                                                                       \                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
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                                The Standard Bearer
           Semi-Monthly, except Monthly in July and August                                                                                                                               E D I T O R I A L &
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                      The Reformed Free PubIishing  Association
                             Box 124, Sta. C., Grand Rapids,  Mick                                                                                                                         As To Conditions
                                     EDITOR: - Rev. H. Hoeksema.
Contributing Editors: - Rev. G. M. Ophoff, Rev. G. Vos, Rev.                                                                                                                    As the reader hnows there has been, for the last
R. Veldman, Rev. H.  Veldman,  Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,
Rev. J. D. De  Jong,  Rev. A. Better, Rev. C. Hanko, Rev. L.                                                                                                                 year or so, a controversy in our papers about ,:he ques-
Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,                                                                                                                 tion of conditions in the covenant of God. The question
Rev. W. Hofman.                                                                                                                                                              was really whether the term "condition" could be used
  Communications relative to contents should be addressed to                                                                                                                 properly in Reformed theology, and especially whether
REV. H. HOEKSEMA, 1139 Franklin St., S. E., Grand Rapids,                                                                                                                    it could  :be used  to express  Protesta&  Reformed
Michigan.                                                                                                                                                                    thought.
  Communications relative to subscription should be addressed
to MR. J. BOUWMAN, 1131 Sigsbee St., S.E., Grand Rapids 6,                                                                                                                      The controversy was introduced by the Rev.  A.
Mich.         Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed to the                                                                                                             Petter who defended the use of the term, and, evidently
above address and will be published at a fee of $1.00 for each                                                                                                               conceived of the possibility of its being used in a
notice.                                                                                                                                                                      sound Reformed sense. He even thinks `that we need
Renewals:-Unless a definite request for discontinuance is re-
ceived, it is assumed that the subscriber wishes his subscription                                                                                                            the term in order to express a necessary element in the
to continue without the formality of a renewal order.                                                                                                                        Reformed conception of the covenant, the element  oE
Entered as Second Class Mail at Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                                                      the responsibility of man.                                     ~
                                (Subscription Price 82.50 per year)                                                                                                            Some of our ministers, especially the Rev,  G. M.
                                                                                                                                                                             Ophoff and the Rev.  ,H. Veldman, opposed his views.
                                                                                                                                                                             They were evidently afraid that the Rev. Petter was
                                                                                                                                                                             turning in a wrong direction, and that, following  thaz
                                                                                                                                                                             direction, we would ultimately land in the Heynsian
                                                                                                                                                                             conception of the covenant. And others of our minis-
                                                      C O N T E N T S                                                                                                        ters had somewhat the same notion as I gathered from
                                                                                                                                                                             remarks made in some of their sermons. Besides, tho
M E D I T A T I O N -                                                                                                                                                        Revs. J. De Jong and B. Rok, according to the letter
         Zwijgt Niet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 .2 of Prof. B. Holwerda to the immigrants in Chatham,
                 Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                 reported that recently an entirely different sound was.
EDITORIALS-                                                                                                                                                                  heard in our churches, and that they meant by this a
         As To Conditions                                                                                                                                          "S
                                                           . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..~ sound in favor of the liberated conception of the cove-
         Van Boeken ..,...................*.........................................................  30                                                                     nant is evident from the fact that this report was
                 Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                            meant for liberated ears. And also some ministers in
         Freedom Under Grace" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  :. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 the Netherlands who read Concord&z  received the same
                Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                             impression from the writings of the Rev. A.' Petter,
OUR  DOCTRINE-                                                                                                                                                               and they even gathered from the fact that no discipline
         The Veracity Of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . 34                  was applied to him the idea that there was ample
         God's Omnipotence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37             room in the Protestant Reformed Churches for  th6
                 Rev. H. Veldman                                                                                                                                             liberated view of the covenant.
         Jesus, The Man of Sorrows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38                                          Now, it cannot be denied that the Rev. Fetter him-
         Comments On Rev. Petter's Article .*.........................*,....... 40                                                                                           self is the cause  ef all these impressions.                        In his
                 Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                                                                                                                           articles on the covenant he wrote in a way that favored
SION'S  ZANGEN-                                                                                                                                                              the covenant view of the liberated and certainly "emit-
         Een Vloekpsalm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42    ted an entirely different-sound" from what has gener-
                 Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                                                 ally been accepted among us as Protestant Reformed
FROM HOLY  WRIT-                                                                                                                                                             people. Nor did he develop anything new on the sub-
         Exposition Of Ephesians 5:14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . .  44 ject, but what he wrote appeared definitely to turn into
                 Rev. G. Lubbers                                                                                                                                             the direction of the Heynsian view of the covenant,
PERISCOPE-                                                                                                                                                                   although I am far from saying that he is Heynsian.
         Common Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  ..-... * .,.. * . . . .
                                                                                                                                                                   46        Thus, for instance, I seem to remember that quite a
                Rev. W. Hofman                                                                                                                                               while  ago.  he wrote about the "covenant of works"
                                                                                                                                                                             ,without  criticism. More recently he favored the idea


                                                       -                                            ,      .
                   `.               T"HE  S+AN'DkRD  B E ' A R E R                                                 29

of parties instead of parts in the covenant. And now profound influence upon' Reformed thinking at the
he introduced the controversy'about "conditions".           time and upon the formulation of the Reformed sym-
    Yet I am not ready to believe that' the Rev. Petter bols, used the term . Yet the Reformed fathers in the
is ready to `embrace the covenant conception of the composition and formulation of our confessions studi-
liberated and discard our conception. It is not quite ously avoided the term condition, or at least had no
clear-to me what he wants. Although he is quite an room for it anywhere in the expression of Reformed
able. writer and undoubtedly has literary ability, his thought.
abili:y is often somewhat obscure so that one is often         Besides, in as far as this is, indeed, an argumen<um
at a loss to know exrrctly what he wants and in which e  silentti,  we  musk not overlook the fact that our own
direction he is moving. Perhaps, he tries to borrow-- Three Forms  of  Unity  together  ,with our liturgical
some conceptions from the liberated, which he thinks forms are rather elaborate expositions of all the
WC need, and introduce them into our viey. But how- fundamental doclrines of -the Reformed Faith, treating
ever this may be, I do not believe as yet that the Rev.. of God and man, of-. the fall and original sin? of the
Petter means fundamentally to disagree with us. And covenant and. man's original state of integrity, -of
his more recent writing shows that he does not agree election and reprobation, of the incarnation Bnd the
with the liberated view of the  coven&rt,                   atonement, of, faith and justification, of regeneration
   Nevertheless, I do not agree with the brother on and sanctification, of the church and the means oE
the question concerning conditions in the covenant, grace, etc., etc. Surely if the term condition had repre-
and I think, too, .that this terminology is dangerous sented an important element in Reformed thinking it
and is liable to convey a meaning that is foreign to the would be met Iwith more than once in this elaborate
Reformed conception of the truth. Whatever meaning exposition of our truth as weconfess  it. Yet it is never
we may attach to certain terms, we must never forget once used.
that words have meaning. in themselves, and that this          I think this makes this argumenturn  e silevitio rather
fidtzmental  me&ning  of the terms stands out in the weighty and-valid. It proves definitely, if not that our
minds of the people. And. .when it is said that God Reformed fathers consciously rejected the term and
establishes His covenant~with  us, or that we are saved,' purposely avoided it, yet that they had no need of it,
"on condition of faith and obedience", the impression and that they found no room for it in the system of
this expression makes upon the minds of the people Reformed truth.
(and not; without reason) is that the will of man is           But there is much more.
one of the determining factors in the matter of salva-        The question is, of course, whether faith may be
tion. And thus, on the wings of a term, one instills presented as a condition of salvation, and  whether   I
tiolens  volens  the Arminian heresy into the minds and the establishment and continuation of God's covenant
hearts  of the people. And for that reason I consider with. us is in any sense of the word contingent. upon
the term "condition" dangerous. Nor is the Rev. our fulfulling the conditions of faith and obedience.
Petter justified in `quoting me in support of the use of This, unless we juggle words, is the plain and simple
the term, as he did. If he will check up on his quota- meaning of the question, and in this simple form it
tions, he will admit that I wrote quite the opposite certainly will stand before the minds of `the people.
from the way he quoted me.                                     But I dare say that, in this sense, the term con-
   Now, in order to have a fruitful discussion on the dition not only has no room in the Reformed system of
matter from a Reformed viewpoint, it seems but proper doctrine, but is, as far as our Confessions are con-
that we, first of all consult our confessions, the Three cerned, thoroughly unreformed.
Forms of  Vnity, and the Reformed Confessions in               For our Confessions uniformly present faith not as
general. Besides, we can also turn to our liturgical        a condition which we must fulfill, but as a God-given
forms, such as the. Form for the Administration of means or instrument empowering the soul. to cling to
Baptism, etc., which must be used in our churches and       Christ and to receive all His .benefits,  and that is a
Which are often considered. standards of secondary radically different conception from that of condition.
value and importance.                                       And as far as obedience or walking in the way of the
   And then we discover, in the first place, that the covenant is concerned, also this is never presented as
term "condition" never even once occurs in any. of a condition but rather as the fruit, in fact, as the in-
our Reformed Standards.                                     evitable fruit, of our being ingrafted into Christ.
   Do not minimize the importance of this obvious,             Let us consult our Confessions on these points.
fact by saying that this  is a  mere  argumentum  e            In the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day VII, ques-
silentio,  an argument from silence, which has but tion and answer 20, we read: `*Are all men, then, as
little `force. For this is not true, In the first place,    they are perished in Adam, saved by Christ? No ; only
consider' that our fathers certainly were aquainted those who are ingrafted into him, and receive all his
with the term conditio  for already Calvin who had a benefits, by a true faith."


                                                   ,__.
    30           -'                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       "

           Notice. that  faith.here  is the spiritual means or, as        Again the same truth is emphasized in question and
   it is often called, the instrument, whereby we  arc answer 65: "Since then we are made partakers of
   ingrafted, incorporated (ingeljfd,  einverleibt)  into Christ and all his benefits by faith only, whence. does
   Christ.  This  is an entirely passive notion. Man has this faith proceed? From the Holy Ghost, who works
   nothing to do with it. Besides the Word of God plain- faith in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel,.
   ly teaches us that this instrument is given us of God. and confirms it by the use of the sacraments." Also
. Man does not have the power to believe in Christ of here, `let me po,mt  Out, there is no room for anything
   himself. This, too, is taught by the Heidelberg C&e- man can or must do. We are r'nade pa&&ers of Christ
   chism in the next question and answer, which reads and all his benefits by a true faith and of that faith
   as follows : "What `is true faith? True faith is not the,  HoIy Ghost alone is the author. Where would
   only a certain knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all there be any room for the notion that faith is a con-
   that God has revealed to us in His word, but also an               dition unto salvation? There is no room for it what-
   assured confidence which the Holy ,Ghost  works, by the ever.
   gospel, `in my heart ; that not only to others, but to me                              (to be continued)              H. H;
   also, remission of sin, everlasting righteousness and
   salvation, are freely given me by God, merely of grace,
   only for the sake of Christ's merit."
      The point is, of course, that if faith is an instrument                ATTENTION, - Con&story  of Creston!
   which God uses and works in' the heart of man, it cer-
  tainly cannot be; at the same. time,  a0 condition which               I am  stili waiting for your apology.
   man must fulfill in order  ,to obtain  .saIvation,  or to                                                             H. H.
   enter into the covenant of God. How different the
   sense of question and answer 20' of the  .Catechism
  would become if we would read: "Are all men then,
  as they perished in Adam, saved by Christ? No ; but                                    V a n   Bseken
  only those that comply with the condition of faith, and
  receive all his benefits." I am well aware, of course, De  O&anding, door Dr. C. Bouma. Uitgever J. H.
  that those Reformed theologians that favor `the -term                    Kok, Kampen, Nederland. Prijs f. 0.95.
  "conditions", usually add that God Himself fulfills all
   conditions. But this is plainly camouflaging the truth                Dit boekje van 44 paginas, behoort tot de series
   that there are no conditions which man can or must Evangelic en Were&L Het is eigenlijk een apologetisch
  fulfill to obtain salvation.                             _'         geschrift, zooaIs  de titel, niet van dit boekje zelf,. maar
      The same truth is -implied in Lord's Day, XX, van de series, te verwachten geeft. In menig opzicht
  which reads: "What dost thou believe concerning the is het een  mooi  werkje, dat waardig is gelezen te
   HoIy Ghost? First, that he is the true and co-eternal worden  ook door ons  volk voorzoover  als het nog
   God with the Father and the Son; secondly, that he is Hollandsch leest. Het behandelt de opstanding van
  also given me,' to make me by a true faith partaker of Christus en haar beteekenis voor ons  leven' zoowel als
   Christ and all his benefits, that he may comfort me. voor de hope der heerlijke opstanding in den dag van
  and abide with me forever." Aiso here it is evident Christus. Het is geschreven in zeer heldere stijl, iets
  that faith is the instrument, not of man but of God,                daf vooral van beteekenis is voor onze Yankee-Dutch.
  to make us partakers of Christ. And once more, the                     E&n opmerking moet me uit de pen. Wie een apolo-
  idea of condition is completely foreign to this `Lord's gie (in den  goeden  zin van het  woord) schrijft  ovef
  Dtty.                                                               de opstanding van den Heiland,`moet niet voorbij zien,
      It is true that in the Lord's Day that speaks of dat de opstandingsverhalen  in de Evangeli& zelf het
  justification by faith, it .is the activity of saving faith onmiskenbaar  stempel der waarheid  dragen.  Geen
  that is emphasized rather than faith as a power. It kunstenaar had die  verhaien  uit zijn duim kunnen
  tells us that we are justified because God imputes to zuigen, en vooral geen eenvoudige ..visscherlieden.  De
  us the righteousness of Christ, Ynasmuch as I embrace               apostelen hebben kennelijk eenvoudig getuigd, wat
  such benefit with a believing heart." And in question ze gezien en gehoord en met de  handen getast hebben
  61 we read that we are righteous by faith only because van het woord des levens in de opstanding van Jezus
  "I cannot receive and apply the same to myself-any Christus, beide uit het oogpunt van haar werkelijkheid
  other way than by faith only." But also this is far en van, haar wonder. Getuige : het ledige graf, de
  from saying that faith is a condition unto justification. plaats, waar Jezus gelegen had, het wonder van de
  It onIy means that the believer is able'to  receive the linnen doeken,  de verschijningen in verschillende ge-
  grace of justification by faith  as  a means which is daanten, etc.  :
  given the sinner by God.                                                                                            H. H.


                                      THE  S T A N D A R D BEARER,-:

Geloof en Heiliging, door Prof. Dr. G. C. Berkhouwer.
    Uitgever J. W. Kok, Kampen, Nederl. Prijs f. 4.96.               Freedom Under Grace
   Dr. Berkhouwer is  als schrijver geen onbekende                      For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye
meer onder ons. Het boek, dat we thans bespreken en                   are not under the law, but under grace.
gaarne bij  ens Hollandsch Iezend publiek aanbevelen,                                                      Rom. 6:14.
althans bij degenen, die niet aarzelen om hun "`thinking
cap" op te zetten, behoort tot een series van dogma-           The sinner, apart from Christ, is under the law;
tische  studien van denzelfden schrijver. Het boek be- and in that state sin has dominion over him. It is his
slaat  217 paginas, en is een vergelijkende studie over master and lord, and he is its slave.
het  verband tusschen geloof, rechtvaardiging en  heili-       He that, through faith, is in Christ, is no longer
ging. Dr. Berkhouwer behandelt zijn onderwerp in under the law, but under grace ; and in that state he
acht hoofstukken, en vergelijkt de Gereformeerde waar- is free from the dominion of sin. Grace is his lord,
heid met en verdedigt haar tegenover Rome en mannen         and exercises dominion over him.
als Kohlbrugge, Barth, Althaus, Wesley, Kuyper, ?a-            The natural man, being under the law, is free from
vinck, Haitjema, e.a.                                       righteousness unto sin ; the spiritual man, under grace,
   Wie  belang  stelt in eene  "up to date" en  zuiver      is free  from  sin unto righteousness.
Gereformeerde studie over de heiliging of heiligmaking         Such is, iri brief, the implication of the words of
en niet bevreesd is, zoals ik zei, zijn "thinking cap" the Holy Scripture in Romans  6  :14. The apostle is
op te zetten, schaffe zich dit boek aan. Trouwens, de answering a question here. He had been, expounding
stijl is helder en het is niet moeilijk voor iemand, die the doctrine of free justification, through faith  i,l
zijn Hollandsch kent het boek te lezen.                     Christ. A man is justified, not by works, but freely,
   Met de critiek op Kuyper's philosophie van het by grace, through the righteousness which God pre.-
"ik" en `de "kern van het ik" zijn we bet volmaakt eens. pared for him in Christ Jesus, and of which he partakes
Zie ons boek "Van Zonde en Genade". Ook met  des by faith. But this might give rise, and frequently does
schrijvers waardeering van Kohlbrugge.                      give rise, to the objection that is expressed in the form
   Gaarne  hadden  we in het hoofdstuk over den of the question: *`What shall we say then? Shall we
"Voortgang der Heiliging" iets meer gelezen over  Zon- continue in sin, that grace may abound?" super-
dag 44, H. C. Dat de "allerheiligsten"  nog maar een ficially considered that would appear to be a quite
"klein heginsel" heeft beteekent, m.i., ook, dat voort-     logical inference from the doctrine of justification
gaande heiliging geen voortgaande wedergeboorte kan without works. If our works have no bearing  up02
beteekenen.                                                 God's judgment over us, so that our sins cannot be the
                                                H. H.       ground of our condemnation before God, nor our  gootd
                         *  * :g *                          works be the basis upon which we are justified, does
Geschiedenis c&r Goclsopenbaring, door Dr. J. H. Ba- it not  foIlow  logically that we are now free to sin?
                                                            In fact, is it not true that our sins must serve to bring
     vinck. Uitgever 5. H. Kok, Kampen, Nederland.          into bold relief the glory of the grace of Christ, so that,
    Dit boek is geen  histo~rin   rtivelutionis,   maar een the more we sin, the more grace will abound?
"handboek voor de kennis van de Bijbelsche ,Geschiede-         However, he who would thus argue would thereby
nis". Ret is een lijvig boekdeel, dat met de registers reveal that he has no understanding of the mystery of
en de inhoudsopgave 700 bladzijden beslaat. Het dekt, grace whatsoever. And he that would act in accord
na een inleidend hoofdstuk over "Israel in de dagen van with that argumentation would simply show that he  1s
Jezus", heel de Nieuw Testamentische geschiedenis  zoo- a total stranger to the power of that wondrous grace
als die vervat is in de vier  evangelien  en de  Hande-     whereby he is  freely justified before God. For exactly
lingen der Apostelen.                                       the opposite is true. The sinner, under the law, always
    De verdienste van dit boek is niet, dat het nieuwe says : "Let me continue in sin." He will not, and can-
gezichtspunten opent, maar dat het in zeer heldere taal not will to say anything else, for sin has dominion
en op uiterst eenvoudige wijze de bijbelsche  geschiede-    over him. But the justified believer, exactly because.
nis weet te beschrijven.                                    he is no longer under the law, but under grace, cannot
    Met de beschrijving van de opstanding van Jezus say this, still less act accordingly. He is free from the
en van de netjes opgevouwen doeken  in het graf ben         dominion of sin. And in that freedom he says : I hate
ik het niet eens. Oak niet met des schrijvers oordeel       sin, and love righteousness!
over de verkiezing van Matthias tot apostel.                    Putting it paradoxically, we might express it thus :
    Wie een mooi  en eenvoudig boek wil hebben over under the law the sinner hates the law, and trans-
de Nieuw Testamentische geschiedenis, schaffe zich gresses it; under grace, and no longer under'the  law,
dit werk aan.                                   H. El.      the sinner loves the law and keeps it. Now that seems


3 2                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
--~11"-                                                              -                                   "_".
very strange. And we may well inquire a littlle more was in the law, for God had created him so that his
deeply into this matter. Why should a man without whole nature  was in harmony with that law of love.
grace, under the law, trample  that law under foot? He was capable of keeping the law of love perfectly.
And why should a man that is redeemed from the law, That inner harmony of his nature with the law of the
now love it, and keep it? What does it mean to be love of God was his freedom. And in that liberty he
under the law? And what is it to be under grace? truly lived, walking in the light of God's blessed favor.
What does it imply that sin has dominion over a man?. But he transgressed. He trespassed the boundary of
And what is freedom from'that dominion?                     the law. The result was that he was still under the
   Let us first try to understand the meaning of that law, but no longer in it. Just as a fish in the water
term  Inu?. By law here is, of course, meant the law of may be said to be both under and in the law of God,
God. But what is that, law? Is it a mere, code, such so man was created under and within the sphere of the
as some human ordinance, which a man may violate law. And just as a fish that is washed on the break-
with impunity unless he is caught -at it? Not at al!. water may be said to be still under, but no longer in the
It is rather the living will of God that encompasses law, so man that transgressed was, indeed, still under
the creature on every side, within the sphere of which the law, but outside of its sphere. Now, what does
every creature is created to live, and to transgress that imply? What is the state of a man under but not
which involves its inevitable destruction because God in the law? It is the state of death. For the law gives
always maintains His own law. The law of God is life to him that keeps it to all that live within its do-
never arbitrary, but is in harmony with *the very nature main ; but it curses and pronounces the death sentence
of the creature. Thus there is a law for the tree to be upon all that transgress it: "cursed is.every  one that
rooted in the soil : pull up the tree, and it dies. It is the continueth not in all that is written  !" Or, as it wa7
law of the fish to move in the water: draw it out of. revealed to man in the first paradise: "the day thou
the sphere of its own law, and it perishes. So there eatest thereof thou shalt surely die !" And th.is sen-
is the law of  *God for man. He is a moral creature, tence cannot be postponed. It is immediately efxective.'
formed to bear the image of God, and to live in tru?        As soon as man, who is under the law of love, tres-
knowledge of God, righteousness, and holiness. God's passes, the sentence of death is executed upon him.
law for him is that he shall love the Lord his God Always the transgressor of the law of love lies in the
with all his heart, and mind, and soul, and strength, midst of death. The sinner is dead through trespasses
that he might thus live in covenant fellowship of friend- and sins.
ship with his Creator. The question is often asked to          Now this death of the sinner implies that he  iq
what law the.apostle refers here in the epistle to the under the dominion of sin. He is deprived of his true
Romans. Does he- mean the ceremonial law of Moses? life. He lost his knowledge of God, and walks in the
Or has he in mind the moral law of ihe ten command- darkness of the lie. His mind is darkened. His will
ments? I would answer that principally, there is n@ is pervtited  so that it is no longer in harmony witii
difference. For the heart of the law of God, no matter the will of God: he loves iniquity. Instead of being
what form its revelation may assume, is always the consecrated to the living God in true holiness, he has
love of God.                                               become defiled and impure in all his desires, and he
   But you ask : is not man always under this law? indulges in the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,
And we reply: indeed he is. There is only One ,that is and the pride of life. Sin rules over him. And he is
not under, but above the law, that is a law unto Him- the slave of sin.
self, and that is the sovereign Lawgiver Himself, th\:         Let us understand clearly that this dominion of sin
Lord of heaven and earth. Unto the everlasting ages over him is his punishment. The law of God itself
of ages man remains under the law of love. And again sentenced him  to be a slave of sin. In this sense, we
you ask: how then can the apostle intimate that one may, indeed, say that sin has the right to rule over
who is under the law is'necessarily,under  the dominion him. And in this slavery pf sin he must needs remain
of sin; and, moreover, say that, if we are under grace,    until the guilt of his sin is fully paid. He cannot be
we are not under the law? The answer is that the delivered from it, until he has paid the last farthing.
apostle is speaking of the sinner. If that sinner is not And, on  ,the other hand, we must not forget that  thiq
under grace, the law condemns him to the bondage of dominion of ,sin is not contrary to, but quite in har-
sin. If he is under grace, he is no longer under the mony with his sinful nature. That dominion is not
law at his own responsibility, and the law cannot con- such that he longs to be delivered from it, but that sin
demn him.                                                  keeps him bound and shackled, and presses him into
   Let us look at the stati?  of the sinner a little more' its service against his will. On the contrary, he loves
closely. He was created under the law, but also in the his lord, he is quite pleased with the service of sin,
law. He was under the law in the sense that God he is a willing and devoted slave. Nevertheless, sin
demanded of him that he should love Him. And he rules very really over him. He cannot will to frea


