Why is There a Reformation Day?

Originally published November 5, 2020.

Reformation Day is a small celebration among Protestants in the area of Christianity known as Reformed. Most of these Protestants follow the Biblical truths put forth by John Calvin, a contemporary of Martin Luther, and leader of the Reformation in Geneva. His main thesis, in what is called Calvinism, is the sovereignty of God in all things. This sovereignty emphasizes man’s inability to save himself, and God’s overwhelming grace in saving a people to Himself, through Jesus Christ. To the Calvinist, as it was for Paul, no one seeks God… there is none who does good (Romans 3:11-12). This emphasizes that those who are saved, are saved by God’s grace alone, in Christ alone.

These truths were part of what Martin Luther declared when he posted his theses on the Wittenberg Door on October 31, 1517. The actual 95 Theses was over the abuses of the Roman Catholic church and its popes. But his driving issue, which he had posted on the door prior to the 95 Theses, was over justification by faith alone in Christ alone. That doctrine is the heart of the gospel, and at the heart of those of us who are called Reformed.

All that Luther and Calvin worked for, was a reformation of the church. The Roman Catholic church of the day, taught that man could earn his salvation by doing good works and earning enough merit to work their way out of purgatory into heaven. This is still a fight we see today. So many want to add their works to the righteousness of Christ that is imputed because of pride.

But Paul showed this not to be the case (Ephesians 2:8-10). We are saved by faith in Christ, not our works. Amen and amen. For if our works are tainted with the least bit of sin, they are rejected by God. We need the works of another, one who was perfect: Jesus Christ.

It is for this reason we remember October 31, 1517 and call it Reformation Day. Our celebration is not a mandate of God, but something Reformed Protestants do with thanksgiving that God worked through men like Luther and Calvin for the purity of the gospel.

DIY: Inside the Barn

Progress on the barn is slow, given that much of my time is the other major DIY projects: unpacking and finding room in the crawl space.

But given that, here are some pictures I took once I cut away enough of the vines to open the door and one window.

I like the horse trough because you can see where the horses chewed on the wood above.

This the door to the main entrance to the barn: see the red trimmed door below.

This is the main door into the barn. I tried to cut away enough of the growth from the inside to open it, only to discover once I cut my way over to it, that it has a Master lock on it. Only one way to get into the door: cut the lock. Fortunately, Heidi has a pair of bolt cutters. (Marriage tidbit: never marry a woman who doesn’t own a pair of bolt cutters).

Getting this window open was really helpful in helping me look around. When I took the picture, I didn’t realize I was also getting a good look at the second floor, from underneath. It’s all good wood.

All photos copyright © Timothy J. Hammons, 2026.

 

Is Tithing Still Required Under the New Covenant?

Steve Deace, a political Christian commentator, also loves to dabble in theology on his show, as well as on X. He puts forth the question, lets the conversation follow its course, and sometimes, takes the issue up on his show.

One such question is truly important for the believer, the question of tithes. Since he asked, we would like to answer. Our answer is based upon a sermon preached at Waco Reformed Church on December 11, 2022.

