Reformed Forum » Systematic Theology

A Communal Perspective of Regeneration and the New Creation

Camden Bucey — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:15:04 +0000

One of the typical proof texts presented for the doctrine of regeneration is 2 Cor 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (ESV). While this passage has much to do with the transformation that happens in the life of the believer when his or her mind is enlightened and will renewed, this verse is often taken in an individualistic direction that misses the full weight of Paul’s message. There is also a broader, eschatological sense in which this verse must be understood, and Herman Ridderbos draws this sense out in his book Paul: An Outline of His Theology. He writes,

When he speaks here of “new creation,” this is not meant merely in an individual sense (“a new creature”), but one is to think of the new world of the re-creation that God has made to dawn in Christ, and in which everyone who is in Christ is included. This is also evident from the neuter plural that follows: “the old things have passed away, the new have come,” and from the full significance that must be ascribed here to “old” and “new.” It is a matter of two worlds, not only in a spiritual, but in a redemptive-historical, eschatological sense. The “old things” stand for the unredeemed world in its distress and sin, the “new things” for the time of salvation and the re-creation that have dawned with Christ’s resurrection. He who is in Christ, therefore, is new creation: he participates in, belongs to, this new world of God. [pp. 46-47]

When Paul says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,” we can also point and say “there is the new creation.” In being called out of darkness into the kingdom of God, believers are part of the new creation—God’s overarching plan of redemption that culminates in Christ’s return and the resurrection of believers unto glorified bodies. We should never forget the work of the Spirit in individual lives, but we ought also remember that each individual salvation account is part of a larger sweep of redemption. This communal and biblical-theological view of redemption is the explanatory context for the ordo salutis, the application of redemption to individual believers.

Covenantal Condescension

Camden Bucey — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:00:41 +0000

K. Scott Oliphint’s chapter, “I Am … Your God” in his book God with Us: Divine Condescension and the Attributes of God is an excellent primer on the relation of the Triune God to creation. God is wholly other, yet he decided to create and relate to creation. This truth presents an initial problem for theologians. We must be careful how we consider these things as orthodox Christians, because we may compromise God’s independence, freedom, and sovereignty with only the smallest of errors. And so we must be faithful and precise in our theology—giving full attention to Scripture. Oliphint works with this intent. He moves toward an orthodox conception of the transcendent God while avoiding the problems that are so common to variations of Kantian metaphysics. Oliphint writes,

… what does it mean for God to condescend to and to be with his creation? Certainly the notion of “condescend” or “coming down” is a metaphor… We mean that God freely determined to take on attributes, characteristics, and properties that he did not have, and would not have without creation. In his taking on these characteristics, we understand as well that whatever characteristics or attributes he takes on, they cannot be of the essence of who he is, nor can they be necessary to his essential identity as god. In other words, given that whatever properties he takes on are a result of his free knowledge and will, he did not have to take them on; he could have chosen not to create or decree anything. [p. 110]

Oliphint emphasizes God’s freedom to create and to relate to creation. Whatever we might say of God’s condescension, we must begin with the dogmatic truth that God was not bound to create. In other words, Christianity is not a form of pantheism. Later, Dr. Oliphint explains how this concept of condescension is developed under the idea of a covenant.

God condescended to his creation in order to begin and maintain a relationship with that creation, more specifically, with those he had made in his image. [...] the Confession summarizes God’s condescension in the word covenant [specifically, Westminster Confession of Faith, 7.1]. The condescension itself includes a contract that God makes with his human creatures, a contract that requires, first, God relating himself to us and, second, an understanding of our relationship to him. [p. 111]

This covenantal arrangement rests upon the pactum salutis (Covenant of Redemption/Salvation), which is an eternal (though free) agreement between the Father, Son, and Spirit to create and redeem a people for God’s own glory. In terms of redemptive-history, this general covenantal relationship has been expressed by means of two main covenants: the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace. This is one of the most basic features to Reformed theology, but it’s one that might be a bit perplexing to evangelicals. It gets a bit more complicated since the Covenant of Grace itself has been issued under two administrations, often called the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. For a quick explanation of these covenants and how they pertain to the gospel, watch our series of several short videos with Dr. Lane G. Tipton.

The Reformed doctrine of God can be intimidating to people new to Reformed Christianity. I would recommend working [slowly] through Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics, volume 2. For those even more adventurous, Dr. Oliphint’s MDiv course, Doctrine of God is available for free on iTunesU. We would all do well to know our God more fully as he has revealed himself to us in creation, in Scripture, and in Jesus Christ.

The Covenant of Grace

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:43 +0000

Dr. Lane G. Tipton describes the Covenant of Grace and its two administrations. This is an important lesson that pictures for us the wonderful salvation that comes through the mediation … Read more→

Two Kingdom Theology and God’s Covenantal Fiat – Part 2

James J. Cassidy — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:21:43 +0000

“To identify the redemptive kingdom of the God…with the common causes of the city of man is profaning of the holy, a prostitution of the gospel, a diabolical repudiation of the atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ.”

– M.G. Kline, Kingdom Prologue, 286.

“The regeneration of all things must now be a gift before it can become a task.”

