Category Archives: reformed theology

Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 3 Section 3

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That WCF 3.3 is concerned about God’s grace for both the elect and the reprobate. For the reprobate, God’s grace, mercy, patience is highlighted (and obviously God’s justice, but not just God’s justice). Eph. 2:3 “among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

If, from eternity, God had predestined the elect for grace and mercy (Eph 1:4-5), but in history the elect were for a time “children of [God's] wrath”, the converse could also be said: from eternity God had foreordained the reprobate to damnation, but in history the reprobate were for a time recipients of God’s common grace, mercy and patience.

To state it simply: after Adam’s fall, the human race was headed to hell. All of us deserve hell. However it was by God’s good pleasure that he decreed that some may be saved through Jesus Christ. All of us deserve hell, but for a short time, we all are recipients of God’s common grace, mercy and patience. Again this is for His glory.

By God’s decree, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestined to everlasting life, and others are foreordained to everlasting death.

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 2, Section 2

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Which God are you worshiping? How do you prepare your heart for worship? What do you think about when you worship? Chapter 2, section 2 of the Westminster confession of faith tells us the nature of God… and the relationship the creator God has with his creatures. When I first read this I was struck by his greatness. God is alone all-sufficient. His glory is his own and is not dependent on any of his creatures. God alone is infinite, infallible, and independent… He is creator God, far above us, yet so intimately involved with his creation. He is most holy, he is the fountain of life in which all things come into being and which all things are sustained by him. All things that come to pass are because of his will.

As we read this section and the rest of Chapter 2 of WCF, be struck by the awesomeness of our God. Even as we continue to worship today through the preaching of the word, the singing of hymns, I want you to meditate on and remember the greatness of our God. As we read this together, let our only response to God be that of total worship, total service, and total obedience….

Rev. 4:11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created

Rev. 5:12–14. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Chapter 2, Section 2 – God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.

Return to the reformed tradition

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After finishing this semester in my intro to pastoral and theological studies, I am amazed at how far the church has come in terms of maturing in her faith.  I am also aware of how far we still need to go.  We have to grow in our understanding and application of the word of God.  The five points, five solas, the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, biblical theology, systematic theology, practical theology, etc…  All theology is practical, meaning that unless we apply it, we don’t truly grasp the full meaning of what we learned.

I’m learning that having a great understanding of the things of God means loving my neighbor as myself, means trusting God when it hurts, means reflecting the glory of God to a dark and sinful world.  Reformed theology is historical Christian tradition.  It is the pure religion that was taught by Jesus, it is the apostolic teaching, it is the teaching of the saints throughout the ages.  It’s not that it has changed, it has matured over the ages… it has been refined and focused by the person of Jesus Christ into a sharp laser that points towards that time when we will worship before the throne of God… with Him seated on the throne and high and lifted up… and us laid low by his glory.

Oh, what a tradition we have.  Oh, what a great God we serve. 

My prayer is that God will continually remind us of his greatness.  Remind us that it is His glory that we see… In times of suffering like that of Myanmar and Chengdu China, it is God who is our refuge and our comfort and our provider and our savior.  Lord that we may remember you.  In times of prosperity, like what we experience here in the U.S. may we not forget our Lord.  May we not forget you.  Help us.  Help us to worship you.  help us to know you and delight in you.  Lord help us!

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 8

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Two questions today’s confession may answer are:

1. How did the bible come into being?
2. Why are there so many different translations of the bible?

The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old) and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time it was written was the language most generally known to the nations), being directly inspired by God and by his unique care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authoritative, so that in all controversies of religion the church is finally to appeal to them. But, because these original languages are not understood by all the people of God, who have a right to, and a vital interest in, the Scriptures and are commanded to read and search them in the fear of God, therefore the Scriptures are to be translated into the common language of every nation to which they come; so that, the Word of God dwelling abundantly in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner and by perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures may have hope.

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 8

How did the bible come into being?

- The scriptures were given to the people of God originally in Hebrew and Greek and have been carefully preserved in these original languages by God’s unique care and providence… They are to be trusted and appealed to as the authority in all controversies of the church.

Why are there so many different translations of the bible?

- Because God inspired the scriptures, the people of God need it “Vital Interest”– Because not everyone speaks the original languages, the word of God must be translated to the common language so that everyone may have access to the Word. That’s why we have so many different translations…

The scriptures are the inspired word of God, 2 Timothy 3:16 – All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful… they are a gift given to us by God to use, to encourage, to train, to equip… to worship God in Jesus Christ. Treasure this gift.

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 7

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Last time in our confession, we affirmed that all things concerning God’s glory, man’s salvation, faith and life are expressly set down in Scripture and that nothing is to be added to scripture, not by new revelations of the Spirit or the traditions of men.

What would you say to someone that said “The bible is too hard to understand”?

There are a lot of things in the bible that I don’t understand. Even Peter said that there are things in Paul’s writings that he doesn’t understand.

However, today’s confession states that the things necessary for salvation are explicit, plain, clear-cut… The oldest of people to the youngest of people can understand, the educated and the uneducated… teens, marrieds, adults, singles, kinds… pretty much if you understand what I’m saying now, you can understand the basic message of the bible.

Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.

We are saved by Jesus Christ alone, by faith alone, through grace alone, for the glory of God alone.

God is our God and we are his people in Christ.

Believe on the finish work of Jesus Christ. Submit your life to Christ.

Those things that are necessary for salvation are clearly taught in scripture, so that even the simplest person may understand.

7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 5

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WCF 1.5
As we continue with the confession of our faith, let me ask you one question: How do we know the Bible is the Word of God?

