“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4, ESV) Jesus speaks these words on the eve of His crucifixion, in an upper room thick with tension and sorrow. Within hours, His disciples…
The scene is unforgettable: Isaiah stands in the temple, and suddenly the veil between heaven and earth tears open. He sees the Lord, high and lifted up, seated on a throne. The train of His robe fills the sanctuary. Seraphim hover above, crying “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is…
WHY DOES THE REFORMED TRADITION AFFIRM IT WAS JESUS? Before the walls of Jericho fell, something else happened first. Joshua encountered a mysterious figure—an armed warrior who claimed command of the LORD’s army. The conversation was brief but staggering. Joshua fell on his face in worship. The Commander accepted it. Then came the command: “Take…
The scene unfolds with stunning simplicity: Abraham is seated at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day when he suddenly looks up to see three men before him. His response is remarkable—he runs to meet them, bows to the ground, and addresses one of them as “Lord.” Yet the passage begins…
WHY REFORMED SCHOLARS EXERCISE CAUTION The scene is unforgettable: three Hebrew exiles—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—stand bound in a furnace heated seven times hotter than usual, flames licking at the edges of their faith. King Nebuchadnezzar peers into the inferno and gasps. He sees not three men, but four. And the fourth, he declares, looks “like…
Throughout the Old Testament, a mysterious figure appears: the Angel of the LORD. He speaks as God, bears God’s name, yet seems distinct from God. He accepts worship, forgives sins, and leads Israel through the wilderness. For centuries, Reformed theologians from John Calvin to John Owen have confidently identified this figure as the pre-incarnate Christ—the…
Picture the scene: Jeshua the high priest stands trembling before the Angel of the LORD, clothed in filthy garments. Satan crouches at his right hand, hurling accusations. The atmosphere crackles with cosmic tension. Then the Angel speaks—not as a messenger, but as God Himself: “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan!” This is no ordinary prophetic…
Imagine for a moment every Bible on earth vanished overnight. No Gospels, no Paul, no Scripture to quote. Could you still prove—beyond reasonable doubt—that Jesus of Nazareth died on a Roman cross and walked out of His tomb three days later? But what if we could build a strong historical case for the resurrection using…
Can a spiritually dead person choose God? It’s one of the oldest questions in Christian theology. And how we answer it shapes everything—our view of salvation, of human nature, and of God’s sovereignty. Enter prevenient grace: Prevenient (or “preceding”) grace is the doctrine, developed by Jacobus Arminius and popularised by John Wesley, that God gives…
If I struggle with the doctrine of God’s sovereignty—or even reject it outright—does that mean I’m not really saved? Many today insist we can. Some even claim that election, exhaustive providence, and sovereign grace are optional extras—important for some folks, but not essential for salvation. Scripture and the entire Reformed tradition answer with one voice:…
