Perhaps you’ve heard of Harvey Weinstein lately, or perhaps you haven’t. Mr. Weinstein is (or a least was) a big name producer in Hollywood, who has produced a number of popular movies over the years. His work and marriage and life fell apart a couple of weeks ago when a woman accused him of sexual assault. Since then dozens of women have come forward with accusations of sexual assault and rape against him. And apparently: Everyone in Hollywood had known about this for years. And they did nothing. But other names are being added alongside Mr. Weinstein’s—so it appears that this is the case: That no one did anything because this is simply the way Hollywood acts. This is their culture. This past summer Justin Bieber opened up about how the music industry has much the same culture—including a well-known acceptance for pedophilia. This exact same attitude towards sexual immorality is displayed so prominently in the movies they make and in the lyrics and videos for the songs that they write. So let me ask you the question that I asked myself: Do you really think you can watch or listen to what they make without being affected? It’s not just imaginary, on screen. It’s real life. Don’t be deceived. Do you really think you can watch or listen to what they make without being affected? I am not going to blanketly call you to ban TV, or ban the internet, or ban music. But I want you to realize what many of our parents and grandparents were worried about when they tried to stop the wave of technology from flooding into our lives: Stay away from sin. Because so much of it is sin. And it will lead to more sin. Your sin. Genesis 39:12 tells us that in the face of a “Hollywood-like” temptation with Potiphar’s wife, Joseph “left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.” What do you watch (from Hollywood, or on YouTube)? What do you listen to? To stay away from sin, do you also need to turn and flee? Hollywood: Your culture is showing. And we are called to turn our backs and run away. #Culture

LESSON 3: THE SYNOD OF DORT BIBLE READING: Ephesians 1 (Click to display printable version) In 1571 there was already a Reformed church synod convening in the Netherlands. Many were to follow. The most famous synod was the great Synod of Dort 1618-1619. This was an international reformed synod, such as has never been held before that time and never since. THE ARMINIAN HERESY The main reason for the convening of this Synod of Dort was that the young Reformed churches had to be protected from heresies that were creeping in. This concerned especially the Arminian heresies. “Arminians” are the followers of a man called Jacob Arminius. His actual name was Jacob Harmenszoon, but, as the fashion of those days was to change names into Latin, his name became Jacobus Arminius. He lived from 1560 till 1609. He was first a minister in the Reformed church but became later on a professor in theology. He denied the Biblical doctrine of election and maintained the free will of man. Many people followed the teachings of Arminius. In 1609 Arminius died. His followers continued to propagate his ideas and in 1610 they published a “remonstrance”, which is a declaration of their beliefs. The five teachings of Arminianism are as follows: Conditional Election. Election is based upon the foreknowledge of God concerning our faith and good works. God knew who would believe and who would do good: They are the elected ones. Election in their opinion, is actually based upon what man chooses and what man does. Universal atonement. God intends the atonement to be for the whole of mankind. That is His plan and His decree. Those who actually believe shall be partakers of this atonement. Free will. By means of natural strength, man after the fall is capable by his free will of exercising saving faith in Christ. Resistible grace. Saving grace can be resisted by man in spite of God’s power. Falling away of saints. It is possible that the saints do not persevere, but fall back into the state of unbelief and perish. AN INTERNATIONAL SYNOD These doctrines caused confusion within the Reformed churches. A controversy arose which had its influence throughout the international reformed community. There were problems within the Reformed churches. Eventually a synod was convened by the Dutch national parliament, to be held in the Dutch city of Dordrecht in the year 1618. Delegates came from the Netherlands but also from various German countries as well as England, Scotland and Switzerland. The synod also received letters from the French Reformed churches. The delegates from France could not be there because the French king refused to give them passports to be able to leave the country. Various professors of theology were also among the delegates. The language spoken at the synod was Latin. The Dutch parliament paid all the expenses. All the delegates had to vow that they would teach only that which is in agreement to the Word of God. The Arminians were also present but not as delegates. They were the accused party. The Arminians had to defend their remonstrance and present the objections they had against the Heidelberg Catechism, which they refused to do. The Arminians did not want to be present at the synod as an accused party. They just wanted to discuss matters and then let every one go home again. As the Arminians kept on arguing about the procedures the moderator of the Synod, John Bogerman declared to them: “You started with lies and now again you have come with lies. You are dismissed, leave, leave.” In this way the Arminians were expelled from the synodical meetings. Then the delegates could finally get down to study the official documents of the Arminians and to show from the Word of God why and how they were unbiblical. The outcome is what we now know as the Canons of Dort. THE CANONS OF DORT The word “canon” means a rule of doctrine. The Canons of Dort are the official church doctrine opposing the false teachings of Arminianism. The biblical teachings of the Canons of Dort can be summarized in five points. It is beneficial to know the contents of these “Five Points of Calvinism”. They convey to us the true biblical teaching concerning: Total depravity of man Unconditional election Limited atonement Irresistible grace Perseverance of the saints The first letters of these points form the word “TULIP”. This word “tulip” is the acrostic commonly used to designate these five teachings of Calvinism. What was at stake at the Synod of Dort: Nothing less than the salvation of man, the comfort of the Gospel, the joy and the assurance of faith and above all the honour of God. That is something the fathers at Dort clearly saw. That is why the Synod of Dort did not give in one inch to the ideas of Arminianism. At the heart of this controversy was the doctrine of total