– Cornelius Van Til, “Nature and Scripture,” in The Infallible Word, 271

The two above quotations are of inestimable value for our understanding of the relation between the two kingdoms (notice here that we affirm two kingdoms; one non-redemptive, common realm and one redemptive realm manifest here on earth as the church). In this sense, both Kline and Van Til were adherents of a 2K perspective. There must remain an essential and fundamental distinction between the ethics, tasks, and marks of the kingdoms of this world on the one hand, and the Kingdom of God on the other. To confuse them or conflate them is to destroy the true nature of both. In other words, any application of a Van Tilian and Klinean covenant theology to the question of the relation between the two kingdoms must never fall into a theonomic/transformationalist perspective. Likewise, the perspective I outlined in the first post gives no quarter to theonomy or transformationalism.

But Kline and Van Til also give no quarter to at least two other notions: First, that there is any place, anywhere, in all of God’s creation to which the unbeliever may retreat and find value-free ground. Second, there is no place in all of God’s creation to which special revelation does not speak, interpret, and illuminate. Van Til makes his point clearly when he says (thanks to Warren Cruz for pointing this one out): “Even in Paradise man had to interpret the general (natural) revelation of God in terms of the covenantal obligations placed upon him by God through special revelation.” (Cornelius Van Til, ‘My Credo,’ 90). But Van Til goes on:

In paradise…man could not know from nature itself nor from himself in relation to nature that the result of eating from the tree of good and evil would spell his death. Hence we may speak of this revelation as being positive instead of natural. It had to be a direct communication of thought content on the part of God to man. Then too we may speak of this revelation as supernatural in opposition to natural. It was a revelation that man could not obtain by ever so diligent an application of his thought activity to the phenomena of nature.(Introduction to Systematic Theology, 67)

So, here Van Til expresses his concern over the use of the terminology “natural” as it tends to denote a reality which exists quite independent of “the thought content” of God. Natural revelation, theology or law has often been conceived in the tradition is as an entity which has a life of its own. At best, nature was understood as something which pointed beyond itself to God. But Van Til is here bringing nature and God’s revelation of his Word into a closer relation. In other words, the essence of God’s creation is that it is his Word, and that it can only be properly interpreted by man through God’s special revelation to man. Again, Van Til is particularly insightful:

It is of prime importance to observe that even in paradise man was never meant to study nature by means of observation and experiment without connection with positive super-natural thought communication given to him by God. Nature could not be observed for what it actually is except in relation to history, and history cannot be seen for what it is at any stage except it be viewed in relation to its final end. And only by direct supernatural revelation could man have an adequate notion of this end. (Introduction to Systematic Theology, 68)

So, back to the first point, there is no value-free place in all of creation. The created order is inherently covenantal and thus speaks. It speaks of the creator at every turn. That means that the so-called “common realm” may never be interpreted in an autonomous fashion. It is true, because of common grace, fallen man can still produce much which is good. But even the good that he produces shouts out against him. Therefore, culture is not a “safe place” for man in his rebellion. It is not value-free, neutral territory. 2KT advocates may agree with this, but I wonder how consistent it sits within their system. More on this anon.

Second, even in the common realm, the good which can be (and is!) done by the unbeliever must always and everywhere be interpreted in the light of special revelation. That he does not accept special revelation as true in no way gets him off the hook. Nature, culture, etc were never intended to stand alone. If he is not interpreting reality in light of the telos of God’s created order and redemptive plan, then he is malfunctioning in the common realm. That does not mean that he is functioning in a less productive way than the believer. Rather, because of God’s common grace he may in fact be functioning in a more productive way than the believer. But he is, nevertheless, malfunctioning.

So, is there anyway in which we can say that the “common kingdom” is “Christian?” This is an important question to answer, and to do so in such a way as to avoid confusing culture with the Kingdom of Christ. I affirm whole heatedly that it is a mistake to seek to “transform” culture, Christianize it, and to think that it is the church’s task to redeem it. Yet, I want to also maintain that even the common realm is not disconnected from God’s revelation (in its unified complex of being in the things that have been made as well as in Scripture). After all “the common kingdom” must not and never can be understood in a compartmentalized fashion – independent from Jesus Christ. So, I propose the affirmation of the following points which seek to relate the common kingdom to God’s revelation and the person of Jesus Christ.

The common kingdom is (NB: not “must become”) related to God’s revelation and Christ himself in the sense that it is Christ who rules it by his Word and through his providential power (Col 1:16-17). Nothing happens in the created order without the express will and command of Jesus Christ. Here we stand unabashedly with Abraham Kuyper who rightly affirmed that there is not one square inch of creation about which Christ does not claim “mine!”
The common kingdom is related to God’s revelation and Christ himself in the sense that the common realm is covenantal revelation of God. And in particular, it is properly the covenantal revelation of the second person of the Trinity (though in no way divided from the other persons). The foundation of the revelation of God in creation is the “Logos of creation” (Introduction toSystematic Theology, 69).
The common kingdom is related to God’s revelation and Christ himself in the sense that its purpose is to serve the redemptive Kingdom, the church. Christ upholds the culture and the common kingdom for the sake of his church. In this way, the Noahic covenant preserves the creation, restricts sin, and maintains order in both space and time in order to be the stage upon which God brings about his redemptive purposes for his people. “It is the fact without which the whole of redemptive revelation would drop to the ground.” (Introduction toSystematic Theology, 68).
The common kingdom is related to God’s revelation and Christ himself in that God’s special revelation for his people is the only authoritative interpreter of the common kingdom. The NT may not say much about the common kingdom and cultural pursuits, but it does speak – however general – to the nature of the created, common order (this, some current 2KT advocates affirm). Christ is testifying by his Spirit, through his Word, to his own acts in creation and history. For example, music was made by Jesus and for Jesus. Jesus was the one who ordained and providentially brought about the events of history, both sacred and secular. He not only ordained and brought about the acts of God in redemptive history, but he did so with regard to everything from what you did this morning, to the victory of the Allied forces, and to the earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Japan.

