Reformation Theology Blog

The New Birth: How the Holy Spirit Brings Life and Enables Faith

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all." - John 6:63
"And he said, 'This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.'" - John 6:65
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." - John 6:37

These verses emphasize that faith is a gift from God and not something that comes from our own strength or effort. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that quickens us and enables us to believe in Jesus.

7 Reasons God's Sovereignty Gives those in Christ Contentment in the Face of Adversity

God is in control of all things, including our adversities.

Yielding to God's Providence

God is in control of all things and everything that happens, is part of His divine plan for our lives (Eph 1:11). In light of this, cultivating a deep trust in God's sovereignty and His loving care for us, will result in a deep sense of contentment, regardless of our circumstances. It is by God-given faith alone that we yield to the will of God and submit to it, even in times of hardship and suffering. The more we understand the wisdom and love of God, the more we will be filled with peace and contentment, whatever situation we find ourselves.

Ignorance, Unteachableness, Obstinacy and Carelessness Cannot be Conquered any Otherwise than by the Spirit of God

by Thomas Manton

Because there is so much corruption in a man that hindereth the soul from believing in Jesus Christ, that it cannot be done away without the Spirit's manifestation. There is a double seat of this corruption—the mind and the heart. First, in the mind there is ignorance and unteachableness. Secondly, In the heart there is obstinacy and carelessness; which things cannot be conquered any otherwise than by the Spirit of God. Let us look upon these things severally. Consider a man naturally as he is:—

[1.] In his mind; and so—

Does Effectual Grace Make Us Automatons?

Because we affirm the Biblical doctrine of effectual grace, some (often well-meaning) Christians make the charge that this would make human beings into automatons or robots. And the love of God requires (libertarian) freedom of the will, they claim.

Human Reason, Logic & Scientism

Human reason and logic, such as the law of non contradiction are 1) invariant, 2) universal and 3) immaterial. The same laws of logic apply in Los Angeles and Myanmar. Although materialists and secularists use logic everyday, they cannot account for logic in their worldview. It only makes sense if an immaterial, universal, invariant God exists. A universal law among cultures which never met one another, requires a universal lawgiver. It doesn't arise from rocks.

Monergism eBooks on Amazon in Kindle Format

The following Monergism eBooks are available on sale at Amazon in Kindle format, divided by country code.

Thirty-Six Select Sermons of John Calvin

Do Not Despise the Day of Small Beginnings

We must not condemn others as graceless and godless, because they do not see the whole truth at once, and only reach decided Christianity by slow degrees. The Holy Spirit always leads believers to the same foundation truths, and into the same highway to heaven. In these there is invariable uniformity. But the Holy Spirit does not always lead believers through the same experience, or at the same rate of speed. In this there is much diversity in His operations.

14 Ways that God is Far More Excellent than Men

God is awesome in all the ways the deepest recesses of our souls long to be awestruck. Here are fourteen ways that God is a far more excellent object of awe than the images we see in the mirror:

1. God never lies or breaks promises. We do.

2. God is not bound by time, but sees it all—past, present, and future—with perfect clarity. He was here long before us, even before time existed, which is one of His ideas. We are stuck in this moment, hazy about much of the past and oblivious to much of the future.

Does Man Have a Free WIll?

by John Calvin

In his very helpful book, The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, John Calvin stated that there are four expressions regarding the will which differ from one another: