A Baptist study on the Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 40, held at the Old Paths Christian Church on 6 January 2020. Topics include Christology and the Trinity; ancient creeds and councils; Nestorianism and other ancient heresies; Greek philosophy, essentialism, realism, metaphysics and existence; Roman Catholic teaching; the problem of the one and the many; and more!

Q. 40. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person? 

A. It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us,t and relied on by us, as the works of the whole person.u

(t) Matt 1:21,23; Matt 3:17; Heb 9:14
(u) 1 Pet 2:6

Resources

+https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lbcw/the-london-baptist-confession-of-faith-of-1689-with-preface-baptist-catechism-and-appendix-on-baptism

+https://reformedbrotherhood.com/trb-113-nestorianism/

“Human nature, therefore, although endowed with intelligence and will, may be, and in fact is, in the person of Christ impersonal. That it is so is the plain doctrine of Scripture, for the Son of God, a divine person, assumed a perfect human nature, and, nevertheless, remains one person.” (Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/hodge/theology2.html)

+Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, Fourth Edition Zondervan Academic, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GCG55EM/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_awdb_t1_x_V8cfEbQNFNPY7

+J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines: Revised Edition, https://www.amazon.com/dp/006064334X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YBnNEbZ1WRQ8W

Roger Olson, The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/372001517

+The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology: A Comparison Between Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist and Paedobaptist Federalism [Revised Edition] by Pascal Denault, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23827777

+Gordon H. Clark, “Atheism,” http://www.trinityfoundation.org/journal.php?id=50

+Gordon H. Clark, The Trinity, http://www.trinitylectures.org/trinity-the-p-78.html; and The Incarnation, http://www.trinitylectures.org/incarnation-the-p-92.html

A Baptist study on the Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 39, held at the Old Paths Christian Church on 30 December 2019. We covered a myriad of topics including Christology, salvation, Covenant Theology, Dispensationalism, Adam and Even, Moral Law, the Covenant of Works and the works principle, the law/gospel distinction, final judgment, sanctification, the flesh, and more!

Q. 39. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?

A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature,n perform obedience to the law,o suffer and make intercession for us in our nature,p have a fellow feeling of our infirmities;q that we might receive the adoption of sons,r and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.s

(n) Heb 2:16; 2 Pet 1:4
(o) Gal 4:4; Matt 5:17; Rom 5:19; Phil 2:8
(p) Heb 2:14; Heb 7:24-25
(q) Heb 4:15
(r) Gal 4:5
(s) Heb 4:16

Resources

+https://www.apuritansmind.com/westminster-standards/larger-catechism/

+https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lbcw/the-london-baptist-confession-of-faith-of-1689-with-preface-baptist-catechism-and-appendix-on-baptism

+Carlos Montijo and Tim Shaughnessy, “SRR 85 The Covenant of Works & New Covenant Theology, Part I,” Semper Reformanda Radio, https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2018/6/24/srr-85-the-covenant-of-works-new-covenant-theology-part-1.

+____“SRR 86 The Covenant of Works & New Covenant Theology, Part II,” https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2018/7/15/srr-86-a-biblical-defense-for-the-covenant-of-works-part-2.

+Carlos Montijo, “When Protestants Err on the Side of Rome: John Piper, “Final Salvation,” and the Decline and Fall of Sola Fide at the Last Day,” https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/5/6/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-i

+https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2017/03/22/semper-reformanda-radio-new-covenant-theology-playlist-resources

+Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/254994425

+Paul Washer, “Being What You Are: Having Too Low a View of Regeneration - Romans 6,” https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=428082310290

+The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology: A Comparison Between Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist and Paedobaptist Federalism [Revised Edition] by Pascal Denault, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23827777

+Hodge's Commentary on Romans 5, http://www.reformed.org/books/romans/rom_5b_hodge.html

+Richard Barcellos, Getting the Garden Right, https://press.founders.org/shop/getting-the-garden-right/

Ryan Denton leads a study on the Sabbath from the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith for the Old Paths Christian Church on 5 November 2018. This is the first of a series of studies based on the 1689 London Baptist Confession and Westminster Larger Catechism.

Chapter 22: Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

6. Neither prayer nor any other part of religious worship, is now under the gospel, tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed; but God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and in truth;w as in private familiesx daily,y and in secret each one by himself;z so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God by His word or providence calleth thereto.a'

(w) John 4:21; Mal 1:11; 1 Tim 2:8
(x) Acts 10:2
(y) Matt 6:11; Ps 55:17
(z) Matt 6:6
(a') Heb 10:25; Acts 2:42

7. As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by His Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto Him,b' which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day: c' and is to be continued to the end of the world as a Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.

