Apostasy, the unforgivable sin (i.e. blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, falling away) is the result of refusing to obey the official prescription of repentance/justice[1] issued by Christ’s church (through her elders/judicial committee). Simply put, it is unrepentance in re: to the church. Biblical Support: 1.1. Rejecting the authority/power of the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable […]
A Church Under the Lordship of Jesus Christ
A church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ is one whose firm and unflinching commitment is to: be holy NOT happy (1Pe 1; 1Ti 6) contending for Biblical truth NOT compromise (Jud 1) loving God NOT the world (1Jo 2) the glory of Christ (His church) NOT our own glory (2Th 2 w/2Co 8) making […]
6 Statements Regarding Unconditional Love
All love has conditions. Who or what determines the condition(s) of our love also reveals who or what controls us. The other person, the one we are extending “unconditional love” to, is the actually the one determining the conditions of our love. Unconditional love therefore just means it is that person, the one we are extending […]
The Justice System established for God’s Church
“Justice and only justice you shall seek” – Deu 16:20 1. Jesus establishes a justice system for the New Covenant community (Mat 18:15-20). 1.1. Jesus is not inventing something new but rather re-instituting the system of justice established by God for the Old Covenant community. That system of justice was dependent on the following 4 […]
Quotable “Christian” Heresy
“My salvation rests solely in God’s faithfulness to me, not mine to Him. Sadly I am aware that at my best I fail miserably every day, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I’m saved having accepted Christ’s free gift of salvation through His death on a cross for my sins. I am […]
Understanding Justice and Repentance
The relationship between Justice and Repentance is inextricable. Therefore, to understand one, we must understand both. With that mind, consider the following regarding Repentance and Justice: 1. As it relates to Justice: 1.1. God loves justice and those who pursue it. This was also His goal in creating a people for Himself. They would be […]
BIBLICAL JURISPRUDENCE
ju·ris·pru·dence = a legal system One of the first things Jesus makes clear during His earthly ministry is that the entire content of the Law (the legal system established by God under the OC) remains intact for the New Covenant Community/Church (Mat 5:17-20). In the words of the Reformers, the Law changes not in substance, […]
Priestly Activity of Worship
“The activity of Christians on the Lord’s Day is analogous to the activity of the priests on the Mosaic Sabbath; it is service to God in worship. It is this priestly activity of worship that has been transferred from the Sabbath to Sunday.” – Richard J Bauckham
Capital Crimes
One of the first things Jesus makes clear during His earthly ministry is that the entire content of the Law (“every jot and tittle”) remains intact for the New Covenant Community (Mat 5:17-20). In the words of the Reformers, the Law changes not in substance, only in application. This includes also its jurisprudence (i.e. system […]
Apostasy and Loss of Justification
“The reality of apostasy for real Christians (Heb 6:4-6, 10:26-30), means a justification that can be lost by real Christians (Gal 5:4).” (RSJ)
“Faithful interpretation” – R. Hayes
“Faithful interpretation of Scripture invites and presupposes participation in the community brought into being by God’s redemptive action – the church.” – R. Hayes
God’s Entire Counsel – Abraham Kuyper
“God’s entire counsel may be reduced to one thought, that in the end of the ages He may have a Church which shall understand His love and return it.” – Abraham Kuyper
ACT LIKE MEN
1 Corinthians 16:13 In her book, The Feminization of American Culture, Ann Douglas describes how the men in our nation have been “emasculated.” How true and how sad. Men – including Christian men, have neglected to guard this most important of posts – and even the women in this country are noticing (and writing about […]
The Obedience of Faith
This is from Don Garlington’s PHD dissertation: The Obedience Of Faith: “The (phrase) ‘obedience of faith’ is primarily a commitment to God’s covenant as embodied in the totality of the law of Moses; disobedience correspondingly, is predominately apostasy from the covenant. Because of this denotation of the ‘obedience of faith’ in Jewish theology, Paul’s phrase […]
E.P. Sanders on the New Covenant
“We must grant that there is a good deal to be said for the view that Christianity is a new covenant which, once established does function somewhat as does the old: for those in it there is salvation; for those outside condemnation and death, while remaining in it requires obedience, and disobedience leads to expulsion […]
Law/Gospel Dichotomy?
Dr Elmer Martens’ conclusion on Paul’s view of the Law in his essay, Embracing The Law: A Biblical Theological Perspective “Paul is fighting on two fronts: against those antinomians who hold that Christ’s coming abrogates law, and against super nationalists who maintain Jewish exclusivism on the basis of the law. So Paul can be heard […]
Daily Bible Reading Plan
One way to ensure that we walk in faithful obedience in 2015 is to be in the Word daily. Here is a resource that you can print and put in your Bible to guide you in your daily reading and study of God’s Word. Daily Bible Reading Plan “Do not be conformed to this world, […]
Biblical/Historical/Reformed
The American Evangelical movement is Christianity in America. It is however not Biblical, Historical, or Reformed Christianity. It is instead an aberration-even a perversion of those things. In contrast, it is these three attributes which define Christ Covenant Church. We are Biblical, Historical and Reformed [1]. 1. We are Biblical, Historical and Reformed in our […]
Marriage Covenant Theology – Baptism, The New Birth And The Holy Spirit
Before the New Covenant circumcision was the mandatory physical sign established by God to confirm one’s justification, entrance into the marriage covenant and later the marriage covenant community[1]. However, because of the superior form of justification and marriage gift offered under the New Covenant, both the sign and its requirement have changed[2]. Baptism is now […]
Marriage Covenant Theology – Justification
Justification which refers to a person possessing a righteous state before God is the necessary pre-requisite to entering into the marriage covenant relationship w/God. In the redemptive history of the Bible, we experience two forms: one which is now obsolete, the other which is presently in force. They may be referred to as Passover Justification […]