Reformed Christian Studies

 By Pastor Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts From Parson Farms: The Logic and Purpose of the Second Commandment Good Morning, This week as we spend time on the negative thou shalt nots of the Second Commandment we will gain a better perspective on how this portion of God’s word applies to us today, not only as the church, but as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, before we get into specific applications we need to deal with the question as to why it (and the Fourth Commandment) receives the most pushback from those within the camp. An unfortunate reality of the world in which we live is that we have been taught that anything that tells you no is necessarily restraining your libertarian freedom. The ethos of the day bites against the bridle. It wants to be free to order life in accordance with what we think makes us happy, and what we think works. Utilitarian libertinism is the philosophy of America. While it has had its blessings in providing the courage to settle the West

Heidelberg Catechism (extended) The Catechism Method of Instruction in the Christian Religion As the Same is Taught in the Reformed Churches and Schools (with the Scripture references written out) Note . This Catechism is fully based on the Scriptures. The references to Scripture are indicated in parentheses with a letter. For example, the letter (a) points to the texts (a) placed after the answer. 35. Lord's Day   Q. 96. What does God require in the second commandment?  A. That we in no wise represent God by images, (a) nor worship him in any other way than he has commanded in his word. (b)   (a) Deut.4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Deut.4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, Deut.4:17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness

Posted at Reformation Scotland : A New York Museum is being sued for displaying “racist whitewashed” paintings of Christ. Justin Renel Joseph claims that the paintings are offensive. They “depict the historical and public figure of Hebrew descent, Jesus Christ, as a blonde haired, fair-skinned, Aryan adult male”. But a Hebrew born then would not be “genetically disposed” to have those features. To Joseph, it is cultural theft, racism and an “extreme case of discrimination”. It is a matter of accuracy to him. Yet what would an accurate picture of Christ look like? The only genuine standard of accuracy is God’s Word. How can we make use of that? Joseph describes himself as a 33-year-old biracial male who is of Hebrew and African descent and is a Christian. He claims that Jesus had “black hair like wool and skin of bronze color” just like he himself has. The paintings caused him to feel “lowered self-esteem, discomfort, personal stress, emotional distress”. He also felt “rejected a

By Andrew Webb - Posted at Building Old School Churches : The Relationship between the Second Commandment and Images of Christ The Following is a Brief listing of just some of the Reformed Evangelical witnesses that directly address the creation and use of pictures of Jesus, either in worship, decoration, art, or mental imagery. They are arranged in chronological order from the Reformation to the present day. Table of Contents (1561) The Second Helvetic Confession – Chapter IV (1648) The Westminster Larger Catechism Q&A 109 (1674) Thomas Vincent, A Family Instructional Guide (1679) John Owen, The Glory of Christ (1692) Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (1700) Wilhelmus A’Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service (1753) Ebenezer Erskine and James Fisher, The Assembly’s Shorter Catechism Explained, By Way of Question and Answer  (1949) J.G. Vos (son of Geerhardus Vos) Commentary on the Westminster Larger Catechism (1961) Prof. John Murra

By Benjamin P. Glaser - Posted at Mountains and Magnolias : Faith No Fancy One of the most common exceptions taken in the ARP (and the PCA et al) by newly ordained men and those taking transfer exams in presbytery is without a doubt the clause in the explanation to Westminster Larger Catechism #109 concerning the prohibition against making mental images of the Godhead in accordance with the catechism’s teaching on the Second Commandment. I will post the question below: Q. 109. What sins are forbidden in the second commandment? A. The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising, counseling, commanding, using, and any wise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself; the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever; all worshiping of it, or God in it or by it; the making of any representation of feigned deities, and