The Riddleblog

Wisdom in Times of Illness, Grief, or Loss

It is often hard to know what to say or what to do when someone you know experiences sickness, suffers a loss, or faces death. Thankfully, our fathers in the faith have thought long and hard about what to say and how to console others when we find ourselves needing to visit the sick, comfort someone close to us, or offer an answer to that difficult question that often arises during times of trial: “Why did this happen to me?”

An old document provides much help in this regard, and I encourage you to take a look at it. Entitled A Brief Instruction in the True Faith and in the Way of Salvation, to Die Willingly, it was written by Cornelis van Hille in Norwich, England, in 1571. Although it was never formally incorporated into the liturgies of the Reformed churches, it has been reprinted many times in published liturgies and prayer books.

Among the topics addressed are the reasons for suffering (the Fall, human sin, and the limits of human life); God’s gracious salvation of sinful people, with a focus on Christ as our Redeemer, refuge, and giver of eternal life; the blessings of salvation (justification and Christ’s intercessory prayer on our behalf); the heavenly glory that lies ahead; the good fight of faith (good works springing from faith); the sure and certain hope of the resurrection; and our deliverance at the final judgment.

To read the rest follow the link below

Some Important New Books on the Horizon

There are several new and important books on the horizon from Clark, Horton, Muller, and others which may be of interest to Riddleblog readers. Follow the link below to take a look

Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerOctober 19, 2026Books from Clark, Horton, Muller Comments

Herman Bavinck -- The Doctor and the Theologian

In his book, the Certainty of Faith (1901), Herman Bavinck writes

. . . there is also a practical side to theology that makes it akin to medicine. The theoretical knowledge of the doctor is doubtlessly very important, but his worth and the worth of his science only comes into its own when he heals people. Similarly, theology must prescribe medicine for the ailments of the soul. It must be able to say how and in what way we can be freed from our guilt, reconciled with God, attain to patience and hope amidst life’s tribulations, and find reason to sing praises in the face of death.

A theology that does not concern itself with these things and only dedicates itself to critical and historical studies is not worthy of the name theology. And a theologian who is acquainted with all the latest issues of his science but who stands speechless at a sickbed and knows no answer to the questions of the lost sinner’s heart isn't worthy of his title and office.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Biblical Theology, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerSeptember 23, 2026Bavinck on Drs. and theologiansComment

The Righteous Shall Live By Faith

An excerpt from “Not Ashamed of the Gospel” Season Five/Episode Five (Romans 1:16-17)

What, then, should we take with us from Romans 1:16-17?

The first thing we need to say is that, like Paul, we must never be ashamed of the gospel. Yes, the cross is a scandalous message. Yes, the cross is foolishness to the Greeks. Unfortunately, in much of American religion (and even in much of evangelicalism), the gospel has become a message about how the holy God makes himself acceptable to self-righteous sinners. While preachers, teachers, and evangelists have every right to be cognizant of the culture and communicate the gospel accordingly, we are never given the right to change the message of the cross to appease that culture.

The power of God is revealed whenever the gospel is preached, not when ministers seek to entertain, strive to be politically relevant, or speak to the whims of the congregation. Until Christ’s church recovers its confidence in the preaching of the cross, we will never see a healthy church, nor witness genuine reformation. Let us sincerely desire and eagerly pray that we may follow Paul’s example and that we, as individual believers and as church members, may never be ashamed of the gospel. For the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. The preaching of the gospel is the means by which God saves sinners! "The righteous shall live by faith." But how can people come to faith when there is no gospel? As P.T. Forsyth once put it, "We must preach to our age, but woe to us if it is our age which we preach, and only hold up the mirror to the time."

To read the rest, follow the link below

The Preached Gospel Summons Us to Faith in Christ

An excerpt from“Not Ashamed of the Gospel” Season Five/Episode Five (Romans 1:16-17)

The message of the cross is the power of God unto salvation. The gospel summons all who hear it to faith in Jesus Christ. Those who believe when the gospel is preached to them manifest what Paul calls the “obedience of faith.” The gospel saves those, but only those, who believe [trust] in Jesus Christ. Paul is not addressing the exceptional cases here–for example, such as what happens to children of believers who die before coming to faith, or the thief on the cross, and so on. Paul’s point is that the gospel summons us to believe it when we hear it. Those who obey that call and believe are “saved,” while those who are summoned but who do not believe will face the wrath of God on the day of judgment. It is correct to say that those who reject the gospel when it is preached to them, disobey God and remain under his judgment unless and until they trust in Christ.

In his wonderful little commentary on Romans, Anders Nygren, makes a very important point, well worth our consideration.

