January/February, 2016

Transcrição

BANNER
THE
OF SOVEREIGN GRACE TRUTH
What Is Disability?
When Your
World Changes
Mid-Morning
Alzheimer’s
and Faith
A PERIODICAL FOR FAMILIES
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
l
VOL. 24, NO. 1
THE BANNER OF
SOVEREIGN GRACE TRUTH
Publication Number (ISSN 10726357)
Official Publication of the Heritage Reformed denomination.
Typeset at Grand Rapids, Michigan (Gardner Graphics);
printed at Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grandville Printing).
Subscription price for six issues per year: $25.00 in the United
States. $30.00 in Canada, payable in U.S. funds. To foreign
countries $35.00 (surface mail) or $65.00 (air mail), payable
in U.S. funds. Rates listed are for one year subscriptions.
Dr. Joel R. Beeke, Editor
2965 Leonard Street NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525
(616) 977-0599; fax (616) 285-3246
e-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Robert D. Johnson, Assistant Editor
Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven, Assistant Editor
Rev. David VanBrugge, Assistant Editor
Office of Publication
540 Crescent Street NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503-3402
(616) 977-4304; fax (616) 285-3246
e-mail: [email protected]
Copy for the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth is due the 5th of
the month prior to publication. All copy (including announcements, obituaries, anniversary notices, and ads) should be sent
to the editor. All announcements submitted for publication
should be typed, and are subject to editorial policy. Communications relating to subscriptions should be addressed to the
subscription manager. Change of address should be forwarded
to the subscription manager one month in advance of moving
date. Please provide both new and old address.
PERIODICAL Postage is Paid at Grand Rapids, Michigan.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to “The Banner of
Sove reign Grace Truth,” 540 Crescent Street NE, Grand
Rapids, Michigan 49503.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
For a list of printed Reformed literature, write: Reformation
Heritage Books, 2965 Leonard Street NE, Grand Rapids,
Michigan 49525, or visit our on-line bookstore at www.heritagebooks.org; 616-977-0889.
For free sermons write: Inheritance Publishers, P.O. Box
1334, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501.
For free sermons and radio messages of HRC ministers write:
The Gospel Trumpet, 540 Crescent Street NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503.
For tract distribution write: Banner of Truth Tract Mission,
540 Crescent Street NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503.
For distribution of tapes (sermons, lectures, classes, etc.)
write: “The Tape Room,” 540 Crescent Street NE, Grand
Rapids, Michigan 49503.
For material related to theological training write: Puritan
Reformed Theological Seminary, 2965 Leonard Street NE,
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525; 616-977-0599; www.puritan
seminary.org; [email protected].
For HRC mission and evangelistic work, contact Glad Tidings, Jane Korevaar at [email protected].
In all publications, the Heritage Reformed denomination
aims to remain true to inerrant Scripture and its Reformed
heritage as expounded in the Reformed doctrinal standards:
the Belgic Confession (1561), Heidelberg Catechism (1563),
Canons of Dordt (1618–1619), and the Westminster Standards of the 1640s (the Westminster Confession of Faith,
and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms).
For additional information on HRC ministries, please visit
our website at www.heritagereformed.com.
CONTENTS
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 • Vol. 24, No. 1
MEDITATION
A New Land, A New Year | Rev. Michael Fintelman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EDITORIAL | Dr. Joel R. Beeke
My Top Ten Puritan Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
QUESTIONS ANSWERED FOR TEENS | James W. Beeke
Child of God | Sanctification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE STUDY | Dr. Michael Barrett
The Danger of Religion: A Warning from Jeremiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE STUDY | Dr. Gerald Bilkes
Studies in John (10): The Shining Shepherd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY | Dr. David Murray
Nothing In, Nothing Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Why Should We Sing Psalms? (2) | Dr. Joel R. Beeke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Courage and Compassion | Burk Parsons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT
What Is Disability? | Rev. David Van Brugge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kingdom Policy for the Disabled | Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Grace Displayed | Kara Dedert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Brave New World? | Irene VandenBerg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
These Children Also | Paula Roth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When Your World Changes Mid-Morning | Pam Maartense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Peace Haven | Fredericka Pronk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Alzheimer’s and Faith | Rev. Jan Neels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
EXPERIENTIAL CHRISTIANITY
We Are Now in the Wilderness | James Buchanan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Faith in Christ (12) | George Lawson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BOOK TALK | Dr. Joel R. Beeke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES | Norm Bomer
Who Was Mohammed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
MEDITATION FOR CHILDREN | Kara Dedert
Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BIBLE QUIZ FOR CHILDREN | Elina VanderZwaag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
STORY FOR CHILDREN | Andrea Scholten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW | John Goudzwaard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CORNER FOR TEENS | Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven/Rev. David VanBrugge
The Preeminence of Christ (10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
POEM | Horatius Bonar
When the Weary, Seeking Rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
4
7
8
10
12
13
15
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
33
34
36
37
38
39
40
42
43
44
With this issue, we commence a new year of BSGTs, with a slightly new cover look, a
48-page rather than 32-page presentation per issue, a bimonthly rather than ten issues per
year, and best of all, two new, energetic assistant editors to help us: Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven and Rev. David VanBrugge, my colleagues in the Grand Rapids HRC. These
brothers will be responsible for the middle sixteen pages of each issue devoted to a particular
theme. The theme of this issue is “Disability”—a theme that should be dear to all of our
hearts if we have been conformed in any substantial degree to Jesus who was and is always
reaching out to the needy, and a theme about which there is still considerable ignorance and
erroneous views in Christian circles. I trust you will find these articles to be informative,
challenging, and helpful. Welcome aboard, assistant editors. And to you, faithful readers,
may you enjoy the BSGT more than ever before and prayerfully consider giving a one year’s
gift subscription to one or more family members or friends!
—Editor
MEDITATION | REV. MICHAEL FINTELMAN
A New Land,
A New Year
A land which the L ORD thy God
careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy
God are always upon it, from the
beginning of the year even unto
the end of the year.
—Deuteronomy 11:12
The Lord is an accomplished artist. He often paints pictures,
beautiful word pictures, in His Word. He paints the picture
of the Red Sea deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians to
illustrate salvation from sin through Christ. He beautifully paints the picture of manna to illustrate the ongoing
provision of Christ (Ps. 78:24). He also paints the scene of
the promised land of Canaan as a picture of heaven (Heb.
11:14–16). The Promised Land is a picture of new territory
a sinner enters having been delivered by grace.
In Deuteronomy 11, we read of the Israelites preparing
to enter into the Promised Land. The land had difficulties
and setbacks sprinkled throughout, but it was also a land
flowing with milk and honey (v. 9). That expression paints
the picture of the rich abundance that the people of God
have in Christ. Bearing that in mind, Deuteronomy 11:12
tells us at least three things which have very encouraging
applications.
We are told that the Promised Land was “a land which
the L ORD thy God cares for” (v. 12). The territory into
which Israel was about to enter illustrates the spiritual territory a delivered sinner enters. We are told it is cared for
by the Lord our God. Our way is not unknown territory
to the Lord; He knows every mountain, every valley, every
peaceful plain. As we enter this new year, the Lord God
reminds us that from the beginning of the year to the end,
and all the way through our earthly pilgrimage, we are in
God’s care. That is why we are to cast our burdens upon
the Lord, knowing that He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7). He also
provides for His church. He provided Israel manna, protection, guidance, and encouragement. Still today, He promises
to do so when we love Him, trust in Him, and walk in His
ways (cf. vv. 1, 13).
The text also tells us “the eyes of the LORD thy God are
always upon it”—that is, the land. The Lord’s eyes see all.
He never slumbers nor sleeps (Ps. 121:4). He sees our circumstances. He sees our dangers. He sees our temptations.
He sees our sins. He sees our distresses and burdens. He sees
our tears. He sees our joy. Man sees the outward appearance, but the Lord looks upon the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).
This should cause us both humble submission and great joy
as this new year unfolds. It should cause humble submission because the sinful inclination of our hearts grieves the
Lord’s holy heart (Gen. 6:6). But the truth that the Lord
sees all should also cause us great joy! David confessed with
humble joy in Psalm 139, “Thou knowest my downsitting
and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar
off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and
art acquainted with all my ways…. Such knowledge is too
wonderful for me” (vv. 2–3, 6).
The Lord our God also sees the end of this new year
the same way He sees the beginning of it. From our vantage point in time and history, we see only the present; but
the Lord is eternal and therefore sees from His divine and
eternal perspective. One day to Him is as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day (2 Pet. 3:8). He knows what
this new year holds for us even as we stand on the threshold
of it. How this all-knowing foresight of the Lord should
cause us to flee to Him for grace, strength, and guidance
each new day!
During each one of our years, the Lord God is there.
We may have friends who are there for us sometimes but are
absent at other times—both in times of sorrow and rejoicing. But the eternal Friend (John 15:15) is always near! He
has promised never to leave nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). May
this word of promise strengthen us as we move forward into
“a land [and territory] which the LORD thy God careth for”
and be encouraged that “the eyes of the LORD thy God are
always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto
the end of the year.”
Rev. Michael Fintelman is pastor of the Heritage Reformed Congregation in
Plymouth, Wisconsin.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth 3
EDITORIAL | DR. JOEL R. BEEKE
My Top Ten
PURITAN
Authors
The most common question I have
received from lovers of Puritan literature
over the last four decades is, “What are
your favorite Puritan authors?” Here is
my answer.
1
Anthony Burgess (d. 1664): My favorite Puritan to
read recently has been Anthony Burgess, vicar of Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, from 1635 to 1662. In my
opinion, he is the most underrated Puritan of all time. I
once asked Iain Murray why Burgess was not included in the
nineteenth-century sets of the works of the best Puritans;
he responded that Burgess was the greatest glaring omission
from those reprints.
In fifteen years (1646–1661), Burgess wrote at least a
dozen books based largely on his sermons and lectures.
His writings reveal a scholarly acquaintance with Aristotle,
Seneca, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin. He made
judicious use of Greek and Latin quotations while reasoning
in the plain style of Puritan preaching. He was a cultured
scholar and experimental preacher who produced astute,
warm, devotional writings.
Burgess’s best and largest work, Spiritual Refining:
The Anatomy of True and False Conversion (1652–54)—two
volumes of 1,100 pages—has been called an “unequaled
anatomy of experimental religion.” The first volume, subtitled A Treatise of Grace and Assurance, contains 120 sermons;
the second, subtitled A Treatise of Sin, with its Causes, Differences, Mitigations and Aggravations, contains 42 sermons.
Burgess masterfully separated the precious from the vile
in The Godly Man’s Choice, based on thirteen sermons on
Psalm 4:6–8. His detailed exegesis in his 145-sermon work
on John 17, his 300-page commentary on 1 Corinthians 3,
and his 700-page commentary on 2 Corinthians 1 are heartwarming. Several of Burgess’s major works are polemical.
His first major treatise, Vindiciae Legis (1646), based on
twenty-nine lectures given at Lawrence-Jewry, vindicated
the Puritan view of the moral law and the covenants of
works and grace in opposition to Roman Catholics, Arminians, Socinians, and Antinomians. Two years later, Burgess
wrote against the same opponents, plus Baxter, in his first
4 The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
volume on justification. He refuted Baxter’s work for its
Arminian tendencies in arguing for a process of justification
that involves the cooperation of divine grace with human
works. His second volume on justification, which appeared
six years later (1654), discusses the natural righteousness of
God and the imputed righteousness of Christ. Those two
volumes contain seventy-five sermons. His 555-page Doctrine of Original Sin (1659) drew Anabaptists into the fray.
2
Thomas Goodwin (1600–1679): For twenty years,
my favorite Puritan writer was Thomas Goodwin.
Goodwin’s 12-volume Works most recently reprinted by
Reformation Heritage Books (12 vols.) is a treasure trove of
experiential Reformed divinity at its best.
Goodwin’s exegesis is massive; he leaves no stone
unturned. His first editors (1681) said of his work: “He had
a genius to dive into the bottom of points, to ‘study them
down,’ as he used to express it, not contenting himself with
superficial knowledge, without wading into the depths of
things.” One does need patience to read Goodwin; however, along with depth and prolixity, he offers a wonderful
sense of warmth and experience. A reader’s patience will
be amply rewarded. Begin by reading some of the shorter,
more practical writings of Goodwin, such as Patience and Its
Perfect Work, which includes four sermons on James 1:1–5.
This book was written after much of Goodwin’s personal
library was destroyed by fire (Works, 2:429–67). It contains
much practical instruction on the spirit of submission. Then
read Certain Select Cases Resolved, which offers three experiential treatises that reveal Goodwin’s pastoral heart for
afflicted Christians. Each deals with specific struggles in
the believer’s soul: (a) “A Child of Light Walking in Darkness” encourages the spiritually depressed based on Isaiah
50:10–11 (3:241–350). The subtitle summarizes its contents: “A Treatise Shewing The Causes by which, The Cases
wherein, and the Ends for which, God Leaves His Children
to Distress of Conscience, Together with Directions How
to Walk so as to Come Forth of Such a Condition”; (b)
“The Return of Prayers,” based on Psalm 85:8, is a uniquely
practical work. It offers help in ascertaining “God’s answers
to our prayers” (3:353–429); (c) “The Trial of a Christian’s
Growth” (3:433–506), based on John 15:1–2, centers on
sanctification, specifically mortification and vivification.
This is a mini-classic on spiritual growth.
3
John Owen (1616–1683): This author’s sixteen vol-
umes of works, seven volumes on Hebrews, and a book
titled Biblical Theology, make up a learned library. The sixteen-volume set, which is a reprint of the 1850–55 Goold
edition, includes the following:
Doctrinal (vols. 1–5). The most noteworthy works in these
volumes are: On the Person and Glory of Christ (vol. 1); Communion with God (vol. 2); Discourse on the Holy Spirit (vol. 3);
and Justification by Faith (vol. 5). Mastery of these works,
Spurgeon wrote, “is to be a profound theologian.”
Practical (vols. 6–9). Especially worthy here are Mortification of Sin, Temptation, Exposition of Psalm 130 (vol. 6); and
Spiritual-Mindedness (vol. 7). Volumes 8 and 9 comprise sermons. These books are suitable for the educated layperson
and have immense practical applications.
Controversial (vols. 10–16). Noteworthy are The Death of
Death in the Death of Christ and Divine Justice (vol. 10); The
Doctrine of the Saints’ Perseverance (vol. 11); True Nature of a
Gospel Church and The Divine Original of the Scriptures (vol.
16). Several works in this section have historical significance
(particularly those written against Arminianism and Socinianism) but tend to be tedious for a non-theologian.
Owen’s wide range of subjects, insightful writing, exhaustive
doctrinal studies, profound theology, and warm devotional
approach explain why I and so many others regard his work
with such high esteem. Owen may be wordy on occasion, but
he is never dry. His works are invaluable for all who wish to
explore the rich legacy left by one who is often called “Prince
of the Puritans.”
I was most influenced by Owen when I spent the summer of 1985 studying his views on assurance. The two books
that influenced me most were Owen’s treatment of Psalm
130, particularly verse 4, and his amazing Communion with
God, which focuses on experiential communion between a
believer and individual persons of the Trinity.
4
Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758): A class at West-
5
William Perkins (1558–1602): Perkins’s vision of
6
Thomas Watson (c. 1620–1686): Watson was my
minster Theological Seminary, taught by Sam Logan,
motivated me to read most of Edwards’s two-volume works
in 1983. His sermons convicted and comforted me beyond
words. What a master wordsmith Edwards was!
More than sixty volumes of Edwards’s writings have
been published in the last fifty years. The two books that
influenced me most were Religious Affections, which is often
regarded as the leading classic in American history on spiritual life, and Edwards’s sermons on justification by faith.
Earlier, I was greatly influenced by The Life and Diary of
David Brainerd.
I was touched by Edwards’s concept of “fittedness”
throughout his writings, and have often found that concept
a great tool for leadership and decision-making. Edwards
grounded this concept in God: a God who is always fitting will guide His people to want to do what is fitting in
each life situation to bring Him the most glory. Hence, we
must ask of every decision we face: What is most fitting in
God’s sight according to His Word? What will bring God
the most honor?
reform for the church combined with his intellect, piety,
writing, spiritual counseling, and communication skills
helped set the tone for the seventeenth-century Puritan
accent on Reformed, experiential truth and self-examination, and Puritan arguments against Roman Catholicism and
Arminianism. Perkins as rhetorician, expositor, theologian,
and pastor became the principle architect of the Puritan
movement. By the time of his death, Perkins’s writings in
England were outselling those of John Calvin, Theodore
Beza, and Henry Bullinger combined. He “moulded the
piety of a whole nation,” H.C. Porter said. Little wonder,
then, that Perkins is often called the father of Puritanism.
Perkins first influenced me while I was studying assurance of faith for my doctoral dissertation. Ten years later,
his Art of Prophesying, a short homiletic textbook for Puritan
seminarians, helped me understand how to address listeners
according to their various cases of conscience. My appreciation for Perkins has increased over the years. I am thoroughly
enjoying spending more time reading his works as general
editor with Derek Thomas on a ten-volume reprint of Perkins’s works, of which two volumes are now in print.
favorite Puritan after I was converted in my mid-teens.
I read his Body of Divinity as a daily devotional. His All
Things for Good was a wonderful balm for my troubled soul
in a period of intense affliction in the early 1980s. His winsome writing includes deep doctrine, clear expression, warm
spirituality, appropriate applications, and colorful illustrations. I love his pithy, quotable style of writing.
7
Thomas Brooks (1608–1680): Brooks became my
favorite Puritan writer in my late teens. His Precious
Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, The Mute Christian Under
the Smarting Rod, Heaven on Earth: A Treatise on Assurance,
“The Unsearchable Riches of Christ” (vol. 3), “The Crown
and Glory of Christianity” (vol. 4)—a classic on holiness
consisting of 58 sermons on Hebrews 12:14—all ministered to me. Brooks’s books are real page-turners. He often
brought me to tears of joy over Christ and tears of sorrow
over sin. His writings exude spiritual life and power.
8
John Flavel (1628–1691): With the exception of Jon-
athan Edwards, no Puritan divine was more helpful for
me as a young minister preparing sermons than Flavel. His
sermons on Christ’s suffering also greatly blessed my soul.
What lover of Puritan literature has not been blessed by
Flavel’s classics: The Mystery of Providence, Keeping the Heart,
The Fountain of Life, Christ Knocking at the Door of the Heart,
and The Method of Grace?
9
John Bunyan (1628–1688): When I was nine years
old and first experienced a period of conviction of sin,
I read Bunyan’s The Life and Death of Mr. Badman. When I
saw the book in my father’s bookcase, I figured that since I
had such a bad heart, that book must be for me!
More importantly, my father read Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s
Progress to us every Sunday evening after church. When
he finished, he started over. I must have listened to that
book fifteen times. From the age of fourteen on, I would
ask questions about how the Holy Spirit works in the soul,
about Mr. Talkative, the Man in the Iron Cage, the House
of the Interpreter, and scores of other characters and matters. My father often wept as he answered my questions.
When I became a minister, I realized what a rare gift those
sessions were. Forty years later, illustrations from Bunyan’s
great classic still come to mind while I’m preaching.
10
Thomas Vincent (1634–1678): When we find ourselves cold and listless, Vincent can help kindle the
fire of Christian love. Just try reading The True Christian’s
Love to the Unseen Christ (1677) without having your affections raised to heavenly places and yearning to love Christ
more. Let The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen Christ be
your frequent companion.
Only a handful of Vincent’s writings were ever published,
and of those, only six have been reprinted in the past fifty
years. In addition to The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen
Christ, Vincent wrote The Shorter Catechism Explained from
Scripture (1673), a very helpful book for young people and
children; and The Good Work Begun (1673), an evangelistic
book for young people, explaining how God saves sinners
and preserves them for Himself. Three additional books
by Vincent are more solemn treatises. They include God’s
Terrible Voice in the City (1667), an eyewitness account of
London’s Great Fire and Great Plague and an analysis of
how God judges wickedness in a city; Christ’s Certain and
Sudden Appearance to Judgment (1667), which was also written after the Great Fire of London and was designed to
prepare sinners for the great and terrible Day of the Lord;
and Fire and Brimstone (1670) was written to warn sinners to
flee the wrath to come. All of these titles, minus The Shorter
Catechism, were reprinted by Soli Deo Gloria Publications
from 1991 to 2001.
Vincent’s works are uniquely refreshing. He used the
English language in a captivating way to glorify God and
strike at the heart of Christians. It is no wonder that Vincent’s works were bestsellers in the eighteenth century.
Dr. Joel R. Beeke is president and professor of Systematic Theology and
Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, and a pastor of the
Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
CHILD OF GOD
What do people mean when they ask if someone is a “child of God”?
Suggested Reading: John 1:12–13; Romans 8:14–17 and Galatians 4:5–7
In one sense, everyone is a child of God because everyone
is a marvelous work of God’s creating wisdom and power
(Ps. 139:14). In a second sense, all people who are born
into or attend church and are outward members of the
church are children of God; they are set apart from all
others on earth to be brought up in an outward or external covenant relationship with God (Deut. 14:1–2; 1 Cor.
7:13–14). When people ask, however, if someone is a “child
of God” they generally mean, Is this person saved? Does he
have saving faith? Does he genuinely love and serve God
wholeheartedly?
When a person is saved by God’s wonderful grace, he
becomes a child of God in two ways:
1. Spiritually: The person is born again. A new spiritual
birth takes place when the Holy Spirit plants new spiritual
life in a spiritually dead sinner’s heart and he is regenerated.
2. Legally: By legal adoption. The person is adopted into
the family of God as one of His children. All his former
debts are paid and he is justified.
To picture legal adoption, imagine a poor, orphaned boy
with no home living off the street in a large city. He steals
food on a regular basis to stay alive. He is quick and the
vendors haven’t been able to catch him, but one day one of
the vendors does and yells to the others, “I got him, this
little thief!” The others gather around this squirming boy,
held tightly in the vendor’s strong arms. A loud commotion
ensues as the vendors gather around, one yelling over the
top of the other.
In the commotion, no one notices that the king is riding by, and he stops to see what is causing the commotion.
When the vendors see the king, it suddenly becomes very
quiet. After asking one of the vendors some questions and
speaking intently with the boy, the king understands the
situation. He asks the vendors how much this boy owes
them for everything he has stolen, and then he generously
pays every vendor all the boy’s debts. Then he turns to the
amazed boy and gently says, “Come with me. I want you to
live with me. I want to adopt you as one of my sons!”
When a person becomes a child of God, this type of
amazing exchange happens! A debt-ridden, lost, and hopeless sinner experiences a miracle, something that seems too
good to be true! All his or her debts are paid and he or she
is adopted as a child of God.
Are you, by God’s adopting grace, a child of God? If so, what results of adoption will be witnessed
in your life? How are these fruits in your life the result of the spiritual side of adoption?
SANCTIFICATION
What is meant by the word “sanctification”?
Suggested Reading: Romans 12:2 and Colossians 3:9–10
The root word in sanctification is sanctify, which means