depravity. This doctrine of the total depravity of man is still denied by Arminians and also by many liberal-minded churches. The Arminians view man as still able to cooperate with God. But the Canons see man as totally lost, cleaving to sin and unwilling to break with sin. Man is on his way to hell, yet there is salvation only through God. The Canons of Dort underline the full and total depravity of man and then open up a way of salvation in the one sided work of the Triune God. For the Arminians, election is a horror but for the Reformed, election is a great comfort. The offer of salvation and life comes to all. What a comfort that a poor and lost sinner, who can do nothing, may be told that there is a God Who can save and Who is willing to save and that the sinner, who cannot save himself, does not have to save himself, for there is One Who works a full salvation! This call to salvation comes to all who are gathered in church. The Lord tells you, while you are still unconverted and cannot save yourself, that there is salvation outside of yourself in the full and finished work of Christ on the cross and in the perfect and fully applying and saving work of the Holy Spirit. We are urged to seek Him and we shall live. After the great Synod of Dort, those ministers in the churches of the Reformation, who adhered to Arminianism were called to deny these teachings or else they would be dismissed from their offices. Thus the protestant church became established as reformed in her doctrines. OTHER DECISIONS OF DORT An additional reason for organizing the great Synod of Dort 1618-1619 was that the young Reformed Church had to be further organized and firmly established in its formal life. Therefore certain decisions were made: The liturgy for worship services, as we still conduct them was adopted: Votum, Salutation, Reading of the Law, (in the afternoons the Apostle’s Creed), singing of Psalms, the use of Liturgical Forms, etc. A better Bible translation was called for, which was published in 1637 as the official Dutch State translation (“Staten Vertaling”). The three creeds of the Reformed churches were officially adopted: These were the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dort and the Belgic Confession of Faith. Every Sunday afternoon the ministers had to preach from the Heidelberg Catechism. School children had to learn the questions and answers by heart. REFORMED PILGRIMS IN AMERICA Now the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands were firmly established. The Reformed faith became the official religion in the Netherlands. Many protestants throughout the whole of Europe fled to the Netherlands. Many book printers in the Netherlands printed numerous good theological books in Dutch, French, Hungarian, Latin and English. Many books were exported to other countries. English Puritans fled to Holland to escape persecution, but from there many also emigrated to North America where they founded the New England states of Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey etc. From the 1620’s and onward many Dutch people emigrated to the North American colonies which we now know as New Jersey and New York. They started the denomination which today is still known as the Reformed Church of America. The city of New York used to be called New Amsterdam. Many names in New York City still remind us of the Dutch background of early immigrants, eg. the name Harlem is the name of a large Dutch city. Wall Street is actually a reference to a “wall,” that means a sort of dike. Staten Island refers to the Dutch government which was called the “Staten.” QUESTIONS: What is election? Why do churches generally tend to reject election? Explain the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Why is God’s election a rich comfort? * This Bible Study was produced by the Youth & Education Committee of the Free Reformed Churches,1997, under the title, “Church History.” It is aimed at a Senior Young Peoples level. Click on the tag “Bible Study: Free Reformed Church History” below for more lessons in this study #FRC #FreeReformedChurchHistory #Ephesians #ChurchHistory #History #BibleStudy

Here is where we highlight a few of the sermons that were preached across the FRC this past Sunday, in a way to help us feel more connected to one another. Rev. John Koopman on “Sola Gratia-Grace Alone.” Rev. Koopman from Chilliwack FRC continues his series on the “solas” of the Reformation from Ezekiel 37 & Ephesians 2. Listen to what it means to be saved by grace alone here. Rev. Scott Dibbet on “Soli Deo Gloria.” Rev. Dibbet from Lacombe FRC was preaching in Vineland FRC and he joined Rev. Koopman with his own Reformation theme: Glory to God alone! He turned to Colossians 1 & Romans 11 to teach that Soli Deo Gloria is (1) Rooted in theology, and it (2) Produces Doxology. Listen here. Rev. David Kranendonk on the Numbers 6 “Blessing” Have you ever wondered about the blessing ministers give on Sunday with heir hands raised in the air? Rev. Kranendonk from Oxford County FRC was preaching in Pompton Plains FRC (in case you’re wondering, we have FRC “committee meetings” this week, and many of our ministers are on numerous committees, and to help they exchange pulpits with one another). You can listen here! Dr. David Murray on “The Dangers of Digital Babylon.” Dr. Murray was preaching in Grand Rapids FRC and looked at Daniel 1:8, which tells us of Daniel’s resolve that he would not defile himself with the king’s food—and he turns it to us and makes us look at where we defile ourselves with our culture’s “food.” Listen to it here. #Sermons

The third picture of redemption in Psalm 107:17–22 is that of the fool. So who is a fool? Let’s look it up. The fool says there is no God (Ps. 14:1). He does not understand the ways of God (Ps. 92:6). He despises wisdom and instruction (Prov. 1:7). Fools hate spiritual, life-giving knowledge (Prov. 1:22). The fool cannot control his tongue (Prov. 10:18). The fool ignores God’s standards and does what is right in his own eyes (Prov. 12:15). He mocks sin and minimizes it (Prov. 14:9). He is full of pride (Prov. 14:3); he is also full of anger and he loves to fight (Prov. 14:17; 18:6). The fool cannot bear correction (Prov. 17:10). The fool is self-reliant (Prov. 28:26). Who is a fool by God’s standards? If we are honest, something of the fool lives within each of us. That’s a sobering thought because, as we read God’s assessment, we realize that there’s not much hope of redemption for the fool, is there? “If we are honest, something of the fool lives within each of us.” But even the fool is not beyond the reach of God. See how God corners the fool and brings him out of his foolish- ness: “Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted” (Ps. 107:17). The foolish life is a difficult life. Sin