salt and light in the world, have abandoned the concept of morality…

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 ONAUGUST 13, 2015 Tom Nettles Interviews Tom Ascol on the 1689 [Founders Journal] Founders Journal · Summer 2005 · pp. 4-9 has an interview, conducted by Tom Nettles, with Pastor Tom Ascol on the Second London Confession of 1689. It begins: founders journal summer 2005Start by telling us how long your church has used the 1689 Confession. Since 1989 Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida has been guided by a commitment to the 1689 (Second London) Confession of Faith. We adopted that confession as a detailed expression of our doctrinal commitments as a church and for the purpose of guiding us in the selection of officers, teachers and other leaders in the church. We use the edition that is published by the elders of Grace Baptist Church in Carlisle, PA, but also allow for the use of the Carey edition, entitled A Faith to Confess. This latter edition employs modern language and is more easily read by some.[1] Pastor Tom Ascol Pastor Tom Ascol How does using a confession of faith benefit a church body? A church can receive great benefit from properly using a (or more than one) confession of faith. By adopting a confession of faith a clear statement is made that on certain matters of faith and practice the church is pre-committed. That is, the church declares, “We are not looking for truth in these areas, we believe that we have found the truth of God’s Word on these subjects and this is what our views are.” This kind of pre-commitment is very useful in times of doctrinal uncertainty or controversy. If some members come to convictions that are contrary to the church’s confession, then those members can be addressed on the basis of what the church has previously stated to be its views. Further, those seeking to join the church have in the confession a clear declaration of what can be expected in the preaching and teaching ministry. A good confession can help promote the unity of the church. Opinions are not all equally valid and where there exists in a church a common commitment to a list of doctrinal convictions, those views that deviate from or contradict that commitment can be readily recognized and addressed. No church can long survive if it must continually reevaluate each and every doctrine when at once it is questioned. A good confession can also help a church grow spiritually. Such a confession represents the collective wisdom of trusted teachers. It can prove to be a great source of instruction for those who are committed to understanding and applying biblical truth. A confession serves as a reminder of what God has taught others whose lives and views we respect. It can be consulted as a guide in Bible study, or can actually provide an outline for a doctrinal study of the Word. Dr. Tom Nettles Dr. Tom Nettles What are the doctrinal strengths of the Second London Confession [2LC]? The doctrinal strengths of the 2LC are seen in the comprehensiveness of its thirty-two chapters. Matters related to the heart of salvation are addressed in detail in at least twelve of those chapters, covering everything from “God’s Covenant” (chapter 7) to the “Assurance of Grace and Salvation” (chapter 18). In addition to these soteriological chapters, the confession also treats matters related to the life and health of a local church. Twelve chapters address the Bible’s teachings on the law, gospel, Christian liberty, worship, the Sabbath, oaths, civil government, marriage, the church, communion of the saints and the ordinances (chapters 19–30). In addition, chapters on authority (1), the nature and sovereignty of God (2–5), sin (5) and last things (31, 32) are included. All of these subjects are important to the spiritual vitality of individual believers and churches. As a believer grows in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, these are matters that he will discover he must develop opinions and perhaps even convictions on. It is very helpful for a local church to state plainly its position on these matters. Members can expect the teaching and preaching ministries of the church to be within these confessional boundaries. The confession can also be used as an excellent tool for the systematic study of biblical doctrines. The insights of those who have gone before us and whose testimonies have proven faithful are invaluable aids in study and growth… The rest contain answers to the following questions: Do you think that the length of the articles is helpful or confusing? How does it serve in the process of a person becoming a church member? Do pastors/elders relate differently to the 2LC than those members that are not so called? How does it serve in the educational process of the church? How does it serve in the discipline of the church? How is it related to biblical exposition in the church? Another idea you would like to cover Read the entire interview. – [HT: @1689_LBCF] POSTED ONAUGUST 7, 2015 “Comfort for Christians” by A. W. Pink [Free eBook Friday] comfort pink Comfort for Christians by A. W. Pink [Download in ePub and Mobi (Kindle) formats] Monergism.com: A W PinkThe work unto which the servant of Christ is called is many-sided. Not only is he to preach the Gospel to the unsaved, to feed God’s people with knowledge and understanding (Jer 3:15), and to take up the stumbling stone out of their way (Isa 57:14), but he is also charged to “cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression” (Isa 58:1 and cf. 1 Tim 4:2). While another important part of his commission is stated in, “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God.” (Isa 40:1). What an honorable title, “My people!” What an assuring relationship: “your God!” What a pleasant task: “comfort My people!” A threefold reason may be suggested for the duplicating of the charge. First, because sometimes the souls of believers refuse to be comforted (Psalm 77:2), and the consolation needs to be repeated. Second, to press this duty the more emphatically upon the preacher’s heart, that he need not be sparing in administering cheer. Third, to assure us how heartily desirous God himself is that His people should be of full of joy (Phil 4:4). God has a “people,” the objects of His special favor: a company whom He has taken into such intimate relationship unto Himself that He calls them “My people.” Often they are disconsolate because of their natural corruptions, the temptations of Satan, the cruel treatment of the world, the low state of Christ’s cause upon earth. The “God of all comfort” (2 Cor 1:3) is very tender towards them, and it is His revealed will that His servants should bind up the broken-hearted and pour the balm of Gilead into their wounds. What cause have we to exclaim “Who is a God like unto You!” (Micah 7:18), who has provided for the comfort of those who were rebels against His government and transgressors of His Law. TABLE OF CONTENTS: No Condemnation The Christian’s Assurance Sufferings Compensated The Great Giver The Divine Rememberer Tried by Fire Divine Chastisement God’s Inheritance God Securing His Inheritance Mourning Hungering Heart Purity The Beatitudes and Christ Affliction and Glory Contentment Precious Death I said it on our last Dunker Bunker and I’ll say it again: Real Men Read Pink (3) POSTED ONAUGUST 7, 2015 “Regarding America’s moral collapse, I blame us… A very serious reformation is needed” [Tom Chantry | 5-part Series] Pastor Tom Chantry finished up his five part series on who is to blame for America’s moral collapse and what we do from here. Here are some snippets from part one: Most American Christians are currently experiencing cultural whiplash. …in one month’s time, we discover that actually, the constitutional republic our civics classes taught us about simply no longer exists. Instead, a panel of elite lawyers make up the constitution as they go, while an even smaller number of elite bureaucrats set policies according to their whims. Consider: An American system which has long tolerated and for a while celebrated sexual perversion has now institutionalized the same. Unnatural relations are now sanctified by the name “marriage.”… The United States has abandoned overnight the decades old policy of non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction… Conclusive evidence has been unearthed that our nation, which easily leads the world in the practice of slaughtering our own babies, has for decades subsidized an organization which has not only killed 900 healthy babies a day for years, but which has profited by that holocaust by selling off baby parts to the highest bidder… Perhaps what most unifies these three stories is the entire absence of any moral sense in the nation… As I reflect on that biblically, I have come to this conclusion: the real culprit is the church. American Christianity is responsible for this mess. I don’t even mean those who have abandoned the central tenets of the faith to accommodate culture; I mean that the believing, orthodox Christians of America are more to blame than any other group. This disaster is ours, and for a very simple reason: we, who were supposed to live as salt and light in the world, have abandoned the concept of morality… chapter 19 law From his series conclusion: Pastor Tom Chantry Pastor Tom Chantry All week I have argued that the American Evangelical church is to blame for the collapse of our culture [part 1]. We have failed utterly to maintain the doctrine of the law [part 2] which was universally taught in Protestant confessions, becoming instead a lawless people [part 3]. This has handicapped our witness [part 4] to the world, robbing us of the moral authority to speak and of any message which could convict. A very serious reformation is needed. Efforts to defund (and dismantle) Planned Parenthood are certainly a righteous cause. It is right for Christians to fight abortion, and to struggle to define marriage properly. However, a more fundamental reformation is necessary, and what is more, it is within the grasp of the church. I