Vol 23 Issue 10

Reformed!! ??. . . . In The Banner of January 17, 1947, official organ of the Christian Reformed Churches, the Rev. J. M. Ghysels, in his “Meditation” department, writes as follows: “Once I read of a rich man whose wife died, and not long afterwards their only child, a little boy, followed the mother to the grave. The father never recovered from the shock of the double bereavement. After his death search was made for a will, but none could be found. At the sale of the household furniture, a maid, who had worked for the family, was present for...

“But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” James 1:14-16 Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. “Do not err, by beloved brethren”. The holiness of God, who tempteth no man because He Himself cannot be tempted with evil, receiveth all the emphasis in verse 13. This same truth is also the underlying thought in verses 14-16. On the one hand, James declares that every man is tempted, when he is drawn away and enticed of his own lust. And, on the...

A statement is made in the word of God of those in the city of Berea where Paul preached on his second missionary journey which ought also to be said of us. It is stated that they searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul claimed the Old Testament Scriptures declared of Christ was really recorded there. When we say that this ought also to be said of us, we do not mean that we must critically listen to the Word of God upon the Sabbath and then daily search to see whether we have not been deceived or...

As we have seen, Caul received conclusive evidence of Samuel’s prophetic calling. Samuel told Saul that the asses had been found and when. He proved that he knew of Saul’s coming. He told all that was in Saul’s heart. He predicted what would befall Saul on his way home and in his place of residence. As the source of all this knowledge could be none other than the Lord, the possession of it by Samuel was of greatest significance for Saul. It proved to him Samuel’s prophetic calling. It told him that in Samuel, in his commands and instructions, he...

The brother in Sioux Center, Iowa, is addicted to the view that the task of deposing a minister of the Gospel who has committed a gross sin is that of the Classis and not of the Consistory; and he says that he has Dr. Bouwman and Joh. Jansen—two Netherland authorities on Reformed Church Polity—on his side. Before we determine just what is the teaching of these two Netherlander on the matter in question, it is well that we be very clear on the point at issue. The issue is not whether the Classis may advise the consistory to depose that...

As we stated, though the papal schism was a scandal, churchmen were at a loss how to end it. For the view had embedded itself in men’s souls that, there was no power on earth to which the papacy was responsible. But there were individuals who openly declared that under Christ the supreme judicial power in the church is not the pope but the believers as assembled in a general council and who therefore urged that a general council be called for the healing of the schism. The idea of a general council made speedy and many converts ; and...

6. The Forgiveness of Sins (continued) In God, this act of mercy, whereby He ordained His Son to be the head of the Church, so that He represented them in the hour of judgment, and might bear their sins and iniquities, is eternal. For in God’s eternal counsel, Christ is the firstborn of every creature, and that, too, as the head of His Church, and as the firstborn from the dead. And, therefore, there is, there eternally is, forgiveness with God, and there is no condemnation, there never was, with God, condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus, Rom....

At the close of an article in Concordia Nov. 28, 1946, defending Ladies Aid Sales, Mr. G. Ten Elshof dropped a remark that should not pass unchallenged. I quote: “Perhaps if the brother would make an exhaustive study of the reasons why our various church expenses are continually rising and who are doing this and why, and that at ‘company expense’, we shall have something more concrete to discuss.” This remark has nothing to do, of course, with the debate about the sales conducted by our Ladies Aid Societies. It is not my purpose to become a party in that...

Recently, the Rev. N. J. Monsma, editor of the rubric “The Reader Asks”, in The Banner received the following question: “Can one serve as elder in a Christian Reformed Church, who openly claims not to believe in ‘presupposed regeneration’ of covenant children, because, as he asserts, it is against the Bible?” And the answer given by the above named editor was as follows: “No, such a one cannot serve as elder in the Christian Reformed Church, for the simple reason that he disqualifies and excludes himself.” The Rev. Monsma then proceeds to explain this answer. He prefers the term “presumptive...

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 Herein is love. . . . Not that we loved God, but that He loved us. . . . And sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins! That is the story of the wondrous cross, its meaning, its eternal source, its glorious revelation. God loved us! That is the source of the amazing spectacle on Calvary. God, the Creator of the heavens and of the earth, the Triune, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; the righteous and holy...