All Articles For Vol 61 Issue 20 9/1/1985

Ques. 94. What doth God enjoin in the first commandment?  Ans. That I, as sincerely as I desire the salvation of my own soul, avoid and flee from all idolatry, sorcery, soothsaying, superstition, invocation of saints, or any other creatures; and learn rightly to know the only true God, trust in him alone, with humility and patience submit to him; expect all good things from him only; love, fear, and glorify him with my whole heart; so that I renounce and forsake all creatures rather than commit even the least thing contrary to his will.  Ques. 95. What is idolatry? ...

What special occasion will take place, D.V., on the twentieth of September? The consistory of Grandville Church in Grandville, Michigan, has set aside this date to commemorate Rev. J. Kortering’s twenty-five years in the ministry. Rev. Kortering has been a pastor in Hull, Iowa, from 1960-66 and 1970-76; Hope, Michigan, 1966-70; Redlands, California, 1976-79; Loveland, Colorado, 1979-84; and Grandville, Michigan, 1984- . The place of commemoration will be Southwest Church, Michigan. In the months of August and September, Rev. Bruinsma and his family will be home on furlough. They plan on returning to Jamaica sometime in the middle of September....

POP GOES THE GOSPEL, by John Blanchard; Evangelical Press (distributed in this country by Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing), 1984; 160 pp., $1.95 (paper). (Reviewed by Prof. H. Hanko) The rather strange title of this little book ought not to obscure its worthwhile contents. While it has as its goal an examination and critique of the use of entertainment in general and religious rock in particular as a tool of evangelism, it is also a well-written and carefully documented examination of the entire rock culture. Sad to say, the whole perverted and Satanic world of rock music has had influence within...

In this article our attention is drawn to the prophet Hosea’s word to an apostate Israel. The message in Hosea seven verse sixteen is one which Israel had to hear in the day of the prophet, but also is a Word of God to us today. It is one to which we do well to give ear. The prophet uses in his verse a very demonstrative figure: “They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in...

The Christian family is a wonderful creation of God. Its order was established according to the infinite wisdom of God at the beginning of the creation of the world. This order is fundamental to the order of both the state and the church. According to His wonderful covenant of grace the Lord has given a very central place to the Christian family. The Lord’s particular blessing rests upon the Christian home where He is feared and worshiped. Husband and wife who live faithfully in marriage according to the holy ordinance of the Lord experience the richest blessing which God gives...

Before we take up the study of the individual books of the Old Testament, we will say a few words about the first five books. Taken together they are called the Pentateuch. By doing this, we will not have to repeat ourselves concerning authorship, possible date, occasion for writing, etc., but when we examine the books individually, we can concentrate on the specific message and outline. The Law The word Pentateuch is derived from two Greek words, one penta which means five and the otherteuchos, meaning volume or book, hence, taken together, five volumes. These five volumes then are the first five...

God created Adam free. This does not mean that Adam was free to obey or not as he chose, for the power to choose sin is not freedom. It means that Adam had the right, the power, and the will to obey. Man’s freedom is always found within the bounds of the law. The fish is not free to live on the land, and the tree is not free to live apart from the soil. Just so man was not created free to obey or not as he chose, but to obey. In disobedience there is, not freedom, but death...

With this article we conclude our brief series on I Corinthians 9:19-23. The passage reads: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ), that I might gain them that are...

In our preceding article we were calling attention to the necessity of believing all things promised us in the gospel, which the articles of our undoubted Christian faith briefly teach us. And we were calling attention toward the close of this preceding article to the truth of God’s almighty, irresistible grace. Finally, it is necessary to believe all these things of the gospel, also this thing or truth: we are preserved and therefore persevere. If we take hold of the truth as set forth in the Apostles’ Creed, that Christ is risen from the dead, has ascended into heaven and...

As the appointed ambassador of Christ, the minister functions in the worship service in a twofold capacity: at certain times in the worship service, the minister speaks to the congregation in the name of God with the authority given to him by virtue of his office. He does this when he reads the law, administers the sacraments, and preaches the gospel. At other times he speaks to God on behalf of the congregation. He does this when he leads the congregation in prayer and in the recitation of the Apostolic Confession (if the congregation does not recite the creed audibly)....