ThornCrown Network: Recent Episodes
Tim Shaughnessy, Carlos Montijo
Do you know someone suffering from Bible Dysphoria? It’s spreading like the plague within and without the church. Bible Dysphoria is a condition that disorients its victims and affects their ability to identify with the Bible. Common symptoms include biblically contrary lifestyle and worldview, godlessness, idiosyncratic syncretism, unorthodoxness, heterodoxy, lack of discernment, inability to see how the Bible applies today, dissatisfaction with the Bible, failure to take the Bible seriously, lukewarmness, worldliness, taking pleasure in unrighteousness rather than rejoicing in the truth, spiritual infantilism, and capitulating to the spirit of Antichrist. The best medicine is a steady dose of the ThornCrown Network (originally Semper Reformanda Radio) and Scripture, thoroughly applied to all matters of faith and life. No prescription required!
Trump's inauguration, Trump on illegal aliens, Rome opposes deportations, on the passing of Anita Bryan, Hillsdale College Catholic conversion factory.
Jesuit Joe Biden presented Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom last week. This makes the Antichrist Pope the latest in a rogue's gallery of recipients of the same award. Plus, a discussion of Rome's 170-year-old plot to subvert the United States via immigration. Plus, Catholic Charities floods Texas school district with the children of illegal aliens and sticks taxpayers with the bill, Jesuit Hall, and grooming gangs in Britain go unpunished.
MAGA H-1B Visa war on X, Antichrist subverts justice in the U.S., illegal immigration is a danger to migrants
Donald Trump said the Haitins in Springfield, Ohio, are eating cats and dogs and pets. Is he right?
Rome's nearly $800 million bonanza from the federal government to advance the Vatican's immigration policies in Texas. Also, the decline of Boeing and my 2024 election predictions.
Thomas Massie talks about AIPAC "babysitters" with Tucker Carlson, Israel's interference in US elections, Bishop Mark Seitz immigration treason, the SBC and women pastors
Donald Trump convicted in New York, Pride Month, and Pope Francis' illegal alien invasion.
Is Israel our greatest ally as American politicians and commentators like to say? Is Israel an ally at all?
Dispensationalsim and Christian Zionism have blinded the 21st century Protestant church to the identity of Antichrist and led American Christians to support dangerous foreign wars that are contrary to their best interests and sound Christian government.
Texas Attorney General puts the firepower on the target with his lawsuit against Annunciation House, a Roman Catholic charity in El Paso working to undermine the American Republic by facilitating the illegal alien invasion of the United States.
The Iowa Caucuses are behind us and the New Hampshire Primary is coming up next week. Also, why is it bad for men to invade women's spaces, but when women invade men's spaces is stunning? brave and empowering? Maybe we need to rethink this whole feminism thing. Biden's ongoing Border Crisis brings mass Muslim immigration from Africa and the World Economic Forum wraps up its annual Bond villain confab in Davos.
Because Cameron found Suan Sonna’s analysis of the Peter-Eliakim typology so compelling, we highlight its fatal flaw, and then propose a more Scriptural approach to Matthew 16
In our third episode on the conversion of Cameron Bertuzzi, we briefly analyze the Jimmy Akin argument for the lack of evidence of the papacy in the early church, and then examine the Peter-Eliakim typological argument proposed by Suan Sonna. Both men were influential in Cameron's conversion, but both are shown to be grossly unfamiliar with the history upon which their arguments are ostensibly based. As we have shown in the prior episodes, Cameron converted based on the ignorance and the flawed arguments of his Roman Catholic counselors.
We analyze the Eucharistic theology of the man who Cameron Bertuzzi says influenced him the most to become Roman Catholic
I this episode we review Cameron Bertuzzi's shifting views on John 6 and the institution narratives.
“News today: Embalmers, Debate in Canada, FDA meeting on hold, Cell paper, mask study disputed, Igor’s discovery, news from Peter McCullough, post-vax photos, and much more” by Steve Kirsch, Steve Kirsch’s newsletter, 2/11/2022
“Explosive: Embalmer reveals 93% of cases have deadly clots caused by the COVID vax” by Steve Kirsch, Steve Kirsch’s newsletter, 2/12/2022
The elite pushers of the Covid narrative don't want to discuss your concerns. They want you to shut up and obey them. This is the spirit of the "rulers of the Gentiles" who love to lord it over people.
Introduction
Pope Francis still up to his old immigration tricks
Saint Joseph was a persecuted and courageous migrant
The fallacy of this common claim by the Romanists
Exodus, not the flight to Egypt, is the controlling passage for how Christians are to think about immigration and property rights
Dr. Anthony Fauci win the 2021 Grinch Award for being America’s Wet-Blanket-in-Chief while Pope Francis gets the Ebenezer Scrooge Award for his wanton disregard for the well-being of the citizens of Western nations, whom he continues to attack with waves of welfare migrants.
There's more to the Ghislaine Maxwell trial than the sordid details the media focuses on. It appears that the Epstein/Maxwell due was a Mossad operation designed to blackmail powerful politicians into doing favors for Israel.
What is the Biblical approach to criminal justice in the case of school shootings, crime prevention or crime punishment? Gun control advocates say it's all about prevention, but the Scriptures teach otherwise.
“The Thanksgiving Bouncers” by Margaret Talev and Tina Reed, Axios, 11/23/2021
“San Francisco’s Indigenous ‘Unthanksgiving’ returns full force to Alcatraz Island” by Ida Mojadad, San Francisco Examiner, 11/23/2021
“That genocide and violence is still on the menu” Tweet from MSNBC, 11/20/2021
“Lessons From A Capitalist Thanksgiving” by Jerry Bowyer, Forbes, 11/27/2008
“OSHA suspends enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandate for businesses” by Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 11/17/2021
“Austrian Police, Army Reportedly Refusing to Enforce ‘Health Dictatorship’, Will March in Protest Against It,” by Matt Agorist, Activist Post, 11/19/2021
“Church Militants, not Church Milquetoasts,” by Michelle Malkin, 11/16/2021
“Rittenhouse Not Guilty,” by Alex Berenson, 11/19/2021
“Bill Ackman: Kyle Rittenhouse is ‘telling the truth’ and ‘acted in self defense’ in viral Twitter thread,” by Nicole Lyn Pesce, MarketWatch, 11/12/2021
“White House tells businesses to proceed with vaccine mandate despite court-ordered pause,” by Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 11/8/2021.
“Biden says inflation is ‘worrisome’ in speech at Port Baltimore,” by Caroline Linton, CBS News, 11/11/2021.
“The White House Says Its Plans Will Slow Inflation. The Big Question Is: When?,” by Jeanna Smialek and Jim Tankersley, The New York Times, 11/11/2021.
“U.S. in Talks to Pay Hundreds of Millions to Families Separated at Border,” by Michelle Hackman, Aruna Viswanatha, and Sadie Gurman, The Wall Street Journal, 10/28/2021.
“Border bishops to honor dead migrants in Juarez,” by Julian Resendiz, Border Report, 11/5/2021
“Border Mass 2021,” Diocese of El Paso’s Facebook page, 11/4/2021
“Bishop Seitz’s Statement on the Mistreatment of Haitian Asylees,” Diocese of El Paso’s Facebook page
“EXCLUSIVE: Thousands of Haitian migrants who flocked to Del Rio were already working and living comfortably as refugees in CHILE and only set off for the US after Biden scrapped Trump-era deportation policy,” by Ruth Styles and Martin Gould, Daily Mail, 9/23/2021
“Photographer says Border Patrol agents didn’t whip Haitian migrants,” by Stephen Dinan, The Washington Times, 9/24/2021
“U.S. Bishop’s Migration Chairman Affirms Renewed Termination of Migrant Protection Protocols, Urges Further Steps to Improve Treatment of Vulnerable Migrants,” 112/2021, by Public Affairs Office of the USCCB
“Supreme Court orders ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy reinstated,” by Mark Sherman, AP News, 8/24/2021
“Biden Administration Tries Again to End Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy,” by Eileen Sullivan, New York Times, 10/20/2021
“Exclusive - Mark Morgan: Almost Everything Alejandro Mayorkas Says Is A Lie,” by Robert Kraychik, Breitbart, 8/10/2021
“Alejandro Mayorkas’ 7 Border Lies,” New York Post, 9/26/2021
The Trinity Foundation homepage, click the “Newsletter Subscribe/Unsubscribe” in lower left corner of the homepage to join the email list.
“Forgotten Principles of the Reformation,” by John W. Robbins, The Trinity Review, October 2004
“Pope Demands Silicon Valley “In Name of God” Censor “Hate Speech,” “Conspiracy Theories”,” by Paul Joseph Watson, Summit News
“Joe Biden Plans Vatican Meeting with Pope Francis On October 29,” by Charlie Spierling, Breitbart
“Opinion: Don’t rant about short-staffed stores and supply chain woes,” by Micheline Maynard, The Washington Post
“Breaking: Migrant Caravan in Mexico encounters Mexico’s @INAMI_forces,” by Griff Jenkins, Fox News
The current migrant crisis on America's southern border can be traced back to the political and economic philosophy of the Roman Catholic Church-State and itis political influence on the U.S. federal government.
“U.S. will no longer deport people solely because they are undocumented, Homeland Security secretary says,” by Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 9/30/2021
“40K Haitians on the Way to U.S. Through Mexico. Mayorkas Update: No Deportation Order,” by R. Cort Kirkwood, The New American, 10/1/2021
“Alejandro Mayorkas’ 7 border lies” by Post Editorial Board, New York Post, 9/26/2021
“Exclusive-Mark Morgan: Almost Everything Alejandro Mayorkas Says Is A Lie,” by Robert Kraychik, Breitbart, 8/10/2021
“Catholic groups say Biden’s border policy violates church’s teaching” by Stephen Dinan, The Washington Times, 9/23/21.
“Romanizing America Through Illegal Immigration” by Pastor Ralph Ovadal
“A Christian Responsibility to Migrants” by Bishop Daniel Flores
“I have been advised not to comment.” Statement by Norma Pimental, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.
In this episode, we review the Daniel 7 Chronology in order to show that the consistent theme of Christian eschatology from Daniel through Revelation is a Two Judgment paradigm. (This is not a reference to the Final Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20), but rather to the strikes of the Stone against the Statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
In the Two Judgment paradigm, a First Judgment is administered from Heaven against the Fourth Empire (Rome), destabilizing and fragmenting it to create the circumstances necessary for the rise of the Fifth Earthly Empire (the Little Horn of Daniel 7, the Sea Beast of Revelation 13), after which a second judgment is administered against that Fifth Empire (Roman Catholicism). These two judgments are consistently prophesied in scripture as
- a First Strike of the Stone fragmenting the Iron & Clay Feet (Daniel 2:34) and a Second Strike of the Stone grinding all the empires to dust (Daniel 2:35,45), and
- the Ancient of Days presiding over judgment from Heaven against the Fourth Beast (Daniel 7:9-11) and the Ancient of Days (Jesus) administering judgment on Earth against the Little Horn, and
- the Lamb of God opening the Seals of the Scroll of Revelation 5 (which are targeted against the Roman Empire, as we will show next), and Jesus returning to destroy the Sea Beast and the False Prophet, casting them into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:11-21)
Under this Two Judgment construct, Christ and His saints receive a Heavenly Kingdom during the Fourth Empire, during which Christ opens the Seals of Revelation administering the initial Judgment from Heaven against the Roman Empire, creating the circumstances necessary for the rise of Roman Catholicism, the Fifth Empire. Then Christ and His Saints come to earth to execute the second Judgment on Earth against that Fifth Empire, Roman Catholicism, at which time the saints receive their earthly kingdom.
The profound simplicity of the Two Judgment paradigm is that in the Fourth Emipire, Christ and His saints receive a Heavenly Kingdom, and after the Fifth Empire, Christ and His saints receive an Earthly Kingdom. Roman Catholicism is that Fifth Empire, thus distinguishing clearly between Christ’s Heavenly and Earthly Kingdoms, and between Christ’s kingdom and Antichrist’s kingdom.
We have included a graphic depicting the Chronology of Revelation 12 (as an example of John’s use of recapitulation), and a graphic depicting Daniels use of recapitulation in Chapter 7, and finally a detailed graphic showing the Kingdom Chronology of Daniel and John.
“The Religious Wars of the 21st Century” by John W. Robbins
“The Religious Wars of the 21st Century” audio version
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church used to righty call homosexuality a sin. Now, it seems more interested in "building bridges" with the enemies of Christ.
The Roman Catholic Church-State is the main driver behind the current migrant crisis and the U.S.-Mexico border.
A breakdown of Ron Paul's article "Is Biden Holding America Hostage Until ‘Independence’ Day?"
