All Articles For I Believe

Previous article in this series: April 1, 2021, p. 302. Review articles 1 and 2 This article is number five in a series. It is time to reflect a bit. The first two articles in this series were written to explain the importance of maintaining faith as the lone instrument in all our salvation. In order to show how important that is, I backed up a bit to give some history behind the Reformed faith’s use of the word “instrument.” The word was used to describe Scriptures’ teaching that salvation is by, through, and out of faith. Faith is the...

Previous article in this series: February 15, 2021, p. 236. Review All our salvation is stored up in Jesus Christ. And all of it—justification, sanctification, blessings, fellowship, heaven—comes to us through the lone instrument of faith. Faith is the pipeline that unites us to Christ, bringing to us all the blessings Christ has earned for us. Scripture, nonetheless, speaks of blessings that regularly come to us through that instrument of faith after certain Godworked obediences we perform. This is our experience as well. Because it is, it brings the question to mind, What is the relation between those activities and...

Previous article in this series: December 15, 2020, p. 132. Review We have been considering the instrumental cause of our salvation. In the first article I pointed out what the Reformers, and Calvin in particular, meant by the instrumental cause of salvation. Calvin referred to four “causes” of salvation. The first was the efficient cause, which Calvin said points to the author of salvation, the triune God of grace. The second was the material cause, describing the substance of our salvation, Christ and His righteousness. Next, Calvin spoke of the instrumental cause of our salvation, referring to faith, the sole...

However, to speak more clearly, we do not mean, that faith itself justifies us, for it is only an instrument with which we embrace Christ our righteousness. But Jesus Christ, imputing to us all His merits and so many holy works which He has done for us and in our stead, is our righteousness. And faith is an instrument that keeps us in communion with Him in all His benefits, which, when become ours, are more than sufficient to acquit us of our sins. —Belgic Confession, Article 22 Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the...

Previous article in this series: June 2020, p. 400. Introduction In this series of articles, we have covered two ways God speaks in Scripture that let us know this book can only be from Him. As He reveals Himself, God speaks about the future before it occurs, and He brings a diversity into unity that is so great no human or collection of humans could accomplish it. We have also examined two aspects of the content of the Bible, to see that what the Bible says also reveals its origin is from God. Here, we took note of the excellence...

Previous article in this series: February 15, 2020, p. 227. Introduction Picture a husband locked out of his home. He calls to his wife to open the door. She responds, “How do I know it’s not an intruder pretending to be my husband?” What will show her that the person is in fact her husband? First, it will be the way he says what he says, the tone of his voice, his way of speaking. Second, it will be the content of what he says to her, things that perhaps only her husband would say. In a similar way the...

Previous article in this series: February 15, 2020, p. 227. Introduction We have been following John Calvin as he teaches us the evidences Scripture carries within itself of its divine origin. Learning these things, says Calvin, we “will be abundantly equipped to restrain the barking of ungodly men; for this is a proof too clear to be open to any subtle objections.”1 So far in this series we have treated the relation of these evidences to the internal work of the Spirit in our hearts; we have examined the fact that Scripture correctly foretells things no humans could foretell; and...

Previous article in this series: January 1, 2020, p. 157. The Reformation and Scripture’s authority The Roman Catholic Church answered (and still answers) the question in our title (How do we know the Bible is the Word of God?) this way: “Because the Roman Catholic Church says so.” According to Rome’s false teaching, the Bible is church-authenticated. The church has all power and authority, even to determine what is and is not the Word of God. So that even if the church declared Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham to be the Bible, we would have to believe it.1 The...

Previous article in this series: December 1, 2019, p. 111. The Scriptures do not fear examination If you have ever let Mormon missionaries through your door, you will have noticed that they urge upon you something that at first seems similar to the Reformed faith’s “Internal Testimony of the Holy Spirit.” Before they read the Book of Mormon to you or tell you the story of Joseph Smith, they will attempt to prepare you for what they call, “the burning in the bosom.” “This,” they say, “will be a feeling you will get as we read or talk to you....

Facing attacks “You believe that a snake talked, and a man walked on water?! The Bible is just a collection of myths, fables, and stories. I don’t know how any thinking person could believe that stuff in this day and age!” Perhaps you have heard things like this before. Maybe in a college classroom. Maybe from someone with whom you work. Or perhaps you saw a suggested video on the sidebar on YouTube, “Proof the Bible is not the Word of God,” and you clicked. God’s people face rhetoric and arguments against the inspiration and authority of the Bible in...