The gospel and faith belong together inseparably. Therefore we may not speak of faith as something which could exist apart from the gospel. Faith is not a state of the soul which man must have, that by its aid he may receive the gospel. It is the gospel which is primary, which creates faith and awakens it in us. When one hears the gospel and is conquered by it, that is faith. Faith is not prior to the gospel and independent of it. It [faith] arises only through one’s meeting with the gospel [1].

Nygren’s point is that saving faith arises only in connection to the preaching of the gospel. Faith is not our contribution to our salvation, nor is faith the one work God requires of us in order to be saved. Rather, as a demonstration of his power, God creates faith in our hearts through the preaching the gospel just as when he created the universe from nothing.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Blessed Hope Podcast, Pauline Studies, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerSeptember 7, 2026Faith in Christ, Romans 1:16-17Comment

One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church

The following is the edited text of my WSC chapel lecture on the Nicene Creed for their series on the Creed from the Fall of 2025

One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church

My purpose in this post is to address that section of the Creed which speaks to the attributes of the church: “One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.” Reformed Christians usually emphasize the marks of the church (preaching of the gospel, the proper administration of the sacraments, church discipline, and for some, prayer) before discussing the attributes of the church. When confessing the Nicene Creed the matter of the attributes or characteristics of the church moves to the fore. What are those attributes which must be confessed as necessary in order for the marks of a true church to be present?

There are four classical attributes of the church found in the Creed and embraced in different forms/ways across various Christian traditions: These attributes are 1). Unity, 2). Holiness, 3). Catholicity, and 4). Apostolicity. The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and the Reformation churches all confess these same attributes but understand them in fundamentally different ways. There may be less catholicity here than elsewhere. I will cite from several Reformed writers and our confessions to make these differences apparent.

Several Reformed theologians have pointed out the classical attributes confessed in the Creed are not merely descriptive, they are also an exhortation. These are the ideal–the aspirational goal for which the church must strive. When seen in this light, these attributes are both a gift and a mandate. There is an eschatological dimension as well–these attributes tell us what the church is, what it should be, but they direct us ahead to that day when they will all be realized in perfection when the Lord Jesus returns.[1]

Briefly, I will go through the four attributes from this line in the Creed and then wrap up with a look at 1 Corinthians 1:1-2, where all four attributes are explicitly mentioned by Paul.

We Confess that the Church Is “One”

We begin with our confession that the church is “one.” It will come as no surprise that Rome anchors unity in the papacy. Ubi papa ibi ecclesia – “Where the Pope is, there is the church.” And we can add “where the Pope is, there is the true church, pure doctrine, and apostolic succession.”[2] In Ratzinger’s Called to Communion, he contends that “the Roman primacy is not an invention of the popes, but an essential element of ecclesial unity that goes back to the Lord and was developed faithfully in the nascent Church.”[3]

The Eastern Orthodox understand unity in terms of visible communion of the saints in the Eucharist. It is not bishops which hold the church together, leading Kallistos Ware to ask, so “what then holds the Church together? [The] Orthodox answer, the act of communion in the sacraments. . . . The Church is not monarchical in structure, centered round a single hierarch; it is collegial, formed by the communion of many hierarchs with one another, and of each hierarch with the members of [Christ’s] flock.”[4]

In contrast, the Reformed depart from both Rome and the EOC in terms of how we understand the attributes of Christ’s church. When it comes to unity, we speak in terms of an invisible and a visible church. Invisibly, Christians enjoy a common union with Christ, by one Spirit, through one faith, hope, and love. God calls Christians to strive to give expression to this unity visibly (in part, but not exclusively, through external organization). Berkhof notes, the Reformers “did not find the bond of union in the ecclesiastical organization of the Church, but in the true preaching of the Word and the right administration of the sacraments.”[5]

The Belgic Confession, article 27, speaks of “one single catholic or universal church” and concludes by affirming Christ’s church is “joined and united in heart and will, in one and the same Spirit, by the power of faith.”

According to Herman Bavinck,

This unity, though primarily spiritual in character, nevertheless exists objectively and really, and it does not remain completely invisible. It manifests itself outwardly—albeit in a very imperfect way—and at least to some degree comes to light in that which all Christian churches have in common. No Christianity exists above or beneath religious differences, but there is indeed a Christianity present amid religious differences . . . . That which unites all true Christians is always more than that which separates them.[6]

We might say that unity of organization, of some sort, is one of the things we strive for, but the elements of institutional unity do not depend upon a single, worldwide ecclesiastical structure centered in the Papacy–a standard Roman polemic.