(b') Exod 20:8
(c') 1 Cor 16:1-2; Acts 20:7; Rev 1:10

8. The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations,d' but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy. e'

(d') Isa 58:13; Neh 13:15-22
(e') Matt 12:1-13

Resources

+https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lbcw/the-london-baptist-confession-of-faith-of-1689-with-preface-baptist-catechism-and-appendix-on-baptism

+https://founders.org/library/1689-confession/

+https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2017/03/22/semper-reformanda-radio-new-covenant-theology-playlist-resources

+Sam Waldron, The Lord's Day: Its Presuppositions, Proofs, Precedents, and Practice, https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lday/the-lords-day:-its-presuppositions,-proofs,-precedents,-and-practice

+Richard C. Barcellos, Getting the Garden Right: Adam’s Work and God’s Rest in Light of Christ, https://press.founders.org/shop/getting-the-garden-right/

+http://www.rbap.net/some-thoughts-on-the-remaining-sabbatismos-for-the-people-of-god-heb-49/

+https://cbtseminary.org/response-to-schreiner-on-the-sabbath-1/

+Richard C. Barcellos, “Exodus 16 and the Sabbath,” http://www.rbap.net/1821-2/

+https://reformedarsenal.com/a-call-to-keep-the-sabbath/

+http://www.regularreformed.com/2017/02/13/episode-37-getting-the-garden-right/

Carlos and Tim discuss James White’s recent defense of Doug Wilson over against R. Scott Clark; warn against Jason Petersen and Messianic Jewish Ministries; and continue the series on John Piper’s view of final salvation based on the articles, When Protestants Err on the Side of Rome: John Piper, “Final Salvation,” and the Decline and Fall of Sola Fide at the Last Day. They resume Part 2 of the article with:

Fatal Flaw #6: Deadening the Resurrection

References

https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/5/6/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-i

https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/9/16/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-ii

- https://www.aomin.org/aoblog/2020/01/28/cruise-details-joe-biden-tim-keller/

https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2020/2/4/srr-120-Doug-Wilson-nails-his-coffin

https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2019/12/18/srr-117-Doug-Wilson-Federal-Vision-James-White

- http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm

-https://youtu.be/l2PMWKmaNSE

https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2019/9/4/contradictions-are-carnal

Soul Sleep: An Unbiblical Doctrine https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795751495/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UZuPDbVAD7DR6

https://megiddoradio.com/2018/03/09/312-responding-to-john-pipers-latest-comments-on-final-salvation-by-works

One of our main cultural taboos is, “Don’t talk about politics or religion,” but the Christian just can’t seem to keep his mouth shut. Join us for the last episode of the decade as Tim Shaughnessy opens up about personal issues and the challenges of sharing your faith with loved ones who don’t want to hear it.

This episode is also brought to you by The Trinity Foundation and we would like to thank Tom Juodaitis for allowing us to publish this Sermon from the late Dr. Richard Bennett titled, “Justification and The Roman Catholic Doctrine of Salvation.”

We would also like to recommend the ministry founded by Dr. Bennett, Berean Beacon.

Are Roman Catholics Saved?

Carlos and Tim catch up on emails, recent events, personal updates, and controversies about Apologetics and the Jeff Durbin/Andy Stanley exchange, School dress ups and gender, Christians and entertainment, Roman Catholic Baptism and Presbyterians, Charles Hodge and JH Thornwell, Richard Gaffin and Justification, and Piper and being Counted Righteous in Christ.

Charles Hodge on the Roman Catholic Church:

Indeed it is a matter of devout thankfulness to God that underneath the numerous grievous and destructive errors of the Romish Church, the great truths of the Gospel are preserved. The Trinity, the true divinity of Christ, the true doctrine concerning his person as God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever, salvation through his blood, regeneration and sanctification through the almighty power of the Spirit, the resurrection of the body, and eternal life, are doctrines on which the people of God in that communion live, and have produced such saintly men as St. Bernard, Fenelon, and doubtless thousands of others who are of the number of God’s elect. (John Robbins, http://www.trinityfoundation.org/journal.php?id=228)

