tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.comments2024-03-13T11:10:01.605-04:00Beggars All: Reformation And ApologeticsJames Swanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comBlogger35407125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-9511050341912445572024-03-13T11:10:01.605-04:002024-03-13T11:10:01.605-04:00Thank you!Thank you!James Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-90357266240236256642024-03-13T08:15:09.514-04:002024-03-13T08:15:09.514-04:00Excellent find, James!
Excellent find, James!<br /><br /><br />Ken Templehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00831230878745693389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-66387984606639702082024-03-12T19:53:34.486-04:002024-03-12T19:53:34.486-04:00Thank God for preserving these mens' writings....Thank God for preserving these mens' writings. People are waking upAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-69901960103862895762024-03-11T10:01:02.696-04:002024-03-11T10:01:02.696-04:00Sorry for the confusion. That old paper is only av...Sorry for the confusion. That old paper is only available via the Internet Archive. It was previously hosted on a website that no longer exists (ntrmin.org).James Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-63026998785149446592024-03-10T15:01:10.867-04:002024-03-10T15:01:10.867-04:00Never mind the above question - I found it! I jus...Never mind the above question - I found it! I just hadn't looked hard enough. Thank you!Ms. Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00841651748765791866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-5564750384311727122024-03-10T13:59:51.089-04:002024-03-10T13:59:51.089-04:00Do you have a current link to your old paper "...Do you have a current link to your old paper "Luther and the Canon of Scripture"? None of the links I have found in older blog posts and elsewhere seem to work. Ms. Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00841651748765791866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-41745625937061849322024-03-08T14:49:06.425-05:002024-03-08T14:49:06.425-05:00Indeed, I found John Bugay's message yesterday...Indeed, I found John Bugay's message yesterday!Hans Georg Lundahlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01055583255516264955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-60325903596921571132024-03-08T11:25:56.908-05:002024-03-08T11:25:56.908-05:00Belated? 14 years!Belated? 14 years!James Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-6662248280580682222024-03-07T11:51:58.630-05:002024-03-07T11:51:58.630-05:00Belated answer to John Bugay:
Does the Chair of P...Belated answer to John Bugay:<br /><br /><a href="https://greatbishopofgeneva.blogspot.com/2024/03/does-chair-of-peter-exist.html" rel="nofollow">Does the Chair of Peter Exist?<br /><i>Great Bishop of Geneva! | Thursday 7 March 2024</i><br />https://greatbishopofgeneva.blogspot.com/2024/03/does-chair-of-peter-exist.html</a>Hans Georg Lundahlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01055583255516264955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-74156266023899230622024-03-06T10:11:39.964-05:002024-03-06T10:11:39.964-05:00It's always good to maintain a sense of wonder...It's always good to maintain a sense of wonder.James Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-52396073522133770422024-03-06T02:47:19.539-05:002024-03-06T02:47:19.539-05:00I wonder if Luther made it to purgatory.I wonder if Luther made it to purgatory.James Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14111037364653005571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-85409699080121155102024-03-05T10:31:19.264-05:002024-03-05T10:31:19.264-05:00How are these vows breakable? I struggle with beli...<i>How are these vows breakable? I struggle with believing in Protestantism if it is founded on sin (breaking vows)</i><br /><br />The argument put forth in this entry is an exploration of whether or not Luther was released from his vows by his superior, Staupitz. <br /><br />If this is the main issue you struggle "believing in Protestantism," I suspect you really don't want to "believe in Protestantism," even if some sort of explanation was given to you that made sense to you. <br />James Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-64130813946594352752024-03-04T10:51:58.338-05:002024-03-04T10:51:58.338-05:00How are these vows breakable? I struggle with beli...How are these vows breakable? I struggle with believing in Protestantism if it is founded on sin (breaking vows).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-88339429108441022702024-03-03T08:16:05.952-05:002024-03-03T08:16:05.952-05:00You're welcome, thanks so much for visiting my...You're welcome, thanks so much for visiting my blog!James Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-62860800618699881762024-03-03T07:38:00.307-05:002024-03-03T07:38:00.307-05:00Thank you for this. It was helpful!Thank you for this. It was helpful!.:['sare]:.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16684115095359718022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-3474699637050603252024-02-23T00:30:06.262-05:002024-02-23T00:30:06.262-05:00Es curioso,porque los luteranos ...