Discussion with Ryan Denton about his book A Certain Sound and his experience as an outdoor preacher.
“Trump acquitted, denounced in historic impeachment trial” by Lisa Mascaro, Eric Tucker and Mary Clare Jalonick
"'Catholics and United Methodists Together' is a Collaborative Publication Resulting from Decades of Dialogue"
We review the Scriptural depictions of what is happening in heaven and what is happening on earth in eschatology.
The Biden administration has set it's sites on "white supremacists" and "disinformation spreaders."
The coming surveillance state, ongoing Covid crisis and a Christian response, the economy in collapse.
A Baptist study on the Westminster Larger Catechism, Questions 41-42, held at the Old Paths Christian Church on 13 January 2020. Topics include Christology and the Trinity; ancient creeds and councils; Nestorianism and other ancient heresies; Greek philosophy, essentialism, realism, metaphysics and existence; sacred namers and cults; biblical apologetics and argumentation; and more!!
Q. 41. Why was our Mediator called Jesus?
A. Our Mediator was called Jesus, because he saveth his people from their sins.w
(w) Matt 1:21
Q. 42. Why was our Mediator called Christ?
A. Our Mediator was called Christ, because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost above measure;x and so set apart, and fully furnished with all authority and ability,y to execute the offices of prophet,z priest,a and king of his church,b in the estate both of his humiliation and exaltation.
(x) Matt 3:16; Acts 10:37-38; John 3:34; Ps 45:7
(y) John 6:27; Matt 28:18-20; Rom 1:3-4
(z) Acts 3:21-22; Luke 4:18,21; Heb 1:1-2; Deut 18:18
(a) Heb 5:5-7; Heb 4:14-15
(b) Ps 2:6; Luke 1:32-34; John 18:37; Matt 21:5; Isa 9:6-7; Phil 2:8-11
Resources+https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lbcw/the-london-baptist-confession-of-faith-of-1689-with-preface-baptist-catechism-and-appendix-on-baptism
+https://reformedbrotherhood.com/trb-113-nestorianism/
“Human nature, therefore, although endowed with intelligence and will, may be, and in fact is, in the person of Christ impersonal. That it is so is the plain doctrine of Scripture, for the Son of God, a divine person, assumed a perfect human nature, and, nevertheless, remains one person.” (Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/hodge/theology2.html)
+Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, Fourth Edition Zondervan Academic, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GCG55EM/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_awdb_t1_x_V8cfEbQNFNPY7
+J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines: Revised Edition, https://www.amazon.com/dp/006064334X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YBnNEbZ1WRQ8W
Roger Olson, The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/372001517
+The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology: A Comparison Between Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist and Paedobaptist Federalism [Revised Edition] by Pascal Denault, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23827777
+Gordon H. Clark, “Atheism,” http://www.trinityfoundation.org/journal.php?id=50
+Gordon H. Clark, The Trinity,http://www.trinitylectures.org/trinity-the-p-78.html; and The Incarnation, http://www.trinitylectures.org/incarnation-the-p-92.html
With the loss of the two Georgia Senate seats to the Democrats and the riots on January 6th, the conservative movement and America are in serious trouble. How to it get to this point?
In this episode we take a listener's question and provide an answer from the Scriptures.
"How a Charlie Brown Christmas Almost Wasn't" by Jennings Brown, New York Magazine, November 16, 2016.
"Soldier's letters bring first world war Christmas truce to life" by Caroline Davies, The Guardian, December 23, 2015.
A discussion of a Washington Post article about the rise of poverty in America is a clear case of misdirection. Instead of focusing on the root cause of the rise in poverty, government's overreaction to Covid, the article blames the problem on people who can't find jobs and insufficient government stimulus.
“OF COURSE: Vatican 'Inclusive Capitalism' Project is Run by Ford Foundation” https://bigleaguepolitics.com/of-course-vatican-inclusive-capitalism-project-is-run-by-ford-foundation-rockefeller-foundation-united-nations-and-a-rothschild/
The New York Times: Walter E. Williams, 84, Dies; Conservative Economist on Black Issues
Townhall.com Walter Williams page
Foundation for Economic Education: A review of Walter E. Williams' book Do the Right Thing by John W. Robbins
In this episode we identify the 1,263 1/2 day period from the beginning of the Witnesses’ preaching, death, resurrection and ascension and the 42 month trampling of the Jerusalem by the Gentiles. The duration of the Witnesses’ preaching, death, resurrection and ascension in Jerusalem lasted from from 3 PM on the day of preparation for the Feast of Tabernacles in 63 AD until 3 AM six days before Passover in 67 AD. The 42-month trampling of the city by the Gentiles lasted from the 7th of Iyar in 67 AD—when the Roman invasion of Galilee began, forcing the population of Galilee to flee to Jerusalem—until the 7th of Elul in 70 AD, the last day of the war.
References:
Josephus, Wars of the Jews
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews
Tacitus, Histories
Timeline of Revelation 11, including the impossibility of Josephus’ claim that the prophet preached 7 years and 5 months and was killed by a stone from a siege engine as he went about upon the walls of the city.
The Covid lockdowns have affected us all. But despite the full-court press from the lockdowners, there is good reason to doubt the official narrative. How should Christians react.
The link to John Robbins' Trinity Review "The Religious Wars of the 21st Century" http://www.trinityfoundation.org/journal.php?id=226
In this episode, we evaluate 5 mistakes that are typically made regarding the time period and identity of the Two Witnesses: 1 historical, 3 exegetical and 1 translational. With those mistakes corrected, the Two Witnesses are identified.
The Democrats are the party of Rum, Romanism and Rebellion, and this can be seen in their attempt to steal the 2020 Presidential election.
What on earth is a crack-up boom and why should I care? If you asked these questions, then this episode is for you! In this episode, Ron Paul and Chris Rossini explain what a crack-up boom and why we are heading for one.
If you’d like to listen to the entire Ron Paul Liberty Report episode I referred to in this podcast, here’s the link:
https://youtu.be/JpaLrSrS4RQ
Carlos, Tim, and Hiram discuss whether it’s appropriate for Christians to vote for non-Christians, Trump, or Biden; how to avoid gagging at gnats while swallowing camels; discernment and the media; the 2020 presidential debates and town halls; the Supreme Court and Amy Coney Barrett; China; the Coronavirus COVID-19; and more!
From Tim:
The leftist media and politicians want you to believe that Trump is a racist but that is a lie. Unfortunately, I’ve seen lots of people level this charge because they believe the lie. Most of this stems from Charlottesville. Critics say he referred to white supremacists and neo-Nazis as “very fine people.” It’s hard to believe that people are still spreading that lie.
Here is an honest breakdown of the Charlottesville speech:
https://youtu.be/NM6k8uNAQBA
Here is the original clip so you can fact-check it for yourself:
https://youtu.be/JmaZR8E12bs
During the presidential debate, Trump was asked to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and as the question was being asked, he, without hesitation, said, “Sure.”
Folks, that is a condemnation!
He then said, “Sure, I’m willing to do that,” and drew attention to the reality that mob violence in the cities primarily comes from Antifa and the radical left. He later said, “What do you want me to call them? Give me a name.”
While Trump was trying to engage honestly, the “moderator” Chris Wallace and Biden were playing gotcha. He got sidetracked because of the dishonesty in the question.
First, the question carried the assumption that he hasn’t already and repeatedly condemned white supremacy. Here is a montage of him doing just that:
https://youtu.be/VjXGa14Uwvg
Secondly, the question carried the assumption that the violence is being perpetrated by the far right. That’s what Trump took issue with and unfortunately got sidetracked.
Here is what an honest moderate would have said:
“Mr. Biden, we’ve heard Trump repeatedly condemn white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the KKK. Trump has gone so far as to designate the KKK as a terrorist organization. Yet, you have falsely accused him of not condemning these groups while also pushing the Charlottesville lie repeatedly and have not been willing to condemn Antifa and the radical left. Are you willing to stop lying about your opponent and condemn Antifa?”
That would have been an honest, appropriate question to ask, but what is a political hack like Wallace to do?
You should also remember that while Trump has gone to great lengths to condemn these hateful groups it was Biden who said Antifa is an idea, not an organization. And he got away with it!
Resources+ https://ivoterguide.com/my-ballot
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https://gbdeclaration.org/
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http://deathbychina.com/
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Trump Plans to Designate Antifa, KKK as ‘Terrorist Organizations,” https://link.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/trump-plan-to-designate-antifa-kkk-as-terrorist-organizations_3514620.html
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https://nypost.com/2020/09/25/trump-to-designate-kkk-antifa-as-terrorist-groups-in-black-empowerment-plan/
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Why We Need the Electoral College - Tara Ross, https://youtu.be/jG8yFCtwP4c
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https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=648978979100083&_rdr
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https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=794376234645350&_rdr
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https://freebeacon.com/2020-election/biden-has-earned-11-pinocchios-from-fact-checkers-during-coronavirus-crisis/
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https://albertmohler.com/2020/09/02/james-lindsay
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Tim and Hiram talk about whether or not Christians should be supporting Black Lives Matter. Of course both the host believe that black lives do matter because black people are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. Tune in to find out why they take issue with the organization and the support it receives from Christians.
First, it must be contented that the only worldview that can give any meaning to the claim that black lives matter is the Christian worldview. Yet, the BLM organization and it’s leaders are operating from an anti-Christian cultural Marxist worldview. They promote deceptive lies such as white privilege, white guilt, and redefine terms.
The notions of “white privilege” and “white guilt” commit the fallacy of sweeping generalization and are actually rooted in Anti-Christian Marxist ideology that is meant to divide people into classes of oppressed and oppressor.
The idea that white people don’t see it because they are white commits the genetic fallacy.
There is no epistemological foundation by which one can establish the premise of white privilege or white guilt. If one wishes to appeal to a limited set of particular examples in order to substantiate these generalizations then they are committing the fallacy of induction.
Therefore, they are merely assertions that are grounded in fallacious reasoning which consequently result in an indictment of a whole group of people on the basis of their skin color.
https://youtu.be/XeyUAoe9JRw
As Christians we should have a Christian worldview. Christianity is a system of truth and the Bible alone is its objective standard. This means that as Christians we should be able to reason with each other and arrive at the same conclusions. It greatly concerns us that this is not happening amongst Christian brothers and sisters over this current cultural crisis. Instead of turning to God’s word many in the church are turning to Anti-Christian Marxist ideology. They are embracing what has become known as cultural Marxism.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. - Colossians 2:8
https://religionnews.com/2020/06/15/why-black-lives-matter-is-a-spiritual-movement-says-blm-co-founder-patrisse-cullors/?fbclid=IwAR2PJN-gzhbRjGzp3a26vc8r3Sgauy_IjI4gka7SfdeVIUGrCo14GpMTSks
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A Baptist study on the Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 40, held at the Old Paths Christian Church on 6 January 2020. Topics include Christology and the Trinity; ancient creeds and councils; Nestorianism and other ancient heresies; Greek philosophy, essentialism, realism, metaphysics and existence; Roman Catholic teaching; the problem of the one and the many; and more!
Q. 40. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us,t and relied on by us, as the works of the whole person.u
(t) Matt 1:21,23; Matt 3:17; Heb 9:14
(u) 1 Pet 2:6
Resources+https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lbcw/the-london-baptist-confession-of-faith-of-1689-with-preface-baptist-catechism-and-appendix-on-baptism
+https://reformedbrotherhood.com/trb-113-nestorianism/
“Human nature, therefore, although endowed with intelligence and will, may be, and in fact is, in the person of Christ impersonal. That it is so is the plain doctrine of Scripture, for the Son of God, a divine person, assumed a perfect human nature, and, nevertheless, remains one person.” (Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/hodge/theology2.html)
+Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, Fourth Edition Zondervan Academic, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GCG55EM/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_awdb_t1_x_V8cfEbQNFNPY7
+J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines: Revised Edition, https://www.amazon.com/dp/006064334X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YBnNEbZ1WRQ8W
Roger Olson, The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/372001517
+The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology: A Comparison Between Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist and Paedobaptist Federalism [Revised Edition] by Pascal Denault, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23827777
+Gordon H. Clark, “Atheism,” http://www.trinityfoundation.org/journal.php?id=50
+Gordon H. Clark, The Trinity,http://www.trinitylectures.org/trinity-the-p-78.html; and The Incarnation, http://www.trinitylectures.org/incarnation-the-p-92.html
A Baptist study on the Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 39, held at the Old Paths Christian Church on 30 December 2019. We covered a myriad of topics including Christology, salvation, Covenant Theology, Dispensationalism, Adam and Even, Moral Law, the Covenant of Works and the works principle, the law/gospel distinction, final judgment, sanctification, the flesh, and more!
