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Covenant Reformed News - May 2022
- Published in Covenant PRC Ballymena, Northern Ireland
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Below you will find special highlights of PRC and sister-church news for this twentieth Sunday of our Lord's year 2022, May 22.
Because our Lord is risen from the dead on the third day, as He promised, today, on this first day of the week, we gather in worship as members of our living Savior's church. With gratitude and gladness we bring our praise to our triune God for fully accomplishing our salvation in His Son and by His Spirit. We cordially invite you to join us in worship on this day and on any Sunday.
Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. ~ Psalm 54:4-7
If you are new to this website and are interested in the PRC, we invite you to join us at any of our services (morning and afternoon/evening). For congregations, locations and times, visit this page.
Classis East convened Wednesday, May 11, in Zeeland, MI. First PRC of Holland hosted the meeting at Redeemer Christian School. Rev. Lee presided as chairman. The council of Georgetown PRC approved Rev. Carl Haak’s request for emeritation and brought the request to Classis for its approval. Classis approved the request and expressed deep appreciation and thanks to God for Rev. Haak’s 43 years as a faithful minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Rev. Haak’s emeritation will begin on September 1, 2022. Classis advised two consistories to proceed in their work of Christian discipline; advising one consistory to announce the name of an impenitent confessing member; advising the other consistory to proceed with the erasure of an impenitent baptized member. A pulpit supply schedule was adopted for Grace and Hudsonville PRC’s. Classis received a report from its special committee, appointed in January, to study how to handle sexual abuse cases. The expenses of Classis totaled $1,162. The delegates appreciated the hospitality of First PRC of Holland, especially the women on the catering committee. The next meeting of Classis East will convene at 8:00 AM on September 14, 2022 at Byron Center PRC.
The Seminary hosted the junior students from Covenant Christian HS in Grand Rapids this past Friday, May 20.
PRC Seminary Notices:
Listen to the Reformed Witness Hour each Sunday - on a radio station near you, on Sermonaudio, or on your favorite podcast - wherever you are!
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Want to know the distinctive Reformed tradition and practices of the PRC? Look up this valuable resource!
"Forgiveness or remission of sins is not exactly the same thing as justification. Justification is very similar to forgiveness of sins and they are related, but we should distinguish them from one another. Justification is more than forgiveness of sins; it includes forgiveness of sins, but it includes more. Forgiveness is God’s act of sending away our sins, while justification is God’s act of declaring that we are righteous. When God declares that we are righteous, he means that we are in perfect harmony with his standard which is revealed in his law. If you will, forgiveness is the negative side of justification: if God forgives us, we have no guilt, but what about positive righteousness? In justification God imputes or reckons Christ’s righteousness to our account. Or forgiveness is the non-imputation of sin, while justification is by the imputation of righteousness.
When we pray for forgiveness we ask that God would be “pleased for the sake of Christ’s blood not to impute to us poor sinners our transgressions, nor that depravity which always cleaves to us” (Heidelberg Catechism A 126). The Catechism also closely connects the forgiveness of sins to justification: “What believest thou concerning the forgiveness of sins? That God, for the sake of Christ’s satisfaction, will no more remember my sins, neither my corrupt nature, against which I have to struggle all my life long” (Q&A 56). That is, strictly speaking, what the remission of sins is—God not remembering our sins. The Catechism adds, “but will graciously impute to me the righteousness of Christ that I may never be condemned before the tribunal of God” (A 56). That is justification, which is closely connected to the forgiveness of sins, although not identical to it. Similarly, the Belgic Confession does not say in Article 23 that the forgiveness of sins is justification, but that “[in the forgiveness of sins] our righteousness before God is implied.”
Also, justification concerns our legal state or status: it is God’s unchanging declaration that we are righteous received by faith alone. We can speak of justification in different senses or we can say that there are multiple declarations of righteousness. To that we will turn next time, God willing."
~ Rev. M. McGeown in a recent blog post, "Preaching Repentance and the Forgiveness of Sins (4): Forgiveness of Sins"
Below you will find special highlights of PRC and sister-church news for this ninteenth Sunday of our Lord's year 2022, May 15.
Because our Lord is risen from the dead on the third day, as He promised, today, on this first day of the week, we gather in worship as members of our living Savior's church. With gratitude and gladness we bring our praise to our triune God for fully accomplishing our salvation through His Son. We cordially invite you to join us in worship on this day and on any Sunday.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. ~ Psalm 53:1-3,6
If you are new to this website and are interested in the PRC, we invite you to join us at any of our services (morning and afternoon/evening). For congregations, locations and times, visit this page.
Classis East convened last Wednesday at 8 AM in Zeeland, MI. First PRC of Holland hosted the meeting at Redeemer Christian School. Rev. Lee presided as chairman. The council of Georgetown PRC approved Rev. Carl Haak’s request for emeritation and brought the request to Classis for its approval. Classis approved the request and expressed deep appreciation and thanks to God for Rev. Haak’s 43 years as a faithful minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Rev. Haak’s emeritation will begin on September 1, 2022. Classis advised two consistories to proceed in their work of Christian discipline; advising one consistory to announce the name of an impenitent confessing member; advising the other consistory to proceed with the erasure of an impenitent baptized member. A pulpit supply schedule was adopted for Grace and Hudsonville PRC’s. Classis received a report from its special committee, appointed in January, to study how to handle sexual abuse cases. The expenses of Classis totaled $1,162. The delegates appreciated the hospitality of First PRC of Holland, especially the women on the catering committee. The next meeting of Classis East will convene at 8:00 AM on September 14, 2022 at Byron Center PRC.
