Bondage of the Will by Luther

One of the greatest classic in Church History has to be Martin Luther's Bondage of the Will. In it, Luther systematically refutes the Semi-Pelagian view of Rome in his response to Erasmus. Check out this great classic: Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther.

Schreiner on Romans

Romans is one of the most systemetized texts in the New Testament covering a wide range of topics in a concise manner. It has also been cited as key text for conversion by numerous famous theologians in th past. Check out this great commentary on Romans by Tom Schreiner.

The Underrating of Church History

The value of Church history is underrated today because post-modern skeptical deconstructionism reigns supreme. When one takes the Scripture out of the picture, one no longer has a basis for knowing history. It becomes arbitrary and impossible to document. This mentality has permeated into the Church, and it has been devastating.

Heresies that were once dealt with have reemerged with a vengeance, especially ones like the Jehovah's Witnesses cult. Because we failed to teach the Bible as authoritative, which in turn grounds history itself, many have been deceived into this cult. Sadly, these same people think that it is novel, yet it is just a repackaged form of Arianism (early Church heresy) with its focus on good deeds and the denial of Christ as fully God.

This and many other heresies are only the tip of the ice-berg. Rather, let us stand upon God's Word, which alone forms the basis of any rationality, and proclaim the truth of God's Word that has been delivered to the prophets and kept by our fathers that have heralded orthdox truth.

Homeward Bound

A few blogs ago, I commented on the great read "Homeward Bound". Hartman demonstrates how being heavenly minded as a Christian is instrumental in developing a godly household. As our hearts reflect upon eternal matters, that inevitably drives our attitudes and actions in this life, especially within the family unit.

Check out Homeward Bound by Hartman.

Great Isaiah Commentary

I recently perused through key section of an incredible commentary on Isaiah. Motyer does and excellent job explaining great tapestry that is the book of Isaiah, and he gives an especially good defense of the total authorship of Isaiah. I agree with him that the vast majority of those who would reject Isaiah as the author ultimately do so because of presuppositional biases against supernatural revelation.

Check out Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary by J. Alec Motyer.

Taking Back Counsel From the Halls of Babylon--Competent to Counsel

In our era, one doesn't have to look too far to find a 'therapist' for just about anything. The Halls of Babylon have transformed our society from one that sought the Scripture for wisdom into one that selects popular fads off of the buffet of pop psychology.

However, we need not succumb to the wisdom of the world. Jay Adams started to push back against this several decades ago, and since then a revival of true Biblical counseling has emereged. The Bible is sufficient for training, correction, and reproof; we do not need the wisdom of Babylon to evangelize, disciple, and grow in Christ.

Here is the book that confronted the idols of pop psychology when few were willing to do so: Competent To Counsel by Jay Adams.

Defending the Faith--Bahnsen on Van Til

Greg Bahnsen did a masterful job in ordering the thought of Cornelius Van Til. I read through this work a couple years ago, and it was incredible. I have never been the same since. It has become a great arsenal in my quiver of works that rightly extol the Word of God in all its glory.

Presuppositional Apologetics puts real teeth into Christian apologetics, and this book is a must for anyone who desires to delve deeper into some critical concepts in cultivating a strong Biblical Worldview.

I strongly recommend Van Til's Apologetic: Reading and Analysis by Greg L. Bahnsen.

Hell Under Fire

Hell is one of the most denied locations in our era. Even many professing Christians tend to waffle about its existence or its eternality. For a great read on the Doctrine of Hell, I reccomend, Hell Under Fire, which includes authors like Albert Mohhler, Jr.

Shepherding a Child's Heart

Any attempt to raise a child in the fear and admonition of the Lord is blasted today in Halls of Babylon. The humanists detest spanking, and they hate that we teach our children absolute truth, yet God' truth abideth still. We have found great encouragement in a book entitled Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp.

Deity of Christ

The early Church battled numerous heresies, and we see a bold defense of the Deity of Christ in the book of John. Amongst other heresies, it was written against the Docetic heresy, which is the idea that Christ only seemed to be God but was not actually God. John blasts this doctrine because salvation is on the line.

Man cannot be saved without God, for only God can redeem man because it is against an infinitely Holy God that we have sinned. For this reason, the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sin (Heb 10:4). They only pointed to the need for an ultimate sacrifice. God the Son became this ultimate sacrifice on the cross. He alone could bear the wrath of God and redeem a people to Himself because He is fully God. He could live under the Law and fulfill it because He added flesh to Himself and lived a human life having victory where Adam failed.

Though the One Triune God bears a mind-boggling relationship in our minds, it is through the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that salvation has come to the elect of God. Let us praise Him all our days!

To Him be the glory! Amen!

Check Calvin's Sermons on the Deity of Christ

Augustine, Rome, & The Unites States of America

As I was reading through Bruce Shelley's Church in History in Plain English, I was reminded of how Augustine persevered through the Fall of Rome. America is in a similar situation as Rome, yet as Christians we shall persevere in the same manner that Augustine did. We glory in the crucified and risen Christ who shall never be dethroned! Amen!.

Now comes the pressing question. What will the landscape look like for American Christians in the event of our nation's collapse?

I've heard that this probably depends on where you live at now, for that will dictate what life is like when everything comes out in the wash. If you live or move to an area that is at least friendly to a Biblically based ethic, then persecution will probably not be as severe though economics times still tough. However, if you live in the more extreme liberal parts of the country that detest the God of the Bible, oppressive governments could be looming.

Nevertheless, Christ still reigns in glory, and the Church will persevere as it always has, yet persecution should be expected. Even so, there is much heresy today that will be rooted out in the process, which has traditionally sanctified the Church and strengthened the bonds of fellowship.