Volu 100 Issue 13

Rev. John Marcus, pastor of Peace PRC in Dyer, Indiana   My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works. My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously. I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me. I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O...

Prof. Brian Huizinga, professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Grandville PRC in Grandville, Michigan   Last time I introduced and explained the doctrinal principle with which the Standard Bearer began in 1924, “God is God.” First, God is not a finite, weak, fallible, and sinful creature, but the sovereign and majestic God. God is God! Second, no creature, whether man or angel is the sovereign and majestic God. God is God! Now I will apply this principle that is our heritage. Our worship This coming Sunday morning as we believers prepare...

Rev. Daniel Kleyn, pastor of Doon PRC in Doon, Iowa Previous article in this series: December 1, 2023, p. 128.   In our previous article, in which we explained the subject of Isagogics, we pointed out that what ought especially to interest us in our study of a certain book of the Bible is the canonical significance of that book. This is because a book’s canonical significance speaks to the unique place that book occupies in the canon of Scripture. The vital question is, What does this particular book tell or teach us in distinction from the other books of...

Prof. Ronald Cammenga, rector and professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Southwest PRC in Wyoming, Michigan Previous article in this series: December 15, 2023, p. 157.   The Sects. We therefore condemn all who deny a real resurrection of the flesh (II Tim. 2:18), or who with John of Jerusalem, against whom Jerome wrote, do not have a correct view of the glorification of bodies. We also condemn those who thought that the devil and all the ungodly would at some time be saved, and that there would be an end...

Rev. Richard Smit, pastor of Randolph PRC in Randolph, Wisconsin Previous article in this series: April 15, 2023, p. 327.   It is important and encouraging to know that there are examples of the three-self formula in the early New Testament church according to the book of Acts. There is evidence that the church did manifest aspects of the three-self formula in its early, developing institutional life. This is true not just in the later years of the history of Acts, but even in the early history soon after Pentecost. Already then, the church manifested the threefold Christian character of...

Mrs. Margaret Laning, wife, mother, and grandmother in the Protestant Reformed Churches   Do you speak aloud to yourself? Perhaps those closest to you can answer that. I remember times when my grandmother single-handedly carried on a solo conversation. She swept her patio as I played nearby; her quiet instruction, admonitions, and chuckles were intriguing. I was somewhat accustomed to this with my mother because the apple does not fall far from the tree. Sure enough, my sisters and I chattered while alone, too, often in front of the bathroom mirror. Not until marriage did I realize that not everyone...

Rev. Joshua Engelsma, translator, pastor of Crete PRC in Crete, Illinois From A Brief Explanation of the Church Order by Johannes Jansen*   Article 75: The reconciliation of all such sins as are of their nature of a public character, or have become public because the admonition of the church was despised, shall take place (upon sufficient evidence of repentance) in such a manner as the consistory shall deem conducive to the edification of each church. Whether in particular cases this shall take place in public shall be considered, when there is a difference of opinion about it in the...

Herman Hoeksema (1886-1965) was the first editor of the Standard Bearer and pastor of First PRC, Grand Rapids, Michigan for 40 years This is a reprint from volume 1, no. 1 of the Standard Bearer.   Here you will find a reprint of an article by Herman Hoeksema from the first issue of the Stan­dard Bearer, October 1924. (The editors printed one issue per month for the first year.) HH began treating what he considered to be some of the most fundamental Reformed doctrines as taught in Bi­ble history. The subject in the November issue was “The Lie and Its...

Mr. Charles Terpstra, member of Faith PRC in Jenison, Michigan and full-time librarian/registrar/archivist at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and SB book review editor The following book is reviewed by Rev. Joseph Holstege, pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.   Critical Dilemma: The Rise of Critical Theories and Social Justice Ideology—Implications for the Church and Society by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2023. 501 pages, hardcover. $34.99. Writing on the topic of critical theory in the modern context is fraught with challenges. There is the challenge of terminology and definitions. What...