         Vrr.rrhm XXSTX                         DECEMBER  15. 1962 - GRAND  RAPIDS. MICEIGAN                            NUMBER  6

                                                                       And the first named was rather stupid relative spiritual

I                  M E D I T A T I O N                                 things.
I                                                                          The ministers of Jesus' day were a bad lot. They were

                                                                       human monsters of wickedness. Many of them were Sad-

                                                                       ducees, and that was a sect of rich and worldly people who

                                                                       did not believe in the spiritual world. Well might Jesus

                                                                       say: Blind leaders of the blind !

                                                                           Almost all the people of Israel looked for a natural King-

                                                                       dom of God. Even the apostles of the Christ, after 3% years

                                                                       of Christ's instruction still believed in a natural Kingdom of

                                                                       God.

                                                                           Politically it was very dark.

                                                                           It was only 160 years ago that Antiochus Epiphanes

                                                                       slaughtered his thousands, obliterated temple worship, after

        Yes, it was night in the fields of Ephratha.  In more than     offering a sow upon the altar in the: House of God.

     one sense.                                                            And they were now under the heel of the hated Remans.

        First, it was night in the natural sense. Nothing p&liar           Yes, it was rather dark in Israel.
     about that, for that had happened countless times. That is
     according to God's ordinances : night follows day.                    It was so terribly dark in Israel that everyone could say
                                                                       Ichabod ! The glory i3 departed from Israel !
        But even here we must carefully mark God's works. It

     was by Divine appointment that the heavenly cominittee of
                                                                                                 *    * * *
     the heavenly hosts visited the earth that night.

         Jesus was born when the earth was bathed in darkness,             And there are the shepherds keeping watch over their
     even natural darkness. All things have meaning: how much          flock by night.
     more when the most important event is taking place. Yes, the
                                                                           Who are they ?
     most important event: nothing before or after that night can
     compare with the birth of Baby Jesus.                                 Well, beloved reader, they belonged to the few who were
                                                                       still waiting for the consolation of Israel.
         And it must be when the earth is enveloped in darkness.
                                                                           They were dear children of God. There were a few such
        The same thing is true when Judas went out from the
                                                                       in Israel. To their number belonged Anna, Simeon, Zacharias
     passover  table. The Holy Ghost carefully noted : `and it was
                                                                       and Elisabeth, Joseph and Mary.
     night.
                                                                           Yes, these lowly shepherds belonged to spiritual Israel.
         All these things have significance.        t`
                                                                           Lowly and despised they were. Shepherds were at the
        Here the natural darkness is symbolic of the state of          bottom of the social order.
     things for Israel and for the world.
                                                                           And that answers to the style of God. God chooses the
        It was also dark spiritually.                                  things that are lowly, ignoble, poor and despised. Harlots and

        Attend to this: there were but two of the Sanhedrin who        publicans  enter, while the worldly high, nobde  and mighty

     waited for the consolation of Israel: Nicodemus and Joseph.       find themselves outside the DOOR.


r
     122                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R


         And it was night.                                               children of God, bend down to the earth and want to obliter-

                                                                         ate themselves.
                                 4: * * *
                                                                            Yes, it was night, but the light of the glory of God made

                                                                         it a thousand times more beautiful than the day. There in
         And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them!                  Ephratha's. fields it was a little bit of heaven.
            Oh! what a sight that must have been. For this angel

     brought with him the glory of the Lord. And the light of                                       * 1:    * *
     this glory shone round about these lowly shepherds.

         And here I sit behind my typewriter trying to tell you             But hark !

     something about that unearthly light that shone in the midst           This heavenly messenger is going to speak.
     of the darkness of Ephratha's fields ! How can I? I never
     saw the glory of the Lord. I do not know the first things              I have often thought on this. How does it sound upon
     about such light.                                                   the ear to hear an angel speak. Paul talks -about it : "Though
                                                                         I speak with the tongues of . . . angels . . ."
            Here on earth we see the golden rays of the sun, and we
     say: What a beautiful day! We see the glitter and the                  Yes, there is beautiful speech and song and melody with
     sparkle of that light, and the shadows, but what is that com-       the children of men, mostly wicked men and women.

     pared to the light that shines in heaven?                              The sound of the violin is sweet when played by a master.

         In heaven there is no sun or moon or star, but it is light         But what rot, compared. to this heavenly speaker. I can

     there. God is there in all His glory and it is light. Jesus is      hardly wait to hear the heavenly choirs and music. There are

     there and all His glory and He shines and sparkles of the           the harps of God.

     glory of God.                                                          Well, a little bit of that heavenly beauty came upon the

         A few of us have seen that glory, and they all be-              earth when the angel spoke.

     came afraid. Some of us, seeing that heavenly light fell as            First, "Fear not !"
     dead at the feet of the heavenly messengers, such as the
     apostle John when Jesus appeared to him.                               Beloved, that is the beginning of the Gospel.

                                                                            When heaven bids you not to fear, you may make the
         So also here.
                                                                         first step to the glories that abide.
         The shepherds were not only afraid, but they became
     SOYF  afraid.                                                          It happens to us when we first come to the realization that
                                                                         there is a God and a Saviour who seeks you.
         0, I can understand that.
                                                                            Second, "For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great
         First of all, they are earthy creatures, and the heavenly       joy, which shall be to all people."
     light does not fit us at all. We are created to look on the
     light of day and that fits us. And then we smile and laugh             At that time, in that place, to these poor shepherds, after
     and play. The earthy light makes us comfortable.                    so long a night of darkness, suffering, death and shame !

         But when heaven opens and sheds the light of God round             What wondrous message I

     about us we become sore afraid. That is natural.                       And it is heaven's God who speaks. It is the TRUTH!

         Second, when the light of God's glory shines round about        An angel does not lie. He is a faithful witness. God had told
     us we all become thoroughly conscious of our sin. That light        him what to say, word for word.

     is as the Judgment Day. It condemns us and torments LE.                And it has been in our Bible for ages. But the bloom and
     We want to dig a hole and crawl in.                                 the freshness and the beauty is still there. Every Christmas ;

         I can understand that Peter said : Lord, depart from me :                          ? every day and every hour it charms our
                                                                         lweFrisdo I say

     I am a sinful man.

                                                                            "Tidings of great joy that shall be to all people."
         I can understand it when a member of the church wants

     to open the door of the Church and go, out into'the world.             Yes, it was night, but a light of everlasting salvation is

     He feels unworthy to be a member ,of the Body of Christ.            round about, but now also in these poor shepherds.

         You see, beloved, the light of the glory of God is the             For this joy is for them. And for all the people of God.

     light of His. eternal virtues. That light brings righteousness

     and holiness to your vision.       It searches you, accuses you,                               * * 8 *

     condemns you and torments you, for you are a miserable
                                        _
     sinner, sinning in all      do.
                              you                                           "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a

         And so these poor shepherds, even though they were              Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."


/r
                                                T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                                                                                        123



      Four thousand years the Church has waited for this day,
this hour.                                                                                        T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
                                                                                 Semi-monthly, except monthly dating  June, July and August
      He was promised by Jehovah Himself in the day when                          Published by the REFORMED FREE PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION
Adam and Eve crawled from the underbrush of Paradise.                                                        Editor - REV. HERMAN HOFXSEMA
                                                                                 Communications relative to contents should be addressed to
trembling, sore afraid of God.                                                   Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin. St., S. E., Grand Rapids 7,
                                                                                 Mich.  Contributions will be limited to 300 words and must he
      And this promise was repeated by the nightingales of                                                         neatly written or typewritten.
God: the prophets.                                                               All church news items should be addressed to Mr. J. M. Faber,.
                                                                                                   1123 Cooper, S. E., Grand Rapids 7, Mich.
      They sang their beauteous song in the nights of Israel.                     Announcements and Obituaries with the $2.60 fee included
In many forms, in diverse manners, but always the same old                       must be mailed 8 days prior to issue date, to the address below:
                                                                                  All matters relative to subscriptions should be addressed to
and ever new story: I am going to come in the fulness of                                       Mr. James Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler Ave., S. E.
time, and I will save you from sin, and guilt, and death, and                                                          Grand Rapids 7, Michigan

hell. And I will make you all beautiful, like the angels of                          RENEWAL:  Unless a definite request for discontinuance is
                                                                                 received it is assumed that the subscriber wishes the subscrip-
God.                                                                                tion to continue without the formality of a renewal order.
                                                                                                              Subscription price: $5.00 per year
      It is all contained in a name: the Saviour, Christ, the
                                                                                     Second Class postage paid at Grand Rapids, Michigan
Lord !

      This Babe which you soon shall see in the stable will do

it all, and He shall do it all alone: it is a work of Jehovah.                                                                  C O N T E N T S

                                                                          \,I
      A Saviour : He will die for you, and obliterate all                 I,.EDITATION-
                                                           your sill                   It Was Night ,__.............._._.................,,..............,...,..................                                              121
and guilt by dying the eternal death.                                                            Rev. G. Vos

      Christ: He shall work for you, the work which you left              EDITONALS-
undone.                                                                                Arminius and Arminianism . .__ __. ____ ._. ___ __.. 124
                                                                                                 Rev. H. Hoeksema
      The Lord: He shall own               body and soul and spirit,
                                   you                                    As To B
henceforth to live unto God for evermore.                                                 OOKS -
                                                                                       The Immz'nent  Appearing of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . .._____..................  126
      And when this angel of the Lord concluded his beauteous                          New Testament Commentary, Philippians .______ __. ,.______  1 2 6
                                                                                       The Gospel According to St. John .._...._._______._,.....................  126
speech, he rose into the air, and the trembling shepherds saw                                    Rev. H. Hoeksema
the heavenly host, and they heard their song: "Glory to God

in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."                011x DOCTRINE-
                                                                                       Of Sanctification __ __.. ______ _. .._.__  __. . . . . ,127

      In a little while it will be Christmas again, beloved.                                     Rev. H. Hoeksema

      Sing, oh, sing of your Redeemer! Amen.                              A CLOUD OF WITNESSES-
                                                                 G.V.                  The Death of Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  130
                                                                                                 Rev. B. Woudenberg


                                                                          FROM HOLY WRIT  -
                    G O D   O U R   D E L I V E R E R                                  Exposition of I Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
                                                                                                  Rev. G. Lubbers
              Blest be the Lord! for us He cares
                                                                          IN HIS 
              And daily all our burden bears;                                           FEAR -
                                                                                       Righteous Wrath ( 3 ) . . .__ __ ___....  134
              Our God is mighty, strong to save ;                                                 Rev. J. A. Keys
              Jehovah frees us from the grave.

              God's unrelenting enemies                                   CONTENDING  FOR  THE FAITH-'
                                                                                       The Church and the Sacraments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
              No peace shall find in earth or seas ;                                              Rev. H. Veldman

              His people shall triumphant go
              Victorious over every foe.                                  THE  VOICE  OF OUR FATHERS-
                                                                                        The Belgic Confession __.......................................................... 138

              With glorious pomp our King and God                                                 Rev. H. C. Hoeksema

              Has entered into His abode,                                 DECENCY AND ORDER-
              With sacred minstrelsy and song,                                          The Objects of Ecclesiastical Censure (Cont.) . . . . . . .._____.......  140
                                                                                                  Rev. G. Vanden  Berg
              While maidens with their timbrels throng.

              Assemble ye before His face,                                ALL AROUND  Us-
                                                                                        Signs  of the Times .___.............................................................. 142
              All ye that spring from Israel's race;                                              Rev. H. Hank0
              Ye chosen tribes, with one accord
                                                                          &JEWS FROM @JR CHURCHES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..14~
              Come ye, and bless your God, the Lord.                                               Mr. J. M. Faber
                                                              Psalm 65


124                                           T H E   ,STANDARD   B E A R E R
                                                                         -_                         - -~.


                                                                        sions which my conviction of the truth might have dictated

                E D LT 0 R I A I, S                                     to me as correct."

                                                                            5. Then, too, who could guarantee that those synodical

                                                                        deputies would report correctly as to what had taken place

                  Arminius and Arminianism                              and as to what had been said at those conferences ? They

                                                                        might, either willingly or unwillingly, have falsified what had
       In my last article on the above-mentioned subject I re-          been going on at the conferences.
ferred to various conferences that were held between Ar-
                                                                            6. Finally, ha reiterates strongly what had already been
minius  and others on the question of his belief and doctrine.
                                                                        said under 3)) namely, that no Provincial Synod had any
I should have stated, perhaps, that several such conferences
                                                                        jurisdiction over him, but that this jurisdiction belonged to
were attempted, but that, in actual fact, only two were held :
                                                                        the magistrates which had also appointed him.
1) a conference between Gomarus and Arminius in the

presence of four ministers and of the civil magistrates ; and               What shall we say to all this ?

