March 3, 2021 Show with Roger Salter on “A Man Called ‘Luther’ & a Man Called ‘Erasmus'”

2 views

March 3, 2021 ROGER SALTER, rector of St. Matthews Anglican Church, Birmingham, AL, who will address: “A MAN CALLED ‘LUTHER’ & A MAN NAMED ‘ERASMUS'”

0 comments

00:04
Live from the historic parsonage of the 19th century gospel minister, George Norcross, in downtown
00:10
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, it's Iron Sharpens Iron. This is a radio platform in which pastors,
00:23
Christian scholars, and theologians address the burning issues facing the church and the world today.
00:31
Proverbs, chapter 27, verse 17, tells us iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
00:38
Matthew Henry said that in this passage, we are cautioned to take heed with whom we converse and directed to have in view in conversation, to make one another wiser and better.
00:50
It is our hope that this goal will be accomplished over the next two hours, and we hope to hear from you, the listener, with your own questions, and now here's your host,
01:00
Chris Arnzen. Good afternoon,
01:10
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Lake City, Florida, and the rest of humanity living on the planet Earth who are listening via live streaming at ironsharpensironradio .com.
01:19
This is Chris Arnzen, your host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, wishing you all a happy Wednesday on this third day of March 2021.
01:29
I'm thrilled to have back on the program a dear friend of mine who has become one of my very favorite guests to interview.
01:36
His name is Roger Salter, and he is rector of St. Matthew's Anglican Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
01:43
Today we are going to be addressing a man called Luther and a man named
01:49
Erasmus, and it's my honor and privilege to welcome you back to Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, Roger Salter.
01:59
Very blessed to be with you. Amen, and I am blessed to have you on the program again.
02:05
Tell our listeners, for those of our listeners especially who are hearing about you for the first time, tell them about St.
02:14
Matthew's Anglican Church in Birmingham, Alabama. I'll do so with a bit of shorthand,
02:20
Chris. We are an Anglican congregation that at the moment, in terms of affiliation, is independent.
02:29
And again, not to be too expansive, we are Cranmerian in our theology.
02:35
We adhere to the 39 Articles. We use for our liturgy, our worship, a contemporary version of 1662 prayer book.
02:47
And it's very much that we are part of a minority in the
02:58
Anglican Communion. Probably numerically now, the evangelical wing is the largest portion of the
03:09
Anglican Communion, but it's a very general and, if I could say so, fairly superficial evangelicalism, which is a way of saying, well, we're not
03:21
Anglo -Catholic and we're not liberal. But we belong to that very small group or sector that uphold the doctrines of the
03:31
Reformation. And again, I'm going to use the term that a lot of people say we shouldn't employ, but we are
03:40
Calvinistic in the Augustinian sense. We believe in the sovereignty of grace.
03:46
We believe in the helplessness of man and the divine determination for God to save his people, chosen from all eternity.
03:56
But we believe also that the gospel is addressed to all. The invitation is whosoever will may come.
04:03
So we hold those two aspects of the divine mission of mercy together.
04:10
Yes, the issue of whosoever will may come is the answer to, or should
04:20
I say the question to ask when you are having a friendly dispute with someone who rejects
04:29
Reformed theology and Calvinism, who may claim that a Calvinist doesn't believe that.
04:35
The question to ask them is, but who will come? Why did you come and your very sweet, pious, religious next -door neighbor, who maybe have led a very moral and godly life living next door, she may be even in her 90s, why hasn't she yet come to Christ?
05:01
And we could go on and on with that division in the body of Christ.
05:08
And even though I don't know of a single Arminian who would admit to saying this out loud, but really their only answer could be logically and consistently, well,
05:20
I was more humble than my neighbor. I was more aware of my sinfulness than my neighbor.
05:26
I was more in tune with God than my neighbor. I was more involved in Bible reading.
05:37
You could go on and on and on with the answers, but they always leave one with the clear understanding that the person is in some way innately better than his neighbor.
05:49
Exactly. I think that's a very convincing point of view, Chris, because it's saying that the person who is a believer has something to their credit, and therefore our salvation is not entirely and exclusively of God.
06:04
So it's working on that unfair principle that some people are better than others, and we're all as hopeless as each other in this matter of our sinfulness and our estrangement from God.
06:21
And not that I want to derail our subject today, but when you were speaking about your current independence as an
06:27
Anglican church, it is, I'm sure for you as it is for me, frustrating to watch the spectrum of denominations across the world and perhaps especially here in the
06:43
United States, where you finally have seen something wonderful come about amongst these various groups, and then you see them returning to the very sins that required their existence to begin with.
07:03
I'm thinking of the Reformed Episcopal Church, which started in the 19th century as a reaction to the
07:13
Oxford movement, the Romish wing of Anglicanism, the
07:20
Anglo -Catholic wing that began to rise in prominence, and you have the
07:26
Reformed Episcopal Church was formed for the very reason of combating that, of giving a
07:33
Protestant answer to that, giving a confessionally Reformed answer to that, and now you have, and I don't want to broad brush the
07:43
Reformed Episcopal Church, I have friends and acquaintances who I highly regard in that denomination,
07:49
I've interviewed people in that denomination from their clergy, etc., but you have them returning to the very thing that they were opposed to.
08:00
You have many in their ranks being very sacerdotal and Romish in their understanding of the gospel, of the sacraments, and so on, and you have in the
08:16
Southern Baptist Convention, they cleaned house years ago, decades ago, and when liberalism had dominated, or at least came close to dominating the denomination, the
08:30
Bible -believing conservatives and fundamentalists came in, and God used them to eradicate all remnants, it seemed, of leftism and apostasy, and now you have them once again returning in the woke movement to the dangerous left side of things.
08:57
And it's just mind -boggling, not only in the woke movement, but this would actually be a part of the woke movement,
09:03
I guess, but the softening of opposition to homosexuality, and on and on.
09:10
It's just discouraging, and we have that with the Anglican groups, where perhaps you were waiting very enthusiastically, thinking that you could join yourself to a group that seemed to be committed to biblical orthodoxy and historic
09:26
Protestant Anglicanism, and then all of a sudden you see them changing. Am I right? Absolutely, Chris.
09:32
I mean, it's a matter of, not of pride or of criticism, but of confessional integrity.
09:40
I think you can only sign up to a membership of an organization if you agree with their fundamental theological stance, and in certain details.
09:53
And, to be honest, from my perspective, and I'm still a minister of the
09:58
Church of England, from my perspective, I cannot see any affiliation at the moment, or new development, that actually adheres to the
10:10
Word of God, strictly speaking. I mean, the Scriptures are strictly speaking the very
10:17
Word of God. There seem to be ways in which certain issues can be dodged, or toned down, or even ignored.
10:25
And I think that some of the issues that are glossed over are absolutely fundamental to the life and mission of the
10:33
Church. I don't see how you can preach the Gospel where certain tenets are optional.
10:39
So I feel that one has to be very careful that there is almost a total degree of wholeheartedness in your commitment to a particular expression of the
10:54
Church. And I want to give our listeners the two websites that I have for you, and for St.
11:02
Matthew's Anglican Church in Birmingham, Alabama. If anyone wants to find out more about this church, and about Roger himself, you can go to stm, which is an abbreviation for St.
11:14
Matthew's, stm as in Matthew, anglican .weebly .com, that's stmanglican .weebly
11:23
.com, and you can also go to rogersalter .com, rogersalter .com,
11:29
and his last name is not spelled like the hymn book of the Hebrew Scriptures.
11:34
There's no P in his last name, it's S -A -L -T -E -R, rogersalter .com.
11:41
Well, you have picked quite a fascinating theme today to discuss, a man called
11:48
Luther, and a man named Erasmus. Luther hardly needs any introduction to the average listener of Iron Shepherd's Iron Radio, although I must say there are many misconceptions and legends and myths that perpetuate about Luther, even from very fine men and denominations and pulpits.
12:16
But if you could introduce our listeners to, in an abbreviated fashion obviously, to who
12:25
Luther was, and perhaps give a little more time to a name which, especially for newer
12:35
Christians perhaps, may be a lot less familiar. That's Erasmus.
12:42
Perhaps you'll need to spend a little bit more time letting us know who Erasmus is, but if you could. Okay, well
12:49
I think we can unfold this character description gradually through some of the points to be made,
12:57
Chris. And my subject was suggested to me by re -reading
13:04
Luther's great work, his favorite work that he ever produced,
13:10
The Bondage of the Will, and in particular the translation of J .I. Packer and, oh gosh, it was there a moment ago,
13:21
O .R. Johnson. These two men translated Luther's work in the 50s, and it was published by James Clark, the well -known
13:31
Scottish publisher. And I read it years ago and found that I couldn't sit still while I was reading it.
13:40
It was so energizing and striking and powerful to read Luther, Luther's best work that he most wanted to survive of all his writings.
13:51
And I thought it's about time I reintroduced myself to it, to my third reading in the past few weeks.
13:57
And again, the same effect. I'm absolutely stirred to the core of my being by the teaching and writing of Martin Luther, and as to how richly scriptural it is, and how
14:12
Luther's position on the enslavement of the human world to sin and opposition to God is just so obvious as he expounds this key truth as to why we need salvation.
14:26
My great concern in our time is we preach a salvation, but we don't tell people why they need it.
14:33
And we have a very superficial view of sin and exposition of sin, and so therefore the grace of God is not magnified to the extent that it should be.
14:47
And we're not clinging to the mercy of God purely on the basis of his goodness and compassion.
14:55
We've always got this notion that somehow we have to win God's approval. We have to stay in his good books when we can't even put an initial in his good books, let alone our names.
15:08
And so I thought of a man called Luther, because Luther was uniquely called of God for the recovery of the true gospel in his time.
15:21
And a man named Erasmus, who was the most famous European scholar and literary figure in that same period, or the early 16th century, a man of tremendous reputation and revered throughout all the nations of the continent.
15:42
He was the great name, as it were, in the
15:47
Catholic Church of the day. He was a monk, but he was fairly relaxed as a believer, didn't have firm convictions about very much, except that we should imitate the virtues and meritorious aspects of Christ's being and life.
16:06
I don't think he had much of a grasp of human helplessness and divine salvation at all, but he was a great literary figure and lauded all over Europe.
16:18
And for a while he approved of Luther stirring things up in the Catholic Church, but Luther's reforms went way beyond ceremony and clericalism, some of the superstitious approach to religion in the church at the time.