to make holy—to dedicate to God, to live according to
His will and Word. Sanctification flows out of regeneration. When the Holy Spirit plants new spiritual life in a
spiritually dead sinner’s heart (regeneration), He also works
conversion and sanctification.
Sanctification is produced by conversion. Conversion
refers to the change in a heart’s desire from living for itself
and sin to living for God. The results of conversion are seen
in a person’s life. Sanctification refers to these changes; it is
the results of, or the fruits of, conversion.
Sanctification happens when we turn away from living
for ourselves (with our wills, our demands, our desires as the
most important in our lives) and turn toward God (placing
His will, His demands, His honor as the most important).
Picture holding a basketball in your hand and turning it.
When the ball turns, it turns away from something on one
side and turns toward something else on the opposite side.
The result from turning away from self-centeredness, sin,
worldliness, and Satan and turning toward God is sanctification. Growing in sanctification is to live more out of love
to God and others, and less out of love for ourselves and sin.
As sinful people, we need both justification (to have our
debt of sin paid, to be forgiven and pardoned) and sanctification (to be washed and cleansed from the pollution of
sin; to live holy). These truths are pictured for us in the Old
Testament tabernacle and temple by the brass altar of burnt
offerings and brass laver in the courtyard, and then in the
New Testament by the blood and water that flowed from
Jesus’ pierced side. The blood pictures the price being paid
for the guilt and pardon of sin, and the water pictured the
washing from the pollution and filth of sin.
Why is it a contradiction if a person claims to be saved by Jesus and to love Him, and yet is not
interested in resisting sin and following His loving commands? What would you think of a guy
who claimed he loved a girl but was clearly and continually not interested in pleasing her,
and it did not bother him to offend her? How do we know what pleases and displeases Jesus?
What does Jesus teach about this in John 14:21? What about you?
QUESTIONS ANSWERED for teens
JAMES W. BEEKE
OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE STUDY DR. MICHAEL P. V. BARRETT
THE DANGER OF RELIGION
A Warning from Jeremiah
Jeremiah 7:1–15
Religion can be most deceptive. Exposing falsehood
was an oft-occurring theme in Jeremiah’s preaching. He
mocked the absurdity of false gods, which were nothing
but broken cisterns (Jer. 2:13). He was in constant conf lict with false prophets, who without divine authority
or authorization preached peace without peace (see Jer.
8:9–11). He also condemned the false security that characterized his day. Ironically, the very generation that was
on the eve of national disaster felt lightheartedly confident
that religion would exempt them from judgment. External
religion breeds a sense of safety. I want to reflect on this
theme of religious hypocrisy from one of Jeremiah’s great
sermons. Often designated as the “Temple Sermon,” this
message in Jeremiah 7 cuts to the quick as it issues God’s
warning against this serious danger of worship.
THE EXISTENCE OF HYPOCRISY
Perhaps one of the most salient and sobering lessons from
this Temple Sermon is that hypocrisy can exist in the
best places. The Lord instructed Jeremiah to “stand in
the gate of the LORD’s house” (v. 2). The point is sobering. This was not a message directed either to pagans
or to the rabble of the back streets and alleys of Jerusalem or even to religious renegades. On the contrary, it
was directed to the most outwardly religious segment of
society. If I may put it in these terms, it was directed to
respectable churchgoers who were members of the most
conservative and orthodox church in town. Not only
were these people going to the right place, but they were
going for the right reason, too: “to worship the LORD”
(v. 2). They entered the Temple gates with the pretense
of bowing down before the Lord, giving God His due.
From the outside everything looked right: they were in the
right place doing the right things. That Jeremiah exhorted
these worshipers to repent (v. 3) makes it all too clear that
worship ritual does not guarantee that the worshiper is
right with God. Mechanical worship is but a thin disguise
for the hypocrite, and no church is exempt, no matter how
right the rituals.
THE EXPRESSION OF HYPOCRISY
With prophetic precision and inspired insight, Jeremiah
identified two expressions of hypocrisy among his parishioners. First, the hypocritical worshipers affirmed a false
creed. The threefold repetition of the phrase “the temple of the Lord” expresses the unorthodox confession of
faith of the seemingly orthodox worshipers (v. 4). The
repetition of this “temple theology” may have had some
superstitious significance, as though by their saying it over
and over it would come true and ward off danger; or it may
simply have signified the zeal and fervor with which they
affirmed the creed. Regardless, it evidences a misplaced
confidence in the structure rather than the spiritual substance of the Temple. The Temple was the sign of God’s
presence, and there was a long history of God’s protecting His dwelling place against every enemy. The “temple
theology” attributed something magical to the place where
the Lord had chosen to dwell. They apparently assumed
that if they could keep God “happy” by giving Him what
they thought He wanted in the temple ceremonies, He
would stay and all would be well. They expressed confidence in tradition, in location, and in practice, but not in
the Lord Himself.
Second, the false creed gave expression to a false trust.
Jeremiah declared that they were trusting “lying words,
that cannot profit” (v. 8; see also v. 4). The word “trust”
implies a feeling of strong confidence and safety in its
object. But regardless of how safe they felt, they were
not safe at all because they were trusting, literally, “the
words of the lie” (vv. 4, 8). Referring to something that
is empty, worthless, and consequently futile, the word for
“lie” underscores a vital lesson about faith and trust: the
object of faith determines the value of faith. It is not the
fact of faith that saves; it is the object of faith that saves.
These people trusted the temple with its external rituals
without internalizing the divinely intended message of the
rituals. Religion can be dangerously deceptive.
EXHIBITION OF HYPOCRISY
The disconnect between “religious life” and “real life” is
a common mark of hypocrisy. Hypocrites tend to assume
that religious activity earns them the freedom to live
without restraint and with impunity. Jeremiah’s temple
congregation annunciated that assumption in these terms:
“We are delivered to do all these abominations” (v. 10).
Notwithstanding their consistent worship in the temple,
their lifestyle exhibited a disregard for God’s law and a
light regard for God’s holiness. The list of crimes of which
they were guilty violated both divisions of the Decalogue
(v. 9: theft, murder, adultery, false oaths, idolatry, and
polytheism). True religion produces a desire in the heart
to walk in holiness; life must correspond to profession.
How one views the law of God is always an index to the
genuineness of his religion. Obedience will never be perfect, but it is always the outgrowth of true trust.
How one regards the law of God is a reflection of how
one regards the Lord Himself. Coming to stand before
the Lord in His holy temple and claiming deliverance or
sanction to sin (v. 10) exhibited a spiritual callousness and
insensitivity to the holiness of God. The very fact that
they went through the motions of worship while at the
same time blatantly transgressing God’s law betrays a low
estimation of who the Lord really is. Worshiping in the
fear of God fosters daily living in the fear of God. True
worship always connects with life.
He had called to them without their hearing or answering
(v. 13). “Rising up early” is a Hebrew idiom that refers not
to the time of action but rather to the zeal and fervency
with which an action occurs. The divine warning against
heartless religion was a high priority and a common component of inspired preaching from the days of Moses right
through to the days of Jeremiah.
To illustrate His consistency in judging hypocrisy, the
Lord gave a history lesson. The Lord told the temple worshipers in Jerusalem to remember what had happened to
the tabernacle worshipers at Shiloh (vv. 12, 14). The tabernacle, like the temple, was a place of worship, sacrifice,
and revelation. But when the previous generation turned it
into a hideout for all their wickedness, God did not spare
it. Shiloh was not a safe place just because the tabernacle
was there (1 Sam. 4). The demise of Shiloh was concrete
evidence of God’s intolerance of talismanic religion. God
asked the temple hypocrites of Jeremiah’s day, “Where is
the tabernacle?” God asks the church hypocrites of today,
“Where is the tabernacle? Where is the temple?” History
makes it clear that God is not satisfied with religion.
EXPOSURE OF HYPOCRISY
“The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is
in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children
of men” (Ps. 11:4). Heartless, external, and hypocritical worship may satisfy the worshiper and impress the
observer, but the Lord sees it for what it is and will deal
with it according to His infallible knowledge and inflexible judgment.
Jeremiah 7:11 records some of the most sobering words
of the passage. “Is this house, which is called by my name,
become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have
seen it, saith the L ORD.” Although the temple should
have been a most sacred place because it was hallowed by
God’s name, it had become a cave of thieves, a hideout
for bandits. This is the analogy of the text. Israel would
commit every conceivable crime on the outside (v. 9) and
then retreat to the temple claiming to be delivered (v.
10). The temple was their hideout, where they would be
exempt from the demands and penalty of the law. But
the Lord declared, “I have seen it” (v. 11). He knew right
where they were, and the temple was no place of safety
for them. Sadly, Israel’s notion persists. Many have made
church to be a hideout, assuming that no matter what they
do everything will be okay if they can just get to church
or say sorry at bedtime prayer. But God is still incapable
of being fooled; He still sees. Religion provides no refuge
for hypocrites.
Not only does God know all about hypocritical worship, but He constantly warned against it and consistently
judged it. The Lord reminded the people that He had
spoken to them “rising up early and speaking” and that
THE EXCISION OF HYPOCRISY
The only hope for the hypocrite is to quit his hypocrisy.
The introduction to Jeremiah’s Temple Sermon was the
command to repent: “Amend your ways and your doings”
(v. 3). Amending the ways required making good (the
literal rendering of “amend”) the whole course of life,
including the inclinations, propensities, and desires of
the heart as well as the habits of living. Making good
the doings required the alteration of the specific deeds
that were generated by the inner character. This was not
a call for reformation or for resolution to do better, but a
call for the transformation of the heart. In verses 5 and 6,
Jeremiah set down some specific guidelines for applying
repentance to life. Interestingly, the specifics covered both
divisions of the law, evidencing love for neighbor as well as
love for God (kindness to orphans and widows, preservation of life, and ethical monotheism). It is always true that
behavior toward men is an index of the extent of devotion
to God. Regardless of the specific applications he made
to the temple worshipers, Jeremiah’s point is timelessly
to the point: true religion always connects with behavior.
It is also invariably true that God accepts true repentance: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken
and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps.
51:17). If they repented, God promised to keep them in
the land of promise (vv. 3, 7). There was a way to escape
judgment. Although there are inherent dangers in religion, true religion in the heart is the sinner’s only hope.
The heart is always the key.
Dr. Michael P. V. Barrett is Academic Dean and professor of Old Testament at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and an ordained minister in the Heritage Reformed denomination.
NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE STUDY | DR. GERALD BILKES
Studies in John (10)
The Shining Shepherd
Rea d: Jo h n 10
The words of Christ in chapter 10 were spoken at the Feast
of Dedication, a few months after the events in chapter 9.
This feast commemorated the consecration of the temple,
which had been destroyed first by Nebuchadnezzar, and
then desecrated centuries after the exile by the Greek king
Anthiochus Epiphanes. Many years later, Christ Himself
was consecrated to be the Temple through whom we can
approach and worship the Father. In fact, in this very chapter, Christ says of Himself that “the Father hath sanctified”
or consecrated Him to be the Messiah (v. 36). The temple
ultimately was only pointing forward to Him, who in His
own Person would be the truly consecrated way to worship
God. Christ had taken the place of the earthly Temple as the
only true sacrifice. Worship was through Him only.
The Feast of Dedication was also a festival of light
during the shorter days of winter. This explains why John
highlights the theme of light announced in 8:12 and continued through 8 and 9. Christ was the heavenly Light in
the darkness to give identity, life, and purpose to those who
trust and follow Him as the light in a cold, dark world.
In this chapter, the major symbol that symbolizes this
identity and purpose was the metaphor of the Shepherd. In
the Old Testament, God frequently spoke of Himself as a
Shepherd leading His flock (Jer. 23:1–4; Ezek. 34; Ps 23;
Ps. 77:20). This gave His people the identity of sheep whose
purpose is to follow the Shepherd and count on His care.
We might not naturally connect the themes of Shepherd
and Light, but the Bible does, especially in Psalm 80:1, 3:
“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph
like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine
forth…. Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine,
and we shall be saved” (emphasis mine). In other words,
Christ would be Light for His people to guide them and
give them life abundantly as they fulfill His purpose all the
way to glory. Identity, purpose, and a life in this Light are
all promised to those who follow this good Shepherd.
THE DOOR TO THE SHEPHERD
In verses 1–10, Christ is revealing what has just happened
with the man born blind, and with that, showing what
He will work in the entire world. He does this to comfort
the man and also His own followers. This man had been
expelled from the temple, the place of God, but instead of
being expelled from the fellowship of God’s people, he had
entered into the fellowship of God’s people. He had gone
through the Door to the sheepfold, namely, Christ Jesus.
By entering the sheepfold, he could now worship Christ in
person; no religious leader nor law would stop him. He had
free access to the Savior, the Shepherd, the real Temple, and
the Light of the world.
Sheepfolds in Christ’s day were often fields enclosed by
large walls that were several feet high. At night, the shepherds would often bring their flocks to these enclosed areas.
There was a doorkeeper (porter), usually a hired servant
from a nearby village, who would keep watch over the flock
at night. The high walls and the doorkeeper (porter) helped
keep the sheep safe from thieves, who would often try to
break in and steal sheep. Some even say that the custom in
those days was for the shepherd to lie down in the gate of
the fold to prevent any person or animal from getting in or
out. If this is true, it would give additional significance to
the fact that Christ calls Himself the Door; no one can get
to the sheep because He guards them with His life.
This section is also a stinging condemnation of the
Pharisees. In the previous chapter, they had cast the healed
man out of the synagogue, thinking thus to cut him off from
the worship of God and the fellowship of Israel. However,
Christ makes clear that though the healed man has been
cut off from fellowship with the Pharisees, he has actually
entered into fellowship with the triune God, and thus has
abundant life. The Pharisees were just hirelings who didn’t
care for the flock. They were after their own pride, their
own glory instead of feeding the need of the sheep. They
were called to care for the spiritual nourishment of the sheep
but were wicked and strayed away themselves. But the flock
recognizes the true, caring, and loving Shepherd, and “the
stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they
know not the voice of strangers” (v. 5).
Unlike the Pharisees, Christ cares for the sheep, knowing each of their names, caring for each one individually.
His sheep recognize His voice; He is familiar to them and
they trust Him. Those who flee from the hirelings feel safe
with Christ instead. This is exactly what took place with
the man who was healed in the previous chapter. Despite
pressure from the Pharisees, he would not listen to or obey
them, for they were not true shepherds (see 9:13–34). However, he knew the voice of the true Shepherd and followed
Him “out of the synagogue” and into the “pasture,” where
Christ leads every one of His people (see 9:35–38). Unwittingly, the Pharisees drove this sheep straight to the arms
of the Shepherd.
So Christ is the “door of the sheep” (v. 7). Through faith
in Him, every true sheep passes through and is saved. He is
the only one who can give the sheep entrance into life. He
came to save them and lead them into abundant life. Never
will His sheep lack what they need; they will be under His
care forever.
THE SACRIFICE OF THE SHEPHERD
In verses 11–18, Christ elaborates on how He is the selfsacrificing Shepherd. This is where He explains how He
is the good Shepherd. This characteristic “good” sets Him
apart from other shepherds. He is especially good because
He laid down His life for the sheep (v. 11). That means that
He loves the sheep so much that He is prepared to trade His
own life so the sheep can live a life of goodness. Though a
good human shepherd may on occasion end up giving his life
defending his flock, he does not willingly lay down his life
as a sacrifice for the benefit of his sheep. In fact, the death
of the shepherd would expose the whole flock to danger.
But Christ’s sacrifice for His sheep is not just a remote possibility; it is in fact a requirement or “commandment” that
the Father gave Him (v. 18). Without it there would be no
abundant life possible. His death did not leave the flock in
danger; in fact, it saved them all, none excluded.
Christ’s death for the sheep is not evidence of weakness,
but love for the sheep—strong love, for it speaks of His
divine authority. Christ clarifies that His death won’t be the
end of Him or His sheep: “I lay down my life, that I might
take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down
of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power
to take it again. This commandment have I received of my
Father” (vv. 17–18). Christ will save His sheep by dying for
them and rising again. That is why He has come into the
world: to give His life for them. What a difference from
the cowardly hirelings! They run at the slightest danger
because they are weak and scared. It’s interesting that the
text says that though the wolf scatters the sheep, “the wolf
catcheth” the hirelings (v. 12). The sheep are ultimately kept
by Christ, cared for by His strong arms, but the hirelings
won’t escape the wolf!
Christ’s hands are hands that bear the marks of sacrifice. Satan can’t take us out of those hands. As Christ says,
no one is able to seize one of His sheep out of His hand or
His Father’s hand (v. 29). What a tender picture—a sheep
with a wolf nearby, but the Father’s hand securing a scared
sheep, and the wolf slinking away, frustrated in his designs.
No wild animal, no attack from the outside can ever harm
His sheep. Christ is entirely in control of all circumstances.
When the stones are ready to fly again in the direction of
this Shepherd (v. 31), He shows His power. No one can take
His life from Him, and no one can take His sheep out of
His hand.
As Christ contemplates the sacrifice He will make, He
thinks about “His other sheep” (v. 16), Gentiles, who are
also on His heart. He will die for them as well; He “must
bring [them], and they shall hear my voice, and there shall
be one fold” (v. 16). As Paul would later put it, Christ’s cross
broke down the middle wall of partition, and both Jews and
Gentiles would unite in the one fold of Christ (Eph. 2:14).
There will be one flock, where all sheep will be of equal
value. It will be a great flock, but the Shepherd will know
every sheep by its name.
THE SHEEP OF THE SHEPHERD
How do we know we are one of Christ’s sheep? In essence,
Christ has answered that through the first two sections, but
He comes back to it in the last section of the chapter (vv.
19–42). He explains this in verse 26: “But ye believe not,
because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you” (v. 26).
When we believe, we see that all that Christ has said and
done about Himself prove that the Father and He are one
(v. 30). So that means that if we are Christ’s sheep, we will
think highly of Christ. We will see Him as equal with the
Father and one with the Father. This will excite us to follow
this Savior. We start to desire to know the Shepherd’s voice
and let Him lead our lives. Most of all, we will know the
love of the Father and of the Son. The Shepherd will never
cast us out; He will take us in and will care for us.
The identity of the sheep is in Christ, for without the
Shepherd the sheep would be lost. So, essentially, Christ’s
sheep have the highest regard for Him, and they truly “hear
Christ’s voice” and “follow him” (v. 27). Sometimes these
are called the “ear mark” and the “foot mark.” Whom we
listen to (ear mark) and whom we follow (foot mark) are
the identifying characteristics of whose we truly are. Who
do we identify with in life? Are we so connected to Christ,
following Him so closely, that we find our identity in Him?
Have we learned to hear His voice and to follow Him, even
to difficult places? As His sheep, we will know that we have
nothing outside the Shepherd, but that we would be lost,
hungry, and alone without Him. He is our everything. Our
identity and purpose is in Him.
At conversion, we develop new senses that enable us
to hear and discern the voice of the Shepherd. Of course,
sheep are notoriously silly. They often go astray, as the Bible
frequently makes clear (e.g., Ps. 119:176). Sheep can also
become sick or have other problems; they are easily distracted from hearing the Shepherd and following as they
should. Yet, in the end, the Shepherd cares for the sheep
who stray as well. He will never leave them wandering off
too far, and the sheep will never lose their ability to hear
Him. They recognize His voice. Other voices can’t substitute for His. They miss His voice when He’s silent and are
glad when they hear it again. Ultimately, when they look
back over their lives, the times they were truly happy were
when they were following Him. That’s what His love and
grace brought to bear on their lives.
(continued on page 41)
PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY | DR. DAVID MURRAY
Nothing In,
Nothing Out
For we brought nothing into this world, and
it is certain we can carry nothing out.
—1 TIMOTHY 6:7
When I was in the UK in the summer, my family and I
took an open-top bus tour of London. One of our guides
was obsessed with telling us the value of properties. The
week before, a parking space in London had sold for almost
$350,000. A parking space!
He told us that many wealthy people bought multi-million dollar properties in Park Lane and Belgravia but never
lived in them. They just wanted the prestigious address
for the top of their notepaper. Then there were the luxury
hotels with rows of Ferraris, Porsches, and Lamborghinis
parked outside.
Finally we viewed the awesome landmark office buildings like the Gherkin, the Shard, and the Walkie-Talkie.
My younger brother works in the Gherkin, so we were privileged to get a trip to the viewing gallery. We were quite the
embarrassing contrast to the power-dressed executives and
supermodel secretaries, but we got a fantastic view of the
modern financial district as well as the more ancient landmarks like the Tower of London.
I couldn’t help thinking of all that power and wealth
when I was preparing a sermon on 1 Timothy 6 recently.
There, in verse 7, we come across a label that God puts on
every car, every house, every office, every dollar, every title,
every position, everything: “We brought nothing into this
world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” Nothing
in, nothing out is a perfect label for all things, for all people,
and for all times of life.
When you are having a baby: Babies come into this world
with nothing, and we all leave the world with nothing. As
Job said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and
naked shall I return thither” (Job 1:21). We all enter and
exit the same way. Nothing in, nothing out.
When you get something you’ve always wanted: Don’t
make an idol of it. Don’t get too attached to it. You cannot
take it with you when you go.
When you lose something valuable: It may be a wellpaying job, an inheritance, or a house. Many of your possessions may be destroyed in a fire or taken in a robbery. But
it just got taken from us a few years earlier than expected.
Nothing in, nothing out.
When you are tempted to do wrong to get more money:
Is it worth it for something you are going to have to leave in
a few short years anyway?
When you are deciding what to give to the Lord’s cause:
Why not give more of it to the Lord before it’s taken by the
Lord?
When you are complaining about how little you have:
We all leave with the same amount: nothing.
When you are planning your latter years: When thinking
about retirement, pensions, trust funds, inheritances, etc.,
think on this verse. Yes, it’s appropriate to plan, but if you
label everything with nothing in, nothing out, it will make
your decisions much easier and much better.
When you are thinking of the judgment: We check everything at the grave. When the multi-billionaire John D.
Rockefeller died, his assistant was asked, “How much did
he leave?” “Everything,” he replied.
When you are deciding on a career: Don’t make money,
salary, and benefits the only consideration. Put this label at
the top of every job offer: nothing in, nothing out.
Why not print this verse and stick it on everything you
have or want: “We brought nothing into this world, and it
is certain we can carry nothing out.” And while you’re at it,
maybe put another label beside it: “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
When you want something too much: When covetousness
and greed get a grip on your heart, loosen its deadly hands
by putting this label on the object of your desire. Nothing
in, nothing out.
Dr. David P. Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology
at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids and a pastor of the
Free Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES | DR. JOEL R. BEEKE
Why Should We
Sing Psalms? (2)
THE EXPERIENTIAL BENEFITS OF SINGING THE PSALMS
Singing psalms is our biblical duty, but we may also rejoice
that it is for our good. All of God’s Word aims at our profit,
