                                    he

                              tandard

                                            earer

A   R E F O R M E D   S E M I - M O N T H L Y   M A G A Z I N E


IN  T H I S   ISSUE


     Meditation:

        An Exhortation To Love Fervently

     Editorials:                           --.__
        Two Recent Publications

        Our Seminary Building

     Seminary Graduation (Report, Pictures, Speeches)

     All Around Us:

        The End of  Parochiaid?
        Gambling Still A Sin
        Abortion On Demand


                                                    Volume XL VII / Number 19 / August, 19 71


434                                                         THE STANDARD BEARER


                           CONTENTS:                                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER
                                                                                   Semimonthly, except monthly during June, July and August.

Meditation  -                                                                      Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
                                                                                          Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids,  Mich.
   An Exhortation To Love Fervently . . . . . . . . . .434 Editor-in-Chief: Prof.  H. C. Hoeksema
                                                                             Department Editors::.  Mr. Donald Doezema, Rev. Cornelius Hanko, Prof.
Editorials  -                                                                Herman Hanko, Rev.  Robert  C. Harbach, Rev. John A. Heys, Rev. Jay
   Two Recent Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 7 Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev.  Marinus Schipper, Rev.  Gise J.
                                                                             Van  Baren, Rev. Herman Veldman, Rev. Bernard Woudenberg
   Our Seminary Building (Guest Editorial) . . . . . .437 Editorial Office:  Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
                                                                                                1842 Plymouth Terrace, SE.
Seminary Graduation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .439                            Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506
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   Soli Deo Gloria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .440                              1904  Plymouth Terrace, S.E.
   The Minister And The Church Order . . . . . . . . .444                                              Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506
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Meditation

                            An Exhortation To love Fervently
                                                               Rev. M. Schipper

                 "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto
                 unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fer-
                 vently. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of
                 God, which liveth and abideth for ever. "                                                        I Peter 1:22,23.

   This is the third exhortation the apostle tenders in in our text he exhorts to love one another with a pure
this immediate context. In the first he exhorts his heart fervently.
readers to gird up the loins of their mind and to hope                           How important it is that the child of God and the
to the end for the grace that is to be brought at the redeemed church of Christ understand this practical
revelation of Jesus Christ. In the second, he exhorts to aspect of their calling!
pass the time of their sojourning here in fear. And now.                          But what does it mean? And how is it possible to


                                               THE  STANDA RD BEARER                                              435



heed it?                                                     to the living church of Christ to live out more and
   Love one another!                                         more what she is in Christ Jesus her Lord. In the heart
  All true love is, of course, of God!                       of God's people is the love that must be stretched out
   Of God Who loves Himself! He loves Himself per- to all others who likewise possess this love. So a bond
fectly. In fact, in God love is a bond of perfection that of perfection is realized also among the children of
unites a perfect subject and a perfect object. This can God. And when we consider how this heart of love
be and is so because God is triune. The perfect subject dwells in a sinful, hating flesh, this admonition becomes
seeks and finds its perfect object, while the perfect        constantly necessary. When the redeemed church shall
object responds by seeking and finding its perfect sub- have attained to her perfection in glory, no longer will
ject. Thus a bond of perfection exists in the divine such an admonition be necessary.
being which is love.                                           But how shall we love intensively?
  God not only loves Himself, but also His people for          The text says, "seeing ye have purified your souls in
His own Name's Sake. Eternally He loved them. Never obeying the truth into unfeigned love of the brethren."
did He not love them. This He could do because He This is precisely the sphere in which that love of the
always beheld them perfect in Christ.                        brethren operates. It is impossible to love one another
  Also in time He loved them while they were sinners fervently unless we have purified our souls in obedi-
and ungodly. Then, of course, that love was one-sided; ence to the truth.
and it lay in the very purpose of that love to perfect         Notice must be given to the fact that the text here
them even as He is perfect. Because He loved them He says "souls"  - not "hearts." We cannot purify  our.
sent His only begotten Son into the world, that He hearts, for God alone can do this. But by the grace of
might die for them. Having suffered and died for them, God we must constantly purify our souls, i.e., our
He arose from the dead and ascended into heaven              minds, our wills, our desires; all of which issue from
where He received the Spirit without measure, and the heart, for out of the heart are all the issues of life.
poured out that Spirit into their hearts. So the love of Do not misunderstand this! Sanctification must never
God is spread abroad in our hearts, and we are able to       be understood as our work alone; nor is it our work in
respond to His love.                                         cooperation with God. It is strictly God's work, as all
  And with the love which He spread abroad in our the work of our salvation is. Nevertheless, by the grace
hearts, we are enabled to love one another. Even the of God we become active in that sanctification. And it
love of the brethren is the love of God. Therefore the is to this that the apostle refers when he says: "Seeing
Scriptures inform us that he that says he loves God and ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth, etc."
hates his brother is a liar, and the truth is not in him.      Notice, too, that the apostle conceives of this sancti-
  Here the apostle says: from the heart love one an- fying process as complete to the moment. It is con-
other. Love of the heart is the only true love there is.     stant. Should there be a moment when we do not
And by the heart the apostle means, as we shall see sanctify our souls, if it is imperfect at the present
more perfectly in the sequence, the regenerated heart moment, then at the same time that brotherly love is
(verse 23). Not only did God demonstrate His love imperfect. And so it should never be!
towards us in the cross in the giving of His only begot-       The sphere in which that sanctification takes place is
ten Son; but He also did this in our hearts. When He in obeying the truth. The truth is the truth of the
sheds that love which was demonstrated in the cross gospel. Not just a general truth, which has nothing to
abroad in our hearts, then we know that love, we taste do with Scripture. But the truth of the gospel, which is
the love of God to us. The reaction of that love is the revelation of Jesus Christ, or the revelation of God
twofold; then we love God as the fruit of the operation in Christ. In the sphere of the truth the believers are to
of His love to us, and we also love the brethren. The live. As the fish lives in the water, and the bird lives in
apostle John tells us, when we love Him that begat, we the air, so the believers by grace live in the sphere of
also love those that are begotten of Him, i.e., the the truth. Out of that sphere the believer cannot con-
brethren in whom that same love of God dwells.               stantly sanctify his soul. Only walking in that sphere is
  See that ye love one another with a pure heart!            sanctification possible. Doing what .that Word of the
  Fervently!                                                 truth says, demands of us, can we sanctify our souls.
  The apostle means, with all the effort of your heart         Through the Spirit!
love one another. The word translated "fervently"              This phrase does not appear in the original text,
comes from a word which means to stretch out, to             except in a second reading. We see no reason .to omit it
expand to its fullest extent. Here it means to love in- and therefore agree with the translation which has in-
tensively. Negatively the apostle means to say: do not cluded it. It stands to reason that only by means of the
allow that love in your heart to become shriveled up;        Spirit as the Spirit of Christ can the believer know the
but' rather, let it be stretched out with all the effort of Word of truth, and walk in the truth. That Spirit is the
your heart. This is not an appeal to the natural man to Spirit of sanctification.
become what he is not; but-it is a practical admonition        Unto unfeigned, that is, unhypocritical love of the


436                                                THE STANDARD BEARER



brethren - that is the end purpose. It would seem that ruption and therefore to death. The reason for this is,
it should be superfluous for the apostle to say  "un- of course, to be found in Christ, the incorruptible
hypocritical" brotherly love, for the simple reason that Christ. When Christ arose from the dead as the Prince
all true brotherly love is unfeigned, unhypocritical. Yet of life, He brought forth immortality and life. Re-
the apostle adds it here because in the world, and in generation is really the implanting in our hearts by the
our own sinful nature there is so much hypocrisy, Spirit of Christ of the life of the resurrection that over-
sham. "Unhypocritical love" emphasizes the genuine, came death, and is incorruptible. It cannot be cor-
true, pure love of the brethren. We call attention here rupted from within, nor from without.
also to that little preposition "unto" which introduces             And this incorruptible seed of new life is implanted
this paragraph. Better it is to say "into" unfeigned love in our hearts by the living and abiding Word of God!
of the brethren. If it is to signify the end purpose of             This cannot possibly refer to the Word of the gospel
the sanctifying process, it must lead us not merely un- which is preached unto us. The preached Word in itself
to, but into the unfeigned brotherly love. If it led us is not living, neither is it abiding.
merely unto, we might not yet attain unto it. But "in-              0, do not misunderstand! This Word of God is
to" brings us where we must be, namely, within and to preached, all right. Of this we may take note in verse
the end.                                                         25 of this chapter, to which we may call your atten-
   Being born again of incorruptible seed, by the Word tion later. Yet the living and abiding Word of God
of God, which liveth and abideth for ever!                       whereby we- are born again is to be distinguished from
   This indicates the indispensable source of this love! it.
   That is, regeneration, the second birth!                        This living and abiding Word of God He continues to
   From above! It is heavenly!                                   speak after we are born again from above by that
  The believers are not renewed in the sense that they Word, much in the same way that God in His provi-
are brought into a state wherein they are delivered dence continues to speak the Word of creation to each
from all sin, guilt, and pollution, unto righteousness, creature that was brought forth, and so it continues to
holiness, and purity, such as Adam possessed in the exist. So in the same manner God speaks His
state of innocence. But through the second birth from efficacious Word that causes our new birth, and He
above they are become citizens of heaven. An alto- continues constantly to speak it, or we would not con-
gether different life. they have received, far above that tinue to be.
which Adam ever knew.                                              God, of course, is the living God, and the God of all
  This regeneration is the indispensable, deepest sub- life. As such He constantly speaks His Word, His re-
jective ground and source of all the life and activity of creative Word, and we are not only brought into spirit-`
the child of God. Apart from this rebirth they lie in ual being, but constantly kept alive by that living and
the midst of death. They are incapable of doing any              abiding Word of God. The moment God should cease
good, and inclined unto all evil. Out of this regenera- to say: "Light," that moment the light would discon-
tion which is not only implanted in their hearts, but tinue to be. The moment God would cease to call
also wrought in their consciousness, they live and act. efficaciously by His Word to the regenerated child of
They purify their souls, and love one another fer- God, that moment he would cease to live.
vently.                                                            It is by means of that living and abiding Word which
   This regeneration in its broadest sense does not God continues to speak, that we are made alive, and
originate from corruptible seed, but from incorrupt- therefore are enabled to purify our souls, and to love
ible. Evidently here the apostle is comparing our new the brethren fervently, and unfeignedly.
birth from above with our first birth from human seed.             As we said at the beginning of this Meditation: How
That human seed is said to be corruptible. That is, it is important it is that we understand this practical aspect
subject to corruption, and corruption enters into it of our calling!
from without. At the time of conception in the                     Having been regenerated, this life is kept constant
physical, earthly sense, corruptible seed is inseminated. by the living and abiding Word of God, and the child
Hence we are conceived and born in sin. This seed has of God lives out this life consciously and constantly. It
in it the principle of death.                                    is in the constancy of that life that he never ceases to
  In distinction from that the seed of the second birth purify his soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit.
is incorruptible, from heaven. It is not subject to cor- This must lead unto unfeigned love of the brethren.



           A humble Christian on his knees, bowing before the Word of God, sees more than the speculative theologian
           standing on his tip-toes.


