’s Name – Lessons from the Lord’s Prayer: You must become God’s children How we talk with God HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME. MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME. GIVE US EACH DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. FORGIVE US OUR SINS. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. POSTED ONNOVEMBER 17, 2014 “For David speaks concerning him….”: Christ in the Psalms [Riddle] Christ-in-the-Psalms Pastor Jeff Riddle offers some concise thoughts on finding Christ in the Psalms: While preaching last evening at Bells Grove on a section from Peter’s Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:22-31) wherein Peter exposits Psalm 16 as a prophesy of Christ’s resurrection, I was struck by these words, “For David speaks concerning him….” (v. 25). This statement is a reminder: 1. That the Old Testament speaks about Christ… 2. The Psalms, in particular, speak of Christ… Rightly then, does Peter say, “For David speaks concerning him….” (Acts 2:25). Read the full post here: stylos: “For David speaks concerning him….”: Christ in the Psalms. POSTED ONNOVEMBER 14, 2014 The 1689 Baptist Confession & Its Influence on Early American Missions & Church Planting [PDF] by Steve Weaver Steve Weaver Steve Weaver Steve Weaver: Today I am in Indianapolis, Ind. where I am presenting a lecture at 1:30 pm today on “The 1689 Baptist Confession and Its Influence on Early American Missions and Church Planting” at the Baptist, Confessionalism and the Providence of God, 1689-2014 conference. Some have expressed interest in seeing the paper, so I have uploaded it here in PDF format. There are plans to post audio and video of the conference in the near future. You can check www.1689conference.org for the latest details on media availability. [22-Page PDF]: Download (PDF, 392KB) POSTED ONNOVEMBER 14, 2014 Are You Trying or Training for Godliness? [Jeffery Smith] 1 Tim 4 7-8 train godliness sanctification Pastor Jeffery Smith Pastor Jeffery Smith Jeffery Smith: There are many things that cannot be accomplished without training. You can try to do them but you won’t be able to do them if you’ve not been engaging in the discipline of training. For example, you may try to run a marathon but you won’t be able to, no matter how hard you try, if you haven’t been training for it. Spend six to twelve months training for it and you might be able to do it in a decent time. Running long distances requires the discipline of running on a fairly regular basis to build up your stamina. You may try to bench press 250 pounds but most men are not able to do that by simply walking into a gym one day and giving it a try. To get to the place where you can bench press 250 pounds normally requires the discipline of regular weight lifting to build up your strength. I may try to lose weight but, again, if I really want to lose weight and keep it off in the long term I must train to lose weight. I need to develop disciplines of exercise and proper eating. Read “Are You Trying or Training for Godliness?” POSTED ONNOVEMBER 11, 2014 On Not Revolting [Engel] You rebel scum... You rebel scum... You rebel scum… CJay Engel, the Reformed Libertarian, muses on Romans 13, submission to authority, political revolution, and the spread of the gospel: Neither our command as Christians to submit to earthly authorities, nor the fact that God has ordained all actual authorities by his decretive will, leads to the conclusion that the evil deeds of those individuals in government power are somehow morally justifiable. For besides God’s decretive will, there exists his preceptive will, also known as his eternal moral law which binds all men. Not only does God ordain all evil, including totalitarian governments, but we are also called to “arrange ourselves under” (hypotassō -see here) the same; therefore obedience to government seems generally wise and prudent even when government acts wrongly (socialized medicine) unless we are explicitly ordered by the government to do something that contradicts God’s moral law. The point is that yes we are commanded to arrange under, and yes God has decreed all things, but the government agents are still morally responsible for their actions. On the day of judgement no bureaucrat or President will say to the Lord that the evil deeds done were done while in office, and are therefore exempt from the standard so ordained by God. This serves to silence both the State’s ardent defenders who use Romans 13 to justify all sorts of evil activity and also the specific type of anti-State proponent who desires to physically take matters into his own hands and overthrow current government power by rebellion. We might follow Ron Paul’s message that political influence must take place in the realm of ideas and debates and speaking the truth; not by forceful and violent revolution. This method is the same as the method required for spreading the gospel. Source: On Not Revolting | Reformed Libertarian POSTED ONNOVEMBER 10, 2014 Preaching From the Choir [Tom Chantry] Tom Chantry Tom Chantry Tom Chantry: When the Psalms are sung, the minister never leaves without hearing a sermon. Psalms are amazing compositions; we would expect nothing else from inspired Scripture. They dig down to the root of truth and press in on the heart of the believer. They apply truth to our condition by urging us to trust and praise the Lord. Each Psalm is a sermon in verse, expounding and applying the truth of God. Those of us who minister, particularly in small churches, very often go to the assembly several times on a Lord’s Day and preach the word every time. We could go months at a time without hearing the preaching of the Word. But because my church opens each week with a Psalm, I hear a sermon, ‘preached’ by the choir (which in solid, Reformed fashion is made up of all the congregants singing together). I cannot say how often I am moved beyond expression by the message of the Psalm. I do not feel the lack of a ministry dedicated to my own spiritual needs, my people supply that by singing the Psalm in my direction. Read “Preaching From the Choir” POSTED ONNOVEMBER 7, 2014 ‘The Parable of the Wheat & Tares Opened’ by Benjamin Keach [Free eBook Friday] Wheat Tares Benjamin Keach Benjamin Keach Brandon Adams: The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares was a series of sermons published by Benjamin Keach in 1701. Keach was a particular baptist. This parable was the central text in the debate over religious liberty, or liberty of conscience. We’re posting it here because an edited text version does not exist online. Here is a PDF version. A bit about Keach… Read [2 hour readout] POSTED ONNOVEMBER 5, 2014 The Case for Credobaptism from a 1689 Federalism perspective [Sam Renihan] place for truth header Brandon Adams over at 1689Federalism.com writes: Place for Truth: A Voice of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals posted two articles recently. One arguing for paedobaptism [link], the other for credobaptism. Sam Renihan Sam Renihan Samuel Renihan wrote an excellent summary of 1689 Federalism’s case for credobaptism. I highly recommend reading it, printing it, and saving it. Consequently, there has never been a covenant wherein “believers and their children” constituted the paradigm for covenant membership. POSTED ONOCTOBER 31, 2014 Reformation Day Roundup [Audio, Video + more] Happy Reformation Day! Here is a roundup of previous post which may be of particular interest to y’all this day: Short Luther Bio & Reading of His 95 Theses by Curt Arend [Audio]: luther reformation Hear Pastor Curt Arend (who we interviews on episode 24 of our podcast) give a short biography on Luther and read his 95 Theses, the spark of the Reformation! 24 minute audio: Audio Player 00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. – 4 Short Video Interviews with Michael Haykin on Martin Luther: haykin on luther video prevCredoMag: In celebration of Reformation Day we are pleased to post the following video interviews with Michael A.G. Haykin, professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and contributor to Credo Magazine. In the first video Haykin explains how Martin Luther was converted, in the second video Haykin tells us how Luther came to post the 95 theses, in the third video Haykin tells the story of Luther’s famous “Here I Stand” speech at Worms, and in the fourth video Haykin addresses the contemporary question, “Is the Reformation Over?” Michael Haykin on Luther’s Conversion: – Michael Haykin on the 95 Theses: – Michael Haykin on Luther at Worms: – Michael Haykin: Is the Reformation Over?: – James White’s “A brief review of Reformation Day“ [4:23 – 12:37]: – How Printing Gave Us The Reformation Printer_in_1568-ce by Eric Ayala – Nurturing Congregational Song (& what does the Reformation have to do with it?) Luther singing by Ken Puls – + MORE! POSTED ONOCTOBER 30, 2014 400-Year-Old Lessons from English Baptists & Persecution [Michael Haykin] Haykin: PersecutionPersecution and martyrdom are perennial features of the Church’s existence in this world. Numerous New Testament passages bear out this fact (see, for example, 1 Peter 4:12–19; Acts 14:19–22; John 15:18–21). The experience of the Church down through the centuries has indeed been one of persecution and its concomitant, martyrdom. And although my focus is going to be on one period of this history, we need to recognize that this is not merely an issue of the past. It has been estimated that currently there are thousands martyrs every year around the world. Now, the period that I wish to look at concerns the era of Particular (or Calvinistic) Baptist origins in the mid-seventeenth century… Let us look briefly at some of those persecuted to see what we can learn regarding how we should respond to persecution. THE EXPERIENCE OF JOHN BUNYAN (1628–1688)… THE EXPERIENCE OF WILLIAM MITCHEL (1662-1705)… THE EXPERIENCE OF ABRAHAM CHEARE (D.1668)… Read “400-Year-Old Lessons from English Baptists and Persecution”. POSTED ONOCTOBER 27, 2014 ‘New Testament Use of the Old Testament’ [Roger Nicole] 14-page PDF Roger Nicole Roger Nicole Check out Reformed Reader‘s edited and summarized version of Roger Nicole’s “The Old Testament in the New Testament.” article from volume one of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (ed. Frank Gaebelein): “One very notable feature of the NT is the extent to which it alludes to or quotes the OT. It appeals to the OT in order to provide proof of statements made, confirmation for positions espoused, illustration of principles advanced, and answers to questions raised. …[There is] a very close relationship between the Testaments. Eight propositions clarify this relationship.” 1) The NT writers assumed that the OT in its entirety was meaningful and relevant for their own time. 2) The NT writers were convinced that many of the events of the life of our Lord and indeed of the beginnings of the Christian church had been prophesied in considerable detail by OT writers. 3) The ground of the NT writers’ faith in the prophetic vision of the OT was their conviction, frequently and variously expressed, that the OT is the Word of God. 4) Because they viewed the OT as the Word of God, the NT writers did not hesitate to interpret its statements, not merely in terms of what the human authors could have thought, but in terms of what God himself meant in speaking through the prophets. 