Protestant Post

“How can Christian pastors hope to feed their flock on a well-balanced spiritual diet if they completely neglect the 39 books of Holy Scripture on which Christ and all the New Testament authors received their own spiritual nourishment?” - Gleason Archer (“A New Look at the Old Testament,” Decision, August 1972)

The PCA General Assembly occurs this week. Regardless of your denomination, please take a moment to pray for conservative victories in what is by far the largest Reformed body in North America. Below is an article on some of the hot items at this year's GA. https://americanreformer.org/2024/06/the-pcas-2024-general-assembly/

Ecclesiology from Ephesians: 1) Paul addresses the entire church as elect. Following him, our operating assumption should be that faithful members of the visible church are God's elect and not attempt to pry into God's secret decrees (Deut. 29:29, cf. Canons of Dort, Article 12; Heidelberg Cat., Q54). 2) Children are understood to be a part of the church, present and participating, as implied by Paul's adressing them specifically. 3) As the Nicene Creed affirms, the church is: One: "There is one body and one Spirit... one hope... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all" (4:4-6) Holy: "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him" (1:4) Catholic: "So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (2:19) Apostolic: "Built upon foundation of the apostles and prophets" (2:20)

What Does the Rainbow Mean in the Bible? It was a promise before it was a perversion. After punshing the world for its gross sin, and essentially recreating the world afresh, God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (Gen. 9:12-13). The New Bible Commentary Revised observes: My bow translates qeset, the usual meaning of which is the weapon. Thus, the recurring rainbow imposed on the retreating storm by the shining again of the sun is God's battle bow laid aside, a token of grace staying the lighting shafts of wrath. There is also a self-malediction involved: the bow is stretched towards the heavens, towards God himself and away from us. God swears by His own name and ultimately bears the curse for us. As one medieval poem put it: My bow between you and me in the firmament shall be, by true tokening that you may see that such vengeance shall cease.... The string is turned towards you and towards me is bent the bow, that such weather shall never show and this I promise thee.    It should come as no surprise that the token of God's promise to limit his wrath is used as a way to further provoke it. But make no mistake; God will exact judgement as they store up wrath for the final day. How should we as Christians view the rainbow? We should thank God for every appearance we see, and remember his faithfulness. St. Peter tells us baptism is a type of Noah's salvation through the flood, so we should also remember our baptism and our new washed life in Christ.

The Federal Vision is about recovering consistent historic Reformed Presbyterian doctrine and practice. Phrased negatively, it is about digging up that root of Southern Baptistic bitterness and being done with its altar calls, introspection, pietism, decisionism, anti-natalism, individualism, and other traditions of men.

Find a Faithful Church near You Below are directories/locators for faithful, conservative denominations. PCA - Presbyterian Church in America OPC - Orthodox Presbyterian Church CRC - Christian Reformed Church URCNA - United Reformed Church in North Anerica RPCNA - Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America CREC - Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches RBN - Reformed Baptist Network ACNA - Anglican Church in North America LCMS - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod WELS - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Please feel free to post further resources in the comments.

A blessed Dobbs Rememberance Month to all -- May God continue to bless the church's faithful opposition to abortion.