Posts by Martin Blocki

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This combination of words appears to put the Christian on the “horns of a dilemma”. It seems that you must, “pick your poison”. To hold to belief in the sovereignty of God seems untenable because God somehow cannot eliminate or control the evil in the world, or, if he is sovereign, he must be...
What is prayer? Prayer is talking to God. [i] A solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship. [ii] Prayer is spiritual communication between man and God, a two-way relationship in which man should not only talk to God but also listen to Him. Prayer to God...
The Reformers confronted the Catholic church with five scriptural principles by which they sought to reform the church. If the 21 st century church is to once again transform the culture by the proclamation of the gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ, it must reclaim its heritage: the five solas of the...
“Sticks and stones make break my bones, but words can never hurt me”. Living in a hyper-critical age, we all know this truism to be false. Words do hurt. In our fallenness, criticism comes all too naturally. It feels so good, so right. (“I know better than that person!” “I need to say this in order...
Back in the 1980’s when my wife and I were pursuing our Master’s degrees in music at Arizona State University, before we understood Reformed/Covenant Theology, we experienced first-hand a situation similar to what is given to us in the Gospel of John, chapter 9. Seeing a blind man, the disciples...
There are tremendous pressures in our culture. Talk radio proclaims that “America, as we know it, has been, or soon will be lost.” Members of Christ’s church can succumb to fear and the cries that “we need to do something!” There is talk of violence. Some speak of the potential need to take up arms...
I doubt that many readers will have any difficulty accepting the premise that we live in tumultuous times. Consider the contradictory claims surrounding the recent election: “There was no Fraud!” “Stop the Steal!” How about claims related to COVID 19? “Masks do not do any good.” “Mask demonstrably...
" May you live in interesting times " is an English expression that purports to be a translation of a traditional Chinese curse . While seemingly a blessing, the expression is normally used ironically; life is better in "uninteresting times" of peace and tranquility than in "interesting" ones,...
“There is not, in my judgment, a psalm which describes the mind, the manners, the works, the words, the feelings and the fate of the ungodly with so much propriety, fullness and light, as this psalm.” Martin Luther We live in an increasingly rebellious and arrogant culture. In 1982, the pollster...
Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified...
In the times in which we live, fear and uncertainty abound. Governments are shutting down businesses. Some states have mandated that people “shelter in place”. Economic dominoes are toppling. Hospitals are beginning to be strained. How are God’s people to respond? We remind each other: Jesus will...
Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone. [i] When this pastor begins counseling a new person my first question is not “what brings you...
Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified...
In Anthony and Cleopatra (3:2) Shakespeare described it as the “ green sickeness”. In Othello, he called it the “ green eyed monster ”. Immanuel Kant described it thus: “inherent in the nature of man, and only its manifestation makes of it an abominable vice, a passion not only distressing and...
One of my pet peeves as a pastor, is the use of Christian jargon. We sometimes use words or phrases, but are unable to define the terms! In other words: We don’t understand what we are saying! The phrase “besetting sin” is a good example. The phrase is from the translation of the Greek word:...
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, NIV having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are...
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. John 10:29 I have benefitted greatly from the teaching ministry of the late R.C. Sproul. Years ago, God used Dr. Sproul’s teaching to open my eyes to the surpassing greatness of the...
The Westminster Confession of Faith … What is it? Is it a document that presents cold intellectual faith? Dead Orthodoxy as it seems to some… Is it a historical artifact that has no relevancy to the pastor or the people of God? Is it an idol that reformed Christians elevate to a higher standard of...
The reformer John Calvin has often been portrayed as a legalistic tyrant who endeavored to rule the city of Geneva with an “iron fist”. This characterization has, unfortunately, come to have the status of an unquestioned historical fact. People who rely on the opinions and assessments made by...
In the Old Testament, the king ruled the people on behalf of God; the prophet represented God to the people, speaking God’s word to them; and the priest represented the people to God, performing sacrifices on their behalf in the tabernacle and later in the temple. As our redeemer, the LORD Jesus...
During the Reformation, as young preachers were being trained and sent out, people complained about the quality of the preaching. Some things never change, do they? Martin Luther had little patience for such complaints, responding that the people of God 1) needed to appreciate the gift that God had...
I am a Presbyterian minister. Having served in the courts of the church now for 14 years, I have come to the uncomfortable conclusion that Proverb s 29:25 speaks to every presbyter: The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. [i] Presbyteries in my denomination have the...
Men and women were created in the image of God. [i] The image of God consists of true knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. [ii] In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had true knowledge. Their minds could understand the mind of God expressed in creation. They walked and talked with God thereby they...
John 10:29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. John 10:29 is a common reference or “proof text” used in defense of the fifth letter of the acrostic “T.U.L.I.P.” Attention is given to God’s sovereignty and power...
In my adult years, I have enjoyed whitewater rafting. Several years ago, my wife and I decided to do the Gauley River. Every fall, the Somerville Dam is released and the River turns into a world class white water adventure! If my recollection serves me, when water is released from the dam, eight...
How many people do you know who wear glasses? Perhaps you yourself wear them. Glasses are a wonderful help for people who are near or far sighted. When the lens of our eye fails to bring the image into focus on our retina, our vision is blurred or impaired. Glasses correct the focal distance to our...
As a A.C.B.C. certified counselor and ordained pastor, I have the privilege of helping at the Biblical Counseling Institute associated with the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. [1] I value an educated pastorate and stress the importance of systematic theology and...
God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible fore-knowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise...
“Although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men un-excusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the LORD...
I went to listen, to get a lay of the land. What I heard was, humanly speaking, both frightening and exasperating. Perhaps you have heard of my community in the news, which is just north of Pittsburgh in Western Pennsylvania. Recently, it appears that the Superintendent of the School District along...
I don’t claim to be a logician, but I do know at least one basic syllogism, it goes as follows: If: A = B And: B=C Then: A=C With this in mind, consider the following passages of scripture: 1 Peter 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours...
In his helpful (and for me “much used”) Dictionary of Theological Terms, Alan Cairns defines “Christology” as follows: “The Department of Systematic Theology which deals with the doctrine of the Person of Christ the Redeemer. It covers the following subjects: His Theanthropic Person, His Deity; His...
Why do so many professing Christians think that following Christ is about their personal happiness and success? Perhaps ... these professors no longer endure sound teaching and have itching ears and so accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions (2 Tim 4:3) Why do professing...
Do you wear glasses? Why? It is, of course, because without them you don’t “see” the world rightly. Have you ever switched glasses with a friend? Maybe they are near sighted and you are far sighted. What is the result? The world looks distorted and blurred. You don’t want to drive to the store for...
You are dutifully in worship on the Lord’s Day and the preacher exhorts you to “glorify” God. The congregation dutifully nods their heads in agreement. Their hearts are stirred by the lofty piety of the sentiment. They leave with no clue what the preacher means! In a similar fashion, how many times...
At 5:00 P.M. on June 30 th , in the year 1859, the French Tightrope walker Jean Francois Gravelet, (known as Blondin) walked across the Niagra River on an 1100 foot rope. The rope was stretched across the gorge halfway between the falls and the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge. As he was crossing he paused...