Does Believer's Baptism Advance Spirituality?

If it is a spiritual thing for Christians who belong to 'reformed' churches to be baptised again as adult believers, the obvious conclusion is that they become much better Christians as a result of having passed through the "waters of baptism." This is a great and practical and observable test of their 'obedience' to God, as they see it and as the pretext for being re-baptised.  Those who have done this must assess their spiritual experience and live by this.  Are they more spiritual Christians now as a result of being re-baptised as adult believers than before?  Are they more obedient to Christ now than they were before?  Are they better church members now than they were before? Are they easier to live for now than before?  Are they less self-centred now than before?  Is Christ seen more in their lives now than before? Are they dying more to sin and living more to Christ and to righteousness than before?

Let a man examine himself - and women too.

Mary the Saved Sinner!

The virgin Mary, so she tells us herself in Luke 1:46,47, was a sinner who needed a Saviour, like everybody else.  She tells us that her "soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour."  This is her personal testimony; Mary is telling us about her spiritual pilgrimage.  She came to see herself as a condemned and guilty sinner, lost and undone; then by the work of the Holy Spirit, she came to see that the Saviour she so urgently needed was the God about whom she had been taught as a child.  God became her Saviour, therefore, she needed to be saved; and God saved her precious soul.

How facile and wrong it is for Romanism to claim that Mary was immaculately conceived, a doctrine that was only invented in 1854; Rome's theologians were, and are, slow learners, taking almost 1900 years to work out this erroneous doctrine or dogma of the immaculate conception of the virgin Mary.  For a religion that accepts the Scriptures as a church authority, her denial of Luke 1:46,47 is culpable.  That's why it is very wise to expose and oppose Rome's dogmas, and it is even more wise to have nothing to do with her false doctrines.

Calvin's Conception of Christmas.

Why did God send His Son into the world, an event that is commemorated at this time of year?  Let the reformer from geneva tell us his view:

"The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons of man might become the sons of God."

His purpose in sending His to the Cross is thoroughly evangelistic, redemptive, salvific.  Christ came into the world to save sinners, and "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  So He came to save all who believe in Him. 

Are you saved?  Have you come to the Saviour?  Do you see your need of the Saviour? 

John Calvin Quincentenary Papers 2009

AVAILABLE FROM JANUARY 2012.

The John Calvin Quincentenary (1509-2009) proved to be an event of immense importance and fascination. All who admire the Genevan reformer clearly welcomed every opportunity to express their acknowledgment of his greatness as a man of God and Christian leader. Recognising the tendencies to either ‘adore’ or ‘abhor’ Calvin, even the most determined detractors of the protestant reformer par excellence cannot deny his impact on sacred and secular history. It is doubtful if the most vehement enemies are able entirely to ignore him, however hard they might try. In which case, unavoidable bad publicity—as opposed to ‘no publicity’—has probably stimulated even the most ignorant to explore the legacy of the godly genius of Geneva.

Of course, Calvin’s memory continues to be lamented by the vast majority of Roman Catholics whose medieval monopoly on religious truth was so comprehensively assaulted by his magisterial contribution. Liberals of all traditions doubtless respond with a mixture of admiration and scorn, unable as they are convincingly to re-write history to their satisfaction. Conservative Protestants of all hues—in varying degrees—welcomed the Calvin celebration insofar as his emphases appear to vindicate their own. Reformed, Presbyterian and other Christians unashamed to be known as ‘Calvinists’—including Amyraldians—doubtless rejoiced in the opportunity to highlight their doctrinal distinctives at a time when biblical truth is increasingly held in contempt across great swathes of religious as well as secular opinion. This book consists of papers presented at the 2009 Amyraldian Association Conference.

JOHN CALVIN QUINCENTENARY 1509-2009

JOHN CALVIN 500
A Reformation Affirmation
AMYRALDIAN ASSOCIATION
2009 CONFERENCE REPORT
Edited by Alan C. Clifford

Price:  £12.50 (p&p extra).

Book your copy now from this site.  Limited edition.

Calvin 500

The long-awaited book, Calvin 500, being the lecturers delivered at the Amyraldian Association conference in 2009 and to be available very soon.  This event marked the 500th anniversary of the reformer's birth, and examined various aspects of Calvin's thinking.

To secure your copy, please get in touch with me ASAP.  When details of price are available, you can then decide if you want to get your copy.  This will be a tremendous read; it will teach and enlighten you, challenge and inspire you.

So don't lose out - order your copy on this site today

Amyraldianism is just Calvin's Calvinism!

Reflecting on the views of some concerning my orthodoxy, I reckon that those same men would not have DMLJ, JCRyle, McCheyne, John or Chas Wesley, Philip Doddridge, J. Edwards, Joseph Bellamy, Richard Baxter, Jean Daille, Moise Amyraut, or even the great John Calvin, to preach in their pulpits. How sad!  But, I trust they will come to see that my theological position, according to Macleod and Muller, is an integral part of our cherished reformed tradition; more importantly it is biblical because it takes the doctrine of the perspicuity of Scripture with utmost seriousness.  How Owen can exegete "world" in John 3:16 to men "the world of the elect" defies comprehension!  This is to prostitute Scripture.  

The rush by reformed men to squeeze the texts of Scripture into the WCF, or any other, mould, is a denial of the supremacy of Scripture in the life and witness of the Christian and of the church.  It is surely a cardinal aspect of Romanism that Scripture alone (sola Scriptura) is not enough, having to be supplemented by the magisterium. Is the WCF in the minds of many reformed men not their equivalent of the Roman magisterium?  How would they answer that?  It is no good their saying that it is a 'subordinate standard' when they elevate it in practice above Scripture!  Does it not smack of Rome's elevation of Mary above Christ?  I think so.  Oh, I hope wiser counsels prevail.

How dangerous a thing it is for men to defer in everything to any man-made document, however good it is deemed to be, while not granting to Scripture its rightful place!  What does God think of that, I wonder?  Is He pleased that a subordinate standard has been elevated over His infallible Word?  Has the church prospered when this has happened in the past?  I don't think so.  

Sin is...

“Sin is a daring rebellion against the Majesty of heaven; and would if it were possible, pluck the Eternal God from His throne! Every particle of sin contains an infinity of evil, and deserves everlasting damnation! Sin transformed the angels of light into demons of darkness. Sin rendered the happy pair in Eden wretched outcasts in a world of woe. Sin was the cause of the universal deluge, and the fiery overthrow of the cities of the plain. Sin has ever marked its steps by misery and blood. Pride,malice, envy, murmuring, uncleanness, and every abomination hateful to a holy God, and destructive to our wretched race, spring from this poisonous root.”

Thomas Reade