Q. 39. Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?
A. It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature,n perform obedience to the law,o suffer and make intercession for us in our nature,p have a fellow feeling of our infirmities;q that we might receive the adoption of sons,r and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.s
(n) Heb 2:16; 2 Pet 1:4
(o) Gal 4:4; Matt 5:17; Rom 5:19; Phil 2:8
(p) Heb 2:14; Heb 7:24-25
(q) Heb 4:15
(r) Gal 4:5
(s) Heb 4:16
Resources+https://www.apuritansmind.com/westminster-standards/larger-catechism/
+https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lbcw/the-london-baptist-confession-of-faith-of-1689-with-preface-baptist-catechism-and-appendix-on-baptism
+Carlos Montijo and Tim Shaughnessy, “SRR 85 The Covenant of Works & New Covenant Theology, Part I,” Semper Reformanda Radio, https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2018/6/24/srr-85-the-covenant-of-works-new-covenant-theology-part-1.
+____“SRR 86 The Covenant of Works & New Covenant Theology, Part II,” https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2018/7/15/srr-86-a-biblical-defense-for-the-covenant-of-works-part-2.
+Carlos Montijo, “When Protestants Err on the Side of Rome: John Piper, “Final Salvation,” and the Decline and Fall of Sola Fide at the Last Day,” https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/5/6/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-i
+https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2017/03/22/semper-reformanda-radio-new-covenant-theology-playlist-resources
+Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/254994425
+Paul Washer, “Being What You Are: Having Too Low a View of Regeneration - Romans 6,” https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=428082310290
+The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology: A Comparison Between Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist and Paedobaptist Federalism [Revised Edition] by Pascal Denault, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23827777
+Hodge's Commentary on Romans 5, http://www.reformed.org/books/romans/rom_5b_hodge.html
+Richard Barcellos, Getting the Garden Right, https://press.founders.org/shop/getting-the-garden-right/
Ryan Denton leads a study on the Sabbath from the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith for the Old Paths Christian Church on 5 November 2018. This is the first of a series of studies based on the 1689 London Baptist Confession and Westminster Larger Catechism.
Chapter 22: Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day6. Neither prayer nor any other part of religious worship, is now under the gospel, tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed; but God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and in truth;w as in private familiesx daily,y and in secret each one by himself;z so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God by His word or providence calleth thereto.a'
(w) John 4:21; Mal 1:11; 1 Tim 2:8
(x) Acts 10:2
(y) Matt 6:11; Ps 55:17
(z) Matt 6:6
(a') Heb 10:25; Acts 2:42
- As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by His Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto Him,b' which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day: c' and is to be continued to the end of the world as a Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.
(b') Exod 20:8
(c') 1 Cor 16:1-2; Acts 20:7; Rev 1:10
- The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations,d' but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy. e'
(d') Isa 58:13; Neh 13:15-22
(e') Matt 12:1-13
Resources+https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lbcw/the-london-baptist-confession-of-faith-of-1689-with-preface-baptist-catechism-and-appendix-on-baptism
+https://founders.org/library/1689-confession/
+https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2017/03/22/semper-reformanda-radio-new-covenant-theology-playlist-resources
+Sam Waldron, The Lord's Day: Its Presuppositions, Proofs, Precedents, and Practice, https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/lday/the-lords-day:-its-presuppositions,-proofs,-precedents,-and-practice
+Richard C. Barcellos, Getting the Garden Right: Adam’s Work and God’s Rest in Light of Christ, https://press.founders.org/shop/getting-the-garden-right/
+http://www.rbap.net/some-thoughts-on-the-remaining-sabbatismos-for-the-people-of-god-heb-49/
+https://cbtseminary.org/response-to-schreiner-on-the-sabbath-1/
+Richard C. Barcellos, “Exodus 16 and the Sabbath,” http://www.rbap.net/1821-2/
+https://reformedarsenal.com/a-call-to-keep-the-sabbath/
+http://www.regularreformed.com/2017/02/13/episode-37-getting-the-garden-right/
Carlos and Tim discuss James White’s recent defense of Doug Wilson over against R. Scott Clark; warn against Jason Petersen and Messianic Jewish Ministries; and continue the series on John Piper’s view of final salvation based on the articles, When Protestants Err on the Side of Rome: John Piper, “Final Salvation,” and the Decline and Fall of Sola Fide at the Last Day. They resume Part 2 of the article with:
Fatal Flaw #6: Deadening the ResurrectionReferenceshttps://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/5/6/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-i
https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/9/16/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-ii
- https://www.aomin.org/aoblog/2020/01/28/cruise-details-joe-biden-tim-keller/
https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2020/2/4/srr-120-Doug-Wilson-nails-his-coffin
https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2019/12/18/srr-117-Doug-Wilson-Federal-Vision-James-White
- http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm
-https://youtu.be/l2PMWKmaNSE
https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2019/9/4/contradictions-are-carnal
Soul Sleep: An Unbiblical Doctrine https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795751495/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UZuPDbVAD7DR6
https://megiddoradio.com/2018/03/09/312-responding-to-john-pipers-latest-comments-on-final-salvation-by-works
Link to LA Times Op-Ed by Christopher Richardson, “A birth tourism crackdown is turning U.S. government agents into the pregnancy patrol. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-02-06/birth-tourism-crackdown-united-states
My blog post on Birth Tourism Reform http://luxlucet.me/2020/01/26/birth-tourism-reform-a-win-for-immigration-sanity/
Carlos and Hiram continue to elaborate Doug Wilson’s errors, including Wilson’s objections to Brandon Adams’ article, as well as his recent attempts to defend himself and the Federal Vision movement from accusations of false teaching, and his claim that Roman Catholics can be saved.
Also, the latest Episode of Trinity Foundation Radio has been posted. Please join host Steve Matthews as he interviews Carlos Montijo about his Trinity Review "When Protestants Err on the Side of Rome: John Piper, 'Final Salvation,' and the Decline and Fall of Sola Fide at the Last Day." See http://trinityfoundation.org/Podcast/TF%20Radio%20Episode%2010%20Carlos%20Montijo.mp3
References (Recommended noted with ‘+’)- “The Federal Vision with James White and Douglas Wilson,” https://youtu.be/ZWqW41sBdYQ
-
Brandon Adams, “Federal Vision Baptists?”, https://contrast2.wordpress.com/2019/12/03/federal-vision-baptists/
-
——, https://contrast2.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/re-sumpter-white-wilson-on-federal-vision-baptists/
-
John Robbins and Sean Gerety, Not Reformed At All: Medievalism in “Reformed” Churches, http://www.trinitylectures.org/not-reformed-at-all-p-136.html
-
John Otis, Danger In the Camp: An Analysis and Refutation of the Heresies of the Federal Vision, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071V2LNJ5/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_ulD-Db8P2SXNP
-
Dewey Roberts, Historic Christianity and the Federal Vision: A Theological Analysis and Practical Evaluation, https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997266600/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_joD-Db9SNXJJD
-
Sean Gerety on Doug Wilson, https://godshammer.wordpress.com/category/doug-wilson/
-
“Chesterton & Tolkien Saved? / Ask Doug,” https://youtu.be/VZLt4Oeh9OE
-
January 26, 2018 Show with Dr. Douglas Wilson on “Why I Discontinued Identifying Myself with the Federal Vision” PLUS Dr. Dewey Roberts on “Historic Christianity & the Federal Vision”, http://www.ironsharpensironradio.com/podcast/january-26-2018-show-with-dr-douglas-wilson-on-why-i-discontinued-identifying-myself-with-the-federal-vision-plus-dr-dewey-roberts-on-historic-christianity-the-federal-vision/
-
Hiram Díaz, “A DECEPTIVE TAUTOLOGY”, https://involutedgenealogies.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/a-deceptive-tautology/
-
—— THE GOSPEL IS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE, https://involutedgenealogies.wordpress.com/2019/12/12/the-gospel-is-of-first-importance/
-
—— A Simple Logical Case Against Final Salvation by Works, https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2019/12/14/a-simple-logical-case-against-final-salvation-by-works
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“Case Closed: A Unified Voice Against the Federal Vision,” http://theologygals.com/2018/08/case-closed-a-unified-voice-against-the-federal-vision/
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Theology Gals and Dewey Roberts on Federal Vision, http://theologygals.com/?s=Dewey
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Patrick Hines, BHPC Pulpit Supplemental #1 - Is Doug Wilson Reformed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9S5N6vpb_4&feature=share
-
http://www.moscowid.net/?s=Doug+Wilson
-
https://www.theaquilareport.com/a-question-for-doug-wilson-fans/
-
What’s it Take to Be a Good Writer? https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2012/6/1/What-it-takes-to-be-a-good-writer
A look at some of the major news themes in 2019 and a look ahead toward possible developments in 2020.
We conclude our analysis of Marcus Grodi’s conversion from Presbyterian pastor to Roman Catholic apologist, as he invokes the writings of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Irenæus of Lyons and Cyprian of Carthage to provide evidence of Roman and Papal primacy in the early church, and that the Roman bishop and congregation served as the standard of apostolic truth and unity. What we find instead is a collegiality and fraternity of bishops and congregations throughout the known world at the time, as the many bishops exchanged letters of encouragement, admonition and fraternal affection between congregations. And more often than not, those bishops scattered throughout the world had to restrain the bishop of Rome as he stumbled into error, propagated heresy, wavered in indecision and compromised the unity of the church through his impudence, arrogance and petulance. It was the Scriptures, rather, that served as the standard of truth and unity in the early church, and instead of looking to Rome as a standard, the surrounding bishops rather had to bring the Scriptures to bear on the errors of the Roman bishop.
Notes:
Clement of Rome To the Corinthians
James A. Kleist’s 1949 translation of Clement, to the Corinthians, paragraph 63":
“You certainly will give us the keenest pleasure if you prove obedient to what we have written through the Holy Spirit, and extirpate the lawless passion of your jealousy in accordance with the pleas we have made in this letter for peace and concord.”
J. B. Lightfoot’s 1890 translation of Clement, to the Corinthians, paragraph 63:
“Ye will give us great joy and gladness, if ye render obedience unto the things written by us through the Holy Spirit, and root out the unrighteous anger of your jealousy, according to the entreaty which we have made for peace and concord in this letter;”
John Keith’s 1896 translation of Clement, to the Corinthians, paragraph 63:
“Joy and gladness will you afford us, if you become obedient to the words written by us and through the Holy Spirit root out the lawless wrath of your jealousy according to the intercession which we have made for peace and unity in this letter.”
Charles Hoole’s 1885 translation of Clement, to the Corinthians, paragraph 63:
“For joy and rejoicing will ye afford us if, becoming obedient to the things that have been written by us, ye put an end, by the suggestion of the Holy Spirit, to the unlawful wrath of your discord,”
Ignatius of Antioch
Epistle to the Ephesians
Epistle to the Magnesians
Epistle to the Trallians
Epistle to the Romans
Epistle to the Philadelphians
Epistle to the Smyrnæans
Epistle to Polycarp
Irenæus of Lyons, Against Heresies
Roman Catholic Encyclopedia, Pope St. Eleutherius
Cyprian of Carthage
Epistle 25, From the Roman Confessors
Epistle 39, To the People of Carthage, Concerning the Schism of Felicissimus
Epistle 43, To the Roman Confessors, that They Should Return to Unity
Epistle 45, To Cyprian, from Cornelius, on the Return of the Confessors to Unity
Epistle 49, Maximus and the Other Confessors to Cyprian, About Their Return from Schism
Epistle 51, To Antonianus About Cornelius and Novatian
Epistle 54, To Cornelius, Concerning Fortunatus and Felicissimus, or Against the Heretics
Epistle 67, To the Clergy and People Abiding in Spain, Concerning Basilides and Martial
Epistle 72, To Jubaianus, Concerning the Baptism of Heretics
Epistle 73, To Pompey, Against the Epistle of Stephen About the Baptism of Heretics
Epistle 74, Firmilian, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, to Cyprian, Against the Letter of Stephen
Treatise I, On the Unity of the Church
In this episode, we discuss the sign Jesus said would indicate that it was time to depart from Judæa—the abomination of desolation, according to Matthew and Mark, and the surrounding of Jerusalem, according to Luke. Under a Danielic construct, the abomination of desolation can be shown to have been erected in a holy place where it ought not be in 41 AD, when the Statue of Jupiter was placed in the synagogue of Doris. But the commentaries largely agree that Jerusalem was surrounded with armies in 70 AD. How could the gospels give two different signs 29 years apart, both being the indication that it was time to leave Judæa? The problem is that historically, eschatologists of every stripe have largely ignored what the Scriptures indicate about the identification of the abomination, and instead assumed that Luke was referring to the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and used that assumption to determine the identity of the abomination of desolation. Based on Luke’s account, the abomination described in Matthew and Mark is taken to refer to something that occurred during or shortly after the Roman siege of Jerusalem in September of 70 AD. We propose, instead, that we should take our understanding of the abomination of desolation from the scriptural accounts of it, and then use the accounts of Matthew and Mark to understand what Jesus meant in Luke 21.
