The Jerusalem Chamber » Podcast

What are the previous laws we’ve talked about? What did the assembly mean by “body politic”? What does it mean that those laws expired with that people? What is general equity? Are you a theonomist? How is the Westminster Assembly’s “general equity” different than Christian Reconstruction or Theonomy? What’s important about the word “may”? Often the discussion on this chapter revolves around the death penalty, can you discuss that? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 19.4:

To them also, as a body politic, he gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the State of that people, not obliging any other, now, further than the general equity thereof may require

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The three-fold division of the law has come under a lot of criticism, can you briefly defend it from the Bible? Why does the Confession speak of the ceremonial law as being given to Israel “as a church”? What does the Confession mean by “church under age”? What is meant by the word “typical”? What were some of the ordinances given to Israel? How do we know this law is abrogated in the New Testament? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 19.3:

Beside this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a Church under age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordinances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, actions, sufferings, and benefits; and partly holding forth divers instructions of moral duties. All which ceremonial laws are now abrogated under the New Testament.

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Will Shawn remember his name? What is the use of God’s law to us in our fallen state? Why did God deliver this law on Mount Sinai? What is the significance of the law being written on two tablets? How are these commands united to one another? Why are most of the commands stated negatively? Is there ever a time when someone must violate one command to keep another? How is the law necessary in evangelism, counseling, and discipleship? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 19.2:

This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon mount Sinai in ten commandments, and written in two tables; the first four commandments containing our duty towards God, and the other six our duty to man.

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Why is it necessary for Adam to be a historical person? What is the law that is given to Adam? How will Kyle contest Shawn’s answer? Who is the Prolocutor in this episode? Back to the original programming…Can you define the Covenant of Works? What are the covenants we find in Scripture? Is it “fair” of God to deal with humanity in this way? What was the nature of life promised to Adam? What hope is there for us? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 19.1:

God gave to Adam a law, as a covenant of works, by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience; promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it; and endued him with power and ability to keep it.

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What does negligence of assurance look like and are there biblical examples? What is “special sin”? What does it look like when God withdraws his light? How is assurance revived? How is the Christian supported from “utter despair”? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 18.4:

True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it; by falling into some special sin, which woundeth the conscience, and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or vehement temptation; by God’s withdrawing the light of his countenance, and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light: yet are they never utterly destitute of that seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty, out of which, by the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived, and by the which, in the meantime, they are supported from utter despair.

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What is meant here by the words “infallible assurance”? Will you discuss how some people distinguish between the Westminster’s understanding of assurance and the Three Forms of Unity? Do you think the difficulty and conflict of full assurance is true to the experience of a “normal” Christian? What are some of the difficulties and conflicts that keep us from full assurance? What are the “ordinary means”? What blessings accompany full assurance? Tune in as Nathan, Joel, Shawn, and Kyle discuss WCF 18.3:

This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it: yet, being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means, attain thereunto. And therefore it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure; that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurance: so far is it from inclining men to looseness.

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Can you define assurance? What is our certainty not to be compared to? How do you describe the certainty of assurance? What is the chief warrant for the Christian’s infallible assurance? Why are the promises of God helpful for our assurance? What are the “inward graces”? How does sanctification help our assurance? What is the “testimony of the Spirit”? Join Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle as they discuss WCF 18.2:

This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith, founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation, the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made, the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God: which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.

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What’s the background to this chapter? Why is it so special to us? How do you define “assurance”? What is “false hope” and “presumption”? Do you think this happens in the church more today than in history? How do people vainly believe they’re assured? How do you know if you’re being deluded? How is faith a necessary precondition to assurance? What times in life do Christians usually experience assurance? Tune in as Nathan, Shawn, Joel, and Kyle discuss WCF 18.1:

Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and estate of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish: yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed.

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What are the four reasons for falling into sin given in this chapter? What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit? How does neglecting the means of grace hinder us? How does our sin scandalize others? What consequences are there for believers who fall into sin? What comforts are there for the Christian in this chapter? Join Nathan, Joel, Shawn, and Kyle as they discuss WCF 17.3:

Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins; and for a time continue therein: whereby they incur God’s displeasure, and grieve his Holy Spirit; come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts; have their hearts hardened,and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves

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Can you remind our listeners what perseverance is? Why does perseverance not depend on free will? Can you demonstrate the immutability of God’s decree? What is the Trinitrian certainty of our preservation? What is the “seed of God” that remains in believers? Is our assurance of perseverance infallible? Tune in as Nathan, Joel, Shawn, and Kyle discuss WCF 17.2:

This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them; and the nature of the covenant of grace: from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.

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