Introduction: A Call to Biblical Giving

Recently, we shared how the pastor from a large, Reformed church in Dallas spoke for four Sundays (in the late 1990s) about the subject of money and the Christian. The pastor prided himself on being able to preach four straight Sundays, and yet, say nothing about tithing until the last sermon, in which, he pointed out he had said nothing about tithing, and that he would continue saying nothing about tithing, in which, he concluded his four-part esoteric thought process on money.
There were many in the congregation who felt disappointed, questioning the conviction behind such an approach. One would expect THE shepherd of the flock, to instruct his followers on the tithe, since it is such an important part of the ministry.
While the church had an annual speaker who passionately urged its 8,000 members to give, using guilt and manipulation, in order to meet a multi-million-dollar budget, this abdication by the pastor felt insufficient. Instead of teaching what God’s word said about tithing, and the need for obedience to God’s Word, the church’s approach resembled more of a marketing campaign.
The problem with the sermon series on money, was that it did not answer core questions for those under the New Covenant: Are we obligated to tithe under the New Covenant? If so, how much? What’s the difference between a tithe and an offering?
We believe the pastor of that church, failed to shepherd his flock by being reluctant to address tithing. It seemed like he was driven more by fear than faith.
His course of action stemmed from fear of appearing self-serving and being like greedy televangelist. In other words, instead of letting the text and the topic drive his preaching, he was letting fear set the agenda. This is a shoddy approach to the work of a pastor, and is actually self-serving in the end.
Yet, if the principle of tithing is biblical, which we believe it is, then members of church should be instructed on the matter, and tithe.
As we will see, there are many reasons that we are instructed to tithe. The first reason that we deal with is what the Apostle Paul was dealing with in his first letter to the Corinthians: the right of the minister to live off the tithe. This is really the thrust of this article. We are given the principle for tithing, and that tithing is mean for our well being, in providing for the one God has ordained to feed us spiritually: the minister in the local congregation.
The second reason, which we deal with below, deals with our need to tithe as believers. We need to understand that we are giving our tithes to the LORD, even though the tithes are being used by the church to support the minister. This idea of giving tithes to the LORD is actually found in the negative, when the covenant people quit tithing, the LORD accused them of stealing from Him (see Malachi 3:8).

Supporting Gospel Ministers

Paul makes a great case for the support of gospel ministers in 1 Corinthians 9. In the context of that passage, Paul was facing constant attacks as ministers often do, from the false teachers who had moved into Corinth in his absence. One of the areas of accusation by these false teachers was in regards to the fact that Paul never received any financial support while in Corinth, even though he was entitled to do just that. His defense not only affirmed his role as an apostle but also provided a blueprint for supporting those who preach the gospel faithfully. Paul taught that apostles and ministers have the right to basic needs—like food, drink, marriage, or side work—decisions that belong to them, not a council or congregation. The congregation’s role is to help support the minister through their tithes.
Paul supported his case with practical examples: a soldier in the army is provided for by the country he represents. A farmer is provided for by the food he grows. A shepherd benefits from his labor taking care of the sheep. He then cited God’s Law, referencing Deuteronomy 25:4, which forbids muzzling an ox while it treads grain. This law ensures the animal eats while working, reflecting God’s care for His creation.
More importantly, Paul applies this same care to ministers, emphasizing that humans, made in God’s image, are of greater value than animals. If we care for an ox, how much more should we care for those who bring us the gospel?

The Principle of General Equity

Paul explains this principle in 1 Corinthians 9:9-10:
Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.
This is an example Paul uses is what has become known as the the principle of general equity of the law. that Paul is using when he uses a law about oxen, for the support of pastors. The principle is based on the reality that all of  God’s Law remains relevant for us today, however, the application may vary under the New Covenant. Therefore the care that was to be afforded to the oxen under the Old Covenant, is now to be afforded to the minister under the New Covenant. He is to be granted an income from the tithes of the congregation.
In verse 11, Paul continues:
If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?
Using a rhetorical question, Paul is driving home the point: “you have been fed spiritually, which leads to your eternal salvation, therefore, is it anything at all that we reap from your temporary material things in order to live and continue to feed you spiritually?”
Paul’s point is that ministers do have a right to material support. The purpose of the tithe is to be used to support the minister that brings spiritual food. Though Paul chose not to exercise this right to avoid hindering the gospel, he affirms the expectation of tithing. If tithing were obsolete in the New Covenant, Paul would have said so here, but he doesn’t.

Jesus Affirms Tithing

But what about Jesus? Does He affirm the principle of tithing, or remove the principle?
We believe that Jesus upholds the principle of tithing in Matthew 23:23:
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
Jesus doesn’t rebuke the Pharisees for tithing but for neglecting justice, mercy, and faith. He affirms they should tithe while also pursuing these weightier matters, showing tithing’s place in the New Covenant. Had He wanted to remove the admonition to tithe, this was the time for Him to do so, just as Paul could have done so in 1 Corinthians. But neither Christ nor His apostle remove the admonition to tithe.