boomerangs right back with alarming accuracy. Everything about his life becomes extremely dif- ficult. His foolish decisions catch up with him. His foolish tongue brings him into all kinds of trouble. His foolish anger stirs up strife. His prideful heart earns him no friends. He mocks sin but then realizes the troubling consequences of sin. The way that he thought was right becomes incredibly difficult—so much so, that he loses his appetite and comes near to death. The difficulty that the fool experiences comes as a bitter result of his sin. The Lord in His mercy brings the fool into difficulty to bring him to the end of himself and into Christ. Are you experiencing difficulty because of your own foolishness? Don’t discount that difficulty; rather, let that affliction bring you to the Lord for His mercy and redemption. The Lord is able to transform the mouth of the fool from crying out foul things to crying out for mercy. In verse 19, we read the transformed cry of the fool: “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble.” Are you in trouble through your own foolishness? Do you understand that your own foolishness has led you down to death and that your foolishness deserves death? There is no other direction to go than to the Lord. Do not despair! Cry out in your distress and death! The Lord hears such cries from the lips of the foolish. This is the testimony of the salvation of the fool: “And he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Isn’t this a beautiful picture of redemption? God saves the fool out of his self-made distress. He sends His word of wisdom and trains the heart of the fool. He heals the heart of the fool that has been wounded through his own foolishness. He delivers the fool from his self-inflicted destructions. Where are you spiritually as you read this article? Are you regretting foolish decisions? Are you living in the destruction of your own foolishness? Don’t despair; there is mercy to be found in the Lord, who has sent His Wisdom to redeem fools. “there is mercy to be found in the Lord, who has sent His Wisdom to redeem fools” Are you a redeemed fool as you read about this picture of redemption? Then see the beautiful goodness of the Lord in rescuing you from the life and lot of the fool—death and destruction. Praise Him for it with a renewed focus on living for God in sacrificing your life to Him (Ps. 107:22; Rom. 12:1–2). Use your mouth that once spouted foolishness to now declare the works of God with joy (Ps. 107:22). This is the life of the redeemed fool—made wise through the grace of God! (Read Part 1: The Wanderer; Part 2: The Prisoner) This article originally appeared in the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, July/August 2017. Posted here with permission. #Foolishness #Psalms #Redemption #Salvation

“With all due respect, you can’t be serious. Do you know what sin is?” “As he continued to talk, it was evident that he did not…” “Sin is not a pet to be walked several times a week. It is a lion, a wolf, a bear. It bites and hunts at will. It attacks as a piranha. It is a restless evil lit ablaze by the fires of hell. Sin cannot be trained, bridled, or domesticated. Cannot be rescued, rehabilitated, or redeemed. Sin will never wear a collar, stick to its kennel, or cease clawing at your throat.” “To him, sin was like breaking the speed limit — nothing personal. It was not an injury to our greatest Lover, a betrayal of our truest Friend, a dishonoring of our heavenly Father, an act of war against our mighty King, the creature spitting towards his Almighty Creator.” Wow! Read the rest of what Greg Morse writes about killing pet sins before they kill you here. #Sin

Hello! Below are Plants & Pillars top recommendations for youth group Bible studies (or for individuals if you just want to read them on your own!). Links to where they can be purchased follow every one: “RHB” is “Reformation Heritage Books,” which is located in Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI (therefore these will be US$). “RBS” is “Reformed Book Services,” in Brantford, ON (and these will be CA$). Featured Do you have a Bible Study to recommend? One that your youth group used and really liked? Write us a little blurb (like the one above) and we’ll feature it here! Click here to send it to us. TOPICAL STUDIES Knowing the Living God by Paul Washer. “… a sound, biblical substantive theological study for those of us who have been longing for more. Anyone interested in bolstering their understanding of the doctrine of God will find this study immensely valuable.” A workbook. 13 studies. (RHB, RBS) The Forgotten Fear by Al Martin. “The fear of God is an important theme in the Bible, yet many Christians today overlook it or treat it carelessly. Fearing God is the soul of godliness, and those who claim to love God should desire to understand what it means to fear Him.” 7 chapters. (RHB, RHB e-book, RBS) Who is Jesus? by J. V. Fesko. “Fesko takes a close look at Jesus’s ‘I am’ claims in the gospel of John and guides us to a better understanding of who Jesus is.” (RHB, RHB e-book, RBS) When you Pray by Philip Ryken. Ryken “looks at the power and truth in each phrase of the Lord’s Prayer, compares with biblical parallels, and shows how to make this prayer your own.” (RHB, RBS) Grace Works! by Douglas Bond. “Sounding the alarm, Douglas Bond celebrates the amazing, effective power of grace while showing us how to identify destructive law-creep in our churches and lives.” (RHB, RBS) Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. “Jerry Bridges addresses the “acceptable” sins that we tend to tolerate in ourselves, including pride and anger. He goes to the heart of the matter, exploring our feelings of shame and grief and opening a new door to God’s forgiveness and grace.” (Book: RHB, RBS) (Book + included workbook: RHB, RBS) 7 Toxic Ideas Polluting Your Mind by Antonio Salvaggio. “Two conflicting worldviews, Christian and non-Christian, are in constant friction. Unfortunately, Christians are often unaware when they adopt non-Christian ideas. This book examines seven non-Christian ideas that cripple the Christian mind.” (RHB, no RBS) A Quest For More: Living for Something Bigger Than You by Paul Tripp. “Tripp expertly traverses the deepest recesses of the human heart and compassionately invites fellow Christian travelers to journey with him into God s bigger kingdom.” (RHB, RBS) A Fight to the Death by Wayne Mack. “Too few Christians are aware that they are in a fight to the death! Mack explores the seriousness of sin and where it will lead us. He also shows the necessity of fighting against it and presents a biblical method of killing the sin within us.” (RHB, RBS) Ashamed of the Gospel by John MacArthur. “The signs of compromise are all around us: Numbers have become more important than the message. Churches are offering up “Show-Time” religion instead of the “Old-Time” religion. Pastors have turned to the marketing industry to help them draw people in rather than relying on the sovereign power of God.” (no RHB, RBS) Choosing My Religion by RC Sproul. “Choosing My Religion will help readers in their late-teens and early twenties arrive at sound answers to life’s big questions.” 