Cincy Reformed Podcast

Visits to Heaven or Holy Scripture? (Audio only)

Is God giving some people more revelation about Heaven and Hell than what is in the Bible? How should Christians assess claims from men, women, and children who claimed to have seen or experienced Heaven or Hell after a near-death experience? In this episode, Pastors Brandon and Zac compare these claims with Scripture and the Reformed tradition. 

For more information, see: 

Perspectives on Pentecost: New Testament Teaching on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit by Richard Gaffin 

The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson 

Heaven on Earth: What the Bible Teaches about Life to Come by Derek Thomas

We Don’t Have to Read the Book or See the Movie to Know Heaven Is Real by Nancy Guthrie 

The Bestsellers: Heaven Is For Real by Tim Challies 

Rediscovering the Holy Spirit: God's Perfecting Presence in Creation, Redemption, and Everyday Life by Michael Horton 

How Does Jesus View Covenant Children? (Audio only)

Are children of believing parents mere teaching tools for Jesus, or did Jesus see them as exemplar Christian members of His Kingdom? Are covenant children prized primarily for what they might do or believe in the future, or are they prized because of who they are and the contributions they make right now? How does your view of God's covenants shape your view of children? This special episode is a sermon Pastor Zac preached on Matthew 18:1-14 where he unpacked these questions. 

For more information, see: 

Are Covenant Children Christians? by Cincy Reformed 

Church, Baptism, and Faith in the Reformed Tradition by Greystone Conversations 

Do Offerings Belong in Worship?

Should there be a collection within a church's liturgical service? Is there a place for "tithes and offerings" within Sunday morning worship? In this episode, Pastor Brandon interviews Pastor Zac on his recent study and his views on the matter. Pastor Zac shares his recent exploration of both Hughes Oliphant Old and Elsie Anne McKee. 

For more information, see: 

With Reverence and Awe: Returning to the Basics of Reformed Worship John Meuther 

Reformation Worship: Liturgies from the Past for the Present by Jonathan Gibson 

Do Offerings Belong in Worship? (Audio only)

Should there be a collection within a church's liturgical service? Is there a place for "tithes and offerings" within Sunday morning worship? In this episode, Pastor Brandon interviews Pastor Zac on his recent study and views on the matter. 

For more information, see: 

With Reverence and Awe: Returning to the Basics of Reformed Worship John Meuther 

Reformation Worship: Liturgies from the Past for the Present by Jonathan Gibson 

Antithesis and Common Grace

How can regenerate believers work together with unregenerate unbelievers? If there is an absolute antithesis between the principles of the regenerate and the principles of the unregenerate, how can there be any interaction? Moreover, does God's common grace restrain the unrighteous suppression of truth in the unbeliever? Perhaps Cornelius Van Til can help shed light on this: 

"Because of God’s common grace, this ethical antithesis to God on the part of the sinner is restrained, and thereby the creative forces of man receive the opportunity of constructive effort. In this world the sinner does many “good” things. He is honest. He helps to alleviate the sufferings of his fellow men. He “keeps” the moral law. Therefore the antithesis besides being ethical rather than metaphysical is limited in a second way. It is one of principle, not one of full expression. If the natural man fully expressed himself as he is in terms of the principle of ethical hostility to God that dwells within his soul, he would then be a veritable devil. Obviously he is often nothing of the sort. He is not at all as “bad as he may be.” (An Introduction to Systematic Theology, 45)

 "And common grace is the means by which God keeps man from expressing the principle of hostility to its full extent, thus enabling man to do the “relatively good.” (Common Grace and the Gospel, 200)

"Thus it comes to pass that they of whom Scripture says that their minds are darkened can yet discover much truth. But this discovery of truth on their part is effected in spite of the fact that in principle they are wholly evil. Their discovery of truth is adventitious so far as their own principle is concerned. They are not partly evil, they are not just sick; they are wholly evil, they are spiritually dead. But in spite of being dead in sins, they can, because of God’s common grace, discover truth. The universe is what the Scripture says it is, and man is what the Scripture says he is. On both of these points it says the opposite of what fallen man says. Fallen man knows truth and does “morally good” things in spite of the fact that in principle he is set against God." (A Christian Theory of Knowledge, 44)

"The idea of common grace may not become the basis for a 'neutral territory' between believer and unbeliever... [I]n this world of sin no Christian individual and no Christian organization can be positive and constructive till after they have been negative and destructive.... At this point I may interject that when I thus emphasize the absolute antithesis I am not denying or even for a moment forgetting the doctrine of common grace. That doctrine does not militate against but here as elsewhere confirms the doctrine of the absolute antithesis. Common grace does not overlook ultimate differences. Nor does it when correctly understood, in any way tone down those ultimate differences. On the contrary, common grace helps to point out that things which look alike are not ultimately alike. Common grace points specifically to the fact that similarities between the people of God and the people of this world are but proximate similarities and that these proximate similarities play before the background of ultimate differences." (Essays on Christian Education, 91, 187, 189)

