Holding Firm to the Confession of Our Faith

Holding Firm to the Confession of Our Faith:

In February 2014 I started a series at Howick Baptist Church for the Sunday PM services on doctrine.

“Holding Firm to the Confession of Our Faith” Taking our cue from Jude 3, we plan to spend the first two terms (at least) looking at those doctrines which are essential to Biblical Christianity (Scripture, God, Trinity, Christ, Salvation, Hell, etc.) asking the questions: “What does the Bible say on this subject/doctrine?”; “How can we clearly summarise this truth?”; “Why is it important for us to understand this and hold firmly to it?” Our goal is to cover one area of doctrine per night therefore, not exhausting the subject but providing a clear, succinct overview.

Helpful Resources (Items in bold are recommended and/or my preferred):

Historical Christian Confessions:

• Ancient Creeds (THE APOSTLES’ CREED, THE NICENE CREED, THE CHALCEDONIAN CREED, THE ATHANASIAN CREED)
• The Canons of Dort
• The Book of Concord
• The Westminster Confession of Faith
• The Baptist Confession of Faith (Modern English, Historic Baptist Documents)
• The Second Helvetic Confession
• Confession of Faith of the Calvinistic Methodists or the Presbyterians of Wales
• The New Hampshire
  Baptist Confession, 1833
• THE ABSTRACT OF PRINCIPLES
• Articles of Religion
• Reformed Confessions Harmonized
• True Confessions: Baptist Documents in the Reformed Family

Modern Confessions:

• Sola 5 Confession of Faith & Core Values (PDF & PDF)

Catechisms:

• The use of Catechism:
  • AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO USE CATECHISMS (Part 1,Part 2, Part 3)
  • Training Hearts, Teaching Minds: Family Devotions Based on the Shorter Catechism
  • Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God
  • Small Talks on Big Questions: A Manual to Help Explain Christian Doctrine
• Spurgeon’s Catechism with Proofs
• Martin Luther’s Large Catechism (1530)
• Martin Luther’s Small Catechism
• The Shorter Catechism in Modern English – A Baptist Version (another Baptist version)
• The Westminster Shorter Catechism

Systematic Theologies:

• Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine by Grudem
• Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine by Allison
• The Institutes of Christian Religion by Calvin
• Reformed Dogmatics by Bavinck
• A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life
• The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way by Michael Horton

Stand Church History Books

• Church History in Plain Language
• The Story of Christianity: Early Church to the Reformation v. 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation
• Story of Christianity: Reformation to the Present Day v. 2

1. Part #1: The Scriptures (MP3, PDF)

• Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
  with Exposition
• Treading Through the Tenets:Cumulus Clouds or Cognitive Concrete? by Scott Oliphint
• Ten Basic Facts About the NT Canon that Every Christian Should Memorize
• 10 Misconceptions About the NT Canon

2. Part #2: The Trinity (MP3, PDF)

• Books
  • The Holy Trinity
    by Robert Letham
  • Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
    by Bruce Ware
  • Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
    by Michael Reeves
• Online Articles
  • Monergism Links
  • The Doctrine of the Trinity: No Christianity Without It
  • Biblical Doctrine:
    The Trinity
  • What Do We Mean by “Person” and “Essence” in the Doctrine of the Trinity?

3. Part #3: The Attributes of God (MP3, PDF)

• Books
  • Bavinck, H., John Bolt, and John Vriend. Reformed Dogmatics 2, God and Creation / Herman Bavinck ; John Bolt, General Ed. ; John Vriend, Transl. [from the Dutch]. Reformed Dogmatics. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2004.
  • Erickson, Millard J. God the Father Almighty: A Contemporary Exploration of the Divine Attributes. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 1998.
  • Erickson, Millard J. What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?: The Current Controversy Over Divine Foreknowledge. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2003.
  • Kaiser, Walter C. The Majesty of God in the Old Testament: A Guide for Preaching and Teaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007.
  • Michael, Sally, and Fred Apps. God’s Names. Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R Pub, 2011. (Fantastic for children!)
  • Muller, Richard A. Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics Vol. 3, The Divine Essence and Attributes. Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2003.
  • Oliphint, K. Scott. God with Us: Divine Condescension and the Attributes of God. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway, 2012.
  • Packer, J. I. Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House, 1993.
  • Pink, Arthur Walkington. The Attributes of God. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1975.
  • Reymond, Robert L. A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1998.
• Online Articles:
  • Monergism Directory – http://www.monergism.com/directory/ (search for: attributes of God)
  • Visual Theology – The Attributes of God

4. Part #4: What is Man? (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles:
  • Monergism Directory: Original Sin & The Fall
  • Monergism Directory: Total Depravity of Man
  • Human Nature in Its Fourfold State: Thoughts on Augustine’s View on the Will
  • Augustine’s Doctrine of the Bondage of the Will
  • Radical Corruption
• Books
  • What Is Man? (Basics of the Faith)
  • Created in God’s Image

