Posts by nick batzig
When we think of Jesus, we dont tend to think of Him as One who had many possessions. After all, the Scriptures are clear that "though He was rich, yet for our sakes, He became poor that we through His poverity might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9). At His own admission, we know that the Savior was homeless--His earthly ministry depended, in part, on the financial support of certain disciples and friends (Luke 8:3; 10:38). Nevertheless, the Scriptures also have much to tell us about what sort of things Jesus purchased.
One of the more difficult questions to settle--both from a biblical and historico-theological perspective--is that which concerns how we are to view the children of baptized, professing believers. On one hand, we can be quite sure that the children of professing believers are, no less than the children of unbelievers, "by nature, children of wrath" and heirs of the fallen Adamic nature--as the Apostle Paul affirms in Eph. 2:1-4, Rom. 3:9-20 and Rom. 5:12-19--under God's curse and thoroughly deserving of His wrath. However, on the other hand, we know from the same Apostle that the children of professing believers, who are nurtured in the pale of the church--whether Old or New Covenant--have unique privileges (e.g. see Rom. 3:1-6, Rom. 9:1-4 and Hebrews 3:1-6) and "would be unclean (lit. pagan) but are now holy" (i.e. set apart, in some sense) according to 1 Cor. 7:14.
If there is one area in which young Reformed men preparing for seminary have generally failed to give adequate attention it is to the writings of that period of church history from the Apostles to the Reformation.
If we are honest with ourselves, we would all have to admit that we have broken our vows many times and in many ways. Divorce is not the only way in which the marital vows are broken. Every harsh word, selfish act, lustful thought, etc. is a breaking of our marital vows. Leaving a local church for unbiblical reasons is not the only way to break our church membership vows. Delinquency in attendance, complaining, stirring up discord, failing to use our gifts for the spiritual well-being of the other members, failing to pray with and for one another is also a breaking of our vows.
Christ is the One who has appointed the marks and means by which He is advancing His kingdom in this world and bring His people to glory through His own prophetic, priestly and kingly ministry in His church
SEARCH THE ALLIANCE
Join the Alliance
© Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