and there is much profit in singing psalms. It is good for our
hearts to be enlarged (Ps. 119:32) and our faith and minds
to be established and strengthened by God’s grace (Ps. 42:5,
11; Heb. 13:9; 1 Peter 5:10). Singing psalms, or psalmody, is
a precious means of grace that, under the Spirit’s blessing,
can do much good for our souls.
Singing the Psalms Causes the Word of Christ
to Dwell in Us Richly
Let us return to Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing
one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The construction
of this sentence shows that Paul equates these “psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs” with “the word of Christ.”
Few activities stir up our hearts more than singing. Music
engages the affections and imprints words on the memory.
What better way, then, to stir up our hearts with the Word
of God than by singing it? William Ames wrote that singing psalms has the following advantages over merely reading
them: (1) “it brings a kind of sweet delight to godly minds”;
(2) it enables “a more distinct and fixed meditation”; and
(3) it results in more “mutual edification.”1
Singing psalms will enrich our hearts with the truth of
God. John Calvin said that “we should sing with voice and
heart” with our minds focused on “the spiritual meaning of
the words.” 2 What better way to do this than to sing God’s
own words? Calvin quoted Augustine: “When we sing these
songs…we are certain that God puts the words into our
mouths as if he were singing in us to exalt his glory.”3
Furthermore, Christ Himself leads His people in offering
praise to God. Hebrews 2:12 calls attention to the prophecy
of Psalm 22:22, in which Christ says, “I will declare thy
name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I
sing praise unto thee.” As those who by faith are grafted
into Christ and filled with His Spirit, we never sing alone.
According to His promise, Christ is present in our assemblies
for worship, and He assists us by His Spirit in offering the
sacrifice of praise to God (Heb. 13:15). Surely the more we
fill our worship with psalms, which were inspired by the
Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:12–14), the more we take hold of
the means Christ has given us to be true worshipers of God.
The word of Christ dwells in us richly as we sing psalms.
Singing the Psalms Helps Us to Be Filled with God’s Spirit
Earlier I quoted Ephesians 5:19, and now I want to put it
in its context with verse 18: “And be not drunk with wine,
wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” The contrast
is between drunkenness and the filling with the Spirit. Some
sinners give themselves over to the control of mind-altering
substances in search of momentary euphoria. Saints must
give themselves over to the control of the Holy Spirit, who
alone gives real comfort and joy (Acts 9:31; Rom. 14:17;
Gal. 5:22). We must let the Spirit be the wine of our souls.
Thomas Ford wrote, “The Spirit is not only water to cleanse
and wash, but wine to cheer and refresh.”4 We drink this
refreshing wine of the Spirit as we sing these inspired words
of the Spirit.
Practically speaking, how do people experience the fullness of the Spirit? The apostle goes on to tell us how in what
follows: “speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to
the Lord.” Paul Bayne said, “The exercise of Psalm-singing
is a means of increasing in us the Spirit.” Just as singing the
devil’s songs fills people with immorality, Bayne wrote, “so
God’s song is of great force to make us be filled of his good
Spirit,” for psalms are “from the Spirit.”5 This is another way
of saying that they are truly spiritual songs.
Do you want the Holy Spirit to fill you? Do you desire
to give young people an alternative to immoral music and
substance abuse? Use the means of grace. Sing psalms.
Singing psalms with grace in the heart helps us to be filled
with God’s Spirit.
Singing the Psalms Enables Us to Worship God
in Every Experience
We do not come to the worship of God as blank slates, but
full of thoughts and feelings from the days of the preceding
week. We should not view worship as a form of escapism
where for a little while we can pretend that none of the evil
and grief in the world is really there. Instead, we should
come to worship bringing all that we are to God, and, as
Psalm 62:8 says, “pour out your heart before him.” Paul not
only spoke of the Spirit moving us to praise the Lord (Eph.
5:19) and rejoice in Him (1 Thess. 1:6), but also of the Spirit
moving us to cry out to the Father (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6), even
with groaning (Rom. 8:23; 2 Cor. 5:2, 4).
Psalms are immensely helpful to us in this work of pouring out our hearts before God. Calvin said, “I have been
accustomed to call this book, I think not inappropriately,
‘An Anatomy of all the Parts of the Soul’; for there is not
an emotion of which one can be conscious that is not here
represented as in a mirror.”6 Certainly many psalms are full
of exultation and joy, but that is not all.
•Are you deeply convicted of sin? Follow the counsel
of Psalm 32:5: “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and
mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my
transgressions unto the L ORD; and thou forgavest the
iniquity of my sin.”
•Are you persecuted? Psalm 3:1–3 says, “LORD, how are
they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise
up against me. Many there be which say of my soul,
There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O
L ORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up
of mine head.”
•Are you depressed? Psalm 42:11 says, “Why art thou
cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted
within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise
him, who is the health of my countenance, and my
God.”
•Do you feel forgotten by God? Psalm 13:1 asks, “How
long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? How long
wilt thou hide thy face from me?” Faith’s answer is at
hand: “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart will
rejoice in thy salvation” (v. 5).
•Are you in danger of thinking that it is better to sin
than to obey? Psalm 73 says, “But as for me, my feet
were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For
I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity
of the wicked…until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then understood I their end…. How are they brought
unto destruction, as in a moment!” (vv. 2–3, 17, 19).
•Are you troubled by the sinful attitudes of those around
you? Take comfort in the words of Psalm 120:5–6: “My
soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am
for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.”
•Are you fearful of the times and dismayed by current developments that pose a threat to the well-being
of God’s people? Psalm 56:3 says, “What time I am
afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his
word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what
flesh can do unto me.” 7
Worship is shallow if it constantly projects a happy face.
But the Psalms wear no such mask. They deliver us from
such hypocrisy. Yet they also deliver us from self-absorption
by lifting our gaze from ourselves and our troubles to the
Lord. They are a model for our personal and intercessory
prayers and a comfort for our souls, especially in times of
temptation and adversity.8 Cotton says singing the Psalms
“allayeth the passions of melancholy and choler, yea and
scattereth the furious temptations of evill spirits, 1 Sam.
16:23.” 9 Robert Sanderson (1587–1662) called the Psalms
“the treasury of comfort.” He certainly knew whereof he
spoke. Once the bishop of Lincoln, Sanderson was ejected
from his professorship at Oxford and imprisoned by Parliament, but he continued to find precious comfort in the
Psalter. He described the Psalter this way:
[It] is fitted for all persons and all necessities; able to
raise the soul from dejection by the frequent mention
of God’s mercies to repentant sinners: to stir up holy
desire; to increase joy; to moderate sorrow; to nourish hope, and teach us patience, by waiting God’s
leisure; to beget a trust in the mercy, power, and
providence of our Creator; and to cause a resignation
of ourselves to his will: and then, and not till then,
to believe ourselves happy.10
The Psalms link our subjective experience to the reality
of God. We are compelled to look at our own circumstances
from the vantage point of God and His power to save. As
Geerhardus Vos says, the Psalms “voic[e] the subjective
response to the objective doings of God for and among his
people.”11 They show us the depth of communion we may
enjoy with our covenant-keeping God as we worship Him
privately and corporately, committing our all to Him. They
prompt reliance on God’s promises, promote zeal for Him
and His house, and move us to love Him as God’s children,
God’s flock, and God’s bride. They enable us to pray against
God’s and our enemies and find comfort under the shadow
of our Savior’s wings.
In this connection, it should be noted that there is no
problem in singing the so-called imprecatory psalms which,
as Johnston says, “call for God to blot out, desolate, and
utterly destroy the wicked. It is important to remember that
each of these psalms utters to the Lord a cry for justice that
places the problem of evil in the hands of the Lord and
then waits upon his vengeance.”12 These psalms do not, as
has been said, express unchristian sentiments. They are not
mere expressions of personal pique or resentment. Rather,
they are a solemn acknowledgment that we live in a fallen
world among people who fight against God and His Christ
and that such people’s doom, except they repent, is both just
and sure. Consequently, in the imprecatory psalms we do
not pray for personal vengeance but for God’s glory and the
good of the church.
Moreover, the imprecatory psalms are consistent in
praying for the salvation of the church’s persecutors. But if
the church’s persecutors who lash out against God and the
church with vehement hatred and anger refuse to repent of
their sin, these psalms teach us that the righteous may, with
fear and trembling, exercise a godly anger against those who
blatantly defy God and His law and gospel. Such cries are
“really the outpourings of a heart provoked by evil, righteously indignant, and zealous for God and righteousness
(Rom. 12:19; Eph. 4:26).”13 Thus, “these psalms demonstrate faith in the Lord from within the trauma of real-life
situations and teach us to express a holy, moral indignation
toward those who would set themselves against God’s King
and his kingdom.”14
There are rich experiential benefits of singing psalms.
It is a means by which the word of Christ dwells richly in
us and by which the Holy Spirit fills us. Singing psalms
also imparts an authenticity to our worship, for the Psalms
ref lect every dimension of human experience. No matter
what our state or condition, we can find a starting point in
the Psalms for finding our way back to God and to the riches
of His grace. In fact, sometimes when believers have been in
a very low condition spiritually, emotionally, and physically,
finding it difficult to read or pray, God has lifted them up by
bringing the Psalter back to their memory with little effort.
1. William Ames, Conscience with the Power and Cases Thereof (London: by
E. G. for I. Rothwell, T. Slater, L. Blacklock, 1643), 2:43.
2. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. John T. McNeill,
trans. Ford Lewis Battles (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960), 3.20.32. Cf.
Charles Garside Jr., The Origins of Calvin’s Theology of Music (Philadelphia: The
American Philosophical Society, 1979), 10.
3. Cited in Ross J. Miller, “Calvin’s Understanding of Psalm-Singing as
a Means of Grace,” in Calvin Studies VI, ed. John H. Leith (Davidson, N.C.:
Colloquium on Calvin Studies, 1992), 40.
4. Thomas Ford, Singing of Psalms: The Duty of Christians under the New
Testament (1659; repr., Burnie, Australia: Presbyterian’s Armoury Publications,
2004), 2.
5. Paul Bayne, An Entire Commentary upon the Whole Epistle of the Apostle
Paul to the Ephesians (London: by M. F. for R. Milbourne and I. Bartlet, 1643),
633.
6. John Calvin, preface to the Commentary on the Book of the Psalms, trans.
James Anderson (repr., Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996), 1:xxxvii.
7. See Johnston, 150 Questions, for a helpful summary of how “we ought
to meditate upon the author’s use, the original use, the Christian use, and the
personal use of each psalm” (41–42).
8. Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms, Pss. 5:11; 118:5.
9. Cotton, Singing of Psalmes, 4.
10. Cited in Rowland E. Prothero, The Psalms in Human Life (1903; repr.,
Birmingham, Ala.: Solid Ground Christian Books, 2002), 176.
11. Geerhardus Vos, “Eschatology of the Psalter,” in The Pauline Eschatology
(Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R, 1994), 324.
12. Johnston, 150 Questions, 74. The imprecatory psalms include 35, 58, 69,
79, 109, and 137.
13. The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible, gen. ed. Joel R. Beeke (Grand
Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014), 762.
14. Johnston, 150 Questions, 74. Cf. James E. Adams, The War Psalms of the
Prince of Peace: Lessons from the Imprecatory Psalms (Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R, 1991).
Courage and Compassion
BURK PARSONS
Homosexual sin is a grievous and heinous sin. While it is
indeed true that all sexual immorality is sin—adultery, fornication, pornography—homosexual sin is different. It is a heinous
and grievous sin because, as the Word of God makes clear,
homosexual sin is contrary to nature (Rom. 1:26). Homosexual
sin strikes against God’s created order in every way and mocks
God’s design for procreation, thus making homosexuality logically self-defeating. Those who suggest the Bible is not clear
about homosexual sin have never read the Bible or have not
been given the ears to hear what the Bible plainly teaches.
The Bible is clear, so we must be clear. We cannot and must
not waver in the face of seemingly overwhelming opposition.
Although the world is changing, the Word of God is not. We
must stand our ground on the unchanging Word of God in the
midst of an ever-changing culture. For even if the whole world
says homosexuality is acceptable, we must stand our ground on
the authority of God’s Word and insist that it is in fact unacceptable and unconscionable. We must speak the truth even if
it means persecution and imprisonment. We must insist that
homosexual sin is wrong, and like all sins, sexual or otherwise,
it is deserving of God’s righteous wrath and condemnation.
Make no mistake, this is not hate speech; it is love speech.
We speak of the sinfulness of homosexual sin, sexual sin, and
all sin not out of hate, but of love. In fact, the most hateful
thing we could do is not call sin what God calls sin. That would
certainly be the easier path for us, but it is not the path of truth
that leads to forgiveness and freedom. We love homosexuals
just as we love adulterers and all sinners, which is precisely
why we must speak the truth in love to them, just as we need
the truth spoken in love to us about our own sins. The Bible
calls us to be righteously vexed by sin and to hate sin—our sin
and the sins of the world. The Bible also calls us to love sinners and to pray that they would repent of their sins and trust
Jesus Christ, who is the Savior of repentant sinners. If only
more Christians demonstrated Christian love as they should
by praying for the sexually immoral of this world, by calling
sin what God calls sin, and by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus
Christ to the end that the sexually immoral might know their
desperate need to repent and that, by the grace of God, they
might cling to Christ and His righteousness. Then homosexuals might know how much we Christians love them. For we
cannot love without speaking the truth, and we must not speak
the truth without love. We must have compassion and courage
as we live coram Deo, before the face of God, proclaiming His
truth and His gospel to our homosexual neighbors, sexually
immoral neighbors, and unrepentant, unbelieving neighbors,
just as we preach the gospel to ourselves.
Burk Parsons is editor of Tabletalk magazine from which this article is taken,
and serves as copastor with Dr. R. C. Sproul of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in
Sanford, Florida. He is editor of the book Assured by God: Living in the Fullness
of God’s Grace.
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT | REV. DAVID VAN BRUGGE
What Is Disability?
Disability is generally assumed to be negative. Just thinking
about the word makes some of us uncomfortable because it
challenges our presuppositions about our world. It certainly
reflects the brokenness of the world, but it is also an area
where God’s grace can shine. As Christians, we need to
understand disability in order to see that grace.
Defining disability is more difficult than it may seem.
When we think of the dramatic examples of quadriplegia or
those born with severe genetic abnormalities, it may seem
easy. But what about the person who gradually loses ability
to do something? What about the person who is unable to
interact socially but is remarkably gifted in a skill? Or the
person who is analytic and creative but cannot memorize a
times table? What about people who have limited function
but never consider themselves disabled?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines disability as
“a condition that damages or limits a person’s physical or
mental abilities,” or “the condition of being unable to do
things in the normal way.” Using this definition, it seems
that all people have some disability since we all have conditions that limit our ability to do things. It might be as simple
as getting sick, having to go to the hospital, and not being
able to perform our regular routine for some time. So, even
as this definition tries to be careful about defining disability,
it seems all people get included, and the category suddenly
has little meaning. Christians using this definition would
also have to consider sin the ultimate disability because it
is a universal condition that damages and limits a person’s
abilities on every level.
Trying to gather these thoughts into one definition can
be confusing. When we consider the range of possibilities,
it is clear disability cannot be just biology, or just a result
of an accident, or just social characteristics, or a measure of
production. Nor can it just be about the stigma it provokes.
So how should Christians understand disability? It is
beneficial to look at the many examples Scripture provides
of disability, which will help toward a biblical understanding of it.
Scriptural Examples of Disability
Disability is not uncommon in Scripture. It is revealed in
Genesis as a result of the fall into sin and is present throughout Scripture until Revelation reminds us of the One who
will make all things new. Thankfully, while Scripture
teaches clearly about disability, it does not do so in abstract
terms. It shows how disability was part of many lives.
For example, Scripture is very clear that disability comes
to a variety of people, notably including the people of God.
Job suffered debilitating boils. Sarah was unable to bear
children. Jacob limped. Moses is thought to have had a
speech impediment. Eli went blind.
Even in Scripture, disabilities come in various forms
with various levels of incapacity. Debilitating diseases mentioned include sores, dropsy, dysentery, and epilepsy. Mental
disabilities such as depression and insanity are acknowledged. The physical disability of paralysis was common in
the New Testament.
Scripture also describes some disabilities as temporary,
while others were lifelong. Elijah’s depression seems to have
been severe and debilitating, but relatively brief. Others
struggled with blindness, deafness, muteness, or lameness
for years but were healed by Christ. Paul had a thorn in the
flesh that was never healed.
Scripture also reveals various causes of disability. Deuteronomy 28:28 reveals that disability could be judgment from
God. Samson’s blindness was due to the cruelty of others.
Mephibosheth’s lameness was because of an accident. The
psalmist was afraid of losing all strength in old age (71:9),
and Ecclesiastes warns of tooth loss and blindness due to old
age (12:3–4). King Asa became disabled through disease. It
seems that the man sitting at the gate Beautiful (Acts 3:2)
was lame due to congenital defect. Saul’s blindness on the
way to Damascus was a supernatural act of God. The Bible
also clearly teaches that the disabled individuals or the parents are no greater sinners than anyone else (John 9:1–3).
Scripture also honestly shows us that the negative perspectives associated with disability are nothing new. Hannah
experienced the ridicule of family members (1 Sam. 1). Barzillai, in spite of his wealth and desire to serve, saw himself
as a hindrance (2 Sam. 19). The man at the pool of Bethesda
had no one there to help him into the water (John 5).
And yet Scripture does not just see disability as negative.
It is through these experiences that much prayer has gone
up to God. Consider the blind men (Matt. 9:27) who cried,
“Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.” Paul saw that his
thorn in the flesh prevented overconfidence (2 Cor. 12:7).
And certainly these experiences are demonstrations of God’s
power. What God said to Paul certainly applies to all of His
children experiencing similar trials: “My grace is sufficient
for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Scriptural Principles for Understanding Disability
All of this helps us to develop several principles in regards
to understanding disability properly, particularly in relationship to the church.
Disability does not reflect the original creation
God’s design of creation was that man was created perfectly
as body and soul, and in the image of God. A world full of
disability was not the way things were created to be. The
fall into sin impacted both body and soul. Today disability
impacts both body and soul, and all disabilities are reflections of sin in this world. While sin impacted soul and body,
it did not erase the image of God in humanity. Therefore,
every living being still has value as an image-bearer of God.
That is the source of identity, not disability.
Disability does not limit the value of lives
It is obvious that disability comes in various forms and in
various stages of life. Yet no person should ever be denigrated or exploited (Deut. 27:18). This is true for those
suffering all forms of physical, mental, and relational disability. Even in the church, the value of those living with
disability should not be determined by the amount and
extent of their disability. There should not be a subjective
scale of who is worthy of the church’s ministry. Imagine if
Sarah or Jacob or Moses or Elijah or Paul had been limited
by someone’s perception of their disability. Imagine if the
blind men or the lame men were ignored; they would have
never praised God.
Society often considers the value of people in terms of
economic status and economic potential. This is not the
standard by which the church should measure the value of
people. On the contrary, a principle of respect and care is
most clearly expressed in Leviticus 19:14: “Thou shalt not
curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind,
but shalt fear thy God: I am the L ORD. Ye shall do no
unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in
righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.” The purpose
of everyone is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, and
disability does not negate that.
Disability does require a response of grace
It was the fear of God that was to mark the Israelites’
response to the disabled. And so today, the disability that
surrounds us and fills us should point us to the gospel. Recognizing disability, whether physical, mental, emotional, or
spiritual, shatters any pride or self-sufficiency. Everyone is
dependent on the grace of the Lord. When people try to
hide or disguise disability, they are showing a diminished
understanding of the gospel.
Christians need to intentionally minister to the needs of
the disabled. The church is obviously intentional in ministering to the spiritually disabled, but it should also value and
care for the physically and emotionally disabled. At a real
level, this is where the church ought to shine. God does not
expect the people of the church to live lives that the world
would think were “picture perfect.” It is the broken and
contrite heart that God will not despise. Jesus said, “Blessed
are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3).
Disability does bring glory to God
Until the day of final and complete redemption, when all
tears and death and sorrow and pain and all former things
are passed away and all things are made new (Rev. 21:4–5),
the church needs to consider disability and all its implications carefully. Disability is a part of the world in which
God has placed us. It is an aspect of Scripture that He gives
to us for our instruction. It is an area by which God refines
His people. Let us honor God through this, and avoid the
traps of worldly thinking in this area.
Rev. David VanBrugge is a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT | REV. MAARTEN KUIVENHOVEN
Kingdom Policy for the Disabled
How does the gospel speak to disability within the church?
What place do the disabled have in the kingdom of God?
These themes are stunningly displayed in the grace-filled
story of redemption in 2 Samuel 9. This chapter and the
interaction between David and Mephibosheth gives a snapshot of the kingdom policy for the disabled.
The King’s Search for the Disabled
King David is on the search for any of the house of Saul to
whom he can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan. Notice
in verse 1 that David’s search is motivated by kindness. He is
not driven by an altruistic motive but by the lovingkindness
pledged in covenant to his friend Jonathan. His commitment
is to show kindness to those who would be considered his
enemies, to those who could possibly usurp his throne. His
search turns up disabled Mephibosheth, whose name means
“bearer of shame,” in the city of Lodebar, which means
“nothing.” There is not much to commend Mephibosheth to
David. He bore the shame of his father’s house, was exiled
and banished, and was lame in both his feet. David could
have ignored him and left him in Lodebar, but instead he
commands that Mephibosheth be brought into his presence.
What a powerful picture for the church regarding the
disabled. Our commitment to the disabled comes not merely
from an altruistic motive alone—to help those who cannot help themselves—but is driven by the lovingkindness
of a twofold covenant commitment—the commitment of
the entire church to raise its children in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord, and the covenant commitment
of King Jesus towards His Church. This lovingkindness
searches for the least in the kingdom who are sometimes
forgotten and brings them into the presence of the King.
The gospel in these verses speaks to people with a vast array
of disabilities—mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual.
The gospel speaks to those who have nothing to commend
of themselves. The covenant mercy of King Jesus that is to
be reflected by the church seeks and finds the disabled and
brings them into His presence. If you know that compelling
kindness, should you not be concerned about the disabled
in the church as well?
The King’s Reception of the Disabled
Lame Mephibosheth hobbles into the presence of King
David. He stands there as the object of shame with nothing
