T.C. Hammond: Sin Against the Holy Ghost

“In our former comment on this Article we indicated that we would deal more specifically with the sin against the Holy Ghost which receives special mention. There are two questions that arise for consideration—

The first question is historical. The second question is exegetical. …”

– T.C. Hammond continues to consider Article 16 of The Thirty-Nine Articles and the teaching of Scripture – in this article from the vaults of The Australian Church Record.

The Role of Creeds and Confessions in doing Theology

“A wise traveller makes preparations for a trip (Matt. 10:8–10). Any traveller who attempts a difficult journey without a map risks not arriving or worse.

The Christian life is a journey to the heavenly city (Heb. 11:8–15). A map is a record of the journeys of travellers who have gone before us. Strangely, however, many Christians attempt the Christian journey without the benefit of maps – in this case, the ecumenical creeds and Reformed confessions. …”

– Regrettably, many churches have dispensed with creeds and confessions.

In a featured article from Ligonier’s Tabletalk magazine, R. Scott Clark (Westminster Seminary California) writes about their great value.

Where can Justice and Forgiveness find satisfaction at once?

“I want to direct you to one of the most winsome and compelling testimonies I have ever heard, by a convinced and articulate Christian named Rachael Denhollander, a former gymnast who was first molested by Nasser when she was 16.

In her testimony, you will hear her pain. … But if you skip to the 25:40 mark in the video you can see and hear Mrs. Denhollander address Nasser directly and speak Gospel truth into his life. …”

– The American Anglican Council’s Phil Ashey looks at the testimony so many have been talking about this week.

 

Article 16: Can Wilful Sinners be Forgiven?

“We are introduced by this Article to a very ancient misconception of God’s message of salvation. Tertullian, who attained prominence at the very beginning of the Third Century, held very rigid views concerning the remission of serious sins committed after baptism.

When Tertullian became a Montanist this rigour was intensified. So fearful was he of the danger of falling into sin which had no forgiveness he exhorted his followers to abstain from the baptism of infants. …”

– More from T.C. Hammond, at The Australian Church Record of November 8, 1956.

T.C. Hammond: Who is a Sinner?

“Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world, and sin, as Saint John saith, was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptised, and born again in Christ, yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

– Those are the words of Article 15 of the Thirty Nine Articles, “Of Christ Alone Without Sin”.

The Australian Church Record is continuing to republish T.C. Hammond’s 1956 series on The Articles.

Good Grief!

“Grief is a fault line. It opens us up. It exposes us. But it doesn’t just do this emotionally; it does so theologically.

If you want to know a person’s true theology, speak to them when they are grieving. There you will discover what they hope in; how they cope; what makes sense of their world.

As a listener to those grieving, I became acutely aware that grief is never something we feel prepared for, but a season in which we must be prepared. …”

– At SydneyAnglicans.net, Moore College’s Chase Kuhn calls us to have a biblical understanding of death and grief.

Moralism is not the Gospel (but many Christians think it is)

“One of the most amazing statements by the Apostle Paul is his indictment of the Galatian Christians for abandoning the Gospel. ‘I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel,’ Paul declared. As he stated so emphatically, the Galatians had failed in the crucial test of discerning the authentic Gospel from its counterfeits. …

This warning from the Apostle Paul, expressed in the language of the Apostle’s shock and grief, is addressed not only to the church in Galatia, but to every congregation in every age. In our own day — and in our own churches — we desperately need to hear and to heed this warning.”

– Albert Mohler writes on perhaps the greatest danger to genuine Christianity in our time.

The Anti-Christ Message of Steve Chalke

“As I was preparing to preach on Romans 4 for this morning I was struck by these words from verse three – “What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” I read in the commentaries the emphasis on the fact that Paul regarded the whole of the bible as Scripture.

As I looked forward to proclaiming that this morning I then read this from Steve Chalke ““The Bible is a library and not a book – that’s what the Bible literally means… the church over time has come to regard as sacred. It reflects the moral values and consciousness of each author”.

I cannot describe the feeling of despair, anger and hurt that overwhelmed me.  Jesus Christ has given us his Gospel and this Baptist preacher (much to the disgust of most Baptists I know) was directly attacking the Christ of Scripture (the only Christ that exists!).

So I tweeted a response and what disturbed me almost as much was the somewhat nonchalant attitude of some Christians who basically argued that Chalke was old hat and irrelevant.  I beg to disagree – his anti-Christ message causes havoc and is being widely heard. …”

– At The Wee Flea, David Robertson writes about his response to Steve Chalke’s message.

Thinking Theologically about Various issues

Phillipjensen.com has posted a number of Q & A style videos with Phillip Jensen.

They are intended, in the first instance, for Persian-speaking congregations, but are in English.

Check them out at this page (click the heading to reveal the list) – or see them at www.phillipjensen.com, where they are currently on the main page.

Book Review: All That Is in God by James Dolezal

“Thousands of theological books are published every year, and it can be difficult to know which among these books deserve our time and attention.

Dolezal’s book is one of those books that deserves attention. It is an important work. …”

– At Tabletalk, Dr. Keith Mathison reviews All That Is in God: Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism by James E. Dolezal.

Justin Taylor also thinks the book is something you ought to read –

“As a blogger I get sent a lot of books. Sorry to say, I throw away some of them, shelve most of them, and read only a few of them. Most of the books actually look halfway decent, but there just isn’t time to read everything that comes my way. So when Reformation Heritage Books asked me this summer if I wanted an advance copy of James Dolezal’s All That Is In God, I said ‘sure,’ not expecting much to come of it.

Turns out this is a really important book. …”

Places where you can buy the book.

The Lord of Time

“The coming of the New Year is always the signal for a rash of resolutions to break out, most of which, though well-intentioned, have a very short life-expectancy, as the insurance people might put it.

But with the thought of the passage of time in mind, it may be well to give a little attention to the Christian view of time, a subject which is very much before the theologians in recent times …”

– The Australian Church Record has republished this piece from Leon Morris, from January 1955.

Four things you can’t do without Systematic Theology

“Systematic theology builds on the results of biblical theology.

Biblical theology is the exegetical discipline that seeks to grasp the entirety of Scripture as the unfolding of God’s plan from Genesis to Revelation. Starting with Scripture as God’s Word written through human authors—our final authority (sola scriptura) for what we think about God, ourselves, and the world—biblical theology seeks to “put together” the entire canon in a way that’s true to God’s intent.

Systematic theology then applies the truths gained in biblical theology…”

– As part of Crossway’s promotion of their new ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible, The Gospel Coalition  has published this article by Stephen Wellum.

New book by Paul Williamson makes it into IVP’s Top 10 of 2017

“Dr Paul Willamson’s latest book has just been published.

Based on the material he presented at the Annual Moore College Lectures in 2016, the book is titled: Death and the Afterlife: Biblical perspectives on ultimate questions. It has been published as the most recent volume of the New Studies in Biblical Theology series, edited by D.A. Carson.”

– Good news from Moore College to round out the year.

See IVP’s top ten books for 2017 listed here.

Is that all God’s got to say?

“I’ve struggled with anxiety in different ways all through my life. … As it turns out, I’m not alone. …

At the primary level, we need to remember that our relationship with God is not dependent on our performance but on God’s grace to us in Christ. And I think that the Bible’s teaching on adoption is extremely important here. …”

– Paul Grimmond helps us think through anxiety from a Biblical perspective. Very helpful with the stresses of Christmas coming up! Read it all at SydneyAnglicans.net.

R.C. Sproul and the Gospel

Tim Challies has published links to a number of tributes, as is fitting, giving thanks for R.C. Sproul, including the video compilation above.

They are linked here.

In addition, Albert Mohler speaks about R.C. Sproul in today’s issue of The Briefing broadcast, the last for 2017.

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