Vol 63 Issue 01

Ben wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. The month of October marks a new beginning for theStandard Bearer. It is the start of a new volume year. And now that it is October, it also means that it is time for me to go to work as the new News Editor. I just hope that the back page of this magazine continues the excellence that it has enjoyed in the past. Over the years I have always enjoyed reading the Church News and I hope that enjoyment continues on into the future for both...

September 9, 1986 Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met in Houston, Texas, from Wednesday morning, September 3, until Friday evening, September 5. Twelve elders and eleven ministers represented the churches of the West. Rev. D. Kuiper led Classis in opening devotions, addressing the delegates from I Corinthians 9:7-14, concerning the financial support of the Gospel-ministry. Rev. G. Lanting presided over this Classis. Three delegates were present at Classis for the first time and signed the Formulas of Subscription—Rev. C. Haak (Lynden), Elder P. Howard (Lynden), and Elder B. Huizenga (Randolph). In response to the request of Doon, Classis examined...

ROMANS, A Shorter Commentary, by C.E.B. Cranfield; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985; 388 pp., $10.95 (paper), (Reviewed by Prof. H. Hanko) This commentary was first published in The International Critical Commentary series, and has been now abridged by the omission of the Greek Text and many notes and references. One always turns with eagerness to a commentary on Romans because, as the author himself says in the introduction: “Again and again (this epistle) has played a decisive part in the renewal of Christian faith and life” (p. ix). In some respects this is a good commentary. In connection with Romans...

Ronald L. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. The problem of aloneness can be a serious one. But it is very much unlike the problem of loneliness. Loneliness, psychologists tell us, is a serious and growing problem. One of the results of our modern, mechanized, technological society is loneliness. One of the most serious consequences of the breakdown of marriage and family life in our day is loneliness. Loneliness is worse than physical sickness. People who are lonely say that they would rather face any other problem, even death, than the problem of loneliness. You...

Robert D. Decker is professor of New Testament and Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Euthanasia: For most of us the Netherlands is the “land of our fathers.” Some of us were born there. When we think of Holland we think of the Reformed Churches and the Reformed Faith. Certain names come to mind like Abraham Kuyper, Herman Bavinck, the Canons of the Synod of Dordrecht 1618, 1619, et. al. But things have changes in the “Vaderland” and the change is bad. One of my colleagues, the Rev. Robert C. Harbach, called my attention to the May 29,1986 issue ofNational...

Herman Veldman is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. In our preceding article we asked the question whether God became richer when He created the world, whether God with the creation is richer than the Lord without this creation. After all, did not the Lord have something after He created the world which He did not have prior to the creation of this universe? First of all, the Lord cannot and did not enrich Himself when He created all things. On the one hand, this would imply a certain poverty on the part of God before His creation...

Arie den Hartog a missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches, is currently laboring in Singapore. Spiritual mindedness is and should be the great characteristic of the true child of God. When the Bible uses the term “mind” as in Romans 8, and many other places as well, it refers not only to our thinking and reasoning but also to the related desires, purposes, and affections of our mind. The child of God is spiritually minded because the Spirit of God dwells within him. The spirit of God has transformed and renewed his mind. The Christian is led by the Spirit of...

Richard G. Moore is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. In this new season of congregational activities, it is good to consider the blessings we have in the fellowship of saints. And in this connection to ask the questions: With whom is our fellowship? With whom do we commune? From the time of the fall there have been two seeds in the midst of this world. The seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. And as God’s people our f4lowship is not to be with the world which is the SI bed of the...

Cornelius Hanko is an emeritus minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Recently a reader of the Standard Beaver asked some questions regarding children partaking of the Lord’s Supper. When I answered him, I informed him that if he was not fully satisfied, he was welcome to come again. He now writes: “Thank you for answering my questions concerning children and the Lord’s Supper. I do appreciate your explanation of our churches’ position on this question. I have some further questions on this matter.” I will treat these questions in the order given. “1. I Cor. 11:28, 29 may be interpreted either as (a) barring...

The separation from the State Church brought about by the Doleantie was not a small one. It could be argued, of course, that in comparison with the large State Church of some two million members at that time, the Doleantie was relatively small—about five per cent at first. But in comparison, say, with the beginnings of the Christian Reformed Church in 1857 or with our Protestant Reformed Churches in 1924-25, the Doleantie was a very large movement; and from this point of view it may be said that the Doleantie had a very good and encouraging beginning (although some historians...