All Articles For Romans

In the first part of this article we saw how both the truth of inspiration in general and the specific principle of organic inspiration can be applied in our study of the Word of God. In this second part we turn to another aspect of the doctrine of Scripture, the principle ofverbal inspiration. This principle also can and must be applied and will help in its own way to give both purpose and direction to and searching of the Scriptures.

Rev. Haak is pastor of Georgetown Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan and radio pastor for the Reformed Witness Hour, on which this message was aired. In the past weeks, many of us have again witnessed the opening of Christian schools, and many of us have returned to the active, daily teaching of our children. As people of God, we believe that it is our calling to bring up our children. And, as the Lord gives us the ability and provides for us, it is our calling to establish our own Christian schools for them. What are the reasons for...

The church has always confessed the truth of the creation of the universe by God. In one of the oldest of its creeds, the Apostles’ Creed, in the very first article of that creed, the church sets down her faith in “God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” We believe in God Who is an almighty and sovereign God. And the one great work that reveals God’s almighty power and sovereignty is His creation of the heavens and the earth. The truth of creation is a basic and fundamental doctrine of the Christian religion.

The Reformed Faith (the truth of Scripture as set forth in the Reformed Creeds, especially the Heidelberg Catechism, The Belgic Confession, The Canons of Dordrecht) proclaims the truth of the absolute sovereignty of God. God is the sovereign Creator of heaven and earth and all that they contain. In six days, by His almighty and efficacious word God created all things (Gen. 1, 2).

Let us look at this truth from the point of view of Galatians 5:1. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” The apostle Paul was the minister of God to the Gentiles. Through Paul and his helpers God was bringing to the Gentiles the glorious gospel, the gospel of liberty. Paul first proclaims unto them bondage. That is one emphasis of the message that he comes with. You are in bondage, he teaches them. There is a universal bondage that grips all mankind. The apostle deals...

Dr. Harry Boer and I are in agreement. I believe that he is correct when he charges that his church does not believe and confess the doctrine of sovereign reprobation as taught by the Canons of Dordrecht. I believe that he is correct when he accuses his church in his recent book, The Doctrine of Reprobation in the Christian Reformed Church, “that in spite of the solemn and weighty affirmations and promises made in the signing of the Form of Subscription, in spite of the unambiguous undertakings to defend, teach, preach, and otherwise implement the teachings of Dordt, no doctrine in...

“For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” I Timothy 4:4, 5 The relatively new Christians at Ephesus, where Timothy was serving as pastor, faced various errors. The devil is always attacking and seeking to divide! And he likes to make sinful extremes very appealing and seem so right. He has special delight in disturbing those who are young in the faith—such as were the saints at Ephesus. But thanks be to God for using these efforts of the...

Historical Context We have in the Belgic Confession a rather lengthy section on the sacraments. This is due to the controversy that raged at the time of the Reformation. So, in order for us to appreciate fully what the Belgic Confession sets forth as to the sacraments, we need to look at the historical context of this writing and the then-current thought regarding the sacraments. The gospel, with the sacraments that picture and seal the promise of the gospel, ought to unite believers! But when heresy creeps in, it is faithfulness to the gospel that differentiates and divides. The Roman...