John J. Murray on The Scottish Reformation

The Reformation 1560: The Greatest Year in Scotland’s History
John J Murray
60 pages, £3.00
Available from Rev David Blunt, davidblunt@fccontinuing.org

My pastor while I was a student in Edinburgh, John J. Murray, last year wrote a 60 page pamphlet to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Scottish reformation.  I have been exceptionally remiss to have not mentioned this on the blog until now.  It is, as everything from the pen Mr Murray, worthy of careful attention.  It is written with the burden that:

…the Reformation was first and foremost a mighty work of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual renewal lay at the heart of the transformation which took place. God had mercy on Scotland and delivered her from a dark night. As we face a similar situation today we need to humble ourselves before God and repent of our sins and the sins of the Church and nation. We need to cry to him to once again have mercy on our land. May the light which shone at the Reformation shine again and scatter the darkness of Romanism, unfaithful Protestantism and secularism from our land. ‘O send out thy light and thy truth’ (Psa. 43:3).

An extract chapter is available here.  A commendation from Geoff Thomas is here.  Go get a copy 🙂

Inherent Paradox

The inherent paradox of the use of finite forms to discuss an infinite truth, of the presentation of concepts relating to an incomprehensible Being and the unfathomable mystery of his relation to the world and its creatures, hovers in the background of all theological statement.

Richard Muller, PRRD, 1:86

See also here.

David Dickson and the “Judicial Laws”

Did the Lord by Moses give to the Jews as a body politic sundry judicial laws which expired with their state?

Yes.

Do they oblige any other now, further than the general equity thereof may require?

No. (Exod. 21; 22:1-29; Gen. 49:10; 1 Cor. 9:8-10; 1 Pet. 2:13-14; Matt. 5:17,38-39).

Well then, do not some err, though otherwise orthodox, who maintain that the whole judicial law of the Jews is yet alive and binding all of us who are Christian Gentiles?

Yes.

By What reasons are they confuted?

1. Because the judicial law was delivered by Moses to the Israelites to be observed, as to a body politic (Exod. 21).

2. Because this law, in many things which are of particular right, was accommodated to the commonwealth of the Jews, and not to other nations also (Exod. 22:3; 21:2; Lev. 25:2-3; Deut. 24:1-3; 25:5-7).

3. Because, in other things which are not of particular right, it is neither from the law of nature obliging by reason; neither is it pressed upon believers under the gospel to be observed.

4. Because believers are appointed under the gospel to obey the civil law and commands of those under whose government they live, providing they be just, and that for conscience’ sake (Rom. 13:1, 1 Pet. 2:13-14; Titus 3:1).

David Dickson, Truth’s Victory Over Error, 122