All Articles For Contending for the Faith

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Chruch of Kalamazoo, Michigan. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.  Romans 9:6, 7 In the September issue of Christian Renewal, there appeared an artic& by Rev. Jelle Tuininga reflecting on some of my recent writings concerning the Liberated view of the covenant. With this I am rather pleased, if for no other reason than that, when one writes, he seeks to put thoughts into words which can be...

Rev. Woudenberg is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.  Ephesians 1:5 A few days ago I received from Mr. Roelof Jansen of Inheritance Publications a copy of a new book he has published which includes within it a translation of Dr. Klaas Schilder’s booklet, Extra-Scriptural Binding – A New Danger. This work appeared originally as a series of articles in De Reformatie criticizing the “Brief Declaration of Principles” soon after it was drawn up by the Protestant...

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. The following letter was received in response to our recent articles: Dear Editor: I have some questions concerning Rev. Woudenberg’s views on the covenant expressed in the Standard Bearers of Sept. l/95, p. 493 and Oct. l/95, p. 13. It is not at all clear to me how he understands the baptism of children born into a covenant home. Are they baptized as children in the covenant as heirs of the promise? Or does baptism only signify that they are members of God’s church? Can we make such...

Rev. Woudenberg is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. And be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. I Peter 3:15 On looking at the Brief Declaration of Principles, which was drawn up by the Protestant Reformed synod in 1950, one might wonder at its claim to be “brief.” In its original form it appeared as a full pamphlet by itself, and one reading it today goes through a full 24 pages of very solid material as it appears in...

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. A recent issue of Christian Renewal contained a second response of Rev. Jelle Tuininga to my recent articles concerning children in the covenant, which I believe brings out the differences between us and the Liberated Churches better than I alone can describe it. Accordingly, I here present both his letter and my answer. The Rev. Woudenberg has favored me with a gracious response, and I would like one more opportunity to reply to him.  1.History: Just what happened between Schilder and Hoeksema, and what caused what has been...

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. We recently received a copy of an article (which has by this time probably appeared in print) written by Dr. J. DeJong, editor of the Clarion magazine of the Canadian Reformed Churches, the Canadian wing of the Liberated Churches. I was happy to receive it; for, if we are to gain a full understanding of this important chapter of our history, it is important that we understand also how those on the Liberated side of these issues perceive the matters with which we have been concerned. His article read...

Rev. Woudenberg is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.  Isaiah 53:4 In recent articles we have considered various biblical texts dealing with predestination from two different points of view, those appearing to fit the pattern of what is called Infralapsarianism, and others that of Supralapsarianism. The problem is that, even while both are found in Scripture, they are usually looked upon as mutually...

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. As our last article we published an editorial by Dr. J. DeJong from the Clarion magazine of the Canadian Reformed Churches, reflecting on what I had written in the Christian Renewal. In this editorial Dr. DeJong focused on the historical aspect of our studies, and especially on what I had said about the centrally important 1949 letter of Prof. B. Holwerda. This is well; but, if we are to gain a correct perspective on this letter, I believe it is necessary to review the history behind it, which...

Rev. Woudenberg is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was in the months following Schilder’s visit that the first indications of difficulty began to come to the surface. The difficulty was first with Schilder himself. If he had really believed our differences to be only a matter of terminology, was it not to be expected that on his return to the Netherlands he would have begun to explain the essential similarities between our positions, and thus work toward developing a common terminology which would bring us together? Instead, however, his writings went on as though his...

Rev. Woudenberg is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Romans 9:8 As I mentioned a few months ago, Mr. Roelof Janssen from Inheritance Publications sent me a copy of their new book, American Secession Theologians on Covenant and Baptism & Extra-Scriptural Binding — A New Danger, evidently with the intention that I should comment on it. The second part of this book consists of Dr. Klaas Schilder’s reflections on our “Declaration of...