The last two articles in this monthly column have looked at the first two of the “marks of the true church” identified by John Calvin, with a view to inquiring into the elders’ responsibility to these commitments. In this article and a subsequent one (OK, I’m learning. I know I can’t do it in one), […]
Last month, we reviewed together the Biblically-established reasons for the elders’ involvement in the practice of church discipline. I suggested three: for the church’s sake (to prevent spiritual carelessness, or the spreading of the diseases of disobedience), for the holiness and honor of the Lord and the reputation of His name, and finally, and especially, […]
In the last issue, the source of authority was written about. God is the source of all authority. God the Father gave authority to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ exercised authority while on earth authority to forgive sins, to drive out demons, to teach, to judge, and to give eternal life. Today the […]
You’re on your way to make an elder’s visit with a young man who was in your Sunday School class ten years ago. He was a bit of a discipline problem then, but you always were able to talk honestly with him. You warned him a couple of months ago about dating that girl who, […]
Hoeksema, Homer C. Unfolding Covenant History: An Exposition of the Old Testament. Volumes 1-4. Edited by Mark H. Hoeksema. Grandville, MI: Reformed Free Publishing Association, 2000-2003. [For more information contact email@rfpa.org] Reviewed by Rev. Jerome Julien. The first four volumes of this fine set are now ready. They are the work of the late Professor […]
The other day I heard my six year old talking with his friends about the future. When talking about what they were going to do when they grew up, one child said, “I want to be a father, like my dad.” “That’s not a job,” another child retorted. “Yes, it is,” came the reply. “Well, […]
Whenever a disaster like Hurricane Katrina strikes us, people always ask the question, “Where was God?” or “How could God allow this?” One very wrong answer is that God did not do it. It is wrong for us to think that this was brought about simply by natural forces or the devil. No. The Bible […]
The several men seated around the table have worked hard on the case in the past months. Prayers, ponderings, discussions, meetings, phone calls, and letters have all been agonizingly employed in an attempt to regain the erring brother or sister by means of Christian Discipline. The steps have not been taken lightly, nor has the […]
None of us needs to be told that our lives are sometimes painful. We struggle with feelings of inferiority and inadequacy. We experience the frustration of physical pain and failure. We know what it’s like to be let down, looked down upon, misunderstood, and mistreated. Our hurt is real. But the amazing reality is that, […]
A few years ago I was asked to lead a workshop on the roles of men and women. As I was preparing, I was again struck by the immense need of our time for men to be real men. I do not mean men as it is defined by the world: the image of a […]