Topic Archives: Theology

‘Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!’ (Rom. 11:33). These words are the ending of the theological section of the letter to the Romans as Paul has set it out in the first 11 chapters of the epistle, and […]

Judged by the unqualified appeals in much modern ‘evangelism’ to the natural man’s unaided reason, emotions and will, one might conclude that ‘modern man’ is able to respond positively, and that he has no need of God’s efficacious grace. That such presumption is wholly groundless was the firm conviction of the late R. A. Finlayson, […]

In recent weeks I have been reading Augustine’s Confessions. It is a great and compelling read, a 300-page prayer that illuminates Augustine’s search for God and for life. As I read the opening chapters I was struck by a word that Augustine regularly uses and that had not registered with me before. Again and again […]

If you lift a stone in the garden you find all sorts of creepy crawlies underneath. Sin is a little like that. What are secret sins? Psalm 19:12 – Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. It is not entirely clear what these hidden faults or secret sins are. Secret sins are the […]

You may be an evangelical and be an Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Brethren or other. You may be Calvinist or Arminian. But we generally need more agreement on points of theology and worship if we are to live and serve together as a church. One of the ways in which churches identify themselves is by calling […]

Paul and the Law: Keeping the Commandments of God Brian S. Rosner, Principal of Ridley Melbourne, delivered the inaugural Leon Morris Memorial Lecture on 27 June at the College, where Leon Morris had been Principal from 1964 to 1979. Fittingly, the lecture brought resolution to what some have seen as a conflict between Law and […]

This is an extract from a Roundtable Discussion involving some of the faculty of Calvin Seminary: Darwin Glassford – professor of Church Education, Howard Vanderwell – Adjunct Professor of Worship, and John Witvliet – Professor of Worship. CHAIRMAN:  Parents may be wondering, ‘Will our children have faith?’ What encouragement would you give to parents in […]

I was converted to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ fifty-six years ago in January 1957. I had good parents and a stable home but neither my parents, nor I, nor my younger sister Ann, had any true knowledge of God before that date. My religious life amounted to saying private prayers in bed […]

In 1977 the publication of E P Sanders’ book Paul and Palestinian Judaism began a series of publications which radically re-interpreted the gospel, alleging that Paul had misinterpreted the Truth. A ‘New Perspective’ on the background and writings of Paul dominated the mind and writings of influential New Testament scholars. The result was a radical departure from […]

One of the most remarkable statements in the Bible is found in Isaiah 62:5, ‘as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you’. The prophet Zephaniah takes the thought a step further, and deeper: ‘The Lord your God is with you . . . he will rejoice over you with […]

Bill Wilson’s Salvation ‘What must I do to be saved?’ is the urgent question of anyone who knows he is a sinner. It is a question Bill Wilson, founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, faced after repeated attempts to get sober followed by devastating failures to maintain sobriety. He describes his long history of alcohol abuse in […]

Bill Wilson’s god The beginning of Bill Wilson’s sobriety was a visit from an old friend and drinking buddy, Ebby Thatcher. When Bill offered Ebby a drink, he refused stating that he had ‘got religion.’ Ebby was under the influence of the Oxford Group. (Unfortunately Thatcher’s sobriety did not last.) The Oxford Group (not to […]

‘Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they […]

One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save Yourself and us.’ But the other answered and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God? Since you are under the same sentence of condemnation and we indeed justly for we are receiving what […]

. . . and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48b). Without question the Scriptures teach the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation. That is – ‘[God] chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us […]