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       33 .
___-._1_1-.-   .-          l-_*l-
himself from  its bondage. He  hates righteousness, death, yea, unto the death of the cross. In the freedom
and loves iniquity, nor could he love righteousness and of the love of God, He descended into lowest hell, where
Ilate evil. We that commits sin is a slave of sin. Sin all the vials of the holy wrath of God were poured  ou',
I;as dominion over the sinner.                               over His head. Yet, even so, under the curse of" the
   This is a hard doctrine. The sinner will never law, He remained free, and He willingly poured out
admit it. Even if he admits that he does, indeed, sin, His life, in love of the Father as a sacrifice for the
he rebels against the truth that he is a slave of sin,       sins of His people. And so He paid all. The curse OP
and that he cannot even will to do the good. Is he not the law He removed, the sentence of the law against
free? Does he not freely choose to do the evil he com- US He blotted out, and by His perfect obedience He
mits? Is he, then, not his own master, and does he obtained everlasting righteousness and life for all
no: rule also over sin? If he wills, can he not decide whom the Father had given Him from before the foun-
to quit the service of sin ? 0, especially some sins may dation of the world.
be habit forming, but can he not even break these               To be under grace means that we are reckoned in .
bad habits, if he sets his mind to it? And so,  while        Him, that His perfect righteousness is imputed to us,
sin sits enthroned in his heart, and keeps him shackled so that God judges us righteous, even though our sins
from within, in  the blindness of his proud rebellion, be as scarlet; and that, therefore, we are no longer the
he  boasts  of his own freedom in the words of  the- well- legal slaves of sin. We have the right to be delivered
known   poeti:                                               from the spiritual bondage of iniquity. Sin shall have
       "It matters not how strait the gate,                  no dominion over us, for we are not under the law, but
        I am the master of my fate,                          under grace !
        How charged with punishment the scroll,                 But there is more.
        I am the captain of my soul."                           To be under grace implies, not only. that we are
                                                             legally in Christ, and that His righteousness is grac-
   set, however humiliating for this proud sinner the iously imputed unto us, so that we are perfectly justi-
truth may be, the fact is that Scripture pronounces him fied before God ; it also means that we are now placed
Al, slave of sin. And if he will but be honest with him- under the dominion of grace, and that under the power
gif, he will discover that he is not the master of his of that dominion, we are also actually delivered from
own heart, that he cannot induce or compel  that  heart the slavery of sin, and liberated unto righteousness to
to love the living God, and that sin is. very truly his serve the living God.
lord, and has dominion over him.                                Grace is the power of the living Christ! And by
   Such is the state of the sinner under the law.            that power we are delivered, actually set *at liberty !
   But we are not under the law, but under grace, If grace did no more than grant us remission of all
That is, we are not under the law as sinners. The re- our sins,- and justify us, who are in ourselves worthy
sult is that the law cannot condemn us anymore, that of condemnation ; if it merely excused us from the
the cursing sentence of the law does not concern us, punishment of hell, and gave us the right to some
and that, therefore,, sin has lost its right to have do- external place of glory ; if, for the rest, it left us as
minion over us. We are redeemed from the curse of we are, lovers of darkness and enemies of God, there
the law, and delivered from the bondage of sin. Under would, indeed, be room for the conclusion : "Let us sin,'
grace we are free!                                           that grace may abound." In human society it would
   To be under grace means that we are in Christ. be a dangerous practice simply to pardon criminals,
We are in Christ, first of all, in the forensic or legal     and leave them at liberty to continue their life of
sense,, so that He represents us, and' His righteousness crime. But under grace it is different.. Grace means,
is reckoned to us. He paid the penalty for sin, and          to be sure, that sinners are freely pardoned; but this
He  paid it for US. He paid the last farthing, and thus      is done only in order that they may now also be set
satisfied fully the justice of God, and the demand of free from the prison of sin and death in which they
the law against the sinner. He was able to pay the were held. ,Grace means that Christ is raised from the .
price,  for He was perfectly free: sin had no dominion       dead, and that He is exalted in highest glory at the
over Him. He is the Son of God, coequal with the right hand of God. It means that He has received the
Father and the Holy Ghost, God.of $God, Light of Light.      Spirit, and that by that Spirit He returned to US to
He is the Lord of the law. And He assumed the human dwell in us, to apply to us His right of salvation, to
nature, and became one of US, like unto us in all things,    dethrone the power of sin, and to enthrone Himself in
sin excepted. In perfect freedom He came under the our hearts.                Grace means that we are regenerated,
law, and took upon Him the burden of our sins, the raised from our spiritual death; that we are called out
full responsibility of our iniquity. In perfect freedom, of darkness into the marvellous light of God, that we
it was His meat to do the Father's will, even unto the are sanctized  and quickened unto a life of new holiness.
end. In perfect freedom, `He became obedient unto            In other words, the wonder of grace is that we are


     34                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
.                             _.-                  ___ - .._                           --.,.._                                   - -
     delivered from under the cursing sentence of the law,
     in order that we might once more be brought into the                             OUR~DOCTRINE
                                                                                        .
     sphere of the law of the love of God, and find our
     delight in the service and praise of the God of our sal-
     vation in Jesus` Christ our Lord !                                               The Veracity Of God
           Sin shall not have dominion over you !                                                 (continued)
           It no longer has the right, neither has it anymore
     the power to enslave us. We are free! Free we are,                        We were busy, in our preceding article, with a dis-
     not to continue in sin, but to serve the Iiving God; cussion of the signilcance (for us) of the concept,
     not with the false freedom of licentiousness; but  with "truth,`. We noted in that article that, generally speak-
     the true freedom of perfect harmony with the law of                    ing, we may speak of the truth in a metaphysical,
     the Lord !                                                             ethical, and logical sense of the word. In this series of
           And we must hear this word of God: sin shall not articles we are discussing the atiributes  of the Lord.
     have dominion over you. For fact is that, in this life, Veracity, truth, is, therefore, also a virtue of the Lord.
     we have only a beginning, a principle of this new free.- This implies that the Lord Himself is truth. Before
     dom. Till the day of our death, we carry our old and calling attention to this attribute, however, as a specific
     sinful nature with us. And that old nature is ever attribute of  <God, we asked the question, "What is the
     inclined to seek again the old bondage and service of significance of this concept for us ?"                     What does it
     sin. It would have us yield our members once more mean for us to'speak  and do the tru:h? And we con-
     to the service of unrighteousness. Always, in alliance cluded our preceding article by calling attention to the
     with the world and its lusts, it would draw us away fact that for us the Lord is the truth in the objective,
     -from Christ, seduce us from the faith, and bring us ontological sense of the word. He is Himself the Abso-
     into submission once more to our former lord. Hence, lute Reality. In this connection we discussed the es-
     the life of the believer in this world is a battle. This sence of sin, which is the lie, and noted that all men
     battle, to be sure, he cannot possibly lose, for he is are liars. And, bearing in mind that God is the Truth
     under grace ; and grace is more powerful than all the in the absolute sense of the word, we ended our article
     forces of darkness. It will surely preserve him even by referring to Christ as the Truth and .the Word of
     unto the end, But in this battle, and unto this pre- God, which is the Word of Truth. Hence, objectively,
     servation, Christ brings unto us His Word, the Word the truth for us in the living God, revealed in Christ
     of grace, in order that by the power of grace through and in His Holy Scriptures.
     faith we may fight the good fight, hate sin, have our                     Besides speaking of Truth in the objective sense,
     delight in the law of our God, and hold fast that which we can also speak of it in the ethical, subjective sense.
     we have, that no one may take our crown.                      When,    This also applies to us, to the question: What is the
     therefore, the tempter approaches us with the false significance of the truth for us? `Truth, then, is the
     slogan : "the more you sin the more grace will abound," har"mony between our will and being and the only true
     let us hear the Word of God, and answer Him: "Sin God. We have already called attention, in our pre-
     shall not have dominion over us, for we are not under                  ceding article, to the fact that every man is a liar.
     the law, but under grace!"                                             He denies, in all his walk of life, the living God. On
                                                                H. H.       the other hand, we are children of the truth, live and
                                                                            do the truth, if in all that we do we reveal the only
                                                                            and absolute Reality, the living God. This aspect of
                                                                            the truth emphasizes the harmony between our spirit-
                              ANNIVERSARY                                   ual, ethical, conduct and the living God. This is what
                                                                            the Scriptures mean when they declare that we must
           On Saturday, October  15, 1949, our beloved parents,             speak the truth ix. our hearts. That God is Absolute
                                                                            Re#ity, Who alone does all things for His Name's sake
                        Mr. and Mrs. Peter De Vries                         and to glorify Himself, must live in our hearts and
     will celebrate their 35th Wedding Anniversary.                         minds, must control us in all our activity-we ourselves
           We thank God that He has sustained them through these            must be in agreement .with  Him of Whom and through
     years and pray that they may experience His grace in the years         Whom are all things, Indeed, this implies that the
     to &me.                                                                truth is far greater in scope than the mere telling of a
                      Their grateful children:                              few facts, or a superficial, intellectual knowledge of
                                     Mr. and Mrs. John F. De Vries          the Scriptures. The truth must be  ~YL us-the living
                                     Mr. and I&s. Peter Zandstra            God must be enthroned in our hearts, must direct us
                                       and one grandchild.                  in all our thinking and willing, must prompt us in all
     Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                we think and do.


                                    "THE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R ;

     And, finally, in connection with the significance      perfection, the unspeakable bliss of the liberty of the
  of the truth for us, we can also speak of the truth in    children  of God, once more to move about in the sphere
  a logical sense. This is the harmony between our of the living God, `io love Him with all our hearis and
  thinking and speaking and the truth of the living God. mind and soul and strength and live unto the glory of
  Of course, we understand that this logical truth must Him Who alone is the Absolute Reality and Whom
  be subordinated to the truth in the ethical sense of      to know, in love, is everlasting life.
 the word. In our speaking and thinking of the truth
 we must be controlled by the truth in our hearts. Even                          God is  Tm.dh.
 so, it is important that we understand that also in our       We would finally call attention to the concept,
  thinking and speaking, we must conform ourselves to "truth", as it is specifically an attribute of God. God
  the Word of the living God. If we may not divorce         Himself is the God of truth. He is that, first of ah,
 the logical truth from the spiritual, ethical truth (which in the metaphysical, ontological, objective sense of the
 would imply a dead intellectualism), neither can we        word.    The Scriptures abound in passages to this
 divorce the ethical, spiritual truth from the logical effect. As such the Lord constantly speaks of Him-
 truth. The two are inseparable. Without the inner,         self as the only true God, and that over against all
 experiential operation of the Holy Spirit no true know- idols which are vanity of vanities. "For the Lord is
 ledge of the Lord is possible ; however, without the       6 great God, and a great King above all  gods."-
 hnowledge  of the word of the Lord all true spiritual      fs. 95 :3 ; "Confounded be all they that serve graven
 life is impossible. The Scriptures, the `Word of God,      images, that boast themselves of idols: worship Him,
 present to us the  ,true knowledge of things. The          all ye gods."- Ps. Y?:?; "Not unto us, 0 Lord, not unto
 Scriptural account of creation,' the world, of sin, heaven us, but unto Thy Name give glory, for Thy mercy, and
 and hell, etc., is true. The world continually speaks for Thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen
 the lie, also in the sense that they constantly would say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the.
 oppose the Scriptural presentation of the reality of heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.
 things. The worldly institutions of learning, through- Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's
 out our land and the world, are constantly creating hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes
 the lie, undermining the Word, substituting for the have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they
  Word of God th.e word of man, rejecting the truth as hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They
 it is in God and in Christ Jesus and embracing that have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but
 which is conceived in the heart and mind of man. Also they walk not ; neither speak they through their throat.
 the logical truth must characterize us. We must under- They that make them are like unto them; so is every
 stand, see, and know the things as they are presented one that trusteth in them."---&.  115:1-S;  "Fear ye
 to us in the Scriptures. We must study the Word not, neither be afraid: have I not told thee from that
 constantly. We must conform ourselves to the Word time, and have declared it? ye are even My witnesses.
 of God in all our thinking and speaking. And, as we Is there a God beside Me? yea, there is no God ; I know
 study that Word of God, we must embrace its truths not any. They that make a graven image are all of
 with a believing heart; these truths must become part them vanity; and their delectable things shall not
 and parcel of our heart and soul  ; we must ever apply profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not,
 ourselves, through prayer and the knowledge of the nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath
 Scriptures, to grow, spiritually, in all the grace of formed a God, or molten or graven image that is profit-
  Christ Jesus, our `Lord ; and day by day it must be       able for nothing?"-Isaiah 44  :8-10  ; "They have moved
 our striving that we reveal ourselves as the people Me to jealousy with that which is not God ; they have
 and the party of the living God, that He may be glori- provoked Me to anger with their vanities: and I will
 fied by us, and that we thus proclaim in all our walk move them to jealousy with those which are not a
 and conduct, that God is the alone living God, worthy people ; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish
 to receive all praise and adoration, now and forever. nation.`! Deut. 32 :21; "And the Lord passed by before
 Then the truth, the truth of the living `God will be in him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful
 us, and God will be all in all, also in our own lives. and gracious, longsuffering ,and abundant in goodness
 And then the truth will have made us free. Believing and truth, Keeping mercy for ihousands,  forgiv.ing
 the truth of the Scriptures, confessing our own sin and iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by
guilt and corruption, believing in and embracing the no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the
 Lord Jesus- Christ, experiencing in our  hra,r+s  and fathers upon the children, and upon the children's
 minds, through the grace and Spirit of Christ, the love children, unto the third and to  ihe fourth generation."
 of the everlasting God, we shall be delivered from the -Ex. 34 :6-7 ; "He is the Rock, His work is perfect:
 shackles of sin and the lie and of darkness and be truly for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and
 free, to experience, now in principle and soon in eternal without iniquity, just and right is He.`"-Deut. 32 :4 ;


36                                    T H E S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R .

"And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should
the only true  ,God,  and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath
sent."-John 1'7  :3 ; "And we know that the Son of God He spoken, and shall not make it good?"-Num. 23 : 19 ;
is come and hath given us an understanding, that we "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent :
may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is for He is not a man, that He should repent."-I Sam.
true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true      15  :29; "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every
God, *and eternal life.`"-1 John 5:lO.                    man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be
      Besides these several passages, which can easily be justified in Thy sayings, and mightest overcome when
multiplied, the Names of God also reveal Him unto  us thou art judged."-Ram. 3 :4; "In hope of eternal life,
as the only true God. He is Jehovah, the I AM THAT which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world
I AM, the in `Himself sufficient God, Who owes His began."-Titus  1:2  ; "That by two immutable things,
existence to nothing outside Himself, the Cause of  all in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might
things yet Himself without cause, the Beginning of `all have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to
things yet Himself without beginning, the Creator of lay hold upon the hope set before us."-Heb. 6  :18.
all things but Himself  untreated.  He is the I AM, That God is the truth in the ethical  sen3e implies that
Who possesses the fountain of His eternal and  infinite He always reveals Himself as He is, that there is per-
existence within Himself, Who never increases or de- fect agreement between the Lord as the alone and ab-
creases because He is the God of infinite perfection. solutely good God and Hi3 revelation of Himself. This
Moreover, He in the Rock, God, the Almighty, the Most is true, for example, of all the works of His hands.
High, the Lord God of hosts, etc. God is His Name ; The perfect creation at the dawn of creation proclaimed
the Names of the Lord are expressions of His being, : he fact that the Lord Hi'mself  is good, a Light and that
tell us not only who the Lord is but also what He is; there is no darkness or death in Him. And the subse-
and He alone is ,the Rock, Almighty, Most High, etc. quent curse which rests upon all the works of God's
He is the true God, because as *God He is as He should hands since and because of the fall of man loudly
be  ; He is exactly what His eternal and infinitely per- proclaims the truth that the Lord is the God of perfect
fect Godhead implies ; He is the Absolute Reality. All and infinite goodness and righteousness. Besides this
idols are vain  ; they have mouths but speak not, ears revelation of the living God in all the works of His
but hear not, noses but smell not, eyes but see not. hands, the Lord always manifest3 Himself in all His
Hence, they are vain, false, are not what they pretend dealings with the children of men. ,Always  He reveals
to be or are`purported to be. It is said of them that Himself as the God Who loves Himself a3 the ,God of
they can save, but *they cannot save. God alone is God, infinite and eternal perfections. It is for this reason
the one only true God.                                    that He comes to all men with <the inexorable command
      Secondly, God is the God of truth also in the logical that they love Him with all their heart and mind and
sense. He knows all things, and, therefore, also from soul and strength. Never can the Lord act differently
this point of view, lives continually in the reality of or reveal Himself otherwise. He loves Himself and
things. `The reality of all things is constantly before therefore demands this love of `all men. And because
Him. He knows, first of all, Himself. He knows Him- He loves Himself He will bless them who `bless Him
self as the Triune God. He fathoms His unfathomable and hate and curse those who hate Him. This wrath
Being from eternity to eternity; He knows perfectly will, therefore, ever abide upon the sinner. It will
His own bottomless Self; nothing which pertains to abide upon the tinner  because He is the holy Lord of
His infinite perfection is hidden from the Lord. As infinite perfections and goodness. And it will  abide
the eternal and Absolute Reality in Himself, He is upon the sinner because He is Jehovah, the I  4M, the
everlastingly conscious of Himself, is also from this unchangeable God, with Whom is no variableness or
point of view the God of truth-all of His own infinite shadow of turning. And because. He is the unchange-
reality is eternally before Him, and  Be rejoices in able Jehovah He loves and will love unto all eternity
Himself forevermore. Moreover, the Lord also knows the.people  whom He has known eternally in love in His
all things. To this we have already called attention Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And as that unchangeable
when we discussed the Knowledge of the Lord. He Jehovah He is also the faithful covenant God Who  keep-
knows all things, not because He knows them as  they eth covenant forever, Whose faithfulness reaches unto
are, but because all things are exac'ly as He knows the clouds and Whose mercy is from everlasting to ever-
them. The  ercistence  of things doe3 not determine His lasting upon those that fear Him and are the called
knowledge o? them, but His eternal knowledge of all according to His purpose. Such is the blessed import
things determines their existence.                        of the truth that our God is the God of truth, Who
      Thirdly, the Lord is the God of truth also in the is  the I AM THAT I AM. In Him we may and can
ethical sense of the word. This is also everywhere trust; unto Him we may and can flee for refuge;
taught in the Word of God. "God is not a man, that upon His word we may and can rely. He, Who is in


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    37

Himself  the,true God, will surely remain true unto His antes,  Ser.  5:22,  lO:lO,  14:22,   27:5,  31~35,  f o r m s
people whom He has known for His name's sake. To                       rain and wind, right  and darkness, the good and the
deny them would imply, a denial of Himself. But, for evil, Amos 3 16, 4:13,  5:8, Is. 45:5-7,  45:16. He ren-
God to  lie is impossible. Blessed is the man who, ders dumb and enables one to speak, kills and makes
therefore, trusteth  in the Lord, who has that God of alive, redeems and destroys, Ex. 4:11, Deut. 32 :29,
Jacob for his refuge. That man is blessed and shall I Sam. 2:6, II Kings 5  :7, Ex. 15, Deut. 26  :8, 29  :2,
be blessed forevermore.                                                32:12, I Sam. 14:6, Hosea 13  :14, Matt. 10  :28, Luke
                .                                        .             12:20. He has exclusive power over all things, so that
                                                                       nothing can resist Him, Ps. 8, 18, 19, 24, 33, 104 ; etc. ;
   .                                                                   Job  5:9-27, 9  :4  ff.,  12:14-21,   34:12-15,   36:37.  Noth-
                     GOD'S OMNIPOTENCE                                 ing is too wonderful for `Him, all things are possible
                                                                       by Him, Gen. 18 :14, Zach. 8~6, Jer. 32 :27, Matt. 19 :26,
        The Omnipotence of Cod we would define as that Luke 1:37, 18 :27 ; He can make of stones children of
perfection of the Lord whereby He can do all things in Abraham, Matt. 3:9. He does all his good pleasure,
harmony with His being and will. His is all the Ps. 115 :3, Is. 14:24,  27, 46 :lO, 55:10, and none can
power and might and the dominion. Consequently,                        summon Him, Jer. 49:19, 50:44.  And, above all, His
nothing  can resist or change Him in the execution dunamis (power) is revealed in the works of redemp-
of His sovereign will and counsel.                                     tion, in the resurrection of Christ, Rom. 1:4, Eph. 1:20,
        Beautiful is the presentation of the Lord's omnipo- in the operation and strengthening of faith, Rom. 16:
tence by the late Dr. H. Bavinck in his  R&formed.                     25, Eph.  1:19, in the distributing of grace above what
Dogmatics, Vol. 11, 222-224, and we translate: ""I'~ we pray and think, Eph. 3 :20, II Cor. 9  $3, II Pet. 1:3,
sovereignty of <God reveals itself finally in His omnipo- in the resurrection at the last day, John 5:25 ff., etc.
tence . . . Scripture never and nowhere limits the And this power of God is finally also the source of all
power of God.          Already in the names El,  Elohim,               might and authority, of all power and strength in the
`El Shaddai, Adonai, the idea Of power appears upon creatures.                       From Him is the dominion of men, Gen.
the foreground. Moreover, He is called "El  gadhool                    126, Ps. 8, the authority of the magistrate, Prov. 8 :15,
wenoora,"  &fore Whose face no one can exist, Deut. Rom. 13 :1-16, the strength of His people, Deut. 8 :17?
7:21 f.f., "Abhir yisrae!", IS.  1:24,  "haeel   chaggadhoo]           18, Ps. 68  :36, Is. 40 :26 f.f., the strength of the horse,
hag&boor", Whose name is Jhvh Zebaoth, Jer.  3X  118, Job 39 :22, the violence of thunder, Ps. 29 :4, 68 :34, etc.
"ammits  suah", Job. 9  :4, "kabbir", Job  36:5,  "yezzuz              In one word, His is the power, Ps. 62  :12, and unto Him
wegibboor",  Ps. 24  :8,  "adoon   kurios"  Matt. 11.25, must be ascribed the power and the strength, Ps. 96 :7,
Rev. 1 :s, 22 :5, i.e., the Lord, the Possessor, the Ruler, Rev. 4 :11, 5 :12, 7 :12, 19 :l."-thus far the quotation
who  possesses   authority and supreme majesty;  t111.                 of Dr. H. Bavinck. The beauty of this passage lies
King Who into all eternity rules over all things, Ex. exactly in the fact that this eminent  theoIogian  quotes
15  :18,  29  110,  11 Kings 29  :15, Jer.  10:7,  10 etc.,  but       so profusely from the Word of God. And this, by
is especially  King over Israel and as such rules over it,             the way, characterizes the Dogmatics of Dr. Bavinck
defends and leads it unto salvation Num.  23  ~21, Deut.               throughout. These passages from the Holy Scriptures
33  :5,  Judges   8:23;  1  Sam. 8  :7, Ps.  10:16,  24:7,  48  :3,    certainly reveal unto us the scope and glory of the
74:12, Is.  33:22,  41:21,  43  :15, etc., and likewise in omnipotence, almighty power of the Lord. We will                               f
the New Testament is the  "megas  Basileus",  Matt.                    continue, the Lord willing, with our discussion of this
5:33, .I Tim. 6  :15, cf. Rev.  19:16; "pantokratoor", virtue of God in our following article.
II Car. 6~18, Rev. 1:8, 4:8, 11:17; "monos dunastees",                                                              H. Veldman.
I Tim. 6 :15 ; Who possesses both, the eksousia, archee,
potestas, the right, authority, and the competence,
Matt. 28 :18, Rom. 9 :21, and dunamis, kratos, potent&,
the fitness and the power to act, Matt. 6 : 13, Rom. 1:20.
But the omnipotence of God also appears from all His                                         IN MEMORIAM
works. The creation, the preservation, and the redemp-
tion of  Israel  out of Egypt, nature with its ordinances,                The Consistory of the Randolph  Protestant Reformed Church'
the history of Israel with its miracles preach loudly expresses its sympathy with our pastor, Rev. G. Lubbers, in the
and plainly the omnipotence Of God. Psalmists and loss of his mother,
prophets  repeatedly  return unto these great deeds and                                     Mrs. -4ggie  Lubbers
use them unto humiliation for the proud and comfort                       May the God of  all grace give peace that pas&h  all unde?-
for  the  believer.  He is  Strong in power, Is. 40  :26;              standing.
creates earth and heaven, Gen. 1, IS. 42 :5,44 :24,45 :12,                                               G. Fisher, Vice-Pres.
18,  48:13,   51:13,  Zach.  12:1, maintains their  ordin-                                               W. Huizenga, Sec'y.


