Rev. Hanko is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. Previous article in this series: December 1, 2006, p. 103. The Fourth Disputation: Chapter 2:17-3:6 (continued) 3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge…

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Winning One for the Lord? Sunday, February 4, 2007 was “Super Bowl Sunday.” It is considered by many to be the greatest, most important sporting event of the year in the United States. Millions watch. Some, doubtlessly, stayed home…

Rev. Smit is pastor of Immanuel Protestant Reformed Church in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. The apostle Paul warns us in the book of Galatians to avoid two extremes: on the one hand, the error of believing and living as though justification is by faith and also by and because of our…

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Denomination Activities A delegation from our denomination’s Contact Committee, consisting of Prof. R. Dykstra and Mr. Peter Vander Schaaf, accompanied by their wives, left July 6 for a two-week visit to Europe. These men had a full…

Prof. Cammenga is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. “When ministers of the divine Word, elders, or deacons have committed any public, gross sin which is a disgrace to the church or worthy of punishment by the authorities, the elders and deacons shall immediately, by…

Mrs. Miersma is the wife of Rev. Thomas Miersma, missionary in Spokane, Washington. Previous article in this series: August 2007, p. 446. As we draw these articles on royal children to a close, we will look briefly at one additional means to develop our ability to deal with the written…

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. “The Science of Addiction” The cover story in Timemagazine of July 16, 2007 had the above title. The article pointed out the serious problems of addiction in society. It was not written from any sort of spiritual perspective. The article…

Rev. denHartog is pastor of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church in Grandville, Michigan. Previous article in this series: March 1, 2007, p. 255. In our last three articles we have been considering some of the great statements the inspired apostle Paul makes in I Corinthians 9:15-21. Paul is speaking as the greatest…

* This article is the text of the commencement address delivered by Prof. Dykstra at the graduation of Seminarian Nathan Langerak on June 14, 2007 in Trinity PRC. Introduction Tonight a milestone is reached. A man who becomes convicted that God calls him to be a minister of the Word…

Rev. VanOverloop is pastor of Byron Center Protestant Reformed Church in Byron Center, Michigan. “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; in hope of eternal life, which God, that…

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Young Adult Activities The “News” thanks Rev. R. Smit and a young lady who attended this retreat for providing the following summary for the readers of the SB. The Young Adults of Immanuel PRC in Lacombe, AB, Canada…

Reprinted from When Thou Sittest In Thine House, by Abraham Kuyper, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1929. Used by permission of Eerdmans Publishing Co. (The first part of this chapter on contentment appeared in the June 2007 issue, p. 399.) Godliness with satisfaction is great gain,” wrote…

Mr. Kalsbeek is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. Previous article in this series: June 2007, p. 394. “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to…

Rev. Hanko is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. Previous article in this series: July 2007, p. 426. The Sixth Disputation, Chapters 3:13-4:3 (continued) 4:1. For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall…

Prof. Hanko is professor emeritus of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Previous article in this series: July 2007, p. 419. As I noted earlier, the Federal Vision has its roots in the heresy of a conditional covenant. It emphasizes that it is a doctrine that…

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. Previous article in this series: August 2007, p. 444. We have seen that in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper God is pleased to sit at the feast table with us. The table of our Lord is the…

* Not Anabaptist, But Reformed was a pamphlet written by Danhof and Hoeksema in 1923 as a “Provisional Response to Rev. Jan Karel Van Baalen Co * Not Anabaptist, But Reformed was a pamphlet written by Danhof and Hoeksema in 1923 as a “Provisional Response to Rev. Jan Karel Van…

Prof. Engelsma is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Previous article in this series: June 2007, p. 397. Calvin’s Influence In confessing that election governs the covenant, as they did at the very beginning of their history, particularly in the “[Reformed] Form for the Administration…

I am so glad to see an article in this month’s Standard Bearer(July 2007) on the heresy of the Federal Vision doctrine. I ask that you please convey to the author to remember that some of us are not of the intellectual frame and would like a ‘Federal Vision for Dummies’…

Previous article in this series: August 2007, p. 437. In the past two issues of the magazine, the editorials treated what I called the “admittedly sensitive” subject of elders working with ministers for the improvement of the preaching. The first article noted that the Reformed Church Order, the Questions for…

With the October 1, 2007 issue, the annual subscription rate of the Standard Bearer will increase to $21 (domestic) and $25 (foreign). This is the first increase since 1995. The Board of the Reformed Free Publishing Association recently made this decision because on July 15, 2007 the mailing rate increased by 23%…

Rev. Slopsema is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Continue in prayer…” Colossians 4:2 The apostle Paul has already exhorted the believers in Colosse in this epistle to live a godly, sanctified life. They are to put off the old man with its sinful deeds and…

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Congregation Activities The consistory of the Immanuel PRC in Lacombe, AB, Canada recently informed their congregation of their decision to discontinue, for the present time, the investigation of a church building addition. This decision was taken because,…

Rev. Kleyn is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. Previous article in this series: April 15, 2007, p. 327. Of all the elements of worship, none is more important to the believer than the preaching. True preaching is not simply something the child of God is interested…

Rev. Langerak is pastor of Southeast Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A cup is rather mundane. At least four times per year we hear, “the cup of blessing which we bless . . . .” But we often forget about the cup itself because of the element inside.…