16:34
And so Luther felt bound to advocate the gospel more forcefully, and people encouraged
16:44
Erasmus to debate with him, which he did in his diatribe, which means discussion on these issues.
16:53
But really Erasmus only half -heartedly contended with Luther, because the doctrine was beyond his comprehension.
17:04
He didn't have that spiritual depth of understanding and insight that Luther, who deferred to him as a scholar and the greater man, actually possessed, because it goes back to that calling from God.
17:17
Luther was introduced to his helplessness and his desperate need of God.
17:23
Erasmus probably never ever felt the kind of despair, self -despair, that a sinner ought to experience.
17:32
So that's why I put it in this order. A man called Luther and a man named
17:39
Erasmus. So a reformer and a man of great fame coming into conflict over the doctrine,
17:47
I think, that is expounded in Luther's book, The Bondage of the Will, which is the fundamental outline of the whole purpose and plan of salvation and our absolute need of divine grace and its wonderful effects in the life of the people of God.
18:06
So Luther, who was regarded by officialdom as an outrageous rebel and fiery extremist, and Erasmus, your calm, respectable intellectual who everybody admired and deferred to, this was quite a clash, a classic clash.
18:32
And I feel that this great work that Luther, again, wanted to survive and endure, way beyond the extent of the relevance of his other writings,
18:45
I think it is the foundation document of the Reformation. I can't say that as a scholar.
18:52
I'm not a scholar. It's a personal conviction. When I read that book, I think it gives you pure gospel that ought to be the basis of every
19:03
Christian confession, both in terms of denominations or affiliations and of individual believers.
19:12
Now, centuries before them, before Luther and Erasmus, we had a tension between two great figures in the
19:24
Church that in some ways, I believe, was a precursor to what later developed with Luther and Erasmus, the tension and the opposition that existed between Augustine of Hippo and Pelagius.
19:40
I think that there are very similar issues at hand in both of their disputes, centuries apart, even though the
19:53
Roman Catholic Church condemned Pelagius and regards him to this day as a heretic, but in the 21st century and perhaps long before, you could barely distinguish the apologetic and the theology of your average
20:12
Roman Catholic who has some, at least, cursory knowledge of the
20:19
Catholic Church and what to believe and how to live. You can barely distinguish that from a full -blown
20:24
Pelagian, can you? That's right. That's right, Chris. I mean, the practical theology and attitude of Catholicism has been largely semi -Pelagian at best, but there's always been a distinct line of devout
20:40
Augustinians in the pre -Reformational Church, men who stood firm on what we call these days the doctrines of grace.
20:50
They were the heirs of Augustine. They preserved his teaching well and very powerfully in the pre -Reformational
20:57
Church, and they were a tremendous influence on the Reformers themselves, of course, who were nurtured as Catholics, and both
21:06
Luther and Calvin, second to Augustine, quoted
21:11
Bernard of Clairvaux more than any other church father or pre -Reformational figure, and there are some astoundingly great men of God down that sort of line of the church fathers through the medieval era until the dawn of the
21:29
Reformation who were very firm on the doctrines of human inability and divine election, and they contributed a great deal to the understanding of the
21:43
Reformers, particularly in the English Church, which became very
21:49
Augustinian in the sense of its interpretation of Scripture. It's Scripture that matters most, but as somebody said, it was
21:59
Paul who said it and it was Augustine who read it, and it was through Augustine principally that these doctrines were conserved and expounded, and then through that line of thinkers who adhered to Augustine's great thoughts on this matter.
22:16
So, you know, I'm thinking not only of contention over this recurring controversy in the life of the
22:27
Church, but I'm thinking too that the conflict between, say, Luther and Erasmus or Augustine and Pelagius is not merely personal but typical, that the very essence of the
22:40
Church's calling and proclamation is this idea of the helplessness of man, his inability to enable himself to be approved of God and restored to Him, and the absolute necessity of divine mercy in our recovery to God.
23:02
So the Church, in a sense, is governed by these two moods. The mood of Luther, absolute dependence upon God and the
23:11
Gospel. The mood of Erasmus, a certain amount of human virtue, of knowledge, of moral effort, contributing to our standing before God.
23:23
And this powerful sense of total commitment to the
23:28
Gospel of Jesus Christ and the expounding of His work and meaning and significance, and this rather lackadaisical view towards sin, and this coziness with very superficial religion.
23:43
And I think these are the two prevailing forces in the Church of our time. The mood of Luther or the attitude of Erasmus.
23:52
People probably are not aware of these two figures or fountainheads, but they adopt either one of those attitudes.
24:01
All out for the Gospel and energetic in believing and proclaiming it, or indifferent to the essentials.
24:11
And the Church is some sort of religious institution where we don't have to be too specific about doctrine.
24:20
We can be very relaxed about what people believe. And in fact, it's almost a matter of self -salvation, with the human decision taking priority over the will of God.
24:33
Well, we have to get to our first station break right now, if anybody has a question for Roger Sulter.
24:40
On this issue we are discussing, a man called
24:46
Luther and a man named Erasmus, and the theological conflict that exists even to this day in the 21st century, that has never been resolved in any meaningful way between the
25:02
Church of Rome and Biblical Protestantism. If you have a question, our email address is chrisanzen at gmail .com,
25:10
C -H -R -I -S -A -R -N -Z -E -N at gmail .com. As always, give us your first name at least, your city and state of residence, and your country of residence, if you live outside the
25:20
USA. Please only remain anonymous if your question involves a personal or private matter. Don't go away, we'll be right back with Roger Sulter of St.
25:28
Matthew's Anglican Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and more of our discussion on a man called
25:33
Luther and a man named Erasmus, right after these messages from our sponsors. I'm James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries.
25:49
My friend Chris Arnzen, host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, and I are headed down to Atlanta, Georgia, once again, for the
25:56
G3 Conference. This year's G3 will be held Thursday, September 30th, through Saturday, October 2nd, on the theme,
26:03
Christ is Supreme Over All. I'll be joined by over 20 other speakers and musicians to lead in the worship of God through preaching, teaching, and singing, including
26:13
John MacArthur, Phil Johnson, Conrad M. Bayway, Daryl Bernard Harrison, and Virgil Walker.
26:19
For details, visit G3conference .com, that's G3conference .com. Chris Arnzen and I hope to see you
26:25
September 30th through October 2nd at G321. This is James White reminding you that Christ is
26:31
Supreme Over All. Iron Sharpens Iron Radio When Iron Sharpens Iron Radio first launched in 2005, the publishers of the
26:50
New American Standard Bible were among my very first sponsors. It gives me joy knowing that many scholars and pastors in the
26:58
Iron Sharpens Iron Radio audience have been sticking with or switching to the
27:03
NASB. I'm Dr. Joseph Piper, President and Professor of Systematic and Homiletical Theology at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Taylors, South Carolina, and the
27:15
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Chuck White of the
27:20
First Trinity Lutheran Church in Tonawanda, New York, and the NASB is my Bible of choice.
27:26
I'm Pastor Anthony Methenia of Christ Church in Radford, Virginia, and the NASB is my
27:32
Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Jesse Miller of Damascus Road Christian Church in Gardnerville, Nevada, and the
27:39
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Bruce Bennett of Word of Truth Church in Farmerville, Long Island, New York, and the
27:48
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Rodney Brown of Metro Bible Church in South Lake, Texas, and the
27:56
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Jim Harrison of Red Mills Baptist Church in Mayapac Falls, New York, and the
28:04
NASB is my Bible of choice. Here's a great way for your church to help keep
28:10
Iron Trumpets Iron Radio on the air. Pastors, are your pew Bibles tattered and falling apart?
28:16
Consider restocking your pews with the NASB, and tell the publishers you heard about them from Chris Arnzen on Iron Trumpets Iron Radio.
28:24
Go to nasbible .com, that's nasbible .com to place your order.
28:39
I'm Dr. Tony Costa, Professor of Apologetics and Islam at Toronto Baptist Seminary.
28:45
I'm thrilled to introduce to you a church where I've been invited to speak, and have grown to love,
28:51
Hope Reform Baptist Church in Coram, Long Island, New York, pastored by Rich Jensen and Christopher McDowell.
28:58
It's such a joy to witness and experience fellowship with people of God, like the dear saints at Hope Reform Baptist Church in Coram, who have an intensely passionate desire to continue digging deeper and deeper into the unfathomable riches of Christ in His Holy Word, and to enthusiastically proclaim
29:16
Christ Jesus the King, and His doctrines of sovereign grace in Suffolk County, Long Island, and beyond.
29:22
I hope you also have the privilege of discovering this precious congregation, and receive the blessing of being showered by their love, as I have.
29:32
For more information on Hope Reform Baptist Church, go to hopereformedli .net,
29:38
that's hopereformedli .net, or call 631 -696 -5711.
29:47
That's 631 -696 -5711. Tell the folks at Hope Reform Baptist Church of Coram, Long Island, New York, that you heard about them from Tony Costa on Iron Sharpens Iron.
30:10
We are excited to announce another new member of the
30:17
Iron Sharpens Iron radio advertising family. Bhanu Gadi, owner of three
30:22
New York pharmacies, Lee's Drugs of Floral Park, Long Beach Chemists, and Prescription Center of Long Island in Hempstead.
30:31
Bhanu Gadi earned a doctorate in pharmacy degree from the University of New York, and is very knowledgeable on the current coronavirus pandemic.
30:39
Please contact Dr. Gadi, so he and his expert staff can give you proper guidance amid all the contradictory confusion we are all hearing in the media.
30:48
To find the pharmacy nearest you, call 516 -354 -2000.
30:54
That's 516 -354 -2000. Or order online at leesdrugsrx .com.
31:02
That's leesdrugsrx .com. Don't forget to ask about their discount generic drug program.
31:12
Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord Jesus Christ. My name is Bhanu Gadi. I'm a pharmacist in New York, which is the epicenter of the latest crisis the world is going through.
31:23
In Psalm 139, verse 14, the psalmist offers praise to the Lord like this,
31:28
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and wondrous are your works that my soul knows very well.
31:36
He saw God's goodness and mercy, kindness, and the beauty in what
31:41
God has designed, and he has erupted into praise. In any crisis or problem, brothers and sisters, our only fallback position is to trust
31:50
God's design. And once we do, there is nothing for us to do but to erupt in praise to him.
