All Articles For Letters

Dear editors, I would like to express my appreciation for the editorial by Rev. Josh Engelsma in the November (2025) issue of the Standard Bearer (“A Warning to the PRCA Against Legalism”). His article points us to the very real threat of legalism, manifested by denominational pride and dead orthodoxy, which are among the greatest dangers that conservative Reformed and Presbyterian churches face. In addition to his timely diagnosis of the problem, I also appreciated his prescription for addressing it—a continuous call for members of the church to personal faith in Jesus Christ and a deeper understanding of the beautiful...

Dear Professor Gritters, I am writing in response to your article in the February 2025 [SB] issue, entitled: “If My Brother Sin… The Potent Medicine of Matthew 18 (4).” Under the heading of “Who are the ‘Witnesses?’” you wrote, “In 1 Timothy 5:19 Paul uses one of these when he warns not to receive an accusation against an elder without two or three witnesses. These are witnesses of the elder’s sin.” You then went on to explain that Matthew 18, on the other hand, does not require witnesses to the offender’s sin, but only to establish the words and facts...

RESPONSE TO “A REACTIONARY BODY” I would like to respond to Professor Cory Griess’ articles, “A Reactionary Body” in the Standard Bearer (December 2024, p. 105). The editor does not specifically identify the cause of the reactionary state found in the PRC, so that if I am mistaken in my response I would apologize in advance. I would like to model the editor’s approach by comparing this state to a person who receives the diagnosis of cancer. There is evidence of cancer in the body that must be addressed. Compared to the whole body, the cancerous parts are relatively small:...

Greetings Standard Bearer, I would like to encourage Rev. Josh Engelsma in his writings in the August 2024 issue of the Standard Bearer and his reference to the passive and active obedience of Christ. Christ’s one complete work. Especially, as it relates to our recent and historical doctrinal denominational disputes. I also want to pass along to other readers who may be interested in some of the references that have helped me better understand and appreciate the significance of Christ’s obedience as it relates to our daily walk and resulting peace of heart and mind. 1. “The Obedience of Christ,”...

Dear Standard Bearer, The word arsenokoitès occurs twice in the New Testament, namely in I Corinthians 6:9 and I Timothy 1:10. It is a combination of two words, namely arsen and koitè. Arsen is a male, and koitè is a lying down to sleep, derived from the verb koimao, to lie down to sleep. These are the words that the Septuagint uses for the translation of the words zakar, mishkab, and shakab in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. Thus there is no denying that the word arsenokoitès is based on these two verses in Leviticus. And indeed, whether the word arsenokoitès...

Dear Rev. McGeown, I am looking for clarification regarding some state­ments in your recent article in the Standard Bearer, “Saving faith: Given to Believe” (March 1, 2024). I understand faith in its activity, which the article ex­plains well, and faith as a bond. My concern regards the section on the faculty of faith regarding our ingrafting into Christ and the role of faith in this “process,” espe­cially viewing faith in its activity. My understanding of ingrafting as referenced in Romans 11 is that we who were branches, dead in sin, are ingrafted into the living tree that is Christ. As...

Thank you! I have enjoyed in my reading and even studying, the Standard Bearer. I don’t have the words to express my appreciation. I saved my copy of November 15, 2022—Vol. 99, No.4—titled “The Reformation’s Recovery of Justification by Faith Alone.” It’s a little bit worn. A great read in loaning out to others. Justification in the blood of Jesus, J.R.G. [prisoner in Texas]   Questions concerning treatment of disciplined members Editor’s note: In response to a recent editorial, a reader began correspondence with the author. The editors decided that this correspondence could be useful for many readers. With permission of...

Asleep at the (theological) switch Our thanks to an alert reader from the UK who pointed out a significant error in the October 1 issue (“The Belgic Confession and Missions [5]”). Athanasius was included among the “heretics and false teachers” (mentioned by name in Belgic Confession, Article 9) who denied the doctrine of the Trinity. Of course, Athanasius is mentioned at the end of Article 9, not as one of the heretics but as the (supposed) author of the creed that defends the doctrine of the Trinity.

A reader raised a question with me about a statement in my January 15, 2023 Standard Bearer article, the fifth installment in Antinomians? Without a Doubt. The statement in question concerns my quote and interpretation of what Calvin says in his commentary on Zechariah 8:15-16. The quote from Calvin reads:  And hence we may gather a general truth—that God cannot be intreated by us [notice, cannot], except we begin to repent; not that our repentance anticipates God’s mercy, for the question here is not, what man of himself and of his own inclination can do; as the object of Zechariah...

Forgiveness in eternity and in time In your recent article “Antinomians? Without a doubt (7)” (SB, volume 99, July 2023), you remark regarding the eternal nature of the forgiveness of sins: First, “If we present ourselves to God for pardon, it is evident that pardon takes place in time and not in eternity” (p. 424). Second, “If seeking God’s forgiveness is to be a response to the experience of His heavy hand on us, clearly God’s forgiveness takes place in our lifetime and not eternally” (p. 425). Finally, “For if forgiveness takes place in eternity, what need is there for...