2) an appearance of Arminius before the civil magistrates,                  There is, undoubtedly, some truth in what Arminius
in which he expounded and defended his views on predestina-             avers, especially in the argument that no Provincial Synod
tion and related doctrines. Other conferences were, indeed,             had any jurisdiction over him, but that he was under his
held, but Arminius refused to express and defend his views              superiors, the civil magistrates.                        ._
before the members of those conferences.
                                                                            Nevertheless, this cannot have been the chief reason why
       As to the first conference, namely, the one between Go-          he refused those conferences. I am confident that the chief
marus  and Arminius, held in the presence of the civil mag-             reasons were :
istrates and four minis,ters,  the result was, evidently, very
                                                                            1.    That Arminius knew very well that he was guilty and
unsatisfactory to Gomarus. It clearly assumed the nature of
                                                                        that he did depart from the Word of God and the then ex-
a controversy rather than of a conference. Gomarus even
                                                                        isting Confessions, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Nether-
states that with views, which Arminius propounded "he durst
                                                                        land or Belgic Confession. He wanted to gain time in order
not appear in the presence of his Maker." He also stated that,
if these views of Arminius were not immediately prevented               that he might gain as many adherents to his false doctrine
and condemned, the result would be a schism in the churches.            as po.ssible.  This will be very evident from the sequel of this
                                                                        h i s t o r y .
       There were, however, several other conferences attempted,
but these failed because Arminius refused to enter into any                 2. He, undoubtedly, knew that the civil magistrates were
discussion of his views before them. The reasons for this               largely in favor of him and of his views. This is plain from
refusal he also indicated at his appearance before the mag-             the difficulty our fathers had convoking a National Synod
istrates.                                                               to which also the magistrates had to give their consent.
               I briefly give account of them here (see for this

The ?+`dings  of Ami~ziz~~,  Vol. I, pp. 204 ff.) :                         I do not believe that any man in the Reformed Churches

                                                                        would hesitate to. express his\  conviction on any of the Re-
       1. He declares that those who requested him to give an
                                                                        formed doctrines if he were convinced, in his heart that he
account of his views never gave any reason why he should
                                                                        held to the truth of Scripture and the Confessions,. But
do so. He never taught anything contrary to the Word of
                                                                        this Arminius did not do. He may have been, as I said be-
God or to the Confessions of'the Church.
                                                                        fore, a very amiable character. But he was not honest. And
       2. He objects to the manner in which such a conference           honesty in regard to the truth of Scripture and the Reformed
was proposed. For it was proposed by deputies of the (Par-              Confessions is far more important than amiability of char-
ticular) Synod, which meant, of course, that his case was               acter.
already prejudged by that Synod. To agree to such a con-
                                                                            But let us now return to the appearance of Arminius be-
ference would, on his part, amount to a confession of guilt.
                                                                        fore the civil magistrates and to what he said there.
       3. He declares that he is not subject to the jurisdiction
of any Particular Synod but only to his superiors, i.e., the                First of all he spoke on the subject of predestination. He
magistrates.                                                            tells us that he will, first of all, explain what is taught on
                                                                        this subject "by certain persons in our churches" and, after
       4.    He declares that there would be the greatest inequality    that, he will express his own views.
in such a conference. For as to the deputies, they would be

vested with authority, while~he  would attend such a confer-                That he will speak on this subject stands to reason, for

ence as a private character. Moreover, they were five in                that is the main subject concerning which he was accused of

number, while he would stand alone, even without any wit-               entertaining heretical views.    Already when he was minister

nesses. Besides, they could not argue freely or produce any             of the church in Amsterdam, when he preached on Romans,

counterarguments to what he, Arminius, might propose. "I                as we have explained before, some of the members were very

could, without prejudice to anyone, have made those admis-              much in doubt whether or not he was Reformed. And as we


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                                 I
                                                                                                                                  1.25


have explained in the present editorial, Gomarus certaiuly             "II. The Second precise and absolute decree of God, is

considered him guilty of heresy. For this reason it was             that by which he decreed to receive into favor those who

quite proper for Arminius to begin by setting forth his views       repent and believe, and, in Christ, for his sake and through

on predestination.                                                  him, to effect the salvation of such penitents and believers

    However, as we have stated, he begins by explaining the         as persevere to the end ; but to leave in sin, and under wrath,
views of others. And, first of all, he rejects the views of the     all impenitent persons and unbelievers, and to damn them
Supralapsarians, the view that God's election and reproba-          as aliens from Christ.

tion was before creation and before the fall of man, that is,          "III. The Third divine decree is that by which to admin-

of course, as far as the decree of predestination is concerned.     ister in a sufficient and efficacious manner the Means which

    But he does not only rejtct supralapsarianism, but also         were necessary for repentance and faith ; and to have such ad-
infralapsarianism. He distinguished two kinds of the latter         ministration instituted (1.) according to the Divine Wisdom,
view. Although, according to Arminius, both the latter kinds        by which God knows what is proper and becoming both of
of predestination aim to avoid making God the author of sin         his mercy and severity> and (2.) according to Divine Justice,
and of presenting the fall of Adam as necessary, yet they fail      by which he is preparecl  to adopt whatever his wisdom may
in this attempt and he writes in conclusion: "But let it be         prescribe and put it in execution.

granted, that the necessity of the fall of Adam cannot be              "IV. To these succeeds the Fourth decree, by which God

deduced from either of the two latter opinions, yet all the         decreed to save and damn certain particular persons. This

preceding arguments which have been produced against the            decree has its fotmdation  in the foreknowledge of God, by

first opinion [supralapsarianism, H.H.], are, after a trifling      which he knew from all eternity those individuals who would

modification to suit the varied purpose, equally valid against      by his preventing grace, believe, and through his subsequent

the two latter. This would be, very apparent, if, to demon-         grace would persevere, according to the before described

strate it, a conference would be instituted."                       administration of those means which are suitable and proper

    We will not go into, the objections which Arminius pro-         for conversion and faith ; and, by which foreknowledge, he

duces against supralapsarianism and infralapsarianism. We           likewise knew those who would not believe and persevere."

are rather interested in his own view. We naturally ask the            Then follow a number of explanations which we shall not
question :    does Arminius, who condemns both supra and            quote literally here, but of which we mention only the fol-
infra, still believe in predestination, in election and reproba-    lowing :
tion as revealed in Scripture and as maintained in the Re-
                                                                       1. Arminius claims that the above four propositions are
formed Confessions as they at that time already existed and
                                                                    the sum and substance of the gospel. That this is not true
as they were `adopted by the Reformed Churches ?
                                                                    ought to be plain to' any Reformed reader. Nevertheless, I
    He introduces the publication of his own "Sentiments on         aim presently to explain why those four propositions are
Predestination" in the following paragraph : "I have hitherto       contrary to Scripture as well as to the Reformed Confessions
been stating my .own  opinions concerning the article of            as they existed at the time of Arminius.
Predestination which are inculcated in our churches and in
                                                                       2. He also states that it is not necessary to have these
the University of Leyden, and of which I disapprove. I have
                                                                    four propositions examined since Scripture, in so many
at the same time produced my own reasons, why I form
                                                                    words, clearly teaches them.       But, nevertheless, they were
such an unfavorable judgment concerning them ; and I will
                                                                    examined by the Synod of Dordrecht 1618-19, and they were
now declare my own opinions on this subject, which are of
                                                                    found wanting.
such a description as, according to my views, appear most
conformable to the Word of God" (The Wf6pzgs  of ATOP&                 3. Arminius claims that those propositions have con-
nbzt.s, Vol. I, p. 247).                                            stantly been acknowledged by all Christian teachers. This
                                                                    certainly is not true, as Arminius ought himself to know
   Now, what are those       "sentiments on Predestination"
                                                                    very well. We may refer to Augustine and Calvin and other
which Arminius proposes and are supposed to be Reformed?
                                                                    of the Reformers.
    He first of all makes four propositions and I shall quote

them literally lest I be accused of misinterpreting him. The           4.       He claims that the teachings of the four propositions
quotations are all from the work I quoted before, pp. 24?-          is in harmony with the confessions of the Protestant

248 :                                                               Churches. Also this is not true.

    "I. The First absolute decree of God concerning the                5. He claims, too, that the teaching of the four propo-

salvation of sinful man, is that by which he decreed to ap-         sitions is in harmony with the Dutch Confessions : the

point his Son, Jes,us Christ, for a Mediator, Redeemer,             Netherland or Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Cate-

Savior, Priest and King, who might destroy sin bg his own           chism. This he attempts to prove. And of this I hope to

death, might by his obedience obtain the salvation which            write in the next issue of our magazine, D.V.

had been lost,-and communicate it by his own virtue.                                                                           H.H.





                                                                                                                                          i'

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


                                                                      explained in the chapter. Whether, however, he always ex-
II          A S   T O   B O O K S                               II    presses the main thought of the particular section which he
                                                                      thus outlines, I consider questionable. Thus, for instance,

                                                                      the main thought in section 1-1s of chapter II, according to

                                                                      him, is "Paul the Humble Cross-bearer." I would rather find
       Tkc Ivvminsnt  Appea/,ing  of Christ, by J. Barton Payne.
                                                                      the main thought in the humiliation and exaltation of Christ.
Published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand

Rapids, Mich.  Price $3.75.                                              The exegesis in this commentary I find quite thorough

                                                                      and correct and, to my mind, that is of chief importance in
       This book I consider a rather thorough study of the com-       any commentary. Hendriksen is a good exegete. And he,
ing of our Lord Jesus Christ in His final advent. After a             evidently, bestowed a good deal of labor in exegeting this
historical introduction, the author discusses the hope of the         epistle to the Philippians. Here, too, however, I wish to make
appearing of Christ, the imminence of His appearing and               a remark. It is this: the author elaborates too much upon
antecedents to, His imminent appearing. He weighs and                 certain terms in the epistle. Thus, .for instance, when the
refutes the arguments in favor of pretribulations, the doctrine       author, in 1 :27, meets with the term "gospel of Christ" he
that Christ will come again before what is called the great           elaborates very broadly upon that term even devoting four
tribulation (dispensationalism, the "rapture"). He closes             pages to it with quotations from several passages from Scrip-
with an outline of the Book of Revelation, and with a brief           ture.
discussion of "Fifty Arguments of Pretribulationism." The                 Another example of this being too elaborate I find in a
whole is based on many passages of Scripture.                         long note of more than two pages explaining the term
       You may find the author's method of interpreting proph-        Izo&o&,  fellowship, found in ch. 2:l. A brief interpretation
ecy on pages 104ff.  He writes : "It is therefore proposed in         of this term is found on p. 9S. But a very long note on this
the following sections to undertake a synthesis that will em-         term is found on pages 93-95 (where, besides, it is out of
body the strong points of all three methods of prophetic              place).
interpretation: historical, futurist, and past, and doing so to           However, I gladly recommend this commentary to our
maintain the doctrine of the imminence of Christ's appear-            readers. It is, as I said before, based on sound exegesis of
ing. Historical interpretation will thus embrace a number of          the text and, besides, it is also full of practical applications.
prophecies which may be considered as, at least potentially,                                                                     H.H.
of present day fulfillment.      Futurist interpretation may be

applied to num.erous  predictions that are not relevant to the            The Gospel According to St. John, Pm? One, l-10. The

Lord's appearing . . . but future antecedents to Christ's com-        Gospel According to St. John., Part Two, Il+?l. In the same

 ing are, of necessity, sharply limited by a belief in the im-        volume, The Fiuf Epistle of John.. Price $4.50.

minence of His advent . . . Preterist interpretation, if utilized         Both these volumes belong to Calr.&s  New Te.&wtent

exclusively, destroys all genuine eschatology."                       Commentmies  and they are "A New Translation." They are

       These three methods the author applies in his outline on       translated by T. H. L. Parker. Published by Wm. B. Eerd-

 the Book of Revelation. `Personally, I am of the opinion that,       mans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

 to say the least, this outline is not very clear. The chief con-         In an Introduction the translator informs us that: "The

 tents of the Book of Revelation are presented in the seven           present translation is a revision of Pringle's. How complete,

 seals in such a way that the seventh seal is dissolved in the        may be judged from a comparison of the two. With the best

 seven trumpets, and the seventh trumpet is presented in the          will in the world, it cannot be said that Pringle's was a good

 seven vials. There are also several interludes.                      attempt. His inability to grasp the close coherence of Calvin's

       But this is by the way. I will heartily recommend this book    ideas, and his imissing  many of the characteristic images, are
 to our readers.                                             H.H.     the least of his faults. Far worse is his carelessness in

                                                                      omitting negatives or even whole passages and putting in
       New Testament Co?tl~~~~e?~tcbr~,  Philifpians,  by William     the wrong word altogether.      Nevertheless, he has provided
 Hendriksen. Published by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids,             a basis."
 Mich. Price $4.95 till Dec. 31, 1962; after that, \$$5.95.               In how far this opinion of Parker is true, I have no time

       This commentary is preceded by an introduction in which        to ascertain. Besides,, I have no copy of the Latin, original
 the author gives the reasons for studying Philippians, gives a       nor of the French translation which was made by Cal&
 brief description of the city of Philippi, of the church in that     himself. All I have is Pringle's translation, which is also
 city, of Paul's purpose in writing to that church, writes about      called a new translation.
 the place and time of writing this epistle, of its authorship            However, I compared a few passages and whether the
 and unity, and gives the general contents of the epistle. There-     opinion of Parker on Pringle's translation is correct or not
 upon follows the commentary proper.                                   [and I gladly take his word for it), the present new transla-
       As for the latter, at the head of every chapter the author     tion I prefer for its very clear language.
 presents a brief outline of the section of the epistle which is          Hence, I gladly recommend it to our readers.            I-I.H.


                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                     127
I

                                                                          must necessarily lower the criterion or standard of perfection.

