Topic Archives: General Theology

When we consider the surpassing glory of the subject-matter with which theology deals, it would appear that if ever science existed for its own sake, it might surely be true of this science. The truths concerning God and his relations are, above all comparison, in themselves the most worthy of all truths of study and […]

A charge that is made repeatedly against historic Christianity is that its stress on doctrine makes it authoritarian, theoretical, and cold. The Christian religion is a practical affair; putting the faith in terms of truth to be believed alienates or repels many who would otherwise be sympathetic. As John Robinson puts it, ‘the effect of […]

The following is an abridged extract from Flavel’s great treatise A Blow At the Root; or The Causes and Cure of Mental Errors. The complete work can be found in Flavel’s Works, vol. III pp. 419-492, 1820 edition. Flavel is one of the richest of the Puritan writers. JOHN FLAVEL (c. 1628-1691) An error is any […]

The Let’s Study Series seeks to combine explanation and application. The aim is the exposition of Scripture written in the language of a friend, seated alongside you with an open Bible. For one week only, you can get the Let’s Study Series at 40% OFF the retail price, and each individual volume in the series […]

You might, having read the title of this, wonder what is about to follow. Those of you who know even a little about a remarkable eighteenth century Scottish minister called Thomas Boston, will, however, have immediately recognised the source of my title. Boston’s Works run to twelve volumes and contain some lengthy theological treatises.1 When […]

BOOK REVIEW: Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, by John M. Frame [Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R, 2013], 1280 pages, hardback, $49.99 list, ISBN: 978 1 59638 217 6. John Frame, a former OPC (and now PCA) minister, who is currently a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, has written a long-anticipated systematic […]

If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city, has not the Lord done it? (Amos 3:6) The mammoth earthquake, 9.0 on the Richter scale, that struck northern Japan on March 11, and the ensuing tsunami, captured so dreadfully and spectacularly on video, has, […]

An extract from Words Old and New: Gems from the Christian Authorship of all Ages (pp. 137-139).1 1. In justification we are liberated from the chains of our sins, so far as they bound us for condemnation, yea, even so far as they held us under the dominion of Satan; and this suffices for its […]

In his book titled Miracles, C. S. Lewis writes concerning the time when Christ walked on the Sea of Galilee that it was a glimpse given to us of the powers of the new creation. By that he meant that whereas many of the miracles of our Lord demonstrated some of the powers that the […]

Why should Christians be familiar with the great doctrines of the Bible? Let me give you four reasons. 1) The first is the simplest of all: Because we love God. And if you love someone, you want to know everything about them. If a young man meets a girl and falls in love, he’ll want […]

‘A kind and merciful Providence.’ To my knowledge I first encountered that phrase reading a biography of Robert E. Lee. A little quick research indicates that the phrase was often used in the 19th century. People thanked ‘a kind and merciful Providence’ in their last wills and testaments for what he had entrusted to them. […]

The word reveal means ‘to uncover.’ Suppose there is a plate of cookies on the table covered by a towel. When the towel is removed, then you can see what’s there – a plate and cookies. You see what you could not see before. When we use the word revelation in theology, we are talking […]

The Son of God came into the world to do the will of God. He did nothing but the will of God. He did all the will of God. His life perfectly conformed to God’s will. Those who follow him will want to know the will of God, and they will want to know it […]

We know the calling of Levi, how he got up and followed Jesus, ‘leaving everything’ (Luke 5:28). If we are skim-reading Luke’s Gospel – not always the most profitable way to read! – we might easily overlook the deep wonder and significance of this issue. A taxman gets up from his desk and goes with […]

‘How Liberal Theology Infected Scotland’ is a deeply instructive short article1 written by R. A. Finlayson, the late professor of Systematic Theology in the Free Church College in Edinburgh. Finlayson attributed the nineteenth century infiltration of Liberalism into a confessional Church to wrong priorities by the leaders. He wrote: …not content with opening three colleges, […]

REVIVALS TRUE AND FALSE In short, a revival shows itself to be genuine by its effects upon the religious, the fraternal and the missionary life of the church. [The following fascinating piece is extracted from the chapter on Revivals of Religion in the Writings of Thomas E. Peck, (Banner of Truth Trust, 3 volumes, hbk)] […]

THE PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF CALVINISM What, then, are the personal implications of Calvinistic thought and truth both in the life of the individual and in the ministry exercised by the individual ? by Al Martin B. B. Warfield describes Calvinism as ‘that sight of the majesty of God that pervades all of life and all […]

A Kingdom Which Cannot be Shaken Are you surprised that we have had two world wars already in this century? Are you surprised at the piling of these horrible armaments? Are you surprised at the confusion, the collapse, of so many institutions at this present time? [This sermon was preached by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on […]

ARE THERE CARNAL CHRISTIANS? Exclusive Principles by James R. Graham The expression “carnal Christian” is not a New Testament term. In fact it is a complete contradiction in terms. A “Christian” is a “Christ-One” – joined in vital relationship to Christ as Lord and Head, and by virtue of this union, indwelt of the Spirit […]

Greenville Seminary Theology Conference Focuses on ‘Communing with Our Glorious God.’ In Taylors, South Carolina (March 12-14, 2002) Reformed Spirituality was the theme for Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary’s Spring Theology Conference. The three-day event, which focused on “Communing with our glorious God,” challenged the participants with regard to personal piety, including Sabbath observance; and also […]

MY SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE FROM THEISTIC EVOLUTION TO CREATION I still had no answers to the really important questions that nagged me; questions such as: What is the purpose of everything? A. J. Monty White In Autumn 1963, at the age of eighteen, I found myself a fresher student at the Aberystwyth campus of the University […]

MODERN DISPENSATIONALISM AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE UNITY OF SCRIPTURE the rejection of the Old Testament, in part or in whole, was one of the numerous errors of the Gnostics by Oswald T. Allis   No doctrine concerning Scripture is of more practical importance to the Bible student than that which affirms its unity and […]

DO GYPSIES SPEAK IN TONGUES AND PERFORM MIRACLES? If we doubted what we saw or seemed to question authority, we were seen as rebels, unsaved, or just plain unspiritual by Gary Nixon As a Christian brought up in a Pentecostal church, recognised as an evangelist, combining work in Romania and planting my own church in […]

HOW OPEN THEISM HELPS US CONCEAL OUR HIDDEN IDOLATRIES Open Theism implies, therefore, that we should not think about the wisdom of God’s purpose in causing or permitting our calamities by John Piper Open theism may help conceal deep idolatry in the soul. One of the great needs of our souls is to know if […]

PAY FULL ATTENTION! ‘If no sin was unpunished in the Old Testament, how can any be in the New?’ Every good preacher should be able to state things as succinctly as the writer to the Hebrews has done; but no preacher worth his salt is content with doing only that. He knows that things have […]