Keep sharing good news without ads.
No description available
Live from the historic parsonage of 19th century gospel minister George Norcross in downtown Carlisle, Pennsylvania it's iron sharpens iron a radio platform on which pastors Christian scholars and theologians Address the burning issues facing the church and the world today.
Proverbs 27 verse 17 tells us iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another. Matthew Henry said that in this passage quote we are cautioned to take heed whom we converse with and Directed to have in view in conversation to make one another wiser and better.
It is our hope that this goal will be accomplished over the next hour. And we hope to hear from you the listener with your own questions. Now here's our host Chris.
Good afternoon, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. And the rest of humanity living on the planet Earth who are listening via live streaming. This is Chris arms and your host of iron sharpens iron wishing you all a happy Wednesday on the second day of March 2016.
I'm very excited about today's program Because a number of iron sharpens iron listeners had strongly urged me to interview our guest today and I'm delighted to have Finally the opportunity to do so. His name is. Dr. David J angles ma and He is a professor emeritus of theology at the Theological School of the Protestant Reformed Churches in Granville, Michigan.
He is the author of a number of books and today We are discussing a very thorough 455 page work that he has written titled the reformed faith of John Calvin. The Institutes. In summary, and if you would like to join us on the air with a question of your own for dr Angles ma the email address is Chris arms and at gmail .com.
That's CH r is a are n Z n at gmail .com. And it is indeed my honor and privilege to welcome you to iron sharpens iron for the very first time. Dr David angles ma.
Appreciate the opportunity to discuss an important aspect of the truth of God's Word with you.
And I am looking forward to it as well and just to let our listeners know dr Angles ma will be on for the first hour of the program. Until 5 p .m. Eastern Time, then we will be followed by Bill Blank-shan or blank scan.
He will probably have to correct my pronunciation of his name. But he is going to be discussing At the top of the second hour his book you will be made to care the war on faith family and your freedom to believe Which he co-authored with Eric Erickson.
And then finally to close out the second hour of the program We will have my friend and first pastor Mike Gay Dosh the founder and director of solid ground Christian books in Birmingham, Alabama. And he is going to be discussing New things that are coming hot off the press at solid ground Christian books to edify The people of God.
And the solid ground Christian books is one of our sponsors of iron sharpens iron radio. Let me now on the air anyway, although you've met off-air over the phone. Before the broadcast let me on the air introduce you to my co-host.
Who has again returned to annoy me in the studio? Yes, the Reverend buzz Taylor Buzz this is radio so you can't just shake your head you have to say hello.
I thought they would hear things rattling then. And yes, you are stuck with me for the full two hours. Yes, and.
Dr. Engel Smith if you'd like to greet buzz our co-host today. Okay, let me make that correction for the rest of the program, but I'm sure judging by your work you do deserve one and It's my pleasure to discuss something that is very important to me in my faith.
That's the one of my greatest heroes of the faith John Calvin the 16th century reformer. Well, I also want to let our listeners know about a radio program that airs globally called the reformed witness hour and I know that You brother angles might have been affiliated With that program that is one at least one of the oldest radio broadcasts still airing.
I Believe it's the 75th anniversary of the reformed witness hour. But if you could tell our listeners about that broadcast brother angles, ma.
That is a Program that has been on the air for many years. I don't recall Now exactly what year it began but Program was the theologian who was instrumental in the formation of the Protestant Reformed Churches in Which I am a pastor in 1924 Herman Hoeksema for many years.
He was the sole speaker on that radio broadcast and It has continued for as you suggest about 75 years without interruption and has obtained by this time a Good audience, I think and I have spoken on that broadcast myself more than once.
Yes that you have rotating pastors from the Protestant Reformed Churches serving as the host of that program, correct?
That's correct. The main speaker is a man who is serving as missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches. The reverend William Brinesma, I believe is the main speaker but there are other pastors who take their turns to help out with the broadcast and.
For anybody listening who would like to find out how they can listen to the reformed witness hour on the either local radio stations where they live or On the internet you can listen to the program go to reformed witness hour Org.
That's reformed witness hour org and I am honored to have them also as a client of mine in my Radio agency cruciform media, and I'm very delighted to serve as their agent. But it is an honor as I said to have you on this program.
John Calvin as you are fully aware brother angles ma is a very controversial figure in the church. Many people will Claim that they loathe this this figure from history that he is a horrible tyrannical figure bloodthirsty and so on who Denied all kinds of Things that are braced but embraced by Bible-believing Christians And so on and these caricatures are really just slanderous lies About this great man of faith, aren't they?
Yes, they are John Calvin like his predecessor Martin Luther to whom Calvin more than once expressed his indebtedness. Proclaim the gospel of justification by faith alone apart from the works of man himself and the gospel of salvation by grace alone.
Apart from the will of the sinner which implies that salvation has its origin in God's eternal decree of election which decree is Accompanied by a decree of reprobation. And it's especially that that has made Calvin the hated figure that You rightly describe him as being by many.
Today. I'm struck by what you just said in connection with What the secular historian will Durant had to say? First about which Calvin is religion. Will Durant that worldly historian wrote it is the most eloquent fervent lucid logical influential and terrible work in all the literature of the religious revolution which is praise mixed with condemnation.
Mm-hmm, and then he went on to say that he would forever find it Difficult if not impossible to Have any liking for Calvin himself? And the reason was Calvin's doctrine as odd. Calvin's doctrine of predestination Which of course is the Apostle Paul's doctrine of predestination in Romans 8 and 9 so he is a controversial and.
Hated figure and he was a man who really desired to just spend His life. Until he went home to glory just studying the scriptures and writing about them and so on. He had no personal Desire or motivation to be a leader of any kind in the church, but was really coerced by a colleague in ministry feral correct to To come to Geneva to serve in the post where he was.
A very interesting Observation about Calvin. You're exactly right. Calvin Described himself his enemies would have laughed at that but Calvin was if anything honest. He described himself as a timid soul in the context of what you have just said and his intention was to be a quiet scholar Busying himself with Humanist studies.
But he underwent a dramatic conversion in his mid-twenties in God according to the Protestant religion became an object of persecution by the Roman Catholic authorities in France and Was fleeing from that persecution came to Geneva, Switzerland.
And there a red-headed Dynamo of a preacher by the name of William Farrell Spotted Calvin and recognized in the providence of God the abilities that Calvin had for the Christian faith and threatened him With the curse of God if he would go his own way and pursue his quiet humanist studyings instead of helping Farrell proclaim the gospel in.
Geneva with friends like that. Who needs enemies, right?
That's how he entered the ministry and Calvin put it frankly one time. Contrary to Calvin's wishes. God thrust me into the game.
Hmm and What was actually his role and duty in?
Geneva Switzerland when he arrived there and remained there when Calvin first took up his duties there. He was what we might call an associate pastor Ian Farrell. Fish and state were closely allied in those days For their insistence that the church had the right Impenitently and sin the rulers of Geneva did not want that power to be exercised by the authorities of the church, so they banished from Geneva and for a few years About three years as I recall Calvin Worked with another reformer by the name of Martin Busser in Strasbourg and then Geneva was falling apart in every possible way and the leaders of the city Discovered that in fact, they very much needed Calvin's influence Invited him back.