     11  O U R   D O C T R I N E   11 He who takes sin seriously and has any idea of the right-
                                                                          eousness and holiness of God certainly cannot be satisfied

                                                                          with the outward keeping of some of the commandments of

                                                                          God ; but he understands that God demands truth in the in-

                              CHAPTER V                                   most parts. And the child of God who knows himself and

                                                                          gains an ever deeper insight from a spiritual, ethical point

                     OF SANCTIFICATION                                    of view into his own sinful heart and existence will not

                                                                          easily be tempted to imagine that his walk is. perfect before

                              (Continued)                                 the Lord. He is too vividly conscious of the very opposite.
                                                                          Those who claim `that the child of God is able to attain to

                                                                          perfection usually speak in a very superficial way about their
        They have especially four grounds. In the first place, they
                                                                          conversion to God. They commonly speak of some very gross
     appeal to those passages of Holy Writ that command the
                                                                          sins in which they used to walk and from which they are
     child of God to walk holily,.  and to be holy as God is holy.
                                                                          now delivered. Formerly they were drunkards, or lived an
     Thus, for instance, they refer to the text in Matthew 5 :48,
                                                                          immoral life ; but since they were converted, they live soberly
     where the Lord says.: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
                                                                          and in chastity. Little they speak of the inner fountain of the
     .Father  which is in heaven is perfect." Also they appeal to
                                                                          heart, out of which are the issues of life. Lack of proper
     II Cor. 7:l: "Having therefore these promises, dearly be-
                                                                          self-knowledge is the basis of their imagination that they can
     loved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
                                                                          walk perfectly before God.     Sin is excused, and the life of
     and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
                                                                          sanctification consists in the external walking in some of the
     And once more, they refer to passages such as are found in
                                                                          commandments of God. The teaching of the perfectionists,
     the first epistle of Peter, 1 :14-16 : "As obedient children,
                                                                          moreover, leads to a neglect in regard to. watching and pray-
     not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in
                                                                          ing, a neglect of a daily seeking refuge in the cross of Jesus
     your ignorance : But as he which hath called you is holy, so
                                                                          Christ in order there to find forgiveness of sins and peace of
     be ye holy in all manner of conversation: Because it is writ-
                                                                          mind and heart. Of this they have no need. They really have
     ten, Be ye holy ; for I am holy." Secondly, these perfectionists
                                                                          no need, of course, for the remissioa  of their sins: for now
     call attention to the fact that the Scriptures designate the
                                                                          they sin no more. For all these reasons Reformed people
     church as being holy and perfect. In I Cor. 2 :6 we read:
                                                                          have always contested this serious error of the perfectionists.
     "Howbeit  we speak wisdom among them that are perfect:

     yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this             It is not difficult to refute the arguments of the perfec-
     world, that come to nought." And in II Cor. 5 :17 the apostle        tionist. It may readily be granted that the Lord indeed does
     writes : "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new             demand holiness in the life and conversation of His people.
     creature : old things are passed away ; behold, all things are       1; fact, Reformed theologians emphasize this demand with
     become new." Thirdly, they appeal to examples of perfection          far more seriousness and in-a far deeper sense than the per-
     and holiness that are mentioned in Scripture, such as Enoch          fectionists do. But from this'  demand of God does not follow
     and Noah, who walked with God. And finally, they also ap-            the possibility that the Christian can live perfectly according
     peal to passages in Scripture that apparently teach perfection       to that demand of God, that he can live without sin. It may
     in the child of God, such as, for ilistance,  I John 3 :9, where     also be granted that the church of Christ in the world is.
     the apostle writes : "Whosoever is born of God doth not com-         called holy and that actually she is holy in Christ Jesus. But
     mit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin,          it is true at the same time that the church possesses that
     because he is born of God."    And in the same epistle, 5 :lS,       holiness in Christ only in principle. In the same epistle in
     the apostle writes : "We know that whosoever is born of God          which the church and the saints are called holy in the Lord
     sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth  himself,        the believers are rebuked because of all kinds of sins and
     and that wicked one toucheth him not."                               corruptions. And as far as the texts' are concerned to which

         Reformed theologians and Reformed people strongly                the perfectionists appeal and that apparently teach perfection

     repudiate this theory of the perfectionists. They have a pro-        in this life, it is very clear from other parts of the same epistle

     found insight into Holy Writ, and, at the same time, a more          in which those .>xpressions occur that they mean perfection

     sober view of the reality of the life of the Christian, the child    only in principl.:    In I John 3 :9 we read: "Whosoever is

     of God., in the present world. Besides, they took the reality        born of God dolzh not commit sin ; but his seed remaineth in

     of sin over against the righteousness and holiness of God            him; and he cannot sin because he is. born of God." But

     usually far more seriously than the perfectionists do. And in        in the same epistle, namely, I John 1 :8 we read: "If we say

     their theory they saw a great danger. A theory, so our fathers"      that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the! truth is

     taught; that claims that the child of God is able to live per-       not in us."    And in the ninth verse of the! same chapter we

     fectly in this world and that he can actually attain perfection      read : "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to for-


128                                         T H E   S.TANDARD   B E A R E R


give us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."            In the Netherland Confession, Article 24, we read of

And again, iri the same chapter, verse 10, we read: "If we             man's sanctification and good works as follows : "We believe

say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his               that this true faith being wrought in man by the hearing of

word is not in us.`j    And as far as the examples in Holy Writ        the Word of God, and the operation of the Holy Ghost, doth

are concerned to which the perfectionists refer, and. that are         regenerate and make him a ne-w man, causing him to live a

supposed to teach that the saints can and do walk in perfec-           new life, and freeing him from the bondage of sin. Therefore

tion before God in this world, we may certainly remark that            it is so far from being true, that this justifying faith, makes

the entire cloud of witnesses in the old dispensation were one         men remiss in a pious and holy life, that on the contrary

and all sinful, and there never was one of them that lived in          without it they would never do anything out of love to Gocl,

perfection and without sin before God.                                 but only out of self-love or fear of damnation. Therefore it

                                                                       is impossible that this holy faith can be unfruitful in man:
       Over against this presentation of the perfectionists Re-        for we do not speak of a vain faith, but of such a faith, which
formed people emphasize the neces.sity  of a daily and con-            is called in Scripture, a faith that worketh by love, which
tinual conversion to God, of a very serious struggle between           excites man to the practice of those works, which God has
flesh and spirit, the old and the new man, and of the calling          commanded in his Word. Which works, as they proceed
continually to put off the old man and to put on the new man.
                                                                       from the good root of faith, are good and acceptable in the
They conceive of the  Christian in this life as indeed perfect         sight of God, forasmuch as they are all sanctified by his
in principle, but as still living in the flesh and as characterized    grace: howbeit they are of no account toward our justifica-
by many sins and infirmities.                                          tion. For it is by faith in Christ that we are justified, even

   This is the teaching of the Reformed confessions. Thus,             before we do, good works ; otherwise they could not be good
for instance, in the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day                  works, any more than the fruit of a tree can be good, before
XxX111, Questions and Answers &S-90,  we read: "Of how                 the tree itself is good. Therefore we do good works, but not
many parts doth the true conversion of man consist? Of two             to merit by them (for what can we merit?), nay, we are
parts ; of the mortification of the old, and the quickening 0          beholden to God for the good works we do, and not he to us,
the new man. What is the mortification of the old man ? It             since it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do of
is a sincere sorrow of heart, that we have provoked God by             his good pleasure. Let us therefore attend to. what is writ-
our sins ; and more and more to hate and flee from them.               ten: when ye shall have done all those things which are
What is the quickening of the new man? It is a sincere joy             commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants ; we have
of heart in God, through Christ, and with love and delight             done that which was our duty to do. In the meantime, we
to live according to the will of God in all good works." But           do not deny that God rewards our good works, but it is
in this same Lord's Day good works are described not                   through his grace that he crowns his gifts. Moreover, though
according to their outward appearance, but according to                we do good works, we do not found our salvation upon them ;
their inner nature. They are those "which proceed from a               for we do no work but what is polluted by our flesh, and also
true faith, are performed according to the law of God, and             punishable ; and although we could perform such works, still
to his glory; and not such as are founded on our imagina-              the remembrance of one sin is sufficient to make God reject
tions., or the institutions of men." Q. and A. 91. And in              them. Thus then we would always be in doubt, tossed to
Lord's Day XLIV, Q. and A. 114, we confess: "But can                   and fro without any certainty, and our poor consciences
those who are converted to God perfectly keep these com-               continually vexed, if they relied not on the merits of the
mandments ? No: but even the holiest men, while in this                suffering and death of our Savior."

life, have only a small beginning of this obedience; yet so,              In the Canons of Dordrecht, V, 1, 2, we read: "Whom

that with a sincere resolution they begin to live, not only            God calls, according to his purpose, to the communion of his

according to some, but all the commandments of God." On                Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and-  regenerates by the Holy

the other hand, how seriously the Catechism takes the                  Spirit, he delivers also from the dominion and slavery of sin

demand of God to walk in all sanctification of life may be             in this life ; though not altogether from the body of sin, and

evident from Q. and A. 115, where we read : "Why will God              from the infirmities of the flesh, so long as they continue in

then have the ten commandments so strictly preached, since             this world.

no man in this life can keep them? First, that all our life-
                                                                          "Hence spring daily sins of infirmity, and hence spots
time we may learn more and more to know our sinful nature,
                                                                       adhere to the best works of the saints ; which furnish them
and, thus become the more earnest in seeking the remission of          with constant matter for humiliation before God, and flying
sin, and righteousness in Christ; likewise, that we constantly         for refuge to Christ crucified; for' mortifying the flesh'more
endeavor and pray to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit,             and more by the spirit of prayer, and by holy exercises of

that we may become more and more conformable to the image              piety; and for pressing forward to the goal of perfection, till

of God, till we arrive at the perfection;  propo,sed  to us, in a      being at length delivered from this body of death, they are

life to come."                                                         brought to reign with the Lamb of God in heaven."


                                           T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               129


   In Article 4 of the same chapter of the Canons we read:         as one that must constantly be striven after. Throughout their

"Although the weakness of the flesh cannot prevail against         whole life they must fight the good fight of faith. Through-

the power of God, who confirms and preserves true believers        out their whole life they must put off the old man and put

in a state of grace, yet converts are not always so influenced     on the new man in Christ Jesus their Lord.

and actuated by the Spirit of God, as not in some particular          This same note of admonition is sounded throughout Holy
instances sinfully to deviate from the guidance of divine          Writ. In Romans 6 :6 we read : "Knowing this, that our old
grace, so as to be seduced by, and comply with; the lusts of       man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be
the flesh;  they must, therefore, be constant in watching and      destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." But in
prayer, that they be not led into temptation. When these are       the following verses the congregation is admonished as fol-
neglected, they are not only liable to be drawn into great and     lows: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that
heinous sins, by' Satan, the world, and the flesh,  but some-      ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your
times by the righteous permission of God actually fall into        members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin : put
these evils. This, the lamentable fall of David, Peter, and        yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the
other saints described in Holy Scripture, demonstrates."           dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto

   This is the teaching of the Reformed fathers, who must          God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for- ye are

have nothing of the theory of the perfectionists. Indeed, they     not under the law, but under grace. What then ? shall we

know very well that the people of God are principally holy.        sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace ? God

They know too that the. Word of God exhorts them                   forbid."

constantly to walk in newness and holiness of life. But they          The apostle certainly figures with the reality of the mem-
deny that the perfectionists' theory is true, namely, that they    bers of sin which are still present in the believers when he
are able in the midst of the present world and while the flesh     writes in Colossians 3 :5 : "Mortify therefore your members
is still in them to walk in perfection.                            which are upon the earth ; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate

   And the same is also clearly taught in Holy Writ. The           affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is
teaching of the perfectionists is certainly quite foreign to       idolatry."    In Galatians 5 :16-23  the apostle reEers  to the
Scripture. All the admonitions in the Word of God to the           same reality : "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye
effect that the saints must walk in the world in a new and         shall not fulfil  the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth
holy life nevertheless presuppose that sin is still in their       against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh : and these
members. Thus, the church is admonished in Ephesians               are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the
4:22-24:  "That ye put off concerning the former conversa-         things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are
tion the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceit-        not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are mani-
ful lusts ; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind ; And        fest, which are these : Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,

that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in          lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emula-
righteousness and true holiness." And what this means is           tions, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders,
explained in the verses that follow. The saints must put away      drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell
lying, and speak truth every man with his neighbor. They           you before, as I have also told you in time)  past, that they

must be angry without sinning. They must not give place to         which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
the devil. They must not steal, but rather labor, working          But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
with their hands the thing which is good, that they may            gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance : against
have to give to him that needeth. No corrupt communica-            such there is no law." And to quote no more, in Remans
tion must be allowed to proceed out of their mouth, but only       8 :12 and 13 we read : "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors,
that which is good to the use of edifying.- They must beware       not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after
that they grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. They must put         the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
off all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil         the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Everywhere in Scrip-

speaking and all malice. And they must be kind one to an-          ture, therefore, we find the same note. Everywhere all the
other, tenderhearted, and forgive one another, even as God in      admonitions that are directed to the saints presuppose that
Christ has forgiven them. They must be followers of God,           sin is still in their members, and that they must continually
as dear children. They must walk in love, and put off all          put off the old man and put on the new man in Christ Jesus.
fornication and uncleanness and covetousness and. filthiness       Ev rywhere  the Christian in the world is presented as in-
and foolish talking and jesting. For they must be warned           dee: perfect in principle, but very imperfect according to his
that no. whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man,        sinful nature that remains with him until the grave.

who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of
                                                                                                                             H.H.
Christ and of God. And because of all these things cometh

the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. All

this is not presented as an ideal that is already attained, but

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


                                                                      our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy
11 A CLOUD OF WITNESSES 11                                            God with all thine heart, and with all thy sotd,  and with all
                                                                      thy might, and these words, which I command thee this day,

                                                                      shall be in thine heart."

                     The Death of Moses                                       The third and final discourse was turned in consideration

            So Moses the servant of the LORD died there               of the future. It gave commands to Israel concerning the
                                                            in the
         land  of Moab,  a.ccording  to the word of the LORD . . .    recognition of the law with its blessings and cursings by Is-
            And there  arose not a prophet since  in Isme!  like      rael when they should come to mounts Gerizim and Ebal in
         mzto  Moses, zvhom  the LORD knew face fo face.              the land of Canaan. But what was more, it gave them re-
                                          Deuteronomy 34 :5, 10       markably detailed prophecies of what would happen to their
                                                                      nation in future ages when they would fall into the ways of
        The journey of Moses' earthly life was all but ended. It      sin.
had been a long life and eventful, with many strange and
                                                                              Through the days and weeks in which these discourses
different paths to be traveled. But now he had journeyed as
                                                                      were being delivered Moses gradually began to warm again
far as he could go. Israel, the nation which he loved so
                                                                      to the wonderful truth which he for the last time was being
dearly and had led so far so tenderly, must go on without
                                                                      given the opportunity to proclaim. He lived again in memory
him. He had prayed that it might be different. Repeatedly
                                                                      the trials and hardships of the exodus with the wonderful
he had cried to God to forgive his sin and allow him to go
                                                                      works of deliverance wrought by Jehovah in their behalf. His
on over Jordan to finish the work now so nearly completed.
                                                                      heart thrilled anew as point by point he again instructed the
But it had been denied him. All that remained now was for
                                                                      covenant people in the deep spiritual wisdom of God's law.
him to speak his parting words to Israel, to ascend the moun-
                                                                      He felt more than ever before the serious responsibility that
tain appointed by God, and there within sight of Canaan to
                                                                      fell to Israel to keep that law and the immensity of blessings
die.
                                                                      and cursings that would come as a result upon the nation.
   It must have been with a heavy heart that Moses called the         The more Moses spoke, the more he gradually forgot about
people of Israel to him, and with heavy hearts that the people        himself and his impending death. His mind became filled
came. Moses knew and the people knew that they could go               with concern for Israel `his beloved nation and all of his last
no farther together. The parting could not be easy. Though            effort was put into impressing upon the people the importance
the people had often murmured against Moses, there had                of abiding in complete obedience to Jehovah. As the time
developed a deep and abiding love between them. Now their             went on and his death approached him closer, his enthusiasm
parting was bound to hurt, but it could not be avoided. Moses         seemed to grow ever stronger instead of waning as might
had much on his heart that had to be said. A few words                have been expected. When finally he came to the end of his
would not suffice. His parting words co,nstituted  three dif-         discourse there was no longer any tone of bitter resignation ;
ferent discourses &read  over weeks and months of time.               he concluded as though with a shout of triumph, with a song
They fill most of the book which we call Deuteronomy.                 of exaltation. It was a wonderful hymn of praise that broke

