Reformed Thinking

Deep Dive into The Nature of True Virtue by Jonathan Edwards - The Reasons Why Those Things That Have Been Mentioned, Which Have Not the Essence of Virtue, Have Yet by Many Been Mistaken for True Virtue Jonathan Edwards explains several reasons why certain natural human affections and principles are frequently mistaken for true virtue. The primary reason is that natural affections, such as pity, g...

Deep Dive into The Bible Knowledge Commentary by John F. Walvoord, et al. - Romans 1 The opening of Paul's epistle to the Romans follows the customary ancient letter format by identifying the author as a servant and apostle set apart for the gospel of God. After expressing his deep desire to visit the Roman believers to impart spiritual gifts and see spiritual fruit, Paul introduces the centra...

Deep Dive into The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon - Psalm 126 Psalm 126 is a Song of Degrees that celebrates a profound deliverance from oppression, often associated with the return from Babylonian exile, though it serves as a broader metaphor for the spiritual redemption of mankind from sin and death. The psalmist describes the rescue as so sudden and overwhelmingly joyful that the deliver...

Deep Dive into Practical Religion: Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians by J. C. Ryle - Charity J.C. Ryle identifies charity as the highest of Christian virtues, noting that while people often claim to possess it, many fundamentally misunderstand its true biblical nature. According to Scripture, charity is not merely giving money to t...

Deep Dive into The Structure of Matthew by David L. Turner The provided text is an excerpt from David L. Turner's commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, which advocates for a narrative-critical approach rather than a source-critical one, emphasizing both the theological and historical value of the text for church ministry. Grasping the literary structure of Matthew is crucial, and scholars gener...

Deep Dive into Emmanuel: God With Us in the Person of Jesus Christ The fundamental human problem is profound estrangement from a holy God, a tragic alienation that originated with the Fall in Eden. In the Old Testament, God promised to restore His presence through covenants, the tabernacle, and the temple, yet direct access remained severely restricted by human sin. During a desperate political cr...

Deep Dive into עֵדָה The Biblical Hebrew term עֵדָה (ʿēdâ) encompasses several distinct definitions in the Hebrew Bible, most prominently referring to a congregation, an assembly, or a witness. The primary and most frequent application of the word denotes a socio-religious community or gathered assembly. It appears extensively throughout the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers to describe the...

Deep Dive into The Descent of the Sovereign: Humility in the Shadow of the Cross (Philippians 2:3–8) Philippians 2:3-8 serves as a profound theological and pastoral correction against the destructive sin of human pride, which frequently fractures church fellowship. Both texts emphasize that the apostle Paul addresses the congregation in Philippi, a Roman colony where social status, legal rights, a...

Deep Dive into The Peril of Misguided Zeal (Matthew 23:15) Matthew 23:15 serves as a profound warning against the dangers of religious hypocrisy and misguided zeal. Jesus pronounces a severe judgment upon the scribes and Pharisees, exposing the terrifying reality that immense religious effort, when divorced from the true Gospel, leads to spiritual ruin. The Pharisees demonstrated remarkable dedica...

Deep Dive into Covenant Purity, Divine Judgment, and the Preservation of the Promised Seed (Genesis 38:6-11) Genesis 38:6-11 presents a dark but essential narrative revealing the moral corruption within the patriarchal family and God's sovereign preservation of the Messianic lineage. Set between the narratives of Joseph's purity in Egypt, this passage highlights Judah's severe moral co...

Deep Dive into The Nature of True Virtue by Jonathan Edwards - Of Particular Instincts of Nature, Which in Some Respects Resemble Virtue Jonathan Edwards explores various natural human dispositions and instincts that exist for the preservation and comfortable subsistence of mankind. He specifically examines instincts that resemble benevolence to demonstrate that they do not constitute true virtue....

Deep Dive into Matthew Poole’s Commentary on the Holy Bible, Volumes 1–3 - Psalm 2 Matthew Poole’s commentary on Psalm 2 attributes its authorship to David, but asserts its primary focus is a prophetic description of the Messiah and his kingdom. Poole notes that New Testament references, ancient Hebrew scholars, and specific textual attributes, such as the title of "Son" and the receptio...