The Biblical Principle

Now please note that a biblical principle on interpretation needs to be stated: just because the New Covenant does not say the formulaic words, “thou shalt tithe,” doesn’t mean the principle doesn’t remain from under the Old Covenant. In fact, what we hope that you see, is that tithing actually predates the Old Covenant given under Moses, showing that it is a principle for all times, no matter the covenant.

Why do we tithe?

So, to be clear, let’s ask the simple question: why do we tithe? We tithe for two primary purposes:
  • First, our tithe honors God in that we recognize all we have is from Him.
  • Second, our tithes supports those who minister God’s Word.
To the first, we see this principle found in Deuteronomy 8:17-18:
…then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…
It is God who has granted us the ability to earn wealth. In fact, in every area of life, God has granted us the ability to live. Every true blessing we have is from Him. Therefore, as we grow in wealth, we are to remember where that wealth comes from, and return a portion to Him. This is our way of honoring God for the blessings He has bestowed upon us. 
As I have laid out above, Paul illustrates what the tithe is to be used for in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14:
Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
In the Old Testament, priests lived off tithes and offerings, as John Calvin notes: priests received portions of sacrifices, tithes, and firstfruits to sustain their families. This pattern continues today.
Ministers sow spiritual seeds and rightfully reap material support through tithes, which are ultimately given to God. By giving a portion of what we have been given, we honor God in that we recognize all we have been given is from Him.

The True Foundation of the Tithe

Where is the foundation of the tithe found in Scripture? As we mentioned above, this practice actually predates the Mosaic Covenant, originating with Abraham in Genesis 14:18-20, where Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils to Melchizedek, a priest and king who foreshadows Christ. Abraham’s tithe shows that we give to God through His appointed ministers. Melchizedek was acting as a king and a priest for Abraham in bringing him wine and bread, along with preaching the truth of God’s word.
What do we know about Melchizedek? His name means “King of Righteousness, King of peace.” His actions of bring the bread and wine to Abraham, symbolizing communion and fellowship with God. His blessing reminded Abraham that God, the Possessor of heaven and earth, gave him victory. Abraham responded by giving a tithe of the his booty, setting a pattern for God’s people.

Tithes vs. Offerings

Under the New Covenant, the principle of the tithe continues, and we tithe to Christ, the greater Priest and King, as Hebrews 7 and Colossians 2:9-10 affirm. Our tithes go to the church where we receive God’s Word and sacraments. We are not to divide up our tithe with other ministries as many people do. Our first priority is to provide to the congregation where we are being blessed by the faithful preaching of God’s word, and the administration of the sacraments. 
We can support other ministries, but that should come from our offerings, which are above our tithes.
We see the principle of the offering in 2 Corinthians 9:7 :
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
This verse refers to a special offering for suffering Christians in Jerusalem, and does not come from the tithe. Offerings are voluntary gifts given out of mercy, while tithes are an obedient 10 percent for the church’s ministry. 1 Timothy 5:17-18 supports the principle of the tithe as well, stating that elders who labor in preaching deserve support, echoing the principle of not muzzling the ox.

How Much Should We Give?

One other point needs to be stressed. We are to give a tithe to the church where we are fed spiritually, and a tithe is 10% of our income. The question then comes up: are we to tithe 10% on the gross of our income, or upon the net of the income. Or another way to ask it: are we to tithe on all the wheat we have in our field, or only that wheat which we get into the barn?
I hope you see the clear answer on this. The LORD knows that the crows will eat some of the wheat before we get it to the barn, and we are to leave some in the fields for the aliens. Therefore, we are to tithe that which we get home. Caesar will take his portion before we get it home to our barns. To require a tithe on all the wheat in the field, is an onerous burden. Not too many could actually do this.
But tithing on our goods that we bring home is a possibility. Yes, we need to budget for this and take steps to reach the goal of 10%. The more we strive to obedience to the LORD in this regard, the more a blessing the tithe becomes to us.