38                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

                                                          who say, ".Surely,  He hath born `our griefs," it follows
       Jesus, The Man Of Sorrows                          that this pronoun our includes not everybody but God's
                                                          elect only. Thus it includes, does this pronoun  out,
                                                          also you and me, if in tears of true contrition of heart
      We turn to the verses 3, 4, and 5 of Isaiah 53 and we `confess that apart from the redeeming grace of
read the word of God as follows, `-He is despised and     God, we, too, as well as the others, despise and reject
rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and  aoquainted        the man of sorrows, hide our faces from Him, and
with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him  ; esteem Him not.
`he was despised, and we esteemed him `not.  Surely,          That He bore our sicknesses and pains and sorrows,
our sickness he bore ; our pains, he carried them. But what does it mean but that by nature we are sick and
we considered him plagued, smitten of God, and af- in pain and sorrowful. And what are these sicknesses
flicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; and pains and sorrows of ours but the  cursings  of the
he was .bruised  for our iniquities ; the chastisement law of God overwhelming us on account of our dis-
of our peace was upon him ; and by his tripes we were obedience to God's law. How dreadfully the law curses
healed."                                                  us. Attend with me to just a few of these curses as
      The substitutionary suffering of the Saviour, His presented in the 28th chapter of the book of Deut : "But
atoning for our sins on the cross some nineteen hun- it shall come to pass," says the law there, `<if thou wilt
dred years ago, is a work of God, the Triune Jehovah, not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to ob-
that stands out in the midst of God's believing people serve'to do all these commandments and his statutes
a blessed reality. But well do they realize, do God's which I command thee this day ; that all these curses
people, that for their thinking there are depths here shall come upon thee. The Lord shall make the pesti-
that they do not fathom. God alone comprehends His lence cleave unto thee, until he has consumed thee from
own work. We do not. Nor have we need. Hearing the land. The Lord will smite thee with consumption,
the 8aviour groan, and seeing His agonies, as we stand and with fever, and with inflamation and with extreme
by His cross, we are silent and worship. And we give burning. The Lord will smite thee with the botch of
thanks that by His mercy we may believe in His name       Egypt -and with emerods, and with the scab and with
and bear His reproach.                                    the itch whereof thou  canst not be healed. And the
      However, these observations should not lead us to Lord will smite thee with madness and blindness, and
conclude that the atonement of the Saviour cannot be astonishment of heart. And thou shalt grope at noon-
known conceptionally. It can be certainly. A tree, day, as the bhnd gropeth in darkness. And the Lord
let us say, being a creature of God, a handiwork of the shall smite thee in the knee, and in the ,legs, with sore      ,
Almighty, is on that account, a mystery. We do not botch that cannot be healed from the sole of thy foot
comprehend a tree. The germination of its seed in the unto the top of thy head. The Lord will make thy
soil of the ground, its growth and fruitbearing defy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even
our powers of penetration. But we do certainly know great plagues, and of long continuance. And thy life
this creature of God conceptionally. We have in our shall hang in doubt before thee. And the Lord shall
mind a clear picture of its form, and are able accurate- give thee a trembling heart, and failing eyes and sor-
ly to describe its structure. It is no different with the row of mind."
work of Christ on the cross. Though a mystery, we             Such are some of the dreadful curses of the law by
can know it conceptionally; for God has revealed it to which we by nature are being pursued. For there in
us in the Scriptures.                                     Paradise at the dawn of history through our first
      Christ bore our pains and sicknesses and sorrows, parents we transgressed the commandment of life
says the text, as quoted in the original. The pronoun which we had received. Then all these dreadful curses
our must not be overlooked. It includes only God's of the law came upon us and in consequence thereof we
people, such whom the Father gave Him before the are by nature sick and in pain and our sorrows are
foundation of the world, thus includes, does this pro- nameless. 0, it is true that there in the book of Deut.
noun our, only such who do believe and will believe the law curses in terms of a language that is typical.
in `His name. Our text makes this clear. Listen to it     But let us not imagine that the reality typified is
once more, "Surely, He hath born our griefs, and car- any milder than its typical, pictorial representation
ried our sorrows ; yet we do esteem Him smitten of there in Moses' discourse. By nature we are dread-
God and afflicted" for his own sins, such is the idea.    fully sick indeed ; and our sicknesses are spiritual and
This, you will notice, is a confession of sin on the part not merely corporal.     Spiritually we are with con-
of <God's own people, brought to the light by His Spirit sumption. Our fever is our hatred to God that burns
and grace. Now confessing sin certainly is a good like a fire within us. Our inflamation is of the heart
work to which only God's people are empowered. And that seethes in rebellion against God's will. Figurative;
as it comes, does this confession, from the same people ly speaking, all the plagues of Egypt do cleave unto us.


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       39

There is no soundness in us ; but only wounds, and ful hours of His passion. Hopelessness is the portion
bruises and sores from head to foot. We are blind, of the lost, in hell.
and deaf and halt and maim and mad and vain and                Again, that Christ bore our sicknesses and sorrows
foolish. Yea, we are dead-dead in our trespasses and does not mean that He suffered the pangs of an evil
sins. And our sorrows are nameless, they being the conscience that is ours by nature. How could it be?
sorrows of men consumed by God's wrath, thus the            He was a holy man with feet always swift to run the
sorrows of the cursed and the damned. We have no way of God's commands. Hence, His conscience be-
peace but only trembling and despair. Such is our. fore God was good always.
plight by nature. However, the phrase "by nature"              Finally, that Christ bore our sicknesses and sor-
must be added by all means.                                 rows does not mean that He lived'in mortal dread of
   For, wonderful to say, looking again into the Scrip- God, as we do by nature, so that at the approach of
tures, we by faith behold a marvelous thing. We be- God He felt like crying to the hills to cover Him before
hold ourselves not sick, not in pain, not sorrowful but God's face. This was not His sickness, His sorrow,
with Christ in heaven, justified and clothed with the His pain. So will the wicked cry in the day of judg-
perfection and glory of the heavenly. What has made ment. But Christ was a man of perfect holiness. It
that possible? It is precisely this: Christ bore all our    was His meat and drink to do the will of the Father.
sicknesses, pains and sorrows.                              Why should such a man be afraid of God?
   Let us attend to this wonder of grace. It must be           Yet Christ was sick and in pain. And His sorrows
rightly understood. Let us first of all be clear on what were nameless. But they had to be and actually were,
it does not wbean that Christ suffered our sicknesses to be sure, pains and sorrows that God"s  holy Christ
and sorrows.                                                could be allowed to bear. Just what were those sick-
   First, it does not mean that He was born with a nesses, pains and sorrows of the Saviour ? A distinc-
sickly, weak body, so that, as He advanced in years, He tion must be made between His sicknesses, pains, and
fell out of one sickness into the other and that thus sorrows that were physical-psychical and those that
during His lifetime He was smitten with all the physi- were strictly spiritual as to their nature.         Of His
cal diseases that plague mankind. We do not once spiritual sicknesses, pains and sorrows, His perfect
read of Christ being sick-a-bed.                            hatred of sin and His love of God were the root and
                                                            the principle. How He hated sin. How He must have
   Second, that Christ bore our sicknesses, pains, PLated sin, being, as He was, a man of perfect holiness.
and sorrows, does not mean that the spiritual, moral The thought of sin, the fact of sin, the rioting of sin
pollution that by nature is ours domesticated itself in and unbelief all about Him and against Him and His
His nature, so that, though born holy, He became, as Father filled Him with a holy loathing. It horrified
He advanced in years, unholy and sinful. He was the Him, every minute of the hour of the twenty-four hours
Lamb of God without spot or blemish. "And such a of each day. It agonized His soul. It made Him sick
high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, at heart. How His pure soul already must have writhed
separate from sinners and made higher than the hea- in anguish at the thought that the Father laid all our
vens." (Heb. 7 2%). Had he contracted our  spiritual-       iniquities upon Him and that it was the burden of His
moral diseases he could not have borne our sicknesses, Father's wrath against our sins that He was bearing.
pains, and sorrows, however paradoxical this may Considering who He was-God's holy Son incarnate,-
sound.                                                      and' considering what we are by nature-men dead in'
   Third, that Christ bore our sicknesses and sor- sin-what a prolific source of suffering His mere co-
rows does not mean that He knew remorse. Remorse, habiting with us on this earth for thirty-three long
what is remorse? it is that distress, gnawing pain, years must have been to Him. But for our sakes He
incited by the sense of guilt. "0 that I had feared the endured that suffering. Nay, more, taking us, His
Lord and believed in the name of His Christ," will be people, to His bosom and with His peopple clasped
the wail of remorse of the doomed in hell. It will form against  :His heart, He gave Himself into the hands of
one of the essential elements in their suffering. But wicked men, such as we by nature are, that He might
Christ was at no time filled with regret at anything be crucified and atone for our sins on the cross.
He had done. Always was it His meat and drink ,to do           It is in the light of His being the Holy Son of God,
the will of the Father. Remorse must of necessity be that we can understand somewhat His agonies in  `the
strange to such a man.                                      garden. In just a little while now all hell will come
   Fourth, that Christ bore our sicknesses and sor- storming in upon Him. ,The menials of Satan will d&
rows does not mean that He knew the despair that is spitefully use Him. They will beat Him with their
by nature ours. Despair, what is despair? It is loss fists, spit in His face, plow His back with their scourge,
of hope, hopelessness, thus lack of faith in God. At no mock and revile Him, and hang Him naked on the
time did Christ lose hope, not even in the most  dread-     cross. That will be the most terrible eruption of sin


 40                                    T H E   S T ' A N D A R D   B E A R E R

that heaven and earth had ever witnessed. For so it Lord laid upon Him, so that in truth it was our sick-
will be done to Him, mark you, to Him, (God's  Holy Son. nesses and pains and sorrows that He bore in His body,
And He knows. He anticipates all. No detail of that soul and spirit, bore under. the impulse of .a perfect love
terrible ordeal but that it stands out clearly in His of God ; and therefore He also fully satisfied for all our
`mind. And knowing all, how sick at heart it makes sins, so that in Christ we are as righteous before God
Him. "My soul is sorrowful unto death," we hear Him as though we had never committed any sin, and if
wail. His sweat falls form His brow in great drops righteous, then verily also healed, because in Christ
of blood. For it is He, the  .Holy Son of God, upon .we have the right to be healed, from all our sick-
whom we were about to empty the vials of our carnal nesses and pains, both physical and spiritual, and
wrath. But this was not all. While He hangs there freed from all our sorrows-the sorrows of sin, the
on the cross, he must complain that  .even  the Father sorrows of this present time, the sorrows of death,
has forsaken Him-His Father, whose favor to Him is grave and hell-in a word, the sorrows of the cursed
better `than life. How. that must have moved Him to and the damned. For it is with.our  healing and peace
the, core, cut Him to the quick. Here the man of sor- as accomplished facts that our text deals and not with
rows comes as close to suffering the agonies and the a healing and a peace that are offered us and that can.
sorrows of the doomed in hell as it is possible for a be ours only on the condition that we allow ourselves
holy man to come. Such were Christ's pains, sick- to be healed and accept the proffered peace.
nesses, sorrows and agonies-His spiritual sorrows.            But do we not still lie in the midst of- death? I
Such was their character. They were pains and sor- speak now of God's people. Is it not true that our
rows unspeakable. For they were pains and sorrows obedience is still only a small principle? It is true. 1
such as only a holy man can suffer.                        We are saved in hope ; but then verily in hope, the
       To these spiritual sicknesses, pains, and sorrows of living hope that our lives are hidden with Christ in
the Saviour must be added all the other pains and sor- God, and that when He shall appear, all ,such,.who love
rows that He suffered -those that were  physical-          His appehrance,  will appear with Him in glory. Sure-
psychical as to their nature. Though, as was stated,       ly, He did bear our griefs. He was wounded for our
Christ was not literally smitten with all the diseases transgressions. By His stripes we were healed indeed.
that plague mankind, yet essentially He was. For I speak now of God's people. Do you believe in God's
He was mortal. He, too, lay in the midst of' death, as Christ? You must believe in Christ ; and if by God's
is evidenced by the fact that He could suffer and die. mercy you do, then this people includes also you.
But Christ's physical-psychical sufferings included                                                   G. M. Ophoff.
more than that certainly. They incuded  our whole vile
treatment of Him. And what did we not do to Him?                                  * *     6.     %
We despised and rejected Him. We hid our faces from
Him.  So says the text. He'bore our griefs, yet we did      Comments on Rev. Petter's Article
esteem Him smitten of God for His own sins. We
wounded Him. We bruised Him. We pulverized Him,               You write (Concordia for Sept. 29) : "In our pre-
to reproduce the sense of the original text. We eruci- vious article we ended by saying that the danger to-
fled Him. The painfulness of death by crucifixion ! ward Arminianism  in the Liberated presentation of
The shame and the disgrace of dying such a death ! the covenant lay in the fact that election is not given
Christ suffered it all for us and in our stead.. What the proper palce."  '
then were Christ's sicknesses, pains, and sorrows?            This is strange language, brother. If words have
All that He suffered in spirit, soul and body. And how meaning, then the thrust of your statement is this:
sick He was, how  wound.ed, how bruised, how sorrow- "The Liberated presentation of the covenant  ,ti  tiof
ful, how full of pain for our sakes! And all these Arminian, but it inclines toward Arminianism."
sicknesses and sorrows and pains, what were they              But that is not true. The presentation is Arminian
but the burden, operation and expression of God's through and through. As I have over and over pointed
wrath against our sins? Mark you, `I say the burden out, its principal tenets are two in number: 1) The
of  #God's wrath against our sins, not against His person. promise of the covenant is given unto all the baptized,
For He was the beloved Son of the Father always. It reprobate and elect alike. 2) God places the benefits
was not against Him therefore that the Father's anger of Christ's cross in the actual possession of men (elect
burned.                                                    and non-elect) on the condition of (op voorwaarde van)
 * But how can it be said that it was our sicknesses and faith and repentance.
pains and sorrows that He was bearing? The answer is          This is unadulterated Arminianism, brother. For
simple. In the language of our text, "He was bruised if the promise is given to all, all have a legal right to
for our jniguities," namely, all that He suffered He the benefits of Christ's cross. And if so, Christ died
suffered in punishment of our transgressions, that the for all. And the word "condition" `6%  such a thought
                                                                                                                       .


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   BEAR.ER   -                                                 41

structure, must indicate a human will free in the Pela- covenant-theology one encounters in their writings,
gian sense.                                                 is not contained in the Scriptures.
   You continue, "Expressing this a little differently,        In the sequel of your articIe you make this very
we may say that the covenant (the Liberated presenta- plain to us. You prove conclusively that the teaching
tion of the covenant, Rev. Petter means) is not seen to to the effect that the promise is given unto all is con-
embrace and include also the elective elements."            trary to the Scriptures. It means that you say con-
   I ask, How can it, if the promise is given to all flicting  things  : 1) The covenant theology of the Liber-
(elect and non-elect) ? Such a doctrine is a flat denial ated is according to the Scriptures ; 2) The covenant
of election and reprobation.                                theology of the Liberated is not according to the Scrip-
   You continue, "For us it should be worth a great tures.
amount of patience and good-will to find wherein ex-           I just made the statement that you prove so con-
actIy we differ and where their error lies." Do you elusively-prove from the Scriptures- that the prom-
mean to be telling us here that it is hard to see where- ise is given only to the elect, you write, "For that prom-
in we differ and where their error lies? But that is        ise is not merely given to believers, as believers. It is
not hard to see.                                            in the first place given to Christ, Ps. 89; John 1'7:24;
   They say, "The promise is given unto al1 the bap- Gal. 3:15, and in Him to and for the elect..- And this
tized, elect and non-elect alike."                          promise is in no way conditional. . . ."
   We say, "The promise is given only to the elect."           I would endorse this statement from your pen one
   They say, "The promises of God are conditional." hundred percent, were it not for the fact that it con-
   We say, "The promises  -of God are non-conditional tains a loophole. What this loophole is we will see in '
and unfailing."                                             an article to follow.
   Is it now so hard to see wherein the difference lies                                                 G. M. Ophoff.
between what they say and what we say? Is it so
hard to see wherein according to our firm belief they                                s *  *  *
err 4  Ts it so hard to see that the two expressions
cond&onul  and  non-conditional  are contraries.? and             REPORT  CLASSIS CONTRACTA (West)
that to say that the promises of God are given to elect        Classis West met in special session September 28,
and non-elect alike is not equivalent to saying that-the    at Doon, Iowa, with the purpose of examining C$ndi-
promises of God are given to the elect only? Nothing date Homer C. Hoeksema. Present were delegates
is easier 5 than seeing wherein we differ and wherein from eight of .our churches and three brethren from
their error lies.                                           the East, deputaten ad examina. After the examiua-
   You write, "This inseparable correlation of promise tion Classis unanimously decided to advise :Doon to
and demand is always added' with emphasis by the proceed with the ordination of the candidate. The
`Liberated. The brethren often express this by calling President of  Classis, Rev. A. Petter, addressed the
it a conditional promise . Dr. Schilder writes, `And brother with words of cheer and exhortation, after                           .
thus in the unbreakable unity of promise and demand which  Classis sang a psalm of benediction. The di-
which God speaks tq us in baptism, speaks in covenant ploma was handed to the brother and congratulations
language. `Faith is indeed a gift of the covenant God, were extended. Rev. P. De Boer closed this session
but it is at the same time a condition which he sets. with prayer and thanksgiving.
A condition placed before us to arouse our sense of
responsibility.'                                                                           M. Gritters, Stated Clerk.
   But the Liberated maintain that the promise is                                    * * *  *
given unto all. As was said, in union with the promise,
so conceived, faith as a condition must imply a human                              T N   M E M O R I A M   .
will that is free in the Pelagian sense. Yet you go on
to say, "Now this, taken in its narrow compass is              The Priscilla Society of  the First Protestant' Reformed Church
indeed Biblical language. If this were all that the of (Grand  Rapids, Michigan, expresses its sincere and heartfelt
brethren meant by condition we could have no ob- sympathy to the family of . Mrs. J. Sjoerdsma in the  s&den
jection. We have before seen that the Bible speaks bereavement of their husband and father,
exactly that way."                                                                 Mr. Joe Sjuerdsma
   Are you not really telling us here that the covenant
theology of the Liberated is contained in the Scrip-           May the God of all grace and the `Father  ol our Lord and
tures? You put the question, `If this is all that the Saviour Jesus Christ, comfort them as He alone can comfkt.
brethren meant by condition . .  .' But for us it is                                  The Priscilla Society:  *
not a question of what the brethren mean but of what                                            Mrs.  @ora Westra, Pres.
they say. And what they actually say and write, the                                            Mrs. Angie Swart, Sec'y.


       44                                     T H E   STANDA-R-D-   BEA.B..HR                                                 _-
                   .
       gen zijn dan ten kwade  voor U.                               ~.-__                -.-              _.-.-_--^.-
             Laat ze  zich opmaken, maar dat zij beschaamd  war
       den !                                                                  FROM HOLY WRIT
             Dat ziet op al de plannen van het goddelooze rot.
       Zij  maken  zich op. ,Ge weet wel, dat als ge iets heel             (Continuation of Exposition of Eph. 5  :14)
       bijzonders moet doen,  als ge iets wilt  doen,  dat alle
       aandacht van Uw hart en verstand  heeft, dan meet  g?            In our consideration of the passage from Ephesians
     . U opmaken. Men maakt  zich niet op voor  beuze-               5 :14 we should bear in mind, that the context `is very
       larijen.                                                      helpful in determining not o&y the proper relationship
             Nu dan, laat ons heel voorzichtig zijn. Laat  ens       OF the command and the promise which is here added,
       met alle eventualiteiten rekenen. We  moeten   onzen          but that it is also helpful in understanding the implica-
       slag slaan, en zeker wezen  van succes! En zoo  maken tion of the terms here used.
       ze  zich  op tegcn God en Zijn Gezalfde. Want dat is het.        At first glance the terms of the exhortation give
       Als men tegen Gods volk zich opmaakt ten strijde, dan reason to be a bit perplexed as to `their meaning. The
.      doet men het eigenlijk tegen God. Want God is in mold into which the apostle here casts his thought
       hen.             ,/I-                                         make us ask: What is to be understood in "awake thou
        "  Als zij dat  doeri,  Heere, laat ze dan beschaamd that sleepest," and "arise from the dead". Immediate-
       worden.                                                       ly the thought arises whether Paul is telling the dead
             Men wordt beschaamd als in al onze plannen ge- to rise from the dead ; whether Paul is here probably
                                                                     not presupposing that the simple command would be
       blazen wordt.                                                 sufhcient to bring those who are "dead in trespasses
             Als een mensch een zaak opzet, om zijn nooddruft and sins" to the activity here demanded.
       te verdienen, en om een zekere'som over te houden van            Obviously such cannot be the meaning of -the Word
       jaar tot jaar, zoodat zijn toekomst geborgen is, en als of God here.
       men dan in zijn zaken faalt, failliet slaat, en alles ver-
       liest, met groote schulden op den koop toe, dan wordt            In the first place, this is not thus stated in the text.
       men beschaamd en dan komt men beschaamd uit.                  Nor is this the implication. . The text does not say:
                                                                     Arise ye that are dead, but it says: Awake ye that
             En zoo is het dan ook met de goddeloozen.               sleep, and arise from out of the dead ones. The text
             Ik denk hier aan een verschrikkelijken tekst.           is by implication speaking to those who have life, but
             Ge kunt hem vinden in den tweeden'  psalm. Daar they are not living it as they should. For the text is
       ziet ge de volken die  zich opmaken tegen God en Zijn here speaking of those who are in a spiritual stupor in
       gezalfde. Ge luistert in den psalm naar hun spreken: regard to very definitely defined  sins. It is an admoni-
       Laat ons hunne banden  verscheuren, en hunne touwen tion to those who are not fulIy  aware and alert to their
       van ons werpen !                                              situation in an evil world as the children of light, nor
             En dan komt die verschrikkelijke tekst: "Die in to the precious truth of the promise of the great power
       den hemel  woont, zal lachen . . ."                           that fills the lives of those who walk in the ways of
             Kent ge iets verschrikkelijker dan een God die faith and godliness.
       spottend  over U zou  lachen in den  hemel,  terwijl  gij        This is implied in the very terms of the text.
       hier op aarde U aan"t opmaken zijt in een verkeerd               It is interesting and instructive to hear what the
       werk?                                                         exegete Greijdanus has to say of these terms in his
             Ik moet er niet  inkomen.                               "Korte Verklaring" (1925). We translate :  "Awake
             "Laat mijne tegenstanders met schande bekleed  wor-     thou that deepest, i.e., awaken out of your sin-sleep
       den, en dat  xii met hunne beschaamdheid  zich  bedek-        (zonde-slaap) and arise out o$ the dead, i.e., do not re-
       ken  als met eenen mantel."                                   main lying where you are, for your find yourself
             Dat is een beschrijving van de hel. Het is een on- amongst `the dead. Comp.  2 :l-5, but rise up, show
       uitsprekelijke bangheid om een eeuwige openbaring yourself to be living,-and depart from the midst of the
       te zijnvan de idee van beschaamdheid.                         dead, among whom you lie sleeping in  .sin." A bit
             En dan komt er ten  slotte  nog wat Iovensstof  : "Ik later in the same work, delineating on the implication
       zal den Heere met mijnen mond zeer loven, en in het of the terms, Greijdanus makes the following  ,com-
       midden  van velen zal ik Hem prijzen. Want Hij zal ment : "Yn awakening is spoken of coming to `one's
       den nooddruftige ter rechterhand staan, om hem te  ver- self, (tot inkeer) of the consciousness of perversity,
       lossen van degenen die zijne ziel veroordeelen." Ik had and of the change of the inner attitude. The arising
       dat laatste woordje "zijne" haast met een hoofdletter         (from out of the dead, G.L.) points toward the actual
       geschreven, want het is centraal  tech Jezus!                 change in the walk and life, a breaking with sin, and a
                                                        I= .vos..    walking in the way of the Lord's fear and Word."


