Category: Miscellanies

There are some sounds in any language that some non-native speakers struggle with. In fact, more often than not… they never quite get it. Often times, the language-learner simply substitutes a similar sound. A classic, albeit stereotypical, example of this phenomena is found in the many caricatures of native speakers of Asian languages substituting /l/… Continue reading Divine Simplicity: A Shibboleth for Our Age

I was reading 2 Chronicles 30 the other day, and something jumped out at me that was a real eye-opener. Hezekiah, as many of the kings of Judah were, was a Reformer of sorts. At the beginning of the divided kingdom, one of the typological features which pointed to the remnant nature of Christ’s Church… Continue reading 2 Chronicles 30, The Regulative Principle of Worship, and the Intercession of Christ

Murder is a terrible thing. It destroys more than just the lives of those who are killed. On Wednesday, February 14th, 2018, Nikolas Cruz[ref]As of 7:42 AM on 2/17/2018 Cruz has not been convicted or pleaded guilty of the crime. He has, however, stated that he would be willing to plead guilty in order to… Continue reading By Man Shall His Blood Be Shed

The doctrine of eternal generation is absolutely vital to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Without it, we are left not with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit… but with three nameless, faceless, and relationless divine persons. However, in recent years this doctrine has come under attack. On the other side of the… Continue reading Review of “Retrieving Eternal Generation” edited by Fred Sanders and Scott Swain (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2017)

The Psalms are commonly known as the Hymnbook of the Bible. Beyond a notebook of praise, it also contains some of the most well known and well-loved prayers in Scripture. However, in modern times many evangelicals —even those who would be counted among the so-called New Calvinists— are simply unfamiliar with this deep treasure trove.… Continue reading Review of “Learning to Love the Psalms” by W Robert Godfrey (Orlando: Reformation Trust, 2017)

The true and living God is too much for us to bear, to handle, to conceive, to adore, to know, to trust, to understand, and to worship. The Incomprehensible One is simply too much for us in every conceivable way. That is how Mark Jones starts out his book on the attributes of God. God Is… Continue reading Review of “God Is” by Mark Jones (Wheaton: Crossway, 2017)

This year, I have decided to do a deep dive read of the book of Hebrews. It is such a fountain of Christology, Soteriology, and Covenant Theology that it is in many ways the central cog upon which Reformed theology turns. As part of that deep dive, I am not only reading Hebrews repeatedly but… Continue reading Calvin and Henry on Hebrews… contra Eternal Functional Subordination

Recently on the Two Thieves Podcast, cohost Brandon Takacs (flying solo… not easy to do. Well done Brandon) approached a 2016 article by John Piper. The article is self-explanatorily titled Seven Reasons Not to Play the Lottery. I think that Takacs did a great job questioning some of the assumptions of the article, but missed… Continue reading The Only Reason Not to Play the Lottery: A Rejoinder to John Piper and Brandon Takacs

ἔσχατος ἐχθρὸς καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατος The last enemy to be destroyed is death. – 1 Corinthians 15:26 As I’m sure you have heard by now, the esteemed Reformed teacher, pastor, and theologian, RC Sproul, died this past Thursday (December 14, 2017). There are many moving tributes and comments flooding the internet right now, and rightfully… Continue reading Post Tenebras Lux: In Honor of RC Sproul