Show Notes:
Wesley’s Commentary on Matthew 24
What is the Abomination of Desolation?, by Daniel Doriani, September 4, 2014 (The Gospel Coalition)
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews
Josephus, Wars of the Jews
Tacitus, Histories
Luke 21, Young’s Literal Translation
Jeremiah 31, Young’s Literal Translation
One of our main cultural taboos is, “Don’t talk about politics or religion,” but the Christian just can’t seem to keep his mouth shut. Join us for the last episode of the decade as Tim Shaughnessy opens up about personal issues and the challenges of sharing your faith with loved ones who don’t want to hear it.
This episode is also brought to you by The Trinity Foundation and we would like to thank Tom Juodaitis for allowing us to publish this Sermon from the late Dr. Richard Bennett titled, “Justification and The Roman Catholic Doctrine of Salvation.”
We would also like to recommend the ministry founded by Dr. Bennett, Berean Beacon.
Are Roman Catholics Saved?
Carlos, Tim, and Hiram discuss James White’s interview of Doug Wilson, including Wilson’s objections to Brandon Adams’ article, as well as Wilson’s recent attempts to defend himself and the Federal Vision movement from accusations of false teaching.
Also, the latest Episode of Trinity Foundation Radio has been posted. Please join host Steve Matthews as he interviews Carlos Montijo about his Trinity Review "When Protestants Err on the Side of Rome: John Piper, 'Final Salvation,' and the Decline and Fall of Sola Fide at the Last Day." See http://trinityfoundation.org/Podcast/TF%20Radio%20Episode%2010%20Carlos%20Montijo.mp3
References (Recommended noted with ‘+’)- “The Federal Vision with James White and Douglas Wilson,” https://youtu.be/ZWqW41sBdYQ
-
Brandon Adams, “Federal Vision Baptists?”, https://contrast2.wordpress.com/2019/12/03/federal-vision-baptists/
-
John Robbins and Sean Gerety, Not Reformed At All: Medievalism in “Reformed” Churches, http://www.trinitylectures.org/not-reformed-at-all-p-136.html
-
John Otis, Danger In the Camp: An Analysis and Refutation of the Heresies of the Federal Vision, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071V2LNJ5/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_ulD-Db8P2SXNP
-
Dewey Roberts, Historic Christianity and the Federal Vision: A Theological Analysis and Practical Evaluation, https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997266600/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_joD-Db9SNXJJD
-
Sean Gerety on Doug Wilson, https://godshammer.wordpress.com/category/doug-wilson/
-
“Chesterton & Tolkien Saved? / Ask Doug,” https://youtu.be/VZLt4Oeh9OE
-
January 26, 2018 Show with Dr. Douglas Wilson on “Why I Discontinued Identifying Myself with the Federal Vision” PLUS Dr. Dewey Roberts on “Historic Christianity & the Federal Vision”, http://www.ironsharpensironradio.com/podcast/january-26-2018-show-with-dr-douglas-wilson-on-why-i-discontinued-identifying-myself-with-the-federal-vision-plus-dr-dewey-roberts-on-historic-christianity-the-federal-vision/
-
Hiram Díaz, “A DECEPTIVE TAUTOLOGY”, https://involutedgenealogies.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/a-deceptive-tautology/
-
—— THE GOSPEL IS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE, https://involutedgenealogies.wordpress.com/2019/12/12/the-gospel-is-of-first-importance/
-
—— A Simple Logical Case Against Final Salvation by Works, https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2019/12/14/a-simple-logical-case-against-final-salvation-by-works
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“Case Closed: A Unified Voice Against the Federal Vision,” http://theologygals.com/2018/08/case-closed-a-unified-voice-against-the-federal-vision/
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Theology Gals and Dewey Roberts on Federal Vision, http://theologygals.com/?s=Dewey
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Patrick Hines, BHPC Pulpit Supplemental #1 - Is Doug Wilson Reformed? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9S5N6vpb_4&feature=share
-
http://www.moscowid.net/?s=Doug+Wilson
-
https://www.theaquilareport.com/a-question-for-doug-wilson-fans/
-
What’s it Take to Be a Good Writer? https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2012/6/1/What-it-takes-to-be-a-good-writer
Permalink
Carlos, Hiram, and Tim announce Pastor Hines’ departure from the ThornCrown Network and discuss the alleged conversion of Kanye West. Is Kanye a true Christian? Is it too soon to tell? Has he passed the Rich Young Ruler test?
Referenceshttps://www.faithwire.com/2019/10/07/pastor-working-with-kanye-west-reveals-details-of-rappers-radical-salvation-several-months-ago
In this episode, we conclude our analysis of the second part of Marcus Grodi's evidence from the early church fathers that led to his conversion to Roman Catholicism: the Eucharist.
We briefly review the points on the Eucharist discussed in the previous two episodes. Then we address not only Grodi’s claim that the early church writers “unanimously” believed in the “real presence” of Christ in the Eucharist, but we also provide evidence of the rewriting and reinterpreting of the primitive, Biblical, apostolic liturgy in favor of the late 4th century novel Roman Catholic liturgy. Faced with the stark contrast between the early, apostolic liturgy in which a Eucharistic tithe sacrifice was offered prior to the consecration of the elements, and the later 4th century and medieval liturgy of Roman Catholicism in which the Eucharistic mass sacrifice was offered after the consecration of the elements, scholars, apologists, translators and theologians have reinterpreted and rewritten the early liturgy to make it consistent with the later. To do this, they repeatedly rewrite, translate and interpret the early liturgy in such a way as to collapse the Eucharistic tithe offering into the consecration—the epiclesis—making it appear that the early Church’s Eucharistic tithe offering was actually a liturgical offering of consecrated bread and wine—Christ’s body and blood—to the Father. The early church absolutely did not do this, and it was not until the latter part of the 4th century that the superstitious, idolatrous, abominable Roman mass sacrifice emerged.
Unable to explain the discontinuity, scholars and theologians simply assumed that whatever was taught at the end of the 4th century must be what the early writers meant. We provide evidence of the rewriting of the early liturgy to force it to comport with the medieval liturgy. And thus, the foolish, the ignorant, the superstitious and the simple are misled into thinking the apostolic and subapostolic church offered the abominable Roman Catholic sacrifice of the mass. Marcus Grodi is just one of millions to fall for the lie.
Show Notes:
Marcus Grodi: The Early Church Fathers I Never Saw - The Journey Home (3-19-2007)
The “Sacrifice of the Mass” originally referred to the tithe offering, because unbelievers, the backslidden and the unconverted were dismissed just before the tithe was to be offered. The tithe offering came to be known as the sacrifice of the dismissal, the sacrifice of the “mass”.
Athanasius, Against the Arians, part 1, chapter 2, paragraph 28 (341 AD), “And how could it be that Oblations were offered when catechumens were within ? For if there were catechumens present, it was not yet the time for presenting the Oblations.”
Justin Martyr, First Apology, 65 (155 AD) “But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers…”
Hippolytus, Anaphora, chapter 20 (215 AD), “Those who are to be baptized are not to bring any vessel, only that which each brings for the eucharist. It is indeed proper that each bring the oblation in the same hour.”
The primitive liturgy of the church was a Eucharistic thank offering (the tithe), followed by an apostolic Amen, followed by a consecration of bread and wine taken from the Eucharist, followed by a meal. A Eucharist. An Amen. A Consecration. A meal.
1 Corinthians 14:16 “Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?”
Justin Martyr, First Apology, 65-66 (155 AD) “And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings (eucharistian), all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. … so likewise have we been taught that the eucharisted food is made into the body and blood of Christ by the prayer of his word [the consecration]” (more on this below) (Note: the Greek is found in Migne, PG vol 6, cols 428-429).
Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, letter [9] to Bishop Sixtus of Rome (254-258 AD) [Note: it is epistle IV in Migne’s series on the greek fathers; the letter is also recorded in Eusebius, Church History, Book 7, Chapter 9, where he refers to it as epistle VI]: “For I should not dare to renew afresh, after all, one who had heard the giving of thanks, and who had answered with others Amen; who had stood at the holy table, and had stretched forth his hands to receive the blessed food, and had received it, and for a very long time had been a partaker of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The consecration in the primitive liturgy was simply the words of Christ spoken over the bread and wine at the Last Supper: this is My body, broken for you, this is My blood, shed for you.
Justin Martyr, First Apology, 66 (155 AD) “…but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the eucharisted food by the prayer of His word, becomes the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do in remembrance of Me, this is My body;" and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone.”
Irenæus, Against Heresies, Book IV, Chapter 17 (174-189 AD) “He took that created thing, bread, and gave thanks, and said, "This is My body." And the cup likewise, which is part of that creation to which we belong, He confessed to be His blood…”
Irenæus, Against Heresies, Book V, Chapter 2, paragraph 3 (174-189 AD), “When, therefore, the mingled cup and the manufactured bread receives the Word of God, and the Eucharist becomes the blood and the body of Christ .…”
Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book IV, chapter 40 (208 AD), “Then, having taken the bread and given it to His disciples, He made it His own body, by saying, "This is my body” ….”
In the early liturgy, the consecration was spoken after the bread had been distributed, or as the bread and wine were being distributed.
Justin Martyr, First Apology, 67 (155 AD) “…and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given…”
Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book IV, chapter 40 (208 AD), “Then, having taken the bread and given it to His disciples, He made it His own body, by saying, "This is my body” ….”
Origen, Against Celsus, Book VIII (248 AD), “But we give thanks to the Creator of all, and, along with thanksgiving and prayer for the blessings we have received, we also eat the bread presented to us; and this bread becomes by prayer a sacred body, which sanctifies those who sincerely partake of it.”
Cornelius, Bishop of Rome, letter to Fabian of Antioch (251-253 AD) [Recorded in Eusebius, Church History, Book 6, chapter 43], ““For when he has made the offerings and distributed a part to each man, as he gives it he compels the wretched man to swear in place of the blessing…”
Ignatius of Antioch, To the Smyrnæans, paragraph 7 (107 AD), “They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again.” When understood in the context of the early liturgy—in which unbelievers were not allowed to participate in the Eucharist, the Eucharist was the tithe offering, the consecration was not spoken until after the Eucharist had been distributed to the participant, and the consecration was the simple recitation of “This is My body, broken for you… This is My blood, shed for you”—Ignatius’ words speak not of a conviction of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but rather of the gnostic’s unwillingess to speak the words of consecration over the Eucharisted bread.
Justin Martyr, First Apology, 65-66 (155 AD), “And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced … . And this food is called among us Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. … we been taught that by the prayer of His word [the consecration], the eucharisted food (ευχαριστηθείσαν τροφην) becomes the flesh and blood of Jesus.” When understood in the context of the early liturgy, in which unbelievers were not allowed to participate in the Eucharist, the Eucharist was the tithe offering, and the consecration was not spoken until after the Eucharist had been distributed to the participants, Justin’s words are understood not to refer to a conviction that the Eucharistic prayer changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, but rather that the unconverted were dismissed from the liturgy before the Eucharistic prayer over the tithe, and the words of consecration were then spoken over the bread and wine that had already been “eucharisted.”
Ignatius of Antioch, To the Romans, paragraph 7 (107 AD)
Ignatius of Antioch, To the Trallians, paragraph 8 (107 AD)
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter 70 (155-167 AD)
“Now it is evident, that in this prophecy [allusion is made] to the bread which our Christ gave us to eat, in remembrance of His being made flesh for the sake of His believers, for whom also He suffered; and to the cup which He gave us to drink, in remembrance of His own blood, with giving of thanks.”
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapters 109- 124 (155-167 AD)
“Now, that prayers and giving of thanks, when offered by worthy men, are the only perfect and well-pleasing sacrifices to God, I also admit.”
Irenæus, Against Heresies, Book IV, Chapter 18, paragraph 5 (174-189 AD)
“…that as bread from the earth, receiving the summons (έκκλησιν) of God, is no longer common bread but an Eucharist composed of two things, both an earthly and an heavenly one; so also our bodies, partaking of the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of Eternal Resurrection.” (Keble, 361) [Here Irenæus says we partake of the Eucharist, but by, implication only after the Eucharist is consecrated (see Book V, chapter 2, below), and that it was already the Eucharist when it was first summoned by the Lord for the tithe. Irenæus has established a parallel to make a point—when the bread is summoned for a tithe, it becomes heavenly, and not just earthly, for, though earthly, it is now set apart for heavenly purposes; so too, we though earthly, are set apart for a heavenly destiny when we receive the consecrated bread. Notable, indeed, that the bread becomes the Eucharist —taking on twin realities—when it is summoned for a tithe, not when it is consecrated. We will discuss the variance between Keble’s translation and Schaff’s below.]
