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…

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and fill of glory:  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of…

Perhaps, youthful friend, you recall that in my contributions to this column I am attempting to answer certain questions presented to me by the young people in my congregation. It so happens in the providence of God that I have just finished a sermon for the coming Lord’s Day on…

6 a.m. on Tuesday, February 9, 1971. The moon was setting in the west just as the sun was rising in the east. This was the day for the return of the astronauts from the moon with the proud boast of what man had once more accomplished. This was also…

As we mentioned last time, some of our churches are engaged in church extension work which should be of general interest. Perhaps as good a way as any of passing along information concerning that of the Loveland congregation would be to quote from several of that church’s July and August…

Rev. George Lanting, president of the previous Classis, led the Classis in its opening devotions by reading John 17 and by addressing the Classis from this passage. Eleven of the twelve churches in the Classis West were represented at Classis. Oak Lawn sent the Classis a letter expressing regret at their inability…

For the sake of clarity in our discussion, I will quote again the questions raised in our last issue by a reader from Holland, Michigan: “Today one reads much about the new theology, neo-orthodoxy, and recent scientific data which compels theologians to accept new exegetical ideas in regard to the…

From the very beginning, the great Reformation of the Church in the 16th century concerned itself also with the education of the children of believers in the schools. It condemned the existing schools and their education of the children, and proposed new schools in which the education of the children…

The day of October 22, 1844 was rapidly approaching. Expectation had been rising within the hearts of many. There was anticipation; a longing that this day of October 22 would quickly come. Some had sold their possessions and their homes. Some farmers had neglected their fields. Some who bought and…

(For children and teen-agers, and especially for young people.)  Catechisms are once more in full swing.  Some of you are going for the first time; some are more familiar with catechism, some are veterans. You have your memory work, the lessons in your workbook, your other assignments and your weekly…

Salvation is of the Lord; it is from God alone. To Him be the glory, majesty, power and dominion, both now and forevermore! For He is the God of all glory and of grace. Out of Him, through Him, and unto Him are all things. This is particularly true when…

Quite suddenly we moved from the “Atomic Age” to the “Space Age.” So quickly does time fly. So quickly are we speeding toward the end of the ages.  Looking at the matter from another point of view, observing the change in family life and the social structure someone once said,…

In this article we would call attention to the views of Origen with respect to the doctrine of atonement. Concerning this church father Philip Schaff, in hisHistory of the Christian Church, writes in Vol. II, 786-787:

“OF MANY VERSIONS” In a recent issue of “The Banner of Truth” appeared a reprint from “Missionary Monthly” written by John R. De Witt in which he makes some interesting comments on the proliferation of Bible translations. Some of these comments are worth sharing with our readers.  After making it…

In connection with our discussion of Bible translations, several of our readers called my attention to a little tract published by a certain Missionary J.J. Ray, Junction City, Oregon. This tract is a defense of the King James Version over against all other translations and versions solely on the basis…

“Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west:  I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; …

We have a requested announcement that is, for this column, rather unusual in that it’s advance news. “The Reformation and the Unchaining of the Scriptures”—if the lecture is as good as the title (and with Prof. Hanko speaking, it no doubt will be), you’ll certainly want to be at First Church of…

ANNUAL SECRETARY’S REPORT—RFPA  Society Members and Friends of the Ref. Free Publishing Asso.  Dear Brethren,  In the past year the Board has labored harmoniously in executing the task of publishing the Standard Bearerunder the able leadership of our president, Richard Teitsma.

The living church, who lives a godly life and keeps her garments unspotted from the world, lives a truly eschatological life of hope. She has her eyes riveted upon the celestial city of God. She lives in the hope of one day seeing God; the joy of the perfect day…

Are Our Professors Eligible To Be Called? From a Grand Rapids reader comes this question:  “Are the professors at our seminary eligible to be called by one of our congregations? If so, please explain how this is possible, especially after they have received a permanent appointment. Is this appointment after…

But do you want Him to come again? You have no choice, of course. But do you want Him to come again? Are you eager to hear the sound of the trumpet, to see the glory of His righteousness? Or does the thought give you now already a dread and…

As I sit here writing, fires are still raging out of control in many areas round about us. Hot Santa Anna winds have seared the already dry and thirsty hillsides, ravines and canyons. Bone dry brush and grasses need but a spark to change the country into a roaring inferno.…

MCINTIRE AND KY—A WICKED ALLIANCE  Anyone who has read the daily newspapers the last couple of weeks has noted that Dr. Carl McIntire has received publicity in the national press which goes beyond anything he has heretofore received. This publicity is due to the fact that McIntire invited Vice-president Ky…

[NOTE: The following address was delivered on the occasion of the beginning of the new term at the Theological School of the Protestant Reformed Churches, at “Seminary Night,” Sept. 9, at our Hope Protestant Reformed Church. For the convenience of our readers, we also quote the Scripture passage referred to, which…

The first volume of The Triple Knowledge is on the way!

