Volu 101 Issue 01

With heartfelt thanks and praise to God for His preserving grace we begin volume 101 of the Standard Bearer (SB)! For 100 years now, since October 1, 1924, the Lord has given generations of Protestant Reformed writers the privilege of using the SB to showcase the doctrinal riches of the Reformed faith with an application of that glorious truth to every facet of the believer’s life. Focus has always been given to the sovereignty of God in His everlasting covenant of grace with His elect people in Jesus Christ. May God continue to favor us with His blessings so that...

minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches and member of First PRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan   Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded— Proverbs 13:13. What is your attitude toward the Word of God? This proverb speaks of those who fear God’s Word and those who despise it. These two are opposite of each other. These are also mutually exclusive. There is no third possibility. This proverb was given to the church of the Old Testament. This indicates that you will find both attitudes in the church as she comes...

pastor of Crete PRC in Crete, Illinois INTRODUCTION Up to this point in my reflections on the doctrinal decisions of Synod 2024 of the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRCA), I have related the experience of salvation to the doctrines of the saving work of Christ, God’s forgiveness of our sins, and faith. In this concluding editorial, I want to address the relation between the experience of salvation and the believer’s good works. I note briefly that there are a number of sub-topics that could be addressed in a treatment of the relation between the experience of salvation and good works. There...

Greetings Standard Bearer, I would like to encourage Rev. Josh Engelsma in his writings in the August 2024 issue of the Standard Bearer and his reference to the passive and active obedience of Christ. Christ’s one complete work. Especially, as it relates to our recent and historical doctrinal denominational disputes. I also want to pass along to other readers who may be interested in some of the references that have helped me better understand and appreciate the significance of Christ’s obedience as it relates to our daily walk and resulting peace of heart and mind. 1. “The Obedience of Christ,”...

minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches and member of Covenant of Grace PR Fellowship in Spokane, Washington Previous article in this series: September 15, 2024, p. 514. Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off—Nahum 1:15. Surprisingly,  the  first  chapter  of  the  unfamiliar prophecy of Nahum ends with a verse that is familiar from its quotation in the New Testament (Rom. 10:15), and which seems at first glance to...

pastor of First PRC in Holland, Michigan Is there anything more beautiful than mercy unmerited? For the Christian who knows the mercy of God, not merely with the mind but with the heart and lived experience, God’s mercy sets the heart on high to sing “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever” (Ps. 136:1). What is mercy? Put succinctly, mercy is tender- hearted compassion for the miserable, which moves you to endeavor to relieve the miserable of their misery. Described more fully, mercy is a deep feeling of compassion for another person...

rector and professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, Michigan The practical purpose of this introduction to textual criticism is to show that some Bible versions undermine the inspiration of certain passages of Scripture, and to buttress the conviction of Bible readers that these passages are, in fact, inspired. In the last article we defended the inclusion of Mark 16:9-20 in Scripture. This article will demonstrate that, according to sound methods of textual criticism, the reader may be confident that he or she is reading God’s Word...

pastor of Randolph PRC in Randolph, Wisconsin Previous article in this series: June 2024, p 427. RETURN (CONTINUED) The hearty farewells have faded, and the foreign missionary and family have begun their journey out of and away from the field of labor in which they lived for some time and from which the Lord has released them. They are returning, but to where? Responding to the return of the missionary family, members of calling and supporting churches in the region or country to which the family is returning might normally think that their return is in a direction toward “home.”...

professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary and member of Hudsonville PRC Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as...

pastor of Heritage PRC in Sioux Falls, South Dakota It’s that time again. Former President Donald Trump, flanked by his Secret Service agents, appears from behind the curtain: the music begins, the thousands roar, and he pumps his fist—another campaign rally. Vice-President Kamala Harris makes an appearance in an ad on your phone, making her personal plea for your donation. Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC give their viewers a steady diet of the latest political news and commentary. What time is it? An election year— 2024. At the point of writing this article, it appears that voters will make a choice...