Vol 61 Issue 01

On September 4, there was an officebearers conference at Doon Protestant Reformed Church. Rev. G. Lanting gave a paper on “The History of Church Visitation” and Rev. Kamps gave a paper on “The Evaluation of the Practice of Church Visitation Among Us.”

A PRIMER ON THE ATONEMENT, By John H. Gerstner; Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1984; 30 pp., $1.50 (paper). (Reviewed by Prof. H. Hanko). In his series of “primers” on fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, Dr. Gerstner has done a valuable service to the church. The primers contain clear and concise discussions on these points, and they are, therefore, helpful to anyone who is coming to faith in Christ. They are, on the whole, helpful tools for instruction.

The last day of this month will mark the 467th anniversary of the Reformation. The Reformation, dated from Luther’s nailing of the 95 Theses on the chapel door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, was a great work of God for the renewal of His church. Prior to the Reformation, the church had departed from the truth of God. There were departures in doctrine. Many serious errors were held and taught by the church. There were also departures in the Christian life. Ungodly and carnal living characterized both the clergy and the laity at the time of the Reformation.

Throughout the Middle Ages God always preserved in the church a remnant who kept the light of the gospel burning in the midst of the prevailing darkness. The Waldenses were such a group. They were not, for the most part, learned men or theologians. Originally they formed a group within the existing church, nor did they have any real desire to leave the church or to reform it. While their contribution to the history of doctrine is small, they did serve to a certain extent in preparing the way for a return to Scripture in the days of the Reformation...

Having shown in his first epistle the significance of love as a power for true fellowship in Christ Jesus, John deals in his other letters with the application of this guideline to two specific instances. In this second epistle he emphasizes the need to hold to the truth and refuse hospitality to heretics who deny the true knowledge of Christ, but to extend it to all who walk in the truth. In his third epistle he commends Gaius for his hospitality in the gospel, but reprimands Diotrephes for his failure.

The “Kingdom-Unchanged” Fulfilled in the New Testament Strange and unbelievable as it may sound in the ears of the Reformed believer who believes all the Scriptures, it is nonetheless a fact that Dispensationalism teaches that the Kingdom, spoken of in the prophecies of the Old Testament, is in its very essence a Jewish National kingdom. In this kingdom the Gentile Christians do not share!

If any lingering doubt remains as to whether Esther and Mordecai were believing children of God, or manifest unbelievers, the fourth chapter of the Book of Esther should remove all doubt and reveal to us that they were indeed unbelievers who will not confess the God Who brought up His people out of the land of Egypt and Who gave rich promises to Abraham and his seed.

This year the Convocation of our Theological School was at our Hudsonville Protestant Reformed Church, where a fair-sized audience was gathered for the occasion. For several years now our seminary convocation has been a public occasion to which the people of our Michigan area churches are invited. It always proves to be an evening of spiritual enjoyment and edification, as well as an evening of refreshment and encouragement for our seminary professors and students. I only wish sometimes that more of our people could and would join us on this occasion.

Ques. 83. What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven? Ans. The preaching of the holy gospel and Christian discipline, or excommunication out of the Christian church; by these two, the kingdom of heaven is opened to believers, and shut against unbelievers. Ques. 84. How is the kingdom of heaven opened and shut by the preaching of the holy gospel?