All Articles For Cammenga, Ronald

Prof. Ronald Cammenga, rector and professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Southwest PRC in Wyoming, MI Previous article in this series: July 2022, p. 418. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossians 4:6 Introduction In the previous article in this series, readers were introduced to the first error that is being promoted by the Reformed Protestant Churches (RPC), on account of which they are justly accused of being antinomians. That error is the teaching that forgiveness...

Prof. Ronald Cammenga, rector and professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Southwest PRC in Wyoming, MI But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:15 Introduction and approach Most readers of the Standard Bearer are aware of the recent schism in the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC). Three ministers, Nathan Langerak, Andrew Lanning, and Martin VanderWal, have led the schismatics out of the PRC. They have organized themselves as the Reformed Protestant Churches (RPC). At the time that they...

Prof. Ronald Cammenga, rector and professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Southwest PRC in Wyoming, MI Christ Is True Man, Having Real Flesh We also believe and teach that the eternal Son of the eternal God was made the Son of God, from the seed of Abraham and David, not from the coitus of a man, as the Ebionites said, but was most chastely conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the ever virgin Mary, as the evangelical history carefully explains to us (Matthew 1). And Paul says: “He took...

Previous article in this series: September 15, 2021, p. 489. In this series of articles, we are concerned to understand the proper relation between the assurance of salvation and good works.1 The Word of God and our Reformed confessions make plain that there is a relation between them. What is that relation? How do our Reformed confessions set forth the relation between assurance and the believer’s life of holiness? What can we learn from the confessions regarding the relation between assurance and good works? In previous articles, we have seen that the relation is not that good works are the...

Previous article in this series: January 1, 2022, p. 156. Christ Is True God. We further believe and teach that the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, was predestinated or foreordained from eternity by the Father to be the Savior of the world. And we believe that He was born, not only when He assumed flesh of the Virgin Mary, and not only before the foundation of the world was laid, but by the Father before all eternity in an inexpressible manner. For Isaiah said: “Who can tell his generation?” (Isaiah 53:8). And Micah says: “His origin is from...

The church has always provided for the training of those who are called to proclaim the Word of the Lord. In the Old Testament, God did not only reveal His Word directly to the prophets. But experienced prophets trained Israel’s future prophets to function as the mouthpieces of God. During the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, there are several references in Scripture to the schools for the “sons of the prophets.” Specific reference is made to schools that existed at Bethel (II Kings 2:3), at Jericho (II Kings 2:5), and at Gilgal  (II Kings 4:38). For some three years, Jesus...

Previous article in this series: September 1, 2021, p. 470. Admonitions Are Not in Vain Because Salvation Proceeds from Election. Augustine also shows that both the grace of free election and predestination, and also salutary admonitions and doctrines, are to be preached (Lib. De Dono Perseverantiae, cap. 14 ff.). The matter of the relation between election and admonitions was broached in the preceding paragraph of the Second Helvetic Confession. There Bullinger voiced the objection often raised by the opponents of predestination that the doctrine obviates all warnings, admonitions, and threats. If predestination is true, nothing can hinder the salvation of...

Installation of a new professor September 15, 2021 was an historic evening in the history of the Protestant Reformed Churches and in the history of the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary. On that evening, at a public worship service, the Reverend Cory J. Griess was installed as the newest professor in our denomination’s seminary. He had accepted the appointment by Synod 2021 to this position. Prof. Barrett Gritters led the service, which was held at the Southwest Protestant Reformed Church, located just north of the seminary building on Ivanrest Avenue in Grandville, MI. The church was very full, both the lower...

Previous article in this series: May 15, 2021, p. 375. True faith distinguished from wicked presumption Although assurance is of the essence of faith, the faith of God’s people is an imperfect faith. Their faith is often mixed with unbelief. Although strong at times, there are other times when faith is weak. Mingled with true faith are doubts and fears. Besides the mountain tops of faith, there are also the deep, dark valleys. In His infinite goodness, God stoops to the weakness of our faith. With a view to the assurance of faith, God in various ways and by various...

Previous article in this series: July 2021, p. 427. We Are to Have a Good Hope For All. And although God knows who are His, and here and there [in Scripture] mention is made of the small number of elect, yet we must hope well of all, and not rashly judge any man to be reprobate. For Paul says to the Philippians, “I thank my God for you all” (now he speaks of the whole church in Philippi), “because of your fellowship in the Gospel, being persuaded that he who began a good work in you will bring it to...