Westminster Writings

The Law and Laws by Bryan D. Estelle

3 Oct 2008 18:34:11 GMT

Recognizing the role and application of the law as conditioned by the covenantal context is especially important in the differences evidenced between the pre-fall situation and that situation following the fall of mankind. For example, works play a fundamentally different role in the pre-fall covenant, a covenant of works, than they do in the post-fall covenantal period, in the covenant of grace.

The Holiness of the Church by Hywel R. Jones

3 Nov 2008 18:33:14 GMT

Institutions are in trouble these days and professionals are suspect. The political, legal, financial, educational, and even charitable realms of the western world are crumbling. A lack of moral integrity is at the core of this disintegration.

Why Read Fiction? by W. Robert Godfrey

2 Sep 2008 18:25:50 GMT

The enjoyment we can derive from reading is not only the joy of well-crafted words and ideas. It is not only the fascination of meeting new people, both attractive and appalling. It is also the wonder of seeing an author’s creative mind at work – creating as an expression of the image of God in human beings.

The Law and Laws: A Biblical Overview by Bryan D. Estelle

1 Oct 2008 17:56:19 GMT

Is Bibliolatry Possible? by S.M. Baugh

1 Aug 2008 16:32:42 GMT

Professor Psmith tells us in his capacity as a "scientifically trained Christian" that he observes a grave danger rising from "North American fundamentalism" and its handling of the Bible.

The Splendor of the Three-in-One God: The Neccesity and Mystery of the Trinity

1 Jul 2008 16:34:16 GMT

Given the centrality to our faith of our teaching about the Trinity, it is profoundly ironic that for most believers this doctrine is practically disposable.

Ministers of God for our Good by David VanDrunen

2 Jun 2008 15:48:28 GMT

Political life continually confronts the contemporary Christian. Newspapers and television newscasts are filled each day with the latest acts and foibles of our government leaders, and in election years the stream of political information becomes a torrent.

Experiencing the Holy Spirit by David VanDrunen

27 Oct 2005 19:09:08 GMT

Who is the Holy Spirit and what sort of work does he do? How and where are we as Christians to experience and enjoy the Holy Spirit? Questions like these have challenged Christians for a long time, but they seem to trouble many believers in the present day more than ever.

Bioethics: New Questions to New Technologies

27 Oct 2006 19:08:03 GMT

While the basic moral responsibilities of Christians have not changed through the ages, the circumstances under which Christians make ethical decisions certainly have. A good example of how cultural developments pose ever-new moral challenges is the rise of bioethics.

Was Adam an Historical Person? And What Difference Does it Make? by Robert B. Strimple

27 Oct 2005 19:06:56 GMT

Does the Bible present Adam as an historical person, a man who actually lived at a certain point in history, the very first man and the father of all the members of the human race who followed after him? And if so, what is the theological significance of that fact? Or, to put it another way, what would be the theological consequences of denying the historicity of Adam?

Do You Believe This? by Robert B. Strimple

27 Sep 2006 19:05:52 GMT

Just how good is the good news of the gospel which you believe? Is it so good that, frankly, it seems at times almost too good to believe? I would invite you to read again the account of the raising of Jesus' friend Lazarus in John 11:17-45.

Is Porn Norm? by George C. Scipione

27 Dec 2006 19:04:58 GMT

While most Internet businesses were going bankrupt, the porn industry was raking in huge profits, making it perhaps the most profitable business on the Internet. In the past, one had to travel to sleazy backstreets to find porn; now, it’s only a click away on the computer and on the remote control of the cable/satellite TV.

You are My Witnesses: Evangelism in the 21st Century by Julius J. Kim

27 Apr 2008 19:04:01 GMT

Much to the chagrin of my budget-conscious wife, I have the kind of hair that requires a trim every month. I, however, actually look forward to going to my local barber shop because it provides me with an opportunity to chat with my non-Christian barber on a variety of current issues and events.

Did Calvin's Successors Distort His Doctrine of Predestination? by Joel E. Kim

27 Jul 2006 19:02:55 GMT

The division of history into various periods serves as a helpful pedagogical tool. I walked out of my courses in ancient, medieval, Reformation, and modern history with a sense of accomplishment in having somewhat mastered important events, individuals, and trends of thought that make each period distinct from one another.