Irenæus, Fragment 37 (late 2nd century)
“And therefore the oblation (προσφορα, offering) of the Eucharist is not a carnal one, but a spiritual; and in this respect it is pure. For we make an oblation (προσφερομεν, offering) to God of the bread and the cup of blessing, giving Him thanks in that He has commanded the earth to bring forth these fruits for our nourishment. And then, when we have perfected (τελέσαντες, completed, finished) the oblation (προσφοραν, offering), we invoke the Holy Spirit, that He may exhibit (αποφηνη, apophene) this sacrifice (την θυσιαν, the sacrifice, not this sacrifice), both the bread the body of Christ, and the cup the blood of Christ, in order that the receivers of these antitypes (αντιτυπων) may obtain remission of sins and life eternal.”
Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor, Book I, chapter 6 (202 AD)
“Elsewhere the Lord, in the Gospel according to John, brought this out by symbols (συμβολων), when He said: ‘Eat my flesh, and drink my blood;’ describing distinctly by metaphor (allegories, αλληγορων) the drinkable properties of faith and the promise, by means of which the Church, like a human being consisting of many members, is refreshed and grows, is welded together and compacted of both — of faith, which is the body, and of hope, which is the soul; as also the Lord of flesh and blood”
Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book IV, chapter 40 (208 AD)
“Then, having taken the bread and given it to His disciples, He made it His own body, by saying, "This is my body” that is, the figure of my body.”
Hippolytus, Anaphora, chapter 38 (215 AD)
“Having blessed the cup in the Name of God, you received it as the antitype of the Blood of Christ.”
Origen, Homilies on Numbers, Homily 7, paragraph 2:
“At that time the manna was food ‘in an enigma,’ but now, ‘in reality,’ the flesh of the Word of God is ‘true food,’ just as he himself says: ‘My flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink.’ [John 6:55].”
Origen, Homilies on Numbers: Homily 23, paragraph 6:
“…doctrinal and solid words that are brought forth in a way that is filled with faith in the Trinity, … All these things are the flesh of the Word of God.”
Origen, Homilies on Exodus, Homily 13:
“I wish to admonish you with examples from your religious practices. You who are accustomed to take part in divine mysteries know, when you receive the body of the Lord, how you protect it with all caution and veneration lest any part fall from it, lest anything of the consecrated gift be lost. For you believe, and correctly, that you are answerable if anything falls from there by neglect. But if you are so careful to preserve his body, and rightly so, how do you think that there is less guilt to have neglected God’s word than to have neglected his body?”
Roman Catholics wish to use this citation from Origen to show evidence of a belief in the “real presence” of Christ in the consecrated bread and wine. The problem is, Hippolytus shows the same reverence for consecrated bread because of what it symbolizes:
Hippolytus, Anaphora, chapter 38 (215 AD)
“Having blessed the cup in the Name of God, you received it as the antitype of the Blood of Christ. Therefore do not spill from it, for some foreign spirit to lick it up because you despised it.”
And Tertullian shows the same reverence for unconsecrated bread and wine just because of what it could be used to symbolize:
Tertullian, The Chaplet, Chapter 3
“We feel pained should any wine or bread, even though our own, be cast upon the ground.”
If Tertullian is careful not to spill bread and wine because of what they could symbolize, and Hippolytus is careful with consecrated wine because of what it does symbolize, Origen’s care for the consecrated bread can hardly be used to prove an early belief in the “real presence” of Christ in the consecrated bread.
Cyprian of Carthage, Epistle 57, paragraph 4 (254 - 257 AD) (note that by “present a person in the offerings” Cyprian means “to commemorate that person in the offerings):
“But I and my colleagues, and all the brotherhood, send this letter to you in the stead of us, dearest brother; and setting forth to you by our letter our joy, we express the faithful inclination of our love here also in our sacrifices and our prayers, not ceasing to give thanks to God the Father, and to Christ His Son our Lord; … For the victim which affords an example to the brotherhood both of courage and of faith, [ought to be offered up when the brethren are present.”
Cyprian of Carthage, Epistle 62, paragraph 7 (254 - 257 AD) (note that Cyprian says we could not drink Christ’s blood until after the cross—which means He could not have given His disciples His blood to drink the night before He died):
“The treading also, and pressure of the wine-press, is repeatedly dwelt on; because just as the drinking of wine cannot be attained to unless the bunch of grapes be first trodden and pressed, so neither could we drink the blood of Christ unless Christ had first been trampled upon and pressed, and had first drunk the cup of which He should also give believers to drink.”
Catholic Encyclopedia, Cyprian of Carthage
“We have always to remember that his experience as a Christian was of short duration, that he became a bishop soon after he was converted, and that he had no Christian writings besides Holy Scripture to study besides those of Tertullian.”
Aphrahat of Persia, Demonstration 12, On the Passover (mid-4th century)
“Our Saviour ate the Passover sacrifice with his disciples during the night watch of the fourteenth. He offered to his disciples the sign of the true Passover sacrifice.” (chapter 6)
“The Passover of the Jews is on the day of the fourteenth…. [but] Our day of great suffering, however, is Friday, the fifteenth day. … our great day is Friday.” (chapter 8)
Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 23, paragraph 20 (350 AD)
“Trust not the judgment to your bodily palate no, but to faith unfaltering; for they who taste are bidden to taste, not bread and wine, but the anti-typical Body and Blood of Christ.”
Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration 2, paragraph 95 (361 AD)
“Since then I knew these things, and that no one is worthy of the mightiness of God, and the sacrifice, and priesthood, who has not first presented himself to God, a living, holy sacrifice, and set forth the reasonable, well-pleasing service, Romans 12:1 and sacrificed to God the sacrifice of praise and the contrite spirit, which is the only sacrifice required of us by the Giver of all; how could I dare to offer to Him the external sacrifice, the antitype of the great mysteries, or clothe myself with the garb and name of priest, before my hands had been consecrated by holy works; before my eyes had been accustomed to gaze safely upon created things, with wonder only for the Creator, and without injury to the creature;”
Gregory of Nazianzen, Oration 45, paragraph 23 (381 AD)
“Now we will partake of a Passover which is still typical; though it is plainer than the old one.”
Macarius, The Elder (the Egyptian), Homily 27, paragraph 17
“in the church bread and wine should be offered, the symbol (ἀντίτυπον) of His flesh and blood, and that those who partake of the visible bread eat spiritually the flesh of the Lord, and that the apostles' and Christians receive the Paraclete, and are endued with power from on high, 2 and are filled with the Godhead, and their souls mingled with the Holy Ghost” Homily 27, paragraph 17.
On the introduction of kneeling during the consecration, after centuries of it being prohibited:
“Eventually kneeling became more common in public prayer with the increase of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. … In the Eucharist we are invited to approach an even greater manifestation of God’s presence–the literal body, blood, soul, and divinity of God the Son–so it is fitting that we adopt what in our culture is one of the most reverential postures.” (Catholic Answers, Should we stand or kneel at mass? )
On the introduction of communion on the tongue after centuries of receiving it in the hand:
“It is certainly true that ancient usage once allowed the faithful to take this divine food in their hands and to place it in their mouths themselves. … Later, with a deepening understanding of the truth of the eucharistic mystery, of its power and of the presence of Christ in it, there came a greater feeling of reverence towards this sacrament and a deeper humility was felt to be demanded when receiving it. Thus the custom was established of the minister placing a particle of consecrated bread on the tongue of the communicant.” (Memoriale Domini: Instruction on the Manner of Distributing Holy Communion, Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship (May 29, 1969)).
On the prohibition of lay reservation after centuries of the practice:
“It is also true that in very ancient times they were allowed to take the Blessed Sacrament with them from the place where the holy sacrifice was celebrated. This was principally so as to be able to give themselves Viaticum in case they had to face death for their faith. … Soon the task of taking the Blessed Eucharist to those absent was confided to the sacred ministers alone, so as the better to ensure the respect due to the sacrament … .” (Memoriale Domini: Instruction on the Manner of Distributing Holy Communion, Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship (May 29, 1969)).
John Henry Cardinal Newman
“The acts of the fourth century .. may be fairly taken to interpret to us the dim, though definite, outlines traced in the preceding [centuries].” (John Cardinal Newman, On the Development of Christian Doctrine, chapter 4, paragraph 15).
Such an assumption was necessary to explain, as Newman described it, the “want of accord between the early and the late aspects of Christianity” (Newman, On the Development of Christian Doctrine, Introduction, paragraph 20.)
Rev. John Brande Morris, M .A.
“[I]f there are early traces of identity of belief, they may be invisible, except to the eye of a Catholic, but perfectly clear to him. … What is intended is, not to assert that the present devotion to Mary existed in the early ages; that may be so or not: but that the principle on which it is based naturally led to it, and may be assumed to have been intended by God to lead to it.” (Rev. John Brande Morris, M .A., Jesus, the Son of Mary, 1851, pp. 25-33.)
Phillip Schaff
“[In Gregory of Nyssa] we have the full explanation of what Irenæus meant when he said that the elements ‘by receiving the Word of God become the Eucharist’ “. (Introduction to the Works of Cyril of Jerusalem, Chapter 7, Eucharistic Doctrine).
William Wigan Harvey
“…the prayer of consecration [is] mentioned by Justin Martyr in his First Apology, paragraph 65, and stated expressly by S. Basil to be something more than the simple words of Scripture.” (Harvey, W. Wigan, Sancti Irenæi Episcopi Lugdunensis, Libros Quinque Contra Haereses, volume ii, Typis Academicis, 1857, 205n.)
Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 44
“For our sin will not be small, if we eject from the episcopate those who have blamelessly and holily fulfilled its duties.” (Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D.)
“Our sin will not be small if we eject from the episcopate those who blamelessly and holily have offered its Sacrifices.” (William A. Jurgens)
“For our sin will not be small, if we eject from the episcopate those who have blamelessly and holily presented the offerings.” (Phillip Schaff)
The original Greek is actuall “προσενεγκοντας τα δωρα” which literally translates as “offered the gifts.” (Migne, P.G. vol I, col 300)
Justin Martyr
Dialogue with Trypho, Chapters 109- 124 (155-167 AD)
“Now, that prayers and giving of thanks [ευχαριστιαι], when offered by worthy men, are the only perfect and well-pleasing sacrifices to God, I also admit. For such alone Christians have undertaken to offer, and in the remembrance effected by their solid and liquid food, whereby the suffering of the Son of God which He endured is brought to mind” (Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, chapter 117). (Migne, P.G. vol VI, col 745)
First Apology, 13 (155 AD)
“[Him] we praise to the utmost of our power by the exercise of prayer and thanksgiving (ευχαριστιας) for all things wherewith we are supplied, as we have been taught that the only honour that is worthy of Him is not to consume by fire what He has brought into being for our sustenance, but to use it for ourselves and those who need, and with gratitude to Him to offer thanks by word of processions and to send forth hymns (gr: διά λόγου πομπάς και ύμνους πέμπειν; la: rationalibus eum pompis et hymnis celebrare) for our creation, and for all the means of health, and for the various qualities of the different kinds of things, and for the changes of the seasons.” (First Apology, Paragraph 13) (Migne, P.G. vol VI, col 345).
Lacking the greek word, epicleses, George Reith and Marcus Dods translated “διά λόγου πομπάς” as “invocations”.
First Apology, 66 (155 AD)
“… we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word … is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.” (Marcus Dods & George Reith)
“… we have been taught that the food over which thanksgiving has been made by prayer in the word received from Him … is both the Flesh and Blood of Him the Incarnate Jesus.” (Phillip Schaff)
“the food which has been made into the Eucharist by the Eucharistic prayer set down by him, … is both the flesh and the blood of that incarnated Jesus” (Catholic Answers)
The original greek is “τὴν δι᾽ εὐχῆς λόγου τοῦ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ εὐχαριστηθεῖσαν τροφήν”. (Migne, P.G. vol VI, cols 428-429). Here, “the prayer of His word,” or “εὐχῆς λόγου,” which is the Consecration, is spoken over “that eucharisted food,” or “αὐτοῦ εὐχαριστηθεῖσαν τροφήν,” indicating that in Justin, the Eucharistic prayer is not the Consecration, for the Eucharistic prayer took place before the prayer of His word. But all of these translations collapse the Eucharist (thanksgiving prayer) into the epiclesis (the consecration), such that the thanksgiving prayer makes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.