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Randolph, Wisconsin. Collecting the alms . . . distributing them to the poor according to their needs… visiting and comforting the distressed . . . keeping in touch with other civil or social organizations who also care for the poor…

Mrs. Miersma is the wife of Rev. Thomas Miersma, missionary in Spokane, Washington. Previous article in this series: April 1, 2007, p. 300. Last time we began to look at developing in ourselves and our children the ability to read the written word and listen to the spoken word with…

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. Previous article in this series: June 2007, p. 392. Its Rich Symbolism he elements of the Lord’s Supper are very familiar to us. We understand that the bread and the wine symbolize Christ’s broken body and shed blood.…

Rev. Kleyn is pastor of Trinity Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan. The CRC Synod and Women in Office Two days after the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) celebrated its 150th anniversary, its synod voted to strike the word “male” from the church order requirement for officebearers. Church Order revisions require…

Thank you so much for your special Sabbath issue of May 2007! It was very informative and declared even the position of Calvin, of which I was unaware. But why consider Calvin to be weak and faltering in his position on the fourth commandment? Does not it grace this Reformed…

In the June 1 issue of theStandard Bearer, the editorial held out the admittedly sensitive proposal that minister and elders work together for the improvement of the preaching. In the summer meetings, when consistory agendas may be shorter, the men may take time to discuss calmly the preaching and how…

Rev. VanderWal is pastor of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Redlands, California. Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in…

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Congregation Activities Members of the Immanuel Ladies Guild of the Immanuel PRC in Lacombe, AB, Canada invited all the ladies of their congregation, as well as the ladies of neighboring First PRC in Edmonton, to a Spring…

May 9, 2007 Classis East met in a very brief session on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 at the Grace PRC. Reports were heard from the Stated Clerk and the Classical Committee. One matter of discipline was discussed in closed session. Expenses of this classis amounted to $532.79. Classis will meet…

Rev. Hanko is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. Previous article in this series: May 15, 2005, p. 374. The Sixth Disputation, Chapters 3:13-4:3 (continued) 16. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book…

Prof. Cammenga is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. “Whenever anyone who has been excommunicated desires to become reconciled to the church in the way of repentance, it shall be announced to the congregation, either before the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, or at some…

A Word to Our Churches¹  The conflict in our churches is gradually focusing on the subject of grace, and especially on what bears the name “common grace” among us. This has been expected for a long time already. The controversy in our midst has actually focused on this point already…

With this issue, the Standard Bearer begins running the translation of a seventy-two page pamphlet written in the Dutch by the Reverends Henry Danhof and Herman Hoeksema. The title in Dutch isNiet Doopersch Maar Gereformeerd. It bears no date, but it was almost certainly printed in 1923. The Reverends Danhof and Hoeksema…

Prof. Hanko is professor emeritus of Church History and New Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Introduction The church of the new dispensation, in its struggles to defend the truth of God’s Word, has had to defend one doctrine above all others, for it is the one doctrine that, more…

I am enjoying your bimonthly magazine, the Standard Bearer, and look forward to more thought-provoking articles. I would like to zero in on the article “The Scripture Reading” (April 15, 2007), by Rev. Daniel Kleyn, not to be critical, but to add a dimension not expressed in the article. I…

With thankful and humble hearts, the Protestant Reformed Churches and her friends may reflect on God’s goodness to her through the meeting of her annual synod. Under the able leadership of veteran president Rev. J. Slopsema (pastor of First PRC, Grand Rapids, MI), and witnessed by many visitors, Synod 2007…

Rev. VanOverloop is pastor of Byron Center Protestant Reformed Church in Byron Center, Michigan. This Meditation is the text of the pre-synodical sermon preached by Rev. VanOverloop on June 11, 2007. “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are…

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Evangelism Activities The Evangelism Committee of First PRC in Grand Rapids, MI recently printed a brochure containing information about their church and what they believe. It was hoped that greeters and others in their congregation would give…

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Randolph, Wisconsin. Previous article in this series: April 1, 2007, p. 297. In our last article, supposing that we were allowed to observe a meeting of the deacons, we saw them open with prayer, count the offerings from the last…

Rev. Miersma is western home missionary of the Protestant Reformed Churches. Previous article in this series: April 15, 2007, p. 329. When our Lord went preaching and teaching in Galilee and performing wonders, He was fulfilling His Father’s will and His own calling. Jesus labored in the consciousness, not only…

Reprinted from When Thou Sittest In Thine House, by Abraham Kuyper, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1929. Used by permission of Eerdmans Publishing Co. Home Happiness o thy way,” so says the Preacher (Eccl. 9:7), “eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry…

Prof. Engelsma is professor of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. Previous article in this series: May 15, 2007. p. 370. Covenant and Election in Romans 9 (cont.)  The conditionality of the covenant promise, and therefore the inherent weakness of the covenant promise, is not the solution to…

Mr. Kalsbeek is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. Previous article in this series: March 15, 2007, p. 273. “And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought…

Rev. Key is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. Having considered the sacrament of baptism, we now give our attention to the second of the two sacraments instituted by Christ in the New Testament. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper follows from and is closely related to…

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. “Christian Gays” Assert Themselves Considerable attention has been given in press accounts to a “Christian gay-rights” group called “Soulforce,” which has been visiting Christian college campuses across the country. Recently they have appeared in the Grand Rapids, MI area…