All Articles For Editorial Committee The

Polygamy in the Old Testament King David is called a man after God’s heart, and we know that he sinned grievously in the adultery with Bathsheba. But how can the number of wives and concubines that he had be justified in the light of God desiring one man and one woman to be the basic family unit? (Dr.) Julian Kennedy Bournemouth, England Response: Polygamy on the part of the saints in the Old Testament, such as King David, cannot be “justified.” It was a deviation from the Word of God governing marriage that had been clearly revealed at creation: one...

Was the Tempter Satan? Because of your commitment to excellence in exegesis, I’d like to ask that you consider addressing the matter of Satan in Genesis 3. It is commonly taught that it was Satan who deceived Eve, using the serpent. Yet there is no specific reference to Satan in the passage. Where did this teaching originate? I know Revelation refers to Satan as a serpent, but I cannot think of any other passage which gives us reason to believe Satan was the tempter in Genesis 3. What exegetical method or manner of hermeneutics has led to this teaching? Have we ruled...

More Materials Can you send me the pamphlet you spoke about in this last issue (August 1) of the Standard Bearer, “A Defense of Calvinism as the Gospel”? Also, do you have any other pamphlet on the issue of common grace? I have been reading about it in your magazine and would like to have a better understanding of it. I really appreciate your magazine and the information and spiritual food that I receive from it. (Dr.) Anthony E. Gendill Monte Vista, CO Response: The materials requested are in the mail. – Ed. Not Alone in the Struggle From the...

Anti-law Mentality? I was saddened by two letters of reaction (SB, 11/1/93) to the excellent articles by Rev. Ronald Cammenga on the sin/crime of sodomy (the more biblical and legal term). It seems that the anti-law mentality that characterizes most churches today has even found a home in our beloved Protestant Reformed Churches. One of your respondents was so bold as to impugn the good name of the “Rushdoony crowd.” While Dr. Rushdoony may have taken some positions that not all of us can agree with in his thousands and thousands of pages of theological writing, it certainly behooves those...

Material on the “Five Points of Calvinism” I am a recent subscriber to the Standard Bearer and have been blessed by one or more of the articles in every issue I have received. Your October 15, 1993 issue was the greatest blessing to date. Please continue with as many doctrinal articles as you deem wise. I am edified and share them with others. Would you be able to send me a list of the finest 15-25 published (and in print) books and booklets dealing with the five-points of Calvinism? I would deeply appreciate having such a list and reading most,...

Infant Baptism—”Unbiblical Tradition” I must respond to your editorial in the August 1, 1990, issue of The Standard Bearer. I am a Baptist who has found your paper quite useful and spiritually profitable. However, the response you wrote to William Oosterman’s defense of Baptist doctrine was entirely out of line. First, I strongly object to your alteration of the sacred Scriptures to prove your point. You quotedLuke 18:16, but you added words not contained in the original text. No doubt you did this to help prove your point and explain your interpretation of the text. However, this is precisely the way...

  About II Peter 1:9 Our Men’s Society (Hudsonville PRC) is presently discussing II Peter. We ran into disagreement on verse 9 of chapter 1. The question revolved around whether “he that lacketh these things” could be considered a chosen child of God. Those who said he was not a child of God appealed to the rule that Scripture interprets Scripture.They used the book of James, where James stresses that where there is no evidence of good works it must be concluded that there is no faith. Therefore “he that lacketh … virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and...

What is this “Common Grace”? I have been a subscriber to the Standard Bearer for nearly a year now. I want to express to you my great satisfaction with this magazine. It has been a great spiritual and doctrinal encouragement to me. I hold, without reservations, to that doctrine expressed in the Westminster standards. I have not studied the Dutch standards as thoroughly, but in my study so far I believe I am in absolute agreement with them as well. (It appears to me to be the same understanding of the truth, with slightly different emphases at a few points.)...

Correction from the NRC Recently we have read Prof. Engelsma’s series of articles on “The Covenant of God and the Children of Believers” with interest and appreciation (The Standard Bearer, March 15, April 1, April 15, May 1, July 1, and September 15, 1990). In the fourth article of this series, we read your brief explanation of the Free Reformed and Netherlands Reformed (hereafter, NRC) denominational views of the covenant of grace. As a NRC pastor/theological instructor and an elder/principal, we were surprised to find these denominations’ covenantal views grouped together in your explanation. The Free Reformed teach a three-covenant...

The following questions were received from the Bible Study Class of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Burnie, Tasmania. Our question concerns Acts 6:6: “Whom (the seven deacons) they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.”  Today in the ordination of ministers in Reformed churches, the laying on of hands is still being practiced, also in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia. But there is no laying on of hands in the ordination of elders and deacons. Why not? Since Acts 6:1-6 is used to establish the office of deacon in the Reformed...