Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. John 14:23 Lord, how is it? Such was the question that had arisen in the heart…

My previous article on the subject here under treatment was a free translation of all those scriptures that set forth the laws governing the sin offering. The bulk of the legislation contained in these scriptures has already been dealt with in the articles on the subject, “Sacrifice by Blood.” Before…

Having been asked to contribute a few articles this summer for our Standard Bearer, I gladly do this, though I am not an associate editor. And I thought it about time that we get some information to our reading public concerning the situation in our western churches. We propose to…

A Dangerous Principle. The exegetic trend revealed in the article of the Rev. Zwier in “De Wachter” of May 10, must be considered positively dangerous. That Scripture need not at all times be harmonized, that the question need and may not always be asked, “How do you reconcile those teachings?”…

Blessed are the strong who can hold their own. That is one of the ideals of the world. In the race for armament, the rulers of the world put forth a grand display of their ability and power. Today, more than ever before, the principle to be strong and to…

In the Rev. Vermeer’s article “News From Our Western Churches,” there was a misrepresentation concerning our newest congregation at Edgerton in its relation to the Christian school. I refer to the following sentence: “And before I finish in Edgerton, let me add that this congregation is 100 percent for the…

“Prayer Ruts” is the caption of an editorial appearing in The Banner for September 1, 1938. The writing is from the pen of the Editor-in-Chief and reads in part as follows, “We ministers of the gospel must confess that we have not always been mindful of the injunction of the…

The foregoing article on this subject was an explanation in regard to what the sin offering begot for those in respect to whose sin or sins it was brought. We now turn to the ritual of this offering and first to that part of it that had to do with…

When God created us He set us in the very midst of all the works of His hands and bade us to serve Him withal. We stand today too in the midst of creation. Turn which way we will, we always have to assume an attitude toward the things of…

When we speak of science as contrary to faith, we would not leave the impression that they exclude one another, that there is an essential distinction between the two. This is emphatically untrue. To the contrary, true science and faith embrace one another, so that the one is possible only…

To a layman’s mind there occur still a few more facts that must be taken into consideration if we would explain the present economic situation. They concern particularly the modern industrial system. The first of these facts is the vast and extremely speedy production of commodities that are thrown on…

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we are all the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8 A plea! But now, O Lord! There is another side to our case, Thy side, the divine, the eternal, the unchangeable side, the…

Let us briefly explain the above-cited scripture. It forms the final link in the sacred writer’s chain of reasoning that the ceremonies of Moses’ law have waxed old and vanished away and that the believers whom this epistle directly concern shall eject them from their service and be occupied solely…

In the previous article on this subject we were occupied with the action of the blood; of the sin offering. From scriptures already quoted we learned that on ordinary occasions the blood was collected by the priest and sprinkled by him upon the altar round about. The significance of this…

Wrote the apostle John to his fellow Christians, “Little children it is the last hour. . . .” He here had reference to a period that set in with the advent of Christ and that will end with Christ’s second coming. Another designation of this period is the term “New…

Man is always standing in the Crisis. He is evermore in the critical moment in which, as a moral-rational creature, he has been placed by the Holy One! And man, the image-bearer of the thrice holy God, can never escape this divine crisis. He always, in all his thoughts, words…

In the recent article of Rev. L. Vermeer entitled “News from our Western Churches,” in the paragraph inquiring “as to the welfare of our church in Sioux Center” (cf. Standard Bearer of Sept. 1), there are statements that are apt to leave unfavorable impressions of my pastorate in Sioux Center.…

You all know what, in the literal sense of the word, is meant by the term Yankee Dutch. It is a mixture of the Holland and American languages, sometimes resulting almost in a new language, a language all by itself. There used to be people that, having immigrated from the…

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known. I Cor. 13:12 In this scripture the apostle compares the now with the then, the present with the future, the earthy with…

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother has ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matt. 5:23, 24 Let us now briefly…

There are a number of Protestant Reformed ministers who have passed on to their eternal home, leaving dear widowed wives behind to await the time of their homecoming while they continue to serve the Lord and His people. Do you know how many of these wives remain? Answer later in…

Unfolding Covenant History: From Samuel to Solomon (vol. 6), by David J. Engelsma. Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing Association, 2020. $28.95. 224 pages, hardcover. [Reviewed by Rev. David Noorman, pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Wyoming, Michigan.] As any reader of the first five volumes of the Unfolding Covenant…

Previous article in this series: January 15, 2020, p. 14. In our previous article we noted that the significant doctrinal differences between Reformed and Arminian churches result in differences in their mission work. The overarching difference is that while the Arminian approach is individualistic, the Reformed approach is covenantal. This…

Previous article in this series: February 1, 2020, p. 210. Not all godly men will be husbands, and not all godly men will be fathers. But, ordinarily, God’s will is that a man marry and have children. He must know, then, what it means to be a faithful husband and…