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  437



Editorials

                       Two Recent Publications
                                              PVOJ: H. C. Hoeksema

   In the small amount of space left in this issue for the berg Catechism, by the late Rev. Herman Hoeksema.
editorial department I must call attention to two re- This volume contains Volumes 4, 5, 6, and 7 of .the
cent and important publications.                            original series. Especially Volumes 6 and 7 (Baptized
   The first is the pamphlet written by Rev. G. Van Into Christ and Eating and Drinking Christ) have long
Bar-en: "Ted & Alice & Groppi. . .& Grace, or, Com- been out of print and also very difficult to obtain on
mon Grace  - An Encouragement To Worldliness." the used book market. The appearance of this volume,
This is a transcript of Rev. Van Baren's lecture at First therefore, should be especially welcome to many. In
Church, Grand Rapids, last spring. This material, format and appearance Volume II is a companion
originally carried in our Standard Bearer, has now been volume to Volume I. In price it is the same - $8.95, a
published in an attractive 32-page pamphlet. Copies - favorable price for a book of some 700 pages. I may
singly or in quantity - are free for the asking. Consis-    add that Volume III is in preparation and should ap-
tories, Extension Committees, and individuals are pear late next fall. This is a set which should be in
urged to write for as many copies as you can dis-           every Protestant Reformed home  - and in many
tribute. Write to:                                          others. There is nothing comparable on the Heidelberg
The Standard Bearer                                         Catechism on the market. You may order your copy
P.O. Box 6064                                               by writing to:
Grand Rapids, Mich. 49506                                   RFPA Publications Committee
  The second recent publication is Volume Two of PO Box 2006
The Triple Knowledge, An Exposition of the Heidel-          Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501



                 Our Seminary Building (Guest Editorial)
                                                Rev. H. Veldman

  The undersigned, too, wishes to make a few remarks and July issues of our Standard Bearer by Rev.
in connection with the erection of our seminary Schipper and Prof. Hoeksema respectively. In this con-
.building.  I know that articles to this effect have ap- nection, although a member of the Theological School
peared in our Standard Bearer in the June and July Committee, I have not been asked by that committee
issues. Rev. Schipper was asked by our Theological to write this article. I am writing this purely on my
School Committee to contribute an article in our June own.
issue, and we see no reason why we should repeat what         Why do I wish to contribute this article? In the light
was so, ably set forth in that article. The editor of our of the fact that the money has not been coming in
Standard Bearer, Prof. H. C. Hoeksema, commented on rapidly, and also because considerable unrest has been
this matter in his article in the July number of our expressed in connection with the location selected for
magazine, and that article, too, speaks for itself. The our seminary building, the undersigned wishes to call
adoption of a permanent curriculum, combining semi- attention to these matters.
nary and pre-seminary college courses, the calling of a       We certainly need this building. Of course,. this need
third professor to our faculty and the erection of a not be emphasized now. This, too, has been decided by
`new seminary building are extremely important sub- Synod. But, we certainly need this building. Our
jects. After all, the seminary is certainly a most impor- people surely do not believe that our present teaching
tant institution in the life of the church. It is the heart- quarters should continue in the basement of our First
beat of the life of the church. It prepares young men       Church. We are certainly called to provide the best
to become preachers of the Word of God and, there- possible training and instruction for our future minis-
fore, it controls and directs that preaching of the Word ters of the Word of God. If possible, these students
of God and the life of the Church of God. I repeat: I must not receive this instruction elsewhere. We are
need not reiterate what has been written in the June called to instruct our own young men. We ourselves


  438                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



  must give this instruction and training. Of course! Our high nowadays, and it costs considerable money these
 recent synod was in unanimous agreement on this days to furnish our children with Christian instruction.
  point, I believe. Our calling is plain. The question is How much would a second missionary and a third pro-
 not: what must we do? But: can we do it? And if we fessor cost our people per year? Well, how much would
 are, to furnish our future ministers of the Word of God we save a year if we should buy one package of
  with this kind of instruction, we must have more than cigarettes less a week? Would we be saving some $20 a
 two professors. And then we must have our own semi- year? Even so, the cost of living is high, also the cost of
 nary building. This is simply our calling. Can we do it? Christian instruction, and this is a heavy burden
    Is this new seminary building an `extravaganza on especially for our families with many children.
 our part? Are we over-reaching ourselves? Is this ven-       Can we afford this seminary building? It seems to
 ture really beyond our means? Of course, we all know me that many of our people must blush when asked
 that we are stewards of the Lord. And we all, I am this question. As far as the undersigned is concerned,
 sure, are very familiar with the implication of the truth the answer must be in the affirmative. Why? In II
 of Christian stewardship. Christian stewardship implies, Chronicles 24 we have an account of the repair off the
  in the first place, that we are not the owners of the temple in the days of  Joash, the king of Judah, who
  things we possess. Nothing belongs to us. God alone is walked in the ways of the precepts of the Lord during
 the Absolute Owner, the sole Possessor of all things. He all the days of Jehoida. We read in that chapter that a
 is that by virtue of the fact that He is the Divine Creator chest was made and also that the moneys were
 of the heavens and the earth and all the things therein gathered in abundance. There was no assessment. They
  contained. His are all the gold and the silver and the got more than they needed. Why? How must this
  cattle upon a thousand hills. To Him belong all things; abundance be explained? Because we read in verse 10
 nothing belongs to us. He also created us, body and that all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and
  soul; all the gifts and talents we may possess are not brought in, and cast into the chest. You  see,. it was
our own but His. Whatever means we  .may use to             simply a matter of the heart. They rejoiced, gave with
 acquire the things of this present time have been joy; it was simply a matter of the heart. For us, the
  divinely created. Indeed, the earth is the Lord's and question is simply this: do we really want this semi-
 the  fulness thereof. Secondly, the truth of Christian nary building? Does this venture occupy a place in our
 stewardship implies that we are called to use whatever hearts? Do we rejoice because of the opportunity to set
 we have in the service of His Name and in the advance- up a building of our own? Do we recognize its im-
 ment of His Kingdom in the midst of the world. In this portance; are we behind it with all our heart and soul,
 matter we have no choice. This is simply our calling. even as Israel was when they had the opportunity to
 This is simply something we must do. And, thirdly,         contribute toward the repair of the temple? If this be
 Christian stewardship implies that we shall be required the case, then we can have it. Why? The reason is
 to give an account of our stewardship. We shall be obvious. Then they who have little will give of the
 required to give an account of what we have done with little they have, and they who have much will give of
 all the gifts and talents and means the Lord has given their abundance. And when we all give as the Lord has
 us. Of course, these three aspects of Christian steward- prospered us, give of that which does not belong to us
 ship can be set forth in greater detail. But that is not and for which we must give an account to Him Who is
 necessary in this article. What is necessary, however, is the sole Owner of all things, I am sure that the money
 that we must and should be impressed with the awe- will come in abundance. It is all a matter of the heart.
 some responsibility- involved in this Scriptural truth.      However, we also wish to make a few comments on
 The man who hid his napkin in the earth suffered a the location of our seminary building and our calling
 terrible judgment.                                         to contribute to this venture. No, I do not wish to
    Now I repeat: is this erection of a seminary building discuss this building site as such. It appears that many
 an extravaganza for our Protestant Reformed people? of our people are afraid of the location on Cambridge,
 Are we really over-reaching ourselves? Can we do this? S.E., in Grand Rapids because of the race problem;
    And then I certainly wish to say that many of our they fear that, should we build there, we would regret
 people have a heavy financial burden. This is also true it later. Now I do not wish to discuss this problem in
 of many of our churches. Of course, we live in a day this article. The fact is, our synod has approved the
 and age of luxury and plenty. Vacations and pleasures purchase of this site and has instructed our Theological
 and conveniences, and luxuries are common among us. School Committee to conduct a financial drive to
 I .arn not aware of any suffering among our people, of acquire funds in order that this seminary building may
 suffering for the sake of God's covenant, also in the be erected. This financial drive must be conducted
 financial and material sense of the word. How many now. Money, therefore, should be collected and re-
 are the luxuries in which so many of us indulge! Never- ceived now.
 theless, I do not wish to ignore the truth that our          Now the reader must understand that I am stressing
 people have a financial burden. The cost of living is -- here one point. And this point is fundamental. To be


                                           THE STANDARD BEARER                                                439


sure, we can also point to other things. When,, as then? Shall we refuse to support this venture financial-
parents, we erect our own schools, also our own high ly because we reject this synodical decision? This re-
school, we seek what is adequate, do we not? We want minds the undersigned of churches he has served in the
our schools to have proper lighting, etc. And now we past and where members refused to pay toward the
ought to be satisfied with having our seminary facilities erection of a church building which had been deter-
in the basement of our First Church? Of course, we are mined by the congregation because they did not ap-
grateful to First Church for the use of its basement all prove the location which had been chosen. And why
these years. But, what institution, I ask you, is more should we withhold our contributions now? Regardless
important for the church than its seminary? We should of our personal opinions, likes or dislikes, feelings with
be satisfied with our present seminary quarters in the respect to the race problem, this building is certainly
basement of First Church because these quarters have going to be built, and it is going to be built at a
served us since 1925? Do we apply the same rule when synodically approved site. Only the synod can and may
we build homes for ourselves? Do we proceed from the decide where this building will be erected. And we are
idea that what was good enough forty years ago is'also certainly going to submit to this decision of the synod.
good enough for us today?                                Now, the synod has decided. We have the right of ap-
  Be this as it may, however, I wish to stress one thing peal. And then, when this appeal has been treated, we
in this connection. And this one thing is a fundamental will all stand behind this synodical decision. Of course!
principle of Reformed Church government. Two This is. proper. So, let us then present a united front
fundamental principles of Reformed Church govern- `now. We will have to do this later anyway. And, by all
ment are: the autonomy of the local church, and the means, let us not decide to withhold our contributions
synod is the broadest governing body in the .life of a because we believe that the basement of our First
denomination. And we, of course, are now referring to Church is adequate. These quarters are not adequate.
the second of these principles. We are afraid that the Besides, this matter, too, that we must have a seminary *
present site for our seminary building is ill-advised? building of our own, has been synodically determined.
We are afraid that we will regret it later that we have Let us, therefore, be Reformed also in this matter, give
built there? So what? The synod speaks for us, does joyfully and liberally of what the Lord has given us, set
it not? Are we going to withhold our contributions our shoulders to the wheel, and do it now, even if the
until later? Until when? Are we dissatisfied with location of this building must be located elsewhere.
this present site on Cambridge? We have the right Thisdetermination of the building site may not and must
of appeal to our next synod in 1972, although it not interfere with our contributions to this wonderful
would have been better had we appealed sometime cause as of now.
ago. We certainly could have known for some time [Editor's Note: Send your contributions or pledges to:
that this site on Cambridge had been selected and
purchased. But, let us assume that we appeal to Theological School Building Fund, c/o Mr. Richard H.
the synod of 1972. Let us also assume that the Teitsma, 1659 Shangrai La Drive, S.E., Grand Rapids,
synod of 1972 rejects our appeal and decides to Michigan 49508.1
maintain this present location. What shall we do


Seminary Graduation

  One of the highlights of our recent Synod was the of. my colleague, Prof. Hanko, whose turn it was to
graduation program on the evening of June 7 at our speak at this graduation. At the social hour after the
Edgerton Church. Not only for the candidate, but also program I remarked to someone  -. and that remark
for all concerned, graduation is a pleasant climax for was true - that one would have to search far and wide
the somewhat tedious and perhaps grueling grind of today to find a seminary graduation program with a
synodical examinations. Our area churches were well speech of that calibre and with that keynote. Read it
represented at the occasion, thus attesting to the in this issue for yourself, and you will understand why
interest of our people in the Midwest. And we had a I made that remark.
pleasant evening. The program was rounded out with          Graduation marks achievement for Candidate
audience singing and a couple of special musical Miersma  - after three years of intensive seminary
numbers by Mrs. Henry Huisken and by the children of training.
the Free Christian School of Edgerton. We listened          Graduation is also commencement. It is commence-
with interest to an address by the new candidate  - ment, hopefully, in the sense that our Candidate will
who, by the way, was a son of the Edgerton congrega- take up the labor of the ministry in one of our congre-
tion  - and to the heart-warmingly distinctive address gations to which the Lord will call him. It is  com-


440                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


mencement also in the sense that it does not mark the labor faithfully and diligently!
end of the candidate's study and labor in the Word and        The addresses by Candidate Miersma and by Prof.
doctrine, but only the  beginning  of a life devoted to Hanko accompany this report. The photographs are by
diligent labor in the Word.                                 courtesy of Elder Larry Huisken, of our Redlands,
   May the Lord soon give brother Miersma a place in California, congregation.
our churches, and may He then give him much grace to                                                          H.C.H.





