The Theological Seminary of the Protestant Re­formed Churches began its 26th academic year on Tuesday, September 11, 1951, with a special convoca­tion held at 9:15 a.m. in First Protestant Reformed Church, Fuller and Franklin Streets, Grand Rapids, Mich. The Rev. G. M. Ophoff presided. Students, faculty and theological school committee…

We have pointed out that the law of God from the beginning of history was the standard by which men were to live, and that before the law of Moses was revealed. Very early in history Job knew the law. But C.I. Scofield denies that “the law had then been…

Just as Dispensationalism teaches that the Church never existed before Pentecost, so it maintains that the law never was given until Sinai. As taught in the foot­note of the Scofield Reference Bible at Exodus 19:3 and Genesis 12:1, the dispensational theory has it that prior to Sinai the people of…

Again L.W. of Spokane writes, and informs us that it was a slip of memory which resulted in the Dec. 1, 1966 title “Dispensationalism an Ancient Error” being misquoted. He then questions a statement in the May 1, 1967 article, which had read, “What Calvinistic theology gives credence to Dispensa­tionalism?”…

In Prof. H.C. Hoeksema’s very illuminating and adroit editorial series on the “ ‘Report of the Doctrinal Com­mittee’—A Critical Study—The Com­mittee on the Atonement” the reader is provided with the most competent leadership and commentary relative to the so called “Dekker Case,” the Christian Reformed Three Points of Common Grace…

Robert C. Harbach is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. In John 12:32 we read the prophetic words of our Lord, “And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me.” The immediate context, verse 20, shows that through two of His disciples, Jesus was approached by…

The Bible is the Book of Election, not a book of Jewish fables, nor a collection of tribal myths, nor a collations of ancient moralisms. It is full of election from Genesis to Revelation. The Book of Beginnings is full of it. The Lord had respect to Abel, but not…

Robert C. Harbach is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. In the Gospel according to John 18:8-9, we read, “Jesus answered, ‘I have told you that I am (He). If, therefore, ye seek Me, let these go their way;’ that the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake, ‘Of…

No truth suffers more the attack of man’s natural hatred, enmity and opposition than the truth of election. It has its foes both in the house of its friends and in the doubting castle of those who know the least about it. It is denied both by those formally acquainted…

WORLD VISION International is an interdenominational missionary service agency organized to help meet emergency needs in crisis areas through existing evangelical agencies. Its deepest concern is for the great masses of people who have never heard the Gospel. Along the way of its many Red-Cross-style activities it sponsors evangelistic crusades, Bible…

Robert C. Harbach is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. The theme, in the title above, we, in our Protestant Reformed Churches, understand to be in sharp contrast to the Calvinistic (or the Reformed) conception of regeneration. It is the latter point of view we must and always…

Robert C. Harbach is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. At the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus had spoken these words, “For this is My blood of the new testament which is shed for many, for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28). He could speak of His…

Robert C. Harbach is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. In the sixteenth chapter of John’s Gospel we have two sections: (1) warning (John 16:1-6), and (2) encouragement John 16:7-33). In the latter section we have these words, “Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now…

“We all believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth, that . . . God . . . is . . . immutable . . .” (Belgic Confession), as it is written, “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi…

“Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness” (Ps. 30:4). 

“And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious,longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth” (Ex. 34:6). 

Rev. Harbach is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. I.The Door of the Fold II.The Folded Sheep III.The True Shepherds Who Enter by the Door In this tenth chapter of John’s Gospel we have double revelation: first, the door revelation (John 1-10), and, second, the shepherd revelation (John…

The Standard Bearer article, “God’s Holiness” (Nov. 1, 1983, Vol. LX, No. 3), meets with a fine, positive response from a young Protestant Reformed college student who principally agrees with the content and thrust of the article but takes exception to the word “untalented” (see front cover and p. 61) as…

Rev. Harbach is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. True Shepherds Enter by the Door “He that entereth in by the door is the (literally, a) shepherd of the sheep” (John 10:2). In the previous article we pointed out that most commentaries in their exposition apply this verse to…

Robert C. Harbach is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Continuing from where we left off in the first installment under the above heading, at John 18:6, we now go on with verse 7. “Then asked He them again, ‘Whom seek ye?'” Putting this His second request to them,…

“There appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him.”  Luke 22:43

“But Jesus said unto him, ‘Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?'” Luke 22:48

“And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him.” Luke 23:33

“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many . . . . And there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt. 24:11, 24). Our Lord Jesus Himself prophesied…

Scripture’s first view of this symbolic sanctuary fixture is from within the heart of God’s house outward. If God is to be known at all. He must of necessity reveal Himself, and doing so begin from Himself, moving outward to man. This is evident from God’s instructive commands to Moses…

In the Nov. 15 issue of The Standard Bearer we wrote on “Ishmael Blessed”; now we recommend that this be read with your open Bible at hand for ready reference. With all that has been written on the general subject, some of which goes back many years in TSB, we agree. But…

