Vol 79 Issue 05

Right celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ reckons with the sword of Christmas. The error of the American unbeliever who waxes sentimental over the birth of Jesus as the symbol of world-peace is his failure to reckon with the sword of Christmas. The heresy of the preacher who proclaims Jesus’ birth as universal grace and salvation is his rejection of the sword of Christmas. The illusion both of the liberal and of the conservative postmillen-nialist that the birth of Christ heralds a bright new day of earthly peace in history for Christ’s followers is shattered by the sword of...

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Minister Activities   Rev. W. Bruinsma, pastor of the Kalamazoo, MI PRC, declined the call extended to him by the Hull, IA PRC to serve as our churches’ second missionary to Ghana. As a result of that decline by Rev. Bruinsma, the council of the Hull, IA PRC formed another trio from which their congregation was to call a second missionary to Ghana. That trio was made up of the Revs. M. DeVries, K. Koole, and D. Kleyn. Rev. K. Koole, pastor of the Faith PRC in...

Prof. Hanko is professor emeritus of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction We devoted the last several articles to examinations of heresies which Luther faced in the course of his reformatory work in Germany. With this article we turn to Calvin’s struggle against heretics of different kinds. Calvin was subject to countless attacks in the course of his work in Geneva and Strasburg, and in his defending of the faith he became a formidable polemicist. Because of Calvin’s influence throughout Europe and because the Reformation knew no more able defender of the faith, Calvin was...

Rev. Eriks is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Loveland, Colorado. The first sin committed by Satan in heaven and the first sin committed on earth by Eve were motivated by pride. In this sinful world, we continue to find pride at the root of sinful activity. If we are honest with ourselves, we confess that we find this sinful pride also in ourselves, which makes our consideration of pride so important. We must identify pride for what it is. Pride is not the character flaw of being overconfident, which simply cannot be helped. Pride is sin. And God...

Mr. Kalsbeek is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do: the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. I Chronicles 12:32   Why Christianity Must Change or Die!   With that as his title, retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong writes: I am increasingly unimpressed with what people call “orthodox” Christianity…. I am convinced that the future of the Christian faith...

Mrs. Meyer is a wife and mother in Hope Protestant Reformed Church of Walker, Michigan. There is a lie about which we as parents must warn our children. It is a lie that is increasingly and blatantly set before us in a myriad of tantalizing, appealing, and high-pressured ways. It is the fundamental lie of the Antichristian kingdom, the threat of which continues to increase against us both in time and magnitude. In these last days it is imperative that we see the difference, and that our children know, from little on, of which kingdom they are citizens. The picture...

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. The “Good News?”   It is sad but true that increasingly there are those within the churches who insist that the “Good News” is that God is pleased to save by means of most or even all of the differing religions. (Is He not the God of love—love for all men?) The “Good News” is that the cross of Christ is not really necessary for salvation. The “Good News” is that the churches need not use money and manpower to proclaim the cross and seek repentance among the heathen....

Prof. Hanko is professor emeritus of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Outstanding Features of the Book   While other volumes can be found with extensive quotes from Kuyper’s untranslated work on common grace, Sin and Grace contains the largest number of quotations of the as-yet-untranslated three-volume work which Kuyper wrote in defense of his views. Thus, the book has historical value because anyone who wishes to know what Kuyper actually taught on the subject of common grace can find it in this book in English in copious quotes and in Kuyper’s own language. In close...

Summing Up   Our opposition to the teaching of a common grace of God notwithstanding—opposition that has hardened through a careful study of the recent book by Dr. Mouw—we have enthusiastically welcomed Richard J. Mouw’s defense of common grace, He Shines in All That’s Fair: Culture and Common Grace (Eerdmans, 2001). The Christian Reformed theologian and evangelical leader renews discussion of the widely, but often uncritically, accepted doctrine of common grace. He affirms the great importance of the doctrine, not only for Reformed Christians in the Dutch tradition, but also for all Christians. He expresses the wish that others take...

Rev. Houck is pastor of Peace Protestant Reformed Church in Lansing, Illinois. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 In the first part of this chapter, Jesus tells His disciples about His Father’s house. Jesus is going to that house to prepare a place for each of His people. But Thomas does not understand what Jesus is talking about. He declares to Jesus that he does not know where the Lord is going and he does not know the way to get there....