Previous article in this series: February 15 2020, p. 229. Having examined the nature of the believer’s good works, we now turn our attention to the historically contentious subject of the function of good works. We know what good works are as the fruits that proceed from the good root…

Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 43 Q. What is required in the ninth commandment? A. That I bear false witness against no man, nor falsify any man’s words; that I be no backbiter, nor slanderer; that I do not judge, nor join in condemning any man rashly or unheard; but that…

Most of us know the seven “I am” passages of John (the Bread of life; the Light of the world; the Door; the Good Shepherd; the Vine; the Resurrection and the Life; the Way, the Truth, and the Life), and even that there are ten if you include “I am,”…

Since taking on the role of contributor to the “All Around Us” rubric for the Standard Bearer, I have regularly taken notice of articles in the media on the subject of the government’s surveillance of its citizenry. It is on this topic that I write, and for reasons that will…

In May of 2017, the editorial reviewing Synod 2017 was entitled, “The Pain and Profit of Protests.” I called attention to the reality that although protests and appeals are very painful, their presence and proper treatment are indications “that the churches are healthy and well.” Members who believe to have…

“Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house….” Psalm 128:3a It is rather strange, if not ironic, that an annual “Mother’s Day” is so widely observed in our times. When we examine current trends and projections for the future, we see that for many—both…

The explanation of the sin offering has been brought to completion. The offering next in order and the one to which attention is now to be directed is the trespass offering. In the original the name found for this offering is the word asham, the primary meaning of which is…

For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that He died for all that they which live should henceforth not live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again. 2 Cor. 5:14,…

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Job. 38:1-3 Moreover the Lord answered Job and said, Shall he that…

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead: from…

The law of this offering is contained in Lev.1. It reads as follows: “And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto…

Now, as I remarked, I am not at present interested in Yankee-Dutch in the literal sense of the word. I wanted to call your attention to the very real and always present peril of Yankee-Dutch in doctrine and in our practical walk of life. The first is plainly suggested by…

The debate between Job and his three friends begins with chapter four and ends with chapter thirty-one. It is formed of three distinct groups of discourses. The first discourse in each group is of Eliphaz, the second of Bildad and the third of Zophar; but in the last group no…

The astounding truth so little cherished by the Church, so often obscured by the philosophies of man, yet so richly attested by the Word of God is, that all things are now already even as they ever shall be. That is, that the Church possesses now in principle all things…

In the September issue of De Heraut, H. V., writing on “Hot Ambt Aller Geloovigen” uses a figure which only too conspicuously describes the Church-life in many of our churches today. H. V. is agitating against the corrupt conception many people entertain in respect to the Church and its function…

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews…

On the evening of Oct. 20, a League Meeting of all the Men’s Societies of our Prot. Ref. Churches of Grand Rapids and vicinity was held in the parlors of the First Prot. Ref. Church. This meeting was opened by the President, Mr. A. C. Boerkoel, by reading I Peter…

The name found in the original for this species of sacrifice is shelamim, singular shelem. According to some commentators, shelem is derived from the Kal shalem, the sense and meaning of which is: to be whole, entire; to be safe, sound, secure actually and in one’s own mind; to be…

Spoken at the meeting of the Men’s League, Thursday, October 20. Topic assigned by the Board. Into this form my subject has at last evolved. When the “Church News” announced the subject the first time it read: “Should we use our Christian Influence in Civic Affairs?” This was too vague.…

Utterances of Jesus, by William Dau. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Mich. Price $1.00. This book of one hundred sixty pages contains a series of addresses or brief sermons on various sayings of Jesus found in the New Testament. Many of them are quite sound, based on exegesis of the…

So reads the question that was given the undersigned by the League of Men’s Societies—a question that was answered on the last meeting of the League. And the request was to publish the answer in this magazine. The publication of this article is a compliance with this request. It would…

The language of Eliphaz is not one of gentle reproof but of suspicion and of harsh crimination. This has been shown—shown that the conviction of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar is, that Job has fallen and has been walking in the customary gross sins of the wicked. To this conviction Eliphaz…

Jesus had begun His ministry. We cannot be very certain as to the exact happenings before the events took place that are given in Mark 1, but so much is sure, He had filled His days with many labors. And all these labors left Jesus very tired indeed. They were…

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people. And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the…

In the previous article under the above caption the false view of Job’s critics was exposed and examined. These critics maintain that without exception every wicked and thus reprobated personage receives in this life his full measure of punishment—a punishment that consists in just the kind of calamity and pain…

In regard to the atonement of Christ our Reformed theology, in distinction from all others, maintains that it is particular. This doctrine of Particular Atonement as being thoroughly Scriptural is beautifully enunciated in one of our Reformed Standards, n.l., the Canons of Dordt, over against the teachings of Arminianism. The…