Reformation Theology Blog

Do you think repentance means we simply stop sinning?

Repentance does not mean to simply stop sinning. Instead, it involves the grace-enabled act of turning to the sole Person with the capacity to empower an individual to overcome sin—namely, Christ. Being a Christian is not a self-salvation project, but rather an appeal to the divine grace of God in Jesus Christ as the sole hope for redemption. Bereft of this divine intervention, human beings would remain perpetually incapable of change, irrespective of therapeutic interventions or the exertion of willpower.

Why Did Jesus Emphasize Witnesses?

Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:46-48

For Our Sake He Made Him to be Sin Who Knew No Sin

Hello Monergism, Please, could you let me know what exactly it means that Christ [who was perfect and sinless] "BECAME SIN" for us. How was this possible? Thank you

That is a great question.

When it is said that Jesus "became sin" for us, it doesn't mean that He became sinful or committed sin Himself. Instead, it means that our sins were imputed or accounted to Him, and He bore the punishment that we deserved for those sins.

The World of Constraints: Embracing the Limits of our Realm of Facts

If you draw a giraffe, you must draw him with a long neck. If, in your bold creative way, you hold yourself free to draw a giraffe with a short neck, you will really find that you are not free to draw a giraffe. The moment you step into the world of facts, you step into a world of limits...Do not go about as a demagogue, encouraging triangles to break out of the prison of their three sides.

12 Ways to Guard Against Apostasy and Backsliding

The ensuing recommendations entail a combination of personal disciplines, ecclesiastical practices, and theological perspectives to fortify the believer's faith.

Sola Scriptura: Adherence to the principle of "Scripture Alone" is paramount in guarding against apostasy. By prioritizing the Bible as the ultimate authority, believers are anchored in the objective truth of God's Word, rather than subjective experiences or human traditions (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

God's Everlasting Love To His People

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." - Jeremiah 31:3

Why, if God is without passions, is He described as jealous, angry, moved with compassion, impatient, and having love?

The descriptions of God as jealous, angry, moved with compassion, impatient, or loving are considered anthropopathic expressions. These expressions use human characteristics to describe God's nature, actions, or attitudes in a manner that we, as humans, can understand and relate to. It is important to remember that our human language and concepts are often inadequate to fully capture the true essence of God's being.

God is Spirit

The assertion that God is "without body, parts, or passions" emphasizes the immaterial, transcendent, and immutable nature of the Almighty.

-- Being "without body" signifies that God is not composed of physical matter or confined by spatial limitations, enabling Him to be omnipresent and free from the constraints of the material world.
--The absence of "parts" highlights the divine simplicity of God, wherein He is not divisible into separate components but rather exists as an entirely unified and indivisible being.

Word and Spirit

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” Acts 16:14

Let us examine the passage and seek to uncover the profound truths embedded within the inspired text:

A Few Comments on Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 28

Q. 28. What are the punishments of sin in this world?
A. The punishments of sin in this world, are either inward, as blindness of mind, a reprobate sense, strong delusions, hardness of heart, horror of conscience, and vile affections: or outward, as the curse of God upon the creatures for our sake; and all other evils that befall us in our bodies, names, estates, relations, and employments; together with death itself.
Eph. 4:18; Rom. 1:28; 2 Thess. 2:11; Rom. 2:5; Isa. 33:14; Gen. 4:13; Matt. 27: 4; Rom. 1:26; Gen. 3:17; Deut. 28:15-68; Rom. 6:21, 23.