speak of a reformation of Evangelicalism – one in which we repent of the last half-century of abandonment of morality. The needed reformation will be spiritual, theological, ecclesiastical, and homiletical… Read the series I Blame Us: The Collapse The Law The Rejection The Failure The Recovery POSTED ONAUGUST 5, 2015 5 Minutes in Church History Podcast on Baptist Confessions [AUDIO] Dr. Stephen Nichols highlights the history of baptists from London to Philadelphia in the latest episode of 5 Minutes in Church History: Listen Here: Transcript: London to Philadelphia—you might think that this has to do with transatlantic flights. Well, it doesn’t. It has to do with confessions of faith—Baptist confessions of faith, to be exact. First, there is the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, also known as the Second London Baptist Confession, and then there is the Philadelphia Confession of Faith. The Baptists came into being early in the 1600s in England. These were Puritans. They had all left the Anglican Church and were part of the larger group of people that we call Nonconformists, meaning they would not conform to the established church, the Church of England. These Baptists were not only separated out from the Anglicans, but these Baptists also believed in adult or believer’s baptism, which set them apart from some of the other Nonconformists. It set them apart from the Presbyterians and it set them apart from the Congregationalists. In 1644, the Baptists gathered together and wrote the First London Baptist Confession. It was very much like the Westminster Standards, but of course it differed in the chapters on church polity or church government and on baptism. In 1677, they gathered again to refresh this confession and had a number of people sign off on it, but there were also some who couldn’t sign off. This was a time of intense persecution in England, and there were many who were simply not able to align themselves with this statement. Read more… POSTED ONJULY 31, 2015 “The Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross” by A. W. Pink [Free eBook Friday] Pink Cross Saying A Catechism for Boys and Girls by A. W. Pink [Download in .ePub .mobi & .pdf formats] Monergism.com: The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross, Dr. Pink illustrates clearly the lessons that emerge out of the seven utterances of Christ on the cross, filling the reader with the glory of the redemptive message. Pink uses one chapter, for each of the seven things Jesus said while dying: the word of Forgiveness (Luke 23:34), the word of Salvation (Luke 23:42-43), the word of Affection (John 19:25-27), the word of Anguish (Matthew 27:46), the word of Suffering (John 19:28), the word of Victory (John 19:30) and the word of Contentment (Luke 23:46). A W PinkEach of the seven chapters is then broken down into seven profound insights on what Jesus said, why he said it, and the far reaching implications for us who hear it. Dr. Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952) served as a pastor for churches in Colorado, California, Kentucky, and South Carolina. His ministry brought him throughout the United States, Australia, and Great Britain. Pages: 94. Download (PDF, 468KB) POSTED ONJULY 24, 2015 “A Catechism for Boys and Girls” by Erroll Hulse [Free eBook Friday] hulse catechism A Catechism for Boys and Girls by Erroll Hulse [Download in .ePub .mobi & .pdf FORMATS] Chapel Library: This simple catechism is very helpful for teaching young children to understand and remember the basic truths of the Christian faith. Lyn & Erroll Hulse Lyn & Erroll Hulse Erroll Hulse serves as Associate Pastor at Leeds Reformed Baptist Church in Leeds, England. Since 1970, he has edited and written extensively for Reformation Today, a bi-monthly international magazine that includes a variety of doctrinal, historical, practical, and expository articles as well as worldwide news. He has authored numerous books and articles. Pastor Hulse studied theology under Principal E F Kevan at the London Bible College; and while in London, he benefited from the ministry of Dr D Martyn Lloyd-Jones. His pastorates in the UK include 23 years in Cuckfield, West Sussex, three years in Liverpool, and nineteen years as Associate Pastor with a missions mandate at Leeds Reformed Baptist Church. Pages: 16. Download (PDF, 55KB) POSTED ONJULY 10, 2015 2 chapter excerpts “A Way in the World” & “Respect the Authorities” from Jeremy Walker’s “Passing Through: Pilgrim Life in the Wilderness” Chapter seven, “Respect the Authorities”, from Pastor Jeremy Walker’s book Passing Through: Pilgrim Life in the Wilderness, is now online. He explains: Passing Through: Pilgrim Life in the Wilderness Passing Through: Pilgrim Life in the Wilderness [podcast interview] It was recently my privilege to have published a new book with the title,Passing Through: Pilgrim Life in the Wilderness. The fundamental premise of the work is that the church needs to recover its pilgrim identity, and from that work out its pilgrim activity, cultivating simultaneously a holy separation from and a holy engagement with the world around us. In the book, I try to offer not only a way of understanding that identity and activity, but also to offer ten pilgrim principles for kingdom life in a fallen world. