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Where Agreement Already Exists Both Reformed Baptists and Presbyterians generally affirm: Thus the dispute is not about the gospel, but about how the covenant community is marked. The Core Disagreement The question is whether the children of believers belong visibly to the covenant community. Presbyterians argue: Reformed Baptists argue: Possible Paths Toward Reconciliation While the …

Read more “The Disagreement Between Reformed Baptists and Presbyterians on Baptism”

Delivered at a church in California 3/29/1995 Premise: The new man is created in righteousness and true holiness Supposition: If true holiness is emphasized, then false holiness can exist The existence of a false profession False Professors exist outside of the church False Professors exist inside of the church The existence of false professors outside …

Read more “The New Man vs. Sinners in Zion: Ephesians 4:24”

What is meant by an “effectual call”? Effectual calling is a theological term referring to the sovereign, internal act of God’s Spirit drawing specific individuals (the elect) to salvation in Christ and cutting them off from the world, then having them brought into God’s family. Unlike a general gospel call [external call which can be …

Read more “London Baptist Confession Chapter 10, “The Effectual Call””

My Handout Notes: What are “Practical Applications” from Chapter 10 (Effectual Calling)?

Text: Matthew 25:1–13 The Parable of the Ten Virgins Mt 25:1 from the ESV Translation: “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took …

Read more “The Parable of the Ten Virgins – the full note transcript”

In scripture, there are a number of places where a person’s eyes were withheld from seeing and realizing what was happening to them or nearby. This is a divine withholding manifest by God to the person; and God works how and whenever He pleases, and non can withstand Him. In Genesis 3:7, Adam and Eve …

Read more “God Supernaturally Will Occasionally Withhold the Sight of Understanding to Man to Perform His Divine Purpose”

Some people love to confuse “Reformed” as a historical family of churches with “reformed” as a broader theological tradition. The short answer: Reformed Baptists are indeed Reformed in theology, though not confessionally identical to the continental or Presbyterian Reformed churches. The fact that they are credobaptist does not automatically make them non-Reformed in every meaningful …

Read more “Are Reformed Baptists reformed?”

Abraham met Melchizedek when he was 75. Isaac born when Abraham was 100 Levi would have been an adult at 30 and able to serve as a priest. Hebrews 7:7 “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; …

Read more “Notes on Abraham and Melchizedek, and Levi paying tithes in Abraham”

Key Doctrinal Themes in Chapter 6 Paragraph 1 – The Historical Fall 1. Man Created Upright 2. The Temptation 3. The Nature of the Sin 4. God’s Sovereign Decree Paragraph 2 – The Consequences of the Fall 1. Immediate Spiritual Death 2. Total Catastrophe 3. Physical Death Began 4. Total Corruption Paragraph 3 – Federal …

Read more “Of the Fall of Man: 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith – Chapter 6”

Consider Isaiah 10- the Assyrian. The Assyrian king is called by God the “rod of Mine anger”, yet permissively from the position of God. If you step back to consider what God plans to do: His perfect will is to correct His people, bring them to repentance, and they follow Him. So knowing this, and …

Read more “The Assyrian in Isaiah 10: Active and Passive Decrees:”

Though the Lord elects some unto life by His free mercy, He likewise passes over others, leaving them in their guilt and corruption, not by putting evil into them, but by withholding the grace by which their hearts might be softened. This permission avoids God being the author of evil. He permits it, but it …

Read more “Passive Reprobation.”

Not exhaustive… Here is a list of major heretical views on soteriology:  Heretical Views on Eschatology  Commonly Cited Heresies Affecting Eschatology  Here is a list of heretical or erroneous views on hamartiology based on historical Christian theological standards:  Note on Origin: These views were mostly condemned by early church councils (such as the Council of …

Read more “Major Heretical Views on the Trinity, Soteriology, Eschatology, Hamartiology:”

For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Exodus 9:13-17 “And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say …

Read more ““The Scripture Saith Unto Pharaoh” Romans 9:17”

The question of free will has long been at the center of theological debate, particularly between the proponents of Reformed theology and those of Arminianism. While Arminianism asserts the libertarian freedom of the human will, the ability of individuals to choose or reject God independent of divine predetermination, the Reformed tradition maintains that human will, …

Read more “A Refutation of Arminianism: The Doctrine of Free Will”

Sin is not a substance created of God, but a privation of the good which His law requires, for “God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31), and again, “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (James 1:13). Every act, as it has …

Read more “Privation”

There are some that deny this Biblical truth. Let me clarify and reiterate a position. Sin demands punishment. If not here, then where? Annihilation would be a veritable good end for the wicked sinner- all this, and no punishment? Logic demands punishment for evil… Moral evil entails real demerit. If one is willing to state …

Read more “A Logical Argument for Eternal Conscious Punishment”

Positive and the lack of a Positive Decree from God: A summary…My statements: “We are entering into the area of positive and permissive decree. God positively decrees the election of some. He also permits the reprobation of others… not by positive decree to damnation, but by the lack of a positive decree unto election. He …

Read more “Positive and the lack of a Positive Decree from God:”

Text: Luke 16:20-31 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and …

Read more “The Doctrine of Endless Punishment”

Opening – Review of prophecies, probabilities, what this means to us. Text: Luke 2:1-14 “Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis” Prophecy: When we examine the prophecies of the Old Testament that find fulfillment in the person and life of Jesus Christ, we are confronted not only with theological depth but …

Read more “Prophecy of the Birth of Jesus Christ”

Acts 26:28- “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Background of Paul: The Text: Agrippa was an expert in the law and customs of the Jews. Paul makes his case to Agrippa of his careful observance of every law, and zeal to follow traditions to the point of persecuting …

Read more “Almost a Christian…”