Irenæus
Against Heresies, Book I, chapter 13, paragraph 2 (174-189 AD)
“Pretending to offer the eucharist (εὐχαριστείν) in cups mingled with wine, and extending the word of invocation (ὲπικλήσεως) to unusual length…” (A Library of the Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church, Anterior to the Division of the East and West, volume 42, Five Books of S. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons Against Heresies, Rev. John Keble, M.A., translator, James Parker & Col, 1872, 41) (Migne PG vo VII, col 580).
Clearly, Irenæus has the “eucharist” separate from the “invocation” or “epiclesis” or “consecration.” But Alexander Roberts and William Rambaut collapsed the Eucharist into the Epiclesis, rending it, “Pretending to consecrate (εὐχαριστείν) cups mixed with wine, and protracting to great length the word of invocation (ὲπικλήσεως) …”
Against Heresies, Book IV, chapter 18, paragraph 5 (174-189 AD)
“For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the summons (“έκκλησιν (ecclisin)”), of God, is no longer common bread, but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly” (AH.IV.18.5, emphasis added). That is what the original Greek says. Ecclesin, the Greek word for Summons, indicating the Lord summoning the tithe. When it is summoned, it takes on two realities, earthly and heavenly. (Migne, PG, vol VII, col 1028).
Migne, recognizing the problem this causes for the Roman Catholic argument for transubstantiation, added a footnote indicating that even though the greek says “έκκλησιν (ecclisin, summons)”, “επικλησιν (epiclisin, invocation) is preferred”. And thus, Protestant scholars have followed suit, rendering in English something that Irenæus is known not to have said:
Alexander Roberts and William Rambaut: “For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread, but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly;”
Harvey, W. Wigan, Sancti Irenæi Episcopi Lugdunensis, Libros Quinque Contra Haereses, volume ii, Typis Academicis, 1857, 205n-206. “επικλυσιν is evidently the reading followed by the [Latin] translator, and is that which the sense requires.”
Trevor, George, The Catholic Doctrine of the Sacrifice and Participation of the Holy Eucharist. Trevor acknowledges that Irenæus used the word ecclesin instead of epiclesin, but it doesn’t matter (Trevor, 321n) because it is so clear that Irenæus was obviously talking about a symbolic oblation of Christ’s body and blood, so the sense is the same. Now citing from George Trevor, in his 1876 work, on this very paragraph of Irenæus:
“It is quite plain that the New Oblation of Irenæus is a sacrifice of Bread and Wine, offered both as the first-fruits of the earth and as symbols of the Body and Blood of Christ, who is the first fruits from the dead.” (Trevor, 322)
John H. McKenna, The Eucharistic Epiclesis: A Detailed History from the Patristic to the Modern Era, wonders, credulously, what Irenæus must have meant when he said the bread takes on a heavenly reality at the invocation:
“Irenæus argues from the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist to the reality of the bodily resurrection: ‘ … For as the bread from the earth, receiving the invocation of God (προσλαμβανόμενος τὴν ἐπικλυσιν του Θεού) is no longer common bread…’” (Second edition, Hillenbrand Books, 2009, 46.) Yet, Irenæus did not write ἐπικλυσιν. He wrote έκκλησιν.
Against Heresies, Book V, Chapter 2, paragraph 3 (174-189 AD)
Alexander Roberts and William Rambaut have Irenæus saying the bread and wine become the Eucharist at the consecration:
“When, therefore, the mingled cup and the manufactured bread receives the Word of God, and the Eucharist of the blood and the body of Christ is made…”
But that is a mistranslation. Phillip Schaff provides this acknowledgement in the footnote: Irenæus said, rather, that the bread and wine were already the Eucharist before the consecration, and at the consecration, the bread and wine become the body of Christ:
Phillip Schaff, footnote 4462
“The Greek text, of which a considerable portion remains here, would give, ‘and the Eucharist becomes the body of Christ.’”
Roberts’ & Rambaut’s mistranslation relies on the Latin, and obscures the fact that the Eucharist preceded the consecration, and that the bread and wine were already the Eucharist prior to the consecration.
Fragment 37 (late 2nd century)
“And therefore the oblation (προσφορα, offering) of the Eucharist is not a carnal one, but a spiritual; and in this respect it is pure. For we make an oblation (προσφερομεν, offering) to God of the bread and the cup of blessing, giving Him thanks in that He has commanded the earth to bring forth these fruits for our nourishment. And then, when we have perfected (τελέσαντες, completed, finished) the oblation (προσφοραν, offering), we invoke the Holy Spirit, that He may exhibit (αποφηνη, apophene), this sacrifice (την θυσιαν, THE sacrifice, not THIS sacrifice), both the bread the body of Christ, and the cup the blood of Christ, in order that the receivers of these antitypes (αντιτυπων) may obtain remission of sins and life eternal.” (Migne, PG, vol VII, col 1253)
Hippolytus
Anaphora (215 AD)
Katherine E. Harmon, Assistant Professor of Theology at Marian University in Indianapolis, IN.
“My undergraduate students recently read the anaphora from a source which has been referred to as “the Apostolic Tradition according to St. Hippolytus of Rome.” Whether the students knew this lengthy title or not is unclear, as I, being a Notre Dame graduate, have taken an oath to use a heavy black marker to “x” out ruthlessly all references to Hippolytus in text books of liturgical history.” (The So-Called Apostolic Tradition of St. Hippolytus of Rome, February 12, 2105)
Fragment on Proverbs 9
Schaff: “‘And she hath furnished her table:’ that denotes the promised knowledge of the Holy Trinity; it also refers to His honoured and undefiled body and blood, which day by day are administered and offered sacrificially at the spiritual divine table, as a memorial of that first and ever-memorable table of the spiritual divine supper.”
Not only is this anachronistic reading inconsistent with the early liturgy in general, but it is inconsistent with Hippolytus’ own liturgy (in the Anaphora) and that of his mentor, Irenæus. It is notable, as well, that Proverbs 9 is about Wisdom furnishing her table for a meal, not furnishing her table for a sacrifice. This reading in Schaff’s series on the Ante-Nicæan Fathers is surely influenced by the intentional mistranslation in Irenæus, Against Heresies, Book IV, chapter 18 in which the offering is made to take place after the epiclesis.
Greek: “…και το τιμιον και αχραντον αυτου σωμα και αιμα απερ εν τη μυστικη και θεια τραπεζη καθ εκαστην επιτελουνται θυομενα εις αναμνησιν της αειμνηστου και πρωτγς εκεινης τραπεζης του μυστικου θειου δειπνου.” (Migne, PG, vol X, 628)
Better English translation: “……and to His honorable and undefiled body and blood, as on the mystical and divine table each day the sacrifices have been administered, as a memorial of that first and ever-memorable table of the spiritual divine suppe
This rendering is not only consistent with Justin, who said the consecration occurs only after the food has already been offered as a Eucharist (First Apology, Chapter 66), and with Hippolytus’ mentor, Irenæus, who said the bread and wine were already the Eucharist when they were offered, but that the Eucharist becomes the body and blood of Christ at the consecration (Against Heresies, Book I, chapter 13; Book IV, chapter 17-18, Book V, chapter 2), but also with Hippolytus himself, who said that the bread and wine are offered along with cheese, oil, and olives in the Eucharist, but that the bread and wine do not become the body and blood of Christ until the consecration is spoken over them. Thus, consistent with the testimony of the early church, the body and blood of Christ are present on the “spiritual and divine table” every day the sacrifices are administered, but the body and blood of Christ are not what is offered.
Additionally, this reading is consistent with Proverbs 9 which Hippolytus was expounding. His only point is that consecrated bread and wine are on the table, and thus Wisdom has furnished her table. But according to the early liturgy, when are the consecrated bread and wine on the table? They are on the table every day that the sacrifices have been administered, because the Supper is always preceded by the Eucharist.
Gregory of Nazianzen
Oration 18 (374 AD)
Paragraph 20
“Who was more sympathetic in mind, more bounteous in hand, towards the poor, that most dishonoured portion of the nature to which equal honour is due? For he actually treated his own property as if it were another's, … . This is what most men do: they give indeed, but without that readiness, which is a greater and more perfect thing than the mere offering.”
Paragraph 25
““How could anyone be more conclusively proved to be good, and worthy to offer the gifts (δωρα) to God?” (Migne, PG vol 35, col 1016)
Oration 45 (381 AD)
Paragraph 30
“But, O Pascha, great and holy and purifier of all the world — for I will speak to you as to a living person — O Word of God and Light and Life and Wisdom and Might — for I rejoice in all Your names — O Offspring and Expression and Signet of the Great Mind; O Word conceived and Man contemplated, Who bearest all things, binding them by the Word of Your power; receive this discourse, not now as firstfruits, but perhaps as the completion of my offerings, a thanksgiving, and at the same time a supplication, that we may suffer no evil beyond those necessary and sacred cares in which our life has been passed; and stay the tyranny of the body over us; (You see, O Lord, how great it is and how it bows me down) or Your own sentence, if we are to be condemned by You. But if we are to be released, in accordance with our desire, and be received into the Heavenly Tabernacle, there too it may be we shall offer You acceptable Sacrifices upon Your Altar, to Father and Word and Holy Ghost; for to You belongs all glory and honour and might, world without end.” [These sacrifices are begin offered to Christ, and to the Godhead. Obviously, the sacrifice is not Christ’s body and blood."]
Oration 18 (374 AD)
Paragraph 29
“Then, after adding the customary words of thanksgiving [της ευχαριστιας], and after blessing the people, he retired again to his bed, and after taking a little food, and enjoying a sleep, he recalled his spirit, and, his health being gradually recovered, on the new day of the feast, as we call the first Sunday after the festival of the Resurrection, he entered the temple and inaugurated his life which had been preserved, with the full complement of clergy, and offered the sacrifice of thanksgiving.” [Migne, Migne PG, vol 35, col 1021].
This is obviously a Eucharist offering of unconsecrated food. Nevertheless, Migne adds in a footnote the interpretation of Jacobus Billius, noting that “after adding the customary words of thanksgiving [της ευχαριστιας]”, which really only indicate that the Eucharistic prayers have been interrupted, can be understood to mean, “that the consecration is completed” [“vel ea intelligi posse, quibus consecratio perficitur”], demonstrating the propensity of the scholars to collapse the Eucharist into the Epiclesis.
Carlos, Tim, and Hiram continue the series on final salvation based on the articles, When Protestants Err on the Side of Rome: John Piper, “Final Salvation,” and the Decline and Fall of Sola Fide at the Last Day. They continue Part 2 of the article with:
Fatal Flaw #6: Deadening the Resurrection
Intro music created by Semiotician, titled "Narratives".
Referenceshttps://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/5/6/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-i
https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/9/16/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-ii
- http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm
-https://youtu.be/l2PMWKmaNSE
https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2019/9/4/contradictions-are-carnal
Soul Sleep: An Unbiblical Doctrine https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795751495/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UZuPDbVAD7DR6
https://megiddoradio.com/2018/03/09/312-responding-to-john-pipers-latest-comments-on-final-salvation-by-works
Has Doug Wilson Really Changed His Mind About the Federal Vision? - by R. Scott Clark
This is the Apologia Studios Documentary on Ending Abortion [This is actually very good. I am disappointed by Apologia’s apparent partnership with the Federal Vision recently, although I’m not fully sure just how tied together the two groups are. I also noticed that while the documentary spoke about “the gospel” constantly and how “the gospel” is the only thing that can end abortion, “the gospel” was not defined.]
This is John O’Roark’s “Full Armour Ministries” website. Please consider becoming a monthly supporter of his work. His YouTube channel is wonderful too.
John O’Roark’s ministry to end abortion and evangelize is completely unique in its principled stand for the biblical gospel and its insistence that ecumenical activity with Rome is out of bounds, as is working with proponents of the Federal Vision’s false gospel. I told John after his presentation to the congregation here at Bridwell Heights that he was the only pro-life ministry I knew of and had ever heard of that was so committed to the one true, biblical gospel. Because of that, I am a big supporter and proponent of John’s work.
Permalink
Hiram Diaz joins Carlos to continue the series based on the articles, When Protestants Err on the Side of Rome: John Piper, “Final Salvation,” and the Decline and Fall of Sola Fide at the Last Day. They continue Part 2 of the article with:
Fatal Flaw #5: Heaven’s DiasporaIntro and Outro music created by Semiotician. The opening track is titled "Rushing Out":
https://semiotician.bandcamp.com/track/rushing-out
The closing track is titled "The Hills”:
https://semiotician.bandcamp.com/track/the-hills
Referenceshttps://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/5/6/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-i
https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/9/16/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-ii
https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2019/9/4/contradictions-are-carnal
Soul Sleep: An Unbiblical Doctrine https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795751495/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UZuPDbVAD7DR6
https://megiddoradio.com/2018/03/09/312-responding-to-john-pipers-latest-comments-on-final-salvation-by-works/
https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2018/5/23/tpw-7-misusing-reformed-theologians-past-and-present-in-defense-of-john-pipers-false-gospel
Carlos discusses Joshua Harris’ recent apostasy beyond the surface level by examining his book, Dug Down Deep. The conclusions may surprise you. Several topics are discussed in a critical, systematic theological fashion, including youth ministry, salvation, justification, sanctification, works, the flesh, repentance and faith, Lordship Salvation, bibliology, transcendence and immanence, confronting opposition, grace alone, law and gospel, and more!
https://twitter.com/cemontijo/status/1155348691785519104?s=21
Our hearts and prayers go out to brother Richard Bennett’s family:
https://bereanbeacon.org
Heidelberg Catechism Q. 26.
