0:00 Opening Remarks
0:24 1 Corinthians 2 – “And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6 We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought: 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: 9 but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. 10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words. 14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (TASB 1901)
2:37 PRAYER
3:42 REVIEW – THE FOUR DISTINCTIVES OF THE REFORMED FAITH: 1) The Sovereignty of God 2) Covenant Theology 3) Affirmation of This World 4) The Church’s Government, Worship, & Sacraments 5) The Bible Tells Me So
3:54 1) The Sovereignty of God – GOD All-Powerfully Created From Nothing, All Things & Owns All Things [Heb11:3; Col1:16; Ps24]; GOD Wisely Foreordained & Providentially Controls All Things In HIS World [Eph1:11; Matt10;30; Isa45:7]; Salvation & The Grace Of GOD
4:09 2) Covenant Theology – [Covenant – A pact, treaty, alliance, or agreement between two parties of equal or of unequal authority. The covenant or testament is a central, unifying theme in Scripture, God’s covenants with individuals and the nation Israel finding final fulfillment in the new covenant in Christ Jesus. God’s covenants can be understood by humans because they are modeled on human covenants or treaties. (Source: Holman Bible Dictionary)] The Basis For GOD’s Covenant With Man Is GOD’s SOVEREIGN LOVE, GRACE, & MERCY: Deut7:7-9; GOD’s POST-FALL COVENANTS SUPPLEMENT EACH OTHER AS ONE; THEY DON’T SUPPLANT EACH OTHER!
5:07 3) Affirmation of This World – Making A Right Judgment About Physical Desires & Being Involved In The Physical World (Genesis; John1:14 – THE INCARNATION TELLS US THE PHYSICAL WORLD ISN’T EVIL)REFORMATION THEOLOGY TEACHES THAT ALL AREAS OF LIFE ARE SACRED & ARE TO BE SUBDUED TO GOD’S GLORY (1Cor10:31; Rom8:23: Gal1:4; Col1:13; 2Cor5; Matt28:18; Rom11:36; Eph1:22) …CHRIST CAME INTO THIS WORLD TO BE LORD OVER ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN & ON EARTH! THE REDEEMING WORK OF JESUS APPLIES AS FAR AS THE CURSE OF SIN IS FOUND—Our Vocations; Occupations; Use Of Money; Entertainments; Athletic Endeavors; Education Of Our Children; Our Families; Politics; Social Order, etc… Our Goal Therefore, Is To Bring Reform To ALL AREAS OF LIFE FOR CHRIST’S KINGDOM! THE DEMANDING NATURE OF CHRISTIANITY (Matt22:37) …ALL OF LIFE IS DOMINATED BY THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST (1Peter1:15) …The Christian Religion Is Presented As A Worldview (2Cor10:5) “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of GOD.
6:07 4) The Church’s Government, Worship, & Sacraments – CHURCH GOVERNMENT – Titus1:5-7; Acts 20:17,28; A PLURALITY OF ELDERS Vs. ONE MAN RULE – Acts 20:17; Acts14:23; Phil1:1; 1Peter5:2-4; Accountability, Submission, & Discipline – Heb13:7,17…Church Government Isn’t An Abstract Ethereal Concept; On The Contrary, It’s As Concrete & Visible As Any Other Political Order In This World; The Office Of Deacon – Acts CH6; HOW WE GET THE OFFICERS IN THE CHURCH – They’re Both Nominated By The Congregation & Examined & Confirmed By Those Who Are Officers (The Presbyterian Form Of Church Government)…1Tim4:14; Disciplinary Model – Act15; More Reformed Distinctives Regarding Church Government Being Presbyterian, Perpetual Offices (Elders & Deacons), Apostles Limited To The 1st Generation Of The Church, Church Officers Must Be Males; THE WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH IS TO BE REGULATED BY THE WORD OF GOD … GLB Expands With The Westminster Confession Of Faith CH21 Section 1 (The Regulative Principal Of Worship) …We May Not Do
8:10 WHY SHOULD YOU BELIEVE IN THE DISTINCTIONS? … Difficult To Understand Truths … The Difference Between The Mysterious & Irrational eg, Virgin Birth; Walking On Water; The TRINITY; Blood Atonement; Substitutionary Atonement; CHRIST’S DEITY: THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO
10:22 TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE/BELIEVE? A GOD Who Makes This Kind Of Covenant; A GOD WHO Wants A Relationship With You; A GOD WHO Paid The Price For Your Sins; A GOD WHO Is Faithful To You When You’re Faithless To HIM; A GOD WHO Doesn’t Expect You To Earn The Benefits & Blessings Of Belonging To Him…THE BIBLE TELLS US SO
11:52 TRUTHS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO OUR INCLINATIONS & DESIRES, eg The Government Of The Church…THE BIBLE TELLS US SO
13:05 THE IMPORTANCE & AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES TO THE REFORMED FAITH – All The Distinctions Of The Reformed Faith Come Down To & Depend Upon Our Fundamental Convictions About THE WORD OF GOD…(Romans 3:4) “God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.” (TASB 1901)
14:44 THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF HAVING GOD’S WORD…The World Would Stumble In Darkness & Would Be Lost Without IT! (Psalm 119:105) “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path.” (TASB 1901)
17:53 THE REFORMED FAITH DECLARES THAT GOD HAS NOT LEFT US IN THE DARKNESS! … GOD HAS SPOKEN TO US & SHOWN US THE WAY!