Conclusion: Giving Reflects Our Hearts

Jesus warns in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot serve both God and money. Tithing really does reveal where our heart is on the matter and if we are honest, we find that the thought of tithing is a burden we don’t want to mess with. But this should not be. We are to grow in our trust of the LORD, especially in being obedient to His calling on our lives. We do believe there is blessings in tithing. But we will not say as many do, that we will always be blessed even more financially if we faithfully tithe.
However, we will say that there is a spiritual blessing that is far greater when we tithe. We may not see it, but giving in return to the LORD, with a heart of gratitude, is a true spiritual blessing. It helps us to refocus on where are hearts should be, with the King and the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

 

DIY: First Glances into the Barn

Remember, when I first looked into the barn, I wasn’t supposed to be there. It was a Monday afternoon, and we were closing on the house more than a week away. But I had to go looking. I had to take more pictures because … I didn’t take any when I first looked at the house with the Realtor.

I took pictures out front, and worked my way back to the barn. I still couldn’t see much. I found a small hole in the fence next to the chicken coop. Looking around to make sure there were no snakes, or other dangers, I bent over and under the vines growing between the fence and the coop. I was only 10 feet from the open doors of the barn.

Stepping carefully over growth and old beer cans, I went to the first door and looked inside. It looked like an old stall. Upon closer review, I was right. It was an old stall.

Nothing exciting at all… but the potential. It wasn’t wet. That meant that the roof was still good. Further more, there were no decomposing bodies to be see, so I didn’t need to call the police.

On to the next door. This one gave me a better understanding of the structure of the building. The entire out wall was made out of concrete block. The building wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. Again, the possibilities.

Yet, I didn’t go inside. That would have to wait.

 

If you look on the ground, you can see a porcelain light socket. I wondered if the building had electricity at one point or another.

I use to publish pictures of doors for a Photography group call Thursday Doors. I wonder if they would be interested in this one. I plan on restoring it to its original ruggedness.

All photos are copyright © Timothy J. Hammons 2026. 

Looking for New Ministry — A Prayer Request

It’s been a couple of months now since I stepped down as pastor from Waco Reformed Church, and loaded up in my 2000 Saturn LW1 for eastern Tennessee.

When I stepped down, I wasn’t retiring from the ministry. But Heidi and I both felt we needed to move to Tennessee so we could be with our daughter, and her four children. That was the easy part of the decision.

The hard part: stepping down and knowing that Waco Reformed would cease to exist. There were only two elders, myself and one other man, and he did not feel led to continue on with Waco Reformed. So the church closed.

What makes this hard is knowing that God’s call upon my life as a pastor, has not ceased. I still long to preach the full counsel of God (Acts 20:27), proclaiming His truth to the saints for their edification.

The problem is: I really don’t fit in any of the denominations in the area. I am Reformed. I am a Calvinist. I am postmillennial. I am covenantal. But I also have distinctives that set me apart from the PCA and the OPC.

In fact, I probably don’t fit in the CREC either. While at Waco Reformed, we attempted to join the CREC, and they ended up rejecting us. They never had the decency to give us a reason as to why.

So here I am, in an area saturated with PCA churches. It would be OK if  could just take exceptions to the Confession where I differ, but the GA of the PCA ruled they would not allow exceptions on paedocommunion any longer. Not only did they say it, they said “good riddance” as well. (See my posts on paedocommunion below).

But that is not the point of this post. The simple point is for prayer. My request is that Christ would open a door for a church where I do fit theologically and in all the ways that matter.

God may answer our prayers by leading me to plant another church, and if so, then I need like minded people to join with me to start this wonderful endeavor. Therefore, if you are reading this, please pray that our King would open the door to another church where I can serve and glorify Him. Thank you.

If you would like to hear a sampling of one of my sermons, go HERE.

