Reformed Forum

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob wanted to pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man with a consideration of Noah and the Flood. Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

James Duguid speaks about the doctrine of divine simplicity and its roots in the Old Testament. While the pages of the Old Testament are not typically the first place one would go to build the case for this orthodox doctrine, Duguid demonstrates how the uniqueness of the biblical account establishes a foundation for understanding the Lord who reveals himself through it. Duguid is the author of &#8...

Danny Olinger speaks about the theology of Graham Greene, regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the twentieth century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a reputation early in his lifetime as a major writer of novels so-called “Catholic novels,” as well as political and espionage thrillers. Twice, he was shortlisted for the...

Joel Fick shows us how important it is to bring various passages of Scripture to bear upon one another, particularly where one may fill in the gap for the other. In Exodus 2 we learn how Christ is not a picture of Moses, but rather Moses is a picture of Christ. Participants: Joel Fick , Mark A. Winder

This week on Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob wanted to pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man with a consideration of the preaching ministry of Enoch and how that ministry relates to the the kingdom of God. However, we were sidetracked more than once to talk about the current COVID-19 pandemic, our response to it…yeah, lot’s of rabbit trai...

After having created Adam in his image and placing him in the Garden of Eden, God entered into a covenant with him (Gen. 2:16–17). In Westminster Confession of Faith 7.1, the divines wrote, The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and rewar...

Mark Winder shows us how in the story of Isaac which parallels that of Abraham, there is a theological point being made: from a human perspective there is one crisis after another. But from the divine perspective, there is no salvation outside of God. Only his hand will triumph. We will also see how Abraham’s obedience is a type of the obedience of Christ. Participants: Joel Fick , Mark A. W...

In this episode, we continue our discussion of Justin Martyr’s account of ancient Christian worship, focusing this time on the Lord’s Supper (eucharist) and Lord’s Day worship. Justin Martyr wrote an early account of ancient Christian worship. It was written by a believer for an unbeliever. He does not assume that his intended reader—the Emperor Antoninus Pius (138–161)—knows any...

Jim Cassidy gives us a primer on covenant theology. As Israel, shaped by the law, becomes an analogy of Adam as Adam is in covenant with God in the garden, a pattern is seen between Adam and Israel. If Adam disobeys, he is exiled from the Garden, as is also the case with Israel. God, however, is the covenant keeper, providing redemption for his people in doing what they are unable to do. Participa...

This week on Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob pick up their discussion of the Kingdom of God and the Four-fold Estate of Man with a consideration of the kingdom, man, and creation. Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

In his first apology (ca. 150–155 A.D.), Justin Martyr wrote an early account of ancient Christian worship, describing ancient practices regarding the sacraments and Lord’s Day worship. It was written to an unbeliever, and therefore Justin does not assume that his intended reader—the Emperor Antoninus Pius (138–161)—knows anything about Christian worship. Moreover, while Pliny describes the...

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Bob finishes reading from the 1922 edition of  Grace and Glory , a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The sixth of these sermons is on Hebrews 11:9-10, “Heavenly-Mindedness.” Participants: Robert Tarullo

What was worship like in the early church? Did it differ significantly from our present practices? A letter written by a Roman official in 112 AD provides a window into these ancient Christian liturgical practices. Pliny the Younger was appointed governor of Bithynia in 111 AD by the Emperor Trajan (98–117). Trajan knew that there was social unrest in that province, with a growing number of politi...

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Bob continues reading from the 1922 edition of  Grace and Glory , a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The fifth of these sermons is on 2 Corinthians 3:18, “The More Excellent Ministry.” Participants: Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

In 1894, B. B. Warfield published an article in which he compared the views of the Westminster divines and the Reformers on the mode of inspiration. According to Warfield, the Reformers argued for a mode of concursus while the Protestant Scholastics argued for dictation. Dr. Jeff Stivason analyzes this characterization, speaking to Warfield’s historical context and his understanding of progr...

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Bob continues reading from the 1922 edition of  Grace and Glory , a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The third of these sermons is on Luke 19:10, “Seeking and Saving the Lost.” Participants: Robert Tarullo Mentioned in this episode: Christ the Center 1000 Christ the Center 1000

James Dolezal discusses his book All That Is in God: Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism (Reformation Heritage Books, 2017). Dr. Dolezal serves as associate professor in the school of divinity at Cairn University in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. In this conversation, and the book that guides it, Dolezal addresses the doctrines of classical theism as well as contemporary...

This week on Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob continue discussing the kingdom of God as it unfolds through the four-fold estate of man: the estate of innocence, fall, redemption, and glory. This week, the Fall. Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo

Dr. Bryan Estelle joins us to speak about Echoes of Exodus: Tracing a Biblical Motif (IVP Academic, 2018). Israel’s exodus from Egypt is the Bible’s enduring emblem of deliverance. It is the archetypal anvil on which the scriptural language of deliverance is shaped. More than just an epic moment, the exodus shapes the telling of Israel’s and the church’s gospel. Estelle traces the motif as it unfo...

We turn to pages 230–233 of Vos’s book,  Biblical Theology , to speak about the mode by which the Lord delivers his message to the prophet. Man is made in the image of God, which means he has a special capacity to commune with God. Vos marvels at the way in which divine speech is transmitted to those made in his image. God’s word is communicated in servant form without evacuating the me...

Dr. S. M. Baugh joins us to speak about his book, The Majesty on High: An Introduction to the Kingdom of God in the New Testament . Beginning with a definition of the kingdom of God based on the new creation, Baugh introduces the reader to the kingdom and its foundational issues. Dr. Baugh is professor of New Testament at Westminster Seminary California in Escondido, California. He is also the aut...

This week on  Theology Simply Profound , Bob continues reading from the 1922 edition of  Grace and Glory , a collection of sermons delivered at Princeton Theological Seminary by Geerhardus Vos. The second of these sermons is on Matthew 5:6, “Hungering and Thirsting After Righteousness.” Participants: Robert Tarullo

Dr. A. Craig Troxel speaks about With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will toward Christ (Crossway, 2020). Whereas contemporary culture identifies the “heart” with feelings and emotions, Craig Troxel speaks about the range of uses of the word “heart” in the Bible. The heart knows, desires, and chooses. This fuller conception of “heart” helps us...

This week on Theology Simply Profound , Rob and Bob begin a new series discussing the kingdom of God as it unfolds through the four-fold estate of man: the estate of innocence, fall, redemption, and glory. Participants: Rob McKenzie , Robert Tarullo

David VanDrunen speaks about his forthcoming book, Politics After Christendom (Zondervan Academic), reflecting upon the status and responsibilities of Christians in their contemporary pluralistic political communities. Dr. VanDrunen presents a biblical-theological model of political engagement and exploring themes such as race, religious liberty, justice, authority, and civil resistance. David Van...