In the first half of Chapter 8, we beheld the person of Christ: the God-Man, divinely appointed and equipped for the work of mediation. But a mediator is not appointed merely to be something, but to do something. Who is He, and what did He accomplish? Having established His identity, the Westminster divines now turn to the efficacy, scope,… Continue reading The Work of Redemption: On the Office of Christ the Mediator (WCF 8.5–8.8)
Author: Tony Arsenal
The Rainbow and the Redeemer: Debating the Nature of the Noahic Covenant
Loved ones, in our exposition of Genesis 9, we took a specific theological stance regarding the Noahic Covenant. We argued that God made this covenant fundamentally with Noah (as a believing federal head) and that it functions as an administration of the Covenant of Grace. In this view, the preservation of the physical world is not… Continue reading The Rainbow and the Redeemer: Debating the Nature of the Noahic Covenant
The Warrior’s Bow in the Clouds: God’s Covenant with a Washed World (Gen. 9:1–17)
Loved ones, the storm has passed. The waters have receded. Noah has stepped out onto a renewed earth and offered a sacrifice of propitiation, and God has promised to preserve the natural order despite the evil of the human heart. Now, in Genesis 9, God speaks. He addresses the survivors of the catastrophe and establishes… Continue reading The Warrior’s Bow in the Clouds: God’s Covenant with a Washed World (Gen. 9:1–17)
The Four Stumps and the Three Trees: Cardinal vs. Theological Virtues
In our last article, we examined the Dichotomy of Control, refining it from a cold tool of resignation into a warm discipline of trust in Divine Providence. We established that the Christian life is not about detachment, but about entrusting the “sphere of results” to a Sovereign Father while fiercely attacking the “sphere of responsibility.” But… Continue reading The Four Stumps and the Three Trees: Cardinal vs. Theological Virtues
Topic 1, Question 1: Should the word “theology” be used in the Christian schools, and in how many ways can it be understood?
In the landscape of modern evangelicalism, and even within our own Reformed circles, there is a temptation to view technical language with suspicion. You have likely heard well-meaning brothers say, “I don’t need theology; I just need the Bible.” Perhaps you have heard the sentiment that “doctrine divides, but ministry unites.” There is a rugged… Continue reading Topic 1, Question 1: Should the word “theology” be used in the Christian schools, and in how many ways can it be understood?
The God-Man: On the Person of Christ the Mediator (WCF 8.1–8.4)
In Chapter 7, we discovered the glorious Covenant of Grace, God’s answer to the tragedy of the Fall. But a covenant requires a representative, and a broken relationship requires a bridge. Who is capable of spanning the infinite chasm between a holy God and sinful man? We now arrive at the very heart of the… Continue reading The God-Man: On the Person of Christ the Mediator (WCF 8.1–8.4)
But God Remembered Noah: Divine Faithfulness in the Flood (Gen. 8:1–22)
Loved ones, we ended the last chapter in silence. The fountains of the deep had burst, the windows of heaven had opened, and the world was buried under a chaotic, watery grave. For 150 days, the only life on earth was huddled inside a wooden box, drifting on a shoreless ocean. It is a picture… Continue reading But God Remembered Noah: Divine Faithfulness in the Flood (Gen. 8:1–22)
Providence and the Dichotomy of Control
We have now crossed the threshold. In our first module, Foundations, we established the “Why” and the “How” of Christian Stoicism. We excavated the history, justified the project theologically, and stress-tested the pagan worldview until it cracked. We concluded by watching the Apostle Paul on Mars Hill, giving us our marching orders to critical engagement. Now,… Continue reading Providence and the Dichotomy of Control
Series Introduction: Why We Need Turretin Today
If you walk into the study of a confessional Presbyterian pastor and look at the shelf behind his desk—the one reserved for the “heavy artillery”—you will almost certainly find a set of three large, green books published by P&R. They are daunting. They are dense. And for nearly three centuries, they were the standard by… Continue reading Series Introduction: Why We Need Turretin Today
A Pact of Life: On God’s Covenant with Man (WCF 7.1–7.6)
In the previous article, we faced the grim reality of the Fall. We saw humanity dead in sin, wholly defiled, and bound over to the wrath of God. If that were the end of the story, we would be without hope. But God, who is rich in mercy, did not leave us in that estate.… Continue reading A Pact of Life: On God’s Covenant with Man (WCF 7.1–7.6)