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but it is meant to be a relevant and enduring one. The seventh chapter is entitled, “Respect the Authorities.” It seems particularly pertinent in the light of recent events. With the permission of the publishers, I am going to reproduce, over the next few days, that chapter. The outline is the same as for each such chapter: a brief introduction, an assessment of the scriptural framework, a section of summary thoughts, and a series of specific counsels. Please bear in mind that the chapter is slightly out of context as given here. Other chapters in the book also bring appropriate counsels for the present time – chapters that help us to understand the environment, know the enemy, fight the battles, pursue the mission, relieve the suffering, appreciate the beauty, anticipate the destiny, cultivate the identity, and serve the King… Pastor Jeremy Walker Pastor Jeremy Walker Here is the outline of the chapter with links to read it online: Introduction Scriptural framework A proper subjection The prayers of the saints A godly life Respond prayerfully Our heavenly hope Summary thoughts Specific counsels Remember the distinction and recognize the appointment Appreciate the protection and use the freedoms Pay the dues and address the government Manage the expectations and approach the throne You can also find chapter one excerpts below: A Way in the World, Part 1 A Way in the World, Part 2 A Way in the World, Part 3 POSTED ONJULY 9, 2015 No Proof of Paedobaptism: An Evaluation of Jared Oliphint’s post “Not Your Average Paedobaptism” Over at Founders Ministries’ THE BLOG, Pastor Tom Hicks writes: Pastor Tom Hicks Pastor Tom Hicks …Jared Oliphint recently wrote an article for the Gospel Coalition in which he made a case for infant baptism on the basis of the distinction between the internal and external aspects of the covenant (Berkhof calls this the “dual aspect” of the covenant of grace). Oliphint argues that the new covenant is breakable, and that understanding the allegedly breakable nature of the new covenant helps make sense of infant baptism. I’m going to show you why Oliphint’s argument is unconvincing to this Reformed Baptist. 1. Oliphint says the new covenant is a mixed body. The bulk of Oliphint’s case for infant baptism rests on the argument that the new covenant is a mixed body of believers and unbelievers. He makes this argument from Hebrews 10:26-30 and John 15:1-6… 2. I say the new covenant is a pure believers covenant. Though theoretically a Reformed Baptist might grant Oliphint’s point about the mixed nature of the new covenant, that is not my position, nor is it the historic Baptist position. The reason is purely exegetical. Let’s look a little more closely at the two passages Oliphint provides in support of his position… [K]ey to Oliphint’s argument for a mixed new covenant of believers and unbelievers is found in Hebrews 10:29, “How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has outraged the Spirit of grace.” Oliphint argues that this describes someone who was truly in the new covenant, sanctified by its blood, but who later fell away from the covenant, rejected Christ and came under His wrath infant paedo baptismThere are two serious problems with Oliphint’s interpretation: 1. It proves too much. Does Oliphint really believe that all baptized infants and unbelievers in the covenant are “sanctified” (v. 29) by the blood of the covenant? What about the Reformed doctrine of definite/effectual atonement? Does Christ’s blood sanctify unbelievers? Is Oliphint advocating a kind of limited Arminianism? What about the teaching in the book of Hebrews, just one chapter earlier, that Christ’s blood is effectual to save? It says that Jesus died, “securing an eternal redemption” (Heb 9:12). His blood “secures” or renders certain, an “eternal,” permanent, “redemption” by which Christ has bought liberty for all His covenant people. Hebrews also says, “A death has occurred that redeems” (Heb 9:15). This doesn’t say His blood potentially redeems, or makes redemption possible. It says that Christ’s blood actually redeems! Hebrews tells us that Jesus “sat down” in the courts of heaven because there is no more work for Him to do! His blood made complete “purification for sins” (Heb 1:3), securing perfect redemption. Oliphint’s exegesis seems to entail a weakening of the nature of the atonement and a broadening of the extent of the atonement. 