Volu 101 Issue 08

pastor of Edgerton PRC in Edgerton, Minnesota   Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross— Philippians 2:5-8   A church needs humble servants. A church needs people who lower themselves to serve others, or...

professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Grandville PRC in Grandville, Michigan THE CANONS OF DORDT The Canons of Dordt are steeped in rich theological concepts that afford tremendous comfort to all who believe. The comfort found at the end of Head 2, “Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby,” is particularly striking in its description of the opposition of the gates of hell as “ineffectual.” In Articles 8-9, the final two articles of Head 2, the Canons outline a threefold purpose of God in the efficacious death...

minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches, and member of Covenant of Grace PR Fellowship in Spokane, Washington Previous article in this series: February 2025, p. 180. NAHUM 2:3-10 The first part of Nahum 2 is a vivid eyewitness account of Nineveh’s destruction by the Babylonians and Medes given some thirty years before the actual event, but sovereignly appointed and arranged by God. In verse 1 Nahum sees the King of Babylon coming at the head of his armies, described by Nahum as the one who will scatter Nineveh as Nineveh scattered other nations. He calls the Ninevites to defend...

pastor of First PRC in Holland, Michigan   Although we human beings are creatures of dust, our creaturely frame is a marvel of divine handiwork, fearfully and wonderfully made. God endowed our earthly frame with amazing senses—sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste—by means of which we perceive, understand, and experience the physical world. Although the eternal God is exalted above all that is called creature, and thus inaccessible to our human senses, nevertheless, He is a God who condescends to His lowly creatures and reveals Himself in ways that we can understand. The whole creation is a most elegant book...

professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, Michigan No one reads a Bible passage without interpreting it. Perhaps that is an overstatement. One who is entirely disengaged while reading and immediately forgets what he read did not interpret it. And someone who is puzzled by a passage and makes no effort to understand it did not interpret it. While this can be true of believers at times, it ought not. Believers ought to, and usually do, read the Bible in order to understand it. Failing to interpret...

pastor of Providence PRC in Hudsonville, Michigan Previous article in this series: January 2025, p. 142.   Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God—2 Corinthians 7:1   CLEANSING OURSELVES The Bible teaches two main things about sanctification: first, God sanctifies us; and second, just as important, we are active in sanctification. In a text like 2 Corinthians 7:1 the latter aspect of sanctification is on the foreground, although the former is always presupposed. Some people might view it as improper that we...

pastor of the Pittsburgh PRC in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The following letter is written from the perspective of a believing young man to believing young ladies of the church. Dear sister in Christ, The topic of modesty so often results in the blame game—sons of Adam claiming that it is the women’s fault, and daughters of Eve countering with accusations against the men. So instead of finding fault with you, I begin this letter by acknowledging my sin. A wise teacher of mine once showed me how God calls us to think of the young women in the church “as sisters,...

wife and mother in Loveland PRC in Loveland, Colorado AN OLDER WOMAN Suddenly, and somewhat unexpectedly, I find myself among the middle aged. For many years after Sunday worship services I clustered with women who were adorned with burp cloths and diaper bags. We bounced babies and placated toddlers with snacks as we discussed birth plans and disciplining our young children. Now some of those same women and I seek each other out with questions about driver’s training or our children’s dating relationships. When I video call my mom on Sunday afternoons, I am startled by the face that first...

professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, Michigan Tradition has it that Monday is a minister’s day off. If my own past experience is representative of pastors in the PRCA, that bit of folklore is not true. What is true is that the burden of the past week, growing increasingly heavy as Sunday approached, has been lifted. Perhaps the minister has started his Monday off slowly. But by the end of the day, especially if he is in West Michigan, he has prepared for and taught between...

On Saturday, January 18, 2025, the first synod of a new Reformed denomination met in Giessen, Germany. This denomination is the Bund Bekennender Evangelisch- Reformierter Gemeinden (or BBERG). This synod was a joyous occasion for the German believers who, taking part in this work, witnessed God’s gracious blessing on some twenty-five years of prayer, faithfulness, and commitment to the Reformed faith. The BBERG is the new Reformed denomination in Germany that begins with two congregations and two fellowships. The two instituted congregations are the BERG in Giessen and the BERG (formally known as the BEG) in Osnabruck. There are two...