Receiving that coveted diploma from Rev. H. Candidate Miersma at the podium for his graduation
Veldman, president of the Theological School Com- speech.
mittee.



                                     Soli Deo Gloria
                                                  Pr0.f  H. Hanko

  The heart of the tradition which we have received and rightly so, that this principle is the heartbeat of all
from the Calvin Reformation is the principle of the our theology, the essence of all our preaching, the
glory of God. Soli Deo Gloria was the starting point of guiding principle of all our life. It is to this subject that
all Calvin's theology; and it is this basic truth, so com- I address your attention this evening, in large measure
pletely Scriptural, that has characterized the Reformed because the truth of this is in eclipse in our degenerate
faith up to the present. For example, the first question and profane age.
and answer of. the Westminster Shorter Catechism
reads: "What is the chief end of man? Man's chief end Fcripture's use of the concept.
is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever." We insist,      I need not spend any large amount of time tonight


                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER                                                        441



pointing out to you that the Scriptures are filled, from           Especially the Psalms speak of that glory of God. In
one end to the other, with this important truth. Every           Psalm .1;35: 5 the glory of God is called great. In Psalm
page of God's Word shouts aloud of God and His glory.            24:8, a Psalm which is so completely Messianic, God is
In innumerable places and in countless ways the Scrip-           called the King of glory - a text where the genetive is
tures force upon us the truth that God is, in Himself,           most probably descriptive. Many times in the  Psalms
infinitely glorious and that all glory must be His and           the glory of God's name is spoken of. Psalm  66:2
His alone. Scripture is a long and soaring doxology of reads:
praise to the God of heaven and earth.                                  Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise
 But it is instructive and worthwhile for us to turn to              glorious.
Scripture and discover in what ways this whole idea of And in Psalm 79:9:
God's glory is used. And, if we turn first of all, to the               Help us, 0 God of our salvation, for the glory of
Old Testament, we are told that the most basic                       thy name.
meaning of the word "glory" in the Hebrew is "heavi-               It is not surprising that, in the New Testament, the
ness." That, according to the Hebrew Scriptures, is glory of God is spoken of in connection with Christ.
glorious which is heavy; But the reference is not, as            Already on the hills of Bethlehem the angels spoke of
you can readily conclude, to mere physical heaviness.            Christ's birth in connection with the glory of God.
It refers rather to the heaviness of importance. That is         Christ has some very striking and surprising things to
glorious which is important and impressive. And this is say about God's glory in connection with His passion
supremely applicable to God. He is infinitely im- on the cross.
portant and impressive.                                                 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say?
  There are many different ways in which this idea is                Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause
developed in the Old Testament. We can mention only                  came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then
                                                                     came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both
a few.                                                               glorified it, and will glorify it again. John 13:27,28.
  It is, in the first place, very striking that Scripture And again:
speaks of God's glory, God's impressiveness, in connec-                 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now
tion with His descent upon Mount Sinai. In that                      is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in
passage, God's glory is spoken of in connection with                 him. If God be glorified in him, God shall glorify him
judgment, thunder, hail, etc. We read:                               in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
          And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount               The apostle Paul speaks of the fact, in Romans 6:4
    Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the            that `the resurrection of Christ took place through (and
    seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of         the preposition is dia) the glory of God. All of this
    the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was        prompts John to exclaim, in the very beginning of his
    like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the           gospel: "And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the
    eyes of the children of Israel. Exodus 24: 16,17.            only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
The idea is certainly that the glory of God cannot be            John  1:14.
considered apart from judgment  - especially in con-               It does not come as strange therefore, that, when
nection with the giving of God's holy law.                       the Scriptures. turn to the specific subject of salvation,
  Another very important idea of the glory of God is this is invariably put into the context of God's glory.
developed in connection with Moses' request to see Paul emphasizes this more than once in that great
that glory. It was specifically God's glory which Moses          doxology of Ephesians 1. We are predestinated to the
desired to see; not now the glory revealed in fire and           praise of the glory of God's grace. (vs. 6.) We are pre-
smoke and thunder; but the glory of God revealed in              destinated according to the purpose of God that we
forgiveness and grace towards Israel which had so soon           should be to the praise of God's glory. (vs. 12.) And all
turned to strange gods. In answer to this request of of it is so aptly summed up in that last vs. of Rom. 11:
Moses, God told him:                                                    For of him, and through him, and to him, are all
          I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I        things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
    will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee.
    Exodus 33: 19.                                                 In moving through Scripture, and studying various
This same idea is expressed in the vision which Isaiah           passages which deal with the glory' of God, it is very
saw which is recorded for us in Isaiah 6. Isaiah saw             striking that God's glory is spoken of as being mani-
"the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up." fested in both the work of creation and salvation. But
The seraphim which flew before the throne cried to               whenever this is done, as it is done especially in the
each other:                                                      Psalms, the two are always related to each other. With-
          Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole      out apparently concerning themselves with the
    earth is full of his glory. Isaiah 6:3.                      problem of the relation between so-called general reve-
And it is instructive to note in this connection that the lation and special revelation, the Psalmists speak of the
result of this revelation is that Isaiah himself cries out:      two in one breath. Psalm 104, for example, is a long
"`Woe is me!"                                                    and beautiful meditation on the power of God revealed


442                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER



in providence. But the concluding words of the Psalm unique glory of God in contrast with heathen idols:
are:                                                                      Not unto us, 0 Lord, not unto us, but unto thy
           I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will         name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's
        sing praise to my God while I have my being. My                sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now
        meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the        their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath
        Lord. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth,            done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are
        and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord,            silver and gold, the work of men's hands." vss. l-4.
        0 my soul. Praise ye the Lord. vss. 33-35.                 And that beautiful chapter in Isaiah (chapter 40)
The same is true of Psalms 135 and 136. In the former, emphasizes this truth throughout. It is all concluded in
the mighty works of God in creation are.spoken of in the stirring words:
the same breath with his judgments upon the wicked                        To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness
and His salvation of His Church.                                       will ye compare unto him? vs. 18.
           Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in               But this glory of God, God reveals. We must be sure
        heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.    to understand this point. The determination to reveal
        He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of          Himself comes from God alone. The revelation of His
        the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he           glory is not imposed upon God by any necessity. It is
        bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. Who smote         not even done by God to make, it possible for God to
        the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. . . .       gain additional glory to Himself. This revelation is a
        And gave their land for an heritage unto Israel his        free choice of His will. The revelation of God's glory is
        people. vss. 6-8, 12.
Psalm 136 does this in a most masterful way as it sings therefore, to glorify God. Revelation is for it's own
of the mercy of God. Sometimes one can hardly follow sake. It is to make His glory known. It is done by God
the thought of the Psalmist who sees mercy displayed that God may speak of His glory outside His own
                                                                   being. And yet, at the same time, God is pleased that
in the most common works of creation.-Sure - this is
more than a literary device and speaks rather of a pro- this glory be acknowledged by others.
found truth.                                                         Thus the revelation of God's glory is through Christ.
           To him that by wisdom made the heavens; for his           We must assert, at this point, that the revelation of
        mercy endureth forever. . . . To him that made great       God through Christ is the highest possible revelation of
        lights: for his mercy endureth forever: The moon           God's glory. This is in keeping with God's own attri-
        and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth         butes. God reveals Himself in the best possible way.
        for his mercy endureth forever: And brought out            Especially in keeping with His attribute of wisdom, we
        for his mercy endureth for ever: And brought out           must insist that there is no better way for this revela-
        Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth             tion than through Christ. The meaning of this is that
        forever.                                                   all God's glory is revealed through Christ. This must
And in Psalm 148 the Psalmist calls upon the whole not be taken in the sense that revelation through Christ
creation to join with him in praising the Lord; and is exhaustive. Revelation is always finite. And the
then the Church is called to unite her voice in this finite cannot empty the infinite. But all God's glory is
doxology: for                                                      revealed in the sense that all there is in God is made
           He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise     known through Christ. Perhaps a figure will make this
        of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a       clear. There is in a tender sapling all that is contained
        people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.
   Surely the idea is that there are not two special ways in a mighty elm tree. Not one element that can be
                                                                   found in the mature elm is absent from the seedling.
in which God is glorified: one through creation and Yet there is, nonetheless, a vast difference between this
one through salvation; and both independent of each tender shoot barely three feet above the ground and a
other. They are principally the same, for it all points graceful and sweeping  elm which reaches its arms
ahead to the new creation with the principle of unity towards the heavens. So it is with revelation.
in Christ.                                                           When we assert that all the revelation of God is
The Nature of God's Glory                                          through Christ, one fundamental principle is implicit in
   From all this we may draw some specific  conclu-                this:  tliat is  the  principle of  the  sovereignty of  God.
si0n.s.                                                            The one without the other is an  absurdity;All that
   The underlying truth of all this is that God is glo-            takes place in all that God created is done by His hand.
rious in Himself. He is glorious in His own divine being. It is this truth which is so strongly emphasized by that
He is glorious in the covenant life which He enjoys in beautiful conclusion to Romans 11. Only because all
Himself as the triune God. He is glorious in all His things are of God, or, more literally, out of God, can
perfections, for His perfections make Him what He is. all things be also through Him and to Him. And only
These perfections are unique in Him and create a then can all glory be His forever.
chasm between God and all the creation which can                     What is implied here is obvious. Creation is God's
never be `bridged. Scripture speaks of this in no un- work. Else the Psalmist could never sing: "The heavens
certain terms.  Psalm 115, for example, speaks of this declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth


                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER                                              443


