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10 The Relational Precepts of the Gospel Law
James 1:27: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” In a single statement, James reduces the precepts of the Gospel Law under three headings: 1. The God-ward Precepts of the Gospel Law—“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father…” 2. The Relational Precepts of the Gospel Law—“To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction…” 3. The Personal Precepts of the Gospel Law—“To keep himself unspotted from the world.” Having looked at the God-ward and personal precepts of the Gospel Law, we now turn to the relational precepts. As pointed in the introduction to the Gospel precepts (seventh study), James appears to be…
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A Five Pointer: Calvinism Explained
This article[1] is designed to provide an overview of The Doctrines of Grace. Not only will each point be stated as clearly and concisely as possible, but the points will be interconnected in order to demonstrate the essential teaching of the "system" as a whole. The following sketch is offered as a guide: I. The Doctrine of Man. The first and last points stand in contrast to each other, highlighting the nature of man and his relationship to God. 1. Total Depravity is the condition of man before he becomes a Christian. He is born the first time with a body and soul (Jn 3:6). However, his soul is dead (Eph 2:1), having been conceived in sin (Ps 51:5). There are serious implications of this…
