We are now just over a year into the worldwide coronavirus panic-demic. In mid-March of 2020, everything suddenly shut down. All nations, tribes, and tongues were gripped by the fear of sickness and death. Governments commanded their citizens to cease and desist all but essential activity, businesses worked remotely, and schools were shuttered. Even churches forsook the assembling of themselves together, regardless that scripture commands otherwise. In all the earth, it has been a year of fear.

In his rubric on ethics, Rev. VanderWal takes up the reality of fear and anger as they apply to the spiritual and ethical life of the child of God. As one would expect, Rev. VanderWal handles the topic with great insight and depth and provides some nourishing meat for the believer. He works through how fear and anger have operated in the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a particularly excellent section, he shows how that same fear and anger operate in a church during doctrinal controversy. This section is eye-opening and sheds light on why the doctrinal controversy in the Protestant Reformed Churches has proceeded the way it has. This will be an article for us believers to hang onto and to revisit from time to time, to be reminded that “perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18).

Moving on to Rev. Nathan Langerak’s rubric on understanding the times, he takes us to revisit an old foe of the Reformed faith: Norman Shepherd. In fact, when it comes to modern-day opponents of the Reformed faith within Reformed and Presbyterian walls, one would be hard-pressed to find a greater foe than Norman Shepherd. His federal vision theology has spread far and wide and has infected the theology and the thinking of the Reformed world. As one would expect, Rev. Langerak handles the topic with crystal clarity and provides a sound wall of defense for Christ’s sheep against a deadly wolf. The particular excellence of this article is that it trains us believers to hear what Norman Shepherd’s theology sounds like. It trains us to recognize the words and the formulations that make up federal vision theology so that we can recognize it, especially when it is closer than we might think.

We also welcome a new author to the pages of Sword and Shield: Mr. Elijah Roberts. Mr. Roberts will be familiar to readers of the Beacon Lights, where several of his articles have appeared. We are delighted to have an article of his now appear on the pages of Sword and Shield. And an important article it is, developing the doctrine of the antithesis as it relates to covenant fellowship and the believer’s walk with God. Instruction on the antithesis is sorely needed by Reformed believers today, and we believe that Mr. Roberts’ article provides that instruction.

Finally, after so many months of receiving Sword and Shield free of charge, it is time to start thinking about subscribing. Through generous donations we have been able to provide the magazine at no cost to our readers thus far. The next issue (May 1) will be the last issue of volume 1. The following issue (June 1) will be the first issue of volume 2. Both of these issues will still be sent free of charge to everyone on our mailing list. If you would like to continue receiving Sword and Shield beyond June, then you can subscribe at https://reformedbelieverspub.org/purchase. Thank you to all who have already subscribed. And thank you to the generous donors who made the publication and distribution of Sword and Shield possible for all these months.

May God speed the truths written herein to your heart, and the next issue into your hands.