I really really really like FREE Books (we don’t say love – because we only love people, not things – thanks Jason Kuiper)
So here is a link to some free books, thanks to Jerry Waybright for posting this on FB.
22 Mar
David Murray – PREACHING CHRIST FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT: INTRODUCTION
Click HERE for the Introduction
Click HERE for all of the lectures for this class
Dr. David P. Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and worked for five years in financial services before being converted to Christ. He studied for the ministry at Glasgow University and the Free Church of Scotland College (Edinburgh). He was a pastor for 12 years, first at Lochcarron Free Church of Scotland and then at Stornoway Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). From 2002 to 2007, he was Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament at the Free Church Seminary in Inverness. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Reformation International Theological Seminary for his work relating Old Testament Introduction studies to the pastoral ministry. Dr. Murray joined the faculty of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in 2007. He and his wife, Shona, have four children: Allan, Angus, Joni, and Amy. He also blogs at Head Heart Hand.
21 Mar
Herman Witsius — The Practice of Christianity
Thank you Wes White!
From Johannes Weslianus…
Herman Witsius (1636–1708) was without question one of the greatest Reformed theologians in the latter half of the 17th century. He taught theology successively at Franeker, Utrecht, and then Leyden. He wrote many books on theological and philological matters. In addition, he was a pious man who wrote several shorter works of piety.
One of those works is entitled The Practice of Christianity. It was written originally in Dutch in 1665. It was translated and then published in French at Lausanna in 1731 by a Mr. A. Ruchat who had apparently studied under Witsius at Leyden. Mr. Ruchat describes it well as a book that teaches us not only how we are “to be saved, but also how we can live in that consolation and assurance that we are actually in a state of salvation” (from the Preface).
I have decided to present to the public on my blog an English translation of the French translation of this work. Though translating from a translation is not the most scholarly thing to do, I think the work is sufficiently valuable and helpful to make this a worthwhile attempt.
10 May
How Arbitrary…
I’m not sure which is more arbitrary:
1) the ruling on this case based on the contemporary “interpretation” and defense of the words of the Constitution [the separation of church and state habeen used so silence Christianity in the public for the last 50 years - why change now?], or
2) the argument of the athiests that not mentioning God is somehow ‘not a religious statement’, or
3) the decision that the president gets to choose what to included in an inaugural ceremony [so if one man decided to take out any and all religious elements that would be okay, but not for the courts to rule on?], or
4) the statement that if something “is not a live controversy” then it cannot “avail itself of the judicial powers of the federal courts” and is therefore, “moot” [it has to be controversial to be relevant and judged upon?].
Atheists Lose Suit Against ‘God’ in Presidential Oath
The reality is that this is just another example of Religious Pluralism trumping the status quo. Athiests step over the line when they don’t go after the overtly Christian ethic. After all, a little bit of religious salad on the plate is healthy for everyone.
5 May
For fun…great T-shirts
**Disclaimer: some are inappropriate, which I don’t endorse.**
Speaking of t-shirts, that reminds me of a video…
4 May
Free Ligonier Messages Explaining What the Gospel IS and what it IS NOT
What Is the Gospel? by R.C. Sproul
Understanding the Gospel by R.C. Sproul
Meaning of the Gospel by R.C. Sproul
Evangelism According to Jesus: 2008 National Conference
The Doctrine of Justification and the New Perspectives on Paul Resource Collection
Dr. David Murray also gave a lecture on this at First RPC’s 2008 Practical Theology Conference. Good stuff. Names something like 20 messages that are not the Gospel. It is shameful, the things we substitute for the Christ’s substitution for sinners.
3 May
Top 10 RC Sproul Lectures per Ligonier Resources
Robert Rothwell over at Ligonier posted the Top Ten RC Sproul Lectures (in his opinion). [HT: Resurgence-who also provide a link to Mark Driscoll's interview of Dr. Sproul.]
He explains why he chose each one, so check out the post.
One of the great joys of writing the daily studies for Tabletalk and performing various other editorial tasks is that I must regularly listen to the teaching series that Ligonier Ministries has produced. Recently, I was asked to list what I believe to be the top ten lectures from R.C. While others might disagree with what follows at certain points, this list represents what I have found to be the most important and useful messages that R.C. has ever delivered.
10. “Knowing Each Other” from The Intimate Marriage
9. “The Beauty of Worship” from Worship
8. “The Sword and the Keys” from Church and State
7. “What Is Free Will?” from Chosen by God
6. “Finding a Job that Fits” from Knowing God’s Will
5. “What About Human Freedom?” from The Providence of God
4. “The Drama of Redemption” from The Cross of Christ
3. “The Great Exchange” from Justification by Faith Alone
2. “Counting It All Joy” from Joy
1. “The Importance of Holiness” and “The Trauma of Holiness” from The Holiness of God
I have heard multiple people say that they thought one of the best lectures by RC Sproul was at the 2008 T4G conference. So I’ll link that as well.
- RC Sproul The Curse Motif of the Atonement
Download Session V
2 May
Grace: Amazed…or Accustomed? Sinclair Ferguson’s new book on Grace
I recently picked up a book by Sinclair Ferguson called, “By Grace Alone.”
In a recent interview here was one part of the Q&A that I thought was more significant than a healthy reminder… it is the heart of the Gospel of Grace. [HT: Mike Pohlman]
In the preface of the book, you write that grace is not a “thing.” What do you mean by this statement?
It is legitimate to speak of “receiving grace,” and sometimes (although I am somewhat cautious about the possibility of misusing this language) we speak of the preaching of the Word, prayer, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper as “means of grace.” That is fine, so long as we remember that there isn’t a thing, a substance, or a “quasi-substance” called “grace.” All there is is the person of the Lord Jesus — “Christ clothed in the gospel,” as John Calvin loved to put it. Grace is the grace of Jesus. If I can highlight the thought here: there is no “thing” that Jesus takes from Himself and then, as it were, hands over to me. There is only Jesus Himself. Grasping that thought can make a significant difference to a Christian’s life. So while some people might think this is just splitting hairs about different ways of saying the same thing, it can make a vital difference. It is not a thing that was crucified to give us a thing called grace. It was the person of the Lord Jesus that was crucified in order that He might give Himself to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Here is a: Sample Chapter
1 May
Al Mohler comments on the 50 yr old pill and TIME’s article on it
That is a point often missed by evangelical Christians even today. The idea that sex would be severed from childbearing is a very modern concept — and a concept made meaningful only by the development of the Pill and its successor birth control technologies. The severing of this relationship represents a quantum change in human life and relationships, not to mention morality.
Nancy Gibbs is fair and accurate in her use of my words and arguments. I do indeed believe that the development of the Pill “has done more to reorder human life than any event since Adam and Eve ate the apple.” Why? Because sex, sexuality, and reproduction are so central to human life, to marriage, and to the future of humanity.
The Pill turned pregnancy — and thus children — into elective choices, rather than natural gifts of the marital union. But then again, the marital union was itself weakened by the Pill, because the avoidance of pregnancy facilitated adultery and other forms of non-marital sex. In some hands, the Pill became a human pesticide.
Christians must not join the contraceptive revolution as mere consumers of the Pill or other birth control methodologies. Finally, many evangelicals are joining the discussion about birth control and its meaning. Evangelicals arrived late to the issue of abortion, and we have arrived late to the issue of birth control, but we are here now.
We’ll see if Evangelicals “are here now.” I think that much of the church supports the idea that God gave human the job of controlling reproduction. I will be interested to see if anything changes now that “TIME magazine’s current cover story puts the issue of the Pill and birth control front and center in our cultural conversation.” I’m not holding my breath.