to offer the king except his lameness. He sprawls on the floor
of the royal hall in abject misery, no doubt thinking this was
the end of his earthly existence. But David says in verse 7,
“Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness.” Those two
words, “Fear not,” are the best words that Mephibosheth will
ever hear. They speak peace to his troubled heart and existence. And the words that follow are like rain for a parched
soul, “Surely I will shew thee kindness.” He expected to die
but was restored to favor with the king. He expected anger
but received heaven-sent kindness.
The gospel speaks that same powerful message to those
who are disabled, to those who have been marginalized
from society and even from the church. All too often they
have cowered in fear and shame because their disability has
prevented them from participating in the regular means of
grace. Those with disabilities, even if they have extremely
limited understanding, belong to the least of the kingdom.
They, too, need the “fear not” of King Jesus. They too, need
the kindness of King Jesus for their souls. The gospel does
not hinder such from the King’s presence but invites them
into His glorious presence, mitigating their fears and speaking kindness to their souls.
The King’s Provision for the Disabled
How does King David provide for Mephibosheth? He
restores to him his father’s inheritance. That would have
been unheard of in those times and yet that is exactly what
happens in verse 7: “And I will restore thee all the land
of Saul thy father: and thou shalt eat bread at my table
continually.” And in addition to the inheritance, he promises future provision for disabled Mephibosheth. David’s
kindness holds nothing back from this disabled man; he
ministers to his entire person.
The kindness of King Jesus holds nothing back for the
disabled in our midst. Over the last decades, the church
has begun to see its role in the institutionalization and the
marginalization of the disabled. We need to ask: Have we
deprived the disabled of their rightful inheritance in the
gospel? All too often, this type of thinking still influences
some within the church: the disabled are better off where
others can take care of them. We would rather have churches
filled with people who have it all together than deal with
those who challenge us with their disabilities. But our challenge should be to reach them with the gospel and restore
to them what is rightfully theirs in the covenant of grace
controlled by the kindness of King Jesus. This is challenging because it means the church has to warmly receive those
who might make noise and initially make us feel awkward
within the worship service. It means that we will have to
expend energy on teaching one-on-one to bring the gospel
to disabled children and adults. It means that the church
as the body of Christ must demonstrate the heart of Christ
its Head to those who are disabled. These children, whom
God has entrusted to their parents and to the church, are as
valuable and worthy of the gospel as the children who have
no visible disabilities. They, too, are created in the image
of God and are heirs of the kingdom of God (Form for the
Administration of Baptism).
The King’s Adoption of the Disabled
And notice how David treats Mephibosheth. He does not
simply put him in a solitary room away from the activity of the royal house. Mephibosheth is put at the very
center of the royal household. David treats him as one of
his own sons. In verse 13, this is stated emphatically, “So
Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually
at the king’s table” (emphasis added). He sits at the king’s
table with Solomon, with Adonijah, with Absalom, and
with the royal household. He is not treated as an outcast but
receives strength and sustenance from the king’s food and
from the king’s fellowship. The King adopts Mephibosheth
as his own, even though he cannot contribute much to the
household. His presence speaks of intangible benefits. He
is an emblem of the king’s kindness and grace.
Here again is a powerful parallel for the place of the disabled in the kingdom of God. They are not merely to be put
in a quiet room outside the life and activity of the kingdom.
They are to be treated as sons and daughters of the King
and seated in His presence. This means they come under the
means of grace where the King speaks. This parallel speaks
to the place that the disabled have at the table, even the
Table of the Lord, when they are taught to discern the body
and blood of the Lord. They, too, must receive strength and
fellowship at the King’s Table. Some might be tempted to
think that such disabled ones present no tangible benefits
to the church, or that they are not worthy of the gospel. But
the opposite is often true. Their very presence within the
church body not only benefits the church, but speaks of the
great kindness of King Jesus.
The King’s Healing of the Disabled
Mephibosheth was lame in both his feet, and we never read
of his healing. But the gospel speaks of healing for the disabled. Mephibosheth was healed of his shame and restored
from his banishment by David, and we trust that he lived
with the hope of future healing in the fulfillment of the
kingdom. That ought to be the great hope that the gospel
offers to parents and family of those among us with disabilities, and to the churches who receive them in their midst,
caring for them and nurturing them in the gospel. There
is healing for their souls in this life. That is why we bring
them to the King in prayer. That is why we bring them into
the King’s presence to hear His voice of mercy and kindness.
Are we not bound by our confessions to declare and publish
the gospel with its promises and commands “to all nations
and to all persons promiscuously and without distinction,
to whom God out of His good pleasure sends the gospel”
(Canons of Dort, II.5)? This is what the church is called to
so that the disabled also may have their hearts changed by
the kindness of the sovereign King, whose delight is in the
multitude of subjects, no matter what abilities or disabilities
they have.
In the hope of the gospel, there is also the hope of future
healing in the fullness of the kingdom of Christ. The resurrected Lord of life gives spiritual life to disabled children
and delights to take in the disabled and heal them body
and soul. This is demonstrated throughout Christ’s gospel
ministry by His kindness in healing the souls and bodies
of countless disabled (cf. Luke 13:10–17). Let us reflect the
kind heart of King Jesus as we minister the gospel to the
disabled. May this kingdom policy be ours as well.
Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven is a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed
Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a doctoral student at Calvin
Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT | KARA DEDERT
Grace Displayed
Caring for a Child with Disabilities
Grace Displayed: Caring for a Child with Disabilities
The world of disability is rampant with opinions. Some
friends of mine in an on-line community get angry if you
suggest a disability is a negative thing; instead, they suggest
we should celebrate it.
I suppose it must vary depending on how the child is
affected, but for us disability has meant tremendous loss.
Our son Calvin, a young boy of 6, struggles with chronic
lung disease, spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and a host
of other conditions resulting from a brain malformation.
Disability is not something our family celebrates, but we do
celebrate the ways God’s grace is realized through disability.
God’s grace has sustained us in deep lament and has kept
us from walking away in deep struggles of faith. God’s grace
allows Calvin to be filled with joy and happiness in his disability. God’s grace has shown us more of His love for us as
we care for Calvin. God’s grace has surprised us with unexpected joy in difficult places. God’s grace has made eternal
reality more clear and our hope in Christ more urgent.
Grace in Lament
When disability enters a family, it hurts. We might think
the best thing to do is get them “beyond” grief by telling
them how others have overcome or become inspirational.
But such empty optimism gives the message that we want to
gloss over their loss and get on with the great and wonderful
things God has planned.
I’m so glad our friends and family let us lament. They let
us know it was okay to be really, really sad. They sat in the
ashes with us as the losses grew. Though our first years with
Calvin were more intense than anything I’ve experienced, it
was a blessing to experience the grace of God through the
care of our church, family, and friends. They were tangible
reminders of God’s love for us when it felt like providence
had left us out to dry.
Deep soul sorrow stripped us of joy. His constant suffering in the first two years made us lose desire for life itself.
This is when it was so vital for us to be allowed to lament
while simultaneously being reminded of God’s promises
and character.
Grace in the Struggle of Faith
Most of us have learned from childhood two key aspects of
God: He is sovereign and good. We know God is a gracious,
good King who rules over even the most mundane details
of our life. But sometimes it seems like those two things
directly contradict each other.
When suffering and disability become a daily reality,
it can be a struggle to reconcile that God is totally and
thoroughly good and yet has providentially directed deep
brokenness in our lives. Countless times we’ve prayed for
healing, knowing He has all power. He could say one word
and my son’s lungs would heal, his legs would walk, and his
eyes would see. So if God is good and has power to change
this, why doesn’t He?
It may seem easy to contemplate the textbook answers
from a distance, but when you are holding a struggling little
one in your arms, the urgency of your need and the resulting pain when God does not intervene can be devastating.
The temptation is strong to believe that either God is not
sovereign or God is not good. Nancy Guthrie compares it
to standing in a hurricane and holding on for dear life to
two posts: God’s sovereignty and God’s goodness. If God
was sovereign and not good, we would not trust that He was
doing it for our good and out of love for us. And if God was
only good and not sovereign, it would be useless to pray to
Him; He could only empathize with us! And so we hold
tightly to both, knowing them to be true even though the
mystery of providence fills our lives with a hurricane of pain.
God’s grace is the power that keeps us holding on to
those two posts. It keeps us when we cannot keep ourselves.
It keeps us from giving in to unbelief or a cynical view of
God. It breathes life into the promises we read in His Word
and restores our souls with hope even when circumstances
worsen. Grace reassures us that our faith is not in vain.
Grace in Calvin’s Life
Our whole family has been called to live with disability, but
Calvin is called to live with it personally. We may have to
adapt to his care and grieve his losses, but he is the one who
has to deal with so much more.
Imagine not being able to communicate with your family
—to let them know when your belly hurts or when you
want to be turned to another position. Calvin has endured
multiple surgeries, frequent seizures, and many respiratory
infections; he has large amounts of daily medications that
give unpleasant sensations and side effects. His muscles
are as stiff as a board in the morning, so we have to slowly
unwrap him and stretch out his limbs one by one. His lungs
are often full of fluid. It takes hours of coughing and suctioning each morning just to get him clear.
You would think that all this discomfort would rob him
of all joy. The truth is, I’ve never been with anyone who has
radiated so much peace and joy! God’s grace sustains him
and allows him to experience joy and peace in the midst of a
very difficult life. At the sound of our voice he beams wide
smiles, and when we sing, he joins in with his whole body.
When we talk to him, his eyes widen and he turns with an
open mouth to kiss us.
God’s grace gives us hope for his eternal salvation. We
trust in God’s covenant promises for our children and look
forward to eternity when he will be able to tell us how God’s
grace sustained him even while locked in a little body that
didn’t work.
Grace in Seeing God’s Care for Us as
We Care for Calvin
You wouldn’t expect a little kid to have
such a big impact—especially not one
with no control over his environment.
But I don’t think there’s anyone in our
family who has not been drastically
changed because of Calvin. God truly
does use the weak to show His power
and grace.
So many times in caring for Calvin
we’ve been reminded of God’s care for
us. Calvin is helpless and yet we delight
in him and want to do everything for
him. The heavenly Father saw us utterly
helpless and gave us the best possible
gift: “For when we were yet without
strength, in due time Christ died for
the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). And not only
that, “He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). It reassures me
that even as much as I love my son, God loves us so much
more, and His grace will supply for our every need.
Even after salvation, we are crippled by sin and halfhearted service. Yet Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses,
has compassion on us, and will carry us safely until at last
we are with Him. I am allowed a daily picture of this as we
care for Calvin. Even his jerky, uncoordinated gestures are
pure beauty to me. How much more does the Lord delight
in us through Christ?
Grace along the Way
If you had been able to see into the future and told me that
Darryl and I would have a son who would never be able to
walk, was nearly blind, had seizures, wouldn’t be able to
eat, and would need a tracheotomy, I probably would have
fainted. Or run away. Then if you had gone on to tell me that
we would have immeasurable joy through this son, I would
have thought you were totally out of touch with reality.
But that’s exactly what God does! He takes the unexpected, the most perverse of circumstances and infuses them
with grace and surprise. He takes the bitter and mixes it
with the sweetness of His grace to create totally new and
unexpected joy that feels other-worldly.
We’re often physically and emotionally tired from caring
for Calvin’s needs, and we don’t rejoice in his disability. But
we do rejoice in the gift of Calvin; there is a unique sense of
purity and joy that radiates from him. It’s hard to put into
words the beauty that lies within that stiff little body. And
it’s affected our entire family.
The rest of our kids can give meds, watch for seizures,
and give him exhilarating rides in his wheelchair. When the
kids need a little extra comfort, you can find them snuggled
up to Calvin telling him their woes.
Each day is challenging, but instead of
our family falling apart, God has knit
us together as a team of caregivers and
fellow cross-bearers.
Grace to Wait for Future Restoration
Every painful moment awakens us to
the greater truths of life. The painful
moments remind us we’ve fallen and
that our world is profoundly affected.
But God has intervened, giving us His
Son to rescue us from our greatest disability, separation from God. Not only
has He provided a rescue from death,
He gives great blessings of joy and
delight in the midst of pain to show us
His goodness and carry us home.
He will make all things new. Those
words are a balm to hurting souls and bodies. Even though
there are many consolations of grace along a hard road, we
still desire the full restoration of our souls and bodies. Paul
said the whole creation is groaning for it! We long for the
day when we will no longer feel the pain of loss but will only
see our gain in Christ. We long for the day when running
to Jesus will not just refer to prayer but a physical reality.
We long for the day when our faith will be made sight and
we can cast our care-giving complaints and distrust off
forever. We long to see our son made whole, spiritually and
physically.
God has called us to live with disability, and while some
days it feels like we can’t do another day, He says it’s just a
little while. By God’s grace, we’ll do it with joy, knowing
He will sustain us, grow us, and use us until His grace will
burst forth into our complete restoration. Praise God for the
life and hope we have in Christ!
Kara Dedert is a homemaker, mother of five children, and a member of the
Grand Rapids HNRC.
PRTS
Update
VOL. 13 | NO. 1
PURITAN REFORMED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
The Publication of
the Word of the Lord
“The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those
that published it” (Ps. 68:11).
Our text declares that God gives His Word to
men who would publish that Word to others.
God has raised up men throughout history who
have faithfully published that Word. We ourselves
are the blessed beneficiaries of others in previous
generations who were moved by God Himself to
publish His precious Word to us.
Clearly, the Lord Himself is the moving
Cause of the uninterrupted publication of His
Word. What a marvelous display this is of the
heart and character of our triune God! He is a God
whose desire it is to reveal Himself, especially to
the children of men. We immediately meet God
in Genesis as a communicating God who verbally
speaks the universe into existence, and who then,
as the crowning piece of His creation, creates man
in His own image. In so doing, God equipped
man with the unique faculties that would enable
Him to communicate with man, and enable man
to respond. Prior to the fall, He communed with
Adam and Eve in the cool of each day, expressing
His love to them and rejoicing in the reciprocal
communication of their love to Him.
Tragically, all of this changed as of the fall.
Adam no longer desired the word of His Creator,
and instead hid himself from His presence. However, though Adam no longer desired to commune
with God, God still desired to commune with
him, and in the original gospel promise (Gen.
3:15), He gave Adam His word—His word that in
the fullness of time His eternal and living Word,
His beloved Son, would come into the world as
the Seed of the Woman. Adam and Eve believed
that gospel promise, and they published the word
of the Lord to their sons, Cain and Abel. Abel, whom Christ identified as the first prophet (Luke 11:50–51), published that word to the
first generation of a fallen humanity.
From that moment on, God has seen to it that the word of His
salvation is published so that mankind can know that God has no
pleasure in the death of sinners, but that they would turn to Him and
live (Ezek. 33:11). Regarding the publication of that word, the apostle
testifies, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son” (Heb. 1:1–2a). The Father’s Son, the Lord
Jesus Christ, is indeed the ultimate and living communication of that
word. John introduces Him as such in the opening verse of his gospel,
saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
The essential message of the written Word of God is that the
Lord gave the Word made flesh (John 1:14)—the Son of God becoming the Son of Man, so that the sons of men might again become
the sons of the living God. The Living Word of God merited that
complete redemption by His death and resurrection, and now as the
exalted Savior makes sinners the beneficiaries of that redemption.
However, He accomplishes that by the ongoing publication of
His written Word to the very ends of the world, calling fallen but
redeemed men to be the publishers or proclaimers of that Word. We
believe that God has raised up PRTS to prepare another generation to
be faithful publishers of that Word. This great privilege defines our
great responsibility: to be instrumental in giving His Word to others
because the Lord has sovereignly given that Word to us.
May PRTS and its graduates be an essential component of that
great company that will publish the Word until Christ returns, proclaiming that “the Lord gave the word”—the Father’s unspeakable
gift of His living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ.
— Visit us online at prts.edu —
—REV. BARTEL ELSHOUT
STUDENT INTERVIEW
with Mark Wagenaar
Please tell me a bit about yourself. Where did you grow
up? Anything you want to share about your family? Are
you married?
I grew up in the small town of Vineland, Ontario. It is in the
heart of the Niagara Region, surrounded by orchards and wineries and close to the city of St. Catharines. I loved growing
up in Vineland and most of my childhood memories include
playing street hockey with my three older brothers, building
forts in the woods, or going on family vacations to Sauble
Beach. When I was seven, my mom passed away after battling with cancer. This was really hard on our family, but God
brought my dad and siblings closer to each other as a result.
I am especially grateful for my older sister who stepped in to
take care of me during that time. A few years later, my dad
remarried and I was blessed with a new mom and a younger
sister. Since then my family has grown to include a brotherin-law, two sisters-in-law, and ten nieces and nephews! After
high school, I went to Brock University and received my
Bachelors in Business. I also met my beautiful wife Sarah at
the Christian group on campus. We were married last year
and just celebrated our first anniversary in October.
When you were 7, what did you want to be “when you
grew up”?
I think I wanted to be a hockey player or a policeman. I
also remember reading stories about David Livingstone and
wanting to be a missionary to Africa. I remember feeling compassion for people with less and wanting to reach out to them.
Any favorite trips or vacations you want to tell about?
What made it so memorable?
Apart from our family vacations to Sauble Beach, there are
two trips that really stand out in my mind. The first one was
a missions trip to northern Mexico when I was in grade 12.
This was a critical time in my life as God had been convicting me of how I was living my life. I was recklessly wasting
the opportunities that He had given me and living in sin.
When I was in Mexico, I saw eye-opening poverty. Despite
the terrible working and living conditions, the smiles on the
Mexicans’ faces convicted me of my own ingratitude. After
my trip, I found it much harder to complain!
Another memorable trip was this summer when Sarah
and I traveled to Europe. We went to the Netherlands, England, and Germany, enjoying the old architecture, great food,
and breathtaking landscape. Some of our favorite memories
include visiting with my relatives in Holland and Sarah’s in
England. We finished off the trip by hiking in the hills along
the Rhine and taking a river cruise between the medieval
towns. We were amazed by God’s creation and the history of
the towns and castles.
How did you hear about PRTS and what drew you to this
seminary?
I have been acquainted with Dr. Beeke’s ministry my whole
life, so PRTS has always been somewhat familiar to me. In
2013, I had an opportunity to meet Dr. Beeke and discuss
what it is like for a student to study at PRTS. I loved what I
heard so he encouraged me to take a distance-learning course
online. I took Puritan Theology, which was a great introduction to studying at PRTS. After that course I looked forward
to studying full-time at the seminary. Also, the Puritans have
made a positive impact on my life and I knew that this would
be the best place to go to learn more about them.
What has been the most rewarding thing since relocating
to Grand Rapids?
The most rewarding thing since moving to Grand Rapids has
been the community of believers that we have met here. I am
able to study under and with humble brothers in Christ on a
daily basis. The professors teach with passion for truth and a
heart for the students, which helps to bring their teaching to
life. Also, fellowshipping with other students in prayer groups
or extra-curriculars (soccer, ping-pong, etc.) have been joyful
experiences.
You’ve been here in Grand Rapids for one full semester.
Are there three pieces of advice you would share with
somebody newly relocating?
Get Greek out of the way before starting at PRTS! Other students and faculty members gave that advice to me and I am
so thankful they did. Also, fight hard to keep your priorities
straight. If you have a family, remember that they come first.
Make sure you are regularly communicating with your wife
about her joys and struggles. It is easy to feel the pressure to
do well academically and to neglect the home situation. Your
family has sacrificed a lot to be here, so show them lots of
grace and love as they struggle to find a daily routine. Lastly,
enjoy every moment of seminary life as it is such a blessing to
be studying here!
After you graduate, Lord willing, what then?
After I graduate, I hope to receive a call and serve as a pastor
for a congregation in the Free Reformed Churches of North
America.
Proposed PhD Program
PRTS has petitioned its accrediting agency, the Association of
Theological Schools (ATS), to begin a PhD program. Although
we cannot officially begin the accredited program until approval
has been granted, we are allowed to offer course work on a nonmatriculating basis. Those interested in becoming candidates
for the prospective program can find application details on the
PRTS website. In order to sustain the program, the search has
begun to fill the positions of Director of the PhD program and
Professor of Historical Theology. This new program has amazing potential to prepare leaders for the worldwide church of
Jesus Christ. The goal is to train Doctors for the church. Pray
with us that God will supply us with highly qualified professors
and students for His own glory.
—Michael Barrett
Dr. Barrett’s Installation as Professor of Theology
On Dececember 20, 2015, Dr. Beeke had the privilege and honor of installing Dr. Michael Barrett,
who is now an ordained Heritage Reformed minister, as Professor of Theology in Old Testament for
Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, where he
also serves as Academic Dean and Vice President of Academic
Affairs. Dr. Beeke preached from Psalm 23:5b, “Thou anointest
my head with oil,” and gave Dr. Barrett a ten-point charge from
the life of Simeon to be a humble, godly, listening, righteous,
experiential, expectant, Christ-embracing, God-glorifying, surrendering, and mission-minded man (Luke 2:25–32). Pray for
this dear brother who has been serving at PRTS for three years
now, that God will continue to bless him together with his special wife, Sandra, as he presses on with his labors here.
NEW PRTS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
In our commitment to provide affordable tuition, PRTS is pleased to announce a number of new annual scholarships. Each
scholarship has been named after an eminent Puritan.
We have five needs-based scholarships that are awarded annually.
•The Flavel Scholarship – $16000.00 (1 available/year)
•The Ames Scholarship – $4000.00 (2 available/year)
•The Perkins Scholarship – $4500.00 (8 available/year)
•The Bradstreet Scholarship – $4000.00 (2 available/year)
•The Owen Scholarship – $4000.00 (2 available/year)
There are two merit-based scholarships.
•The Sibbes Scholarship – $3000.00 (3 available/year)
•The Goodwin Scholarship – $2000.00 (7 available/year)
There are also a number of international scholarships awarded each year. This particular program is called the Rutherford Scholarship and the total amount and number of scholarships awarded each year may vary.
For more information on PRTS scholarships or to donate to any of these funds, please visit us online at prts.edu or contact
Mr. Henk Kleyn at [email protected] with any questions.
FACULTY ITINERARIES & PUBLICATIONS
DR. MICHAEL BARRETT | Itinerary:
April 3: Mitchell, Ontario: Free Reformed Church
April 15–17: Pittsburgh: Three Rivers Bible Conference
Edit and foreword for James M. Garretson, Thoughts on Preaching and
Pastoral Ministry: Lessons from the Life and Writings of James W. Alexander. Grand Rapids: RHB.
Project:
A Radical Comprehensive Call to Holiness in collaboration with Dr. Beeke
DR. JERRY BILKES | Itinerary:
March 27: Bradenton, Florida: Florida Reformed Fellowship
May 15: Hamilton, Ontario: Maranatha Free Reformed Church
DR. JOEL BEEKE | Itinerary:
March 8–9: Greenville, South Carolina: Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Conference
March 25–31: Lisbon, Portugal: FIEL Conference and preaching in
churches
April 4–8: Colombia, South America: Conference
April 15–16: Chicago, Illinois: Westminster Reformed Presbyterian
Church (RPCNA) Conference
April 23–24: Monarch, Alberta: Bethel Free Reformed Church—a
topic and preaching
May 13–31: Turkey and Greece: lead tour group
Recent Publications:
The Portraits of Faith (revised ed.). Grand Rapids: RHB.
The Lord Shepherding His Sheep. Darlington, U.K.: Evangelical Press.
Mark Journible, with Rob Wynalda. Grand Rapids: RHB.
The Works of William Perkins, Vol. 2, ed. Paul Smalley. Gen. ed. with
Derek Thomas. Grand Rapids: RHB.
DR. DAVID MURRAY | Itinerary:
March 11–13: Grand Rapids: Reformed Baptist Conference
March 18: Montville, New Jersey: Trinity Christian School
March 23–24: Livonia, Michigan: Bell Creek Community Church
Conference
May 24–27: Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania: Banner of Truth Pastors’
Conference
Project:
PhD on Matthew Henry: The Reasonableness and Pleasantness of Religion
(Free University of Amsterdam)
DR. WILLIAM VAN DOODEWAARD | Itinerary:
April 7-8: Cambridge, Ontario: Canadian Presbytery (ARP)
May 24-26: Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania: Banner of Truth
Conference
Writing Projects:
1 & 2 Peter, Evangelical Press.
PU R I TAN R E FO R M E D T H EO LO G I C AL S E M I NARY
Training students today for
service in Christ’s church
tomorrow is the mission
that we have undertaken
together. Your partnership
in this endeavor, along with
the Lord’s blessing, is vital to
its success. Please remember
the seminary in your prayers
and with your financial contributions in 2016.
— CHRIS HANNA
FINANCIAL REPORT
For period 8/1/2015–11/30/2015
Income
HRC/FRC
Church Support
Other Donations
Tuition
Scholarships
Other Income
Total Income
Year to Date
Actual
Annual
Budget Variance
$ 147,480
700,565
139,548
86,203
38,316 $1,112,112
466,500
1,022,500
350,000
285,000
174,000 $ 2,298,000 (319,020)32%
(321,935)69%
(210,452)40%
(198,797)30%
(135,684) 22%
$ (1,185,888)48%
Expenses
Instruction
Scholarships
Administrative
Total Expenses
$ 365,152
136,042
414,780 $ 915,974 847,600 285,000 1,165,400 $ 2,298,000 (482,448)43%
(148,958)48%
(750,620) 36%
$ (1,382,026) 40%
Net Income
$ 196,138
q I would like to financially support PRTS by giving $ , designated for:
q Pressing Operational Needs q Scholarship Fund
q PRTS Foundation q Puritan Resource Center
q I would like to enroll in the monthly giving program and give $ per month.
q I am enclosing $20 for a 2016 subscription to Puritan Reformed Journal.
q Send me a free copy of Mercy Revealed by Jerry Bilkes.
Dr. Michael Barrett, Vice President of
Academic Affairs, Academic Dean, and
Professor of Old Testament
[email protected]
Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes, Professor of
Old and New Testament
[email protected]
PAYMENT METHOD
q Check/cash enclosed
q Charge my credit/debit card:
Card type (circle one): Visa Mastercard Discover American Express
Card # Exp. Date / Security Code Dr. David P. Murray, Professor of
Old Testament and Practical Theology
[email protected]
Dr. William VanDoodewaard,
Professor of Church History
[email protected]
q Please send me a free copy of The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible — Genuine Leather
(for donations over $150).
Send me a copy of the q PRTS promotional DVD q PRTS 2015 –2016 catalog
Rev. Mark Kelderman, Dean of Students
and Spiritual Formation
[email protected]
Henk Kleyn, Vice President of Operations
[email protected]
Please include this form with your check.
Donations in the US need to be sent to:
Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
2965 Leonard Street, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Canadian Donors please write your checks to:
Burgessville Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation
Attention: PRTS
685 Main Street, P.O. Box 105, Burgessville, Ontario N0J 1CO
For credit card and pre-authorized debit transaction forms, visit us
online at prts.edu/investing-in-prts/
International Bank transfer information:
• Beneficiary Bank: Mercantile Bank of Michigan
• Beneficiary’s Bank Swift: MEMIUS33
• Beneficiary’s Bank Fedwire ABA: 072413829
• Mercantile Bank: 100061175
• Beneficiary Customer: Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
Jonathon Beeke, Admissions Director
and Registrar – [email protected]
Chris Engelsma, Distance Learning Director
[email protected]
Chris Hanna, Development & Marketing
[email protected]
Laura Ladwig, Librarian
[email protected]
Kim Dykema, Library Assistant
[email protected]
Dr. Fred Sweet, Theological Librarian
[email protected]
PURITAN REFORMED
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Ann Dykema, Faculty Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
2965 Leonard Street NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Tel: 616-977-0599 • Fax: 616-855-5740
Email: [email protected] • Web: www.prts.edu
Seminary EIN: 20-2394341
Foundation EIN: 20-2394946
196,138 Dr. Joel R. Beeke, President & Professor
of Systematic Theology and Homiletics
[email protected]
YES, I WOULD LIKE TO DONATE!
Name Address City/State/Zip Phone e-mail $ Percent of
Annual Budget
—4—
Esther Engelsma, Faculty Administrative
Assistant – [email protected]
Corney Les, Development Coordinator (CAN)
[email protected]
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT | IRENE VANDENBERG
A Brave New World?
Preparing Children with Disabilities for Life
Preparing a disabled child for adulthood today is a unique
task, unique in that every child has a different disability, be
it cognitive, physical or both. For children who have severe
disability the challenge is greater: you as parent are an advocate, care giver, and decision-maker for the child’s whole
lifetime. This is true as well for those with lesser disabilities
and challenges. The disabled person deserves to have his
opinion and wishes respected and taken into consideration,
though these desires may be communicated differently than
is usual for most of us. They are made in God’s image and
deserve to enjoy all that others enjoy. The challenge in preparing them for adulthood is to give them life experiences
from early childhood on so that they are comfortable in
society as adults. They need to grow with those around them
to function appropriately as they age. School integration of
special-needs children and the close association with church
family are positive reinforcements in their lives which are
crucial in their growth as people.
Regardless of the severity of handicap, when they are
children, there are services and education opportunities
available for their development. At approximately twentyfour years of age, education ceases, regardless of the learning
path, unfortunately, not taking into consideration that a large
number are just beginning to grasp the 3 R’s. At this time,
you contact your local organization or search online for adult
day programs or educational opportunities. There are pages
of care workers looking for jobs to help the disabled, foster
homes for adults, financial planning for their welfare, and a
few summer camps for special-needs adults. Transition programs are available to fill the gap between high school age
and independent living. After this they enter a group home
or stay at home. What is a parent to do? Why is there so little
available, save for state-run or some Christian group-home
settings? The cost for a college-age program is like a prolonged college education expense. These rare, hard-to-find
programs offer skill building and volunteer opportunities of
work, very valuable to the adult’s development.
Each adult has different needs. Some need full care, some
need less care, some require only guidance. Let’s look at an
adult with the cognitive ability of a five-year-old child. This
adult functions well within the family circle, is happy and
secure in his family setting. There are physical and behavioral challenges. He needs constant monitoring, guidance,
and positive reinforcement at all times. He, like everyone
else, needs to be a steward of his time every day, to be productive with his gifts, though he may need assistance in
carrying this out. How do you decide for him that he must
live apart from family, taking into consideration this person
has a five-year-old’s cognitive understanding; does he desire
this? Are we not living out the ideology of the past?
Looking into the past is something we all do to see how
other parents dealt with this challenge. In the past these
individuals disappeared into large institutions with a variety
of disabilities. This began in 1883 with a philosophy named
eugenics, a Greek word meaning “well born.” It was a term
coined by a British man named Francis Galton, a half-cousin
of the infamous Charles Darwin, who influenced this philosophy. He established a viewpoint that would suggest that the
well born should marry well born, to weed out the “feebleminded” of society, feeble-minded being anything that was
seen as defective, in appearance or cognition. He claimed it
a utopia for the “Brave New World,” as some labeled it, to
rid themselves or put away those who didn’t fit the required
mold. It resulted in horrific atrocities against the disabled.
For those considered feeble minded at that time, who
already had grown into adulthood, sterilization was first suggested, then enforced, so that they could not bring another
generation into existence. In 1938, thirty States in America
implemented mandatory sterilization, and approximately
60,000 people were involuntarily sterilized. (The law encompassed the “feebleminded,” insane, criminalistics, epileptic,
inebriate, diseased, blind, deaf, deformed; and dependent,
including “orphans, ne’er-do-wells, tramps, the homeless and
paupers.”) This practice continued on into the 1970s. At this
time, because of the atrocities in the institutions, the deinstitutionalization movement began, moving the residents to
smaller group homes and then back into their communities
with their families.
In alliance with the eugenics movement, Margaret
Sanger founded The American Birth Control League in
1916, and its magazine, The Birth Control Review. She edited
this magazine until 1938, promoting the philosophy, “More
children from the fit, less from the unfit.” In 1922 she published A Pivot of Civilization. It advocated birth control and
IQ testing, which became mandatory for the lower classes.
She stated: “Philanthropy is seen as a positive danger to society, since it allows the lower classes to propagate.” Another
quote: “Such human weeds clog up the path, drain up the
energies and the resources of this little earth. We must clear
the way for a better world; we must cultivate our garden.”
(The American Birth Control League became Planned Parenthood in 1942.) Another book written at this time (1922),
was The Revolt Against Civilization by Lothrop Stoddard.
He asserted that uncontrolled reproduction among defective
families would bring “the twilight of the American mind
and the dusk of mankind.” Another, authored in 1914 by
Stoddard, was Feeblemindedness, its Causes and Consequences.
With this selfish, arrogant mindset, the past hid the
disabled, without thought to acknowledging God’s plan in
giving them to us. He has a purpose in their presence among
us. They in their own way have gifts that they bring to others.
Care of these children can be exhausting, and without
support, some end up being sent to homes or group homes
because the parents cannot cope. The lifestyle is so different
from that of a normal family, that often families don’t share
their challenges for fear of complaining, and as a result the
child ends up living away from his or her family. They are
faced with a different focus, things are more complicated,
especially in light of history and how these individuals were
put away from the general public.
The disabled need advocates. To be an advocate is to
understand the need for advocacy. In order for the individual to prosper, he needs plans and programs to thrive.
Parents today of a disabled adult have to be imaginative and
brainstorm with others to create activities/jobs for them, to
find learning opportunities for them, meaningful work that
helps others, enabling their development at the same time;
to accept them into our lives as human beings with different abilities instead of people with disabilities. We need to
appreciate their gifts as God-given, and permit them to make
an impact in the realms of our families’ lives, and the lives of
others as well, facilitating God’s intended purpose for their
existence in His world.
Responsibility for their spiritual growth lies in the hands
of parents. They need our help to live to the honor and glory
of God. Do we pretend that they are not capable of a spiritual
life, that somehow we are absolved from this responsibility?
They, as other children, are baptized. We, as promised at
their baptism, have a duty to educate them in God’s Word,
whether it be through understanding, or by merely listening
to psalms and hymns. Most react strongly and favorably to
music in a positive way; their blessing is often our blessing
when we share it with them.
We, the parents, have been given these children to nurture
and protect. They need our loving shelter, our encouragement, so that they may emulate the Christ-like ability to
give, accept, and forgive so readily. They are an example for
us to follow; they show true humility with their joy in others’
successes. They, if they are capable, desire the goals of most
people: jobs, marriage, independence, etc., but are not able to
carry them through. We need to help them achieve goals that
fit them, so fulfilling their desires for life and God’s purpose
for them and for those they rub shoulders with every day.
God did not and does not make a mistake in bringing
disabled children into the church families. He doesn’t have
a “well born” plan. He is satisfied with what He made and
wants us to be stewards of His gifts and bring back five- and
ten-fold what He has delivered into our care. As Christians,
we need with our immediate and church families to include,
grow them, and learn from their graces.
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I
say unto you. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of
these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40).
Submitted by Irene VandenBerg, wife to Doug Sr., advocator of equal opportunity for all and mother of Doug Jr, age 30, diagnosed at the age of 6 months
with Cri-du-chat, a chromosome disorder.
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT | PAULA ROTH
These Children Also
The Why and How of Including Children with Disabilities
in the Christian School
We live in a broken world. We feel it in our own bodies,
experience it in our families, and observe it in our churches
and schools. Each child that walks into our schools is unique
and has his or her own set of gifts and needs. Those needs
can be physical, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, or developmental. In some cases, these needs are described by a
diagnosis like cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder, ADD or ADHD, autism, or a host of
other specified learning disabilities.
Years ago, children with disabilities were sent to schools
with only other children with special needs. However, in the
1980’s, a shift started taking place in education. Educators
and parents started to ask why students who had exceptionalities couldn’t be sent to the same schools as their siblings and
peers. Why couldn’t students with exceptional needs access
the same opportunities and experiences as other children
their age? Wouldn’t including these children help them feel
part of their own communities, and be surrounded by peers
who could be positive role models and help them improve
their social skills? Over time, it was agreed that this was the
preferred option. The exceptional child would feel valued
and be exposed to a broader and more balanced curriculum in an environment where growth was encouraged, thus
better preparing them for adulthood. Peers would benefit
from having students with special needs in their classes by
learning to be empathetic, learning to see the person first
and the disability second, becoming comfortable interacting
with people who had needs, and realizing that despite challenges, students with exceptionalities also had strengths and
contributions to make.
As the inclusion movement gained momentum, the governments in Canada started providing funding for students
with health needs. This made it possible and more affordable
for those with significant physical disabilities to be part of
the mainstream school system. This also applied to Christian
schools. Inclusion of children with learning disabilities in
the regular classroom began as a goal and then became the
new norm.
Inclusion did mean that mainstream school systems
needed to make some changes in order to accommodate these
students. Accessibility, funding, and staffing all needed to be
considered. School boards needed to develop handbooks with
perspective statements, policies, and procedures. Classroom
teachers had to adapt their lessons in order to meet the needs
of the broader spectrum of students they were now serving.
It was the responsibility of the Special Education teacher
to support the classroom teachers and make it possible for
Christian education to be inclusive.
It is important to note that inclusion is a flexible term.
Special education is challenging because every child’s needs
must be evaluated individually. No two are alike, meaning a
“one size fits all” approach does not work. When the needs
of the child are not being met in the classroom, it becomes
the job of the Special Education teacher to make learning
“accessible and meaningful.” Sometimes, pull-out sessions
are necessary. Children are typically withdrawn from the
classroom for explicit and focused reading or math instruction, severe spelling difficulties, writing disabilities, support
with organization and study skills, or if they are more than a
year and a half behind their peers academically.
This support is carried out with the help of assistants
commonly referred to as para-educators or educational assistants. These qualified individuals are the backbone of the
Special Education department. They work one-on-one or
with small groups of students. They take the Individual
Education Plan that has been developed for the student they
are working with and implement it. This follow-through
includes accommodations or modifications in order to meet
the needs of the students. Accommodations include changes
to the environment (where a child sits, movement breaks,
etc.), teaching techniques (simplifying, chunking, etc.), and
assessments (more time, scribing, etc.). Modifications involve
changing the curriculum completely so that a child can work
at their own level and pace.
School is a large part of all of our lives. When learning
is difficult, twelve years can feel unending. If by having the
proper structures and supports in place we can make a positive difference in a child’s life, it’s worth it.
The Scriptural Warrant for Special Education
The reasons for serving students with special needs are the
same principles that apply to all children. All children in the
covenant community need to be given the opportunity to
develop the talents the Lord has given to them. Regardless
of how many talents they have, the Lord asks what they have
done with the gifts He’s given (Matt. 25).
The Bible calls children a blessing. In Psalm 139, we see
the Lord taking a personal interest in and carefully forming
each child in a way that declares them fearfully and wonderfully made. He is intimately acquainted with every detail of
every child’s development. They reflect His image. It is our
task then, to take these blessings entrusted to our care and
invest in them. They are important to Him; therefore, they
must be important to us.
When Jesus was on earth, He took special interest in the
needy and was deeply moved by their plights. In this world
of sadness and hardship, special care needs to be given to
the hurting and struggling, including in the school setting.
Special Education is a reflection of this particular concern.
The Lord does not break the bruised reed (Isa. 42:3). Genesis
33:14 also indicates special consideration: “and I will lead on
softly [slowly]…as the children be able to endure.”
In a Christian school, we have the unique privilege of
reflecting God’s attributes of love, compassion, and faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22–23 reads, “His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” It is
because of Him that our lives have meaning and purpose.
When we pour ourselves out on behalf of those who need
extra support, we are in a small way reflecting His greatness
and goodness.
Life’s burdens are not meant to be borne alone. Those
who are weak or struggling need the covenant community to
come alongside of them and their families and “go the road
together.” When we love the brethren, we honor the Lord.
Look to the Lord
Educating a child with special needs can be daunting. Learning challenges are complex and most problems do not have
simple solutions. There are environmental, neurological,
sensory, metabolic, emotional, learning, and home factors.
As one facet of a child’s needs is addressed, there are other
issues that may need addressing later. Even special education teachers rarely arrive at a place where we have all the
answers. That means, when trying to address a child’s needs,
we all need to pray, persist, be patient, and be flexible. We
need to focus on what we can change, not on what we cannot
change. Transitions take time; start with small changes or
attainable goals and move towards larger ones. We need to
hope in God, who is sovereign and determines the beginning and the end. Thankfully, He is gracious and delights
to bless His people.
Life is still mysterious in many ways. Like the hymn by
Cowper says: “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders
to perform.” We all learn, in various ways, to accept mystery
and to have unanswered questions. However, in the midst of
it all, we have the assurance that God is working. Elizabeth
Elliot once said to Joni Erickson Tada in Joni’s early years of
quadriplegia, “It’s not for nothing.” So we do our daily work
faithfully and in dependence on the Lord. At the end of the
day, our circumstances are not about us; they are about God. It
takes constant refocusing to keep a biblical perspective on our
lives, including how we see special education. The world values intelligence, prestige, and beauty; God values brokenness,
contrition, and dependence. We are weak creatures with many
needs. However, God uses weakness to display His strength.
Having natural gifts and abilities is a blessing, but they
are not the only blessings God gives. Surely, spiritual blessings are to be more highly prized. As 3 John 4 says, “I have
no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
The Lord values childlike trust. No child with exceptional
needs is outside of His reach. Let us look to Him then for
help to reach academic goals and to plead for spiritual blessings. He gives joy in the midst of difficulties and enables
weak vessels to serve with love, laughter, grace, and hope—
including at school.
Paula Roth has taught in Christian schools for the past twelve years. She is
currently Head of Special Education at Oxford Reformed Christian School in
Mt. Elgin, Ontario.
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT | PAM MAARTENSE
When Your World Changes
Mid-Morning
The cell phone pinged in the cold, dark morning, indicating
a school delay. I snuggled down into the blankets, thankful
I didn’t have to face the icy roads for a few more hours. My
husband, Michael, didn’t have that option so he prepared
for his commute from our home in Allendale to Kalamazoo
(approximately 60 miles). Just before he left for the long
drive, I met him in the kitchen. He was standing tall, steady,
and vibrant in the entry way to the garage wearing his green
Carharrt coat and winter boots. That was the last time I got
to see him that way.
A few short hours later, my cell phone started ringing
while I was teaching. I ignored it and focused on the Bible
lesson. The call then came into the school office for me. The
message was again about snow and ice but very, very different. Michael’s car had hit a patch of black ice and slammed
into a tow truck. Michael’s head had hit the tow bar on the
truck. He had been flown to the hospital and taken into
immediate brain surgery. “Your faith is about to be tested.
Your husband is in critical condition,” were the first words
I heard when I was given the news.
What followed was seventeen months of agony and
amazement. Our faith was tested and strengthened. We
received devastating news time after time. We were privileged to see miracles time after time. Michael spent fourteen
weeks in a coma. He underwent seven brain surgeries, hernia
surgery, many procedures for feeding tube placement and
replacement, and hours upon hours of physical, occupational,
speech, and music therapy. Phone calls from medical staff
and trips to the emergency room from the rehab facility he
had been moved to became regular events. Our life seemed to
revolve around doctor’s appointments, diagnosis, treatment
plans, and medical procedures. However, that was only the
outward appearance. In reality, our lives revolved around
God’s perfect plan for us and the opportunities He had for
us to testify of Him. When Michael’s earthly work was completed, on July 2, 2014, God called him home to Himself.
There are many things I learned through this journey
into disability with my husband. There is no way little lines
and curves of black letters on white paper can convey the
pain, messiness, worries, indecision, second-guessing, questioning, opposition, and turmoil one faces when their spouse
suddenly becomes disabled and requires intense medical
care. Likewise, there is no way to convey the depth of the
convictions God grants, the indications of His will He displays, the peace of the soul He pours out in the middle of the
physical needs one’s body is consumed with while wrestling
with the question of what to do medically.
It is my prayer that if (and, for many of us, the reality
is “when”) you are faced with the need to make medical
decisions for a disabled spouse, God will use some of these
words, born out of wrestling in the mind and heart, to aid
and comfort you.
The first thing to make clear is that every person is
disabled. None of us remains in the perfect pre-fall state
in which God created Adam and Eve. We all suffer the
consequences of sin and various levels of disability; some
are simply much more visible than others. Therefore, when
given the opportunity to meet or interact with someone who
has a significant physical disability, remember that you too
are disabled—just differently. Treat them with the care and
respect with which you would want to be treated. Do not
talk about the person as if they were not present as you sit
or stand by their bedside or wheelchair.
Physical touch continues to be extremely important.
Don’t be afraid to hold their hand, rub their arm or forehead, and hug and kiss them. I gave Michael many foot