2. It assumes too much… 3. The lack of a case for infant baptism… Read “No Proof of Paedobaptism: An Evaluation of Jared Oliphint’s post “Not Your Average Paedobaptism”. You may also be interested in Brandon Adams’ response to the same post. POSTED ONJULY 7, 2015 Reformed Confessions of Faith & the Traditional Text [Robert Truelove] Pastor Robert Truelove of Christ Reformed Church in Lawrenceville, GA has some interesting things to say about how our Confessionally Reformed forebears viewed the Hebrew and Greek texts of Scripture: Pastor Robert Truelove Pastor Robert Truelove When the confession speaks of the original Greek and Hebrew as “being immediately inspired by God” it is often thought today to only be referring to the original autographs. However, the confession proceeds to make clear that “immediate inspiration” is not referring merely to the autographs, but the text that came down to us through history for it is “by his singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic”. That is, it is “authentic” because it has been “kept pure in all ages” and therefore the texts on hand were considered to be the locus of authority, not non-existent originals. The text on hand was the Traditional Text being the Greek Textus Receptus and the Hebrew Masoretic Text. … TBS-Koine-Greek-New-Testament-001-300x2881Rome was pointing to their Latin Vulgate declaring it to be the “authentic” text or locus of authority and the Protestants were pointing to the Traditional Text of the Greek and Hebrew as “authentic”. What we have therefore in our Protestant confessions is a direct rebuttal to Rome. It is not the Latin Vulgate that is “authentic” but the original language texts of the Greek and Hebrew Scripture as preserved in the Traditional Text. When the historical context is properly understood, it is a leap to think the Protestants were declaring non-existent autographs to be the locus of authority. When we actually look at what the 17th century Reformed Scholastics taught on this matter, there can be no doubt as to the meaning of the confessions of this same era. … It is clear from Owen’s words that he saw the questioning of the wording of the Traditional Text to be an assault upon the authority of the Scripture itself. When we place the writings of the Reformed Scholastics alongside the wording found in the confessions, it is difficult (if not impossible) to escape the conclusion that these confessions place the locus of authority in the Traditional Greek and Hebrew texts. Furthermore, we see a different mindset in their approach to the difficulties inherent in manuscript variants than that of the popular contemporary approach to textual criticism. To say they didn’t possess the evidence we now have and make claims of anachronism fails to grasp the concerns of our forbears. While it is true they came before the discoveries of the ancient papyri, they were yet aware of the problem of variants (as their writings reveal). However, it is also clear that they approached the issue with a completely different set of presuppositions. The matter of preservation and inspiration was tied directly to the Traditional Text without the contemporary appeal to “evidence”. To the 17th century Reformed Scholastics, the proper text of the Bible was not a matter of science, but faith. You can read Pastor Truelove’s entire article here: Reformed Confessions of Faith and the Traditional Text POSTED ONJULY 4, 2015 Helpful Questions for Discerning a Credible Profession of Faith [Jeffery Smith] Jeffery Smith: Pastor Jeffery Smith Pastor Jeffery Smith [There is] the necessity of requiring a credible profession of faith before receiving a person into the membership of the church. In our church we have what we call a membership interview with any one asking to become member, as do many of you. Below I give a sample list of suggested questions that can be helpful in charitably discerning the credibility of a person’s profession insofar as we are able and required to do so as men who cannot see the heart. In fact, we have actually sometimes given these questions to younger converts and asked them to take them home and write out brief answers to bring back to us in a subsequent meeting. I’m not suggesting that all of these questions should be asked in a membership interview or that all, or any, of them should be handed out to take home to write out answers. I just mention these to give some ideas of the kinds of questions that might be asked. Good, carefully thought out, questions can go a long way in helping us discern where a person is and in guarding the church from the danger… church membershipPerhaps, pastors reading this blog might find these helpful. Some of these have been picked up from the suggestions of others. In cases where we actually hand out a document with these questions for a person to take home, at the top is the following introductory paragraph: Please take the time to think carefully over these questions and answer them in your own words. These are not trick questions so don’t be nervous or worried. We simply desire to know about your understanding of the gospel and what God has done and is doing in your life and to encourage you to think about these things. This will also help facilitate profitable interaction in our membership interview. Here are the questions that follow: Are you a sinner? What makes a