Group photo from the seminary picnic Saturday night, May 14 - the last one for the Dykstras, Wees, and Peters.
PRC Seminary Notices:
Listen to the Reformed Witness Hour each Sunday - on a radio station near you, on Sermonaudio, or on your favorite podcast - wherever you are!
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Does confession of the Reformed faith hinder or even render unnecessary the work of evangelism? Read this resource to receive an answer in harmony with the gospel of sovereign grace and the calling to bring that gospel to sinners.
"Fifth, repentance is not faith and faith is not repentance. Faith is knowledge, confidence, trust, and assurance. Repentance is a change of mind. Nevertheless, faith and repentance are inseparably connected. Since we believe in Christ for salvation from sin, we necessarily repent of our sins at the same time. We cannot look to Christ in faith for salvation from sin while we hold to our sins. If we have true faith, we change our mind concerning our sins. Thus repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin: by faith we look to Christ and by repentance we look away from sin. Thus Paul summarizes his preaching in Ephesus in Acts 20:21: “Testifying both to the Jews and the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
"John Calvin writes, “Repentance not only constantly follows faith, but is also born of faith… Can true repentance stand apart from faith? Not at all. But even though they cannot be separated, they ought to be distinguished” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, trans. Ford Lewis Battles, ed. John T. McNeill, 3.3.1 and 3.3.5 (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1960), vol. 1, 593, 597).
"The Canons of Dordt do not separate repentance and faith, although they also distinguish them: “And that men may be brought to believe, God mercifully sends the messengers of these most joyful tidings to whom he will and at what time he pleaseth by whose ministry men are called to repentance and faith” (Canons 1:3). Men are not called only to faith without repentance or only to repentance without faith; they are called to both repentance and faith or to faith and repentance. “Moreover the promise of the gospel is that whosoever believeth in Christ crucified shall not perish, but have everlasting life. This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be declared and published” (Canons 2:5). Unbelievers are called to repent and believe or to believe and repent. Those two spiritual activities can and should be distinguished, but not separated; quite simply, if a person refuses to repent of his sins, he shows that he has no faith. Indeed, if a believer walks impenitently in gross public sin for a time he “interrupt[s] the exercise of faith” (Canons 5:5)."
~ Rev. M. McGeown in a recent blog post, "Preaching Repentance and the Forgiveness of Sins (3): Classifying Repentance (Pt.2)"
Below you will find special highlights of PRC and sister-church news for this eighteenth Sunday of our Lord's year 2022, May 8.
Because our Lord is risen from the dead on the third day, as He promised, today, on this first day of the week, we gather in worship as members of our living Savior's church. With gratitude and gladness we bring our praise to our triune God for fully accomplishing our salvation through His Son. We cordially invite you to join us in worship on this day and on any Sunday.
Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints. ~ Psalm 52:7-9
If you are new to this website and are interested in the PRC, we invite you to join us at any of our services (morning and afternoon/evening). For congregations, locations and times, visit this page.
PRC Seminary Notices:
Listen to the Reformed Witness Hour each Sunday - on a radio station near you, on Sermonaudio, or on your favorite podcast - wherever you are!
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What should the church and believers teach and practice with regard to marriage and divorce according to the Word of God? Read this resource to receive an answer explaining what the PRC believes and practices.
"If repentance is “a change of mind,” how exactly do we classify it theologically? Confusion in the church world forces us to face that question. Is it something we do, is it something God does, is it a gift to us, is it an activity of man, is it part of our salvation? These questions are asked today.
"First, repentance is the gift of God. In Acts 5:31 we read about Jesus, “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” In Acts 11:18 we read that God “also to the Gentiles hath granted repentance unto life.” In 2 Timothy 2:25 Paul writes, “if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” Repentance leads to an acknowledgment of the truth and it is God’s gift to give or to withhold: he gives it to the elect and he withholds it from the reprobate. Left to ourselves we would never—and we could never—repent. By nature we are so in love with our sins that we could never have a change of mind concerning them. By nature we are in utter, miserable bondage to sin—sin’s servants or slaves. But when God works in us by his grace and Spirit, then we have a change of mind (metanoia), or we repent; then we sorrow over our sins and turn from them. “God, who as he has chosen his own from eternity in Christ, so he confers upon them faith and repentance” (Canons 3-4.10).
"Second, repentance is the activity of the sinner: God works in us, so that we repent. Obviously, or it should be obvious, God does not repent for us, in us, through us, or instead of us. We sin, and we repent—we have a change of mind. God does not change his mind: he is unchangeably opposed to all sin. Mark 6:12: “And they went out, and preached that men should repent.” Luke 5:31-32: “And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 15:10: “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Acts 26:19-20: “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” Canons 3-4:12 summarizes this teaching of Scripture: “Man is himself rightly said to believe and repent by virtue of that grace received.”
~ Rev. M. McGeown in a recent blog post, "Preaching Repentance and the Forgiveness of Sins (2): Classifying Repentance"
Classis East
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Classis West
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