He was hesitant to go because he knew what difficulties he would face in Geneva, but Yielded to the call as from the call of God and then became.
The.
Well, I shouldn't say soul, but the leading pastor of the churches in Geneva Farrell did not return. Calvin came back by himself the leading pastor for the next almost 30 years in Geneva and.
Let's get to the the primary topic of the discussion, which is his institutes. More fully known as the institutes of Christian religion as our theme today is your book the reformed faith of John Calvin the institutes in summary and Perhaps even before addressing the institutes in Summary.
For those of our listeners who are not reformed I think I would guess that most of my listeners are theologically reformed or Calvinistic, but I know that I do have The listeners of all varying varieties of Religion.
I even have Muslim listeners on occasion who email questions for my guests we have Roman Catholic listeners are many and listeners and So on. I even remember years ago. I remember a member of the Unification Church or known as the Mooney's Calling during the program when it was a live call-in show, but In a nutshell I have described in summary the reformed faith.
Theology that teaches more clearly than any other that God alone sinners. God alone saves sinners. Because sinners cannot even help save themselves. Do you have any other?
Definition that you'd like to add to that. I think that expresses the heart of The reformed faith and Calvin summarized that faith in the institutes. There is something Possibly misleading the reformed faith of John Calvin in a way It's accurate, but in a way it could be misleading and since your audience and I'm happy to hear it It's as varied as it is.
Let me comment on that Calvin intended the institutes of the Christian religion To be and that's what institutes literally means in the Latin instruction in the Christian faith in the Christian religion and still today.
That's what the institutes is. And does it is the Christian faith at its heart the Christian faith has revealed in the Bible. But of course Calvin understood and explained the Christian faith of the Bible according to what we today would regard as the reformed faith and distinction from various other purported forms of the faith so that my title is Accurate and descriptive of what one will find when he reads this summary the reformed faith of John Calvin.
But actually it's the Christian faith as Protestantism purely confesses. The Christian faith.
And.
How would obviously we have to abbreviate these things summarize them, but how would Calvin? Stand in contrast to the other two of the great reformers Martin Luther and York Zing Lee.
Basically he would Zwingli except for Zwingli's doctrine of the sacraments. Zwingli's doctrine of the sacraments was that the sacraments are Memorials this is Christ Calvin Attributed to the sacraments that like the preaching of the word they are means by which The Holy Spirit salvation in the sense of strengthening the faith of the believing child of God and Bestowing the riches of the salvation of God upon one who partakes of the sacraments in faith.
But as far as Luther is concerned Calvin would have. Calvin would have been in basic agreement with Luther In many of the main Points of doctrine of the Christian faith faith alone and sanctification and Predestination bondage of the will bondage of the will especially his doctrine of the sacraments and as much as sacraments the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in particular as be partakes the body and the blood of Jesus Christ.
Calvin had his own distinctive doctrine of the Sacraments with regard to and in opposition to Luther's doctrine as well.
Going now to the institutes of Christian religion that Calvin is most famous for obviously the book title itself. May be an intimidating one for your average Christian to pick up especially in today's Day and age when your average modern evangelical is more quickly drawn to fluffy and sweet sounding titles, but What was the actual purpose that Calvin?
Wrote the institutes and the circumstances involving him writing them that what you say is true that so many professing Christians, and I'm afraid even professing Calvinistic Christians.
I.
Afraid to tackle the institutes of the Christian religion, but I recognize that and that underlay the purpose of my writing this summary of the Institute's. Not only Is the content of Calvin's Institutes intimidating to many today?
But the size of the book as it ended up.
The summary that you wrote is 455 pages. The institutes must be pretty very Long the three volumes they typically come in correct.
Calvin had what an English translation today amounted to over 1 ,500 pages.
It's translated and published in English in two thick volumes. I'm afraid that when many and report busy reform pastors look at those two volumes on the shelves of their bookstore much as they might be attracted to the size of.
Intended to remedy that situation by this 400 page summary which I am confident gives the essence of the entirety of Calvin's Institutes in a manageable form for Readers who otherwise would be put off by the size of the Institute's.
But your question was what is the nature of the Institute's when? Calvin originally wrote his Institute's. He had several purposes with it and The first was simply to give instruction to Protestant believers Orthodox Christian faith of Scripture.
Keep in mind that the first edition of the Institute's was written in 15. Reformation began in Germany in 1517. So there was a crying need for Believers know stand in faith as an explained to Christian faith.
That was one basic of Calvin as the title itself of the book indicates instruction in the Christian. But another definite purpose of Calvin with the Institute's was to defend Protestant Protestant faith against Roman Catholicism on the one hand and then a baptism on the other hand both of which Calvin regarded as and.
What value would you say? Would the average Christian obviously the more? Studious person who is in seminary or perhaps already is a pastor or a seminary professor would have great Value in studying these even if they don't.
Before reading them agree with the contents because of the historical magnitude of the Institute's. But when we have things like The three forms of unity in the Westminster Catechism in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith in the Savoy Declaration and smaller documents that summarize Christian faith what is In your opinion the value today for the average Christian of studying the Institute's.
Appreciate the fact that you mentioned those creeds because I believe it can be demonstrated that Many and Calvinistic to Calvin's if you find in the Institute's. But the value of the Institute layman or theological student today would be first of all to learn oddly man like Calvin understood the teaching of the Bible to be and in close connection with that.
Whether friend or foe the reader would Come to know what? reformed Christianity is or Presbyterian Christianity and he would learn that our full advocate of reformed Christianity rather than Having his knowledge of reformed Christianity Darkened by Foes who presented in a bad light and in a wrong way.
And I might add at this point that The Institute's especially in its final form much larger in the 1559 final edition is Thoroughly biblical that is Explicitly with regard to every point of what Calvin considered to be Christian doctrine.
He both refers to and offers brief explanation of the pertinent biblical passages out of which the biblical doctrine that he's setting forth flows and then defends that doctrine against Enemies of that doctrine by appeal to the scriptures.
One who reads the Institute's is going to be thoroughly instructed at the same time.
In.
Holy Scripture.
I just want to remind our listeners so that our email address is Chris Ornson at gmail .com if you have any questions, we already do have a number of Listeners who are waiting patiently for their questions to be asked and answered by our guest.
But it's again Chris Ornson at gmail .com. Chris ar n z n at gmail .com. Please include your first name at least your city and state and your country of residence if you live outside of the good old USA and I would love for you.
To.
Now let us also know. Ways that you think that the church at large? Even churches In our modern day that are totally unfamiliar. Or who have never read the Institute's but still maybe even unconsciously Today being blessed by them in ways that they don't even realize how is the church at large?
Across the theological spectrum Perhaps especially in America been blessed by the Institute's. What impact has it had on the church that last has lasted? Through the present day.
One of the Secular ecological analysts one of its framed Western culture. When you talk about the influence of Calvin's Institute's you're talking not only about an ecclesiastical influence, but you're also talking about a political and Civil and National influence.
It's one of the one of the Literary works that has had such a wide and deep to Familiarize themselves with at least in the origins of important aspects of Western society itself. It was a world shaping It turned into a world shaping work.