31:57
When the whole world is searching for a solution, God in his infinite mercy has given us what we need to address this illness, which can be very serious.
32:07
Such is the beauty of his design. Knowing that design, how can we not erupt in praise to our great
32:13
God like the psalmist did? May God bless you and give all of us wisdom to see greater things in his design.
32:20
Thank you. Getting a driver's license.
32:32
Running a cash register. Flipping burgers. Passing sixth grade. Do you know what they all have in common?
32:38
They all require training, assessments, and certifications. But do you know what requires no training at all?
32:45
Becoming a parent. My name is A .M. Brewster. I'm the president of Truth, Love, Parent, and host of its award -winning podcast.
32:53
I've been a biblical family counselor since the early 2000s, and what I've discovered is that the majority of Christian parents have never been biblically equipped to do the work of the ministry in their homes.
33:03
That's why Truth, Love, Parent exists. We serve God by equipping dads and moms to be the ambassador parents
33:09
God called and created them to be. We produce free parenting resources, train church leaders, and offer biblical counseling so that the next generation of dads and moms can use the scriptures to parent their children for life and godliness.
33:21
Please visit us at TruthLoveParent .com. www .TruthLoveParent
33:39
.com As host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, I frequently get requests from listeners for church recommendations.
33:45
A church I've been strongly recommending as far back as the 1980s is Grace Covenant Baptist Church in Flemington, New Jersey, pastored by Alan Dunn.
33:54
Grace Covenant Baptist Church believes it's God's prerogative to determine how he shall be worshiped and how he shall be represented in the world.
34:02
They believe churches need to turn to the Bible to discover what to include in worship and how to worship
34:08
God in spirit and truth. Grace Covenant Baptist Church endeavors to maintain a
34:13
God -centered focus. Reading, preaching, and hearing the word of God, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, baptism and communion are the scriptural elements of their corporate worship, performed with faith, joy, and sobriety.
34:28
Discover more about Grace Covenant Baptist Church in Flemington, New Jersey at GCBCNJ .squarespace
34:37
.com That's GCBCNJ .squarespace .com
34:44
Or call them at 908 -996 -7654. That's 908 -996 -7654.
34:54
Tell Pastor Dunn that you heard about Grace Covenant Baptist Church on Iron Sharpens Iron Radio. Are you tired of looking for the silver bullet when it comes to health and wellness?
35:11
Are you frustrated with the medical status quo which masks symptoms and doesn't treat the root problem of sickness?
35:17
More importantly, are you looking for one of the most unique books ever written, which gives you safe, low -cost, and proven options to regain your health the way
35:25
God intended? Then look no further than my new book, Health for All of Life, a medical manifesto of hope and healing for the nations.
35:32
Hi, I'm Jason Garwood, and I'm a husband, father, pastor, and writer whose passion for helping people led me to write this book.
35:40
If 2020 has proven anything, it's that Big Pharma, Big Tech, and Big Government knows nothing about how to treat people naturally without poisoning them with synthetic drugs and experimental vaccines.
35:50
But what if God has given us a better way? What if we can take the Christian worldview found in the Bible and apply it to health and wellness?
35:57
My book, Health for All of Life, does just that. You can find this exciting new book on Amazon. Pick up a copy for yourself and for your friends and family.
36:05
Give the gift of health and don't be a dead end to truth. Iron Sharpens Iron Radio Iron Sharpens Iron Radio depends upon the financial support of fine
36:19
Christian organizations to remain on the air, like the Historical Bible Society. The Historical Bible Society maintains a collection of Christian books, manuscripts, and Bibles of historical significance spanning nearly a thousand years.
36:33
The mission of HBS is the preservation and public display of ancient scripture, dissemination of scripture, to provide tools equipping believers in Christian apologetics with evidence for the
36:45
Bible's reliability, and to introduce Reformation literature and Christian art to a broader audience.
36:52
Since 2004, HBS has toured schools and churches throughout the Northeast United States, reaching thousands of believers and non -believers alike who are hungry for knowledge of the
37:03
Bible. HBS's founder, Daniel P. Buttafuoco, attorney at law, is committed to sharing this collection along with an inspirational historical message that will captivate you and your church.
37:15
Come journey through their website, historicalbiblesociety .org. The collection includes a complete 11th century
37:23
Bible, an actual page of the Gutenberg Bible from 1455, the first book ever printed, the
37:29
Geneva Bible, the 1611 King James Bible, and much, much more. Visit historicalbiblesociety .org
37:37
today. Thank you, Daniel P. Buttafuoco, attorney at law, for your faithful support of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.
37:44
And don't forget, folks, if you donate a minimum of $35 to the
37:50
Historical Bible Society, you'll receive a gorgeous 44 -page book, 9 by 12 inches in dimension, on the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the family tree of Jesus, if you will.
38:04
It's a beautiful book because it has the appearance of being printed on parchment paper, and all of the artwork on every single page includes the artwork directly printed from a first edition 1611
38:20
King James Bible on the genealogy of Christ. So this is quite a beautiful book and quite an icebreaker in conversation in your home if you have family, friends, or loved ones over the house that perhaps are not believers.
38:35
You have this out on the coffee table. This could be an icebreaker to bring up why the genealogies of Jesus Christ is so important into affirming, confirming that he was the promised
38:50
Messiah from the Hebrew Scriptures. And then, of course, that is just a platform to bring lost sinners to the gospel.
39:00
But it's a beautiful book, 44 pages, 9 by 12 inches on the genealogy of Jesus. You will get that in exchange for your donation to the
39:08
Historical Bible Society of a minimum of $35, and go to historicalbiblesociety .org
39:14
to find out more information. historicalbiblesociety .org We are now back with our guest today,
39:20
Roger Salter, the Rector at St. Matthew's Anglican Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
39:27
And we are discussing the theme, A Man Called Luther and a Man Named Erasmus. Our email address is chrisarnson at gmail .com.
39:35
chrisarnson at gmail .com. Give us your first name at least, your city and state of residence, and your country of residence if you live outside the
39:41
USA. Only remain anonymous if your question involves a personal or private matter. So just to recap the importance of this topic,
39:50
Roger, not only the first dispute centuries before Luther and Erasmus were born between Augustine and Pelagius, where Pelagius was denying the taint of Adam's sin, the inheritance of Adam's sin from the moment of conception, also known as Original Sin.
40:20
He was denying that, and he was also denying the necessity, the requirement of grace in order to leave a human with free will to believe in and embrace
40:33
Christ and be joined to his church, etc. And then, of course, centuries later you have
40:43
Erasmus as a Catholic not defending that extreme version of the freedom of man and the lack of a requirement of grace.
40:54
Erasmus would have believed in the necessity of grace but not the sufficiency of grace.
41:02
And what this all boils down to is that the tension, the dispute, the divide between Roman Catholicism and Biblical Protestantism, historical
41:14
Reformational Protestantism, is that the Reformed, those who today would be, this teaching would be more clearly seen amongst those who are theologically
41:27
Reformed and Calvinistic, is that we owe 100 % of the praise, honor, and glory to God for our salvation, whereas those outside of the
41:42
Reformed faith, even within Protestantism, may claim that. They may claim, I owe all the credit,
41:49
I give all the credit to God for my salvation. They may say that, but their theology and their belief systems do not logically and consistently prove that out.
42:00
They always wind up believing that man takes a part of the credit for his or her salvation.
42:07
Am I right? Absolutely, Chris. I mean, the two debates that we've mentioned,
42:14
Augustine, Pelagius, Luther, Erasmus, are representative of the fundamental disagreement and debate that really matters in Christendom.
42:25
This is the key issue that determines as to whether our faith is authentic, that the life of the church with which we're associated is authentic and genuine and in union with the will of God and the grace of Christ.
42:44
And in these two men especially, we witness the classic encounter of minds that wrestle together in the life of the visible people of God.
42:54
You know, one agrees with Wycliffe's definition of the church, the entire community or number of those predestined to life.
43:06
And so this is a clash between spiritual understanding and the comprehension of the natural mind concerning the things of God, which don't really consider the things of God as an urgent priority.
43:21
But the question is, as you put it, Chris, who is it that saves the sinner?
43:27
Is it man himself by his own powers and virtue, which is what
43:32
Erasmus would contend, at least in his book, The Diatribe, which he was really unwilling to write.
43:41
But it's an issue of whether salvation is wrought through man and God in collaboration or God alone.
43:50
You know, it's salvation of the Lord. And I've got this quote in front of me from Luther, if I have your permission to read it,
43:59
Chris. Oh, of course. Well, this is his review of Erasmus' preface.
44:07
And he says, For the first, God has surely promised his grace to the humbled, that is, to those who mourn over and despair of themselves.
44:17
But a man cannot be thoroughly humbled till he realizes that his salvation is utterly beyond his own powers, counsels, efforts, will, and works, and depends absolutely on the will, counsel, pleasure, and work of another,
44:36
God alone. As long as he is persuaded that he can make even the smallest contribution to his salvation, he remains self -confident and does not utterly despair of himself and so is not humbled before God, but plans out for himself, or at least hopes and longs for, a position, an occasion, a work which shall bring him final salvation.
45:03
But he who is out of doubt that his destiny depends entirely on the will of God, despairs entirely of himself, chooses nothing for himself, but waits for God to work in him, and such a man is very near to grace for his salvation.
45:22
Some of these truths are published for the sake of the elect, that they may be humbled and brought down to nothing, and so saved.
45:30
The rest of men resist this humiliation. Indeed, they condemn the teaching of self -despair.
45:36
They want little something less that they can do for themselves. Secretly they continue proud and enemies of the grace of God.
45:45
This, I repeat, is one reason that those who fear God might in humility comprehend, claim, and receive his gracious promise.
45:55
We have to become absolutely spiritually destitute before God and paupers before him in terms of righteousness and any claim on his goodness.
46:07
So self -despair, not despair of God or mercy, but self -despair is essential,
46:14
I think, to a clear understanding of the grace of God and the nature of salvation.
46:21
So I think that Scripture brings us to that point in showing how enslaved we are to our appetites, our affections, our pride, which are presented to us by the evil one, by the world, and are evident within us by our own lusts and affections.
46:43
And so it's this particular struggle and on which side of the issue we stand that shapes the nature and the action and the outreach of the
46:54
Church. We can soon get an idea of the temper of the Church by whether it is urgent in preaching the gospel or whether it is a little bit like Erasmus in his personal attitude, a bit laid back on these most important issues.