        The first discourse of Moses contained a review and a         forth from XIoses'  lips:

reminder of all that the Lord had done for their nation in                      "Give ear, 0 ye heavens,
the past. There were no longer many living of those who                            and I will speak ;
had taken part in the original exodus from Egypt, only those                     And hear, 0 earth,
who had been under twenty years of age at the time. It was                          the words of my mouth.
necessary, therefore, that Moses should remind them of the                       My doctrine shall drop as the rain,
marvelous works which Jehovah performed in their behalf as                          my speech shall distil as the dew,
He brought their fathers to the very gates of Canaan. He                         as the small rain upon the tender herb,
reminded them again of the repeated sins of their fathers that                      and as the showers upon the grass :
had kept their nation now for forty years from entering the                      Because I will publish the name of the LORD,
land of promise. And in conclusion he urged them to learn                           ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
from the lesson of their fathers, &and  to go forth in obedience                 He is the Rock,
to Jehovah their covenant God. `..                                                  his work is perfect :

        The second discourse of Moses in a large part constituted                     for all his ways are judgment;

a repetition of the laws that had been given to Israel at Sinai                  A God of truth,

and thereabouts. And still it was much more than a repeti-                          and without iniquity,

tio,n; it was more of an interpretation and application of the                        just and right is he . . ."

law. From this portion the book of Deuteronomy receives

its name meaning "the second law." In it Moses stressed the           Not only did Moses sing this song, he insisted that the people

principle of the law, as he said, "Hear, 0 Israel : the LORD          learn it and sing it after him. It was a glorious Psalm of


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 131


praise and the last words of instruction which Moses left           that he could not enter the earthly Canaan. His thoughts

with the people whom he loved so dearly. It expressed as            were turned more and more to the better Canaan where he

nothing else the note of triumph that characterized his life        would soon find his dwelling place, and its promise was more

now unto the very end.                                              than enbugh  to comfort his soul. Arriving at the top of Nebo

                                                                    Moses looked out across Jordan to the land beyond with
   One thing only remained now for Moses to do. Turning
                                                                    peaceful satisfaction. The air was clear and even from this
to each of the tribes of Israel individually he pronounced the
                                                                    great distance the land was beautiful to behold. Its verdant
blessing of God upon them. It was much like the pronounce-
                                                                    green was rich and fruitfIll looking as a land that was blessed
ments of a father over his children  and reminiscent of the
                                                                    by the hand of the Lord. It was enough for Moses just to
blessings which Jacob many years before had pronounced
                                                                    know that soon his people would enter in and possess that
upon the fathers of those same tribes. For forty years Moses
                                                                    land. God stood by his side and said, "This is the land which
had been in very fact as a father to the whole of the nation
                                                                    I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying,
of Israel. The parting words which he now spoke were
                                                                    I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with
filled with all the tender concern which he felt for this people
                                                                    thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither."
which he had guided so carefully through all of the dangers of

the wilderness. But even more he spoke to them as a prophet           There with that beautiful vision before his eyes, Moses died.

of God so that Israel might be assured that all which he            It was a quiet and peaceful death. We are told as though

spoke concerning them was truth. His words were not suc'h           with special significance that it was by the "word of the

as could be ignored. These were the last words of God to be         LORD," and the old Jewish Rabbis liked to render this "by

spoken through Moses his servant. Especially the closing            the kiss of the LORD." In a very special sense God gatherecl

words were fiiled with glorious promise, "The eternal God is        Moses into death. There were no natural causes; God just

thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he         determined that it was time for Moses to be taken from this

shall thrust out the enemy from before thee ; and shall say,        earth. And God also provided for his body, burying it in a

Destroy them. Israel thou shalt dwell in safety alone ; the         sepulchre not known unto man.

fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine;               It was finally thti children of Israel and not Moses who
also his heavens shall drop down dew. Happy art thou, 0             found this death to be most painful. Gradually they began- to
Israel ; who is like unto thee, 0 people saved by the LORD.,        realize what it would mean not to have Moses with them any
the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excel-          more. Although Joshua would carry on Moses' work, he
lency ! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee ; and      would never really take Moses' place. Moses was .a unique
thou shalt tread upon their high places."                           figure in the history of the Church. Never again would there

   While these words were still echoing in the ears of all          be a mere human prophet who would know the Lord so in-

Israel, Moses turned to leave the plains of Moab where they         timately, face to face. His life in so. many respects had been

were camped and began to climb the slopes of Nebo. And              a visible demonstration of the grace of God and of the Gospel,

somehow in that departure there was not the undertone of            He was a mediator through whom Israel had stood before

extreme sadness that might have been expected. It was an            the greatness of the living God. Henceforth they could only

old man whom they were watching but his shoulders were              look forward to the day of which Moses spoke when he said

still strong and upright. The head was white with age but it        to them, "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a

was held as firm and confident as ever. So often Israel had         Prophet from the midst of thy brethren, like unto me; unto

watched the figure: of Moses making its way up among the            him ye shall hearken" (Deut. 18:1.5). He would be the ful-

mountain peaks, and now as always it seemed that he was             fillment of which Moses was only the type.

going with the purpose of communing with his Maker. He                                                                       B.W-

had left them with a message of joyful promise, and the same

confidence seemed to carry him on as he ascended before their

eyes closer and closer to heaven. It might have been a

lonesome figure disapp'earing  alone in the distance except that

all Israel knew so well that he went in communion with                       He willed that each succeeding race
Jehovah.                                                                        His deeds might` learn and know,

   Also for Moses there had come a new assurance and                         That children's children to their sons
confidence which he had not expected. To leave the nation                      Might all these wonders show.
of Israel so close to the goal of all his labors had appeared

to him an almost impossible thing. But as he had sought to                   Let children learn God's righteous ways
encourage the children of Israel at his departure, he had found
                                                                                And on Him stay their heart,
himself to be strengthened and encouraged as much as anyone
                                                                             That they may not forget His works
else. He had left the camp of Israel ; but he was not alone.

The Lord was with him and he had found peace with the fact                     Nor from His ways depart.

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


                                                                      does not teach this. Scripture knows  only of the Gospel-

11  F R O M   H O L Y   W R I T   11 promise in Christ Jesus; to receive this promise these are no
                                                                      social obstacles ; to be a free-man and a lord is of no ad-

                                                                      vantage, and to be a slave is no hindrance to being a Chris-

                                                                      tian. Writes Paul explicitly in I Cor. 7:17:  "But as God
                  Exposition of I Timothy
                                                                      hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every

                                                                      one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the churches."
                        (I Timothy 6:1, 2)

                                                                          In the thii-d place, it should be observed that Paul gives
                                 b.                                   some particulars of what he means when he speaks of the

                                                                      Kingdom of Christ in the midst of the present earthly rela-
       In our former essay we noticed that Paul lays down a           tionships ; it is the truth that Christ's Kingdom is not out of
universal and a binding ordinance for all the servants (slaves)       this world. Here follow a few particulars: "Is any man
who are under the legal yoke of slavery, and owned by un-             called being circumcised ? let him not become uncircumcised.
believing masters. They are to do a little accounting; they           Is any called in uncircumcision ? let him not become circum-
are to judge them worthy of all honor.                                cised. Circumcision is nothinb,
                                                                                                        m and uncircumcision is noth-

       Now we would investigate the teaching of Scripture con-        ing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every

cerning the attitude of the heart and soul of the believing           man abide in the same calling wherein he was called." I Car.

slave toward his believing master. The danger here signaled           7 :18-20.

by Paul is that, due to the new relationship of faith in Christ,          In the fourth place, it is particular13  interesting and in-
constituting both "slave" and "lord" one new man in the               structive what Paul writes, applying the previously men-
fellowship of saints, the slave would not give "all honor" to         tioned principles to the slave's relationship to his master.
his master.                                                           Writes he : "Art thou called being a servant? care not for it :

       In passing it should be remarked that in Ephesians 69          but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather." I Cor. 7 :21..

Paul also has a warning note to the masters, the earthly lords        Underneath this injunction is a deep and profound principle

of the Christian slaves. Writes Paul: "And, ye lords, do the          which are as golden apples in a silver bowl: "For  he that is

same things unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that           called in the Lord,  be&g  setwant  (slave) is fl%e  Lord's free-

your Master also is in heaven ; neither is there respect of per-      man; (is qutade free) l~ikewise also he that ,is calbed, being fi-se,

sons with him."      It is, therefore, by no means thus that Paul     is Chist's  servant."
only has a word of admonition to the servants and not to the              These are the principles that must be taught.
masters. The following partictilars  should be noticed con-
                                                                          Says Paul here in I Cor. 7:17:  "And so ordain I in all
cerning the teaching of Scripture about the relationsbip of the
                                                                      the churches."
masters, the "despotees,"  to the slaves.

                                                                          In I Tim. 6 :2b Paul writes: "These things teach and ex-
       In the first place, it should be evident that the Gospel of
                                                                      hort."
free grace does not come with outward force, nor is it in any

way revolutionary. Christ submitted, while on earth, to the               It is against this background, as we have iterated above,

Roman government; He paid tribute to Caesar, and taught               that we can understand the exhortation to the believing slaves

that we should give.to  God what is God's and to Caesar what          in general, and particularly also in reference to their believ-

is Caesar's.     His Kingdom does not come up out of this             ing masters.

world ; it in no sense has its origin in the existing world and           Paul insists that something "new" has come into the
relationships. He "came into" this world as the Son of God            "old" relationship; Christ has brought in a new dimension.
to save the world, the Cosmos; He came to bear witness of             It is his LORDSHIP over all ; He is Lord of both the slaves
the truth. John 18  :36, 37.                                          and the masters, being the One who,  has redeemed both to

       In the second place, it should be evident that when Christ     be His peculiar possession, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,

is preached in the world, and men are gathered into His               called out of darkness into God's marvelous light. And each,

church of all kinds - kings and subjects, man and wife,               both slave and master, must work out his respective salva-

parents and children, slaves and masters-these earthly                tion with fear and trembling ! They must work out their

relationships are tlot  destroyed, but rather sanctified. Each        salvation not only in general, but the slave must sanctify

of these relationships becomes a certain domain where our             his slave-relationship to his master in his new relationship

salvation must be worked out with fear and trembling. The             to his LORD in heaven, and the master must sanctify his

Bible knows of no social gospel, the proclamation that all            master-relationship in his new relationship to his LORD in

men are born "free and equal," as Rousseau and Voltaire,              heaven. That is the "new" in the midst of the old relation-

the men of the French revolution, proclaimed, and as is the           ship. The slave-master, and, the master-slave society is no

attempt today of all "socializing" agencies. I say the Bible          barrier for the Christian faith and life. For the entire law


                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                     133


is fulfilled in either relationship in this one word : TJ~ozt  shalt    istic. Then the situation of a slave would be impossible.
love tjzy  rteighbor  a.s tlzyse2f!  The slave must act toward his      Wherefore in the world we have revolutions and social re-

master in love, and the master must act toward the slave in             forms and a new social contract. However, here in th.e

love.                                                                   church that is not necessary, For the relationship to Christ

    The new relationship in Christ did not annul the legal              determines the new attitude in the old relationship to the

and social relationship of slave and master!                            master. Wherefore Paul writes "as unto Christ."

    Christ is not the author of confusion,                                  In this relationship with the new Christian motivation

    There is sinful flesh in every Christian who was "called"           there will also be a new ethical quality. It will be "not with

in Christ as a slave. This sin reveals itself in using the              eye-service, as men-pleasers," but "as the servants of Christ."

"liberty" in Christ as an occasion for the flesh. It would use          It will be a "new"  obedience of the spirit and not of the letter.

the new relationship in. Christ as the occasion for despising               It will, furthermore, be a service which has a great reward.

the brother in the "old' relationship," and thus would lift this        This reward will not be social a.dvamement  necessarily. It           ,

"old relationship" of being a slave from out of the providen-           may be that the circumstances were such that the master

tial direction of his LORD in heaven, and thus would make               would give his slave liberty. Then he could use it gratefully

void the battle and victory which was his iri that relation-            in the service of Christ. However, the reward which the

ship. Hence, Paul admonishes as follows here in I Tim.                  Lord gives is, (a) in this life the good conscience of being

6 :2 : "And they that have believing masters, let them not              well-pleasing to Christ, to fight against all sin and unbelief,

despise them, because they are brethren ; but rather do them            and to walk in the law which is fulfilled in one word: thou

service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of            shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; (b) and when the course

the benefit."                                                           of the life of a slave is ended there will be the reward of

   In Christ they are equals, both servants and masters ; both          having been faithful in little and set over much; the reward

receive the same "benefit" in Christ; in this they are joint-           of reigning with Christ over all things in heaven and on

heirs. But this is also true of husband and wife ; and sti!l            earth.

this does not make husband and wife equals. The same must                  The perfect social state of all being equal, that is of being

be said about our children, sanctified in Christ. However,              sons of God and of being brethren together, must wait till the

this having the same benefit in Christ, being a fellowship of           Pa:l*o&a  of our Lord. Presently in the reconstitution of all

saints, sitting at the same Lord's table together, does not             things under heaven, in a new heaven and a new earth where

take away social inequality; it does not do this per se!                righteousness shall dwell, we shall have the perfect state. All

   This latter must be seen. It must also be taught and                 the attempts of mere man to bring about the perfect state 0

underscored with exhortations.                                          the "inalienable right" that all men are "created free and

                                                                        equal" must needs lead to wars and bloodshed.
   To "despise" the master does not mean to despise in
                                                                           We must not be deceived in our day by the ado, the ex-
general, but to so think of the master in his relationship as
                                                                        citement of the world, her humanistic teachings, and become
master, while he is a brother. One has but to read that mas-
                                                                        involved in the class-struggle. We are to work out our own
terful letter of Paul to Philemon concerning Onesimus, the
                                                                        salvation with fear and trembling where God has placed us
slave of Philemon, to, see how Paul, while maintaining that
                                                                        in His providence. We do not need any open forums of dis-
Onesimus is a free-man in Christ and, as such, not the
                                                                        cussion of the calling of the church to make this world a
servant of Philemon, still honors the master-position of
                                                                        better place to live in, nor do we need to import speakers to
Philemon and does not "despise" the latter for it. He hands
                                                                        indoctrinate us in the social errors and wrongs done upon
the slave over to the master, reminding him at the same time
                                                                        "minority" groups !
that he must not forget his own indebtedness to Paul, and
                                                                           The church is the "minority group" and the world is the
that he too has a Master in heaven! Phil. 18, 19.
                                                                        "majority group."      Wide is the gate and broad is the way
   Paul gives content to the honor, which is the very opposite
                                                                        that leadeth to destruction and many there be who go in
of despising in Ephesians 6 5-S. He points out the following
                                                                        thereat; because straight is the gate and narrow is the way
elements in this honor:
                                                                        that leadeth to life and few-there be that find it.
   In the first place, it is to be a matter of "obedience." They           It was not many  "slaves" who served the Lord from the
are to give ear to what their masters according to the flesh            heart, looking for the final liberation in the Day of Christ!
command them. They are not to account themselves on an
equal par of authority in this "sphere." It is conceivable,                 Do you?                                                 G.L.

however, that a slave was the elder in the congregation, while

the master was in this church not an elder. In the sphere of

the church the elder would rule over the master. I doubt                               Thy God shall reign for evermore,

whether this happened o&en  in life; l&t it is conceivable.                            Praise Him, 0 Zion, and adore;

   In the second place, it should be noticed that this obe-                            The Lord is heaven's eternal King,

dience has a very lofty "motivation,." It is not at all human-                         To Him all praise and honor bring.