Therefore, we can not agree – without qualification – with Dr. Van Drunen that there are things in the created order which are “simply” universal human obligations, tasks, or events.^¹ In other words, baking cookies is never “just baking cookies,” either for the believer or unbeliever (both objectively and subjectively). While the particulars of the “rules” of cookie-baking are the same for both believer and unbeliever, they are both baking in a realm which – though common to both – is bearing testimony onto condemnation for the latter and testimony onto salvation for the former. It is the same creation for both, but that creation is being used for different ends. Furthermore, God’s special revelation applies equally to both believer and unbeliever in terms of understanding the created order. The same special revelation condemns the one but vindicates the other. In other words, dualism are never valid here.

Even though we understand that Van Drunen intends to speak of things in creation which both Christians and non-Christian have in common, we believe that his unqualified statement leaves open the door to misunderstanding. For instance, talk of “simply human” can mean a compartment in the created order which is value-free. Van Til calls this brute fact. However, all facts are God’s facts, and therefore are Christ’s facts (we are sure Van Drunen here agrees). In this way, then, all things are related to God’s revelation and Christ himself. In this sense, we can say that the common kingdom is Christian (though we do not make it Christian). After all, Christ came to reconcile all things to himself, whether in heaven or on earth (Col 1:20).

That said, however, we do agree with Van Drunen’s strong emphasis on making careful distinctions between which commands in the Bible are proper to the church and which are proper to the common kingdom. Though “common kingdom” remains somewhat problematic for me. I would prefer something along the lines of “The Realm of Christ’s Common Grace in Creation.”

1. David Van Drunen, Living in God’s Two Kingdoms, 168-9. We agree wholeheartedly with Van Drunen’s consistent affirmation that the common kingdom is not “neutral.” See for example the same volume, p. 15. However, the question remains: if there is no neutral territory in all of God’s creation, is it prudent to speak about “simply” or “universal” human obligations or tasks? If by that all he has in view is that both believers and unbelievers engage in them, then that is hardly a point of contention. If however, there is something more in view (i.e., that God’s special revelation is not necessary for the unbeliever in the common realm to function – ethically and epistemologically – rightly), then we must continue to demur.

Why Baptize Children?

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:00:21 +0000

Rev. Daniel Hyde, pastor of Oceanside United Reformed Church in Oceanside, CA builds a case for paedobaptism. Hyde has written Jesus Loves the Little Children: Why We Baptize Children, an excellent book treating the biblical, theological, and historical aspects of the subject. Join us for this insightful discussion.

The Covenantal Context of Redemption

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:00:37 +0000

In speaking of the gospel, it is important to understand the covenantal context in which it occurs. Though Adam sinned in the garden and brought guilt and corruption upon all his posterity, Jesus Christ institutes a new covenant in his blood for all those who believe in him. Dr. Lane G. Tipton speaks about covenant and salvation.

Speaking about the Gospel

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 05:00:47 +0000

The gospel has become a hot topic in the evangelical world, and for that all Christians should be thankful. But conversation about the gospel is only fruitful in so far as we understand it biblically. In this episode, Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey discuss the categories Reformed theologians often use to describe the gospel – using Paul’s lesson in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 as a foundation.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ESV)

Charles Hodge on Trinitarian Personality

Camden Bucey — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:00:26 +0000

If you’ve had a chance to peruse Andrew Hoffecker’s biography, Charles Hodge: The Pride of Princeton or Hodge’s own works, you’ll know that Charles Hodge is an old school giant. In my opinion, his three volume Systematic Theology belongs on every pastor’s shelf. The following excerpts come from Hodge’s discussion on the Trinity and are great examples of Hodge’s mind in action. Though he delivers the goods on orthodoxy, he does so with a deep biblical sensitivity and a desire for creative, yet faithful theologizing within the tradition.

