August–September 2024 Ordained Servant

From the Editor. “The Covenant of Works in the Theology of Meredith G. Kline” was originally written for a festschrift that was never published. It is here lightly revised in two parts in the hope that it will elucidate the late Meredith G. Kline’s profound reflections on the nature of the biblical covenants, especially the importance of distinguishing the covenant of works, in its various biblical manifestations, from the covenant of grace. While not every officer will agree with everything Kline has written on this topic, or my understanding of it, my intention is to add to the conversation, which has been continuing since the Reformation. I would also remind readers that nothing published in our two denominational periodicals is being endorsed by the OPC, as stated in the second paragraph of the “Editorials Policies of Ordained Servant”:

Ordained Servant publishes articles inculcating biblical Presbyterianism in accord with the constitution of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and helpful articles occasionally from collateral Reformed traditions; however, views expressed by the writers do not necessarily represent the position of Ordained Servant or of the Church.

However, we do make every effort to ensure that we publish articles and reviews that are within the bounds of our constitutional standards. Within those bounds there is plenty of room for discussion.

Chapter 16 completes The Voice of the Good Shepherd. I explore orality in three areas: 1) the use of manuscripts in preaching, 2) the reading of Scripture in worship, and 3) trusting the power and presence of God in the preaching moment.

Ryan McGraw, in his review article, “Moving Forward by Stepping Back,” reviews a popular, engaging, but very imperfect book, Interpreting Scripture with the Great Tradition: Recovering the Genius of Pre-Modern Exegesis by Craig A. Carter.

Darryl Hart’s review article, “Who Are the Nonverts?” reviews Nonverts: The Making of Ex-Christian America by Stephen Bullivant. Bullivant is a theological sociologist who analyses contemporary nonreligiosity. This is a very thought provoking review of an important book.

Shane Lems reviews Questioning Faith: Indirect Journeys of Belief through Terrains of Doubt by Randy Newman. This book explores ways to communicate the gospel to unbelievers who would like to know more. Not every unbeliever is virulently opposed to the gospel, but many have questions that they need answered.

Harrison Perkins reviews The Giver of Life: The Biblical Doctrine of the Holy Spirit and Salvation by J. V. Fesko. Charismatics often believe that Reformed, confessional Christians have no interest in the Spirit. Fesko shows that the Reformed have always had a rich and deep biblical understanding of the third person of the Trinity. But unlike the Charismatic theology, our knowledge of the Spirit is tied to the Word, the means of grace, and the attributes of God.

Our poem this issue is “The Uses and Lessons of Plants” by Christopher Campbell, who is a member of Grace OPC, Sewickley, Pennsylvania. He previously lived in North Dakota where he served Bethel OPC (Mandan) as a ruling elder. His daughter is Judith Dinsmore, managing editor of New Horizons. His poem is based on the book In the Garden: An Illustrated Guide to the Plants of the Bible, published by Whitaker House.

Finally, our cover is of a bell on an antique barn at the Eccardt Farm in Washington, New Hampshire, where we own a small camp nearby, Shadowbrook, a place for meditation without electricity or running water. The bell was used before telephones were invented to alert family and workers of meals and other events. Sometimes my digital covers are just pretty pictures I have taken, but occasionally they are related to the theme of the issue. In the covenant of works we are reminded that the law has great value because it reflects the character of God for us as his image. So the bell reflects a necessary discipline, but it cannot make anyone obey its call. The picture was taken at my behest by my granddaughter, Rachel Reynolds.

Blessings in the Lamb,
Gregory Edward Reynolds

FROM THE ARCHIVES: “END OF LIFE CARE”
/OS/pdf/Subject_Index.pdf

• “Clarity on the Covenants.” (Gregory Edward Reynolds) 15 (2006): 22–27.
• “Covenant and Salvation.” (Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.) 18 (2009): 145–49.
• “Covenant Theology Today.” (Bryan D. Estelle) 30 (2021): 147–52.
• “Exploring Recent Covenant Theology.” (David A. Booth) 30 (2021): 115–18.

Ordained Servant exists to help encourage, inform, and equip church officers for faithful, effective, and God-glorifying ministry in the visible church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Its primary audience is ministers, elders, and deacons of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, as well as interested officers from other Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Through high-quality editorials, articles, and book reviews, we will endeavor to stimulate clear thinking and the consistent practice of historic, confessional Presbyterianism.