J.C. Ryle answers the common arguments in favor of “Baptismal Regeneration,” which are based on the Baptismal Service of the Prayer-book. ...

J.V. Fesko on the sacraments as visible words- a visible proclamation of the gospel....

J.V. Fesko on the Word of God as the chief means of grace. ...

Martin Davie explains from the homily, ‘Of Prayer’ in the Second Book of Homilies, how the English Reformers taught that the only true purgatory is the death of Christ and no other purgation is either necessary or possible....

Richard Sibbes, a 17th Century Anglican theologian, commenting on 2 Corinthians 3 concerning the difference between the law and the gospel....

Why Use Written Prayers?- Why does your church use prewritten prayers in your service? Isn't this a dry, rote, unthinking, way for the church to pray and worship? Don't pre-written prayers stifle the Spirit and hinder freedom and promote mechanical, vain repetition? Aren't spontaneous prayers more genuine and heartfelt than prewritten prayers? ...

This writing of Martin Luther is from the introduction to his “Postils” (a group of model sermons which he wrote while at the Wartburg Castle). This brief foreword is full of comfort and good news. In it, Luther sets forth insightful instruction on how to read the Gospels (and the entirety of Scripture- the OT and NT)....

Henry Jansma has written a helpful, succinct explanation of the 1662 BCP Holy Week Lectionary. Jansma writes, "If you've never followed holy week in the 1662 BCP, you are in for an incredible experience--so many different angles from which to see our Savior's death for us." The whole week is focused on the cross culminating in the resurrection....

A Commination or denouncing of God’s anger and judgements against sinners with certain prayers to be used on the first day of Lent and at other times as the ordinary shall appoint....

J.I. Packer on the Thirty-Nine Articles for the living of your life as a Christian....

Instead of using the word "altar," the 1662 BCP uses the word, "Table." The word, "sacrifice" is used carefully....

Dr. Mark Earngey, head of Church History and Christian Doctrine at Moore Theological College, recently spoke at GAFCON Australasia 2022 answering the question, "What is an authentic approach to Anglican identity?"...

An abbreviated version of Family Morning and Evening Prayer adapted from An English Prayer Book (The Church Society, 1994) and The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition (IVP Academic 2021)....

My argument is this: By the year 1700, Protestant Christianity had begun developing significantly new practices and understandings of the Christian faith that focused upon Christian renewal, conversion, new birth and the coming millennial kingdom. These new practices and understandings were a dramatic departure not only from Roman Catholic Christianity, but also from the o...

Martin Luther's primary concern when constructing the German mass and order of the liturgy in 1526 was that the gospel be proclaimed for the people in their context....

Martin Luther on the worthy reception of the Lord's Supper....

Infant baptism sets Christian discipleship from birth within a covenant context, which means means to understand discipleship as something connected to the ordinary means of God’s grace and the routine work of the church....

The homily, 'Against Peril of Idolatry,' in the Second Book of Homilies, makes four key points against the use of images, which, it says, are idols under another name. ...

J.V. Fesko on The Illegitimacy of Paedocommunion. Just because infants are baptized and are members of the church does not mean that they are automatically entitled to participate in the Lord’s Supper....

Thomas Watson, "Adoption is greater mercy than Adam had in paradise."...

Why does the 1662 BCP have "The Sunday Next Before Easter" rather than "Palm Sunday?"...

The basic function of the law never changes. What is this function? Read on to find out....

How do believers respond to the moral law?...

Sailing and the Christian life....

John Calvin discusses the three uses of the moral law....

Graeme Goldsworthy explains godless preaching. ...

Ten propositions in response to Lordship Salvation from the book, Christ the Lord: The Reformation and Lordship Salvation....

Why St. Patrick came back to Ireland in his own words....

Assurance lies in the very direct act of faith as one is presented with Christ, the object of faith. The reflex act of faith can support our profession but it cannot become the ground our assurance....

Holiness is not an option for a Christian. ...

The Office of Salvation- Hugh Latimer on the importance of the office of preaching....

Hugh Latimer on the most comfortable thing in the world....

In her book, The Lamentation of a Sinner, Katherine Parr recounts her conversion to the truth of the gospel of justification by grace, through faith, in Christ alone....

Graeme Goldsworthy on the relationship of the gospel to Christian living. ...

Justification and a Divided Church- Michael Horton discusses the two distinct positions on justification that continue to divide Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church....

The Gospel in the Prayer Book- Collected short writings by J. I. Packer on The 1662 Book of Common Prayer....

A collect for Reformation Sunday....

In his homily, A Sermon of the Salvation of Mankind, Thomas Cranmer quotes from many scholars and sources to convince us of the catholicity or universality of justification sola fide....

From 1552 onward, the striking thing about the daily services [in the Book of Common Prayer) was the prominent place given to the general confession of sins in corporate worship....

Ten propositions in response to Lordship Salvation....

Two Radically Different Views of Salvation: Thirty Nine Articles, Articles 11-13 & The Council of Trent: Chapter 7: The Causes of this justification are; Session 6, Canons 9, 11-12...