As the essence of the Godhead is common to the several persons, they have a common intelligence, will, and power. There are not in God three intelligences, three wills, three efficiencies. The Three are one God, and therefore have one mind and will. This intimate union was expressed in the Greek Church by the word [perichoresis], which the Latin words inexistentia, inhabitatio, and intercommunio, were used to explain. These terms were intended to express the Scriptural facts that the Son is in the Father, and the father in the Son; that where the Father is, there the Son and Spirit are; that what the one does the others do (the Father creates, the Son creates, the Spirit creates), or, as our Lord expresses it, “What things soever” the Father “doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” (John v. 19.) So also what the one knows, the others know. “The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor. ii. 10, 11.) A common knowledge implies a common consciousness. In man the soul and body are distinct, yet, while united, they have a common life. We distinguish between acts of the intellect, and acts of the will, and yet in every act of the will there is an exercise of the intelligence; as in every act of the affections there is a joint action of the intelligence and will. These are not illustrations of the relations of the persons of the Trinity, which are ineffable, but of the fact that in other and entirely different spheres there is this community of life in different subsistences,—different subsistences, at least so far as the body and soul are concerned. (Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, vol. 1 (Hendrickson Publishers, 1999), 461–462)

Hodge develops the doctrine of perichoresis, particularly as it bears upon divine consciousness and the three hypostases. Relating these is no small ordeal, but Hodge does so in a way that preserves Trinitarian orthodoxy, while also maintaining the personality of God as God. Hodge continues,

This fact—of the intimate union, communion, and inhabitation of the persons of the Trinity—is the reason why everywhere in Scripture, and instinctively by all Christians, God as God is addressed as a person, in perfect consistency with the Tripersonality of the Godhead. We can, and do pray to each of the Persons separately; and we pray to God as God; for the three persons are one God; one not only in substance, but in knowledge, will, and power. To expect that we, who cannot understand anything, not even ourselves, should understand these mysteries of the Godhead, is to the last degree unreasonable. But as in every other sphere we must believe what we cannot understand; so we may believe all that God has revealed in his Word concerning Himself, although we cannot understand the Almighty unto perfection. (Hodge, 462)

Speaking more in philosophical vernacular, Hodge argues that God—as unity—is addressed as a person, while God as three is also three persons. It’s important to note that Hodge is not departing from Nicean and Constantinopalitan orthodoxy here. In the creedal usage, God is three persons (hypostases) in one essence. He’s drawing out the implications of the notion of perichoresis, that is, the mutual indwelling of the hypostases in the divine essence. Cornelius Van Til built upon Hodge’s work on Trinitarian personality. If you would care to read more on Van Til’s use of Hodge, find a copy of Dr. Lane Tipton’s dissertation “The Triune Personal God: Trinitarian Theology in the Thought of Cornelius Van Til”. Ph.D. dissertation, Westminster Theological Seminary, 2004. You may also listen to Christ the Center episodes 49 and 152.

How is Redemption Applied?

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:00:23 +0000

The redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ is applied by the Holy Spirit as he effectually calls the elect and unites them to Christ by faith. Dr. Lane G. Tipton unpacks … Read more→

The Gospel and its Implications

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:00:20 +0000

Camden Bucey, Jonathan Brack, and Dan Adams speak about the gospel from the steps of the historic Tenth Presbyterian Church. Reformed Forum was delighted to be invited to the annual Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, which is organized by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Sinclair Ferguson, Ligon Duncan, Liam Goligher, Harry Reeder, and Rick Phillips contributed to the important theme The Gospel: What? Why? How?

This year, the Alliance considered the message and the method of the gospel. What makes the gospel a source of such abounding joy? What is the bad news, to which the gospel is the remedy? What is the power with which the gospel brings salvation? How is the cross the very center of the gospel? What was the distinct gospel message that Jesus preached, and how do we preach it today? How do pastors and churches take up the gospel ministry of reconciliation, of which we read in the Bible?

On this episode, the panel spends time discussing many of these questions while exploring the implications of the good news of Jesus Christ for all of life.

The Benefits of Salvation

admin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:00:21 +0000

The gospel is first and foremost the good news about the resurrected Christ. Through union with the resurrected Christ believers receive justification, adoption, sanctification, and all other benefits which either flow from or accompany them. In this video, Dr. Lane G. Tipton describes these benefits and how they relate to one another.

The Word of God and Inerrancy

Camden Bucey — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:00:58 +0000

Gabe Fluhrer joins the panel to speak about inerrancy. The subject continues to be an issue of perennial importance. Gabe has edited a wonderful book on the subject with contributions from many well-recognized scholars and pastors. The contributions are taken from addresses at the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, organized each year by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals.

Two Kingdom Theology and God’s Covenantal Fiat

James J. Cassidy — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:56:02 +0000

I want to once again reiterate my deep appreciation for the work done by 2K theologians. I believe their insights are important and essential for the church to hear today. In particular, in so far as they desire to highlight the spiritual nature of the church’s ministry, I am all on board. Furthermore, I am in general agreement and in sympathy with their critique of social transformationalism. I am also deeply indebted to their redemptive-historical hermeneutic for understanding the difference between what parts of God’s Word are applicable to the church or state today, and which are not.

However, where I disagree is on a fundamental, deep-structural level with regard to their covenant theology. And I disagree with them because of Geerhardus Vos, Cornelius Van Til, and above all M.G. Kline.

Now, what I am about to argue does not have universal agreement in the history of Reformed Theology. In fact, we might notice an important difference among the Reformed due to advancement and refinement. For example, one of the noticeable differences between Kline and the great Reformed Scholastic theologian Francis Turretin, is how each relate creation and covenant. What is the relation between creation and covenant? Is covenant something which is, as it were, laid on top of creation (i.e., coming subsequent to creation)? Or is it some thing coordinated, correlative to creation at every point? Francis Turretin seems to advocate the former perspective. First, there is creation and then – subsequent to the act of creation – there is the act of God establishing a covenant with Adam (IET, 8.3.II-III). While I am deeply indebted to Turretin for his doctrine of the Covenant of Works (among many other things!), I must here register a slight objection to his view. To answer the question why I object, I must go back to Vos.

