Amazing grace! How can it be that Thou, my God, should’st die for me?
Sung by my children a few hours ago.
Amazing grace! How can it be that Thou, my God, should’st die for me?
Sung by my children a few hours ago.
I printed out two articles about Luther/Lutheranism from the Internet for my father GB, for continuity’s sake with his Lutheran past. (GB hails from a Lutheran family, where his father, uncles, and grandfather were godly pastors.)
The first is Martin Luther: Lessons from His Life and Labor by John Piper.
The headings according to which the article is organised are:
The second is A Lutheran Response to Arminianism by Rick Ritchie.
Here are some excerpts:
The reason Lutheranism has never been presented according to a five-point scheme is not that it lacks the doctrines that would allow that, but that the Arminians never issued to the Lutherans a five-point refutation of their supposed errors. . .
At first glance, Lutheranism might appear to be an amalgamation of Calvinism and Arminianism because, with regard to the five points, it seems to agree with Calvinism on some points and Arminianism on others. We must be careful, however, to look at the underlying principles that motivated the positions. When we do this, we will find that Lutheranism is not in fundamental agreement with the Remonstrants on any of the five points.
My 82-year old father, GB, is an exceptional man. After 25 years of working as a pastor in India, he is in Auckland with us. Initially, when he came in January 2009, he was skeptical about Reformed theology. But by God’s grace, the following factors have caused him to change his opinion.
Right now he is enjoying the concluding pages of Chosen By God by R.C. Sproul.
It has been a while since we looked at the following videos as a family. I’m sure it will be a good refresher for the children and good for GB too:
Man oh man, you’ve got to hear Pastor Al Martin’s preaching. Click here to get to some of the sermons.
He has been preaching for 46 years, which includes the last 37 years in Trinity Baptist Church of Montville. It would be almost impossible to find a subject that he has not dealt with in these years.
His beautiful voice and rich language would have been ideal for itching ears, but for the fact that his preaching is not easy on the ear of the natural man because of its holy forcefulness. He is known for his careful exegesis, excellent delivery of the word and application. Let us be thankful to God for such men who regard the pulpit as a responsibility for which they must one day render account to God, and so preach without compromise but with passion, grace, and love.
Very few tapes have we enjoyed together as a family as much as this one. It’s called Irreconcilable Differences, that features host John Ankerberg and a panel comprising John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, and James Kennedy.

The issue discussed is a document that sets out with the noble aim of bringing Roman Catholics and Evangelicals together, but falls short because it overlooks and glosses over vital differences in the doctrines of salvation of both communions, resulting in implicitly compromising the five solas, so precious to us.
I have many close Roman Catholic friends; how wonderful it would be to fellowship together. But I now know that it is not as simple as saying: Let’s forget our differences and get together. Coming together is going to have to involve much study of the Bible, church history and other material, much prayer, courage, and brutal honesty.