Vol 80 Issue 19

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Reflections on Synodical Decisions By the time this report appears in the Standard Bearer, it will be old news. Yet several items have appeared in magazines and newspapers that should be of interest to our readers. The first is the action of the Synod of the Reformed Church in America. Synod took note of the fact that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the first ordination of a woman to the ministry within that denomination. That was 1979. In 1980 the RCA Synod took a decision establishing in...

Rev. Kleyn is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. (Preceding article in this series can be found in the June issue, p. 398.) The Scriptures teach and we firmly believe that God’s attitudes of love and hatred toward men are particular and unchanging. God always and only loves the elect. God always and only hates the reprobate. Some object to this. The main objection comes from those who hold to the theory of common grace. Various passages are immediately mentioned and appealed to by those who defend this theory, such as Psalm 145:9 and Matthew 5:45. The argument presented is...

Mrs. Meyer is a wife and mother in Hope Protestant Reformed Church of Walker, Michigan. (Preceding article can be found in the December 15, 2003 issue, p. 137.) Our children need to see that true, real unity is found only when there is true, real unity in the truth. The Spirit that makes us one is the Spirit of truth. And that unity and fellowship in the truth will be blessed indeed! But there is another aspect of this glorious principle of unity that our children need to see and understand. Not only is there unity in truth, there is...

Faith is assurance. Faith is assurance of personal salvation. Faith is assurance that the one who, from the heart, believes the gospel is saved now, has been saved from eternity in the decree of election, and will be preserved unto everlasting salvation. Faith is absolute certainty of personal salvation, the only kind of certainty that is certain. A certainty that is not absolutely certain is, in fact, uncertainty, that is, doubt. Such “certainty” is worthless. Assurance belongs to the essence, or very nature, of faith. Assurance is what faith is. That assurance belongs to faith’s nature is the fundamental truth...

G.I. Williamson, The Westminster Confession of Faith for Study Classes. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R, 2004. Pp. xii + 409. $16.99 (paper). [Reviewed by the editor.] This reprint of the book first published in 1964 is likely the best contemporary commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith. It is intended particularly for classes that study the Presbyterian creed. The author calls the book a “study manual.” Treatment of each chapter, or section of a chapter, is followed by questions that point the reader or student to the main teachings of the chapter. These questions are briefly answered by the author at...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. What has Jerusalem to do with Athens? This is the question theologians put when considering the matter of how the Church, Jerusalem, is related and relates to the world, Athens. Put another way, the question is How is the Church, and how are the people of God in that Church a part of or not a part of the culture of a fallen world? And if by “culture” is meant “the ideas, customs, skills, arts, etc. of a given people in a given period; civilization” (New World Dictionary),...

Criticism of “an Excellent Translation” The June, 2004 issue of the Standard Bearer continues the dialogue regarding the alleged superiority of the King James Bible (KJV) over all the other “corrupt” translations. Among other things, we are informed that “The constant drumbeat about the archaic language of the KJV is exaggerated and overblown.” While the translators are no longer with us, they have not left us without a witness to the process and the philosophy that guided their efforts. A preface, “The Translators to the Reader,” was included in the 1611 edition, but is seldom heard of today. Those who...

Rev. VanderWal is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 Peace with God! Wonderful gift! Peace in the midst of great wrath and hot indignation! For, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The child of God lives in the midst of a world that is at war against God. He lives among the workers of iniquity. He dwells among the rebellious. He works among those that blaspheme and reproach the living...