I've used...<i>Es curioso,porque los luteranos ...</i><br /><br />I've used Google translate to read your comment.<br /><br />I've only met one Lutheran that believed the Lutheran church was the true church, and that was a person online that used a screen name rather than a real name, so I don't see any merit to that comment, nor is it relevant to this blog post.<br /><br /><i>Déjame adivinar, Calvinista?</i><br /><br />Why would you guess that? Curious.James Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-6878707429584677472024-02-21T12:27:51.687-05:002024-02-21T12:27:51.687-05:00Es curioso,porque los luteranos actuales están de ...Es curioso,porque los luteranos actuales están de acuerdo que las distintas denominaciones se alejan de ellos. Por ejemplo, ellos sí creen que son la "verdadera" iglesia católica Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-67604468579412943802024-02-21T12:26:50.194-05:002024-02-21T12:26:50.194-05:00Déjame adivinar, Calvinista?Déjame adivinar, Calvinista?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-41035536648361671262024-02-20T12:19:44.581-05:002024-02-20T12:19:44.581-05:00You Are correct for my understandinh babylon is je...You Are correct for my understandinh babylon is jerusalem Thats why John is wondering when he das her, it has to be something he Never expected but use it on todays jerusalem it makes sense jerusalem is also the second beast (false prophet) who comes from the Earth - the Earth here represents the „land“Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-77560406054832349472024-02-16T23:20:33.884-05:002024-02-16T23:20:33.884-05:00This is good, it help me, thank youThis is good, it help me, thank youAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-73272955965319364652024-02-16T02:27:33.148-05:002024-02-16T02:27:33.148-05:00The New Testament is a complete fabrication, from ...The New Testament is a complete fabrication, from start to finish. It was written by Josephus Flavius, a Jew who went over to the Roman side, in order to undermine Judaism, which was a thorn in the side of the Roman Empire. He wanted to create an alternative religion for people to flock to, in order to prevent people from converting to Judaism, and he succeeded hugely. The alternative religion that he devised (birth in a manger, a last supper, etc.) was based almost entirely on something known as Mithraism.Mike Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08878167431245563170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-89844611890275320142024-01-23T14:30:52.523-05:002024-01-23T14:30:52.523-05:00Precisely. Our salvation is paid in full by the bl...Precisely. Our salvation is paid in full by the blood of Christ alone. Does He work in His sheep a true love for Him? Certainly. But He saves before any may seek — because the unregenerate do not desire the Living God. It is unthinkable that one would desire to be saved by the work of Christ, would see his sin and his need for a savior, and would call out to the Lord, except that he has already been regenerated by unmerited and unsought grace alone. It is even more unthinkable that God would refuse salvation to such a sinner. <br /><br />Why do I call it unthinkable? Do I think God obliged to save any? Of course not! But rather, He has promised in numerous places throughout Scripture that whoever shall come to Him He will not cast away.<br /><br />And even then, the fruit of the Spirit must surely be shown in the believer — such is the Lord’s promise, such we see in all who are saved, even if the fruit be worked exclusively in faith (the thief on the cross) or allowed to mature and show itself more abundantly. And, to that end, a lack of fruit should send us seeking after God in repentance, grieved over our failure to live a life holy and righteous in His sight — and even that would only be possible in the regenerate. I can assure you, I never felt anything other than a twinge of moral obligation towards obedience before being born again. Though I still struggle to grieve as I ought over my sin (and even that extent to which I do is His grace), I do certainly run from it and cast myself on His mercy. He who is without fruit and who desires not to obey the One whom he pronounces as Lord — in hie case, a lack of assurance would be appropriate.<br /><br />But what is the source of our assurance? Is it our good works? Our godly feelings (or even our love for God)? Is it even our faith? No — it is the grace of Christ shown unto us at Calvary, and our God-given confidence that He is able to save His people to the uttermost. It is the knowledge that we ate covered by Christ’s blood. And how may we have this knowledge? By knowing that all in whom He has worked a true faith are covered in His blood.