Reformed Forum
Reformed ForumReformed Forum supports the church in presenting every person mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28) by providing Reformed theological resources to pastors, scholars, and anyone who desires to grow in their understanding of Scripture and the
See more
theology that faithfully summarizes its teachings.
Older episodes
- 673A Biblical Theology of CultureIn his book Created & Creating (IVP Academic), William Edgar offers a rich biblical theology contending that Christians must engage in culture. Dr. Edgar is Professor of Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary. He joins us to speak about this wonderful book. Its thesis is simple: the cultural mandate, declared at the dawn of human history, and reiterated through the different episodes of redemptive history, culminating in Jesus’ Great Commission, is the central calling for humanity. Previous Episodes featuring William Edgar The History and Legacy of the Huguenots How Did Evil Come Into the World? Francis Schaeffer’s Christian Spirituality Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, William Edgar
- 674The Book of Revelation – Part 17Chapter 17 talked about this Great City that sits upon the many waters. The City we are told is the kingdom of Satan and the many waters we are told are the multitudes of people throughout the earth that worship the beast and the false prophet. This city is said to rule over the kings of the earth which is one way to know that this is not talking about one specific city. This city is called Babylon the Great. The rulers of this world that worship the Beast give over their allegiance to this city so that they will do all the bidding of the Beast. This city is mighty and fills the Earth ruling over the people of the Earth. But this is all of God, just as in Romans 1 God gives wicked people over to their sin so that they might fulfill its desires, and in the end reap the rewards of their wickedness. So to do these people love the city and give themselves over to its sinful purposes. Just as Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery what they meant for evil God meant for good. The rulers of the nations of the Earth give themselves and their nations to the city, yet; they hate the city, they hate the beast. Why? Because sin is self-destructive the more we serve sin the more empty we become. If we give ourselves over to sin fully there is nothing that can satisfy so that all that is left is bitterness. Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 675The Attestation of ScriptureToday we speak about John Murray’s “The Attestation of Scripture,” a chapter in The Infallible Word. Scripture attests to its own character and authority. Being God’s Word and our ultimate authority, it could be no other way. Murray writes, The doctrine of Scripture must be based upon the witness of Scripture just as any other doctrine in the whole realm of Christian confession. The objective witness is that Scripture is authoritative by reason of the character it possesses as the infallible Word of God and this divine quality belongs to Scripture because it is the product of God’s creative breath through the mode of plenary inspiration by the Holy Spirit. Participants: Camden Bucey, Glen Clary, Jim Cassidy
- 676The Book of Revelation – Part 18And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” Jesus used this parable to condemn the Jewish religious leaders. They had rejected the teaching of the prophets, they rejected the teaching the teaching of Jesus and they refused to listen to God. What does this parable have to do with Revelation 19? Why is there an Angel standing in the Sun and what is on the menu of the marriage supper of the Lamb? We will discuss these and other questions today on Theology Simply Profound. Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 677Vos Group #34 — The Majesty and Holiness of God and the Place of WorshipWe continue our #VosGroup series by opening pages 150–154 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider the presence of God. The tabernacle was a holy place wherein God’s people were summoned to commune with and worship the Lord. Vos describes the symbolism and typology of this holy realm. God brings his people into deeper covenant fellowship as he conforms them to the image of his resurrected Son, Jesus Christ. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
- 678The Book of Revelation – Part 19Revelation 20. So much hinges on this passage. Is the Kingdom of God only 1000 years long, are their two or more kingdoms? How can anyone say that Satan has been bound when there is evil in this world? Today we are looking at a passage that has been debated for 2000 years and I don’t believe that we will put an end to that today. However, how we interpret this passage matters and I ask that the listener keep on the forefront of their mind the rest of Scripture. How does the book of Ephesians or John, or the Psalms impact the way we understand this passage? How do you put a chain upon a spirit and where is this vision taking place? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 679The Last Adam: A Theology of the Obedient Life of Jesus in the GospelsWe welcome Dr. Brandon Crowe to speak about his book, The Last Adam: A Theology of the Obedient Life of Jesus in the Gospels, in which he sets forth the soteriological significance of the life of Jesus in the Gospels. He offers an exegetical case for understanding the Adam-Christ parallel in the Gospels themselves, and thereby allows us to see the great glory of person and work of Christ as he is revealed in all of Scripture. Other episodes with Brandon Crowe Deuteronomy and Christology in the Gospel of Matthew The Virgin Birth of Christ The Message of the General Epistles The New Testament Foundations of Trinitarian Theology Participants: Brandon Crowe, Camden Bucey