                      >.

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


                                                                        &l ways. Jesus did that with Peter when he wanted to

              I N   HIS  F E A R                                  1     walk in his own strength. He warned Peter of what was
                                                                        coming.     He even told Peter that He prayed for him because

                                                                        Satan wished to silt him as wheat. But it was also. only in

                                                                        the way of Peter's cursing and swearing that he did not know
                       Righteous Wrath                                  the man and that he did not belong to His kingdom that

                                                                        Peter was b'rought  to the consciousness of the awfulness of
                                  (3)
                                                                        being outside.

       If one is filled with the love of God and therefore is filled
                                                                           There is therefore also with the individual member in
with indignation at the perpetration and defence  of sin, what
                                                                        the Church the calling to rebuke, to exhort, to admonish and
will he do ?                                                            point out the better way.

       He might run away from it; and in certain circumstances
                                                                           Men do not want that as far as their flesh is concerned.
certainly ought to run away rather than take part in it. The
                                                                        Few there are that appreciate this medicine. Usually we fincl
words of Paul in II Corinthians 6:14-18  apply then. Right-
                                                                        the "patient" spitting it out in our faces and hating us for it.
eousness can have no fellowship with unrighteousness. Light
                                                                        This is nothing new.     Cain hated Abel for pointing out to
can have no communion with darkness. Christ has no con-
                                                                        him the better way. John tells us that he slew Abel because
cord with Belial. And faith hath no part with the infidel.
                                                                        his brother's works were righteous and his own were evil.
The believer is told to come out from among these unbelievers
                                                                        Abel spoke in very reserved and brotherly language. There
and be a separate people. The faithful - as we pointed out
                                                                        was no pride in his speech. He meant no evil but sought his
before - are called out of the church at Laodicea  where
                                                                        brother's good. And he was hated for it to the point of
Christ is no. longer preached. Likewise the Israelites are told
                                                                        murder! The Israelites repeatedly told the prophet% to keep
not to marry the heathen or allow their idols to be kept in
                                                                        still. Many prophets were put in prison and killed for their
the land. Physical separation from people and, from objects
                                                                        good testimony and admonitions. Jesus was despised because
may in some circumstances be quite mandatory. And a man
                                                                        He pointed out the evil of the scribes and Pharisees. Men
may have to leave his job and place of employment when sin
                                                                        who hated the truth hated those who hated the lie. It has
is practiced and demanded in that job and at that place of
                                                                        ever been thus. It is that way today. Point out the error
work. This often becomes a very real and necessary step.
                                                                        of a church or denomination. Plead with individuals or
       But this is not necessarily the first step or required im-       churches to cast away their philosophies that insult the living
mediately. Often that righteous indignation and wrath ought             God and liken Him to a weak and changeable man. Most
to take a different course. Especially, although by 110,  means         likely you will be hated fbr it.
exclusively, when that sin or false doctrine is perpetrated by
                                                                            Luther had all the good intentions of the world to open
a brother in Christ, the first step is not to run away from
                                                                        the eyes of the church to evils that were practiced and here-
him and sever all connections with him. It becomes quite
                                                                        sies that were taught. He saw the beautiful and comfprting
mandatory to cut out the cancerous tissue when it is found.
                                                                        truth of justification by faith and not by works. He wanted
But all abnormal conditions in the members of our bodies do
                                                                        the whole church to share in that comfort. He had a tre-
not call for this extreme remedy. One does not at the first
                                                                        mendous personal struggle  with his sins and with a guilty
sign of heart trouble advocate cutting it out! Nor does one
                                                                        conscience. It was as water to a dry and thirsty land. It
as soon as nearsightedness develops in an eye demand that
                                                                        was peace for a troubled soul when he found the truth of
it be plucked out! No, you first try to cure that diseased
                                                                        God's Word. He wanted all God's people, all his fellow
member. And in the Church as well, exactly because wrath
                                                                        clergymen, the priests and bishops and even the pope himself
and anger need not be the opposite of love but are in the
                                                                        to see this glorious truth and have its joy. What did he get
Church rooted in the love of God!  we seek to cure, to correct
                                                                        for it? Hatred, ridicule, persecution and danger for his life I
the brother rather than cut him off.
                                                                        But we know that he did right. We know that he meant no
       For this Jesus gave to the Church the keys of the king-          destruction of the church. We know that he sought the good
dom. Although ultimately, if the member is not cured and                of that church and had no intention whatsoever of separating
the disease reveals itself after all as being cancer, or his            from it.
disease is a very contagious one and there is fear of it spread-
                                                                            On a smaller scale this has happened repeatedly through
ing through the whole church, he may have to be "quaran-
                                                                        the ages since that great reformation. Men have seen the
tined" or even cut off, the idea of the keys of the kingdom is
                                                                        light. They have spoken and sought to convince others, to
not quickly to get rid of the member. Those keys are to
                                                                        exhort, admonish and share the truth but received only
keep in as well as keep out. Often that which is in and shows
                                                                        hatred for their efforts.
desire to get out actually belongs in. And the key power

when applied brings him to his spiritual senses so that he                  Today it is considered love and mercy to let one continue

considers the awfulness of being outside and repents of his             in his sin. If we speak one word of disagreement with his


                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                               135


beliefs and practices, we are branded as evil critics, narrow-      ual wellbeing and take the time to point out to us the errors of

minded faultfinders. We are considered to be obstructionists        our ways. Listen to the wisdom of Solomon, that wisest of

in the great and wonderful ecumenical calling to establish one      all mere mortals, in Proverbs 13 :l, "A wise son heareth

church on this earth. Well, you may say something about             his father's instruction ; but a scorner heareth not rebuke."

the Roman Catholics. But even then you must grant them              And again in Proverbs 19:20  and 25, "Hear counsel, and

the right to their opinion and respect their beliefs.               receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter

    This is not according to the Word of God. First of all,         end. Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and re-
as we pointed out before, "Whom the Lord loveth  He                 prove one that hath understanding, and he will understand
chasteneth." Hebrews 12 :6. It was always to Israel that He         knowledge."

sent His prophets and not to Egypt or Assyria. When the                 The men at Berea weie  a case in point. Paul came with a

ten tribes departed after the gods of the land, He raised up        new doctrine. He showed them that Christ was come as the

an Elijah and an Elisha to these erring brethren. Through           fulfillment of all the Old Testament Scriptures. Did they drive

these prophets He exhorted, admonished and came with                him out of their city and in an unrighteous wrath persecute

scathing rebukes. He arranged that whole tremendous dis-            him as did many of the Jews ? They did not. They searched

play. on Mount Carmel  with the Baa1  prophets and the fire         the Scripture daily, whether these things were so. Acts 17 :ll.

that came down from heaven to consume the water and the             And it makes no difference whether one is, reproved for an

sacrifice to point out to His people the error of their ways. He    evil walk and practice or for defending and holding on to

raised up a John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord         heresies. Search the Scripture and heed its instruction; and

so that men might receive the Christ when He came. And              you will be wise in the fear of God's name.

John minced no words in calling the attention of that genera-           That church that refuses to admonish, that allows first

tion to the evil of their way. Did he lack the love of God?         this evil and then that evil to remain in its midst, sanctions

Was he an obstructionist who stood in the way of many true          this corruption and that corruption because to discipline

children of God coming to the light and believing in the            would cut too deeply into the membership, is inviting all

Christ? Nothing is farther from the truth. He was sent to           kinds of future trouble. Early in life the child ought to be

prepare the way for Christ; and he did prepare that way to          taught td be filled with righteous indignation at all appear-

such an extent that Jesus said that he was the greatest of          ance of sin. Dull his senses by letting evil grow in the church

those that were born of women. And did not Jesus Himself            unreproved and covered up in a false pretense of love, and

drive the wicked out of God's temple? Did He not tell them          you will reap the whirlwind. Similarly it is with the truth.

in so many words that they intended to kill Him? Was all            It is one whole. Attack it anywhere and let a crack appear

this lack of love ?                                                 in that wall of truth, and the whole wall will evetiually

                                                                    fall down. It makes no difference where we begin to question
   No, Jesus loved Gocl, and consequently He was filled with
                                                                    the doctrine once delivered to the saints. Ultimately we will
righteous wrath against all that which denied God. And in
                                                                    always end up by denying God. And on&e  of the prevalent
that righteous wrath He admonished, He warned, He re-
                                                                    ways of the day to, destroy the truth is exactly to present it
buked and exhorted. 0 that the love of God in us would be
                                                                    as love to let a man continue in his wrong beliefs and sinful
so great that we would not be such small people as to flare
                                                                    practices. That is the lukewarm age in which we live. You
up in unrighteous wrath when we are rebuked for our here-
                                                                    cannot get people interested in discussing the differences
sies and evil works ! It is the small man who cannot stand
                                                                    even. Anything goes.        You believe what you want and let
to have sins exposed for correction. Jesus had a word for it
                                                                    me believe what I want to believe. Treat me in love by letting
when He said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit
                                                                    me have my opinion ; and I will do the same to you. That is
the earth." And again when He said, "Blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Ah, indeed!        today's attitude.

Sin and evil, false doctrines and the lie do not enter that            0, for more righteous wrath! 0, for that love of God

kingdom. God grant            meekness and a humble opinion of      whereby we hate sin and in His fear become angry with our
                       us 
ourselves so that we do not want to hold on to our sins after       own flesh!

they are shown to us ! We shall never enter that kingdom                                                                    J.A.H.

with our sins. Nor will pride ever open that kingdom's doors

for us to enter.

   When our sins and our untenable doctrines, our incon-                           Thy truth and tender love

sistent philosophies and fleshly theories are made plain to                        Are high as heaven above ;
                                                            us,
let us not be filled with unrighteous wrath against the one                              Thy help we crave,

who makes it plain to us. Let us rather be filled with right-                      Be Thou exalted high

eous wrath against these evils and by God's grace determine                        Above the lofty sky ;

to put them away as far from us as we can. And let us thank                        Lest Thy beloved die,

God that there are brethren who are concerned with our spirit-                           0 hear and save.

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


                                                                     or the pledges and sacraments of his body and blood. Not
II Contendling For The Faith II that the signs are turned into the things signified, or cease to
                                                                     be that which in their own nature they are (for then they

                                                                     could not be sacraments, which should consist only of the

                                                                     thing signified, and have no signs) ; but therefore do the

            The Church and the Sacraments                            signs bear the names of things, because they are mystical

                                                                     tokens of holy things, and because\ the signs and the things
           THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION                               signified are sacramentally joined together ; joined together,

                                                                     I say, or united by a mystical signification, and by the pur-
                V I E W S   O N   T H E   C H U R C H
                                                                     pose and will of him who first instituted them. For the

                 T H E   P R O T E S T A N T   V I E W               water, bread, and wine are not common, but holy signs. And

                                                                     he that instituted water in Baptism did not institute it with
       We now continue with our quotation from the Second            that mind and purpose that the faithful should only be clipped
Helvetic  Confession on the subject of the sacraments of the         in the water of Baptism ; and he which commanded the bread
church of Christ.                                                    to be eaten and the wine to be drunk in the Supper did not

       "And as in the old Church the sacraments consisted of         mean that the faithful should only receive bread and wine

the word, the sign and the -thing signified ; so even at this day    without any further mystery, as they eat bread at home in

they are composed, as it were>  of the same parts. For the           their houses: but that they should spiritually be partakers

Word of God makes them sacraments, which before were                 of the things signified, and by faith be truly purged from their

none: for they are consecrated by the Word, and declared to          sins, and be partakers of Christ also.

be sanctified by him who first ordained them. To sanctify or             "And, therefore, we can not allow of them who attribute

consecrate a thing is to dedicate it unto God, and unto holy         the consecration of the sacraments to I know not what syl-

uses ; that is, to take it from the common and ordinary use,         lables;  to the rehearsal of certain words pronounced by him

and to appoint it to some holy use. For the signs in the             that is consecrated, and that has an intent of consecrating;

sacraments are drawn from common use, things external                or to some other accidental things, which are left unto us

and visible. As in Baptism, the outward sign is the element          either by the word, or by the example, of Christ or his

of water, and that visible washing which is done by the min-         apostles. We do also mislike the doctrine of those that speak

ister ; but the thing signified is regeneration and the cleans -     no otherwise of the sacraments than of common signs, not

ing from sins. Likewise, in the Lord's Supper, the outward           sanctified, nor effectual. We condemn them also who, be-

sign is bread and wine, taken from things commonly used for          cause of the invisible things, do despise the visible, and think

meat and drink; but the thing signified is the body of Christ        the signs superfluous, because they do already enjoy the things

which was given, and his blood which was shed for us, or             themselves ; such were the Messalians, as it is recorded. We

the communion of the body and blood of the Lord. Where-              do disallow their doctrine also who teach that grace and the

fore, the water, bread, and wine, considered in their own            things signified are to be so tied to and included in the signs

nature, and out of this holy use and institution of the Lord,        that whosoever do outwardly receive the signs. must needs

are only that which they are called, and which we find them          inwardly participate in the grace, and in the things signified,

to be. But let the Word of God be added to them, together            what manner of men soever  they be.

