The Riddleblog

"A Vice Very Common with Books of This Class" -- B. B. Warfield's "Review" of Andrew Murray's "Spirit of Christ"

As readers of this blog are no doubt aware (because I keep reminding you), B. B. Warfield (1851-1921) is widely hailed as one of America's greatest theologians. His books have remained in near-continuous publication since his death in February, 1921. Although dead for over a century, Warfield remains a theological force with whom to be reckoned.

As professor of polemical and didactic theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, Warfield published 781 book reviews over his long and exceedingly productive career. Some of Warfield's reviews are published in his collected works, while many are not. I thought it might be of interest to bring some of these currently unpublished "Reviews" to light. The first review discussed was "Children in the Hands of the Arminians". The second was Warfield's review of C. F. W. Walther's book, Gesetz und Evangelium (Law and Gospel), Warfields Review of C. F. W. Walthers' "Law and Gospel". For this installment, I have chosen Warfield's "Review" of Rev. Andrew Murray's book, "The Spirit of Christ," published in 1888, and which Warfield reviewed the following year. This influential book still remains in print (The Spirit of Christ) and is available from Whitaker House, a charismatic/Pentecostal publisher.

A brief word about Andrew Murray is in order. Rev. Murray (1828-1917) was a Dutch Reformed minister who labored in South Africa. Murray had a life-long passion for missions and was a champion of the South African Revival of 1860. Murray was devoted to the so-called "Keswick" theology which stressed the "inner" or "higher life." He also endorsed faith healing and believed in the continuation of the apostolic gifts. He was a significant forerunner of the Pentecostal movement--a remarkable accomplishment for any Dutch Reformed minister (I am being facetious, of course).

Murray was a prolific author, cranking out more than fifty books and hundreds of pamphlets. We sold cases of them in our bookstore (when I was growing up) and for which I have long since repented. So when I first ran across BBW's "Review" of Murray's book, I was very interested in what Warfield would have to say. Needless to say, the Lion of Princeton was not terribly impressed with Andrew Murray.

To read Warfield’s “Review” follow the link below

B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerApril 30, 2022Review of Andrew Murray Comment

A Rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem? A Look at Ezekiel's Vision in Chapters 40-48

In light of periodic calls to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple (Time to Rebuild the Temple?), the matter of whether or not this will come to pass is part and parcel of the on-going debate about events associated with the end times and the return of Jesus Christ. The very possibility of rebuilding the Jerusalem Temple raises a number of serious theological questions which ought to be addressed, especially in light of the dispensational expectation of a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem at the dawn of the supposed seven-year tribulation period, which then functions as a center of worship during the millennial age.

As for the possibility of the temple actually being rebuilt, I am one who says “never say never” about future world events. I have no idea what will happen over the long run in Jerusalem and Israel. That said, I do not think such a thing is even remotely likely, given the current tensions in Jerusalem over control and access to the Temple Mount, much less the long-term political circumstances of doing so. Should Israel develop the religious and political will to occupy the Temple Mount (something unforeseeable at this point in time) and eventually take the steps necessary to demolish the Al-Aqsa Mosque (which is the third holiest site in Islam), the Jewish state would face the wrath of the entire Islamic world as well as that of much of the secular West. Since dispensationalists often connect the rebuilding of the temple to the geo-political tensions necessary to foster the appearance of the Antichrist, who, they claim, will make a peace treaty with Israel before betraying the nation leading to a final end-times catastrophe, such upheaval is not beyond the realm of possibility. Dispensationalists expect the Jerusalem Temple to be rebuilt and fervently hope for it.