massages while he was in a coma because we both needed
that physical contact. During one of our appointments with
a psychiatrist, I learned about the limbic system of the brain
and the doctor instructed me to keep up the good physical
contact he had observed between Michael and me because
that connects to some of the most core elements of the brain.
Don’t retreat from your loved one. You will need to
completely redefine and adjust your relationship and interactions, but don’t pull away emotionally or abandon them.
Learn how to interact with them. Continue to love them
unconditionally and display that love to them. Christ loves
His church lavishly when we have no value of our own
before Him. Our loved ones have infinite value to us because
they are the image-bearers of God and should be treated as
such. Model your love for your spouse after that of Christ
to His people.
Don’t despair in front of them. There are of course
many times when the situation you find yourself in is completely overwhelming emotionally, mentally, physically, and
sometimes spiritually. It is absolutely appropriate to have
moments of breaking down and crying out to God, confessing that you feel you can’t go on and acknowledging that
you don’t even know if you should go on. It is not usually
beneficial to your loved one to be part of these moments
with you. Take a walk around the hospital, weep outside
the door to the therapy gym, release your frustrations with
physical exercise, and above all, cry aloud to God. Let your
emotions out but protect your spouse.
Use medical means as God-given tools, relying on Him
above all. This area is fraught with the most uncertainty and
will be different in every situation. There is no manual that
outlines what steps a believer should take in Situation A that
would not be appropriate in Situation B. Or at what point a
medical intervention should be discontinued. It is also true
that there are no two identical life events. Therefore, what
may be appropriate for one family may not be the best course
of action for another. My advice is to listen to the information provided by the medical staff (remembering they need
to include the “worst-case scenarios”), consider input from
fellow believers (especially pastors and others who have had
exposure to life and death situations), and consider what you
know about your spouse and his or her wishes. Then hold
it all up to God’s Word and prayerfully go with whatever
decision gives you spiritual peace—what feels right with
God within your soul.
In our seventeen-month-long journey, I needed to make
hundreds upon hundreds of decisions regarding tracheotomy, feeding tubes, surgery after surgery, kidney dialysis,
medications, ventilators, cardio resuscitation, and therapies,
among a host of others. The practical factors I considered
with each decision were that Michael was young, he had
been physically healthy and strong before the accident, and
whether or not he was responding to the treatments he was
currently receiving.
The even more important factors I considered were that
he was a father to four children and he adored being their
dad. I knew he would want to make use of any means that
would allow him to be present with his children for as long
as it was appropriate. If we had discontinued treatment the
first time the neurosurgeon raised that possibility to me,
my children would not have been able to receive the hugs
and kisses from their dad that they did. They would not
have been able to see him fight to sit up in physical therapy.
They would not have been able to witness the miracle of
God bringing Michael out of the coma the doctors had said
he would never wake up from. They, along with the others
who followed our journey, would have missed out on seeing
God work. I remember asking a pastor just days after the
accident, as I considered whether or not to agree to kidney
dialysis, if I would be keeping Michael from heaven by
agreeing to it. The pastor wisely reminded me that as much
as Michael was spiritually ready for heaven, he had a Godgiven desire to be present for the kids and me, too. I agreed
to the dialysis which was only needed for a few hours. My
philosophy towards treatment became “Employ the means.
Give God the opportunity to bless them. Trust Him for the
outcome.” As the journey went on, I made decisions differently based on the changing circumstances and evidences
God was showing me. You may find that a decision for or
against a medical intervention at one time may not be the
best decision at a future time.
The final and most important consideration in making
these weighty medical decisions is being in tune with the
Holy Spirit. When it comes time to make the decision for
hospice or to discontinue treatment, if you are relying on
God, He will let you know. Pastors and doctors had advised
me of that throughout the last months of our journey. I
wanted them to tell me how I would know, but they couldn’t.
However, they were indeed correct. There came a time when
there was an unexplainable, different feeling that surrounded
Michael and me. God confirmed through His Word and
through conversations with my children, but the strongest
indication of the right medical decisions to make was the
feeling He gave me in my soul. And then, when I made
the decision to remove the ventilator, God confirmed His
absolute sovereignty in enabling Michael to breathe on his
own for almost four days before calling him to heaven. The
ultimate decision, blessedly, rested with God and not me.
Pam Maartense is a Christian school teacher. She and her four children are
members of the Grand Rapids HRC congregation.
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT | FREDERICKA PRONK
Peace Haven
A Haven for Those with Special Needs
Connie’s parents were part of the wave of Dutch Reformed
emigrants who left the Netherlands in the 1950s and ‘60s
to get away from poor economic conditions after World
War II. At that time, anyone who wanted to immigrate to
Canada had to submit to a rigorous medical examination.
Only able-bodied men, women, and children were allowed
in. After arrival, the young couple became parents. Their
firstborn was a healthy boy, but in 1962, they had a girl who
was born with Down syndrome. They loved her, no question about that. But how would their daughter fare in life,
especially in an era where such babies were often hidden
away at home or in an institution?
Connie lived with her parents for many years. They
raised her in a Free Reformed church like the one they left
in the Netherlands. Connie enjoyed going to church regularly with her parents and she was enrolled in community
programs that were available for children like her. She was
taught to care for herself, as she was able. Her mother made
sure that her daughter was always neatly and attractively
dressed. But she knew that she needed reminders and guidance in these areas. There were nagging questions: what will
happen to Connie when we are no longer there? Who will
care for her spiritual well being?
Connie’s second parent passed away recently.
Where is Connie now? She lives in one of the Peace
Haven homes in a loving and cheerful family-like setting.
Here prayer, Bible reading, and spiritual nurturing occur.
She is a member of the local Free Reformed church in
Brantford, Ontario, where her parents moved a few years
ago. On Sundays, she often visits with host church families.
Everyone knows when she is present because you can’t miss
her deep voice when she enthusiastically greets friends and
acquaintances, sometimes with a hug.
While her parents had agonized and prayed about her
future, in 1998, a group of people had begun meeting in
the Brantford area. It had become apparent to deacons from
nearby churches that families with members who had special needs were struggling. They felt that they should take
more responsibility because these children and adults with
developmental handicaps belong to God and are as much
covenant children as those without disabilities. They were
baptized, as our Heidelberg Catechism states, because “they,
as well as the adult, are included in the covenant and church
of God, and since redemption from sin by the blood of
Christ, and the Holy Ghost, the author of faith, is promised
to them no less than to the adult; they must therefore by
baptism, as a sign of the covenant, be also admitted into the
Christian church; and be distinguished from the children
of unbelievers” (Q. 74). They too, must be taught the way
of salvation according to their abilities.
Some families found help with secular and Christian
organizations, but some Brantford deacons and concerned
parents continued to meet, searching for solutions. As more
families began looking for both permanent and temporary
relief, they found that the demands for Christian as well
as secular support had become so great that only those in
emergency situations were able to be helped.
Such emergency situations arose very quickly. The burden of one family who cared for a son born with severe
cerebral palsy requiring total care became overwhelming.
Similarly, the family situation of a young adult with Down
syndrome became increasingly difficult. Another crisis situation resulted in a young adult person being placed in an
inner-city group home that was not suitable for her. Relief
was provided temporarily with Anchor Homes, a Canadian
Reformed Association. This organization advised the parents that they would love to help long-term, but, since space
and finances were at a premium, it was suggested that the
Free Reformed churches begin their own organization for
helping families with special needs.
This led to the calling of a meeting of deacons and
interested members of six Free Reformed churches in the
Brantford/Hamilton/Niagara area in 2005. An interim
board was formed, comprised of a majority of deacons and
a lesser number of interested members of the six congregations. It was recognized that according to the biblical
principles that undergird the Reformed Church Order, the
deacons have an important role to help the needy. This
includes supporting families who care for members with
developmental disabilities.
A decision was made to hire a part-time coordinator
to assess needs. With the help and direction of the Peace
Haven board and input of the deacons and other church
members, Margaret Heemskerk conducted visits and gathered information. It was soon found that there were more
parents in the area who were caring for family members
with special needs than anticipated. They often kept their
struggles and concerns to themselves. There were families
who were struggling with little relief or outside supports.
This was not intentional, but they simply had not brought
their needs to the attention of others. One family was caring for two children with a very rare syndrome; one of these
children died recently due to the nature of this condition.
Another family had children with a syndrome that made
their presence at the local Christian school problematic.
The greatest concern families have is that their adult
children receive care that is in accordance with the vows
they made at baptism. Their adult children with special
needs will always remain dependent on them or on others. Experience taught them that higher-functioning adults
could end up in dangerous positions, especially morally.
Such individuals are often supposed to be capable of living
independently with limited outside support. The facts are
that they are easily misled, don’t foresee danger, and can
quickly end up in unhealthy situations.
Many board meetings were held to discuss how to help.
A mission and vision statement, policies and procedures,
job descriptions, legal advice, fine-tuning a constitution,
and applying for charitable status were some of the necessary items that had to be in place to function according to
existing regulations and standards.
Based on immediate needs and applications, the first
Peace Haven home was purchased and opened in 2008.
Brantford was chosen because it was more or less central,
easily accessible, housing was more economical, and staff
could be hired from local Free Reformed churches. With
financial help from the churches and much volunteer help,
the home was made wheelchair accessible and equipment
was installed to provide for care.
Soon it became apparent that another residential home
was needed. Today Peace Haven operates two residential
homes, side by side, supervised by a director, and assisted
by trained staff members of various ages. The board meets
monthly and oversees all areas of operations. Funding is by
residential fees, parental support, church collections, individual donations, fund-raisers, and annual memberships.
No direct government funding is received, although in
Ontario families and people with special needs may qualify
to receive some direct funding, which they may use as they
choose. Volunteers and family members are encouraged to
help where possible.
As the needs of residents and families change, the next
step is a day services program, suited for adults who live at
Peace Haven or live at home with their families. Like other
adults, such individuals need to have purposeful employment. They need to be motivated and stimulated to reach
their potential and enjoy satisfaction in completing a job
well done. Such programs are at a premium in the community and have a long waiting list. It’s very rewarding to see
how some higher functioning residents of Peace Haven have
found joy and satisfaction in part-time greenhouse work,
light cleaning, and other routine tasks.
It has become evident that the individuals who are supported at the homes thrive in a warm, supportive, Christian,
home environment. Families with members who have special needs receive respite from knowledgeable staff. Peace
Haven has benefitted the entire church community by
becoming more understanding and supportive of the families in their midst who have members with special needs.
These “weaker” members need special care, but they also
have much to contribute. They teach their churches and
the staff drawn from their midst about compassion, about
giving, about caring, and about serving. They also remind
us of the brokenness and misery caused by sin and they
teach us of God’s grace and His love for those who cannot
help themselves. By nature, we all are spiritually disabled
and unable to help ourselves, and are totally dependent on
the grace of God.
The Lord heard and answered the prayers of Connie’s
family and the prayers of families who are caring for persons
with special needs. God has provided a safe haven for them
with Peace Haven. May there always be a place where these
weaker members in our midst will receive loving care in
an environment supported by a church community where
children born with special needs are valued because they
are precious in God’s eyes.
Fredericka Pronk is the former board secretary of Peace Haven Free Reformed
Association, a grandmother of a young teen with disabilities, and has spent
over forty years as a ministers’ wife, listening to parents who are caring for
their children with disabilities.
DISABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT | REV. JAN NEELS
Alzheimer’s and Faith
Loving Care for Struggling Friends
How should we visit someone from church with Alzheimers to make the visit the most beneficial? I am thinking of
a godly man, a former elder in the local church, catechism
teacher, mentor for younger office bearers, and example of
godliness and Christ-likeness. This man with his solid grasp
on the gospel of Jesus Christ was one of the pillars of that
local church. Many sought his advice and received godly
counsel. His presence in meetings was such that he unwittingly commanded attention. His whole demeanor spoke of
a close walk with his Lord and Savior.
In his old age, he developed Alzheimer’s disease, and to
the shock of many, all his former faith, godliness, and virtue
seemed to disappear. In its place came a foul mouth, disrespect for people, and at times even cursing. He seemed very
much like a stranger to what he once was, and that is how he
died. What are we as Reformed Christians to think of this?
I am thinking of a former church member who came
to the Reformed faith and to faith in Christ later in life.
She was an example of childlike faith, humbly accepting
the Word of God. Her husband, an unbeliever, said once,
“I can’t figure her out, but I know one thing, she loves that
big book (her Bible).” When I visited her, she would have
her questions ready, with underlined verses and an endless
curiosity about God and His Word. She was loved by the
ladies of the congregation, and was like a breath of fresh air
at their Bible Study.
In her old age, she, too, developed Alzheimer’s disease
and, again to the shock of many, lost her ability to think
clearly, to read her Bible, and to communicate about biblical
matters. At times, her talk and behavior were shockingly
inappropriate. Often when I read Scripture with her, she
would fall asleep. She was so different from what she used
to be. It seemed her Christianity had left her, and that is
how she died.
I am thinking of a mother of a large family. She had a
tough life but was always, at least outwardly, a content person. Though not indifferent, she did not profess to believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ for her salvation. Despite faithfully
attending church services all her life, she did not have a clear
view of the gospel.
In her old age, she is diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s
disease. She cannot hold a conversation. Her thoughts are
scattered and, though she is still a very pleasant person, her
children cannot really reach her at a spiritual level. When
they read the Bible and pray with her, she is reverent and
quiet, but no one knows if they’re getting through to her.
The uncertainty of her spiritual state is burdensome to her
children. They are afraid she will die in this uncertain condition. What are we to think of this?
Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder resulting in a
progressive decline in intellectual and social skills, interfering with a patient’s ability to perform the activities of daily
life and to interact meaningfully with others. Like all other
diseases, this is the result of the fall in Adam. Living in a
fallen world as fallen creatures, we are subject to corruption,
including the corruption of mental diseases. Though as
human beings created in the image of God we have intellect,
our intellect is also affected by the fall.
Not only do we not know God as we once did, but we
are limited in our ability to know Him at all. Outside of the
grace of God, man does not know God, even with our Bibles
open. God in His mercy reveals Himself in His Word, and
the Holy Spirit illumines our minds to know Him, to receive
Him in Christ, and when we embrace Him as our God and
Savior, we are saved from the corruption of sin. That does
not mean, however, that there will not be any after effects
of sin. Every appearance of illness—physical, emotional,
and mental—is the result of sin. I am not saying that it is
because of specific sins in a person’s life, but because we are
sinners we are subject to misery.
Every child of God is saved by His grace, based on the
atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Every child of God is
chosen from before the foundations of the world. Because
of God’s sovereign election, He will never let go of His
children. When they are still in a sound mind and they sin,
He does not desert them. When against better knowledge
they nevertheless fall into numerous sins, He does not forsake them. When they no longer remember Him, He does
not forget them. When they sometimes deny Him, He will
never deny them. All this is true when they are of a sound
mind—but it remains true when that mind does not function anymore.
The true Christian who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease
does not “hold fast the form of sound words, which thou
hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus”
(2 Tim. 1:13). The Alzheimer’s patient does not “hold fast
the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the
end” (Heb. 3:6). He does not “hold fast the profession of our
faith without wavering” (Heb. 10:23). The Christian with
Alzheimer’s does not hold fast to anything except his fallen
nature, which is exposed more and more. However, we are
not saved because of what we hold onto, but because of Him
who holds onto us.
The God of all true Christians promises, “I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). In and through
the Lord Jesus Christ, our God assures us that absolutely
nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8: 39). He speaks
in absolutes like “never” and “nothing.” Therefore we rest
assured that though our loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s
disease and seems to have lost it all, he is secure in the grace
of our God through Christ Jesus.
What about our loved ones who were not strong in
faith, and perhaps never spoke of their trust and faith in
Jesus? While they were of a sound mind, they seemed to
have rejected the gospel. And what about those who outrightly despised God’s Word and gospel? They were not
among those of whom Paul writes in Romans 10:9, “That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Is it possible for them to
do that now, when their minds are not functioning clearly
anymore? It would seem that it is too late for them, but is
it really too late?
Does not the Holy Spirit work through the means of
God’s Word? Is He somehow limited in His power to save?
Let us never underestimate the love of God for sinners and
His power to save. Christ’s blood was shed on the cross so
that all kinds of sinners can be saved. One drop of Christ’s
blood is sufficient to cleanse us from all our sins. There is
a fountain of blood opened “for sin and for uncleanness”
(Zech. 13: 1). The Bible does not limit its offer of grace to
those of a sound mind. In fact, before grace, who can claim
to truly be of a sound mind?
What I have found in visiting Alzheimer’s patients is
that, no matter how far the disease has progressed, they
seem to perk up when we read familiar passages of Scripture
with them. Psalm 23, for example, always seems to ring a
bell for them. Another way of trying to reach them is to
sing a familiar Psalm or hymn for them. For some of the
older ones of Dutch background, Psalm 81 will be familiar.
“Open says the Lord, wide thy mouth, believing….” “Amazing Grace” will also be a familiar tune, even when the words
are long forgotten. Don’t think that because you can’t see
any reaction, that there is none. There can be more going
on than meets the eye.
Always read the Bible when you visit, even if you read the
same portion every time. The Holy Spirit can reach through
the fog and clouds where we are unable to penetrate. Don’t
despair for your loved one. She is not beyond the power of
the gospel. Though you are unable to see results, you do not
know what is going on behind those clouds.
Some of us fear that we may be struck by this disease
when we get older, and statistically some of us will be. Let
us be prepared for it by setting our house in order now. That
way we can rest assured that our Savior will never leave us,
and our loved ones will not be left to wonder what happened
to us when we die. Jesus still calls to us today, “Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
Rev. Jan Neels is pastor of the Jordan, Ontario Heritage Reformed
Congregation.
For further reading on disability:
Disability and the Gospel: How God uses
our Brokenness to Display His Grace, by
Michael S. Beates
The Crook in the Lot: Living with that
Thorn in Your Side, by Thomas Boston
Suffering and Sovereignty: John Flavel and
the Puritans on Afflictive Providence,
by Brian Cosby
Help! Someone I Love Has Alzheimer’s, by
Deborah Howard
Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched by Disability, by
Stephanie O. Hubach
Songs in the Night: How God Transforms our
Pain to Praise, by Michael A. Milton
Why, O God?: Suffering and Disability in
the Bible and the Church, by Larry J.
Waters and Roy B. Zuck
EXPERIENTIAL CHRISTIANITY | JAMES BUCHANAN
We Are Now in the Wilderness!
“He led them forth by the right way—that they might go to a city
of habitation” (Psalm 107:7).
There is a striking analogy between the Israelites in the wilderness, on their journey to Canaan, and believers in the
world, on their journey to heaven. The history of the former
has been recorded mainly for the purpose of guiding and
comforting the latter.
Dear brethren, we are now in the wilderness! This poor
world is not our home. We too have heard of a city of habitation, a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker
is God. And many of us, I trust, have been separated from
the world and united to that company of pilgrims who have
set their faces steadfastly to go up to the Jerusalem above.
God is our leader, as He was theirs. And as God is our
leader, so our path through life is as really ordered and directed
by Him, as was the way of the Israelites in the wilderness.
True, we hear no audible voice from heaven, directing our
steps; but God leads us by His providence, shutting us up to
a particular line of life, fixing the bounds of our habitation,
and determining our work, our connections, our success, by
a variety of circumstances over which we feel that we have no
control, and many of which are apparently trivial—but not
one of them is by chance or accidental. And as God is our
leader, and as our path in life is prescribed and ordered by
Him, so, if we belong to the number of His people, we may
rest assured that He is leading us by the right way.
Our experience, indeed, may often resemble that of the
Israelites in the wilderness. God may seem to lead us in a
circuitous and indirect way. We may be, we shall be, subjected to tribulation. We must leave the world behind us as
the Israelites left the flesh pots of Egypt. We must encounter
difficulties and endure the assault of enemies and sustain
trials—such as will humble us and prove us, and show what
is in our hearts. Our hearts, too, may be much discouraged
because of the hardness of the way. It may seem a tedious,
dreary, perplexing way—and, when faith is ready to fail, it
may lead us to murmur against the Lord.
All this is true, but the Lord knows the way which we
take in this great wilderness; and as sure as God is our guide,
so sure is it, that He is leading us by the right way. All the
difficulties, all the trials, all the disappointments, all the
bereavements, all the delays, all the chastisements which
befall us—all are as needful for us as they were for the children of Israel. We, too, need to be proved. We, too, need to
be humbled. We, too, have evil hearts of unbelief which must
be subdued. We, too, must be educated by instruction, trained
by discipline, and purified by suffering, that we may be fitted
for our glorious inheritance above.
There is an inheritance for us, as there was for them. Their
inheritance in the land of Canaan was but a type or shadow
of the incorruptible, undefiled, unfading inheritance reserved
in heaven for us.
And seeing that God has opened up such a glorious prospect before us, oh, why should we doubt that He will lead
us by the right way on our journey towards it? Why should
we quarrel with any of His appointments here if they are
all designed to fit and prepare us for such a glorious destiny
hereafter? Would we take the regulation of our life out of
God’s hands and keep it in our own? Would we think it safer
and better for us to be guided by our own will than by His
unerring wisdom and infinite love?
No, our safety is that we are in God’s hands! The Lord
is our Shepherd, and we may rest assured that however perplexing the path may be by which He conducts us, He will
lead us like a flock through the wilderness; that while we are