with invocation upon his holy name, and the renewing o.f                "Notwithstanding, as we esteem not the goodness of the
their first institution. and sanctification, and then these signs    sacraments by the worthiness or unworthiness of the min-
are consecrated, and declared to be sanctified by Christ. For        isters, so likewise we do not weigh them by the condition of
Christ's first institution and consecration of the sacraments        the receivers. For we know that the goodness of the sacra-
stands yet in force in the Church of God, in such sort that          ments does depend upon the faithfulness, or truth, and the
they who celebrate the sacraments no otherwise than the Lord         mere goodness of God. For even as G,od's Word remains the
himself from the beginning has appointed, have still, even to        true Word of God ; wherein only bare words are uttered
this day, the use and benefit of that first and most excellent       when it is preached, but therewithal the things signified by
consecration. And for this cause, in the administration of           the words are offered of God, although the wicked and un-
the sacraments, the very words of Christ are repeated.               believers hear and understand the words, yet enjoy not the

    "And as we learn out of the Word of God that these signs         things signified, because they receive them not by a true faith ;

were appointed unto another end and use than the common              even so the sacraments, consisting of the Word, the signs,

one, therefore we teach that they now, in this their holy use,       and the things signified, continue true and perfect sacraments,

do take upon them the names of things signified, and are not         not only because they are holy things, but also because God

still called bare water, bread, or wine ; but that the water is      offers the things signified, howsoever the unbelievers receive

called `regeneration, and washing of the new birth' (Tit. 3 :5),     not the things which are offered. This comes to pass, not by

and the bread and wine `the body of the Lord' (I Cor. 10:16),        any fault in God, the author and offerer of them (the word


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                 137


`offer!  here does not mean what is currently meant by the         According to Rome, not all the sacraments are of equal im-

word in our present day, but it means : to exhibit - H.V. > ,      portance, although the sacrament of Baptism is absolutely

but by the fault of men, who do receive them without faith,        necessary, without which it is impossible to be saved. And,

and unlawfully: `whose unbelief can not make the trilth  of God    also according to Rome, the sacraments need not be admin-

of none effect' (Rom. 3 :3).                                       istered by the clergy but, if necessary, also a layman may

    "NOW, forasmuch  as in the beg&r&g, where we showed            administer them.

what the sacraments were, we did also, by the way, set down            According to the Reformed conception of the sacraments,

to what end they were ordained, it will not be necessary to        they are holy and visible signs and seals, instituted by God in

trouble ourselves with repeating any thing which has been al-      His Church through Christ, and administered by the Church.

ready handled. Next,  therefore, in order, it remains to speak     Of course, we realize that the Reformed conception speaks

severally of the sacraments of the Christian Church." - end        of only two sacraments: Holy Baptism and the Lord's Sup-

of quote from the Second Helvetic Confession.                      per. It is Reformed, therefore, that sacraments are instituted

   In this article which we have quoted from the Second            in the Church, and that they are to be administered only by
Helvetic Confession of Faith, it is stated that the Word of        the Church.

G-od is an essential element in the sacraments. It is the Word         Secondly, the Reformed conception maintains that the

of God that makes them sacraments, which before they were          signs in the sacraments, although they bear the names of what

not. The sacraments are consecrated by the Word, and de-           they signify (the bread in the Lord's Supper is called the

clared to be sanctified by Him who first ordained them.            Body of the Lord, the wine in the same sacrament is called

Apart from the Word of God, the signs in the sacraments,           the Blood of the Lord, and the water in Baptism is called the

as they are drawn from common use (the water, bread and            washing of regeneration), they remain what they are, and are

wine), remain what they are. But, because the Word of God          never changed into that which they signify. Rome, we know,

is added to them, together with the invocation upon Gocl's         teaches that the bread and wine are changed into the Body

Holy Name, these signs are consecrated, and declared to be         and Blood of the Lord. They are signs, and they remain

sanctified by Christ. Mqreover, according to this same articIe     signs.

of the Second Helvetic Confession, in the sacrament the               Thirdly, it is certainly Reformed to say that the sacra-

thing signified belongs with the signs and seals. Sacraments       ments are holy signs and seals which can be appropriated by

take upon themselves the names of the thing signified. They        the Church of God only by faith. There is nothing mystical

are not merely called bare water, bread or wine ; but the          about them in the sense that the signs themselves contain and

water is called "regeneration and washing of the new birth,"       convey grace. Of course, we do well to remember that the

and the bread and wine are called "the body of the Lord,"          sacraments are not merely outward signs. They are sacra-

or the pledges and sacraments of His body and blood. Tlis          ments, and sacraments must always remain and be considered

does not mean that the signs are turned into the things            means of grace. But this does not mean that the grace of

signified, or cease to be that which in their own nature they      God is inseparably connected with the signs themselves, as

are. The bread and the wine in the Lord's Supper clo not           if the sacraments magically convey. and bestow the grace

change into the Body and Blood of the Lord, and therefore          of the Lord. Only God bestows grace, through his divinely

cease to be natural bread and wine. But the signs in the           instituted signs and seals, by His Holy Spirit, and through

sacraments bear the names of things, because they are mys-         faith. And they are seals, not simply for every one who re-

tical tokens of holy things, and because the signs and the         ceives the sacrament (as in Baptism), but of the righteous-

things signified are sacramentally joined together. They are       ness which is by faith, and this is applied by God to the con-

joined together or united by a mystical signification, and by      scious believer. The connecting "link" between the sacra-

the purpose and will of Him who first instituted them. The         ment and the Church of God is'the Holy Spirit, and He be-

water, bread and wine are not common, but holy signs. And          stows the grace of God only upon the elect Church, for whom

the Lord who instituted water in Baptism did not institute it      alone it is intended. The Lord willing, this will become more

with that mind or purpose that the faithful should only be         evident as we next turn our attention to the sacraments as

dipped in- the water of Baptism, but that we should spirit-        such: Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

ually be partakers of the thing signified. And the same ap-                                                                 H.V.

plies also to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

   From all that which we have quoted-it is very evident that                     God's word shall surely stand ;

there is a sharp and marked distinction between the Reformed                      His Name through every land

conception of the sacraments and that which is maintained by                        Shall be adored ;

Rome. According to Rome, the sacraments contain the grace                         Lord, who shall lead our host?

which they signify, the grace of God is inseparably connected                     Thy aid we covet most,

with the outward sign of the sacramen$  and such grace is                         In Thee is all our boast,

conveyed through the external operation of the sacrament.                           Strong in the Lord.


138                                            T H E   S T A N D A R D   E E A R E R


r                                                                           of the historic Christian faith, cannot even be considered
         The Voice  of Our Fathers                                    II    Christian at all. The Christian faith is distinctively Trini-
                                                                            tarian.

                                                                                Yet the sad fact is that the doctrine of the Trinity all too

                                                                            often lives but little in the consciousness of the church and of

                   The Belgic Confession                                    the individual believer. Especially in our day, which is more

                                                                            and more characterized by an aversion for things doctrinal

                                                                            and by an increasing doctrinal superficiality, this doctrine of
                            ARTICLE VIII                                    the Trinity is considered too deep, too abstract. Many a

           According to this truth and this Word of God, we believe         preacher finds it difficult and unpleasant to preach on Lord's
        in one only God, who is the one sinde  essence, in which are        Day VIII of our Heidelberg Catechism, and heaves a sigh of

        three persons, really, truly, and eternally distinct, according     relief when that task is finished for another year or two. And

        to their incommunicable properties; namely, the Father, and         it stands to reason that if such are the feelings of the preacher,

        the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Father is the cause, origin        the congregation that has to listen to his sermon on the

        and beginning of all things visible and invisible; the Son is &e    Trinity cannot very well have different feelings. The same is

        word, wisdom, and image of the  Father; the Holy Ghost is           true in the catechism class. The instructor finds it difficult

        the eternal power and might, proceeding from the Father and         to put this doctrine across to his class, and for that reason

        the Son. Nevertheless God is not by this distinction divided        probably gives as little attention to it as possible. And the

        into three, since the Holy Scriptures teach us, that the Father,    catechumens find this doctrine to be abstruse and very diE-

        and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, have each his personality,         ficult  to understand and formulate. Perhaps they mechanic-

        distinguished by their properties; but in such wise that these      ally learn the formulation that "God is one in Essence and

        three persons are but one only God. Hence then,  it is evident,     three in Persons."    But you must not ask them to explain

        that the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, and         what they mean by this. Nor must you further confuse them

        likewise the Holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Son.          by distinguishing this doctrine from that concerning the two

        Nevertheless these persons thus distinguished are not divided,      natures in the one divine Person of Christ. For then when

        nor intermixed: for the Father hath not assumed the flesh,          they appear before the consistory to make confession of faith,

        nor hath the Holy Ghost, but the Son only. The Father bath          they are apt to explain the Trinity as meaning that God is

        never been without his Son, or without his Holy Ghost. For          one Person in three Natures. But all this simply adds to the
        they are all three co-eternal and co-essential. There is neither    lessening of a trinitarian consciousness in the church. And
        first nor last: for they are all three one, in truth, in power,     when you turn to other evangelical circles, where there is a
        in goodness, and in mercy.                                          strong and almost exclusive emphasis on things soteriological

                                                                            and Christological, and where such preaching as there is con-

The Imfiodance  of This DoctSne  of the T~hwity                             centrates on "accepting Christ" and being "saved" and is

                                                                            almost never expository, one seld.om hears anything more
       Our Confession devotes a relatively large place to the
                                                                            than a passing reference to the important truth of the Trinity.
doctrine of the I-Ioly  Trinity, setting forth this truth rather
                                                                            Small wonder it is, then, that the stream moves in the direc-
at length in the next four articles, in each of which some
                                                                            tion of modernism and Unitarianism, in the direction of the
aspect of the church's faith concerning the Triune God is
                                                                            outright denial of the deity of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
discussed. Article VIII, which we are about to discuss, deals
                                                                            It is but a small step for those who are solemnly baptized in
with the Trinity as such. Article IX offers proof for Article
                                                                            the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,
VIII, at the same time calling attention to further aspects of
                                                                            but who never attain to a significant degree of understanding
the church's faith. Article X sets forth the doctrine of the
                                                                            of the very name in which they are baptized-a small step
divinity of Jesus Christ ; and Article XI maintains the truth               into a church where that trinitarian formula is either a mere
of the Godhead of the Holy Ghost.
                                                                            formality `or where baptism is in the name of "faith, hope, and
       From this rather thorough treatment of the Trinity, but              love."
also from the fact that our Confession, after its introductory                  But we need not waste our concern in this matter on
article on faith in the one God and its articles on the basis of            others. What about ourselves? Do we actually hold fast to
the Christian faith in the Holy Scriptures, gives first place               this doctrine? I suppose that if the question is put, "Do you
to the truth of the Trinity, it is evident that the doctrine of             believe that God is Triune ?' our answer is $?irmative.  But
the Holy Trinity occupies a most important place in our                     does it go any farther and any deeper than that? Supposing

Reformed faith. And thus it has always been in the conscious-               that someone would read this eighth article of our Confes-

ness of the church of Jesus Christ. From the beginning the                  sion without identifying its source, how many would rec-
maintenance of the truth of the Trinity has been a major test                ognize it as an article of our own creed,? And how many
of orthodoxy, so that we may say without hesitation that all                 would recognize it as an expression of their own, personal
who deny that God is the Triune God stand outside the line                  faith, rather than as the abstract formulation. of some thee;


                                          T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R                                                    139


logian  ? And how many understand that this is indeed a             attack on the very Godhead. The believing church was very

cardinal doctrine of the Christian faith ? I mean : how many        quick t0 apprehend this and to see its calling to formulate and

understand not merely that the doctrine of the Trinity has          to maintain the truth of the Holy Trinity over against those
been trad&ona.l!y  a Christian doctrine and has been a tradi-       who would deny it. And thus it has been ever since. Sinful
tional test of orthodoxy, but how many understand z&y it is         man does not want God, Who is really God. He always at-
so vitally important that the church hold fast to this doctrine?    tempts to deny Him. That is really the essence of every

   To the question concerning the importance of this doc-           battle that the ,church  has had to fight in the cause of the
trine more than one answer may be given.                            truth. In last instance, every heretical doctrine that has ever

   We may point, in the first place, to the answer suggested        arisen is an attempt to deny God. These attempts may take

by the opening statement of this eighth article: "Accord~iq         various forms.        The attacks may come from various direc-

to this truth and this Word of God, we believe . . ." That          tions. The enemy does not always make a frontal assault
is a very good reason and a very safe reason for believing any      upon the doctrine of God in the narrower sense of the term.
doctrine, including this doctrine of the Trinity. In fact, it       He may attack in the sphere of the doctrine of man, or the
constitutes fundamentally the only reason why we may and            doctrine of Christ, or the doctrine of salvation, or of the
do believe anything. The church of Jesus Christ lives by the
                                                                    church, or of the last things. But the real nature of all his
Word! And if that Word -teaches anything, then it is the
                                                                    attacks is this, that he is always attempting to speak the lie
very nature of faith to accept it. Of course, that implies too
                                                                    concerning the living God. And to the extent that the church
that faith strives to understand that Word and what it
teaches. It implies also that one has to be rather "intolerant?'    lives in the consciousness that it is called to witness of the

and "dogmatic."    He has to take the stand that the Word           truth for the sake of the name and the honor of our God,

does not teach everything and anything, that that Word does         and lives therefore in the keen awareness that any attack on

not teach two contradictory doctrines. That Word holds              the truth represents an attack on the name and honor of God,

nothing for Unitarians if it teaches that God is the Triune         to that extent the church will not take lightly any such at-
God. But be that as it may, the sole reason why the church          tack but will feel called to maintain the truth and defend it,
may believe and  confess any doctrine whatsoever is because         to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the
that doctrine is according to the Word of God and because           saints,
the church is able to make it very plain that it is according

to the Word of God. This holds true not only for the doc-               In the third place, we certainly must not overlook the

trine now under discussion, but for all that is set forth in the    fact that the church apprehended that the doctrine of the
rest of our Confession.                                             Trinity constitutes an integral part of the gospel of our sal-

