Monthly Archives: May 2010

Forensic Friday (night): Hodge on Paul on the Gospel

By D. G. Hart | Published: May 28, 2010

The apostle, in unfolding the plan of redemption proceeds on the assumption that men are under a law or covenant which demands perfect obedience, and which threatens death in case of transgression. He then shows that no man, whether Jew or Gentile, can fulfill the conditions of that covenant, or so obey the law as… Read More→

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Where’s Waldo Wednesday: Priorities

By D. G. Hart | Published: May 26, 2010

The objection to the priority of justification rests partly on the idea that justification and sanctification come simultaneously (though distinctly) through union with Christ – prioritization prohibited. And yet, the problem of prioritizing one benefit before another doesn’t seem to bother the advocates of union when it comes to the rest of the benefits purchased… Read More→

Posted in Application of Redemption | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

What Glenn Beck and Peter Lillback Need to Know about the Church and Social Justice

By D. G. Hart | Published: May 26, 2010

The church’s mission is not social justice if, by such equity we mean the punishment of wickedness and the reward of virtue. One way to substantiate this assertion is by looking for the word “justice” in the church’s corporate witness. A word search reveals in the Belgic Confession, for instance, that justice appears in the… Read More→

Posted in spirituality of the church | Tagged , , , , , , , | 57 Comments

The Fight Against Liberalism, Round 2: Foreign Missions

By admin | Published: May 26, 2010

Darryl Hart continues his series on J. Gresham Machen looking at Machen and the Independent Board of Presbyterian Foreign Missions.  The independent board was created as a reaction to the liberal theology permeating the denominational board.  The controversy surrounding the board eventually led to Machen’s removal as minister of the Presbyterian Church. Download

Posted in J. Gresham Machen | 1 Comment

If George Washington Gets A Pass, Why Not William Ernest Hocking?

By D. G. Hart | Published: May 24, 2010

Well, one reason is that Washington was the nation’s first president and the U.S. Capitol has a whole lot of hullabaloo about him as a divine-like being (see the image of Washington’s apotheosis). Hocking, by contrast, was merely a professor of philosophy at Harvard University. As positions go, teaching at Harvard is not too shabby,… Read More→

Posted in Confessionalism, spirituality of the church | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Lillback on Machen on Beck

By D. G. Hart | Published: May 21, 2010

(Or, why isn’t Christianity and Liberalism outselling Sacred Fire at Amazon?) PCA pastor, Peter Lillback, invoked J. Gresham Machen the other night on the Glenn Beck show to clear up the host’s confusion about social justice and the churches. Beck, of course, thinks “social justice” is code for liberalism, big government, and Obamanian tyranny. But… Read More→

Posted in J. Gresham Machen, Jure Divino Presbyterianism, New World Presbyterianism | Tagged , , , , , , , | 48 Comments

Forensic Friday: The cor cordis of the Gospel

By D. G. Hart | Published: May 21, 2010

It is, nevertheless, the very cor cordisof the Gospel that is here brought under fire. The one antithesis of all the ages is that between the rival formulae: Do this and Live, and, Live and do this; Do and be saved, and Be saved and do. And the one thing that determines whether we trust… Read More→

Posted in The Hinge | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Where’s Waldo Wednesday: Did He Say “Impetration”?

By D. G. Hart | Published: May 19, 2010

We are told that God saves us in His mere mercy, by a renovating work of the Holy Spirit, founded on the redeeming work of Christ; and we are told that this renovating work of the Holy Spirit was in order that we might be justified and so become heirs. Here the purchase by the… Read More→

Posted in Application of Redemption | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

More Some of This and That

By D. G. Hart | Published: May 19, 2010

Church Rater is a website in which users may rate churches or look at ratings in order to select a church. Here is a sample of what church planters are up against: This is for one of the lowest rated churches, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dubuque, Indiana: “typical lackluster presbyterian church; bible is read, but… Read More→

Posted in Miscellany | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Das Machen des Van Til

By admin | Published: May 19, 2010

Or roughly, “The Making of Van Til.”  Camden Bucey builds a case that Machen is the principal historical reason for Cornelius Van Til becoming the influential reformed apologist he became.  Darryl Hart and John Muether have written on the subject.  Their article Why Machen Hired Van Til is available through the OPC. Download the audio… Read More→

Posted in Cornelius Van Til, J. Gresham Machen | 3 Comments