5) In many cases the NT writers, illumined by the Holy Spirit, perceived with greater clarity than the OT writers themselves God’s intended meaning behind some prophecies. What the prophets had seen only dimly and in terms of general principle, the NT writers saw in the glowing light of fulfillment in a perspective in which a wealth of details fall into place. 6) The NT writers had such a deep insight into the fullness of God’s redemptive purposes that they could perceive foreshadowings and parallelisms where others might easily have missed them altogether. In many such cases it is not necessary to hold that the OT writers completely understood the way their pronouncements would relate to their fulfillment in the NT. 7) In a number of cases the NT authors saw a significant relationship between a diversity of OT passages. Sometimes they made this plain by a juxtaposition of quotations; in other cases, they appear to have united two or more passages in an illuminating combination. 8) While the NT writers draw attention mainly to the meaning of OT passages, they did not hesitate to build an argument on one word of the original text. This method of quoting the OT manifests a supreme confidence in the divine authority of even then minutest details of Scripture. – PDF: This isn’t the exact same as the above reference but looks to be very similar: Roger Nicole, “New Testament Use of the Old Testament,” Carl F.H. Henry, ed., Revelation and the Bible. Contemporary Evangelical Thought. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1958 / London: The Tyndale Press, 1959. pp.137-151.: Download (PDF, 52KB) POSTED ONOCTOBER 17, 2014 The Blessedness of Sleep [A. W. Pink] THE BLESSEDNESS OF SLEEP A.W. Pink A. W. Pink A. W. Pink “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He giveth His beloved sleep”. [Psalm 127:2] How often is it now lost sight of that the Lord cares for the bodies of His saints as well as for their souls. This is more or less recognized and owned by believers in the matter of food and clothing, health and strength, but it is widely ignored by many concerning the point we are here treating of. SLEEP is as imperative for our physical well-being as is food and drink, and the one is as much the GIFT of our heavenly Father as is the other. We cannot put ourselves to sleep by any effort of will, as those who suffer with insomnia quickly discover. Nor does exercise and manual labour of itself ensure sleep: have you ever lain down almost exhausted and then found you were “too tired to sleep”? sleep bed restSleep is a DIVINE GIFT, but the nightly recurrence of it blinds us to the fact. When it so pleases Him, God withholds sleep, and then we have to say with the Psalmist, “Thou holdest mine eyes waking” (77:4). But that is the exception rather than the rule, and deeply thankful should we be that it is so. Day by day the Lord feeds us, and night by night He “giveth His beloved sleep.” Thus in this little detail—of Elijah’s sleeping under the juniper tree—which we are likely to pass over lightly, we should perceive the gracious hand of God ministering in tenderness to the needs of one who is dear unto Him. Yes, “the Lord pitieth them that fear Him,” and why? “for He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust” (Ps. 103:14). He is mindful of our frailty, and tempers His winds accordingly; He is aware when our energies are spent, and graciously renews our strength. It was not God’s design that His servant should die of exhaustion in the wilderness after his long, long flight from Jezreel, so he mercifully refreshes his body with sleep. And thus compassionately does He deal with us. Alas, how little are we affected by the Lord’s goodness and grace unto us. The unfailing recurrence of His mercies both temporally and spiritually inclines us to take them as a matter of course. So dull of understanding are we, so cold our hearts Godward, it is to be feared that most of the time we fail to realize WHOSE loving hand it is which is ministering to us. Is not this the very reason why we do not begin really to value our health until it is taken from us, and not until we spend night after night tossing upon a bed of pain do we perceive the worth of regular sleep with which we were formerly favored? And such vile creatures are we that, when illness and insomnia come upon us, instead of improving the same by repenting of our former ingratitude, and humbly confessing the same to God, we murmur and complain at the hardness of our present lot and wonder what we have done to deserve such treatment. O let those of us who are still blessed with good health and regular sleep fail not daily to return thanks for such privileges and earnestly seek grace to use the strength from them to the glory of God. [Quoted from A.W. Pink’s ‘Life of Elijah’] – [HT: Heavenly Worldliness] POSTED ONOCTOBER 16, 2014 On pastoral (dis)qualification & other things [Jeremy Walker] preacherJeremy Walker: [P]astoral qualification is never merely a matter of apparent giftedness and effectiveness. It has at its root a question of character… He concludes with a sober, always needed, reminder: Finally, let there be no gloating: “let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor 10:12). You may believe you saw this coming. You may have mourned over the painful trajectory that developed, and perhaps the failure of those who publicly applauded phases of Mark’s career publicly to address the change in tack. You may have your suspicions and fears about what comes next. But to revel in the sin of another is a demonic thing. To rejoice in a man’s public downfall is to join Satan’s company. When you see another man, any man, sinning and stumbling, remember that – but for the grace of God – that is you, and pray with tears that it might never be. Read entire post. Posts navigation Previous pagePage 10 Next page Search for: Search … Search FOLLOW: *: Enter your email address: Subscribe - Subscribe to just the podcast via RSS reader, iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or by Email* (*email is only sent out once per day) BAPTI-BOT BLOG ROUNDUP Iron Sharpens Iron Podcast Logo September 21, 2017 Show with Jeremy Walker on “What is Repentance?” Theme: September 21, 2017: Jeremy Walker, Pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church of Crawley in West Sussex, England, author & blogger @ Reformation 21 & The Wanderer, will address: “What […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Iron Sharpens Iron Podcast Logo September 6, 2017 Show with Marc Grimaldi on “The Importance of Calvinism for Biblically Faithful Evangelism: What it Prevents & What it Preserves” Theme: September 6, 2017: Marc Grimaldi, a pastor @ Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Long Island in Merrick, NY, will address the theme: “The IMPORTANCE of CALVINISM For BIBLICALLY […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Archbishop of Canterbury Can’t Answer Direct Questions, More on the I Am Sayings of Jesus Snuck a quick DL in today, covering Justin Welby’s inability to answer a direct question on the nature of sin, and then spending most of our time continuing the discussion […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Introduction to “Getting the Garden Right: Adam’s Work and God’s Rest in Light of Christ,” coming soon from Founders Press Introduction This book, in one sense, concentrates on hermeneutics and theological method. I contend that New Covenant Theology (NCT) gets the covenant of works and the […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Final page of last lecture for Southern California Reformed Baptist Pastors’ Conference ‘17 You can register for the conference here. Psalm 104:30 says, “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.” Here both […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Endorsements for “Getting the Garden Right,” coming soon from Founders Press Nothing shapes how we interpret and apply the Bible as much as our understanding of covenant. Richard Barcellos offers us a helpful blend of biblical exegesis and theological reflection […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 RECENT COMMENTS Rich Barcellos on One Thing I Did Right in Ministry… [Blog Series | Founders] Jason on ‘Honey Out of the Rock’ by Thomas Wilcox [Free E-book] Jason on What is the Importance of Believer’s Baptism? Fred Malone Answers [5 min. VIDEO] Hesbon on July 7-9, 2015 “Pathway to Power” Metropolitan Tabernacle School of Theology feat. Peter Masters + more in London, UK Kevin Schwamb on Upcoming 7 Volume Series: “Lectures in Systematic Theology” by Greg Nichols. Book one months away… Sharon thombre on “The Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross” by A. W. Pink [Free eBook Friday] DANA CASTALDO on What is the Importance of Believer’s Baptism? Fred Malone Answers [5 min. VIDEO] TOP TAGS 17th Century Baptist History1689 Federalism1689 Second London Baptist Confession of FaithAndrew FullerApologeticsAsk a Reformed BaptistBaptismBaptist HistoryBooksCalvinismCharles SpurgeonChurchChurch HistoryConfessionalismCovenant TheologyEcclesiologyEvangelismFounders MinistriesFree e-book FridayGospelJames RenihanJames WhiteJeffrey T. 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Perhaps one of the reasons why the festive season is one of such excess and abandonment is because we indulge with the self-satisfying assurance that we will be sorting everything out tomorrow. So, whether it is food and drink, spending, or general laziness and laxity, we let it all hang out because tomorrow will be different. … We can do the same thing spiritually. We promise ourselves that tomorrow is the big day, the day when we will really begin to pray against a particular sin, wrestle against a particular temptation, address a particular habit. And what happens? First of all, our own sinful hearts will incline to one last fling, one last binge – after all, we will be taking ourselves in hand tomorrow. But more than that, Satan will begin to whisper. He will assure us that we might as well give in to temptation – after all, we can repent later and start over the day after. And how often does this happen? Read the rest of this needed exhortation here.

