All Articles For Deuteronomy

“The fear of God,” the Presbyterian John Murray has said, “is the soul of godliness,” (Principles of Conduct, p. 229). Murray is right. The fear of God is the essence of the Christian life. There can be no godly, pious living apart from the fear of God.

Robert D. Decker is professor of New Testament and Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. The great joy of a minister of the gospel is not easy. In fact, it is very difficult. The ministry involves a great deal of hard work. Sermon preparation takes much time and effort. To prepare two good sermons each week is no small task. Catechism classes must be taught and Bible study societies must be led. There are various pastoral labors which must be done: visiting the sick, comforting the sorrowing, family visitation, etc. The minister is called upon to chair consistory meetings, serve on...

John A. Heys is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. In the wisdom God gave him Solomon wrote in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Such training, however, is not merely teaching with words spoken by the lips. The instructor’s actions must harmonize completely with the words spoken. Those instructed are going to learn more quickly by what is done than by what is said. Because of the weakness of our flesh, and the power of the old man of sin, we...

The Lord’s marvelous work. Isaiah 29:13-24 

Questions about “God’s Hatred of Lying” I enjoyed Rev. Eriks’ recent article on lying (“God’s Hatred of Lying,” Standard Bearer, April 15, 2003). It is distressing that lying has become so prevalent in our society. I also especially appreciated the conclusion of the article on “speaking the truth in love.” Sometimes speaking the truth in a loving manner is actually more difficult than simply refraining from lying. I do, however, have a few questions that I am hoping you can answer. Another passage of Scripture (in addition to the story of Rahab hiding the spies) that seems to suggest God...

*This is the speech given at the convocation exercises of the Protestant Reformed Seminary on September 4, 2002. The first three installments appeared in the January 1, January 15, and February 1, 2003 issues of the Standard Bearer. The speech has been revised and expanded for publication by naming theologians, books, and articles and by giving full citations. Those developing the doctrine of a conditional covenant in reputedly conservative Reformed and Presbyterian churches today are not content to attack only the truth of justification. This would be impossible. Justification by faith alone is the heart of the gospel of salvation...

It need scarcely be mentioned that again the Canonsin this connection are infralapsarian, at least by implication. Strictly speaking, this article speaks of God’s work in time, of the fact that in time He graciously softens the hearts of the elect, and that in time He leaves the non-elect in His judgment to their own wickedness and obduracy. Nevertheless, it cannot escape our attention that this work of God in time comes forth from His eternal decree, and that therefore by implication the Canons present the infralapsarian conception of the decrees of God.

Article 7. Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, he hath out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of his own will, chosen, from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault, from their primitive state of rectitude, into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom he from eternity appointed the mediator and head of the elect, and the foundation of salvation. 

Last time, because we did not have at our command the documents of the Classical sessions from April through October, we quoted from memory the thrust of the protests of the Rev. Hoeksema and the Rev. Ophoff.  Then we made the claim that these protests clearly reveal that they were not protesting to Classis against Rev. De Wolf but against that faction of the consistory which supported him in his heretical statements. 

This is the title which Mr. Albert Huisjen placed over his article in the latest issue of the Reformed Journal of November, 1954. Mr. Huisjen, according to a footnote in the article, has been for many years, and is now, a missionary to the Jews from the Christian Reformed Churches.