And in connection with what I was talking about a few moments ago You asked about the nature of the Institute's. I meant to add That the subtitle that Calvin gave to the Institute's Emphasized that the benefit academic mistaken Calvin the Christian man that he was wanted to emphasize implications and applications of that doctrine for the Piety of his reader which to Calvin was synonymous with it from the Institute's as well.
He applies The truth to the Christian life. In fact, I'm gonna let you pick up where you left off there.
We have to go to a station break. And if you'd like to join us on the air our email address is Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. And thank you all of you have been waiting patiently to have your questions asked and answered.
We'll get to your questions when we come back from the break and we will be right back right after these messages. With David J Engelsma and a discussion of his book the reform faith of John Calvin the Institute's in summary.
Don't go away. We will be right back.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said Give yourself unto reading. The man who never reads will never be read. He who never quotes will never be quoted. He will not use the thoughts of other men's brains. Pruessli has no brains of his own.
You need to read. Solid ground Christian books is a publisher and book distributor who takes these words of the Prince of Creatures 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.
Since its beginning in 2001 solid ground has been committed to publish God-centered Christ exalting books for all ages. We invite you to go treasure hunting at solid-ground-books .com. That's solid-ground-books .com.
And see what priceless literary gems from the past or present you can unearth from solid ground. Solid ground Christian books is honored to be a weekly sponsor of iron sharpens iron radio. Lindbergh Baptist Church on 225 Earl Avenue in Lindbergh Long Island is teaching God's timeless truths in the 21st century.
Our church is far more than a Sunday worship service.
It's a place of learning where the scriptures are studied and the preaching of the gospel is clear and relevant.
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. We're a diverse family of all ages Enthusiastically serving our Lord Jesus Christ in fellowship play and together.
Hi.
I'm Pastor Bob Walderman. I invite you to come and join us here at Lindbergh Baptist Church and see all that a church can be. Call Lindbergh Baptist at 516 -599 -9402. That's 516 -599 -9402 or visit Lindbergh Baptist org.
That's Lindbergh Baptist org. Welcome back.
This is Chris Sorensen. If you've just tuned us in our guest today for the first hour and for the remaining half hour is David J angles ma and I'm assuming I'm pronouncing your name correctly. You haven't corrected me yet.
No, you're doing well with my name and you're obviously of Dutch descent everyone whose last name ends with.
Zma and so he's. I was noticing at the beginning of the program how many names he mentioned that did.
And we are discussing Brother angles most book the reform faith of John Calvin the Institutes in summary and don't let that title fool you. In summary. This is a four hundred and fifty five page book.
So is it the safe assumption that you're? Through your book trying to get people to actually go to the Institutes themselves or are you my purpose?
Yeah, I'm aiming at two targets first of all There are those who are never going to read Calvin's Institutes in its entirety. But if they read my summary for God and man They will have Calvin's their mind and I could pray in their soul.
I do not go. Calvin had to teach a Summarize it. I analyze it if there are areas in which I disagree and There are precious few of those. I mentioned clearly that I am correcting Calvin in this area or that area so but my ultimate purpose is that many people professing to be Christians and especially Reformed and Calvinist or Christians will take the Institutes in hand and read the entire two volumes.
The copy that I have. In two volumes. I accidentally said three volumes earlier. The two volume set that I have. I know that there are some publishers or at least one that puts it out in a single volume.
I don't know if they've edited anything out of that single volume, but.
What.
What additions of it if you care to mention them? Do you most recommend the English? Additions of the institutes.
Strikingly the very of the Institutes into English was in.
1561.
Calvin himself was Alvin's lifetime. So that that was by Norton the most accurate translator of Calvin still to this day a popular English translation and Allen in 1813 beverage translated it for the Calvin Translation Society in 1845 and that's Reputed to be more accurate in a better translation than Allen's.
And the most recent is by Ford Lewis battles in 1960 and that's the translation that I used.
Although.
That translation is judged to be the least accurate.
It's obvious in certain footnotes that appear that translator and the editor Do not find themselves in agreement with Calvin in regard to certain important doctrines, and I'm afraid that that may also Influence the translation, but it will give you the but you know, the battles is the most readable though.
Yes.
Yeah, I have both battles and beverage and I find the beverages. Well, I think it's half stolen Latin.
And do you know anything about the the one volume Version of the Institutes. Have they edited out anything or is it just a larger book? I am NOT.
Aware of.
One volume edition of the Institutes. I have only ever Seen the Institutes in English in two volumes that I've mentioned. With the exception of Norton, I'm not sure I've laid hands on Norton that early edition.
But a later three. Allen beverage and battles. I know my beverages in one volume. Oh, it is. Yes.
That would probably depend on who's publishing it at that particular time. And of course, it's also if you forgive me for even saying this in the same sentence as Calvin. It's a paperback.
Let's go on to some of our listener questions. We have. I usually don't announce the full names of our listeners who write in questions. But I think I thought I'd make an exception with this a prestigious listener dr. Tony Costa of the Toronto Baptist Seminary.
He asked a question and I'm looking for it right now and somehow it Escaped me, but as I'm looking for it, let me announce or Repeat our email address. It's Chris Arnson at gmail .com. Chris Arnson at gmail .com.
Here it is. Dr. Tony Costa of Toronto Baptist Seminary asked. Did John Calvin believe in the separation of church and state? Well, was he a theonomist and He also follows up with did he believe that biblical law Was the normative rule of legislation for any and all secular governments?
Let me take the Calvin did not believe or practice the separation of church and State and as I in fact believe on the basis of the Bible it ought to be practiced. There was an undue Relationship between the state and the church in Geneva and that accounts for the blemish on Calvin's record that After the consistory condemned the heretic Servetus for his heresy of denying the Godhead of Jesus Calvin and the consistory of the church handed Servetus over to the civil authorities of Geneva to be burned at the stake For a logical option, but when chafed in the church and the state in Geneva because For a long time the civil government of Geneva would not allow the church authorities to practice spiritual discipline excommunication.
Finally at the end of his ministry Calvin fought successfully for that that the church could exercise discipline by The authority that Christ gives to the church without involving the civil state. But the full outworking of the separation between church and state Remained yet in the future Calvin Supposed that the civil government was responsible for.
Orthodoxy and the godliness of the church and. If that's what your questioner means by theonomy Although that term carries connotations today that Calvin would find objectionable Then Calvin could be lumped in that category.
And thank you very much. Dr. Tony Costa who is the professor of apologetics as I said at Toronto Baptist Seminary and By the way, we have a surprise for dr Costa and a number of you who follow him with questions for our guest due to the kindness and graciousness of reformed free publishing Association you are getting a free copy of this book this beautiful hardback 455 page book the reformed faith of John Calvin the institutes in summary and God willing and the reformed free publishing association will have that shipped out to you in the very near future.
Thank you very much Dr. Costa, I will need your full mailing address. Email to me as soon as you can. I only have your name and where you're from. We do have a John in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. John wants to know.
I have heard from some anti Calvinist individuals That John Calvin even in the very institutes you are discussing did not believe in The doctrine of limited atonement or definite atonement or particular redemption that is often attributed to him Is that true?
That is not true. The reason why that Allegation can be made is that Calvin does not in the Institute directly address This Christ tossing that question come down bluntly on the side of Jesus death for the elect church and deny Universal atonement that he believed that Jesus death was for the elect church alone their ministry explained by God's decree of election.
