Covenant Theology
-
The CREC, Neither Catholic Nor Reformed, Just Muddled (Special Attention Given to Paedo-communion)
If a renegade Roman Catholic communion held to the Westminster standards, Roman Catholicism would still not be a Reformed communion. That’s because what defines Roman Catholicism is a blend of her official doctrine and practices the magisterium permits. So it is with The Communion of Reformed and Evangelical Churches (CREC). Although the CREC would like Continue reading
-
Faith And Justification In The Life Of Infants
In Chapter 14 of the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), saving faith is distinguished from believing. This distinction, which has implications with respect to infants and those who might suffer from cognitive impairment, is made plain when the standards teach it is by the grace of faith that the elect are enabled to believe to the Continue reading
-
A Response To A Popular, (Yet Inadequate), “Reformed” Antidote to Federal Vision’s Use Of The Warning Passages
Like a robust Christian worldview, a Reformed system of doctrine should be consistent, coherent and explanatory. What this means is: (a) the components of a sound theology may have mystery but not contradiction; (b) although theological constituent parts should be assessed discretely, they must be evaluated in light of the whole so that each ingredient Continue reading
-
The PCA’s Principle On Non-Communing Members – A Halfway Covenant?
The PCA Book of Church Order (BCO) teaches that children of professing believers are members of the visible church and, therefore, are entitled to baptism. Indeed, per BCO 56-1 baptism should not be unnecessarily delayed! However, what the BCO does not teach is that a refusal to baptize one’s covenant child is great sin that Continue reading
-
Covenant, Election And Realized Eschatology
The four part drama of creation, fall, redemption and consummation is not just soteriological but eschatological and covenantal. This is to say, the whole of redemptive history is according to promise and fulfillment. Yet perhaps less familiar to many of us is that redemption in Christ has made the future now present. With respect to Continue reading
-
Parents And The Apostasy Of Covenant Children
There is nothing more amazing than the grace of salvation conferred to those who are afar off. And although conversion of covenant children is no less a matter of grace, pious parents ought not to doubt the election and subsequent conversion of their children. Because covenant children are not among those who are afar off Continue reading
-
Strict Merit vs Pactum Merit and Union with Christ. (Is Imputation Eclipsing Adoption In Christ?)
Let’s consider afresh the relationship of pactum merit with respect to Adam in the covenant of works and how that relates to strict merit in redemption. With respect to Adam the reward of living forever would have been disproportionate to the finite work performed. In other words, the justice of life-eternal would not have been Continue reading
-
Proof of Infant Baptism by way of Promise and Precept
Here is a link to a SS class that presents much of the same material. Proof-texting versus Theology It is the hermeneutic of the cults and not that of historic Christianity that seeks merely one or two Bible verses for all true doctrine. This should come as little surprise when we pause to consider that Continue reading
Philosophical Theology 