Vos was instrumental in my understanding of how God’s acts in redemption are made known to us living today, thousands of years after the events. We can only know of God’s once and for all acts of redemption in history through his revelatory, inscripturated Word. Further, Vos provides us with a theological framework for understanding how we are to know not just the facts of redemption, but their meaning and significance as well. In this way he provided a faithful, biblical construction which answered the higher critical biblical theologians of his day. Whereas the critics separated fact from meaning (drawing from their post-Kantian German idealism which was founded upon a fundamental epistemological dualism), Vos said that the very God who gives the facts also – with those facts – gives the meaning of them as well. In other words, one can never place God’s redemptive deeds and his revelatory Word in a dualistic relation.

Fast forwarding to Van Til, the great apologist built on his professor’s work and showed how the Bible does not allow for any “brute facts.” That is to say, God does not give us uninterpreted facts. But Van Til went deeper than Vos. He applied the latter’s insights about God’s redemptive-historical events to God’s act of creation. So, not only does God interpret his acts in redemptive history, but he also interprets his act of creation. In his great article “Nature and Scripture,” Van Til pushed God’s covenantal, revelatory Work back before the fall. Even in the garden God did not leave man to interpret and understand nature quite independent of his covenantal, revealed Word. God interpreted the creation to Adam at every turn. So says, Van Til: “revelation in nature was never meant to function by itself. It was from the beginning insufficient without its supernatural concomitant.” (Wooley, The Infallible Word, 275).

That brings us to Kline. Kline dedicated his great work The Structure of Biblical Authority to his professor, Cornelius Van Til. That was appropriate as the work was thoroughly Vosian and Van Tilian. But while he hints at how God’s Word and creation relate in that book (thinking here of chapter 2), the full development of his thought would have to await his Kingdom Prologue. In that book, very early on (i.e., pp. 14-41 of the W&S edition), Kline introduces the concept of God’s “covenantal fiat” in the act of creation. This means, in short, that God’s act of creation IS covenantal. To create is to reveal himself in and to the very creature he calls into existence by the mere power of his Word. So, for Kline, he advances Van Til even further. Not only does God interpret nature through his special revelation, but for Kline creation is – by virtue of it being a product of God’s covenant Word – a Word revelation. Creation speaks (cf. Psalm 19:2). It is inherently covenant-Word-revelation. To put it another way, if God never spoke another Word, creation would be sufficient to testify to the creator. To cut to the chase then, this means that there is no place for Thomas’s nature/grace dualism, nor is there any place for German idealism’s dualisms as well. The very Word which God spoke at creation, testifies to God who spoke it through the things that have been made. At no place and at no time is creation silent. It always and everywhere speaks. This eliminates any and all notions of natural theology as understood by the Thomistic tradition, or as modernized by German idealism. Creation does not need to be perfected by grace. It is quite adequate for the knowledge of God, thank you very much.

In conclusion, if we are to remain faithful to Kline, we must say that God’s creation is covenantal. It is formed by divine, covenantal fiat. And because of this, nature reveals the triune God at every point. And our call as Christians is to point the unbeliever to that reality and call him to repentance. Indeed, God’s common grace allows the unbeliever to function and even thrive in cultural endeavors, and we praise God for that fact. But such grace is only a restrainer. It is never to be confused with common ground. There is no safe territory upon which the unbeliever can stand and do right by one kingdom, but not right by another. In every kingdom he is wrong. Even his own cultural endeavors testify against him. And if we, as Christians, do not (lovingly!) point that out to him, who will? I am afraid that the 2KT may in fact cause Christians to lose their greatest apologetic and witnessing opportunities. This is because while the unbeliever and the believer may not have any epistemological or ethical common ground, Christians do have a point of contact with him at every point. And that is because we all live in the arena of God’s covenantal fiat. And thus, we dare not be silenced: neither in the church nor in the public square. In fact, the latter is arguably the best place to bring both Law and Gospel to bear upon the consciences of fallen men.

Redemption Accomplished and Applied

admin — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:33:17 +0000

Dr. Lane G. Tipton, Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, speaks about the distinction between the once for all accomplishment of redemption and its application to those who have faith in Jesus Christ.

What is the Gospel?

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:11:00 +0000

Dr. Lane G. Tipton, Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, speaks about the heart of the Christian message. Christians must be careful not to mistake the gospel for the benefits of the gospel. While the benefits of the gospel, such as justification, adoption, and sanctification, are essential, we can misunderstand the gospel if we do not focus on the benefactor. The heart of the gospel is the person and work of Jesus Christ, who died and was raised for sinners.

Baptism, Covenant, and Election

Camden Bucey — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 05:00:02 +0000

Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. and Lane G. Tipton analyze arguments for credo-baptism and discuss Reformed views of covenant and election. Many Reformed Baptists will be quick to differentiate themselves from dispensationalists. They favor a covenantal hermeneutic that seeks to take into account the redemptive-historical features of Scripture. For this reason, many confessing credo-baptists argue that the Old Covenant administration has yielded several features to the New.

