Vol 71 Issue 15

Prof. Engelsma is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. *reprinted from Beacon Lights, Feb., March, and April, 1983. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 Music has always been an important part of the worship of the church. Its place in the worship of the early church after the apostles comes out in the earliest description that we have of a Christian worship service. Speaking of the...

.Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. School Activities Do your vacation plans this summer include spending some time in Colorado? If they do, you could help the Loveland PR Christian School and your wallet at the same time. It just so happens that that school’s fund-raisers are sponsoring a Bed and Breakfast project. For $30.00 you will receive a comfortable bed, fellowship with other Christians, and breakfast the next morning. A $2.00 additional donation is requested for each child. If you are visiting Loveland over Sunday, a noon meal can also be arranged....

The Guilt, Folly, and Sources of Suicide, by Samuel Miller. Dallas, Texas: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1994. 56pp. $3.50 (paper). [Reviewed by the Editor.] This reprint of two published sermons on the subject of suicide by the, Presbyterian theologian Samuel Miller is timely. Not only is our country presently moving toward societal approval and legal sanction of suicide, but also preachers fail to warn sharply against the sin of suicide. Some exert themselves to find excuses for the suicide and go out of their way to offer false comfort to grieving relatives. The serious effect is that those, particularly the young...

Prof. Engelsma is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Of what-does the Antichrist actually consist? How will the anti- Christian power be realized at the end? What concretely must the church expect and what will she be confronted with, in Antichrist, in the future? For the answer to these questions, we turn to Revelation 13:1-10. Because space is limited and because I will be quoting parts of the passage as I go along, I will not quote the passage here. The reader is asked to read the entire 13th chapter of Revelation carefully, as well as...

Rev. Heys is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Very plainly we are approaching the end of this present world. Our God informs us of this fact through the apostle John. For in I John 2:18 we read: “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last time.” We do well, in the first place, to take note of the fact that the name Antichrist literally means “against Christ.” Very clearly we are in the day when, in the...

Do I begin each day anew In prayer to God above? To seek His guidance through the day, To praise Him for His love? Do I awake with songs of joy For having such a Friend; Who, though all others may forsake, Will keep me to the end? Do I arise and go about My daily tasks to do Content to know that I am His And He will see me through? Oh, may I live so close to Him And trust His tender care; That each new day may bring me joy In knowing He is there. My task...

Rev. denHartog is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. For some time now in our Young Adults’ Society in Redlands we have been studying-the book of Proverbs. In my preparations for these studies I am once again deeply impressed with the great wisdom this holy and inspired book of the Word of God contains. I shall use a passage that we recently studied to fulfill my obligation this month for this department in the Standard Bearer. The book of Proverbs, as you probably know, has as its great theme, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of...

Prof. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction All students of church history are agreed that from the time of the apostles to today the history of the church of Christ has never seen two greater assemblies than the Synod of Dordt and the Westminster Assembly. It is a surprising thing that they were both held in the first half of the 17th century—indeed that they were held within 25 years of each other. The times must have been particularly important or dangerous for the church of Christ, for God to give...

Pelted with Questions We have been receiving the Standard Bearer for only two or three months (plus extra copies sent to us by the Evangelism Committee of the South Holland Protestant Reformed Church). We eagerly anticipate the arrival of each month’s issue; for we are learning a great deal from them. Your magazine has very encouraging, inspiring articles that cause us to think deeply about the Word of God. Thank you! My husband and I are new to the Reformed faith. After we had studied the “5 points of Calvinism” for maybe two years, God introduced us to the full plan this...

False Prophecies My purpose in writing to you is to enclose a copy of an article on Harold Camping from a recent issue of theSan Francisco Chronicle. You will find it interesting if you have not already received a copy. You may not have, inasmuch as there is not a PRC in our area. You may wish to make a brief comment in a future issue of the SB regarding what was said in this article. One additional comment. We have purchased a set of audio tapes put out by Ligonier Ministries on “Giants of the Christian Faith” by Dr. John Gerstner....