Vol 64 Issue 16

Ben Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. The P.R.C. in Holland, Michigan has made a new trio consisting of the Reverends M. Joostens, M. Kamps and R. Van Overloop. Rev. Houck, home missionary in Modesto, Calif., is being treated with medication for his heart condition. It is hoped that this will lower his cholesterol and open the arteries. He is also on a strict diet and exercise program. Their son, Jeremy, due to much pollen in the air, is again having problems with his kidneys. A high dosage of cortisone is necessary, which causes...

Ronald L. Cammenga is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. “Ministers already in the ministry of the Word, who are called to another congregation, shall likewise be called in the aforesaid manner by the consistory and the deacons, with observance of the regulations made for the purpose by the consistory and of the general ecclesiastical ordinances For the eligibility of those who have served outside of the Protestant Reformed Churches and For the repeated calling of the same minister during the same vacancy; further, with the advice of the classis or the counselor, appointed by the classis,...

Ronald H. Hanko is pastor of Trinity Protestant Reformed Church, Houston, Texas. 4. The significance of Christ’s humanity. In speaking of the two natures of Christ, it must be very clear that the confession that He is true man is not of lesser significance than the truth that He is God. The fact of the matter is not that the deity of Christ is of primary importance, and the humanity of Christ of secondary importance, but that both are essential to our confession and our salvation. So too, the Church has always recognized this and held that the humanity of...

Jason L. Kortering is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Grandville, Michigan. Since we expressed agreement with the idea that Joshua begins a new section in the Hebrew Bible which is entitled The Former Prophets, we at the same times reject the idea that it belongs to the Pentateuch as part of that history. In the Pentateuch, God instructed Israel, both by law and through the historical events, concerning His covenant promise to be their God. The focal point of this revelation was the land of Canaan. Now in the Book of Joshua we have the details given to us...

John A. Heys is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. As he came forth from the hand of God, Adam could, the day he was created, praise God for His almighty power, inscrutable wisdom, undeniable sovereignty, boundless love and grace. All Adam was and had was God’s gift to him. He had earned nothing; for he did not even exist before God called him into being. God owed him nothing, but he owed God everlasting praise for everything that he was and had. With us, before he fell into sin, he could sing as we do from Psalter...

1.I think Mr. Tuyl touches on an aspect of a much broader problem so prevalent in our day and age, namely lack of respect for and familiarity with those in a position of authority. Children address parents by their Christian names, broadcasters refer to parliamentarians and other high-ranking individuals without the courtesy of a ‘Mr.’ or ‘Mrs.’, and this trend of the world is becoming increasingly common-place in the Church. Much of the blame for this, however, must be laid at the door of ministers who themselves have a low view of their calling and encourage familiarity. It is a...

Our readers will recall that in the recent past there was a flurry of questions about the subject of paedo-communion. Besides, this has become an issue in more than one Reformed denomination recently. Dr. Leonard J. Coppes, an Orthodox Presbyterian Minister (some of you may know him through his book, Ten Points Of Calvinism) is in the process of publishing a book on this subject. He has sent me the page proofs of his book, along with a request to review and to announce it. The title of this forthcoming book is Daddy, May I Take Communion? The title may be somewhat...

Whence is the world? To this question there are, fundamentally, but two possible kinds of answers: the answer of faith and the answer of unbelief, the answer of revelation and the answer of human philosophy, the answer of the Creator Himself and the answer of the mere creature standing in rebellion against the Creator. We need not be surprised, therefore, that unbelief invents its own theories of the beginning of the world, and that today the philosophy of evolutionism, the philosophy of a beginning without God, is more widely held and taught than ever before. True, this theory may have...

James D. Slopsema is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  Romans 12:2 The church today has a definite problem with world conformity. Who can debate the proposition that worldliness is creeping more and more into the church? This is very serious. The more the church becomes the world, the less she is the church. Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the...