Category Reformation21

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Real Presence in the Old Testament

In 268 AD, a bishop of Antioch, named Paul of Samosata, had begun teaching an early form of Unitarianism and Monarchianism. Specifically, he was teaching that Jesus was simply a human being who had been infused with the divine Logos:…

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Don’t Pray Like a Deist

Christians are Trinitarians. To worship the Trinity is definitional to the catholic faith.[1] This isn’t groundbreaking news by any means, but how much does this divine truth shape our worship? Drawing on Basil of Caesarea, Scott Swain rightly asserts that…

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Mission Accomplished

“It is finished.” (John 19:30) Have you ever left a project unfinished? Our lives are filled with projects that we have never quite managed to finish. We have half-read books on our shelves, half-eaten meals in our refrigerators, and half-finished…

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Covenant Memorials

While reading Nehemiah 9, I was impressed by how much Covenant theology is rooted in history. In the Old Covenant, God spoke through his prophets, priests, and kings to remind his people of what he had done for them in…

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Should I Get a Tattoo?

Should Christians get Tattoos? There is only one clear reference to tattoos in Scripture: “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:28). Obviously, this is a strict prohibition. It…

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A Fresh Look at an Old Confession

Note: This post has been adapted from the preface of A New Exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, slated for release by Mentor in January 2023. It has been correctly said that true Christianity “is confessional Christianity,”…

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A Word on Gender and Sex

In modern debates over sexuality, few terms have generated more confusion than “gender.” As distinct from “sex” (which focuses on biology), “gender” has to do with socially constructed roles and expectations. These terms are separated in order to emphasize the…

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Hypocrisy, Self-Doubt, and the Supper 

Just before Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper, he predicted that one of his disciples would betray him. All the disciples, Judas included, responded with a heart-searching question: “Is it I?” (Matt. 26:22, 25). For most of the disciples, it…