his handywork." Psalm 19: 1. Providence  is God's against the truth are open. The disguises are torn away.
work. We need only return to Psalm 104 to understand The Church solemnly proclaims: "God is dead." And
how true this is. But this is all so because all creation yet, and yet. . . Is there not something still very subtle
points to Christ and is redeemed in Christ. For all about it all? Is it not just possible that even we have
things are reconciled to God by the blood of the cross. been influenced in some marked respects to  .depart
(Cal. 1: 20.)                                                    from the truth of God's glory? I think of the fact that
   The whole work of salvation is rooted in sovereign basic to man's error is humanism - using the term now
predestination. Paul speaks of the praise of God's glory in its broadest connotation. Is there not a kind of
in Ephesians 1 especially in connection with predesti- humanism transferred into the very citadels of the
nation. Isaiah  43:21 sets it all forth in one terse sen- Church when even the work of salvation is preached
tence: "This people have I formed for myself; they and discussed as an end in itself? or, at least, if we, in
shall shew forth my praise." But not only election is thoughtlessness, leave the impression that such is the
,for God's glory. So is reprobation. While Paul doesnot          case?
specifically refer to.the glory of God in Romans 9, he             But to return a moment to the savage attacks which
does state emphatically:                                         are being made in our day against God's glory. Never, I
          For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this    think, has the world seen such a time when the age is
     same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew       so blasphemous and profane. Perhaps it is not so much
    my power in thee, and that my name might be de-              that there is more blasphemy or worse profanity  -
     clared throughout all .jhe earth. . . .                     although this too is true. But it just may be that the
          What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to         horror of it all is' that the Church joins in the
    make his power known, endured with much  long-
    suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:        blasphemy and profanity of our time. All that is sacred
    And that he might make known the riches of his               `and holy is mocked. All that pertains to the glory of
    glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore            God is viciously trampled under foot in so many
    prepared to glory? Vss. 17,22,23.                            different ways that time fails me to speak of them. No
   Yet the relation must be clear. Election serves God's one gives any thought any more to the all-important
glory in such a way that through the sovereign reali- question: What are you doing to God's glory?
zation of salvation a people is formed which consciously           We believe and confess together that God has main-
acknowledges and confesses  - and sings of  - God's tained the truth in our midst. This truth is our dearest
glory. But reprobation is the dark side, the negative treasure, our first love. And then it is  cereain that at
side. According to Ps. 115, God is at war with all the heart of that truth lies the truth of the sovereignty
human idols and he will not share his glory with of God. But this truth, so precious, so glorious, is a
another. Reprobation must demonstrate this profound truth which points unerringly to the infinitely higher
truth.                                                           truth: the glory of God. Everything must be subser-
Our Calling                                                      vient to that. Nothing at all is important in its own
   We live in an age when the plot which the devil right. Not even the salvation of the Church of Christ
hatched at the world's beginning is reaching frightening can stand by  .itself. The glory of God towers above
proportions. There was always this total commitment even this. Divorced from God's glory even the salvation
of Satan to rob God of His glory. But usually the of the Church becomes a hollow untruth.
subtle mind of Satan sought to gain this end by means              This must be a fact among us both objectively and
of stealth, subterfuge, subtility and careful attention to subjectively. Objectively, the glory of God is main-
minor details. Satan has evidently conceived of the tained by a fearless and courageous defense of the
notion that the times are ripe for a frontal attack on truth of God. It is a defense of the truth, not for its
God's glory. All caution, all subtility is thrown to the own sake; but because any detraction from that truth
winds. The hordes of hell rush madly at the bastions of is a slur on the supreme glory of God Who revealed it.
the truth. It is the last assault.                               Any departure is doing dishonor to God. Above all,
  The fundamental principle of sin is exactly to rob this must be the constant theme of all our preaching.
God of the glory due to Him. Men are persuaded to                How hard this is can best be known by those of you
deny God's glory in order that they may gain glory to            who struggle day by day with the Scriptures bringing
themselves. And this is rooted in hatred of God and, that Word in season and out of season. How many are
love of themselves. Sin is a monstrous crime for this the temptations to do less than this are known to you
reason alone.                                                    upon whom rests this work. And I canleave no better
  In innumerable ways this is done. Principally, of advice to you who with this evening complete your
course, this attack against the glory of God is made by Seminary work than to remember that this must be the
denials of various kinds of the truth of God. Man will theme of all your ministry. In the final analysis, when
not and cannot let the truth of Scripture stand. The             everything else is said and done, the battlelines in the
errors have, over the rolling centuries, been subtle and         battle of faith are drawn here. All untruth denies that
cioaked in much, camouflage. No longer. The attacks glory. The truth fights for it with unwearying courage.


444                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER



   But subjectively this must also be true. This is, of I could &ish that myself were accursed from Christ for
course, difficult to speak about and difficult to define. my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." I do
We are speaking of the deepest motives of our hearts. not think I have the grace to consider the glory of (God
And it is the easiest thing in the world to identify in of greater importance than my salvation. Yet this is the
our own consciousness the glory of God with motives thrust of Paul's and Moses' astonishing statements.
of personal self-seeking and prideful ambition. It is so Elijah put it all in the language which God Himself uses
terribly easy to cover up personal motives with pious in the Decalogue when, defeated and downcast, he
prating of our desire to see God glorified. I think often murmured: "I have been very jealous for the Lord God
in these evil days of Moses who, when confronted with of hosts." I Kings 19: 10. This is the deepest motive for
the fierce anger of God against Israel's idolatry prayed: all labor in the house of God.
"Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have                     Be assured that God will gain His glory. It cannot be
made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive any different. Whether we want this or not, God will
their sin -; and if not, blot me, I pray .thee, out of thy gain all glory to Himself. He cannot share it with
book which thou hast written." Exodus  32:3 1, 32. I another. To be of those who acknowledge this glory
iecommend  for your prayerful reading Exodus 32  & and labor on its behalf there can be no greater blessing.
33. Or, again, of Paul who wrote in Romans 9:3: "For



                       The Minister And The Church Order
                                                 Candidate Rodney G. Miersma

   In general the topic to which I will draw your atten- objectively real. The calling is not simply another name
tion is The Minister and the Church Order. By minis- for a mere occupation, but a summons to the ministry
ters are meant those who are lawfully called by the which really comes. This is evident from both the con-
church to preach the gospel in the church of Christ. fessions and Scripture. Belgic Confession Art. 3 1 reads:
The Church Order to which I refer is the Church Order "Therefore every one must take heed not to intrude
of Dordrecht with its eighty-six articles, including also himself by indecent means, but is bound to wait until
the various decisions of our Synod concerning some of it please God to call him, that he may have testimony
these articles. These articles can be found in the back of his calling, and be certain and assured that it is of
of our Psalter.                                                 God." Also in the Form for the Ordination of Minis-
   Since there are many articles which deal with the ters the question is asked, "I ask thee whether thou
minister, his office, task, etc., I will concentrate spe- feelest in thine heart that thou art lawfully called of
cifically on Article 3 which reads as follows:                  God's church, and therefore of God himself, to this
       "No one, though he be a professor of theology, elder     holy ministry?" The concluding paragraph of the call
       or deacon, shall be permitted to enter upon the          letter expresses the same idea: "Now dear reverend
       ministry of the Word and the sacraments without          brother, may the king of the church so impress this call
       having been lawfully called thereunto. And when any-     upon your heart and give you light, that you may
       one acts contrary thereto, and after being frequently    arrive at a decision pleasing to him." Then turning to
       admonished does not desist, the classis shall judge      Scripture we see the reality of the call clearly set forth
       whether he is to be declared a schismatic or is to be
       punished in some other way."                             in the epistles of Paul. Eph. 4: 11, 12 reads: "And he
I am especially concerned with the aspect dealing with gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some
the idea of being lawfully called. By having a proper evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; for the per-
understanding of the lawful call to the ministry we fecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
find the basis for the other articles dealing with the the edifying of the body of Christ." Finally, in Rom.
office of the ministry of the Word. They all flow from               10: 14, 15 we read: "And how shall they hear without
this one. With this in mind I will treat this topic under a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be
the theme "The Calling of the Minister of the Gospel." sent?"
                                                                I
Under this theme there are several elements which                      From these passages and examples found in Scrip-
must be considered. In the first place, the reality of the ture it  fol1ow.s that a man is actually called unto the
call must be seen; secondly, its essence; thirdly, the ministry. One does not enter the ministry on his own
means whereby it is effected; fourthly, its author; and accord, because he merely desires it, "though he be a
finally, its significance.                                      professor of theology, elder or deacon," but only
  First of all, we must understand that this calling is-because he has the objective call to do so.


                                                      THE STANDARD BEARER                                                              445


   For the essence of this call we again turn to the                  and will. These words raise him up and comfort him so
`Word of God. Paul writes in I Cor. 9: 16: "For though I that he boldly opens his mouth and proclaims the
preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for                    Gospel. This can only be if the voice of the church is
necessity is laid upon me: yea, woe is unto me, If I                  the voice of Christ.
preach not the gospel." Consequently, when one is                        The minister, therefore, must feel in his heart that
called he must preach. He does not preach because he                  he is lawfully called by Christ himself. By lawfully is
wants, but because he is under the obligation to obey                 not meant merely that the church has not violated any
the call and preach. By nature we are unwilling and do                ecclesiastical rules; nor that one has received the
not want to obey. For example, Moses gave every                       majority of votes and now has the call letter in his
excuse that he could think of, but God called him in pocket. But it means that the voice of the church is the
such a way that he had to preach. God gave him all                    voice of Christ laying necessity on one to preach the
that he needed because it was his will that Moses must                Gospel. The church, however, must also call lawfully as
obey and preach. So also it is with every man who is                  far as ecclesiastical manner is concerned (Art. 4). One
called to the ministry. He must preach because God                    must be elected by the consistory in cooperation with
wants him to. The essence of being called of God is the congregation. He must be approved in the same
that necessity and the grace to obey it.                              manner. In addition, he must be examined, for the
   But this call must be effected by a specific means. In             church must not allow room for unworthy men.
short, the call comes from out of the bosom of the                    Finally, the church must ordain him, whereby she
afflicted church  - out of the burning bush just as in                commands, admonishes, and exhorts, and blesses him
the case of Moses. The church prays, commands, and                    with the Scriptures.
admonishes. It says, "Come over and help us." It is the                  The fact that one is called to the ministry is very
church that says, "Take heed unto thyself and to all                  significant. For if one were to deny the truth of the
the flock. Feed the church, love Christ and feed his                  lawful call, the following can only be deduced: that
sheep taking oversight of them. Be an example to all                  God does not raise up, command, qualify, and author-
believers, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to             ize men to preach the gospel. If he does not raise up,
doctrine." Such are some excerpts from the Form of                    command, qualify, and authorize, -then the gospel is
Ordination. It, then, is always the voice of the church               not preached, for Christ is not preaching through
through which one is called.                                          them. They must be sent. If the gospel is not preached,
  However, the voice of the church can not be under-                  then the church is not gathered: for they do not hear.
stood apart from the author of that voice. Christ is its              If the church is not gathered, then there is no church,
author, for that voice commands one to preach the                     i.e., those called out, believers and their seed. How
gospel. He must continue in the ministry as seen from                 shall they believe in Him Whom they have not heard?
Art. 16:                                                              If no church, then no Christ: for they are His body. If
    "The office of the ministry is to continue in prayer              no Christ, then no God and Father of Christ. In other
    and in the ministry of the Word, to dispense the                  words, we have absolutely nothing.
    sacraments, to watch over his brethren, the elders and               Positively, the lawful call is significant because
    deacons, as well as the congregation, and finally, with           whom God calls He also qualifies for the work of the
    the elders, to exercise church discipline and to see to           ministry. The Lord's qualifying consists, first of all, in
    it that everything is done decently and in good                   that He causes a man spiritually to discern that apart
    order."                                                           from Christ he is a sinful man, unwilling, and without
The church apart from Christ can not issue that com-                  strength. Aware of this, the man by the mercy of God
mand: for the church is His body, of which He is the                  besieges God's throne for grace to do that which he
head. In the second place, Christ is the author because               must do but cannot do. Then in the way of prayers
the commands and exhortations are taken without                       God fulfills all his needs.
exception from the Word of God. These are God's own                      From  this fundamental principle of the lawful call
words, and the voice is Christ's. The third reason is                 we see reason for the rules concerning the minister's
that after the resurrection and ascension Christ does all             task, his relationship to fellow officebearers, his rela-
His proclaiming through the voice of the church.                      tionship to the congregation, and the length of his serv-
Therefore, it certainly is expected that He call his serv-            ice. May our Protestant Reformed churches ever con-
ants through the church also. Finally, the commands                   tinue in the rich heritage of the Church Order of
and words of blessings that the church directs to him                 Dordrecht which is founded upon the Word of God
whom she ordains impress themselves upon his mind                     Himself.


            The.puqose  of Christian Education is to nurture faith - not to test.it. Otherwise, it is not Christian education!

                                                                                                               .--  -_--.         .


