Gospel

If you see your own sins, you’ll never be surprised at the sins of others…

The gospel that Jesus rose from the dead is still as shocking as ever, and it’s a gospel that changes our lives.

God not only ordains the ends, but also the means to accomplish his ends. In this talk I plan to look at matters like the rearing of covenant children in relation to God’s promises versus the commands he makes to parents and children to accomplish those promises. I plan to look at how, in the church, we deal with different types of conversions, as well as the reality that some of our children never undergo a conversion experience, but nevertheless are Spirit-led (Rom 8:14) Christians. The doctrine of grace, and what that means for how we live in the church, will also be discussed, especially as many Christians have to learn not only that they are saved by grace, but that others are as well and so we need patience, love, and gentleness as evidence of our own gracious attitude towards others who are not at the same place we are.

Infants show from a very early age that they have their own will. How can we do justice to the whole of Scripture’s message when we describe the human will? Is it only bound to sin? Partly free? Like a robot that God controls? Objecting to Erasmus, Luther said the will was utterly bound to sin; Calvin said that there is no such thing as God “permitting” sin, for whatever he permits, he wills. Does this mean God has willed us to sin? Are we really responsible for sin? Today the discussion continues between those who describe the Reformed view as “compatibilism” and those who object that this philosophical category doesn’t fit what we confess in the Canons of Dort. I intend to present the options in a simple but clear manner, to help us preach and believe the whole doctrine of God with clarity and conviction.

To view the handout that goes with this video please see here.

Which news is better: that the battle has been won completely or that most of the fighting still has to be done? Did Jesus only make possible our salvation, or did he actually and fully complete it? In this presentation I hope to present the Son of God as all-glorious in his cross and resurrection, and help us preach the real good news that Jesus has fully redeemed, saved, reconciled, justified, and adopted those for whom he lovingly laid down his life.

To view the handout that goes with this video please see here.

Election. Limited Atonement. Perseverance of the saints. These can be difficult doctrines, both to understand and to apply. Questions multiply. Is it fair that God only chooses some and limits the atoning work of Christ to them? How can we confess perseverance when we know people—even those close to us—who once worshipped with us but have now turned away from the Lord? And here are some more, but slightly different, questions. What if election is viewed through the lens of adoption? What if the saints only persevere because God is a Father who will not give up on his very own children? In short, what happens when we remember that the real, sovereign grace of God is a thoroughly paternal mercy? May “God’s fatherly face” shine upon us as we explore this truth together (Canons of Dort, V:5).

NOTE: This speech was given at the CRTS Conference 2018 but recorded at a later date due to technical difficulties at the conference.

To view the handout that goes with this video please see here.

What does springtime have to do with the gospel? Is botany connected to theology? Dr. J. Van Vliet explores these questions in a meditation on Col. 1:5-6.

Do you want to delve into the riches of the gospel more deeply and live out of them more consistently? This three-volume set explores the central truths of Scripture so that those who are already familiar with the basics of the Christian faith continue to grow in understanding the height, breadth, and depth of God’s Holy Word. At the same time, our God gave us sound doctrine for daily living. Thus, each chapter draws connections to everyday life as it is experienced by moms and dads, teens and young adults, married and unmarried, as well as people who are healthy, sick, happy, and distressed–in short, real people living real lives in a really broken world.

Author: J. Van Vliet. Publisher: Lucerna: CRTS Publications, 2016. ISBN 9780994805935

A chapel message delivered by Dr. Jason Van Vliet which gives insight into the full extent of our forgiveness, based on what is revealed in Psalm 51.

An article commemorating the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism and focusing on LD 12

This is the author’s inaugural address as Professor of New Testament at the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary. He looks closely at an often misunderstood parable in Matthew 25:31-46.

An article on the slavery laws of the Old Testament and their gospel message for today.