THE CONFESSING BAPTIST Reformed Resources from a 1689 Perspective About Contact Guidelines | T&C | FAQ Podcast Interview Headlines Book Review Categories News Theology Culture Audio Video Events Bapti-Bot Roundup CATEGORY: THEOLOGY POSTED ONJANUARY 5, 2015 How Can We Know If Our Children Are Christians? Tom Hicks Answers Tom Hicks Tom Hicks Reformed Baptist Fellowship: Christian parents want our children to know Christ because we want what is best for them. Many parents, however, struggle with how to know whether their children have come to a saving knowledge of Christ. While there’s no way to give a complete answer in a short blog post like this, I’ll try to offer you a handful of basic principles. No child gives evidence of salvation in a vacuum. These are things a child has to learn from faithful parents who teach him the Word of God. And these are lessons of the heart that only the Holy Spirit can truly teach. A child may certainly be saved before his parents can see it, but there are some evidences that point to our child’s salvation. Growing awareness of God’s goodness. Increasing sense of personal sin. Leaning on Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. Growing desire to know the Bible and pray. Faithful repentance of sin and increasing obedience to Christ’s commands. Read the explanation of each point. No child (or adult for that matter!) does any of these things perfectly. But if your child has a pattern of these evidences of salvation, you should bring him to the pastors of your church for baptism and church membership. POSTED ONDECEMBER 25, 2014 “This infant God deserves thy ode.” Hercules Collins’ Poetry on the Incarnation of Jesus Hercules Collins Incarnation 1 – Hercules Collins Incarnation 2 – Hercules Collins Incarnation 3 Hercules Collins + more [source: Particular Voices, 2, 3] POSTED ONDECEMBER 25, 2014 ‘A Happy Christmas To You All!’ – C. H. Spurgeon Spurgeon Online: Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a faithful pastor to the people of God in his day. Part of his faithfulness may be seen in how he stood against the various errors and corruptions of the medieval church. One of these errors was the adding to the calendar various holidays. Not even Christmas was exempt from his fiery zeal: “WE have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas.” But one would be mistaken to think that dear old Spurgeon had no place in the heart and home of a Christian for the joyful celebration of our Lord’s birth. This can be seen from the fact that he often preached sermons on the incarnation at or on Christmas (the statement above comes to us from a sermon preached Dec. 24th the subject matter was the birth of Christ) and by these statements that are of the stock of Spurgeon’s verbal genus… santa spurgeon Now, a happy Christmas to you all; and it will be a happy Christmas if you have God with you… I shall say nothing to-day against festivities on this great birthday of Christ. I hold that, perhaps, it is not right to have the birthday celebrated, but we will never be amongst those who think it as much a duty to celebrate it the wrong way as others the right. But we will to-morrow think of Christ’s birthday; we shall be obliged to do it, I am sure, however sturdily we may hold to our rough Puritanism… Feast, Christians, feast; you have a right to feast. Go to the house of feasting to-morrow, celebrate your Savior’s birth; do not be ashamed to be glad, you have a right to be happy. Solomon says, “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.” “Religion never was designed To make our pleasures less.” Recollect that your Master ate butter and honey. Go your way, rejoice tomorrow; but, in your feasting, think of the Man in Bethlehem; let him have a place in your hearts, give him the glory, think of the virgin who conceived him, but think most of all of the Man born, the Child given. I finish by again saying, “A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!” More… POSTED ONDECEMBER 24, 2014 Longing for more than Christmas [Jason Ching] Pastor Jason Ching Pastor Jason Ching Every week on our headlines podcast [The Dunker Bunker] we highlight some posts from our Reformed Baptist blog aggregator [The BaptiBot]. One of the blogs that always gets highlighted is Jason Ching’s, who is one of the pastors at Grace Community Church in Minden, Nevada. We love it because once or twice a week he gives you a good 30-second devotional. Allow me to highlight his latest post, which isn’t much longer than my intro: Longing for more than Christmas “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” (Psalm 130:5–6, ESV) The morning is coldest when the sun first rises. Part of it is just temperature, the morning hasn’t yet been able to soak up the warmth of the sun. But the other part must be deeper than that. Our longing for the sun’s warmth reaches its peak when the light is glimpsed, but not yet felt. There’s the hint of warmth, but the absence of its touch. Two thousand years ago the sun peaked over the horizon. Rays of hope pierced death’s dark dominion. Perhaps the chill is most pronounced right now. We’ve glimpsed the Son but still we wait. Like watchmen for the morning, we long for more than Christmas. We long for more than the past, we long for the future that He promised. With groaning hearts, we long for the One who is coming again. Visit this blog or subscribe [RSS]. POSTED ONDECEMBER 23, 2014 Does God Change in the Incarnation? Spurgeon Answers [Quote & Sermon Audio] Pastor Erik Raymond points out a quote from Spurgeon that is, “especially helpful in considering the immutability of God (the fact that he does not change) even in light of the incarnation of Christ“: Charles Spurgeon Charles Spurgeon All creatures change. Man, especially as to his body, is always undergoing revolution. Very probably there is not a single particle in my body which was in it a few years ago. This frame has been worn away by activity, its atoms have been removed by friction, fresh particles of matter have in the mean time constantly accrued to my body, and so it has been replenished; but its substance is altered. The fabric of which this world is made is ever passing away; like a stream of water, drops are running away and others are following after, keeping the river still full, but always changing in its elements. But God is perpetually the same. He is not composed of any substance or material, but is spirit—pure, essential, and ethereal spirit—and therefore he is immutable. He remains everlastingly the same. There are no furrows on his eternal brow. No age hath palsied him; no years have marked him with the mementoes of their flight; he sees ages pass, but with him it is ever now. He is the great I AM—the Great Unchangeable. Mark you, his essence did not undergo a change when it became united with the manhood. When Christ in past years did gird himself with mortal clay, the essence of his divinity was not changed; flesh did not become God, nor did God become flesh by a real actual change of nature; the two were united in hypostatical union, but the Godhead was still the same. It was the same when he was a babe in the manger, as it was when he stretched the curtains of heaven; it was the same God that hung upon the cross, and whose blood flowed down in a purple river, the self-same God that holds the world upon his everlasting shoulders, and bears in his hands the keys of death and hell. He never has been changed in his essence, not even by his incarnation; he remains everlastingly, eternally, the one unchanging God, the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither the shadow of a change. Here is the entire sermon (his first preached at New Park Street Chapel, Southwark). Read out [mp3]: Audio Player 00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. POSTED ONDECEMBER 22, 2014 2014 Christmas Roundup dore wisemen woodcut Christmas header nativity star Here is the Christmas Roundup from last year with some recent posts added on: Podcast The Incarnation | Sola Scripture Ministries International On today’s broad cast of After Darkness Light, Heinz Dschankilic and Michael Haykin look at the essence behind the Christmas story. This essence is described in John 1:14 where the apostle notes that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Come join us today as they explore The Incarnation. Audio Player 00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. Christmas and Christianity, Part 1 | Nick Kennicott I’m not sure if every pastor out there gets the same questions I do, but one that seems to come up pretty regularly this time of year is all about Christmas… While Christians often debate this issue, I am convinced that the 2nd commandment forbids the making of images of Christ in every respect. I oppose the ikons of Eastern Orthodoxy depicting the members of the Trinity, and just as strongly oppose the myriad of attempts at depicting Jesus in art of various forms (film, paintings, sculptures, crucifixes, etc.). God has said quite categorically, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:4). So the nativity scenes of Christmas depicting Jesus as a baby are a violation of the 2nd commandment, and while well intentioned, should not be displayed by Christians. – Christmas and Christianity, Part 2 There are at least five areas to consider when working through the biblical arguments against Christmas celebration. They are festivals and special days of observance, the Lord’s Day, the regulative principle of worship, cultural engagement, and Christian liberty. – Christmas and Christianity, Part 3 What About History? elf santaSanta Claus is coming to town? | Stephen Rees It’s that time again. The run-up to Christmas. We’ve been preparing our children. We’ve warned them. They mustn’t say it. They mustn’t even hint at it. Whatever anyone says to them, they mustn’t let it slip. They don’t believe in Santa. – The cost of Christmas In a few weeks time most of us will be celebrating Christmas. So how do we, as Christians, decide what it’s right to spend at Christmas? We face the same pressures as other folk. Let me remind you of five important truths. albert n martinChristmas and the Christian | Feileadh Mor Albert N. Martin is a straight shooter. In a series on Christmas he outlines the history of the practice in connection with Christian liberty… MP3s: Christmas and the Christian 01 Christmas and the Christian 02 Christmas and the Christian 03 Christmas and the Christian 04 Christmas Liberty 01 Christmas Liberty 02 Christmas Liberty 03 – gillGill on Christmas It directs to the observation of several fasts and festivals, which are no where enjoined in the word of God, and for which it provides collects, gospels and epistles to be read: the fasts are, Quadragesima or Lent, in imitation of Christ’s forty days fast in the wilderness, Ember weeks, Rogatian days, and all the Fridays in the year; in which men are commanded to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving. The festivals, besides, the principal ones, Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide, are the several saints days throughout the year; which are all of popish invention, and are either moveable or fixed, as the popish festivals be; and being the relics of popery makes us still more uneasy and dissatisfied with them. “Because you have been attending the wrong church.” Santa Claus, the Gospel & the Church + The “right way to fire your pastor” | Tom Ascol It happened again last week. On Thanksgiving morning I received an email from a friend of a friend. The first line read, “It appears I am being forced out of my pastorate.” The story that unfolded in the rest of that email and upon further inquiry is filled with themes that are tragically too common… Should We Celebrate Christmas? | Scott Brown Each year, I receive letters asking my thoughts about the celebration of Christmas. So last year, I posted over a dozen articles on the subject of Christmas expressing a number of different perspectives from respectable men… Ponder through the Twelve Days of Christmas series and test each of them by the Word of God. Day 1: Sermon by Charles Spurgeon Day 2: Jonathan Edwards on Christmas, Easter, and New Year’s Day 3: XMAS by A.W. Pink Day 4: John Piper Day 5: George Whitefield Day 6: Brian Schwertly Day 7: John MacArthur on the Christmas Tree Day 8: A Scottish Covenanter – George Gillespie – on Christmas Day 9: Two Sermons Commenting on Christmas Observance from Charles Spurgeon Day 10: Rethinking the Pagan Origins of Christmas Day 11: The Puritans on Christmas Day 12.1: Did We Celebrate Christmas in Early American History? Day 12.2: More Quotes from the 17th to the 19th Centuries Day 12.3: What Roman Catholics Say About Christmas Day 12.4: Christmas and the Use of Time Day 12.5: R.C. Sproul and J.I. Packer JoyFriday Funny: ‘Twas