Vol 92 Issue 08

Minister News Rev. Rodney Kleyn, pastor in Covenant of Grace PRC, Spokane, WA, had the opportunity recently to visit his brother, Rev. Daniel Kleyn, missionary in the Philippines. Other family members made the trip there at the same time—a nice meeting for them. Rev. R. Kleyn preached one service in the PRC of Bulacan as well as in Maranatha PRC while he was in the metro Manila area. On December 13, Rev. James Laning, pastor in the Hull, IA PRC was led to decline the call to be the second missionary in the Philippines. While we are eager for another...

Previous article in this series: December 15, 2015, p. 137. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. I Timothy 4:14 In our last article we explained four elements that must be found in the ceremony in which elders are ordained (installed): appropriate stipulations, interrogations, admonitions, and prayers. The fourth article of the PRC Church Order prescribes that, particularly when a new minister is ordained, these four elements be included in the ordination ceremony. We have already shown that the same applies to the...

Previous article in this series: October 1, 2015, p. 16. Introduction The previous articles in this series on premillennialism presented part of premillennialism’s explanation of the important teaching about the last things in Revelation 20. According to premillennialism, the millennium will be a literal period of one thousand years of future earthly history. The purpose of the millennium will be God’s establishment of the earthly nation of Israel as His glorious kingdom in this world. He will bless Israel with abounding material wealth, which will then spill over to all the nations. He will make Israel a world power, ruling...

For my contribution to this rubric in the next few installments I intend to write a few articles on the important subject of family worship. By family worship is meant the regular worship of God in a covenant marriage with husband and wife, or in the covenant home with the family together, parents with their covenant children. Such worship is simple in form, including the obvious elements of reading a portion from the Bible, some discussion of what is read, singing, and prayer. It should also include some instruction in doctrine and application of the truth of the Word of...

Previous article in this series: December 15, 2015, p. 132. We were considering, you will remember, the penitential prayer of David recorded in Psalm 51, focusing in particular on verse 16. “Thou desirest not sacrifice,” David prayed. And: “Thou delightest not in burnt offering.” Having been brought to his knees by the prophet Nathan’s withering pronouncement “Thou art the man,” David understood, more profoundly than ever before, that no one can come to God with something in his hand. An expression of “absolute destitution of merit” is what Calvin sees in those words of David. Remarkable insights, we said. But...

‘Do you believe Jesus died for your sins?’ “With grace I replied, no, no, no, no…that’s ghastly theology…you don’t want to go there.” Those are the words of Rev. Scott McKenna, the minister of Mayfield Salisbury Church of Scotland (CofS) in Edinburgh, Scotland. The CofS is the national church in Scotland, a Presbyterian denomination dating back to the Protestant Reformation in Scotland. If John Knox (1513-1572) knew the state of the CofS today, he would turn in his grave! Rev. David Robertson, the Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland (FCofS) responded to McKenna’s gospel-denying heresy on his blog, prompting...

Previous article in this series: January 1, 2016, p. 149. “…the cause of Christ is never, ever advanced by the sword.” The statement above (found in the November 1, 2015 issue of the Standard Bearer, in the editorial “Learning from the Medieval Church’s History”) is the focus of a disagreement between Mr. Archie P. Jones and myself. Mr. Jones sent in a cordial letter and position paper objecting to this view. I desire to answer in a cordial manner, but also to convey the seriousness of the issue. In the last editorial, it was noted that God has indeed used...

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son… Matthew 22:2 God will fill the wedding hall of Christ and His church. Although many will reject the gospel and be cast into outer darkness, every single one of God’s people will be gathered together to fellowship with the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. The parable of the royal marriage feast is the third parable Jesus spoke to the chief priests and scribes picturing their refusal to humbly bow before Him as their King. This timeless parable warns us not to disobey the summons to...