All Things Expounded » Reformation

Vos on “Reformed” and “Lutheran” Differences

mark — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:28:26 +0000

“The Christian knows that he is a party in God’s covenant and as such he has all things and spans at any one moment the whole orbit of grace, both in time and for eternity. By faith he is a member of the covenant, and that faith has a wide outlook, a comprehensive character, which not only points to justification but also to all the benefits which are his in Christ. Whereas the Lutheran tends to view faith one-sidedly – only in its connection with justification – for the Reformed Christian it is saving faith in all the magnitude of the word. According to the Lutheran, the Holy Spirit first generates faith in the sinner who temporarily still remains outside of union with Christ; then justification follows faith and only then, in turn does the mystical union with the Mediator take place. Everything depends on this justification, which is losable, so that the believer only gets to see a little of the glory of grace and lives for the day, so to speak. The covenant outlook is the reverse. One is first united to Christ, the Mediator of the covenant, by a mystical union, which finds its conscious recognition in faith. By this union with Christ all that is in Christ is simultaneously given. Faith embraces all this too; it not only grasps the instantaneous justification, but lays hold of Christ as Prophet, Priest and King, as his rich and full Messiah….Therefore faith may not be confined within the limited circle of one piece of the truth and its gaze fixed on that all the time; it must have in view, freely and broadly, the whole plan of salvation.” – Geerhardus Vos

B.B. Warfield on “Reformed” and “Lutheran” Differences

mark — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:20:25 +0000

“[Justification by Faith Alone] is as central to the Reformed as to the Lutheran system. Nay, it is only in the Reformed system that it retains the purity of its conception and resists the tendency to make it a doctrine of justification on account of; instead of by, faith. It is true that Lutheranism is prone to rest in faith as a kind of ultimate fact, while Calvinism penetrates to its causes, and places faith in its due relation to the other products of God’s activity looking to the salvation of man. And this difference may, on due consideration, conduct us back to the formative principle of each type of thought. But it, too, is rather an outgrowth of the divergent formative principles than the embodiment of them. Lutheranism, sprung from the throes of a guilt-burdened soul seeking peace with God, finds peace in faith, and stops right there. It is so absorbed in rejoicing in the blessings which flow from faith that it refuses or neglects to inquire whence faith itself flows. It thus loses itself in a sort of divine euthumia, and knows, and will know nothing beyond the peace of the justified soul. Calvinism asks with the same eagerness as Lutheranism the great question, ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ and answers it precisely as Lutheranism answers it. But it cannot stop there. The deeper question presses upon it, ‘Whence this faith by which I am justified?’ And the deeper response suffuses all the chambers of the soul with praise, ‘From the free gift of God alone, to the praise of the glory of His grace.’ Thus Calvinism withdraws the eye from the soul and its destiny and fixes it on God and His glory. It has zeal, no doubt, for salvation but its highest zeal is for the honour of God, and it is this that quickens its emotions and vitalizes its efforts. It begins, it centres and it ends with the vision of God in His glory and it sets itself; before all things, to render to God His rights in every sphere of life-activity.” – B.B. Warfield

The Early Years of Henry VIII (The Anglican Reformation – mp3 #7)

mark — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:12:47 +0000

I’ve just uploaded the 7th part of the Ten Epochs of Church History, the Anglican Reformation by William Clark. This chapter is “Early Years of Henry VIII”.

Volume X – The Anglican Reformation – Chapter Seven – Early Years of Henry VIII (mp3)

To play/download the previous recordings (Chapters 1-6), check out my Audio book recordings page.

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X -The Anglican Reformation #6

mark — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:12:56 +0000

I’ve been working on recording a volume from the series Ten Epochs of Church History edited by John Fulton.

I’m focusing on volume ten, The Anglican Reformation by William Clark. It is in the public domain, published in 1901 and copyright 1897. I have an actual hard copy of this book

I previously completed:

Here is the one I’ve just completed:

Volume X – The Anglican Reformation – Chapters Five (The Church Before the Reformation) and Six (Precursors of the Reformation)

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X -The Anglican Reformation #5

mark — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 10:59:19 +0000

I’ve been working on recording a volume from the series Ten Epochs of Church History edited by John Fulton.