What believest thou when thou sayest, "I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth"?
A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them;a who likewise upholds and governs the same by his eternal counsel and providence)b is for the sake of Christ his Son, my God and my Father;c on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but he will provide me with all things necessary for soul and bodyd and further, that he will make whatever evils he sends upon me, in this valley of tears turn out to my advantage;e for he is able to do it, being Almighty God,f and willing, being a faithful Father.g
References+ Divided the movie, https://youtu.be/3fKsWait2pE
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http://www.trinitylectures.org/what-is-saving-faith-p-60.html
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https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2017/04/06/knowledge-faith-marks-true-clarkian
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https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2017/02/23/srr-33-deal-lordship-salvation
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https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2017/03/09/srr-35-lordship-salvation-controversy-really-saved
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https://thorncrownministries.com/srr/2018/6/10/srr-83-what-is-doing-the-will-of-my-father-in-heaven-and-demonic-faith
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https://thorncrownministries.com/polemics
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https://medium.com/christian-intellectual/the-jesus-storybook-bible-ignores-authorial-intent-to-build-its-own-narrative-41001ab988c4
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https://www.wretched.org/07-29-2019/
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http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/2019/08/07/joshua-harris-rainbow-adventure-religious-freedom-critical-theory-and-the-founders-trailer/
Readings from Wilhelmus à Brakel 's "The Christian's Reasonable Service" on justification & J C Ryle's book "Holiness" on the differences between justification and sanctification.
"The Christian's Reasonable Service" - https://www.amazon.com/Christians-Reasonable-Service-Vols/dp/1601781318/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+christian%27s+reasonable+service&link_code=qs&qid=1568908294&s=gateway&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-1
"Holiness" - https://www.amazon.com/Christians-Reasonable-Service-Vols/dp/1601781318/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+christian%27s+reasonable+service&link_code=qs&qid=1568908294&s=gateway&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-1
From the section on Justification from:
The Christian’s Reasonable Service by Wilhelmus a Brakel
In this episode, we continue our analysis of the second part of Marcus Grodi's evidence from the early church fathers that led to his conversion to Roman Catholicism: the Eucharist. We provide evidence from the early church that “the Eucharist” referred to the tithe offering for the poor and prayers of gratitude to the Lord, and not to the Lord’s Supper. Bread and wine were then taken from the offering and consecrated for use in the Supper. Contrary to the Roman Catholic claim that the consecration turns the bread and wine into the Eucharist, the early writers believed the consecration turned the Eucharist into the body and blood of Christ. The Eucharist came first, and when the offering was over, the consecration was spoken, followed by the meal. What was offered in the liturgy was the sacrifice of gratitude in the tithe, and the sacrifice was over before the words of consecration were spoken and Lord’s Supper began. And even after the consecration, the bread and wine were still said to be figures, types, antitypes and symbols of Christ’s body and blood. This liturgical order prevailed for 300 until the end of the 4th century when the liturgical sacrifice began to occur after the consecration, and the Roman Catholic Sacrifice of the Mass was born. The liturgical sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood during the Lord’s Supper is a late fourth century novelty, nothing more. It was neither instituted by Christ nor practiced by the early church.
Show Notes:
Marcus Grodi: The Early Church Fathers I Never Saw - The Journey Home (3-19-2007)
Irenæus, Against Heresies, Book I, chapter 13, paragraph 2 (174-189 AD)
“Pretending to offer the eucharist (εὐχαριστείν) in cups mingled with wine, and extending the word of invocation (ὲπικλήσεως) to unusual length…” (A Library of the Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church, Anterior to the Division of the East and West, volume 42, Five Books of S. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons Against Heresies, Rev. John Keble, M.A., translator, James Parker & Col, 1872, 41) [We will discuss the variance between Keble’s translation and Schaff’s translation in the next episode]
Irenæus, Against Heresies, Book IV, Chapter 17 (174-189 AD)
Irenæus, Against Heresies, Book IV, Chapter 18, paragraph 5 (174-189 AD)
“…that as bread from the earth, receiving the summons (έκκλησιν) of God, is no longer common bread but an Eucharist composed of two things, both an earthly and an heavenly one; so also our bodies, partaking of the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of Eternal Resurrection.” (Keble, 361) [Here Irenæus says we partake of the Eucharist, but by, implication only after the Eucharist is consecrated (see Book V, chapter 2, below), but that it was already the Eucharist when it was first summoned by the Lord for the tithe. Irenæus has established a parallel to make a point—when the bread is summoned for a tithe, it becomes heavenly, and not just earthly, for, though earthly, it is now set apart for heavenly purposes; so too, we though earthly, are set apart for a heavenly destiny when we receive the consecrated bread. Notable, indeed, that the bread becomes the Eucharist when it is summoned for a tithe, not when it is consecrated. We will discuss the variance between Keble’s translation and Schaff’s translation in the next episode.]
Irenæus, Against Heresies, Book V, Chapter 2, paragraph 3 (174-189 AD)
“Since therefore both the cup which is mingled and the bread which is made receiveth the Word of God, and the Eucharist becometh the body of Christ, and of these the substance of our flesh groweth and subsisteth: … even as the wood of the vine arched down into the ground beareth fruit in its due time, and the corn of wheat falling into the earth, and mouldering, is raised up by the Spirit of God, Who upholdeth all things: and afterwards by the Wisdom of God cometh to be used by men, and having received to itself the Word of God, becometh an Eucharist, i.e., the body and blood of Christ: so also our bodies, nourished thereby, and put into the ground, and dissolved therein, shall rise again in their own time, the Word of God giving them resurrection to the glory of God and His Father:…” (Keble, 453-54) [Here Irenæus makes a play on words — just as the bread of the tithe becomes the body of Christ when it receives the word of God {“this is My body; this is My blood”} at the consecration, so we will be raised up by the Word of God at the resurrection. Notable, indeed, that the bread was already the Eucharist when before it was consecrated. We will discuss the variance between Keble’s translation and Schaff’s translation in the next episode]
Five Books of S. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons Against Heresies, Rev. John Keble, M.A., translator, James Parker & Co., 1872
Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, Book I (202 AD)
Tertullian, On Prayer (208 AD)
Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book IV (208 AD)
Hippolytus of Rome, the Apostolic Tradition (c. 215 AD)
The Didascalia (230 AD)
Origen, Against Celsus, Book VIII
Cornelius, Bishop of Rome, letter to Fabian of Antioch (251-253 AD) [Recorded in Eusebius, Church History, Book 6, chapter 43]
Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, letter [9] to Bishop Sixtus of Rome (254-258 AD) [Note: it is epistle IV in Migne’s series on the greek fathers; the letter is also recorded in Eusebius, Church History, Book 7, Chapter 9, where he refers to it as epistle VI]
The Canons of the Council of Nicæa (325 AD)
The Canons of the Council of Nicæa (Greek and Latin) (325 AD)
Julius, Bishop of Rome, to the Accusers of Athanasius (341 AD) [Recorded in Athanasius, Apology Against the Arians, Part 1]
Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 19 (c. 350 AD)
Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 23 (c. 350 AD)
Euchologion of Serapion of Thmuis (350-356 AD)
Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 2 (361 AD)
Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 18 (374 AD)
Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 45 (381 AD)
Gregory of Nyssa, On the Space of Three Days between the Death and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (382 AD)
Ambrose of Milan, Commentaries on Twelve Psalms of David, Psalm 38 (389 AD)
John Chrysostom, Treatise on the Priesthood, Book III (387 AD)
John Chrysostom, Homilies on Hebrews, Homily 17
Divine Liturgy of John Chrysostom (398 AD)
Nate Collins and “Revoice” refused to sign the excellent and thoroughly biblical “Nashville Statement.” The Nashville Statement can be viewed here: https://cbmw.org/nashville-statement/
Nate Collins was interviewed on the podcast called “Sheologians.” That program can be heard here: http://content.blubrry.com/sheologians/Sheologians-Nate-Collins-Revoice.mp3.
If you go to timestamp 1.30 you can hear Nate Collins describe himself as a “gay man” who is married to a woman and that he has 3 sons. To hear Nate Collins’s reasons for refusing to sign the “Nashville Statement,” go to time-stamp: 6.30 and listen for a few minutes. Specifically, here is a transcription of what Nate Collins says about the Nashville Statement and how it prompted him to found the Revoice organization:
"Probably the thing that kicked it off in my mind was when the Nashville Statement came out. A lot of us felt that the Nashville Statement unfairly excluded people like me, people like Wesley Hill, people who would loosely be related to the Gay Christian movement. … I felt like there was some excluding going on and some foreclosing conversations by this event. … The idea for Revoice came in the aftermath of that. I thought, “ya know what? There needs to be some community that will welcome anybody who does not identify as straight, who has some complexity in the way they think about their gender and sexuality. And let’s welcome each other. Let’s have a place where we can gather together and enjoy each other’s company and find a new community.”
What was “excluding” about the Nashville Statement? The statement consists of 14 articles, each of which has an affirmation and a denial. Here is what Nate Collins and Revoice did not like:
Article 7: WE AFFIRM that self-conception as male or female should be defined by God’s holy purposes in creation and redemption as revealed in Scripture. WE DENY that adopting a homosexual or transgender self-conception is consistent with God’s holy purposes in creation and redemption.
Article 8: WE AFFIRM that people who experience sexual attraction for the same sex may live a rich and fruitful life pleasing to God through faith in Jesus Christ, as they, like all Christians, walk in purity of life. WE DENY that sexual attraction for the same sex is part of the natural goodness of God’s original creation, or that it puts a person outside the hope of the gospel.
Article 10: WE AFFIRM that it is sinful to approve of homosexual immorality or transgenderism and that such approval constitutes an essential departure from Christian faithfulness and witness. WE DENY that the approval of homosexual immorality or transgenderism is a matter of moral indifference about which otherwise faithful Christians should agree to disagree.
Article 13: WE AFFIRM that the grace of God in Christ enables sinners to forsake transgender self-conceptions and by divine forbearance to accept the God-ordained link between one’s biological sex and one’s self-conception as male or female. WE DENY that the grace of God in Christ sanctions self-conceptions that are at odds with God’s revealed will.
These precious biblical and Christian truths spelled out in these particular articles of the Nashville Statement are, in point of fact, denied repeatedly and emphatically by the speakers at the Revoice Conference.
In this episode, we begin to analyze the second part of Marcus Grodi's evidence from the early church fathers that led to his conversion to Roman Catholicism: the Eucharist. We cover the origin of the Eucharist and the origin of the term "Sacrifice of the Mass" and begin to show from the early church that the Eucharist was the tithe offering for 300 years, until the end of the 4th century when the Roman Catholic Sacrifice of the Mass was born.
This is some additional commentary on this article I wrote for the Aquila Report called "The Myth of Sexual Orientation"
https://www.theaquilareport.com/the-myth-of-sexual-orientation/#_ftnref2
Carlos and Tim catch up on emails, recent events, personal updates, and controversies about Apologetics and the Jeff Durbin/Andy Stanley exchange, School dress ups and gender, Christians and entertainment, Roman Catholic Baptism and Presbyterians, Charles Hodge and JH Thornwell, Richard Gaffin and Justification, and Piper and being Counted Righteous in Christ.