Deep Dive into The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon - Psalm 125 Psalm 125 is a song of holy confidence that highlights the eternal safety of believers who trust in the Lord. These individuals are compared to Mount Zion, symbolizing ultimate stability and immovable faith. Just as Mount Zion cannot be displaced, true believers enjoy a profound restfulness, secure in the knowledge that they will...

Deep Dive into Practical Religion: Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians by J. C. Ryle - Going to the Table The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is frequently misunderstood, leading to much division and controversy among professing Christians. According to scripture, it was ordained for the continual remembrance of Christ's sacri...

Deep Dive into On the Feeding of the 5000 by Craig S. Keener In the Fourth Gospel, the narrative of Jesus feeding the five thousand occurs near the time of Passover, which establishes the context of the paschal lamb and frames Jesus' entire ministry around his impending passion. A massive crowd follows Jesus to the other side of the lake because they have witnessed his healing miracles, though...

Deep Dive into Providence and Natural Human Willing and Acting The doctrine of providence establishes that God meticulously preserves, directs, and governs all human desires, choices, and actions. Rather than existing as autonomous agents, humans operate entirely beneath the sovereign will of their Creator. The scriptures provide a unified witness to this reality across multiple contexts. Proverbs...

Deep Dive into Faithful Sojourning in the Fifth Year of Exile: The Sovereignty of God and the Refugee Trilemma The displacement caused by the Ukraine-Russia war has evolved into a complex refugee trilemma by 2026, presenting intertwined challenges of return, integration, and demographic recovery. From a policy perspective, European host nations and Ukraine face competing necessities. Ukraine despe...

Deep Dive into If Anyone Is in Christ: The New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) Second Corinthians 5:17 presents a radical view of Christian transformation, declaring that anyone united to Christ is an entirely new creation. Unlike worldly philosophies that suggest moral self-improvement, psychological adjustment, or behavior management, the gospel announces a supernatural, divine re-creation. This p...

Deep Dive into Devouring Houses Under a Cloak of Prayer (Matthew 23:14) Matthew 23:14 captures a severe judicial pronouncement by Jesus against the religious hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. In first-century Jerusalem, widows were deeply vulnerable and frequently relied on legal experts, such as scribes, for the management of their estates and financial protection. However, rather than safe...

Deep Dive into God’s Hidden Providence in Judah’s Descent (Genesis 38:1–5) Genesis 38:1-5 serves as a profound theological interlude rather than a simple genealogical transition, deliberately contrasting Judah's moral decline with his brother Joseph's faithfulness in Egyptian bondage. The passage details Judah’s spiritual and geographical descent as he moves away from his covenant family t...

Deep Dive into The Nature of True Virtue by Jonathan Edwards - Of Natural Conscience, and the Moral Sense Jonathan Edwards explores the concept of natural conscience, distinguishing it clearly from true virtue. Natural conscience primarily arises from a human disposition toward self-consistency and an aversion to contradicting oneself. It involves an innate tendency to project ourselves into the p...

Deep Dive into The Moody Handbook of Theology, Revised and Expanded by Paul Enns - Introduction to Dogmatic Theology Dogmatic theology is frequently confused with systematic theology, and sometimes the terms are even used interchangeably, as seen in the writings of William G. T. Shedd. However, a distinction exists between the two, with dogmatic theology being the more common designation in German...

Deep Dive into The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon - Psalm 124 Psalm 124, attributed to David, is a short but powerful hymn of gratitude for divine deliverance. Commentators note its universal application for believers across the ages, celebrating the church's survival against overwhelming and relentless opposition. The text begins by emphatically declaring that if the Lord had not been...

Deep Dive into Practical Religion: Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians by J. C. Ryle - Bible-Reading J. C. Ryle emphasizes that next to prayer, reading the Bible is the most vital aspect of practical religion. Despite its widespread availability, humanity frequently neglects this divine gift. Ryle provides several foundational reason...

Deep Dive into The Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:21 40) by R. Kent Hughes The provided text explores the significant post-birth events of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. On the eighth day, Jesus was circumcised to fully identify with his people and was officially named Jesus. This name, meaning "Jehovah is salvation," was divinely instructed by angels to both Mary and Joseph and signified his rol...