Drew and Dale break the 17th question of the Baptist Catechism down in the latest episode of their ongoing series "A Pattern of Sound of Sound Words". Subscribe to our podcast! Support us on Patreon!
The Importance of Language
Lance and Dale discuss the subject of language and how misusing it can result in the deterioration of Christian doctrine. Subscribe to our podcast! Show Notes: The Importance of Definitions by Lance Jones Response to Robert Gagnon
Baptist Catechism: Ought Everyone To Believe There Is a God?
We continue with our series, Pattern of Sound Words, where we go through the Baptist Catechism. In this episode we discuss Q/A #2: "Ought everyone to believe there is a God? Everyone ought to believe there is a God; and it is their great sin and folly who do not." Show Notes: "Thankfulness and Prayer... Continue Reading →
What Is the Gospel?: God, Man, Christ, Response
We answer the question, "What is the gospel?," by walking through a biblical framework, one that the apostles themselves utilized in their evangelistic messages: God, man, Christ, and response. Show Notes: What Is the Gospel? (book by Greg Gilbert) "Gospel Pillars: God, Man, Christ, Response" (post by Drew) The Gospel (page) Subscribe to our... Continue Reading →
Gospel Pillars: God, Man, Christ, Response
The gospel is the good news about what God has done in and through Jesus Christ to reconcile sinners to himself. The following framework, what I like to call “gospel pillars,” presents doctrinal truths by which we may rightly understand and receive the promises and blessings of the gospel. While the section on Christ consists... Continue Reading →
God-Centered vs. Man-Centered Evangelism
We progress through a two-column table in Will Metzger's book, Tell the Truth, where he contrasts a man-centered and a God-centered approach to evangelism under four categories: view of God, view of humanity, view of Christ, and view of response to Christ. Show Notes: Tell the Truth (book by Will Metzger) Approaches to Evangelism (pdf... Continue Reading →
God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment in Genesis 1-3
Listen to Drew read this article: The first three chapters of Genesis lay the foundation for the rest of the unfolding of Scripture. It is only right to expect, therefore, that this theological foundation of God’s glory in salvation through judgment, if it is indeed central to the Bible, will be evident on its... Continue Reading →
God’s “Three Greats”
In the Bible, God has provided for us what I like to call his "three greats". An understanding of these "greats" helps us to think through the relationship between the law, the gospel, and the Church's mission. So, let us look briefly at these "greats". 1. The Great Commandment We find this "great" in... Continue Reading →
Evenings with Berkhof: The Phenomenon of Religion Rooted in the Imago Dei
Dale and Drew kick off their systematic theology series titled "Evenings with Berkhof" where they base their discussion on Berkhof's Summary of Christian Doctrine. They discuss the nature, seat, and origin of religion, noting how religion is not a dirty word, is defined by God's self-revelation, and is rooted in the image of God in man.... Continue Reading →
Christ for Us: Jesus as Priest
Series Links: Christ for Us: Prophet, Priest, and King Jesus as Prophet We come now to the priestly office of Jesus. Being that we have already considered his prophetic office, let us briefly note the distinctions between the two. Again, I quote Berkhof: The Bible makes a broad but important distinction between a prophet and... Continue Reading →
Christ’s Active and Passive Obedience
"[Christ] perfectly met both the penal and the preceptive requirements of God's law. The passive obedience refers to the former and the active obedience to the latter. Christ's obedience was vicarious in the bearing of the full judgment of God upon sin, and it was vicarious in the full discharge of the demands of righteousness. His obedience becomes the... Continue Reading →
Selfies and Selflessies
The word "selfie" was declared popular enough to grab a slot in the Oxford Dictionary in 2013. In a sense, the addition of this word was very appropriate given the nature of the generation who made it popular. That is to say that the Millennial generation has become one that is, among other things, defined... Continue Reading →
5 Principles of a God-Glorifying and Christ-Centered Gospel Ministry
What does God-glorifying and Christ-centered gospel ministry look like? Who better to consult than the apostle Paul, who was used mightily of God for the advancement of the gospel among the nations in the 1st Century. There are of course many passages in Scripture that we could consult for our answer to this question. However,... Continue Reading →
Jesus is Judge and Savior: A Brief Evangelistic Message
People are quick to accept Jesus when they have false ideas of who he is. Many like to think of him as a friendly teacher who simply advocated friendliness toward others. Some think of him as a failed political figure but with good motives. Others think of him as nothing more than a prophet. Still,... Continue Reading →
Not According to Christ: “Jesus’ likeness to us, in every respect, proves that we are born innocent, as Jesus was born innocent.”
Not According to Christ: “Calvinists deny Jesus came in the flesh and was like us in every respect. If you truly believed that, then you would have to affirm that Jesus was born in sin, since you believe we are born in sin (i.e. Original Sin; Total Depravity). Rather, we are born innocent, and like... Continue Reading →