Theology for Everyone

Wilhelmus à Brakel: A Systematic Theologian for the Common Person Introduction Wilhelmus à Brakel (1635–1711), a name revered in Reformed theology, holds a unique place among the great theologians of the Dutch Second Reformation, also known as the Nadere Reformatie. From around 1600 to 1750, this...

Robert Lewis Dabney and the Greatness of Old Southern Presbyterianism I’m a bit of a book collector. I love getting my hands on an old volume from some obscure theologian and basking in the riches of God’s goodness and grace, flowing from the pen of an old and departed saint. But, every now and...

While it is odd to begin an article with such large quotes as follows, it seems wise to allow Rome to speak for itself. “There is one Universal Church of the faithful, outside of which there is absolutely no salvation. In which there is the same priest and sacrifice, Jesus Christ, whose body and...

“IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME” Walk into a typical Protestant church building in the English-speaking world, and it is not unlikely that you will find a table engraved with these words of our Savior taken from Luke 22:19 (and quoted by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:24). They come from the slightly...

The Lutheran doctrine of the Lord’s Supper is frequently described as consubstantiation . Though Lutherans do not prefer this description, it captures a key distinction being made in their eucharistic theology. Lutherans assert that along with ( con ) the bread and cup in the Supper, the humanity...

I recently preached a series on the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians chapter five and found it to be, well, fruitful. This vital section of Scripture draws a sharp contrast between the works of the flesh (vv. 19-21) and the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of God’s true children (...

In Matthew 26:26-28 Jesus spoke a few simple words that have been the cause of a great many differences between Christians. The differences, or disagreements, are centered upon what Jesus meant when the Bible tells us that: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it...

God’s law reveals God’s character. By it, we know Him and know what it means to be like Him. Therefore, the law itself is beautiful and desirable, reflecting God Himself. The law is also mankind’s tutor. It instructs us of our inability to be like God or to fellowship with Him apart from a...

The Christian is tasked with being a citizen of Heaven while living in a broken world alongside sinful men and women within the context of a given culture or society. One aspect of that living that has seemed to transcend all cultures or societies throughout time has been a fascination with and...

Before I had come to truly embrace the doctrines of grace, I remember being incredibly hung up on the idea of the perseverance of the saints. I simply could not understand how it was remotely possible that a Christian could be saved and then would never need to fear losing their salvation. After...