To read the rest follow the link below

Musings (4/25/22)

My favorite political theorist, Yuval Levin, nails it (again): Levin: How to Cure the Culture War
A great summary from Craig Carter: 25 Theses on Classical Christian Trinitarianism
Putin is not alone. More wannabe autocrats are on the rise. The world order is changing, and not for the better: The Age of the Strong Man
The prophecy pundits must be going crazy over this one—a call to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple. Granted it is one thing to call for the temple to be rebuilt, but entirely another to actually clear off the Al Aqsa Mosque and begin construction. A more important question: “why would you want to see the Temple rebuilt with animal sacrifices resuming?” If you think this is a great idea, please re-read the Book of Hebrews: Time to Rebuild the Temple
To read the rest of this edition of Musings, follow the link below

When We Confess the Church to be Apostolic

When We confess the Church to Be Apostolic

I know that this might come as a shock to my fellow baby-boomers, but the Christian church wasn’t founded by the Jesus people in the 1960’s—although their own congregation might have been. Americans often think about the church as though it was founded by Charles Finney during the Second Great Awakening. It was not. Nor was the church established by Jonathan Edwards or George Whitefield during the First Great Awakening. The church was already fifteen centuries old when Martin Luther and John Calvin sought to reform it at the time of the Reformation. There is even a sense in which the church is as old as Adam and Eve and the first family. And Calvin was absolutely correct to affirm that the church existed in its infancy in the midst of Israel before the coming of Jesus Christ. But the Christian church confessed in the Creed was founded by Jesus Christ when he called his apostles to follow him, and is then given a significant Spirit-filled role in redemptive history after Pentecost. When we consider that the church of Jesus Christ is apostolic, this is where we begin.

It is fashionable in those circles dominated by critical biblical scholarship to think of the church as a worshiping community in need of a Messiah–the first Christians supposedly elevated an itinerant apocalyptic prophet (Jesus of Nazareth) to his messianic status and then put pithy “Jesus sayings” back in his mouth. The church was not the fruit of the organizational genius of a group of followers who came to believe that Jesus had risen in their hearts (the so-called “Easter experience”) as they tried to cope with the disappointment they felt once Jesus was put to death by the Romans and his glorious kingdom did not manifest itself as promised. Rather, the biblical record tells us that the church was founded by a Risen Savior who left behind an empty tomb and then appeared to a number of his chosen witnesses the first Easter, confirming that his death on Good Friday was the ultimate triumph over human sin. The church confessed in the Creed was founded by Jesus Christ, victorious over sin, death, and the grave.

to read the rest, follow the link below

Biblical Events, Biblical TheologyKim RiddlebargerApril 22, 2022The church as apostolicComment

Jonah -- The Preacher of Repentance: Preaching to Your Enemies

Jonah: Factual Account or Mere Parable—”Dare to be a Jonah”?

When it comes to the “why” and “what” questions associated with the Book of Jonah, these are difficult to answer because they are tied to the nature of the book itself. Critical scholars openly scoff at the assertion the Jonah is describing historical events. Was he really swallowed by a large fish, and spent 72 hours in a fish’s belly? Surviving despite a lack of oxygen and despite the fish’s digestive juices which ordinarily would have dissolved Jonah’s remains rather quickly. Because the book cannot be accepted as historical the critics contend, the Book of Jonah must be an allegory telling some sort of moralistic tale: “dare not to be a Jonah,” or “obey God when he calls you, so you don’t suffer the consequences,” or some such.

The better critical scholars see a broader redemptive historical purpose in Jonah. Israel failed in its mission to be YHWH’s witness to the Gentile nations, a reason why YHWH was about to bring judgment upon the nation. So, before Israel’s destruction in 722 by the Assyrians, YHWH raises up a prophet (Jonah) who will do what Israel failed to do, go to the source of Israel’s impending destruction (the heart of the Assyrian empire) and call for Gentiles to believe in YHWH and repent of their sin. To these scholars, Jonah’s apologetic purpose (in the form of a sermonic parable) does not require the events with the book to be true. This is certainly a possible interpretation of Jonah’s overall mission and this apologetic purpose may indeed be behind YHWH’s prophetic call of Jonah.

