Vol 96 Issue 02

Trivia question Of the 19 churches in Classis East, how many are not in Michigan? Answer later in this column. School activities The Federation of Protestant Reformed School Societies is pleased to offer the “History and Principles of Reformed Education” course this coming fall and winter at the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary. The instructor will be Prof. R. Dykstra. Although the purpose of this course is to educate teachers, it is open to all interested individuals. School board members, parents, grandparents, and lovers of Christian education will benefit from gaining a better understanding of the history and principles of Reformed...

The Pursuit of Glory, by Jeffrey D. Johnson. Reformation Heritage: Grand Rapids, MI, 2018. Paperback, 113 pp. $12.00. [Reviewed by Dr. Julian Kennedy.] This book is useful as an evangelistic tool and as a spur to believers. By read­ing it, I believe, we will find that God uses it to answer the prayer of David in Psalm 139:23–24 to search us and know us and lead us in the way everlasting. This book, like Scripture, is a sharp sword (Heb. 4:12) to expose our motives, why we do things, knowing God looks at our hearts. By covering all the basic...

Previous article in this series: September 1, 2019, p. 467. In our last article we considered the admonition of Ephesians 6:4, “And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” A father through his own sin and wickedness can do great damage to his children. On the other hand, a God-fearing father who truly loves his children and loves the God of His covenant children is in a position to do great good for his children by the grace of God. As Noah of old was, a faithful...

Confessional basis Having treated the nature and history of the office of elder, the qualifications for the office, and the call to and ordination into the office, we come now to the meat of the matter—the work of the office of elder. The work of the office of elder is manifold. They are mistaken who consider the work of the office to be only that of oversight and rule, which work is performed pri­marily by sitting in the elders’ bench during the wor­ship services and by attending consistory meetings. The work is broader than that. It is broader as regards...

Lord’s Day 41 Question 108. What doth the seventh commandment teach us? Answer. That all uncleanness is accursed of God; and that therefore we must with all our hearts detest the same, and live chastely and temperately, whether in holy wedlock or in single life. Question 109. Doth God forbid in this commandment, only adultery and such like gross sins? Answer. Since both our body and soul are temples of the Holy Ghost, He commands us to preserve them pure and holy; therefore He forbids all unchaste actions, gestures, words, thoughts, desires, and whatever can entice men thereto. In a...

In this article, we will look for a while at those closely around us, our mother church, the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and their synodical meeting this past June. The July/August issue of the Banner reported decisions taken at this year’s synod. I write this not at all to look down our nose at those churches, but rather in a great lament for the people in their churches, and as a warning to ourselves. When I sought to become a pastor in the PRC, a person said to me, “those churches are only 25 years behind us in their practice.” In...

Dear friends of the Seminary, The 2019 school year has begun well. Pray that we may finish well too, since the Lord calls us always to “endure to the end.” The labors are a joy as we do them in Christ’s name and for His church. But the devil always assaults, too, so please keep the seminary in your personal, family, and congregational prayers. This school year is different from others in several ways. New professors First, Rev. Brian Huizinga is now Professor Huizin­ga. On September 4, at a full sanctuary of Grandville (MI) PRC where he and his family...

(This special submission is the text of the sermon preached by Prof. Cammenga on the occasion of the installation of Rev. Brian Huizinga as professor of theology in the PR Theological Seminary on September 4, 2019.) “… whose I am, and whom I serve.” Acts 27:23b Introduction Whose are you? And whom do you serve? Those are the two most important questions in the entire world. They are the two most important questions that every child of God must face. They are the two most important questions that every minister of the gospel must face. And they are the two...

In a special worship service in the Grandville Protestant Reformed Church held September 4, Rev. Brian Huizinga was installed as the Professor of Theology and Old Testament Studies in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary. In this issue, we print an edited version of Prof. R. Cammenga’s fine sermon on Acts 27:23b (“whose I am, and whom I serve”) delivered in the installation service. It replaces the editorial for this issue. The next issue of the Standard Bearer (Nov. 1) will be the annual Reformation issue. The theme will be the Reformation in Zurich, Switzerland, and it will high­light such notable...

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 Psalm 27 was written by David. From the psalm itself it is evident that David was facing great danger from his enemies. Some see a connection between this psalm and Psalm 3, which was written in connection with David’s flight from Absalom. In verse 5 of that psalm David wrote, “I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.” Others suggest that verse 10 of Psalm 27 links...