Columna Veritatis Reformed Theological Studies

𝓙𝓸𝓲𝓷 𝓾𝓼 𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 @ 08:00 𝓹𝓶

Are you feeling the deep internal tension of living as a citizen of heaven while still walking in a broken world? Join us tonight at 08:00 pm at Columna Veritatis Reformed Theological Studies for our fourth lecture on Pauline Theology, where we will dive into "The Spiritual Jetlag" and the profound reality of the "Already/Not Yet" cosmic eras.

Drawing from the rich insights of theologians like Vos, Ridderbos, and Calvin, we will explore how Paul's foundational indicatives—what Christ has objectively done for us—perfectly fuel and anchor the imperatives of our daily Christian walk. Discover how navigating this eschatological tension rescues us from the traps of both legalism and despair, reminding us that we fight from victory, not for it. Come breathe the air of the age to come and find hope, patience, and renewing grace for your daily spiritual battle!

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁

When a religion teaches that God's grace is not entirely sufficient on its own, it inevitably forces people to look to material objects to "supplement" their security.

In Roman Catholicism, items like blessed palm leaves (palaspas), holy water, scapulars, and rosaries are officially categorized as Sacramentals. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church ( #1667), these are material objects blessed by priests to "signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church."

While official Vatican theologians claim these objects are merely "reminders" of faith, the everyday reality on the ground looks completely different. It functions as a Christianized form of animism and good luck charms:

𝙋𝙖𝙡𝙢 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮: Blessed palm branches are hung over doorways not out of a deep scriptural reflection on Christ’s passion, but as a superstitious shield to ward off evil spirits, lightning strikes, or bad luck.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙙𝙖 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜: Having a priest bless the water inside a firetruck so that citizens splashed during the feast of St. John the Baptist receive physical healing or luck is a textbook example of transforming a civic water fight into a magical ritual.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙙𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙨: Rome officially divides the body parts and possessions of dead saints into "First, Second, and Third Class Relics." They kiss glass cases holding fragments of bones, dried blood, or pieces of cloth, expecting supernatural favor.

The element that ties these practices together is 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦—the belief that spiritual grace can only be unlocked and distributed by an ordained priest.

Notice that in every single example of these unbiblical practices, the object is completely useless until a priest touches it or prays over it. The water in the firetruck is just ordinary water until a priest says the ritual words. The palm leaf is just a leaf until a priest sprinkles it.

This means the average Catholic is not only dependent on objects, but they are completely dependent on a human caste of mediators to access God’s favor.

If they could locate the skeletal remains of the donkey Christ rode into Jerusalem, or salvage the feathers of the rooster that crowed after Peter’s denial, Rome would instantly encase them in gold, place them on an altar, and command millions of people to bow before them for a blessing.

They simply cannot wholly trust in the finished, invisible work of Almighty God. By creating a system where grace is tied to physical items, priestly rituals, and material triggers, the Roman system has trapped its followers in a loop of superstition. It is an ancient, pagan reliance on physical talismans, heavily coated in a thin veneer of Christian vocabulary.

𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧: 𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

"We confess that God, in His infinite wisdom and grace, established marriage as the exclusive context for human sexual intimacy. He designed this institution to provide for both sexual pleasure and purity within the covenant union of one man and one woman (1 Cor. 7:2-5). Consequently, we affirm that all other forms of sexual expression are contrary to the Creator's design and are an expression of fallen human nature. This includes, but is not limited to, be******ty and other perverse practices explicitly condemned in Scripture (Lev. 18:23; Rom. 1:24-27). While God's provision for marriage is for the good of all, we recognize that celibacy is a special and blessed gift granted by the Lord to certain individuals for the purpose of unhindered devotion to His kingdom (Matt. 19:11-12; 1 Cor. 7:7). We therefore condemn any ecclesiastical practice that enforces celibacy on anyone, as it violates both the clear teaching of Scripture and God's design for humanity."

Chapter 27, Paragraph 3 - 𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝐹𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑖 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑠

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Join us tonight at 8:00 PM tonight for the third installment of the lecture series on Pauline Theology, hosted by Columna Veritatis Reformed Theological Modular Studies. In this powerful session, we will explore how the Old Testament is not an outdated rulebook, but a "living pregnancy" uniquely designed to reveal the historical victory of Jesus Christ—the definitive "Yes" and "Amen" to every promise of God. Discover how the grand narrative of Scripture shifts from shadow to substance, inviting us to live not under the weight of moralistic checklists, but as citizens of the resurrected King. Stream the lecture live on Facebook Live or log in via Zoom to trace the golden thread of redemption that turns biblical history into a song of victory!

"𝑇𝑜 𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑃𝑎𝑢𝑙’𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒-ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑢𝑚 𝑡𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑦."

Join Columna Veritatis Reformed Theological Modular Studies tonight at 8:00 PM via Zoom or FB Live as we dive into how Paul’s theology is not a static academic exercise, but a living proclamation of Christ's cosmic victory. Don't miss this opportunity to see how every single doctrine screws tightly into one single hub—Jesus Christ!

Should you wish to join the Zoom session, please PM us for the link.

Due to conflicting ministerial schedules, our Theological Modular Course lecture is moved on Monday, June 15. See you then.

Our hearts are heavy for Mindanao following this morning's severe earthquake and the ongoing threat of aftershocks. As we acknowledge the Lord's absolute rule over the earth and the seas, we pray earnestly for His sustaining mercy over those who are suffering and the first responders on the ground. Please join us in praying especially for the local churches in the region, that they may be pillars of Christ's truth, comfort, and physical aid to their neighbors.

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"True religious worship is, in its essence, a reverent response to the living God and His self-revelation. Its fundamental purpose is to render Him the glory due His name, rather than to serve as a means of human entertainment or to primarily elicit subjective emotional responses. Our assemblies are to be ordered by His Word and directed towards His praise, recognizing His absolute sovereignty and holiness."

Chapter 22, Paragraph 9
Summarium Fidei Christianae Filipinas 2026