Reformed Thinking

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...

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - Christian Freedom Christian freedom is a doctrine of prime necessity , profoundly transforming a believer's relationship with God and the law by establishing assurance and inner peace of soul . Without it, consciences would remain fearful and doubting, hindering true knowledge of Christ and the gospel. It consists of three in...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach Prof. Jesse Johnson - Frameworks, Arguments, and Worldviews John Frame, a prominent figure in presuppositional apologetics, identifies three primary aspects of apologetics : proof, defense, and offense. These aspects provide a comprehensive framework for understanding how Christians engage with unbelief and present the truth of their f...

Deep Dive into Pressing into the Kingdom of God (Luke 16:16) by Jonathan Edwards Desire for salvation is not a mere wish, but a profound and dominant internal force essential for "pressing into the kingdom of God." This genuine desire signifies a "strength of desire" that far exceeds a general preference for heaven over hell. For those truly engaged, their minds are "posse...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Does God Exist? In the debate, Dr. Gordon Stein defines a miracle primarily as an event that violates the known laws of physics and chemistry , indicating a supernatural occurrence. For Stein, this violation would serve as adequate evidence for God's existence. He provides vivid examples, such as a podiu...

Deep Dive into Matthew Poole’s Commentary on the Holy Bible, Volumes 1–3 - Psalm 13 David's expression of trust in God is a central and powerful theme in the Psalm, demonstrating his unwavering faith despite profound distress and perceived divine delay. Even when feeling forgotten and surrounded by enemies, David declares his fundamental reliance on God's character . He explicitly states,...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - A Philosophical Debate The debate, sponsored by the UCI Speech and Debate team and moderated by David Agopian, centered on the fundamental question: "Does God exist?" The two debaters were Dr. Greg Bahnsen, arguing for Christian theism, and Dr. Gordon Stein, presenting the atheist viewpoint. Dr. Greg Bahnsen...

Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - What is Theology? Systematic theology is a discipline of study within a Christian context that aims to provide a coherent and comprehensive understanding of the Christian faith . It seeks to articulate the doctrines of Christianity, primarily based on the Scriptures, and present them in a way that is relevant to contemporary culture and li...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Methods, Truth, and the Creator-Creature Distinction Christian apologetics involves distinct methodologies, primarily Classical Apologetics , Presuppositional Apologetics , and Reformed Epistemology . Classical Apologetics , exemplified by William Lane Craig, holds that belief in God requires evidence and ra...

Deep Dive into הרס The Hebrew verb "הרס" (haras) primarily denotes the act of tearing down, demolishing, or destroying . This core meaning is consistently contrasted with "בנה" (banah), meaning to build or establish , highlighting "haras" as the direct opposite of creation and stability. This opposition is frequently seen in prophetic declarations where God is portray...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Methods and Critiques Apologetics involves defending the Christian faith, with key methodologies being Classical Apologetics and Presuppositionalism, which differ significantly in their approach to reason and divine revelation. William Lane Craig's Classical Apologetics uses a two-step method : first, es...

Deep Dive into Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1.8: Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms - Psalm 3 Psalm 3 is primarily interpreted as a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ , especially His Passion and Resurrection. This understanding extends to encompass "whole Christ" (Christ as the Head with His Body, the Church) , and the spiritual journey of individual believers . The histo...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - Methods and Systems Apologetics is the reasoned defense of the Christian faith , a practice evident throughout Church history from the New Testament to modern times. Early Christians defended against Gnosticism, unbelieving Jews, and pagan philosophers like Celsus. In the Middle Ages, thinkers like Anselm an...

Deep Dive into How to Rebuild Ukraine's Agriculture and Food Security after War Ukraine's agricultural sector, a historic "breadbasket," is currently wounded, with approximately one-quarter of its arable land contaminated by mines , a 30% farm labor shortfall , and significant export bottlenecks. This situation has led to economic instability for farmers and food insecurity for a...

Deep Dive into Apologetics and Evangelism by Dr. Michael Vlach & Prof. Jesse Johnson - A Defense of Christian Apologetics Apologetics, from the Greek "apologia," means making a defense of something , specifically the Christian faith. It aims to bolster believers' faith and aid evangelism by offering rational reasons and refuting objections. This discipline includes both negative...

Deep Dive into Cases in the English Bible English, despite largely lacking the overt grammatical endings of languages like Greek or Hebrew, still fundamentally conveys meaning through grammatical case . Understanding how English signals these cases is not just an academic exercise, but an act of stewardship crucial for accurate biblical interpretation and preserving doctrinal precision. English pr...

Deep Dive into Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry by John Piper - Brothers, Pray for the Seminaries John Piper emphasizes the profound importance of seminaries in shaping the theology, spirit, and future of churches, denominations, and missionary efforts. He highlights that the tone of seminary classrooms and teachers profoundly affects the tone of church pu...

Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - The Completion of Salvation The completion of Christian salvation is understood through two key doctrines: perseverance and glorification . Perseverance addresses whether a genuinely saved believer will remain in faith throughout their life, emphasizing God's enabling power and the believer's active demonstration of Christ-likeness...

Deep Dive into Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry by John Piper - Brothers, Love Your Wives Marriage is presented as a profound mystery , uniquely designed by God to reflect the relationship between Christ and the church . Rather than Christ and the church patterning their union after human marriage, God created human marriage on the pattern of Christ's...

Deep Dive into God as Yahweh-Shammah The core concept of "Yahweh-Shammah," meaning "The LORD Is There," encapsulates God's unwavering promise to irrevocably dwell among His people. This theme is the "pulsing heart of the gospel" and the ultimate goal of the Covenant of Grace, unfolding throughout biblical history from Eden to the New Jerusalem. Initially, God &quo...

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - Works Righteousness Is Wrongly Inferred from Reward Salvation and eternal blessings are understood as a divine inheritance , received through God's adoption of believers as sons, rather than as wages earned through human effort. When the sources discuss "reward" for good works or tribulations, this is consistently r...

Deep Dive into Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry by John Piper - Brothers, Focus on the Essence of Worship, Not the Form True New Testament worship is profoundly defined as an inner, God-ward experience of the heart , rather than merely external forms, rituals, or specific locations. This understanding represents a radical shift from Old Testament concepts,...

Deep Dive into Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry by John Piper - Brothers, Blow the Trumpet for the Unborn John Piper presents ten arguments against abortion , rooted deeply in biblical texts and logical reasoning, aiming to solidify conviction on this issue. First, he asserts that the command "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13) strictly forbids...

Deep Dive into The Preciousness of Time (Ephesians 5:16) by Jonathan Edwards Time is regarded as exceptionally precious primarily because a happy or miserable eternity depends entirely on its good or ill improvement . It is the sole opportunity given to humanity to escape everlasting misery and attain eternal blessedness and glory. This finite period on Earth is invaluable as it is the means by wh...

Deep Dive into Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry by John Piper - Brothers, Sever the Root of Racism Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Birmingham message," primarily conveyed in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail," served as a powerful response to critics and a fervent demand for immediate action against racial injustice. He passionately reject...