Source of all of salvation in Jesus Christ according to Calvin was God's decree of election and that's what makes him odious to Many professing Protestants today as it made him odious also to the Roman Catholic Church in his own day.
But a second way in which Calvin blindly indicates that he held particular efficacious atonement is By his repeated insistence and defense of that insistence That the death of Jesus Christ was effectual It accomplished Exactly what Jesus and God his father intended that and that Calvin not hold particular efficacious Redemption for a chapter to the death of Christ for the elect alone, but I may add being said There is such a thing as the development of dogma.
Calvin developed dogma in the Institute's even though he professed to be giving the Protestant faith for example his development of the three offices of Christ and His view of the saving work of Christ in terms of the three offices of Christ as prophet priest and King That was development of dogma that had not been set forth. So clearly by any theologian or church prior to his time incorporated in the Westminster Confession of Faith and in the three forms of unity of the Reformed churches, so There was reason for the Holy Spirit to develop the truth of particular efficacious atonement at the Synod of Dorrit 1618 and 1619 Where that topic was directly addressed in response to the Arminian doctrine and universal efficacious atonement and an entire? Chapter was devoted to declaring and defending that Christ died for the elect alone Calvin Calvin's doctrine implicit in the Institute's Was developed explicitly in the canons of the Synod of Dorrit and thank you very much for that.
Question and we have another listener in Riverhead Long Island, New York pastor Josh and his question is In your opinion is the man Calvin too closely tied to the doctrine that bears his name. In other words Do you find people focused more on? Calvin when arguing against Calvinism.
In other words, they they like to pick out either real or imagined flaws in Calvin rather than focusing on the texts of Scripture That teach the doctrines of Sovereign Grace or Reformed Theology.
The answer to that question is First of all people have a conception of the man John Calvin. And often the only thing they know about him is that he burned Cervetus forgetting that may be said in mitigation of Calvin's role in that event that Calvin pleaded with the authorities of the civil state not to have Cervetus burned But to execute him in a less painful way if that is a mitigation of Calvin's complicity in that event and then they dismiss the Reformed Faith the product of this bad man's brain Calvinism and Don't take the time to read and study What Calvin's doctrine actually was and I'm hoping that?
Well an answer to that. The second aspect of my answer to that question is that it's exactly suggested by the question that I prefer Never to refer to talking about the faith and defended I prefer And try always to refer to it as the Reformed Faith.
And that's why the title of my book is not Calvinism the Institute's in summary, but the Reformed Faith of John Calvin. I want to avoid Alvin taught with people think of when they hear his name. Yes, it's it's interesting that there are even.
Some Fundamentalist and landmark Baptists who would be in full agreement with the soteriology of reform theology. But they would even choose to just simply call themselves Sovereign Grace believing Christians because they don't want any association with the persecution of the magisterial reformers.
Against the Anabaptists and so on. Yes, I can appreciate that and.
We have Another by the way, I just want to remind our listeners You're all getting at least until we've run out of the number that free reformed publishing association has Permitted or allotted to us to give away.
You're all getting a free copy of this beautiful book by our guest David J. Engelston of the Reformed Faith of John Calvin the Institute's in summary and we have Bill in New York. Bill who says what specific role did Calvin actually play in the execution of Miguel Cervito or Michael Servetus and was he Connected closely with the execution of other.
Heretics that you know of the execution of Servetus. Was that as part of the consistory? He did Servetus over over to the civil magistrates for execution after the consistory had condemned Servetus as a heretic.
So it is impossible Much as I might strive to do that to exonerate Calvin from. Any active role in the execution of Servetus? Now it is way that Calvin walked with Servetus All the way to the place of execution pleading with him.
To repent of his heresy being with him to confess that Jesus Son of God that was the issue for Servetus and Servetus be to the end and at the stake. His dying words were Jesus Son of the eternal God have mercy on me.
But he would not use Calvin's terms. Jesus eternal son of the Living God have mercy on me. He remained a denier of the Trinity to the end and I am not aware. Involvement, in fact, I don't believe that he was involved in the execution of any other heretic in Geneva.
During his ministry there Servetus was the one stain or blemish made that plain. I think Calvin erred in his conception of the relation of the church and the state. The church exercises spiritual discipline as Calvin himself taught and the state is not called by God to backup of the church by physical measures but it is Worthy of note to those who write Calvin off on the basis simply of his involvement in the execution of Servetus that the entire Nominal Christian Church of that day took the position that the state had the calling to execute heretics.
It's needless to remind your audience of the numerous Executions of supposed heretics by the Roman Catholic Church but also Lutheranism that same position fallen churches who dissented from that were and we do have another listener.
Susan in Newville, Pennsylvania. Who wants to know did Calvin write anything subsequent to the institutes that his Detractors can point to and say see he changed his views and became more in the heart.
Harmony with those who reject.
Reform theology. No, Calvin was consistent to the end with regard to What is known as reformed theology? in fact in distinction from Luther and I'll Center on predestination because At the heart of Calvin's gospel of sovereign grace and what people refer to when they refer to his distinctive confession of reformed theology Calvin became stronger in his confession of predestination as he became older.
That's in distinction from Luther. Luther was stronger and confessing predestination at the beginning of his ministry. Then he was at the end probably due to the influence of Melanchton who did not have much sympathy for the doctrine of predestination, but Calvin wrote works on predestination at the very end of his ministry that were clearer and sharper and stronger than What he had written about predestination 25 or 30 years previously.
He never Wavered about that and he did not weaken in his confession of the truth of salvation by sovereign grace grounded in God's eternal predestination.
We have an anonymous listener who says that my pastor of The church where I am a member Tells me repeatedly that Calvinism and John Calvin himself Are destroyed and destroys to this day.
The Great Commission and Rob's men of evangelistic zeal to evangelize the lost. How do you respond to such? Accusations. Hey, I wish you had to because remember I invited you on for two initially. That was your choice.
We have been charged in the Protestant Reformed Churches with that error as though our doctrine of predestination restricts us from preaching the gospel indiscriminately to all and sundry and in the preaching of that gospel to Call all hearers to repentance and faith.
Everyone John Calvin time to read my summary of the Institutes or the Institutes themselves. He would discover that for himself Calvin taught the indiscriminate preaching of the gospel. But Calvin's teaching was the purpose of God with the preaching of the gospel of grace Is not to save every human being without distinction, but to save some only those whom he has Elected and that God uses the gospel as a power.
That is Jesus puts it in John 10 his sheep will hear his voice The sheep that Jesus knows and will believe on him and be saved. The alternative to that for the pastor who erroneously about Calvin. According to your Questioner the alternative to that is That those who respond positively in faith do so by their own free will So that the glory of their salvation Belongs to them and that Calvin and I reject.
And last but not least we have a listener who wants to know if Calvin Died at a young age. I have heard that but was not quite certain in that regard.
It's unbelievable what work that man produced in a short lifetime. He died shortly before his 55th birthday in 1964 born in 15 attained 55 years his writings alone on a bookshelf. You will understand that the man hardly slept or ate but devoted Glory of God, which was a great goal of his ministry and of his life.
By that.
Hardened work. Well, we are out of time brother. I definitely have to have you back and that was CJ and Lindenhurst who asked that question. Lindenhurst, New York, you're getting a free book as well. And I want to repeat the reform witness our radio broadcast.
You can find out more details at reform witness our org. Reformed witness our org and the reform free publishing associations website is rfp a dot org. RF for reformed free P a for publishing association dot org.
Thank you so much David Inglesby. I look forward to your quick return to the program so we could discuss this topic and others. Thank you very much and right now we have coming up any second now our second guest today and Stay tuned because the show has still got an hour left.
We are going to be joined any moment now by bill a blank Cheyenne or blank scan and he will no doubt correct me On the mispronunciation of that name. But we are going to be discussing his book. You will be made to care the war on faith family and your freedom to believe and if you'd like to join us on the air with a question our Email address is Chris Arnson at gmail .com.
Chris Arnson at gmail .com. Don't go away. We will be right back.
I'm James White of Alpha Omega Ministries. The New American Standard Bible is perfect for daily reading or in-depth study used by pastors scholars and everyday readers. The NASB is widely embraced and trusted as a literal and readable Bible translation.
The NASB offers clarity and readability while maintaining high accuracy to the original languages Which the NASB is known for. The NASB is available in many editions like a topical reference Bible. Researched and prepared by biblical scholars devoted to accuracy the new topical reference Bible includes contemporary topics relevant to today's issues.
From compact to giant print Bibles find an NASB that fits your needs very affordably at NAS Bible Calm trust discover and enjoy the NASB for yourself today. Go to NAS Bible calm. That's NAS Bible calm.
Box-store Christianity of doing church in a warehouse with all the trappings of a rock concert. Do you long for a more traditional and reverent style of worship? And how about the preaching. Perhaps you've begun to think that in-depth biblical exposition has vanished from Long Island?
Well, there's good news Wedding River Baptist Church exists to provide believers with a meaningful and reverent worship experience Featuring the systematic exposition of God's Word. And this loving congregation looks forward to meeting you.
Call them at 6 3 1 9 2 9 35 12 for service times 6 3 1 9 2 9 35 12 or check out their website at wrbc .us. That's wrbc .us. Welcome back. This is Chris arms. And if you just tuned us in our guests at this moment at the top of the hour is Bill blank Shane or blank scan.
I'll have him correct me on the pronunciation any second. But we're going to be discussing his book You will be made to care the war on faith family and your freedom to believe. Welcome to the broadcast for the very first time Bill blank scan, and if you could please correct my pronunciation.
Yes, blank Shane.
Is the pronunciation. And I apologize for that and I want to just read quickly a couple of blurbs. Commendations for this book Mark Levin who is no stranger to many in our audience. I'm sure. He wrote.
The compassionate bullies of the left have decided they must force you to shut up my friend Eric Erickson. Exposes their unbelievable bullying so often ignored or excused by the media. Eric Erickson of course being the co-author of the book with a bill blank Shane and David Limbaugh the brother of Rush Limbaugh who is himself a New York Times best-selling author of Jesus on trial and the Emmaus code.
David Limbaugh says few more prophetic words have been spoken in our recent political discourse. Then you will be made to care Eric Erickson and bill blank Shane. Under underscore in a convincing and justifiably alarming way that the left is not looking for mere.
Tolerance, but to force social conservatives indeed everyone into submission to their ideology. Prosecuting and persecuting along the way you might not care about the agenda of social liberalism. But menacingly it cares about you.
This is a must-read book and uh. Why. Immediately what comes to mind. Obviously bill and i'm sure you would agree that uh the homosexual activists movement. Uh, not only has insisted on equal rights.
They've long ago gotten equal rights. They really have superior rights. They not only want us.
Let them.
Alone and live out their lives the way they choose to. They want us to actually join in the celebration. And be forced to do so legally, don't they?
Well, you know, thanks for reading those kind words. Also, um, you know. What they want is the veneer of normalcy and my co-author eric erickson has talked about this for years as well. You know, you know, they want the trappings of a normal Marriage environment.
And and many times we think that it's really about tolerance. But as a charles chip, you know, i'm sorry evil only talks about tolerance while it is weak. Uh and and in so many words, he said that you know, once it gains the upper hand.
It's a whole different story and so. Many times we hear this label of tolerance. Things. And frankly because we are so to be nice. We want to be kind. We want to be loving. Uh that gets taken advantage of many times because we don't understand that truth and love.
And by the way.
I want to quickly introduce you to my co-host. Uh, reverend buzz taylor who's in the studio with me. Uh, this is joe blankshin author of. You will be made to care.
Thank you very much. Good to have you on the show.
Oh good to be here. And uh, tell us something about the audacity to believe.
Yeah, well the very first chapter of the book is called the audacity to believe. We're playing a little bit on that chapter, of course off of our current president, right? One of the one of his autobiographies, which is the audacity of hope.
Um, you know. And it's more than we actually begin the book with a quote from michelle obama and we end the book with a quote from barack Obama playing their own words back to them. Uh to kind of make the point but we begin the book with the story of calvin cochran the fire chief of atlanta who was Nominated by barack obama to be the nation's fire chief excelled in in that in that area one of the best of the best.
Uh, the mayor of atlanta begged him to return to atlanta, uh to serve there, which he did. However, uh when he published a book that dared to quote scripture. Even though he was doing a phenomenal job.
And uh, the circumstances around it was there was a a lesbian.
Uh.
Employee who was on her way out. There was a a known gay councilman Who didn't like what the chief had published and so these forces came together and they pushed for his firing and mayor reed.
For.
Living out a christian faith in life.
Now you uh, uh david limbaugh in his uh, his blurb that he wrote for you uh, he uh. Brings up something that you also have as a chapter heading. And i'm referring to and let's see it just uh slipped away from me here.
Oh the compassionate bullies. Uh, tell us something about that.
Yeah, um, you talked about that. That's right, right. Yeah, the compassionate bullies, you know. The thing about the left and progressives in general a secularist. They really excel at being bullies, but they excel at looking good while doing it.
You know, they they talk a good game of. They're wanting to push you around and force you to do what they want to do. Because they care. It's almost like that that disney pixar film monsters inc right?
We scare because we care. Uh, that's really the approach and so they go about this in a way that makes christians and others feel guilty. That's really where they're coming from. They're trying to bully us and bully people into doing what they want done.
But when you pull all the trappings back what it really comes down to is with with the typical bully. If you have the courage to stand up and speak the truth in love in return. You find that their arguments collapse and that others stand up to stand with you.
Uh, we do have an anonymous listener who has asked uh in light of the recent heavy fines That a bakery received for refusing To provide a cake for a same-sex marriage or same-sex wedding. Uh, is this a universal practice across the board in all 50 states where Businesses are in jeopardy of getting heavy fines for things similar to that.
Yeah, well the short answer is yes. They absolutely are in great jeopardy and they could be referring to one of two cases there either the case of aaron and melissa. Klein of sweet cakes by melissa had the privilege of interviewing them personally wonderful people.
We tell their story in the book. Um, this is these are people who had serviced endorsement oregon, uh bureaucrats stuffed in. Uh, and we had cases lawsuits ensue and cases ensue that have just made their life miserable.