18:26 A BEREAN SPIRIT (Acts 17:11) “Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so.” (TASB 1901) … We Should Be People Who Read The BIBLE & Examine Our Theology DAILY
20:00 WHY WE MUST HAVE THE BEREAN SPIRIT (1John4:1,2,&3) “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.” (TASB 1901)
21:30 HERE’S HOW CAREFUL YOU SHOULD BE OF FALSE DOCTRINE: (Galatians 1:9) “As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.” (TASB 1901)
22:15 RECAP
23:02 GLB References The Westminster Confession Of Faith Chapter One To Substantiate His Points…THE FIRST CHAPTER DEALS WITH THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
24:06 Section 4 Of The Westminster Confession Of Faith Chapter One – “The authority of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the Author thereof; and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.”
25:01 Section 6 Of The Westminster Confession Of Faith Chapter One – “The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word; and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and the government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.”
27:02 Section 10 Of The Westminster Confession Of Faith Chapter One – “The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.”
28:27 …The Reformed Faith Is Sometimes Known For Proof-texting…GLB Expands Upon The Point Of The Bible Being A Christian’s Final & Ultimate Authority…eg, The Apostle Paul In Galatians3:16…Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.” (TASB 1901) …Yod – The Smallest Letter In Hebrew Alphabet
32:11 GLB Gives Caveat To Proof-texting…Doctors & Pharmacists Medicine Illustration
33:29 According To The Reformed View Of GOD’s WORD, We Need To See The 1) Necessity, 2) Sufficiency, 3) Perspicuity/Clarity, 4) Authority, 5) Infallibility, & 6) Inerrancy Of Scripture.
33:53 1) Scripture Is Necessary To Correct Our Reading Of Nature & To Show Us The Way To Salvation (GOD’s Covenant Of GRACE)
34:52 2) Revisit The Aforementioned Sections Of The Westminster Confession
35:26 3) Section 7 Of The Westminster Confession Of Faith Chapter One – “All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed, for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.”
36:39 4) The Scripture Has Supreme Authority Over Our Thinking; Our Beliefs; & Our Behaviour
36:51 5) The Scripture Does Not Fail In What It Sets Out To Do
37:22 6) The Scripture Does Not Make Mistakes Nor Teach Error…(John17:17)”Sanctify them in the truth: THY WORD IS TRUTH.” (TASB 1901)
38:16 SOLA SCRIPTURA – Solely Scripture As The Foundation Of Our Faith; TOTA SCRIPTURA – All Of What Scripture Has To Say (Latin Terms)…1Corinthians 2:5…1Corinthians CH1
39:55 TOTA SCRIPTURA – (Matthew4:4)”But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (TASB 1901)…NO SCISSORS & PASTE APPROACH TO THE BIBLE…Romans15:4″For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.” (TASB 1901) 2Timothy3:16,17″Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: 17 that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.” (TASB 1901)
41:43 Acts20:27″26 Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.” (TASB 1901)
42:39 SUMMARY…THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD CANNOT BE TRUNCATED … JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO
45:18 PRAYER
What does it mean to be theologically “Reformed”? It is not easy to offer a concise, full and clear summary. This is one of Dr. Bahnsen’s most frequently requested series and a great teaching tool in doctrine. Explains how the Reformed outlook differs from others.