- 680The Book of Revelation – Part 20The more we understand who we are and who Christ is the more we understand our sin. We realize that even in our best moments we are not without our own sinful desires. However; this should not lead us to believe that all that we ever do is sin. God has saved us to do good works. He even ordained our good works. Of course we look to Christ and give Him the honor and glory but to look to the good things that we do and only see sin is just as fallible as looking at our lives as if we are free from sin. The Christian life must be given over to balancing what we are becoming in Christ to what we are being changed from. Paul uses language of the Old and the New man. What Paul is talking about is our old sin nature and the state of sanctification that our nature is being transformed into. But how does God see us? Do we see God on the edge ready to pounce when we fail, as if He is hoping for an opportunity to ‘get us’? How much do we acknowledge that God is active in our lives transforming us into what He wants us to be? Do we see God as a creator now or is He done with that activity? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 681The Majesty of MysteryK. Scott Oliphint speaks about the incomprehensibility of God as detailed in his book, The Majesty of Mystery: Celebrating the Glory of an Incomprehensible God (Lexham Press). As creatures, we will never and can never comprehend fully God’s mysteries. Indeed, this must even be an epistemological and methodological starting point. Standing upon this biblically-based notion of mystery, Dr. Oliphint drives us to doxology—to worship our glorious God. Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Waddington, K. Scott Oliphint
- 682The Book of Revelation – Part 21Most of us often ask the question; “Why?” It’s only natural to wonder about life. Why did I get a flat tire? Why did my friend get sick, why did I get sick? Our church friends are correct when they tell us to trust in God even though our personal understanding of the situation can’t see past the hurt, pain or just the inconvenience. Usually it is through hindsight that we can get the kind of perspective that leaves us with some sort of understanding. This is what we find in Revelation 22. After a book filled with dragons, beasts and martyrdom we come to the end where we find that for those in Christ it was all worth it. With a gentle reminder our Lord tells us that all of these prophecies will come true. Persecution will come, it must come but in the end we are brought to a place where we find peace, and rest for all eternity. Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 683T. F. Torrance and Apostolic SuccessionRev. Chiarot is the pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Rock Tavern, New York. He joins us today to speak about “T. F. Torrance and Apostolic Succession,” an article he wrote for Participatio. He has also written, The Unassumed Is the Unhealed: The Humanity of Christ in the Christology of T. F. Torrance (Pickwick, 2013). Links Westminster Presbyterian Church, Rock Tavern, NY Christ the Center episode 403, “The Unassumed Is the Unhealed“ Participants: Camden Bucey, Jim Cassidy, Kevin Chiarot
- 684The AscensionSo when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Calvin said regarding this passage that it was good for the disciples to ask about Christ’s Kingdom because we should always seek to know more about Christ, although when He is silent we should be content. After three years of training after an emotional roller-coaster of having Christ die only to rise from the dead, these students were ready for what they thought was the end. But their ministry was only beginning. But why did Christ leave? Couldn’t the Holy Spirit have come with Christ still there and how can we consider the Kingdom here now if it was still future at the time of the ascension? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 685TGC Followup, Evangelical Worship, and OecolampadiusEarlier this week, we exhibited at The Gospel Coalition 2017 Conference, “No Other Gospel: Reformation 500 and Beyond” in Indianapolis. We were able to share 900 copies of our new book No Uncertain Sound with interested conference attendees. We had numerous conversations with people about confessional Reformed theology, worship, apologetics, and ecclesiology. In the few quiet moments, we picked up the microphones and spoke about our experience. In his plenary address at TGC, “The Reformed Tradition Beyond Calvin,” Ligon Duncan spoke of Johannes Oecolampadius and Dr. Diane Poythress’ work on the Reformer. In Christ the Center episode 269, we spoke with Dr Poythress about her dissertation, “Johannes Oecolampadius’ Exposition of Isaiah, Chapters 36–37,” which is one of the only lengthy treatments of Oecolampadius in English. She has also written an excellent book about him titled, Reformer of Basel: The Life, Thought, and Influence of Johannes Oecolampadius, published by Reformation Heritage Books. Participants: Camden Bucey, Diane Poythress, Glen Clary, Jason Pickard, Jim Cassidy
- 686The Spirit & GuidanceHow does a person determine the will of God? This question was the subject in one form or another in many of the sermons that I had growing up, especially when I was a teen. We all knew that God had a special plan for our lives and that He wanted us to have a specific job, marry a certain spouse and go to a certain college, although perhaps not in that order. So we prayed for guidance from the Holy Spirit to determine the answer to these questions. Unfortunately sometimes we ended up treating the Holy Spirit as a magic eight ball. But isn’t that what the disciples did in the opening chapters of Acts. They cast lots to determine who would replace Judas. Shouldn’t we be doing that today? Why did Judas have to be replaced and do we have a different relationship with the Holy Spirit than Moses and David did? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 687The Gospel: A Matter of First ImportanceWhile many in the Christian tradition prepare to celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday this week and next, we turn to consider the meaning of the gospel. Paul describes the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1–8 as a message of Jesus’ historical life, death, and resurrection for sinners. This is a matter of first importance. Participants: Camden Bucey, Glen Clary, Jim Cassidy