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       45

     According to the quotation from the pen of the just       How can these be in  need  of the apostle's words and
 mentioned exegete the question here touched upon is warnings. How can they be in need of being reminded
 that of our concrete, actual and conscious repentance. of the words: kwake  ye that skep, and atie from the
 Jesus pictures this to us very graphically in the parable dead, and Christ shall give you light?
 of the Prodigal Son. The latter having come to  himself       The apostle has in mind the church of all ages as
 said "I will arise and go unto my father".                 represented in this particular church here at Ephesus.
     The situation is very serious in our text and in this This church is composed. of the saints. who already
 whole chapter. The apostle is not satisfied in our say- believed and walked in holiness. Others in the same
 ing: "Well, yes, I admit that there is something not church were not as vigilant as they ought to be, they
 right in my life ; but, of course, we have only a small were in need of being aroused to spiritual activity.
 beginning of perfection, and I don't even belong to the Others again needed to be awakened out of a deep sin-
 most holy and then . . . just leave it at that! And ful stupor.
 then still remain lying amongst the dead ! Perish the         Thus it is ever in the church of God. in this world
 thought! The church, the believers must arise from at any ,given time. And sometimes the whole church
 the dead. Their must be a complete change in their needs to be awaked to a very particular sin, a very
 life. To this must be added conversion  &z  life and in particular form of sin, that so easily besets us. They,
 zfery  deed. Only thus might the lost son experience the church, is not deeply aware of her grave peril due
 the love of his father. Luke 15  :ll f.f."  `( cursives. to the forces of evil from within and without.
 o f   u s ) .                                                 So it seemed to be in this case.
     The question arises here: but can those who are           The apostle is speaking of a very common evil in
 dead in sins arise from the dead. As we have stated the church. An evil which the highest form of the
 before this is not possible. But again we may ask:         culture of the Graeco-Roman world could not over-
 but do those who are believers in Christ have need of come. In fact it could have `no power against it, for
 this admonition? Is such an admonition, such a com- the evil cannot win over evil. The devil does not
 mand necessary for God's children?                         cast out the devil. His house is, not divided against
     It is very evident that such is the case, even though itself. And this evil is that of moral depravity in
 it is and remains true, that the apostle is here address- every form. In thoughts, words and deeds. From the
 ing God's church in the world.                             thoughts this becomes manifest in subtle speech. Paul
     Of this church Paul says some very wonderful mentions three forms of speech. He speaks of three
 things. Paul addresses them as "the saints and faith- forms of fornicative speech:  filthiness, foolish taking,
 ful in Christ Jesus" (1  :l.) . They are those who, hav- and jest&g. These must not even be mentioned in
 ing heard the gospel of truth in Christ not only be- their midst. It is and should be below their spiritual
 lieved the same, but were sealed with the Holy Spirit dignity. Take for instance: filthiness. This refers
 of Promise unto the day of the final and glorious re- to dirty talk; smutty stories of which the world is
 demption.  (13)    That was their confession, and they full in all stations of life. Do these befit the man who
 have faith in Christ and love for all the brethren.        has died unto sin?! Or to speak of: foolish speech.
(  1:15) He is addressing the believers, who are the This refers to empty speech, seemingly harmless jokes,
 object of his prayer; he prays for them that they may but which do not have a content, tending to positive
 have the eyes of their heart enlightened, in order that instruction in the way of godliness? Is this the speech
 they might know the glory of God in all the saints, of those who have learned the truth as it is in Jesus,
 might know the hope unto which God calls them, and of those whose speech should be seasoned with salt,
 might experience the superabundant greatness of the th&t is, which should have a spiritual positive flavor?.
 power of God in Christ's resurrection and glorious Or again, take: jesting. This is the subtle and nimble
 ascension to their .advantage. Yea, the apostle is here play of the thought, the nimble suggestion of evil and
 addressing the church for whom he prays, that they         the corrupt without mentioning it.  ,This  is Satan's
 might dwell in their hearts by a living faith, and that hellish power of suggestion of evil, the same being far
 so with all the saints they might know the length and worse even in the consciousness of evil men, and for
 breadth, the height and depth of the love of Christ that that reason employed by them, than outside filthy
_passeth  all knowledge, and that so they might be filled speech. It is not only doing evil, but having a delight
 in that fulness of God, which He had revealed and in them that do it.
prepared in Christ Jesus.                                      Now the church is in need of admonitions to not be
    The apostles point of departure is definitely that of overcome of this evil, to have no part in it, but to  I
 speaking to the saints in Christ. These have been keep herself unspotted from the world.
 called by the Gospel, heard and learned the truth as it       And to achieve this end God employs admonitions.
 is in Jesus, and were still in need of admonitions and     For admonitions are a means of grace, being a part of
 instruction ; were in need of his prayers.                 the living preaching of the Gospel. They "give grace"


46                                          T H E   STAND.ARD  B E A R E R

      to the believing hearers. (Compare 4  :29). God has  ante. We will then sing from the heart through the
      in His infinite wisdom bound the working of His grace, Holy Spirit in Christ unto God the Father in wondrous
      the grace of sanctification to the means `of exhortation, strains of thankfulness. That is the light of Christ in
      thus binding His Word upon the hearts and conscience the church, in the living members of it.,
      of the believers, awakening them out of the stupor               2. This is only for those who arise from the dead.
      of spiritual slumber and perversity. Let it  not. be Not that the rising from the dead is a "condition"  Iimit-
      forgotten that "grace is conferred by means of admoni-        ing God, so that God cannot confer joy where this con-
      tions". Canons of Dort, III, IV, Art. 17.                     version is not present, but it is a condition in this
         In this admonition Paul does not tell the church sense, that God will not give, and cannot will to give
      to be'come  what she is not. She is told to show fortln       His joy of salvation to be experienced where there is
      in her life what she really is. , More and more and in        not a complete turning unto Him in repentance. The
      every part and relationship of their lives the believers fulfillment of the promise is connected in our life-with
      must walk in. the light, as children of God.                  a godly walk. And the godly walk has in it the tasting
         Hence, they must not think that the evil speech and of the light of God's face, and joy of His great salva-
      actions of the wicked in their moral perversity is harm- tion.
      less ; that God does not seriously look down from heaven         Is this merely food for thought? Something  for.
      to behold these sins, and that His wrath is not as theologians  to* write dissertations about?
      really over this sin now as what it was in the days  o? .        Nay, although it is food for thought, it is much
      Abraham over Sodom and  Gommorah.  For upon these more. It is the call to action. It is the call to repent-
      things cometh  the wrath of God against the children of ante, to turn to God with all our heart and mind and
      wrath! And the only way not to have fellowship with soul and strength. It is a matter of believing struggle.
      this is to reprove it.                                           While we struggle we already taste the favor of
         Then the light of CbrFst falls upon it.      t             God, and the beginning of the eternal joy in our hearts.
         And in this we must rise from the dead. We must And this latter not that we should be satisfied with our
      awaken from sleep. This we do when we confess the progress made, but that we should be encouraged to
      sin in our life, walk no more in the same,arise from further advances, until we shall arrive at the  perfec-
      the deadness of sin, choose not to walk with the scorn- tion set before us in the life to come !
      ful, but have our delight in the law of the Lord. For                                              Geo. Lubbers.
      whatsoever-doth manifest, doth show the sinfulness of
      sin is light.
         Here is a very practical calling in the world.' Daily                        a        -        -
      we come in contact with this world. It approaches us,
      winks at us with its adulterous eyes, and beckons us
      to follow her example in eating, drinking and being
      merry, for tomorrow we die. And Satan tempts us.
      And he and the world find a ready ally in our corrupt                      .PERISCOPE   -
      flesh, our flesh in which no good dwells, being sold                                             -  ~----
      under sin! And thus very concretely and in very
      actuality and deed, we have daily to fight against this                       Common Grace
      sin, with a complete change in our life, in inner attitude
      of hatred for all sin and love for God. And to show              In a previous connection it was stated, as you may
      that we love *God in the confession of mouth by reprbv- . recall, that the subject of "common grace" was also
      ing evil. He who does not reprove sin-has  fellow-            among those which was being discussed in the Nether-
      ship with the unfruitful works of darkness.                   lands before the war and concerning which there was
          Let not any one deceive himself!                          difference of opinion. In 1942 the Synod of  Sneek-
          "He saith,  awake thou that sleep&t,  and arise from Utrecht,  also made certain dogmatic expressions se-
      the dead! Is that not more than sufficient?                   garding this theory. Although the  decIarations  which
          But "He" also adds: And Christ shall give you were delivered by this same Synod regarding the Cove-
      light (shine upon you). This reward is certain for all        nant of <Grace became the greater issue, many  pro-
      who heed His voice.                                           tests were also delivered against the decisions relative
          There are still two matters that here call for your to "common grace".
 D and my attention:                                                   The following is only one of many such protests.
          1. That the implication of the phrase: "Christ shall We have chosen it as representative and pass it on as
      give thee light", is, that the joy of salvation shall be a matter of interest and information. Even though
      ours in a rich measure when we arise from the dead; . we should never attempt to hide or camouflage the
      we shall, be surrounded literally with songs of deliver-      differences which separate us from the Liberated


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       47

Churches, it is always worthwhile to review the things voile straf der zonde brengt'. Dan valt dus ook Satan
which draw us together. In fact, it may well be, that onder de "Algemeene Genade", want volgens Open-
upon the basis of what is mutually agreed various baringen 2O:lO kont eerst aan het eind over hem de
differences may be resolved. For example, it seems to volle straf zijner zonde. In zijn moeten  vervullen van
us, that if one is to be logical and consequent, his denial zij maandat is tech geen genadige gezindheid Gods
of a favorable attitude of God towards the reprobate over hem te bespeuren !
ungodly, as affirmed by "common grace", must neces-            "2e. Het wordt `!algemeene  genade" genoemd, dat
sarily also precludes any commonness of attitude on God de gevallen wereld (dat zijn blijkbaar de booze
the part of God to all children of the covenant without menschen) in Zijn lankmoedigheid verdraagt. Nu is
distinction. More particularly, if one will maintain, de Heere  lankmoedig  over Zijn volk, d-i.: wachten ten
on the one hand, that God is never graciously inclined hunnen aanzien vaak lang om hun recht te doen, Lukas
to the reprobate, how can he, on the other hand, still      18  7. Sij verdraagt veel van Zijn volk, Ex.  34t6.
infer a gracious dealing of God with the reprobate Hij is ook lankmoedig over de goddeloozen, maar niet
in the covenant; as seems to be the expression in the ondunks Zijn toorn, juist om Zijn voile toorn over hen
insistence that baptism seals the promise to all without uit te gieten, I Petrus 2 :8 : waartoe zij ook gezet zijn;
distinction.    It would seem that if it is affirmed that Rpm. 9 :1'7: olpdut Ik in u Mijn kracht bewijzen zou;
God is never gracious to the reprobate but only to the Ps.  92:7 en 8: Een dwaas verstaat dit niet: dat de
elect, that same sharp  .distinction  must be applied to werkers der ongerechtigheid bloeien, opdat zij in der
the covenant-and there first-of all.                        eeuwigheid verdelgd worden  ; Matth. 18 :6 : De Heere
    There are also a few considerations which have led is een God, die ten allen  dage toornt over de godde-
us  40 choose this particular expression of protest loozen;  Ps.  7:12: Hij heeft de  vaten des toorns  we1
against "common grace". In the first place, as far as met veel lankmoedigheid verdragen, maar `t is om Zijn
we could determine, it is written by a lay-man, a cer- toorn te bewijzen en Zijn  macht  bekend te  maken;
tain Mr. D. Roorda, and hence, expresses "the voice Rom. 9:22; Ps. 73:10,  12, 17, 18: De goddeloozen in
of the people". In the second place, it attacks the de Kerk, wier leeringen door bijna allen  worden  toe-
theory itself and takes a positive  stand over-against it. gejuicht, zijn in eere en hebben voorspoed, maar de
And finally, its argumentation. touches upon several Heere zet ze op glibberigen bodem en laat ze als een
points which are so familiar to us from our own ru'r'ne ineenstorten; Matth. 5 :45: We1 doet God Zijt:
struggle, and its language is, therefore, very familiar zon opgaan over boozen en goeden en geeft vruchtbare
to us. For these reasons, we found it especially inter- tijden, goed doende van den hemel  ; Handel. 14 :I7 :
esting and worth passing on.        .                       We1  is Zijn goedertierenheid over al Zijn werken;
   The entire protest of Mr. Roorda includes sections Ps.  145:9:  We1  heeft Hij dus een behagen in Zijn
dealing with other expressions of the Synod but we schepping, maar Hij toornt over ieder menschenhart,
limit ourselves to the first part dealing with "common dat Hem niet gehoorzaam is ; Ps. 75 :9, en door hu.n
grace". Against the conclusions that were reached lange leven wordt het oordeel der goddeloozen  ver-
he protests. The quotation is from the brochure en- zwaard;  zij vergaderen zich toorn als een schat,  Rom.
titled "Verklaring Van Gevoelen" `pages 78-82.              2 :5 : zij  hoopen  Gods toorn op; Pred. 8  :11 : juist door
    "Hier betreffen de conclusies de interpretatie van het uitstel van Gods oordeel neemt hun goddeloosheid
een wetenschappelijke- term. Zulk een interpretatie toe. Spr. 16  :4: De Heere heeft alles gewrocht om
door een Synode onzer Kerken gegeven,`zal nooit anders Zijns zelfs wil, ja ook den goddelooze toe voor  bet
dan vaag kunnen zijn, daar de Heilige Schrift  geen verderf, de ontwikkeling van den goddelooze voert tot
interpretatie van wetensehappelijke  termen geeft, en het verderf. Dit is tech geen genade, maar we1 voort-
er dus gezocht moeten worden  naar een compromis tus- durende toorn !
schen de definities van de  gangbare  wetenschappelijke        "3e. Verder krijgen de geloovigen  we1 regen en
stelsels ten opzichte van zoo'n term In de conclusies, zonneschijn  en een opwekkende kop koffie, net als de
is een wetenschappelijke term tot leerstuk der kerk  ver- ongeloovigen, maar de geloovigen krijgen het alleen in
heven ; de Synode Sneek heeft daarmede voor een  be-        Gods gunst, in Zijn genade.als een goede gave van hun
paalde interpretatie gekozen t.o.v.  de wetenschappe-       hemelschen Vader om Christus' wil. (Catechismus vr.
lijke term "algemeene genade", en wil aan die interpre-     en antwoord 1 en 27). Daarentegen spreekt Christns
tatie de, kerken binden,  wat voor mij een bezwaar is. van het `blijven  van den toorn Gods over de godde-
Ingaande op de conclusies wil ik mijn verdere bezwaren Ioozen', Joh. 3  :36. AZ wat de goddelooze dan ook ont-
als volgt formuleeren.                                      vangt, is in Gods toorn.
   "le. Er wordt gezegd, dat onder ons met de naam             "4e. Dat het algemeene genade is, dat *God ook in
"algemeene genade" wordt aangeduid, `dat God . . . den mensch nog `eenig licht der natuur heeft doen  over-
over de gevallen  wereld  in deze bedeeling nog niet de blijven' berust  op Rom. 1:18-22 en 2 :14, 15. Nu dient


 VOLUME XXVI                              November 1, 1949  - Grand Rapids, Michigan                         NUMBER 3 .

                                                                    And beauty?
      M E D I T A T I O N                                           Beauty, especially according to the original, is
                                                                 adornment, and as such it is the exact opposite of ashes.
                                                                 The first is object of abhorrence. There is terrible
                                                                 speech in ashes. And the other is object of adoration
             Beauty For Ashes                                    and ecstacy.
                                                                    Beauty is the figure in this connection of pomp,
             "To appoint unto them in Zion, to give unto them    splendour and magnificence. Adornment is that which
             beauty for ashes. . .  ."                           is added to the beautiful. It is gold and silver and very
                                                Isaiah 61:3a.    precious stones. Adornment is the string of pearls and
                                                                 the sparkling rubies. Adornment is the apparel of silk
   In the beginning of the prophecies of Isaiah, he and purple and fine linnen. It is the figure of the
saw "a people that walked in darkness, a people dwell- costliest and the most beautiful and attractive, of that
ing in the shadow of death."                                     which is the most spIendid  imagiriable.
   But that people saw a great light. They had begun                And now comes the question : But what is the signifi-
to be very joyful before God's face, even as  men  rejoice cation of both in Holy Writ, in this particuIar  place
when they divide the spoil.                                      in Isaiah?
   And why all this rejoicing? Because that light                   The attempt to find the signification of both terms
would be so powerful as to break their yoke, destroy is not difficult, especially when we remember that the
the staff that oppressed them, and splinter the rod of Wonder Child is pictured as bringing to His people
their oppression.                                                Israel this beauty for ashes.
   What is that light?                                              If we Iet the light of the whole Bible fall upon this
   This : "A child, `a Son with the government upon phrase, we see that ashes dehcribe  man, hung about and
His shoulders". And He had a most wonderful name:                permeated wholly with death in its fullest signification.
"Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty .God,  The Ever- It is man, without resistance, entirely impotent unto
lasting Father, The Prince of Peace!" I must work any good and entirely inclined unto evil. It is man,
here with capital letters, for the Person bearing these powerless and nerveless. It is man, consumed, gone
exalted names is God of God!                                     out, chilled, dead.
   And in the chapter from which my text is taken for               Ashes is man, the fallen race of men, the man of
this meditation He appears before the wondering eyes sin who would dare to raise his fist to the Almighty in
of the Church of all the ages. Listen to Him: He will heaven. They are the people that sit in darkness:
show His credentials:. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon they are.at  home in the atmosphere of devils; they are
He !" And: "to. . . . give beauty for ashes"!                    the people that walk in the shadow of death. They are
                                                                 under the yoke, the staff, the rod of the devil and his
                                                                 henchmen.
   Beautjr  for ashes!                                              Ashes is imagery for God's own people too, as they
   Ashes! Imagery for that which is powerless and are dead in sin and trespasses. Ashes describes your
entirely nerveless. It is imagery for that which has             and my estates as we are by nature, dear reader!
lost all resistance, which is without animation. It is              Ashes was the condition of the people of Israel  at
the consumed, that which is gone out, the chilled, that the time of Isaiah's writing. Their condition was so
which is absolutely gone, it is imagery for the dead !           characterized by ashes that they had to be sent into the


50                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

captivity of Babylon so that they might lose their ashes          Who receive beauty for ashes?
and be crowned with most wonderful adornment.                     And well nigh the whole world crieth : It is unto all !
                                                                  Some of them are very learned in deception, and
                                                               they say, not unto all, but it is offered, or it is promised
      Beauty for ashes!                                        unto all. As far as God and the Wonder Child are con-
      We know what ashes is, but what is meant with cerned, there is enough for  all, and the God of the
adornment? With beauty?                                        heavens and the earth would like to see all men accept
      I will tell you at once : it is the most wonderful thing this wonderful beauty in exchange for their ashes,
that man may ever taste for time and for eternity. It and be happy for evermore.
is the blessed covenant communion with the God of our             Yes, sad to say, such is the conception, and such
salvation.                                                     has been the conception on the streets of Jerusalem
      And how fitting that this Wonder Child should during all the weary ages that are past. And such is
bring this beauty! How fitting, for it is He that earned the conception today.
every sparkle of it.                                              Almost everyone whom you may chance to meet on
      And you receive it all by His Holy Spirit.               the streets of  ,Sodom  owns unto himself the beauty of
      And if you would ask me to enumerate the beauties        Christ. They bear His name. They gather in His
of this covenant communion with the Triune God of house.                  They call the nations Christian. But they
your salvation, then I would speak, and sometimes crucify Jesus wherever they meet Him.
sing, of regeneration, calling, conversion, faith, justifi-       And thus they are drilled. There are millions of
cation sanctification, glorification. Then I would like books written on the theme of my text. And with
to speak of the eternal love of God. I would sing of small exception they  all are faulty, deceitful, false,
the rubies of His lovingkindness and the pearls of His misleading, devilish.
grace for you; poor sinner!                                       I call you all to witness that the Beauty  .of the
      Oh, yes, beauty for ashes ! The Wonder Child has Christ-Child is thrown for a scramble among the dogs!
oceans of beauty for Israel, for the Church, for the              If you do not grab it, it is your own fault! There
Elect of all the ages.                                         is enough for all! And the Lord God is offering it to
      And, please note that it is beauty for ashes. In the whole world. Become beautiful, why do you not?
other words : the ashes disappear and in its place comes           And on the holidays of the Church everything giit-
the beauty of covenant  comniunion.                            ters and glistens of beauty and .splendour. All seem
      Beauty for ashes !                                       beautiful. And the devil himself appears among them
      `The godlessness of the natural man is taken away, as an angel of light.
and the beautiful, lovely, attractive son and daughter             The whole world shouts : Beauty for Ashes ! Halle-
of Almighty God appear on the scene of history.                lujah !
      I know that there are many that will laugh at this
statement, but you just let them laugh. It is the laugh
of devils. And its fruit shall be shame and reproach              But it is not true!
when God will substantiate our appraisal of Jesus'                 I would beg of you: read the text!
work. Yes, they will point you to all the ashes that              To appoint unto them that mourn  1:n Zion, to give
still cling to the church of Jesus, and they will say:         unto  them  beauty for ashes!
Is that the city which is supposed to be a joy unto all           That is the text.                     ,.
the earth? The poor people do not see two things,                  f would ask in a mighty challenge: where is the
things which you know and see with rejoicing. First, world? The world is not in it at all ! It is not even
they .do not see that all the ashes that remain after unto all that are and belong in Zion according to their
the visit of the Wonder Child are there against our generations.
will ; and, second, that in Christ we are indeed entirely          All of Zion keeps holy day: it is true. But all of
beautiful. We are so perfect and so beautiful in Christ them do not receive beauty for ashes. There is a second
`that God Himself has said that He does not  regard sin limitation. Those that are at ease in Zion do not re-
in Israel.                                                     ceive beauty, but they receive a still uglier woe : their
      Oh? yes, you have received beauty for ashes !            portion is second death in hell forever ! That, my dear
                                                               reader, is the truth.
                            (5-13c-h-9                             The beauty of my text is for those that mourn in
      Beauty for ashes!                                        Zion! It is the spiritual kernel of Zion.
      Yes, I have already intimated who are to receive             And they themselves and those that surround them
this boon of the Wonder Child, but for the sake of may know them for what they are : they are the mourn-
clarity I will ask the question again, and answer it:          ers. Take the trouble ( ?) and read Ezekiel 9. There
for whom is this beauty? What is the application?              you find a commentary on this mourning. They mourn


