The music used in contemporary Christianity is a testimony to the decline of reverent worship and intelligent praise in many so-called reformed churches. This article briefly looks at some of the reasons why certain music is inappropriate for the dignified worship of Almighty God. Is it neutral? Can it ever be neutral?

God really does want his twice-born children to rejoice that their names are written in Heaven. However, we must test ourselves because there can be false assurance. There are believers and make-believers. The Apostle Paul urges his readers to: ‘Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves’.

God has laid in the record of the Gospel a firm foundation for the faith of sinners. They have his own warrant and therefore a perfect right to receive the Lord Jesus, in all his grace and fulness, for their salvation. Faith is receiving Christ, but no person can receive anything unless it is first offered to him as a gift (John 3.27; 4.10).

‘..if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?' In these words our Lord established at the beginning the distinctness and separateness of the church. If the sharp distinction is ever broken down between the church and the world, then the power of the church is gone.

The Tabernacle archives contain hundreds of testimonies of those converted during Spurgeon’s pastorate. Many glorious themes shine through, especially the instrumentality of gospel preaching and Sunday School work, the transformed lives of converts and their forsaking of the world.

It is enough to know and believe what the Word of God has revealed, that the holy angels of God take special care of each believer. In this respect angels are collectively called 'their angels' (Matthew 18.10). They are said to encamp about them that fear the Lord (Psalm 34.7). This is further evident by the many services which angels do to them and for them.

Lawful recreation is the enjoyment of some natural thing, or participation in some activity which is not forbidden, for the stimulation of the natural spirits. It may be for the use of the mind or the exercise of the body. It is some pleasurable activity or exercise, ultimately intended to fit the body and mind for their normal duty to God.

For many years independent evangelicals kept apart from churches in denominations affiliated to the apostate World Council of Churches, such as Anglican, Baptist Union and Methodist churches. The British Evangelical Council (whose members included the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC), Grace Baptist Churches and the Free Church of Scotland) did not admit churches that belonged to those ecumenical denominations. But in 2004 the British Evangelical Council changed its name…

According to Scripture we are to stand out as lights in the world and to be different, and this must surely be reflected in our dressing. If the clothing of the world is contrary to biblical guidelines, then we need to consider whether we are dressing like the world. But when the Christian develops inward beauty, their maturity and love for Christ will manifest itself outwardly.

Who is this 'James'? He describes himself as a ‘servant (doulos, or slave) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.’ In this article Dr Jeff Riddle shows the superiority of the old view of the authorship of James by contrast with that adopted in modern study Bibles.

He who would be angry without sin must not be angry at anything except sin. Our Saviour was angry with Peter, and angry with the Pharisees for the hardness of their hearts. Moses was filled with holy anger at the people over the golden calf. Equanimity in such circumstances would be no better than complacency or listlessness.

As a man, there is only one adjective for Karl Barth and that is ‘great’. Everything about him was big. He clearly had a first-class intellect. Nothing else could account for his acute criticism of theological outlooks and his own massive Church Dogmatics. He appeared to be reasserting the Calvinistic position. But alas, it was only a matter of appearance.

True though it is that God worked mightily by his Spirit in the 16th century, he did not do so in a way that bypassed the ongoing stream of history, or short-circuited human causes. What were the factors present in the late medieval world that gave birth to the Reformation?

In various ways, the Protestant Reformation scattered good seeds of thought (the 'Magisterial Reformation') which in their own day were not allowed to mature and bear fruit. Thankfully a later generation would provide the necessary climate to see that fruit blossom.

In our efforts to make the Gospel acceptable, we find ourselves confronted with two ob­stacles: man’s fallen nature and the Satanic forces which surround him. Very few apologetic works today give them serious consideration.