the Sunday pre-Christmas: a cautionary tale [Jeremy Walker] + Audio Interview About This Poem | Jason Delgado We interviewed Jeremy Walker about his newest book and this topic came up. Here is a five minute preview of Tuesday’s podcast: Audio Player 00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. The Power of the Most High | Stephen Yuille We are in the midst of the Christmas season, when we give particular attention to the incarnation of Christ. Jesus and the Real Meaning of Christmas | John Samson Each Christmas we hear the story about angels and shepherds, of wise men and strange sightings of a star, of a donkey, and of the Child that was laid in a stable manger. Yet the actual birth of Jesus, though highly unusual, was not entirely unique. Of course, not everyone is born to the sight of a star moving and coming to rest overhead, or to the sound of angelic announcements and trumpet blasts! Yet it is true to say that many children have been born in humble surroundings. Therefore, it was the manner in which Jesus was conceived that marks Him out from others. The doctrine of the Virgin Birth holds that Jesus’ birth was the result of a miraculous conception whereby the Virgin Mary conceived a baby in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, without a human father. Christ’s miraculous birth tells us much about His nature. In the Fullness of Time | Mike Porter So, why did Caesar, the most powerful man in the known world, send out the decree? Because “this…has been written by the prophet”. Because “the heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord as rivers of water — he turns it wherever he wills”. Because the fullness of time had come, and for no other reason. It was God’s sovereign design, and not that of men. spurgeon14 reminders from Spurgeon for those home for Christmas | Tony Reinke On Sunday morning, December 21, 1856, Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon to prepare his growing church for the coming Christmas season. He titled it “Going Home,” and the aim of the message was to encourage each member of his congregation to humbly, wisely, and appropriately find opportunities to share their personal testimony with family and friends. Have Yourself An Eschatological Christmas | Eric Ayala When we think of Christmas, we often think of the beginning of Jesus’ life here on earth, of when he was incarnate in the flesh and the beginning of the story of the Gospels. But we don’t often think of Christmas as an Eschatological event. The historical reality of the incarnation wasn’t just a sign of a new beginning, but of a completion and fulfillment. Christmas is a mark of the end, the eschaton, as the God who will bring the final day steps into time and space to bring about the culmination of all things. With him comes light and peace and hope; and also judgment and terror, and finality. Far from a celebration of just a cute little baby that we call Jesus, Christmas shows us the declarative and magnificent power of the omnipotent God who reigns over all things. Christmas in Jesus’ Own Words | Paul Gordon “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 Christmas in The Words of The Apostles of Jesus “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” 1 John 4:14 poetry poetic poet write draw“To Nazareth came Gabriel, a herald of God’s love” | Jeremy Walker Recently, preaching from Luke 1, I was disappointed with the range of hymns available that focused on the miraculous conception. What follows is a first attempt at addressing that lack. A Tale of Two Christmases | Tom Chantry A thought occurred to me while I was driving home on Christmas Eve listening to callers to a radio station share their Christmas memories. They were all trying to be happy, but they all sounded depressed. It struck me of a sudden that I understand why this is. More will be added here as they appear. POSTED ONDECEMBER 19, 2014 Tomorrow’s Promise, Today’s Indulgence [Jeremy Walker] christmas pudding flamingFrom Jeremy Walker at Reformation21: Perhaps one of the reasons why the festive season is one of such excess and abandonment is because we indulge with the self-satisfying assurance that we will be sorting everything out tomorrow. So, whether it is food and drink, spending, or general laziness and laxity, we let it all hang out because tomorrow will be different. … We can do the same thing spiritually. We promise ourselves that tomorrow is the big day, the day when we will really begin to pray against a particular sin, wrestle against a particular temptation, address a particular habit. And what happens? First of all, our own sinful hearts will incline to one last fling, one last binge – after all, we will be taking ourselves in hand tomorrow. But more than that, Satan will begin to whisper. He will assure us that we might as well give in to temptation – after all, we can repent later and start over the day after. And how often does this happen? Read the rest of this needed exhortation here. POSTED ONDECEMBER 3, 2014 Is the evangelical church really glorifying God? [Conrad Mbewe] Conrad Mbewe Conrad Mbewe Conrad Mbewe asks 10 questions towards “evangelical Christianity in Africa”, but these same questions could/should be asked worldwide: As 2014 draws to an end, my heart aches. I am deeply burdened about what has become the dominant characteristic of evangelical Christianity in Africa. I have tried to wrap my mind around this by simply asking an honest question “Is this Christianity that has become pervasive across the African continent really glorifying God?” 1. Are we glorifying God when we claim that we are experiencing miracles that are actually not happening? […] 2. Are we glorifying God when we speak in “tongues” that cannot be interpreted? […] 3. Are we glorifying God when we reduce the benefits of salvation to more wealth and better health? […] 4. Are we glorifying God when we abandon the preaching of repentance for motivational speaking? […] 5. Are we glorifying God when we hide the rot of spiritual wolves preying on vulnerable souls? […] 6. Are we glorifying God when we reduce truth to a minimum for the sake of Christian unity? […] 7. Are we glorifying God when we reduce worship to senseless dancing to sensual music? […] 8. Are we glorifying God when commanding, declaring and decreeing replace humble petitions in prayer? […] 9. Are we glorifying God when we fill our church membership rolls with goats and kick out church discipline? […] 10. Are we glorifying God when we have women preachers while men sit in pews and listen to them? […] Read “Is the evangelical church in Africa really glorifying God?” POSTED ONDECEMBER 2, 2014 Chapter 1 of Recovering a Covenantal Heritage [PDF] ‘A Brief Overview of Seventeenth-Century Reformed Orthodox Federalism’ [Barcellos] You can read chapter one of the forthcoming book Recovering a Covenantal Heritage. It begins: CHAPTER 1 A Brief Overview of Seventeenth-Century Reformed Orthodox Federalism Richard C. Barcellos, Ph.D. Recovering Covenantal HeritageIt is no secret that various seventeenth-century Reformed orthodox theologians articulated theology utilizing a federal or covenantal model. There are many sources (primary and secondary) available for the contemporary reader which amply display and discuss this model. We will examine briefly a few of the more important federal theologians of the seventeenth century to introduce readers to the world of seventeenth-century federal or covenant theology. This brief survey understands federal theology as a method and not as a distinct school. Federal or covenant theology did not begin in the seventeenth century. The seventeenth-century Reformed orthodox built upon the labors of their Reformed predecessors, who built upon the labors of others before them. Such theologians as Zwingli, Bullinger, Calvin, Ursinus, Olevianus, Rollock, Perkins, Ames, and Ball all played key roles in the early development of federal theology. We will look briefly at some of the key contributors to the development of federalism in the early and late seventeenth century, and even into the eighteenth century, to provide a wider context to introduce the reader to the thought-world of post-Reformation federalism. This should assist the reader as he continues through this volume. Knowing the historical-theological issues of the most productive era of the formulation of federal or covenant theology (among paedobaptists and Particular Baptists) will introduce readers to the ways and means utilized in such formulations and help understand some of the post-Reformation confessional statements and the biblical and theological issues at stake. You can read the HTML (text) of chapter one at 1689 Federalism [45 minute readout], as well as find the 18 page PDF below: Download (PDF, 343KB) Follow Richard Barcellos @richbarcellos RBAP just ordered 150 copies of Recovering a Covenantal Heritage: Essays in Baptist Covenant Theology. Should be on sale by Dec 16. 12:23 PM - Dec 3, 2014 1 1 Reply 4 4 Retweets 13 13 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy POSTED ONDECEMBER 2, 2014 ‘Biblical Principles for Parenting’ Series [Keith Throop] Keith Throop Keith Throop Keith Throop introduced this topic: The Bible doesn’t give us a parenting manual – a specific list of “how to’s” for most any conceivable situation – but it does give us a number of important principles to apply in parenting our children, and, in order to adequately set forth these principles, I can think of no better place to begin that with the fact that God has revealed Himself to us as a Father. This means that we will discover the ideal of fatherhood expressed in His person both in relationship to Jesus, who is God’s Son by nature, and in relationship to those of us who believe and are thus God’s sons by adoption… Thus each principle we will examine relates in one way or another back to God as our heavenly Father and our supreme example for parenting. The four principles will be as follows [one post devoted to each]: First, our heavenly Father teaches us the importance of letting our children know that we love them and that they are special to us. Second, our heavenly Father teaches us the importance of the loving discipline of our children. Third, our heavenly Father teaches us the importance of raising our children to know His Word. Fourth, our heavenly Father teaches us the importance of a proper view of both a father’s and mother’s role in the family. POSTED ONDECEMBER 2, 2014 ‘Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants’ Review Article [PDF] by Sam Renihan [from JIRBS 2014] Kingdom Through Covenant Gentry Wellum Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenant by Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum This review article was published in the Journal of the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies (2014): 153-76, and is used with permission from Reformed Baptist Academic Press. Sam Renihan Sam Renihan Here is the first couple of paragraphs of the critique sections and the closing paragraph: It goes without saying that Gentry and Wellum are to be commended for their detailed, careful, and extensive work. They are also to be commended for a desire to say what God has said in such a way that reflects the way that he has said it. But we must now turn to iron-sharpening and face the giants in the land. The fundamental argument of Kingdom through Covenant is sound. God does indeed govern his world through dominion delegated by covenant. The