47:14
Well, we have a listener, Bruce, in Hoover, Alabama, who says, Thank you, Chris and Roger, for this wonderful program and deeply needed discussion.
47:23
I happen to completely agree with Luther's premise on bondage of the will.
47:30
And per that premise, I, the sinful man Bruce, believe I am completely incapable of myself, by myself, of recognizing and accepting any gospel truth, be it not for the work and enlightenment of the
47:46
Holy Spirit. That said, my question related to this topic concerns prayer. What advice can you give us as to how can all, or any of us, utter praises,
47:59
I'm sorry, utter prayers to God that are more than typical religious meanderings or pronouncements of self -righteous people or long lists of entitled people or impatient demands of people who wonder what
48:19
God is doing? How, then, should we prepare for and approach prayer? Thank you, both
48:24
Roger and Chris, for your advice and thoughts on this. Keep charging. Best regards, Bruce from Hoover, Alabama.
48:34
So, I'm assuming, since you are a big fan of the Book of Common Prayer, maybe that has some answer for guidance in this question?
48:46
It certainly does, Chris. It's a thoroughly Augustinian manual of doctrine and devotion.
48:55
We start from that point of our utter helplessness and our utter independence upon God to even move one centimeter in His direction in a sincere and genuine way.
49:09
And I think we have to start not always with the same formula of words, but I think certainly, and I add to this concept that I'm trying to expound, the
49:20
Lord's Prayer, of course, is the pattern for prayer, which makes us totally dependent upon Him and totally obligated to Him in terms of our loving obedience.
49:31
But I think that we start from the basis that we have no entitlement, no room for negotiation with God, and the three key words in any prayer or approach to God is,
49:45
Lord, have mercy, because it's a matter of pure mercy alone.
49:51
That casts us into the, at the very feet of a sovereign
49:56
God, knowing that we have His invitation to pray that prayer if we are moved by the
50:03
Holy Spirit to utter it before God. But it's this matter of, again, wholesome self -despair.
50:13
I can do nothing. Without me, you can do nothing, says Jesus to His disciples.
50:20
Not even have the right attitude or the right inclination of will. It is just simply, we are utterly impotent.
50:32
And John Duncan, the great Scottish churchman and thinker and theologian, used to say, it is that very concept of your inability that causes you to pray, because it creates within you that reaching out to God for the most fundamental element of help that you need, just calling upon Him.
50:57
Nobody does that without the work of the Holy Spirit, not in a salvific sense.
51:03
And so what we're dealing with here is this attitude among the so -called people of God that we function on self -help or some help that is divine or helplessness and utter dependence upon God.
51:21
And I think that is the basis of all prayer. We're casting ourselves before the
51:27
God of all power and mercy without any entitlement to a favourable hearing, let alone a favourable answer.
51:37
But God pledges this to His people, whom He stirs up to pray with genuineness and sincerity.
51:45
So I think that's the starting point, at least, to Bruce's very telling question, that our prayer life needs to be reviewed and renewed so often, because it is, as he says, sometimes these mindless meanderings, as if our prayer even isn't penetrating to our thick, dead skulls.
52:11
We're just reciting something to ourselves, our wishes, our preferences.
52:17
And even our prayer is not subject to the will or the sovereignty of God. It is self -seeking in a religious and a falsely religious way, our own self -interest.
52:30
So it's very hard. That's why we need the Holy Spirit to refine and edit our prayers, and the
52:37
Saviour as our advocate to present them before the throne. There's just so much here that could be expanded upon.
52:47
But I think if we start with the idea that we are helpless and with no dessert, and we are calling upon the
52:58
Sovereign of the Universe, its Maker and Lawgiver and Governor, who out of the generosity of His compassionate heart is proffering salvation to those who seek it earnestly from Him.
53:14
We have to go to our midway break. Thank you very much, Bruce, for that excellent question. And I want to actually pick up on where you left off on that very issue that Bruce's question involved when we return from the break.
53:28
But folks, please be patient with us. This is the longer than normal break, because Grace Life Radio, 90 .1
53:33
FM in Lake City, Florida, requires of us a longer break in the middle of the show. Therefore, we ask you to be patient with us and use this time wisely.
53:43
Grace Life Radio needs this longer break, because they are required of the FCC to air their own public service announcements and other local announcements that localize this program to Lake City, Florida, geographically.
53:57
While they do that, we simultaneously air our globally heard commercials. So please use this time wisely and write down as much of the information provided by our advertisers as you possibly can, so that you can more frequently and successfully patronize them.
54:12
And sometimes, if you can't purchase their products, use their services, visit their churches, at least reach out to them from the information they provide in their advertisements.
54:22
Reach out to them and thank them for sponsoring Iron Trump and Zion Radio. At the very least, please do that, because we want our advertisers to be pleased with the responses from our listeners, and we want them to stick around so that we can stick around.
54:35
We depend on the finances that come from our advertisers to exist. Never forget that. Also use this time to send in questions to Roger Salter, ChrisArnzen at gmail .com.
54:46
ChrisArnzen at gmail .com. Don't go away. We'll be right back after these messages from our sponsors. Hello, dear ones, my name is
55:01
Justin Peters, and my friend, Chris Arnzen, host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, and I are frequently blessed to share great times of fellowship with one another at conferences all over the
55:12
United States. We'll both be enjoying more fellowship together at the G3 Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, September 30th, through Saturday, October 2nd, on the theme,
55:24
Christ is Supreme Over All. I'll be speaking there, along with over 20 other speakers, including
55:30
John MacArthur, Phil Johnson, Voddie Balcom, Joel Beakey, and James White.
55:36
For details, visit g3conference .com. That's g3conference .com.
55:45
Please join Chris Arnzen and me, September 30th through October 2nd at G3 2021.
55:52
This is Justin Peters reminding you that Christ is supreme over all. Fellowshiping with the family.
56:10
James White of Alpha Omega Ministries here. If you've watched my Dividing Line webcast often enough, you know
56:15
I have a great love for getting Bibles and other documents vital to my ministry rebound to preserve and ensure their longevity.
56:23
And besides that, they feel so good. I'm so delighted I discovered Post -Tenebrous Lux Bible rebinding.
56:29
No radio ad will be long enough to sing their praises sufficiently, but I'll give it a shot. Jeffrey Rice of Post -Tenebrous
56:36
Lux is a remarkably gifted craftsman and artisan. All his work is done by hand, from the cutting, to the pleating of corners, to the perimeter stitching.
56:45
Jeffrey uses the finest and buttery soft imported leathers in a wide variety of gorgeous colors, like the turquoise goatskin tanned in Italy used for my
56:54
Nestle All in 28th edition, with a navy blue goatskin inside liner, and the electric blue goatskin from a
57:01
French tannery used to rebind a Reformation Study Bible I used as a gift. The silver gilding he added on the page edges has a stunning mirror finish resembling highly polished chrome.
57:12
Jeffrey will customize your rebinding to your specifications and even emboss your logo into the leather, making whatever he rebinds a one -of -a -kind work of art.
57:22
For more details on Post -Tenebrous Lux Bible rebinding, go to PTLBibleRebinding .com
57:30
That's PTLBibleRebinding .com Chris Arnsen, host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, announcing a new website with an exciting offer from World Magazine, my trusted source for news from a
57:54
Christian perspective. Try World Now at no charge for 90 days by going to GetWorldNow .com
58:02
That's GetWorldNow .com I rely on World because I trust the reporting,
58:07
I gain insight from the analysis, and World provides clarity to the news stories that really matter.
58:13
I believe you'll also find World to be an invaluable resource to better understand critical topics with a depth that's simply not found in other media outlets.
58:22
Armed with this coverage, World can help you to be a voice of wisdom in your family and your community.
58:28
This trial includes bi -weekly issues of World Magazine, on -scene reporting from World Radio, and the fully shareable content of World Digital.
58:37
There's no obligation and no credit card required. Visit GetWorldNow .com
58:43
today. Also check out World News Group's podcast, The World and Everything in It, at wng .org
58:52
forward slash podcast. That's W for World, N for News, G for Group, dot org forward slash podcast.
59:10
Every day at thousands of community centers, high schools, middle schools, juvenile institutions, coffee shops, and local hangouts,
59:19
Long Island Youth for Christ staff and volunteers meet with young people who need Jesus. We are rural and urban, and we are always about the message of Jesus.
59:28
Our mission is to have a noticeable spiritual impact on Long Island, New York by engaging young people in the lifelong journey of following Christ.
59:36
Long Island Youth for Christ has been a stalwart bedrock ministry since 1959. We have a world -class staff and a proven track record of bringing consistent love and encouragement to youths in need all over the country and around the world.
59:50
Help honor our history by becoming a part of our future. Volunteer, donate, pray, or all of the above.
59:57
For details, call Long Island Youth for Christ at 631 -385 -8333.
01:00:04
That's 631 -385 -8333. Or visit liyfc .org.
01:00:13
That's liyfc .org. When Iron Sharpens Iron Radio first launched in 2005, the publishers of the
01:00:26
New American Standard Bible were among my very first sponsors. It gives me joy knowing that many scholars and pastors in the
01:00:33
Iron Sharpens Iron Radio audience have been sticking with or switching to the NASB.
01:00:39
I'm Pastor Nate Pickowitz of Harvest Bible Church in Gilmont and Ironworks, New Hampshire, and the
01:00:45
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Rich Jensen of Hope Reform Baptist Church in Quorum, New York, and the
01:00:53
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Sule Prince of Oakwood Wesleyan Church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the
01:01:02
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor John Samson of King's Church in Peoria, Arizona, and the
01:01:10
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Chuck Volo of New Life Community Church in Kingsville, Maryland, and the
01:01:18
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Steve Herford of Eastport Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, and the
01:01:25
NASB is my Bible of choice. I'm Pastor Roy Owens, Jr. of the
01:01:31
Church in Friendship in Hopley, Texas, and the NASB is my Bible of choice.
01:01:37
Here's a great way for your church to help keep Iron Sharpens Iron Radio on the air. Pastors, are your pew
01:01:43
Bibles tattered and falling apart? Consider restocking your pews with the NASB and tell the publishers you heard about them from Chris Arnzen on Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.
01:01:54
Go to nasbible .com. That's nasbible .com to place your order.
