All Articles For II Peter

In our preceding article we were calling attention to the Reformed and scriptural view of this subject: Preservation and Perseverance. In the first place, we noted that the preservation of the people of God is rooted in God’s eternal and sovereign election. This is clearly held before us in passages such as Ephesians 1:3-5 and Romans 8:29-30.

The Holy Spirit, in the Word of God, receives certain names which by their very nature serve to reveal to us His Person and work. He is called the Spirit of Christ because He is given to Jesus Christ our Lord at His ascension, to be the Spirit of the Mediator. He is also called the Comforter, as the One Who comes in Christ’s name and works the comfort of salvation in the hearts of God’s elect. So also He is called in Scripture, the Spirit of Truth. 

In the return of the Reformation to the truth of God’s Word and the controversies with Rome, a central issue was the question of Scripture’s authority. Both Rome and the reformers were agreed that Scripture was the Word of God, infallible and inerrant, possessing authority. The issue, however, was what kind of authority did Scripture possess? What was the nature of that authority? And how was that authority to be understood and interpreted? These questions were all interrelated and are worth some careful attention.

Herman C. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. The word “Hermeneutics” refers simply to “the principles of interpreting Scripture.” Throughout the history of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, various principles of interpretation have been almost subconsciously used by the church as the people of God turned to God’s Word to understand its meaning. The most basic principle that con- trolled the church was the one very obvious principle: “Scripture is the inspired Word of God.” Never in all the history of the church was this principle denied. It controlled all...

The three Netherlands professors, Polyander, Thysius, and Walleus, offer the following opinion over against the Arminian proposition that there is neither election nor reprobation of young children: 

In the January 1st issue of the Standard Bearer Rev. H. Hoeksema, on p. 149, reflected briefly on the writing of a Nova Scotia pastor in which the latter commented favorably on the pamphlet A Triple Breach written by Rev. Hoeksema years ago in which he showed clearly the error of The Three Points of 1924. 

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. We have seen from Scripture and the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 7, that the activity of saving faith consists of two elements, a certain knowledge and an assured confidence. Having considered the certain knowledge of faith, we turn our attention now to the element of confidence. Both aspects of saving faith are seen in the apostle’s confession in II Timothy 1:12b: “…for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” He not...

Miss Lubbers is a member of First Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan. More than seventy years have passed since two of the early leaders in the Protestant Reformed Churches, Herman Hoeksema and George M. Ophoff, wrote articles concerning the nature and essence of specifically Reformed Christian education. The articles were critiques of the Specific Principles that were adopted in 1925 by the National Union of Christian Schools (today called Christian Schools International). The articles that were written by Hoeksema and Ophoff not only were critiques, but they also included ideas and concepts based on Scripture and the Reformed...

With the publication in English translation of Abraham Kuyper’s Dat de Genade Particulier is, the Reformed Free Publishing Association (RFPA) has accomplished a breakthrough. For the first time, with the possible exception of Kuyper’s work on the Holy Spirit, the Kuyper of sound Reformed doctrine and church reformation is presented to the English reading public. Up to now, virtually the only works by Kuyper to be translated into English have been his book on common grace, some of his devotional books, and certain of his writings on the Christian life. The Reformed community has especially made much of Kuyper’s little...

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Minister Activities   Rev. B. Gritters, pastor of the Hudsonville, MI PRC, has been extended a call to serve as pastor of the Lynden, WA PRC. Rev. W. Bruinsma, pastor of the Kalamazoo, MI PRC, declined the call he received from the newly organized Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, MI. Rev. A. denHartog, who recently accepted the call to serve as minister-on-loan to the Evangelical Reformed Churches of Singapore, will preach his farewell sermon in the Hope PRC in Redlands, CA on November 11, the Lord willing.  This...