To read the rest, follow the link below

John Calvin on the Transforming Power of the Book of Romans

From Season Five, Episode One of the Blessed Hope Podcast

Calvin’s commentary on the Book of Romans was his first commentary on any book of the Bible. It was written in 1539 and published the following year while Calvin was still in Strasbourg. His Romans commentary was revised in 1551 and again in 1556. It is my guess that many who have consulted Calvin on Romans have read neither Calvin’s dedication of the commentary to Simon Grynaeus nor his introductory essay on the theme of Romans. In these two essays, we get a fascinating glimpse of Calvin’s goal as a biblical interpreter and his estimation of the importance of grasping the central message of Paul’s great letter—the doctrine of justification by faith. We also get a sense of how Calvin felt about the transforming power of the Book of Romans.

In his dedication to Grynaeus, Calvin reminds him that “both of us felt that lucid brevity constituted the particular virtue of an interpreter.” Conversely, says Calvin, a commentator “misses his mark, or at least strays outside his limits by the extent to which he leads his readers away from the meaning of his author.” It is especially important to be brief and lucid when commenting on Romans, writes Calvin, “because if we understand this epistle we have a passage opened to us to the understanding of the whole of Scripture.”[1]

To read the rest, follow the link below

Blessed Hope Podcast, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerJune 1, 2026Calvin on RomansComment

“Blessed Is the One Whose Sins Are Covered” Psalm 32:1-11

The Guilt of Sin and the Joy of Being Counted Righteous

There is nothing worse than to feel the conviction of sin–that miserable sense that you’ve done something wrong and your actions displease God because they violate his commandments. The Psalmist describes this feeling as akin to the oppressive heat of a hot and sweltering summer day. On the other hand, there is nothing better than to know the forgiveness of sin–the sense that the guilt of our wrong-doing has been forgiven, and that we are now considered righteous, as though we had never broken a single one of God’s commandments. The Psalmist describes this sense as a safe hiding place in times of trouble.

This then, is the theme of the 32nd Psalm–where and how to find true happiness and peace stemming from the knowledge that our sins have been forgiven, and that we are counted as righteous before God. When someone once asked Martin Luther which of the Psalms he liked best–he said the Psalms of Paul (the 32nd, the 51st, the 130th, the 146th) because they teach that the full forgiveness of sins comes without works to all who believe.[1] John Calvin says that in this Psalm we are reminded, “what a miserable thing it is to feel God’s hand heavy on account of sin,” but that “the highest and best part of a happy life consists in this, that God forgives a man’s guilt, and receives him graciously into his favor.”[2] Indeed, blessed is the one whose sins are covered.

A Penitential Psalm

The 32nd Psalm is quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 4 as an important proof-text for the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone. This Psalm is often considered a “penitential Psalm”– the prayer of someone deeply affected by the guilt of their sins. It is also the second of seven so-called penitential Psalms in the Psalter, and the second such Psalm to appear in Book One of the Psalter. But this Psalm is much more than a penitential Psalm. It includes thanksgiving on the part of David–the Psalm’s author–as well as an appeal to divine wisdom which is revealed by YHWH. The Psalmist gives thanks for this wisdom, which he has received through the “instruction,” “teaching,” and “counsel” mentioned in verse 8. Having gained this wisdom from God, the Psalmist is moved to confess his sins and gives thanks to YHWH for this wonderful blessing. Made wise by God’s wisdom, the Psalmist describes the contrast between the misery of the conviction of sin and the joy (indeed, the happiness) of knowing that he is forgiven.[3] The Psalmist can describe this sense so well because he has lived it.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Biblical Theology, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerMay 20, 2026Psalm 32, Blessed is the oneComment

Coming Soon! A Deep Dive Bible Study in the Book of Romans!

Lord willing, Season Five of the Blessed Hope Podcast will kick off on May 25, 2026. I’ve been hard at work and am excited to get going.

I invite you to give Season Five a listen. If you plan to do so, you have a homework assignment! Please read through the Book of Romans a couple of times, and listen to it read aloud at least once as we get started. Both Martin Luther and John Calvin thought Romans deserves to be read regularly, and even memorized—sound advice!

To help you dig deeper as Season Five gets rolling, I have prepared a Romans Resource page with information about those resources which will aid you in studying this remarkable letter and its contents. Select Resources for the Study of Romans. Perhaps, this will whet your whistle for Season Five? Tell a friend!