01:02:08
Hello, my name is Anthony Uvino, and I'm one of the pastors at Hope Reformed Baptist Church in Quorum, New York, and also the host of the reformrookie .com
01:02:16
website. I want you to know that if you enjoy listening to the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio show like I do, you can now find it on the
01:02:23
Apple's iTunes app by typing Iron Sharpens Iron Radio in the search bar. You no longer have to worry about missing a show or a special guest because you're in your car or still at work.
01:02:34
Just subscribe on the iTunes app and listen to the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio show at any time, day or night.
01:02:40
Please be sure to also give it a good review and pass it along to anyone who would benefit from the teaching and the many solidly reformed guests that Chris Arnzen has on the show.
01:02:49
Truth is so hard to come by these days, so don't waste your time with fluff or fake news.
01:02:55
Subscribe to the Iron Sharpens Iron Radio podcast right now. And while you're at it, you can also sign up for the reformrookie .com
01:03:02
podcast and visit our website and the YouTube page. We are dedicated to teaching Christian theology from a
01:03:08
Reformed Baptist perspective to beginners in the faith as well as seasoned believers. From Keach's Catechism and the
01:03:15
Doctrines of Grace to the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Leviticus, the Reform Rookie podcast and YouTube channel is sure to have something to offer everyone seeking biblical truth.
01:03:25
And finally, if you're looking to worship in a Reformed church that holds to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, please join us at Hope Reformed Baptist Church in Corham, New York.
01:03:35
Again, I'm Pastor Anthony Ivino, and thanks for listening. Was your business shut down during the
01:03:53
COVID -19 pandemic, depriving you of earning any money, causing you to default on your rent as you try to survive without income?
01:04:02
Maybe you've had to close your doors for good. The good news, you thought, was that you purchased business interruption insurance as a part of your business liability policy with a major insurance company who told you they are a good neighbor or that you would be in good hands.
01:04:21
You filed a claim only to be told that it was denied due to the pandemic exclusion clause.
01:04:27
The pandemic exclusion? Since 2006, most insurance companies added this clause to enable them to deny your income loss claims in the event of a worldwide pandemic.
01:04:40
Do not give up. No matter what state you live in, call Buttafuoco & Associates now at 1 -800 -669 -4878.
01:04:52
Buttafuoco & Associates is a part of a large multi -district litigation, and they are working with lead counsel to bring what they believe will be a successful lawsuit for these claims.
01:05:03
It is the best way for you to proceed. There's absolutely no risk to you. You do not have to pay them out of pocket, and there is no fee unless you recover on your claim.
01:05:15
You need to call 1 -800 -669 -4878 right now.
01:05:20
Trust the law firm where the attorneys at one of the largest business firms on Long Island, New York, are sending their own clients for representation during this lawsuit.
01:05:32
Buttafuoco & Associates, here to help business owners rebuild their lives in the wake of the pandemic.
01:05:39
Call 1 -800 -669 -4878. O hail the power of Jesus' name.
01:06:07
This is Pastor Bill Sousa, Grace Church at Franklin, here in the beautiful state of Tennessee.
01:06:13
Our congregation is one of a growing number of churches who love and support
01:06:18
Iron Sharpens Iron Radio financially. Grace Church at Franklin is an independent, autonomous body of believers which strives to clearly declare the whole counsel of God as revealed in Scripture through the person and work of our
01:06:34
Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, the end for which we strive is the glory of God.
01:06:41
If you live near Franklin, Tennessee, and Franklin is just south of Nashville, maybe 10 minutes, or you are visiting this area, or you have friends and loved ones nearby, we hope you will join us some
01:06:54
Lord's Day in worshiping our God and Savior. Please feel free to contact me if you have more questions about Grace Church at Franklin.
01:07:04
Our website is gracechurchatfranklin .org. That's gracechurchatfranklin .org.
01:07:12
This is Pastor Bill Sousa wishing you all the richest blessings of our sovereign
01:07:18
Lord, God, Savior, and King, Jesus Christ, today and always.
01:07:30
Here's what Gary DeMar, president of American Vision, had to say about Iron Sharpens Iron Radio recently.
01:07:37
Good to be back, Chris. I always enjoy our time here. I have to tell you, one of the better interviewers out there, and I've been doing this for more than 30 years.
01:07:47
Wow, that's some compliment. How much do I owe you for that? You don't have to owe me anything.
01:07:54
We're in good shape. I'm glad you said it on the air so I don't have to brag about myself.
01:08:00
Tell your friends and loved ones about Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, airing live Monday through Friday, 4 to 6 p .m.
01:08:08
Eastern Time, at ironsharpensironradio .com. Hi, this is
01:08:15
John Sampson, pastor of King's Church in Peoria, Arizona. Taking a moment of your day to talk about Chris Arnson and the
01:08:22
Iron Sharpens Iron podcast. I consider Chris a true friend and a man of high integrity. He's a skilled interviewer who's not afraid to ask the big, penetrating questions, while always defending the key doctrines of the
01:08:34
Christian faith. I've always been happy to point people to this podcast, knowing it's one of the very few safe places on the
01:08:41
Internet where folk won't be led astray. I believe this podcast needs to be heard far and wide.
01:08:46
This is a day of great spiritual compromise, and yet God has raised Chris up for just such a time.
01:08:52
Knowing this, it's up to us as members of the body of Christ to stand with such a ministry in prayer and in finances.
01:09:00
I'm pleased to do so, and would like to ask you to prayerfully consider joining me in supporting
01:09:05
Iron Sharpens Iron financially. Would you consider sending either a one -time gift or even becoming a regular monthly partner with this ministry?
01:09:13
I know it would be a huge encouragement to Chris if you would. All the details can be found at ironsharpensironradio .com,
01:09:21
where you can click support. That's ironsharpensironradio .com. Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said,
01:09:31
Give yourself unto reading. The man who never reads will never be read. He who never quotes will never be quoted.
01:09:38
He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains proves that he has no brains of his own.
01:09:44
You need to read. Solid Ground Christian Books is a publisher and book distributor who takes these words of the
01:09:50
Prince of Preachers to heart. The mission of Solid Ground Christian Books is to bring back treasures of the past to minister to Christians in the present and future, and to publish new titles that address burning issues in the church and the world.
01:10:03
Since its beginning in 2001, Solid Ground has been committed to publish God -centered,
01:10:08
Christ -exalting books for all ages. We invite you to go treasure hunting at solid -ground -books .com.
01:10:16
That's solid -ground -books .com, and see what priceless literary gems from the past to present you can unearth from Solid Ground.
01:10:25
Solid Ground Christian Books is honored to be a weekly sponsor of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio. And don't forget, folks, always make solid -ground -books .com
01:10:35
your very first stop for all your gift -giving needs, whether they be for your brothers and sisters in Christ or for the lost in your life, those who do not yet know
01:10:46
Christ. Solid -ground -books .com has a wide variety of books from many centuries of the
01:10:54
Christian church, from the past to the present. And you'll definitely find something that is the perfect gift for someone you love.
01:11:04
And, in fact, I know that my guest today, Roger Salter of St. Matthew's Anglican Church, is very fond of solid -ground -books .com.
01:11:13
Are you not, brother? I am, indeed. I need to buy some more as well. Well, you know, there are also, for our
01:11:24
Anglican listeners and Episcopalian listeners, especially today since they might be tuned in, just because of the fact that they know that Roger is our guest today, there are some books that might be specifically of interest to you.
01:11:42
First of all, there's a book that I believe Roger is familiar with,
01:11:48
A Born -Again Episcopalian, the Evangelical Witness of Charles Pettit Mechelvain.
01:11:54
Are you familiar with that book by Thomas Garrett Eisenberg? Very much so. Very much so,
01:12:00
Chris. Yes. The same author, of course, wrote about Augustus Toplady.
01:12:06
Yes, and the solid -ground Christian books brought that book into print as well. And also,
01:12:14
I highly recommend a book by another Reformed Anglican, this one from the 19th century,
01:12:23
Stephen H. Ting, who wrote Lectures on the Law and Gospel, published by Solid -Ground -Books .com,
01:12:32
and also The Christian Pastor, The Office and Duty of the Gospel Minister. There are many more books also by Anglican authors and others,
01:12:42
Presbyterians, Reformed Baptists, Congregationalists, but Solid -Ground -Books .com
01:12:49
is a treasure trove of the finest in Christian literature. Please frequently visit
01:12:54
Solid -Ground -Books .com and frequently make generous purchases. And always remember to tell them that you heard about them from Chris Arnzen on Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.
01:13:03
Before we return to Roger Solter to continue our discussion on a man called
01:13:09
Luther and a man named Erasmus, I just have a couple of announcements to make.
01:13:15
If you love this show and you don't want it to disappear, folks, please go to IronSharpensIronRadio .com, click
01:13:21
Support, then click Click to Donate Now. You can donate instantly with a debit or credit card in that fashion.
01:13:28
And you can also, if you prefer snail mail, if mailing in a check made payable to Iron Sharpens Iron Radio via the
01:13:36
United States Postal Service, well, there will be a physical mailing address that appears on your screen as well when you click
01:13:42
Support at IronSharpensIronRadio .com. If you want to advertise with us, as long as whatever it is you're promoting is compatible with what we believe here, we would love to help you launch an ad campaign because we are in urgent need of your advertising dollars.
01:13:57
That's ChrisArnzen at Gmail .com is the email address and put advertising in the subject line. C -H -R -I -S -A -R -N -Z -E -N at Gmail .com
01:14:06
and put advertising in the subject line. Please remember, folks, that I don't want my listeners siphoning money away from their regular giving that they're accustomed to to their own local church where they are a member in order to give to Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.
01:14:20
In other words, don't punish your church financially by blessing us financially. Please don't do that.
01:14:25
And also, please don't put your family in further financial peril if you are already struggling to survive.
01:14:34
Those two things are commands of God and scripture providing for your church and family, and providing for my radio show is obviously not a command of God.
01:14:41
But if you love the show, you want it to stick around, you don't want it to disappear from the airwaves, and you have extra money above and beyond your ability to obey those two commands.
01:14:53
You have extra money collecting interest in the bank. You have extra money that you use for recreational purposes. Please use some of that money to help us remain in existence if indeed you love the show and you don't want it to disappear.