But if this is true, why does Jonah so actively resist YHWH’s call to the point that he states he would rather die than see the Ninevites repent (Jonah 4:3)? Jonah is a loyal Israelite. We know from 2 Kings 13 that Israel had been continuously at war with Syria, the Gentile kingdom immediately to the north. Syria was a sometimes client state, sometimes rival of Assyria, growing in power and geographically to the north of both Syria and Israel. According to the account in Kings, YHWH kept Syria at bay through Assyrian aggression, weakening Syria so they could not invade Israel and preventing either nation from conquering the Northern Kingdom. YHWH even granted Israel military success against Syria during the reign of Jeroboam II. These nations would have been Israel’s (and Jonah’s) natural enemies.

to read the rest, follow the link below

An Exposition of Article Twenty-Four of the Belgic Confession: The Sanctification of Sinners

Okay; “if I am justified by grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone, then why should I do good works?” The answer is because I am justified by grace alone through faith alone on account of Christ alone! The same act of faith which links us to Christ so that his merits become ours and thereby provides the basis upon which God pronounces us “not guilty,” also begins the life-long process of sanctification, in which old sinful habits begin to weaken, new Godly affections begin to grow, and we begin to obey (however, feebly), not some, but all of God’s commandments. Indeed, only justified sinners can actually do good works.

We are in that section of our confession (Articles Twenty-Two through Twenty-Four) which deals with familiar doctrines to many of us: faith, justification, and sanctification. These wonderful doctrines not only unfold throughout the pages of Holy Scripture, but the Reformed formulation of these truths, such as we find in our confession, clearly differentiate Reformed Christianity from Roman Catholicism and Anabaptism at the time our confession was written in 1561. But these doctrines also differentiate Reformed Christianity from Romanism and much of American evangelicalism today. This is why it is so important to be familiar with our confessions, so that we know what we believe and why we believe it. How can we proclaim the truth to the unbelieving world around us, if we do not know the truth?

Articles Twenty and Twenty-One of our confession summarize and describe the saving work of Jesus Christ, which provides the ground or the basis of our justification. Jesus Christ not only satisfied the wrath of God when he suffered upon the cross for us and in our place, so also he came as our high priest who represents us before God. In addition, Jesus came as the mediator of the covenant of grace, so that through his own perfect obedience to the covenant of works and the law of Moses, Jesus’ saving merits (his personal and perfect righteous) are reckoned to us through the means of faith.

To read the rest, Article 24, the Sanctification of Sinners

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerApril 18, 2022sanctification, why do good worksComment

"The Triple Cure: Jesus Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King" -- Some Reflections on the Three Offices of Christ

Jesus Christ - Our Prophet, Priest and King

The diagnosis is not very good: we are ignorant, guilty, and corrupt.

As a litany of biblical texts reveals, we find ourselves as fallen sinners ravaged by this threefold consequence of our sins. Our foolish hearts are darkened (Romans 1:21) and our thoughts are continually evil (Genesis 6:5). Our minds are clouded by sin and ignorant of the things of God (Ephesians 4:17-18), although in our folly we often boast about our supposed knowledge and great wisdom. Paul tells us that we have exchanged God’s truth for a lie (Romans 1:25). Our minds are “blinded by the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Like a blind man pitifully groping his way through life, so our sin has blinded us to the truth of God. Intoxicated by our own self-righteousness, like boastful drunkards we stumble through life seeking to justify ourselves before God.

We labor under the tremendous weight of guilt–the penalty for our many infractions of the law of God. While many of us are quite adept at ignoring God's just verdict against them, many others feel like they will buckle under the weight of God's heavy hand. Not only are we guilty for our own individual violations of God’s law in thought, word, and deed, but we are also rendered guilty for our participation in the sin of Adam, whose own guilt has been imputed to all of us as his biological and federal children (Romans 5:12, 18-19). While we may delude ourselves into thinking that we have sinned against our neighbors only, David knew that this was not true. “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,” (Psalm 51:4). Because of our guilt, there is no way we can dare stand in the presence of God. “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). He does keep such a record and we cannot stand.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Putin's Worldview, the Slavic Soul, and a Secular Apocalypse

We, in the West, cherish our liberal intellectual heritage: our free markets, our individual freedom and liberties, our republican form of limited government, and our practice of electing national leaders to office for short terms in office, with clearly defined responsibilities and limits. From his recent comments, it is clear that Vladimir Putin sees things much differently. Those things we tend to cherish are anathema to him. He is in every sense an dictatorial autocrat, but also a self-professed Russian Orthodox Christian with an incomprehensible worldview to most in the West (identified in recent Russian academic thought as Eurasian Nationalist Bolshevism). Putin loathes what he sees as western decay and decadence. America is responsible for many of the evils in the West which he deplores.