I will be focusing on volume ten, The Anglican Reformation by William Clark. It is in the public domain, published in 1901 and copyright 1897. I have an actual hard copy of this book

I previously completed:

Here is the one I’ve just completed:

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X – The Anglican Reformation – Chapter Four – Wycliff and the Lollards

Recording of About Heart Work and Companion for Prayer by Richard Alleine #2

mark — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 15:06:53 +0000

I’m recording MP3′s of About Heart Work/Companion for Prayer by the Puritan Richard Alleine.

Here is what I’ve previously recorded..

About Heart Work / A Companion For Prayer – 01 – Biographical Sketch of Richard Alleine

And here’s the new recording

About Heart Work / A Companion For Prayer – 02

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X -The Anglican Reformation #4

mark — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 02:47:10 +0000

I’ve begun working on recording a volume from the series Ten Epochs of Church History edited by John Fulton.

I will be focusing on volume ten, The Anglican Reformation by William Clark. It is in the public domain, published in 1901 and copyright 1897. I have an actual hard copy of this book

I previously completed:

Here is the one I’ve just completed:

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X – The Anglican Reformation – Chapter Three – The Plantagenets

Recording of About Heart Work and Companion for Prayer by Richard Alleine

mark — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 22:22:57 +0000

I’ve begun recording MP3′s of About Heart Work/Companion for Prayer by the Puritan Richard Alleine.

Here is the first file:

About Heart Work / A Companion For Prayer – 01 – Biographical Sketch of Richard Alleine

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X -The Anglican Reformation #3

mark — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:48:30 +0000

I’ve begun working on recording a volume from the series Ten Epochs of Church History edited by John Fulton.

I will be focusing on volume ten, The Anglican Reformation by William Clark. It is in the public domain, published in 1901 and copyright 1897. I have an actual hard copy of this book

I previously completed:

Here is the one I’ve just completed:

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X – The Anglican Reformation – Chapter Two – The Norman Kings

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X -The Anglican Reformation #2

mark — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 23:18:58 +0000

I’ve begun working on recording a volume from the series Ten Epochs of Church History edited by John Fulton.

I will be focusing on volume ten, The Anglican Reformation by William Clark. It is in the public domain, published in 1901 and copyright 1897. I have an actual hard copy of this book

I previously completed:

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X – The Anglican Reformation – Preface.

Now recording two is completed:

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X – The Anglican Reformation – Chapter One – The Anglican Church Before The Conquest

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X -The Anglican Reformation #1

mark — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:30:04 +0000

I’ve begun working on recording a volume from the series Ten Epochs of Church History edited by John Fulton.

I will be focusing on volume ten, The Anglican Reformation by William Clark. It is in the public domain, published in 1901 and copyright 1897. I have an actual hard copy of this book.

10 Epochs of Church History – Volume X – The Anglican Reformation – Preface

Keach’s Catechism Recording Project Completed

mark — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:10:24 +0000

I would like to announce that the Keach’s Catechism Recording project has been completed. The entire recording is now available in MP3 format in 9 parts. You can listen to any of these by clicking on them or save them to your computer by doing a “Right Click -> Save As”.

My voice isn’t so lovely, but the content of this of the Catechism is. It’s based on the London Baptist Confession and Westminster Shorter Catechism and is a classic statement of Reformed/Calvinistic Baptist theology.

Keach’s Catechism #8 (Q 100-113)

mark — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 04:12:57 +0000

I’ve begun recording an MP3 audio book of Benjamin Keach’s classic Keach’s Catechism.

Previously I recorded the following:

Here is the eight recording:

Keach’s Catechism MP3 #8 – Questions 100-113

Keach’s Catechism #6 (Q 65-82) and #7 (Q 83-99)

mark — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 11:29:33 +0000

I’ve begun recording an MP3 audio book of Benjamin Keach’s classic Keach’s Catechism.

Previously I recorded the following:

Here is the six and seventh recordings:

Keach’s Catechism #5 (Q 44-64)

mark — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 00:29:28 +0000

I’ve begun recording an MP3 audio book of Benjamin Keach’s classic Keach’s Catechism.

Previously I recorded the following:

Here is the fifth recording:

Keach’s Catechism MP3 #5 – Questions 44-64