We have reached the majestic and solemn conclusion of the Westminster Confession of Faith. From the opening chapter on the necessity of Holy Scripture, through the eternal decrees of God, the fall of man, the covenant of grace, the work of Christ, and the establishment of His Church, all of human history is driving toward… Continue reading When He Shall Come to Judge: On the Last Judgment (WCF 33.1–33.3)
Author: Tony Arsenal
The Deceiver Deceived: Seven Years for Leah, and Seven More for Rachel (Gen. 29:1–30)
Loved ones, one of the most sobering principles in Scripture is the law of the harvest: “Whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). God is endlessly gracious to His covenant children, but He does not leave them undisciplined. If we insist on living by manipulation, deceit, and grabbing for control, God will… Continue reading The Deceiver Deceived: Seven Years for Leah, and Seven More for Rachel (Gen. 29:1–30)
The Essential Principle: God as the Foundation of Being (Principium Essendi)
Since the Enlightenment, Western philosophy has been captive to a fatal epistemological inversion. Ever since René Descartes retreated into his private study and declared, “Cogito, ergo sum” (“I think, therefore I am”), modern culture has made the autonomous human mind the starting point for all reality. We begin with our own doubts, our own reason, and our… Continue reading The Essential Principle: God as the Foundation of Being (Principium Essendi)
Until the Great Day: On the State of Men After Death (WCF 32.1–32.3)
Death is the great, unavoidable reality of human existence. Because modern secular culture has no answer for death, it largely tries to ignore it. Meanwhile, popular religion is often filled with comforting but unbiblical sentimentalities, such as the idea that humans become angels when they die, or that the ultimate goal of salvation is simply… Continue reading Until the Great Day: On the State of Men After Death (WCF 32.1–32.3)
A Ladder to Heaven: The Covenant Confirmed at Bethel (Gen. 28:1–22)
Loved ones, when we last saw Jacob, he was a deceitful son fleeing for his life. Having stolen his brother’s blessing, he shattered his family and was forced to leave behind the wealth, the comfort, and the mother he so dearly loved. As Genesis 28 opens, Jacob is a solitary fugitive. He has nothing but… Continue reading A Ladder to Heaven: The Covenant Confirmed at Bethel (Gen. 28:1–22)
The School of Precision: Reclaiming the Scholastic Method for Modern Theology
We live in an age that is deeply allergic to precision. Modern public discourse, heavily shaped by the rapid, emotional landscape of social media, values the hot take over the disciplined thought. We communicate in slogans, judge systems by their aesthetic appeal, and mistake emotional intensity for theological depth. In the contemporary church, this manifests… Continue reading The School of Precision: Reclaiming the Scholastic Method for Modern Theology
For Edification: On Synods and Councils (WCF 31.1–31.5)
In the previous chapter, we saw that Christ has appointed a government for His Church, placed in the hands of church officers. But how far does that government extend? Does a local congregation operate entirely on its own, completely independent of all other churches? Or is it part of a broader, connected body? In Chapter… Continue reading For Edification: On Synods and Councils (WCF 31.1–31.5)
The Voice Is Jacob’s Voice: Deception, Blessing, and Bitterness (Gen. 27:1–46)
Loved ones, if you ever need proof that the Bible is not a sanitized book of fairy tales, look no further than Genesis 27. This chapter is a masterclass in human dysfunction. We are invited into the private tent of the patriarchs to witness a family completely tearing itself apart. In this story, there are… Continue reading The Voice Is Jacob’s Voice: Deception, Blessing, and Bitterness (Gen. 27:1–46)
The Household of Faith: Doing Systematic Theology as Church Dogmatics
We live in an era that worships the autonomous self. From our personalized social media algorithms to our “build-your-own” spirituality, the modern West is deeply committed to the myth of the self-made man. We are told that true authenticity requires us to shed the baggage of the past, reject institutional authority, and discover our own… Continue reading The Household of Faith: Doing Systematic Theology as Church Dogmatics
The Keys of the Kingdom: On Church Discipline (WCF 30.1–30.4)
In modern evangelicalism, the concept of “church discipline” has almost entirely vanished. To the modern ear, discipline sounds harsh, judgmental, and fundamentally unloving. Because many view the church merely as a voluntary club or a weekly inspirational gathering, the idea that church leaders have actual, binding authority over someone’s life feels deeply offensive. However, the… Continue reading The Keys of the Kingdom: On Church Discipline (WCF 30.1–30.4)