446                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER



Contending For The Faith

                                   The Doctrine of Atonement
                                                  THE REFORMATION PERIOD
                                                           A RMINIANISM

                                                           Rev. H. Veldman

  At the conclusion of our preceding article, we were                  Conference was held between the two parties at the
calling attention to certain forerunners of Arminius                   Hague in 1611, but without leading to an agreement.
and  Arminianism,  as set forth by Wagenaar in his                     A discussion at Delft, 1613, and the edict of the
"Conflict and Victory." We had mentioned Coolhaas,                     States of Holland in favor of peace, 1614, prepared
Herberts and Wiggerts. Wagenaar also mentions                          by Grotius, had no better result.
Sybrandi and Venator. We need not call attention -to                 At this time we wish to quote the Five Points of the
these last two men in any detail, except to remark that            Remonstrants. We consider them very important, al-
alSo the former had been a  .Romish pastor and that                though we do not intend to call attention to what they
both were enemies of the Calvinistic presentation of teach in detail.
the truth as set forth in the Holy Scriptures and in the                                    ARTICLE I.
                                                                         That God by an eternal, unchangeable purpose in
,Reformed Confessions.                                                 Jesus Christ, His Son, before the foundation of the
  We have already called attention to the fact that                    world, hath determined, out of a fallen sinful race of
Arminius died in 1609. In 16 10 the followers of                      men, to save in Christ, for Christ's sake, and through
Arminius drew up their Five Points of the Rem&-                        Christ, those who, through the grace of the Holy
strance. After the death of Arminius the learned Simon                 Ghost, shall believe on this His Son Jesus, and shall
Episcopius, his successor in the chair of theology at                  persevere in this faith and obedience of faith, through
Leyden, afterwards professor in the Arminian College                   this grace, even to the end; and on the other hand, to
at Amsterdam, and the eloquent Janus Uytenbogaert                      leave the incorrigible and unbelieving in sin and under
(1557-l  644),  preacher at `the Hague, and for some time              wrath, and to condemn them as alienate from Christ,
chaplain of Prince Maurice, became the theological                     according to the word of the gospel in John 3:36:
leaders of the Arminian party. In his creeds of Chris-                 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life
tendom, Schaaf continues (Vol.  1, 5 11):                              and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life,
         `The great statesman, John van Olden Barneveldt               but the wrath of God abideth on him." and according
       (1549-16 19), Advocate-General of Holland and Fries-            to other passages of Scripture also.
       land, and Hugo Grotius (1583-1645),  the most com-                                   ARTICLE II.
       prehensive scholar of his age, equally distinguished as           That, agreeably thereunto, Jesus Christ, the Sav-
       statesman, jurist, theologian, and exegete, sympa-             iour of the world, died for all men and for every man,
       thized with the Arminians, gave them the weight of              so that He has obtained for them all, by His death on
       their powerful influence, and advocated peace and              the cross, redemption and forgiveness of sins; yet that
       toleration; but they favored a republican confederacy          no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins except
       of States rather than a federal State tending to               the believer, according to the w'ord of the gospel of
       monarchy, against the ambitious designs of Maurice,            John 3 : 16, "God so loved the world that He gave His
       the Stadtholder and military leader of the Republic,            only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
       who wished to consolidate his power, and by conclud-            should not perish, but have everlasting life." And in
       ing a truce with Spain (1609) they incurred the sus-           the First Epistle of John 2:2, "And He is the propitia-
       picion of the loyalty. The Calvinists were the national        tion for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for
       and popular party, and embraced the great majority             the sins of the whole world."
       of the clergy. They stood on the solid basis of the
       recognized standards of doctrine. At the same time                                   ARTICLE III.
       they advocated the &dependent action of the Church                That man has not saving grace (faith) of h@nself,
       against .the latitudinarian Erastianism of their dppo-         nor of the energy of his free will, inasmuch as he in
       nents.                                                         the state of apostasy and sin, can of and by himself
         The Arminians formularized their creed in Five               neither think, will, nor do any thing that is truly good
       Articles (drawn up by Uytenbogaert), and laid them              (such as saving faith eminentljr is); but that it is need-
       before the representatives of Holland and West Fries-          ful that. he be born again of God in Christ, through
       land in 1610 under the name of Remonstrance,                   His Holy Spirit, and renewed in understanding, in-
       signed by forty-six ministers. The Calvinists issued a         clination, or will, and all his powers, in order that. he
       Counter-Remonstrance. Hence the party names                    may rightly understand, think, will, and effect what is
       Remonstrants (Protestants against Calvinism), and              truly good, according to the Word of Christ, John
       Counter-Remofzstrants  (Calvinists, or Gomarists). A            15 :5, "Without Me ye can do nothing."


                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER                                                       447


                        ARTICLEIV.                                Arminian will not allow God to be God. This explains
      That this grace of God is the beginning, continu-           his denial of the sovereignty of God's predestination.
    ance, and accomplishment of all good, even to this            In Article I he declares himself in favor of conditional
    extent, that the regenerated man himself, without             predestination, as based upon foreseen faith and un-
    prevenient or assisting, awakening, following and co-         belief. He teaches a universal love of God, a desire on
    operative grace, can neither think, will, nor do any
    good, nor withstand any temptations to evil; so that          the part of the Lord to save all men, and therefore an
    all good deeds or movements, that can be conceived,           election and reprobation based upon the faith and un-
    must be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ. But as        belief or the will of the sinner. Man's salvation is not
    respects the mode of the operation of this grace, it is       determined by God, but by the sinner. This heresy,
    not irresistible, inasmuch as it is written concerning        that God loves all men and would save all men, must
    many, that they have resisted the Holy Ghost. Acts 7          lead to universal atonement. If God is to offer salva-
    and elsewhere in many places.                                 tion to all who hear the gospel, then there must be
                                                                  salvation for all. God would surely not offer something
                         ARTICLE  V.                              He does not possess. The Christian Reformed Church
       That those who are incorporated into Christ by a
    true faith, and have thereby become partakers of His          has also experienced this. In 1924 they declared that
    life-giving Spirit, have thereby full power to strive         the gospel is an offer of salvation to all who hear the
    against Satan, sin, the world, and their own flesh, and       gospel. But they also would maintain the Scriptural
    to win the victory; it being well understood that it is       truth that the cross of Christ is particular and only for
    ever through the assisting grace of the Holy Ghost;           the elect. In late years, however, the Dekker contro-
    and that Jesus Christ assists them through His Spirit         versy arose. Prof. Dekker believes and teaches the
    in all temptations, extends to them His hand, and if          Arminian version of the death of Christ, a Christ for all.
    only they are ready for the conflict, and desire His          He has not been condemned, remains in his teaching
   help, and are not inactive, keeps them from falling so         position, and is permitted to set forth his heresy of a
    that they, by no craft or power of Satan, can be              death of Christ for all men, head for head. But, this
    misled nor plucked out of Christ's hands, according           heresy must also lead to a denial of man's utter and
    to the Word of Christ, John 10:28, "Neither shall any
    man pluck them out of My hand." But whether they              complete depravity. To maintain a conditional predes-
    are capable, through negligence, of forsaking again           tination and a Christ for all, offered to all men in the
    the first beginnings of their life in Christ (principle of    preaching of the gospel, it is necessary to- teach that
    their being in Christ) of again returning to this             the sinner is able to accept this offer of salvation.
    present evil world, of turning away from the holy             Otherwise an offer of salvation simply does not make
    doctrine which was delivered them, of losing a good           sense. It is for this reason that the Three Points of
    conscience, of becoming devoid of grace, that must            1924 also teach that the natural man is able to do good
    be more particularly determined out of the Holy               in the sight of God without the regenerating grace of
    Scripture, before we ourselves can teach it with the          the Holy Spirit. Fourthly, this heresy must lead to the
    full persuasion of our minds.                                 teaching that the grace of God is resistible. This lies in
  These are the Five Points of the Arminians, called the nature of the grace. God would have all men be
the Five Points of the Remonstants, inasmuch as they saved, and therefore offers His grace to all men. That
constitute their grievance against the doctrine of Cal- some are not saved is not because God would not save
vinism. And at the conclusion of these articles, the them, but because man refused to be saved. He is
Arminians add : "These Articles, thus set forth and therefore able to resist this grace of God. And the
taught, the Remonstrants deem agreeable to the Word Arminians taught this in their Five Points of the
of God, tending to edification, and, as regards this Remonstrants. And, finally, this must culminate in the
argument, sufficient for salvation, so that it is not denial of the perseverance of the saints.The Arminians
necessary or edifying to rise higher or to descend declare that they are not ready to say that the sinner
deeper."                                                          cannot return to his former state of sin and corruption.
  Without calling attention to these articles in detail at Any conception that bases the salvation of man in the
this time (after all, we are calling attention to the doc- will of the sinner must lead to the denial of the certain
trine of the atonement), we may observe that these perseverance of the saints. Then it is man who deter-
articles are, generally speaking, very important for a mines also his ultimate salvation, and, this being true,
very special reason. In these the Arminians teach the no sinner can ever be sure that he will be saved to the
following heresies: conditional. election and reproba- uttermost. One heresy must lead inexorably to another.
tion, universal atonement, man's partial depravity, This is clearly demonstrated in the Five Points of the
resistible grace, the denial of the certain perseverance Remonstrants.
of the saints. These articles are important because they
emphasize that the one heresy must lead inexorably
into another. The fundamental heresy  ofArminianism                      It's only a timid  soul who thinks that discussion
is the denial of the truth that God is God. The                                        will hurt the truth..


448                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



In His Pear
                              Why Are You Here?
                                                Rev. John A. Heys

  The question which forms our title we presented to exalts man above God, and makes him the supreme
the graduates of our South Holland, Illinois, Protestant being in the universe. They are so willing to do this
Reformed Christian School. And we did so because that they will accept a theory that makes them de-
their class text was Ecclesiastes 12:  13,14,  where we scendants of the ape  - rather that than to acknowl-
read, "Let us hear the conclusion of the matter: Fear edge a God Who must be served and glorified! And
God and keep His commandments: for this is the therefore all must be for man. The youth are urged to
whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work get all the education that they can, in order to improve
into judgment, with every secret, whether it be good, man's lot here below. Youth are urged to prepare
or whether it be evil."                                     themselves for making this a better world in which to
  We asked this question, "Why are ye here?" because live. The whole goal, the whole challenge  - and no
the answer to that question will also enable us to give higher challenge is known or admitted - is to get out
the answer to the question as to what our whole duty, and raise the standards of our living even higher, and
our calling before God is. And we did so as well be- for all mankind. The challenge is given to go out and
cause Solomon does not write that fearing God and find cures for our diseases by science and medicine,
keeping His commandments is the whole duty of man. our social evils and problems by studies, research and
That word duty does not appear in his writing. Rather bold programs.
does he speak of the "whole man." Or, if you want it          And, sad to say, in many Christian schools nothing
literally, of "the whole adam." That is the word which different is heard, except that this humanistic
he uses. ,The first man was called Adam, but the word approach is garbed in deceptive language that makes it
adam is used at least fifteen times in the first three sound Christian and spiritual. The youth are urged to
chapters of Genesis, and is translated as  y12atz. Thus go and get all the education they can and then get into
Solomon by speaking of the whole man rather than the science and politics, into the fields of education and of
whole duty of man is thinking of more than man's the arts, to let their Christian influence be felt and so
duty. The whole purpose, the reason for man's exist- cause the kingdom of Christ to come. This we say,
ence and his creation is that he keep God's command- gives a spiritual sound, apparently, and a Christian slant.
ments and fear Him.                                         But it' is all wrong, and so deceptive! It is not based on
  For many years we have been here on this earth. the Word of God, and it is not according to the
Some of us have been here longer than others. Some example or teaching of Christ.
have enjoyed good health and are still physically             One of the basic principles of truth of the Word of
strong. Others have spent a life of misery, of suffering God which this philosophy denies is that undeniable
and pain with frail bodies and much sorrow. But there teaching of Scripture that man is spiritually dead by
is one reason for the existence of all.                     nature. God told Adam that-the  day  -  not nine
  There is another reason why this question ought to hundred and thirty years after  - he ate of the for-
be asked and why it is a very important question for us bidden fruit, he would die. God did not say that the
and for our children. Solomon declares that God will process of physical death would begin in him that day.
judge every work, whether it be good or evil. That is He would die that day! And he did die spiritually that
true of what we did in the past. That is true of the        very hour of that day. All his behaviour from that
years that still lie ahead of us. The question we are to    moment onward shows that he did. David cries of
ask ourselves now is, "Why am I here?" The question being conceived and born in sin. Psalm 5  1:5. Paul
that will be asked us when God shall judge our works is, writes of man being dead in trespasses and sins before
"What did you do?" Did you serve the purpose for God quickens him. Ephesians 2: 1. Jesus declares that a
which I created you and for which I gave you life and man cannot see the kingdom before he is born again.
food and drink, and shelter and clothing?"                  John 3 : 3. And yet there are those in the church who
  Thousands and thousands of graduates have been dare to maintain that those who have not been born
told again this year that their whole purpose on this again can still do something that God will call right-
earth is to serve mankind. The schools of the world eous in the sphere of civil matters. And they will tell
have ruled God  `out of His creation. They have no their youth to go ahead. and seek to exert their Chris-
room for Him in their thinking. And therefore they are tian influence upon these that have not been born
quite willing to accept any theory and teaching that again, and according to God's word are conceived and


