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Romans

The Politics of Justification

The doctrine of justification is precious among Protestants. And it should be. The fact that God has declared our sins forgiven and that we have a righteous standing in the sight of God united to Christ is comforting and brings great joy. Unfortunately, the biblical teaching on justification is, many…

by Bill SmithNovember 21, 2017
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Priest

What is a Priest?

The Old Testament priests were given a number of seemingly disparate duties. As everyone knows, the priests led the sacrificial worship of Israel; only the priests could sprinkle blood on the altar or within the tabernacle, and only they could approach the altar to turn sacrificial animals into smoke. But…

by Peter LeithartNovember 17, 2017
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Liturgy

Ite, Missa Est

M issional ecclesiology is all the rage these days, but for many being “missional” means downplaying or even eliminating concern for the “internal” life of the church, particularly its liturgical life. Missional and liturgical, mission and communio , are locked in zero-sum combat. That cannot be right. The liturgy is…

by Peter LeithartNovember 14, 2017
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Romans

The New Gospel

An old friend of mine, now passed into Heaven, started to say this in relationship to his sometimes troubled family, in the last quarter of his life, "I just had to take responsibility for the whole thing..." That was the seed for a new reading of the Gospel for me,…

by Richard BledsoeNovember 9, 2017
reformers
Reformation

Reformation Retrospection

She departed the port, dressed in her best ceremonial regalia, with tassels and flags fluttering from her mast and rigging. She stood tall, robed in mist, crowned in white, and backlit by the rising sun. There she sat, shimmering and spotless; with a perfect ragtop, and a full tank of…

by Jon HerrNovember 7, 2017
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Revelation

Locusts and Honey

John the Baptist is presented in the gospels as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise that God would send His messenger to prepare the way for the coming of the glory of the Lord (Is. 40), and the promise to send Elijah before Him to turn the people to…

by Peter LeithartNovember 2, 2017

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Uh, oh, they’re on to us

In the course of a screed of breathtaking condescension against large families, religion, and conservatism, SFGate.com columnist Mark Morford inadvertently stumbles upon an insight: “Why does this sort of bizarre hyperbreeding only seem to afflict antiseptic megareligious families from the Midwest? In other words — assuming Michelle and Jim Bob…

October 27, 2005

Uh, oh, they’re on to us

In the course of a screed of breathtaking condescension against large families, religion, and conservatism, SFGate.com columnist Mark Morford inadvertently stumbles upon an insight: “Why does this sort of bizarre hyperbreeding only seem to afflict antiseptic megareligious families from the Midwest? In other words — assuming Michelle and Jim Bob…

October 27, 2005

Father of Joy

The following thoughts came largely from a PCA minister from Virginia with whom I enjoyed a recent, stimulating conversation. The Triune fellowship is a fellowship of eternal infinite joy. The Father delights in His beloved Son, and eternally pours out the abundance of His Spirit on Him. The Son delights…

October 26, 2005

Constantine

Keanu Reeves seems incapable of playing anything but a Christ figure (remember his supersonic ascension at the end of Matrix 1). In the recent horror film, Constantine , he plays John Constantine (J.C. – get it?), an agnostic, chain-smoking suicide restored to life to work as a free-lance exorcist. He…

October 26, 2005

Staying put

Elijah goes to Gilgal, and Elijah tells him to stay. Elisha refuses, and together they move on to Bethel. Elijah tells Elisha to stay put again, but again he refuses and the move on to Jericho. When Elijah has departed and Elisha returns to the land, he “stays” in Jericho…

October 25, 2005

Musical and Narrative Structure

Mozart’s little Minuet in F from Don Giovanni has a simple form. After a 3-measure introduction, the main theme runs through several measures, and then repeats exactly. A second theme follows, and is again repeated identically, and the piece ends with a double repetition of the main melodic theme. This…

October 25, 2005

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