UNDERGROUND CHURCHES In the Grand Rapids Press of Saturday, August 16, an article appeared on the church page written by Carl Strikwerda which reported on the establishment of “underground churches” in the area. The article reads as follows:
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…
CHRIST ENTERED ONCE INTO THE HOLY PLACE BY HIS OWN BLOOD (Hebrews 9:11-12)
We concluded our preceding article by calling attention to Point Three of the Three Points of 1924 and expressing the conviction that this conception is in violent conflict with all the writings of Calvin. In II, 2, 6, toward the close of this paragraph, Calvin writes: “And this liberty is…
Fear is here! And though we wanted it otherwise, we brought it with us into the new year. Putting up a new calendar, calling the month by a different name, and the year by another number does not take away the fears we had in the year that is gone…
In our preceding article, we called attention to the fact that the Word of God does not separate the things that are present and earthly from the things that are eternal, and surely teaches us to view them in the light of each other. And we maintain that this is…
ATTACKS ON PAPAL INFALLIBILITY The Second Vatican Council which had begun its meetings under Pope John and finished them under Pope Paul had discussed at some length the problem of papal authority. It had adopted the principle of “shared authority”, i.e., the principle that the pope shared his authority in…
In the same article from in de rechte straat mentioned in the editorial “Flight From The Telephone” a very important aspect of doctrinal controversy is touched on by Editor Hegger. And both because it is of importance in all controversy and because it is of special importance in the current controversy against…
In one of the Dutch papers, in de rechte straat, (Nov., 1969) there is reported a tragic instance of the sad state of affairs in the Gereformeerde Kerken, an instance at the same time of the reckless manner in which certain leading figures express themselves publicly to the detriment of the churches.…
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5, 6
A congregational meeting of our church in Doon, Iowa, was held on February 24 to choose a minister from the following trio: Rev. M. Schipper, Rev. G. VanBaren, and Rev. J. Kortering. At the time of this writing, the Express was still on its way to Grand Rapids with news…
With a Classis report as long as that one, we’re going to have to be rather selective in our choice of news items for this issue, and save the rest for next time. Rev. Heys writes that he plans his Farewell Sermon for April 19, and that he’s “booked up…
In the second head of doctrine in these Canons, the fathers, dealing with the doctrine of the death of Christ upon the cross, set forth the doctrine of limited or particular atonement, and they emphatically (please note this emphasis as we underscore) endorse this manifestation of the love of God…
It seems that the choir of Covenant Christian High, under the direction of Mr. R. Petersen is acquiring some renown. On May 26 they traveled to Kalamazoo to perform there in a program sponsored by the Kalamazoo Protestant Reformed Church. And on May 19 they went even further—out of state,…
But if you hold fast to the organic idea, then all the difficulties disappear. Then you have here the one people which is nevertheless twofold; one vineyard which nevertheless brings forth a twofold fruit. From the viewpoint of its good kernel, that vineyard is the object of God’s favor. For…
THE ROAD AHEAD: A Theology for the Church in Mission, John H. Piet; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970; 103 pp., $1.95 (paper). That there is room in present day literature coming from the ecclesiastical press for a book on the theology of missions is almost a truism. Such a…
The broadest ecclesiastical assembly off our Churches finished its work late Wednesday afternoon, June 10. If measured according to the standards which men apply to ecclesiastical assemblies, it was, presumably, not a very important meeting. There were no press reporters at the meeting and no articles were to be found…
Do you read your Bible? Likely you wonder whether I am addressing this question to you. Maybe you even wonder why this question should be put to any reader of the Standard Bearer. Is it not a presupposition that any one who reads this paper also reads his Bible? Yet now…
Justin Martyr was a Gentile, but born in Samaria, near Jacob’s well. The date of his birth is uncertain, but may be fixed about A.D. 114. His father and grandfather were probably of Roman origin. Before his conversion to Christianity he studied in the schools of the philosophers, searching after…
THE LORD’S JUST WAYS IN THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL (Ezekiel 18:25-30)
In his epistle to the Ephesians Paul points out that by His cross and Spirit Christ has broken down the middle wall of partition between the Jews and the Gentiles.
