The Jerusalem Chamber » Podcast

What is prayer? Why the qualification “with thanksgiving”? Why is prayer a “special” part of worship? How do we know prayer is required by God of all men? What’s the difference between “accepted” and “unaccepted” prayer? What does it mean to pray with the help of the Spirit? What does it mean to pray according to the will of God? Why is vocalized prayer to be made in a known tongue? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel and Kyle discuss WCF 21.3:

Prayer with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship, is by God required of all men; and that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son, by the help of his Spirit, according to his will, with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance;and, if vocal, in a known tongue.

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Why is religious worship to be given to God alone? What is meant by “religious” worship? Are there practical ways our worship can be directed to each person of the Trinity? Why is a Mediator necessary? What’s wrong with the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching of many mediators? Join Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle as they discuss WCF 21.2:

Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and to him alone; and not angels, saints, or any other creature: and since the fall, not without a Mediator; nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone.

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What is the light of nature and how is it a source of revelation? What does the light of nature teach us about the character of God? What does the light of nature not teach us about worship? How is worship instituted and limited by God’s will? Can you demonstrate that from the Bible? What are some examples of worship by: devices and imaginations of men, suggestions of Satan, visible representations, or things not prescribed by God’s Word? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 21.1:

The light of nature showeth that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all, is good, and doth good unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might. But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.

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Can you briefly distinguish between Christian liberty and liberty of conscience? Can you biblically demonstrate that God has ordained lawful authorities? Can you biblically clarify what the exercise of lawful ecclesiastical and civil power looks like? What is meant by “publishing” and “maintaining”? What’s the distinction between “light of nature” and “known Christian principles”? What is meant by “their own nature”? What role does the civil magistrate have in maintaining order? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 20.4:

And because the power which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another; they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God. And for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation; or to the power of godliness; or such erroneous opinions or practices as, either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the Church; they may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded against by the censures of the Church, and by the power of the Civil Magistrate

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What’s the outline of this paragraph? What is “Christian liberty”? Why is the abuse of Christian liberty something we need to be very cautious of? How does one know if they’re misusing Christian liberty? What boundaries has God given to us? What is meant by “pretense of Christian liberty”? How do the following abuse Christian liberty: relativism, subjectivism, antinomianism, and legalism? What are other abuses of Christian liberty? Why is our service without fear, in holiness and righteousness? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 20.3

They who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty; which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

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How do we see matters of conscience situated under the Kingship of Christ? How does false human authority mimic God’s authority? Can you clarify for us “doctrine” and “faith” in this paragraph? What about those who have been taught something and sincerely believe it to be biblical but are wrong? What is implicit faith? How does requiring extra-biblical beliefs or practice destroy reason? How dangerous is it it impose something on another? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 20.2:

God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in anything contrary to his Word, or beside it, in matters of faith or worship. So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience; and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.

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Why do Christians usually think of liberty as a New Testament and not an Old Testament concept? Discuss our freedom in justification, sanctification, and in eschatology? Why was the ceremonial law a yoke? How do we walk in freedom from the ceremonial law? How is boldness in prayer made greater in the New Testament? How is the communication of the Spirit made fuller for us now? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 20.1:

The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; and in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin, from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a child-like love and willing mind. All which were common also to believers under the law; but under the New Testament the liberty of Christians is further enlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, to which the Jewish Church was subjected; and in greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than believers under the law did ordinarily partake of.

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Could you review the “forementioned” uses of the law? Why is it important to realize that a right use of the law isn’t contrary to grace? Can you explain John 1:17 and Romans 6:14? How does the Spirit subdue and enable the will? What importance does this have for our preaching? What’s meant by “freely” and “cheerfully”? How would you shepherd someone who isn’t cheerfully doing what God requires? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 19.7:

Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it: the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done.

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The Confession says that believers aren’t under the law as a covenant of works, why this qualification? Is there a distinction here between Calvin and the Confession of Faith? In what ways is the law a rule of life? How does the law discover our sin? How does the law show us our need for sin? Do the promises of the law motivate us in obedience? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 19.6:

Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the law. The promises of it, in like manner, show them God’s approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof; although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works: so as a man’s doing good, and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law, and not under grace.

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How is it possible that all persons are bound by the moral law? What is the importance of the term “justified” rather than “believe” or “saved”? How is one held accountable to the moral law? How do we see Christ giving the proper interpretation of the law? How does this paragraph impact our view of the last judgment? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 19.5:

The moral law doth forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator who gave it. Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen, this obligation

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