overall metanarrative is also sound. There is a great tension/need in the progress of the historical covenants for one who will do perfectly all that God commands. But the authors are operating under a few false dilemmas. They propose their system as a via media between covenant theology and dispensationalism. From all appearances, covenant theology equals paedobaptism. The only hint to the contrary is the brief mention of Greg Nichols’ book in the preface (12- 13). Forasmuch as the authors are weary of the rehearsal of the same arguments from covenant theologians, they would find many an ally among the federal theologians of the seventeenth-century Particular Baptists. A rejection of the idea that the historical covenants are simply “administrations” of the covenant of grace, an appreciation for the progressive nature of God’s covenantal dealings with man, and an insistence that the new covenant is the covenant of grace are arguments that have been brought forward in the past. But these arguments did not entail the same rejection of the covenant of works and covenant of grace as is seen in this book. Thus, it is a false dilemma to see no party besides paedobaptist federal theologians and dispensationalists… Gentry and Wellum have produced a volume that demands attention, consideration, and interaction. At the very least, it provides a wealth of exegetical work and research for those who would want to study these issues. But more than that, it is a book that will add contour and detail to the reader’s understanding of the divine drama and all that God has done and will do for his people throughout the ages. You can read the HTML (text) of this article at 1689 Federalism [52 minute readout], as well as find the PDF below: Download (PDF, 281KB) POSTED ONNOVEMBER 29, 2014 Get Desiring God’s new edition of Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress” FREE [PDF, EPUB, MOBI] Pilgrims Progress New Ed Desiring God: On November 28, 1628, in a quiet cottage nestled within the English parish of Elstow, during one of the most tumultuous times in the country’s history, John Bunyan was born. The place of Bunyan’s birth in Elstow was only a mile from the busy town of Bedford, where years later Bunyan would be imprisoned for over a decade for preaching the gospel. Like his father, Bunyan learned the simple trade of a tinker — a mender of pots and kettles — and came to be known as the “tinker turned preacher” when he began lay preaching in his late twenties. Bunyan’s skill and passion drew hundreds of listeners. Theologian John Owen, a contemporary of Bunyan, when asked by King Charles why he went to hear such an uneducated man preach, replied, “I would willingly exchange my learning for the tinker’s power of touching men’s hearts.” But Bunyan’s legacy is not so much in his preaching, but his writing. During his imprisonment in the Bedford jail, Bunyan wrote several books, including most popularly, The Pilgrim’s Progress, which has sold more copies in the English language than any book besides the Bible. Today, the book still remains both an incomparable source of spiritual education and a classic in English literature. Releasing a New Edition For this reason, on Bunyan’s birthday, Desiring God is excited to release a new edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress, free of charge in three digital formats (PDF, EPUB, MOBI). This new edition is the original first part of Bunyan’s classic, unabridged and redesigned in beautiful typesetting for modern readability. This edition also features a foreword by Leland Ryken, who kindly offered counsel to us since the beginning of this project, and a short biography of Bunyan’s life by John Piper. The preface to this edition was written by John Newton in 1776 to introduce an old version of the book that included his annotations. This preface was discovered by Tony Reinke, biographer of Newton, and is included now in print for the first time in over a century. Table of Contents Foreword by Leland Ryken To Live Upon God Who Is Invisible: The Life of John Bunyan by John Piper Preface by John Newton (1776) The Pilgrim’s Progress Download: Download the PDF Download the EPUB formatted for readers like the Nook, Sony Reader, and Apple iBooks (iPad, iPhone, iPod). Download the MOBI formatted for Kindle. (You may be required to download the MOBI file to a computer before sending it to your Kindle device.) In addition to the free ebook formats, we are releasing a new paperback version available on Amazon at minimum cost. At just over 250 pages, this paperback is a stout read and makes for a great gift idea this Christmas season, especially in the midst of new and exciting publications. Preview PDF: Download (PDF, 849KB) POSTED ONNOVEMBER 26, 2014 Thanksgiving Roundup [Spurgeon, J. Renihan, Savastio, 1689] Here is a roundup from last year with some additions from this year: Thanksgiving-Brownscombe pilgrim puritan header indian 1689 gift editionThe Importance of Thanksgiving Day by Dr. James Renihan From the [1689] Second London Confession, Chapter 22: 3. Prayer with thanksgiving, being one special part of natural worship, is by God required of all men. But that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the Name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to his Will; with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; and when with others, in a known tongue. 5. The reading of the Scriptures, Preaching, and hearing the word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs, singing with grace in our Hearts to the Lord; as also the Administration of Baptism, and the Lords Supper are all parts of Religious worship of God, to be performed in obedience to him, with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear; moreover solemn humiliation with fastings; and thanksgiving upon special occasions, ought to be used in an holy and religious manner. – Thanksgiving in the Church From the Directory for Public Worship: Concerning the Observation of Days of Publick Thanksgiving. WHEN any such day is to be kept, let notice be given of it, and of the occasion thereof, some convenient time before, that the people may the better prepare themselves thereunto. C H SpurgeonCharles H. Spurgeon – A Sermon Delivered on Sunday Morning, September 27th, 1863: Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. — Psalm 65:11. POSSIBLY objections might have been raised to a day of thanksgiving for the abundant harvest if it had been ordered or suggested by Government. Certain brethren are so exceedingly tender in their consciences upon the point of connection between Church and State, that they would have thought it almost a reason for not being thankful at all if the Government had recommended them to celebrate a day of public thanksgiving. Although I have no love to the unscriptural union of Church and State, I should on this occasion have hailed an official request for a national recognition of the special goodness of God. However, none of us can feel any objection arising in our minds if it be now agreed that to-day we will praise our ever-bounteous Lord, and as an assembly record our gratitude to the God of the harvest. We are probably the largest assembly of Christian people in the world, and it is well that we should set the example to the smaller Churches. Doubtless many other believers will follow in our track, and so a public thanksgiving will become general throughout the country. I hope to see every congregation in the land raising a special offering unto the Lord, to be devoted either to his Church, to the poor, to missions, or some other holy end. Yes, I would have every Christian offer willingly unto the Lord as a token of his gratitude to the God of providence… All the year round, every hour of every day, God is richly blessing us; both when we sleep and when we wake, his mercy waits upon us. The sun may leave off shining, but our God will never cease to cheer his children with his love. Like a river his lovingkindness is always flowing, with a fullness inexhaustible as his own nature, which is its source. Like the atmosphere which always surrounds the earth, and is always ready to support the life of man, the benevolence of God surrounds all his creatures; in it, as in their element they live, and move, and have their being. Yet as the sun on summer days appears to gladden us with beams more warm and bright than at other times, and as rivers are at certain seasons swollen with the rain, and as the atmosphere itself on occasions is fraught with more fresh, more bracing, or more balmy influences than heretofore, so is it with the mercy of God: it hath its golden hours, its days of overflow, when the Lord magnifieth his grace and lifteth high his love before the sons of men. [source: ReformedOnTheWeb] – Treasury of DavidSpurgeon on Psalm 100: A Psalm of Praise; or rather of thanksgiving. This is the only psalm bearing this precise inscription. It is all ablaze with grateful adoration, and has for this reason been a great favourite with the people of God ever since it was written. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. On this Psalm, Charles Sprugeon comments: In all our public service the rendering of thanks must abound; it is like the incense of the temple, which filled the whole house with smoke. Expiatory sacrifices are ended, but those of gratitude will never be out of date. So long as we are receivers of mercy we must be givers of thanks. …Be thankful unto him. Let the praise be in your heart as well as on your tongue, and let it all be for him to whom it all belongs. And bless his name. He blessed you, bless him in return; bless his name, his character, his person. Whatever he does, be sure that you bless him for it; bless him when he takes away as well as when he gives; bless him as long as you live, under all circumstances… [source: Abraham’s Seed] 2013-11-25 09.03.01Always And For All Things by Jim Savastio Of all the things that you will do this week, few will be repeated in eternity. But every time you are thankful to God you are engaging in a heavenly and eternal work. – Seriously Thankful …In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, amidst a flurry of exhortations, one them stands out above all others. In everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. This is God’s will. That may seem redundant…after all, it’s in the Bible and it’s in the form of a present active imperative–a clear command. By telling us that this is God’s will for those in union with Jesus, Paul is, as it were, underscoring, highlighting, italicizing, putting in caps this particular command. Don’t miss this! it’s God’s will for you to always be thankful. Doing God’s will is of eternal consequence. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21 that only those who do the will of God will go to heaven. Paul tells us in Romans 1 that among the many sins which merit the wrath of God is ingratitude. Unbelief and ingratitude binds the souls in hell together. But how can we be thankful at all times and for all things? Are there not issues which grieve and disappoint us? Of course. The issue is that what God has done for us in Jesus is so much better that it always tips the scales towards gratitude. No matter how well things are going in your estimation now, if you are in Christ you have reason to be thankful. Thanksgiving Scott BrownThirteen Thanksgiving Celebration Tips by Scott Brown What follows are THIRTEEN Thanksgiving Celebration Tips. I write this that we “may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,” and to tell of His “wondrous works.” (Psalm 26:7), and to declare the praises of our Lord Jesus Christ across the land. In it you will find encouragement to read the scripture, sing the songs, recount the history and dedicate your family to building a culture of thankfulness. Pilgrims & Baptists: the little known connection If not for a Baptist church split, the Pilgrims might never have come to America. Sort of. More added here as they come in.. POSTED ONNOVEMBER 24, 2014 1689Federalism.com Update [Resource Roundup] 1689Federalism 1 Brandon Adams Brandon Adams Brandon Adams: FYI, the 1689Federalism.com site has an “Additional Resources” [RSS] section that collects material from around the web relevant to 1689 Federalism. Here are some recent additions: Historical: Form and Matter in Covenant Theology Form and Matter + Promise and Promulgation = Particular Baptist Federal Theology Did A.W. Pink agree w/ 1689 Federalism? The Decalogue in the Thought of Key Reformed Theologians with Special Reference to John Owen The Oneness of the Church (Owen) This essay has important implications for how to properly interpret the olive tree of Romans 11 Baptist Catechisms (Covenant Excerpts) Books: The Divine Covenants (A.W. Pink) The Kingdom of Christ (Abraham Booth) The Family Tree of Reformed Biblical Theology Lectures Pascal Denault on the Covenant Theology of the 1689 Baptist Confession (RB Seminary) From the Garden to the Covenant of Works (Barcellos) Redeemer Radio: The Law of God Several more video and audio lectures on the site Writings Barcellos’ Short Writings on the Law Definition of Key Terms and Phrases Some thoughts on the three-fold division of the law Some thoughts on Moral Law, Positive Law, the Ten Commandments, the New Covenant, and the Ground of our Justification Typical Objections to the Ten Commandments and Christians The Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 on the Decalogue Barcellos’ Short Writings on Covenant Theology How Old is Covenant Theology? A Typical Objection to the Covenant of Works: Stated, Answered, Concluded Was Adam placed in a covenantal relationship with God? Biblical-Theological Exposition and Hermeneutics Contact There is also a new Ask a Question page POSTED ONNOVEMBER 24, 2014 Of What Use Is The Law? Jeff Robinson Answers Threefold-Use-of-Law_620“Of What Use is the Law? Three purposes” by Jeff Robinson: Recently, after our family had completed its daily devotional time together, my oldest son asked me a very insightful question: How do the Ten Commandments apply to us today if they were given so long ago in the Old Testament? It is a basic theological question that many Christians have asked throughout the history of the church and it is an important query. Many answers have been given to that, not all of them good. Obviously, there are two answers that are dead wrong and lead to two opposite ditches that the follower of Christ must avoid: Antinomianism (the law of God has no place in the life of the believer and he/she is free to live however they please) and legalism (I am saved by how closely I adhere to God’s commands—works righteousness). One of the best and most helpful answers, in my opinion, that has been given was set forth by the Genevan reformer, John Calvin. In his venerable systematic theology, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, Calvin set forth three “uses” for the moral law of God. {Book 2, Chapter 7, edj} Institutes Calvin’s is a helpful paradigm, I think. But perhaps best of all, Calvin reminded his readers, in speaking of the first use of the law, that the law—like a schoolmaster—prepares one to receive the good news of the gospel. The law of God demonstrates that man has no righteousness in himself that is pleasing to God. Sinful man must be given a righteousness that is extra nos—outside of himself. As the Puritans, Calvin’s theological ancestors, famously put it, the law wounds and then the gospel arrives and heals. As followers of Christ, we are a people of grace and not law. But it is God’s law that demonstrates his spotless character and shows our need of grace. Calvin saw this clearly. As Paul admonished young Timothy, may God teach us how to use the law lawfully (1 Tim. 1:8). For the full article please read, “Of What Use Is The Law? Three Purposes” by Jeff Robinson at The Blog: The Voice of Founders.org {see also 2nd London Particular Baptist Confession of Faith, Chapter 19, Of The Law of God, edj} Posts navigation Previous pagePage 9 Next page Search for: Search … Search FOLLOW: *: Enter your email address: Subscribe - Subscribe to just the podcast via RSS reader, iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or by Email* (*email is only sent out once per day) BAPTI-BOT BLOG ROUNDUP Iron Sharpens Iron Podcast Logo September 21, 2017 Show with Jeremy Walker on “What is Repentance?” Theme: September 21, 2017: Jeremy Walker, Pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church of Crawley in West Sussex, England, author & blogger @ Reformation 21 & The Wanderer, will address: “What […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Iron Sharpens Iron Podcast Logo September 6, 2017 Show with Marc Grimaldi on “The Importance of Calvinism for Biblically Faithful Evangelism: What it Prevents & What it Preserves” Theme: September 6, 2017: Marc Grimaldi, a pastor @ Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Long Island in Merrick, NY, will address the theme: “The IMPORTANCE of CALVINISM For BIBLICALLY […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Archbishop of Canterbury Can’t Answer Direct Questions, More on the I Am Sayings of Jesus Snuck a quick DL in today, covering Justin Welby’s inability to answer a direct question on the nature of sin, and then spending most of our time continuing the discussion […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Introduction to “Getting the Garden Right: Adam’s Work and God’s Rest in Light of Christ,” coming soon from Founders Press Introduction This book, in one sense, concentrates on hermeneutics and theological method. I contend that New Covenant Theology (NCT) gets the covenant of works and the […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Final page of last lecture for Southern California Reformed Baptist Pastors’ Conference ‘17 You can register for the conference here. Psalm 104:30 says, “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.” Here both […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Endorsements for “Getting the Garden Right,” coming soon from Founders Press Nothing shapes how we interpret and apply the Bible as much as our understanding of covenant. Richard Barcellos offers us a helpful blend of biblical exegesis and theological reflection […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 RECENT COMMENTS Rich Barcellos on One Thing I Did Right in Ministry… [Blog Series | Founders] Jason on ‘Honey Out of the Rock’ by Thomas Wilcox [Free E-book] Jason on What is the Importance of Believer’s Baptism? Fred Malone Answers [5 min. VIDEO] Hesbon on July 7-9, 2015 “Pathway to Power” Metropolitan Tabernacle School of Theology feat. Peter Masters + more in London, UK Kevin Schwamb on Upcoming 7 Volume Series: “Lectures in Systematic Theology” by Greg Nichols. Book one months away… Sharon thombre on “The Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross” by A. W. Pink [Free eBook Friday] DANA CASTALDO on What is the Importance of Believer’s Baptism? Fred Malone Answers [5 min. VIDEO] TOP TAGS 17th Century Baptist History1689 Federalism1689 Second London Baptist Confession of FaithAndrew FullerApologeticsAsk a Reformed BaptistBaptismBaptist HistoryBooksCalvinismCharles SpurgeonChurchChurch HistoryConfessionalismCovenant TheologyEcclesiologyEvangelismFounders MinistriesFree e-book FridayGospelJames RenihanJames WhiteJeffrey T. 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CATEGORY: THEOLOGY POSTED ONFEBRUARY 10, 2015 Doesn’t God’s relationship with particular people change as a result of Christ’s work on the cross?

THE CONFESSING BAPTIST Reformed Resources from a 1689 Perspective About Contact Guidelines | T&C | FAQ Podcast Interview Headlines Book Review Categories News Theology Culture Audio Video Events Bapti-Bot Roundup CATEGORY: THEOLOGY POSTED ONFEBRUARY 10, 2015 Doesn’t God’s relationship with particular people change as a result of Christ’s work on the cross? D. Scott Meadows answers [Herald of Grace Mag] I’m fine-tuning [re-programming] the Bapti-Bots now because somehow they missed reporting a site to us. The site is called “Herald of Grace” which is “An online Christian magazine, heralding God’s saving truth (2 Tim. 4:2)”. Contributors include Pastor David Chanski, Dr. Alan J. Dunn, Albert N. Martin, Pastor D. Scott Meadows, Pastor John Reuther, Pastor Noble Vater + more. Below is a snippet of the first featured article from their site (mag): Pastor D. Scott Meadows Pastor D. Scott Meadows D. Scott Meadows: God loves His chosen people eternally—not just everlastingly, if by everlastingly we mean from a certain point in time and enduringly through a succession of moments without end. Rather, His sovereign love upon particular individuals whom He purposes to create and to save has no beginning and no end. “God is love” (1 John 4.8, 16). His love is not something added to Him, not even a long, long time ago. It is timeless and eternal. It “was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” before “the beginning” (Gen 1.1), that is, before time, if we may so speak. It is this love that accounts for the Christian’s holy call in his or her life experience to return to God. That call to salvation is “not according to our works,” which are all sinful and unworthy, “but according to His own purpose and grace,” the outworking of His eternal decree, and the exercise of His sovereign prerogative to be merciful and gracious to whomever He will, and to harden or blind the rest (Exod 33.19; Rom 9.15-16, 18; 11.7-8). Objections to this biblical doctrine abound. Many may be dismissed easily, but some are more difficult. A thoughtful question is, “Doesn’t God’s relationship with particular people change as a result of Christ’s work on the cross?” or possibly, “when they believe the gospel?”