Volu 100 Issue 16

Rev. Steven Key, emeritus minister of the Protestant Reformed Churches and member of Loveland PRC in Loveland, Colorado I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one…. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.  I John 2:13b, 14b. First John 2:12-14 is divided into two sets of three addresses each. The two sets are divided by a different tense of the verse, where John first says, “I write unto you,” and then, “I have written.” The inspired...

Prof. Brian Huizinga, professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Grandville PRC in Grandville, Michigan Elders as shepherds Jesus Christ is the “chief Shepherd” (I Pet. 5:4), “that great shepherd of the sheep” (Heb. 13:20), “the good shepherd” who “giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). In His church He has appointed pastors as “spiritual shepherds who are set over the church, which God called unto salvation, and counts as sheep of His pasture” (Form of Installation of Ministers). We are familiar with this identification and count our pastors as “under-shepherds”...

Dear Rev. McGeown, I am looking for clarification regarding some state­ments in your recent article in the Standard Bearer, “Saving faith: Given to Believe” (March 1, 2024). I understand faith in its activity, which the article ex­plains well, and faith as a bond. My concern regards the section on the faculty of faith regarding our ingrafting into Christ and the role of faith in this “process,” espe­cially viewing faith in its activity. My understanding of ingrafting as referenced in Romans 11 is that we who were branches, dead in sin, are ingrafted into the living tree that is Christ. As...

Rev. Daniel Holstege, pastor of the Wingham PRC in Wingham, Ontario, Canada Alleged mistranslation A documentary film called 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture has been making its way through the film festival circuit since 2022, and its creators hope to make it available for the whole world to watch.1 Last February, an unofficial group of progressive Christian Reformed members called “The Hesed Project” sponsored viewings of the film in Christian Reformed churches all across Canada. The Hesed Project, which derives its name from the Hebrew word usually translat­ed “mercy” in the King James Version (KJV), provides resources for “those...

Rev. Ronald Hanko, minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches and member of Covenant of Grace PR Fellowship in Spokane, Washington   The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.  Nahum 1:7 It sometimes seems that prophecies such as Nahum’s are remote and without application to Christians today. A God who is jealous and angry is unrecognizable. The idea of wrath and judgment on enemies is distasteful to many. That Christians need a refuge in God seems of little use to those who are comfortable, warm, and well...

Rev. Daniel Holstege, pastor of the Wingham PRC in Wingham, Ontario, Canada The following is a piece I wrote for evangelism here in Wingham, Ontario. Prior to writing it, the substance of it was a sermon that I preached on Prayer Day. I asked my elders to suggest sermons that would work well as tracts we could give to most anyone. After I preached that sermon, one of them thought this might be a good one to use. So I revised the wording, for­matted it into a trifold leaflet, made some copies, and placed a label with our church name...

Rev. Wilbur Bruinsma, minister-emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches and member of the PRC in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Rev. George Lubbers began his mission labors in Hope Reformed Church of Loveland, CO in May of 1955. This church had before this time severed its ties with the Evangelical and Reformed denomination, the Reformed Church in the US (RCUS), and now existed as an independent congregation under its own constitution and elders. Missionary Lubbers, therefore, actually performed the work of a pastor in this congregation while carrying out the duties of a missionary in other places. During the years 1956 and 1957,...

Mrs. Sherry Koole, wife, mother, and grandmother in Hope PRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan Previously in this rubric (Jan. 1, 2024) we looked at the life-long calling and privilege we have as Christian parents to instruct our children in the commandments, statutes, and judgments of our God (Deut. 6:1). We looked at the simple game of “Hide and Seek” and saw how young children learn the game after being given verbal instruction, observing others, and having hands-on guidance while playing the game. We also made spiritual applications to the lives of our children and young people, stressing how important it...

Rev. Heath Bleyenberg, pastor of Immanuel PRC in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada   Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? Acts 8:30, 31 The Ethiopian eunuch was sitting in his chariot. He was reading Isaiah 53. But he did not understand what he was reading. The angel of the Lord sends Philip to help this man understand the Word of God. That’s our desire whenever we approach any passage in the Bible. We want to understand what we are reading. We want to soak in and digest that Word of God and...