5. Part #5: The Person of Christ (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles:
  • Monergism Directory: Jesus Christ
  • Thinking Through Christology
• Books:
  • For Us and for Our Salvation: The Doctrine of Christ in the Early Church
  • Jesus the Son of God: A Christological Title Often Overlooked, Sometimes Misunderstood, and Currently Disputed
  • The Man Christ Jesus: Theological Reflections on the Humanity of Christ
  • Bowman, Robert M., and J. Ed Komoszewski. Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2007.
  • Harris, Murray J. Jesus As God: The New Testament Use of Theos in Reference to Jesus. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Book House, 1992.

6. Part #6: The Wok of Christ (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles:
  • Monergism Directory: Atonement
  • Monergism Directory: Resurrection
  • Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness (Very helpful book review)
• Books:
  • Salvation Accomplished by the Son: The Work of Christ
  • The Cross of Christ
  • The Cross and Salvation: The Doctrine of Salvation
  • Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution
  • The Resurrection of the Son of God (I don’t recommend many books by N.T. Wright, but this is one.)
  • From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective

7. Part #7: The Holy Spirit (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles:
  • Monergism Directory: The Holy Spirit
• Books:
  • Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles, and Relevance
  • The Holy Spirit: A Comprehensive Study of the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
  • God’s Indwelling Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Old & New Testaments (New American Commentary Studies in Bible & Theology)
  • Who’s Afraid of the Holy Spirit?
  • He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Foundations of Evangelical Theology)

8. Part #8: Our Great Salvation (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles:
  • Monergism Directory: Salvation
  • Monergism Directory: Justification
  • Monergism Directory: Adoption
  • Monergism Directory: Sanctification
  • Monergism Directory: Perseverance of the Saints
• Books:
  • • For Us and for Our Salvation: The Doctrine of Christ in the Early Church
    • Salvation Accomplished by the Son: The Work of Christ
    • The Cross and Salvation: The Doctrine of Salvation
    • Absolutely Sure
    • Adopted Into God’s Family: Exploring a Pauline Metaphor
    • Adopted by God: From Wayward Sinners to Cherished Children
    • Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots
    • The Doctrine of Repentance

9. Part #9: Baptism & The Lord’s Supper (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles:
  • Primary, secondary, still important
• Books:
  • The Baptism of Disciples Alone: A Covenantal Argument for Credobaptism Versus Paedobaptism
  • Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ
  • A Biblical Critique of Infant Baptism
  • Baptism in the Early Church
  • Lords Supper Eternal Word in Broken Bread
  • Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper

10. Part #10: The Church – Membership & Discipline (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles
  • Should I Join a Church? or Is Church Membership Biblical? – My Thoughts
  • Twelve Reasons Why Membership Matters
  • Is Church Membership Biblical?
  • Church Membership: Holding the Body Together
  • Church Discipline (Part 1)
  • Church Discipline (Part 2)
  • Living As a Church
  • 9Marks Articles on Membership
  • The Church – Ecclesiology is Important
• Books
  • Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus
  • Stop Dating the Church
  • Life in the Father’s House: A Member’s Guide to the Local Church
  • What is a Healthy Church Member?
  • The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love: Reintroducing the Doctrines of Church Membership and Discipline
  • The Church: The Gospel Made Visible
• Sermon Series
  • Sermon Mini-Series: Church as Family, Body, and Building

11. Part #11: The Church – Offices: Elders & Deacons (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles
  • Elders (Part 1)
  • Elders (Part 2)
  • Lay Elders: A User’s Guide (Part 1)
  • Lay Elders: A User’s Guide—Part 2
  • Deacons
  • 9Marks Articles on Leadership
  • Defining Elders
  • A question was posed on the role of Elders
  • Baptist Mag – Different by Design in the Church
  • Titus 1:9 (Sermon and More)
  • “Able to teach” – what is necessary for this qualification? – Part #3
• Books
  • Dear Timothy : Letters on Pastoral Ministry
  • Nine Marks of a Healthy Church
  • Elders in Congregational Life: Rediscovering the Biblical Model for Church Leadership
  • The Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the Gospel
  • Meetings That Work: A Guide to Effective Elders’ Meetings
  • Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons
  • New Testament Deacon: The Church’s Minister of Mercy

12. Part #12: Eschatology (MP3, PDF)

• Online Articles
  • Monergism’s Directory on Eschatology
  • Monergism’s Directory on Heaven & Rewards
  • Monergism’s Directory on Hell
• Books
  • Four Views on the Book of Revelation
  • Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond
  • The Promise of the Future
  • A Case for Historic Premillennialism An Alternative to “Left Behind”
  • Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology