Vol 73 Issue 04

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Congregational Activities From the September “Across the Aisle,” the newsletter of the First PRC in Grand Rapids, MI, we find and pass on to you the following good idea. The staff of “Across the Aisle” is trying to encourage everyone in their congregation to memorize and study Scripture regularly. In an attempt to do this this year they introduced a new monthly feature entitled, “Light unto my Path.” Each month they will present a Bible passage in large type (on an 8 1/2″ x 11″ page) so...

The Mormon Missionaries: An Inside Look at Their Real Message and Methods, by Janis Hutchinson. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1995. 272 pp. $9.99 (softcover). [Reviewed by Agatha Lubbers.] Janis Hutchinson devoted thirty-four years of her life to activity in the Mormon Church during which time she filled two stake missions, married a returned missionary, and sent a daughter on a full-time mission. She writes, “I know the missionary mind-set, sincerity, and dedication. As a result, I may be guilty of rendering too sympathetic a portrayal of the two Mormon missionaries in this book.” The subjects covered in this book are...

Rev. VanBaren is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. “What’s Happening to Education?” It is becoming ever clearer that the education of children in our country has fallen on bad times. One hears much about what ought to be done about this. In an article on “Outcome Based Education,” some serious proposals of a disturbing nature are treated. The article claims that the state is attempting nothing less than to control the training of our children from cradle to the grave. Reference is made to certain proposals introduced by legislators in Colorado. Recently, the State of Colorado...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. It is the last day, that great day of the feast of tabernacles. Jesus has been teaching of Himself and His gospel. The Jews had marveled that such an unlearned man could speak with such wisdom and authority. Some believed this Jesus was the Christ. Some thought He had a devil. The Pharisees and chief priests had sent officers-to take Him. Certain it was that, whatever and whoever He was, this Jesus was causing quite a commotion! And now Jesus has one more word to say at this...

Rev. Key is pastor of the Randolph Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin. Because of the legal relationship between Adam and the whole human race, Adam’s fall brought us all under condemnation. As we learn in Romans 5:12-18, God established such a legal relationship for His own good pleasure. He did so in wisdom. It was His purpose from eternity to save to Himself a people in Christ (Eph. 1). Decreeing even the fall to serve that purpose, the sovereign God would redeem from that fallen human race in Adam a people who would stand in a similar legal relationship to...

Rev. Moore is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. We have been asked questions about our field in Ghana, and about our reason for requesting of Synod that we open this field in Ghana without a core group of believers being in place on the field. The latter really has to do with the whole idea of how missions ought always to be carried out. In answer to that question, we note first of all that there are times when a group of believers in some location requests our churches to labor in their area. The members...

Prof. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction When Karl Barth was preparing a series of lectures on John Calvin, he wrote to a friend: Calvin is a cataract…I lack completely the means, the suction cups, even to assimilate this phenomenon, not to speak of presenting it adequately. What I receive is only a thin little stream and what I can then give out again is only a yet thinner extract of this little stream. I could gladly and profitably set myself down and spend all the rest of my life just...

Mr. Schipper is a member and former deacon of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, MI. The diaconate functions as an integral part of congregational life. The deacons have a visible part in every worship service. The congregation interacts with the diaconate at every worship service. The deacons regularly visit appropriate members of the congregation. All in the congregation know that they can seek the assistance of Christ for their physical needs. Each member should reflect on his calling to support the diaconate in its work, and on his calling to seek financial assistance when he has true physical needs....

The postmillennial dream of a “Christianized” world in history rests finally on Old Testament prophecy of a coming, glorious kingdom of Christ (see the editorial, “Those Glorious Prospects in Old Testament Prophecy,” in the Aug. 1, 1996 Standard Bearer). That Old Testament prophecy which more than any other is supposed to prove postmillennialism and refute amillennialism is Isaiah 65:17ff.: For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth . . . I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy…. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled...

Herman Hoeksema was the first editor of the Standard Bearer. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:16, 17 Introduction The word of my text gives a reason for something which the apostle had spoken of in the immediate context. There the apostle had said that all that is within him...