Vol 91 Issue 19

Minister Activities Rev. Rodney Kleyn, pastor of the Covenant of Grace PRC located in Spokane, WA, announced on June 7 that God had led him to decline the call he was considering to be the second missionary to the Philippines. We rejoice with Rev. Kleyn that God has confirmed to him that his calling for now is to labor in the congregation at Spokane. Praise be to God for that clear revelation of His will! The Council of Doon PRC then announced a trio from which to call a missionary, which consisted of Rev. A Brummel (Heritage PRC, Sioux Falls,...

Previous article in this series: February 1, 2015, p. 211. In the last two installments in this series, we first looked at punishment of children and noted that corporal punishment such as spanking is still generally legal. We then looked at the juvenile court system and noted that, due to the different evidentiary standards in juvenile court and the reliance on reports of social workers and others, parents whose views differ from those prosecuting a case of alleged abuse may have a difficult time defending their actions. In this installment, we will look at the effect that changing views in...

The Lord commanded His people how to prepare the Passover lamb. Instead of butchering the animal into pieces and leaving it unrecognizable, it was essential the lamb be kept whole. The head, limbs, and entrails were left intact. It may not be boiled, but it had to be roasted on a spit or wooden stick for the entire family to see. The very lamb they cared for—their lamb— was completely in view. It was a meal not to be forgotten. What a picture of our Savior! Jesus, our Passover lamb (I Cor. 5:7), was left whole. In fulfillment of Scripture,...

Previous article in this series: May 1, 2015, p. 352. During the early formative years of the Protestant Reformed Churches, certain methods of domestic mission work became well established. It is important that we take note of these methods and offer an evaluation of them. We begin, however, not with a method of missions, but with the historically established scope of our domestic mission work. At the very start the three ministers and the elders of the Protesting Christian Reformed Churches did not labor to expand the witness of these churches on the basis of a fixed set of mission...

Previous article in this series: July 2015, p. 425. While the book burning of Acts 19:19 gives one example of how the gospel changed the perspective and worldview of the newly saved saints in Ephesus, there is a second example found in that same chapter. These examples show that the exclusive nature of Christianity can be observed in the lives of God’s people. It is observed especially in their rejection of the idolatry prevalent in their culture. Having seen that Ephesus was a known center for the worship of Diana, and that the worship of Diana had great economic as...

Previous article in this series: February 15, 2015, p. 223. In Genesis 8:21 we read that God said this in His heart: “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.” Many say that God in this word is promising to give some grace to all human beings, so that there will be at least some good in unbelieving man and, thus, human society will be preserved. Some go a step further and say...

Previous article in this series: May 1, 2015, p. 346. (Second Helvetic Confession, Chapter 1, B) Fundamental to everything that the Reformed Christian believes and confesses is the truth of sacred Scripture: “…in this Holy Scripture, the universal Church of Christ has the most complete exposition of all that pertains to a saving faith, and also to the framing of a life acceptable to God…” (SHC, 1.1). What we believe and confess is derived from Scripture, is taught in Scripture, and can be defended on the basis of Scripture. It is what we believe about Scripture more than anything else...

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:1-3 The night of His betrayal, and thus the night before He was crucified, Jesus spoke to His disciples’ troubled hearts—filled with fears and sorrows at His announced, imminent departure. Fear not....

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost. I Corinthians 12:3 In this verse of Holy Scripture we have the fundamental rule of the gospel. By this rule one who is of Christ is distinguished from him who is not of Christ, and the one born of the Spirit from him who is not born of the Spirit. This rule is never set aside. It holds true today and also will be true in...