“For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish.”  Psalm 1:6

Incoming news from the churches has been dwindling a little lately; so let’s try some from the schools. You probably know that Hope Protestant Reformed School, of Grand Rapids, looks considerably different than it did a year ago at this time. A building program has resulted in another classroom, a…

But besides, also the latter is not a valid conclusion. It is very much a question whether this child was so young that he had not already manifested in his life that good which was found in him before the Lord. We get the opposite impression when we read that…

THE SEEMING CONTRADICTIONS REFUTED CONCERNING THE TERM “WORLD” Always in the history of the church in the world there have been those who pervert the Scriptures to their own destruction. Every heretic likes to quote his selected Scripture passages without any regard to the total message of the Scriptures.

“…Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; And Mizpah: for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.”  Genesis 31:48, 49

Before calling attention to the development of the doctrine of the atonement in the second period of the church (this period is not characterized by too much development of this doctrine), it might be well to summarize what we covered until now. First, we have a clear presentation of this…

When last did you see a saint?  The question is not, Did you ever see a saint?  You certainly did see a saint or two, yea, undoubtedly, a host of them in your life time. There are, you know, seven thousand of them that have not bowed the knee to…

Recently a couple of issues of Trowel and Sword came into my hands. This paper, edited by Prof. Klaas Runia, is of the Reformed Churches in Australia. In an issue which I did not see, Prof. K. Runia discussed the question of the “historicity” of the early chapters of Genesis. In this…

The Reformation’s early and urgent concern for the Christian education of the children was due in part of the threats that endangered this education. One threat was the existing schools. During the Middle Ages, the Church established and controlled the schools. The teachers were priests and monks. As a result,…

Our thoughts travel back through the pages of history; back to the sixteenth century as we hum the familiar words, Faith of our fathers, living still. . . . 

Of practical interest to our Michigan readers, but of general interest to us all because of our concern for covenantal education, is Proposal C, which will be voted on in the November election in Michigan. This is a proposed amendment to the Michigan Constitution which will make parochiaid impossible. The…

Reformation Day, 1970 marks the 453rd anniversary of the Great Reformation. It also marks the 352nd anniversary of the Great Synod of Dordrecht. To the discerning Reformed Christian, the Synod of Dordrecht, noted, of course, chiefly for the Canons of Dordrecht, was not only involved in the never-ending process of…

“And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant. .…

It seems that the big item in the news in many of our churches a couple of weeks ago was that of public lectures. In the Loveland Community Building, on October 29, Rev. Engelsma spoke on “a theme related to the great Reformation of the Church, which is commemorated on…

[Editor’s Note: This is the text of an address delivered. at the annual meeting of the Reformed Free Publishing Association on Sept. 24, 1970 at the Southwest Protestant Reformed Church of Grand Rapids. This address will appear in two installments.]. 

The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;  And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before…

In the first installment of this series it was shown that all spiritual blessings go to the elect, and only to the elect, and that all blessings flow from the one fountain of election. Now hear Calvin on this point. “We shall never be clearly convinced as we ought to…

Freedom is a big word among the youth.  It has become the shibboleth to the NOW generation. 

A Question About “Believers And Their Seed” From a reader in Wyoming, Mich. comes the following question:  “I am confused by the article “Believers And Their Seed” by Rev. Herman Hoeksema in the Aug. 1, 1970 article of the Standard Bearer. 

Dear Rev. VanBaren: We are grateful for your kindness in publishing our letter concerning your account of “Father Groppi at Calvin College.” We also appreciated your reply, which we feel has done a great deal to clarify the differences between us. We must now observe, however, that in stating those…

[Note: In the previous issue attention was called to the symbolism of the heart, to the identity of the heart—sovereign predestination,—and to the importance of the heart and its beat.]

We goofed! If I believed in gremlins, I would say there was a bad gremlin sitting on my typewriter when the last issue was prepared, and that he traveled to the typesetter’s office and to the print shop. I refer to the obvious mistake on the cover of the last…

“For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.”  II Corinthians 4:15

Rev. M. Schipper presided over the opening devotions, and declared the Classis properly constituted. Noticeably absent from the October meetings were the Revs. Lubber, Kortering, Harbach, and Veldman. The Rev. Lubbers having moved to Jamaica, the Rev. Kortering to Hull, the Rev. Harbach was also in Jamaica, and the Rev.…

In our preceding article we noted that, according to Philip Schaff in his History of the Christian Church, Vol. II, 583 ff., the apostolic scriptures everywhere bear witness of the salvation wrought through Christ, but that it required time for the profound ideas of a Paul and a John to…