Recently a reader of The Standard Bearer sent me a copy of the Gospel According to John, A Contemporary Translation, produced by the Committee on Bible Translation, associated with the New York Bible Society. Some of our readers may already know that Dr. Edwin Palmer, formerly pastor of Grandville Avenue Christian Reformed Church…
Textual Index. There is nothing very glamorous about a textual index; it contains a large number of statistics, and it represents a great amount of tedious and painstaking labor. Yet a good index can be a very helpful item and a big time-saver for anyone doing research, especially over a…
In connection with Dr. K. Runia’s thoughts on “The Joy of Systematic Theology” (“The Banner,” June 20, 1969, pp. 18, 19), I cannot escape the impression that underlying all that he writes is a faulty understanding of the very nature and task of dogmatics. It is true that Dr. Runia…
There are two very closely related aspects of government subsidy to non-public schools (and particularly to our Christian, covenantal schools) which we must still consider. One aspect is that of any possible government control which might be involved; the other aspect, inseparably connected, is that of the principles of education…
“To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. “ I Peter 1:4, 5
From a trio which included Revs. R. Decker, D. Engelsma, and R. Harbach, our South Holland, Illinois congregation has extended a call to Rev. R. Decker to become their pastor. In answer to the call of Southwest Church Diaconate for used clothing for the Jamaican needy, Rev. Moore’s people utilized…
HOLY BOOK AND HOLY TRADITION, edited by F.F. Bruce and E.G. Rupp; W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968; 244 pp., $5.95. This book contains a series of papers delivered at the International Colloquium held in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Manchester. The purpose of the conference is…
ng attention to the doctrine of a common grace as set forth in the writings of John Calvin, we concluded our previous article by noting that Calvin does not only speak of a common grace which is shown to the entire creation, without any distinction, but he also speaks of…
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
It is far from my intention to write an extensive account of all the mission endeavors performed throughout the world, particularly in the past few centuries. Volumes have been written on only phases of this work, and therefore it would be useless to attempt to summarize it. Moreover, our chief…
Did you notice in the above Classis Report the decision taken to adopt a fine idea with which to open each Classical gathering?
Report of Classis West, convened in Randolph, Wisconsin on September 3, 1969 Classis West of the Protestant Reformed Churches met in Randolph, Wisconsin on September 3, 1969. Rev. Dale H. Kuiper presided over this meeting of Classis. The twelve churches in Classis West were represented by eight ministers and thirteen…
It is with thanksgiving to our faithful God, Who through His Spirit and grace has enabled us to continue the publication of the Standard Bearer, that we make this report.
UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES, by A. De Gruff and C. Seerveld; The Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship; 1969; 92 pp., $1.65 Canadian funds (paper). The sub-title of this book is “How to Read and not to Read the Bible.” It is part of the Christian Perspective Series of 1969…
But matters surely do not stand thus. Adam in Paradise stands in God’s covenant. He also possesses life. Moreover, only in the way of obedience will he be able to keep the life which he possesses. But eternal life is neither in him nor of him. That is life such…
So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
The World Council of Churches, meeting at Uppsala, Sweden in 1968, had as its general theme, “Behold, I make all things new.” The gathering produced and adopted six reports related to that theme. The first of these six reports I consider in this article. The report treats “The Holy Spirit…
It was suggested at Synod in June that the report which the emissaries of 1968 filed with the Mission Committee, and which was read at the 1969 Synod, be published so that our people could “get the feel” of the work being accomplished on the Island of Jamaica.
From time to time the Standard Bearer has reported and commented on the situation in the Netherlands, particularly in the Gereformeerde Kerken. This is done for more than one reason. Partly, the reason is a general interest in and concern about trends and developments in the Reformed community at large.…
Elsewhere in this issue the annual reports of the Board of our Reformed Free Publishing Association appear. Your editor delivered a brief speech at the rather poorly attended annual meeting, and was asked to place this speech in the Standard Bearer. This will appear in a later issue, D.V.
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” I Corinthians 1:18
Rev. R. Decker, of Doon, Iowa, has accepted the call extended him by our church in South Holland, IL; and, Doon has already named a trio from which they will choose one to fill Rev. Decker’s place: the Revs. D. Kuiper, D. Engelsma and H. Veldman.
The Rev. R.C. Harbach, who presided over the July meeting of Classis, led in the opening devotions. After the Credentials of the various delegates were accepted, he pronounced the Classis properly constituted, and turned the hammer over to Rev. J.A. Heys, who then addressed the Classis with a few chosen…
CAPTIVE TO THE WORD, by A. Skevington Wood; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969; 192 pp., $4.50.
We state this once because we are indeed of the conviction that here is one of the most fundamental principles of a Scriptural and Reformed presentation, and because a thoroughly unscriptural and un-Reformed view has already for a long time found acceptance among our people. The so-called covenant of works…
Thus far we gave you part of the report of the emissaries to Jamaica of 1968. In that report the days from June 25 through July 7 were treated and now we continue from there as the labors shift to the western end of the island, some 100 miles away…
Covenant youth should consider it a challenge to try to understand the reasonings that lie behind modern day behavior. I’m confident that responsible young people, who love the Lord and desire to be students of His Word, view life seriously. If we take a superficial attitude, we will quite naturally…