Reformed Thinking

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - The Sum of the Christian Life: The Denial of Ourselves The foundational principle of Christian life is the profound understanding that believers are not their own masters, but belong wholly to God . This means their entire being—thoughts, speech, meditations, and actions—must be consecrated and dedicated solely to His glory . The...

Deep Dive into Why the Unreached? by Chad Vegas Missionaries emphasize unreached language groups for three primary reasons, all deeply rooted in their understanding of the Bible and the mission of Christ. Firstly, they believe Jesus explicitly commands His followers to gather those who belong to Him from every language group. The "Great Commission" in Matthew 28 and Luke 24 calls for mak...

Deep Dive into Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards - Truly Gracious Affections Differ from Those Affections That Are False and Delusive, in That They Tend to, and Are Attended with the Lamblike, Dovelike Spirit and Temper of Jesus Christ; or in Other Words, They Naturally Beget and Promote Such a Spirit of Love, Meekness, Quietness, Forgiveness and Mercy, as Appears in Christ True Christians...

Deep Dive into Missionary: A Biblical Definition by Paul Washer Apostles, in the foundational sense of the early church, no longer exist today. These were the original twelve (plus Paul), uniquely sent by the resurrected Christ with supra-ecclesiastical authority and divine revelation to lay the church's foundation. However, "apostles" do exist today in a different, ongoing sense: as...

Deep Dive into All of Grace: An Earnest Word for Those Who Are, by Grace, Seeking Salvation by Charles Spurgeon - Confirmation Blamelessness in Christ is a state of being confirmed and preserved by God's grace to stand without fatal charge in the Day of Judgment. It is a profound security and holiness that Paul confidently expected for all saints. This blamelessness is a desired confirmation ,...

Deep Dive into Living for Eternity by Brooks Buser A Christian's belief in eternal life fundamentally transforms their worldly decisions, shifting their focus from the temporary present to the enduring "world to come." This eternal perspective is cultivated through three key views: A right view of God is paramount. Deeply knowing God, through meditating on His Word, provides greater...

Deep Dive into Matthew Poole’s Commentary on the Holy Bible, Volumes 1–3 - Psalm 12 Psalm 12 begins with David's desperate cry, " HELP, LORD ," reflecting his profound need for divine intervention during Saul's oppressive government and persecution of him and other good men. David was destitute of human comfort , lamenting that "the godly man ceaseth" and "the fait...

Deep Dive into Missions Q&A Session by Go: West Coast Conference The central motivation for participating in the Great Commission stems from a profound and compelling love for Christ, which, in turn, fuels obedience to His commands. The most fundamental reason is that "Christ's love to me compels my love to him and so I want to obey him and do what he has commanded." This obedien...

Deep Dive into רָשָׁע The Hebrew term רָשָׁע (rāšāʿ) refers to a wicked person, evildoer, or someone who is guilty . It is fundamentally understood in direct opposition to צַדִּיק (ṣaddiq) , meaning righteous or just, highlighting a core biblical dichotomy between individuals and their moral standing. In a legal or forensic context , "רָשָׁע" denotes someone "guilty of an individual...

Deep Dive into Cornerstone by Jeremy Prayer - Decision Making and Gray Areas A conscience is an individual's internal awareness or sense of what they believe is right or wrong, functioning as a guide, monitor, witness, or judge. It is highly unique to each person , shaped by influences such as family dynamics, culture, personal background, consequences from past decisions, and one's interp...

Deep Dive into Philippians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur - Introduction The Epistle to the Philippians conveys a powerful and enduring message that true biblical joy is a settled conviction independent of external circumstances . This divine joy contrasts sharply with fleeting happiness, which relies on favorable situations. Biblical joy stems from the conviction that G...

Deep Dive into Cornerstone by Jeremy Prayer - Life Dominating Patterns of Sin As believers, our struggle, or wrestling, is not against human adversaries or "flesh and blood," but against spiritual forces . This is a hostile spiritual conflict , described as a "no small skirmish" and a "massive and complex hierarchy of evil." It's a profound, unseen war taking place that affects a believer's life....

