Articles on Reformed Doctrine

Find below a few articles on Reformed Doctrine , including on the Establishment Principle or Kingship of Christ over church and nations, Assurance of Salvation, the Free Offer of the Gospel, Conversion or Regeneration, Marks of Grace of those in Christ, and the Millennium or Thousand years’ prosperity of the Church before Christ’s Second Coming. Also covered are some the abounding errors of our times, including Arminianism, Modern Evangelism, and Dispensationalism.

Some Foundation Truths of the Reformed Faith – by Rev. Donald Beaton The Reformed theologians made it quite clear that while man was utterly unable to do what was required of him, yet he was not relieved from his responsibility.

Points from Theology – by Rev. Donald Maclean Nothing is more clearly taught in the Word of God than that without saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ there is no salvation. The question of whether or not they have this faith is one which has exercised the souls of God’s people in every age and generation.

The Absence of the Sense of Sin in Present Day Religion – by Rev. J.S. Sinclair Some modem interpreters who stand high in Presbyterian Churches, hold that the Apostle is here describing his first convictions of sin only prior to conversion—a great mistake and delusion.

Falling Away – by Robert Traill The Holy Ghost’s sanctifying abode in their hearts they want, which is the great preservative of the people of God. (See 1 John ii. 27)

The Confessional Doctrine of Assurance of Salvation – by Rev. Donald Beaton The fact that many who profess to have assurance of salvation are only deceiving themselves, should not lead true believers to belittle the importance of the doctrine.

The “Marrow of Modern Divinity” and the Marrow Controversy – by Rev. Donald Beaton Thomas Boston, taking it up out of curiosity during one of his pastoral visits, carrying it home with him, and finding in it a solution to some difficulties that had hitherto stood in his way of proclaiming a full and free offer of the Gospel

The Extent of the Atonement and the Gospel Offer – by Principle W. Cunningham Our Scottish divines…. have all along held the doctrine of the free offer of the gospel while holding that Christ died only for those who were given Him by the Father.

Regeneration or Conversion

Regeneration – An Illustration by J.A. Alexander D.D. I resolved to make the Holy Scriptures the test of the genuineness of my exercises, and to leave the final determination to the fruits produced, as our Lord says: ‘By their fruits ye shall know them.’

Ingrafting a Soul into the True Vine – by Thomas Boston But this I maintain as a certain truth, that all who are in Christ have been broken off from all these several confidences; and that they who were never broken off from them, are yet in their natural stock.

Three Decisive Marks By Grace – by Rev. Thomas Bell I proceed to give the marks or characters of those who are under the covenant of grace. These marks are such that all who have them, are in that covenant; and all who have them not, are under the covenant of works.

The Establishment Principle

The Establishment Principle – by Rev John Macleod In plain terms, “the Establishment Principle, or the Principle of the National Recognition of Religion, maintains the scriptural view of the universal supremacy of Christ as King of Nations as well as King of saints, with the consequent duty of nations as such, and civil rulers in their official capacity, to honour and serve Him by recognising His truth and promoting His cause.

Gillespie’s Aarons Rod Blossoming – by Rev. Donald Beaton Doctrinally the Assembly of Divines were remarkably united, but on the question of Church government long and wordy debates kept the divines for many a long day ere the matter was finally settled in favour of the Presbyterian polity.

Voluntaryism – by Rev. William Maclean The decay which generated the fungus of disestablishment (Voluntaryism) accounts for the growth of sensationalism in worship. The taste indulged in the drawing room and in the concert room, craves for gratification in the house of God.

Arminianism another Gospel – by Rev. William Maclean “It is amazing that any true evangelical Calvinist would ever quote John Wesley with approval, either in speech or in writing,” wrote the late Rev. J.P. MacQueen, London. “He bitterly hated and rejected Calvinism, while he taught a theory of justification practically identical with sanctification

Arminianism – by Rev. Donald Beaton What Arminianism failed to do in the arena of debate, it has accomplished by peaceful penetration. It has saturated the theological thinking of Scotland to an extraordinary degree.

Modern Evangelism – by John Kennedy D.D. It will be a sad day for our country if the men, who luxuriate in the excitement of man-made revivals, shall with their one-sided views of truth, which have ever been the germs of serious errors, their lack of spiritual discernment, and their superficial experience, become the leaders of religious thought and the conductors of religious movements.

The Millennium

The Latter Day Glory – by Jonathan Edwards I NOW come to show how the success of Christ’s redemption will be carried on from the present time till Antichrist is fallen, Satan’s visible kingdom on earth is destroyed, and the kingdom of Christ set up throughout the world

The Millennium – by John Brown of Haddington The glory and happiness of this thousand years’ reign of the saints is to be understood, not literally, but spiritually and figuratively, according to the common style of the book.

Modern Dispensationalism – by Rev. Donald Maclean The movement which bears the name of the title of this article is one which has obtained a much firmer hold in America than it has done in this country. At the same time, much that goes under the name of Evangelical religion is tinctured with the outlook and approach of Dispensationalism

Free Presbyterian Pulpit This book, issued by  the  Publications Committee of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland,  contains  a selection  of sermons by  ministers  of  this church  who  have ended  their days  of service in the  world. They accepted the Bible as their infallible, supreme standard and the whole doctrine of the “Westminster Confession of Faith” as founded upon the Scriptures. Election, predestination, the Headship and Suretyship of the Lord Jesus Christ, with the supernatural operation of the Holy Spirit in regeneration were among the truths they taught, and these are still maintained and preached at the present time.

Read more about John Kennedy here, who exposed the error of the Hyper or Modern Evangelism of Moody and Sankey. Read also about other eminent Scottish theologians such as Samuel Rutherford, George Gillespie, Hugh Binning, and Thomas Boston.