Quotation Friday: Irony & Sola Scriptura

"Ironically, many modern Evangelical advocates of sola scriptura, who claim to believe in the perspicuity of Scripture, deny that perspicuity by their rejection of the ecumenical creeds-the common consensual faith of the Church" (The Shape of Sola Scriptura, Keith A. Mathison, 280).

Quotation Friday: Cyprian on What You Should Fear

"For it is not persecution alone that is to be feared; nor those things which advance by open attack to overwhelm and cast down the servants of God. Caution is more easy where danger is manifest, and the mind is prepared beforehand for the contest when the adversary avows himself. The enemy is more to be feared and to be guarded against, when he creeps on us secretly; when, deceiving by the appearance of peace, he steals forward by hidden approaches, whence also he has received the name of the Serpent" (On the Unity of the Church).

Quotation Friday: Berkhof on the Importance of History

I am constantly compiling things for an article/book that I am writing on why God is glorified through the study of church history. I came across a goody below:

“The study of doctrinal truth, apart from its historical background, leads to a truncated theology . . . . The result has been the lack of a sound understanding and a proper evaluation of the truth. There was no appreciation of the fact that the Holy Spirit guided the Church in the interpretation and development of the truth as it is revealed in the Word of God. The checks and the roadsigns of the past were not taken into consideration, and ancient heresies, long since condemned by the Church, are constantly repeated and represented as new discoveries. The lessons of the past are greatly neglected, and many seem to feel that they should strike out entirely on their own, as if very little had been accomplished in the past. Surely, a theologian must take account of the present situation in the religious world, and every study the truth anew, but he cannot neglect the lessons of the past with impunity” (Louis Berkhof, The History of Christian Doctrines, 5).

Quotation Friday: Polycarp on Elders

"The presbyters, for their part, must be compassionate, merciful to all, turning back those who have gone astray, visiting all the sick, not neglecting a widow, orphan, or poor person, but always aiming at what is honorable in the sight of God and of people. They must avoid all anger, partiality, unjust judgment, staying far away from all love of money; they must be neither quick to believe things spoken against anyone nor harsh in judgment, knowing that we are all in debt with respect to sin" (Polycarp to the Philippians, 6:1).

John Piper on Coming to Samara (video)

Click here if you are interested in watching Dr. John Piper talk about his upcoming visit to Samara during the annual Shepherds' Conference.

Simply Awesome

You need to watch this video of Susan Boyle

My Day in Samara, Russia (Video)