Vol 57 Issue 17

The calls of our Redlands and Isabel congregations to Rev. Van Baren and Rev. Slopsema respectively have been declined. 

GOSPEL AND LAW, CONTRAST OR CONTINUUM? The Hermeneutics of Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology, by Daniel P. Fuller; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980; 217 pp., $10.95 (paper). (Review by Prof. H. Hanko)

The Two Philips Some time ago I was pleasantly surprised by a question from one of our high school students. Maybe this will open the way for more. The question reads, “In our dictionaries, they distinguish Philip the Apostle from Philip the Evangelist, or Philip the Deacon. Now I always thought that they were the same man. I was wondering what you think about this from a Biblical point of view.”

Los Angeles – With all the news about the survival of Christianity in Communist China, it is important to realize that there are two kinds of churches in China today, not just one, a noted China watcher said here.  The Rev. Silas Hong, executive director of United Evangelism to the Chinese, based here, warned those trying to make contact with Christians in China that there is an official, government- sanctioned church in China which may not represent the Gospel for the purest of motives. 

How is reform brought about? 

“…unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate.”

As we continue our study of the missionary preaching of the Apostles we wish to concentrate on the preaching of the Apostle Peter to Cornelius and his household. The familiar narrative is found in the tenth chapter of the Book of Acts. Cornelius, a devout man who “prayed to God alway,” was an officer in the Roman army who resided in Caesarea.

Step by step the divine plan is executed, and the events occur as divinely designed in inscrutable wisdom. Joseph is sold into Egypt by his brothers and bought by Potiphar the captain of the guard. He is sold because his brothers do not want his dreams to be fulfilled; and he is bought by the man whom God selected and raised up, just exactly in order that Joseph’s dreams might be fulfilled. Deceitfully he is charged with evil, and, because of it, cast into the king’s prison, so that he can be brought before the king to explain his dreams.

I have read in several religious magazines in past weeks of the formation of another Presbyterian denomination. At a time when several Presbyterian denominations are making plans of uniting, it appears that at least one new Presbyterian body will be formed—this time out of the United Presbyterian Church. I quote from the Presbyterian Journal, April 8, 1981:

(In this entire section of the pamphlet Kuyper has been talking about the causes of deterioration in the church and has discussed how this deterioration develops in the church as the church undergoes a change from a condition of spiritual strength to one of grave weakness.)