Union with Christ is the profound and mysterious description of the reality of the elect believer’s gracious salvation. All men by nature are in connection with Adam. In Adam, all are conceived and born dead in sin. In Adam, all perish. In Christ, all his people are made alive. He is the last Adam, the […]

The synod of Dordt met during 1618–19 to settle the controversy about the doctrines of grace that had erupted around the person and teaching of the pestilential James Arminius. As a minister he underhandedly spread his lies from 1590 until his death in 1609. He made predestination the particular object of his attacks. The hope […]

In his fine essay on the providence of God, Princeton theologian B. B. Warfield mentions the frequent saying of a certain woman familiar to him. That housewife was fond of saying, “We will not be robbed of God’s providence.” That quotation and its source are instructive for the consideration of the doctrine of providence, especially […]

The Reformed confession of providence includes the confession that God is sovereign over evil. This is a particular emphasis of the Reformed confession of providence. The Belgic Confession in article 13 gives a general statement of the doctrine of providence and quickly moves to an extended treatment of the doctrine of providence and evil. The […]

When we speak of God’s providence as his personal government of the world, we mean that he governs all things. The scope of providence extends to all things. It includes the entire universe, every creature in the universe, and every event that happens in that universe from the explosion of a star, to the oscillations […]

The doctrine of providence is the confession of the church. In the Old Testament Enoch preached it when he preached that all things culminate in the Lord’s coming. Noah lived by faith in it and built an ark to the saving of his house. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob believed that God suffered no man to […]

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be […]

Introduction Romans 1:16 begins with the word “for.” Whenever that word begins a verse, what follows gives a reason for some previous statement. Paul had said, “I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome also.” He desired to go to Rome, but was “let,” or hindered hitherto, and he prays […]

Last time I began an examination of the biblical teaching that Jehovah laughs. I took note of the outstanding passages in Scripture where this is taught. I explained as well that Jehovah’s laughter is directed against the ungodly, reprobate opponents of himself, his Christ, and his kingdom. That Jehovah laughs is beyond dispute. That he […]

I remember distinctly two stories about laughter. One of my seminary professors told the story to his students about when he was preaching on the humanity of Jesus Christ and mentioned the human things that Scripture says Jesus did. After stating that Jesus ate, drank, wept, and tired, he said that Jesus laughed. After the […]