Nowell's Catechism on the Chief Parts of the Word of God...

How do the marks of the church point to the gospel?...

According to the Thirty-nine Articles, the Homily of Salvation or Homily of Justification outlines “a most wholesome doctrine”, that “we are justified by Faith only”. Lee Gatiss...

Mark Chapman writes about the historical distortion of history made by the 19th century Oxford movement. ...

Why do Anglicans refer to their ordained ministers as priest?...

A distinctive feature of Thomas Cranmer's reforms of the worship of the English church was the prominent place he gave to the extensive reading of Scripture. ...

Thomas Cranmer's Revolution in Worship: Grace and Gratitude...

Thomas Cranmer was a theological liturgist, which means the Reformer possessed a set of theological convictions that he hoped to express through his liturgy. These theological convictions were a clear step away from the worship of the medieval Catholic Church and the theological convictions that it represented....

In their book, Sacred Bond, Michael Brown and Zach Keele answer the question what is "new" about the new covenant?...

Richard Sibbes discussing the Christ-centered focus of all the Scriptures....

In partaking of Christ by grace alone through faith alone, we receive a double grace, namely justification and sanctification. ...

Since our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled with sin how can they be accepted by God?...

Jerry Bridges: The Greatest Obstacle to the Gospel...

John Calvin: Election is to be understood and recognized in Christ alone...

In his work, A Body of Divinity, James Ussher sets forth the difference between the law (i.e., covenant of works) and the gospel (i.e., covenant of grace)....

In their book, Grounded in the Gospel: Building Believers the Old-Fashioned Way, J.I. Packer and Gary Parrett make the vital observation that in discipleship believers never move on from the gospel but deeper into it....

In his book, The Trinity: An Introduction, Scott Swain argues that Eternal Functional Subordinationism (EFS) is a serious error that Christians should roundly reject because it inaccurately represents biblical teaching on the Trinity and therefore fails to provide a solid foundation for faith in the Trinity....

William Perkins defined theology as “the science of living blessedly forever.” The phrase captures the intellectual rigor and heartfelt piety that come together in the writings of this eminent English theologian, preacher, and spiritual director. Often overlooked or underestimated by modern scholars, Perkins was a very significant and influential scholastic theologian ...

In his commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism, Zacharias Ursinus discusses four differences between the law and gospel....

Zacharias Ursinus answering the question, What is the Gospel?...

Calvin explains how believers find peace for their conscience in the direct act of faith. ...

Detailed chapter outlines of Walter Marshall's book, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification....

Detailed outline of Chapter 2 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 3 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 4 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 5 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 6 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Notes...

Notes...

Detailed outline of Chapter 8 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 9 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 10 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 11 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 12 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 14 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of the Appendix in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

Detailed outline of Chapter 13 in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification...

To their detriment, it never occurs to a great deal of believers that their baptism has application to their current daily walk. This paper is written to help believers view their baptism as more than an event that happened in their past and to consider how the Scriptures set forth the benefits of baptism for the believer’s daily life....

Graeme Goldsworthy explains how we do not live but rather proclaim and believe the gospel....

Richard Hooker: "I rather term the one sort Presbyters than Priests"...

C. FitzSimons Allison discusses four ways in which pastoral ministry has been separated from its true purpose....

J.I. Packer on Four Problems of Keswick Teaching ...

Understanding the Contrast of “Law” and “Promise” in Galatians 3....

Walter Marshall on how true saving faith embraces Christ for both justification and sanctification. He shows that God's grace is twofold (i.e., the duplex [twofold] beneficium [benefit]). Justification is the first benefit (beneficium) and sanctification is the second benefit (beneficium). ...

A season of lament. ...

There is only one "ministry" but there are multiple vocations. All believers are sheep but not all believers are shepherds. All believers are priests, not all are pastors. All believers have been called by Christ to saving faith but not all believers have been called and entrusted with the one ministry of Christ's church, namely Word and sacrament. All believers are equipp...

Graeme Goldsworthy on the Four Reformation Solas: Grace alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone, Faith alone....

St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer (5th Century)...

New covenant believers are not under the Mosaic covenant. Therefore, calls for prayer based on the Mosaic (old) covenant during a worldwide pandemic is wrong and should be abandoned. Through Christ, the Mediator of a better (new) covenant, we have been given a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled ...

Richard Sibbes on a sweet consideration against the fear of death....

Richard Sibbes: The Glory of God is Greatest in the Gospel...

Michael Horton on what the third use of the law can and cannot do....

Gerald Bray: "'What would Jesus do?’ seems like an innocent question to ask, but it is impossible to answer literally and does not reflect the teaching of the New Testament. ...

James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland for the Church of Ireland (1625-1656) on the difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace....

The late 16th century Anglican pastor/theologian, William Perkins, on seven differences between the law and gospel....

No Creed But The Bible?- Carl Trueman on the unbiblical creedal statement, "The bible is our only creed and our only confession."...