Cracking Da Vinci's Code by Peter Jones

27 Nov 2005 19:01:36 GMT

On the level of the superficial plot that keeps the pages turning, The Da Vinci Code argues that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were lovers, had children, and a descendant of that biological line presently lives in Paris. Elements within the Church will kill to keep this secret from ever getting out.

Remembering A Forgotten Covenant by Hywel R. Jones

27 Apr 2006 19:00:17 GMT

Covenant is a most important term for understanding and appreciating the message of the Bible in all its parts. Most of its uses are in the Old Testament, but it appears also in the New, referring not only to that earlier body of literature, but also to the new order which came with the coming of the Messiah, his life, death and resurrection.

Christ in the Historical Books by Hywel R. Jones

27 Dec 2007 18:59:13 GMT

The historical books provide a succession of snapshots that show how Israel as the people of God lived in relation to the terms of that covenant relationship, whether enjoying its blessings or enduring its curses climaxing in exile.

Certainty in Christ by Hywel R. Jones

27 Dec 2005 18:58:03 GMT

Today people are much more interested in whether things work than whether they are true. Such thinking (if we may call it that) enables them to be dismissive of the Christian message. But God not only tells the truth, he keeps it. What is more, he does exactly what he promises. Neither falsehood nor failure characterizes him; he can neither lie nor fail.

Walking Straight Toward Gospel Truth by Dennis E. Johnson

27 Feb 2006 18:57:12 GMT

Simon Peter often seems like the irrepressible, spontaneous classmate in school who eagerly and consistently volunteered the wrong response to the teacher’s questions. His mistakes bring invaluable correction to us all.

The Peril of Pastors Without the Biblical Languages by Dennis E. Johnson

27 Oct 2007 18:55:38 GMT

I would suggest that Hebrew and Greek are practical subjects for pastors; and that, of all times in the life of the church, this is one time when the church needs pastors who can study God's Word in the languages in which he gave it. I also believe that, with some creativity, we need not find ourselves in the uncomfortable position of making trade-offs between exegesis in the original languages and the other practical disciplines.

The King's High Praise for His Daughters' Service by Dennis E. Johnson

27 May 2006 18:54:31 GMT

One of the most difficult challenges facing the church is the challenge of communicating the gospel of Christ in a way that is relevant to our culture without accommodating the message to the ungodly assumptions and values of that culture.

Common Grace and Theological Scholarship by Dennis E. Johnson

27 Jan 2006 18:53:18 GMT

Can Christians learn aspects of truth from non-Christians? Should students who believe in the inspiration of Scripture be expected to read the works of biblical scholars who reject the Bible's divine origin and authority?

Who Needs Systematic Theology When We Have the Bible? by Michael S. Horton

27 May 2008 18:51:59 GMT

One subject that brings even fundamentalists and liberals together is the criticism of systematic theology. For instance, many of us were reared to suspect that if someone clearly embraced some particular system

What Makes Something a Sacrament? by Michael S. Horton

27 Jun 2006 18:49:45 GMT

America is a marketplace of desire, a super-store of consumer craving, and its do-it-yourself religious life is as much a testimony to that fact as any other aspect. In our culture, shopping is therapy. We are not so much Pilgrim making his way with the communion of saints to the Celestial City as individual tourists bouncing from booth to booth at Vanity Fair.

Two Ways of Denying God's Law and One Way of Affirming It by Michael S. Horton

27 Jan 2008 18:48:20 GMT

It hardly needs to be pointed out that American culture is morally adrift. Newsweek magazine referred to the question over values as

Doesn't God Want Us to Be Happy? by Michael S. Horton

27 Oct 2007 18:46:33 GMT

So does God want us to be poor, sad, lonely—generally unsuccessful in our life and relationships? This view would simply be the mirror opposite of the prosperity gospel. God is not abstractly interested in ensuring that we are either wealthy or poor, successful or unsuccessful;

Suffering and a Theology of Glory by Michael S. Horton

27 Oct 2007 18:45:16 GMT

Jesus knew why he came. It was not to help people find a little more happiness and success in life. In fact, his life was filled with suffering, under the long shadow of Calvary.

Are You in God's Story or Is God in Yours? by Michael S. Horton

27 Oct 2007 18:42:02 GMT

We are witnessing a resurgence of Epicureanism, but this time not only in its usual (and, I think Paul would argue, sane) form; it’s a form of evangelical Epicureanism in which Christianity is offered as a more effective path to our own self-fulfillment and self-salvation.

