Reformed Forum

Jim Cassidy and Camden Bucey discuss the 48th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, which recently adjourned in St. Louis, Missouri, and look forward to the 87th General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church to be held in Sioux Center, Iowa. They then turn their attention to the covenant of works, which is the subject of our 2021 Fall Theology Conference in Pflugerville, Texas.

This week's episode is an exhortation from John 13:1-13 given by Rob McKenzie on June 13, 2021 at Westminster Presbyterian Church (OPC).

Carlton Wynne, Lane Tipton, and Camden Bucey open Cornelius Van Til’s book, The Defense of the Faith to pages 32–33 wherein Van Til discusses the doctrine of Christ. These are the fundamental building blocks of the consistent Christian apologetic.

Jim Cassidy discusses Therefore the Truth I Speak: Scottish Theology, 1500–1700 by Donald Macleod. The Scottish church was forever altered by the arrival of the Reformation in the sixteenth century. Its legacy endured, and provoked a flurry of theological re–examinations which form the foundation for much of our modern understanding of Reformed Theology. In this informed and accessible historical study, Donald MacLeod, one of Scotland’s current leading theologians, looks to the past to assess the impact of prominent theologians of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, always with an eye to demonstrating how their writings speak to contemporary challenges facing the Church today.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus to remind them of the "unsearchable riches" of Christ (3:8).  That is, he writes to remind the Christians living in that metropolitan port city, awash in paganism, of the heavenly blessings that belong to them in Christ (1:3).  A few years prior to his writing the letter to the Ephesians, Paul had labored in the city for almost three years.  God in his grace blessed Paul's ministry in Ephesus, and many sinners repented and turned to Christ (Acts 19:1-20).  Paul's letter to the Ephesians is a rich treasure of Christ-exalting truth.  In Christ the age to come has exploded into this present evil age; and by means of the Holy Spirit, the exalted Christ is building his church composed of both Jew and Gentile who have been reconciled unto God and unto one another.  As we, like the Ephesians, revel in the blessings of our union with Christ, we are called to 'live a life worthy of the calling we have received' (4:1).  We are called to walk by faith in a manner befitting our status as saints in Christ (1:1).  Join us as we introduce the glorious letter of the Apostle Paul.

This week on Theology Simply Profound, Rob and Bob continue a discussion of John Bunyan’s, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Book 2. In this episode, after the usual banter between friends, we discuss how Christiana, Mercy, and the boys turn a corner to find Si

Rev. John Fikkert speaks about providing specialized care for ministers. Rev. Fikkert is the director of the OPC’s Committee on Ministerial Care, which provides a range services for ministers such as counseling and diaconal aid, financial planning assistance, webinars on a range of topics, and funds for sabbaticals.

Lane Tipton speaks about his new book, available now through Reformed Forum. Drawing from Genesis 1:1 and subsequent biblical revelation, Lane Tipton argues that before creating the visible world, the immutable triune God created a heavenly temple dwelling, filled that heavenly dwelling with the unchanging glory of his Spirit, and sanctified that heavenly dwelling as the realm of everlasting Sabbath rest. Adam, as the created image of God and federal head of his posterity, could have advanced through perfect covenantal obedience beyond probation on the mountain of God in earthly Eden into the heavenly dwelling of God in Sabbath rest. This God-centered and heaven-focused theological backdrop enriches our understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ, as the second and last Adam in the covenant of grace, who in his humiliation and exaltation has opened the gates of heavenly paradise for his church. Copies are available now at https://reformedforum.org/product/foundations-of-covenant-theology-paperback/

Jacob’s search for a bride parallels two other searches, all of which point us to Christ who offers the water of life and becomes a servant to secure his bride. We therefore must become servants of Christ that as his bride we might receive the water of life.

Rob McKenzie speaks about the Christian life and a variety of apologetic encounters he has woven into his book Seeker’s Progress. In this novel, McKenzie explores the world that John Bunyan created in his classic book, The Pilgrim’s Progress. There is another man from the City of Destruction who follows after Christian also seeking to find truth. With the help of Evangelist, Seeker follows the King’s road on his way to the Celestial City. Along the way, he visits many of the same places that Christian visited and meets several of the same people that Christian met all the while trying to catch up to his friends, Christian and Faithful. His experiences are very different than his predecessors. His journey takes him to some places that Christian never went, such as the towns of Morality and Fair Speech. Seeker wrestles with the questions, “Don’t all roads lead to the Celestial City?” “If the King loves everyone, wouldn’t He save everyone?” Rob McKenzie is a ruling elder at Westminster OPC in Indian Head Park and co-host of the podcast, Theology Simply Profound. He is the author of Identifying the Seed: An Examination and Evaluation of the Differences between Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology and its corresponding study guide. You may buy both as a bundle through our online store.