tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:37:10 +0000http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)Blogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-7165080751571527472Fri, 25 Dec 2009 02:40:00 +00002009-12-24T17:40:24.012-09:00 What are you afraid of? This question is for those who do not understand the purpose of Gods Word. By "Word" I do mean both Christ and the Bible. There is nothing more that irritates me than a believer both pastor and non, who for some reason is either afraid or ashamed of teaching Gods Word. I hear excuses such as we don't want to cause division or we want to create an atmosphere where http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-are-you-afraid-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-6403930082927754332Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:23:00 +00002007-11-28T06:31:55.726-09:00I came across the article the other day and found it very interesting, I hope you do also.A Shocking ???Confession??? from Willow Creek Community ChurchBob BurneyOctober 30, 2007If you are older than 40 the name Benjamin Spock is more than familiar. It was Spock that told an entire generation of parents to take it easy, don't discipline your children and allow them to express themselves. http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/11/willow-creek-confession.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-3782157906567316573Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:01:00 +00002007-10-02T06:53:06.438-09:00John 19:28-3028Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.During ahttp://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/10/it-is-finished.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-2348277329239500592Fri, 20 Jul 2007 03:35:00 +00002007-07-19T19:36:37.800-09:001 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.What has the modern day church come to when it feels that human wisdom spoken by mere man could ever compare or replace the Word of God.Excuses such as creating a message that can better reach those seeking Him are used as if Gods Wordhttp://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/07/1-corinthians-117.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-3385329806826341565Thu, 29 Mar 2007 04:54:00 +00002007-04-07T14:55:52.829-09:00Perseverance of the Saints - God has promised the elect two things. First He promised never to forsake them. Second, He promised to work in the lives of the elect in a way that will not allow them to turn away from Him.John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.Jeremiah 32:40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/03/perseverance-of-saints.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-6604189376129992051Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:21:00 +00002007-03-17T19:47:35.179-09:00Irresistible Grace - God chose the elect and Christ payed the price for their sin by His willingness to go to the cross.God loves all people in a general sense but there is a special love for those that He has predestined or called to faith in Him and in Christ.In Luke 6:35-36 We see that God calls the saved to have love and mercy on our enemies and those who are ungrateful and wicked as God http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/03/irresistable-grace.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-450565461548842712Tue, 06 Mar 2007 03:51:00 +00002007-03-31T16:24:11.115-09:00Limited Atonement - The question always seems to be who did Christ die for? Well if we look at scripture what we will find is that Christ died for those God has predestined to come to faith.Now there is a sense in which Christ through His death and resurrection has given the world a chance to come to faith on their own and by this gain salvation.John 3:16 16"For God so loved the world that he http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/03/limited-atonement.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-8952884875441555156Mon, 26 Feb 2007 04:47:00 +00002007-02-25T20:35:47.639-09:00Unconditional Election -Man cannot save himself neither in whole nor in part. Only God can save man. The good news of the Gospel is that God out of His love, mercy and grace for us has provided that way.1 Corinthians 15:1-4 1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/02/unconditional-election.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-5716750953871918015Thu, 15 Feb 2007 04:50:00 +00002007-02-14T20:35:32.375-09:00Total Depravity - Man - in his unredeemed state - is totally incapable of pleasing God because of his sinful nature. He neither seeks God, nor knows Him, but is spiritually dead, - unable to please God, and utterly sinful in every way. This is not to say that he is as bad or evil as he could be, but that there is no true goodness in him.Born dead in to sin -Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/02/total-depravity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-3873377945070640782Sun, 04 Feb 2007 05:24:00 +00002007-02-15T08:53:33.626-09:00Before we take a look at the Doctrines lets keep in mind one thing and that is that God is sovereign over all of His creation.Ephesians 1:11 - "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will"It is important for us to understand that God has foreordained everything that has passed and He has http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/02/sovereignty-of-god_8963.