in it, goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our
life; and that, in the end, we shall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever!
“Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to
give you the kingdom!” There we shall be able to look back
on all the way by which the Lord has led us in the wilderness,
and we shall then see it to have been “the right way.” And, in
admiration and gratitude, we shall acknowledge with Moses,
“Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast
redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy
holy habitation” (Ex. 15:13).
James Buchanan (1804–1870), a Free Church of Scotland minister and theologian, became best known for his books on justification and the Holy Spirit.
Faith IN CHRIST (12)
EXPERIENTIAL CHRISTIANITY | George Lawson
These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus
is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye
might have life through his name. —JOHN 20:31
Dr. George Lawson (1749–1820), who studied under John Brown of Haddington, became pastor of the Associate Synod church in Selkirk, Scotland in 1771. In
1787, he succeeded Brown as professor of theology in the Divinity Hall, which was then moved to Selkirk so that he could continue serving as pastor there. As
a professor of theology he trained scores of men for the ministry for more than three decades and was loved by all the people of God. He became best known for
his sermons and commentaries, particularly for his commentary on Proverbs and his books on Ruth, Joseph, Esther, and David. Less known is his scarce work,
Helps to A Devout Life, being a Treatise on Religious Duties. This remarkable little book is a summary of how Christians ought to live. It is divided
into a Trinitarian structure: the duties we owe to Christ, the duties we owe to the Father, and the duties we owe to the Holy Spirit. The entire book is full of
practical, savory truth. As space allots, we hope to print this book in short articles in this periodical. The article below is the twelfth part of the second chapter.
MOTIVES AND ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH IN CHRIST (CONT.)
In addition to what is said of unbelief, all that is written in
Scripture concerning the evil and danger of any sin, affords
powerful motives to faith. If sin be so bad in its own nature,
and so dangerous to the sinner, necessity is laid upon us to
use the only possible means of deliverance from its power. If
a man were pursued by a fierce enemy seeking his life, the
instinctive law of self-preservation would urge him to escape
to a place of safety. This is our danger—every sin exposes us
to the wrath and curse of God. Security and protection are
only to be found in Christ, by faith. Not a single sin can be
pardoned save through Christ; and the blood of Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, cleanseth us from all sin.
What, then, though conscience accuses us of innumerable transgressions, the wisdom which is from above will
teach us, for this very reason, to flee for refuge to lay hold
on the hope set before us, breathing the prayer, “For thy
name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great.”
How fearful is the condition of those who continue in
unbelief! They are still in a state of sin and misery. They
are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, by adding
daily to their iniquities. Condemned already—unless their
state is changed before the judgment of the great day, their
eternal portion shall be with those angels who kept not their
first habitation. But, unlike them, these malignant spirits
never rejected a salvation, revealed and urged upon their
acceptance. As the angels in heaven are unable to sing that
charming note in the song of the redeemed from among
men, “Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by
thy blood”—so devils will not be condemned for neglecting the great salvation which at the first was spoken by the
Lord Himself, and was afterwards confirmed by them that
heard Him.
Fifth, every argument that can enforce any duty of the Christian
life, enforces also the duty of believing on the Son of God; for,
apart from this, it is impossible to perform any duty in a manner
acceptable to God.
What profit is there in a servant who performs no part of his
work in a manner advantageous or pleasing to his master?
Such an one will receive no thanks, and might as well spare
his labor. Equally profitless shall be our religious services
if performed in a way displeasing to God. Without faith it
is impossible to please Him. “We labor,” says the Apostle
Paul, “that whether present or absent we may be accepted
of Him.” Without such a prospect of acceptance, his hands
would have been palsied in the good work of the Lord. And
there cannot be a comfortable persuasion of divine acceptance without faith in Christ, for we come unto God by
Him (Heb. 7:25). Through Him we believe in God (1 Peter
1:21). We offer our spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God, only by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). Besides,
“we are not sufficient to do anything of ourselves, but our
sufficiency is of God,” and it hath pleased the Father that
all fullness should dwell in Christ for us. Since we can do
nothing spiritually good without Christ, we must by faith
carry on a constant intercourse with Him, receiving out of
His fullness and grace for grace, that we may be thoroughly
furnished unto all good works (John 15:1–5; Col 2: 6, 7).
No duty is more universally binding than that of prayer.
The true disciple delights in the exercises of devotion; he
would not neglect them for a single day; much less can he
neglect the duty of believing in Christ, in whose name alone
we can acceptably present our requests, and for whose sake
we expect an answer. Unless offered in faith, our prayers
are worthless; it is only when asked for believingly that the
blessing is obtained (John 14:14; James 1:6). It would be
easy to show that faith in Christ is equally necessary for
our profitable mediation on spiritual subjects, for our sorrowing for sin after a godly sort, for our praising God with
the melody of the heart, for our waiting with advantage on
divine ordinances; and, therefore, when urged by conscience
to the performance of any other duty, we should feel that
this duty comes first, and that God will be glorified by our
intelligent faith in Christ (Rom. 4:18, 19; 1 John 5:10).
BOOKTALK
JOEL R. BEEKE
NEW RHB BOOKS
Thoughts on Preaching
and Pastoral Ministry:
Lessons from the Life
and Writings of
James W. Alexander
James M. Garretson
This book provides a detailed
narrative of James W. Alexander’s life in order to better understand his approach
to gospel labors. Garretson
draws deeply from Alexander’s correspondence, tracking the spiritual development
of his life as it shaped his practice of pastoral ministry.
In addition, assessments of Alexander’s sermons, books,
and especially reviews provide valuable personal statements that shed light on his character and convictions.
Throughout, Alexander is allowed to speak for himself
so that the reader may enter into the spiritual pulse
that animated his life and actions. Bracing, heartening, and at times frustrating, Alexander’s growth as a
Christian and development as a minister is the story of
a man subdued by God’s grace and a life marked by a
growing conformity to the likeness of Christ. For those
whose privilege it is to serve as ministers of the gospel,
Alexander’s life and instruction provide inspiration and
wisdom for how to do pastoral ministry well and with
all of one’s heart.
(HC, 456 pgs) $35.00|$27.00
Turn and Live
Nathanael Vincent
God’s call to the sinner to turn
and live is serious and demands
a response. In a clear, compelling, and passionate way,
Nathaniel Vincent explains
the foolishness of continuing in the pathway of evil, the
stubborn disposition of natural
man to continue in this way,
the gracious and repeated call
of God to turn, and the wonderful remedy found in Christ.
In typical Puritan fashion, Vincent also draws out the
several applications, or uses, of this doctrine. This book
is part of the Puritan Treasures for Today series, which
includes books that are carefully edited with modern
readers in mind, smoothing out difficult language
of a bygone era while retaining the meaning of the
original authors.
(PB, 96 pgs) $10.00|$7.50
The titles below are recently published or reprinted. The
first price is retail, and the second is our discounted price.
PB = paperback, HC = hard cover.
From the Cultivating Biblical Godliness Series
Is Church Membership Biblical?
Ryan M. McGraw & Ryan Speck
Many churches have an official process to join
their membership. Is this really a biblical practice? The authors show that the Bible assumes the
necessity of formal church membership so that we
can fulfill the commands and apply the promises
given to the church. Clearly and carefully answering contemporary objections along the way, the
authors make the biblical case that God desires
the members of His heavenly kingdom to join
with the earthly society that ref lects it—Christ’s
body, the church.
(PB, 32 pgs) $3.00|$2.25
What is Repentance? —Jeremy Walker
The spirit of our age encourages us not to feel bad
about ourselves and to build up our self-esteem.
Yet to become a Christian and then to maintain
a healthy Christian life, we must practice repentance—acknowledging with sorrow our sin and
yearning for holiness and increased obedience
to God’s will. In this booklet, Jeremy Walker
explains from the Scriptures what it means to
repent by turning from our sin and turning to
God. He provides biblical portraits of repentance
and practical steps toward developing this important characteristic in our lives.
(PB, 32 pgs) $3.00|$2.25
OTHER BOOKS
The Church of Christ — James Bannerman
Here is one of the key historic texts of the doctrine
of the church. After dealing with basic principles and
distinctions, such as the contrast between the visible and invisible church, and between the local and
universal church, Bannerman takes up the important
and far-reaching question of the relation between
church and state. This is classic Scottish theology at
its best, and those who take the time to digest it will
be richly rewarded.
(Banner, HC, 1009 pgs) $50.00 | $38.00
The Scriptures Testify About Me: Jesus and the
Gospel in the Old Testament — D.A. Carson, editor
The Bible’s story line is grand in its sweep, beautiful in its form, and unified in its message. However,
many of us still struggle both to understand and to
best communicate how the Old and New Testaments
fit together. In this book, Albert Mohler, Alistair
Begg, James MacDonald, Conrad Mbewe, D.A.
Carson, and others demonstrate what it looks like to
preach Christ from the Old Testament.
(Crossway, PB, 187 pgs) $16.99 | $12.75
Thomas Chalmers (Bitesize Biographies)
You Must Read: Books That Have Shaped
Our Lives — Various
When people say you must read, where do you
begin? There are so many books from which to
choose. Many of us want to ask, “Can somebody please tell me what books I should read?”
Here are the answers from the pens of a number
of Christian leaders, including Joel R. Beeke,
Alistair Begg, Jerry Bridges, Mark Dever, J.
Ligon Duncan, R. Albert Mohler, Jr., John
MacArthur, Stuart Olyott, R. C. Sproul, Derek
W. H. Thomas, Geoffrey Thomas.
Sandy Finlayson
This biography of Thomas Chalmers (17801847) brings to life and color one of the most
inf luential stories of Scotland’s past. Chalmers dominated the life of the Scottish Church
in the mid-19th century and his inf luence was
felt much further afield, through his visionary
thinking, writing, and leadership. He was passionate about the proclamation of the gospel to
Scotland and to the rest of the world.
(EP Books, PB, 152 pgs) $11.99 | $9.00
(Banner, 289 pgs) Paperback $18.00 | $14.00
Hardcover $26.00 | $20.00
Children’s Devotions
Frances Ridley Havergal
Questions Jesus Asks: Where Divinity
Meets Humanity —Israel Wayne
Jesus rarely answered questions He was asked.
Instead, He turned the tables by asking a piercing question of His own. This book goes through
a broad spectrum of these questions—dealing
with issues like morality, suffering, humility,
and faith—to cut past pretense and reach the
target of our hearts.
When you go to bed you want to rest your head
on a pillow but when the morning comes you
need an alarm clock to ring loudly to wake you
up. This book gives your heart a place to rest
at night and a wake-up call to get you walking
with Jesus each new day. It includes thirty-one
readings for morning and evening. (Christian
Focus, PB, 198 pgs) $11.99 | $9.00
(New Leaf Press, PB, 186 pgs) $12.99 | $10.00
Luke: That You May Know the Truth
R. Kent Hughes
This commentary on the book of Luke traces
the story of the life, death, and resurrection of
Jesus, exploring the gospel as good news for all
people and the stunning implications of Christ’s
fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. As part
of the Preaching the Word commentary series, it
is written by a pastor for pastors, as well as for
all who teach or study God’s Word.
Send orders for the above titles to:
REFORMATION HERITAGE BOOKS
2965 Leonard St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525
616-977-0889 / Fax: 616-285-3246
www.heritagebooks.org; e-mail: [email protected]
Qty.
Author/Title
Price
Total
(Crossway, HC, 982 pgs) $44.99 | $33.75
The Bible is God’s Word
Catherine Mackenzie
What is the Bible anyway? Who wrote it? Is it
really accurate? Are there any contradictions?
How can we know for sure that it is true—
totally true? These and other questions about
the Word of God are answered in this book.
(Christian Focus, PB, 93 pgs) $8.99 | $6.75
The Christian, His Conf lict and His Armor:
A Warning and A Promise
Charles Simeon
The section of Ephesians on the armor to be
worn by every Christian is a profound passage of
Scripture. It provides a warning and a promise to
ever believer. The promise is that if we wear all
the armor then we will win the battles, not just
the war. The warning is that if we don’t wear all
the armor then we will be defeated.
(Christian Heritage, PB, 157 pgs) $6.99 | $3.50
Mich. residents add 6% sales tax.
Postage (US 12%, min. $3.99;
Canada: 20%, min. $7.50;
Overseas: 28%, min. $10.00)
Sub-total
Sales Tax
Postage
Total
Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VISA/MC # _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Exp. Date ________________________________________ Security Code ______________________
All orders must be accompanied with payment in U.S. funds. Canadian Customers: Write U.S. Funds behind total amount of your check or pay by VISA
or MasterCard.
In Canada these books are available at comparable prices from:
230 Lynden Road, Unit 5A (behind Galaxy Car Wash)
Brantford, Ontario CANADA N3R 8A3,
Phone: 519.304.4709; Email: [email protected]
www.reformedbookservices.ca
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES NORM BOMER
Who Was Mohammed?
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Israel. Mohammed was born
in Mecca, Arabia, about 570 years later.
Jesus was the Son of God. Mohammed was the son of
Abdallah, a merchant who died before Mohammed was
born.
Jesus was raised by His stepfather, Joseph. Mohammed
was raised first by his grandfather, Abdul al-Muttalib, and
then by his uncle, Abu Talib.
Jesus was crucified and died when He was 33. He rose
from the dead the third day. Mohammed got a fever and
died when he was 63. He stayed dead.
Jesus is the Creator God. He knew everything about
Mohammed. Mohammed was a man. He made up his own
version of Jesus.
The Bible tells us in John 14:6 that Jesus is the way,
the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Him. He is the only Savior.
The Qur’an (the Koran) tells us in 4:171 that Jesus is
not God and there is no Holy Trinity. “Believe therefore in
Allah and His apostles, and say not, Three…. Allah is only
one God; far be it from His glory that He should have a
son.” The Qur’an says Jesus is only one of Allah’s apostles, or
prophets. Others include Abraham, Moses, and Mohammed
(the last one). “We do not make any distinction between any
of them” (2.136).
In the Bible, Jesus says, “I and my Father are one” (John
10:30). In the Qur’an Jesus says, “I am the apostle of Allah
to you” (61:6).
The living and true God wrote the Bible. Mohammed
wrote the Qur’an.
The mother of the little boy Mohammed died when he was
only six. So he was raised by relatives. He grew up shepherding and working on trade caravans. When Mohammed
was growing up, Allah was the main god of Arabia’s many
pagan gods and goddesses. Three of those goddesses were
Allah’s daughters.
At age 25, Mohammed married a wealthy businesswoman
who was fifteen years older. She was the first of a dozen
wives. When he died, he was still married to nine of them.
Mohammed was a thinker. In his late 30s, he began
spending time meditating in a mountain cave near his
hometown of Mecca. When he was 40, he told his wife that
he had had a vision in the cave. He said the angel Gabriel
appeared to him and called him to be “the messenger of
Allah,” the new prophet.
Three years later, he said Gabriel commanded him to
start preaching against the worship of many gods and about
the coming Day of Judgment. He said Gabriel told him
to preach that there is only one god—Allah. That’s when
Mohammed actively began formulating his new religion—
Islam (meaning “submission”).
Over the years, he wrote the Muslim “holy” book, the
Qur’an (meaning “recitation”—the reciting of Allah’s words).
He said that much of what he wrote was revealed to him by
Gabriel. The rest he said he found “in his heart” (in his own
mind). Muslims, however, say the Qur’an is not actually the
word of Mohammed. They say it’s the word of Allah.
Mohammed’s “one god” idea came from things he
learned from Christians and Jews. He even borrowed things
from the Old Testament for his Qur’an. But he also borrowed things from other religions and cults.
His preaching against the worship of many gods caused
the growth of two movements. First, his new religion grew
and he gained many followers. Second, opposition also grew
from those he preached against. They included many successful merchants, since Mohammed’s Qur’an called for
taking from the rich and giving to the poor—similar to the
later teachings of Karl Marx.
Mohammed eventually had so many enemies, he had
to leave Mecca at age 52. He moved to the city of Yathrib.
In Mohammed’s honor the name Yathrib was changed to
Medina—“The City of the Prophet.” There his religious followers became his army—the most powerful in all Arabia.
It conquered Arab, Christian, and Jewish tribes that refused
“submission” to his teachings. In some cases, all the men
were executed.
Under his command, his followers also raided trade caravans and plundered them. In 629, he returned to Mecca and
conquered it. By 630, he had conquered all of Arabia. There
was no “separation of church and state” in his new religion.
Mohammed acted not only as the great “prophet” and lawgiver, he acted as the great governor and the great judge.
In less than a century, the militant dedication of the
Muslims, the followers of Mohammed, led to the conquering not only of Arabia but of Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia,
Egypt, North Africa, and part of Spain. In later centuries,
their dominance became even greater and wider. And the
name of Mohammed became more and more glorified. Most
Muslims today believe Mohammed was not only the prophet
of Allah, he was sinless.
The Word of God says, “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin” (1 John
3:5). That verse is about Jesus Christ. It cannot be said of
anyone else who ever lived on earth or ever will.
This article by Norm Bomer is reprinted from Christian Renewal with
permission.
Resolutions
MEDITATION FOR CHILDREN • • • • KARA DEDERT
Have you made a promise to yourself for the New Year?
Maybe studying harder or being more kind to your siblings?
If you did, you made a New Year’s resolution! And you’re
not alone; lots of people do it at the beginning of a new year.
Making a New Year’s resolution is a tradition in which a
person makes a promise to do better at something or improve
themselves in some way. It could be something as simple as
resolving to brush your teeth before bed or resolving to practice piano every day.
This tradition has been around for ages—literally! Even
the Babylonians centuries ago would make promises to their
gods. They would promise to do better and would pay their
debts. The Romans would make promises to the god Janus
(what month does that remind you of?) whom they believed
to be the god of transitions and fresh starts.
What is it about a new year that makes us want to do better? Instilled in each of us is the awareness that we are not
perfect as we should be. God created us in His image and we
were perfect and whole in every way. Adam and Eve wouldn’t
have had to make any resolutions before the fall; they were
already perfect! But once they fell, sin crept into every part
of us and now we are not perfect; we’re broken. And because
of that, there are lots of problems in us and our world, from
big ones (separation from God) to smaller ones (a fight with
our sibling).
There’s nothing wrong with making resolutions; I’ve made
of few of my own this year. It’s good to be given a chance to
change positively. But even if we succeed at changing little
bits and problems of our lives, we still have that really big
problem (separation from God) that no resolution of ours can
change, no matter how good we are.
When we repent of our sin and turn to the Lord Jesus
by spirit-worked repentance and faith, our lives change from
darkness to light. We are brought back into fellowship with
God and no longer separated. That’s 100% better, isn’t it?
If you live by faith in the Lord Jesus, the big problem is
resolved but there are still many smaller ones to be conquered.
Just because you are saved doesn’t mean all of your sin automatically disappears. The good news is that knowing Jesus
provides the real fuel to change from loving sin to loving
Him! We can be encouraged by Romans 6:14, which tells us
that sin will no longer have dominion (power) over us. The
Holy Spirit lives in believers and sanctifies them. He teaches
us to hate sinful things and to love good.
Here is an example of resolutions that model a way for us
to live out of faith in Christ—desiring to live for the glory of
God and our neighbor’s good. I think they will sound very
familiar to you!
• Resolve to seek grace to know Jesus Christ as your only
Savior and Lord and to stay faithful to Him. He is the
one Truth, Way, and Life. There’s no reason to look
elsewhere.
• Resolve to not let anything—a friendship, a new game,
a Nintendo DS, a pet—become an object of worship.
• Resolve to watch your language and not speak any
destructive talk, especially involving the name of God.
• Resolve to use the Sabbath for your good and God’s
glory. Fill your mind and heart with good books and
listen well to the Word being preached.
• Resolve to honor and obey your parents without complaint, and show them love and respect.
• Resolve to be angry less at those around you, especially
your family. Repent of any feelings of rage, which
Jesus said are as severe as murder. Instead, use your
passion to worship God and serve others.
• Resolve to fill your heart and mind with things pure,
holy, and good. Do not let the darkness of sin find a
home in your heart.
• Resolve to not take anything that’s not yours, including things you can hold and put in your pocket, as well
as things you can’t, like pirated songs.
• Resolve to speak about others only with truth and love,
not gossip.
• Resolve to be content with what you have, and not be
jealous of what your friends have, no matter how cool
it is.*
In your devotion time, think over the past year. Confess your
sins to the Lord and pray for strength to live for His glory and
your neighbor’s good throughout 2016. Seek to live by faith
in Jesus. Every year lived apart from the Lord Jesus Christ
is a failure, no matter how many resolutions you may keep.
Come to Him and start really living!
*10 Commandment Resolutions adapted from The Christian Post (www.
christianpost.com).
Kara Dedert is a homemaker, mother of five children, and a member of the
Grand Rapids HNRC.
BIBLE QUIZ
for children
Elina VanderZwaag
We are grateful to Elina VanderZwaag for being willing to draft the Bible quizzes for children this year. —Editor
1
2
3
Dear young friends,
From this page I am wishing
you a very Happy New Year!
What a blessing that the Lord
has spared your lives and that
you now may live in the year
2016. The words blessed and
happy almost always mean
the same in the Word of God.
Only when we say “Bless the
Lord” then it means “Praise
the Lord.” I thought it would
be interesting to look up some
texts in the Bible that speak
of blessing and happiness.
4
5
6
7
8
10
11
9
12
13
14
15
16
Across
Down
2.“Blessed is the whose God is the LORD” (Psalm
33:12).
4.Which heathen ruler is here blessed by Jacob (Genesis
47:10)?
6.“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his ,
whose hope is in the LORD his God” (Psalm 146:5).
8.David blessed this woman because he almost killed for the
wrong reason (1 Samuel 25:32–33).
9.Sadly, this young man received the best blessing of his father
by lying and cheating (Genesis 27:19).
12.“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his
” (Psalm 103:2).
13.This man was blessed when the Ark was in his house for
three months (2 Samuel 6:11).
14.Which man tried to curse the Israelites, but could not
because they were blessed (Numbers 22:12)?
15.This man sowed his seed and had a great harvest because
the Lord blessed him (Genesis 26:12).
16.What cannot go together with blessing ( James 3:10)?
1.In this commandment, the Lord doesn’t bless a person but
the (2 words) (Exodus 20:11).
3.“Blessed is he whose is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Psalm 32:1).
5.“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have ”
( John 20:29).
7.“Happy is the man that findeth ” (Proverbs 3:13a).
9.What kind of sound will these people hear and be blessed
(Psalm 89:15)?
10.Which old man did the Lord bless in all things (Genesis
24:1)?
11.What will the Lord bless His people with in Psalm 29:11?
ANSWER TO LAST MONTH’S PUZZLE:
Speak, LORD; for thy
servant heareth.
Elina VanderZwaag is a homemaker, wife of Rev. Foppe VanderZwaag, and member of the Grace Reformed Christian Church (HRC) of Harrison, Arkansas.
STORY FOR CHILDREN • • • • • • ANDREA SCHOLTEN
TRAPPED!
“My son, if sinners entice thee,
consent thou not” (Proverbs 1:10).
Johnny Ray had set a trap in the woodland for squirrels. The
“woodland” was a large area of land covered with beautiful
trees, most of which were walnut. The squirrels loved that
place, and it was home for many families of them. Johnny
thought that he would like one of the sprightly little things
for his own. Because it was spring, when there were no nuts
on the trees and when it might be supposed that the squirrels had eaten up all of their winter’s store of food, Johnny
thought that one of them might be tempted by a nice yellow
ear of corn to go into his box-trap. So he had set up the trap
in the woodland one fine afternoon. He also had dropped
a few bright kernels of corn around the trap for “decoys,” as
he called them. Then he watched and waited. A large rock
was close by, and he would creep up quietly, now and then,
to see if his trap was sprung.
Two days passed, but no squirrel was caught. On the
third day, Johnny asked his sister Maud to go with him to
look at the trap. They approached it very carefully, keeping
behind the rock, and then Johnny, taking off his cap, peeped
cautiously over the top of the rock. A shout almost left him
and with a motion of his hand, he beckoned his sister to
