Theological Treatises

  The  Real  Distinctions Between Reformed Ministers Satan is the great "divider" of people.  Upon his Fall from the glorious presence of the Triune God, the devil separated himself from his Creator and from all the elect angels. . . . Then, upon his (Lucifer's) descent to earth, he managed (under divine sovereign prerogative) to part Adam and Eve from their pristine relationship with God; and from one another (Adam and Eve).  To this day, Satan's plan has always been to "divide and conquer."   Sometimes Reformed ministers of Christ's true church probably have a bit too much time on their hands--and they sometimes spend it in seeking to discern how they differ from one another.  (Someone may accuse me of doing the same thing, right now--but I beg your indulgence, as I hope to show you that my intent is quite opposite the norm; and the "distinctions" I plan to point out, are  actual  ones, that carry real weight.)   The...

  Personal Devotions This little paper is designed for those saints of Christ's church who sincerely  desire  to spend daily time with God, but who simply do not know  how  to do this in a systematic or structured way.  (I am sure you  do  "spend time" with your God in prayer--but you may be a bit frustrated in not enjoying the full benefits of this as you would prefer.)   Before I start, I would like to address what I perceive to be the two categories of people who (actually)  set out  to have some form of consistent prayer time with God.  The first group is that of those listed above, who  love  God in Jesus Christ, and want to get good time with Him on a daily basis.  The other assemblage are those people who want to do something on a routine basis out of  guilt  or duty ( alone ).  (All the true saints do have a pleasurable "duty" to commune with their Heavenly Father often...

  We Are So Broken/Christ Is So Wonderful It is one of God's expressions of His merciful kindness to us, His beloved church, when He shows us "glimpses" of just how profoundly twisted, contorted, perverted, and broken we actually  are  in our Fall in Adam, and in our natural state outside of our Lord Jesus Christ.  None of us like to have to "see" this, because it is so ugly, horrifying, and disgusting--but, ironically, when we  do  behold it (even just a little) it has a most  sanctifying  effect on us.  Moses asked God to show him (Moses) His (God's) "glory," (Ex. 33:18); we should ask God our Father to show us our sinfulness, (cf. Ps. 38:18 & 51:3).  The reasons for this are at least threefold: 1) we will recognize afresh just how utterly lost and hopelessly wretched we are aside from Jesus; 2) our sight of Christ (by faith) in light of our need of Him will make our blessed Redeemer appear even  more  glor...

  The Holy Spirit, Jonathan Edwards, and The Very Messy World In light of what was happening in The First Great Awakening (of the 1730's & '40's); and in response to criticism of some (or all) of the dynamics of that Awakening--I think that Jonathan Edwards was moved (ultimately by God) to carefully assess human nature in the context of religious life and excitement.  Pastor Edwards' most prolific antagonist was Charles Chauncy, who greatly resisted the Awakening, (and who, later in life, showed his true colors as a full-blown heretic).   But Jonathan Edwards did such a great job of  dissecting  the human soul in the matrix of a time of great and general interest in the things of God, and religion in general.  The book where he (Edwards) codified his findings is the classic,  The Religious Affections .   It has been a while since I personally read  Affections , but I am going to try to accurately remember some of the categories ...

  "Therefore I Endure Everything For The Sake of The Elect . . . " This Pauline comment (above) is the ESV translation of 2 Timothy 2:10a.  It is really a rather remarkable statement; and it is made in the context of  these  glorious wonders: the primacy of Jesus Christ, His resurrection triumph, and His human lineage (v. 8); Paul's suffering for his gospel proclamation (v. 9a); and the invincibility of the Word of God (v. 9b). . . . Because of these astounding miracles, the Apostle could and did say, that he "endure[d] everything for the sake of the elect."   The reason Paul did this, was, so "that they [the elect] also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory," (v. 10b).   There is a very real sense in which a regenerated and truly-called Reformed gospel minister of the faithful church of Jesus Christ  also  "endure[s] everything for the sake of [God's] elect."  This means that every gospel sermon (v. 8)...

  Advice For Reformed Pastors For a man to be truly called by Christ to pastor a Reformed church congregation in the fullness of the Spirit and in the grace of the gospel, is certainly the highest vocational privilege that can be granted to a sinful (and yet regenerated) soul. . . . Your calling is great; but it is also difficult.  Allow me to share some thoughts from my own experience; and use (or do not use) them according to your own discretion (being led by the Holy Spirit). . . .   First of all, I would say to you, know who you are in Christ; and be very secure in your calling.  Understand that you will be pushed and pulled in all kinds of directions; and be sure that your spiritual "feet" are "cemented" into Jesus, His gospel, His grace, His mercy, and His faithfulness.  Smile sweetly, and kindly acknowledge receipt of all the recommendations that are coming your way--but do not pursue any paths to which you cannot wholeheartedly give yourse...