- 688PentecostCan you imagine having been one of the people who took off their coat to lay it in front of the colt just so the King’s horse would not have to touch the ground. To have shouted Hosanna, a word that means Save now! To watch as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords came into Jerusalem to consummate the Kingdom. If we were one of these people a week later we would have been standing in front of Pilot in the dark of night yelling; “Crucify Him Crucify Him.” What tales we would have had to tell when we returned home. Several weeks later when we returned to Jerusalem for another Feast it would have only been natural to have those memories fresh in our mind and to have spoken about it with others who had been there as well. Would we have felt guilt or wonder? Would we have pondered the meaning of these events? Would we have thought back to who we had once believed Jesus had been? Would we have thought the disciples were drunk? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 689Man’s Freedom within the Sovereign Plan of GodToday we welcome Daniel Ragusa, to speak about the Westminster Standards and their teaching of the self-sufficient and self-contained triune God of Scripture. Ragusa begins with Westminster Confession of Faith 3.1: God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. In developing this doctrine, Ragusa draws upon Cornelius Van Til’s Trinitarian theology, covenant theology, and representational principle. Ragusa writes, According to Van Til’s representational principle, for man’s will to operate and for an act of his will to be significant and meaningful it must take place within an exhaustively personal environment, that is, it must take place within the sovereign and eternal plan of the self-sufficient triune God. The absolute freedom of God does not take away or limit man’s freedom, but rather establishes it in an analogical fashion. Participants: Camden Bucey, Dan Ragusa, Jim Cassidy
- 690The New CovenantIn Hebrews 8 we hear the words of the writer examining the prophecy made by Jeremiah. But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. 8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” So how does this affect us today? Does this mean that everyone in the Church is saved? Is there still a future time for the fulfillment of this Covenant or has it all come already? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 691Vos Group #35 — Christ, the Tabernacle, and the ChurchWe continue our #VosGroup series by opening pages 154–155 of Vos’ book Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments to consider how Christ reveals and consummates the religious principles and realities embodied in the tabernacle and then elevated into the Church. Participants: Camden Bucey, Lane G. Tipton
- 692Baptism – Part 1When I was born my mom who was not attending church and had me baptized…Anglican. My grandmother volunteered, (and I am using air quotes here) to babysit me. Her real goal was to have me baptized again…as a Catholic. When I was 10 I made a public witness in my church by being baptized…well as a Baptist. So whoever is correct about this I’m covered. But what is baptism anyway? Why do we do it and just who should receive it? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 693Reformed SpiritualityChrist the Center hits the road for a series of episodes at Bethel OPC in Wheaton, Illinois. In our first of the series, A. Craig Troxel speaks about Reformed spirituality. Dr. Troxel is pastor of Bethel OPC in Wheaton and teaches adjunct at Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has taught courses on Reformed Spirituality at both institutions. Participants: A. Craig Troxel, Camden Bucey, Charles Williams, Robert Tarullo
- 694Baptism – Part 2The Heidelberg Catechism asks in question 69: How does holy baptism signify and seal to you that the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross benefits you? Answer: In this way: Christ instituted this outward washing[1] and with it gave the promise that, as surely as water washes away the dirt from the body, so certainly His blood and Spirit wash away the impurity of my soul, that is, all my sins.[2] [1] Matt. 28:19. [2] Matt. 3:11; Mark 16:16; John 1:33; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3, 4; I Pet. 3:21. The significance of this sign is the assuredly that the promises made by Christ in salvation will be assured to be accomplished in the life of the believer. But what does that mean? Can a baby understand that, and how does that help the believer later in life? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
- 695The Life and Theology of AugustineCharles Williams speaks about the life and theology of one of Christianity’s greatest figures, Augustine. Mr. Williams is Associate Pastor at Bethel OPC in Wheaton, Illinois. WTSBooks.com has generously offered a copy of Augustine’s The Trinity for a giveaway. This is a handsome edition from New City Press. To enter your name for the giveaway, please signup for our email list. We’ll email the winner. Participants: A. Craig Troxel, Camden Bucey, Charles Williams, Robert Tarullo
- 696Possessions – Part 1Acts 2:42-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. This is the beginning of the New Covenant Church. The people of God, the true Israel, were made up mostly of travelers who had come for a feast as Old Covenant Israelites and had found the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. Are the examples we are given of church life? are these examples that we should be emulating today? Should the church be structured to resemble a commune? Should Christians today be pushing for socialism? Theology Simply Profound is a podcast of Westminster Presbyterian Church, an Orthodox Presbyterian Church, serving the western suburbs of Chicago, where God powerfully speaks through his means of grace. Also, check out the work of the OPC in Chicagoland at Chicago Reformed. Music credit: pamelayork.com. Thank you, Pamela York, for the use of your beautiful jazzy rendition of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” We encourage our listeners to check out her website and consider purchasing some of her music. Participants: Rob McKenzie, Robert Tarullo
Get the Pray app
Keep listening to Reformed Forum on your phone, and pick up where you left off.