5 chapters. (no RHB, RBS) Overcoming the World by Joel Beeke. “Many Christians struggle to live faithfully in such a world and stay true to Christ’s command to be in the world, but not of it. Taking direction from the Puritans, John Calvin, and others, Joel Beeke guides readers to the biblical alternatives to worldliness: genuine piety and holiness.” 21 chapters. (RHB, RBS) The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies. “Scriptural principles are practically applied to help Christians not only develop and define day-to-day spiritual discernment but regard it as an essential practice.” 10 chapters. (RHB, RBS) Contagious Christian Living by Joel Beeke. “Beeke looks at four people in the Bible to find out how people today can live an influential life in dependence on the Holy Spirit.” 4 chapters + study guide. (RHB, RBS) The Happy Christian by David Murray. “The Happy Christian invites readers to shed negativity and become countercultural missionaries by demonstrating the positive power of the gospel in their lives.” 10 chapters. (RHB, RBS) Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. “This book will warn you not to get caught up in a life that counts for nothing. It will challenge you to live and die boasting in the cross of Christ and making the glory of God your singular passion.” 10 chapters. (RHB, RBS, RBS group study edition) Every Thought Captive by Richard Pratt. “A helpful study manual on apologetics. Using down-to-earth language, Pratt teaches how to answer nonbelievers in a practical format using concepts that any one can understand.” 14 chapters + study questions (RHB, RBS) BIBLE BOOK STUDIES Glory Veiled and Unveiled by Gerald Bilkes. “An ideal tool for personal or group Bible study, with questions following each lesson, Glory Veiled and Unveiled considers the contexts and main messages of twenty-five parables and puts our hearts under the searchlight of Scripture, guiding us into the knowledge of Christ, our gracious and glorious king.” 25 chapters + study questions. (no RHB, RHB e-book, RBS) Mercy Revealed by Gerald Bilkes. A “heart-warming, experiential look at twenty-two of Christ’s miracles, with questions following each chapter, is an excellent tool for personal or group Bible study and will lead you to the cross, the empty tomb, and the God who purposed and performed these important events of Scripture..” 23 chapters + study questions. (RHB, RHB e-book, RBS) The Epistles of John by Joel Beeke. “Travel through the epistles of John and you will come to know the essence of the gospel, the glorious adoption of the children of God, the Christian’s duties in this world, the believer’s path to fulness of joy, and much more.” (RHB, RBS) Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea by Michael Barrett. “Though many were deaf to Hosea’s preaching, even the dullest could see his grief, sympathize with his sorrow, and wonder at his persistent love. Hosea’s marriage was a living sermon: What Hosea did for Gomer, God did for Israel; What Gomer did to Hosea, Israel did to God.” (RHB, RBS) Lets Study… by Sinclair Ferguson. A series of bible study books that are very well written and recommended for older groups of young people. Discussion questions included. (Mark: RHB, RBS), (Ephesians: RHB, RBS), (Philippians: RHB, RBS) Opening up Proverbs by Jim Newheiser. “The Book of Proverbs has one central message (how to gain wisdom) and deals with an extensive array of practical topics including vocation, financial stewardship, moral purity, and how to have successful relationships.” 13 chapters. (RHB, no RBS) MULTIMEDIA STUDIES Behold your God by Jim Snyder. “A 12-week multimedia study that focuses on God’s self-revelation in the Bible, helping the believer to apply the descriptions of God to all of life.” 12, 50-minute sessions. (DVD set + Teacher’s Guide: RHB, no RBS), (Student Workbook: RHB, RBS) (Many thanks to Scott deKorte and the huge work he did in initially putting this list together!) #BibleStudy

Last time, we saw the first picture of redemption in the wanderer rescued from sin and brought home to God through His grace. The second picture of redemption that Psalm 107 paints is that of the prisoner set free in verses 10–16. The portrait of the prisoner is drawn with a black and bleak backdrop. You and I are this prisoner by nature. Some of us are still in that prison, but some of us look back and see the darkness of the prison and the shattered chains lying on the floor of our former lives. Verse 10 describes the human condition without Christ as one of darkness and in the shadowy realms of death. It is a hard life, a life of affliction and hardships in which there is no relief nor the sweet knowledge that these afflictions are conforming the prisoner to Christ (Heb. 12); rather, they are a direct consequence of sin. The prisoner is wrapped in iron wrist and ankle braces with heavy chains. Sin’s heavy presence drags humanity down. The world will tell you that the evolutionary process is making men and women better, but Scripture gives a helpful and honest assessment of sin’s effects. Have you come to see the bondage of sin for what it is? That is part of redemption—seeing what sin does. But it is also seeing what sin is, namely, rebellion against God. That is the assessment that the psalmist gives in verse 11. Naturally, we do not want to hear the Word of God. The prisoner is bound by his own fault because he refuses to hear and obey the Word of God. He thinks his own counsel is better than God’s. Are you living that way—a prisoner to your own faulty wisdom? Or do you know that the Word of God alone sets you free from bondage? “The prisoner is in darkness and in chains because he refused to hear the Word of God” The prisoner is in darkness and in chains because he refused to hear the Word of God and viewed His counsel with contempt. In many ways, this brings us back to Psalm 1 and the life of the wicked man who stands in the counsel of the ungodly. Internally, they know that their lives are not aligned with the Word of God. God brings the prisoner to the end of his own wisdom and self-sufficiency. This is part of the redemptive work of God, aimed to lead the prisoner to look outside of himself for help. That is the conclusion that the psalmist has reached, “There was none to help” (v. 12). It is from this point of helplessness that prison- ers begin to cry out. Are you at this point—realizing that help will come from no quarter but from above, from God Himself? Here’s encouragement when you find yourself in that position: “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble.” The Lord is the only one who can help the prisoner. Even believers who have been saved from the power of sin must relearn this lesson of being weaned from our wisdom and self-sufficiency. The encouragement continues because God hears the cries of the prisoner. He sends His Son to enter prison and put on the chains of the prisoner. He takes the place of the prisoner and sets him free (Isa. 61:1). He shat- ters the iron bars and chains, breaks open the prison door, and sheds the glorious light of freedom into the dungeon of your own making. When He sets the prisoner free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36). How should we respond? Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! The chains have been broken and you must not return to those chains (Gal. 5:1). You no longer serve your slavish master, sin, but you are freed to serve God (Rom. 6:18). You are free to live to the glory of God, free to move and sing to the glory of God! Are you still a prisoner? Cry out to Him! Have you been set free? Praise and glorify Him! (Read Part 1: The Wanderer  here) This article originally appeared in the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, May/June 2017. Posted here with permission. #Psalms #Redemption #Salvation

This Sunday (Lord willing) I plan to preach on this, because the mass shooting that happened in Las Vegas is on everybody’s mind, and because we need to be able to find answers to current events in God’s Word. I have read many people questioning on Twitter where was God in this event—and many do not know the answer. But I want you to know the answer. I want us to know. God was there. He wasn’t absent. This didn’t catch Him by surprise. Hebrews 4:13 says, “There is no creature hidden from His sight.” Psalm 139:7-8 says, “Where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.” So then why didn’t He stop this evil from happening? Ultimately we don’t know why specifically in this case, but we do know this: God restrains evil every day. If God’s mercy were not present in this fallen world there would be a Las Vegas every single day, in every single country, somewhere. Why? Because we have sinful hearts that have evil in them. Everybody does. Anywhere where there are people—no matter what color our skin or our race—a Las Vegas is possible. But for the restraining grace of God. Through God’s Word, by His allowing this evil to happen, we can say that He is telling us this: that sin and evil are real. And not just real, but a real problem. And the Lord Jesus tells us that we need to repent and believe or sin and evil will eventually lead to our death (Read: Luke 13:4-5). And there, in this tragedy, is yet the good news: That despite our sinful hearts, through repentance and faith God is willing to save us from both our sin, and from the evil in this world. Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for sin, so that if we repent and believe in Him, we will not perish but have everlasting life. So don’t waste your time today. As someone has pointed out: “None of us is promised tomorrow. Or even our next breath. We have to get this sorted now, this very moment.” And that means me. And you. #Culture

Psalm 107 begins with words of thanksgiving to the LORD, “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.” The psalm gives us five pictures of God’s goodness and mercy in action, which generate this call to thanksgiving: vivid pictures of redemption. These help us to better understand how God works in redemption, how we need redemption in our lives, and, when we have experienced these truths, how to give thanks to God for His goodness and mercy. The first scene is that of the wanderer. Let’s fill in the picture for a moment. He is a man in the iron grip of his enemy. He has wandered willingly beyond a “No Trespassing” sign. The enemy has taken him and holds him firmly in his clutches. But all is not hopeless: in the next scene of this wanderer the chains are supernaturally shattered. They lie broken on the floor, useless in the face of sovereign, divine power. The Strong Man marches in and breaks the chains and puts them on Himself. This is God’s grace; it is able to break the chains of sin and Satan. If those chains no longer bind you, you can confess, “Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” The scene shifts from chains and bondage to foreign lands. Harsh forces have displaced the wanderer and forced him out of his own native country, into the wastelands of foreign cultures. Does this remind you of the Babylonian exile? It should. This is the effect of sin—displacement from the land and place of promise. But the wanderers are being gathered. They are brought back and restored to their land and place of promise. The One who left His native country of heaven entered the hostile lands of humanity. He comes to restore wanderers to the land of promise. This is divine redemption from the LORD alone. “You and I are this wanderer outside of Christ.” The wanderer is also found in the desert. There he meets the waste-howling winds and shifting sands of uncertainty. He faces the harsh and hot sun. There is no city, and the only city he finds is a mirage that disappears as he crests the next hill. There is such discouragement in the heart of this wanderer as he finds nothing but a mirage and nothing to eat or drink. His tongue is parched, his belly shrivels, and his spirit becomes weak and faint. But listen to the words that follow. As he stumbles along, discouraged, parched, and hungry, an intervention occurs. He is able to croak out a cry in his distress and the Lord hears that cry. He sends One who entered the waste-howling wilderness, challenging and triumphing over the powers of darkness. He was parched and overcome with weariness and sorrow to lead wanderers out of the desert and wastelands of sin. He gives them Himself to nourish and sustain them, and brings them back to the path that He has blazed to the City that is their final refuge. You and I are this wanderer outside of Christ. We wander willingly into the enemy’s territory and the enemy’s grasp. Sin pushes us away from God. We wander directionless in the wilderness of this world, from mirage to mirage, and only when we find bitter disappointment in sin do we cry out to God. But thanks be to God, He sends redemption. He delivers from the hand of the enemy. He brings back from foreign lands and far countries. He hears and leads through the desert to an eternal city. Do you know the twin truths of being a wanderer and yet redeemed? Then heed the refrain from verse 8 and sing it with heart and soul, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.” Are you still just a wanderer? Cry out to the Lord, who hears and redeems, and then sing this refrain of redemption. (Read Part 2: The Prisoner here) This article originally appeared in the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, March/April 2017. Posted here with permission. #Psalms #Redemption #Salvation

