All Articles For Hoeksema, Herman

{Editor’s Note: The meditation in this issue is a reprint of the very first meditation ever to appear in the Standard Bearer, from Volume I, Number 1, page 1. It is from the pen of one of the original editors, Rev. Herman Hoeksema We place this meditation instead of the regular one from the pen of Rev. M. Schipper in observance of the beginning of our fiftieth year of publication. } “The Lord is good to all. . . but all the wicked will He destroy. “ 

The Gereformeerde Kerken in the Netherlands have now also faced the question of. abortion. Apparently the Synod has spoken, and the decision which was taken proved to be a major concession to those who favor abortion. The whole matter is reported in the RES News Exchange under the title, “Netherlands (GKN) Synod Speaks Out On Abortion.” The article reads:

On Masons and Membership  In the Banner of August 29, 1975, under “Voices,” James Daane of Fuller Theological Seminary, has an article on “Masons and Membership.” He writes:

In this concluding article of the fourth section of our critique of the offer-theory we call attention, first of all, to one more article of the Westminster Confession of Faith with which the offer-theory is in conflict. We refer to Chapter VIII, Paragraph 5: 

Insoluble Marriage Problems  Of this we were reminded by an article in the Banner, an official organ of the Christian Reformed Church. This article appeared in the Banner of December 26, 1975, page 4, and it was written by Melvin D. Hugen, professor of Pastoral Theology at Calvin Seminary. We need not quote all of it. We offer our readers the following:

DID YOU receive a defective copy of the April 15 issue? We know that some copies were defective—some duplicate pages and some missing pages. We also know that some of these went to addresses in Iowa and in Michigan. But we do not know how many copies were defective and who received them. If you were a victim and, would like a good copy, please write to our Business Office.

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear My words. . . .”  Jeremiah 18:1-10

Sometimes that attitude of a church with regard to things pertaining to a Christian walk and with regard to discipline furnishes a clearer index of its spiritual level and life than does its attitude toward sound doctrine. It is not that the latter is no index, nor that the latter is not important. Nor is it true that the two are unrelated: there certainly is a reciprocal relationship between soundness in doctrine and uprightness of walk, even as there is such a relationship between apostasy in doctrine and a decline in sanctification of life. The two go hand in hand.

The free offer of the gospel is a heresy which teaches that in the preaching of the gospel God expresses His desire, intention, and purpose to save all those who hear the gospel. The gospel tells every man that God on His part wants each to be saved, earnestly desires that he take Christ as his own, eagerly seeks that every one come to Christ, receive Him as his Savior, and enter into the joy of salvation.

The meditation for this special issue is from the pen of the late Rev. Herman Hoeksema, and is reprinted from Volume 18.) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.  Ephesians 2:8