Vol 50 Issue 03

Hope’s bulletin, which, by the way, is a usual source of general church news for this column, reported that “Classis East as it met in Hudsonville this past week will be long remembered because of the events which occurred there.” One of the events mentioned was that “the congregation of Prospect Park, New Jersey, was officially accepted as being one with us.” The congregation there wasted no time in forming a trio and calling a minister. From the trio, which included Rev. D. Engelsma, Rev. J. Kortering, and Candidate M.

I. Israel, Unreformed, Threatened with Punishment. “Whereupon can ye be stricken any more, increasing turning away?” (v. 5), i.e., going on, heaping apostasy to apostasy. If their purpose had been to make themselves abjectly miserable, they could not have more thoroughly succeeded. Upon what part of them can they stand another blow? They have been beaten black and blue over every inch of their bodies.

We may conclude from our previous articles that the subject of Christian liberty is of importance to young people for two reasons. The first is that it is so relevant to their lives. Because they are young, they stand at the forefront of change which gives rise to spiritual evaluation. Young people must constantly determine what is permissible under Christian liberty and what has to be rejected as sinful. The second reason is that such a decision is crucial for their whole life.

Cooperation Between Christian Reformed and Rome  We quote the following news item which appeared in the Detroit Free Press and which was reprinted in theNews Bulletin of the Association of Christian Reformed Laymen. It gives an example of how far ecumenicity has gone among some Christian Reformed congregations.

In this paper, we will treat the subject of the “free offer of the gospel” or, as it is also called, “the well-meant gospel offer.” This is the teaching of some Reformed and Presbyterian Churches and of other Calvinists that God, in the preaching of the gospel, offers salvation to everyone who hears the preaching, out of His love for everyone and with the desire that everyone be saved. 

It is the purpose of this article to focus attention on the covenant calling of Christian parents within the confines of family life. At the same time there necessarily will be Scriptural directives within the scope of this article for the covenant youth and children. Let us begin with the text that I would consider with you in this article; I refer to Eph.

Since our discussion of this subject is rather protracted and has been frequently interrupted, it may be well to remind ourselves of the question under discussion. In general, it is this: is the doctrine of a “free offer” of the gospel, as set forth in the Murray-Stonehouse pamphlet, The Free Offer Of The Gospel, and as maintained by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (among others!), consistent with our Reformed confessions? 

The first issue of “The Standard Bearer” appeared October 1, 1924. It was, from many points of view, an historic moment. It was the fruit of the labors of a group of men determined to set forth and develop the truth of the Word of God. It was occasioned especially by the “common grace” controversy which a short time after the first issue appeared, gave rise to the Protestant Reformed Churches. 

“The Lord is good, a. strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”