Vol 92 Issue 13

Sister Church Activities We have mentioned before the extensive website of the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Ballymena, Northern Ireland. The following quote shows just how God can and does work through technology today! Greetings in the name of our Lord! Yesterday at our church meeting, I met a man who works on a mission field in Kenya. The mission is conducted under the auspices of a Pentecostal denomination, but the man has become interested in the Reformed faith and so while in Moscow he decided to visit the worship service of our Evangelical Reformed Church. He said what has...

Crete PRC hosted the Spring meeting of Classis West on Wednesday, March 2. This meeting was the occasion for thirty ministers and elders, traveling from points near and far, to labor for the wellbeing of the fifteen churches of the classis, and to enjoy each other’s fellowship. The stated clerk, classical committee, church visitors, and reading sermon committee all reported routine labors. A particular cause for thanksgiving to God was the church visitors’ testimony of seeing “God’s work and faithfulness in the churches of Classis West,” in whom “unity, peace and love” prevails. With sorrow, the Classis advised one consistory...

Previous article in this series: March 15, 2016, p. 278. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, highly toxic gases, such as ammonia, methyl chloride, and sulfur dioxide, were used as refrigerants. Due to their toxicity and a number of fatalities in connection with leaks of these chemicals, they were replaced by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)—laboratory-built compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, fluorine, and chlorine atoms. In 1928, Thomas Midgley, Jr. from General Motors synthesized the first CFCs. By 1930, Dupont and General Motors were cooperatively producing Freon (Dupont’s trademark name for CFCs) in large quantities. Freon was a nontoxic, nonflammable substance that...

Previous article in this series: January 1, 2016, p. 163. The Doctrine of Original Sin In this series on spiritual warfare we proceed methodically, and deliberately so. Before we come to specific details like swords, shields, breastplates, fiery darts, enemies, battlegrounds, and crowns of victory, we need an understanding of some basic doctrines. Fundamental to the idea of holy war is the biblical doctrine of sin. Without the right view of sin, our conception of spiritual warfare either makes no sense, or is erroneous. Especially vital is the truth of Adam’s fall with its consequences for humanity. We have considered...

Previous article in this series: January 15, 2016, p. 188. “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 Historically, Reformed churches have followed the practice of laying hands on ministers who are first ordained to their office. After the minister being ordained has been reminded of what the work of his office entails, has publicly professed that he believes himself called to this office, and has promised faithfully to discharge his office, he kneels in front of the congregation. The officiating...

Previous article in this series: March 1, 2016, p. 247. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. Ecclesiastes 7:7-10 “Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad…” (Eccl. 7:7), in its opening...

Islamophobia: How Offensive is “Grossly” Offensive? On January 5, 2016, District Judge McNally of Belfast Crown Court, Northern Ireland, delivered his judgment on the now famous (or infamous) Islamophobia case. In a victory for free speech and freedom of religion, Pastor James McConnell who, in a sermon on May 18, 2014 preached that “Islam is heathen, Islam is Satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell,” was acquitted of the charge of “sending or causing to be sent by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that was grossly offensive, contrary to section 127(1)(a) of...

Previous article in this series: March 15, 2016, p. 269. The Christian life is the fifth of the five “C”s we have used to summarize what it means to be Reformed. To be Reformed has to do with life as well as with faith, how we conduct ourselves in everyday affairs as well as what we confess to believe. Reformed is a “walk” as well as a “talk.” There is a good word that liberals have misused to pursue their agenda of downplaying doctrine by emphasizing conduct, but the word should not go unused because of that. The word is...

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:5-6 If the resurrection is true, as it most certainly is, then we who believe have reason not to fear. Early Sunday morning a great earthquake shook the ground as an angel of God rolled the stone away and sat upon it. In response, the guards literally shook with fear and became as dead men, passed out on...