References

https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/5/6/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-i

https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/9/16/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-ii

http://www.trinitylectures.org/sacramental-sorcery-p-161.html

http://www.trinitylectures.org/emperor-has-no-clothes-the-p-182.html

CALVIN ON THE VALIDITY OF 'ROMISH' BAPTISM, http://www.semperreformanda.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Calvin-on-the-Validity-of-Romish-Baptism-Dr.-F.N.-Lee.pdf

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2810687752

https://youtu.be/BnS5Z-A_5jA

http://www.ironsharpensironradio.com/podcast/september-1-2017-show-with-david-j-engelsma-on-the-gospel-truth-of-justification-proclaimed-defended-developed/

https://biblethumpingwingnut.com/2019/04/29/endgame/

Dallas Exhibits

https://www.biblicalarts.org

https://dma.org

https://buc-ees.com/index.php

http://easttexaszoo.com

http://creationevidence.org/

http://adamantbeliever.com

https://www.exministries.com

This is an exposition of Romans 9:19-24. This used to be a passage that caused incredible consternation and angst in my soul. Today, it is a beautiful anchor amid the storms in which we now live. I pray it will be this for you too.

Here is a link to the new Legacy Edition of J. Greshem Machen’s masterpiece, Christianity and Liberalism:

https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/christianity-liberalism-legacy-edition-9781733627214?variant=11602097143855

Thomas Brooks outlined these 7 characteristics of false teachers in the 17th century. Nothing has changed. Here they are:

1. False teachers are men-pleasers. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Luke 6:26; Galatians 1:6-10; Isaiah 30:9-10; Jeremiah 23:16-17

2. False teachers are notable in casting dirt, scorn, and reproach upon the persons, names, and credits of Christ's most faithful ambassadors. 2 Corinthians 10:10

3. False teachers are venters of the devices and visions of their own heads and hearts. Jeremiah 14:14; 23:16; Matthew 24:4-5; Titus 1:10; Romans 16:18; Jeremiah 23:1-3

4. False teachers easily pass over the great and weighty things both of law and gospel, and stand most upon those things that are of the least importance and concern to the souls of men. 1 Timothy 1:5-7; Matthew 23:23; Romans 8:1; Galatians 3:1; Galatians 5:12; Philippians 3:2; Matthew 23:24

5. False teachers cover and color their dangerous principles and soul-deceptions with very fair speeches and plausible pretenses, with high notions and golden expressions. Galatians 6:12; Romans 16:17-18; Matthew 7:15

6. False teachers strive more to win over men to their opinions, than to better them in their lives. Matthew 23:15; Acts 20:28-30

7. False teachers make merchandise of their followers. Jeremiah 6:13; 2 Peter 2:3

This is my precious Amy. She is a rare jewel of a wife. I thank God for every day He has shared her with me. One of my children snapped this picture when she wasn’t looking. That authentic smile while holding one of our 10 little ones in a sling… priceless. I put Proverbs 31:10-12 on this printing.

This short study of the key gender specific passages of Scripture on womanhood is worth its weight in gold:

"Feminine By Design" by Scott Brown

This is a running response to both of these programs on “Orthodoxy Now” back to back:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlJvDz3ZtTw

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8RB6guX8Z0

I received an email in response to an old video here:

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?m=t&s=5317151991

Here is the text of that email:

You tried to separate baptism from belief. But it may not be in Paul's argumentation in Romans 4 but it is clearly linked in scripture elsewhere:

Mark 16:15-16

Acts 2:38; 9:18; 10:43-48; 18:8; 22:16

Rom. 6:3-4

Gal. 3:27

1 Peter 3:21

These are just a few that connect faith with baptism. For one who prides himself in using scripture you sloppily dealt with this one and scripture agrees with the Priest. How is baptism a work? It is a work of God to wash man from his sin once he has believed and repented. Where in the Jewish law does it command us to be baptized?

BTW you did some nifty dancing with James 2. Bad exegesis again. If what you are saying is true then James only applies to people who claim to have faith. Which begs the question because wouldn't that be every Christian?

Paul talks about faith apart from works (of the law) he is reference the heresy of the judiazers who claimed you had to be under the law and observe it in some external way to be saved (Romans 2?). James distinguishes a different kind of works, in fact he is talking about faith and works apart from "works of the law" because the law hadn't been given yet. See the difference? James 2:22 is a keyverse. His faith and works were "Sunergeo". Dang, there is that pesky EO synergism.

This episode is my response