When we open the great confessions of the Reformation, we often find a distinct difference in where they choose to begin. The Westminster Confession of Faith, written nearly a century later in a highly scholastic era, begins with epistemology, how we know what we know, by dedicating its entire first chapter to the Holy Scriptures. But the earlier,… Continue reading To Whom Only We Must Cleave: On God and His Providence (Scots Confession, Chapter 1)
Category: Confessional Standards
We Have Chief Respect to Our Weak Brethren: On the Preamble to the Scots Confession
As I have studied of historical theology, I have observed a tendency among modern Reformed men to view our confessional documents in a highly sanitized, academic light. We look at the leather-bound volumes on our shelves and subconsciously imagine that they were handed down from heaven, or at least drafted in comfortable, oak-paneled libraries by… Continue reading We Have Chief Respect to Our Weak Brethren: On the Preamble to the Scots Confession
Before Westminster: An Introduction to the Scots Confession of 1560
Modern Reformed Christians are often deeply familiar with the Westminster Standards (originating in 1640s England) and the Three Forms of Unity (originating in the continental Reformation). These documents are masterpieces of theological precision and continue to serve as the bedrock for conservative Presbyterian and Reformed denominations today. But what did Reformed Christians believe before Westminster? There is… Continue reading Before Westminster: An Introduction to the Scots Confession of 1560
When He Shall Come to Judge: On the Last Judgment (WCF 33.1–33.3)
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)
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)
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 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)
The Case Against Paedocommunion (WLC 171–177)
Because the Reformed tradition vigorously defends the baptism of infants (paedobaptism), a natural question often arises: If we baptize our children, why do we not also give them the Lord’s Supper? In recent decades, a minority within the Reformed camp (often associated with the Federal Vision movement) has advocated for Paedocommunion—the practice of serving the bread and wine… Continue reading The Case Against Paedocommunion (WLC 171–177)
Spiritual Nourishment: On Receiving the Lord’s Supper (WCF 29.5–29.8)
Throughout church history, no doctrine has been more fiercely debated than the Lord’s Supper. During the Reformation, the exact nature of Christ’s presence in the bread and wine was the ultimate theological dividing line, permanently fracturing the movement into different traditions. What exactly happens when a Christian eats the bread and drinks the wine? Is… Continue reading Spiritual Nourishment: On Receiving the Lord’s Supper (WCF 29.5–29.8)
This Do in Remembrance: On the Lord’s Supper (WCF 29.1–29.4)
If you were to walk into many modern evangelical churches on a Sunday morning, you might find the Lord’s Supper treated as an afterthought—a tiny cracker and a plastic cup of juice quickly consumed while a soft worship song plays in the background, primarily serving as a private moment for individuals to close their eyes… Continue reading This Do in Remembrance: On the Lord’s Supper (WCF 29.1–29.4)