Studies in the Westminster Confession of Faith - Chapter One - Part 5

Once a month since September 2010 at our midweek prayer meeting & Bible study we have been studying the Westminster Confession of Faith.

This and subsequent posts DV overtime on the blog will contain the notes which were handed out on each occasion.

An audio recording of this study can be listened to on the Church's SermonAudio page - click here

Part four - Chapter One continued

We come this evening to sections 5 & 6. Chapter One, Section 5 reads:
We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to a high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.
Proofs: 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 John 2:20,27; John 16:13,14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; Isaiah 59:21.

This fifth section, like section 4, of this chapter of the WCF continues to deal with the basis upon which we should accept and believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God. The previous section ruled out the authority of man or the church and pointed us to the authority of God for accepting the Scriptures.

Threefold Cord - the Importance of Christian Education

This sermon was preached by invitation in Ballymoney FPC on Lord's day morning 15th April

The Threefold Cord - the Importance of Christian Education

Germany leaving the Euro???

There is a great deal of speculation about the future of the Euro. Will the eurozone break up? Will Greece default and leave the Euro? Will she remain and struggle and thereby ferment nationalist tendencies among the Greeks?

One commentator, Philippa Malmgren, has taken a very different line than others do on the issue. She is a former economic advisor to George W. Bush during his presidential campaign. She believes that it is more likely that Germany will leave the Euro. This belief comes from a study of other nations that have left other common currency arrangements.


In a report entitled 'Checking out: Exits from Currency Unions' which analysed close to 70 different countries that have left a common currency arrangement, it was found that those nations who leave tend to be the larger, richer and more democratic ones and also tend to be those which have higher inflation.

This scenario would be very troubling financially and politically for Europe if the powerhouse of the European monetary system was to dramatically pull out.

Germany is growing ever more reluctant to bail our profligate nations such as Greece.

This would also be a very interesting development if the kingdom of Antichrist is to be based upon the outline of the old Roman Empire. Parts of Germany east of the Rhine and north of the Danube were never part of that ancient empire.

Benjamin Wills Newton adroitly explains these changes in chapter 3 of his book Prospects of the Ten Kingdoms of the Roman Empire. He specifically mentions the changes that must come within Germany.

It will be interesting to wait and see what developments will materialise. One thing is sure God's Holy Word will be fulfilled to the letter!

Reasonable force!!!

An inquest jury in Belfast has found that SAS soldiers 'acted in a controlled and professional way' when they shot dead two IRA members near farm buildings close to Loughgall, Co Armagh in October 1990. A victory for righteousness and common sense!

The inquest ruled that the IRA men's own actions had contributed to their deaths. It ruled that Grew and McCaughey: "put their lives in danger by being in the area of the sheds in the vicinity of a stolen car, which was expected to be used in terrorist activity." It went on to say that: "they were both armed with guns, wearing gloves and balaclavas and were approaching soldiers who believed that their lives were in immediate danger."

See the following reports:

BBC - Inquest rules SAS 'justified' in shooting dying IRA man

Daily Telegraph - SAS soldiers facing shoot to kill allegations over IRA deaths 'used reasonable force', inquest rules

Terrorist sympathisers argued that it was part of a 'shoot to kill' policy being operated by the security forces. 

These members of the murderous IRA received their just desserts. It's a pity that the same didn't happen to the rest of them as well. I for one don't have a problem with a shoot to kill policy for terrorists of any description.

Free Presbyterians attend Ballymena ecumenical service for Queen’s Jubilee

See article on Burning Bush website - Free Presbyterians attend Ballymena ecumenical service for Queen’s Jubilee

Stats for April

Here is a breakdown of page views for the month of April:

Over 100 glorious names for the person of Jesus Christ Part 4

Part One: Nos 1-25 - click here

Part Two: Nos 26-50 - click here

Part Three: Nos 51-75 - click here

Part Four:
76. Nazarene - And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene, Matthew 2:23.

77. Only Begotten Son - No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him, John 1:18.

78. Our Passover - Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us, 1 Corinthians 5:7.

79. Prince of the kings of the earth - And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1:5.

80. Prince of Life - And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses, Acts 3:15.

Over 100 glorious names for the person of Jesus Christ Part 3

Part One: Nos 1-25 - click here

Part Two: Nos 26-50 - click here

Part Three:

51. Judge of Israel - Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek, Micah 5:1.

52. Just One - Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers, Acts 7:52.

53. King - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass, Zechariah 9:9.

54. King eternal - Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen, 1 Timothy 1:17.

55. King of the Jews - Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him, Matthew 2:2.

Over 100 glorious names for the person of Jesus Christ Part 2

For Part 1 click here

26. Elect of God - Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles, Isaiah 42:1.

27. Everlasting Father - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6.

28. Faithful Witness - And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1:5.

29. First and Last - And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last, Revelation 1:17.

30. First Begotten - And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1:5.

Over 100 glorious names for the person of Jesus Christ Part 1

1. Adam, The last - And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit, 1 Corinthians 15:45.

2. Advocate - My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, 1 John 2:1.

3. Almighty - I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty, Revelation 1:8.

4. Alpha and Omega - I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, Revelation 1:8 [see above]; 22:13.

5. Amen - And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, Revelation 3:14.

6. Apostle of our Profession - Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, Hebrews 3:1.

7. Arm of the Lord - Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the drag, Isaiah 51:9; Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? Isaiah 53:1. 

4,000 embryos destroyed in Northern Ireland

Figures uncovered by Mr Jim Allister MLA have disclosed that since 2006 4,000 embryos have been destroyed in Northern Ireland. This is all in the name of IVF fertility treatment!

Health Minister Edwin Poots gives four reasons for this destruction of life:
1. The 'poor quality' of the embryos.
2. They are deemed as 'not suitable for transfer back to the patient or cryopreservation'.
3. The 'legal consent period has been reached'.
4. The 'couple withdraw their consent to storage'.

See full report in Belfast Newsletter

So for others to have the privilege of having children that they might call their own, 4,000 other children have to die. This is surely perverted logic, unscriptural and grossly immoral!

A human embryo is, biologically, a living human at the earliest stage of its development. Psalm 139:13-17 clearly teaches this:
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

Surely no Christian can have any part in the destruction of life in this way. This is murder in God's eyes plain and simple!

See article on Burning Bush website about the same issue - The Slaughter of the Innocent taking place today in Ulster