01:15:06
Go to IronSharpensIronRadio .com, click support, then click, click to donate now. Also, folks, if you are not a member of a local
01:15:13
Bible -believing church like St. Matthew's Anglican Church in Birmingham, Alabama, no matter where on the planet
01:15:20
Earth you live, I may be able to help you find a church. I have helped people in many parts of the world find churches, sometimes that were right around the corner from where they lived and they didn't even know these churches existed or they didn't know that they were solidly biblical.
01:15:36
So I have extensive lists of biblically faithful churches all over the planet. If you are without a church home or if you're visiting somewhere on vacation and want a good solid church to visit, or if you have family, friends, and loved ones who are without a church home, no matter where in the world they live,
01:15:53
I may be able to help. Send me an email to ChrisArnzen at gmail .com, ChrisArnzen at gmail .com,
01:15:59
and put I need a church in the subject line. That's also the email address where you can send in a question to Roger Salter.
01:16:06
On our discussion today, a man called Luther and a man named Erasmus. That's ChrisArnzen at gmail .com,
01:16:13
ChrisArnzen at gmail .com. Give us your first name at least, city and state of residence, and your country of residence if you live outside the
01:16:19
USA. Going back to Bruce from Hoover, Alabama and his question on prayer,
01:16:28
I am immediately transported to a precious passage of Scripture which
01:16:35
I think highlights the very thing that you were talking about as far as the helplessness and hopelessness of man who cries out to God for mercy because he knows he is completely and totally and utterly dependent upon God for salvation.
01:16:53
And even for any good thing in this world, on this side of glory, he is totally dependent on the grace and mercy of God.
01:17:02
I am immediately thinking of Luke chapter 18, 9 through 14, the
01:17:09
Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple. And I have said this a number of times on my show, but this is one of the most precious passages of Scripture to me because it was the quoting from memory as best as she could of this passage by my mother is what the
01:17:32
Lord used to prove to me once and for all that she was truly regenerate while she was dying of pancreatic cancer.
01:17:39
And I was able to rest in the assurance that she was heading for heaven. When I asked her if she believed she was going to heaven and she said yes,
01:17:50
I said why? And she said, well, because Jesus died for my sins. And I said, well, you've been a wonderful woman, a wonderful mother.
01:18:00
You've been so selfless and humble and giving. And you've been a very religious woman.
01:18:08
You've been a very generous woman. You've been a very compassionate and tender woman. Your children cannot even think of anything to complain about in regard to you being our parent.
01:18:20
Are you sure that none of that is helping you get into heaven? And she said, no, absolutely not. And I said, really, why?
01:18:25
And she said, well, that reminds me of that story in the Bible where there was a
01:18:31
Pharisee and a tax collector in the temple praying. And first you had the
01:18:36
Pharisee bragging about himself and all the things that he did do in the temple as he was praying.
01:18:46
He was basically boasting about how righteous he was. And there was a tax collector in the temple who couldn't even look upward, who beat his breast and said,
01:19:02
Lord, be merciful. To me, a sinner. In fact,
01:19:08
Lord, be merciful to me, the sinner. And Jesus said,
01:19:15
I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one.
01:19:22
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
01:19:27
And my mother said, Chris, I am the tax collector. I almost fell off my chair when she said that.
01:19:37
And this text will forever be a very precious text to me. And the very thing that God gave to me as a gift coming from the lips of my mother to give me confirmation that she was saved.
01:19:50
Having been raised in Roman Catholicism her whole life, having been trapped in the superstition and the relics and the ritual and the idolatry, which she all renounced, by the way, on her deathbed, she gave up prayer to the saints and was making it clear she was trusting 100 % on Christ and him crucified in order to enter into heaven upon her death, which she believed was imminent.
01:20:23
And it was. She died six weeks after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. But I just thought
01:20:29
I'd share that again. I know I've shared it many times on the show. But I thought that Bruce from Hoover, Alabama, gave a perfect open door for me to bring it up again.
01:20:39
Another thing I wanted to plug, since it is available through solid -ground -books .com,
01:20:46
one of our sponsors, is The Valley of Vision. Are you familiar with The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions,
01:20:55
Roger? I love it. I love it, Chris. I'm currently working my way through it both in the bedroom and in my study.
01:21:04
And I read those meditations several times before I turn the page.
01:21:12
And I use the term absolutely gorgeous, beautiful. Amen. Well, you can get that in all kinds of versions from solid -ground -books .com.
01:21:22
Genuine leather, premium goat skin. But the reason why
01:21:29
I bring it up, if Bruce, hopefully he is still listening, if you need guidance on true biblical prayer, or anybody else listening, for that matter, this is a good way, reading this, not to always rely on just reciting what's in there, like a prayer book.
01:21:48
You don't want to get the vain repetition either. But it helps to train the way we think about our desperate need and utter helplessness and God's glory, righteousness, and omnipotence.
01:22:08
And it really is a good guide, wouldn't you say, to help people train themselves in the proper way to pray?
01:22:15
Absolutely. It's so encouraging. Whatever mood you happen to be in, or without fluctuating faith and understanding, it always meets the need daily.
01:22:29
It's such a beautiful gift to the Church, Bruce. Amen. When I say
01:22:34
Bruce, I mean Chris. I think you did say Chris. I'm going to say something between you and me,
01:22:41
Chris. Just between you and me. I sent Bruce a copy because of my affection for him as a
01:22:49
Christian brother. I asked him if he had a copy, and he didn't. Oh, wow.
01:22:56
Not speaking about my own generosity, just that absolute keen desire to share the value and beauty of that book with as many people as possible.
01:23:08
That was not prepared beforehand, folks. It was completely providence that this happened.
01:23:14
I didn't even know that. Absolutely. It's beyond all value.
01:23:21
It's just tremendously a great means of grace. So go to solid -ground -books .com
01:23:27
and ask for The Valley of Vision. And remember, always mention
01:23:33
Chris Arnson of Iron Troupe and Zion Radio when you make a purchase. And if you could, pick up where you left off on the importance of this whole theme to begin with.
01:23:40
Roger. Okay. Okay, Chris. Well, you know, we've talked about two individuals,
01:23:47
Luther and Erasmus. But I think every church, denominationally, congregationally, or every individual believer comes under one of those lineages that we've mentioned,
01:24:02
Luther or Erasmus. Erasmus, a great man culturally and in literary terms, a very great man.
01:24:12
But, again, as his diatribe reveals, very laid back about the matter of the urgency and necessity of salvation by grace compared to Luther.
01:24:27
And I think that the church is divided into those two sections, those two conflicting companies, those who know the desperate need of God's grace as the only answer to their human need, and those who see it as a sort of decorative matter.
01:24:50
Religion is decorative and purely human in terms of its fellowship and the way in which it shares companionship.
01:25:03
I hesitate to say some of this because we all view the church from a different perspective as to in whatever direction our attention is turned.
01:25:13
And I speak in general terms, but I think of the church in our time as largely indifferent to the divine revelation.
01:25:24
It's almost useless in terms of the salvation of needy people.
01:25:31
And, again, one goes back to this idea of the dependence upon human goodness, which can be extreme or partial or grace alone.
01:25:43
What is the key? The will of man or the will of God? Is our confidence partly in ourself or completely in God?
01:25:53
And thinking of the church in general terms, which I think, and I could be wrong, and other people may have a different vantage point, but I think it's absolutely afflicted by a terrible malaise when it comes to faithfulness to the word of God.
01:26:11
Do we, as a denomination or as a sector of God's church, do we blunt the word?
01:26:18
And do we operate on the basis of human wisdom or do we see ourselves as boldly messaging the word of God?
01:26:31
Do we temporize or hesitate or mildly measure the word of God to the dictate of our preferences and treat it according to our prejudices,
01:26:43
Erasmus -like, or do we boldly pronounce the truth of God with conviction, flaming conviction, as did
01:26:52
Luther, and we can sense where a church lies by the priority and the vitality with which it proclaims the gospel?
01:27:02
Or is it just some sort of human organization functioning under the name of church with the occasional reference to Christ that has nothing to do with His saving assignment?
01:27:15
You know, it was Paul who said we preach Christ crucified. That is our key theme.
01:27:21
Not necessarily verbally, we're making people aware of their perilous position outside of union with Christ and of the absolute bliss that God brings to His people, especially in the world to come.
01:27:42
And when I look at the church, and especially my own denomination, I just weep.
01:27:48
I despair as to how we are abusing our privilege as the so -called people of God when we're scarcely bringing people into that family of Christ.
01:28:03
We're scarcely declaring Him. We're caught up with all the things that are to do with the horizontal affairs of mankind, but the vertical dimension is overlooked.
01:28:21
That pressing, urgent need that deals with eternity and our ultimate destiny.
01:28:28
Are we blessing people in that vitally important way? And I just think, you know, that the church in our time is principally
01:28:39
Erasmian, tame, timid, afraid of human disapproval, and seeking the approval of the world when the church should be imbued with the courageous spirit and effectiveness of the
01:28:53
Saxon reformer we've been thinking about, doing you to compromise or prize the gospel above all things.
01:29:01
And you know, one looks at one's own heart and thinks, we're terribly lax in this area, but it is the keen desire of every believer to be caught up in that desire and energy of Luther to make
01:29:15
Christ known and to see people redeemed and recovered to God.
01:29:21
And I think of the church, you know, is its desire and is its greatest fear the opinion and friendship of man or loyalty and love of God, whatever the cost and consequences.
01:29:36
And we're afraid of the most mild form of persecution. We can't stand the criticism and the contempt of the world.
01:29:46
But in our Article Chapter 20, in our Anglican Confession, we are told that the church is a witness and keeper of holy writ.
01:29:56
How much, I ask it of my denomination, I ask it of ourselves in our little independent gathering.
01:30:03
How much are we a witness and keeper of holy writ? Because that's our absolutely necessary function.
01:30:11
And if the church isn't doing that, it shouldn't exist. Other experts can do a better job with social issues and legal issues.
01:30:20
Not to say that we shouldn't be concerned about these things, principally as a matter of prayer or assistance if we're in a position to do so.
01:30:28
But I find the bishops that I work under, if I'm not in England, but if I were there, they're totally irrelevant.
01:30:37
The bishop now for climate change has been appointed. It's the climate of the church that needs to be changed.
01:30:45
And one is so desperately concerned about the laxity and the uselessness of the institutional church.