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               51

because of the abominations that are done-in Jerusalem! a great humiliation for the Wonder Child. They spelled
And first of all their own abominations. Listen to for Him eternal death. If you and I saw Him go down
David, Nehemiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and all the the valley of the shadow of second death, and if you
saints who have recorded their inmost prayers in and I would have asked Him: Quo Vadis?  He would
Holy Writ, and you will see that they mourned, and have answered : I go to appoint to give unto you beauty
they mourned first of all because of their own sins.        for ashes ! Your and my Jesus would have looked at
    They are the happy people that receive beauty for you through the bloody sweat of the garden, and He
ashes. In Ezekiel they receive a mark on their fore- would have sighed within your hearing : It is profitable
heads, and they are not destroyed by the destroyers. for you that I go the way of eternal suffering, for I am
That is negative language for the positive beauty of going to appoint a wondrous beauty for you.
God's covenant communion.                                      We saw Him go, and we wondered with great
    These mourners are described in the context. At- wonder.
tend to their appearance in history: the meek---and            We looked and saw until it grew very dark. It was
they receive glad tidings ; the brokenhearted - and dark about the cross of His appointing.
they receive the binding up of their wounded hearts ;          And when we could not see Him anymore, we heard
the captives-and they are released; the  prisoners- His sighing and His crying on that accursed cross.
and they go free; the mourners-and they receive oil And when we translate all that agony, in good dog-
for joy; those with a spirit of heaviness-and they matics, we hear our leaders tell us that to appoint' He
receive the garment of praise !                             came. To appoint means then to prepare, to set in
    They and they only receive the beauty for ashes.        order, to Iabor to  come to pass. They will tell you of
    Beauty for ashes for God's own people, and no the travail of His soul, of His broken heart, of His
one else !                                                  crushed flesh, His spilled blood, of His eternal suffer-
    Beauty for ashes !                                      ing in the hands of Almighty God.
   And it is given ! God be praised ! It is a good thing       Oh, dear reader, behind and above your beauty is a
that God gives it. If He did not, I would never become great deal of appointing by the hand of God, by the
beautiful with the beauty of the Son of God. For I am hand of Jesus, the Stranger of Galilee.           .
unable and unwilling to accept it. Oh yes, I accept,           If you know that you are one of the mourners of
I accept oceans of grace and beauty, but even my Zion, if you hear your name called by the Lord desus
stretched out hand. is wrought by the almighty power Christ, even as He said: My sheep hear my voice and
of my God. God gives it! And shall continue to give they follow Me ! If you have the love of God shed
it, until all God's people are made beautiful and time abroad in your heart through the Holy Ghost that is
ended. And then the beautiful city and the beautiful given unto you, if you have the gift of the God-given
people shall be as it were a mirror so that they may faith so that you cling and cleave to the promises, then
reflect the beauty of the Lord their God!                   -have your feasts ! And also have your holy days in
   We wait for that day with inexpressible longing!         the Church. It is well.
   Amen ! Hallelujah !                                         But remember in the midst of all your rejoicing
                            4                               that you have received beauty for ashes, because Jesus
                                                            received ashes for beauty !
    Beauty for ashes!                                          You sing and you joy in all your salvation, and it is
                                                            well.
    But I have not said anything about the most won-           But you sing for all eternity, because Jesus wept in
derful part of the text.                                    deepest night.
    Oh, I admit that the sight of a child of God who is        You are on the way to heaven, .and I do not have
made beautiful with the Spirit of meekness is a glorious in mind the heaven that now is. I have in mind the
sight.                                                      heaven that will be when God shall say : Behold, I make
   But I would tell you of more beautiful things.           all things new! You `are on the way to the place that
   Return with me to the text: To  appoint  unto them shall be *musical forever because of the songs and the
that mourn in Zion. . . .                                   music of the redeemed. And it is well.
   Oh, I must speak of the appointing!                         But remember that Jesus trod the weary way in the
   And there are terrible notes in that song. There is opposite direction : He went to hell for you !
a terrible discord in it. A discord of hell and hellish        Beauty for ashes ! That is right. But it is the
suffering of my Lord.                                       beauty that is earned through the labor of Him that be-
   Back of all the beauty of you and your church lies came ugly with the ugliness of the bottommost bottom
a chapter in the great works of God which is very diffi- of hell!
cult reading matter. To qnpoint  He came. In the first         Love Him and His Father forever for so great love!
two words, which I have asked to write in italics, lie         Amen.                                         G. Vos.


52                                                                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

                        The Standard Bearer
           Semi-Monthly, except Monthly $ July and August                                                                                                      E D I T O R I A L S
                                       P u b l i s h e d   B y
                The Reformed Free Publishing Association
                      Box 124, Sta. C., Grand Rapids, Mich                                                                                                           As To Conditions
                            EDITOR:  - Rev.  E. Hoeksema.
Contributing Editors: - Rev. G. M. Ophoff, Rev. G.  VOY,  Rev.                                                                                  According to the Heidelberg Catechism, as we have
R. Veldman, Rev. H. Veldman, Rev. H. De Wolf, Rev. B. Kok,                                                                                  seen, faith is never presented as a condition unto salva-
Rev. J. D. De Jong, Rev. A. Petter, Rev. C. Hanko, Rev.  2.                                                                                 tion, or as a condition which we must fulfill in order
Vermeer, Rev. G. Lubbers, Rev. M. Gritters, Rev. J. A. Heys,                                                                                to enter into or remain in the covenant of God. Always
Rev. W. Hofman.
  Communications relative to contents should be addressed to                                                                                it is presented as a means or instrument which is
REV. H. HOEKSEMA,  1139 Franklin St., S. E., Grand Rapids,                                                                                  wrought in us by God and given us of Him, by which
Michigan.                                                                                                                                   we are ingrafted into Christ, become one body with
  Communications relative to subscription should be addressed                                                                               Him, and thus receive all His benefits.
to MR. J. BOUWMAN,  1131 Sigsbee St., S.E., Grand Rapids 6,                                                                                     Instrument and condition certainly do not belong
Mich. Announcements and Obituaries must be mailed to the
above address and will be published at a fee of $1.00 for each                                                                              to the same category of conceptions.
notice.                                                                                                                                         If faith is a condition it certainly is something man
Renewals:-Unless  a  definite  request for discontinuance is re-                                                                            must do in order to and before he can obtain salvation.
ceived, it is assumed that the subscriber wishes his subscription                                                                           Unless we attach that meaning to the word it has no
to continue without the formality of a renewal order.
En'tered  as Second Class Mail at Grand Rapids, Michigan.                                                                                   sense at all. And as I wrote before, in the minds of
                        (Subscription Price $2.50 per year)                                                                                 the people the term condition undoubtedly stands for
                                                                                                                                            some notion that makes salvation dependent on some-
                                                                                                                                            thing man must do.
                                                                                                                                                If, however, faith is a God-given instrument it is
                                                                                                                                            completely outside of the category of condition,  for the
                                                                                                                                            simple reason that, in that case, it belongs to salvation
                                                                                                                                            itself.     It is part of the work of God whereby He
                                          C O N T E N T S                                                                                   brings sinners to Christ and makes them partakers of
                                                                                                                                            all His benefits of righteousness, life, and glory. 4nd
MEDITATION-                                                                                                                                 part of salvation cannot, at the same time, be a con-
      Beauty For Ashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 dition unto salvation.
             Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                        The same conception of faith as an instrument is
EDITORIALS-                                                                                                                                 found in the Confessio  Belgicu  or Netherland Confes-
      As To Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 sion, Art. XXII. There we read:
             Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                   "We believe that, to attain the true knowledge of
                                                                                                                                            this great mystery, the Holy Ghost kindleth in our
THE  ,TRIPLE  KNOWLEDGE-                                                                                                                    hearts an upright faith, which embraces Jesus Christ,
      An Exposition Of The Heidelberg Catechism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
            Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                with all his merits, appropriates him, and seeks noth-
                                                                                                                                            ing more besides him. For it must needs follow, either
OUR  DOCTRINE-                                                                                                                              that all things, which are requisite to our salvation,
      The Omnipotence Of God . . . . ,..............................................:  . . . . . 57                                         are not in Jesus Christ, or if all things are in him, that
             Rev. H. Veldman                                                                                                                then those, who possess Jesus Christ through faith,
      Reply To Dr. K. Schilder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 have complete salvation in him. Therefore, for any
             Rev. G. M. Ophoff                                                                                                              to assert, that Christ is not sufficient, but that some:
SION'S  ZANGEN-                                                                                                                             thing more is required besides him, would be too gross
      Jehova Tot Adonai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 a blasphemy; for hence it would follow, that Christ
             Rev. G. Vos                                                                                                                    was but .half a Saviour. Therefore, we justly say with
FROM HOLY  WRIT-                                                                                                                            Paul, that we are justified by faith alone, or by. faith
      Exposition of Hebrews 12 :5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 without works. However, to speak more clearly, we
             Rev. G. Lubbers                                                                                                                do not mean that faith itself justifies us, for it is only
                                                                                                                                            an instrument with which we embrace Christ our
PERISCOPE-                                                                                                                                  Righteousness. But Jesus Christ, imputing to us all
      Appeal. . , . Comment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
            Rev. W. Hofman                                                                                                                  his merits, and so many holy works which he has done
                                                                                                                                            for us, and in our stead, is our Righteousness. And
                                                                                                                                            faith  is an instrument that keeps us in communion


                                    T H E    S T A N D A R D   BEARER                                              53

with him in all his benefits, which, when become ours,    in the wider sense, for the whole article speaks of
are more than sufficient to acquit us of our sins."       sanctification and good works.
   This article speaks of faith in Jesus Christ.                  But what demands our special attention in this con-
   And it speaks of it in such a way that all possibility nection is the fact that faith, and that, too, conscious
of presenting faith as a condition is ruled out.          faith, which is wrought through' the hearing of the
   Faith in its essence is a spiritual bond that unites Word of God, is here presented as part of our salvation,
us with Christ. The article emphasizes this in more given to us by the Holy Ghost. And again I maintain
than one way. For, first, it stresses the fact that all that part of our salvation cannot, at the same time, be
our salvation is in Christ, and that, therefore, we can condition which we must fulfill, or with which we must
derive it only from Him. Christ is our wisdom, right- comply, to obtain salvation.
eousness, sanctification, and complete redemption. He             The same note. is sounded throughout in the Canons
is our all. Hence, secondly, it is only in union  ,with of Dordrecht. We will quote a few passages from them
Him that we can be saved, and receive all the bless- just to show that, in our Confessions, faith is never
ings of grace. This union, it is emphasized thirdly, is presented as a condition with which we must comply in
established by faith. The article mentions this when order to obtain salvation, but always as a God-given
it says that "faith is an instrument that keeps us in means or instrument that unites us with Christ.
communion with him in all his benefits". And again,               This is plain already from some of the very first
faith "is only. an instrument with which we embrace articles of the Canons. In I, A, 4-6 we read:
Christ our Righteousness."' And once more, "to attain             "Art. 4. The wrath of God abideth upon those that
the knowledge of this great mystery, the Holy Ghost believe not this gospel. But such as receive it and
kindleth in our hearts an upright faith, which embraces embrace Jesus the Saviour by a true and living. faith,
Jesus Christ, with all his merits, appropriates him, are by him delivered from the wrath of God, and from
and seeks nothing more besides him."                      destruction, and have the gift of eternal life conferred
   From all this it is evident that faith is the spiritual upon them.
bond that unites us with Christ in Whom is all our                "Art. 5. The cause or guilt of this unbelief as well
salvation, the spiritual instrument with which it is pos- as of all other sins, is in no wise in God, but in man
sible for the regenerated sinner to cling to Christ, to himself; whereas faith in Jesus Christ, and salvation
embrace and appropriate Him, and thus to receive  all through him is the free gift of God, as it is written:
His benefits.                                             `By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of
   Moreover, the article emphasizes that this faith is yourselves, it is the gift. of God'. Eph. 2:8. `And unto
not of man. It is a God-ordained and God-given instru- you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to
ment, for "the Holy Ghost kindleth in our hearts an believe on him,' etc. Phil. 129.
upright faith."       The power or faculty of faith is            "Art. 6. That some receive the gift of faith from
wrought in the moment of regeneration, and active God, and others do not receive it, proceeds from God's
faith, which the article has in mind especially, is eternal decree, `For known unto God are all his works
wrought by the Spirit in our hearts through the preach- from the beginning of the world,' Acts 15 : 18. `Who
ing of the Word of God.                                   worketh all things after the counsel of His will,' Eph.
   Hence, it is plain from the whole article that faith 1 :ll. According to which decree, he graciously softens
is not the ground or reason, neither the meritorious the hearts of the elect, however obstinate, and inclines
cause of our salvation, nor a condition which man must them to believe ; while he leaves the non-elect in his
fulfill to obtain the same.                               just judgment to their own wickedness and obduracy,"
   The idea of condition is quite foreign to this article etc.
of our confession.                                                Now I ask, how can there possibly be room in the
   The same truth is clearly expressed in Art. XXIV above language for the notion that faith is a condition?
of the same Confession, which speaks of "Man's Sancti- The grace of faith is a free gift from God. Can, at the
fication and Good Works."                                  same time, faith be a condition with which we must
   To this article we must call attention in a later con- comply to receive that free gift of God? We feel that
nection when we treat of the relation between regenera- this is absurd. Faith, moreover flows from God's
tion, faith, sanctification, and good works as our "part" decree, and is bestowed only on the elect, while the rest
in the covenant of God. But here we must call special are hardened, or according to the infralapsarian term-
attention to the beginning of this article which reads inology of the Canons, are left "in his just judgment
as follows : "We believe that this true faith being to their own wickedness and obduracy." Is faith a
wrought in man by the hearing, of the Word of God, condition with which we must comply in order to be-
and the operation of the Holy Ghost, doth regenerate come elect? That would be Arminian indeed ! Besides,
and make him a new man", etc.                              the Canons teach us that faith flows from God's decree,
   It is evident that regeneration is here understood and is, therefore, an unconditional gift. Again, the


5        4                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

Canons teach us that, when God bestows that free gift of man." And Brake1 defines the covenant as: "An
of faith upon the elect sinner, He "graciously softens agreement or pact between God and the elect, in which
the hearts of the elect, however obstinate, and inclines God promises salvation and redemption, to which man
them to believe." Now, if man is by nature obdurate consents and which he accepts."
and wicked, he certainly can comply with no conditions            In the more recent Dutch theologians one finds a
unto salvation whatever. And if God must soften glimmer of deeper and richer notion of the covenant.
his heart, and incline him to believe, faith certainly Dr. A.  Iiuyper Sr. begins to emphasize the fundamental
can be no condition unto salvation, for that would truth that God is a covenant God in Himself and that
imply that he had faith before God softens his heart, the relation between the Three Persons of the Trinity
which again would mean that he comply with the con- is a covenant relation. He finds in this covenant life
dition of faith before he was inclined to believe, which of the triune Jehovah the basis for all covenant deal-
is an utter absurdity.                                         ings of God with man ; and he even speaks of the cove-
     I write thus in order to point out emphatically that, nant as a relation of friendship in which aGod eats and
in Reformed terminology the term "faith as a con- drinks with man and speaks with him as a man with
dition" simply has no room.                                    his brother, as a friend with his friend : "The establish-
     With that term you must needs sail under the flag ment of the ,covenant  is an act of friendship." Yet,
of Arminianism.                                                ultimately he does not transcend the notion of the
                      (to be continued)                        covenant as a means to an end, as an agreement or pact
                                                       H.H.    or alliance between God ind man. The idea of the
                                                               covenant is, according to him, expressed in the defini-
                                                               tion that it is an alliance between two parties against
                                                               a third. Also Dr. Bavinck emphasizes that the cove-
                                                               nant rests in the covenant life of God Himself:
                                                               "The covenant of redemption causes us to know the
     THE TRIPLE KNOWLEDGE                                      relation and the life of the Three Persons in the
                                                               divine Being as a covenant life; as a life of the high-
                                                               est consciousness and of the highest liberty. Here,
An Exposition Of The Heidelberg within the divine Being, the covenant has its full
                       Catechism                               reality."    He even finds in the covenant the very
                                                               essence of religion as fellowship with the living God.
                        PART TWO                               But also he ultimately considers the covenant as a
                                                               means to an end, as a way of salvation. The covenant
              O f   M a n ' s   R e d e m p t i o n            of grace "defines the way along which the elect shall
                   LORD'S DAY XXVII.                           reach their destination. It is the river-bed in which
                                                               the stream of election moves onward to eternal glory."
                               2.                              And Dr. Vos defines the covenant of grace as "the
        Different Views Of The Covenant. (cont.)               gracious pact between the offended God and the of-
                                                               fending sinner, in which God promises eternal life in
     The Dutch theologian, Petrus van  Mastricht,  defines the way of faith in Christ and the sinner accepts this
the covenant as: "An agreement between God and His believingly." And incidentally the same definition may
people, in which God promises salvation and ail the be found in the "Dogmatiek" of Prof. F. M. Ten Hoor.
benefits implied therein, and demands obedience to His             Perhaps it is not superfluous to devote a line or two
glory, and the Church on her part promises obedience to the covenant conception of the late Prof. W. Heyns,
to God and demands the reward of the promise." Ac- especially because the Reformed Churches (Art. 31))
cording to him the covenant is strictly bilateral, that is, or the so-called Liberated Churches, of the Nether-
it has two parties that enter into a mutual treaty, God lands favor the same covenant idea and have repeatedly
and the Church. Thus also Franciscus Turretinus: appealed to him as a sort of authority on the subject.
"Strictly and properly the covenant denotes a pact of According to Prof. Heyns the essence of the covenant
God with man, through which God promises His bless- is the promise "to be a God unto you". He must have
ings, particularly eternal life, to that one, and in like nothing of presumptive regeneration, for by this the
manner from man requires due obedience and loving very basis of assurance is removed upon which children
worship, certain external signs being employed for the of the covenant may claim that God has indeed estab-
sake of confirmation ; which is called bilateral- and lished His covenant with them, that He is their God,
mutual because it is established by a mutual obligation and that all the blessings of salvation are really theirs.
of the covenanting parties, here by promise on the part Hence, he seeks something positive, something objec-
oft God, there by keeping of the condition on the part tive, something that may be said about and to all the


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                         55

     children of the covenant that are born of believing elect. However, how they harmonize this with their
     ,parents,  something that is more than a supposition, insistence upon the view that on His part God promises
     that is, in fact, indubitably certain. This positive, the blessings of salvation to all, it is difficult to under-
     objectively certain ground he finds in the idea of the stand.
     promise of God. The very essence of the covenant he            Heyns presents his own solution of this problem.
     finds in the promise: "I will be your God." That in- According to him, all the children that are born of
     fants, as well as the adults are comprehended in the believing parents have "subjective grace, which a) is
     covenant of grace, therefore, means that theirs is the sufllcient in connection with spiritual labor bestowed
     promise of the covenant. The promise is for all the through the means of grace to bring forth good fruit
     children of believers, head for head, and soul for soul. of faith and obediencee,  so. that God judges that He
     God, in His part of the covenant, promises to all that has the most perfect right to expect -these  ; b) does not
     He establishes His eternal covenant of grace with them, exclude the possibility to bring forth wild grapes, when
     adopts them as His children and heirs, incorporates in spite of the most excellent labor bestowed upon him,
     them into Christ, gives them the forgiveness of sins the covenant child remains unfruitful, and therefore
     and eternal righteousness and life, that through His does not consist in saving grace ; c) is not in conflict
     Holy Spirit He will dwell in them, apply unto them all with the confession that the deepest ground of our sal-
     that they have in Christ, sanctify and preserve them, vation lies in election and that salvation shall be a
     until they "shall finally be presented without spot or work of God entirely. The outcome will not be the
     ' wrinkle among the assembly of the elect in life eternal." same in all, and the difference will be according to
     Here, then, is something  objebtive,  something ever- the council of God ; `the election  bath. obtained it,
     lastingly sure,-the promise of God. On the basis of and the rest were blinded.' Rom. 11 :`i'. How God in the
     this promise all the children of believers that are bap- ethical sphere executes His counsel without violating
     tized are really in the covenant. One does not deal in man's moral freedom and responsibility remains for us
     suppositions here, but in certainties. It is on the basis a profound riddle. d) But makes the covenant member
     of this certainty that the promise is for all the child- all the more responsible for his remaining unfruitful
     ren of believers that they are baptized.
.                                                Moreover, this and bringing forth of wild grapes, and threatens him
     promise is not to be identified with a mere "offer of with a more severe judgment. Scripture teaches accord-
     grace", such as comes to all that hear the gospel, ac- ingly that the covenant child that enjoyed the influence
     cording to Heyns. It is much more: it is a &quest  on of the work of the gospel is  left wholly without excuse."
     the part of God to all that are baptized. God bequeaths Cf. "Catechetics", 143-145).
     upon all the' children of believers all the blessings of       In brief, according to Heyns the promise of the
     salvation. He.gives  them the r%ght by testament to the covenant is objectively for all that are baptized. All
     riches of grace. And He solemnly seals this bequest, are given the right to the blessings of salvation. The
     this testament, this objective right to the forgiveness realization of this promise, however, depends on the
     of sins and eternal life, to them all by baptism.-          attitude of the covenant children : they must accept the
         But with this promise the  command'is  inseparably promise and walk in faith. And all receive sufficient
     connected : "Walk before me and be `upright." The grace to comply with the condition, yet so that they
     promise is conditional, and the condition connected can also refuse and be lost.
     with the promise is faith and repentance. `All have            I do not believe that in general the Liberated adopt
     the promise. On the part of God the bequest is made this view of Heyns concerning a certain preparatory
     to all by promise. God swears to all in baptism that grace. Yet they must still explain how it is possible
     their names are written in His testament. But the that the promise of salvation is on the part of God to
     blessings promised are applied only to those that ac- all the children that are born under the covenant, that
     cept the promise by faith.                                  God, also according to them, must realize this promise
         Such is the covenant conception of Prof. W. Heyns by His sovereign grace, and that yet many o&he cove-
     and, in the main, the theologians of  the. Reformed nant children are lost.
     Churches (Art. 31) of the Netherlands agree with this          But let us now, after this little excursion, return to
     view.                                                       the main line of our discussion.
         Of course, when one reads this view of the late            All the definitions of the covenant which we have
     Prof. Heyns, one cannot escape the impression that it discussed so far have this in common, that they describe
     is not Reformed,  but Arminian. And the leaders of the covenant as a means to an end, not as an end, the
     the Liberated Churches in the Netherlands have been highest end, in itself. They differ only in their denota-
     repeatedly accused of this heresy. But they emphatic- tion of the essence of the covenant, some emphasizing
     ally repudiate this accusation. They insist that one the idea of an agreement or pact or alliance, others
     can  believe and fulfill `the covenant condition only that of the promise, still others that of a way unto sal-
     through grace. And God works this grace only in the vation. They differ too in their description of  ,the