Question “Should I pray for a marriage partner in the future? What traits should I look for?” Answer Suggested Reading: Genesis 24:1–27 We should pray for God’s guidance in all aspects of our lives, especially for such important decisions as a marriage partner. While God calls some to single life, such as the Apostle Paul, His general plan is that we marry (Gen. 2:21–25). Marriage is the most intimate, influential, and important of all human friendships; therefore, it is one of the most important decisions we make in life. When praying and looking for a future spouse, look for a person of whom you could answer positively to the following questions, if a relationship developed. Religious convictions – Do you both love God? Agree on establishing the Bible as your guide for life? Do you talk about spiritual matters? Pray together? Agree on basic principles of how to raise children? In short, are you agreed to base your decision- making on a common set of biblical beliefs and practices? Love and esteem – Do you cherish each other? Are you both willing to sacrifice for the other? Do you value one anoth- er’s thoughts and feelings? Do you love and trust each other? Would this be the person that you would want to be the father or mother of your future children? Communication – Do you both enjoy talking about things together? Are you comfortable to talk about deep issues? Share spiritual needs? Do you freely discuss a wide range of subjects and practical issues together? Do you agree on most items you discuss? Do you really listen and try to understand each other, especially when you disagree on something? Biblical traits – Key traits for a future marriage partner include: a. For a husband: loves deeply (Gen. 2:24), spends time with you (Deut. 24:5), is content and happy (Prov. 5:18), is kindly affectionate (1 Cor. 7:3), treasures and honors (1 Pet. 3:7), lov- ingly leads (Eph. 5:23), self-sacrificial (Eph. 5:25), provides (1 Tim. 5:8), and prays for his wife (1 Pet. 3:7). b. For a wife: loves deeply and helps (Gen. 2:18), virtuous (Prov. 12:4), non-contentious (Prov. 19:13), trustworthy (Prov. 31:11–12), shows wisdom and kindness (Prov. 31:26), displays inward beauty (1 Pet. 3:3–4), self-sacrificial (1 Cor. 7:4), and lovingly submissive to leadership (Eph. 5:22–23). How does the recommended Scripture reading (Genesis 24) illustrate the importance of praying and searching for a fitting marriage partner? Why is it important to know the biblical traits of a desirable marriage partner before entering into a relationship? How can the principles of God’s Word guide our thoughts and feelings in this important matter? James W. Beeke James Beeke, though not a pastor, has been a Christian school teacher and principal, and is the brother of Dr. Joel Beeke. He is a member of the Heritage Reformed Congregations (HRC). To see more content by him, click on his name in the tags below. The article was originally published in the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, July/August 2017. Posted here with permission. #Dating #Marriage #Prayer

LESSON 2: THE REFORMATION IN THE NETHERLANDS BIBLE READING: 2 Peter 1:15–21 (Click to display printable version) The 95 theses of Luther were known throughout Germany within 4 weeks. They were also known in surrounding countries. The books of Luther were published in Basel, Switzerland and in Antwerp, the Netherlands. These books were shipped to various other countries. Tradesmen would bring the books of Luther along on their business trips. Monks from various monasteries would be the first ones to read these books. In this way the idea’s of Luther and his new views on Scripture entered the minds of the clergy. These books were quickly forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church. However people continued to read them. Some monks were put to death for agreeing to the criticisms of Luther against the Roman Catholic doctrines. THE REFORMERS’ WRITINGS ENTER HOLLAND Books written by Luther were sold as early as 1518 in the city of Antwerp. The monks of a monastery in Antwerp agreed completely with the ideas of Luther. The result was that the government disbanded the monastery and the monks were taken prisoner or fled to Germany. Two monks, called Hendrik Voes and Jan van Essen were burnt to death on the city square of Brussels. While they were in the flames they sang: “O God, we praise Thee, we acknowledge Thee as Lord. Eternal Father, Thou art everywhere adored. The cherubim and seraphim their homage show Thee: O Thou Lord God of hosts art holy, holy, holy! Both heaven and earth are filled with Thy majestic splendour To Thee all angels loud and ceaseless praises render.” The writings of Luther had great influence among the clergy of the Netherlands. However Luther also promoted submission to the government. The government of Holland was very anti-protestant. Luther’s position on submission hindered the forming of a Protestant Lutheran church in the Netherlands. Eventually, not the German reformers, but the Swiss reformers had greater influence on the developments in the Netherlands. Heinrich Bullinger from Zurich and John Calvin of Geneva were the two reformers who heavily influenced the reformed cause in the Netherlands. Especially Calvin had great influence in the Netherlands, through the theological academy which he had instituted in Geneva. Men from various parts of Europe studied there, and also various Dutch students attended Calvin’s academy. The result was that these young men brought Calvin’s ideas home to the Netherlands. Calvin also supported the institution of churches even against the will of the government. Thus, in spite of the opposition of the Roman Catholic king, the church in the Netherlands was formed according to the reformed principles taught by Calvin. WAR WITH SPAIN In the 16th century the Netherlands was under the dominion of the Roman Catholic king of Spain. He was very much in favour of the Roman Catholic religion. He hated the Protestants. The Dutch population started to revolt against the king of Spain, Phillips II. The Spanish king sent soldiers to Holland to subdue the country. The Roman Catholic inquisition tortured and killed thousands of people. Some think that about 20 to 30 thousand people were killed because of their faith. Ministers would preach in the open air since they were not permitted to assemble in churches. Thousands of people would flock to such