quietly come. A bushy-tailed little fellow was nibbling the
scattered kernels near the open mouth of the trap. They
watched him almost breathlessly. He finished eating the
decoys and, lifting his head, looked around. They could see
his bright eyes. He gave a hop or two toward the trap, and
again looked about him. Then he looked in; then around
again, seemingly in doubt whether it was safe to venture
farther. But at last he walked into the trap, and nibbled at
the ear of corn. The cover fell, and he was a prisoner!
Now, before I tell you what became of him afterward, I
wish to say that I have seen more than one boy and girl who
seemed to me very much like that squirrel. When I see a
child beginning to be a little disobedient to parents because
he wants to have his own way; when I hear a boy using words
which, though not the worst, perhaps, that might be spoken, are not ones he would want his parents to hear; when
I learn that a girl does or says things when out of sight of
her mother which would grieve that mother’s heart, then I
think that they are picking up the decoys which have been
dropped by someone very different from little Johnny Ray,
for he did not wish to harm the squirrel. They are picking
up the shining kernels which the great trap-setter, who is
the evil one, has made to look very inviting to the young
and thoughtless, and thrown it about the entrance to a place
where he hopes to make those children prisoners forever.
The little squirrel could hardly be blamed, for he could
not think as you can, and the corn was sweet to his taste.
So the beginnings of sin may be sweet to you, but you know
to what they lead.
Johnny took up his trap to carry it home. He could hear
the imprisoned squirrel scratching and struggling in his
fright at being shut up in that strange, dark place. Before
Johnny reached home, he began to feel some misgiving
about keeping the poor little fellow there. “I almost wish he
was back in the woodland,” said Johnny to his sister Maud.
“Well, so do I; I wish he wasn’t stuck in that box.”
“I guess I’ll let him go,” said Johnny.
“Oh, that will be nice!” cried Maud. “But do you think
he could find the way from here?”
“I’m afraid not; but we can go back to the woodland
gate.” And back again they went. Johnny set the trap down
on the grass. Then he lifted the cover a little way and looked
in. The squirrel put his nose to the opening, and thrust out
one of his pretty, slender paws, as if begging to be let out.
Johnny opened the trap wide. The squirrel sprang out and
was off in a moment, never stopping to look back until he
was safely up in a walnut tree, and then he perched on one
of the branches, giving his tail a whisk, as if to say, “I will
never be caught that way again.”
But the great trap-setter, of whom I have told you, is not
so willing to let precious souls go out of his snare once he
has caught them. Look out, carefully and prayerfully, for his
decoys. He tries to make little sins appear quite harmless.
He makes them very attractive, and thus he tempts us to go
nearer and nearer to destruction. Our Lord has taught us to
pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Andrea Scholten is a school teacher, a writer for children, and a member
of the HNRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This article is adapted from Uncle
Paul’s Stories for Boys and Girls, by Uncle Paul. Boston: American Tract Society.
and
announcements
OBITUARY
VANDER HART, Dena, age 90, of Grandville, MI, passed
away peacefully on Saturday, December 12, 2015. She
was preceded in death by her husband, Marcelus,
“Mart” Vander Hart, and her sister, Marie Ruissen.
She is lovingly remembered by her children, John and
Rene’ Vander Hart, Jake and Launi Vander Hart, Joan
and Steve Diekema, Fran and Steve Karsten, Marilyn
Vander Haar, Mary and Rob Kwekel; Brothers and sisters, Joanne and Kaas DeKort, Johannes and Adrean
VandeVreede; Sisters-in-law, Mattje VanDalen, Jacoba
and Adrian Moerdyk, Adrian and Corrie Vander Hart
of Canada; Brother-in-law, Jan and Lene Vander Hart;
nieces, nephews, cousins, and special cousin, Jane Bamberg; her 13 grandchildren; l6 great-grandchildren. (Dr.
J. R. Beeke, Revelation 19:6-9).
TEACHERS NEEDED
The Board of OXFORD REFORMED CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
invites applications for high-school teaching position(s)
and potential elementary teaching position(s) for the
2016/2017 school year.
O.R.C.S. is a parent-run school serving the needs
of several local Reformed communities and has been
operating for ten years. We have been blessed with a
new facility located in Mount Elgin, a rural village in
south-western Ontario. Our present enrolment is over
275 students and we offer a Kindergarten to grade 12
program.
We have a need for qualified, passionate high-school
teachers (preferably with a math and/or science major)
to join our staff team. Qualified elementary teachers are
also invited to apply. All applicants committed to the
Reformed faith and to Christian education are encouraged to apply before February 15, 2016.
Applications must include a resumé, statement of
faith, philosophy of Christian education, and references.
Promptly send to: Oxford Reformed Christian School,
c/o Mr. W. Van Brugge (principal), 333182 Plank Line,
PO Box 87, Mount Elgin, ON, N0J 1N0. E-mail: [email protected]. Phone: 519-485-1142.
Obituary notices, church events, and marriage
and anniversary notices will be printed free of
charge and under no obligation of a gift received.
Other announcements and/or requests will be
approved by the editorial committee on an individual basis as received.
JORDAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Jordan Christian School (near St. Catharines, Ontario)
is a small but energetic JK-12 learning community nestled in the heart of Niagara
wine country. As we seek to more fully serve in our community and add International students to our school population, we are receiving applications for teaching
positions beginning September 2016. The successful applicants will be energetic and
motivated team players who aim to inspire, are committed to a Reformed worldview
while preparing students to meet the demands of our rapidly changing society; you
will be comfortably versatile with technology and will bring skills that complement
our present teaching team. If this describes you, we are interested in reviewing your
application, including your resumé, a philosophy of education, and a statement of
faith. All submissions will be carefully considered. Please send your application to
the attention of Mr. Mark Fintelman at [email protected].
FLORIDA REFORMED FELLOWSHIP
The Florida Reformed Fellowship has been encouraged and is grateful for generous
donations collected at each service, however, we still need to rely on the larger gifts
from three or four individuals to help pay for expenses for our visiting pastors so
that they can have a rest. Therefore, we ask that you prayerfully consider a church
collection or individual gifts to help relieve the burden on a few so that this ministry
may continue to serve those vacationing in the winter months on Florida’s west coast.
Donations can be made through Grand Rapids deacons. This ministry is under
the oversight of the Grand Rapids HRC, 540 Crescent St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI
49503. For those in Canada, please send to HRC, 658 Main St. S, Burgessville, Ont.
N0J 1C0. Thanks for considering this ministry.
CAMBRIDGE REFORMED BIBLE CONFERENCE
www.cambridgerbc.ca
April 1-2, 2016
Location: Calvary Pentecostal Assembly,
127 Hespeler Rd., Cambridge ON
Speaker: Rev. Richard Phillips
Theme: Perseverance of the Saints
Session 1–Friday 8:00 p.m.
Session 2–Saturday 9:30 a.m.
Session 3–Saturday 11:15 a.m.
Nature of Perseverance of the Saints
Objections to the Doctrine of Perseverance
Proof for the Doctrine of Perseverance
REFORMATION HERITAGE RARE AND USED BOOKS
2965 Leonard St., NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 • (616) 855-5744 • (616) 977-0889
Our used book store is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For online shopping, click the “Used Books” tab on www.heritagebooks.org.
We are always seeking books in the Reformed, Presbyterian, and Puritan traditions. Contact Gary Vander Schaaf
at (616) 977-0889; email: [email protected] when you have books to donate, sell, or trade.
(continued from page 11)
It’s comforting to notice that all the sheep need to do is
listen and follow. They don’t keep themselves or provide for
themselves. The Shepherd has everything they need: life,
pastures, and a safe place (the sheepfold). And the life He
gives them is not just a meager life: “I am come that they
might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”
(v. 10). He leads us to green pastures, where there is enough
food for our souls. He leads us to places where living water is
plentiful and never runs out. He knows the way; all we need
to do is trust, and follow.
It could be disheartening to think that Christ’s words did
not find entrance into the hearts of many people who heard
Him offer Himself so freely. However, the chapter does not
end without evidence of considerable fruit. When Jesus comes
to the wilderness where John used to baptized years before,
many believed on Christ. John had prepared the way for this
Shepherd, and now He has come, like Isaiah prophesied in
Isaiah 40:11: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall
gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom,
and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Christ is
now among His flock. These people finally now heard the
Shepherd’s voice, and they followed Him. They discover for
themselves that everything John had said about Christ is true
(v. 41). They are safe with Him. No wolf will seize them.
Have you made that discovery of Christ for yourself? Have
you found Him to be a good Shepherd, though you might be a
silly, wandering sheep? Christ knows our weakness; He knows
we are prone to wander. But He leads, and He leads gently.
He leads to places of nourishment and rest (Ps. 23). No wild
animal nor any trying circumstance can rob us from His loving
2016 YOUTH CAMP
The theme for this year is “Can I Make a Difference?” Our topics are: Your World, Your Privilege,
Your People, Your Dilemma, Your Plea, and Your
Risk. Speakers will be Pastor VanBrugge, Pastor
Lipsy, Dr. Jerry Bilkes, Pastor Macleod, Student
VanderHoek, and Pastor Kuivenhoven. Please
reserve Tuesday, July 5 through Friday, July 8 to
join us in discussing these important topics and
having enjoyable fellowship at beautiful Camp
Michawana in Hastings, MI. Registrations will
be available in April.
HERITAGE SPRING RETREAT
Save the date! All 18–35-year-olds are warmly
invited to the Heritage Spring Retreat from Friday, May 20 through Monday, May 23 at Maple
Grove Retreat Centre in Thamesford, Ontario.
This year, the theme is centered around the
topic of COURAGE. Speakers for the weekend will include Pastors D. Overbeek and M.
Kuivenhoven, as well as Sye Ten Bruggencate
and seminary student Ryan Hurd. Visit www.
HeritageRetreat.ca for updates and more details.
care. He loves His flock so much that He paid with His life so
that the sheep can rest and have the joy, comfort, and care they
need. If we know Christ as our Shepherd, we follow wherever
He goes, trusting that His hand is over us. Nothing will come
between the Shepherd and His sheep, and what awaits us is
an abundant life in His presence.
QUESTIONS
1.How does the Bible and this chapter connect the
pictures of light and the shepherd? How do these
pictures help put the Christian life into perspective?
2.Compare this chapter to Psalm 23. What does Christ
promise for His sheep? Have you felt these blessings
in your own life?
3.Name examples of good and bad shepherds that God
hires to take care of His flock. What is the difference between them? How do they relate to the Good
Shepherd of this passage?
4.Name concrete examples of how we can learn to hear
the voice of the Shepherd. How can we follow Him
in daily life?
5.Verses 28–29 hold a great promise. How does this
promise comfort God’s people?
6.Sometimes we sow the seed of the Word of God
but don’t see results. These people came to believe
through the witness of John. What does this tell us
about the way that God works in His kingdom?
Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes is Professor of Old and New Testament at Puritan
Reformed Theological Seminary and an ordained minister in the Free
Reformed churches of North America.
BOUND COPIES OF “BANNER OF SOVEREIGN GRACE TRUTH”
Once again, we make available to our Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth readership the possibility of purchasing bound copies of this periodical. Please
place a check in the box corresponding to the option(s) in which you are
interested and forward to the subscription manager by January 31, 2016.
qEnclosed please find $30.00 for the binding of the 2015 issues of the Banner of
Sovereign Grace Truth. My ten issues are enclosed.
qEnclosed please find $50.00 ($30.00 for binding and $20.00 for a set of ten issues)
for a bound copy of the ten 2015 issues of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth.
qI would like to pre-order a bound set of 2016 issues of the Banner of Sovereign
Grace Truth. Please put my name on reserve, and I will forward you $50.00 upon
receiving the bound volume in early 2017, D.V.
qPlease charge my VISA/MC: # Exp. Date
Signature
Name
Street
City
State/Province/Country Zip/Postal Code Mail to: THE BANNER OF SOVEREIGN GRACE TRUTH
540 Crescent St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 U.S.A.
CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW
NATIONAL NEWS
GATES FOUNDATION WILL SINK ANOTHER $120 MILLION INTO
PROMOTING ABORTION AND POPULATION CONTROL
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is funneling more money
into global programs promoting population control and abortion
after a group warned that international family planning goals are
not being met. The announcement came in response to a new report
which found that the global community risks falling short of its goal
to reach an additional 120 million women and girls with access to
contraceptives and family planning services by 2020, according to the
report by the news website All Africa.
Both Planned Parenthood and Marie Stopes International, two
of the largest abortion businesses in the world, are partners in the
global Family Planning 2020 initiative, and the Gates Foundation has
faced criticism in the past for giving money to programs that support
abortion. According to the Gates Foundation grant database, the
Foundation gave Planned Parenthood of America, the International
Planned Parenthood Federation, and Planned Parenthood of Western Washington about $71 million from before 2009 through 2013.
Additionally, the Gates Foundation gave $46.1 million to Marie
Stopes International in 2012 alone. Much of this giving is focused
on Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where abortion-providers like
Planned Parenthood, Marie Stopes, and Ipas seek to overturn pro-life
laws and sometimes even provide illicit abortion drugs. (Zionica.com)
TENNESSEE SCHOOL DISTRICT BANS DISTRIBUTION OF BIBLES
FOLLOWING COMPLAINT
A school district in Tennessee has banned the distribution of Bibles—
and any type of religious materials—following a single complaint.
Bledsoe County Schools Superintendent Jennifer Terry told reporters that she believes the distribution violates the U.S. Constitution.
“Bledsoe County Schools do not allow the distribution of religious
materials from any religious groups. The distribution of religious
materials in a public school is in violation of constitutional provisions
and well established federal and state laws and precedence,” she stated.
The decision means that the local chapter of Gideons International
will no longer be able to make Bibles available to students. Charlie
Queen, chaplain for Sequatchie Valley Camp of Gideons, said that
he views the ban as a “loss of freedom.” “We simply go in and we lay
it on the table. We tell them what it is and who we are. If they want
one, they freely take one,” he told WRCB-TV. “We do not hand it to
them. They take it freely and voluntarily.”
The community has expressed concern as well. “My whole congregation is very upset,” Bill Wolfe, pastor of Lee Station Baptist Church,
told the outlet. “We’re sliding further and further away from the
principles our nation was founded on and it’s very sad because we used
to be ‘One Nation under God.’ Now, I really believe we are slipping
further away and we’re not going to be able to say that much longer.”
Residents plan to speak against the decision at the next board
meeting. There is currently a Bible history course being offered within
the district, and students bring their Bibles to class. (Zionica)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
SOUTH AFRICA: CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION VOTES TO LIFT
BAN ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
The Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa has voted to lift its
ban on gay marriage and start ordaining homosexual ministers. The
Christian Post reports that 64 percent of the DRC’s synod voted in
favor of recognizing same-sex marriages. Though the decision was
criticized by other Christian denominations, DRC moderator Nelis
JOHN GOUDZWAARD
Janse van Rensburg said it was made to preserve human dignity. He
said, “It is historical because with this decision we actually are at a
point where there can be no doubt that the Dutch Reformed Church
is serious about human dignity. And you know that we are living in
this country where we have so many problems with the dignity of
people.” Van Rensburg also noted that individual DRC churches will
not be required to ordain gay ministers or recognize same-sex marriages if they disagree with the synod’s decision.
The South African DRC claims nearly 1.1 million members and
extends into Namibia and Swaziland. It originated from the Dutch
Reformed Church of the Netherlands. (ChristianHeadlines.com)
PERSECUTION FOCUS
CHRISTIANS IN INDIA SUFFERING SEVERE PERSECUTION FOR
PRAYING IN THEIR OWN HOMES
Evangelicals in India are asking that UK Christian leaders push the
Indian Prime Minister during his visit to the UK to help persecuted
Christians in India. The Open Doors charity says that Christians in
the country are being beaten and killed. “The situation has deteriorated in the north. It is not just Christians,” said Vijesh Lall, secretary
of the Freedom and Development Commission of the Evangelical
Fellowship of India. “It is other minorities and civil society being
affected as well.”
According to Christian Today, Lall said in one case that thirteen
pastors had gathered at a home of one of the pastors to pray and they
were beaten. “They were taken to the police station where they were
told: ‘This is a Hindu nation. Your kind of prayers are not allowed.’
They were released later that day after many hours in custody,” he said.
India’s population is about 1.2 billion and about 2.3 percent are
Christian. (Amanda Casanova|Religion Today)
REPORT: ISIS COULD WIPE OUT CHRISTIANITY IN IRAQ BY 2020
Christianity in Iraq is at risk of dying out in as little as five years,
according to a report from UK charity Aid to the Church in Need.
Christians lived peacefully in Iraq since the inception of the religion,
but when ISIS terrorists invaded the territory in 2014, tens of thousands of Christians were forced to flee. About 1.4 million Christians
lived in Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s reign; now 260,000 remain in
the area. British Prime Minister David Cameron commented on the
atrocities: “Every day in countries across the world, Christians are
systematically discriminated against, exploited and even driven from
their homes because of their faith. Now is not the time for silence. We
must stand together and fight for a world where no one is persecuted
because of what they believe.”
Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop Jean-Clement Jeanbart of
Aleppo called the persecution “one of the most important challenges
of our 2,000 year history. Despite our problems here in the Middle
East, we are doing everything we can to help those who lack food,
clothes, or other essentials,” he said. (Carrie Dedrick)
BEST WISHES IN 2016 IN CHRIST JESUS
Every blessing to you and yours in Immanuel—“God with us”—for
2016 (Phil. 4:19). May it be your comfort that when our Redeemer
came to earth, He did not cease being God, and when He returned
to heaven, He did not cease being man. Will you pray with me for
more grace that we might all live wholly and solely for this glorious Incarnate and Exalted One, of whom Samuel Rutherford said,
“My salvation is my Lord’s second greatest miracle—the first is
His Incarnation”?
—Editor
THE PREEMINENCE
OF CHRIST (10)
CORNER FOR TEENS
REV. MAARTEN KUIVENHOVEN & REV. DAVID VANBRUGGE
In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
(COLOSSIANS 2:3).
CHRIST IS TO BE PREEMINENT IN YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS
As we come to this last thought concerning Christ’s preeminence, we look at Colossians 4:5–18. Many have seen
these verses as just a conclusion to Paul’s letter with some
final greetings to various people. But there is more going on
here. Paul states his point in verses 5–6: “Walk in wisdom
toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your
speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to answer every man.”
Christ is to be preeminent as you interact with unbelievers. “Walk in wisdom to those without.” “Redeem the
time”—don’t just spend time; use it! Let your speech be with
grace always. Make your words be seasoned as with salt.
Make them savory, not just dull platitudes.
Christ is also to be preeminent as you interact with fellow believers. Paul provides a living example of what he just
encouraged them to do. He is going to help the Colossians
by sending them answers in the forms of various people.
Verse 7: “I have sent Tychicus to you to comfort you.” Verse
9: “I am sending Onesimus with him, to explain what is
going on here.” Verse 10: “Aristarchus and Marcus and
Justus are my fellow-workers and have been a comfort to
me, and they greet you.” Verse 12: “Epaphras, your minister, wants the same things for you that I want.” Verse 14:
“Luke and Demas greet you.” Verse 15: “Salute the brothers of Laodicea, and share this letter with them.” Verse 18:
“Remind Archippus to be diligent in his ministry.” These
are all specific, well-seasoned words.
Paul is walking in wisdom. His speech is with grace. He
says what he knows he has to say. Paul is not only telling the
Colossians that Christ is all and in all of these people, but
he is showing what that looks like in interaction.
Is Christ preeminent when we talk to or about other
people? Well, it depends how we do it. Notice how Paul
does it. Tychicus is a fellowservant in the Lord. Onesimus is
faithful. Aristarchus, Marcus, and Justus are fellow-workers
in the kingdom of God. Epaphras is a servant of Christ.
Nymphas is the host of the church. Archippus received
his ministry from the Lord. This is not gossip—sharing
of unnecessary information. This is not pressure to make
these people or the Colossians to be imitators of Paul. “Be
imitators of me, only as I am of Christ.” This is encouraging each other through example and through a shared focus
on the Lord.
So how can Christ be preeminent in your interactions
with others? Verse 6: “Let your speech be always with grace.”
And then verse 18: “Grace be with you.” Ask yourself what
you want most in your relationships. Is it that the other person by grace would know Christ and live for Christ? What
do you want to encourage in others? Is it their life in Christ?
Is it that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ would be alive
with them, in them, through them, in everything they do?
But maybe asking that means we need to ask a more
basic question. Is Christ preeminent in your heart? To put
it simply, you need to be regenerated before you can live in a
way we have described here. You are fooling yourself if you
think you can do this in your own power; you cannot. Only
if your sins have been nailed to that tree, only if you have
died in Christ, only if you are risen with Him can you seek
the things that are above. Then you must seek them. You
must live for Christ in everything you do. Holy interaction
is possible, but it is only possible through being united to
the resurrected Lord.
For believers, this is the way you are to live. Your life
is to have an upward focus, an upward motion, an upward
trajectory, an upward hope. Your life is to follow this one
comprehensive principle: “Whatsoever ye do in word or
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, and giving
thanks to God and the Father by Him” (Col. 3:17). Whatsoever you do, in word or deed, do it heartily, as to the Lord,
and not unto men. May He be preeminent in all things.
Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven is a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed
Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a doctoral student at Calvin
Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rev. David VanBrugge is
a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Feel free to email either of them: kuivenhoven.maarten@gmail
.com; [email protected].
PERIODICAL
From The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth
Publication Number (USPS 010584)
540 Crescent St. NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
POSTAGE PAID AT
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
WHEN THE WEARY, SEEKING REST
When the weary, seeking rest,
To Thy goodness flee;
When the heavy laden cast
All their load on Thee;
When the troubled, seeking peace,
On Thy name shall call;
When the sinner, seeking life,
At Thy feet shall fall:
When the stranger asks a home,
All his toils to end;
When the hungry craveth food,
And the poor a friend;
When the sailor on the wave
Bows the fervent knee;
When the soldier on the field
Lifts his heart to Thee:
When the worldling, sick at heart,
Lifts his soul above;
When the prodigal looks back
To his Father’s love;
When the proud man, in his pride,
Stoops to seek Thy face;
When the burdened brings his guilt
To Thy throne of grace:
When the child, with grave fresh lip,
Youth, or maiden fair,
When the aged, weak and grey,
Seek Thy face in prayer;
When the widow weeps to Thee,
Sad and lone and low;
When the orphan brings to Thee
All his orphan woe:
When the man of toil and care,
In the city crowd,
When the shepherd on the moor,
Names the name of God;
When the learned and the high,
Tired of earthly fame,
Upon higher joys intent,
Name the blessed name:
Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry
In Heav’n, Thy dwelling place on high.
—HORATIUS BONAR
Banner
of Sovereign Grace Truth
the
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE
HERITAGE REFORMED CONGREGATIONS
A PERIODICAL FOR FAMILIES
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
Vol. 24 • No. 1

January/February, 2016

Transcrição

Documentos relacionados

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jim Johnson Grace and Hope

Behold The Christ [D, 175 bpm, 6/8]

GOOD NEWS FOR YOU

October 2012

conversions encouraged

Not waiting to live, not living to wait.

The Mystic Light - The Rosicrucian Fellowship

Christ upon the Cross (FGB #226)

June 22 2014 - Amazon Web Services

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name

Practical Religion

eFreePress 10.29.09 - Blue Rapids Free Press

Sunday School Edition

Christmas 2012 Reflections - St. Joseph`s Catholic Church

Echoes Of The General Holiness Assembly

PREFACE 3

Hamlet Baixe em PDF

Printing - The Published Ellen G. White Writings

special articles - New England Journal of Medicine