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is only the most recent in a series of military endeavors which are the logical outcome (perhaps the necessity) of his view of Russia and his hoped-for recovery of lost empire. He seems obsessed with his personal role in determining just what that Russian future might be. “How will history remember him?” We will think of him as a tyrannical war-criminal who will go down in memory as a despised butcher of non-combatants. But he thinks of himself as the savior of the Slavic people, a man who is recovering the Slavic soul—a heroic effort for which those living in the future Russia will venerate him for generations to come.

To read the rest, follow the link below.

Current EventsKim RiddlebargerApril 12, 2022Putin's worldview, Putin and the Slavic SoulComment

I Was a Guest on the Bible Theory Podcast Hosted by the Chicano Knox

We discussed signs of the end, the Rapture, problems with dispensationalism, all in light of amillennialism

You can listen to the podcast by following the link below

Jonah -- The Preacher of Repentance (1): Who Was Jonah?

A Well-Known Story

Most everyone knows the story of Jonah. Jonah was a reluctant Hebrew prophet who, while fleeing from his divine commission, was thrown overboard in the midst of a horrific storm by his terrified shipmates, only to be swallowed by a big fish (usually assumed to be a whale). Jonah then spent three days and nights in the fish’s belly, before being vomited up by the fish on a foreign shore. Once safely on land, Jonah fulfilled his evangelistic mission, went to Nineveh as commanded, and preached to the Ninevites who repented en masse. The story is simple enough it can be understood by a child, but profound enough that theologians and biblical scholars still debate its meaning.

Whenever considering any book of the Bible it is important to ask and answer several questions to make sure we interpret the book and its message correctly. Who was Jonah, when did he live, why did he write this book, and what is in it? How does this particular prophecy compare with the other Minor Prophets who lived and ministered about the same time? These questions are especially important with a book like Jonah, which many think to be an allegory or a moral fable, seeing the story as so implausible that it cannot possibly be speaking of historical events. How can someone be swallowed alive by a whale and live for three days? No, the critics say, this cannot be history, so it must be an allegory, a teaching parable, or a work of fiction, designed to teach us some important spiritual or moral truth.

When we interpret Jonah’s prophecy through this fictional lens, the reader’s focus usually falls upon Jonah himself, the prime example of a reluctant prophet who refuses to obey God’s will. By not obeying God, Jonah finds himself in the belly of a whale, until God relents and the whale then spits Jonah out safe and sound–if a bit shook up. The moral to the story is that should God call you to do something you do not want to do, learn the lesson of the story of Jonah. Obey the Lord and avoid the kind of calamity which comes upon those who, like Jonah, will not do what they know God wants them to do.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Musings (4/4/22)

Here’s the next lecture in Dr. Godfrey’s excellent series on “what is going on right now?” in which he deals with Freud: Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, "What Is Going On Right Now?" (12)
There’s much discussion of natural law in Reformed circles these days. This essay is must reading if this topic is of interest to you: Richard Muller on Natural Law in Kuyper and Bavinck
A religious war at its heart? More on the Russian Orthodox church’s support for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine: Putin's Jihad in Ukraine
But the rest of the Orthodox world sees things much differently: The Orthodox Churches Respond to Putin's Jihad in Ukraine
Here’s a helpful essay on a perennially disputed topic. Biblically speaking, what can women do in the churches? S. M. Baugh on the Role of Women in the Church
This came as a huge surprise. 53% of Americans cannot name all four of their grandparents: The Sad Decline of the American Family
To read the rest of my musings, follow the link below

Kim RiddlebargerApril 4, 2022

Jesus -- The Greater Joshua

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary (who was betrothed to Joseph) the angel informed her that although she had never been with a man, she will become pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. The angel also appeared to Joseph and instructed him regarding his future wife, “she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The name “Jesus” is so familiar to us that we can easily overlook the significance of his name in light of redemptive history.

Our Lord’s name “Jesus” is indicative of the reason why he came to earth–to save his people from their sins. Yeshua is a shortened form of Joshua (Yehoshua), which means “Yahweh is salvation.” The Greek version is Iesous—Jesus. This name ties Jesus to one of the great figures in redemptive history–a man used by God to save his people and bring them into the promised land. That man was Yehoshua (or Iesous), a name which comes down to us in Romanized form as “Joshua.”

