Vol 73 Issue 12

Mr. Wigger is an elder of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Minister Activities Rev. R. VanOverloop declined the call to serve as missionary in Ghana. Since that decline the Hull, IA PRC, the calling church for Ghana, has formed a new trio consisting of the Revs. Key, Koole, and T. Miersma. Hull’s congregation was .scheduled to call on March 12. Rev. S. Key, pastor of the Randolph, WI PRC, received the call to serve as pastor of the South Holland, IL PRC. And the Hope PRC in Walker, MI extended a call to Rev. R. Cammenga, pastor of...

Rev. VanBaren is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. Suffering for Christ’s Sake 0ne often hears of the persecution of Christians. Seldom, however, does it seem very close to us. Always persecution is of Christians far away and unknown to us personally. Recently Rev. J. Kortering, from Singapore, sent a letter to our ministers informing them of the difficult situation confronting Rev. Titus, with whom he has had close contact. I quote part of that information to give our readers an idea of the pressure and even persecution some face for maintaining what they believe to be...

Rev. Cammenga is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. Every church shall administer the Lord’s Supper in such a manner as it shall judge most conducive to edification; provided, however, that the outward ceremonies as prescribed in God’s Word be not changed and all superstition be avoided, and that at the conclusion of the sermon., and the usual prayers, the form for the administration of the Lord’s Supper, together with the prayer for that purpose shall be read. Church Order, Article 62 Article 62 continues the Church Order’s treatment of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. Earlier Jesus had declared His identity as the light of the world (John 8:12). Now Jesus repeats this declaration (John 9:5) Now as well Jesus shows He is the light of the world in a most remarkable way. He restores the sight of a man born blind. Such a thing was without precedent (v. 32) This could only be a miracle of Messaiah! But more. Jesus shines saving light. He whom He had healed physically He enlightens in the soul. He gives the man faith to believe in...

The later Homer Hoeksema was professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Vain Coverings: Aprons of Fig Leaves We next consider the events which followed immediately upon the Fall and which lead up to the first announcement of the promise of the gospel by the Lord God. We must bear in mind that at this point sin had become an accomplished fact, and that, too, for the entire world of mankind. This was not accomplished merely through the fall of Eve, but certainly when she had given of the fruit of the forbidden tree to Adam...

Rev. VanOverloop is pastor of Georgetown Protestant Reformed Church in Bauer, Michigan and member of the Committee for Contact with Other Churches. In the middle of January 1997, during the summer holidays of the southern hemisphere, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia hosted a conference with representatives of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. They hosted this conference in the church building of their congregation in Launceston, Tasmania. Launceston is approximately as far south of the equator as Grand Rapids, Michigan is north of it. Tasmania was a great place to be if one wanted to escape some of the...

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Randolph, Wisconsin. The truth of the antithesis ought to be a doctrine prominent in our thinking. It is a very serious matter. The whole of the Christian life is defined by the antithesis, as we explained that concept in our last article. After man’s fall into sin, the antithesis took on a very specific form. The thesis, the revelation of God’s glory, and the antithesis, the contrasting position over against all that which would oppose God’s glory, now stands out even more sharply. God came to the fallen Adam and...

Prof. Hanko is professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary The Journalist and Writer It is largely through Kuyper’s writings that his influence has continued over the years. Article after article and volume after volume poured from his pen. It is almost impossible to imagine that Kuyper, as busy as he was, could write as much as he did. The only reason he did succeed in writing so much was his highly structured and disciplined life. Not only those who loved him, but also his enemies, wondered if he ever slept. He himself wrote out...

The third text that the defender of the conditional covenant appeals to is I Timothy 2:3, 4. He is contending for a doctrine that holds that God loves all the physical children of believers with His covenant love, and that God desires to save them all. In support of this doctrine, he appeals to a passage of Scripture which he supposes to teach a desire of God to save all men without exception. It is no longer a matter only of God’s desiring to save all the physical children of believing parents. It is now a matter of God’s desiring to...

Herman Hoeksema was the first editor of the Standard Bearer. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judges t: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.  Romans 2:l The apostle introduces this second chapter by combining it with the first when he says: “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judges.” “Therefore.” The question is, wherefore? Wherefore is this particular man whom the apostle addresses inexcusable? It is evident that the apostle is introducing a new phase of the main theme of this part of...