The Same Old Covenant (Romans 3:25; RE 4, 5)

Christ Sustains His Bride (John 11:45-53)

Christ' work will be applied to his people. We certainly have seen this in John 17. We know that individuals will come to faith, but what about the church? Is the church going to be sustained until the end? Will the Lord preserve his church through thick and thin?

All Saved, Some, or None? Who Decides? (John 17; COD 2, Art 7, 8, RE 1)

John captures Christ's prayer before Christ goes to the cross. This prayer reveals to us that Christ is very aware of his mission and his purpose of entering history. Christ prays not only for himself, but also his disciples. His disciples are not the immediate 11, but also for us who will come to believe through his word. What does this prayer teach us about Christ's atonement? What assurance does this give us that Christ will not give up on those who has come to redeem?

A General Call? (Matthew 11:25-30; 5, 6 RE 6)

Christ invites his audience who hears his word to come to him.  We are promised blessing if we are not offended by Christ.  This sounds strange because why would we be offended by Christ?  Nevertheless we are promised that as we respond to the gospel in faith we will take the yoke of Christ upon us.  His teaching will progressively become more and more of who we are.  Clearly, Christ is assuring us that as we take hold of Christ by faith, as we come under his control more and more we will enjoy his blessings.  How can Christ give such a call without contradicting what we heard regarding God’s election before the foundations of the world? 

Christ’s Universal Payment? (1 John 2:2)

John writes to the church with the assurance that Christ's payment satisfies the sins of the world. This sounds like the whole world is saved. This cannot be the case because right in Genesis 3:15 God promises that there are going to be two lines of people in the human race. There are those who are identified with Christ and those who are not identified with Christ. Christ's payment for the whole world must mean that Christ came to secure an international people.

Why the Heinous Cross (Gal 3:12,14 COD Head 2 Arts. 1, 2 RE 2)

The Lord told Adam that the day he eats of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he will surely die. The Lord cannot just overlook his justice in order to show his mercy. Christ has to die on the cross for the Lord's justice to be satisfied. It is in Christ's death on the cross that his mercy is manifested. How does Paul use the Mosaic arrangement to give us a deeper understanding of Christ's cross?

Does God Love the Unlovable? (Deuteronomy 10:15)

Human beings can go in two different directions. On the one hand we can think that there is something about us that is appealing to God. So, we think that God is going to love us because we are a little more worthy of God's affection than say another person.

The other side of this is that we can think that we are so bad that we are beyond redemption. We can think that God's mercy and grace cannot bring us back from being lost so we avoid the Lord. This too is wrong as we fail to understand the Lord's grace.

How is it encouraging to know that God loves the unlovable? If we are not adorable why would we be encouraged and want to live for God? if we think we are adorable how can God's grace humble us? How does the humbling of God's grace ultimately lift us up?

God’s Election Has No Recount (Rom. 8:30)

In our political systems we can have recounts because we want to make sure that the right person is elected into office. It is tempting to think that God's election might also be flippant. He might have some that he elects to receive salvation for a time and then others who will receive his redemptive blessings unto glory. How do we know this is not the case? Why does the Canons of Dordt appeal only to Romans 8:30 to prove that there is only one election for God's people to receive heaven?

Is There More than Just Trust and Obey? (COD 1; RE1; Acts 13:48)

When Christians talk about man's free will and our coming to faith we end up with the old "Tastes Great.... Less Filling debate." We are not getting to the heart of the issue. The Canons of Dordt seeks to clarify how man comes to faith. The Canons also spells out that God's choosing does not deny our sincere call to respond in faith. The Canons affirms that we are called to obey God. The Canons also defends that christians are called to persevere in our faith. So, what is the fundamental problem? Is this merely a difference of preference or is there a substantive difference?

Ruminating about God's Grace (Romans 11:28-36; COD Head 1 Art. 18)

If we really understand our relationship to our God we should be humble. There is nothing about the story of redemption that leads man to be arrogant. However, we can think that we are a little more worthy than our neighbor. We might also think that maybe one of our friends is more worthy of God's affection than say a thief on the cross. The Canons of Dordt reminds us that not one single person deserves God's grace. How can our contemplation of God's grace draw us closer to God,, hope less in our selves, and actually cultivate a deep compassion?

