Category: Michael Horton
Soli Deo Gloria: Our Only Ambition
I wonder, how many Christians today can confess these words of Scripture: For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36) Of course it's not difficult a task to profess a precept, an idea, or a belief. But I wonder a deeper sense in regards to this issue. How many of us, who profess the name of Christ, can truly confess that In ...
Soli Deo Gloria: Our Only Ambition
I wonder, how many Christians today can confess these words of Scripture: For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36) Of course it's not difficult a task to profess a precept, an idea, or a belief. But I wonder a deeper sense in regards to this issue. How many of us, who profess the name of Christ, can truly confess that In ...
Sola Fide: Our Only Means
One of the main complaints against Justification by faith alone by those who wish to affiliate themselves with Judeo-Christian religion is that if it is by faith alone then we of all men can live like hellions while still ending up in heaven. I have little to say about such men, but that they are simply blinded and deaf. In the first place it is not even up for debate whether or not we are justified ...
Sola Fide: Our Only Means
One of the main complaints against Justification by faith alone by those who wish to affiliate themselves with Judeo-Christian religion is that if it is by faith alone then we of all men can live like hellions while still ending up in heaven. I have little to say about such men, but that they are simply blinded and deaf. In the first place it is not even up for debate whether or not we are justified ...
Sola Gratia: Our Only Method
In the desire to preserve human identity, pride and individualism, there's an inveterate pull in the heart of man to do whatever he can to preserve his autonomy, to preserve even the smallest degree of self-will, power and might to validate himself. But this is totally unChristian. Unfortunately this mindset is one that governs even the vast majority of the evangelical world. To say that it is God alone who saves may be affirmed by many, ...
Sola Gratia: Our Only Method
In the desire to preserve human identity, pride and individualism, there's an inveterate pull in the heart of man to do whatever he can to preserve his autonomy, to preserve even the smallest degree of self-will, power and might to validate himself. But this is totally unChristian. Unfortunately this mindset is one that governs even the vast majority of the evangelical world. To say that it is God alone who saves may be affirmed by many, ...
Solus Christus: Our Only Mediator
In this day and age of across-the-border relativism from morality to truth evangelical Christianity is hard pressed on all fronts to compromise its stand on its confession of core truths of the faith. Unknown to many of our brethren in different denominations, especially in the turn of the past century, this compromise is little objected and little retaliated against, but more often than not is embraced with open arms (Save for a precious few which ...
Solus Christus: Our Only Mediator
In this day and age of across-the-border relativism from morality to truth evangelical Christianity is hard pressed on all fronts to compromise its stand on its confession of core truths of the faith. Unknown to many of our brethren in different denominations, especially in the turn of the past century, this compromise is little objected and little retaliated against, but more often than not is embraced with open arms (Save for a precious few which ...
Sola Scriptura: Our Only Foundation
James Montgomery Boice, in his last book before he passed on to glory, "Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace", wrote: Inerrancy is not the most critical issue facing the church today. The most serious issue, I believe, is the Bible's sufficiency. ((James Montgomery Boice, Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), p72)) How many of the churches today testify to the truth of Dr. Boice's observation almost a decade ago? Far ...
Sola Scriptura: Our Only Foundation
James Montgomery Boice, in his last book before he passed on to glory, "Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace", wrote: Inerrancy is not the most critical issue facing the church today. The most serious issue, I believe, is the Bible's sufficiency. ((James Montgomery Boice, Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), p72)) How many of the churches today testify to the truth of Dr. Boice's observation almost a decade ago? Far ...
The Crisis of Evangelical Christianity
What does it mean to be an "evangelical"? What does it mean to be part of an "evangelical church" or community? Is it just a word of preference or a mere Christian social subset? How sad it is to observe, especially in this post-modern era, that the rank and standard of evangelicalism has all but lost it's weight and meaning in the minds of those who are without and even in those who are within. I ...
The Crisis of Evangelical Christianity
What does it mean to be an "evangelical"? What does it mean to be part of an "evangelical church" or community? Is it just a word of preference or a mere Christian social subset? How sad it is to observe, especially in this post-modern era, that the rank and standard of evangelicalism has all but lost it's weight and meaning in the minds of those who are without and even in those who are within. I ...
Essence of Sin: “Not Thinking You’re Good Enough.”
I realize that this is around 3 times a longer post than usual, but please bear with the length as I believe that this will be most helpful especially in this day and age where Christian belief systems are get more vague by the moment, where issues concerning truth and error are not given as much importance anymore because "All that matters is that they love Jesus, we love Jesus, and we're fine." I find ...
Essence of Sin: “Not Thinking You’re Good Enough.”
I realize that this is around 3 times a longer post than usual, but please bear with the length as I believe that this will be most helpful especially in this day and age where Christian belief systems are get more vague by the moment, where issues concerning truth and error are not given as much importance anymore because "All that matters is that they love Jesus, we love Jesus, and we're fine." I find ...
The Assumed Gospel
The greatest threat to Christ-centered witness even in churches that formally affirm sound teaching is what British evangelical David Gibson calls “the assumed gospel.” The idea is that that gospel is necessary for getting saved, but after we sign on, the rest of the Christian life is all the fine print: conditional forgiveness. It often comes in the form of, “Well, of course, but….” After a month of Sundays with exhortation apart from Good News, one ...
The Assumed Gospel
The greatest threat to Christ-centered witness even in churches that formally affirm sound teaching is what British evangelical David Gibson calls “the assumed gospel.” The idea is that that gospel is necessary for getting saved, but after we sign on, the rest of the Christian life is all the fine print: conditional forgiveness. It often comes in the form of, “Well, of course, but….” After a month of Sundays with exhortation apart from Good News, one ...
To Whom be the Glory Forever and Ever.
In our culture today especially in America is alien to the thinking of the prophet and the Apostles. In fact the Apostle Paul said that people would especially in the last days be lovers of self, boastful, proud, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And what is that power of godliness? Paul says elsewhere, "The gospel is the power of God unto salvation." Both ...
To Whom be the Glory Forever and Ever.
In our culture today especially in America is alien to the thinking of the prophet and the Apostles. In fact the Apostle Paul said that people would especially in the last days be lovers of self, boastful, proud, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And what is that power of godliness? Paul says elsewhere, "The gospel is the power of God unto salvation." Both ...