From the previous sections of chapter one, we learned that we have the testimony of the Church throughout the ages; we have testimony from the word itself proclaiming it to be the word of God. Evidence including its perfection, its unity, majesty, authority, its completeness of material found within the Old and New testaments in revealing God, man’s salvation, and its ability to teach us to give all glory to God…

But even with all these evidences, why doesn’t everyone recognize the Bible as the word of God? It is because evidence is one thing but the ability to understand is something else.

1 Corinthians 2:11 No one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We as Christians have been given the Spirit of God so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. We know that the bible is the word of God because the Holy Spirit works in our minds and hearts so that we might rightly respond to the truth that God has given us. Without the Spirit, man is foolish and unable to discern that which is spiritual.

So how do we know the bible is the infallible and divine word of God? Because the Holy Spirit bears witness to this in our hearts. This is what Chapter 1 section 5 of the Westminster Confession of Faith teach us.

5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to a high and reverent esteem for the Holy Scripture. The heavenly character of its content, the efficacy of its doctrine, the majesty of its style, the agreement of all its parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full disclosure it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, its many other incomparable excellencies, and its entire perfection, are arguments by which it gives abundant evidence that it is the Word of God. Nevertheless, our full persuasion and assurance of its infallible truth and divine authority is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

A Brief and Untechnical Statement of the Reformed Faith by Benjiman B. Warfield

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I believe that my one aim in life and death should be to glorify God and enjoy him forever; and that God teaches me how to glorify him in his holy Word, that is, the Bible, which he had given by the infallible inspiration of this Holy Spirit in order that I may certainly know what I am to believe concerning him and what duty he requires of me.

I believe that God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and incomparable in all that he is; one God but three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Sanctifier; in whose power and wisdom, righteousness, goodness and truth I may safely put my trust.

I believe that the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, are the work of God hands; and that all that he has made he directs and governs in all their actions; so that they fulfill the end for which they were created, and I who trust in him shall not be put to shame but may rest securely in the protection of his almighty love.

I believe that God created man after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, and entered into a covenant of life with him upon the sole condition of the obedience that was his due; so that it was by willfully sinning against God that man fell into the sin and misery in which I have been born.

I believe, that, being fallen in Adam, my first father, I am by nature a child of wrath, under the condemnation of God and corrupted in body and soul, prone to evil and liable to eternal death; from which dreadful state I cannot be delivered save through the unmerited grace of God my Savior.

I believe that God has not left the world to perish in its sin, but out of the great love wherewith he has loved it, has from all eternity graciously chosen unto himself a multitude which no man can number, to deliver them out of their sin and misery, and of them to build up again in the world his kingdom of righteousness; in which kingdom I may be assured I have my part, if I hold fast to Christ the Lord.

I believe that God has redeemed his people unto himself through Jesus Christ our Lord; who, though he was and ever continues to be the eternal Son of God, yet was born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem them that are under the law: I believe that he bore the penalty due to my sins in his own body on the tree, and fulfilled in his own person the obedience I owe to the righteousness of God, and now presents me to his Father as his purchased possession, to the praise of the glory of his grace forever; wherefore renouncing all merit of my own, I put all my trust only in the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ my redeemer.

I believe that Jesus Christ my redeemer, who died for my offences was raised again for my justification, and ascended into the heavens, where he sits at the right hand of the Father Almighty, continually making intercession for his people, and governing the whole world as head over all things for his Church; so that I need fear no evil and may surely know that nothing can snatch me out of his hands and nothing can separate me from his love.

I believe that the redemption wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ is effectually applied to all his people by the Holy Spirit, who works faith in me and thereby unites me to Christ, renews me in the whole man after the image of God, and enables me more and more to die unto sin and to live unto righteousness; until, this gracious work having been completed in me, I shall be received into glory; in which great hope abiding, I must ever strive to perfect holiness in the fear of God.

I believe that God requires of me, under the gospel, first of all, that , out of a true sense of my sin and misery and apprehension of his mercy in Christ, I should turn with grief and hatred away from sin and receive and rest upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation; that, so being united to him, I may receive pardon for my sins and be accepted as righteous in God’s sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to me and received by faith alone; and thus and thus only do I believe I may be received into the number and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.

I believe that, having been pardoned and accepted for Christ’s sake , it is further required of me that I walk in the Spirit whom he has purchased for me, and by whom love is shed abroad in my heart; fulfilling the obedience I owe to Christ my King; faithfully performing all the duties laid upon me by the holy law of God my heavenly Father; and ever reflecting in my life and conduct, the perfect example that has been set me by Christ Jesus my Leader, who has died for me and granted to me his Holy Spirit just that I may do the good works which God has afore prepared that I should walk in them.

I believe that God has established his Church in the world and endowed it with the ministry of the Word and the holy ordinances of Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and Prayer; in order that through these as means, the riches of his grace in the gospel may be made known to the world, and, by the blessing of Christ and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them, the benefits of redemption may be communicated to his people; wherefore also it is required of me that I attend on these means of grace with diligence, preparation, and prayer, so that through them I may be instructed and strengthened in faith, and in holiness of life and in love; and that I use my best endeavors to carry this gospel and convey these means of grace to the whole world.

I believe that as Jesus Christ has once come in grace, so also is he to come a second time in glory, to judge the world in righteousness and assign to each his eternal award; an I believe that if I die in Christ, my soul shall be at death made perfect in holiness and go home to the Lord; and when he shall return to his majesty I shall be raised in glory and made perfectly blesses in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity: encouraged by which blessed hope it is required of me willingly to take my part in suffering hardship here as a good soldier of Christ Jesus, being assured that if I die with him I shall also live with him, if I endure, I shall also reign with him. And to Him, my Redeemer, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, Three Persons, one God, be glory forever, world without end, Amen, and Amen.