How Find Comfort after Infant's Death? (1 Cor. 7:14; 2 Sam 12:23; COD 1:17)

As human beings we have a tendency to be sentimental and make our judgements based upon our own bias. We can think that cute infants are unstained from sin because they are too adorable to be sinful. The harsh truth is that we are all sinners from conception. We are all estranged from God because of Adam's rebellion in Eden. If this is true, then how can we take comfort in the tragedy of infant death or a miscarriage? If infants are sinners before the Lord does that mean they are condemned to hell if they die in infancy? How does the covenant of grace give us rich comfort to console us in the midst of infant death?

Are all saved? (Rom. 9:19-25; COD Head 1 Art. 15-16)

As human beings we can potentially see ourselves as adorable, maybe a little mischievous, and maybe even a little flawed. The reality is that we are not always honest about how bad and undeserving we are to receive Christ's grace. One of our problems is that we can think that we are a little deserving of God's grace and favor, but in reality we are not deserving of it at all. So, how can our need for God's sovereign choice in applying his grace humble us? How does this realization compel us to be in a submissive and teachable posture before Christ's cross?

Does God's Election Lead to Spiritual Laziness? (COD 1, Arts. 12-14; Romans 12:1-3)

One would think that if we are assured that Christ's work is enough then it would cheapen grace. It seems that we would think there is no need to desire good works because we have already attained it all in Christ. How can our assurance of faith bring us to a place where we want to bring forth good works? How can Christ's work compel us to want to live for him instead of self?

Why Jacob Over Esau? (Gen. 25:23; Rom. 9:13-18; COD 1:6-11)

The Lord says, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.." The Lord uses strong language against Esau. What did Esau do that is so bad? Why does the Lord love the one child over the other child?

We’re Not Worthy (COD Head 1 Arts. 1-5; Eph. 2:1-10)

The Apostle Paul tells us that faith is a gift. Is this a gift that we reach up and grab or is this a gift that is imposed on us? Why would this gift need to be imposed on us? What is fundamentally wrong with man that he would not want this gift and what does God ultimately do about it?

The Absurdity of Struggle (Matthew 26:36-46 (LD 44; COD Head 5 Art. 4)

The Christian life is something that ebbs and flows with ups and downs.  There are times when we face tests and struggle to persevere through those tests.  There are also times when we face temptations in the weakness of our flesh making it challenging to persevere through this life.  How do we keep a proper perspective on heaven?  How do we keep our focus on the goal of heaven and glory?  Where do we find our strength and power?  What can we learn from Christ interacting with his disciples?

The Sabbath’s Answer to Absurd Anxiety (1 Peter 5:6-11 (LD 38; COD Head 5 Art. 14, 15)

There are many things in this life that can upset us and even overwhelm us.  Peter affirms the reality of the hardship in the Christian life as he tells us that we have our own struggles, the world, and Satan is out to destroy us.  These things make it pretty difficult for us to maintain a positive outlook in our perseverance.  So, how do we know that we will arrive at the goal of heaven?  Where do we turn in our darkest moments?  Where is our hope in this Christian life?

Why Preach if Elect Anyway? (1 Peter 1:23-25 (COD Heads 3/4 Art. 17)

I believe that God has chosen His people before the foundations of the world.  This is something that is rather risky for a preacher to believe because if God chooses His people then what is the point of preaching?  I mean really, if God just does what God desires then why preach?  Why care about the people who do not know the Lord? So, why do we preach if God chooses HIs people anyway?

Longing or Lethargic? (Titus 2:11-14 (LD 24; Head 5 Art. 12)

One of the basic accusations against the Reformed faith is basically along the lines that if we make grace too free or too gracious then people will be lethargic in the Christian life.  Is this true?  How can a free grace view of redemption account for Paul’s letter to Titus where he exhorts us to train ourselves in godliness?  How can we account for all men being saved?  How can a system that believes that God’s grace is only applied to the God’s chosen elect account for Paul’s language of training and stating all being saved?

A Nagging or Nudging Spirit? (Psalm 32 (LD 21; COD Head 5 Article 5)

As a Reformed person I believe that the Holy Spirit will not leave the people that God has chosen.  When someone who is not persuaded of perseverance of the saints hears such talk they immediately think that the Reformed view teaches that God leads people around on a string.  The concern with Reformed Theology is that man becomes a puppet, an empty shell, or a blind follower who has been deprived of a will.  Is Reformed Theology teaching that the Holy Spirit is merely God’s string? Do Reformed people really believe that man is emptied or relieved of his will/desires/decision making ability?  How can Reformed People account for man’s will while God overwhelms His elect people by His Spirit?