Vol 83 Issue 05

Rev. Smit is pastor of Immanuel Protestant Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. The apostle Paul warns us in the book of Galatians to avoid two extremes: on the one hand, the error of believing and living as though justification is by faith and also by and because of our obedience to the law; and, on the other hand, the error of believing and living as though our liberty in Christ is an opportunity to serve the lusts of the flesh. Instead of walking in either of those two evils of legalism or of anti-nomianism, we are called by the...

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.   Mission Activities  The delegation of officebearers from the Southwest PRC in Grandville, MI recently returned from a weekend visit to our churches’ mission in Pittsburgh, PA with a good report about the blessings of the Lord on the mission and the work being done there. They report that our missionary, Rev. W. Bruinsma, continues to work very hard with plans for a number of new events. He and his family are greatly appreciated by the members of the mission. While there, the delegation participated in a...

Dear Father, as I kneel in prayer to Thee Grant that my sin I may more clearly see; That I may be appalled by its immensity. The very best accomplishment of mine Stands not alone, but sin does e’er entwine; It chokes out righteousness as tendrils from a vine. With Paul I must in humbleness confess: The good that I would say, I can’t express; The evil which I hate breaks forth in wickedness. Then Paul asks how he can from this be free; The answer’s found, O Lord, alone in Thee: The blood of Thy dear Son is all...

Chapter nine of I Corinthians gives us most excellent instruction for the calling of the church to preach the gospel. Never has there lived a preacher or a missionary who was more faithful and more mighty in accomplishing the work of his Lord than the apostle Paul. Never has there been one who has more exalted the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and at the same time steadfastly refused to have glory for himself among men. Never has there been one who has been more truly successful as an instrument for the salvation of the Lord’s people. Let us...

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.   Training  Then it comes to the training of their children, some Christian parents put themselves above the Lord Jesus. Christ has certainly declared that between His followers and the world there is a difference as of sheep and wolves; but they seem to know better, and think that their children and the children of the world are all of one sort. So they see not the least danger ahead when their baptized and Christ-consecrated children associate and...

Rev. Smit is pastor of Immanuel Protestant Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. The apostle Paul warns us in the book of Galatians to avoid two extremes: on the one hand, the error of believing and living as though justification is by faith and also by and because of our obedience to the law; and, on the other hand, the error of believing and living as though our liberty in Christ is an opportunity to serve the lusts of the flesh. Instead of walking in either of those two evils of legalism or of anti-nomianism, we are called by the...

Prof. Hanko is professor emeritus of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Previous article in this series: November 1, 2006, p. 62.   The Teachings of Pentecostalism The very core of Pentecostal religion is the doctrine of the second blessing, or, as it is sometimes called, the baptism with the Holy Spirit. When most people think of Pentecostalism, they think of long lines of people waiting to be healed, of tongue-speaking, of singing with rhythm and clapping of hands, and of rather disorderly meetings with a lot of shouting, many “Praise the Lords,” and even rolling...

Rev. Langerak is pastor of Southeast Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At this same time each year, it seems that the world is morbidly preoccupied with death. A favorite name for the season is fall, something leaves do after they shrivel up and die. A celebrated holiday, Halloween, is merely a weak attempt to mock death and hell—and by implication Jesus who has the keys of both. Even Thanksgiving Day seems to be, for many, little more than a day to “eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Let it not be so for the believer. The season...

Rev. DeVries is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Wingham, Ontario, Canada.   “O Be Careful Little Tongue…”  You remember the little children’s song that encourages the child to avoid sinning with various members of his body— eyes, ears, hands, feet. More than ever that warning is needed regarding the use of the tongue. An Associated Press article by Peter Schworm in the August 17, 2006 issue of The Record, newspaper of the Kitchener/Waterloo, ON region, reports under the title, “Teens swear more; but then again, so do adults”: As soon as the teenager saw the skies, he cursed, raining...

Rev. Hanko is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. Previous article in this series: November 1, 2006, p. 57.   The Fourth Disputation: Chapter 2:17-3:6 (cont.)  In the first part of chapter 3 we come to the heart of Malachi’s prophecy. Here the Word of God through Malachi becomes not just a word of rebuke and judgment but the gospel of God’s grace. Here is the prophecy of Christ’s coming that lies at the heart of all that Malachi says, for it is His coming that delivers Israel, both priests and people, from their sins and provides...