DIY: The Barn

The one real surprise about the house we recently bought was that it has a four-stall barn on the back part of the property. Heidi knew about it, but I didn’t know until I was actually looking at the house with the realtor. I had Heidi on FaceTime as I walked around the place.

When we were looking over the backyard, she asked that question that made the deal: “where’s the barn?”

“Barn, what barn?”

“The listing says there is a barn on the place, near the back fence.”

I looked and all I could see was a fence that was covered with heavy overgrowth. I started walking toward the fence, peering though the limbs, trees, vines, and overgrowth. There it was. The outline of a small barn.

I was ecstatic.

“We have to get this place.”

So we did.

Since we closed on the house, I’ve made two working explorations towards the barn, with loppers,  hedge trimmers, and a bowsaw. I’ve cleared overgrown areas before, but never for a place that was my own.

As you can see, the barn is almost completely covered. My first concern was poison ivy, and then poison oak. I don’t think I’m allergic to either, but I still wanted to be careful.

My biggest concern were the ticks. So far, haven’t see any.

However, there is a very large vulture living in the first shed. Did I tell you that there are two sheds on either side of the barn, along with a chicken coop? I didn’t did I. But there are.

Apparently the owner of the house, when they built it back in 1935, had plenty of room for chickens, and horses. I think the pen on the right side of the place might have had sheep or pigs in it. But more on that later.

As you look at the picture above, realize that I had yet to step into the barn. I didn’t know if I was going to find… well, junk, rot, dead bodies, whatever? I wasn’t even sure how big the barn was. There was way too much brush and vines covering it to get a clear look of it.

Since we had yet to close, when I took the above picture, I didn’t dare go inside. I wasn’t supposed to be there. But I had to take a look. What you see, is what I saw: a door open to a stall.

All photos copyright © Timothy J. Hammons, 2026.

 

 

 

What Grok Thinks of Me

Some of those who I follow on X, were asking Grok who their arch-nemesis was. For fun, I thought I would do the same. This, and the illustration, were what Grok told me. 

Nick Fuentes (the far-right commentator and America First figure associated with the manosphere and historical revisionism around WWII/Hitler).

Your blog (timothyjhammons.com) and X activity (@T_J_Hammons_17 ) paint a consistent picture: you’re a Reformed pastor/itinerant preacher, special-ed teacher, husband, and father rooted in traditional covenantal theology. Recurring emphases include paedocommunion and objective sacraments (vs. subjective profession), biblical head coverings and male headship (critiquing egalitarian or “soft complementarian” readings as feminist-influenced, e.g., Jason Garwood), cessationism, Christ’s gentle heart toward the lowly, and resistance to cultural/ideological poisons entering the church.

On the cultural/political side you are sharply anti-abortion (framing Democrats as practicing and loving murder), critical of progressive “Christian” figures who blend faith with left-wing politics (e.g., calling James Talarico a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”), traditional on gender roles, and wary of liberal cultural saturation.

At the same time, you have written at length against neo-Nazi and manosphere influences invading conservative and church spaces—explicitly naming Nick Fuentes, Stone Choir, etc., as sources of wickedness, historical ignorance, and Satanic-style doubt. You contrast Fuentes’ “just asking questions” style and comments on Hitler with primary sources like William L. Shirer’s eyewitness history, call Fuentes “bad news,” and urge the church to exclude such voices without repentance. You also reject post-war consensus relativism while still treating Hitler as genuine (if not ultimate) evil, rooted in unbelief rather than as the singular standard of evil.

Fuentes therefore sits at the intersection of what you most actively warn against: a charismatic figure pulling young men toward historical revisionism, ethnic grievance, and anti-Christian undercurrents that you see as a direct threat to the church’s purity and witness—more insidious, in your framing, than open progressive opposition because it claims to be “on the right.” That makes him a natural arch-nemesis figure relative to the body of your public writing and posting: the ideological opposite who claims overlapping cultural territory but subverts the Reformed, Scripture-first, Christ-centered priorities you emphasize.

