The duty that the Canons have in mind is the duty of preaching and the duty of listening and taking heed to the gospel with its admonitions (and never forget that the preaching comes also to the preacher; he not only preaches to the congregation, but he also preaches to himself). The word duty (officium) could be translated as office, but its meaning is wider than that.Read More
Last time I asked, “Is that the only thing—the call to believe, and possibly, repent—that God uses to preserve, continue, and perfect his work of grace in us (Canons 5.14)?” My answer is absolutely not! God uses the admonition of Matthew 5:24 to confer upon us the grace to reconcile with our brother, even though...
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In the last blog post, I made a distinction, following Ursinus, between the bare law without the gospel (which is the killing letter of 2 Corinthians 3:6) and the law with the gospel, which is effectual by the work of the Spirit in the heart of the child of God, so that he, by the grace of God conferred to him, begins to obey the law.Read More
If you were paying careful attention to the Canons and looked them up, and I hope that you make a practice of doing that, you might have thought that I changed the Canons last time. In the English version of Canons 5:14 we read of “the hearing and reading of His (God’s) Word, by meditation thereon, and by exhortations, threatenings, and promises thereof.” I wrote, “The exhortations, threatenings, and promises of the gospel.” Which is it, “the exhortations of the Word” or “the exhortations of the gospel”? And is there an important difference or distinction?Read More
The following is a Standard Bearer meditation called "Ascension Thoughts" by Gerrit Vos, published in 1956 for the Standard BearerVol 32 Issue 16. May it lead you today and through this week to reflect on the meaning and the hope of Ascension Day.Read More
If God’s grace works in rational, moral creatures “endowed with understanding and will” (Canons 3-4.16), how does God’s grace operate? He works by means of admonitions. Of course, he does because you cannot admonish a stock or a block, but you can admonish—and God does admonish—a rational, moral creature; a living, thinking, willing human being, whether man, woman, young person, or child. “Grace,” we read, in Canons 3-4.17, is conferred.Read More
The following review was written by seminarian Arend Haveman on Life in the covenant: in Family, Church, and World by Wilbur Bruinsma (Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing, 2023). Life in the Covenant is the believer's guide to a proper worldview as member of God’s covenant. “God’s covenant is...Read More
The truth that “grace is conferred by means of admonitions” (Canons 3-4.17) is often misunderstood. How can grace, we wonder, be conferred? And how can it be conferred by means of admonitions? Is grace not the unmerited favor of God by which we are saved? And do we not all agree that “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9)?Read More
IN THIS ISSUE:
—Feature article: Coming this spring: The Ten Commandments for Children (now available for preorder)—Coming in 2023! I Believe: Sermons on the Apostles' Creed—Translator videos—Life in the Covenant by Wilbur Bruinsma now available—Ignited by the Word and The Standard Bearer—Association Meeting: Joyce Holstege, "Doctrinal Devotions for Littles"—2022 Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting
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Canons 3-4.17 was written in response to an Arminian objection to the sovereignty of God’s grace in regeneration and conversion. If, as the Reformed faith teaches, God saves man by working regeneration in him without his will, why is preaching necessary? To that the Reformed answer is and has always been quite simple: the sovereign God who ordains the end (salvation) also ordains the means (in this case, the means of grace, especially the preaching of the gospel).Read More
The following review was written by seminarian Matt Koerner on Say Among the Heathen the Lord Reigns: Evidences in Southeast Asia by Jean Kortering (Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing, 2022). With passion, humor, and insight, Jean Kortering’s book tells the stories of her own experiences as a pastor’s wife during a time in which he served in foreign lands, as well as stories of some of those to whom they ministered during those years. Originally written for Kortering’s grandchildren as a gift...
With Easter just a few weeks away, we encourage you to take some time today to reflect on the life and death of Christ. The following is a Standard Bearer meditation "The Lamb of God" by Herman Veldman, published in 1939 for the Standard Bearer Vol 15 Issue 11. It was written during the Lenten season nearly 90 years ago, but remains as valuable now as it was then.Read More
On March 13, author David Engelsma was featured on the podcast"Conversations That Matter" to explain the heart of his book Christianizing the World, Kuyper's doctrine of "Common Grace," and its impact on modern evangelicalism. The links to that podcast and to the book featured in the discussion are included below.Read More
By Rev. Martyn McGeown A review on The Reformed Lord's Supper Form: A Commentary ________ In 2016 the Reformed Free Publishing Association presented to the English-speaking world a translation by the late Dr. Annemie Godbehere of Baastian Wielenga’s (1873-1949) Commentary on the Reformed Baptism Form. Now seven years later the same publisher presents to us a second treasure, a translation of Wielenga’s Commentary on the Reformed Lord’s Supper Form, this time by Dr. H. David Schuringa. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper...
