The two primary arguments against baptizing infants (paedobaptism) are: (1) there is no explicit Bible verse that shows us or teaches us to do so and (2) only true Christians are members of the new covenant and, therefore, infants—or any unbeliever—cannot be a member of the covenant community. Thus, the sign of the covenant, baptism, only pertains to believers. With these in mind, the following fifteen points seek to summarize the salient arguments for why many within the Reformed tradition baptize children of professing believers.
Continue reading this article...The Fall and Camelot
Try to think about what it must have been like to live before the fall. Of course that is impossible to do because all of our experience has been one of an acute sense of corruption, depravity, evil, and loss. We do not know anything else. We simply cannot relate to a world that is without these things, a world that is not filled with heartache, frustration, suffering, pain, hatred, turmoil, and disintegration. In a word, we have no idea what it is to live without the presence of sin.
Continue reading this article...When Believers Sin
Some time ago, in a question-and-answer period, someone asked, “Dr. Boice, is it possible for a Christian to commit murder?”
I suppose the questioner held the view that there should always be a basic minimum of sanctification in a Christian that prohibits such things. But I answered as I always answer such questions, saying, “Yes, a Christian can certainly do that.”
Continue reading this article...The Tale of Two Trees
When Adam stood in the Garden of Eden before the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he was confronted with the absolute authority of God. The command from God could not have been more clear, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16b-17).
Continue reading this article...All New Mortification of Spin Website
The Mortification of Spin podcast has been airing for a year and a half, attracting tens of thousands of listeners each week. And while there are some issues and certain episodes that we are asked to avoid, remove, or apologize for - we've not succumbed to any of that. BTW - the one thing we hear most often is for more of Carl Trueman, Todd Pruitt and Aimee Byrd - but we suspect they really mean more of Aimee.
Continue reading this article...John Owen on Worshipping the Son
As Christians we worship the one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. According to the Nicene Creed the Son is very God of very God and is of the same substance as the Father. And the Spirit is worshipped and glorified together with the Father and Son. In the same creed we also confess that the Son was incarnate and was made man. That is, he took to himself our creaturely human nature. But this seems to present us with a theological difficulty.
Continue reading this article...Interview with Joel Beeke over the KJV Reformation Study Bible
Recently we had the opportunity to ask Dr. Joel Beeke, of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, a few questions about the soon to come KJV Reformation Study Bible (due out in November). Dr. Beeke has been a regular speaker of the Alliance and is a good friend of the ministry. With his earnest promotion of the KJV, a study Bible out of his team is no surprise.
Continue reading this article...Jesus’ Life of Prayer
Yesterday, I had the privilege of addressing a chapel full of students on the subject of their spiritual lives. The title which I was assigned was taken from an address given over 100 years ago by B.B. Warfield, “The Religious Life of Theological Students.”
Continue reading this article...More Resources on Depression
As a follow up to Todd Pruitt's post from reformation21.org on resources on depression, I wanted to share a few items that the Alliance keeps around on the topic. These and more can be found at ReformedResources.org. And as a reminder, if you are a Friend of the Alliance, your shipping is free; if you are part of our President's Circle, we would be happy to give you these resources for free!
Continue reading this article...Dead, Dying, and Dying: The Strange Hope of the Christian Life
When did you die?
Michael Allen Rogers wrote recently that he died in 1957, when he was just eight years old.[1] Personally, I’ve had several near-death experiences, but I didn’t really die until 2006, partway through my undergraduate studies. The experience was simply unparalleled. All I can say of it now is that the breaths I have taken since then have been of clean air, filtered by the very speech of God—and I am done with death.
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