Vol 80 Issue 17

Reprinted from When Thou Sittest In Thine House, by Abraham Kuyper, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1929. Used by permission of Eerdmans Publishing Co. From of old it was a point of interest that, in Holy Scripture, city-life is first mentioned among the descendants of Cain. With the report that Cain builded a city, we need not think of a city in the sense which this world has now. In our eye it would scarcely have deserved the name of a village. But this much may be inferred from this remarkable report, agreeable to the ancient significance...

Rev. Laning is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Walker, Michigan. The unity of the church is an organic unity. It is not the mechanical unity of a machine, but the organic unity of a body, in which the many members together live one life. It is not the external, hierarchical unity of the Romish church, but the internal, spiritual union of those who are of like faith. It is a spiritual unity, a unity of faith, in which the Spirit of Christ unites together the various members of the body, so that they together live one life, having...

Many of the reputedly conservative Reformed and Presbyterian churches are nourishing in their bosom an open, frontal attack on the gospel of salvation by sovereign grace. Seminary professors, ministers, and ruling elders publicly reject every one of the doctrines of grace, beginning with justification by faith alone. They deny that these doctrines hold in the sphere of the covenant of grace. Big names in the conservative Reformed realm plug their books. Powerful colleagues protect and defend them at the assemblies, if ever a layman screws up his courage and protests the heresy. Prominent seminaries pay their salaries. Other ministers and...

Mr. Wigger is an elder in the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Evangelism Activities The Men’s Book Reading Club and the Evangelism Committee of the Bethel PRC in Roselle, IL hosted a conference on critical issues in covenant marriage on April 30 and May 1 at their church. Featured speakers were Rev. W. Bruinsma and Rev. R. VanOverloop on the topics of biblical principles of marriage, resolving marital conflict, and the roles of husband and wife. Friday evening Rev. Bruinsma spoke on Principles of Marriage and Resolving Conflict, and Saturday morning Rev. VanOverloop addressed the group on the Roles...

Rev. Koole is pastor of Grandville Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. Oh Canada! A few issues back we reported that a bill, C-250, was pending before the Canadian legislature. This bill petitioned the Canadian parliament to declare “sexual orientation” (read: “those living as homosexuals”—kk) as an “identifiable group,” placing them in the same category as various ethnic groups, and therefore protected by law against any perceived discrimination, just like ethnic groups. It intended to categorize all speech deemed “anti-gay” as criminal offense. That legislation is now, as of April 28, law in Canada. It sailed through their Senate by...

ev. Kleyn is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. A matter of vital interest to believers is that of God’s attitude toward them in all that God does and sends in their lives. The concern of the child of God in all the circumstances and experiences of his life is that God loves him, and never deals with him in hatred. But is it true that God always loves us? Does He still love us when we sin grievously against Him? Does He still love us when He sends severe trials and troubles upon us? Or are...

Rev. Kuiper is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. The various Hebrew and Greek nouns translated shame and ashamed agree that shame is a painful feeling or emotion caused by the consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety. The verb means to bring shame or cause to feel shame. The word is often found in context with the terms confusion of face and being confounded. Shame is not only a feeling or an emotion, but it is also a state or sphere in which one may find himself. Also, these terms have a strong eschatological emphasis, relating to one’s...

A few comments before my question. As I was growing up, my parents always emphasized to us children the importance of church membership. This included membership in the church with the three marks of a faithful church as described by Article 28 and 29 of the Belgic Confession. My father, who served many years as elder in the church, reminded us not a few times that when the elders had their meetings with those who desired to leave the denomination, these individuals were warned that leaving was sin. If they persisted in their request, they were sent a certificate of...

Bible Versions The contribution, “In Favor of the ‘Vernacular'” (Standard Bearer, April 1, 2004), has raised an issue which is in need of further investigation. The Greek text of the New Testament was written in the common language of the day. A good translation ought to exhibit the same simplicity which it had for the original readers. The KJV is a wonderful piece of English literature, but it is not written in the common tongue. We should not place unnecessary stumbling blocks for those who wish to learn the doctrines of Scripture. One of the PR distinctives has been the...

he annual synod of the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC) meets outside the Grand Rapids, MI area only infrequently. This year, it does. Synod convenes at the Hull PRC, Hull, IA on June 8, God willing. The last time synod met away from the Grand Rapids area was 1995. Then also, synod met in Hull. The agenda is comparatively light. There is no examination of a graduating senior of the Protestant Reformed Seminary. There is no weighty appeal or overture regarding doctrine. The twenty delegates—ten ministers and ten elders—from the two classes will take care of what is for the most...