Vol 85 Issue 02

Rev. Smit is pastor of the Immanuel Protestant Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. As it was true at the time of the Reformation and as it continues to be true, one of the key points of conflict and separation between the Roman Catholic Church and the faithful children of the Reformation is the nature and extent of scriptural authority. In that conflict, there are two distinct sides: either the church (or man) is the supreme authority in matters of life and doctrine, or Holy Scripture is the supreme authority in matters of life and doctrine. The Roman Catholic Church...

Prof. Cammenga is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Call it the watchword of the Reformation. It was one of the great solas of the movement. It is often referred to as the material principle of the Reformation. It is the heart of the gospel—the gospel recovered by the Reformers. To what are we referring? But of course, to the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Despite their diversity, this was the truth that united the Reformers and the various branches of the Reformation. This was the gospel that the Reformers trumpeted. This was the...

Rev. Hanko is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. Has Rome Changed? Has Roman Catholicism changed? Is it even possible for Roman Catholicism to change, in view of Rome’s insistence on the infallibility of the Pope? Rome’s own unofficial motto is Semper Idem, “Always the Same.” Yet, many point to the Second Vatican Council, held in 1962-1965, as proof of Rome’s willingness to change. A blurb on the back cover of a volume of the documents of that council calls Vatican II “the Ecumencial Council that changed the Catholic Church—and possibly all of Christianity—forever.”¹ To even a...

Why a special issue devoted to Rome and her Catholicism and its errors? Because as the twenty-first century opens, the current of ecumenicity moves with increasing force, and, as is becoming increasingly clear, all the tributaries flow towards Rome. On the ecclesiastical scene, old Rome has taken shape again with a new vigor and in a more attractive form, and more and more evangelical voices of influence are pointing towards Rome as the last real hope of Western Christianity, if it is going to withstand and save itself from the assault of our post-Christian world and its amoral, anti-Christian society....

Excerpted, by permission, from Sermons on Galatians, Old Paths Publications, 1 Bittersweet Path, Willow Street, PA 17584. Although John Calvin did not give titles to his sermons, we suggest that this, indeed, was his ‘theme’ of this part of “The Thirtieth Sermon . . . .” “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not...

September 10, 2008 Trinity Protestant Reformed Church Hudsonville, Michigan Classis East met in regular session on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at the Trinity PRC, Hudsonville, MI. Each church was represented by two delegates; Rev. R. Kleyn was the chairman for this session. Special welcome was given to the delegates from Providence PRC, which sent delegates to classis for the first time since their organization. The business for this session proved to be routine. Reports from committees, construction of a classical appointment schedule for Grace PRC and Providence PRC, were handled with dispatch. Classis did have an appeal from a brother,...

Rev. Bruinsma is Eastern Home Missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches, stationed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Satan wages war against the church of Jesus Christ. He does so by setting up his earthly kingdom of man in an attempt to displace the heavenly kingdom of God and Jesus Christ. The citizens of God’s kingdom are called by Jesus Christ to do battle against the kingdom of unbelieving man. This battle is to be fought not by means of a physical, earthly warfare, but by means of the gospel. The church and her members must go forth wielding the sword of the...

Rev. Spronk is pastor of the Peace Protestant Reformed Church in Lansing, Illinois. Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 30 Q. 80 What difference is there between the Lord’s Supper and the popish mass? A. The Lord’s Supper testifies to us that we have a full pardon of all sin by the only sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which He Himself has once accomplished on the cross; and that we by the Holy Ghost are ingrafted into Christ, who according to His human nature is now not on earth, but in heaven at the right hand of God His Father, and will there...

Rev. Stewart is pastor of the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in Northern Ireland. he key to understanding the political pretensions of the church of Rome lies in her understanding of herself as the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church headed by the pope, who is not only the “Successor of Peter the Prince of the Apostles” and the “Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church” but also the “Vicar of Christ” and the “Holy Father.” Is not the triune God the absolute sovereign of the universe? Has not Christ been invested with all authority in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18)...

Prof. Cammenga is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Call it the watchword of the Reformation. It was one of the great solas of the movement. It is often referred to as the material principle of the Reformation. It is the heart of the gospel—the gospel recovered by the Reformers. To what are we referring? But of course, to the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Despite their diversity, this was the truth that united the Reformers and the various branches of the Reformation. This was the gospel that the Reformers trumpeted. This was the...