person a sinner? Have you ever felt that you deserve God’s wrath and punishment because of your sins? If so why do you think that? Besides outward sins what are some sins in your heart that you’ve been guilty of that God has shown you? When Jesus died on the cross what was he doing that has to do with the salvation of sinners? Can God just forgive sinners or was it necessary for Christ to die on the cross for God to do that? If so why was it necessary? Are there any good works that you have done that you believe make it right for God to receive you as his child and take you to heaven? If not what are you trusting in for acceptance with God? What are some verses of scripture that give you hope and comfort when you think about your sins and your relationship to God? Do you ever pray and read your bible? If so how often? What are some ways God has changed, or is changing, your attitudes and behavior? What are some things God has been teaching you lately? Do you desire, with God’s help, to follow and obey Christ in everything with no exceptions? When God convicts you that you have sinned in some way what do you do? Are there any problems you have in your relationship to any of the members of the church? Do you ever get anything out of the sermons? If so could you give an example of a sermon, or of something in a sermon, lately that has helped you? If so how did it help you? Read Helpful Questions for Discerning a Credible Profession of Faith. POSTED ONJUNE 24, 2015 Available For Review: “Passing Through: Pilgrim Life in the Wilderness” by Jeremy Walker [Blog Tour] Cross Focused Reviews: Passing Through Pilgrim Life in the WildernessFor our first July blog tour, we’re pleased to offer Passing Through: Pilgrim Life in the Wilderness by Jeremy Walker (Reformation Heritage Books, 2015)… Blog Tour Details: Tour Date: July 6-19, 2015 Available Formats: Paperback (Continental US Only) & ebook (.mobi or .epub) We ask that reviewers post to their personal website/blog and Amazon.com. Sign up here. POSTED ONJUNE 22, 2015 Reflections on Sin & Evil [Tom Ascol] This is an article that Tom Ascol wrote nine years ago, but last week he tweeted out that it “seems relevant the day after Dylan Roof murdered 9 people in church.” Pastor Tom Ascol Pastor Tom Ascol Through the influences of both theological and secular humanism the modern American mind long ago jettisoned any belief in human depravity. Thus, as Rabbi Kushner has widely taught, when bad things happen it is “good people” who must grapple with the question of “why?” His views simply reflect contemporary thinking, which, when it comes to the issue of evil inevitably begins with the presupposition that man is basically good. After all, look at the many beneficial things the human race has accomplished. We are constantly reminded of the vast advances being made in science, technology, medicine, and education. Surely the examples that can be cited from these and other fields of human endeavor reflect a nature that is, at least, pretty good. This assumption renders one ill-prepared to deal with the reality of moral evil in the world. Explanations must be sought from places other than the human heart. So the blame is usually placed on some kind of social deprivation. The arguments which are offered from this wrong-headed perspective are hardly tenable, much less convincing… Read “Lords of Chaos: Where Do They Come From?”. POSTED ONJUNE 10, 2015 Why Does the Bible Say So Much about Widows? Pastor Austin Walker Answers Pastor Austin Walker, coauthor (with Brian Croft) of the new book Caring for Widows: Ministering God’s Grace, answers: All Over Scripture Caring for WidowsMuch earlier in my ministry, I began to include widows in the public prayers of the church where I was the pastor. I spoke at a gathering of ministers on public praying and mentioned widows among those who were often neglected in the prayers and ministry of the church. Called to care for widows in my own congregation, I began to study the Scriptures. I soon discovered that there were very few books written about caring for widows but was taken aback by how much the Bible said about them. Whether you read Moses and the prophets, the Psalms and the Proverbs of Solomon, the four Gospels, or the book of Acts and the letters to the churches in the New Testament, you will not be able to read far without the subject of widows coming up. There are about eighty direct references to widows in the Scriptures. Why? The Defender of Widows Fundamentally, God is the kind of God who keeps a careful eye on the widow. He is profoundly concerned for her, together with the stranger and the fatherless. He is righteous and protects them for he is “a father of the fatherless, a defender of widows . . . in his holy habitation,” (Psalm 68:5). The incarnate Son of God is like him. He cared for his widowed mother (John 19:25-17), he raised from the dead the son of the widow of Nain and returned him to his mother (Luke 7:11-17), and, in the spirit of the prophets, condemned those who took advantage of