   In the second place, there is a                                  vation. And therefore the simple fact is this: you are not a
                                        theologkal  reason for
maintaining this doctrine and for its importance. Very simply       Christian and do not believe the gospel unless you believe

put, the doctrine of the Trinity directly concerns OUT  God! I      that God is the Triune God. This stands in close connection

know this is for the most part a foreign note today. The            with the fact that the church from the very beginning never

church is not concerned so much with God, but with man              confessed a mere, abstract doctrine of the Trinity: but ap-

and his destiny. But this does not change the fact whatsoever       prehended the truth that God is triune in a very practical

that this ought to be the chief concern of the church at all        spiritual context. This is clear from the earliest confessions
times. In fact, one cannot be genuinely concerned with the          of the church, and we shall have occasion to call attention to
good and the destiny of man unless he is first concerned and        this detailedly a bit later. But this also means that the attacks
chiefly concerned with the name and the honor of God. And
                                                                    on the truth of the Trinity took place in that same practical,
this doctrine of the Trinity is in the most direct sense of the
                                                                    spiritual context, The very first attack was upon the dhinity
Word a matter of tlwology, a matter of God-centered doc-
                                                                    of Jeszhs  
trine, a God-centered confession. It is directly concerned                         Christ. It was not directly an-attack upon the God-
with the question : who is our God ? Who and what kind of           head of the Second Person of the Trinity, but an attack on

God is the God of our salvation, the God in Whom we trust,          the Godhead of the Second Person in the flesh, our Lord

the God Whom we profess? If for no other reason than this,          Jesus Christ, our Savior. And sensing immediately that if

the church must always be extremely careful to maintain this        Jesus is not truly God, that then we have not a Savior Who

doctrine.                                                           can really save us from our sins-sensing, therefore, that

                                                                    our very salvation was at stake-the church rose to the
   In this connection we may observe that it is striking that
                                                                    defense of this doctrine, and thus was compelled at the same
the doctrine of the Trinity was the first of the doctrines of
the church that was attacked and defended and cohfessionally        time to formulate the truth of the Trinity and defend it. And

formulated in the post-apostolic era of church history. In          thus it remains today, therefore. For your very salvation's

other words, the very first attack upon the truth' was a"direct     sake you must believe in God Triune.                       H.C.H.

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


                                                                            board. or committee to do so, or desecrates the day by ar-

[  D E C E N C Y   and  O R D E R   1 ranging for excursion trips or doing ought else that is in
                                                                            conflict with the fourth commandment ; (3) which in its rules

                                                                            or resolutions or in the appointing of pickets gives permis-

                                                                            sion to use force or which in its strikes or boycotts proceeds
          The Objects of Ecclesiastical Censure                             in that direction so that-it becomes the direct occasion for the

                                                                            performance of various acts that are in conflict with the fifth
                                  (Continued)
                                                                            and the sixth commandments; (4) which forbids a Christian

       In our last article we called attention to the positi,on of          or makes impossible for him as a member to do what as a

the Christian Reformed Church in regard to Lodge Member-                    Christian he is commanded to do, or which commands or

ship as expressed by Monsma and Van Dellen  in their Chzt&                  necessitates that he as a member do what as a Christian he

Order Cowwmentaq.  We noted thai.off&llly  the stand is that                may not do ; (5) which raises money in a rlianner  and for a
lodge membership and church membership are incompatible                     purpose that is condemned by the Word of God, e.g., danc-

and, therefore, those who join the lodge and refuse to break                ing parties, card parties, etc. ; (6) which has a ritual (a

with it are the proper objects of ecclesiastical censure.                   regulation for' the religious ceremonies of the union) that is

                                                                            kept secret from all who are not members; or (7) which in
   We further explained that consistency would demand that
                                                                            its essence is a secret or oathbound organization. (Acts
the church take the same position with regard to membership
                                                                            1904)
in worldly or so-called neutral labor unions. This the Chris-

tian Reformed Church does not do because, as has been ex-                      "IV. LIBERTY TO COOPERATE WITH OTHERS

pressed more than once by some of the office-bearers in this                          IN SOCIAL REALM

church, "there would be no church left if they took such a                     "Every Christian must be considered to be at liberty  to
stand."       Principles are forsaken and for sa&e  of external             cooperate with his neighbor in every lawful domain of so-
growth and sundry utilitarian reasons the power of discipline               ciety, and as a member of society he has a perfect right to
is broken. This is the situation, that prevails today.                      help in any social enterprise, or to unite with others in an

       In J. L. Schaver's Chrtrclt Of-d&v  we find various pro-             organization, if the evident aim of such enterprise is not in
nouncements of the Christian Reformed Synods in regard to                   conflict with the general principles of justice laid down in

this matter of Union Membership. We quote them in full:                     the Word of God. (Acts 1928)

       "I. STUDY OF AND GUIDANCE IN THE                                        "V. THE CHRISTIAN'S DUTY IN SOCIAL
            PROBLEM RECOMMENDED                                                      ORGANIZATIONS

       "All leaders are urged to make serious study of the labor               "( 1) A Christian who is a member of a social organiza-
movement, and in preaching and in other ways to take much                   tion, of whatever nature, is bound of God faithfully to exert
account of it for the enlightenment and guidance of the con-                his influence as a Christian and to contend for righteousness
gregation. (Acts 1906)                                                      and justice.    (2) By consent or silence he personally becomes
                                                                            fully responsible for whatever is. sinful in the decisions and
       " I I .   M E M B E R S H I P   I N   N E U T R A L   U N I O N S    practices of the organization to which he belongs. (3) In
             P E R M I S S I B L E                                          crder  to be personally free from guilt he must with all serious-
       "There are not sufficient data to show that membership               ness protest against such practices as transgress the bouncl-
in the church is incompatible with membership in the so-                    aries of justice, and according to ability he must endeavor to
called neutral unions, unless it can be established that the                check the evil ; and, if the organization in spite of his protests
union gives constitutional warrant to a certain sin or sins,                persists in perpetrating evil, it becomes his duty as a Chris-
or shows in its regular activities that it champions sin. (IActs            tian to renounce his membership in such organization. (Acts

1916)                                                                       1928)

       " I I I .   C H A R A C T E R I S T I C   F E A T U R E S   O F         "VI. THE DUTY OF THE CHURCH TOWARDS

               UNIONS NOT NEUTRAL                                                     M E M B E R S   I N   T H E M

       "A Christian is not to be a member of a union ( 1) which                 "( 1) The Church of Christ is in duty bound through her

exacts an oath or promise of unconditional obedience to the                 power of the keys to purify herself from those who have

majority or to the. board with disregard of one's duty toward               joined themselves to organizations that are essentially in con-

God, the State, the Church, and the family, or which retains                flict with the Word of God. Such organizations are also

for itself the exclusive right to determine whether or not                  organizations in the social realm which either in their con-

one's membership shall cease - this being in conflict with the              stitutions, official propaganda, or in their common practices

first and fifth commandment, and also with I Cor. 7:23  and                 reveal themselves as anti-Christian.  (2) With respect to those

Gal. 5 :l ; (2) which officially desecrates the Lord's Day by               who have joined organizations that essentially are not in

holding business meetings on that day or sanctioning its                    conflict with the Word of God, but in which is fptind  much


                                         T H E   S T A N D A R D   ~BEARER                                                          141


that is worthy of disapproval and in conflict with our Chris-       man, an elder of the church, who had been forced to give up

tian principles (as many organizations of employers and em-         his job and seek other employment because he refused to

ployees), the Church must-constantly be ready with instruc-        become a member of the godless union. He was asked to

tion and reproval. (3) In the case of members who are also          explain why he could not work with these men and join with

members of organizations that are not essentially in conflict      them in the union when he obviously could eat and drink

with the Word of God but in which is found much that is            with members of the same organization at the Lord's table.

worthy of disapproval and in conflict with our Christian prin-      Certainly if it is possible for him to be one with them at the

ciples, church discipline is to be resorted to only when it is     table of the Lord, he should have no real objections to being

evident that they are parties to and guilty of actions that are     one with them in his daily work. This man admitted that

in conflict with the command of God. Here too the rule shall       this was very inconsistent ,on his part; that he did not like it

be applied that only if one is personally guilty of censurable     that members of the union that had deprived him of his job

sin shall one become the object of ecclesiastical discipline.      were in attendance at the Lord's table but he could not do

(4) Every Consistory is admonished to investigate the rules        anything about that because the church allowed it. The fact

of every organization to which a member of its church be-          of the matter is that if this man was as conscientious about

longs, and to be observant whether the members are accom-          his walk in the midst of the church as he appeared to be

plices in acts which are in conflict with the law of God, and      about his walk in the sphere of his daily employment, he

if so to deal with such members according to ecclesiastical        would also concede that the church with its refusal to heed

discipline. The Classes must attend to the observance of this      the command of Christ with respect to the members of these

rule. (Acts 1925)                                                  evil organizations forces him from the Lord's table just as

                                                                   much as these evil members forced him from his job. Cer-
   "If Consistories follow conflicting procedures, the con-
                                                                   tainly the Lwd's  Supper cannot be celebrated that way. If
crete instances shall be brought to the attention of Classis.
                                                                   such a person persists in participating at the Lord's Supper
(Acts 1892)
                                                                   under such circumstances, there should be no reason that he

   "The Church should exercise discipline in the spirit of         further refuses to join these members in his daily work and

love, but nevertheless with a firm hand whenever her mem-          retain his job by joining the union. If it is possible to speak

bers become guilty of propagating un-Christian principles in       of greater and lesser sins, the latter is a lesser evil than the

the world of labor, assume an unbrotherly attitude towards         former.

their fellow Christians, take part in acts of violence, trample        There are yet other matters we purpose to discuss in this
upon the fundamental principles of justice, or refuse to break     connection. Membership in worldly organizations is not the
with organizations that are avowedly anti-Christian  in char-      only censurab,le  sin. There are other sins that fall into this
acter, or reveal throughout an anti-Christian  spirit in their     category which we will consider. We are living in an age of
activities. (Acts 1930)"                                           spiritual    indifference wherein the seriousness of sin is ignored.

   We do not-intend to discuss these decisions in detail but       Let the church give heed to her calling to punish sin and let

cite them here primarily to show that in the mind of the           every believer give serious consideration to his calling unto

Christian Reformed Church it is clearly evident that disci-        sanctification lest the wrath of God consume.

pline and censure ought to be applied to those of their mem-                                                                  G.v.d.`L<.

bership who affiliate themselves with these godless and anti-

Christian organizations. However, as was stated before, they I

lack the strength and courage to enforce this conviction and

the result is that what is known to be sin  is condoned. This

defiance of the command of Christ to maintain the purity of                          God looked from heaven above

His church by means of discipline cannot be practiced with                             On all the human race,

impunity for the Lord is not mocked. The Heidelberg Cate-                            To see if any understood,

chism is certainly correct when it expresses it to be "the                             If any sought His face.

duty of the Christian church, according to the appointment of

Christ and His apostles, to exclude such persons, by the keys                        They all are gone aside,

of the kingdom of heaven, till they show amendment of life"                            Corruption doth abound ;

and when this is not done "the covenant of God is profaned                           There is not one that doeth good,

and His wrath is kindled against the whole congregation"                               Not even one is found.

(Lord's Day 30).

   Further, it must be noted that this failure on the part of                        The day is drawing nigh

the church coerces its own members who still desire the right                          When they shall fear and quail,

into a walk of sin as long as they remain members in the                             For God shall scatter and destroy
church. I will cite an example of this. .I spoke once with a                           Those who His saints assail.


- 142                                             T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R


                                                                                   reapply annually for renewal of their residence permits ,ancl
                                                                                  give the government the right to inspect mission property and
         A L L   A R O U N D   U S                                                to review sources of mission income."

                                                                                One of the most remarkable phenomena in our times is

                                                                             the movement of pagan nations towards independence ancl
 SIGNS OF THE TIMES                                                          individual national status. Every little country that has been

         One of the main characteristics of the believer in this             soundly sleeping and unheard for hundreds of years suddenly

 world is that he lives in the expectation of the return of                  appears on the world scene and demands a voice in world

 Christ. In many different ways the believer is described in                 affairs. But with the rise of these countries to a place of

 Scripture from this point of view. Sometimes he is called a                 international prominence comes also the rise of paganism a-s

 pilgrim in a foreign country who is passing through a strange               a world force. Christianity is pushed out of these lands.

 land and who lives in the constant and fervent hope of the                  Especially is this true of countries in Asia and Africa.

 day when he shall go home. He is called to emulate the saints                  There can be no clearer sign that the binding of Satan

 of old who "died in faith, not having received the promises,                spoken of in Revelation 20 is come to an end. Once again, in

 but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them,                  the providence of God, Satan is loosed to go out to deceive

 and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers                   the nations on the four corners of the earth. These nations

 and pilgrims in the earth."         They are admonished to seek a           arouse themselves as mighty giants waking and stretching

 better country, that is, an heavenly, and look for a city which             and yawning after years of slumber. Yet always they unan-

 has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Then                       imously oppose Christianity and insist on the paganism of

 again they are urged to watch and pray as faithful virgins                  Buddhism? Confucianism, Shintoism, Mohammedanism, Fe-

 who keep their lamps filled with oil while they await the                   tishism, etc.

 bridegroom's coming. Always they must be faithful - faith-                    This must surely be preparatory to the basic division of the

 ful unto death in order that no one may take their crown.                   world into the two camps of Antichrist and Gog and Magog.

