RFPA Blog News

The Necessity of Conversion

From Redeemed With Judgement: Volume 2, by Homer C. Hoeksema, page 30-34. _________ Isaiah 1:13–17 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you:...

Watch your mouth! (4)

We might pride ourselves on being a “straight-shooter,” someone who is blunt and always cuts to the chase, someone who always speaks his mind. But this is no virtue. Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool uttereth all his mind; but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.” Only the fool is a person who always says what is on his mind, without consideration to time and place and circumstances.

Watch your mouth (3): Truth

The devil made use of the lie in the beginning to deceive Adam and Eve, and he continues to use the lie as his weapon of choice against the church today (cf. II Cor. 11:3). He is constantly telling the lie that obedience to God is misery, and that sin is pleasurable and can be committed without consequence. He is constantly slinging mud at the church and at us individual believers. He says, “Look at all your awful sins! You can’t possibly be a child of God! You can’t possibly be forgiven!”

This is the horror of lying and using our tongues to hurt others. When we lie about ourselves, either to build ourselves up in pride or to cover up our sins, when we use our tongues to slander and hurt our neighbor, we might think it is not so serious. But in reality we are doing the work of the devil!

Young people, flee the lie! Do not speak it yourself, and do not be party to the lies and slander of others!

"Profit for the soul, for both young and old"

These are some excerpts from a review by Rev. Dennis Lee of Moses: Typical Mediator of the Old Covenant. For the full review, click here. ________ Woven into the unique, lively and historical narrative of the life and ministry of Moses are concise biblical expositions and spiritual insights that will help the reader appreciate the spiritual challenges Moses faced, the sinfulness of God's people, and the greatness of God's wisdom, love, mercy and faithfulness to His covenant and His people in Jesus Christ.  Accordingly,...

Faith: A Bond, a Gift, and an Activity (5): Faith not as Condition

Peace on earth

“Peace on earth”: this is the song of heaven’s army. Peace is something that exists in heaven, for there is peace in the being of God, peace between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and there is peace among the angels. Peace is harmony, wellness, or wholeness. To be at peace means to be in a harmonious relationship with God. The angels enjoy peace with God, for they have never sinned. Man enjoyed peace with God before the fall, but he...

The Wonder of Grace — AVAILABLE AGAIN

Faith is that altogether mysterious and wonderful spiritual power whereby the soul strikes its roots into Christ, to cling to him, appropriate him, and draw out of him all the glorious blessings of salvation which are in him—the forgiveness of sins, eternal righteousness, and life. The difference between a believer and an unbeliever is not unlike that between a living young tree and a dead fence post. You can plant that fence post deep into the ground, but you do not...

Faith: A Bond, a Gift, and an Activity (4): Salvation in Principle and in Reality

Put on Love

Faith: A Bond, a Gift, and an Activity (3): "Can and Must Do"

What follows is from Martyn McGeown's article "Faith: A Bond, a Gift, and an Activity, but Not a Condition for Salvation," published in the Protestant Reformed Theological Journal, April 2019, Vo. 52, No. 2. The article will be serialized on the RFPA blog. The previous entry is Faith: A Bond, a Gift, and an Activity (2): Faith and Justification. __________ What a Regenerate Sinner Can and Must DoIn any discussion about salvation, justification, and faith, we must differentiate between a regenerate person and an unregenerate person....

When Charity Fails

Gentleness

"I am the Lord, I change not"

Faith: A Bond, a Gift, and an Activity (2): Faith and Justification

We should understand the jailor’s salvation in this way: Paul addressed the Philippian jailor with the command: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Paul did not say, “You are saved already because you are regenerate; therefore, do nothing.” He said, “Believe and thou shalt (in the future) be saved.” In other words, the jailor would enter into the enjoyment of the other benefits of salvation—justification, the forgiveness of sins, and, ultimately, heavenly glory—through faith in Jesus Christ. Without faith in Jesus Christ no man enjoys salvation, not even this panicking jailor. It is possible to possess salvation (to be regenerate, for example) without conscious faith, but it is not possible to possess the other benefits of salvation such as justification and sanctification, and to be consciously aware of them, and thus to enjoy and experience them, without faith (Rom. 5:1; I Pet. 1:22; Acts 26:18).