Volu 101 Issue 09

pastor of Hull PRC in Hull, Iowa   PSALM 24 In my first few years in the ministry the Lord led me to serve in Lynden, WA. Lynden is settled on ground that is flat and lush—ideal land for berry and dairy farming. But surrounding the city there are mountains on nearly every side. So it is that a common form of recreation in the area is hiking and mountain climbing. Climb to the top of the hill or mountain, and your efforts are rewarded handsomely with a panoramic view of whitecapped peaks beneath the brilliant blue skies. But the...

professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Grandville PRC in Grandville, Michigan THE FORM OF EXCOMMUNICATION The Form of Excommunication, found in the back of the Psalter, and sanctioned for use in Reformed churches according to Article 76 of the Church Order, contains a wealth of valuable instruction on sin and the proper response to it. One important principle contained in it is that sinners who come to ruin do not come suddenly, but by degrees. When the Form is read on the occasion of excommunication, the congregation is taught that God...

Dear Professor Gritters, I am writing in response to your article in the February 2025 [SB] issue, entitled: “If My Brother Sin… The Potent Medicine of Matthew 18 (4).” Under the heading of “Who are the ‘Witnesses?’” you wrote, “In 1 Timothy 5:19 Paul uses one of these when he warns not to receive an accusation against an elder without two or three witnesses. These are witnesses of the elder’s sin.” You then went on to explain that Matthew 18, on the other hand, does not require witnesses to the offender’s sin, but only to establish the words and facts...

The following are two announcements that appeared in the SB in 1935 and 1936, shortly before the publication of the first edition of The Protestant Reformed Churches in America: Their Origins, Early History, and Doctrine (also known as History of the PRCA). Current SB readers may be more familiar with the second edition of the book, released in 1947 and affectionately nicknamed “The Red Book” in reference to its bright red cover. Just over one hundred years have passed since the events related in this deeply personal history. Yet, The Protestant Reformed Churches in America remains the single most comprehensive...

teacher of New Testament history at Covenant Christian High School in Walker, Michigan, and a member of Faith PRC in Jenison, Michigan   Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them—Acts 8:5   In the early church, though often overshadowed by apostles like Peter and Paul, Philip the Evangelist’s life and ministry offer a profound example of Spirit-worked faithfulness and obedience. From the bustling streets of Jerusalem, to the land of Samaria, to the desert road that led to a eunuch’s baptism, to raising a family of four daughters in Caesarea, Philip’s story is...

professor of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, Michigan Previous article in this series: April 2025, p. 241. THE THREE ASPECTS This is the second article in a short series regarding biblical hermeneutics, the study of sound principles of Bible interpretation. The first article noted that the Grammatical-Historical-Spiritual method is based on a high view of Scripture as God’s inspired Word, His revelation to His people. This high view also holds Scripture to be inerrant, infallible, internally coherent and unified, clear, reliable and trustworthy, and sufficient for salvation....

professor emeritus of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Southwest PRC in Wyoming, Michigan   THE WIDESPREAD PROBLEM You have likely heard a public confession of sin in your congregation for drunkenness. Maybe the repentant sinner was guilty of public intoxication, or had been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), or brought to jail for causing an accident while impaired. When was the last time that you heard a public confession for the sin of gluttony? I doubt that there has ever been such a confession in the history of our churches....

former editor of the Standard Bearer, professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary, and member of Hudsonville PRC Previous article in this series: March 2025, p. 214.   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...

pastor of Unity PRC in Byron Center, Michigan Where do you go when your marriage is in crisis? How about when you have a difficult child to parent? Where will you find help in extreme suffering after a death, or in dealing with abuse and its affects? What if you are struggling with porn, habitual drunkenness, or drug use? Our covenant God has given us the gift of community so that in our suffering and sin struggles we find help in the church first and primarily. Our covenant God who dwells with us has designed the church to live in...

wife, mother, and grandmother in the Protestant Reformed Churches If you see a child reaching over a fence with a fist full of tall grass, you might guess a horse is on the other side. How delightful it is when that beautiful, sure-footed animal trots over, large observant eyes, ears pointed forward inquisitively, nostrils flared. The young child squeals with delight, hurling the grass over. The horse backs away, tosses its head, and paws the earth; its muscular neck quivers and twitches; it shakes its mane. A loud whistle, the kind made with two fingers, pierces the air from the...