 56                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

 parties of the covenant and their relation to each other. ing grace and mercy. By grace man is put in a position
 According to some, the covenant is strictly unilateral. in which he is a party with God and is able to merit or
 According to others it is completely bilateral. While to obtain some higher good, particularly eternal life.
 still others prefer to speak of the covenant as unilateral But I object that' God cannot deny Himself, and that
 in its origin, but as bilateral in its operation. And, even by grace He cannot so condescend to man that
 again, some identify the covenant of redemption, the the latter becomes a party next to Him, even though
 pnctum salutis, with the covenant of grace ; while others the relation is presented as one between a very great
 consider the covenant of redemption as the basis for party and a very small one. Man can never have the
 the covenant of grace. Some insist that the covenant prerogative, or receive it from God, to make his  stipu-
 of grace is established with Christ; others call it a Iations and to demand eternal life on the basis of any-
 pact between the offended God and the offending sin- thing whatever that he has done or that he believes.
 ner. But always the covenant is essentially a means The declaration of the law, "Do this, and thou shalt
 to an end, a pact or agreement, and the essential ele- live",' is forever true, to be sure, because obedience is
 ments are always the promise of eternal life and the the sole way of God's favor, and in His favor is life.
 condition of faith and obedience.                           But it does not and can never mean that by keeping
       There are several grave and serious objections God's precepts man in the state of righteousness could
 against this presentation of the idea of the covenant. attain to that higher state which is called life eternal
 First of all, how can man ever be a party, a contract- and which is attainabIe only through the Son of God.
 ing party in relation to the living God? God is God, And it is true that in the covenant of grace, as in all '
 the Infinite, eternal, self-existent One. He is the Lord, covenants, there are indeed contained two parts and
 the absolute Sovereign, out of Whom and through that our part of the covenant is that we love the Lord
 Whom and unto Whom are all things. There is none our God with all our heart-and with all our mind and
 beside Him. And man is the creature, that owes all with all our soul and with all our strength ; but let me
 that he is and has, body and soul, all his powers and remind you, first of all, that "parts" is not the same
 talents, his entire existence, every moment, to his Lord as "parties", and secondly, that our part in the cove-
 and Creator. God is the Fount, and man  ii the creature nant is not a condition which we must fulfill in order
 that drinks from that Fount of all good. God is the all- to enter into the covenant of *God or to remain in it,
 sufficient 1 AM: man is completely and constantly de- but rather our expression as moral creatures of the
 pendent for his whole life and existence upon Him. covenant `relation which God establishes with us by
 There is no obligation man can assume, apart from His grace. The covenant is first established with us
 that which is incumbent upon him by reason of his through "God's part". And our part follows and is the
 being a creature to love the Lord his God with all his fruit of that gracious act of God.
 heart and with all his existence. He can bring nothing         Nor do we ever read in Scripture of a mutual trans-
 to God, Whose is all the silver and the gold and t&e action between God and man, in which God stipulates
 cattle on a thousand hills. He can do nothing for the certain conditions which man accepts and by fulfilling
 Most High, Who  .is perfectly self-sufficient. All the which he may make himself worthy of eternal life.
 good man has is a gift of grace, of free and sovereign The covenant of works is usually described as consist-
 favor, from his <God. Even if he may love and serve ing in a promise, a condition, and a penalty. This
 His creator, it is a gift of divine goodness for which promise is said to be eternal life, the condition is obedi-
t, man owes Him thanks. How then can the relation ence in regard to the probationary command not to eat
 of that creature to His Creator ever be or become an        of the forbidden tree, and the penalty is death. But
 agreement or pact according to which man may merit first of all, let it be noted that Scripture does not speak
 something higher than he has already attained, even one word in the first three chapters of Genesis of a
 eternal life. Shall I make an alliance with the worm mutual agreement between God and Adam. It is God
 that crawls at my feet? Can the man who owes me that acts, and He alone. He plants the tree of knowl-
 a thousand dollars merit some other good that I am edge of good and evil in the garden  ; and He gives
 able to bestow upon him by paying his debt? Can Adam the command ,"Thou shalt not eat of it." The
 man, then, be a contracting party with the Most High command is in no wise contingent upon Adam's agree-
 and merit anything with Him to Whom he owes all ? ment or consent. He is under the law. Secondly, the
 God forbid. The covenant between God and man can idea that God promised Adam eternal life in case he
 never be a pact, whether we call it the covenant of obeyed this command is pure f&ion: Scripture does
 works or the covenant of grace, with mutual stipula- not speak of such a promise, nor even suggest it. The
 tions, conditions, and promises.                            notion of such a promise. is deduced from the threat-
       Reformed theologians have felt this objection very ened penalty, death. It is argued that since death was
 keenly, and therefore they usually add that this form the penalty of disobedience, eternal life was the implied
 of dealing on the part.of  God is due to His condescend-    promise. And it may be granted: Adam would not


                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   BtiARER                                               57
have died, had he remained obedient to God's command. eating that He is His own party and that He al:me
But this does not imply that he would have attained to establishes His covenant. This is probably the reason
eterna1 life and to heavenly glory. He would have been why the word BERITH in the Hebrew is usually ren-
confirmed in the state of life in which he had already dered by the  <Greek  diathetxkee,  which emphasizes the
been created. Moreover, we may safely state that onesidedness of this covenant.
eternal life is  a form of fellowship with the living God                                                  H. H.
which Adam could never attain. It is a form of life
that requires for its basis the union of God and man
established in the incarnation of the Son of God and
that has its central realization in the resurrection of                 OUR DOCTRINE
Jesus Christ from the dead. No promise of eternal                                          ,
life, therefore, was, or could have been, extended to
Adam. Nor was the keeping of the probationary com-                   The Oinnipotence Of God
mand presented to him as a condition unto that higher,                              (continued)
heavenly life.
    Nor is that other manifestation of the, covenant,          God's Omnipotence Surely Unlimited and Absolute.
that is called the covenant of grace, ever presented  in        That. the Lord is truly omnipotent, almighty, is
Scripture as a pact or agreement. Uniformly we read already implied in the names which the Scriptures
that God establishes His covenant freely and absolutely. ascribe to Him. He is El and Elohim, the mighty God
When, after man had violated His covenant, He con- and the God Who is alone worthy to be feared and to
tinues and maintains it, He reveals this act of grace in receive all adoration and praise. Scripture also speaks
a  sovereign  declaration : "I will put enmity between of Him as El Shaddai, the Almighty One, Who is not
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her merely the mightiest but the almighty, the alone strong
seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise and mighty One.             Or, we read of Him as Adonai
his heel." Gen. 3 :15. On man's consent this realization (Lord) ; this name implies that the Lord, as the Creator
of the covenant depends in no wise. Both before and and Possessor of all the earth, has the sole right to
immediately after the flood the Lord says to Noah that command,  and man has none other calling but to obey.
He  .will establish His covenant with him and with his Hence, this name also signifies that the Lord is surely
seed : the covenant is God's, and He alone establishes it. able to enforce His demands and execute His will.
Gen. 6 :18 ; 9 : 11. The same expression is used to de- And, familiar, I am sure, to most of us is the name,
note God's covenant with Abraham, Gen. 17:7: "And El Tsebaoth `(Lord of hosts), unto Whom are subject
I will establish my covenant between me and thee and all the hosts of heaven and earth, also the hosts of
thy seed after thee in their generations for an ever- angels and the starry heavens, and who is therefore
lasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy exalted over all.
seed after thee." And thus it is presented throughout           In Jeremiah 32 : 18 we read of the Lord as the Great,
Scripture. Through Isaiah Jehovah says to His people : the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, "Thou  shewest
"I will make an everlasting covenant of peace with lovingkindness unto thousands, and  recompensest  the
you." Is. 55 :3. And through Jeremiah : "I will make iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children,
a new covenant with the house of Israel." Jer. 31:31;        after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of
Heb. 8:8-10. And the unilateral character of the cove- hosts, is His name": Job decIares  of Him in Job 9 :4:
nant is clearly revealed in the vision of Jehovah to "He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength : who hath
Abraham, recorded in Gen. 15 :9, f.f. Abraham is com- hardened himself against Him, and hath prospered?";
manded to take several sacrificial animals, divide them in Deut. 7:21 Moses comforts Israel with the words:
into halves, and lay the pieces in a row over against "Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the Lord
each other. Jehovah, then, under the symbols of a thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.";
smoking furnace and a burning lamp passes through in Isaiah 1$4 we read : "Therefore saith the Lord, the
the midst of the pieces. The meaning of this ritual of Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease
passing between the halves of the sacrificial animals Me of Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine ene-
must have been well-known to Abraham. It symb&-              mies :" ; in Job 36 :5 the writer declares : "Behold, God
ally expressed that the covenant was inviolably ratified is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in
and that he that so ratified it guaranteed it dvith his strength and wisdom." ; in Psalm  24:7-10 occur the
life, would rather go through death than ever annul it. well-known words : "Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates;
Now, while in performing this ceremony both the cove- and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King
nant parties  usuahy   wouid pass through the pieces of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory?
because the covenant could not be of one, in the vision The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in
of Gen. 15 the Lord alone performs this act, thus  indi-     battle. Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates  ; even lift them


58                                  T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall that the Lord is the Creator of all is also the constant
come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of testimony of the Scriptures, as e.g., in Gen. 1, "In the
hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah."; in Matt.  1195 beginning God created the heaven and the earth, f-f.";
our Lord Jesus Christ speaks of the Lord as "Father, in Is. 42 :5 : "Thus saith God the Lord, He hath created
Lord of heaven and earth." ; and in Rev. 1:8 we read :    the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread
"I am Alpha and ,Omega,  the beginning and the ending, forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He
saith the Lord, Which is, and Which was, and Which is that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit
to come, the Almighty." All of Holy Writ speaks of to them that walk therein :"-in Is. 44  :24 : "Thus saith
the Lord as the King of kings and Lord of lords, the the Lord, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from
great King, the Lord Almighty, the blessed and only the wormb, I am the Lord that maketh all things~: that
Potentate, Who alone possesses authority and supreme stretcheth forth the heavens alone ; that spreadeth
majesty, Who alone rules and does all things according abroad the earth by Myself ;"-in Is. 45 :l% : "I have
to the counsel of His will.                               made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My
      As the Almighty God He is the Creator of heaven hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their
and earth. Such is the continuous testimony, first of host have I Commanded."-in verse 18 : "For thus saith
all, of our Confessions. We read in our Heidelberg the Lord that created the heavens ; God Himself that
Catechism, Lord's Day 9, in answer to the question, formed the earth and made it; He hath established it,
"What believest thou when thou sapest, "I believe He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited :
in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and          I am the Lord ; and there is none else."-in Is. 48 :13 :
earth?" : "That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus "Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth,
Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with and My right hand hath spanned the heavens: when
all that .is in them : who likewise upholds and governs I call unto them, they stand up together-"-in Is. 51:13 :
the same by His eternal counsel and providence) is "And forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretch-
for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father; ed forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the
on Whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt, but     earth; and hast feared continually every day because
He will provide me with all things necessary for soul of the fury ,of the oppressor, as if he were ready to
and body: and further, that He will make whatever destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?"-and
evils He sends upon me, in this valley of tears, turn in  Zech.  12:l: "The burden of the word of the Lord
out to my advantage; for He is able to do it, being for Israel, saith the Lord, Which stretcheth forth the ,
Almighty God, and wilbng, being a faithful Father." heavens, and layeth the foundation of the -earth, and
And Article 12 of our Confession of Faith declares:       formeth the spirit of man within him." Moreover,
"We believe that the Father, by the Word, that is, by the Lord also maintains their ordinances. This, e.g.,
His Son, hath created of nothing, the heaven, the         is taught us in various passages in the prophecy of
earth, and all creatures, as it seemed good unto Him, Jeremiah, as in 5 :2 : "Fear ye not Me? saith the Lord:
giving unto every creature its being, shape, form, and will ye not tremble at My presence, which have  plaked
several offices to serve its Creator. That He doth also the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual deeree,
still uphold and govern them by His eternal providence, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof
and infinite power, for the service of mankind, to the toss themselves, yet can they not prevail  ; though they
end that man may serve his God. He also created the roar, yet can they not pass over it?-in 10  :lO: "But
angels good, to be His messengers and to. serve His the Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an
elect; some of whom are fallen from that excellency everlasting king: at His wrath the earth shall tremble,
in which God created them, into, everlasting perdition; and the nations shall not be able to abide His indigna-
and the others have, by the grace of God, remained tion."-in 14  :22  : "Are there any among the vanities
steadfast and continued in their primitive state. The of the Gentiles, that can cause rain? or can the heavens
devils and evil spirits are so depraved, that they are give showers? art not Thou He, 0 Lord our God?
enemies of God, and every good thing, to the utmost therefore we will wait upon Thee: for Thou hast made
of their power, as murderers, watching to ruin the all these things."-in  27:5: "I have made the earth,
Church and every member thereof, and by their wicked the man and the beast that are upon the ground, `by
strategems  to destroy all; and are, therefore, by their My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have
own wickedness, adjudged to eternal damnation, daily given it unto whom it seemed meet unto Me."-in
expecting their horribIe  torments. Therefore we re- 31:35  : "Thus saith the Lord, Which giveth the sun for
ject and abhor the error of the Sadducees,  who deny a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of
the existence of Spirits and angels: and also that of the stars for a light by night, Which divideth the'sea
the Manichees, who assert that the devils have their when the waves  ,thereof  roar; The Lord of hosts is
origin of themselves, and that they are wicked of their His name." And in Amos 4 :13 we are told :' "For, lo,
own nature, without having been corrupted." And He that formeth the mountains and createth the  wind,


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                        59

 and declareth unto man what is his thought, that mak-           Again, nothing is too wonderful for Him, all things
 eth the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high are possible for and by Him. Also this truth is every-
 places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is where taught in the Scriptures, as, e.g., in Gen. 18 :14 :
 His name."                                                  "Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time ap-
    -4s the Omnipotent One the Lord has absolute con- pointed I will return unto thee, according to the time
 trol of all things, also the powers of evil. He renders of life, and Sarah shall have a son."-in Jer.  32:27:
 dumb and enables one to speak, kills and makes alive, "Behold, I am the Lord, the *God of all flesh: is there
 redeems and destroys. This is the teaching of the any thing too hard for Me?"-in  Zech.  8:6: "Thus
 Word of God, e.g., in Ex. 4 :ll : "And the Lord said saith the Lord of hosts ; If it be marvellous in the eyes
 unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who  mak-           of the remnant of this people in these days, should it
r eth the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have also be marvellous in Mine eyes? saith the Lord of
 not I the Lord?"-in Deut.  32:39:  `See now that I, hosts."-in  Matt. 19  :26 : "But Jesus beheld them, and
 even 1, am He, and there is no god with Me: I kill, and     said unto them, With men this is impossible ; but with
 I make alive ; I wound, and I heal : neither is there any God all things are possible."-Luke  1:37 : "For with
 that can deliver out of My hand.`-1  Sam. -2  :6 : "The God nothing shall be impossible." And, according. to
 Lord killeth, and maketh alive: He bringeth down to Is. 45:8 the Lord created the day and the night, the
 the grave, and bringeth up."-in II Kings 5 :7 : "And light and the darkness, f`1 form the light, and create
 it came to pass when the king of Israel had read the darkness : I make peace, and create evil : I the Lord do
 letter, that he rent his clothes and said, Am I God, to all these things."
 kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me        The Lord also does all His good pleasure. This,
 to recover a man of leprosy? wherefore consider, I too, is taught throughout Scripture, as e.g., in Psalm
 pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against          115:3: "But our God is in the heavens: He hath done
 me-"-in Exodus 15,--in Deut. 26 :8,29 :2,32 :12 : "And whatsoever He hath pleased."-in Is. 14  :24 : "The Lord
 the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought,
 hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great so shall it come to pass ; and as I have purposed, so
 terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders . . .        shall it stand."-and in verse 27: "For the Lord of
 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, hosts purposed, and who shall disannul it? and His
 Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?"
 in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his -and in -Is. 46:lO this remarkable passage: "Declar-
 servants, and unto all his land . . . So the Lord alone ing the end from the beginning, and from ancient times
 did lead him, and there was no strange god with him." the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel
 -in I Sam.  14:6: "And Jonathan said to the yo.:n,r shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure."-and in
 man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over unto Is. 55 :10-I.1  : "For, as the rain cometh down, and the         .
 the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but
 the Lord will work for us; for there is no restraint to     watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud,
 the Lord to save by many or by few."-in Hoses 13 :14 :      that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the
 "I will ransom them from the power of the grate ;           eater: So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My
 I will redeem them from death: 0 death, I will be thy       mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall
 plague: 0 grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in
 shall be hid from Mine eyes."-in Matt. 10 :28: "And the thing whereto I send it."
 fear not them which kill the body, but are not able i-o        And, finally, none can summon Him. This is the
 kill the soul : but rather fear him which is. able to de- teaching of the Word of God in Jer. 49:19 where we
 stroy both soul and body in hell,"-and in Luke 12  :20 :    read : "Behold, he shah come up like a lion from the
 "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul swelling of Jordan against the habitation of the  stPong,:
 shall be required of-thee: then whose shall those things but I will suddenly make him run away from her: and
be, which thou hast provided?"                               who is a, chosen man, that I may appoint .over- her?
    Also, nothing can resist the Lord. This, too, is for who is like Me? and who will appoint Me the time?
verified by Holy Writ, as, e.g., in the Psalms 8, 18, 19,    and who is that shepherd that will stand before Me?"
29, 33;  l,O+tj Job 1, 2,  5:9-2'7, and in Rom. 9 :19-21:    This same thought is expressed in* Jer. 50 :44.
"Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find                                           -  .
fault? For who hath resisted His will? Nay, but, 0           Above  Ail, His Power Is Revealed In  56he  Worki.
man, who art thou that  replies+  against God? Shall                            Of Redemption.  '
t.he things formed say to him that formed it, Why hast          This almighty power the living God revealed in
Thou made me thus? Hath not the potter. power over the resurrection of Jesus Christ, according to Scrip-
the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto ture, Rom. 1:4 and Eph. 1:20: "And declared to be the
honour, and another unto dishonour?"                         Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holi-


60                             <t  "l'?
                               /  iwgTHE  S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

ness, by the resurrection from the dead . . . Which Salvation, and glory, and honour and power unto the
He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the Lord our God."
dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heaven-
ly places." This Divine power is also revealed in the            God Is Almighty, Able To Do All Things, But In
operation and the strengthening of faith, according                   Harmony With  His Being  Atnd Will.
to Rom. 16 :25 and Eph. 1: 19 : "Now to Him that is of            Some have defined the power of God thus that
power to stablish you according to My gospel, and the God not only can do all He-wills, but that He can also
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation will anything ,and everything. And the attempts have
of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world been made in the past to prove that He can do anything,
began, . . . And what is the exceeding greatness of also in the sense that He can effect contradictions, etc.
His power to -us-ward who believe, according to the God, then, is able to sin, suffer, err, can become. a stone  i
working of His mighty power." Moreover, the living or an animal, can perform contradictory things, can
God reveals His mighty power in the giving of grace make false that which is true, true that which is false,
above what we pray and think, as we read in Eph. etc. Also, in connection with the omnipotence of God,
3:20: "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding the question has been discussed at length whether God's
abundantly above all that we ask or think, according power is limited to His counsel, to the things, there-
to, the power that worketh in us.", or in II Cor. 9 :8 : fore, which shall happen, or whether the power of the
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you ; Lord also extends beyond His decree or counsel. Is
that ye, always having all  sufliciency in all things, the power of God limited to what He actually accom-
may abound to every good work," and in II Pet. 1:3: plishes, or can He .also  do other things than the things
"According as His Divine power hath given unto us which actually occur?
all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through          In answer to the above questions, we would answer,
the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and in the first place, that the Scripture surely speaks of
virtue."' And, the almighty God will finally reveal His many things which the Lord cannot do. The Lord can-
almighty power in the resurrection at the last day, not lie, repent, change, be tempted, deny Himself.
according to the Word of God in John 5 :26-29: "For Secondly, it is surely Scriptural that the power of the
as the Father hath life in Himself : so hath He given living God extends beyond that which is actually real-
to the Son to have life in Himself; And hath given ized. Christian theology according to H. Bavinck, have
Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is always clung to this opinion. This is based upon pas-
the Son of man. Marvel not at this : for the hour is sages such as Jer. 32:27  and Matt. 19 :26, where we
coming, in the which all that are in. the graves shall read : "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh:
hear His voice, And shall come forth ; they that have is there anything too hard for Me? . . . But Jesus
done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and they that beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is
have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."           impossible ; but with God all things are possible."
      In one word, His is the power, Psalm 62  :11: `qGod And, thirdly, to speculate as to what God can do above
hath spoken once ; twice have I heard this ; that power and beyond His counsel is surely idle speculation. Fact
belongeth unto God," and unto Him must be ascribed is, the Lord, in that counsel, was prompted by the
all the power and the strength, according to Ps. 96 :7 : virtue of the greatest and highest wisdom. The counsel
"Give unto the Lord, 0 ye  kindreds  of the people, give is surely the expression of that greatest wisdom of
unto the Lord glory and strength," in Rev. 4 : 11: "Thou God. In that counsel the Lord willed the glory of His
art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and honour and Name, as revealed in Jesus Christ, His Son and our
power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy Lord. Also, in that counsel sin, the devil, and all the
pleasure they are and were created," in Rev. 5  :12-13  :      power of evil and darkness have been comprehended.
"Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that Bnd,  with respect to the realization of that counsel,
was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, in harmony with the perfections of His eternal and
and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. infinite Being, God's power is surely absolute, so that
And every creature which is in heaven and on the . He does not merely rule over all things and creatures,
earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, but also actually uses all things as instruments in His
and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and hand unto the realization of His eternal counsel and
honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitfeth kingdom. And it is because of this supremely com-
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever," forting truth that the Church of God can exclaim with
and in Rev. 7 :12 and 19 :l : "Saying, Amen : Blessing, the apostle, Paul: "Or who hath first given to Him,
and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of
and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things:
ever. Amen . . . And after these things I heard a to Whom be glory for ever. Amen."
great voice of much people in heaven,  saying,  Alleluia  ;                                         H. Veldman.