Joshua is one of Israel’s greatest heroes. He first appears as a skilled commander who directs Israel’s army in battle against the Amelkites (cf. Exodus 17:8-16). Joshua is identified as Moses’ assistant who is with Moses before the latter received the commandments of the Lord (Exodus 24:13 ff). Joshua is said to have never departed from the tent where Moses led the Israelites (Exodus 33:11), and he assisted Moses in the governance of the nation (Numbers 11:28).

To read the rest, follow the link below

Biblical EventsKim RiddlebargerApril 1, 2022Jesus as the greater JoshuaComment

Fear and the Sovereignty of God

“God is in control.”

These words can be of wonderful comfort to people struggling with common phobias, natural fears, apprehension of impending bad news, or even deep-seated terrors resulting from past trauma. A biblical reminder that God is sovereign over all things often brings great relief. That nothing can happen to us that does not first pass through the will of God is comforting in many fearful or worrisome situations.

But there are times when the words “God is in control” might actually make matters worse. A terrified Christian may have already wrestled with the fact that God is sovereign, yet since their fears have been realized, they arrive at the misguided conclusion that God is punishing them, or worse, that God has abandoned them to the very things which terrify them. At the root of such fear and anxiety is not whether God is in control of all things (a doctrine most Christians readily accept), but a fear that God really is in control of all things. “Why would God allow my fears to become my reality?” “Perhaps God hates me or has rejected me” they reason, only ratcheting up the intensity of their own dread and terror. The reality is for some that the awareness of God’s sovereignty may not be a source of relief—only another source of doubt, frustration, fear, or even anger at God. Fear can do this to people, even Christians, who intellectually know better.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Biblical TheologyKim RiddlebargerMarch 30, 2022fear of God's sovereigntyComment

Speaking of Warfield . . . His Outstanding Essay, "The Emotional Life of Our Lord," Is Now Available as a Booklet, or a Kindle or E-Pub Download

This wonderful essay is now available as a booklet, or as a Kindle or E-Pub download: You can find it here: Warfield's "Emotional Life of Our Lord"

B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerMarch 28, 2022On the Emotional Life of Our LordComment

The Calvinistically Warped Mind -- Warfield's "Review" of Methodist Theologian John Miley's Systematic Theology.

As the two volumes of John Miley’s Systematic Theology were published in 1892-1894, B. B. Warfield reviewed each volume upon release. Miley was a noted Methodist theologian who taught at Drew Theological Seminary in Madison, New Jersey, not far from Princeton, where the Lion of Princeton (B. B. Warfield) held the chair of “polemical and didactic theology.” It was Warfield’s task to pounce upon any and all challenges to Reformed orthodoxy.

Miley, who some have called the “Methodist Charles Hodge” (because he wrote a similar theology text two decades after Hodge completed his), was a capable theological in the Methodist/Arminian tradition. Miley stated in his Systematic Theology that his efforts were, in part, to be seen as a Methodist corrective to the recently published Calvinist theologies of both Charles Hodge and his son, Archibald Alexander Hodge.

Warfield appears eager to see these volumes come into print as Miley was a capable sparring partner, whose work, Warfield was sure, would illustrate the profound difference between the two systems. Warfield playfully (if not sarcastically) speaks of his objection as the consequence of our “Calvinistically warped mind.”

The excerpts below (quotes from Warfield’s “Review” of Miley’s work and my interaction with both Warfield and Miley) are taken from my Lion of Princeton (2015) and edited for publication here.

Warfield appreciates Miley’s clarity and consistency regarding the Methodist/Arminian system.

The material is handled in a masterly manner, and the volume as a whole sets forth the Arminian scheme of salvation in as powerful and logical a form as that scheme admits of. For Dr. Miley presents himself here as above all things an Arminian, and as above most Arminians ready to follow his Arminianism to its logical conclusions. Here, indeed, we find the highest significance of the book. It is the Arminian `Yea’ to the Calvinistic declaration of what Arminianism is in its essential nature, where its center of gravity lies, and what it means with reference to that complex of doctrines which constitute the sum of evangelical truth.

