"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. Terms Explain Divine Mysteries Heretics bark and howl over the use of the term "person." Yet…
Blogging the Institutes–1.13.2–God in Three Persons
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. God in Three Persons There is another special mark by which God designates Himself in order…
Blogging the Institutes–1.13.1–God is Immense and Spirit
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. God is Immense and Spirit The teaching of Scripture about the immensity and spirituality of God's…
Blogging the Institutes–1.12.2–No Real Distinction between Service and Worship
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. No Real Distinction between Service and Worship Catholics invented the distinct between dulia (service) and latria (worship) to permit worship…
Michael Horton’s Understanding of the Lord’s Supper
From God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology: Salvation and the Sacraments The Holy Spirit brings to fruition the “new creation” in Christ. Horton uses speech-act theory in relationship to God's work in the world, “The Father speaks, the Son is spoken, and the Spirit brings about in history the effect and perfection of this speech” (137).…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.16–The Extreme Blasphemy of Idolaters
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. The Extreme Blasphemy of Idolaters I'll now turn my attention to the worst expressions of idolatry.…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.15–Scripture Doesn’t Actually Support Images
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. Scripture Doesn't Actually Support Images When idolaters speak on the issue of worship, they make a…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.14–Second Council of Nicea Proves Nothing
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. Second Council of Nicea Proves Nothing I would wrap my discussion of images if were not…
Blogging the Institutes–1.11.13–No Good Reason for Images in Churches
"Blogging the Institutes" is my on-going attempt to paraphrase John Calvin's work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. You can find out more about the series in the Introduction. For all the posts in this series, check out the Master List. No Good Reason for Images in Churches Let's consider for a minute the practicalities of having…
Don’t Do an Altar Call; Call for a Response Instead
Altar calls have had a controversial place in the history of the American church. Some churches may do them practically every week, while other churches do not believe that altar calls are biblical. Even those who would resist doing a stereotypical altar calls, or "hand raise" ("...every head bowed, every eye closed..."), still believe in calling…
Raising Lazarus 