Saint Nicholas is best known for being the inspiration behind the legend of Santa Claus due to his habit of secretly giving gifts, but who was he and what is his importance in Church history? It is easy to dismiss many of the early church figures as Roman Catholic, due to the appendage of 'Saint' to their name by Rome, and also due to the style of illustrations which have been left to depict them. In many cases this view is inaccurate, especially when dealing with the earliest centuries of the Church, and so it is in the case of Nicholas. Born in 270 AD he was appointed bishop of Myra in what is modern day Turkey. Many legends have grown up around him, most of them only appearing centuries after his death and being without historical foundation, however his most significant contribution to the church was at the Council of Nicaea.
Showing posts with label Church History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church History. Show all posts
Saturday, 22 December 2018
Monday, 5 November 2018
Spurgeon's cause to remember the 5th of November
The 5th of November is a famous date in the English calendar. The following entry for this day from C.H. Spurgeon's devotional 'Morning and Evening' reminds of why it is a date of significance and worth remembering by the Protestants of our land.
'No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper' (Isaiah 54:17)
Saturday, 26 July 2014
The Charismatic Reversal of the Reformation: 2 A Rejection of Sola Scriptura
Previous posts in this series:
The gospel message which was rediscovered in the 16th century has often been summed up in what is known as the Five Solas of the Reformation. Although they were not articulated in this form until the 20th century, the writings of the reformers clearly teach that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone, as revealed in scripture alone. These Five Solas are a direct response to the errors of Roman Catholicism, and mark out the differences between the reformed church and the Church of Rome. Where the Roman Catholic Church teaches that were are saved by a combination of God’s grace and our own good works, the reformers responded that it is by grace alone. Where they teach that we approach God through Christ, Mary and the saints, the response is that it is through Christ alone. To turn away from any of these biblical truths is to depart from the faith and begin the journey back into Roman apostasy. Of the Five Solas it is surely that of ‘sola scriptura’, or scripture alone, where Rome's difference with Protestantism has its root, for it is by appealing to scripture plus tradition that they are then able to support all of their other erroneous doctrines. This rejection of scripture as God’s complete and final revelation to man, and his only rule for faith and practice, is something of which the Charismatic Movement is also guilty, and by so doing it turns away from the biblical principles of the Reformation, back to the error of Rome.
The gospel message which was rediscovered in the 16th century has often been summed up in what is known as the Five Solas of the Reformation. Although they were not articulated in this form until the 20th century, the writings of the reformers clearly teach that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone, as revealed in scripture alone. These Five Solas are a direct response to the errors of Roman Catholicism, and mark out the differences between the reformed church and the Church of Rome. Where the Roman Catholic Church teaches that were are saved by a combination of God’s grace and our own good works, the reformers responded that it is by grace alone. Where they teach that we approach God through Christ, Mary and the saints, the response is that it is through Christ alone. To turn away from any of these biblical truths is to depart from the faith and begin the journey back into Roman apostasy. Of the Five Solas it is surely that of ‘sola scriptura’, or scripture alone, where Rome's difference with Protestantism has its root, for it is by appealing to scripture plus tradition that they are then able to support all of their other erroneous doctrines. This rejection of scripture as God’s complete and final revelation to man, and his only rule for faith and practice, is something of which the Charismatic Movement is also guilty, and by so doing it turns away from the biblical principles of the Reformation, back to the error of Rome.
Monday, 21 July 2014
The Charismatic Reversal of the Reformation: 1 Background
The Charismatic Movement; what’s the big deal? Surely it is just another manner in which some Christians worship, as acceptable as any reformed, more conservative style of worship? Why is there such a strong reaction against the Charismatic Movement from many evangelical preachers today? Is it really that big an issue? On one occasion John MacArthur described the Charismatic Movement in the following terms; 'It's a kind of Spiritual AIDS. AIDS is a deficient immune system, and this kills the Church's immune system! The Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement kills the immune system, because it makes it a sin to question their theology'a. To many people this statement will be a great exaggeration of the issues in the Charismatic Movement and an outrageous thing to say. To compare a particular form of Christianity to a deadly disease is surely too much. Yet when we examine the Charismatic Movement closely, when we understand what the Charismatic Movement actually is, and consider what is actually taught within it, then we will find that it is very difficult to argue with that statement. As we look at the serious errors, and indeed heresies, that are found within that movement, we believe that an honest analysis of the facts can lead to only one conclusion; that the Charismatic Movement is indeed a form of ‘spiritual AIDS’, and that it leads Christianity in only one direction; back to the darkness of Rome.
Sunday, 17 March 2013
The Testimony of St Patrick
The Roman Catholic Church has long claimed St Patrick to be its own; a representative of the Pope sent to evangelise the heathen Irish. Yet of all the stories and legends that exist around Patrick, only two documents have been preserved that are accepted as genuine by both Roman Catholic and Protestant historians; his Letter and his Confession. Reproduced below is his confession, one which has nothing of Romanism about it, nor does it give any indication of his ever having been an emissary of the Pope. It is but the confession of a simple sinner, one trusting in the redemptive work of Christ alone for his salvation.
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