The Tulip Driven Life

From Calvin's commentary on Genesis 2: “But although God pronounced, concerning Adam, that it would not be profitable for him to be alone, yet I do not restrict the declaration to his person alone, but rather regard it as a common law of man's vocation, so that every one ought to receive it as said to himself, that solitude is not good, excepting only him whom God exempts as by a special privilege. Many think that celibacy conduces to their advantage, [138] and therefore, abstain from marriage, lest they should be miserable. Not only have heathen writers defined that to be a happy life which is passed without a wife, but the first book of Jerome, against Jovinian, is stuffed with petulant reproaches, by which he attempts to render hallowed wedlock both hateful and infamous. To these wicked suggestions of Satan let the faithful learn to oppose this declaration of God, by which he ordains the conjugal life for man, not to his destruction, but to his salvation.” ...."Certainl...

UPDATE 8/18/26   It is incredible that the very thing so many faithful pastors get in trouble for today regarding race was evidently taught by Rev. Appleton's own pastor, Rev. Heiple, who had a large hand as I understand it in getting Rev. Appleton deposed in the PCA. Because we are all catechized by the Egalitarian impulse today, we recoil at noticing any real differences between the sexes, races or peoples, nations, cultures, etc. We are hardly allowed to notice meaningful differences between families or even individuals. But it is a sin to bear false witness, and so we must tell the truth, especially when it is socially unacceptable to do so. If you do this, especially related to noticing real differences in these particular matters, you will quickly be suspected of things that are not logically entailed, such as absurd charges of denying the full humanity of some, or that some people are not fully made in the image of God. This is an incredibly wicked charge to level against so...

365 Days of Male and Female Piety                 What is male and female piety? What is true, godly masculinity and femininity? How is virtue cultivated in men and women? Even pagans and unbelievers have had a sense of piety, or pietas in Latin. For the Romans, this focused on loyalty and duty toward the gods, country, and family, especially toward the household and parents. In 1 Timothy 5:4 we are commanded to “show piety at home” by honoring the widows in our family and meeting their needs rather than burdening the church with alleviating the needs of widows. The Apostle Paul’s writings in the Bible often refer to distinct duties in the home and family for male and female, for the husband and father as well as the wife and mother (Ephesians 5:22-6:9 is just one of many places where Paul addresses these matters). This piety must go beyond the immediate household to more extended family, and Paul even indicates...

If I am right as to the nature of woman's mission, I cannot err as to the PROPER SPHERE of it. If she was created for man, and not only for the race of man, but for one man, then the easy and necessary inference is, that HOME is the proper sphere of woman's action and influence. There are few terms in the language around which cluster so many blissful associations as that delight of every English heart, the word home. The paradise of love—the nursery of virtue—the garden of enjoyment—the temple of harmony—the circle of all tender relationships—the playground of childhood—the dwelling of adulthood—the retreat of old age—where health loves to enjoy its pleasures, wealth to revel in its luxuries, and poverty bears its rigors —where best sickness can endure its pains, and dissolving nature expire—which throws its spell over those who are within its charmed circle, and even sends its attractions across oceans and continents, drawing to itself the thoughts and wishes of the man who w...

* THE FOLLOWING DECLARATION REPRESENTS THE GENERAL VIEWS OF THE SESSION OF HERITAGE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (HRPC) ONLY AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE FULL VIEWS OF THE COVENANT REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DENOMINATION OR ANY OTHER DENOMINATION, ORGANIZATION, OR BODY OF CHURCHES, THOUGH IT IS THE DESIRE OF HRPC THAT THIS DECLARATION WOULD BE HELPFUL TO AND EVEN ADOPTED BY OTHER CHURCHES, PRESBYTERIES, AND DENOMINATIONS. THIS DECLARATION IS NOT A BINDING DOCUMENT WITH CREEDAL AUTHORITY BUT IS FOR INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIVE PURPOSES AND IS SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REFINEMENT IN THE FUTURE. Declaration on the Error of Egalitarianism and its Effect on the Family, Society, the Church, and Related Matters In 2005, the Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church (CRPC) unanimously adopted Distinctives summarizing what sets her apart from other Presbyterian bodies. Under “Civil Magistrates,” the CRPC affirms: “We further acknowledge that God’s work at the Tower of Babel and His gathering o...