widows (Matthew 23:24). Called to Imitate God widows-blog2xIn line with this, God commanded that the nation of Israel care for widows, being diligent to not isolate them or take advantage of their vulnerability. Deuteronomy 16:11-14 shows how God provided for widows so that they were not excluded; instead, they enjoyed full participation in the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. However, when the nation of Israel turned away from serving God, they also turned away from his commandments. Who suffered when that happened? Widows were among the first casualties. The Old Testament prophets reproached those who wronged widows and called the nation back to its God-given responsibilities (e.g. Isaiah 10:1-3, Jeremiah 22:1-5, Ezekiel 22:6-7). The church is called to be God-like, imitating his example and obeying his commandments. The early church cared for widows (Acts 6). In fact, the task was so important that seven men of good reputation, full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit, were selected to be responsible for the matter. What’s more, Paul laid out clear instructions in 1 Timothy 5 about how widows were to be regarded and treated. James did not mince his words in James 1:27. He said, in effect, “Let’s be clear about the nature of real religion. It must be visible and practical. It visits widows and orphans in their trouble as well as maintains moral purity in an evil world.” Austin WalkerPastor Austin Walker – born in London in 1946, he became a Christian at the age of 15, and later studied at the University of Aberystwyth, Wales. Following a degree at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, he returned to the UK in 1971 and subsequently became a pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church in Crawley, Sussex where he still preaches the word of God. From its inception the church was a confessional church, adopting The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith as an expression of what the members believe to be scriptural truth. One of his specific interests is historical theology, especially that of the Reformation and the English Particular Baptists. The Excellent Benjamin Keach was published in 2004 and then God’s Care for the Widow in 2010. Very happily married to Mai for forty four years, they have four married children and ten grandchildren. POSTED ONJUNE 1, 2015 New Book: “Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age” + Haykin’s chapter on Congregationalism [As far as I know, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin is the only Reformed Baptist contributing to this book. He wrote chapter one on “Some Historic Roots of Congregationalism”, which can be read here and at the bottom of the post.] Baptist Foundations Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age Mark Dever (Editor), Jonathan Leeman (Editor), Andrew M. Davis (Contributor), John S. Hammett (Contributor), Michael A. G. Haykin (Contributor), Benjamin L Merkle (Contributor), Thomas R. Schreiner (Contributor), Kirk Wellum (Contributor), Stephen J. Wellum (Contributor), Thomas White (Contributor), Shawn Wright (Contributor) [Hardcover: $33.29 | £29.76 | Kindle: $44.99 | £28.27] Description: Ours is an anti-polity age, perhaps more than any other time in the history of the church. Yet polity remains as important now as it was in the New Testament. What then is a right or biblical polity? The contributors to this volume make an exegetical and theological case for a Baptist polity. Right polity, they argue, is congregationalism, elder leadership, diaconal service, regenerate church membership, church discipline, and a Baptist approach to the ordinances. Each section explores the pastoral applications of these arguments. How do congregationalism and elder leadership work together? When should a church practice church discipline? How can one church work with another in matters of membership and discipline? To be read sequentially or used as a reference guide, Baptist Foundations provides a contemporary treatment of Baptist church government and structures, the first of its kind in decades. Details: Print Length: 432 pages Publisher: B&H Academic (June 2015) Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches Text-to-Speech: Enabled [Kindle] Lending: Enabled [Kindle] Google Books sample goes to page 88 which includes all of Haykin’s chapter: POSTED ONMAY 21, 2015 Voddie Baucham interviewed by WorldMag on Homeschool, Racism, Move to Africa + more Pastor Voddie Baucham Pastor Voddie Baucham The article is titled, “Voddie Baucham’s big move to Africa” and is described as: Q&A | The pastor, father, and speaker talks about his work at home and explains his move to Zambia with his wife and seven of their children It gets into questions about homeschooling, manhood, racism, Reformed Theology, moving to Africa and more. Read “Voddie Baucham’s big move to Africa”. Posts navigation Previous pagePage 4 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. 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