For Pastor Zac's favorite book on these matters, see:

Living in God's Two Kingdoms: A Biblical Vision for Christianity and Culture by David VanDrunen 

For Pastor Brandon's favorite book in these matters, see: 

The Lordship of Christ: Serving Our Savior All of the Time, in All of Life, with All of Our Heart by Vern Poythress 

Antithesis and Common Grace (Audio only)

How can regenerate believers work together with unregenerate unbelievers? If there is an absolute antithesis between the principles of the regenerate and the principles of the unregenerate, how can there be any interaction? Moreover, does God's common grace restrain the unrighteous suppression of truth in the unbeliever? Perhaps Cornelius Van Til can help shed light on this: 

"Because of God’s common grace, this ethical antithesis to God on the part of the sinner is restrained, and thereby the creative forces of man receive the opportunity of constructive effort. In this world the sinner does many “good” things. He is honest. He helps to alleviate the sufferings of his fellow men. He “keeps” the moral law. Therefore the antithesis besides being ethical rather than metaphysical is limited in a second way. It is one of principle, not one of full expression. If the natural man fully expressed himself as he is in terms of the principle of ethical hostility to God that dwells within his soul, he would then be a veritable devil. Obviously he is often nothing of the sort. He is not at all as “bad as he may be.” (An Introduction to Systematic Theology, 45)

 "And common grace is the means by which God keeps man from expressing the principle of hostility to its full extent, thus enabling man to do the “relatively good.” (Common Grace and the Gospel, 200)

"Thus it comes to pass that they of whom Scripture says that their minds are darkened can yet discover much truth. But this discovery of truth on their part is effected in spite of the fact that in principle they are wholly evil. Their discovery of truth is adventitious so far as their own principle is concerned. They are not partly evil, they are not just sick; they are wholly evil, they are spiritually dead. But in spite of being dead in sins, they can, because of God’s common grace, discover truth. The universe is what the Scripture says it is, and man is what the Scripture says he is. On both of these points it says the opposite of what fallen man says. Fallen man knows truth and does “morally good” things in spite of the fact that in principle he is set against God." (A Christian Theory of Knowledge, 44)

"The idea of common grace may not become the basis for a 'neutral territory' between believer and unbeliever... But in this world of sin no Christian individual and no Christian organization can be positive and constructive till after they have been negative and destructive.... At this point I may interject that when I thus emphasize the absolute antithesis I am not denying or even for a moment forgetting the doctrine of common grace. That doctrine does not militate against but here as elsewhere confirms the doctrine of the absolute antithesis. Common grace does not overlook ultimate differences. Nor does it when correctly understood, in any way tone down those ultimate differences. On the contrary, common grace helps to point out that things which look alike are not ultimately alike. Common grace points specifically to the fact that similarities between the people of God and the people of this world are but proximate similarities and that these proximate similarities play before the background of ultimate differences." (Essays on Christian Education, 91, 187, 189)

For Pastor Zac's favorite book on these matters, see:

Living in God's Two Kingdoms: A Biblical Vision for Christianity and Culture by David VanDrunen 

For Pastor Brandon's favorite book in these matters, see: '

The Lordship of Christ: Serving Our Savior All of the Time, in All of Life, with All of Our Heart by Vern Poythress 

 

Limited Atonement: For Whom Did Christ Die?

Did Jesus die for the sins of the whole world, or only the sins of the elect? Did Jesus's death purchase a mere possibility for all, or was it absolutely effective for certain individuals? What does the Bible say? 

For more information, see: 

Canons of Dort, Second Head of Doctrine 

Death of Death in the Death of Christ by John Owen

From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective by Johnny Gibson 

Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray 

But for the Grace of God: An Exposition of the Canons of Dort by Cornelius Venema 

Limited Atonement: For Whom Did Christ Die? (Audio only)

Did Jesus die for the sins of the whole world, or only the sins of the elect? Did Jesus's death purchase a mere possibility for all, or was it absolutely effective for certain individuals? What does the Bible say? 

For more information, see: 

Canons of Dort, Second Head of Doctrine 

Death of Death in the Death of Christ by John Owen

From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective by Johnny Gibson 

Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray 

 

Can We Change God’s Pronouns to They/Them?

Can we change God's pronouns to "They/Them"? When the Bible uses the pronouns "He" or "Him" referring to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, are we able to change or tweak those pronouns? In other words, is God male? 

For more information, see: 

Gender of God by OPC

Is It Proper to Call God Mother? by OPC

Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman 

Critical Race Theory by Timothy Brindle 

Can We Change God’s Pronouns to They/Them? (Audio only)

Can we change God's pronouns to "They/Them"? When the Bible uses the pronouns "He" or "Him" referring to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, are we able to change or tweak those pronouns? In other words, is God male? 

For more information, see: 

Gender of God by OPC

Is It Proper to Call God Mother? by OPC