And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able to admonish one another. Rom. 15:14 Full of goodness! Amazing fruit of God’s marvelous grace! For such it is, indeed! Fruit of the wonderful grace of Him, Who quickeneth the dead and calleth the things that are not as if they were, is this goodness of which the Church of the Lord Jesus is said to be full. And in order to see a little of the wonder of it, just recall whence this same Church, that is...
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We can probably do many of our younger readers a service if we publish a brief resume of the article by Dr. Schilder that appeared in De Reformatie recently and in which the writer clearly reveals his attitude towards the Protestant Reformed Churches. Many a reader cannot read the Holland language. Yet, he is deeply interested in these matters. Very frequently I have heard the suggestion, even received requests to discuss these matters in the English language. He, no doubt, heard of this article in question, for it was the subject of many a conversation. And he would like to...
The fifth psalm is a morning meditation. Many years later we find a quotation taken from this psalm and quoted in the New Testament. (Rom. 3:13). I cannot help but think: how few people will to-day meditate like the saint in this psalm. To-day there is a very different tenor in the meditations of those who “look up” and “direct their prayer in the morning.” There are not a few divines who explain (?) this psalm as a sinful outburst of selfishness on the part of David. Some do not try to explain it at all. Some think it a...
Having in our previous article ascertained the pattern and structure of the tabernacle, let us now lay hold on its meaning and design by considering the time of its erection, the names that it bore, its anointing and furniture. The instruction for the making and erection of the tabernacle were given to Moses by divine revelation immediately after God’s establishing His covenant with Israel as a nation at Sinai. The details of this act may be briefly stated. The Lord had called unto Moses out of the mountain saying that he tell the people of Israel that if they would...
The position that the “looper” is walking in sin is the only one that may be taken, so I wrote. This is especially true, in case the “looper” has serious objections against the method of preaching of a certain minister or against his person. For through his constantly and regularly attending the meeting for public worship of the other pastor, the “looper” openly declares, “The pastor of the church located in the place where I reside, is so extremely objectionable that it is impossible for me to derive a blessing from his ministry of the word.” Now, the person (or...
Under the heading “Confusion” the editor of The Banner recently wrote the following: “Those who know what Professor L. Berkhof has written and believes on the subject of common grace and also read De Reformatie must have smiled when they read a recent article in the latter, written by its editor-in-chief, in which Prof. Berkhof is represented as having doubt, to say the least, whether there is an attitude (“gezindheid”) of favor in God toward the reprobate. “A quotation from Prof. Berkhof’s book on common grace is supposed to prove that strange contention. The statement was found that there is...
It is often emphasized within the church of Jesus Christ that truth is eternal. Rightly so. We were reminded of this when our thoughts turned to the second psalm and, looking up, thought on the devastating war in Europe. Surely truth is eternal. This second psalm fits even now. The heathen rage in Europe and the people imagine a vain thing. This second psalm has a threefold application. It certainly refers historically to David, vis. Acts 4:25ff. It also refers to his Anti-type, the Lord Jesus Christ, vis. Acts 4:25ff.; 13:38; Heb. 1:5; 5:5. But it also refers to the...
The Apology of Stephan before the council of the Jews contains a statement to the effect that ‘‘Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22). What may have been the character and content of this wisdom? What benefit may Moses have derived from his acquaintance with, it? And what may have been the use, if any, to which he put it in after years in his capacity of legislator? This wisdom concerned Egypt’s religion and worship and its entire pagan civilization and culture. It concerned, to begin with, those sciences in which the ancient Egyptians appear...
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meet indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. John 6:53-55 Verily, verily, I say unto you. . . .” So Christ would speak whenever he was about to give utterance to great and vital truth. “My flesh is meet indeed. . . .” He...
Psalm one hundred and nineteen has been called the ABC of faith. Faith not so much as to the objective truth as such, but the active faith and its experience. This same psalm, like all the others psalms, has been referred to as the expression of faith from a practical point of view. Now it is hard to say what is meant by practical. As a rule it signifies the absence of deep and systematic thinking. It is considered more or less superficial and it does not produce food for thought. We hear people speak of practical sermons and practical...