         If this is their life, it stands to reason that these believers     It must herald the split between the "Christian" nations that

 are very much interested in the many signs that point to the                become Antichristian and the nations on the.four  corners of

 return of their Lord. These signs they look for and try ac-                 the world that become the destroyers of Antichrist.

 curately to interpret. Especially as the signs increase in in-                 But the gospel is preached according to the purpose of

 tensity and clarity, their hope becomes a more fervent part of              God. The victory of the white horse of Revelation 6 is surely

 their life. The catechism puts this confession in the mouth                 complete. Nothing points more clearly to the imminent return

 of the child of God when it says that the believer "with up-                of Christ than these significant facts.

 lifted head looks for the very same person who before offered

 himself for my sake, to the tribunal of God and has removed                                             9 * *        *

 all curse from me, to come as judge from heaven."                              Another sign of the return of Christ is the moral and
         Much of the news that is worth reporting must surely also           spiritual degeneration of men as they sink lower into the
 be interpreted as evident signs that the return of Christ is                mire of sin. Scripture speaks of the growth of iniquity and
 very near. These signs speak loudly and clearly that the hour               the increase of evil as the end nears. In a recent speech2  to
                      .
 is growing late, that the moments of God's clock rush on;                   the American Legion Convention J. Edgar Hoover, director
 that the last hour is about to be struck.                                   of the Federal Bureau of Investigation spoke of this. He was
         Some of these signs appear in the news of the Church;               not speaking of signs of Christ's coming ; he was simply
 others in the news of the world.                                            pointing to the evil of our age in this most civilized of all

                                1: $    Q *                                  countries. He said, among other things:

         A significant item is reported by the latest issue of Torch                  What has happened to the time-honored precepts of hard
                                                                                   work and fair play which iniluenced  the American scene during
 a& Trumpet.  To quote part of it :                                                the all-important formative years of this great republic? Where
              It seems that the age of world-wide Christian missions may           is the faith in God which fortihed  us through our past trials?
           soon come to a close. One non-Christian land after another              Have our nations?1  pride, our moral conscience, our sensitivity
           places severe restrictions on mission work due to an awaken-            to filth and degradation, grown so weak that they no longer
           ing paganism.    In Ceylon the Christian schools have been              react to assaults upon our proud heritage of freedom?
           seized by the government and manned by Buddhist teachers.                   Crime and subversion are formidable problems in the
           Christian radio programs have been banned. In Africa a rap-             United States today . . . Self-indulgence - the principle of
           idly expanding Mohammedanism is raising more and more                   pleasure before duty-is practiced across the length and
           barriers against the advance of Christianity. An EP (Evan-              breadth of the land. It is undermining those attributes of
           gelical Press - HH) dispatch from Khartoum in the Sudan tells           uersonal  resuonsibilitv and self-discipline which are essential
           of "new restrictions on missionary activity in this country             to our national survival. It is creating-citizens who reach matur-
           where the Christian community is a tiny minority of 95,000              ity with a warped sense of values and an undeveloped con-
           persons in a total population of 11,390,OOO. First a new gov-           science.
           ernment ruling, which went into effect on November 15, stip-               This day, more than 5,200 felonies -four serious crimes
           ulates that young people under the age of 19 will have to have          every minute -will be committed across the United States.
           their parents' written consent and government approval before           They will include 430 crimes of violence -murders, forcible
           they can be baptized. They will also need similar approval              rapes, and assaults to kill. At least 250 robberies, 10 an hour,
           before they can be enrolled in a seminary or other church-              will be recorded, as will 4,500 burglaries, major larcenies, and
           related educational institutions.    Second, missionaries must          automobile thefts.


                                                T H E   S T A N D A R D -   BEA-RER                                                                   143


          Since 1946, our national crime totals have more than               Canons of Dort. This article is simply not to be harmonized
      doubled. Over the past five years, since 1957, these crimes            with Scripture. It is old-Reformed rather than Reformed."
      have risen five times as fast as our growing population.
          Nowhere has this increase been more pronounced thau                    Dr. Polman answers :
      among America's youth. Last year, persons under 18 years of
      age were involved in 43 percent of all arrests for serious crimes.                (Mr. Brouwer) justly rejects an eternal divine decree of
      They accounted for 22 percent of the robbery arrests, nearly                 reprobation. . . . Nowhere in the Bible is reprobation described
      one half of the burglaries and larcenies, and well over half of              as an eternal purpose, as an unchangeable decree before the
      the automobile thefts. . . . There is a moral breakdown among                foundation of the world or as a dark, mysterious phase of
      young people in the United States. The crime rate is out-                    God's counsel. Its dark, threatening reality is not denied any-
      distancing the population increase; pornography is flourishing;              where but it is constantly pictured as a gripping act of God
      and there is a quest for status at the e.xpense  of morality. . . .          in the midst of history . . .
          Disrespect for law and order is a tragic moral illness. . . .                                              as God's righteous judgment on
                                                                                   so much wickedness. The correctness of this assertion is power-
      Our city streets are jungles of terror. The viciousness of the               fully demonstrated also by the fact that I found no Scriptural
      rapists, murderers, and muggers seems to know no bounds. . . .               proof in the writings of the fathers of Dort but more than
          Too often, the interests of justice and consideration for the
      welfare of society are buried under an avalanche of court                    once a purely logical conclusion from eternal election (he
                                                                                   who elects necessarily passes by others at the same time and
      decisions which give violators of the law rights and privileges              thus rejects them) while it is precisely so remarkable that the
      that destroy respect for the law and the public safety. . . .                Bible nowhere draws 
         More and more the judicial-legal system of this  country is                                          this apparently logical conclusion."
      being revised to benefit the criminal- to the disadvantage of              What is there left when so many Scriptural truths are
      the innocent. . . .
          The public, by its submissive attitude and its lethargic           openly flaunted ? Indeed apostasy points to the return of
      acceptance of infractions of the law, has helued  create an at-        Christ.
      mosphere conducive to the insidious growth of underworld
      activity. . . .
                                                                                                        1:      * * *



                                                                                Also in the history of nations one finds signs of Christ's
   Some of these signs of the Lord's return appear in the                    return. Scripture speaks of wars and rumors of wars. These
Church. Here the signs are particularly the signs of apostasy                too shout loudly of the coming of our Lord. While there are
from the faith. This apostasy is especially evident in the                   no global wars going on at present (although everyone was
growing movements towards a "one world church." Every-                       holding their breath in anticipation a few weeks ago), there
where ecumenicity is the talk of the day. Everywhere                         are many small wars. One can in a few moments of thought
churches unite into bigger and bigger denominations. But                     recall three or four: Indonesia, Viet Nam, India, Yemen.
with all this movement to a one world church, there is always                This is not to mention the rebellion and insurrections that
movement away from the truth. There is no movement to-                       constantly appear such as in Algeria, Guatemala, Chile, Cuba,
wards unity without a movement away from God's Word.                         etc. It was Cuba that filled the hearts of men with fear. Com-
There is no merger without sacrifice of Scripture. There is                  munism on the doorstep of America! Who would have
no ecumenicity withput  apostasy.                                            thought it possible ?

   Many look today towards Rome and the Vatican Council                         Yet more significantly than all this is the recently reported

which is meeting there for the leadership that is required to                split between Russia and Red China. Brought on by the

bring all Christianity together into one denomination. But                   pressures and tensions of the time, but also by the deep racial

Rome insists that all roads also lead to Rome. There is no                   differences, this split could have far-reaching implications in

union except the union of return to the bosom of the "whore                  years to come. Many times Bible students have asked the

of Babylon." It is worthy of note that the devil never budges                question of what part Russia would play in the will of God

an inch although men may talk endlessly about compromise.                    at the end of the ages. Some have answered that Russia

   But apostasy is found a lot nearer home. In the last issue                really belongs with the Western nations culturally and eth-

of The Standard Bearer we reported on the significant news                   nically. Others have answered that this is impossible since
from the Netherlands - news of the denial of inspiration and                 ideologically Russia is one with China. They are both

of the progress of evolutionism among the Reformed Church-                   avowed Communists. But even news commentators are sug-

es. Now we learn from To&  avnd Trumpet  that other his-                     gesting the possibility that Russia will be forced out of her
torically and confessionally reformed truths are being denied.               alliance with China and pushed into cooperation with Amer-

Rev. H. J. Kuiper writes that "our people in the Christian                   ica and Europe. This is not impossible.

Reformed Church, the Qrthodox  Presbyterian Church, the                         Yet, in all these things, the Church looks on high where

Protestant Reformed Churches, the Reformed Church, and                       Christ her Lord reigns sovereignly over all things. They see
other Reformed bodies should know about what is going on                     the hand of Christ in all these events for He directs them all.

in the Reformed denominations of the Netherlands." He then                   They see the answer to their prayers and longings, for in-
quotes an article written by a certain Dr. A. D. R. Polman                   deed, in all these things Christ comes quickly! To                comes
                                                                                                                                            us 
who openly denies the truth of reprobation. A Dr. B. J.                      the calling to flee the world of sin, to remain faithful to the

Brouwer wrote a letter to the G@r~j~~~>z~tz.e'erd       Weelzblad in         truth, and to face the threatening dangers. of the strife-torn

which he said "that it is a mystery to him how office bearers                nations with calmness and serenity in the certain knowledge

in the church can declare, by signing the Formula of Sub-                    that our redemption draweth nigh.
scription, that they agree with Article I, point 1.5 of the                                                                                H. Hanko


                                                            /

                                                                                                               1
                                                          _)__4w._-__i_---           --------  . --~
144                                        T H E' ST A N D A Ii D l3 E A R E R                  .-


                                                                      Rev. G. Van Baren  thanked his'congregation  in Randolph
       rdEWS FROM OUR CHURCHES                                     (via bulletin) for promotin g and enthusiastically supporting
I                                                                  his Nov. 15th lecture on "Creation Days -224 Hours, or
               `%211  the saints salute See  . . ." PHIL. 421      Periods." It seems that everyone came out for this instruc-

                                                                   tion, and socially enjoyed the lunch served by the ladies.


                                            December 5, 1962           Southeast's catechumens will have a two-week vacation

                                                                   from their classes while Rev. Schipper  is on classical appoint-
       Southwest Church has extended a call to Rev. G. Vanden
                                                                   ment in Doon,  Iowa. Because of this forced vacation the
Berg of .Oak  Lawn.
                                                                   usual Holiday recess will be cut to~one  week.
       Rev. J. A. Heys, of South Holland has declined the call

which had come to him from our Loveland Church.                        Rewwmbev:  The Christmas Program to be given by the
                                                                   Hope Choral Society, Dec. 16, at Hope Church ; nyld  : The
       Rev. B. Woudenberg also has declined the call which be
                                                                   Christmas Singspiration in First Church, Dec. 23; nnd: the
had received from the church in Kalamazoo.
                                                                   Hudsonville Chorus Program to be rendered in their church

                                                                   January 6.
       The Radio Committee of the Reformed Witness Hour an-

nounces that the radio broadcasts sponsored by the Protestant          Bulletin. quote : "Error, as glass; is bright but brittle; it
Reformed Churches in America can now be heard over Radio           cannot endure the hammer or fire as gold can, which 1 . . .
Station W.N.A.X., Yankton,  South Dakota (570 on the radio         remains firm."     T h o m a s   B r o o k s .   .
dial). The listening audience residing in several of the

Western States, including North and South Dakota,` Iowa                Society visiting has again made the rounds. Here are

and Minnesota, can hear this Distinctively Reformed radio          two we read about: Southeast Mr. and Mrs. was host to the

broadcast each Lord's Day at 4:lO P. M. The programs               Jr. Mr. and Mrs. of First. The visitors showed an after

aired over W.N.A.X. are financed jointly by the Mission            recess film on "The Pulse of Life"; First Men's Society-was I

Committee of our Churches and the Radio Committee of               host.to the men of Southwest Dec. 3. The after recess pro-

First Church. We hope that many "new" listeners will be            gram featured a paper by Mr. Ted Engelsma discussing the

added to our already large radio audience of our radio min-        question, ?Is There a Scriptural Solution to the Race Prob-

istry.                                                             lem ?,'    All are agreed that those visits emphasize the unity

                                                                   of the Brotherhood in a very tangible way.
       Randolph's Adult Bible Class has begun the study of tbe         Lynden's Adult Bible Class recently discussed Laban's
Book of Remans.  After recess they examine the chaos of            deceiving Jacob, and asked if Leah and Rachel were also
cults that abound in the modern church world. So far they          deceived, and were challenged to give examples of Divine
have considered, "Seventh Day Adventism," "Jehovah Wit-            retribution found in Scripture and in history; and in their
nesses, " `Mormonism," and "Christian Science."                    contemplation of Jacob's polygamy they also faced the ques-

                                                                   tion if Moses was a polygamist. And because bulletins only
       Church bulletins are the barometer of church life, and
                                                                   feature future events we cannot publish the answers given to
what a revivification is evidenced therein when a church long
                                                                   the above questions.
vacant again is led in the green pastures of God's Word by

their own shepherd! Oh, that young men might prepare for               One of the bulletins carried this quotation from the works
this vocation that all our churches might so be revived!           of Clarence Macartney,  under the theme, True or False:

                                                                   "This generation is too light and frivolous for such a heroic
       Hull's Ladies' Society recently considered the doctrinal    creed ; the sons of the old members are not man enough to
differences between the Reformed Church in America and             stand up under the moral weight of Calvinism and predestina-
the Christian Reformed Churches. Mrs. J. De Boer and Mrs.          tion."
T. Jansma introduced the subject for more detailed discus-

sion. We opine that this discussion is worth copying by                Do yozt  k*%ozu  the .list of seven things which the Lord
other societies in our denomination because those two              hates, yea, that are an abomination to Him? (Prov. 6 :16-19 j
churches are our nearest neighbors in the church world.            If they are listed in an ascending scale it is noteworthy that

                                                                   the third concerns hands that shed innocent blood, while the
        Rev. C. Hanko's Dec. 2nd sermon on "The Woman and          seventh points to him "who soweth discord among brethren."
the Dragon" answered a dual purpose. It served its place in        Probably that is one reason why this sin is mentioned in the
his series of sermons on the World Powers, and served to in-       Communion Form as one which defiles a man and marks him
troduce the Christmas series of sermons celebrating the In-        as "having no part in the kingdom of Christ."
carnation Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, the event about
     which the Old and the New Testaments revolve.                     . . . . see you in church.                            J.M.F.