Carl Trueman on how evangelicalism prioritizes parachurch institutions over and above the church. ...

Philip Schaff: The 39 Articles are found in every collection of Reformed confessions....

Graeme Goldsworthy explains why we like to be constantly told what we are to do and why we like to be battered and bruised by preachers....

Michael Green discussing The Gorham Judgement and clarifying the Anglican position on baptism and regeneration....

Confirmation cannot be a sacrament- a means of grace. Rather, confirmation is one's profession of faith- the believer's act, a response to the promise made in baptism....

J.V. Fesko, in his book, Word, Water and Spirit: A Reformed Perspective on Baptism, explains why the means of grace are restricted to Word and sacrament....

Jerry Bridges discussing the good news of God's initiative in reconciling His enemies to Himself. ...

Martin Davie clarifying the often misunderstood post-World War II Latin phrase, “ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda."...

There is no such thing as a “non-liturgical church.” The choice is not between liturgy or no liturgy, but between having an agreed-upon, well-thought-out liturgy or leaving things to the spur of the moment and the discretion of the leader. As one wag has rightly observed, if you think “organized religion” is bad, try disorganized religion....

The Protestant Reformation was waged on two fronts: the errors of Rome and the errors of the radical Reformation (i.e., so-called Anabaptists)....

The Double-Edged Nature of God's Revelation- The sacraments are means of grace. However, because they are linked to the covenant and more broadly to divine revelation, they are not always means of grace but sometimes means of judgment apart from a Spirit-wrought faith....

John Calvin: Christ has Redeemed us through His Obedience, which He practiced throughout His Life (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.16.5)...

According to Andy Stanley, the 21st century church must “unhitch the Christian faith from their Jewish scriptures.” Is this correct? No! We know this from Jesus' attitude towards the Old Testament, as well as the Apostles' and NT writers. We also object to Stanley's suggestion because of the nature of progressive revelation and the Scriptures central witness to Christ ...

In Hebrews 12:18-24, the author of Hebrews expresses deep concern about where his readers stand in relation to the God who asks, “Adam, where are you?” To prevent his readers from a calamitous reversion to Jewish beliefs and practices, the author of Hebrews sets forth two contrasting relationships with God, determined by two antithetical covenants. By contrasting the...

Why does understanding the movement of baptism matter?...

The doctrine of eternal functional subordination (hereafter EFS) has been growing in support in evangelical circles in recent years. EFS claims that the Father and the Son are eternally distinguished by an “authority-submission structure”1 such that the Son eternally submits to the Father and the Father eternally has au- thority over the Son. This structure is the patt...

Why is the covenant of grace important for the Christian life? We will consider two radically different days in a Christian's life to understand....

Collapsing the covenants into one overarching theme of grace confuses law and gospel and effectively eliminates an explicit law-gospel distinction in Scripture....

Does placing primary emphasis upon justification for assurance understate the importance and necessity of good works (i.e., sanctification)? Does this emphasis dishonor the Holy Spirit’s indwelling work?...

John Calvin discusses the four "causes" of salvation (i.e, the efficient cause- God the Father's mercy; the material cause- Christ's obedience/death; the formal/instrumental cause- faith alone; the final cause- the glory of God)....

Zacharias Ursinus, author of the Heidelberg Catechism, discusses the law and gospel. Ursinus refers to the law and gospel the "chief and most expressive mark of the true church."...

Theodore Beza on how the Gospel changes the effect of the preaching of the Law in believers....

Theodore Beza on the similarities and the differences between the Law and the Gospel....

Theodore Beza on what end (purpose) the Holy Spirit uses the preaching of the Law....

Theodore Beza on the Gospel and its authority, why, how and for what end (purpose) it was written....

Theodore Beza on the manner in which the Gospel includes, in substance, the books of the Old Testament....

Theodore Beza on the two parts of the Word of God....

A review of David Platt's book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream....

George Hunsinger shows how Jonathan Edwards crosses the fine line laid down by the Reformation concerning justification sola fide. Edwards taught that works are not simply external evidence that faith exists. Rather, works are necessary to the efficacy of faith. Works, as the external expression of faith, play a role in justification....

James Barr carefully argues for the correct meaning of the Aramaic term, "abba," showing that this word doesn't mean, "daddy." Since “abba” doesn’t mean “daddy or papa” one must not use these infantile ideas when addressing his or her heavenly Father in prayer. Otherwise, one may be addressing God the Father without the honor that is due Him....

The Bible sets forth a high view of the role of music in the church’s worship and witness and believers should as well. Why then does the church gather to sing? What is the role of music in the worship and witness of the church? This paper seeks to explore and answer this question....

There often exists a widespread suspicion that belief in the sovereignty of God”"particularly election”"undermines or even inhibits zeal for missions and evangelism. Dr. J.I. Packer in his book, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, persuasively demonstrates that such a misunderstanding is, in his words, “nonsense.” Election, faith, the gospel and evangelism go ...