Vol 90 Issue 03

Congregation Activities With the Word of God found in Galatians 6:10 in mind, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are the household of faith,” we extend our congratulations to our sister church in Singapore, the Cov­enant Evangelical Reformed Church, organized November 9, 1986, and the Peace PRC in Lansing, IL, organized on November 11, 1988. The bulletin of the Hope PRC in Redlands, CA of Sunday, September 29, included a thank you to all in their congregation who were able to spend some time at Hope the day before. That...

Report of Classis East September 11, 2013 Byron Center PRC Classis East met in regular session on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at the Byron Center PRC. Each church was represented by two delegates. Rev. J. Slopsema was the chairman for this session. The business was routine and classis was finished early. As the chairman noted, this is a sign that the churches have peace and unity in their midst. Classical appointments were given to Faith PRC. There were no expenses for this session. Classis will meet next on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at Southeast PRC. Respectfully submitted, Jon J. Huisken...

The Heidelberg Catechism is a covenantal confes­sion. That might not be immediately obvious to all. Those who doubt it might point to the fact that the Heidelberg Catechism nowhere defines the doc­trine of the covenant of grace. In fact, the Catechism does not ever discuss the covenant as a separate doctrine. And even more, the Catechism refers to the covenant in only a very few places. Yet, the intent of this article is to demonstrate that the Heidelberg Catechism is a covenantal confession. For in the Heidelberg Catechism the truth of God’s everlasting covenant of grace is assumed. All the...

The Christian’s calling to engage in holy war against the lie and his enjoyment of the blessing of spiri­tual peace can both be helpfully summarized in the Heidelberg Catechism’s teaching on the five solas of the Reformation (sola is Latin for alone or only). Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone through grace alone to the glory of God alone according to Scripture alone. The solas exclude and so fight against all that “adds” to the truth of the gospel, for, in reality, any addition takes away from it and so denies it. The solas give us peace because...

There is another Frederick in the story of the HC. His name among us ought to be as infamous as Frederick III’s is famous. This other Frederick is the Italian Isaac Frederici (pron: Freh-deh-REE-chee). Among those who love the HC, the name Isaac Frederici ought to be as black as the name Jakob Harmen, aka Jacobus Arminius. Among readers of the SB the name Arminius likely is a dirty word. I was reminded of that—and both encouraged and slightly amused—by what happened recently on a high school class trip to Chicago. One of the young students spotted an Armenian restaurant...

Celebrating the Anniversary of a Catechism Comfort for living. Comfort for dying. Comfort—this is the grand theme of the Heidelberg Catechism, whose 450th birthday we celebrate this year. We celebrate! We celebrate the catechism known as the Heidelberg Catechism, which catechism is this year four-hundred-fifty years young. We celebrate thankfully! Our thankfulness is to God, who as the Giver of every good and perfect gift is the Giver of the Heidelberg Catechism to His church. The truths set forth in this confession are the truths that He has revealed in His Holy Word. These truths He led the Reformers of...

Dr. Klautke is professor in the Academy for Reformed Theology in Marburg, Germany, and a leader of the Confessing Evangelical-Reformed Congregation in Giessen. 1. History of the Heidelberg Catechism 1.1 The Origins of the Heidelberg Catechism As the name of the Catechism suggests, it was originally written and printed in Heidelberg. This happened 450 years ago. In those days Heidelberg was the capital of the Palatinate, one of the territories within the German Empire or the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. The Catechism was written by a man named Zacharias Ursinus. He was born in the city of...

Welcome to our celebration of the Heidelberg Catechism! The annual Reformation Day issue is devoted to the Reformed confession published 450 years ago in Heidel­berg, Germany. This special issue is linked to a confer­ence on the Catechism sponsored by the Protestant Reformed Seminary October 17-19. Six speeches were given at the conference, and all the speakers graciously agreed to condense their speeches for the Standard Bearer. One speech/article will wait until the next issue, namely, the Heidelberg Catechism’s View of the Chris­tian Life as Gratitude. To round out the special issue, we selected a sermon on Lord’s Day 1 by...

This is a sermon on Lord’s Day 1 by Rev. Herman Hoeksema carefully transcribed by Mr. Martin Swart. Preaching in connection with our Catechism and regularly following the line of doctrinal instruc­tion contained therein are of great importance and significance. In II Timothy 4 the apostle Paul charges his son Timothy. The content of his charge is that Timothy must preach the Word and maintain sound doctrine, for the time is coming when men will have itching ears and will despise sound doctrine. The beginning of that time Paul could already see. And it is not exaggerating when we say...