All Articles For John

Measuring the Music: Another Look at the Contemporary Christian Music Debate, by John Makujina. Willow Street, PA: Old Paths Publications, repr. 2002. 369 pages. $16.99 (paper). [Reviewed by the editor.] Measuring the Music is an important examination and convincing condemnation of “contemporary Christian music.” Reformed young people especially need to be warned. But so do their parents, if they are to warn their children. So also do the churches, if they are to keep this corruption out of the lives of their young members and, by this evil day, out of their official, or semi-official, gatherings. Justification, by Francis Turretin....

Mr. Kalsbeek is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. (Previous article in this series can be found in the May 1, 2004 issue, p. 351.) “And the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.” I Chronicles 12:32 …On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ’s heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank,...

Rev. Miersma is a missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches, currently serving in Ghana, West Africa. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. John 10:16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold.” Notice that the text twice uses the word “fold.” The Revised Version translates the text using that word only once. It reads, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring,… and there shall be...

Rev. denHartog is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. The real test of whether our faith is weak or strong will often come when we face some serious trouble in our life. Weak faith cannot stand in the trials and difficulties of life in this world. Those who have weak faith go to pieces when great trials come; they do not know what to do or where to turn. Our life is full of trials, some greater than others. Almost every child of God will at one time or other have to face great calamities, deep sorrows,...

The Apocrypha Doctors “She suffered Many Things of Many Physicians” (Standard Bearer, Sept. 1, 1994) dealt with one of my favorite Scripture passages from Mark 5:21-34. Perhaps the saddest commentary in verse 25 is the observation that she “had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.” How terrible of those doctors to take this poor woman’s money without truly healing her. It is certainly quite possible that some of those physicians were “faith” healers who claimed to her that they could produce a miraculous healing when they really did not possess that power. I would,...

The Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC) have not been noticeably affected by the powerful movement of liturgical “renewal.” The form of their worship services—both of them every Sabbath—is basically that of the Reformed tradition going back to the Synod of Dordt at the beginning of the 17th century. John Calvin would recognize our services of public worship. Not only would he recognize them, but he would also approve them. He would urge us to administer the Lord’s Supper more often, and he would question us about our use of instrumental accompaniment for the congregation’s singing of the Psalms. But he would...

Rev. Lubbers is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. It is a very important and fruitful endeavor to make a little study in depth of the various “manifestations” of Jesus to His disciples during the period be between His resurrection and His ascension to glory. Most of us know that there were ten such manifestations of the risen Lord. These are called inActs 1:3 “many proofs.” In each of these appearances as the living Lord He “showed himself alive” to them. He is indeed the one who says in Revelation 1:17, 18, “Fear not; I am the first and the...

Rev. Haak is pastor of Bethel Protestant Reformed Church in Elk Grove, Illinois. The central truth of these verses is very plainly that of Jesus gathering His first disciples and the way in which He brought them to Himself. We read here of the very first contact which five of the disciples had with Jesus. Other accounts (Mark 1:15-20; Luke 5:1-11; Matt. 4:18-22) inform us that at a later date Jesus called these same men to His service. This account in John is of a more personal nature. Here we see how they were personally and powerfully brought to the saving knowledge...

r In April of 1951 the Rev. Hubert De Wolf, one of the three pastors of First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, made the statement in his sermon, “God promises every one of you that, if you believe, you will be saved.” About a year and a half later Rev. De Wolf made another statement in his sermon, “Our act of conversion is a prerequisite to enter into the Kingdom of God.” Protests were lodged with First’s consistory against both of these statements. When Rev. De Wolf refused to apologize for and retract the two statements, a split occurred in...

The Sum of Christian Doctrine Is it really true that the Heidelberg Catechism contains “the sum of Christian doctrine” as stated in the October 15, 1994 Standard Bearer, “The Good Practice of Two Services, One Given to Catechism Preaching,” by Rev. Dale Kuiper, and so often affirmed in our circles? I can think of several important doctrines not covered by the Catechism. The obvious one, of course, is the doctrine of the last times. Much of the Bible is devoted to this important subject since it is an integral part of His coming into this world. Yet the Catechism chooses to...