worship services. The government did nothing against this open air preaching. The result was that the reformed leaders became bolder and requested the government’s permission to make use of church buildings. However the common people were no longer patient with the Roman Catholic Church. Around 1566, in many places in Holland, people invaded the church buildings and smashed all the statues. The reformed ministers did not condone this. The result was that the Spanish king was furious and sent an expedition army to Holland to crush the reformation and to re-establish the Roman Catholic Church. Then the War of Independence broke out which lasted from 1568 – 1648. In the first years of this war many Dutch cities declared that they would resist the king of Spain. The Dutch provinces joined forces and fought against the Spanish soldiers. The Dutch people received help from a German called William of Orange. He was born in 1533 in his ancestral castle in Dillenburg, Western Germany. Through inheritance he became the ruler of a certain part of Southern France called Orange. Therefore he was called William of Orange. He also inherited the jurisdiction over certain parts of the Netherlands. He was very much opposed to the tyrannical policy of king Phillips II of Spain towards Holland. William joined the Reformed side and at his own expense raised an army that could fight against the Spanish troops. He became the leader of the Dutch War of Independence. He was assassinated in 1584. His sons succeeded him. The present queen of the Netherlands is a descendant of this William of Orange. By God’s grace the Reformed side won and slowly but gradually the Netherlands became an independent nation which officially adhered to Reformed Protestantism. The Reformed Church became the official state church in the Netherlands. THE BELGIC CONFESSION Confessions were written to summarize the beliefs of the church. We still adhere to these confessions. We can mention the Belgic Confession of Faith and the Heidelberg Catechism. The Confession of Faith was composed in 1559 and published in 1561 by Guido de Bres, a Flemish minister, who died as martyr in 1567. In view of the severe persecutions of the enemies of the Gospel, this confession was intended, to be an open testimony of what the Reformed Churches really believed. It was presented to King Phillips II of Spain, who at that time was also the ruler over Holland and Belgium. Philip II persecuted the Reformed people cruelly and by means of this testimony the Reformed Church tried to persuade the king to stop the persecutions. In 1571 the first synod of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands already adopted it as a doctrinal standard. The Belgic Confession deals with: God, Scripture, Trinity, in articles 1-11. Man and creation, sin, election in 12-17. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour in 18-21. Salvation in 22-26. Church and sacraments, office bearers in 27-35. Government and last judgment in 36-37. THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM The Heidelberg Catechism originated in Heidelberg, a city in southern Germany. It was composed by Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus, who were commissioned by the pious Prince Frederik III, who ruled over that part of Germany called the Palatinate. This god-fearing ruler requested the two theologians to write a manual for instruction in the Christian doctrine. It made its first appearance in the beginning of the year 1563. A few years later, in 1566, Peter Dathenus, a Flemish minister, published a rhymed version of the psalms for public worship in the Churches of the Netherlands, with the addition of three liturgical forms, a few prayers, and also a translation of the Heidelberg Catechism. From the beginning the Heidelberg Catechism was very highly valued, and was adopted by various synods to serve as a doctrinal standard for the instruction of the youth. The Heidelberg Catechism has been translated into many languages and is being used in different countries up to this present day. Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, South Africa and other countries in Africa and in Asia can be mentioned. The theme of the Heidelberg Catechism is “the only Comfort in life and death”. After the introduction in Lord’s Day 1, it can be divided into three parts: Lords Days 2-4 deal with the knowledge of sin and guilt Lords Days 5-31 deal with the knowledge of deliverance and grace Lords Days 32-52 deal with the life of gratitude. QUESTIONS: How were the disciples enabled to be witnesses of Christ? To which events is Peter referring in verse 16? Why must the church show the light of God’s Word by confessions? How is God’s sovereignty displayed in a reformation? In what way are we very privileged above many around us? * This Bible Study was produced by the Youth & Education Committee of the Free Reformed Churches,1997, under the title, “Church History.” It is aimed at a Senior Young Peoples level. Click on the tag “Bible Study: Free Reformed Church History” below for more lessons in this study #FRC #FreeReformedChurchHistory #ChurchHistory #History #BibleStudy #2Peter

LESSON 1: THE REFORMATION IN GENERAL BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 23:1-25 (Click to display printable version) Since the middle ages all of Europe was under a cloud of spiritual darkness. However, people became dissatisfied with the Roman Catholic Church, which was the only church at that time. The reasons for this dissatisfaction were: The terrible worldly, immoral and perverse lives of the clergy. Monks and nuns would indulge in gross sins. The monasteries, scattered throughout the country, had initially been intended to serve as centres of divinity, piety and devoted service to God. Instead they often became centres of worldliness. The clergymen, bishops and priests etc. were called to be examples of meekness, chasteness and piety, but instead many had turned into greedy, proud tyrants who kept their parishioners in blind ignorance and submission. The Church of Rome collected a lot of money from the church people through the sale of indulgences. That money flowed to Rome and huge churches were built there, for example the St.Peter’s Cathedral in Rome with all its extravagant ornaments was financed with money received from the indulgences. This continual flow of money to Rome enriched the church greatly but impoverished Europe. People were dissatisfied with the Roman Catholic doctrine. The doctrine of salvation by works gave no real satisfaction to the human soul. The real burning questions of the soul were not answered. MARTIN LUTHER We fix the starting point of the reformation at 31st of October 1517. That is the date when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the chapel at