… Loved Before Time Meadows Read “Loved Before Time”. – Any other sites you think the Bapti-Bots have missed? Let us know. POSTED ONFEBRUARY 9, 2015 What Does The Bible Teach About Women Deacons? Earl Blackburn Answers Earl Blackburn Earl Blackburn Pastor Earl Blackburn: Due to the pressure of the feminist movement and evangelical egalitarianism, some evangelical and Reformed churches have ordained women into the office of deacon. Usually 1 Timothy 3:11 is used as a biblical basis to substantiate the position of women deacons. Paul’s commendation of Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2) is further used to support this belief and action. Occasionally, certain segments of church history are referenced to buttress the claim. I believe this position is an unbiblical one and should be avoided in all biblical and confessional churches for the following reasons… Read “What Does The Bible Teach About Women Deacons?” POSTED ONFEBRUARY 9, 2015 Expositional Preaching: What is it? Ryan Burton King Answers [4-Part Blog Series] preachPastor Ryan Burton King posted his four part series on Expositional Preaching that was printed in the worship bulletin of Grace Baptist Church (Wood Green): Preaching is vital to the church’s life and care should be taken with reference to context, time allotted, and biblical exegesis as to what should be preached and how. In any case, an expositional sermon draws its substance from God’s word, deals with the matters raised in a particular Scriptural text, and should consistently point to the message of the Saviour that undergirds all Scriptural texts… Expositional preaching reads, explains, and applies the Scriptures in a way that is unrivalled by other styles of preaching. It requires attention as the preacher prepares then delivers the message drawn from the text, and as the people listen. It commands devotion, as people are driven to search the Scriptures more deeply and, if the messages are working consecutively through a book, drawn to meet again so as not miss the next segment. It demands a response, challenging head-thoughts, heart-feelings, and life-styles with the call to lay other things aside and seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness in Christ. That is why we preach expositionally. Here is the series: Expositional preaching Part One: What is it? Expositional preaching Part Two: What it is not Expositional preaching Part Three: Why Preach Expositionally? Expositional Preaching Part Four: the Expositional Preacher POSTED ONFEBRUARY 6, 2015 The importance of “God without Passions, A Reader” for ARBCA & the broader confessional world [Tom Chantry] Tom Chantry: While many are debating classical theism today, it is among the Reformed Baptists of North America that it has first become a defining ecclesiastical controversy. arbca gaAs the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America is currently preparing for its General Assembly in April, its Theology Committee is scheduled to present and defend a position paper on the doctrine of divine impassibility. positionpapeARBCAr2Position papers in ARBCA are clarifications of the teaching of the Second London Confession, and as such are binding membership documents for its churches. Put another way, the Particular Baptists may have been the last Reformed group in England to adopt Cranmer’s words as part of their confessional standard, but their theological heirs are slated to be the first to determine whether those words are still worthy as a defining statement of ecclesiastical identity. Sam Renihan Sam Renihan It is not surprising, then, that an ARBCA pastor has produced a most helpful volume of historical theology on this matter. Pastor Samuel Renihan of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California has edited God without Passions: a Reader. What Renihan has done is bring together a great deal of theological writing – not only on the doctrine of impassibility, but more broadly on the nature of God. His anthology begins at the Reformation and proceeds through the 17th century, examining the writings of various Reformed theologians and also of the Particular Baptists… No pastor or elder who is going to participate in the weighty decisions at General Assembly ought to do so without familiarizing himself with the context and thought of our Confession. Now that this anthology is available, the failure to do so would be inexcusable. I believe, though, that the subject matter is of great importance beyond this one denominational concern. The multiple recommendations from Reformed and Presbyterian scholars suggest that I am not alone… Read “Review of Samuel Renihan, God Without Passions”. POSTED ONFEBRUARY 3, 2015 Tom Ascol’s “Church Splits” column from Tabletalk Magazine, Feb. 2015 Tabletalk Labor and RestLigonier Ministries posted Tom Ascol’s column “Church Splits” from Tabletalk Magazine, February 2015: When an atom is split, its overall mass is reduced and a tremendous amount of energy is released. The results, graphically demonstrated by the two atomic bombs that ended World War II, can be massively destructive, with effects that linger for generations. The reactions that result from atom splits have their counterparts in the spiritual realm with church splits. When a congregation experiences division, the consequences are often devastating, widespread, and long lasting. Tom Ascol Tom Ascol The sinful severing of relationships always breeds betrayal and disillusionment. In a church, where members relate to each other as interdependent components of one body (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-30; Eph. 4:25), the pain caused by schism can also give rise to mistrust and cynicism, two emotional weeds that, if not uprooted, will prevent the kind of love and vulnerability that are essential to genuine gospel fellowship… When a church splits, many people are inevitably hurt by sinful attitudes and actions. On such occasions, we must remember that our Master knows what this is like and has shown us how to respond (1 Peter 2:19-25). As those who have been forgiven, we must forgive. As those who may have participated in sin, we must repent, remembering that this is precisely why Jesus died. Read “Church Splits”. – Dr. Tom Ascol is pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Fla., and is executive director of Founders Ministries and editor of the Founders Journal. You can follow him on Twitter @TomAscol. POSTED ONFEBRUARY 3, 2015 How A. W. Pink showed that we should have family worship [PDF] Scott Brown: Here is the second article from the first chapter of A Theology of the Family. This article is written by A.W. Pink, and is titled, “Family Worship.” A. W. Pink A. W. Pink A. W. Pink: There are some very important outward ordinances and means of grace that are plainly implied in the Word of God, but for the exercise of which we have few, if any, plain and positive precepts; rather are we left to gather them from the example of holy men and from various incidental circumstances. An important end is answered by this arrangement: trial is thereby made of the state of our hearts. It serves to make evident whether, because an expressed command cannot be brought requiring its performance, professing Christians will neglect a duty plainly implied. Thus, more of the real state of our minds is discovered, and it is made manifest whether we have or have not an ardent love for God and His service. This holds good both of public and family worship. Nevertheless, it is not at all difficult to prove the obligation of domestic piety. Read online [HTML] or as a PDF: Download (PDF, 127KB) POSTED ONJANUARY 31, 2015 My Baby’s Heart Stopped Beating: A Mother’s Story of Loss & Hope [Jasmine Holmes] Jasmine Holmes: I love children. I grew up around them, I teach them, I want a household full of them. I couldn’t wait to be a mother — I couldn’t wait to care for my own child. But now my child was dead. I felt like the psalmist: “What profit is my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?” (Psalm 30:9). Sometimes we cannot help but ask: God, what are you doing? Read “My Baby’s Heart Stopped Beating: A Mother’s Story of Loss & Hope”. Screen Shot 2015-01-31 at 7.36.24 AM – Jasmine & Phillip Holmes Jasmine & Phillip Holmes Jasmine Holmes is a wife, author, and foodie [also the daughter of Voddie Baucham]. She holds a BA in English literature and serves as a fifth grade teacher at a classical/university model school. She and her husband, Phillip [Executive Assistant to Dr. Voddie Baucham, more on him], live in Houston. POSTED ONJANUARY 30, 2015 Baptists Couldn’t Possibly Know What They’re Talking About [Brandon Adams + Lee Gatiss + Pascal Denault] John The Baptist OwenBrandon Adams writes: In the previous round we answered the objections of someone who later admitted they had not even read Owen’s argument. Here we answer the objections of someone who later admitted they had not even read our argument. Over at Reformation 21, Lee Gatiss listened to 10 minutes of a podcast, misunderstood a joke, and judged a book by its cover. He felt it was urgent to inform baptists that John Owen was actually a paedobaptist. Of course, if he’d bothered to read the book, he’d have know that’s not the point. The point is that Owen rejected his earlier covenantal views and the “judgment of most reformed divines”. Gatiss does not address this (as is typical). In fact, Gatiss doesn’t mention anything from Owen’s commentary on Hebrews 8:6-13. Instead, he provides quotes of Owen affirming infant baptism, which, again, isn’t the point. He quotes Owen’s commentary on Hebrews 4:9-10, 15 (which I also quote in my analysis of Owen’s infant baptism) as well as 6:1-2; 7:1-3, 12; 11:24-26. Gatiss concludes “Sorry folks, but these are exactly the same applications that Owen makes from his covenant theology in the earlier tract on infant baptism,” which, again, is not the point. We are well aware that Owen makes the same application (infant baptism). Our point is that his covenant theology undergirding that application changed. Read “Baptists Couldn’t Possibly Know What They’re Talking About: Debating Owen, Round 473 – Lee Gatiss”. Gatiss cites our podcast as evidence of course, no one ever insists that John Owen was a Baptist. There was also a brief twitter conversation between Gatiss, and Denault on Twitter (see below): Follow Pascal Denault @pascaldenault @LeeGatiss We all know Owen was never a Baptist, we only affirm that his CT fits perfectly ours http://www.1689federalism.com u should comment that 10:50 PM - Jan 29, 2015 Photo published for 1689 Federalism 1689 Federalism The distinctive biblical theology of confessional particular baptists 1689federalism.com 1 1 Reply Retweets 1 1 like Twitter Ads info and privacy Jan 29, 2015 Pascal Denault @pascaldenault @LeeGatiss We all know Owen was never a Baptist, we only affirm that his CT fits perfectly ours http://www.1689federalism.com u should comment that Follow Lee Gatiss @LeeGatiss @pascaldenault Not sure that's the impression given by the podcast… And by others who are using your work to say such things. 11:13 PM - Jan 29, 2015 4 4 Replies Retweets 1 1 like Twitter Ads info and privacy Jan 29, 2015 Lee Gatiss @LeeGatiss Replying to @pascaldenault @pascaldenault Not sure that's the impression given by the podcast… And by others who are using your work to say such things. Follow Pascal Denault @pascaldenault @LeeGatiss And please, erase this sentence "which cheekily even has Owen on the cover" How could I have not Owen considering the subject? 