Vol 70 Issue 01

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Mission Activities The Covenant Reformed Fellowship of Ballymena, Northern Ireland has taken upon itself to republish a book long out of print entitled “The Revival of 1859.” This book was first written, by Rev. William Hamilton, about six years after that revival took place in Northern Ireland. In the book the author evaluates that “revival” in the light both of Scripture and of the Westminster Confessions, and he finds the event seriously wanting. The reprinting of this book became possible when the Reformed Book Outlet of Hudsonville,...

The Incarnation of the Antithesis, by Dr. R.E.L. Rodgers; (Edinburgh: Pentland Press Ltd.) xvi + 87 pp., L7.50 (paper). [Reviewed by Prof. Herman Hanko.] Taking the title of this book from Frank VandenBerg’s definitive biography of Dr. Abraham Kuyper, Dr. Rodgers discusses the role that Kuyper’s view of the antithesis took in Kuyper’s educational philosophy and work. After a short biography of Kuyper, Rodgers informs his readers that Kuyper saw Calvinism as a world-and-life view and not only a theology. That is, Kuyper was concerned about man’s relation to his fellow man and to the world as well as his...

Classis East met in regular session on Wednesday, September 8, 1993 at the First Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids. The churches were all represented by two delegates. The business of this classis was routine; adjournment was at 10:30 a.m. Rev. A. Spriensma was the chairman for this session. Classis heard the reports of the Stated Clerk and the Classical Committee. Classis also approved the report of the committee of classis appointed to visit Norristown. Southwest requested classical supply only for the Sunday evening service of September 19. Rev. A. Spriensma was appointed to preach during this service. Southwest also...

Classis West met in regular session on Wednesday, September 1, 1993, in Lynden, WA. On the day preceding classis an Officebearers’ Conference was held, on the different aspects of the subject of “Reformed Missions and Evangelism.” Several members of the congregation of Lynden joined those delegated to classis at the conference, which was enjoyed by all who attended. This was the first time in 40 years that Lynden was privileged to host a meeting of classis. Several members of the congregation spoke of the fact that the conference and the meeting of classis gave them a real taste of the...

Prof. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction One of the charges which Rome leveled against the Reformers was the serious accusation that the Reformation tore the fabric of the church and destroyed the unity of the body of Christ. Very shortly after the Reformation began, it split into various branches, chiefly the Lutheran, Calvinistic, and Anabaptistic groups. While there were good reasons for this, and while God in His inscrutable wisdom had His own purpose in this, it remained a serious problem with which the Reformers had to deal. While all...

Rev. Terpstra is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of South Holland, Illinois. Introduction The pastoral ministry of officebearers to the grieving is a vitally important work in the church of Jesus Christ. It is so, first of all, because in ministering to the grieving we are to represent and be the instruments of the God whose work it is to heal the broken in heart and bind up their wounds (literally “griefs,” Ps. 147:3). Specifically, as it is the ministry of Christ “to bind up the, broken hearted” and “to comfort all that mourn” (Is. 61:1-3; Luke 4:18, 19), so it is...

Rev. Heys is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. It is God’s sovereign grace that brings blessings upon the human race. Let it fill us with awe and thankfulness that salvation does not depend on what we did or are doing. That which we do, and which delights our God, is a fruit of what He does in and through us; it is not our work of giving Him what He asks us to give. God never asks. He always commands and makes possible what pleases Him. Take hold of and cling tightly to the truth which He...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. Against the position that condemns homosexuality and that calls for the government to forbid the practice of this evil, several objections are brought. The following are some of the objections most often raised and a brief response to each. Opposition to Homosexuals Is Intolerance and Discrimination This is the most recent, and to date the most successful, ploy of the gay rights movement. By charging discrimination, not only have the homosexuals been successful in gaining protection for their perverted lifestyle, but protection against discrimination on the basis of...

Rev. Bruinsma is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. OK, so I am miserable. Just plain not happy. Something is wrong, but what exactly it is I am not sure. But one thing is for certain, something is askew. My parents are a constant bother. Everything I do or say, it seems, upsets them; and they end up either arguing with me or yelling at the top of their lungs. Then, to make matters worse, a brother or sister has to throw in a snide remark here and there. Sometimes I wonder whether it is even worth...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of Southeast Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Of the eight occurrences of the word key or keys in the Scriptures, only one has a purely literal meaning (Judges 3:25). The other Old Testament occurrence has both a literal and a symbolic idea, of which more later. All the New Testament uses are symbolic and speak of authority to open and close the kingdom of heaven. The words in the original have simple meanings: to open wide, an opener, a key; to close, shut up, a key. In Isaiah 22 we read of Eliakim, who was appointed...