Blessed Hope Podcast, Pauline Studies, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerMay 15, 2026Resources on RomansComment

Israel & The Antichrist: Abounding Grace Radio Live from Christ Reformed Church (May 1, 2026)

To listen to the discussion, follow the link below

More Good Books Coming Later This Year

First up is The Cathedral of Theology. J. V. Fesko, Matthew Barret, and Craig Carter are the series editors. I, for one, love to see dogmatics regain some of the ground lost to biblical theology—although both are vital. This is due out from IVP in September of this year.

_____________________________________

Here’s the publisher’s blurb:

Laying the Foundation for a Classical Christian Theology

Good theology requires a firm foundation. But how can we lay a good foundation in our theological work? Moreover, what is theology and how does one do theology?

As the first volume in the Pillars of Christian Dogmatics series, The Cathedral of Theology is a work of prolegomena to establish principles for theology. This book takes an exegetical, historical, philosophical, and doctrinal approach to explore:

To read the rest, follow the link below

History and Culture, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerMarch 6, 2026New books 2026Comment

Paul on Christian Hope in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (updated)

Note: This essay was originally posted on the Riddleblog on December 6, 2023. It is edited for republication here. In light of my friend Ben Sasse’s terminal cancer diagnosis and his wonderful testimony to God’s faithfulness (here and here), I thought Paul’s discussion of the Christian’s hope in facing the reality of death well worth consideration.

The Question Put to Paul by the Thessalonians

In light of the broad background of the New Testament’s teaching regarding the second advent of our Lord, we consider Paul’s teaching regarding Christian hope in verses 13-14 of 1 Thessalonians 4. Paul is addressing the question brought to him from the Thessalonians by Timothy regarding the fate of those who die before Christ returns. Since Paul had been gone from Thessalonica for but a short period of time, many have wondered about how it is that this question would arise, since it is not likely that many people in the congregation would have died during the short time span between Paul’s departure and Timothy’s return trip to the city. It is possible that some were martyred due to persecution, but this is improbable. Although many proposals have been put forth as an explanation, Gene Green wisely cautions us,

The reconstruction of greatest merit argues that at the moment of confronting the reality of death, the Thessalonians did not allow their confession to inform their reaction to this human tragedy. Alternately, they may simply have not understood fully the reality of the resurrection from the dead, especially in light of the general Gentile consensus that such things simply do not happen.[1]

Those Who Are Asleep

In verse 13, Paul tells the Thessalonians, “we do not want you to uninformed, brothers.” In the prior section of this chapter, Paul speaks of the Thessalonians as knowing certain details (i.e., 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2; 6, 9) but since he speaks here of the need to inform them of what follows, it is likely that this matter was not fully dealt with when he had been among them previously.[2] Paul had been forced to leave after a mere three sabbaths due to rioting because of his preaching of Christ crucified. What Paul says in his response to the question is important. Specifically, Paul does not want the Thessalonians to be ignorant about “those who are asleep,” i.e., those who have died before the Lord’s return. As Greco-Roman pagans and new converts to Christianity, the very idea of the resurrection of the dead was difficult for the Thessalonians to grasp. It was common in the first century Roman world to believe in the immortality of the soul–often seen as an underworld journey, such as crossing the river Styx. But the very idea of the dead coming back to life in redeemed/resurrected bodies was completely foreign.[3] To a pagan, death was liberation from the limits of the body. For a Christian death is the consequence of Adam’s fall.

2026: A Good Year for New Book Releases!

Harrison Perkins’ new book Take and Eat: Recovering the Regular Celebration of the Lord’s Supper addresses the meaning and frequency of the Lord’s Supper. As Scott Clark so aptly puts it in his recommendation of Perkins’ new volume,“according to the Apostle Paul our Lord Jesus said, ‘Do this, as often as you drink it’ but we have often turned our Lord’s ‘as often’ into ‘as infrequently.’” Look for this one in April of 2026.

To see the rest, follow the link below

Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerFebruary 6, 2026new books for2026Comment

Coming Soon -- Michael Horton's New Book -- "Magician and Mechanic"

I am really excited about this one!

Why are American evangelical churches and progressive Protestant churches hemorrhaging membership? Why are these churches ignoring, downplaying, or renouncing distinctive Christian doctrine and ethics while striving to be “spiritual”? Why are the “nones” the fastest growing group in recent surveys of American religious affiliation? Why does your neighbor or your co-worker renounce “organized religion” in the name of “spirituality?”

Michael Horton addresses these matters in his series on the Divine Self, laying out the reasons behind this shift—those who embrace the divine self (likely without any awareness of doing so) will inevitably see themselves as “spiritual,” but not “religious.”

