Pastor's Corner — Providence Presbyterian Church

The Morning Devotional: WCF 12 (Part Three)

The Morning Devotional for April 21, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 12, Part Three

I. All those that are justified God vouchsafeth, in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption;a by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God;b have his name put upon them;c receive the Spirit of adoption;d have access to the throne of grace with boldness;e are enabled to cry, Abba, Father;f are pitied,g protected,h provided for,i and chastened by him as by a father;j yet never cast off,k but sealed to the day of redemption,l and inherit the promises,m as heirs of everlasting salvation.n

The Morning Devotional: WCF 12 (Part Two)

The Morning Devotional for April 20, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 12, Part Two

I. All those that are justified God vouchsafeth, in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption;a by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God;b have his name put upon them;c receive the Spirit of adoption;d have access to the throne of grace with boldness;e are enabled to cry, Abba, Father;f are pitied,g protected,h provided for,i and chastened by him as by a father;j yet never cast off,k but sealed to the day of redemption,l and inherit the promises,m as heirs of everlasting salvation.n

The Morning Devotional: WCF 12 (Part One)

The Morning Devotional for April 19, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 12, Part One

I. All those that are justified God vouchsafeth, in and for his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption;a by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God;b have his name put upon them;c receive the Spirit of adoption;d have access to the throne of grace with boldness;e are enabled to cry, Abba, Father;f are pitied,g protected,h provided for,i and chastened by him as by a father;j yet never cast off,k but sealed to the day of redemption,l and inherit the promises,m as heirs of everlasting salvation.n

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillApril 19, 2023adoption, Ephesians 1, Romans 8, Numbers 6

The Morning Devotional: WCF 11.6

The Morning Devotional for April 11, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 11.6

VI. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.a

The Morning Devotional: WCF 11.5

The Morning Devotional for April 10, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 11.5

V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified;a and although they can never fall from the state of justification,b yet they may by their sins fall under God’s fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.c

Bible Knowledge Project: Matthew 13

Read: Matthew 13

Matthew 13 begins the section known as “The Kingdom Parables.” Parables are usually fictional stories designed to make one central point or highlight one main theme. They are designed to hide the truth from the unbelieving and demonstrate it to the elect. Unfortunately, parables have been badly abused in Christian literature, making them say many things they were not designed to communicate. Therefore, it is essential to interpret them to understand them as offered by Christ correctly.

bible readingWilliam HillApril 7, 2023Matthew 13

Bible Knowledge Project: Genesis 13

The chapter before us today may appear to be relatively insignificant in the Genesis narrative. Still, it does point to at least one central theme of the Bible: the choices of men do not alter the purpose and promises of God. That theme is demonstrated in the narrative of this chapter when Abram and Lot disagree, and they agree to separate. Abram magnanimously offers Lot the first choice of the land. Lot chooses the best, leaving Abram with what remains. Yet, despite this difficulty and its result, God promises that he and his descendants will inherit the entirety of the land as promised by God.

bible readingWilliam HillApril 7, 2023Genesis 13

The Morning Devotional: WCF 11.4

The Morning Devotional for April 7, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 11.4

IV. God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect,a and Christ did, in the fulness of time, die for their sins, and rise again for their justification:b nevertheless, they are not justified until the Holy Spirit doth, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.c

The Morning Devotional: WCF 11.3

The Morning Devotional for April 6, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 11.3

III. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to his Father’s justice in their behalf.a Yet inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them,b and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead,c and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace;d that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.e

The Elements of Christian Worship

What is the “regulative principle of worship”?

The regulative principle of worship is a core doctrine of the Reformed tradition (see WCF 21.1). When we gather in worship, we must worship God in the way he commands and no other way. That is, we do not offer “strange fire” to God (See Lev. 10). Instead, we offer to him that which he demands of his people. We cannot imagine or devise other ways that God has not outlined in his Word (either by direct command or good and necessary consequence).

worshipWilliam HillApril 5, 2023elements of worship, worship

The Morning Devotional: WCF 11.2

The Morning Devotional for April 5, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 11.2

II. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;a yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.b

Bible Knowledge Project: Matthew 12

Read: Matthew 12

Matthew Twelve takes up matters related to the Sabbath, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and the one I want to focus on today: Fruit proves the root (12:33-37). Many in the church today know much about the Christian faith, theology, etc. They have made credible professions of faith. They are in attendance each Lord’s Day. Yet, there is no fruit, no growth.

bible readingWilliam HillApril 4, 2023Matthew 12

The Pastor’s Corner

The blog of Pastor William F. Hill, Jr.