Articles

ONE While the true greatness of a preacher will only be revealed at Christ’s tribunal, I would join my opinion with those of many others who make the earthly judgment that Charles Spurgeon was the most effective and useful of preachers since the days of the Apostles. Yes, as highly as I regard Augustine, Luther, […]

Should women serve in military combat? Does the church have Scriptural warrant to claim that women should not? The Orthodox Presbyterian Church officially thinks so, but delegates to the OPC’s 68th General Assembly in Grand Rapids in June were hardly unanimous in their decision. Instead, a study committee commissioned to examine the issue split evenly […]

It is very odd how difficult it seems for some persons to understand just what Calvinism is. And yet the matter itself presents no difficulty whatever. It is capable of being put into a single sentence; and that, one level to every religious man’s comprehension. For Calvinism is just religion in its purity. We have […]

Thomas Bilney, ‘whose conversion had begun the Reformation in England’ was, in God’s hands, the instrument of Hugh Latimer’s conversion. The story of his life ‘in strength and weakness’, leading to his martyrdom in 1531, is eloquently recorded in The Reformation of England, volumes 1 and 2 by J. H. Merle d’Aubigné (Banner of Truth). […]

The sovereignty of God I take to be the absolute authority, rule, and government of God in the whole of that reality that exists distinct from himself in the realms of nature and of grace. It is a concept that respects his relation to other beings and to all other being and existence. It is, […]

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.’ — Romans 10:3 ‘For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going’. . . We have, so far, been dealing with the first two verses, and have seen that certain general […]

‘Wise men store up knowledge…’ — Proverbs 10:14a One of the immense edifices on the skyline of Christian history over the last hundred years was the eminent leader, Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones (1899-1981). He is noteworthy not only because he was a great preacher and the pastor of Westminster Chapel of London, but also because […]

One of the most staggering verses in the Bible is surely Romans 8:28, ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who are the called according to his purpose.’ What is so breath-taking is the scope of Paul’s conviction, ‘in all things,’ and the unbounded assurance […]

‘Depth of mercy! can there be Mercy still reserved for me?’ John Newton was born in 1725 in London. His mother who was a godly woman and who taught him to pray as a child, died when he was only seven years old. He had only two years at school and at the age of […]

A member of my congregation, a young man who was an apprentice, became attentive to the subject of religion; and, finally, his convictions became very distressing. I had many conversations with him. It all appeared to be in vain. He continued in his distress, without hope, and almost in despair. One day he said to […]

For years before the Second World War and for another 15 years afterwards the one shop in the United Kingdom which stocked and distributed Reformed literature from the USA was the Evangelical Book Shop of Belfast. This was through the energy and vision of W. J. Grier, that holy happy pastor and one of the […]

Gentlemen. I have long looked for a suitable opportunity of acknowledging an old debt to a favourite author of mine. But when I proceed to pay a little of that old debt today, I am not to be supposed to put any of you into that same author’s debt. All I wish to do is […]

The old streets of the ancient town still resonate with the sounds of traffic and commerce. But now, in the twenty-first century, the traffic consists of motorcycles and Citroens; and the commerce includes not only food markets, but computer stores and internet services. And amidst the hustle and bustle and the mix of old and […]

The 23rd American Banner of Truth Conference on the eastern part of the nation took place in Messiah College, Grantham, Pennsylvania, May 29-31. This has been its venue for over ten years having met in such places as Memphis and in Grand Rapids in the past. As the English Swanwick conferences share that centre in […]

The apostle Paul says, ‘Approve things that are excellent’ (Philippians 1:10). I. Evangelical Principles 1. The Absolute Supremacy of Holy Scripture Show us anything, plainly written, in that Book, we will receive it, believe it, and submit to it. Show us anything contrary to that Book, and however specious, plausible, beautiful and apparently desirable, we […]