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-11445501609763846582024-01-23T08:39:56.558-05:002024-01-23T08:39:56.558-05:00Sometimes, when my faith is vigorous, I catch myse...Sometimes, when my faith is vigorous, I catch myself doing this. There is joy flowing into my heart, and after awhile I begin to find that my joy suddenly departs. I ask the causes, and I find that the joy came because I was thinking of Christmy joy, then my joy fled. You must not think of your faith but of Christ. Faith comes from meditation upon Christ. Turn, then, your eye, not upon faith but upon Jesus. It is not your hold of Christ that saves you; it is his hold of you. It is not the efficacy of your believing in him; it is the efficacy of his blood applied to you through the Spirit.<br /><br />^this is maybe even closer to the original Spurgeon quoteAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-21297200387812621282024-01-22T10:32:43.993-05:002024-01-22T10:32:43.993-05:00Hi Anonymous,
Thanks for the Spurgeon quote.
In...Hi Anonymous,<br /><br />Thanks for the Spurgeon quote. <br /><br />In general for anyone coming across this post: since I wrote this blog post back in 2012, I've since made peace with the Westminster Standards and the Puritans. For the former, I've done an in-depth study on assurance as presented in the WCF. For the later, I've learned to not lump all the Puritans together- some of what they wrote on works as a sign of assurance was not all that bad! James Swanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16136781934797867593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19795707.post-402020282564297672024-01-21T13:52:17.436-05:002024-01-21T13:52:17.436-05:00This is at least the idea from the supposed Spurge...This is at least the idea from the supposed Spurgeon quote: from his sermon, “The Blood”<br /><br />IV. And now, lastly, WHAT IS THE LESSON. The lesson of the text is to the Christian this. Christian, take care that thou dost always remember, that nothing but the blood of Christ can save thee. I preach to myself to-day what I preach to you. I often find myself like this: —I have been praying that the Holy Spirit might rest in my heart and cleanse out an evil passion, and presently I find myself full of doubts and fears, and when I ask the reason, I find it is this: —I have been looking to the Spirit's work until I put the Spirit's work where Christ's work ought to be. Now, it is a sin to put your own works where Christ's should be; but it is just as much a sin to put the Holy Spirit's work there. You must never make the Spirit of God an anti-Christ, and you virtually do that when you put the Spirit's work as the groundwork of your faith. Do you not often hear Christian men say, "I cannot believe in Christ to-day as I could yesterday, for yesterday I felt such sweet and blessed enjoyments." Now, what is that but putting your frames and feelings where Christ ought to be. Remember, Christ's blood is no more able to save you in a good frame than in a bad frame. Christ's blood must be your trust, as much when you are full of joy as when you are full of doubt. And here it is that your happiness will be in danger, by beginning to put your good frames and good feelings in the room of the blood of Christ. O, brethren, if we could always live with a single eye fixed on the Cross, we should always be happy; but when we get a little peace, and a little joy, we begin to prize the joy and peace so much, that we forget the source whence they come. As Mr. Brooks says, "A husband that loves his wife will, perhaps, often give her jewels and rings; but suppose she should sit down and begin to think of her jewels and rings so much that she should forget her husband, it would be a kind husband's business to take them away from her so that she might fix her affections entirely on him." And it is so with us. Jesus gives us jewels of faith and love, and we get trusting to them, and he takes them away in order that we may come again as guilty, helpless sinners, and put our trust in Christ. To quote a verse I often repeat—I believe the spirit of a Christian should be, from his first hour to his last, the spirit of these two lines: —<br /><br />"Nothing in my hand I bring,<br />Simply to thy cross I cling."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com