                                      T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                           61

        Reply To Prof. K. Schilder                            tence-element  in my writing. It means that what the
                                                              professor tells his readers in the above-cited paragraph
                                                              from his pen is that I take it ill of the brethren De Jong
      My publishing the letter of Prof. Holwerda in the and Kok that they differentiate between the official
  Standard Bearer of August 1, drew from the pen of doctrine of the Protestant Reformed and the covenant-
  Prof. K. Schilder of Kampen, Netherlands, a brief theology, the dogmatical construction, the coherent
  series of articles. They may be found in De  Refor- opinions, the thetical view about everything and still
  matie for Aug. 20, 27, and Sept. 3. I have need of something of Prof. Hoeksema. In other words, ac-
  replying especially to the statements of the second cording to the professor my stand as revealed in that
instalment of the series.                                     article from my pen is that all Rev. Hoeksema's dog-
      The professor sets out with the statement (I trans- matical constructions, opinions, coherent opinions,
  late), "In his article, already brought up for discussion thetical views about everything and yet something are
  last week, Rev. Ophoff wants to make plain that the official doctrine in the communion of Protestant Re-
  ministers De Jong and Kok, who have just been in formed churches, just because Rev. Hoeksema holds
  our country, and there knew how to awaken for the them.
  Protestant Reformed Churches a sympathy so warm,               That, to be sure, is absurd. The professor cannot
  really grievously offended nevertheless, when they point to a single statement in my articles that can
  knew how to  :make a clear distinction between the justify his telling his readers there in the Netherlands
  dogmatical construction of Prof. Hoeksema and the that such is my stand. Here is what I wrote, "Accord-
  official doctrine of the Prot. Reformed churches."          ing to the report of the professor (Holwerda) , the
      Reply. What the professor here states is not true. Revs. De'Jong and Kok had the habit of speaking of
  Allow me to make this plain. I am supposed to take it the covenant-theology of the Protestant Reformed as
  ill of the brethren that they differentiated between the theology of Rev. Hoeksema, as if it were his private
  the dogmatical construction of Rev. Hoeksema and the conception and personal. possession and therefore not
  official doctrine of the Protestant Reformed.         The binding on the churches. . . . But. that is not true.
  term "dogmatical construction" does not appear in It is the covenant-theology of the Protestant Reformed,
  my article. The term I use is "covenant-theology" their unwritten creed, officially adopted, and therefore
   (of Rev. Hoeksema) . In the sequel of his article the binding indeed."
  -professor uses still other terms as substitutes for the        Here in this statement of mine appears the term
   one I use, namely the following : 1) opinion (meening)     "covenant-theology" (of Rev. Hoeksema) . How was I
   in the sentence from his pen, "Rightly considered, using that expression? Simply as the signification of
   Rev. Ophoff and Prof. Hoeksema and no matter whom the proposition that the promises  of  God are  given  only
  would be done an injustice, should it dare be main- to the elect. Of course, the proposition does not stand
   tained that their opinion (meening) was binding." alone. It is surrounded by and related to a number of
   2) coherent opinion (samenhangende meening) in the other propositions with which it stands or falls, and in
   sentence, "Theology is a heavy word ; in this connec- union piith which it stands out in the minds of the
   tion (in connection with the word cov'enunt,  the pro- Protestant Reformed as the only true covenant-theology
   fessor means) it denotes at least a coherent view". of the Scriptures. That I was using the term in the
   3) thetical view about everything and still something sense just explained is overly plain from my articles.
   (thetische beschouwing over alles en nog wat) in the           So, then, the fact of the matter is this: I took it ill
   sentence, "I suspect that he, himself (Prof. Hoeksema)     of ,the brethren Kok and De Jong for their saying over
   would say, what  1 (Prof. Schilder) too, would declare : there in the Netherlands-according to the report of
   I have refused to subscribe the three points, because I Prof. Holwerda-that Rev. Hoeksema's doctrine or
   did not find them reformed; but it was not necessary teaching to the effect that the promises of God are
   that my thetical view about everything and still some- given only to the elect is not the official doctrine of the
   thing become implicated. . . . (maar mijn thetische Protestant Reformed. And why do I take this ill of
   beschouwing over alles en nog wat behoefde daarbij the brethren? Because all Rev. Hoeksema's dogmatical
   niet in geding te komen) ."                                construction, all his opinions, all his coherent opinions,
      These, then, are the various terms that the pro- all his thetical views "over.alles  en nog wat" of the past,
   fessor uses as substitutes for  c`covenant-theology",  the present and future are official doctrine in the com-
   term that I used. It tells us what the term "covenant- munion of the Protestant Reformed just because they
   theology" means in the vocabulary of the professor. are the thetical views of Rev. Hoeksema? That, ac-
   It means : 1) dogmatical structure ; 2) opinion ; 3) co- cording to the professor is what I am telling the people.
   herent opinion ; 4) "thetical view about everything and That, according to the professor, is really the thrust
   still something. And all these meanings the professor of my article? Of course, I tell the people no such
   imposes upon the term "covenant-theology" us a sen- thing in that article. I tell them this: that Rev. Hoek-


62                                   T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

sema's covenant-theology is official doctrine in our from what he next writes (quote), "Yes, but so Rev.
communion because we officially adopted it some twenty Ophoff observes, on page 472, column 2, so matters
six years ago now.                                         do not stand. The covenant-theology of Rev. Hoeksema
      The professor knows this right well as appears is the covenant-theology of the Protestant Reformed
from the sequel of his article. Yet he continues, "To churches. The unwritten creed of these churches (not
my amazement (mark you, to his amazement) Rev. brought into form, thus unwritten). Nevertheless
Ophoff takes it ill (of the brethren Kok and De Jong) .    (desondanks) officially adopted, and therefore binding
To my amazement I say. . .  ." Why should it so indeed."
amaze the professor that I take it ill of the brethren        Take notice of the clause from the professor's pen,
Kok and De Jong that (according to the report of Prof. "nevertheless officially adopted." See how well the
Holwerda) they said over there in the Netherlands that professor knows the facts!  Yet I have fault to find
Rev. Hoeksema's view, covenant-doctrine is official doc- with the professor here. I  don? like it the way he
trine in our communion, seeing  that we officially treats my pen. He puts statements into it that I did
adopted it? I don't understand. Certainly, the pro- no make in my article. Mark the statement, "The
fessor's amazement is self-induced. This again is unwritten creed of these churches (not brought into
proved by what he next writes (quote), "for on my form, thus unwritten) nevertheless (desondanks)  ofllc-
part I would take it ill were it being said in America ially adopted, and therefore binding indeed." Here
that I were such a fool as to want to bind people to the professor gives to my statement a turn that it does
my dogmatical constructions."                              not have. I particularly have reference  *to the adverb
      Of course, it would also be utterly impossible for "nevertheless" (desondanks) . The adverb does not
the professor to bind people to his dogmatical construc- occur in my writing. Here is my statement, "It is the
tions over there in the Netherlands. And the reason covenant-theology of the Protestant Reformed, their
is simple. The professor is not an officebearer vested unwritten creed, officially adopted, and therefore bind-
like the pope in the Roman communion with the power ing indeed." This sentence from my pen, as twisted
of excommunication over all the members of his com- by the professor, is calculated to cause his readers to
munion. The professor is not the church in the eyes cry out in astonishment and bewilderment: "Well!
of his people. This being true, he could not bind people Well ! Well ! unwritten-that covenant-theology of Rev.
to his dogmatical constructions, though he so desired. Hoeksema-nevertheless officially adopted ! Who ever
I do, therefore, believe that the professor has excellent heard of the likes of such a thing.                           .
reasons for saying that he would take it ill were it          But what is fact here? Fact is that the covenant-
being said in America that he was such a fool as to theology of Rev. Hoeksema was written and as writ-
want to bind people to his dogmatical constructions.       ten officially adopted. It was written, firstly, in our
                                                           hearts and still is. This, of course, is essential. For
      But now I have a question. Who is saying here in a creed written on paper but not written in the heart
America that Rev. Hoeksema is such a fool that he is in a subjective point of view worthless, be it ever
wants to bind people to his dogmatical constructions, so sound objectively. Second, that covenant-theology
as if such a thing were possible for him in our com- of Rev. Hoeksema was also written on paper, thus
munion? The professor points his accusing finger at objectivated by the written word. Consider the follow-
me, doing so, however, without me having furnished ing. The Christian Reformed Synod of 1924 officially
him with any grounds whatever in my article. What declared in the first of the three famous points that
a fool I would be should I be saying such a thing. And the preaching of the Gospel is grace for all including
what an untruth I would be telling! For what are the reprobate, thus declared virtually that the prom-
the facts? They already have been stated. Allow me ises of God are given to all, elect and non-elect alike.
to repeat them. Twenty-six years ago now our people Our three original consistories officially decided to
as headed by their consistories voluntarily, by their allow themselves to be deposed rather than subscribe
own free choice, and certainly by the unction of the that. doctrine, and thereby certainly and this of neces-
Spirit, we believe, officially rejected the Heynsian view sity officially decided to adhere and maintain the logical
of the covenant and thereby of necessity adopted the contrary of that doctrine, which is, that the promises
logical contrary of that view-the view held, proclaim- of God are given only to the elect. This decision was
ed, and taught by Rev. Hoeksema. True, he was the written in the official minutes of our three original
leader in.thought of that movement. But every refor- consistories. Further, the theology in question has
mation in the church had its leaders, didn't it? They been spread, so to speak, over the pages of the mass
were God's gifts to His people, weren't they?              of literature produced by Rev. Hoeksema through the
      Such are the facts. Why then that amazement on years ; and most of it has been officially adopted by our
the part of the professorr? I can't understand it. For Synods for distribution. So, then, that "creed" was
he. is well acquainted with the facts as appears also officially adopted not only but it was adopted as  written,


                                          TH,E    S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                      63

  surely. Let, therefore, no one reproach us for having professor replies, "I surmise  (ik vermoed) that he
  adopted an  unwritten  creed.                               would say, what I, too, would declare: I have refused
    But if that is true, why, then, did I refer to this       to subscribe the three points in that I found these
  creed as unwritten? The reason is simple. As yet points not to be reformed, but it was not necessary
  no one-consistories or common members through their that my ,thetical view over `alles en nog wat' become
  consistories-has appeared on our Synod with a writ- implicated," that is, in signing those points I was not,
  ten statement to the effect that the promises of God either actually or as to my intention, binding myself
  are given only unto the elect, and overtured Synod to and the churches to my thetical view over `alles en nog
  adopt that written credal declaration. Hence, as yet wat". The professor surmizes, conjectures that such
  it has not been done. Nor is this necessary, I believe. would be Rev. Hoeksema's answer. But it was not
  For virtually it already has been done, as I have. just necessary that he take recourse to conjecture in fram-
  made plain. Second, that the promises of God are ing that answer. He safely could have spoken with
  given only to the elect is, according to our firmest con- absolute confidence. For such would be Rev.  Hoek-
  viction the plain teaching of our three forms of unity, sema's answer. indeed, were that question put to him;
  so that, as often as we subscribe the Formula of Sub- and this for two reasons : 1) such a thing as a thetical
  scription we officially subscribe the covenant-theology view "over alles en nog zoaf' is strictly a nonentity.
  in question,-that written creed.                            It does not exist conceptionally in anybody's brain. It
     The professor continues, "These rather amazing can't. 2) As already has been stated, Rev. Hoeksema
  statements (the professor simply can't  ,stop being had no power to bind the churches to anything at all.
  amazed) cause me to ask: what have we here anyway?             Let us' attend to the rest of the answer that the
  Theology is a heavy word ; in this connection it is at professor lays on Rev. Hoeksema's tongue in reply to
  least: a coherent view." Allow me to remark that the above question. It reads (quote), "For I have re-
  views, systems of thought, to be worth their salt, must pudiated the three points in that to my mind (the
  be coherent. Our covenant-theology is coherent, per-        professor should have added: and according to my
  ectly so. It is not self-destructive by reason of its firm conviction) they militate against the existing
  inner logical conflicts. It is free from all such con- CONFESSION that you can read over because that is
  flicts. It hangs together logically.                        a written creed, and with my unwritten creed neither
     The professor continues, "Whether collega Hoek- my accusers , nor my brethren, who continue to ac-
  sema himself could declare that his view of the pre- knowledge me as an office bearer, nor the children of
  sent time in all its subordinate parts exactly corres- these brethren and sisters, whom I still hope to bap-
  ponds, also as. to its connecting-lines, with that which tize, have anything to do ; we bind each other to written
  he had at the moment when with spirit and with forms and not to our unwritten creeds."
  strength he refused to subscribe the Three Points,             I don't believe I ever read anything in my life with
  the Three Points set before him in  1924?"                  which I more thoroughly agreed than with what the
     Reply. From the sequel of the professor's article professor here states, provided he means by Rev. Hoek-
  it is plain that what he means by a man's-any man's-        sew&s unwritten creed his  thebical  view "over alles en
  view is his thetical view "over alles en nog wat;" so nog wat." But I do not agree ,with the professor if by
  that the question that he here puts is really this, Rev. Hoeksema's unwritten creed he means his cove-
  namely, whether collega Hoeksema would say, if asked, nant-theology, the proposition that the promises of
  that his thetical view "over alles en nog  wat"  of God are given.only to the elect. For that creed is writ-
  the present time exactly corresponds with his theti- ten, as we have aIready explained. And it is official
  cal view "over alles en nog wat" to which he held doctrine in our communion. And the professor agrees.
  at the moment that he with such spirit and strength For he has Rev. Hoeksema say that he repudiated-
refused to subscribe the three points. The professor's officially repudiated, of course, he and his  brethren-
  implied answer is : Certainly, collega `Hoeksema would the three points in that to his mind they militated
  maintain no such thing. Surely, the professor is cor- against the existing confession-our Three  %orms  of
  rect. For "alles" already includes absolutely all things Unity-implying, of course, that the logical contrary
  that be. Yet to this the professor adds "nog wat". of these points-definitely the teaching that the prom-
  What brain, however collosal, could at any time even ises of God are given only to the elect-is the plain
  conceive a thetical view "over alles en nog  wat".          teaching of those Forms, and therefore just as well
     And so the professor then means to ask : Well, then, written, official ,and binding. Of course, I take it that
  was collega Hoeksema in signing the three points some the professor himself believes what he has Rev.  Hoek-
  twenty-six years ago binding himself and the churches sema say here.
  either temporarily or permanently or both to his theti-       , How well the professor is ac !,uainted  with the facts
  cal view over "alles en nog wat?" What would collega in our case, again appears from what he next writes
 Hoeksema say, were the question put to him? The              (quote). "Indeed, but, says Rev. Ophoff, in 1924 the


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64                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
            -
Synod that expelled us adopted three points. And the point that also the Liberated (Separatists) of  1834
they wanted to bind us to them, and that we refused. had no theology of their own, but simply wanted to
Excellent. Now in those three points was also implied return to the Canons of Dort. That I found to be their
the covenant-theology of Prof. Heyns. .They were but honor. And I would not like to see that diploma of
three points, three postulates, three declarations, three honor kept from the Liberated of 1944, who are no
propositions. But implied in them is a theology. When,    robbers of the liberty of others."
therefore, the ones who were first expelled refused to            Also this statement from the professor's pen is
subscribe the three points, they thereby repudiated the anything but explicit. The Liberated also of. 1944 re-
theology of Heyns and, rightly considered, also the turned to the Confession--our three Forms of Unity.
theology of the Liberated. . . . of 1924."                That is all they did, all they wanted to do. So the pro-
      The professor's ability to lay on my tongue a speech fessor. But their returning to those Forms implied,
of that..content.  only shows how well acquainted he is certainly, a repudiation on their part' of a counter
with thehistory of our origin as a communion of Pro- creed, view, doctrine. What was that doctrine, view?
testant Reformed churches. And he also knows how to Was it the "thing" that the professor says that he does
rightly interpret it, as his statements that in rejecting not know; that teaching to the effect that the promises
the three points we rejected the Heynsian theology and of God are given to elect and non-elect alike? Anyone
with it the theology of the Liberated, that is, of course, not acquainted with the facts would have to conclude
the- covenant-theology of Heyns, the proposition that from the manner of the professor's writing that it is
the promises of God are given .ta elect and non-elect precisely thut "thing". But the facts are well known.
alike, (not, of course, the thetical view "over alles en The doctrine repudiated, the "thing", that the professor
nog wat" of Prof Heyns and the Liberated, as the pro- actually knows not, is the teaching that the promises
fessor tells his readers in the sequel of his article). of God are given to the elect only. And the "thing"
It is as the professor makes me to say: both those returned to is the teaching, the view, that the promises
theologies we rejected at the time. For according  to of God are given to elect and none-elect (born in the
our firm conviction, they are one and the same theol- historical line of the covenant) alike,-the Heynsian
ogy, so that in rejecting the one, we rejected the other. view, the theology of the Liberated today. So the pro-
That, indeed is our contention, so that the professor fessor must not tell us that he knows not that "thing".
did not put anything into my mouth that I spew out.       He and his brethren do know that "thing" indeed.
How can I, if it already was in my heart as a thing of    They do have a theology of their own. It is that
firmest conviction.                            .-'        "thing", that teaching, that the promises of God are
      But now the professor makes a surprising state- given to elect and non-elect alike. It is not ours ; it is
ment (quote), "Now this time I am not going to say a not the Synodical's ; it is theirs ; (yet it is also the
word about the theology of the Liberated of 1944."' Sfiodical's. I think now of their doctrine of the  well-
(The covenant-theology of the Liberated, the professor meaning offer of salvation unto all). There is, then,
means to say,-the teaching that the promises of God indeed such a "thing': as a Liberated theology. And
are given to baptized elect and non-elect alike). I the professor and his brethren know that theology.
know not that thing. (I ken dat ding niet). These It has the love of their hearts even to the extent that
are the professor's very words. But there is more to rather than sign its logical contrary-the doctrine that
say. Judging from what the professor next tells us, the promises .of God are given to the elect only-they.
all the Liberated brethren do as he does. They know allowed themselves to be deposed in their office.
not that "thing". Take notice of this statement from              Yet the professor's denial, his telling his readers
the professor's pen, "And I opine that I do know some- that all he and his brethren did, meant to do, is to
thing about what is going on among us." What the return to the Confession has significance nevertheless.
professor means to be telling us here is that in stating It is most revealing. It shows that to their minds the
that he knows not that "thing" he voices the sentiment    CONFESSION and that "thing", of theirs are one and
of the Liberated brethren in general. There is this the same. It shows that this "thing' `is their interpre-
question: what does the professor, what do the Liber- tation of the CONFESSION. This being true, how
ated mean in saying that they know not that "thing". can the professor state that the Liberated of 1944 are
Is it this: that he and they deem the Liberated  view- not robbers of the freedom of others? What he means
the teaching that the promises of God are given to is that this "thing" is not official doctrine in his com-
elect and non-elect alike-unscriptural and on that munion and therefore not binding; that anybody as
account worthy of -repudiation? Hardly that, cer- a member of his communion may repudiate it, if he
tainly. The professor should have explained. That he likes, and hold the contrary "thing". But how can
neglects to do. But he does say, "In fact in 1924 I this be allowed if that "thing" of theirs and the con-
gave an official lecture per radio from  Kampen,  the CONFESSION are one and the same? Ought the re-
TheologicaI  school (Hoogeschool) , in which I argued pudiation of the Confession be allowed in a communion


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                             65

of churches? Can that be to its honor? If so,' what
then can be its shame?                                                        .
    Here follows the line of thought of the professor's                            S I O N ' S   Z A N G E N
article, the second half of which I must still treat.
    The professor charges me with two'follies:
    1. My saying that Rev. Hoeksema's dogmatic struc-                                Jehova Tot Adonai'
ture, opinion, coherent view, thetical view "over alles                                 (Psalm 110 ; Eerste,Deel)
en nog  wat" is  official doctrine in our communion just                   We zijn toegekomen in den Psalmbundel aan een
because it is Rev. Hoeksema's view and through the Psalm die zeer rijk van inhoud is, en daarom dan ook
success that he had in binding it on our people.                       tamelijk zwaar is om te verklaren. We hebben hier
    2. My saying that Rev. Hoeksema's covenant-theol- te doen met de uitgezochtsle spijze der ziele.. De Pgalm
ogy was unwritten and as unwritten officially adopted schittert en fonkelt van louter schoonheid. IIij is kosy-
by the Protestant Reformed ; and my saying that the baarder dan het fijnste goud van Ofir. Het gaat in
Protestant Reformed in their rejection of the three den Psalm over den Messias dien God Zich verkoren
points repudiated the covenant-theology of Prof. Heyns. heeft.
 (It is plain that I can't very well be guilty of both                     Dat zal dan oak we1 de reden  zijn waarom hij vaak
follies under 1 and 2.)                                                aangehaald wordt in het Nieuwe Testament. Jezus
    The professor tells his readers that if what I say Zelf haalt hem aan in Zijn twistgesprek  met de Fari-
 (under 2) were true, the Protestant Reformed officially zeen ; en Hij legt hen met den aanhef van dezen Psahn
adopted Rev. Hoeksema's unwritten dogmatic struc- het zwijgen op. Van dien dag af durfden zij Hem niets
ture, opinion, coherent view, "over alles en nog wat",                 vragen.
and rejected Prof. Heyns' dogmatic structure, opinion,                     De Psalm spreekt van de ongekende glorie van
coherent view, thetical view "over alles en nog wat".                  den Messias. Het gaat in dezen Psalm over wat Jehova
    Fact, therefore, must be, says the professor, that zegt tot  onzen  Adonai.
all that the Protestant Reformed have is the Confes-                       0, David heeft Hem gezien ! Da Costa .jubelt : Ik
sion, the Three Forms of Unity that can be read, and zag Hem, ik gaf mij ! De he1 is geweken ; de hemel
not the unwritten creed, covenant-theology, of Rev. ging op uit Uw Woord in mijn ziel !
Hoeksema ; and that all they rejected is the three                         Da Costa helpt ons op het goede spoor: We zouden
points and not the covenant-theology of Heyns.                         onzen  Heer en Meester nooit gezien hebben tot hemel-
    Such is the line of thought of the professor's article. sche genietingen, indien David Hem niet eerst gezien
It's a rather clever argument but as untrue as it is had, en dat visioen vastgelegd  had in het Woord ! Da,
clever. This, I trust, has already become plain. The Costa mag we1 zeggen: "Uit Uw Woo& in mijn ziel!"
professor knew how. to make the most of my speak-                          Wel, geliefde- lezer, hier hebt ge een der plaatsen
ing of our "unwritten creed".                                          van dat Woord waar onze Adonai ten voeten uit  geschil-
    I have still other questions of essential importance, derd wordt. Ge vindt in dezen Psalm het geheele
which will have to wait.                                               E v a n g e l i e .
                                             .G. M. Ophoff.                Hoe kon David Hem  tech zien?
                                                                           Jezus, die het eerste vers van dezen Psalm aan-
                    TEACHERS WANTED                                    haalt in Zijn strijd tegen de  Farizeen,  zal ons het
   The Board of the S. P. R. E. has decided that D. V. our school      antwoord geven. Jezus heeft twee woorden bij den
will be opened in September, 1950. We will need teachers for           tekst bijgedaan. Het zijn de woorden, en pizacmati,  in
grade 1 to 9, plus, of course, a kindergarten teacher; and as the      den Geest! Die twee woorden geven  ens. het  ant-
supply of teachers and prospective teachers is not very large, we      woord.
would like very much that all who are available, especially for
the primary department, would make application. That means                 David was in den Heiligen Geest toen  hij deze woor-
that they who will have 2 years of college by Sept. 1950, and are      den zong in dit schoone  lied.
eligible to teach, should also apply, because there may be a short-        Dat houdt ontzaglijk veel in.
age of teachers especially in the Primary department, unless all           Eerst, die Heilige Geest bracht zijn ziel en geest
who are eligible, make application. For, let us remember, Hope,
Redlands  and Edgerton  will also need teachers.                       en verstand en hart en  rapport  met de geestelijke
   Of course we also need teachers for the intermediate and            wereld. Er is een natuurlijke wereld en er is een
Junior High  grades. So please, one and all, send in your appli-       geestelijke wereld. Van nature zien we letterlijk niets
cation to the undersigned committee, stating the grade you would       van die geestelijke wereld, en dat komt niet alleen
like to teach and the qualifications you have.                         vanwege onze zonde en inwonende verdo-rvenheid.     Dat
                        D. Jonker, 1210 Wealthy St., S. E.
                             Grand Rapids 6,  Mich.                    komt vanwege het feit, dat wij aardsch en natuurlijk
                        G.  Bykma,  722 Deleware  St., S. E.           zijn. Om het nu duidelijk te  maken  wat we bedoelen
                             Grand Rapids 7,  Miich                    wijzen we U er op, dat zelfs Adam en Eva in den staat


