Having joined the Protestant Reformed denomination shortly before marriage, I have often wished I had received the wealth of sound instruction which some of you possibly take for granted. From infancy on you are surrounded by the Word of God in all its truth and riches, in church, home, and school. Think of the thorough, […]
Will you ask why I write about admonishing? I will reply that the answer is very simple: you and I don’t admonish as we ought. Sometimes we laugh at sin. Sometimes we pretend that we have not heard or seen it. At best (and that’s not very good), we turn our backs and walk away. […]
Dear Grandchildren: Were you ever afraid? I know you were. One of your cousins, little curly redheaded Peter, told me in confidence that he was terribly afraid in his dark bedroom, so his mother allowed him to have a small light plugged in the baseboard plug. That gave him just enough light to distinguish the […]
I. What is Christian courtesy? A. What is courtesy? 1. It is defined as a curtsy or courteous behaviour. a. Curtsy is an action which expresses deep respect by bodily action or gesture. b. Courteous behavior implies the state of having such manners as befit the court of a prince. 2. However, today courtesy has […]
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” I John 1:9. We must always have the right starting-point in life, young people, in all our considerations concerning the deepest problems of life. The deepest problem of life is the sin-problem! If […]
I. Essential Material for Consideration A. Scripture 1. Old Testament – Prov. 28:13, Ps. 51:1-5 2. New Testament – I John 1:9, James 5:16, Matt. 5:23-24 3. Examples of: II Samuel 12:13, Luke 5:8, Luke 15:18 B. Reformed Confessions 1. Heidelberg Catechism – Lord’s Day LI 2. Canons of Dort – Fifth Head, Article 5 […]
Dear Young People, It is late in the night and very quiet after the unwinding of another busy day. But regardless of the time, I would like to sit down and talk with all of you. Very often you are told and reminded that what you are doing, you should not be doing. What you […]
Last winter, a group of 50 leading Protestant and Roman Catholic scholars met at an interdenominational meeting on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Their major conclusions were reported in a one-column article in the Grand Rapids Press. Now, I would expect that few of us ever pay much attention to the reports […]
First, read the article straight through without pausing at reference points; then go back, reread and look up the references. The man on the street likes to claim, I “tell it like it is!” As an old cartoon character used to say, “Interesting, if true!” But is it true? (1) We as Christians are bound […]
I. The Meaning of “liturgy”. A. Definition. 1. Webster: a rite or body of rites prescribed for public worship. 2. We might explain it this way: the liturgy consists of all the parts of our public worship service as well as the particular position of each part in the whole service. B. Thus the liturgy […]