To read the rest, follow the link below

B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerMarch 26, 2022Warfield reviews John MileyComment

An Exposition of Article Twenty-Three of the Belgic Confession: Justification By Faith

It was Martin Luther who once stated that the doctrine of justification is the article by which Christ’s church stands or falls. Luther was absolutely correct about this. If we do not understand how it is that we as sinners are made right before a holy God, we may misunderstand the gospel and therefore risk standing before God on the day of judgment expecting that our own righteousness will be sufficient. But we will also miss out on the wonderful comfort which this doctrine provides. As justified sinners, our sin has been reckoned to Christ, and Christ’s righteousness has been reckoned to us. We now possess the greatest gift imaginable, a conscience free from fear, dread, and terror. The knowledge that our sins are forgiven and that God is as pleased with us every bit as much as he is with his own dear Son, not only quiets our conscience and creates a sense of joy and well-being, but it also provides powerful motivation to live a life of gratitude before God. What is more, understanding this doctrine is the only way we will be able to give all glory and thanks to God, which is the ultimate goal of our justification.

Article Twenty-Three of our Confession summarizes the biblical teaching regarding the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone on account of Christ alone. Article Twenty-Two deals with the nature of faith, point out that justification occurs when the saving merits of Jesus Christ become ours through the means of faith. These merits, which are the ground (or basis) of our justification, are based upon Christ’s active obedience; his perfect obedience to the law of God, as well as his passive obedience, in his voluntarily laying down his life for our sins.

To read the rest: An Exposition of Article Twenty-Three of the Belgic Confession: “Freeing our Consciences from Fear, Dread, and Terror"

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerMarch 24, 2022Justification by faith Comments

Job -- The Suffering Prophet (12): "The LORD Made Him Prosperous Again”

The Book of Job is known for its wonderful ending. Job’s good name, his wealth, and his family are at long last restored to him. The suffering prophet has endured an intense and terrible period of suffering without cursing God, nor blaming God for his troubles. Satan has been proven wrong and his attack upon the righteous ways of God has utterly failed.

Although Job is a justified sinner, he stands as YHWH’s blameless and upright servant. Job is not the self-centered opportunist who obeyed God only so that he would prosper, as Satan falsely charged. Once everything Job had was taken away, Job still refused to curse God to his face, as Satan predicted. Having successfully graduated from the school of suffering and then personally instructed by YHWH in the nature of true wisdom, Job’s ordeal comes to an end. The Lord restores to Job all the things he has lost, and then some. God is faithful to his covenant promises, his ways are proven righteous and just, and in his word alone is true wisdom to be found.

When we come to the conclusion of the Book of Job, there is much to consider. In an act of grace and condescension, God spoke to Job from the midst of the storm. Job was sick and suffering from sores all over his body. Job was thinking he was about to die, and nearly crossed the line when he demanded that YHWH issue a written indictment against him. Yet, God did not come to Job in judgment, nor confront him with a list of his sins. In fact, God did not answer any of Job’s specific questions about why all of this had come to pass. Nor did God deal with Job as Job demanded.

After the Lord appeared to Job from the midst of the storm and spoke to him about the nature of true wisdom which could be seen in all that God had made, Job knows that everything will be okay. He is reassured. He knows that his Creator-Redeemer is not angry with him, although Job complained of being abandoned. Throughout the dialogue with his friends, Job even wondered out loud whether God was being just with him. But the appearance of God to Job in the storm is actually an act of grace and brings Job’s ordeal to a blessed end.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Reflections on JobKim RiddlebargerMarch 21, 2022Job vindicatedComment

Musings (3/17/22)