Wittenburg. Before that date there were pre-reformation movements, but we may designate this date as the formal beginning of the reformation. However, Luther himself had at that time not intended to break away from the Roman Catholic Church. He did not plan the reformation. Neither did Luther develop a scheme to secede from Rome. The reformation arose through the events which followed. The impact of Luther’s 95 theses was formidable. They were copied and spread throughout Germany in a few weeks. They were circulated into neighbouring countries. Luther had to give an account of his theses. The end result was that he was excommunicated by Pope Leo X. Then on December 10, 1520 Luther burned the excommunication notice with some other papal decrees outside the city of Wittenberg. That date can therefore be considered to be the official breach with the Roman Catholic Church. The Reformation was a fact. The writings of Luther spread quickly throughout Europe. Many of these books were smuggled across borders and sold illegally since they were forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church. Many foreign students came to Wittenberg to hear Luther teach and preach. After some time they returned to their own countries and promoted the reformation there too. HULDRICH ZWINGLI At the same time there was a Roman Catholic priest in Zurich, Switzerland, whose name was Huldrich Zwingli. He made a very significant move when he decided to depart from the Roman Catholic liturgical way of preaching. The Roman Catholic Church had the system that every year all the priests would preach weekly on a specific prescribed portion of God’s Word. Every year it would be the same schedule they had to follow. Often the preaching was dull and, overall, greatly neglected. Sermons were very short and meaningless. The same texts were preached on year after year while vast portions of God’s Word were neglected. Zwingli no longer preached according to the prescribed liturgical schedule. Instead he started to preach consecutively through the Scriptures. In this manner he opened up God’s Word to the people. Then it became clear to all who heard him that God’s Word taught differently than the official doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. The end result was that in 1524 in Zurich the Roman Catholic mass was abolished and the protestant religion was officially introduced. JOHN CALVIN At the same time there was a young Frenchman named Jean Cauvin, who changed his name to Jean Calvinus, which became in English: John Calvin. He would become one of the foremost leaders of the Protestant Reformation. He was born in 1509 and around 1530 Calvin was converted and adopted the protestant religion. He soon started to write religious works and in 1536 he was appointed to work in Geneva to promote the work of the reformation there. Many foreigners came to study in Geneva to hear Calvin. In this way the Reformation was spread even more throughout Europe. In spite of much opposition from the Roman Catholic Church, the fire of the reformation could not be quenched. REFORMATION PRINCIPLES All these developments were significant. The reformation was actually taking place. The basic principles of the reformers can be summarized as follows: Sola Scriptura: The Scriptures alone. The Holy Word of God is the only rule for faith, life and doctrine. Sola Gratia: By grace alone. Sinners are saved not by their own efforts or merits but only by the free grace merited by the Lord Jesus Christ. Sola Fide: By faith alone. Sinners are justified only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not at all by our so called good works. The Roman Catholic pope had no authority to be the head of the church, but only Christ is the lawful Head of His Church. The church has to obey the ordinance of Christ and not the proclamations of the pope. The Roman Catholic mass is idolatry, as it teaches that bread and wine are changed into body and blood of Christ and should be worshipped. There is no purgatory, but all go after death either to hell or to heaven. The insistence on celibacy of the clergymen is non-Scriptural. HOW THE REFORMATION SPREAD How was it possible that the reformation could spread so rapidly? We can state certain reasons for the rise of the reformation: The above-mentioned dissatisfaction with the Roman Catholic Church existed throughout every level of European society. There was an awakened interest in the Word of God. This interest was triggered mainly by the work of Desiderus Erasmus (1469-1536). He was a Roman Catholic scholar and a humanist. In 1516 he published the New Testament in its original language; namely, Greek. Certain theologians started to read the New Testament in Greek and this stirred an awakened interest in the New Testament. So far it had only been known basically in the official Latin translation of the Roman Catholic Church. Now, with the original Greek manuscript of the New Testament, God’s Word was as it were rediscovered. The result was a surging desire to hear and to preach God’s Word as it was originally written. There was an awakened interest in the church fathers. These are the early theologians from the early history of the Christian church. At that time the church was not as deformed as it later became. The reading of the early church theologians influenced the reformation. The invention of the printing press to publish books. By this invention books could be reproduced relatively quickly and be distributed throughout vast areas of Europe. The ideas of the reformation could be spread quickly. The Work of God. All the previous reasons for the rise of the reformation are given from a human point of view. Above all things we must acknowledge that the Lord God was leading all things so that His church would be awakened and revived. The Lord would again let the Light of His Word shine in hearts of sinners. The blessed truths of God’s Word would again be discovered and His name glorified. This is the fundamental cause for the rise of the reformation. God’s Spirit was quickening His church. The Lord was clearing away the deep darkness that had covered the church for centuries. The light of the reformation was arising. QUESTIONS: Why was king Josiah’s work a reformation? Mention various aspects of his reforming work. Compare his work to the 16th century reformation. Why is reformation a work of God and the responsibility of man? How does reformation take place in personal life * This Bible Study was produced by the Youth & Education Committee of the Free Reformed Churches,1997, under the title, “Church History.” It is aimed at a Senior Young Peoples level. Click on the tag “Bible Study: Free Reformed Church History” below for more lessons in this study #FRC #FreeReformedChurchHistory #ChurchHistory #History #BibleStudy #2Kings