And now these fines passed on them. Now, there's another case of a master. I believe it's masterpiece cake shop in which the the person There had actually said he would bake the cake. He said he would sell them a cake that they could use in their ceremony.
But he would not and could not with a clean conscience decorate. That was what the entire issue was about. It was about putting frosting on the cake but that case Uh was taken to the courts and they now uh were ordered to including his 80 some year old grandmother who helps.
Um, and the list goes on we talk about case after case in the book. Yes, if you are in business right now protection patient act and others absolutely, you are at risk and even with that now is this exclusively of.
People who refuse to participate in a homosexual activity or for instance, let me give you an example a thing that I have retorted, uh with when when somebody uh may may claim that they disagree with a business owner is refusing to provide Uh homosexuals with something like a wedding cake or whatever the case may be I have said well should a baker be legally bound to make a swastika cape for the local chapter of the american nazi party.
Uh now. Where where is the where is the line drawn here with these? With these regulations and laws.
Right. Yeah, we have to be clear. No one is being denied service because of their sexual orientation that is simply not happening in america. We hear all kinds of stories about that in comparisons to civil rights struggles and so forth, but there simply are no heterosexual only drinking fountains anywhere.
So this case is being made. Um, but it simply is not happening. Uh, the the allegations are being made, but it's not happening. Same thing happens with in indiana and other states where RFRA religious freedom protection laws were passed.
Everyone came out and said the world's going to end there's going to be discrimination. It just is not happening at all. It's happening in the opposite direction. Uh against those who refuse to violate their conscience.
So when we talk about this issue, it's important to clarify that. Um, but the other part of this is that. Yes in many ways, um. Okay, what was the second part of your question? I want to make sure I get it.
Is this being limited to those who are of a homosexual background who are demanding rights? I mean could it be uh anything that. Uh, someone is being denied a service for when it when when the service provided attached to it is a Appearance of approval of what you're doing, right?
Right.
Yeah, and what we're really proposing one of the things we propose in the book is is essentially live and let live legislation. Uh common sense protections to keep people from being forged to buy no matter what presidential candidate Should not be forced to do that.
If they want their cakes. They should go to kkk. And we saw this happen in a a business in kentucky a t-shirt manufacturer was being required to do things like this and the courts Eventually overturned it but not before their life was turned upside down.
So these things these things are taking place. Um and and it is not just a a homosexual marriage issue, but There is no clear line here must be general protections. And when this takes place the government must side on the and that's all these religious freedom on the side of liberty.
You know as we're seeing in many cases the pharmacist in washington in drugs at any other farm more into that story if you wish.
Yeah.
Well, the case here is really one that hasn't been heard a lot about is several cases in the book. We talk about that people, uh, kevin stroman interviewed him. The stroman family has run a a grocery store.
You know before walmart became place that every they decided and often how these things start a customer asked portion inducing drugs. Pharmacy did not carry it. So when she asked why? And they looked into it.
They said that they would not carry it because of their religious convictions and they thought that was the end of it. But that was only the beginning of the uproar and here's why what they didn't realize was that planned parenthood had worked with the governor And the bureaucrats for several years to requirements.
Now, again, we're going outside the bounds of the law. These are bureaucratic requests to force did was essentially reason except Intentionally discriminating against what happened was eventually the governor of washington boycotted them.
Out of them, you know, they came out in full force. They went to trial the stroman sued they won the case handily mountains of evidence witnesses, etc. Accusing them. And they thought that was the end of it.
Uh, but the ninth circuit court of appeals then overturned the decision Without any new evidence being either lessing or justice. Scalia that outcome would be very much in.
We do have a listener in gardeners, pennsylvania. Brian who says What things put pastors in greatest jeopardy legally in this day and age in regarding things that they preach and teach from the pulpit and in regard to church discipline.
Well, um, i'm going to answer that in a little bit of a different way than maybe he was expecting. I think what puts pastors most but we also propose in our chapter called the resurgent church. We also propose a way forward.
So we do challenge pastors, but for at least a path forward. First of all, they need to speak up the news need biblical guidance that they're concerned about. But uh to the second part of his question there those things are coming.
Obama administration attorneys before the supreme court said that it is likely that those things are going to become. Uh, you know, so becomes. Political does not mean it is no longer moral. And so they should not stop addressing these issues simply because politicians are talking about them.
By the way, okay. I'm, sorry. Go ahead.
Well, but but they are. These are going to be challenging days ahead and I would encourage everyone to read some of the chapters. Here we spoke to kevin de young robbie. Zachariah. Your perspective on it.
I served as pastor myself. I understand the challenges. Or go home.
And I just want to let our two listeners know that uh emailed Uh questions that you are getting a free copy Of this book. Each of you are getting a free copy of. You will be made to care. Uh, or should I emphasize my pronunciation of that you will be made to care.
The war on faith family and your freedom to believe. You're getting a free copy of that. Uh compliments of reginary press. So thank you very much reginary press. For those gifts for our two of our listeners.
And you have a very captivating uh, and uh Chilling title. The coming wildfire or what exactly is coming our way.
Yeah, well the truth is it's already here. You know, we look around us in our culture. Many of us have to be obergefell supreme. Um, you know, I think many people saw it happen and said it would never happen and then it did.
Um, we are already in the wildfire and the thing about wildfires is this. There's not really a whole lot you can do except let them burn out. Um, and so over the next. Maybe even generation, but definitely the next many years.
It's going to be very easy for christians to look around at what we see as madness in our culture and not just christians. Anybody remotely conservative in their outlook and think that our culture is has lost its mind.
You know if you think that to be several centuries ago that when the dutch has money and we look back at that and think What were they thinking?
You know.
It didn't last long it had its moment and then it faded out because it simply didn't work. And a lot of that is what we're going to see today. Um as a society we reality is it's going. The wildfire is not only coming it already has begun to arrive.
You know when when. Uh, justice scalia in one of his previous decisions Uh called it, um that that the majority on the court in 2013. He said the majority on the court has essentially Labeled those who oppose.
We are entering really some uncharted grounds here explain it we reveal it. We also offer in our third section of the book a very I hope encouraging Message and practical insight on a way forward.
Now one thing that baffles me is uh, and i'm wondering if you are aware of Behind closed doors infighting that goes on amongst the liberals. Uh, because there's there seems to be some contradictory things going on here.
Feminists, as you know have long described men in general has you know, basically, uh repulsive predatory misogynist perverts and It seems totally uh baffling to me that That that the liberal agenda which includes feminism would be All in favor of unisex public restrooms and things like that To accommodate cross-dressers.
That would seem to be inviting an open door for the very perverts that the feminists are always uh, opposing. Do you have any comments about the infighting and the self-destructive conflicting ideologies that seem to be uh going on here?
Yeah, I think it's important to remember that Adam commitments to a core ideology. They are not necessarily in agreement about how that ideology should but some are going to have different priorities.
And even though so the so they share a common secular Religion what we call the anti-religion religion. Uh, they you know, you still have different factions within that and so. It's kind of that old adage.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Um, they work together when it works well for them. But when it doesn't then you have a different arguments about well which Victim's group has prioritization then you're going to have a lot of infighting over that.
