Geerhardus Vos, Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 5. “In Scripture symbolism the grave is the gateway to hell. Accordingly, Sheol in the one sense is the anteroom of Sheol in the other sense.”
Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 4
Posted in Biblical Interpretation, Earthy Eschatology, Eschatology, Light of Eternity, Old Testament Theology | Leave a Comment »
Just finished recording the lengthy chapter “The Biblical Argument” in W. G. T. Shedd’s theological treatise, The Doctrine of Endless Punishment. Truly the definitive modern work on the subject. Listen to them here. Among other insightful and profound passages is the following on the apocalyptic, revelatory nature of death:
“. . . in Scripture death is represented as the deciding epoch in a man’s existence. It is the boundary between the two Biblical aeons, or worlds. Until man dies, he is in ‘this world’ (ho nun aion); after death, he is in ‘the future world’ (aion ho mellon). The common understanding of the teaching of Scripture is, that men are in ‘time,’ so long as they live, but when they die, they enter ‘eternity.’ ‘It is appointed unto men once to die, but after that judgment,’ Heb. 9:27. This teaches that prior to death man’s destiny is not decided, he being not yet sentenced; but after death his destiny is settled. When he dies, the ‘private judgment,’ that is, the immediate personal consciousness either of penitence or impenitence, occurs. Every human spirit, in that supreme moment when it ‘returns to God who gave it,’ knows by direct self-consciousness whether it is a child or an enemy of God, in temper and disposition; whether it is humble and contrite, or proud, hard, and impenitent; whether it welcomes or rejects the Divine mercy in Christ. The article of death is an event in human existence which strips off all disguises, and shows the person what he really is in moral character. He knows ‘as he is known,’ and in this flashing light passes a sentence upon himself that is accurate. This ‘private judgment’ at death, is reaffirmed in the ‘general judgment’ of the last day.”
Posted in Eschatology, Light of Eternity | Leave a Comment »
In recent months, we have begun a monthly livestream broadcast on the 2nd Lord’s day evening of each month at 7:00 p.m., especially to reach Spanish speakers in my parish and beyond. The Morales family has joined us, and Pr. Luis Morales has been translating for me. So grateful for his labors and his fellowship in the Kingdom-building.
God willing, I hope to take him out in the parish to visit my more receptive Spanish-speaking contacts, in the hopes of getting them to come to our regular services where we now have translation facilities. My hope and prayer ultimately is to see the Spanish side of my parish mission blossom, folks attending the our regular services, and our monthly bilingual meeting expanding and moving to the next level of usefulness. Again, the Reformed faith is a heritage too rich and full to be confined to white middle-class churches. So, all you Westminsterians and Three-Formers, let us take this to the city. ¡Vámanos!
To watch more of these broadcast messages, visit here. And learn more about RPM here.
Posted in Parochial Strategy, Reformed Parish Mission (RPM) Posts | Leave a Comment »
The following is the text of a new leaflet introducing visitors to our worship practice.
Out of the Ordinary
Our worship practice is certainly a very different experience for many who visit us. We are certainly not your conventional evangelical church; and in many ways, we may stand out from even other modern Reformed and Presbyterian churches. To some, this worship is unique, even quaint; to others it may seem strange, overly solemn, and even off-putting.
One thing is for sure: we don’t worship this way to conform to trends, much less to attract those who already know what they want in a church. While our practice is very historic—this once was, after all, the universal practice among Reformed churches in Puritan New England, and other Reformed Churches in continental Europe—that’s not the reason either. The church, after all, is the house of God, not a museum! And just because something is ancient does not make it biblical.
Continue Reading »Posted in Articles, Psalmody, Puritans & Puritanism, Worship, True & False | Leave a Comment »
Somehow I was voted into it. Last year, on December 24 no less, I was invited by Les Lanphere to debate Rev. Joseph Spurgeon on the lawfulness of Christmas. (Other platforms.) Joseph was for, while I was against; and Les did a great job of moderating. I thought it went really well, and I came away feeling that I did a service to this unpopular position. I also endeavored to be as charitable as possible. Perhaps I overshot things by being so affable; but I’d rather fall into that error than the other way, lest folks think that being against Christmas is somehow a function of a grumpy predisposition. After all, I consider myself the merriest neo-Puritan I know. Ask my kids!
Posted in Articles, Sabbatarianism & the Church Calendar, Worship, True & False | Leave a Comment »
In light of the ‘National Day of Mourning’ tomorrow, I find New England Puritan Increase Mather’s sermon here such an illuminating and worthy rejoinder. As the King Philip’s War (1675-1678) raged, natives attacking English settlements, he leads his contemporaries to probe the source. And it’s no hateful rant against the Indians! (Listen here; read here.)
Mather indicts the English settler’s provocations of the natives, including land-greed, which may well have contributed to the war. For these and other offenses, Mather takes off the gloves and summons his peers to repentance. But more, he rebukes them for growing cold and even in some cases becoming hostile to the explicit missionary intentions of the New England Fathers. How many had become prejudicial to these poor souls!
Definitely a cause for mourning, as the bodies piled up and the houses burned in 1676. But a far cry from the mourning of the modern “1619 Project” types who have swung from the one extreme of myopic idealization and historical whitewashing, to the other extreme of tarring and feathering everything that is European. The truth, as they say, is often in the middle.