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                    449



born in sin, and are spiritually dead. Go, once, to the       power of lightning, of electricity, of fire and of the
cemetery nearest your place of residence. Stand before        explosive, so we stand in awe and have a profound
the graves and see how much physical, spiritual or respect for God in His holiness, sovereignty and  .al-
psychical influence you can exert upon them. That is          mighty power. It means that we love Him as that holy,
just exactly how much spiritual influence the Christian       sovereign, almighty God, and have no desire to change
can exert upon those who have not been born again             Him.
and have no spiritual life of the kingdom in them. Yea,         This will result in a keeping of His commandments.
be on your guard with such a philosophy, because you          He who has a healthy respect for the power of light-
still have your old nature, and the outcome of it all         ning, electricity, fire and the explosive will not be care-
will very likely be that the,v exert an evil spiritual in-    less in their presence. He will walk delicately. And if
fluence upon you to cause you to claim that you are           we fear God, we will be very careful in our walk. We
doing all this for Christ's sake and in His name.             will keep His commandments in that love which we
  Then, too, we present a challenge to all of  our            have for Him and in that belief that He is the holy,
readers to present one text from Holy Writ that tells us      sovereign and almighty God.
that it is our dbty to cause that kingdom of Christ to          These two, then, are not two separate duties, but
come and that we are able to do so. We are told to seek       one whole duty. The fear of God is the inner spiritual
that kingdom. We are taught to pray to God to cause           condition of the heart. The keeping of His command-
that kingdom to come. We are exhorted to walk                 ments is the outward activity of the soul with its fac-
worthy of that kingdom. But it is called the kingdom          ulties, and the body with its members, because of that
of God and of Christ, exactly because it is the kingdom       fear of God in the heart. The fear of God always pro-
that God in Christ causes to come to pass and to come         duces the keeping of His commandments. The keeping
into being. It comes not by our "influence" (Whatever         of His commandments is a manifestation of that inner
is meant by that word), but by the Spirit of Christ IN        fear of God in the heart. And it is because there is so
THE HEART! We do not bring it to the world, or                little fear of God in the world that there is so much
influence them to accept it and enter it. It has to           breaking of His commandments. It is not enough to
ENTER THEM before they can even see or believe that           say, "I fear God"; nor to say, "I keep His command-
there is such a kingdom and can see any good in it.           ments." It is exactly a case of saying, "I fear God, and
  What is more, this view denies the whole truth of therefore I keep His commandments."
Revelation 18 that all of our works in the field of             Doing this we will be serving the purpose for our
science and politics, all our engineering feats, all our      existence on this earth. You cannot `please God with
social achievements and advances, and all our art works gold and silver. You cannot bring Him some food
go up in the smoke of that day when God shall judge           delicacy. No fleshly thrill interests Him. He is pleased
all of our works. Nothing man has made will go                when you say by word and deed, by the beating of
through that fire. The kingdom of Christ is an entirely       your heart and the works of your hands that He is
different kingdom, a spiritual kingdom, where the             God, holy, sovereign and almighty. We do not fear Him
music even will be different. Behold all things shall be      when we deny His absolute holiness. We do not fear
NEW! And none of it shall be fashioned by man.                Him when we deny that He is the sovereign God, Who
  Let our youth be told that they are here to serve not only is able to do as He pleases, but HAS THE
and glorify God. Let them be told that they are stew- RIGHT to do as He pleases. We do not fear Him when
ards of His goods, his royal priesthood. Let them have        we deny His almighty power and present Him as
it impressed upon their minds that they have been             dependent upon the will of man and forced to wait for
created by God to be the link between God and the man to act. And in the measure that we do these, we
earthly creation, so that the plant that receives the rain    will not keep His commandments but rebel against
and sunshine, but cannot thank God or know Him, and           Him.
the animals and soil, the water and rocks which cannot          This, we should understand, is God's answer to the
speak a word of praise to God, will do that through the       question, "Why are you here?" Solomon gives it after a
heart and mind and mouth of those who have been long and trying experience. But it is God Who moved
born again. Then we have no vanity of vanities. We            him to search for this answer and to come up with this
have no vicious circle that exists on the plane of this       conclusion of the whole matter. He guided Solomon
earth. We have a new circle that ascends up  t6 God           infallibly when he drew up this conclusion for all the
with praise and thanksgiving for gifts received from          church.
Him.                                                            It is, therefore, God and not Solomon Who says here
  And to fulfill this calling we must fear God and keep       that we should HEAR the conclusion of the matter.
His commandments. Now, to fear God means to stand             We may not, therefore, just brush it off and,aside. This
in awe before Him. It means that we believe that He is        must be heeded and put into practice. It is the  only
the holy, sovereign,  almighty God of Scripture. It           conclusion to that matter that puts an end to that
means that even as we have a healthy respect for the          vanity of vanities of going around in earthly circles that


450                                           THE STANDARD BEARER


never rise up to the God Who made us and upholds us            Do your actions declare that you are here for the
in all of our life.                                          purpose for which God created man? Does your  be-
  And once again, if we do not have that fear of God,        haviour show that you listened and know why you are
then we will have that fear of punishment whenever we here? Your  conduct always gives an answer to the
think of that truth that He will judge all of our works.     question, "Why am I here?" May your answer be, by a
But having the fear of God, we have no fear of that walk in His fear, that you are here to serve and glorify
punishment. For then we stand also. in awe of His love your Maker. Then you will also one day hear Him call
in Christ, and we believe that He is the God of our          you into a higher purpose in a more glorious kingdom,
salvation in Christ. We believe that He is great, but we and a more wonderful fear before His face.
also believe that He is good.


All Around' Us

                                      The End of Parochiaid?
                                         Gambling Still A Sin
                                         Abortion  iIn Demand
                                                   Pro5 H. Hanko

THE END OF PAROCHIAID?                                       assistance programs were considered; and, in Burger's
  The Supreme Court of the United States has made a opinion, the First Amendment was specifically
long-awaited decision concerning the constitutionality adopted to avoid such evils.
of financial assistance to'private and parochial schools.      It would seem as if this would be the end of the
There were two plans which were before the highest matter. But apparently this is not to be the case. For
court: one from the state of Rhode Island which pro- one thing, the Court prohibited such aid to pre-college
vided a fifteen per cent salary supplement to parochial education. This was done on the grounds that colleges
school teachers who taught only secular subjects; the are less openly involved in religious training than grade
other was a plan in Pennsylvania under which schools         schools, junior and senior high schools. The result is
were reimbursed by the state for the teaching of that government money is still available for construc-
secular subjects. But although these two plans alone tion of buildings which will not be used for religious
were considered by the court, there are thirty-six states teaching. Secondly, nothing has been said in this de-
with varying plans of assistance to private and paro- cision about other government help programs such as
chial schools which will be affected by the new ruling.      hot lunch programs, milk programs, tax exempt status
  The ruling of the court was  that direct financial of schools, etc., although in other decisions the court
assistance to private and parochial schools below the upheld such programs. And so; already, various groups
college level was in violation of the First Amendment which have been spearheading the drive for govern-
of the Constitution, which establishes the principle of ment aid are investigathig the possibility of loopholes
separation between Church and State. The ruling was in the Court's ruling and the possibility of programs
eight to one, Justice Byron R. White being the lone which would be declared Constitutional. One such pro-
dissenter. The majority opinion was written by Chief gram being proposed  is. a system of educational
Justice Warren E. Burger who cited especially three vouchers paid out of public funds which would be
reasons why such aid was unconstitutional. The first given to parents to help pay tuition., Another program
reason was that a teacher under religiQus control in a is .a system of tax credits for part of tuition payments.
religious school would find it extremely difficult, if         And so it is obvious that the battle is not over.
not impossible, to separate religious from secular However, the ruling of the Court is a big step in  the
aspects of education. Hence the principle of the First direction of keeping public funds out of private
Amendment would be imperilled. The second reason schools. For this we may be thankful. It is probably
was that extensive surveillance would be required to true that our people would r?ject such assistance even
ensure that teachers do not give such religious instruc- if it was made available, but now the temptation is not
tion. And the last reason was that such state programs even there. But more important is the fact that now
would be potentially divisive. Such divisive conse- the tax money which our people already pay to sup-                 ~
quences were already  .apparent in states where such port public education will not be increased and used              i

                                                                                                                       I


                                                        THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 451
~

     for religious instruction in schools both parochial and        - to .gain something for nothing; and that it is a gross
     private.                                                       violation of christian stewardship.
       As a footnote to all this, it is interesting that a plan       What does trouble us is the fact that many, even
     before the Wisconsin legislature to give aid to private from the world, see that gambling is becoming -a
     schools specifically spoke of control over the schools normal part of human life and that it is such a normal
     to which aid would be given. A paragraph in Christian part of life that it is almost impossible to avoid the sin.
     News gives some pertinent information concerning this This brings to mind the very real possibility that the
     bill. The paragraph reads:                                     child of God stands daily in the danger of becoming
                To be noted also is that the control which the      insensitive to sin. There are many times when even
         Wisconsin tuition grant bill S138 envisions may inter-     around Christian homes and in the relationships of
         fere with the right of the school to teach its own         Christians mutually, a little gambling is considered an
         doctrine. Schools receiving financial assistance           innocent pastime and little more than a moment's fun.
         through tuition grants must submit "to supervision
         by the Department of Public Instruction"; must             We speak easily of betting each other about this or
         "maintain a system of accounting adequately showing        that; of flipping pennies; of playing games for small
         the cost of secular education, and open to audit by        amounts of money; and some such references to
         the legislative audit bureau"; and "the teachers must      gambling. What frightens me is the fact that even such
         ha?e. qualifications equivalent to those which would       little incursions into gambling are not innocent games,
         be required if he were employed in that teaching posi-     but are sinful and evil in the sight of God. And sin has
         tion in a public school." The school is also required      a way of entangling one in its tentacles. When we play
         to make "a statement that the school will admit as a       such "innocent" games and use such language without
         student any resident child without regard to race,         really meaning what we say, we gradually become
         creed, color or national origin." The latter provisions    insensitive to sin. These things become such a normal
         as to creed can only result in eventual interference in    part of our life that we do not even consider them as
         the spiritual work of the Church. We want no part of
         it.                                                        sin any more. They are "for the fun of it." And the
       This matter of "creed" has recently come up in sensitivity to sin is gone. The awareness that we trans-
     connection with the efforts of the Board of Covenant gress God's law is forgotten. There is a' certain hardness
     Christian High School to obtain tax exemption status.          and callousness of soul which takes its place. Sin does
     It is not yet known whether such tax exemption status not bother us or rouse our conscience. It is all in a
     can be obtained without such a statement as referred           day's fun; and one is narrow-minded in the extreme if
     to above. It is the position of the Wisconsin Evangelical one protests such things.
     Lutheran Synod that such a statement would clearly               The world speaks of "compulsive gamblers." These
     invite government control. I am very much inclined to          are people who are caught in such a web of gambling
     agree that this is true.                                       that it is like an addiction to them. They cannot re-
                                                                    frain from it any more than an alcoholic can escape
     GAMBLING STILL A SIN                                           from his drink. The world calls these people sick, and
       A rather lengthy article recently appeared on the organizes "Gamblers Anonymous" to treat such
     wires of "Religious News Service" in which the                 people. But we had better be very sure that we never
     columnist pointed out that gambling has become so              call sin sickness and that we do not "treat" the sinner
     widespread in this country that it is being built into         as one who is ill and in need of hospitalization. This
     the framework of life. The reason for this is that some would be disastrous. The fact of the matter is that
     states have legalized gambling and made it taxable in          there may indeed be compulsive gamblers; but these
     order to gain additional funds for their money-starved         are people who are so caught in the entanglements of
     treasuries. The same thing is happening in various             sin that there is no escape. Sin is a monster, a horrible
     cities. The cost of operating city and state governments power, a terrible reality. Give in a little to sin and one
     has climbed so drastically in the last few years that soon finds himself caught in sin's snares.
     some governments  .are on the verge of bankruptcy.               The danger is all the more real when gambling is
     Here is an easy way to take in large amounts of money.         legalized and when it becomes a part of "normal" life.
     Just make gambling legal, control it in such a way that        It is well to avoid then the littlest semblance of sin lest
     it is governed by city or state laws, tax it, and the          one be caught and trapped.
     money rolls in. What is forgotten, of course, is the fact      ABORTION ON DEMAND
     that by legalizing gambling, and this in order to in-            What we have said above concerning insensitivity to
     crease government revenues, sin is legalized and appeal sin is a truth which applies to many different areas.
     is made to wicked instincts in people.                         The constant drinker becomes insensitive to the sin of
       It is not our intention to discuss at this point in any      drunkenness. The barrage of sex is sometimes so over-
     kind of detail the rights and wrongs of gambling. It is        whelming in our day that we are in danger of thinking
     sufficient for our present purposes to point out that that pre-marital or extra-marital sex is, after all, not a
     gambling always dppeals to the covetous heart of man           sin. The same thing is happening in the current


