We have come to the end of the year. As we look back over the year, we must give thanks to the Lord for his kindness and faithfulness in giving to us another year of writing the truth. The Lord has been good to Reformed Believers Publishing and the organization’s Sword and Shield magazine. He has provided resources to publish each issue. In that light we ask for you to consider this worthy cause in your year-end giving. Sword and Shield continues to be sent out free of charge; and in order to publish each issue, we are entirely reliant on the freewill offerings of those who love the truth written in this magazine. The Lord has given the magazine many varied and gifted writers to provide interesting and informative content for the magazine. Everything that we are and that we write and the fruit that is evident on that writing is a gift of the risen Lord Jesus Christ, who will have his truth yet published freely and without constraint in this present evil world.

In this last issue of 2024, we have the customary meditation and editorial by the editor. The meditation is on a text that is especially relevant this time of year. We celebrate the Lord’s coming. But many are mistaken about that coming. They suppose that Christ came to bring peace on the earth. But when Christ comes into this sin-cursed and unrighteous world that is fallen in Adam, then there can be but two results. One is taken according to sovereign election into the covenant of God, and another is left according to sovereign reprobation as an enemy of God and a hater of Christ. Christ did not come to bring peace but a sword, and such a sword as divides right through families, so that a man’s enemies are they of his own household.

Sovereign grace!

Righteous discrimination!

Hated and maligned work of Christ!

Sobering truth!

The editor continues his series on the elects’ union with Christ by finishing up the consideration of the truth of regeneration. Reverend Bomers takes up his fascinating treatment of the sacrifices of the Old Testament, which were for the Israelites the form of the truth that we have in reality in Jesus Christ. Mr. Garrett Varner is walking us through some of the minor creeds, and this month he considers the Apostles’ Creed. This month Sword and Shield’s Running Footmen rubric, a rubric filled by a rotation of writers, includes an article by Mr. Dan Birkett on Professor Engelsma’s attack on the truth as it is found in the Reformed Protestant Churches (RPC), blaming the demise of the Protestant Reformed Churches on the formation of the RPC. It is a slanderous report, and Mr. Birkett shows it to be such. The RPC’s only seminarian, Mr. Earl Kamps, concludes his examination of the false doctrine of the well-meant gospel offer in light of God’s decree. And Mr. Jeremy Langerak submitted an article for Insights on the topic “Raised with Christ.”

I take this opportunity to remind the readership that any items of interest that they feel are worthy of publication in Insights can be sent to the editor.

For the rest, we pray that the Lord blesses your hearts with the content of this issue.