The following review was written by Kevin Huizinga on the book Here We Stand: 500th Anniversary of the Reformation by various authors, edited by Prof. Ron Cammenga (Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing, 2018). This review was originally published in the October 2023 issue of The Grandville Gleaner.
"Here We Stand," a variation on Martin Luther's powerful concluding statement from his speech at the Diet of Worms, is an appropriate title for this book and theme for the event it summarizes. In October of 2017, a conference was held to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the great Reformation. Spread over two days, it included six different speeches which were then adapted by the speakers into written form. Each section highlights a different aspect of one of the most significant events of Christ's church on this earth.
The reformation of the church is God’s work. God loves His church with an everlasting, unquenchable love. God’s eternal counsel with regard to His church includes not only the selection of every member, but also the entire history of the church through time and eternity. That earthly history includes times of reformation in His church. In His perfect wisdom, God determines a process of apostasy, that is, that the church that once maintained the teaching and practices of the Bible, over a period of time, departs from biblical standards. Such departure always involves doctrinalapostasy, setting aside the truth for the lie. It spreads into worship,defiling the worship with idolatrous practices. The corruption spreads to the church’s government,which often takes on the form of a hierarchy that oppresses those who criticize the church for her errors and godless living. And finally, the apostasy manifests itself in the livesof the members, who learn to transgress with the approval of the church.Read More
The Lord’s Supper in the dialogue of worship was not always understood the scriptural way we have described it in these articles. In our previous article we examined how Rome views the Lord’s Supper in worship. In this article we want to understand how and why the Reformation was used of God to restore the church to a proper understanding of the Lord’s Supper in worship.
Restoration of the gospel
When the Reformation returned the church to the truth of the gospel, everything changed also in worship. In God’s sovereign mercy, Martin Luther, who had access to Scripture, began to see the truth of the Word of God. Particularly, he saw that Scripture taught the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on the cross that effectually atoned for the sins of all His people, so that they are justified by an imputed, alien righteousness alone.
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Prof. Ronald Cammenga talks about the recent book he edited: Here We Stand: Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.
Retail: $14.25 | 208 pages | softcover
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“Crossing the Tiber” is an old expression describing what a Protestant does when he leaves the Reformation faith for the Roman Catholic fold. The Tiber River ran alongside old Rome; to get to Rome, one crossed it. Thus, “crossing the Tiber” refers to entering the Roman Catholic enclave. Today, descendants of our Reformed fathers gather on the banks of the Tiber River, preparing to cross. Such a strong movement toward Rome is astounding, but should not be surprising. The simple...
Recently we celebrated the five-hundredth anniversary of the great Reformation of the sixteenth century. Through this powerful work of God, the church was placed back on the foundations of the scriptures and anchored in the cornerstone, Jesus Christ. This highlights another responsibility that we have as active members of the church militant. Our responsibility is, when necessary, to engage in the reformation of the church. One of the principles that we hold dear as Reformed believers is semper reformanda: the church...
Today from 4-6 pm EST, Prof. David J. Engelsma will be interviewed by Christopher Amzen on his radio program “Iron Sharpens Iron."
The subject will be his recent book, Gospel Truth of Justification. Visit www.ironsharpensironradio.com and click on live stream to tune in and listen from any device. The program can also be listened to by phone (563)999-9206, following the prompts and press #3 for Christian Radio.
Be sure to tune in later today. You don't want to miss it!
This coming Monday, November 27, Prof. David J. Engelsma will be interviewed by Christopher Amzen on his radio program “Iron Sharpens Iron” from 4-6 pm EST.
The subject will be his recent book, Gospel Truth of Justification. Visit www.ironsharpensironradio.com and click on the livestream box to tune in and listen from any device. The program can also be listened to by phone at (563)999-9206; press #3 for Christian Radio when prompted.
Be sure to tune in Monday!
Today from 4-6 pm EST, Prof. David J. Engelsma will be interviewed by Christopher Amzen on his radio program “Iron Sharpens Iron."
The subject will be his recent book, Gospel Truth of Justification. Visit www.ironsharpensironradio.com and click on live stream to tune in and listen from any device. The program can also be listened to by phone (563)999-9206, following the prompts and press #3 for Christian Radio.
Be sure to tune in later today. You don't want to miss it!
The third question of the Reformed baptism form states that parents are called to “instruct” their children in the “aforesaid doctrine” to “the utmost” of their power. The aforesaid doctrine is comprised of the teachings of the Bible and the Reformed Confessions. This year we celebrate the five-hundredth anniversary of the great Reformation. One of the five “solas” of the Reformation was sola scriptura or “Scripture alone.” Glory to God alone (soli Deo Gloria) that at this late date in history...
This week Thursday, November 16 (note the date change), Prof. David J. Engelsma will be interviewed by Christopher Amzen on his radio program “Iron Sharpens Iron” from 4-6 pm EST. He will also be interviewed on Monday, November 27, from 4-6 pm EST. The subject for both of these interviews will be Professor Engelsma’s recent book, the Gospel Truth of Justification and they will build on Mr. Arnzen’s previous interview of Professor Engelsma in September 2017. You can go to...
2017 RFPA Annual Meeting
"After 500 Years: What about James on Justification?"Prof. David J. Engelsma
Date given: 09-28-2017
Location: Southwest Protestant Reformed Church (Wyoming, MI)
NOTE: The audio recording ends after the secretary report. However, the video is a recording of the entire meeting.
Free Audio Download
Free Video