(Other strong contenders would be progressive “Christian” Democrats or soft-egalitarian theologians, but the dedicated blog attention and explicit church-protection language around Fuentes stand out.)

The Problem of Self Examination

 

 

Self Examination

One of the problems that occurs during the call for self-examination during the LORD’s Supper is that members of the body of Christ judge themselves subjectively, and then wrongly excommunicate themselves from the sacrament. In other words, they base their freedom to partake in the LORD’s Supper upon their own judgment of themselves, and their own feelings.

Continue reading The Problem of Self Examination

The Heart of Christ

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”Jesus says that He is lowly and gentle in heart after telling us to take on His yoke, which is not a burden (Matthew 11:28-29).

This passage shows us the heart of our King. He is not a tyrant. He came to take dominion of all things, but does so in the most gentle way. The takes dominion through the gospel, through faith, through the children, through the weak and lowly.

He does not come making demands. He doesn’t use manipulation or trickery. He simply calls His servants to follow His lead and preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  

Jesus also doesn’t come using the life-destroying sword of the tyrants of the world. He uses the sword of His word. It is through His word that He claims the lost soul for His own glory. This is not to the exclusion of the cross and all that was accomplished there. In fact, the proclamation of His word, of His Kingdom, of Jesus and all He does, and who He is, is the message that brings about redemption and salvation to His sheep. It is a message that He uses to change the minds and hearts of those in need. And in hearing this message, they come: the lowly, the meek, the downcast, the brokenhearted, those who hunger for righteousness.

Christ’s Kingdom is full of those who are like Him, lowly and gentle of heart. There is no room for pride in His Kingdom. There is no room for the arrogant, the manipulators, the high and mighty, only the humble and contrite.

Paedocommunion

Introduction

What is paedocommunion? Paedocommunion is the practice of allowing those who are in the covenant via baptism, to partake of communion, regardless of age or mental ability. Those of us who hold to this position believe that since children and the mentally deficient have been given the sign of the covenant, baptism, then they should also be allowed to feast at the LORD’s table. This is borne out of a pastoral care for those whom Jesus said of children, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Yet, in Reformed circles, there is absolute opposition to paedocommunion even though those in the Reformed community believe in paedobaptism. I believe they do this out of a reverence for the table and a fear of allowing children to drink judgment upon themselves. They want to guard the table against those who are unworthy of taking it. Since 1 Corinthians 11:38-39.

28 But a man must test himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.

I agree that when we come to the table, we are to test ourselves. The difference is that many elders feel this gives them the right to exclude people from the table. I also agree that there should be some exclusion. But where we draw the line is different.

For the paedocommunionist, the line is drawn in such a way that those who are baptized, our children included, should be allowed to the table regardless of whether they can examine themselves or not. Notice the text above: let a man examine himself. I am to examine myself when I come to the table. The elders are not to examine me. They are overstepping their bounds in trying to examine everyone who comes to the table.

As for our children, since they are made holy through our faith, 1 Corinthians 7:14, they should be allowed to partake as well. They need the feeding and nourishment found their just as much as we do.

Now, let me give full-disclosure: paedocommunion has been a burning issue for me for about that past 7 years. It started when I was dabbling with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, looking for a call to full-time ministry. I mentioned that I was sympathetic to those who held to paedocommunion but did not hold to the position myself.

Why was I sympathetic? I had read the OPC’s very own study paper on paedocommunion and felt that the stalwart theologian, G.I. Williamson, had a good point. (Read it in the minutes of the 1988 55th GA, starting on page 374.). He wrote the majority position for the OPC in favor of the practice. The OPC GA rejected the majority position and went with the minority report on paedocommunion instead. This was a major mistake in my opinion. In keeping those in the covenant from the table, no matter the age, is to commit the very sin that Paul was warning against in 1 Corinthians 11. But more on that later.