Charles Hodge on the Roman Catholic Church:
Indeed it is a matter of devout thankfulness to God that underneath the numerous grievous and destructive errors of the Romish Church, the great truths of the Gospel are preserved. The Trinity, the true divinity of Christ, the true doctrine concerning his person as God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever, salvation through his blood, regeneration and sanctification through the almighty power of the Spirit, the resurrection of the body, and eternal life, are doctrines on which the people of God in that communion live, and have produced such saintly men as St. Bernard, Fenelon, and doubtless thousands of others who are of the number of God’s elect. (John Robbins, http://www.trinityfoundation.org/journal.php?id=228)
Referenceshttps://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/5/6/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-i
https://thorncrownministries.com/blog/2018/9/16/john-piper-final-salvation-and-the-decline-and-fall-of-sola-fide-part-ii
http://www.trinitylectures.org/sacramental-sorcery-p-161.html
http://www.trinitylectures.org/emperor-has-no-clothes-the-p-182.html
CALVIN ON THE VALIDITY OF 'ROMISH' BAPTISM, http://www.semperreformanda.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Calvin-on-the-Validity-of-Romish-Baptism-Dr.-F.N.-Lee.pdf
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2810687752
https://youtu.be/BnS5Z-A_5jA
http://www.ironsharpensironradio.com/podcast/september-1-2017-show-with-david-j-engelsma-on-the-gospel-truth-of-justification-proclaimed-defended-developed/
https://biblethumpingwingnut.com/2019/04/29/endgame/
Dallas Exhibitshttps://www.biblicalarts.org
https://dma.org
https://buc-ees.com/index.php
http://easttexaszoo.com
http://creationevidence.org/
http://adamantbeliever.com
https://www.exministries.com
This is an exposition of Romans 9:19-24. This used to be a passage that caused incredible consternation and angst in my soul. Today, it is a beautiful anchor amid the storms in which we now live. I pray it will be this for you too.
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Join Tim Shaughnessy in this episode of Semper Reformanda Radio as he discusses the tactics of false teaches and the tools we must use to spot them.
Many Christians today do not seem to realize that we are in a spiritual war, but one can hardly read the New Testament without coming to realize that from the time of its inception the Church has been under relentless attack. Throughout church history, much of this has come in the form of physical persecution and when that occurs it is easy to recognize. But there is another form of attack that is more subtle and more dangerous. It is an attack that is not just meant to kill the body but is also meant to kill the soul. This, of course, is a spiritual attack through false teaching.
The New Testament repeatedly warns us, not only that, false teachers will come, but that when they do come it will be through great deception. Jesus warned, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). It is not difficult to grasp the meaning of this but it is difficult when faced with the challenge of spotting a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is due to the fact that they look just like sheep.
The challenge we face is not just spotting these wolves in sheep's clothing but it is also calling it to the attention of the church. Whenever someone points out a wolf in sheep’s clothing they are sure to be confronted by others who will immediately defend the wolf by pointing out the sheep’s clothing. People get angry when others call their favorite teacher a wolf in sheep's clothing. Rather than being upset by the fact that the gospel is being subverted or obscured, it would seem that many get upset at those who call it to their attention. This is why Paul asked the Galatians “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth” (Galatians 4:16)?
The reality is that many people have not stopped to consider the incredibly deceptive nature of false teachers. Yet, Paul also warned of the deceptive nature of false teachers when he wrote, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:13). These men were wolves in sheep’s clothing. They disguised themselves as apostles of Christ. John Robbins also saw this in scripture and wrote the following:
Heretics introduce false ideas stealthily: “But this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage” (Galatians 2:4) and “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation...” (Jude 4). They appear to be sheep, but are not; and the ideas they teach, at least at first, appear to be true, but are not. By their smooth words, they deceive many into thinking that they are Christian brothers and the ideas they advance are Biblical.
The reason many people today are unable to accept that certain teachers are actually false teachers is that they have not wrestled with this in scripture. They wrongly assume that the wolf in sheep’s clothing is trying to deceive people out of malicious intent. When someone calls a teacher they like a wolf in sheep’s clothing they ask, “so you think he is really trying to deceive people and lead everyone astray.” Then they dismiss the warning out of disbelief because the teacher they like really is sincere in what he teaches. After all, Joel Osteen looks like a genuinely nice person.
The truth is that these wolves in sheep's clothing believe they are sheep. These false teachers believe they are teaching the truth because they are self-deceived. Let’s not overlook the fact that Bruce Jenner has gone to great lengths to disguise himself to look like a woman because he somehow believes he is a woman. Such is the nature of self-deception. People do not seem to recognize that these deceivers do what they do and teach what they teach because they are themselves deceived. They believe they are serving and following God. This is why Jesus warned, “They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God” (John 16:2).
The Bible warns us that false teachers will come and that they will be extremely deceptive when they arrive. Therefore, it is necessary to take a moment to discuss three key insights which will allow us to navigate the murky waters of controversy and spot these false teachers.
False Teachers Use ScriptureFirst, we must recognize that false teachers use scripture to teach their false doctrine. This should not surprise us and we should not be duped into thinking that their teaching is therefore Biblical. It is a strange thing to realize that false teachers will use the Bible to teach their anti-biblical views. This is called twisting the scriptures and it is exactly what Satan, who is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), did when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. In Matthew's account we read:
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple
6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone'" (Matthew 4:5,6).
When Satan tempted Jesus to prove that he was the Son of God by throwing himself down from the pinnacle of the temple he quoted Psalms 91:11,12 and twisted its meaning. Clearly, the passage is a promise from God but it did not mean that Jesus could use it to test God. This is why Jesus responded by saying, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test'" (Matthew 4:7).
Today, we have countless examples of false teachers twisting scripture to teach false doctrine. Mormons will use the Bible in an effort to substantiate Mormon doctrine. Word of Faith preachers constantly use passages like John 10:10 and 2 Corinthians 8:9 to teach their false prosperity gospel. Every Christian needs to be aware of this deceptive tactic and needs to embrace the all-important principle of the Reformation that scripture interprets scripture.
They Speak Our Language
The second insight we must learn is that false teachers use Biblical terms and orthodox language but changes their meaning. John Robbins pointed this out when he wrote, “The most effective attack on truth, the most subversive attack on the doctrine of the completeness and efficacy of the work of Christ for the salvation of his people, is always couched in pious language and Biblical phraseology.” This is why it is necessary to define our terms. However, this practice of deception is not limited to single words. When it is a single word that is given two meanings we call that equivocation but when it is a phrase we call it amphibology.
Christians, Mormon, and Jehovah’s Witness all say that “Jesus is the son of God.” Here we have an example of both equivocation and amphibology because we all mean something entirely different by the word “Jesus” and we all mean something entirely different by the phrase, “son of God.” When Mormons speak of Jesus they mean the spirit brother of Satan and when they say he is “son of God” they mean that he was first a spirit born being who had a beginning and that heavenly father had sex with Mary in order that he should be born here on earth. When Jehovah’s Witnesses speak of Jesus they mean that he is Michael the Archangel and he is the “son of God” because he was the first thing created by Jehovah. When Christians speak of Jesus we mean that he is the second person of the Trinity and the title “son of God” means he is the unique one who is God made manifest in the flesh.
It is essential for Christians to realize that these tactics of deception are not limited to these obvious examples. Every heretic in history has taught their heresy while using scripture and orthodox language. But there is yet a third insight we must learn and that has to do with language and logic.
Sufficiency of Language and Necessity of Logic Christians must recognize that language and logic are sufficient for communication. God has given us the gift of language for communication and because we are made in his image we necessarily think in terms of logic. Therefore, we are expected to make logical deductions and inferences. The Bible speaks to us in such a way that it assumes our ability to do this and we are given numerous examples of logic scripture.
In Matthew 22:23-28 the Sadducees attacked the resurrection by presenting Jesus a question about marriage in the afterlife. Jesus first responded by correcting their understanding of the scriptures and pointed out that marriage ends at death. Then he said:
“And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living" (Matthew 22:31-32).
The passage Jesus quoted says “I am the God of Abraham,” not “I was the God of Abraham.” The verb is in the present tense, not the past tense. In other words, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are living and Jesus refuted the Sadducees by pointing them back to scripture and then by deducing the resurrection from the tense of a verb. The Sadducees were expected to believe the resurrection and so are we, which means we are expected to believe not only that which is expressly stated but also that which may be deduced from scripture.
This principle of making logical deductions was so vital to the Protestant Reformation that it was given confessional status in the Westminster Confession of Faith. In chapter 1, paragraph six, the Westminster divines stated that “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture...” This is critical to understanding God's word because doctrines such as the Trinity, the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Redemption are not explicitly stated in scripture but are by good and necessary consequence deduced from scripture.
It is imperative that we be willing to make logical deductions. Unfortunately, we live in an age of anti-intellectualism and irrationalism and many people do not recognize the significant threat this poses to the church. The inability or unwillingness to make logical deductions will prevent us from understanding God's word and keep us from recognizing those who detract from it.
Imagine two men are talking and the first man says to the second man, “all Mexicans are lazy.”
Then the second man looks at him and asks, “why would you call Carlos lazy? He is Mexican and one of the hardest working guys I know.”
Then the first man gets upset and fires back, “I didn’t say anything about Carlos being lazy. You’re putting words in my mouth, you’re taking me out of context and you’re misrepresenting me.”
The logic here is simple. If all Mexicans are lazy and Carlos is a Mexican, then Carlos is lazy. The second man was not misrepresenting the first man or putting words in his mouth or taking him out of context. He accepted the statement and made a valid deduction thereby ensuring that the first man was represented accurately. The first man was guilty of saying that Carlos was lazy but he chose to be irrational because of the stubbornness of his heart. He didn’t want to face the fact that he had insulted Carlos directly even though it wasn’t expressly stated.
This type of irrational behavior is quite typical of people today. They falsely accuse others of misrepresenting them and accuse them of committing a straw man fallacy because they don’t want to accept the consequences of their position. The straw man fallacy is quite possibly the most abused and misapplied informal logical fallacy because people tend to be prideful, irrational and refuse to accept that they are wrong. But this is where the Christian needs to stand firm and insist on rational discourse. Simply because someone has reduced your position to absurdity, and you’re not willing to accept the logical conclusion, does not mean they have misrepresented you. It means you should change your views.
We do not need to back down when people falsely accuse us of misrepresentation but we do need to be very concerned about representing others accurately and fairly. The question is how do we do this. Well, the answer really is quite simple. We accept their statements at face value, allow them to define their terms, and we make valid inferences or deductions.
It is important, however, to point out that when we say that the deduction or inference is valid we don’t mean it is true. We simply mean that the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises. We can make a valid deduction from a false premise which would make the conclusion false. In the example above we see that the conclusion that Carlos was lazy necessarily followed from the premises but the conclusion was false. This is because the premise that all Mexicans are lazy is false. In order to have an argument that is sound, we must have true premises and a valid deduction. When we make valid deductions or inferences from scripture the arguments are always sound and the conclusions are necessarily true. This is because God’s word is truth; “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
Here is a link to the new Legacy Edition of J. Greshem Machen’s masterpiece, Christianity and Liberalism:
https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/christianity-liberalism-legacy-edition-9781733627214?variant=11602097143855
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Thomas Brooks outlined these 7 characteristics of false teachers in the 17th century. Nothing has changed. Here they are:
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False teachers are men-pleasers. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Luke 6:26; Galatians 1:6-10; Isaiah 30:9-10; Jeremiah 23:16-17
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False teachers are notable in casting dirt, scorn, and reproach upon the persons, names, and credits of Christ's most faithful ambassadors. 2 Corinthians 10:10
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False teachers are venters of the devices and visions of their own heads and hearts. Jeremiah 14:14; 23:16; Matthew 24:4-5; Titus 1:10; Romans 16:18; Jeremiah 23:1-3
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False teachers easily pass over the great and weighty things both of law and gospel, and stand most upon those things that are of the least importance and concern to the souls of men. 1 Timothy 1:5-7; Matthew 23:23; Romans 8:1; Galatians 3:1; Galatians 5:12; Philippians 3:2; Matthew 23:24
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False teachers cover and color their dangerous principles and soul-deceptions with very fair speeches and plausible pretenses, with high notions and golden expressions. Galatians 6:12; Romans 16:17-18; Matthew 7:15
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False teachers strive more to win over men to their opinions, than to better them in their lives. Matthew 23:15; Acts 20:28-30
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False teachers make merchandise of their followers. Jeremiah 6:13; 2 Peter 2:3
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In this episode, we give thirteen (there are many more) examples of invalid assumptions that inform many ancient and modern eschatologies, and the Scriptural answer to them. The episode serves as a summary of the first 21 episodes of the Danielic Imperative, and a prelude to the next 21 and beyond.
Notes: The Bounds of Their Habitation
This is my precious Amy. She is a rare jewel of a wife. I thank God for every day He has shared her with me. One of my children snapped this picture when she wasn’t looking. That authentic smile while holding one of our 10 little ones in a sling… priceless. I put Proverbs 31:10-12 on this printing.
Questions 70 thru 78 of the Westminster Larger Catechism are glorious and wonderful summaries of vital gospel and biblical truths.
https://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/LargerCatechismwithScriptureProofs1.pdf
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This short study of the key gender specific passages of Scripture on womanhood is worth its weight in gold:
"Feminine By Design" by Scott Brown
This is a running response to both of these programs on “Orthodoxy Now” back to back:
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlJvDz3ZtTw
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8RB6guX8Z0