Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 15 November, 2015
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind …” (Rom. 12:2)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Interlude and the Seventh Trumpet (3)
Eating the Little Book [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 2:6-3:14
Text: Revelation 10:8-11
I. The Identity of the Little Book
II. The Taste of the Little Book
III. The Conveyance of the Little Book
Psalms: 88:1-9; 119:17-24; 19:9-14; 119:41-48
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
No Other God But Jehovah! [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 18
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 34
I. Illicit Knowledge Forbidden
II. Manipulative Power Banned
III. Beautiful Communion Enjoined
Psalms: 118:1-9; 119:25-32; 81:5-10; 25:8-14
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: https://cprc.co.uk/live-streaming/
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quotes to Consider
Herman Hoeksema: “… to have no other gods before Him means that we acknowledge no other lords, that He is our Lord alone. We aknowledge and earnestly desire to live in harmony with the [truth] that He is the Lord over our body and over our soul, over our heart and over our mind, over our will and over all our desires, that therefore we submit ourselves and all things to Him, and press them into His service unconditionally” (The Triple Knowledge, vol. 3, p. 144).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
On the back table are some videos by Tedd Tripp on “Shepherding a Child’s Heart.” If you would like to borrow these, just let Rev. Stewart know.
Monday evening’s Catechism classes:
5:45 PM – Taylor, Josh, Corey, Bradley & Samuel (Beginners OT, book 2)
6:30 PM – Alex & Nathan (Seniors OT)
7:15 PM – Jacob, Joseph & Chris (Heidelberg Catechism, book1)
The Tuesday Bible study meets at 11 AM to study church offices in Hosea.
The Belgic Confession Class will meet this week Wednesday at 7:45 PM to study the church’s unity in connection with Article 27.
S. Wales Lecture: Rev. McGeown will give a lecture on “Spiritual Gifts” in Port Talbot, S. Wales, at 7:15 PM on Thursday, 19 November.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Bruinsma is entitled “Jehovah Builds His Church” (Psalm 147:1-3).
Rev. Nathan Decker and Elder Pete VanderSchaaf will be our church visitors. They are planning to come in January, although the dates are not fixed as yet.
Offerings: General Fund: £607.06.
Website Additions: 1 Portuguese and 2 Indonesian translations.
Prof. Cammenga’s lecture on “Theistic Evolution: Should the Church Make Peace or War?” and the follow up sermon “By Faith We Understand … Creation,” have been posted to a special website (www.CreationOrTheisticEvolution.com). Questions can be asked using the “submit a question” box on the website. The questions and answers will be posted on the site.
PRC News: Pastor and Mary Haak left on 11 November for a 3-week stay (11-30 Nov.) with the PRC of Vellore, India. Deane and Donna Wassink will join them on November 25 and then Rev. Griess and Rev. Kuiper from the Foreign Mission Committee will arrive on 1 December. The Wassinks and the ministers from the FMC plan to return on 14 December. In all, a 5-week stay is planned with the saints in the PRC of Vellore. During this time there will be numerous conferences with area pastors, eight seminars, visits to three cities plus numerous villages where outreach is done and visits to the Grace Foster Home. The delegates will also spend time with Pastor Raj and his wife Kasthuri to give them encouragement in the work.
Redefining Humanity
Rev. Angus Stewart
(The letter as sent to the Belfast Telegraph;
the words in italics they omitted)
In our day of moral relativism, a large-scale redefinition of humanity is going on. Men and women are being redefined as higher animals, and some are pushing to have certain animals redefined as persons. Yet unborn babies have been redefined as non-persons in many countries to justify their murder.
Civil partnerships between homosexuals have been brought in and now many are pressing for a redefinition of marriage, as involving two men or two women.
Others want further permutations of marriage. Logically, if gender is irrelevant in marriage, why should the numbers involved matter? So why not polygamy, both polygyny and polyandry? If the natural barrier between two men marrying can be removed, how can one justify an arbitrary lower age limit for marriage or sexual intercourse?
Now the fashionable cause is transgenderism, so male and female, he and she, brother and sister, nephew and niece, uncle and aunt, father and mother, etc., are being redefined.
What about the “rights” of a bisexual man or woman to marry two people: someone of the same gender and someone of a different gender? Is “marriage equality” to be denied them? How about bisexual marriage for transgenders? What does adultery or incest mean in a world of gender and marital redefinition?
In keeping with their loss of objective moral standards and identity, through the redefinition of humans, personhood, marriage and gender, some people are becoming more tolerant and accepting of bestiality. After all, is not tolerance continually being proclaimed to us as the chief virtue? The refrain of the day is: Who are we to judge? Besides, what is wrong with bestiality, if we are basically animals too?
Meanwhile, the definition of “bigot” is being widened to include those who question or oppose the latest instances of redefinition, and the opprobrium heaped on those “intolerant” and “narrow-minded” people is increasing, as is the threat of legal proceedings for “hate speech,” words uttered or written that are contrary to liberal redefinitions.
Prior to and alongside these redefinitions of mankind, in terms of personhood, marriage and gender, is the redefinition of God. Love has been redefined as tolerance, then approval and now celebration of sin, especially sexual sin. This redefinition of love is foisted on God and He is portrayed as if He were an impotent god of only one redefined attribute. Yet the true God and His love are eternal, unchangeable, wise, holy and just.
Thus humanity is being redefined to further its lusts and the infinitely righteous God is being made in the image of sinful man.