For instance, many Reformed Baptists argue that circumcision, the Old Covenant sign of membership, was given to physical seed, but water baptism, the New Covenant sign of membership, should only be given to spiritual seed. Moreover, the covenant included unregenerate members in its previous administration, but all people know the Lord in the New Covenant. Drs. Gaffin and Tipton analyze these and other arguments for credo-baptism.

The Creator / Creature Distinction

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:00:44 +0000

This is the first lesson in a series examining the theological foundations of Reformed and covenantal apologetics. In this video, Camden Bucey looks at the important difference between God and … Read more→

Engaging Philosophy as a Christian

Camden Bucey — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:00:04 +0000

Jared Oliphint sits down with Dr. K. Scott Oliphint to speak about how Christians should approach the subject of philosophy. They speak about the necessity of the Christian position, the questions asked and answers offered by secular philosophers, and the worldviews communicated in popular culture.

Theology and Ministry in Light of Union with Christ

Camden Bucey — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 05:00:41 +0000

In this episode, we welcome Dr. J. Todd Billings to speak about the doctrine of union with Christ and its implications for all of theology and ministry. Dr. Billings has written a new book on the subject, titled Union with Christ: Reframing Theology and Ministry for the Church, published by Baker.

Dr. J. Todd Billings is Associate Professor of Reformed Theology at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI. An ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America, he received his M.Div. from Fuller Seminary and his Th.D. from Harvard. His first book, Calvin, Participation, and the Gift: The Activity of Believers in Union With Christ (Oxford, 2007) won a 2009 Templeton Award for Theological Promise, awarded internationally for the best first books of scholars in theology and religious studies. He is also author of The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture (Eerdmans, 2010), and Union with Christ: Reframing Theology and Ministry for the Church (Baker Academic, 2011), winner of an “Award of Merit in Theology and Ethics” in the Christianity Today Book Awards, 2012. Dr. Billings has published articles in a variety of journals, including Modern Theology, Harvard Theological Review, Missiology, and International Journal of Systematic Theology, as well as periodicals such as Christianity Today, The Christian Century, and Sojourners. He has lectured at seminaries and universities around the world, and has been awarded grants from the Association of Theological Schools and the Wabash Center for his research.

The Law and Redemptive-History

Camden Bucey — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 05:00:08 +0000

Notwithstanding the diversity of opinion and debate that has surfaced throughout the last century and a half surrounding the nature of the Mosaic Covenant and the Law of God, Reformed theologians have constantly emphasized—with a great measure of uniformity—what has been denominated, the third use of the Law. With almost equal uniformity, myriads of objections continue to be raised when this subject is discussed among Christians today. In this episode, Nick Batzig leads a discussion on the law and unfolding redemptive-history.

The Theology and History of the Canon

Camden Bucey — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:00:55 +0000

In this episode, we welcome Michael Kruger to the program to speak about the theology and history of the canon. Dr. Kruger is one of the pastors at Uptown PCA in Charlotte, NC, as well as Professor of New Testament and Academic Dean at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC.

Dr. Kruger received his B.S. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary in California, and his Ph.D. from New College, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He is the author of The Gospel of the Savior (E.J. Brill, 2005), co-author of Gospel Fragments (Oxford University Press, 2009) and the forthcoming The Heresy of Orthodoxy: How Contemporary Culture’s Fascination with Diversity has Reshaped Our Understanding of Early Christianity (Crossway, 2010), and has had articles appear in such journals as The Journal of Theological Studies, The Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, The Expository Times, and The Master’s Seminary Journal.

His research interests center upon Christian Origins, particularly the development of the New Testament canon within the context of the early church. Prior to joining the RTS faculty, Dr. Kruger served in the pastorate for several years at Church of the Redeemer in Phoenix, AZ. There he developed a passion for preaching and ministry which he passes on to his students in the classroom. In addition to his faculty duties, he currently serves part-time as the Pastor of Discipleship Training at Uptown Christ Covenant Church in downtown Charlotte.

The Historical Adam

Camden Bucey — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:06 +0000

Rick Phillips joins Nick Batzig and Kenneth Kang-Hui to speak about the historical Adam. The teaching that Adam was a historical figure, the federal head of all those who descend from him by ordinary generation, has become a much debated topic. Rev. Phillips and the panel navigate through the issues and underscore why this traditional doctrine is so significant.

Rev. Phillips is pastor of Second Presbyterian Church PCA in Greenville, SC. Nick Batzig is church planter at New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Richmond Hill, GA. Kenneth Kang-Hui has been a long-time friend to Reformed Forum, and he is a member of a PCA church in New York City.

Justification and Union with Christ

Camden Bucey — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:57 +0000

Today we welcome Dr. Michael S. Horton and Dr. Lane G. Tipton to the program to discuss justification and its relation to union with Christ. Dr. Horton is Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. He is the author of many books on a variety of theological topics—two of which that are germane to our discussion today are Covenant and Salvation: Union with Christ and The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Dr. Tipton is Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. He has co-edited Revelation and Reasons: New Essays in Reformed Apologetics and Resurrection and Eschatology: Essays in Honor of Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.