452                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER



abortion debate. More and more states are passing laws                the existence of the soul. Thus it can offer no mean-
which permit abortion on demand. The propaganda is                    ingful observations regarding the question you pose.
so intense that one falls into the danger of losing sight               Mankind in general has probably speculated on this
of Scripture's injunctions on this matter and con-                    subject since the beginning of time. Some contend, as
sidering abortion an easy way out of a deplorable.                    you suggest, that the soul arrives at the moment of
situation.                                                            conception.
  The argument concerning abortion still revolves                       Various other views maintain that the soul enters
                                                                      the body when: (1) the embryo attains a fairly
around the question of when the unborn child be-                      human appearance and begins to "kick", (2) the un-
comes a person. Or, as it is sometimes put: When does                 born child is viable (capable of surviving outside the
the soul enter the embryo? Recently the Detroit Free                  mother), (3) the  first breath is drawn following
Press carried a column on this matter which, because                  delivery, (4) the umbilical cord is severed and the
of its pinpointing of this issue, is worth quoting. The               child is existing "on its own."
article was written in response to a question.,                         Your question is an intriguing one and certainly
         When, in your opinion, does the soul enter an                relevant in view of the current abortion issue. I
       embryo during pregnancy? This subject is receiving a           doubt, however, that people will ever attain a
       good deal of attention these days, and a scientific            unanimity on the subject. Not in this life, at least.
       reaction would be appreciated.                                This article which was handed me by a reader of the
         Of the countless contacts between man and wife,          Standard Bearer who asked me to comment on it, puts
       only a very few result in conception. It therefore         its finger upon the central issue. That is to say, this is
       seems reasonable to suppose that a soul must enter         the central issue if abortion is to be condemned as
       the embryo for pregnancy to take place.                    murder. It is possible, of course, that while abortion
         Answer: Scientifically speaking, conception occurs
       when the female ova or egg is penetrated by the male       cannot be condemned as murder, it is still wrong on
       sperm - assuming, of course, that both are healthy         other grounds. But if it is murder, then this is true only
       and that the uterus is able to perform its proper func-    because the unborn child, from conception on, is a
       tion in maintaining the pregnancy.                         person who has a body and soul.
         As to when the soul enters the embryo, I can only           We cannot discuss this question at any more length
       conjecture. Science, of course, has not yet affirmed       in this issue. The Lord willing, we shall return to it.


The Strength of Youth

                                         A Word To Graduates..,
                                               The Conclusion of the Whole Matter

                                                       Rev. Robert D. Decker

  In. our previous article we considered life in the teaching, preaching, or whatever. You must marry in
world into which you graduated as it is evaluated by that world and establish a Covenant home in which
God through the inspired preacher in Ecclesiastes 1:2: you must rear the children God may give you in the
"Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of fear of  His name. And if you take seriously what the
vanities; all is vanity." That is life in our Twentieth Bible says about that world as we have tried to show
Century world. From every point of view, in every you in these articles, the question that presses in your
sphere, life is vain. It's empty, void of any spiritual soul for an answer must be: "How am I to live in this
good; it's useless, futile, and perishing. It's as if man is vain world?" Maybe you even say, "What's the use?" Is
on a treadmill or going about in a vicious circle, getting there an answer?
nowhere except to the final destruction of hell. Man's              Yes, there is! Thank God there really is! There is a
life of pleasure, of business, of family and home, and            way out of this vanity that gives meaning to this
of art and culture is all utterly vain. There is no good earthly life. There is an answer that puts all of life in a
in it and nothing of it shall last. This is all rather new perspective. That answer provides strength for
vividly (and frighteningly!) obvious today. We see today, courage for each task, and a hope for not only
crime, war, earthquake, famine, disease, riots, protests, tomorrow but for all eternity! That answer is found in
death, and a manifestation of sin such as the world has Ecclesiastes 12: 13 : "Let us hear the conclusion of the
never seen in all its corrupt past!                               whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments:
  Into that vain world you graduate. In it you must for this is the whole duty of man." There is NOTHING
find your vocation in factory, farm, office, nursing, VAIN in that! That is THE answer to all the problems


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  453



of life. Those problems appear hopelessly complex and         thoroughly corrupt !
unbelievably many, but really they are neither. There           Still more the Bible says we MUST do these things.
is only one problem in all of life  - it's spelled with       In chapter 9:7-10 the Preacher tells us to go our way,
three letters this way: S I N! The troubles of the world      eat thy bread, with a merry heart, and drink thy wine!
all derive from sin against the living God. And, the          He goes on to say that we ought to live joyfully with
answer to that is: "Fear God, and keep His command-           our wives and: "whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do
ments!" That is what we must DO! Yes, we must DO              it with thy might." There is not contradiction here!
that: for the Lord God says in His Word we must not           The Preacher is not an Epicurean, saying, "Eat, drink,
be hearers only, but doers of the Word (James 1).             and be merry, for tomorrow we die"! But he is most
  This is not the answer the man of the world gives.          assuredly saying: labor, live, marry, have children, do
There are various answers given to the question how           your daily work, raise a family, and be joyful, But in
we must live in this world of vanity. Some say that it's      all of this do not fail to hear the conclusion to the
all vanity, so let's get what we can out of life. We are      whole matter of life! "FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS
going to die anyway, and that's the final end (these          COMMANDMENTS!" We are the children of God!
deny the reality of heaven and hell): so let's eat, drink5    Loved we are from all eternity by God, and saved ac-
and be merry. Do your own thing! If you feel like             cording to His good pleasure by the cross and resur-
getting drunk, go ahead. If you enjoy sex but don't           rection of Jesus Christ. By grace though we are still IN
want to get married  - so what  - indulge. If you do          the world, we are not OF the world. We are the
not feel like earning your bread and don't want to            covenant people of Jehovah, redeemed, sanctified
work - live off others' hard earned money and get on          saints of God. Our citizenship is in heaven, whence also
welfare. But what ever you do, don't go around with a         we expect the Saviour who shall change our vile bodies
long face and don't take things too seriously, don't get      that they may be fashioned like unto his most glorious
up tight. Live as you please and get all the enjoyment        body (Phil. 3:20,21). As the citizens of the Kingdom
you can out of life. These are the ungodly who accord-        of Heaven which opposes and shall ultimately destroy
ing to Psalm 73 "prosper in the world" and of whom            the Kingdom of this world we are strangers, pilgrims
the Scriptures speak in Phil. 3: 1819: "For many walk         (forgotten terms and concepts in so much of the
(live, RD), of whom I have told you before, and now           church today - among us too??) in this world. We are
tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the           different, radically different from the crowd! We are
cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is       non-conformists in the real and Biblical sense of that
their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who           term! We are not earthly minded, OIM God is not our
mind earthly things." This is not the answer.                 bellies, and our end is not destruction!
  At the other extreme are well-meaning and sincere             In this world of vanity in which we live we have but
Christians who agree that everything is vain because of one calling and that is: "FEAR the Lord God!" That
sin. Their answer is that the Christian's calling is to       doesn't mean that we are to be filled with trembling
separate from the world of sin. Withdraw, they say,           fright. God loves us, and in His love He is mercifully
from this evil world. They seclude themselves and             kind to us, so that we have no reason to be afraid of
almost hibernate in colonies all by themselves. They          Him. Fearing Him means we reverence Him as GOD,
dress in black, homespun clothing and shun modern             we honor His Name, praise and glorify Him. And, we
conveniences, and use the horse and buggy to get              do that in the way of keeping His commandments.
around. In the history of the early Church this answer        Those commandments are His Law, the expression of
came to expression in the monastic movement. But              His will for us who belong to the company of the
this answer is wrong, too. By separation from the             redeemed. That is what the whole Bible is. The Law is
world the Bible does not mean physical separation.            the summary of the Scriptures. Living within the
  What are Christians to do then? What shall we do            sphere of the Law of God means we follow Christ: for
who graduated this summer? We shall do neither of the         He is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone
above. We shall understand first that things in them-         that believes. (Romans  10:4). Christ is the way, the
selves are not sinful. The inspired Preacher says in          truth, and the life! By His grace and through the power
Eccles. 5: 18,19 that there is nothing better for a man       of His Spirit we are enabled to fear God and keep His
than that he should eat and drink and enjoy the good          commandments.
of his labors. Eating, drinking, marriage, buying and           Now you understand: this is the WHOLE duty of
selling, recreation, etc. are not sinful things. These are    man! This is our only calling, and it is the only reason
the portion which God gives; these are the gifts of God       we are on this earth. We are not here to amass great
(5: 19). But as the labor and endeavor of sinful man          fortunes, to gain a name for ourselves, or to indulge in
they are corrupt. When out of hatred against God and          sinful pleasures. Nor are we in this vain world to
in deliberate disobedience to the will of God expressed       seclude ourselves in a monastery. We are here to labor
in the Bible man eats and drinks, works,.a.nd  marries,       not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat
and lives this life. he is in all these wicked and            which endures to everlasting life! Hear, then, this Word


454                                              THE STANDARD BEARER



of God as you graduate from school either to embark you do, fear Him. Then you are living in the freedom
on your life's calling or to further your education. Do        of the sphere of God's Law. Then your labors are not
not labor for the futile, perishing things of this vain in vain - for Jesus died for you and arose again exactly
world! Come ye out from among them that hate God, so that we might abound in the work of the Lord!
and be ye separate from them by living in obedience to Your labors will reach full fruition in the glory of the
your God in the way of keeping His commandments. new heaven and earth! That is the goal of the Christian
Love not the world neither the things that are in the graduate in `71. May the Lord richly bless you and
world . . . it's all vanity and vexation of spirit.            keep you to the very end!
   Fear God  - that is your whole duty. In whatever

