"Covenant Keepers", the youth ministry of the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore (our sister church), has now released the November 2019 issue of "Salt Shakers" (#57), their youth magazine.
The November 2019 issue of "SS" is once again filled with interesting and instructive articles, and our PRC young people especially are encouraged to make it part of their reading content.
Below you will find a note from the "SS" Committee introducing the issue and a note from the editor summarizing the contents of this issue. The entire issue is also attached here in pdf form.
Dear readers,
Welcome to the 57th issue of Salt Shakers!
Dear Reader,
The Salt Shakers committee presents another issue of the Salt Shakers. We are pleased to present this issue at CERC’s Reformation Day Conference (RDC). The RDC commemorates the wondrous work of God in preserving the Reformed church in the truth, over against the errors that abounded during the great Synod of Dordt. These errors are ever present in the church today — old errors dressed in new garments. The church is therefore called to do battle constantly, on behalf of God’s truth and His precious church. She fights a valiant warfare, counting all but loss for the excellency of the truth that is in Jesus Christ.
In this issue we have Prof. David Engelsma explaining the nature, necessity and history of polemics in the church. Prof. Engelsma demonstrates that polemics have long been a characteristic of faithful Reformed churches. Failure on the part of Reformed churches today to do polemics is failure to recognise that glorious history and confession that they possess. Polemics is a bloody warfare, according to Prof. Engelsma; it requires great sacrifice and will involve suffering and persecution on the part of the faithful church.
Prof. Herman Hanko relates the concept of wisdom and helping others in his article. He explains how the concept of love is involved in the wisdom of helping our neighbour, which seeks his salvation ultimately. Our neighbours are not those out there in the world, but those whom we come into contact with every day, especially our neighbour in church. Wisdom seeks the salvation of those we come into contact with. This is the nature of true love.
Dr. Matthias Wee also pens an enlightening article on the griefs of miscarriage, a grief not uncommon to couples in the church. He explains its impact on the couple and to those around them, and offers biblical suggestions for coping with this tragedy.
We pray that you will be edified by these articles, and remember to pass the salt.
Blessings,
Aaron