But they are agreed on one thing those who believe in a transcendent level of objective truth. Even if you all disagree about what that is that progresses and so they are going to unite In order to stomp that out and then they will happily fight amongst each other.
Well, I know that you have to leave fairly soon and i'd like you to basically leave our audience. Then in two minutes, uh what you most want etched in their hearts and minds when it comes to your book.
Yeah, I I think I think both eric and I kept your head down and minded your own business. Push the right button. One of the reasons we wrote this book was you are not believers in christ. You are not alone, even though the left wants you to flee is not true.
And so we wanted you to know that first of all, you're not alone. Second There is there are answers to these arguments that you hear you we were trying to give people ammunition for the war uh to push back in a Loving but bold way, uh, you know.
And along with that I think the other part is we it this is not a time to be silent. At that point no one's sitting in the stands anymore. If you can hear the sound of my voice you are fair game and it could happen at any time and so.
The the most important piece of the book as I said before that final third is we call people community a resurgence of of faith in their own lives a resurgence of Of faith and family resurgence in the church resurgence of citizens.
This is not the time for quit for quitting. This is the time for re-engaging At a whole nother level because that's what our lord has called us to do. And so it in our minds it really is not negotiable because we will be made to care.
We will be made to choose between conscience and compliance.
And i'd like you to quickly give our listeners, uh the site where they can access your blog.
Absolutely. Well, first of all to get the book go to you will be made to care .com. You will be made to care Walkers .com blogs. It's about defending our freedom of conscience. So I would encourage everybody go to you will be made to care .com and check it out.
As you will be made to care .com, thank you so much bill blank. Shane I eagerly look forward to having you return to iron trump and zion and hopefully for a full hour or more.
Well, I look forward to that. There's so much to talk about this.
Let's see if we can find a time to make that happen. Great. I would be most honored if you would return. And thank you again for taking time out of your very busy schedule to be with us today.
Thank you, chris.
All righty, and please listeners don't go away because we are going to be joined any second now by Michael gadosh the founder and director Of solid ground christian books one of our sponsors who's going to let you know about what things are Going to be very soon hot off the press.
In fact, some of them are right now available hot off the press. He's going to be giving us a rundown on those things.
Within seconds. So, uh, just stay with us and we're going to be right back after these messages. So don't go away.
Paul wrote to the church at galatia for am I now seeking the approval of man or of god or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of christ. Hi. I'm mark lukens pastor of providence baptist church.
We are reformed baptist church and we hold to the london baptist confession of faith of 1689. We are in nofork, massachusetts. We strive to reflect paul's mindset to be much more concerned with how god views what we say and what we do Than how men view these things.
That's not the best recipe for popularity. But since that wasn't the apostles priority, it must not be ours either. We believe by god's grace that we are called to demonstrate love and compassion to our fellow man.
And to be vessels of christ's mercy to a lost and hurting community around us. And to build up the body of christ in truth and love. If you live near nofork, massachusetts or plan to visit our area, please come and join us for worship and fellowship.
You can call us at 508 -528 -5750. That's 508 -528 -5750. Or go to our website to email us listen to past sermons worship songs or watch our tv program entitled resting in grace. You can find us at providence baptist church ma .org.
That's providence baptist church ma .org or even on sermonaudio .com. Providence baptist church is delighted to sponsor iron sharpens iron radio.
Attention coin collectors and investors. Long island galleries of wading river new york has brilliant uncirculated 19th century morgan silver dollars. For only 54 dollars per coin with free shipping and handling for a limited time.
There's a 40 coin limit. So order now while supplies last. Call 888 -260 -8111 888 -260 -8111. Visa mastercard discover and american express. Welcome price is subject to change. So call now at 888 -260 -8111 888 -260 -8111.
If you prefer ordering your brilliant uncirculated 19th century morgan silver dollars by check. Mail it today to long island galleries 9 susan drive wading river, new york 11792. That's long island galleries 9 susan drive wading river, new york 11792.
Remember, they're only 54 dollars per coin with free shipping and handling and a 40 coin limit. New york state residents must add sales tax. Long island galleries is honored to sponsor iron sharpens iron radio.
See the long island galleries display ad at iron sharpens iron radio dot com.
Charles heddon spurgeon once said Give yourself unto reading. The man who never reads will never be read. He who never quotes will never be quoted. He will not use the thoughts of other men's brains proves that he has no brains of his own.
You need to read. Solid ground christian books is a publisher and book distributor who takes these words of the 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. Since its beginning in 2001 solid ground has been committed to publish god-centered christ exalting books for all ages.
We invite you to go treasure hunting at solid-ground-books .com. That's solid-ground-books .com. And see what priceless literary gems from the past or present you can unearth from solid ground. Solid ground christian books is honored to be a weekly sponsor of iron sharpens iron radio.
Thriving financial is not your typical financial services provider as a membership organization. We help christians be wise with money and live generously every day. And for the fourth year in a row, we were named one of the world's most ethical companies by the ethosphere institute a leading international Think tank dedicated to the creation advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics.
Contact me mike gallagher financial consultant at 717 -254 -6433 Again 717 -254 -6433 To learn more about the thriving difference.
Faith finances and generosity. That's the thriving story.
Welcome back. This is chris arms and if you just tuned us in our final guest today for the remaining half hour Is michael gadosh who not only was my very first pastor after coming to saving faith in christ back in the 1980s but he is currently the Director of solid ground christian books ministry that he had founded himself a number of years ago and The website for that very valuable resource of christian literature is solid ground dash books .com solid ground books .com.
And we are joined by mike today to give us a rundown on things that are not only Available right now through solid ground christian books But things that will very soon be hot off the press and it's my honor and privilege to welcome you back to iron sharpens iron my friend.
My mentor my former pastor and my sponsor of iron sharpens iron mike gadosh.
Chris, thanks for having me back again. I really appreciated his buzz. Still there if you run him off.
He hasn't run me off yet. In fact, he just woke up. Actually.
You're partially responsible for the way chris turned out right.
Well.
Yeah, I suppose I have to be taking a little bit of credit for the bad things.
I'm going to have to start using the excuse that it's thundering outside when my listeners hear buzz snoring. Oh, yeah. There you go.
Um.
But uh. For those of our listeners, uh, and there may be some who are very new who have not heard about solid ground christian books. But give us a quick rundown a summary of what solid ground christian books is and what you offer.
I've been publishing At solid ground since 2001. We're just coming up now on our 15th anniversary and um, I began to what we had originally done. Probably about 75 to 80 percent of the works and sets were sold out now and uh, sadly, uh, yes 1930 I know yes on and um shipping out covers my sister baptist be giving a southern baptist.
Georgia southern baptist copies, uh that are going to be given out of this hardcover volume and um. The book is historical. Mercer is preserved in mercer university. At mercer university press as well.
And these men were instrumental in planting dozens and their influence has been quite remarkable by earl black metals and um. Yeah, they just wanted to read a portion of the atomic because it is the great faithfulness of these leaders.
One implication is that we should see corporate respidality. Early 21st century that the theology that our founders cherished a unbaptistic Cd. Mallory another wonderfully productive and influential name in the georgia baptist association.
Warned preachers not to fritter down the dock of countenance by our own faith and teaching to self-righteous presumption. The doctrine he continued when appropriately unfolded has not only been profitable to believers.