In the twenty-seventh chapter of the Book of Acts we read the narrative of the voyage, which, in the providence of God, Paul took as occasioned by his appeal to Caesar when he was indicted before Festus (Acts 25:10f.). But before Paul had made his defense before that governor he…

Perhaps the most fitting passage of scripture to be read in this connection would be the twentieth-eighth chapter of Job where we have a contrast between earth’s most precious metals, and the greatest prize of heaven, wisdom. The chapter touches upon the process of mining, and the miner’s life, mentioning…

Whenever Ishmael is considered in Scripture, he is usually, by the Reformed, regarded as a reprobate. He is so viewed in Rev. Woudenberg’s recent, “The Casting Out of Ishmael.” Inasmuch as we do not hold with those who believe God’s grace can be general and common, we humbly submit these…

(Arminianism the Lie)  As Based on the Canons of Dordt, Popularly known as the Five Points of Calvinism.  Divine Sovereignty 

As Based on the Canons of Dordt, Popularly known as the Five Points of Calvinism. Total Depravity(Continued) 

As Based on the Canons of Dordt, Popularly known as the Five Points of Calvinism.  By REV. ROBERT C. HAIIBAIZH  Unconditional Election  (Continued) 

As Based on the Canons of Dordt, Popularly known as the Five Points of Calvinism.  Reprobation (Continued) 

As Based on the Canons of Dordt, Popularly known as the Five Points of Calvinism.  Limited Atonement (Continued) 

“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10

The Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States is the name of this organization. It is a coordinating agency, once of various Protestant ecclesiastical organizations, now of “Christian” churches, since the Roman Catholic church is included in its representation, It has been established for the cultivation and maintenance of the…

Bernard Levin, one of England’s leading newspaper columnists, commented in the London Daily Mail on November 8, 1965, that “The only thing you always seem to find in an hotel room of any quality, wherever you are, is the Gideon Bible.” The columnist added that the Gideon practice of placing Bibles is…

Dear Editor: May I submit the following on the subject of hymns and Psalms! As has already been noted, we do use hymns in our homes, our Christian schools, at hymn-sings, special meetings, and on the radio broadcasts. The place for hymns (and, of late, certain Christmas carols) is not…

In the Beacon Lights magazine of November 1960 we defended the proposition that in preparing for the ministry, seminary should be attended before college. This was done on the basis of the presupposition that there is in the world really no Christian college; at least, not in the strict, Reformed sense of…

SYNOD OF 1961 

But there is more that we may learn from Dewey, especially when he advocates the teacher’s forming a proper attitude in the pupil to the subject under study, and to all of life in general. The most important attitude, he says, is the desire to go on studying. We agree…

The title, “Atheism, the Enemy of Civilization,” is at the head of a treatise, something of an insult, but it nevertheless states a fact. It is a slight insult in that the most deep-seated enmity of atheism is rather directed against the true God, as even the term itself implies.…

The subject is of interest inasmuch as it now makes considerable headway in our country. Afoot is the so called “Project Understanding” which plans a $5,000,000 “Temple of Understanding” in or near Washington, D.C., as a “spiritual United Nations” which will house six chapels representing the Judaic, Confucian, Hindu, Buddhist,…

It was Plutarch who said, “It must be borne in mind that my design is not to write histories, but lives;” and since the foundress of Christian Science was Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddy, who had close associations with another man, a Mr. Frye, there is the better part of…

A persistent heresy, always enjoying a certain amount of popularity, and, like crab-grass, cropping up under the driest conditions, is that of destructionism, the theory that the final end of men, at least the wicked, is a total extinction of being. This is certainly the view of the pure Pelagian,…

The Subject Considered The subject considered fairly requires a definition of terms which will describe the hypothesis as its adherents conceive of it. Le Conte does this when he deems evolution a “(1). continuous progressive change; (2) according to certain laws; (3) by means of resident forces.” This means, not necessarily…

Freemasonry is a religion. It is not “a mere social order inculcating ethical ideals and practicing philanthropy,” but “As some of us prefer to put it, Masonry is not a religion, but Religion—not a church but a worship, in which men of all religions may unite” (Joseph Fort Newton, Unitarian,…

The American Scientific Affiliation is a Christian organization established for the fellowship of Christian men and women of science. The organization offers “scientific counsel to Christian teachers, ministers, students and others” presenting the Christian position “to a generation characterized by materialism and skepticism.” A service is provided to aid Christian…

trary to human reason, plus Russell’s “Scripture Studies,” which “are not merely comments on the Bible, but…are practically the Bible itself…” To read the Bible without these “Studies” is to “go into darkness.” But to read these “Scripture Studies” and yet “not read a page of the Bible” is to…

For the origin of Mormonism, with its initial constituency taken from apostate Baptists and Methodists—for the origin of the Book of Mormon, literary product of a worn out Presbyterian minister turned would-be novelist—for the rise of the founder, a rag-tag-money-digger and undefeated champion liar—for a resume of the extra-biblical Mormon…