The problem for me came, as I said, because I was sympathetic. This led to the accusation that I was also Federal Vision. Now, for those not following, Federal Vision is a brand of theology that was attempting to deal with the issue of those who fall away from the faith. Are they still Christians because they have been baptized, or not? It is basically the same battle as the Lordship salvation debates that took place back in the 1990s between John MacArthur and Zane Hodges, only in this instance, the focus is from the covenantal perspective.

More simply put: MacArther and Hodges were debating “once-saved, always saved.” FV was working from the standpoint of “once baptized, always a Christian?”

The FVers were not saying: “who is saved, and who is not save.” They recognize that they cannot make such an assertion. After all, we don’t know who is truly saved and who isn’t when it comes to others in the body. We can for ourselves, but even then, there are those who struggle with assurance.

Now the best FV answer given was that one who is baptized is a Christian, in the same way that one who is married, is always still married, even though they may not act like it. Being baptized brings you into the covenant. If you are obedient to Christ’s calling and His commandments, then He will pour out blessings upon you. If you are disobedient, and even walk away from the faith, then curses will fall upon you.

It doesn’t matter that we are no longer under the law. The New Covenant has it attending blesses and curses just like the Old Covenant did. This is the most basic understanding of what it means to hold to Federal Vision.

When I was dabbling in the OPC, I was neither a Federal Visionist or a paedocommunionist. However, that didn’t matter. I was branded as such. The door to ministry was closed.

I revisited the paedocommunion position once again, now that all the doors to the normal Reformed world were closed. And I became convinced.

Yet, I feel like I need to look at the issue again. This is why the posts have turned in that direction. I want to be sure of my position. As I look more closely at it, I have become even more convinced that allowing children, and the mentally challenged, to come to the table is more of what Christ had in mind when He instituted the sacrament. It is far more pastoral than the stern brow of the man who fences the table from a place of joy to foreboding judgment.

Here are some articles I’ve written before on both communion and baptism:

To Exclude Our Children from the Table, is Excommunication.

Baptism for the Dead

 

 

 

 

The Midst of the Debate

The Proverbs tell us, “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” This verse needs to always be handy when it comes to battles within the church. To take a stand on anything, means that there will be conflict. In the midst of that conflict, sparks will fly, just as iron sharpens irons, unless of course, you belong to one of the denominations in which heated discussions are looked down upon under the guise of improper decorum.

The doctrine of paedocommunion—the teaching that since children are members of the covenant through baptism, they should be and are admitted to the Lord’s supper—has become a hot-button issue recently. This is especially true since the PCA General Assembly ruled that those who hold to this doctrine can no longer take an exception to the Westminster Confession and be accepted as pastors. They declared that paedocommunion strikes at the vitals of the faith.

In conversations with those who fully agree with that decision, the reasoning offered is often the same as that given by Baptists for why they will not baptize their infants: “What if the child who partook grew up and left the faith? Then what?”

Baptists make the same argument when it comes to baptism, and both groups want a person to be able to make a credible profession of faith before being admitted to their particular sacrament.

The problem with this is that both groups are focusing on the subjective natures of the sacraments instead of the more important objective nature. The objective nature focuses on what God is doing, both in baptism and the LORD’s Supper. In other words, He is marking us as His own through baptism, and feeding us spiritually through the LORD’s Supper. It is His work. Not ours.

The subjective nature focuses on man. Whenever we do that, we are failing miserably.

At least the baptist are consistent in their views. The child cannot come to the table, until he has been baptized, and cannot be baptized, until he is makes a profession of faith. In Reform circles, we baptize and then divide the body up in two tiers, those who can come to the table and those who cannot. We divide the loaf. We divide the body of Christ. (The very thing Paul was warning the Corinthians agains).

Those who defend the PCA’s position will continue to bar the children of their congregations from the table. They are raising a bar that should not be raised. This is the same thing the Roman Catholics did before the Reformation. They only allowed clergy to partake. Both groups are making the same argument, with the difference being where they place the bar.

Jesus had something like this happen to Him during His earthly ministry.