But has been blessed of god that the conversion of sinners. It has torn away their pride and fancied strength. Revealed them as naked and undone at the and driven them weeping and penitent to the savior's feet.
There in their last extremity to cry out lord. Say be the proper sad that the southern baptist can those who hold to a doctrinally strong calvinism are considered Unbaptistic and the one of the purposes of the fact is the foundation of the of the southern baptist convention.
Was men who held foot be told that it's those who do not embrace these things. That are the ones that are more in danger of being called unbaptist and curt and really done their homework they have. Scoured the original sources.
I was looking at one of the chapters alone. It's only 20 pages long and there are 122 footnotes. And the entire book is filled with the documentation. Uh to demonstrate from original sources. That uh that these men were firmly Calvinists and not not just in name only but these were men Who understood and appreciated the fact that it's the doctrines of grace alone that will cause a church to stand and be faithful through the matter what happens no matter what has come and um, and I think that Our prayer is that the lord would use this book and work at one point finally admitted how he did.
I didn't hear that. He admitted. Well, he admitted that that. That they have history on their side, but he's whether that was in a weak moment. Whether that was a trumpism that slipped out. No, but it was somehow he he at one point admitted that uh that that these doctrines were The foundational doctrines he just believes they were wrong and so the foundation was all wrong in his mind.
But at least as an admission of that most of them and in many cases have not just for I mean it's written. They are both georgia baptist pastors. And they are writing this book for their fellow brethren primarily, but it's not exclusively.
I just got an order just a couple minutes ago from pastor bill downing out in california and uh Mountain man bill right that mountain man bill. He's he just ordered a couple copies and uh,. And I um, i'm trying to get earl blackburn.
Earl blackburn in his uh, he looks back. Let me i'll read on the air so that we have a record of this. On his uh, the conclude the closing words of his preface. I had a great service. I highly commend the gospel heritage of your pastor in your area.
I just texted him and said i'm sending you your copy. And how many more do you want to order for your pastor friends in the neighborhood there?
Well, this is refreshing for me to hear because just uh within the past week, I believe it was I heard on a very prominent, uh I think he's a texan, uh baptist. Say something to the effect of uh. You know, we these people that are followers of john calvin and instead of jesus christ, you know.
Well, that's one of the most ignorant statements i've ever heard. So. You're you're kind of um, rejuvenating my my faith that there's some there's some baptists around that. Uh, I agree with me.
Well, I had to wait till now for that to happen. I mean i've been Hanging around with you. I know that's my point. I've known you for four years or five years.
Anyway, well, I think that I think that the thing that again, there's a lot of this has to do with ignorance that there's people just don't realize that. Uh the actual proof that calvinism is on occasion a free will.
Yes the very fact that a free will baptist church exists. Means that it had to be said Yes. The assumption was that if you were a baptist church, you were calvinistic and they wanted it to be known that they weren't.
Well, that very fact is is the proof that at one time the calvinists declare yourself free will baptist church. Today that's to say it because the assumption today would be that you are Reformed baptist.
Because because the assumption today is the opposite. And it's also important to point out that the free will baptists formed as a denomination.
Over a century and a half maybe two centuries ago. So obviously if even early on in the game, they needed to use the word free will to describe themselves. That shows you how deeply rooted the doctrines of grace are.
Amongst baptists as a people. Well, I never. I mean, of course I went to an interdenominational college but my my first church was a baptist church and uh, in fact, i'm Uh, i'm ordained baptist just for the record.
But um, I I was amazed because uh as a is a fundamentalist Uh baptist pastor I was preaching against calvinism at one point and but I you know, I had no idea of Of what our baptist heritage was at that time and I was shocked and so shocked that uh, I went out and bought the confession of 1689.
And whenever I dealt with baptists about reformed theology, I would use their own confession.
Yeah, that's a that's always the impression back in the end. They don't understand the importance of the case. When you start to tell you wrong words, I said well, then that's your confession. That you don't believe labor that anymore.
I just I did want to introduce another volume that I just got done. Uh, and it's called the office and work of the holy spirit by james buchanan In 40 the spirit's work in the conversion of and basically very interesting section.
Where he has what's called illustrative dying Malefactor paul the ethiopian treasurer and those are the illustrative of prayer and then concludes with the precious precious book simpler ferguson. Said of this he said james buchanan belonged to the bright galaxy of theologians who graced the early days of the free church of scotland.
His brilliant and uniquely conceived treatment of the holy spirit expounds his ministry first the biographical. Superbly combines the reliable with doctrinal with the person was one of but he says of the two.
He says these two treatises covering the whole.
Ground.
The one in a more practical the other in a more didactic spirit. And both in a manner worthy of the best traditions of our puritan fathers.
That was worth. I'd like to I'd like to have you actually on the uh, the program to Spend a whole hour at least on that one book by buchanan.
Yeah, yeah, i'd be happy to come back and do that. And and and the. Um, the. The other book that right now I have in print Levi was appreciated. I decided that as I started looking through his materials I noticed he had a lot on the whole to try to put together a that Had never been done before and it's entitled the person and work of the holy spirit.
I think that ferguson was kind enough to write. A pretty lengthy introduction for me. And uh, I really appreciate our articles the old testament Both the shorter and the longer edition of that and then on the doctrine of the holy spirit another article As well as the 1903 revision of the record that he wrote with a of christ by andrew murray The spirit of power by reverend thomas adamson and the witness of the spirit in relation to authority and inspiration of scripture by william mclaren.
And um, it's a it's a very.
Just a curiosity going back to buchanan. Uh, does he write about any of the abuses of the holy spirit? Obviously, they didn't have a full-blown charismatic movement, but ever. Edward irving was a uh member at one time of that very denomination the church of scotland uh, and obviously May be considered in some ways the grandfather of the charismatic movement, but uh, you have anything.
Well, that's something. Yeah.
He does address some of the in 18. Yeah, irving died 1834 34. Yeah that and um, one of the Beautiful biography he just allows irving's life to speak for itself. And it isn't until the very very end and then at the end kind of draws the reader in from.
He got off court and he really the charismatic movement In the most gracious way and in just a few pages basically To show them.
I want to make sure I announce your website again. Just in case time slips right underneath us and I don't have time it's solid dash ground dash books .com. Solid dash ground Books .com if you could summarize in two minutes what you most want our listeners to know about solid christian books and what you're offering right now.
Well, I think that the thing that i'm i'm most excited about is the opportunity that god has just. Uh to number of many of my kids a sad time in time in the last, you know I'm in need of being mindful of the fact that and i've had people who know it might in some cases not often.
But occasionally might cost them a little bit more than going to cbd. But cbd and amazon are worldly companies and we are very cautious about I don't ask for donations for people to.
And I just want to announce again solid dash ground dash books .com. Solid dash ground dash books .com. Thank you so much mike adash for being our guest today. Thank you. Uh even more so for being a sponsor regularly of iron sharpens iron.
Well, we're excited that you're on the air again chris and I know people all over the world are thrilled that. That you're there again and that you uh, you know.
I want everybody to always remember for the rest of your lives that jesus christ is a far greater savior than you are a sinner. And we look forward to hearing from you and your questions tomorrow on iron sharpens iron radio.