Studies in Election                           Its Implication
                                                  Rev. Robt. C. Harbach
   In the pamphlet,  Calvinism the Truth  -  Armin- mines the end of his steps. How does a man go his own
ianism the Lie, we stated that if reprobation is not           way? somehow independently of God? Does God pass
expunged altogether from popular literature, it is  re-        men by in such a way as to become merely a spectator
.moved from its rightful place of prominence next and          of man and his movements? No, God has an ordained
subordinate to election, and is relegated to a mere            path for all men, "yea, even the wicked for the day of
footnote or appendix. Strong Arminian, and worse,              evil" (Prov. 16:4). So with respect to the angels, God
Liberal, influences have been and are at work in bitter        could not choose some without rejecting the others.
opposition to this truth with a view to its extinction.        Choice implies selection and rejection. So there are
This is true in the case of what a great book, entitled,       elect angels (I Tim. 5:21). Over against the elect angels,
The Sovereignty  of  God,  by the one-and-only Arthur          what do you have? The angels which kept not their
W. Pink, has suffered. In later editions of the work,          first estate. But all the angels are in the decree of God
after Pink's death in July of 1952, publishers uprooted        first of all viewed as not yet created and not yet fallen;
his original Chapter Five `on Reprobation from its cen-        are viewed in the pure mass of creatureship. He viewed
tral place in the book and buried it in the appendix. At       in His power those He could create, then in His will He
least the reader still had the precious material, even if      viewed those He would create, and finally, of those He
it was made to appear as though Pink merely added it           could and would create, He determined a definite
as an afterthought. But still later paperback editions         number which can neither be increased nor diminished
mutilated the book in the worst way by removing alto-. to remain in `holiness, and determined the rest, a `de%
gether the important chapter on reprobation. Now, ac-          nite number which neither can be increased nor dimin-
cording to Books in Print, 1970, both volumes, Title           ished, to fall and be damned. But the angels were not
and Author, five, more or less, different publishers of first considered as fallen, for the elect angels never fell.
Pink's works no longer publish this excellent, irreplace-      The moment He elected the one body of angels, the
able book. A word of advice: from the Religious Book           others were rejected. The destiny of elect and repro-
Discount House, get a copy of Pink's clothbound edi-           bate angels is all owing to the-sovereign will of God.
tion.                                                          The latter were appointed to judgment, to damnation
  But to go on, we want to consider the decree of              and wrath. The end that God decreed for them was
reprobation, and first, who are in it. First of all, angels    eternal punishment. The means that God decreed to
are in it. Certain angels were ordained to rejection.          the realization of that end indeed saw these angels as
Pink says, "The answer which is usually returned to            fallen and sinful, and so, "reserved in chains of dark-
this question, even by those who profess to believe            ness unto judgment." These are the everlasting chains
what the Scriptures teach concerning God's sover-              of God's decrees, chains which none can loose or
eignty, is, that God  passes by  the non-elect,  leaves        change. Understand the decree of God with respect to
them alone to go their own way, and in the end casts           the angels, and you will better understand it with
them into the Lake of Fire because they refused  His respect to men.                                       (To be continued)
way  ..i)' (The Sovereignty  of  God,  Bible Truth
Depot, I. C. Herendeen, publisher, Swengel, Pa., 1930,                              IN MEMORIAM
p. 99). This is the way John Gill expresses it. Such             On Saturday, June 12,  1971,. it pleased our
language as passing by the reprobate, and leaving them Heavenly Father to take unto Himself our beloved
alone to go their own way to destruction is rather Husband, Son and Brother,
deistical, suggesting man is a power over against God                      RAYMOND L. BRUINSMA, Jr.
and denying the providence of God, according to                  We are comforted to know that "The Lord gave, and
which the Lord directs a man's steps, and so deter- the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the


                                              THE STANDARD  BEARER                                                         455



Lord." (Job 1:21) "For me to live is Christ, and to die                  RESOLUTION OFSYMPATHY
is gain." (Phil. 1:21)                                         The Ladies' Aid Society of the First Protestant Re-
  Loving Wife        Grace E. Bruinsma                       formed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, mourns the
  Parents            Mr. and Mrs. Raymond L. Bruinsma loss of a member,
  Brothers           Jim Bruinsma                                                  MRS. W. BOS,
    & Sisters        Jim & Lois Rau                          whom the Lord took home on June 14, and hereby
                     Karen Bruinsma                          express our sympathy to the bereaved family.
                     Jerry Bruinsma                            "In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of
                              i                              my strength, and my refuge, is in God."~(Psahn  62:7).
              RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY                                   Mrs. T. Newhof, Pres.
  The Young People's Society of the South Holland                      Mrs. Chas. Pas&or, Sec'y.
Pro  testant Reformed Church expresses its sincere
sympathy to one of its members, Mr. Jerry Bruinsma-                               IN MEMORLAM
and his family, in the recent death of his brother,            On Wednesday, June 23, 1971, our beloved  hus-
              MR. RAYMOND BRUINSMA, Jr.                      band, father, grandfather,
   "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His                        JACOB VAN.HAM,
saints." (Psalm 116:15)                                      was called to eternal glory. Our comfort is in the
        Rev. R. Decker, Pres.                                promise of God's Word, "I will lift up my eyes unto
        Miss Linda Vroegh, Sec'y.                            the hills from whence cometh my help. My Help
                                                             cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth."
              RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY                         (Psalm 121: l-2)
  The Ladies' Society and the Men's Society of the             Wife                     Sadie (nee Bilkert)
South Holland Protestant Reformed Church extends               Children                 Mrs. Senetta Vriesenga
                                                                                        Mr. & Mrs. Herman J. Van Ham
its sincere sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond
Bruinsma, Sr., Mr. James Bruinsma and also to Mrs.             5 Grandchildren
Raymond Bruinsma, Jr., a former member of our                  6 Great Grandchildren                    . . . w
Ladies' Society, now living in, Loveland, Colorado, in         2 Sisters                Mrs. John Rietberg (Ida)
the sudden passing of their Son, Brother, and her                                       Mrs. Tunis Van Stright (Anne)
Husband,                                                       Sisters-in-law           Mrs. Ida Van Ham
                MR. RAYMOND BRUINSMA, Jr.                                               Mrs. Anna Van Ham
at the young age of 24 years.                                                           Mrs. Kate Van Ham
                                                               Several Nieces and Nephews
  May the Lord comfort the sorrowing and grant them
peace in the knowledge that All things work together
for good to them that love God.                                              WEDDlNG  ANNIVERSAR Y
   "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."           On July 3 1, 197 1, our beloved parents,
(Phil. 1:21)                                                                MR. AND MRS. TED MIEDEMA
        Rev. R. De,cker, Pres.                               commemorated their 45th wedding anniversary.
        Mrs. S. Vroegh, Sec'y.                                 We, their grateful children, thank and praise our
        Mr. L. Bruinsma, Sec'y.                              Covenant God for them. We are grateful for their in-
                                                             struction and the love they gave us.
                RESdLUTION  OF SYMPATHY                         Our prayer is that they may continue to experience
   The Ladies' Society and the Men's Society of the the Lord's blessings in their remaking years as in the
South Holland Protestant Reformed Church wishes to           past.
express their sincere sympathy to Mr. and Mrs. William                 Their children -
Bruinsma, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Poortinga, Mr. and Mrs.                    Mr. and"Mrs. Henry Zwak
Richard Poortinga and Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Poortinga                    Mr. and Mrs. Erne Miedema
in the passing of their father and father-m-law,                         Mr. and Mrs. Edward Miedema
                MR. STEPHEN POORTINGA,                                   Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Miedema
who was taken into the eternal Rest on Saturday, May                     Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Miedema
22,  1971.                                                               Mr. and Mrs. Ted Miedema, Jr.
   "For we know that if our earthly house of this                        Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Miedema
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God,                    Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hoven
an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."                   and 35 grandchildren.
(11 Cor. 2:l)             Rev. R. Decker, Pres.
                          Mrs. S. Vroegh, Sec'y.                 No one is so intolerant as a liberal advocating CHANGE
                          Mr. L. Bruinsma, Sec'y.                                in the name of tolerance.


   THE STANDARD BEARER
              P.O. Box 6064
   Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506                .                                           --



   456                                                THE STANDARD BEARER


                                      News From Our Churches

                    REPORT OF CLASSIS EAST                            Our most recent news concerning calls and declines
                               July 7, 1971                         comes from a July 11 bulletin of Rev. Moore's congre-
                     At First Prot. Ref. Church                     gation in Isabel, South Dakota. Rev. Woudenberg has
          Rev. H. Veldman, chairman of the April session, led       declined the call from Hope Church (Grand Rapids).
   the Classis in opening devotions; and after the creden- Rev. Van Baren declined the call to serve as professor
   tials were received, declared  Classis to be properly in our seminary. Rev. Engelsma has received the call
   constituted. All the churches were represented by two from Hudsonville, and is also considering the call to
   delegates. Rev. J. Heys then presided and Rev. R. the seminary. (Editor's addition: Rev. Engelsma has
   Harbach recorded the minutes.                                    declined the call to Hudsonville. Candidate Rodney
      The report of the Stated Clerk was received. A pro- Miersma has received a call from Forbes, North
   posal from the Stated Clerk that the archives of Classis Dakota.)                       *****
   East be placed on microfilm for security was defeated.             On his vacation, Rev. C. Hanko preached in several
   The church visitors reported that they found the of our churches in Grand Rapids and officiated at the
   churches experiencing the Lord's blessing. Love, peace, wedding of seminary student Meindert Joostens in our
   unity, the marks of the true church, and the operation South Holland church.
   of the grace and Spirit of Christ were in evidence in                                   *****
   their visits.                                                      While Rev. Hanko was on that vacation, the ladies of
      Elders Langeland and Kalsbeek were appointed to his congregation in Redlands spent a couple of morn-
   serve on the Finance Committee; Elder Ondersma ings  `at the parsonage, giving it a thorough house-
   thanked the ladies of First Church for their catering cleaning.                         *****
   services; Rev. R. Harbach, Elder J. C. Lubbers, and                The summer season is generally a time of recess, as
   Elder King served on the Classical Appointment Com- far as church-related activities such as catechism and
   mittee.                                                          societies are concerned. We notice that a couple of our
      Classis adopted the following appointment schedule churches attempt to keep up some sort of fellowship
   for Hope and Hudsonville:                                        during vacation time. The following comes from the
   HOPE:-July 18 - R. Harbach; July 25 - H. Veldman; bulletin of our Redlands congregation: "Let's reserve
   August 15  - G. Van  Baren; August 22  - J. Heys; Tuesday nights for an evening of Christian fellowship
   September 5  - M. Schipper; September 12  - H.                   at the park. Volleyball and horseshoes will be at 7:30
   Veldman; September 19 - R. Harbach; October 10 - each week." Sounds like a very fine idea!
   G. Van Baren                                                       And from our South Holland congregation's Sunday
   HUDSONVILLE: July 25 - G. Van Baren; August 1 - bulletin comes this note: "Your attention is called to
   J. Heys; August 8  - M. Schipper; August 29  - H.                the summer catechism class which begins meeting this
   Veldman; September 5 -.R. Harbach; September 12 - Tuesday evening. The subject ,for study will be `The
   G. Van Baren; September 26 - J. Heys; October 3 - Worship of the Church.' This class is intended for all
   R. Harbach                                                       ages and attendance is voluntary."
     While most of the business on the agenda was                                          *****
Q routine, Classis was faced with the seriousness of the              At the time of this writing, Rev. Lubbers was ex-
 ' business of the Lord's kingdom as it granted the pected to arrive soon in Grand Rapids, on a short fur-
   erasure of a baptized member.                                    lough from his labors in Jamaica. A program had been
     The questions of Article 41 of the Church Order arranged for Sunday evening, the 18th of July, at First
   were answered satisfactorily. After the closing remarks Church, so that Rev. Lubbers might give a first-hand
   of the chairman, Elder J. King closed the meeting with report of progress on the Jamaican mission field. The
   thanksgiving to God.                                             following Sunday, July 25, he planned to be in Love-
     Classis will meet next time on October 6, 1971. in land, Colorado, and speak for a Men's Society-spon-
   Hope Church.                                                     sored program in our church there.
                                                    Jon Huisken                            *****
                                                    Stated Clerk      Construction has begun at the site of our Covenant
                               *x***                                High School. According to a July 11 newsletter, "The
          For the abbreviated news column this month, we'll foundation is in and the rough plumbing is laid for our
   pick some of the short items of interest from church new addition. Bricklayers are busy on the walls, too."
   bulletins, and save the rest for next time.                                                                        D.D.