In Christ the Center episode 200, Dr. Tipton spoke about the doctrine of union with Christ. In the course of the interview, Tipton drew out what he saw as implications of the views presented by Dr. Horton in his book Covenant and Salvation: Union with Christ. In Christ the Center episode 207, Dr. Horton responded to the remarks. We are delighted to welcome both men to the program to continue the conversation together.

The views and opinions expressed in this interview are solely of the individuals and are not the views of Reformed Forum or any other organization affiliated with the participants in this interview.

Sanctification

Camden Bucey — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:20 +0000

Rick Phillips and Kevin DeYoung join a panel to address the doctrine of sanctification. This is an important conversation that addresses the work of the Holy Spirit in applying the death and resurrection of Christ to believers. Join us for a fascinating conversation on this aspect of soteriology.

Rev. Phillips is Senior Minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC and the author of several books including Jesus the Evangelist, What’s So Great About the Doctrines of Grace?, and the Hebrews and Zechariah Reformed Expository commentaries. Rev. DeYoung is Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church (RCA) in East Lansing, Michigan and the author of several books including Don’t Call it a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day and What is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission with Greg Gilbert.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything

Camden Bucey — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:52 +0000

Mark Jones and Jared Oliphint speak about Tullian Tchividjian’s Jesus + Nothing = Everything. Rev. Tchividjian is pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale and blogs at the Gospel Coalition. Dr. Jones published a review of the book at MeetThePuritans.com. Jared Oliphint’s review will appear soon at Reformation21.

Union with Christ, A Response

Camden Bucey — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:00:31 +0000

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Michael S. Horton to the program once again. Dr. Horton is Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. He is also the president of White Horse Inn, a co-host of their national radio program, and the editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation magazine. He is also the author of many books on a variety of theological topics—two of which that are germane to our discussion today are Covenant and Salvation: Union with Christ and The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way.

In Christ the Center episode 200, Dr. Lane G. Tipton, Professor of Systematic and Biblical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, spoke about the doctrine of union with Christ. In the course of the interview, Tipton drew out what he saw as implications of the views presented by Dr. Horton in his book Covenant and Salvation: Union with Christ. This episode is Dr. Horton’s response to Tipton’s previous statements.

Holiness and the Christian Life

Camden Bucey — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:00:06 +0000

Kevin DeYoung speaks about holiness and sanctification in this episode of Christ the Center. Given the recent discussions of the role of sanctification in soteriology and the age-old errors of antinomianism and neonomianism, we are delighted to focus our attention on this important issue. DeYoung is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church (RCA) in East Lansing, Michigan and the author of several books including Don’t Call it a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day and What is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission with Greg Gilbert. He also posts regularly at his blog. This discussion focuses on DeYoung’s forthcoming book The Hole in Our Holiness.

God… With Us

Camden Bucey — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:00:03 +0000

Dr. K. Scott Oliphint speaks about the doctrine of God and his book God with Us: Divine Condescension and the Attributes of God. Dr. Oliphint is Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, PA. In this episode, he entertains several general questions about the doctrine of God before moving to a more pointed discussion of how an infinite, eternal, and immutable God can create and then relate to that creation.

Union with Christ and Glorification

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:49:33 +0000

Rev. James Cassidy, Pastor of Calvary OPC, preaches on glorification in this special presentation from Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on Reformed Theology, held on November 12 and 13th 2011 at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ. This is the eighth and final installment of the series. The entire series is as follows:

A Biblical Overview: Dr Richard Gaffin
Regeneration: Dr Lane Tipton
The Good Work Begun: Dr Richard Gaffin
Sanctification: Dr Lane Tipton
Questions and Answers
The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God: Rev. Jeff Waddington (Sunday School)
The Gospel: Dr Lane Tipton (Sunday morning service)
Glorification: Rev. James Cassidy (Sunday evening service)

Union with Christ and the Gospel

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:48:23 +0000

Dr. Lane G. Tipton, the Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, preaches on the gospel in this special presentation from Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on Reformed Theology, held on November 12 and 13th 2011 at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ. This is the seventh installment of the series. The entire series is as follows:

A Biblical Overview: Dr Richard Gaffin
Regeneration: Dr Lane Tipton
The Good Work Begun: Dr Richard Gaffin
Sanctification: Dr Lane Tipton
Questions and Answers
The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God: Rev. Jeff Waddington (Sunday School)
The Gospel: Dr Lane Tipton (Sunday morning service)
Glorification: Rev. James Cassidy (Sunday evening service)

Union with Christ: The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:47:27 +0000

Rev. Jeffrey C. Waddington, Teacher of the Congregation at Calvary, teaches on fellowship with the Triune God in this special presentation titled Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on Reformed Theology, held on November 12 and 13th 2011 at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ. This is the sixth installment of the series. The entire series is as follows:

A Biblical Overview: Dr Richard Gaffin
Regeneration: Dr Lane Tipton
The Good Work Begun: Dr Richard Gaffin
Sanctification: Dr Lane Tipton
Questions and Answers
The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God: Rev. Jeff Waddington (Sunday School)
The Gospel: Dr Lane Tipton (Sunday morning service)
Glorification: Rev. James Cassidy (Sunday evening service)

Questions and Answers on Union with Christ

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:46:34 +0000

This is the question and answer segment from this special presentation, Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on Reformed Theology, held on November 12 and 13th 2011 at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ. This is the fifth installment of the series addressing several questions and answers. The entire series is as follows:

A Biblical Overview: Dr Richard Gaffin
Regeneration: Dr Lane Tipton
The Good Work Begun: Dr Richard Gaffin
Sanctification: Dr Lane Tipton
Questions and Answers
The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God: Rev. Jeff Waddington (Sunday School)
The Gospel: Dr Lane Tipton (Sunday morning service)
Glorification: Rev. James Cassidy (Sunday evening service)

Union with Christ and Sanctification

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:45:13 +0000

Dr. Lane G. Tipton, the Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, teaches on sanctification in this special presentation from Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on Reformed Theology, held on November 12 and 13th 2011 at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ. This is the fourth installment of the series. The entire series is as follows:

A Biblical Overview: Dr Richard Gaffin
Regeneration: Dr Lane Tipton
The Good Work Begun: Dr Richard Gaffin
Sanctification: Dr Lane Tipton
Questions and Answers
The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God: Rev. Jeff Waddington (Sunday School)
The Gospel: Dr Lane Tipton (Sunday morning service)
Glorification: Rev. James Cassidy (Sunday evening service)

Union with Christ: The Good Work Begun

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:44:06 +0000

Dr. Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, teaches on the biblical concept of salvation in this is a special presentation titled Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on Reformed Theology, held on November 12 and 13th 2011 at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ. This is the third installment of the series, which is organized as follows:

A Biblical Overview: Dr Richard Gaffin
Regeneration: Dr Lane Tipton
The Good Work Begun: Dr Richard Gaffin
Sanctification: Dr Lane Tipton
Questions and Answers
The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God: Rev. Jeff Waddington (Sunday School)
The Gospel: Dr Lane Tipton (Sunday morning service)
Glorification: Rev. James Cassidy (Sunday evening service)

Union with Christ and Regeneration

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:42:53 +0000

Dr. Lane G. Tipton, the Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, teaches on regeneration in this special presentation from Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on Reformed Theology, held on November 12 and 13th 2011 at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ. This is the second installment of the series. The entire series is as follows:

A Biblical Overview: Dr Richard Gaffin
Regeneration: Dr Lane Tipton
The Good Work Begun: Dr Richard Gaffin
Sanctification: Dr Lane Tipton
Questions and Answers
The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God: Rev. Jeff Waddington (Sunday School)
The Gospel: Dr Lane Tipton (Sunday morning service)
Glorification: Rev. James Cassidy (Sunday evening service)

A Biblical Overview of Union with Christ

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:39:42 +0000

Dr. Richard B. Gaffin, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary provides a biblical overview of union with Christ in this special presentation titled Alive with Christ: Saving Union with Christ. This series of addresses comes from the Fall Seminar on Reformed Theology, held on November 12 and 13th 2011 at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Ringoes, NJ. This is the first installment of the series, which is as follows:

A Biblical Overview: Dr Richard Gaffin
Regeneration: Dr Lane Tipton
The Good Work Begun: Dr Richard Gaffin
Sanctification: Dr Lane Tipton
Questions and Answers
The Gateway into Fellowship with the Triune God: Rev. Jeff Waddington (Sunday School)
The Gospel: Dr Lane Tipton (Sunday morning service)
Glorification: Rev. James Cassidy (Sunday evening service)

The Critics of Van Til’s Take on Barth

Camden Bucey — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 05:00:32 +0000

Cornelius Van Til was an early and significant critic of Karl Barth, yet many contemporary Barthians reject his criticism. Several contributions in the recent book Karl Barth and American Evangelicalism contain this sentiment. Today, we spend time discussing this topic with Jim Cassidy with the hope of promoting a better understanding of Van Til’s position.

The Theology of Karl Barth

Camden Bucey — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 05:00:41 +0000

Jim Cassidy speaks about the basic contours of Karl Barth’s theology. Karl Barth and American Evangelicalism, edited by Bruce L. McCormack and Clifford B. Anderson, is a recent contribution to this growing body of scholarship. The volume is compiled from contributions to a 2007 conference sponsored by The Center for Barth Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary and The Karl Barth Society of North America. In this episode, Jim helpfully describes the theology of Karl Barth, this incredibly significant figure.

The Greatness and Love of God

Camden Bucey — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 05:00:01 +0000

Today we welcome Dr. Bryan Chapell, President and Professor of Practical Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary, to speak about the greatness and love of God. Dr. Chapell is the author of several books, but many of our listeners may know him best for his book Christ-Centered Worship and of course his much celebrated Christ-Centered Preaching. He’ll be speaking at the upcoming Quakertown Regional Conference on Reformed Theology Nov. 11-12 in Quakertown, PA.

Union with Christ

Camden Bucey — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 05:00:04 +0000

We celebrate the 200th episode of Christ the Center together with our guest (and studio host!), Dr. Lane G. Tipton. Dr. Tipton is the Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, and has done extensive work on Reformed soteriology. In this milestone episode, we treat several dimensions of the Reformed discussion of union with Christ including Lutheranism, definitive sanctification, and the incorporation of transformative aspects into justification. Join us for this memorable and lively discussion.

Dr. Michael Horton responded to Dr. Lane G. Tipton in episode 207 of Christ the Center.