Vol 88 Issue 12

School Activities The students of Hope PR Christian School in Walker, MI invited parents, grandparents, friends, and supporters to their Science Night Friday evening, February 17. This year’s theme was, “Body of Evidence: Made in His Image,” an evening of investigation into the science of the human body. Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made” is a program at Heritage Christian School in Hudsonville, MI, designed to teach children about various handicaps and how children with these disabilities cope with them. It also helps our children understand that they each...

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 13 Question 33. Why is Christ called the only begotten Son of God, since we are also the children of God? Answer. Because Christ alone is the eternal and natural Son of God; but we are children adopted of God, by grace, for His sake. Question 34. Wherefore callest thou Him our Lord? Answer. Because He hath redeemed us, both soul and body, from all our sins, not with gold or silver, but with His precious blood, and hath delivered us from all the power of the devil; and thus hath made us His own property....

Previous article in this series: February 15, 2012, p. 232. The life we believers now have in Christ is a life that is actually higher than that which Adam had before the fall. We have an everlasting, heavenly life. Such a life Adam outside of Christ never could have obtained. It could be enjoyed only in the last Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ. Everlasting life: A life that cannot be lost There was a difference between the life that Adam had and what the Bible refers to as “everlasting life.” The life that is everlasting cannot be lost. Adam’s life...

In previous articles we have seen that the office of elder is the office of the rule of Christ in Christ’s church. We turn our attention now to the history of the office of elder in Christ’s church. The church of Jesus Christ “hath been from the beginning of the world” (Belgic Confession, Art. 27). Pentecost was not the birthday of the church; rather, the Spirit’s outpouring on Pentecost marked the church coming to maturity. Nor did the church begin at Sinai; there God formed Israel as His special nation, and designated her as the one in and through whom...

Previous article in this series: January 15, 2012, p. 182. To the postmillennial hope of the perfecting of the victory of the Messianic kingdom within history, with the exception (as of the present) of the destruction of death, Reformed amillennialism objects that Scripture and the Reformed confessions promise the perfecting of the victory of the Messianic kingdom, and the perfecting of the kingdom itself, at the second coming of Christ. The Goal of History The full victory of the kingdom of Christ does not occur within history, as part of the historical process, but is rather the goal of history—history’s...

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Revelation 2:18-20 What follows is...

Thank you, Rev. Griess, for reminding us of the biblical warrant for the “Dialogical Principle” in the January 15, 2012 issue. As with any principle, its value is realized in its application. If we leave it as an abstract concept and don’t dust it off, we deprive the church of its benefits—pure and acceptable worship of our God. Unless the connection is made between theory and implementation, many will nod in agreement and then contradict in practice. Some brothers argue that defining application can unduly constrain “Christian liberty” and risk being proscriptive. Indeed the ultimate responsibility is with the Consistory...

Previous article in this series: March 1, p. 244. In our last few articles we have been dealing with various statements found in a recently published book,Reformed Thought, a compilation of selected papers written by Dr. William Young over the past six decades. In these papers Young makes a number of references to Hoeksema and his covenant view, not commendatory by any stretch. He contends that Hoeksema’s view is to be identified with that of Dr. A. Kuyper and his presupposed regeneration doctrine, which view, according to Young, makes a man worthy of being thrown into the camp of Hyper-Covenantism....

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20 In this chapter Paul speaks of himself. He tells why he might have reason to boast in the flesh (vv. 5-6). He then says that all these things he counted loss for Christ (vv. 7-8). Paul’s righteousness is of God by faith (v. 9). Thus, he presses toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (v. 14). We are to be followers of Paul’s example (v. 17) in opposition to those who do...