Horton’s series on the roots of “spiritual but not religious” is to my mind one of the most profound and important of recent efforts to determine why Western Civilization is becoming increasingly pagan. The first volume of a projected three volume series on the Divine Self (Shaman and Sage), was released in 2025, and dealt with the Axial Age (800-200 BCE) through to the Middle Ages, where the roots of modern forms of “spirituality” originate. Volume two (Magician and Mechanic) takes us from the Enlightenment, to the Renaissance, and then to the Scientific Revolution, addressing the challenges to orthodox Christianity as they develop in surprising ways throughout this period. Volume Three (which covers the modern period) will complete the series and is still TBA.

To read the rest, follow the link below

On the Nature and Extent of the Atonement -- A Look at Paul's Doctrine of Reconciliation in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Shortly after I released an episode of the Blessed Hope Podcast on 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:2 entitled “God Was in Christ,” a discussion began on social media regarding the matter of “hypothetical universalism” and the question of whether or not this view is compatible with Reformed orthodoxy. The Synod of Dort said “no” to that proposal in the first refutation of errors under the second head of doctrine. So does Paul.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Paul's focus falls upon what reconciliation accomplishes for God’s people. This is Paul's indicative (we are reconciled to God through the death of Jesus) to a congregation in Corinth which had tolerated false apostles who sought to undermine Paul’s apostolic authority as well as the gospel he preached. Paul’s imperative is found in 2 Corinthians 5:20—we implore you, "be reconciled." Paul is, in effect, saying “do not listen to such teachers.” To a church in turmoil, Paul urged the Corinthians to stand upon the gospel which he preached to them previously so as to be at peace with God. Why? Today is the day of salvation (i.e., the age of salvation). This is the context for a section of my exposition of the passage, reproduced below.

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One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church

Here’s my chapel talk at Westminster Seminary California on one holy catholic and apostolic church— part of their on going series on the Nicene Creed

Follow the link below to watch my lecture

Ecclesiology, History and Culture, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerNovember 21, 2025 Comments

New Meredith Kline Volume on the Book of Revelation

In a recent post, I mentioned that there were three important new books soon to be published. I was not aware of this book at the time, but soon after learned of it through a good friend (Dr. Andrew Compton). I followed up by listening to a Reformed Forum podcast episode (October 31, 2025) which discussed this gem in great detail.

I cannot say enough good things about this volume. Meredith Kline had written much on the Book of Revelation, but it was widely scattered among a number of publications, many of which can be found here (including mp3s). However there was much work on Revelation by Kline which had not been published until now. It is great to find it all in one place in a book with a quality binding and nice print. Reformed Forum did a great job with the project.

Kline’s books and essays are often tough going, with the common quip (which is often said of Geerhardus Vos as well), that his writings need to be translated into English. But his sermons (published in part two of the volume) are simple biblical expositions of texts from Revelation, and provide a nice primer to Kline’s academic work. The sermons are Christ and gospel centered and demonstrate his ability to explain the apocalypse with such great clarity that you’ll find yourself want to read it again, this time through the new eyes Kline provides. It has been a long time since I read gospel sermons on difficult texts from the Book of Revelation which are as clear, profound, and moving as these—his Easter, Christmas, and Lord’s Supper sermons especially.

To read the rest, follow the link below

Audio from Christ Reformed Church's 30th Anniversary and Reformation Sunday

To access the lectures, catechism lesson, and sermon from Christ Reformed alums Dr. Mike Horton, Dr. Andrew Compton, Dr. Brian Lee, and Dr. Kim Riddlebarger and to view the pictures from this weekend’s celebration, follow the link below

Some Important Books on the Horizon — Get That Credit Card Out!

First on the list is Connecting Scripture which has just been released by Holman. Connecting Scripture is a CSV (Christian Standard Version) New Testament which does something no other New Testament does. The biblical text has blue and green color coding to indicate when a biblical saying is either a direct citation from the New Testament (blue) or an allusion to something in the Old Testament (green). This enables the reader to see where a New Testament writer quotes from or draws allusion to something in the Old Testament—the thought world of New Testament writers.

This New Testament also has extensive and very helpful notes explaining where and why a New Testament passage is best understood in light of the Old Testament background and context, even in those cases where there is not a direct quotation or immediately identifiable allusion. At a glace, the user of Connecting Scripture can see where and why use is made in the New Testament of the Old Testament—making it an invaluable and helpful resource.

I just got my copy and find myself thumbing through it despite having other things to do.

To see the rest of my recommendations, follow the link below

"Liberation of the Will" -- My New Tabletalk Essay

My piece on the liberation of the will, is published in the October 2025 Tabletalk magazine.

If you don’t already subscribe, I highly recommend it.