What Ever Happened to Sin? by Michael S. Horton

27 Oct 2007 18:40:45 GMT

In his interview with Larry King (CNN, June 20, 2005), Joel Osteen said that he is not sure what happens to people who reject Christ. King followed up with the question about Jews, Moslems, and other non-Christians.

Joel Osteen and the Glory Story by Michael S. Horton

27 Oct 2007 18:39:44 GMT

In the Wal-Mart era of religion and spirituality, every particular creed and any denominational distinctives get watered down.

Just How Pro-Life are you Really? by Michael S. Horton

27 May 2005 18:34:37 GMT

Readers familiar with CURE know that we are a group committed to recovering the essence of the Christian message. That means that what you see and hear from us will usually be in the form of doctrinal discussions, issues, and debates written with the thinking layperson in mind.

Protestants and the Pope

27 Mar 2006 18:33:32 GMT

The death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI have drawn great attention to the papacy in recent months. Such intense interest is remarkable. Much of it relates to the personality and accomplishments of John Paul II.

Predestination and the Glory of God by W. Robert Godfrey

27 Feb 2008 18:32:19 GMT

As we think about God's glory it is good to begin with Moses, because after Moses had come down from Sinai and had confronted the sinfulness of his people, in his great distress he turned to the Lord in prayer. His prayer, as we find it in Exodus 33, was this:

The Myth of Influence by W. Robert Godfrey

27 Apr 2006 18:29:58 GMT

For a long time, I have felt that the cause of biblical Christianity has been undermined in our time by sincere people who engage in unbiblical activities for the sake of being an influence. The sad and ironic result of those actions has been harm to the cause of Christ and little or no good influence has actually occurred.

Calvin and the Worship of God by W. Robert Godfrey

27 Apr 2007 18:17:35 GMT

John Calvin is a hero for Reformed people. He is a hero because he was such a profound teacher of biblical Christianity. His systematic theology and his biblical commentaries remain models of brilliant scholarship and sensitive faith.

The Certainty of Death: Grieving and the Christian by W. Robert Godfrey

27 Aug 2006 18:16:34 GMT

Our avoidance of death as a subject means that often we do not know how to speak to those who are grieving. What should we do as individuals and as Christian communities to offer comfort to those who mourn?

Christ, the Consummation of Wisdom by Bryan D. Estelle

27 Nov 2007 18:11:33 GMT

Who has not been touched in some way by suffering and injustice in this sin-cursed world? In the ancient world, suffering may have been described in different ways because of somewhat different circumstances, but the pain we feel as a consequence of living in a sin-cursed world is still a common human experience.

Christ in the Covenants by Bryan D. Estelle

27 Feb 2007 18:10:28 GMT

The gospel is in Genesis. In fact, the gospel is throughout the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. Since the willful and high-handed first sin of Adam, the mission of Christ became necessary.

Pointing to Christ: Ezra 7:1-10 by Bryan D. Estelle

27 Jul 2006 18:08:53 GMT

I find myself turning to Ezra 7 again and again. The treasure and influence of a very godly man is set before us in the life of Ezra. During the restoration of Israel from her Babylonian exile (586 B.C.), he played a crucial role.

God Loves Me and Has What Kind of Plan for my Life? by Iain M. Duguid

27 May 2006 18:06:57 GMT

Genesis 39 tells the familiar story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. It has often been described as a case study in dealing with temptation, and in some ways it is.

A Perfect Church? Not in This Life by R. Scott Clark

27 Sep 2007 18:05:12 GMT

Welcome to life in the church. It is not perfect and, in this life, it will never be perfect, but it is nevertheless instituted by God.

The All-Sufficiency of Christ by S. M. Baugh

27 Jun 2007 17:26:34 GMT

Is faith in Jesus Christ all that I need to be justified? Has Christ really done it all for me? Today we face a variety of teachings which directly or indirectly erode Paul’s gospel by telling us that faith in Christ is just not quite enough.

Discipline in the Church: Revelation 2-3 by S. M. Baugh

27 Mar 2008 17:28:26 GMT

Church discipline properly concerns individual members of the church. The elders of the church watch over the souls of its members and engage in the unpleasant but necessary task of discipline for their good and for the peace and purity of the whole flock.

When the Good News Becomes Bad by R. Scott Clark

27 Jul 2006 17:29:34 GMT

By the thirteenth century the Gospel of grace was understood as a progressive transformation of a person’s moral life. The gospel equaled sanctification.