Do all professing Christians pray with the same efficacy? Does our godliness or lack thereof affect our prayers in terms of the influence they have on God to answer them? There is no question, our sin can hinder our prayers (Ps. 66:18; Prov. 28:9; Isa. 59:2; Jn. 9:31; James 4:3; 1 Pet. 3:7). So if...

The Westminster Shorter Catechism on Q. & A. is wrong-headed, in my view. Almost everyone in Reformed circles knows the following question and answer by heart: Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. But, as I read the Scriptures, it...

My wife's step-father has attended a Roman Catholic church his whole life. But he has just been moved to palliative care, and likely has days or weeks to live. He has a book beside his bed where he lies dying: not the Catechism of the (Roman) Catholic Church, but a book by Martin Luther on...

This interview at a Gospel Coalition website struck me as very odd. I suspect that the "Calvinism" these two gentlemen are referring to has very little to do with historic Reformed theology, and more to do with the fact that what passes for "Calvinism" today has been watered-down to mean acceptance...

Only one person has truly understood the words that Christ said on the cross: "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46). That person was Christ himself. The rest of us are left to try our best in comprehending this heaven-rending, heart-melting...

How many of our modern hymns speak of Christ's wrath and judgment? If I'm not mistaken, "Agnus Dei" (Michael W. Smith) derives its language from Revelation 19. How many consider the wrath of the Lamb, described in that chapter, when they have their eyes closed and hands raised in the air when...

I don't really care for Resolutions, mainly because I rarely keep them. Personally, I just want to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ day by day, depending especially on the ordinary means of grace to accomplish this purpose. But for 2015, I want to go the extra mile and set modest goals:...

10. Omnes in Adam , by Aaron Denlinger. Absolutely essential reading if you feel as though you need to know more about Ambrogio Catarino's Doctrine of Covenantal Solidarity and Its Influence on Post-Reformation Reformed Theologians. 9. Reformed Orthodoxy in Scotland , edited by Aaron Denlinger...

Roger Olson is reviewing Oliver Crisp's new book, Deviant Calvinism . I plan to do some interacting with Crisp's book in the new year. The Reformed tradition is diverse, but there is the thorny question of just how diverse. I have quickly realized that one man's diversity may not be another man's...

What is the incarnation? It is the kissing of heaven and earth. To borrow a phrase from Thomas Goodwin, when the Son became flesh, "Heaven and Earth met and kissed one another, namely, God and man." The incarnation makes theology possible. It makes communion with God possible. Whatever saving...

After discussing the tensions among evolutionists concerning the precise mechanism of evolution, I thought it might be good to address the underlying metaphysical assumptions of words that are used in the academy, such as "evolution." The explanatory power of the Neo-Darwinian synthesis has given a...

Alright folks, here is a great Christmas present to get someone who likes John Owen, the Puritans, or Reformed theology: The Ashgate Research Companion to John Owen's Theology, edited by Kelly Kapic and Mark Jones . The price has been dramatically reduced to $44.95 from about $150. Hardback cover,...

A recent post on Reformation21 was removed by the author. But thanks be to the Aquila "Report" (quotes mine), republication is truly well and alive . The author on the Aquila "Report" takes issue with a certain Ref21 blogger for undermining good works in the Christian life. This Ref21 blogger...

Understanding the distinction between God's absolute power and his ordained power might solve a lot of theological problems among many evangelical Christians, especially among the (unwittingly) hyper-Calvinistic sort. God's absolute power is that power to do that which he will not effect. He could...

The key to understanding the transfiguration lies in understanding its parallel: the crucifixion. There are few, more beautiful, contrasts found anywhere in God's word than the contrasts between the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-9) and the events surrounding the crucifixion (Matt. 27:33-54). On Mount...

Okay, readers, listen to me, listen to Ignacio: Banner of Truth, the publisher that makes the most beautiful books in the (Reformed) world, have a great sale on . Don't forget to buy Chad van Dixhoorn's really good work on the Wesminster Standards . Owen - except for the stuff about Christ being...

As a Pastor, I get some really encouraging emails from my congregation: "Pastor Mark, thanks for the message today. I never leave Faith encouraged, convicted, and prompted to keep going on in the faith. Take care, ___" I'm sure my anti-pietistic friends will respond, "many a true word spoken [by...

"FOR TO THIS YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED, BECAUSE CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED FOR YOU, LEAVING YOU AN EXAMPLE, SO THAT YOU MIGHT FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS." --1 PETER 2:21 In the broader Reformed world there are some who seem to have distaste for the theological concept commonly known as the "imitation of Christ."...

While doing my MA in historical and dogmatic theology I had a very neat (i.e., narrow) understanding of the Reformed tradition. I typically thought in these categories: Reformed versus Arminian; Reformed versus Socinian; Reformed versus Roman Catholicism; etc. But as I moved into my PhD studies I...

With Carl's sad anouncement that he is retiring (honourably?) from the Reformation21 blog, the responses have been flooding in, from home-school moms to top men from TGC. I give you a mere sampling. From an anonymous reader: Some lady is an avid reader of the blog; but, alas, she is not so fond of...

Part 2 of 2 (see part 1 on "Why I Pour" here ). As a pastor, who has many baptistic families in his church (who are fine Christians, dear friends, and those I commune with at the table), there are several points I typically raise in order to persuade them of the theological necessity of...

The reports of my retreat have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, I did back out of the ring after seeing 20 Baptists step in. But, listening to Metallica (coupled with a Liverpool loss today) has put me in a punchy mood: To any Baptist pastor who will come to my church and say the following to all the...

Professor Michael Haykin has responded to my piece on Baptists and the Lord's Supper. Dr. Haykin is a leading Baptist historian, an excellent scholar, and most importantly he is a godly Christian man with strong convictions. I praise God for him. He also co-supervised my doctoral dissertation and...

Few people, this side of eternity, can claim to have known Jesus like the Apostle Paul did. Yet, not as a man outside of Christ, but as a man "in Christ," Paul considered everything apart from Christ as "dung" because he knew Jesus. Indeed, as a man sometimes privy to direct revelation from God,...