By the time you receive this issue, spring will be upon us, and the time draws near when the church traditionally remembers the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ every Sunday in the Reformed Protestant Churches when we hear the gospel proclaimed. But we are not averse to a special time of remembering the great work of God in Christ for us and for our salvation. Christ was delivered over by God to the death of the cross because of our offenses, and Christ was raised again by God because he had justified us in the cross. God has forgiven us and our spiritual seed all our sins. He manifested his love for us in Christ, his Son. God opened wide the doors of the kingdom of heaven so that the righteous may enter in. Christ defeated sin, death, hell, the grave, and all the powers of darkness. He fully accomplished all his will and counsel for the salvation of his beloved, elect church. He gained for his people the gift of the eternal Spirit, whom he has shed abroad in our hearts. We glory in nothing save the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The truth of the cross and resurrection causes the church of Christ and the true believer to rejoice and to shout for joy. It is that truth that Sword and Shield is committed to writing.

In this issue Mr. Eddie Ophoff writes in Running Footmen a thoughtful meditation titled “The Black Brook,” in which he dwells on the power of the suffering and death of our Lord. Rev. Tyler Ophoff in Understanding the Times gives us an article in which to consider the twofold effect of the preaching of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, especially over against those who were attacking that preaching and who so recently left us. The days are evil. The time about which the apostle warned is coming to pass: “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3–4). Thus we hear with ever-
increasing urgency the calling of the apostle: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (vv. 1–2). Rev. Luke Bomers continues his informative and edifying series on the Old Testament sacrifices, and Rev. Jeremiah Pascual writes on the fall of man and the glory of the promised seed.

We have two contributions this month. Mr. Garrett Varner continues his analysis of the creeds with an article on the lyrical and beautiful Athanasian Creed, so called not because Athanasius wrote it but because it proclaims the doctrine that he so doggedly confessed and defended. Mr. Michael Vermeer submitted an article that considers the false and odd notion of the antithesis that is circulating about and is infecting many.

We pray that the Lord will speed the contents of this issue to your hearts and that you will be refreshed in your souls, like the earth is refreshed by the gentle showers, and that the sweet aroma of the truth will fill your senses with pleasure, as the spring rains fill our senses with the delightful scent of petrichor.