Deep Dive into The Passionate Pursuit of Revival and Christ-Exalting Joy by John Piper - A Passion for Christ-Exalting Power: Martyrn Lloyd-Jones on the Need for Revival and Baptism with the Spirit Martyn Lloyd-Jones's theology regarding revival and the Holy Spirit was distinct, emphasizing a profound, experiential work of God necessary for the church and the world. He defined revival as a mir...

Deep Dive into Cornerstone by Jeremy Prayer - Life Dominating Patterns of Sin Man's ways of dealing with sin, particularly what are referred to as "life-dominating patterns of sin," are characterized by approaches that generally exclude God and biblical principles . These methods, often employed by secular psychologists or "professionals," are deemed inadequate because they...

Deep Dive into Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson - Introduction to the Work of Christ Christ's ascension holds profound significance as the second pivotal step in his exaltation , following his resurrection. It marked his departure from earthly conditions and his glorious reassumption of his rightful place with God the Father. This event was not merely a physical upward movement; it in...

Deep Dive into Cornerstone by Jeremy Prayer - Fear and Worry Part 2: Overcoming The "Philippians 4:8 filter" is a mental framework derived from Philippians 4:8 in the Bible, designed to help individuals actively manage and transform their thoughts , particularly those associated with fear, worry, and anxiety. It serves as a practical tool for renewing one's mind by consciously evalua...

The concept of "Adonai" from the Old Testament significantly evolves into the New Testament's "Kyrios," illustrating a continuous unfolding of God's sovereign authority that culminates in the person of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, "Adonai" (meaning "Master" or "Owner") defines God's ownership as absolute, superlative, and non-negotiable dominion over all creation . It signifies that God is...

Deep Dive into Cornerstone by Jeremy Prayer - Fear and Worry: The Problem of Evil The "problem of evil" arises from the apparent logical impossibility of an all-powerful, all-good God co-existing with the existence of evil . Traditional options often question God's power or goodness, or deny evil. However, a biblical theodicy , which is a defense of God as He relates to evil, propose...

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - The Life of the Christian Man; And First, by What Arguments Scripture Urges Us to It Scripture commends righteousness primarily by aiming to instill and establish a deep love for it in believers' hearts , acknowledging that humans are not naturally inclined towards it. This core purpose is integral to regeneration , which see...

Deep Dive into Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards - Another Thing, wherein Gracious Affections Are Distinguished from Others, Is, That They Are Attended with a Change of Nature Divine power profoundly changes nature by imparting a new, vital essence to the soul , a process uniquely initiated and sustained by God. This is not a mere external adjustment or fleeting emotional shift, but a super...

Deep Dive into Cornerstone by Jeremy Prayer – Depression, Part 2 Depression, biblically defined as a feeling of sadness in one's soul due to sin or circumstances , involves both emotional and physical manifestations. The sources emphasize a profound connection between the inner man (soul) and the outer man (body) , meaning that spiritual and emotional states directly impact physical health. Fo...

Deep Dive into All of Grace: An Earnest Word for Those Who Are, by Grace, Seeking Salvation by Charles Spurgeon - The Fear of Final Falling Perseverance for believers is inherently difficult due to a combination of internal vulnerabilities and external pressures . A major internal challenge is misplaced reliance on self for continuance . Believers who trust in their own strength, even partially, f...

Deep Dive into Cornerstone by Jeremy Prayer - Depression, Part 1 The Bible comprehensively addresses depression, acknowledging its profound emotional impact despite rarely using the specific English word directly. Instead, it uses synonyms like "heavy-hearted," "downcast," and "despairing," and portrays figures such as David (Psalm 38) and Elijah (1 Kings 19) experien...

Deep Dive into Commentary on the Book of Psalms by John Calvin - Psalm 12 David laments a profound societal corruption where beneficence and truth have vanished, leaving behind an utter overthrow of good order . He observes that sincere and upright speech has ceased, replaced by deceit and falsehood . This widespread dishonesty stems from a "double heart," which is identified as the &quo...

Deep Dive into Cornerstone by Jeremy Prayer - Overcoming Lust People pursue Jesus for diverse reasons, which can be broadly categorized into incomplete or self-interested motivations and a true, desired pursuit of Jesus Himself . Often, individuals initially seek Jesus for what He can do for them , rather than for who He is. This is likened to the crowd in John 6 who followed Jesus because He had...