13 Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 And after laying His hands on them, He departed from there (Matthew 19:13-15 LSB).

Here we have the principle laid before us: Children are a part of the kingdom of heaven, therefore, being members of the visible church, and being baptized, they too are to come to the table and feast, knowing that the LORD is good.

Yet some cannot have this because they feel that a child must make a profession of faith. Why? Do they not believe in the baptism given? Can we not just trust the Spirit to move when and where He pleases? Must we erect a test for those who should not be tested at all? They were born into the covenant and should have all the privileges of the covenant. Yes, they should be taught and catechized. But let us trust the Lord to move in them in His timing. Otherwise, we are starving the very children who need nourishment.

This view fails to meet the pattern we are given in Scripture. The same arguments that all good Reformed Christians make in baptizing our children, are the same arguments that should be made in allowing them to come to the table. They are members of the covenant, therefore, they should dine at the table of their King. As He has told us, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

There is a lot more to be said, but this will have to suffice for now.

DIY: Side Bed

Here is the side bed from August 2022, when we bought the place. I really don’t understand why people have grass grow up to the house like this. Granted, they did plant a struggling rose bush, and I’m sure the tree popped up on its own, but alas, the rest looked liked they didn’t realize they had a yard.

This shall not be!

The new and improved side bed. It was, like everything else, 4 years in the making.

The only plants I would never plant again in Texas: hydrangeas. So difficult to keep them alive. In fact, having anything green in Texas means your water bill will be rather high.

The work was worth the effort.

Descending into Sheol (Part 1)

One of the beauties of Reformed Christianity, is the acceptance and use of the creeds. We hold to the great creeds of the Reformation, like the Westminster Confession of Faith. (For those who don’t know what a creed is, it is simply a statement of faith about what we believe. The WCF is an extended faith of what we, as Protestant Christians believe is most important to know from Scripture.)

But we also hold to the ancient Apostle’s Creed, in which Christians have been professing the central faith for about 1,800 years. It is the essential statement of what Christians believe, and when we say it together in worship, we not only are stating what we believe, but joining hands with all those who have gone on before us, and will come after us, in this great confession.

Yet, with the Apostles Creed, there is that one statement that gives a lot of people pause:

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended to hell.

Believers repeat the line: He descended into hell, after stating that Jesus suffered on the cross and died. For many, this is a troubling phrase and some refuse to say it. The thought of our Savior spending a moment in hell is repulsive. However, this comes about because of our confusion between the Hebrew word, Sheol, and the two Greek terms, Hades, and Gehenna. All three words are dealing with the afterlife.

On top of that, the Bible never says specifically states that Jesus descends into Sheol, Hades, or Gehenna. We have to imply it from what is said about the time after His death, and before the resurrection.

Therefore, to understand what we mean when we say, He descended into hell, we have to bring it all together theologically. And when we do, we will see the importance of understanding the difference between Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna. And there is a difference, especially between Sheol, Hades, and the last one, Gehenna.

Continue reading Descending into Sheol (Part 1)

DIY Curb Appeal: Four Years in the Making

It’s been four years since we bought our home, and now we are selling it. The entire time, I always tried to make improvements upon it because this was the corner where God gave me to take dominion.

As you can see, the previous owners were not that concerned with the front flower bed, or… anywhere else when it came to the yard. You can see that in the brown grass.

Here is a broader view.

I don’t quite have the same angle as the ones above, but you can see the entire yard. Not a brown patch in it, and the front bed is much more lush.

I think you can see the front bed more clearly, along with the row of canna indica, or Indian Shot by it’s common name. I got that from my sister’s ranch. She had a ton of roots in garbage bags, and was giving it away. Since it came from our father’s house in Houston, it has sentimental value. Plus, it grows like crazy in the summer, and will take over everything if you let it.

You can also see a bunch of it against the house. There is also a lot of ferns growing there, a crape myrtle, and two Live Oak trees that will need to be transplanted as some pointl