I mourn today for all the wrongs my ancestors have done to those who lived before us — though hardly all of them, or even the majority. I further mourn for our national apostasy and covenant-breaking with God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and grieve for the judgments we are even now experiencing, one of which is a generation that has been taught to reject and abhor all things past, including the Pearl of Great Price that our ancestors brought with them to the New World.
But tomorrow I’m going to give thanks and remember the Pilgrim Fathers, and Squanto, and Massasoit, the fair treaties that were honored, and John Eliot’s work among the Massachusetts, and their Praying Villages, the myriad of other blessings we now enjoy in civil society where the rule of law prevails, and above all, the freedom to worship God according to His Word. God knows the New World was no native paradise before 1619.
For more audio resources from our Reformed heritage, visit WPE Audio.
Posted in Articles, Contemporary Issues, Historiography, Missiology, New England Puritanism | Leave a Comment »
Next Meeting: Thursday, November 18, 2021 @ 4:00 p.m. EST
“A Charge to New Elders at the Tron Kirk, Glasgow” (1816)
For some background reading on this period of Chalmers’ ministry, here are selections from James Dodd’s, Thomas Chalmers: A Biographical Study (1870). And for more about this study, see here.
Posted in Parish in American Context, Parish in Perspective (Qualifications), Parish Theory & Practice, RP Study Group, Thomas Chalmers | Leave a Comment »
A few updates from the parish mission since last time. I’ve had a couple of tag-alongs, even since Anderson’s internship over the summer. First, I was able to take Mason Chase and his wife, Christina, to take a short visit of the S. Providence parish. Mason is a theological student in our Des Moines congregation. Then just this weekend, James Hoffman from our New Jersey church plant, who is also interested in the ministry, stayed with our family.
Yesterday, we headed into Providence, hoping to get an invite inside from a more receptive contact due to the rain. We finally connected with “Henry,” a Liberian contact whom I hadn’t seen for quite some time–though I had stayed in touch with him occasionally by text. James and I learned about some harrowing medical emergences that both he and his wife experienced. Several months back, he took his wife, “Caroline” to the hospital with serious intestinal issues. After more than a day of waiting in the ER without any word, he brought her home, fully expecting that she was on the verge of death. Thankfully, he got her to another hospital, where she was cared for and in time revived.
After catching up, we read God’s Word. I took up the parable in Matthew 20 of the workers hired for the same wage at different hours of the day. From there, I challenged Henry and his wife with the sovereign reality of grace that ‘makes no sense’ to fallen men. “Many are called, but few are chosen.” He seemed to be tracking quite well with it. Sadly, we learned that he has been mixed up with Mormons. I warned him of the pernicious falsehoods of that system and appealed to him to return to church. Please pray that God would work in his heart.
Continue Reading »Posted in Reformed Parish Mission (RPM) Posts, WPE Editor | Leave a Comment »
I paused from my morning series on the Gospel of Luke to preach a topical sermon on the subject of witchcraft. I seek to answer from the Scriptures whether witchcraft is real and whether it is a real threat in the modern day.
Following the sermon, we had a youth discussion time, in which we watched the this video that illustrates the allure of contemporary ‘neo-paganism’ and then discussed it critically from Scripture.
While the sermon was not primarily an expose of Halloween, I have preached directly as well as written on that topic in the past.
Posted in Gospel Proclamation, Sabbatarianism & the Church Calendar, Spiritual Warfare; the Occult | Leave a Comment »
The following is a series of messages given to lay out the distinctives of the Presbyterian Reformed Church, a denomination organized through the instrumentality of Professor John Murray in 1965, committed to the principles of historic Scottish Presbyterianism in doctrine, worship, government, and discipline, as enshrined in the original Westminster Confession of Faith (1646).
(Note: The title “Our Testimony” is merely thematic, and does not refer to a supplementary ecclesiastical document besides the Westminster Standards as is done among Reformed Presbyterian brethren.)
Original Series
Our Testimony, Part 1: Psalm Singing
Our Testimony, Part 2: Instruments in Worship
Our Testimony, Part 3: Presbyterianism
Our Testimony, Part 4: Holy Days, True & False
Our Testimony, Part 5: Confessionalism
Our Testimony, Part 6: Experimental Religion
Our Testimony, Part 7: The Free Offer of the Gospel
Our Testimony, Part 8: Religious Establishments #1
Our Testimony, Part 8: Religious Establishments #2
Our Testimony, Part 9: Head Coverings
Our Testimony, Part 10: Liberty of Conscience
Our Testimony, Part 11: Our Communion Practice
Our Testimony, Part 12: Frequency of Communion
Additional Messages
Posted in Articles, Church of Scotland, Church Order & Discipline, Confessional Subscription, Establishments, Experimental Religion & the Cure of Souls, Free Church of Scotland, Free Offer of the Gospel, John Murray, Practice of Piety, Presbyterian Reformed Church, Psalmody, Puritans & Puritanism, Sabbatarianism & the Church Calendar, Sacraments, The Free Offer of the Gospel, The Godly Prince, The Lord's Supper, Vital Godliness, Worship, True & False | Leave a Comment »
West Port Experiment 