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-3079722800934348831Wed, 31 Jan 2007 02:08:00 +00002007-03-31T16:27:43.975-09:00The Doctrines of Grace like the Five Solas are equally as foundational and have been taught since the earliest of church fathers. It was taught by the likes of the Apostle Paul, the great Augustine, Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Mathew Henry. In more recent times we see those such as Jonathan Edwards, Charles Hodge, Charles Spurgeon, A.W. Pink, Martin Lloyd-Jones, James I. Packer and James http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/01/doctrines-of-grace.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-4742561505729427530Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:29:00 +00002007-01-21T21:01:36.657-09:00The purpose of these "Five Solas" is really to make us think long and hard as Christians. Who is our God and is He the powerful and mighty God we read about in His infallible word, The Bible? The answer is yes to these questions.We read in Ephesians 2:8-9 - 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one canhttp://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/01/putting-it-all-into-perspective.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-4455942171011508632Sat, 13 Jan 2007 05:20:00 +00002007-01-12T20:27:10.520-09:00SOLI DEO GLORIA - “To God alone be the Glory”It is the great goal of all of God’s purposes in Jesus Christ. All that God does, He does for His own glory. He created all things for His glory. He sustains and rules over the world and our lives for His glory. Our salvation is all of grace through Christ for all His glory. One important thing to notice, the word alone. God and God alone is worthy of http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/01/soli-deo-gloria-to-god-alone-be-glory.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-4519339075726298714Sat, 06 Jan 2007 05:56:00 +00002007-01-12T20:27:20.300-09:00SOLA CHRISTUS - “Through Christ Alone”It is in Christ alone that we have salvation. In His perfect life and substitutionary death, alone we have salvation. Through Him and Him alone, we have the forgiveness of our sins and are declared righteous before God.(Titus 3:5-7) He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2007/01/sola-christus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-1743812229563318389Sun, 31 Dec 2006 05:08:00 +00002007-01-12T20:27:29.172-09:00SOLA FIDE - “Faith Alone”Faith alone is the instrument of our salvation. Salvation is not by works; it is by faith, that is, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ through His work on the cross for your salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-9) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.Martin Luther realized thishttp://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2006/12/sola-fide-faith-alone-faith-alone-is.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-1983615158414987251Mon, 25 Dec 2006 03:20:00 +00002007-01-12T20:27:39.729-09:00SOLA GRATIA - “Grace Alone”It answers the question of who does what in salvation. Many think that salvation is a “grace and…” project. If this is true, then “grace is no longer grace”(Romans 11:6) And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.The Bible is clear, salvation is by grace and grace alone because “salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2006/12/sola-gratia.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-7442719713674832347Tue, 19 Dec 2006 02:28:00 +00002007-01-12T20:27:47.799-09:00SOLA SCRIPTURA - “Scripture Alone”This truth declares that the Bible alone is our only authority for our faith (what we believe) and our conduct (how we live). The Bible alone is God’s Word written. It is without error, it is authoritative, it is sufficient for all things pertaining to life and godliness. It must be preached, it must be taught and it must be lived out. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) All http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2006/12/sola-scriptura.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-812574933536506864Wed, 13 Dec 2006 03:59:00 +00002007-01-12T20:28:23.747-09:00Why reformed theology? The answer without any apology or compromise is this, "God is King and Ruler over everything."Virtually all other systems of theology say they agree, but when taken a closer look at they place man on the throne along with God, at least in part.So what is at the heart of reformed theology? To start there are five main points entitled "The Five Solas."Sola Scriptura - http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2006/12/why-reformed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9139003152065832277.post-3969433507428121269Sun, 10 Dec 2006 05:46:00 +00002007-01-12T20:28:36.271-09:00The reformation started by a list of complaints compiled by a Catholic priest named Martin Luther on October 31st 1517. These complaints were about the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church. These abuses where considered by Luther to be a distortion of the Gospel of Christ. This reformation or the Protestant Reformation (Protestant meaning to protest) was a rebellion against the Roman Catholic http://thereformedchurch.blogspot.com/2006/12/overvue-of-reformation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Zak Saenz)