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Writing

Explore our collection of theological essays, biblical studies, and reflections on faith and culture.

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Federal Vision

The Covenant of Works: The Mosaic Covenant & the Necessity of Obedience for Salvation in the Day of Judgment

When someone expounds the way of salvation found in the Westminster Confession and Catechisms and in the easily-accessible writings of the Reformed heritage, he often finds him embroiled in a debates about the covenant of works and the Mosaic Covenant. One is “proven” to be aberrant by allegations that one…

by Mark HorneMay 29, 2005
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Baptism

Rome Won't Have Me

The ultimate condemnation of a position in Reformed circles is to show that it “leads back to Rome.” Indeed, one gets the feeling that Rome is a worse destination for a Presbyterian than even hell itself. The accusation of Rome stings deeply, of course, because it means that all the…

by Rich LuskOctober 24, 2004
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Federal Vision

Mixing “Law” & Gospel in the Abrahamic Promise: A Response to Michael Horton

One of the odd features of Michael Horton’s version of Covenant theology is his interpretation of the covenant God made with Abraham 1 in Genesis 15. According to Horton, The very way in which God made the covenant with Abraham (putting him to sleep; walking through the torn animals by…

by Mark HorneSeptember 22, 2004
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Mark

The Victory According to Mark

What was I trying to do, when I wrote my book on Mark’s Gospel ? Fundamentally, I wanted a book that would change readers by making them better readers of the Gospel of Mark. My ideal reader is not someone who goes to the book to use as a resource…

by Mark HorneSeptember 7, 2004
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Baptism

Sacramental Assurance & the Reformed Faith: The Biblical Perspective of the Westminster Standards

Why do we need sacraments? According to the Westminster Confession, sacraments were instituted by Christ “to confirm our interest in him” (27.1), “to strengthen and increase” the “faith” of those within the Covenant of Grace and “to distinguish them from those that are without” that covenant (Westminster Larger Catechism, #162).…

by Mark HorneSeptember 3, 2004
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Isaiah

“What More Could I Have Done?” | Some Thoughts on the Mystery of Divine Sovereignty and Covenant Responsibility

In Isaiah 5:1-7, we have a typical covenant lawsuit, in which the Lord accuses his people of rejecting his grace and mercy. It is not my intention here to exegete the entire passage, or to look at the way the vineyard image used here serves as a metaphor in other…

by Rich LuskJune 7, 2004

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Calendar

Living in Season

Sylvie Vanhoozer’s Art of Living In Season is a beautiful book. Vanhoozer’s meditations on the art of living are organized by the church calendar, and so guide the reader to live in ways appropriate to each season of the year – the “art of living in season” of her title.…

May 14, 2024
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EucharistLord's Supper

We Are God's Hospitality

The true God, the living God, is a hospitable God. He’s eternally hospitable. The life of God is infinitely faithful, infinitely joyful welcome. God is hospitality. God is hospitable because He’s Triune. As we confess every Sunday, we believe in one God who exists in three Persons. The Son isn’t…

March 19, 2024
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LeviticusFood

Table of Demons

Let’s stipulate some translations. The Hebrew sheretz = “swarmer”; remesh = “creeper”; chayyah = “beast.” In the original creation, swarmers are found only in the water (Gen 1:20-21), while creepers are on land (1:24-26). Only after the flood do swarmers swarm on earth (Gen 7:21 is the turning point). There…

March 12, 2024
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Theopolis News

Theopolis Appointment

We're pleased to announce that Jackson Waters has been added to the Theopolis team as interim Executive Editor of the Theopolis blog. Jack is currently a student at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., where he also serves as Youth Director at Christ the King Anglican Church (ACNA). A graduate…

September 19, 2023
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Uncategorized

Cautions About Conversion

Wisdom from my old friend and colleague, Rev. Rich Bledsoe, on conversion . People "meet" Jim Jordan, and have the bracing thrill of escaping the flatness of just living and being in the 21st century. They might take off to the thrilling different world of Eastern Orthodoxy. They experience the…

August 7, 2023
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AbortionAmerican Culture

Love the Little Children

First we slaughtered unborn babies in their mothers' wombs. Then we started killing babies born from "botched" abortions. Or born babies that didn't look quite perfect. Now we're butchering the bodies of children in an insane attempt to turn them into their opposites. And the UN is undermining age of…

April 19, 2023

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