01:30:55
It's a barrier to the knowledge of Christ because it's misleading people, and they think by membership of this organization there's some hope for their eternal well -being.
01:31:06
I think it's like the Pharisees, the blind leading the blind into the ditch.
01:31:12
So this is where I think we have to analyze where we are as a church in general, as denominations, as affiliations, as congregations.
01:31:23
Are we in the lineage of Luther or of Erasmus? Amen. We have a listener from Hartsdale, New York, Bobby, who asks,
01:31:37
I know that Luther and Erasmus mutually admired one another. I don't know how close of a friendship they ever developed, but did
01:31:45
Luther ever come to view Erasmus as a regenerate, born -again brother in Christ?
01:31:54
He yearned for that relationship with Erasmus. I don't know that they ever reconciled in terms of personal relationship.
01:32:06
Luther obviously admired the scholarship, the intellect of Erasmus, and Erasmus admired
01:32:15
Luther's concern for the reform of the church. They just had a different idea as to what that reform should be.
01:32:23
And I see no record of Erasmus ever evidencing a truly regenerate form of faith in Christ and an entrance to his kingdom.
01:32:37
I trust that somehow, somewhere, that is what occurred. But, you know, there was a mutual admiration.
01:32:46
It turned, I think, to, if not animosity, certainly mutual frustration with each other.
01:32:55
Erasmus thought that Luther was too raw and primeval in his approach to things.
01:33:04
But, you know, here was Luther, a man of passion, and Erasmus, sort of the laid -back gentleman who would discuss these things, but they didn't impinge upon his conscience or his sense of need.
01:33:23
That's interesting that the Catholic would view the reformer as primeval. Yes, I was thinking in the sense of Luther was almost to a man, a refined man like Erasmus, a barbarian in his approach to things.
01:33:41
Like a bull in a china shop. Yeah, like a bull in a china shop.
01:33:47
Yes, absolutely. And yet Luther's work is superb.
01:33:52
It's a marvelous book. It's a theological classic. And if one had any control over preparation for ministry, this should be a fundamental work.
01:34:05
I find so often the fundamental works of ministry, when you're going to seminary, they're the ones you have to read in your spare time.
01:34:12
We have to study to keep up with contemporary trends and skepticism and things like that, all of which is necessary.
01:34:21
But when you're in the pulpit, you're not preaching options, you're preaching the word of God. And you're his emissary.
01:34:28
And you're not creating your own inventive ideas or making comparisons, have comparisons with other philosophies.
01:34:37
You're declaring the truth of God as much as you possibly can, word for word.
01:34:43
We know none of us do. We know we all come out of the pulpit with regrets and dissatisfaction.
01:34:50
But the fact is, that is our aim, to be spokesmen for God. As the great
01:34:55
Old Testament theologian, Walter Eichrod, said, the preacher is like a man talking about old -fashioned ships in the 20th century, who is simply
01:35:05
God speaking to you. He's not making up his message, he's deriving it from God, the word and the spirit.
01:35:13
And I don't think we do that anymore in the majority of the so -called Church of God.
01:35:19
And so one asks, what is the mood of the Church? Carelessness and just a matter of functionality as an organization, or is it gospel -oriented?
01:35:30
Christ crucified, and the reasons for preaching Christ. I don't hear that from the
01:35:35
Archbishop of Canterbury. He's got the best Protestant pulpit in the world. He's not a
01:35:40
Protestant, he's not using his pulpit as he should be, and he's not worthy of his office. I don't mind saying that to you face -to -face,
01:35:48
Justin. You're a shame on the Church of God. Or dealing with matters extraneous to that central assignment, preaching
01:35:59
Christ. Amen. Human concerns on the horizontal level, the principal concern is the vertical level.
01:36:07
How do we relate to God? And we only can through our mediator, Jesus Christ.
01:36:14
Amen. We have, let's see here,
01:36:21
CJ in Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York, wants to know, there are some within Reformed and Fundamentalist circles who are so opposed to Catholicism that they don't want to hear anything about the patristic era, and they don't want to hear anything about what the
01:36:43
Church Fathers had to say. And this would be primarily of the Fundamentalist wing of the
01:36:49
Church. And there are those, obviously, on the other end of the spectrum who are so enamored by such men that they believe that the
01:37:00
Church of Rome even today is a true church, albeit with some flaws and errors.
01:37:07
And they become ecumenical and seem to put the issue of the Gospel itself in a secondary or even tertiary level of importance.
01:37:16
How do we approach this issue of how to respond to the
01:37:22
Church of Rome in a more balanced way, when we don't dismiss the treasured fathers that existed before the
01:37:32
Catholic Church ever truly became a Roman Catholic Church, without also buying into the whole concept of modern -day ecumenism?
01:37:46
Well, using the term fathers is a very general term. Some were better than others.
01:37:52
None of them were consistent. I could be dismissive by saying that fundamentally, like William Cunningham, I think they weren't the fathers of the
01:38:01
Church. They were the infants. The Church's understanding had still not arrived at many of the key fundaments of the faith.
01:38:10
I think that in their situation and time, they were courageous and godly men. They were very gifted men, but they had their faults and flaws and tremendous inconsistencies and lack of understanding, like we all do in some areas.
01:38:27
But I think the virtues and values of the Church fathers are overestimated, but I think we should know about them.
01:38:35
I think we should learn about them. I think that they have great things to say to the contemporary
01:38:42
Church, but I very much think that their value is overrated when you compare them with the apostles themselves.
01:38:52
And there were great flaws in their thinking, as well as greatly helpful insights.
01:38:59
I think we have to see them as very fallible human beings, as we do in all
01:39:04
Christian leaders up to our particular time itself. And then, what was the other point,
01:39:12
Chris? The Church fathers being exaggerated in terms of their usefulness to our understanding of the faith and the complete rejection of what is called the
01:39:24
Catholic Church. I think we've got to look at the Catholic Church in two particular compartments or aspects.
01:39:34
There's the Church Catholic, as distinct from other groups and heretical sects, and there's the
01:39:39
Roman Catholic, those elements that originate from the medieval period in the
01:39:45
Church of Rome, the Papal Church. I think we have to distinguish between the two, that in the
01:39:52
Catholic Church, historically, there were great men of God. I mean, particularly
01:39:58
Calvin and Busser mentioned that in the Church of Rome, there was a remnant of true believers.
01:40:05
Somehow God protects them from the grave and damnable errors that were originated in that body.
01:40:14
And I believe that there are Catholics who truly know the Lord, protected from the flaws and errors of the
01:40:22
Church, but nonetheless truly God's people. And I think that where we lose out is when we don't go to that Augustine lineage that is there in the
01:40:33
Church and traceable. Great men like Gregory of Rimini, I've mentioned Bernard of Clairvaux, Gottschalk, who was absolutely admired and translated by Archbishop Busser.
01:40:47
Great men of God. Radtramnus, who brought Bishop Ridley to a clear understanding of the
01:40:53
Lord's Supper. You know, these men who influenced the Church for good down through the years and shaped the orthodoxy of those men who were clearly among our reformers on the continent and in Britain.
01:41:11
You know, it's not a case of absolute black and white. I don't know.
01:41:19
I know when I weigh my own tendencies, I could not be a Catholic. But I do know that there are men in that communion who truly know the
01:41:30
Lord. The difference is over how Christ is grasped. But there is a certain wisdom as to how fellowship with Christ is maintained.
01:41:41
I know that people can think I'm on a very dangerous edge here. But you know,
01:41:46
God is sovereign. God is all -powerful. He does have his folk in the Catholic Church.
01:41:52
And there was one movement within the Catholic Church in Ireland that became a membership of the
01:41:59
Evangelical Fellowship in England. Men who were striving, mostly lay people with some priests, to see the
01:42:07
Church reformed according to the Gospel. Now, it's a tough job. And we don't know where individuals in their own conscience stand.
01:42:17
But I do think that there is, particularly before the Reformation, a whole lineage of men who are worth listening to.
01:42:26
And there's a book that came out recently called Long Before Luther that outlines the lives and ministries of some of these people.
01:42:35
Was that by Nathan Bucinich? I don't recognize the name,
01:42:42
Chris. But it's very interesting. And there are a lot of omissions in it. There are simply great saints of God who proclaim the
01:42:51
Gospel very clearly who were not papalists, who were not dictated to by Roman invention and superstition, but who were allied with the
01:43:05
Church of the day, if I can put it. The term isn't accurate. Denominationally, but had their own individual views and were not under mental enslavement to the papacy or the eras of Rome.
01:43:21
I think of the Spirituali in Italy who were afraid of leaving the
01:43:28
Church they knew, but believed in justification by faith, electing love.
01:43:34
And among them, Michelangelo himself, when you saw his later work on the sculptures he had to fulfill in various commissions he had received, his whole emphasis changes in the way he sculpted the saints and men of God because he came to believe that Christ and His grace was uppermost in the
01:44:01
Church and not the reputations and ideas of men. So it's a more subtle situation than perhaps we can describe in detail succinctly.
01:44:13
By the way, we have to go to our final break, and I did look up, as you were speaking, long before Luther, tracing the heart of the
01:44:20
Gospel from Christ to the Reformation that was indeed written by Nathan Bucinitz, who's on the faculty at the
01:44:29
Master's Seminary, the seminary founded by John MacArthur. I've been trying to get
01:44:35
Dr. Bucinitz on the show, and hopefully that will occur at some point soon because he is one of the speakers at the
01:44:42
G3 conference that I am promoting. We have to go to our final break, and if you have a question, send it in now before we run out of time.
01:44:53
We'll be right back after these messages from our sponsors. I'm James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries.
01:45:06
My friend Chris Arnzen, host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, and I are headed down to Atlanta, Georgia once again for the
01:45:13
G3 conference. This year's G3 will be held Thursday, September 30th, through Saturday, October 2nd, on the theme,
01:45:21
Christ is Supreme Over All. I'll be joined by over 20 other speakers and musicians to lead in the worship of God through preaching, teaching, and singing, including
01:45:30
John MacArthur, Phil Johnson, Conrad M. Bayway, Daryl Bernard Harrison, and Virgil Walker.
01:45:36
For details, visit g3conference .com. That's g3conference .com. Chris Arnzen and I hope to see you
01:45:43
September 30th through October 2nd at G321. This is James White reminding you that Christ is supreme over all.
01:45:56
O Hail the power of Jesus' name
01:46:03
This is Pastor Bill Sousa, Grace Church at Franklin, here in the beautiful state of Tennessee.
01:46:10
Our congregation is one of a growing number of churches who love and support
01:46:15
Iron Sharpens Iron Radio financially. Grace Church at Franklin is an independent, autonomous body of believers which strives to clearly declare the whole counsel of God as revealed in Scripture through the person and work of our
01:46:31
Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, the end for which we strive is the glory of God.
01:46:38
If you live near Franklin, Tennessee, and Franklin is just south of Nashville, maybe 10 minutes, or you are visiting this area, or you have friends and loved ones nearby, we hope you will join us on Lord's Day in worshiping our
01:46:53
God and Savior. Please feel free to contact me if you have more questions about Grace Church at Franklin.
01:47:01
Our website is gracechurchatfranklin .org. That's gracechurchatfranklin .org.
01:47:09
This is Pastor Bill Sousa wishing you all the richest blessings of our
01:47:14
Sovereign Lord, God, Savior, and King Jesus Christ today and always.
01:47:23
Are you tired looking for the silver bullet when it comes to health and wellness? Are you frustrated with the medical status quo which masks symptoms and doesn't treat the root problem of sickness?
01:47:32
More importantly, are you looking for one of the most unique books ever written which gives you safe, low -cost, and proven options to regain your health the way
01:47:41
God intended? Then look no further than my new book, Health for All of Life, a medical manifesto of hope and healing for the nations.
01:47:48
Hi, I'm Jason Garwood, and I'm a husband, father, pastor, and writer whose passion for helping people led me to write this book.
01:47:55
If 2020 has proven anything, it's that big pharma, big tech, and big government knows nothing about how to treat people naturally without poisoning them with synthetic drugs and experimental vaccines.
01:48:06
But what if God has given us a better way? What if we can take the Christian worldview found in the Bible and apply it to health and wellness?
01:48:12
My book, Health for All of Life, does just that. You can find this exciting new book on Amazon. Pick up a copy for yourself and for your friends and family.
01:48:20
Give the gift of health and don't be a dead end to truth. Hello, my name is Anthony Uvinio, and I'm one of the pastors at Hope Reform Baptist Church in Quorum, New York, and also the host of the reformrookie .com
01:48:32
website. I want you to know that if you enjoy listening to the Iron Sharpens Iron radio show like I do, you can now find it on the
01:48:39
Apple's iTunes app by typing Iron Sharpens Iron radio in the search bar. You no longer have to worry about missing a show or a special guest because you're in your car or still at work.
01:48:49
Just subscribe on the iTunes app and listen to the Iron Sharpens Iron radio show at any time, day or night.
01:48:55
Please be sure to also give it a good review and pass it along to anyone who would benefit from the teaching and the many solidly reformed guests that Chris Arnson has on the show.
01:49:05
Truth is so hard to come by these days, so don't waste your time with fluff or fake news.
01:49:10
Subscribe to the Iron Sharpens Iron radio podcast right now. And while you're at it, you can also sign up for the reformrookie .com
01:49:17
podcast and visit our website and the YouTube page. We are dedicated to teaching Christian theology from a reformed
01:49:24
Baptist perspective to beginners in the faith as well as seasoned believers. From Keech's Catechism and the
01:49:30
Doctrines of Grace to the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Leviticus, the Reform Rookie podcast and YouTube channel is sure to have something to offer everyone seeking
01:49:39
Biblical truth. And finally, if you're looking to worship in a reformed church that holds to the 1689
01:49:44
London Baptist Confession of Faith, please join us at Hope Reform Baptist Church in Corham, New York.
01:49:50
Again, I'm Pastor Anthony Invinio and thanks for listening. Linbrook Baptist Church on 225
01:49:56
Earl Avenue in Linbrook, Long Island is teaching God's timeless truths in the 21st century. Our church is far more than a
01:50:03
Sunday worship service. It's a place of learning where the scriptures are studied and the preaching of the gospel is clear and relevant.
01:50:08
It's like a gym where one can exercise their faith through community involvement. It's like a hospital for wounded souls where one can find compassionate people in healing.
01:50:16
We're a diverse family of all ages enthusiastically serving our Lord Jesus Christ in fellowship, play, and together.
01:50:22
Hi, I'm Pastor Bob Walderman and I invite you to come and join us here at Linbrook Baptist Church and see all that a church can be.
01:50:29
Call Linbrook Baptist at 516 -599 -9402. That's 516 -599 -9402 or visit linbrookbaptist .org.
01:50:38
That's linbrookbaptist .org. We are excited to announce another new member of the
01:50:53
Iron Sharpens Iron Radio advertising family, Bhanu Gadi, owner of three
01:50:58
New York pharmacies, Lee's Drugs of Floral Park, Long Beach Chemists, and Prescription Center of Long Island in Hempstead.
01:51:07
Bhanu Gadi earned a doctorate in pharmacy degree and is very knowledgeable on the current coronavirus pandemic.
01:51:14
Please contact Dr. Gadi so he and his expert staff can give you proper guidance amid all the contradictory confusion we are all hearing in the media.
01:51:24
To find the pharmacy nearest you, call 516 -354 -2000.
01:51:30
That's 516 -354 -2000 or order online at leesdrugsrx .com.
01:51:38
That's leesdrugsrx .com. Don't forget to ask about their discount generic drug program.
01:51:47
Welcome back, and I just want to give a plug to a couple of interviews in the future that my
01:51:55
Anglican listeners today might be especially interested in marking on their calendars.
01:52:02
Two weeks from today, or not two weeks from today exactly, but two weeks from now on the 16th of March, which is a
01:52:11
Tuesday, Tuesday, March 16th, we will have for the very first time ever
01:52:17
Paul Castellano on the program, and he is the author of As It Is in Heaven, A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Introduction to the
01:52:29
Traditional Church and Her Worship. Paul Castellano is a minister in the
01:52:35
United Episcopal Church of North America, and this will be his first appearance on Iron Troupe and Zion Radio.
01:52:42
Also, we don't have a date yet, but we will keep you updated on when we are joined by Gerald Bray, another
01:52:52
Anglican author who has written the book. It's a brand new book, Anglicanism, A Reformed Catholic Tradition, so I hope that you keep listening to get further updates on the
01:53:04
Gerald Bray interview. And, Roger Salter, I'd like you to summarize over the next few minutes, uninterrupted, what you most want etched in the hearts and minds of our listeners today about the subject we are addressing.
01:53:22
I don't know if it will be to the point, but I have three quick statements in mind,
01:53:29
Chris, that we ask the church of our time that are we fit for the life -giving, life -risking service of God?
01:53:41
Are we friends of the world or companions of the world? Because I think John's statement in his letters about how the enmity of the world to Christ and therefore the necessary warfare that takes place between the people of God, I wonder if that is being fought worthily for the sake of the glory of God.
01:54:06
I would ask us to consider whether the current church would be more comfortable for Erasmus and his types or Luther and his troops.
01:54:18
And I would also want to say that from my own perspective, I know
01:54:23
I'm taking a risk as to whether people would think one was a trustworthy witness to the gospel,
01:54:30
Chris. But I remember Spurgeon's dictum concerning sources of truth, that we grasp truth from wherever it comes, even if we don't necessarily trust or approve of the source.
01:54:45
If they are stating something that's true, we claim it for the cause of the gospel because all truth comes from God.
01:54:54
And sometimes enemies stumble upon it or sometimes liberals state something that is true according to the revelation of God.
01:55:04
And I remember that Martin Lloyd -Jones recommended on the conduct of the holiness of the
01:55:10
Christian life a high church author by the surname of Kirk. Now, I would not join a denomination that is inhabited by both
01:55:23
Anglo -Catholics and Evangelicals. I've learned from Anglo -Catholics, but I don't think the
01:55:29
Evangelical cause can progress and flourish if we're held back by having to be polite and considerate to Anglo -Catholic friends where we feel that they are not accurate in terms of the gospel of Christ.
01:55:45
And so, I found I'm currently reading Bishop Ryle on Light from Old Times, and this is what he is saying and one agrees with it.
01:55:55
Throughout this book, time after time, this is the editor, Ryle shows those who are undermining the doctrinal integrity of the
01:56:05
Church of England in his day, and were doing so in the name of high churchmanship, were actually misrepresenting their own history, their own standards, and the very nature of the
01:56:17
Church of England. The Evangelical party in the Church of England was readily dismissed by them with a wave of the hand and a taunt of low churchmanship.
01:56:28
But as Ryle shows repeatedly, the Church of England is reformed in its standards and reformed in its founding.
01:56:36
Those who have sought to make it into something else, from the law to the Tractarians, from the
01:56:42
Tractarians to the Modernists, have declared their allegiance to the dishonest party.
01:56:49
I say that with respect for certain people in the Church, whom I admire and befriend personally, but I don't think there is any hope for Anglicanism in our time if we're still the mixed entity that we happen to be.
01:57:05
We've got to be freed and unfettered from having to consider people we love and respect.
01:57:12
We must proclaim the truth as it is, and we shouldn't be held back by being in a body that has different allegiances within it.
01:57:25
We've got to be reformed, utterly reformed, and where there is
01:57:30
Catholicism, like Gerald Bray's book probably advocates, we are a reformed
01:57:37
Catholic Church, creedally, and we must be loyal to the doctrines that our reformers uncovered for us and develop those doctrines in a way that is consistent with our historical heritage.
01:57:55
Amen. I've muffed that one. I've muffed that one. Chris, the other thing is
01:58:01
I support your appeal, and I wish that Warren Buffett was my rich uncle. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
01:58:10
Me too. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. I have to check my genealogy,
01:58:18
Chris. Well, I want to thank everybody who listened today. I want to thank my guest,
01:58:25
Roger Salter, who always proves to be a superb guest. I look forward to your return to the show soon and often.
01:58:32
I want to make sure that our listeners have your websites again, stmanglican .weebly
01:58:40
.com. That's S -T -M as in Matthew, which is an abbreviation for St.
01:58:46
Matthew's. anglican .weebly, W -E -E -B -L -Y .com. S -T -M, anglican .weebly
01:58:53
.com. And also, rogersalter .com. That's Roger, S -A -L -T -E -R .com.
01:59:01
I want to thank you so much for being my guest. I want to thank everybody who listened, and I want you all to always remember for the rest of your lives that Jesus Christ is a far greater