With the person and work of the Holy Spirit addressed in the previous two question, we move now into the topic of prayer. This is fitting since it is only through power of the Holy Spirit that we can pray to God as our Father, as our Lord has taught us to pray. Indeed, as …
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ukIS5bYpx1VLyZLqKbTjc?si=xaVScHWSQPCb7zGuvsRYYw Let us begin again by reminding ourselves of the purpose of this catechism, which is expressed in question 1, to point us toward the great comfort that is to be found in our new identity in Jesus Christ. Question 2 gives us the roadmap for walking in that comfort by telling us the four …
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2JPkDOzgTHsVWIfi0xgHmc?si=xU-pHpQ2RXey3dIF7bk6PQ Moving through the first section of the catechism, we have focused upon God's good design for human sexuality and some of the challenges that our sin-scarred world brings against them. In questions 3-5, we studied the goodness of being made male and female to image God, while questions 6-8 addressed the present-day challenge that …
Now that we’ve established that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the triune God, we must turn our consideration toward His work. Since the Holy Spirit is our Helper, the question rightly asks How does the Holy Spirit help us? We could summarize the catechism's answer into the following statement: The Holy Spirit …
Continue reading Question 37: How Does the Holy Spirit Help Us?
With this question, we officially dive into the third and final section of the New City Catechism, which focuses upon the Spirit, our restoration, and our growing in grace. We, therefore, begin with this very fitting question: What do we believe about the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God. That is the short answer, …
Continue reading Question 36: What Do We Believe About the Holy Spirit?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/51kjrYtWJxgDOGEMuCNRlt?si=Kr1aBVndRASiu-ecUvx6cg We should keep in mind that questions 3-41 of this catechism are explaining to us the things that we must know to live happily in the comfort of our new identity in Christ, and in this first section, we are focusing upon God’s good design for humanity. In questions 3-5, we studied the goodness …
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Hyv3XokOq3LHh3CPN5nvJ?si=vyGwvhnpQBa9Fwz9HLXO_w On August 22, 1965, Ron and Janet Reimer welcomed their twin boys into the world, Bruce and Brian. Six months later, both boys were diagnosed with phimosis, which is when the foreskin of the penis cannot retract and obstructs urination. On April 27, 1966, Bruce underwent circumcision to remove the foreskin. Rather than using …
Continue reading Should We Distinguish Between Sex and Gender?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YXY477xSMHgyBrqoehzMm?si=3llhSJ-0QqyvdDHSl8Gc4w This is a wonderful question to conclude the second part of the New City Catechism that has focused upon our redemption through Christ. Having affirmed that we are saved entirely by the grace of our Lord and through faith in Him, it is certainly worth asking where such saving faith comes from. The catechism's …
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4nJbtU201GtPVGkVZv79gC?si=v9hIBhdbROuL_qbd5Gl2dA Darwin (1809-1882), Freud (1856-1939), and Marx (1818-1883) can quite rightly be called the architects of modernity. During the 1800s, these three men were foundational in providing secularism’s answers to three of life’s most important and unavoidable questions regarding our origins, our guilt, and our hope. Darwin’s theory of natural selection was the key to …
Last week, we affirmed that the grace of Christ is not merely necessary for our justification but also for our sanctification. But while placing our trust in our good works would be a denial of Christ as our only Savior, His disciples must nevertheless still do good works. Indeed, we can largely make the same …
B. C. Newton 