He Came to a World at War: O King of Nations
3 hours ago
Monday, August 17, 2009
Reformed Theology...
If anyone who has heard Jeff and I talking about our church wonders what we mean when we say that it holds to "Reformed Theology" I thought it would be helpful to post this definition:
What is Reformed Theology?
Reformed theology...
...presupposes God's Word alone as our ultimate authority.
...stresses the sovereignty of God, that is, His reign over all things, meticulously determining (Eph 1:11) all that comes to pass (i.e. God is never taken by surprise).
...emphasizes a Christ-Centered proclamation of the gospel, that salvation is wholly of God, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as revealed in the Scripture alone to the Glory of God alone.
...views the Bible as a redemptive-historical organic unfolding of revelation which is structured by three covenants (redemption, works and grace).
It goes without saying that those in the Reformed Tradition hold to the doctrines of grace (the five points of Calvinism), man's helpless condition apart from Christ, the necessity of evangelism and the work of the Holy Spirit who (monergistically) quickens the dead to life through the preaching of the Word as God turns their heart of stone to flesh, and opens their eyes to the excellencies of the gospel (uniting them to Christ). In other words, RT stresses the way the objective, written Word together with the inner, supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit work together. The Word, without the illumination of the Holy Spirit, remains a closed book. We (the church) cast forth the seed of the gospel and the Holy Spirit germinates it, so to speak, with the blood of Christ bringing forth life in people from every nation, tribe, language, and people (Rev 14:6). RT traces its historical and theological lineage back to the theology of Christ, Paul, Augustine and to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century.
What is Reformed Theology?
Reformed theology...
...presupposes God's Word alone as our ultimate authority.
...stresses the sovereignty of God, that is, His reign over all things, meticulously determining (Eph 1:11) all that comes to pass (i.e. God is never taken by surprise).
...emphasizes a Christ-Centered proclamation of the gospel, that salvation is wholly of God, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as revealed in the Scripture alone to the Glory of God alone.
...views the Bible as a redemptive-historical organic unfolding of revelation which is structured by three covenants (redemption, works and grace).
It goes without saying that those in the Reformed Tradition hold to the doctrines of grace (the five points of Calvinism), man's helpless condition apart from Christ, the necessity of evangelism and the work of the Holy Spirit who (monergistically) quickens the dead to life through the preaching of the Word as God turns their heart of stone to flesh, and opens their eyes to the excellencies of the gospel (uniting them to Christ). In other words, RT stresses the way the objective, written Word together with the inner, supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit work together. The Word, without the illumination of the Holy Spirit, remains a closed book. We (the church) cast forth the seed of the gospel and the Holy Spirit germinates it, so to speak, with the blood of Christ bringing forth life in people from every nation, tribe, language, and people (Rev 14:6). RT traces its historical and theological lineage back to the theology of Christ, Paul, Augustine and to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Baptized
"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:3-4
Lincoln in his underwear... oh well. Kids can get away with such things. :) 
Jackson trying to keep his shorts dry. Didn't last too long.
Too cute...really.
Jeff and I were baptized together on July 26, 2009. Each of us had been baptized before, me as a baby in the Catholic Church and Jeff as a baby in the Lutheran Church and again as a 9 or 10 year old. Neither of us had been baptized as Christians though! Since the Bible says believe and be baptized, we figured we should do it in that order. We were baptized in the American River at Negro Bar in Folsom; Jeff by our pastor, Erik Meyers, and me by Jeff! Very cool. If you want to hear more about it...ask us! We love to talk about it. :)
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