11:21 PM - Jan 29, 2015 1 1 Reply Retweets 1 1 like Twitter Ads info and privacy – Update Jan 30, 2015: Brandon replies back to Lee’s response. POSTED ONJANUARY 30, 2015 ‘The Paedobaptists Have Found their Victoria Jackson’ Tom Chantry on Lee Gatiss’ recent Ref21 post John The Baptist OwenTom Chantry: [Lee] Gatiss heard some talk about John Owen’s promotion of a baptistic form of covenant theology, and he is very, very concerned to let us know that John Owen was…drumroll please…not a Baptist. Victoria Jackson Victoria Jackson We know, Victoria, we know. For those of our paedobaptist friends who care to understand, here is what is going on. …this incident can be filed as yet another beat-down of a Baptist straw-man by misinformed paedobaptists… Read “The Paedobaptists Have Found their Victoria Jackson”. – Update Feb. 2, 2015: Judging a Book by (Part of) its Cover POSTED ONJANUARY 29, 2015 Church Membership De Jure or De Facto? [Brandon Adams] Brandon Adams Brandon Adams Brandon Adams writes: When Presbyterians are first introduced to 1689 Federalism, often one of their first responses is “Oh, so you deny the visible/invisible distinction of the church?” To which we respond “No.” For example, Chris Villi says: In one of the key statements of the book, Denault writes, “The Scriptures do not provide any possibilities of being visibly in the New Covenant without participating effectively in its substance” (p. 153). This assertion represents one of the most fundamental errors of Baptist theology. Essentially, Denault is arguing that everyone in the New Covenant is truly saved and that it is impossible for an unbeliever to be connected to the New Covenant in any sense. Denault notes that, for Particular Baptists, the New Covenant “did not have an external administration in which the non-elect were to be found” (p. 86). Again, the denial of the possibility of unbelievers in the visible church is one of the most problematic aspects of the federalism espoused by Denault. Is it really possible to guarantee that there are no non-elect people associated with the visible church? Even more, can this idea of “regenerate membership” in the visible church be defended as biblical? Given that 1689 federalists have always been convinced that true believers cannot lose their salvation, the very existence of a New Testament command for church discipline and excommunication contradicts their position. http://www.jesuspaidinfull.com/Documents/CVilli_1689_Federalism_Paper.pdf 1689 Confession 2Yet our confession clearly states in chapter 26: 1._____ The catholic or universal church, which (with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. ( Hebrews 12:23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:10, 22, 23;Ephesians 5:23, 27, 32 ) 2._____ All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted. ( 1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 11:26; Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:20-22 ) 3._____ The purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan; nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him, and make profession of his name. ( 1 Corinthians 5; Revelation 2; Revelation 3; Revelation 18:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12; Matthew 16:18; Psalms 72:17;Psalm 102:28; Revelation 12:17 ) church pewSo where is the confusion coming from? It’s the difference between de jure and de facto. de jure [Latin, In law.] Legitimate; lawful, as a Matter of Law. Having complied with all therequirements imposed by law. De jure is commonly paired withde facto, which means “in fact.” In the course of ordinaryevents, the term de jure is superfluous. For example, in everyday discourse, when onespeaks of a corporation or a government, the understood meaning is a de jurecorporation or a de jure government. A de jure corporation is one that has completely fulfilled the statutory formalities imposedby state corporation law in order to be granted corporate existence. In comparison, a de facto corporation is one that has acted in Good Faithand would be an ordinarycorporation but for failure to comply with some technical requirements. de facto [Latin, In fact.] In fact, in deed, actually. This phrase is used to characterize an officer, a government, a past action, or a state of affairs that must be accepted for all practicalpurposes, but is illegal or illegitimate. Thus,an office, position, or status existing under a claim or color of right, such as a de factocorporation. In this sense it is the contrary of de jure, which means rightful,legitimate, just, or constitutional. Thus, an officer, king, orgovernmentde facto is one thatis in actual possession of the office or supreme power, but by usurpation, or withoutlawful title Read “Church Membership De Jure or De Facto?”. POSTED ONJANUARY 29, 2015 A Word of Practical Advice to New Bi-Vocational Pastors [Robert Truelove] Pastor Robert Truelove Pastor Robert Truelove Robert Truelove: I’ve been bi-vocational for some time and I wish I had something positive to say about it. The reality is, you’re going to be put into impossible situations where you can’t possibly see to the needs of the church, your other occupation, and your family at the same time… bivocational_mWhat I am saying is…it is going to be HARD, especially as the years roll by and the bi-vocational situation remains. My advice is, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTIN INTO! Discuss these matters with your wife. Lead hr and pray that God grant her commitment to this as well as yourself. You are going to need her understanding and support and never forget that she is the most important congregant you need to shepherd. If the burdens become to great for her, it will likely cause you to need to step out of the ministry. So…my number one bit of practical advice to the bi-vocational pastor, love your wife fervently, and lead her into the joys of Christ… Read “A Word of Practical Advice to New Bi-Vocational Pastors”. POSTED ONJANUARY 28, 2015 Innovative Thinking vs. Time Tested Truth [Crenshaw] At Reformed Libertarian, Bobby Crenshaw writes, I have started to read Samuel Renihan’s “God Without Passions: a Reader”. I could not even get past the foreword (by Carl Trueman) without being reminded of how the smallest departure from the Doctrine of God can lead to many unintended and dangerous consequences. He mentions some particular examples from church history to illustrate this. The Socinians started with what may appear to be small departures from historic Christianity but ended up teaching a “Unitarian God with limited or no knowledge of the future…” What is shocking is not that there was some group teaching heretical doctrines but that this group started as a “biblicist movement” that “…claimed a high view of scripture.” (Trueman)council Many naively believe that we should simply study the Bible without having a conversation of how the church has historically understood the Bible. However, is this not choosing to consciously ignore the wealth of information that the Holy Spirit has given as an inheritance to the church already? Are we willing to lightly cast aside what the Spirit has shown to our forefathers in the faith throughout history? Are we really expected to start at square one every generation? Read the rest here: Innovative Thinking vs. Time Tested Truth | Reformed Libertarian. POSTED ONJANUARY 27, 2015 Repentance—The Missing Note In Today’s Preaching [Conrad Mbewe] Conrad Mbewe Conrad Mbewe Conrad Mbewe: I have observed with a growing concern how repentance is no longer a clear call in much of today’s preaching. This may not necessarily be true all over the world but as I listen more and more to various preachers on African soil this is certainly true here on our continent. The vast majority of preachers treat sin more like a disease than a state of rebellion. Hence, the remedial approach is that of “deliverance” rather than a call to repent. Was that the prevalent view in the Bible? Read “Repentance—The Missing Note In Today’s Preaching”. POSTED ONJANUARY 15, 2015 Impassibility: Basic Definition, Explanation, & Why it’s Essential [Jim Butler] Pastor Jim Butler Pastor Jim Butler Jim Butler: The goal with this post is simply to provide a basic definition, explanation, and to highlight why the doctrine is essential. It is crucial to understand that it is the doctrine of impassibility that secures God’s relational character to His creatures; it alone provides the foundation for the confession’s declaration that God is “most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute…most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth…” Read “A Brief Statement on Divine Impassibility”. POSTED ONJANUARY 13, 2015 Download the eBook version of the 1st chapter of ‘A Theology of the Family’ FREE through Jan. 16 theology_of_the_familyNCFIC: We have a new website for A Theology of the Family: familytheology.com. We will be posting video testimonials about the book, as well as updates and quotes! Also, if you go on to familytheology.com and subscribe to the NCFIC mailing list anytime between now and next Friday (the 16th), you can download the eBook version of the first chapter of A Theology of the Family for FREE. Posts navigation Previous pagePage 8 Next page Search for: Search … Search FOLLOW: *: Enter your email address: Subscribe - Subscribe to just the podcast via RSS reader, iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or by Email* (*email is only sent out once per day) BAPTI-BOT BLOG ROUNDUP Iron Sharpens Iron Podcast Logo September 21, 2017 Show with Jeremy Walker on “What is Repentance?” Theme: September 21, 2017: Jeremy Walker, Pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church of Crawley in West Sussex, England, author & blogger @ Reformation 21 & The Wanderer, will address: “What […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Iron Sharpens Iron Podcast Logo September 6, 2017 Show with Marc Grimaldi on “The Importance of Calvinism for Biblically Faithful Evangelism: What it Prevents & What it Preserves” Theme: September 6, 2017: Marc Grimaldi, a pastor @ Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Long Island in Merrick, NY, will address the theme: “The IMPORTANCE of CALVINISM For BIBLICALLY […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Archbishop of Canterbury Can’t Answer Direct Questions, More on the I Am Sayings of Jesus Snuck a quick DL in today, covering Justin Welby’s inability to answer a direct question on the nature of sin, and then spending most of our time continuing the discussion […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Introduction to “Getting the Garden Right: Adam’s Work and God’s Rest in Light of Christ,” coming soon from Founders Press Introduction This book, in one sense, concentrates on hermeneutics and theological method. I contend that New Covenant Theology (NCT) gets the covenant of works and the […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Final page of last lecture for Southern California Reformed Baptist Pastors’ Conference ‘17 You can register for the conference here. Psalm 104:30 says, “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.” Here both […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 Endorsements for “Getting the Garden Right,” coming soon from Founders Press Nothing shapes how we interpret and apply the Bible as much as our understanding of covenant. Richard Barcellos offers us a helpful blend of biblical exegesis and theological reflection […] Fri, Oct 06, 2017 RECENT COMMENTS Rich Barcellos on One Thing I Did Right in Ministry… [Blog Series | Founders] Jason on ‘Honey Out of the Rock’ by Thomas Wilcox [Free E-book] Jason on What is the Importance of Believer’s Baptism? Fred Malone Answers [5 min. VIDEO] Hesbon on July 7-9, 2015 “Pathway to Power” Metropolitan Tabernacle School of Theology feat. Peter Masters + more in London, UK Kevin Schwamb on Upcoming 7 Volume Series: “Lectures in Systematic Theology” by Greg Nichols. Book one months away… Sharon thombre on “The Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross” by A. W. Pink [Free eBook Friday] DANA CASTALDO on What is the Importance of Believer’s Baptism? Fred Malone Answers [5 min. VIDEO] TOP TAGS 17th Century Baptist History1689 Federalism1689 Second London Baptist Confession of FaithAndrew FullerApologeticsAsk a Reformed BaptistBaptismBaptist HistoryBooksCalvinismCharles SpurgeonChurchChurch HistoryConfessionalismCovenant TheologyEcclesiologyEvangelismFounders MinistriesFree e-book FridayGospelJames RenihanJames WhiteJeffrey T. 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