 68                                    T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

                                                                   their hostility in I Thess. 2 :14-16. Writes he : "For ye
              FROM HOLY WRIT                                       brethren became imitators of the churches of God which
                                                                   are in Judea in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the
                                                                   same things of your own countrymen, even as they did
"And ye have forgotten the exhortation, which comes unto you       of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the
as sons, which reasoneth (speaks with) as with sons: My son,       prophets, and drove out us, and please not God, and are
regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when      contrary to all men ; forbidding us to speak to the Gen-
thou art reproved of Him; For whom the Lord loveth He  chasten-    tiles that they may be saved ; to fill up their sins al-
eth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth".-Heb.l2:5,  6.     ways  ; but the wrath is come upon them to the utter-
       In this Scripture-passage the writer to the Hebrews most."
reminds the readers of the Word of exhortation spoken                 Indeed, this is not a pleasant description. But it is
by  <God Himself in the 0. T. Scriptures through the very truthful and factual of a sad and terrible reality.
pen of Solomon. The Old Testament quotation is found                  Such must have been the lot' of these Hebrew Chris-
in Proverbs  3:11,  12.                                            tians. For the writer to the Hebrews speaks in chap.
       The spiritual condition of the Hebrew Christians, lo:32 of such affliction. It had happened to them
the believers in Christ out of the Jews, was such that it shortly after they were enlightened. They had then
was necessary for the writer of this letter to them to endured a great conflict of sufferings. The fury of
remind them of the "word of exhortation" here referred the unbeliever  .had broken loose upon them. They had
to. Their conduct plainly indicated  that.  the truth of been made a gazing-stock of the people, a theatrical
this'word of exhortation did not so live in their mind spectacle, both by means of reproaches and by the
and heart that it strengthened them unto the victory of therein contained afflictions. (The Greek here has a
faith, ,unto the running in a manner that indicated the fine touch. It indicates that the afflictions  prere insep-
. intention to grasp the crown of life !                           arably connected with the being made a gazing-stock,
       There was a lack of the strength of patience.               a mockery of words and lashing tongues). By means
       The position of God's people in this world is such of evil speech the finger of defamation pointed at the
that they have "need of patience". Wherefore this believers. ,4nd the result was that, althoughnone had
word is  also.very  much to the point in our life as this died the death of the martyr, yet some had been cast
was in a very special sense the case with the Hebrew into prison. And those-believers who had not them-
Christians. Their position in the world seems to have selves been cast into prison had also suffered for right-
been very trying and difficult. They were being tried eousness' sake.. They had not been ashamed to cast
by God. Affliction was their lot. And, quite likely, their lot  with.that  of those imprisoned, their brethren
the affliction that they were experiencing came to them in the Lord. Yet, it had gone to such a length that even
from the side of the unbelieving Jews,  .the kinsmen of their gods had been spoiled, stolen from them. But this
the Hebrews according to the flesh. Their relatives flight of affliction had not daunted their spirits, but
according to the ties of blood, but their enemies by had actuated their, faith so that they rejoiced. They
reason of the sword of division that Christ has come to had girded up the loins of their mind and so had looked
bring upon earth. Because of Christ and their confes- at the better and abiding treasures in the heavens.
sion of His name, they were being ostracized, cast out                But now things had changed. At least there w,as
of the Jewish community, made the object of hatred not such rejoicing, and so they are admonished to
 and scorn, and even imprisoned.                                   strengthen their weak hands and feeble knees !
       That these Hebrew Christians should be imprisoned              ,Once  more they must advance in the full assurance
 by the ruling magistrates through the' instigation of of faith and hope. Again they must feel and know
 their kinsmen is the plain teaching of the Bible on this themselves exceedingly blessed suffering for righteous-
 score. Repeatedly we read in the Acts of the Apostles ness' sake. They must look at their reward in heaven.
 that the Jews would raise up the ruling Gentiles against They must have the Word of Christ as a treasure in
 the Church. Such is the repeated story in Luke's ac- their soul : for great is your reward in heaven. There-
 count of Paul's travels. We have but to compare Acts fore the writer reminds the readers : "And ye took joy-
 14 :2 and Acts 14:19  to be persuaded that it were the fully the spoiling of your possessions, knowing that ye
 disobedient Jews, in whom the obedience of -faith was have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding
 not found, who stir up the multitude against Paul. one." (Heb. 10 :34).
 These make the way for God's people so that they are                When such spiritual weakness characterizes our walk
 in need of the exhortation: "To continue in the faith" then there are many things that we have forgotten.
 and also that they must be reminded "that through                     Oh, to be sure, then we do not live in the joyful and
 many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom." blessed consciousness of the great liberty that is ours,
 Acts 14 :22.                                                      so that we may boldly draw nigh to the throne of grace.
       Paul himself makes mention of these dews and of Then hesitation is our lot on every hand. And the very


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                                          T H E S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                       69

     experiences of the tender and fatherly dealings of God of a hearing of the word mingled with faith. Re-
     with us we do not see in the light of the great liberty member the children of Israel who did not enter into
     and freedom that is ours. In a word, we do not see Canaan because of their unbelief, whose bodies fell in
     that the Lord is dealing with us as with sons. We lose the wilderness. The words: regard not lightly the
     the sense of His gracious dealings with us. And that is chastening of the Lord and faint not when thou art
     more bitter than death, more bitter than words can tell ! rebuked of Him, is not the dynamic of the life of those
        And the Word of God thus comes to us. It came who are of weak hands and feeble knees.
     thus to the Hebrews to whom the text was first written.         Now this latter was absolute in the case of Israel
     We read : "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which who murmurs at the  difhculty of the way !
     reasoneth with you as with sons". vs. 5.                         But it is a symptom of the same evil in the Hebrew
        Obviously the writer does not mean to say that the readers and also in us when we faint and quail on the
     readers had forgotten altogether that such a Scripture way. Let us not forget it. The readers of this letter
     passage is found in the Old Testament. He does not might not when it was written to them. And, thanks
     mean to say that their memory had failed them, and be to God, the writer of this letter still.  `Ltrusts better
     that this papssage  once having been memorized now things of you (the readers) and things that accompany
     they cannot recall. That surely cannot be the sense salvation, even though we thus speak." Hebrews 5 :3.
     and implication of "forgotten". On the contrary, the The writer knows that the readers had slipped,  wese
     writer means to say that due to the afflictions that the even now slipping, and thus the `thus speaks" to them,
     readers had passed through, probably were still ex- warning them very earnestly against letting go of their
     periencing in a measure, and due to their attitude of great boldness in Christ Jesus. But even so, he trusts
     weakness and spiritual bewilderment and lethargy in that with them this is only weakness, a momentary loss
     these trials, the reality of  <God's gracious and merciful of the activity of faith, of the spiritual grasp on the
     and all-wise dealings did not stand out sharply before unfailing and unchangeable promises of God, so that
     their minds eyes, before the eye of the heart ! (Eph.        their failing to see with a spiritual eye the implication
     1:18). And thus they failed to see and to confess that       of God's dealings with them is but for the moment.
     their trial was the  chastisement  of God upon them as           Hence, this is not a matter of thorough-going un-
     sons! The very merciful design of God in this pain belief. It is not outright rebellion. It is "the fainting
     and sorrow did not encourage them on. The "knowing of the soul", that is "being scourged, corrected". It is
     that affliction worketh patience, and patience  approved-    the affliction while present, which is not a source of
     ness, and approvedness hope-the hope that does not joy but of sadness-which while present is not spiritual
     put to shame because of the love of God shed forth in seen for. what it is and hence the fainting soul is not
     their hearts" stood at low ebb !                             exercised thereby !
        This must change. They must remember the ex-
     hortation that speaks to them as sons. Their faith               And so the writer calls the readers to their spiritual
     must become active. It must become a conscious ac- senses.
     tivity. In this faith they must repent, turn unto the            The child that is corrected must kiss the rod. He
     Lord in heartfelt contrition, kiss the rod that strikes must be so exercised by the affliction that afterwards
     them, and have the true joy in God through Christ it may yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness in his
     Jesus their Lord.                                            life. He must say with the Psalmist from the depths
        They must no longer be weak !                             of his heart, having been thus corrected, "Before I was
        There must be a spiritual power of faith in their afflicted I went astray, but now I observe Thy Word."
     life ; the power that overcomes the world !                                     (to be continued)
        Yes, the condition of the Hebrews was so that the                                                           G. Lubbers.
     writer puts the statement "and ye have forgotten the
     exhortation" in the indicative mood. It is not a ques-
     tionable statement. It is a statement of fact. A sad
     faCt, but a fact nevertheless. But the truth must be                                 Iti MEMORIAM
     out. It must be said. The knife of the Word of God,                                       u
     the two-edged knife, that cuts sharply and into the             JYt pleased our heavenly Father to take from our midst on
     very soul and spirit, being a discerner of the inmost Saturday, October 1, 1949, our mother and grandmother,
     thoughts and intents of the heart, must be  pIaced  into                            Mrs. Bert  Boqrema
     the festering sore.                                          at the age of 65 years.
        And so the writer says: and ye have forgotten the            The knowledge that her life was Christ and her death gain
     exhortation speaking unto you as unto sons !                 comforts us at this time.
                                                                                                    Mr. and Mrs. Irving Cramer
        Let this sink deep down into your hearts!                                                   Mr. and Mrs. Charles Boerema
        Hebrew Christians ! such an attitude does not speak                                          7 grandchildren.


70                                                  S T A N D A R D B E - A R E R
- -                                      _..-.__
                PE:RISCOPE                                        This was also the opinion of Prof. Ophoff as is evi-
-                "._-.^ .._.                   11- dent from the letter which our Committee for Corre-
                                                              spondence wrote and sent to the Liberated Churches.
          Appeal. . . Comment. . .                            Some tie after the visit of Dr. Schilder, this com-
                                                              mittee, of which Prof. Ophoff is a member, expressed
                                                              the following: "Wij zijn er van overtuigd dat wij als
(Note  : The following was prepared and in the hands Kerken veel gemeen hebben. Beide kerkengroepen
of the printer for publication in the Sept. 15th issue. staan op den grondslag van de Drie Formulieren van
Due to lack of space it has been held over until now.)         Eenigheid. . . . we gelooven ook dat het ontstaan uwer
       It seems to us it would be rather fooiish  to point Kerken een Reformatorisch vasthouden en terug  grij-
out the very obvious difficulties which this booklet pen was naar de  aloude,  Gereformeerde, beproefde
raises and upon this basis roundly condemn the position paden. . . . . Net bezoek van Prof. K. Schilder hier ten
of the Liberated Churches. In the first place, our own onzent heeft er ook nog weer  aan toe meegewerkt dat
history should warn us against such a procedure. We we ons nog meer tot U gevoelen aangetrokken." (Acts
all recall, for example, how naive and foolish Dr. Hepp of Synod, 1948, page 38).
appeared when he proceeded in the same manner in                 Translation : "We are convinced that we as Churches
the years of `24. He had read something of the dim- have much in common. Both Church groups stand on
culties in America and thought with a few sweeps of the basis of the Three Formulas of Unity. . . . we also
his pen he could tick our leaders on the fingers as            believe the origin of your Churches was a Reformatory
though they were unruly children and say: `See here, return to, and maintenance of, the time-honored and
boys, come to time and get rid of your foolish notions." proven Reformed paths. . . . The visit of Prof. K.
As though that were all it amounted to.                        Sehilder here among us has once again had the effect
       Our own history proved time and again how dithcult      that we feel ourselves still more attracted to you." This
it is to properly approach and appreciate the position testimony, to which Prof. Ophoff also subscribed, is
of others when separated by an ocean of distance and rather striking in view of the fact that the origin of
when correspondence alone can be the basis for  jud,g-        the Liberated Churches is so closely connected with
ment.      Besides being separated physically we also their peculiar covenant conception and also when we
learned that the environment and history through consider that Prof. Schilder spent the greater share of
which the Lord has led His Church in the various par-         his time here explaining and enpounding this covenant
tions of the globe certainly condition its construction conception.
of theology. For that reason again, it is so  diflicult           We also would prefer, therefore, to proceed on the
to judge and distinguish. Time and again in `24 and assumption that the leaders of the Liberated Churches
later, our position was mis-interpreted and distorted are men of erudition and scholarship, whose purpose
by the leaders in the Netherlands. And that was true, is to maintain and develop the Reformed faith. Again
even though to us, all the writings were so clear and the very obviousness of the forthright expressions in
simple a statement of Reformed truth.                          some of their writings, which to our mind contradict
       It was not until personal contact was established this judgment, should indicate that these difhculties
and our struggle was properly viewed upon its own              have been met and harmonized, to their thinking at
background, that our position was begun to be appre- least, with the Reformed position. Here also closer
ciated by a few. Hence, now also it would appear to contact has left this judgment. In the same issues
be most foolish to simply inject our own subjective of the Standard Bearer referred to above, Rev. Vos
training and experience into an entirely different situa- also wrote: "We know now that all pelagianism is
tion in the Netherlands. The result would probably wholly foreign to the conception of the covenant and
be that we would be criticizing constructions and posi- baptism on the part of Dr. Sehilder". And practically
tions that were largely contrary to fact. That this is without exception, the judgment of those who attended
not mere hypothesis is a lesson from our own history the conferences with Dr. Schilder while he visited in
and its reception in the Netherlands.                          this country, was that the Liberated Churches were
       That same danger has already become evident in fundamentally Reformed. (That sounds a great deal
our judgment of the strife in the Netherlands. Our like the Synod of `24). We should not become guilty;
own Rev. Vos pointed this out in the Standard Bearers therefore, of raising walls or making accusations which
of Jan. and Feb. of 1948. There he makes clear that will stifle all further discussion.
upon reading the literature of the Liberated Churches             In the second pplace, a severe denunciation of the
at first we were "shocked" and "suspicious". But, Liberated Churches upon the basis of this article alone
says Rev. Vos, personal contact with Professor Schilder would be foolish because of the very nature of the
certainly "removed much misunderstanding" and was booklet. We do not believe that even a purely objective
"a great blessing for both Dr. Sehilder and us".               criticism of this writing upon its face value would


                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                       71

 serve to enlighten discussion of the differences which of warmth, of love, of trust, of appreciation. And all
 separate us. This appeal was not written as a polemic this in the knowledge that we differ on some points.
 over against our position but meant to bring out most     What of it? No one has. all the truth. And we will
 sharply the differences within the Netherlands  for  the learn one- from the other."                    .
 youth there. We believe it is complimentary and to           This would seem to be the honorable course and
 the credit and praise of the youth in the Netherlands purpose. Hence, in our comment we would  iike to
 that they enter into the life and activities of their draw a few general lines in the hope that they will
 Church and desire to further their cause. We are in- evoke further discussion.
 clined to wonder how many young people in this coun-         It hardly need be said again, that the fundamental
 try ,,,, who bear the name Reformed, would study and differences. between us and the Liberated Churches
 understand such a writing as Professor Veenhof's.         concerns the idea of the covenant itself; or the ques-
    But, ,the point is, that once again this is not all that tion : what is the covenant? But exactly this funda-
 can be, or has been said. Here too, the advice of Rev. mental difference makes it difficult to constructively
 Vos is pertinent, that one investigate  a.11  the sources criticize any one particular writing. The result of this
 before building structures `with resulting conclusions. difference is that the content of all the various related
 Further, that though there are differences between the concepts are  at. variance. And consequently, if we
. Liberated Churches and us, "we certainly would not be simply proceed oblivious of this difference we would
 guilty of the sin to refuse to hear the other side. . . ." again be injecting our thought into a wholly different
 To our mind, this not only demands patience and an structure. It would appear to be most beneficial and
 attempt to appreciate one another's viewpoint, but also- helpful to a fruitful discussion, therefore, if some of
 personal contact and discussion. And that before the the Liberated brethren would carefully examine and
 intervening walls are built too high too scale; as was criticize our position as presented in the brochure of
 done in the U. S. in 1924 and in the Netherlands in Rev. Hoeksema entitled :            "De Geloovigen en Hun
 1942.                                                     Zaad"; which has already received wide circulation in
     Finally, in order to properly judge the writing of the Netherlands. And this should be done in the light
 Professor  Veer&of,  we should bear in mind that it of what the author writes in the preface to the second
 does not represent a position which is settled and bind- edition. Perhaps the Rev. Doekes  could continue his
 ing in the Liberated Churches. Especially in respect discussions.
 to some of the details and intricacies we are rather         In the second place, an elucidation of the relation-
 sure that many in these Churches would not subscribe ship between God's council of predestination and the
 to all that was written. In the Liberated Churches the covenant according to the concept of the Liberated
 situation is such that there is still room for discussion brethren can be expected towards clarification. We
 and difference. In this way they hope to develop and maintain that the very history of Abraham "empha-
 formulate the truth and that should be our purpose. sizes most strongly, both in word and act, the absolute
 This can only be accomplished through a fair and monergism of the divine power in accomplishing the
 open exchange of thought which is conducted upon a things ppromised ; . . . ."          And again : "Election is
 respectful level of polemics.                             a principle entering specifically into the application of
     Here, too, we do well to recall what Rev. Vos wrote redemption; . . . . Election is intended to bring out
 in the Standard Bearer of January 1, 1948: "We have the  gratuitous character of grace. With regard to the
 learned to know Prof. Schilder as a beloved brother in    objective part of the work of redemption there is
 Christ, as a faithful servant of that same Christ, as scarcely any need of stressing this. That man himself
 a man mighty in the Scriptures, as a truly Reformed made no contribution towards accomplishing the atone-
 man whom to throw out of the church  communion- ment is obvious in-itself. But no sooner does the re-
 cries to heaven. Of course, there are differences ! Do deeming work inter into the subjectivity of man than
 all ministers. . . . think alike on all dogma's? You the obviousness ceases, although the reality of the prin-
 know they do not! Follow the path you have begun to ciple is not, of course, in the least abated. The sem-
 tread and you will end up with peace, but it will be the blance easily results, that in receiving and working out
 peace of the graveyard, where no one disagrees with the subjective benefits of grace for his transformation,
 no one. They are alike still, but it is the stillness of the individual man has to some extent been the de-
 death. The end of the pathway you have followed in cisive factor. And  to  affirm this, to  however  smr,U   m
 1924-1946 is the path that will surely end with Roman degree, would be to detract from the glory bf God."
 Catholicism where there is but one voice of authority:    (Last italics mine, W.H.) This quotation is from
 the Pope!                                                 Biblical Theology by the late Prof. G. Vos, pages 94
     I`. . . .I wish you could have seen our communion, and 108. We found his discussion of these things very
 could have attended our conferences, could have heard enlightening and instructive.
 the words that were spoken on both sides which spoke          We do not mean thereby to declare that the  Liber-


 7 2                                     T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R

ated brethren deny this. In  fack, we make bold  ,i;o the bounds of the covenant. If this is the contention
state that it is not  suficient  to simply declare that of the writer, here for example, is a position to which
"these beliefs have stricily  no place in their covenant other  leaders in the Liberated Churches would  noZ
theology, which is  thorou&hly  arminian." And we also subscribe.
expect that this will be  refuted  and clarified by  ,Ihe         It is diflicult to harmonize this with what the Pro-
Liberated.                                                    fessor wrote some time ago and which we also lrans-
        Finally, in general, we would  appreciate an exegeti- cribed  in the Standard Bearer. At that time, coricern-
cal exposition of the more classic passages in Scripture ing God's attitudes he stated: "The resuit of. . . .elec-
that deal with the problems involved ; especially Rom.  9 tion is that there are now living in this world fwo
and Gal. 3. Hence, we also make an appeal that ,Lhesc         specific groups of individuals. There are the elect, to
be forthcoming.                                               whom God in Christ reveals His grace. These are the
        But to return to the -4ppe'Z of Professor Veenhof. vessels of mercy that partake of God's disposition  of
The professqr maintained that baptism is a seal of grace. And overagainst them are the  mprobate,   the
God's promise to all those who are properly baptized, vessels of wrath, towards whom God's disposition of
without distinction. Further that  tee  realizat$on  of wrath is poured out unto eternal destruction." And
this promise is contingent, to some extent at least, upon again : "But besides, there is in God an attitude of
its proper reception by the baptized individual. This wrath against all the reprobate. And that disposition
is the construction that is most difficult for us to follow permeates all of God's speech and dealing with  the
and harmonize with Scripture. Although we prefer reprobate. It directs and motivates all His deeds for
to say with Scripture, that baptism seals a fact, namely and in them."
---the righteousness that is by faith (Rom. 4:11), this           Finally, the alternative of refusing the position of
would not yet remove the difficulty. Whether God de- the Professor is not at all to accept the Synodical stand-
clares something factually or in the form of a promise, point of pre-supposed regeneration. This too we reject
the result is the same in respect to those to whom it is as an unwarranted assumption, just as firmly as we do
declared. Either a fact or a promise that God declares a  promise for all. We maintain that the proper develop-
,is executed. His promises are also always factually ment of the truth of the covenant and baptism is in the
realized.                                                     direction of the beautiful and Scriptural organic con-
        Hence, the answer which Professor Veenhof gave ception as presented in "De Geloovigen en Hun Zaad",
to the question: How does it occur that many of those by Rev. Hoeksema. We believe that this contains the
ivho are baptized are not saved, was disappointing and directive outline which follows the framework,of  Scrip-
weak. On the one hand, the author maintained em- ture and should be maintained and defended.
phatically that each and every baptism posse&es ex-                                                             W. Hofman.
actly the same content and power. But on the other                                    0-a
hand, in answer to the question above, he writes that
the ungodly make that baptism powerless. The ques-                                         IN MEMORIAM
tion naturally arises:  Is  it possible that the ungodly         On the morning of October  8th, 1949, it pleased God to remove
possess an apparently greater power than God? This from this vale of tears after a long period of suffering, my
                                                              beIoved  husband
question and problem certainly demands clarification. .                               i Bernard Dornbos
        In the second pplace, at times Professor Veenhof         We are comforted to know that the Lord has promised to be
seems to pre-suppose grace in covenant children after the Husband to the widow, and that he who has gone from us is
all, even though he repudiates the position that hap- delivered from the body of death and is clothed with the house
tism seals internal grace ; since he wants nothing of         which is from above.
such an assumption. He writes: "In the kingdom of                                                   Mrs. B. Dornbos.
                                                              C?uth.Holland,  IlIinois.
heaven. . . .God includes with the fathers, also their
children as His children and that in that way the grace                                     * *  *  *
of salvation is extended to the as yet unborn children
and that without distinction." In fact, here it seems                                      IN MEMORIAM
is ,a grace even preceeding  birth, and to all without           The Ladies Society of the Prot. Ref. Church of South Holland
distinction.                                                  hereby express its sincere sympathy to one of their. members,
                                                              Mrs. Grace Dornbos, in the Ioss of her husband,
        In close connection with the above, the professor                                  Mr. B. Dornbos
also suggests a baptismal grace in the question:  "Does          We pray that the God of all-grace may comfort our sister
this grace which is presented in baptism always lead to with His own blessed presence and cause her to rest in the assur-
the  full salvation of all those who are baptized?" This pnce that His ways are perfect and that there remaineth a reti
certainly approaches the teaching of a subjective  cove- for the people of God.
nantal grace which is Common to all, at least within                                               Rev. M. Schipper, Pres.
                                                                                                    Edrs. E. Bruisma,  Sec'y.