So, will Vlad the Invader use nukes? What is current Russian military doctrine regarding the use of tactical nuclear and chemical weapons on the battlefield? There is an informative (if disconcerting) discussion of Russian doctrine in episode 21 of the School of War Podcast. This one is highly recommended, especially as the tides of war seem to be shifting in Ukraine’s favor. The more Vlad the Invader is backed into a corner, the more this becomes an issue.
Another installment of Dr. Godfrey’s great series. Dr. W Robert Godfrey: " What is Going on Right Now?" (11)
Arians beware! Here’s a helpful look at the doctrine of eternal generation: Scott Swain on John 8 and the Eternal Generation of the Son
The prophecy pundits are back! To all who think (and preach) that Vlad the Invader’s attack upon Ukraine is predicted in biblical prophecy, here’s a nice rebuttal. Jesus did predict wars and rumors of wars as a characteristic of the inter-advental age, but many have got the whole “Gog” thing wrong (More End Times Fiction)
Here’s yet another reason why a proper distinction between law and gospel helps us to understand all the Bible. Scott Clark on Luke 18:18-30 and the Rich Young Ruler
To read the rest of Musings, follow the link below

"Law and Gospel" -- B. B. Warfield's "Review" of C. F. W. Walther's Book

B. B. Warfield (1851-1921) was professor of polemical and didactic theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. The Lion of Princeton published 781 book reviews over his long and exceedingly productive career. Simply an astonishing accomplishment.

Warfield's review of the German born Lutheran theologian, C. F. W. Walther's book, Gesetz und Evangelium (Law and Gospel) appeared in1894. The book was first published by Concordia in 1893, and Warfield gave it a brief review the following year. Walther's book remains in print and can be found here: C. F. W. Walther on Law and Gospel

Warfield describes the format behind Walther's book, noting that Walther had given a series of lectures on Friday evenings to theological students. These lectures were then transcribed into thirty-nine chapters, corresponding to Walther's lectures with each centering around a particular thesis, then discussed in detail. Warfield clearly appreciates the content produced in “freer” interaction with such a "live" audience.

Besides his academic lectures, Dr. Walther was, it seems, accustomed to give to the whole body of students, assembled usually on a Friday evening, series of freer talks on theological and practical topics. Among these was a course of twenty-two talks on “Inspiration;” one of twenty-two talks on “The Truth of the Christian Religion;” one of forty-nine talks on “Justification;” one of sixty-two talks on “Election and Justification;” and (among still others) two courses, one of ten and the other of thirty-nine talks, on “The Law and the Gospel.” The Introduction to each talk, the citations used in it, and the plan of treatment, exist in Dr. Walther’s own hand; for the rest full stenographic notes of his students are available. From this material, it is proposed to publish the whole of them in due time; and the present book, which contains the shorter course on “The Law and the Gospel,” makes the beginning.

To read the rest, follow the link below

An Exposition of Article Twenty-Two of the Belgic Confession: The Righteousness of Faith

Many evangelical Christians understand the biblical teaching that we are saved by grace through faith and that we are not saved by our good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). And yet, many of these same Christians think of faith as that one thing God requires of us so that we might be saved. Faith is something which God sees in us and which he is compelled to reward. But properly understood, faith is not a work we perform. Faith receives what God freely offers. And what does God freely offer to sinners? He offers us the merits of Jesus Christ, which are more than enough to justify even the worst of sinner (1 Timothy 1:15).

We move to another section of our confession, (Articles Twenty-Two through Twenty Four) which deal with the application of Christ’s saving work to the individual believer. These three articles address subjects which are very familiar to many of us: faith, justification, and sanctification. These subjects are familiar to us because they lie at the very heart of the gospel. They are also familiar because many of us have had to wrestle with these doctrines in our own journey to the Reformed faith. Not only does the Reformed understanding of these doctrines amount to a repudiation of the Roman Catholic understanding of justification as a process (which was the major issue at the time our confession was written in 1561), but the Reformed understanding of these doctrines often differs significantly from the way in which many evangelicals understand them as well.

As you probably know, the Protestant Reformation largely centered upon the question of how sinners are reconciled to the holy God. At the time of the Reformation, the Roman church understood faith as essentially mental assent to the doctrines taught by the church. According to Rome, when enabled and energized by the grace received through the sacraments, this mental assent to the truth became a “formed faith” which produced genuinely good works. Some of these works are of such a nature that God must reward them as a matter of justice (condign merit), while there are other works which God chooses to reward because he is gracious and decides to reward them (congruent merit).

To read the rest, click here: "Jesus Christ Is Our Righteousness"

Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerMarch 11, 2022Faith in Christ, Justification by faithComment