Reformed Thinking

Deep Dive into Negations in the English Bible In biblical Greek, various negative particles are used, each conveying distinct nuances of negation that are crucial for understanding the meaning and emphasis of a statement, especially in the context of providing assurance. Here are the main Greek negative particles: οὐ (or οὐκ/οὐχ before vowels): This particle is used to state objective facts . When...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Apologetics, Evangelism, and the Commonality of Unbelief Evangelism is primarily defined as an action —the verbal proclamation of the gospel —rather than internal thoughts, prayers, or merely inviting someone to church. It is always necessary to use words to preach the gospel, and biblical terms like euangel...

Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - The Nature of the Church The church, though frequently misunderstood, is fundamentally a divinely established institution , with its true nature best understood through a biblical-philological method that focuses on its scriptural essence rather than merely its observable activities. Paul's writings present a Trinitarian understanding of t...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Islam Islam, meaning "surrender" or "submission" to God's will, is a monotheistic religion with over a billion followers. Its core belief, the Shahada , affirms that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet . Muhammad, born in Mecca around 570 AD, began receiving revelati...

Deep Dive into Sins of the Heart: Pride Pride, in its biblical roots, is depicted as a primordial vice that fundamentally tilts the heart away from God. It is not merely a misstep but the root condition of depraved humanity , the polluted source from which all idolatries flow. This ontological revolt against the Creator first appears in Genesis with the serpent's promise to Adam and Eve: &quot...

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - Prayer, Which Is the Chief Exercise of Faith, and by Which We Daily Receive God's Benefits Faith is fundamentally intertwined with right prayer , serving as its essential guide, foundation, and the means by which requests are granted. Prayer is seen as a profound exercise of faith , where individuals, recognizing their spirit...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Buddhists and Muslims In Buddhism, there are six realms of existence into which a being can be reborn as part of the continuous cycle of reincarnation that Buddhists aim to escape. These realms represent different states of being, determined by an individual's karma. The six realms are: The Land of the H...

Deep Dive into Undiscerned Spiritual Pride by Jonathan Edwards Spiritual pride is identified as the primary cause of spiritual errors and the main entry point for negative spiritual influences , acting as the devil's "main handle" to hinder God's work. It's considered the fundamental support for all other errors, implying that until pride is cured, other spiritual problems ca...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Judaism, Islam, and Christianity The debate explicitly frames Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as "sister faiths in conflict." Despite their differences, they share profound similarities. All three originated in the Middle East , claim Abraham as a spiritual father , and champion moral monotheism a...

Deep Dive into The Lord Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6) by Charles Spurgeon Justification by faith is the divine act by which God declares believers righteous when they trust in Christ, a process fundamentally rooted in the doctrine of imputation . This means Christ's work is credited to a believer's account. It's described as the "surface soil" resting upon the "grani...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Deism and Hinduism In Hinduism, Karma is the fundamental "law that governs this reincarnation wheel" , understood as the moral law under which individuals operate. It is the framework for Hindu ethics and centrally determines a person's fate within the endless cycle of birth and rebirth, known...

Deep Dive into Howling Changed to Singing (Psalm 13:1-2, 6) by Charles Spurgeon Sorrow profoundly affects a person, plunging them into a state of deep distress and despair, often described as "howling" or a "moaning complaint before God." This encompasses intense emotional and spiritual pain , where one may feel forgotten by God or experience Him hiding His comforting presence....

Deep Dive into Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1.8: Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms - Psalm 7 Augustine's exposition of Psalm 7 offers a profound spiritual interpretation , moving beyond its historical narrative to reveal deep theological meanings. It serves as a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, divine providence , and the human soul's journey toward perfection. Central t...

Deep Dive into חֵץ The term "חֵץ" (ḥēṣ) possesses a rich history, with its origins deeply embedded in ancient Semitic languages and tracing back to the root חָצַץ , meaning "to pierce." Cognates in Ugaritic, Phoenician, Aramaic, Akkadian, Arabic, and Ethiopic confirm its widespread and ancient understanding as a projectile. While its primary and literal meaning is "arrow,&...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Defending the Christian Worldview Presuppositional apologetics, especially as made practical by Richard Pratt's So Every Thought Captive , uniquely addresses fundamental questions about God, reality, and knowledge by establishing God's revelation as the indispensable starting point for all thought ....

Deep Dive into Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians by John Calvin - Galatians Introduction Ceremonies, as understood in the context of Paul's letter to the Galatians, had a divinely appointed purpose in the Old Covenant. They were considered not superfluous for Old Testament believers, serving as part of God's covenant with them. However, their role was neve...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Grounding Apologetics in Scripture Presuppositionalism, as understood by the speaker, fundamentally centers on three interconnected aspects: Authority , the Aim of apologetics, and the Agency of change in the human heart. First, Authority dictates that God and His revealed Word are the ultimate starting poin...

Deep Dive into How to Rebuild Ukraine's Defense and Security after War Ukraine is comprehensively addressing corruption in its rebuilding efforts, integrating Reformed theological principles with practical governance and oversight measures. The overarching goal is an Ethical Defense-Industrial Renaissance , aiming to reduce Ukraine’s defense-corruption risk index to below 30 by 2030 , a score...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Van Til's Presuppositional Apologetics Paul's witnessing in Athens, as detailed in Acts 17, provided a profound example of how to engage with non-biblical worldviews. He specifically debated with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers , alongside the broader Greek philosophical landscape influenced by Plat...

Deep Dive into Declensions in the English Bible Declension, the system of endings or internal shifts that once marked a noun's or pronoun's grammatical role, is important for linguistic clarity and doctrinal precision in biblical interpretation. While Modern English became largely analytic, shedding most inflections, vestiges of declension survived , particularly in pronouns and the posses...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - The Problem of Evil Bonsen (or Bahnsen) resolves the philosophical problem of evil by introducing a crucial fourth premise to the traditional argument against God's existence. The classic challenge posits that an all-good and all-powerful God cannot coexist with the existence of evil , suggesting a logic...

Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - The Means and Extent of Salvation The evangelical view of salvation stands as a distinct theological perspective, contrasting sharply with sacramentalism and liberation theology. At its core, it emphasizes the indispensable role of the Word of God and the acceptance of salvation through faith . The Word of God, whether preached or read, is...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Defending the Faith and Gospel The cosmological argument for God's existence is fundamentally based on the belief that the world must have been caused by some supreme being . It is frequently referred to as the argument from cause and effect . The name itself, "cosmological," comes from the Gre...

Deep Dive into God as Yahweh-Saboth "Yahweh-Ṣəbaʾōth" (LORD of Hosts) is a profound divine title, exegetically founded on the fusion of YHWH, God's covenant name, with ṣābāʾ , meaning "host, ordered multitude, army." This identifies God as the Commander-in-Chief who marshals all forces – angelic battalions, stellar bodies, and even human kingdoms – to achieve His purposes....

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach Prof. Jesse Johnson - The Fall, and the Unbeliever's Mind While the precise term "epistemic humility" is not explicitly defined in the sources, the concept is deeply embedded within the presuppositional approach to knowledge and apologetics. It encompasses a humble attitude in engaging with others and a profound recogniti...