                                        he

                                 tandard

                                  i\          earer


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





 IN THIS ISSUE:

        Meditation - On Earth, Peace


        Editorial - Begging the Question


        Dangerous Familiarity


        Reformed Ecumenism




                                            Volume  XLI/  Number   6/ December  15, 1964


  122                                                                                                                                                              THESTANDAPDBEARER

                                                               C O N T E N T S   :
         M e d i t a t i o n   -                                                                                                                                                              T H E   S T A N D A R D   B E A R E R
               On Earth, Pedce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                            122
                      Rev. J. Itortering                                                                                                                                         Semi-monthly, except monthly  duving June, July and August
         Editorials  -
               The Christian Reformed Synod and the                                                                                                                                 Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association
               "Dekker Case" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...' . . . . . . . . . . ..__.... 124                                                             Editor  - Rev. Herman Hoeksema
                      Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
                "Should I Prepare for the Ministry?" (4)                                                                                                                        Communications relative to contents should be addressed to
               The  Neecl for Ministers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  j . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                    126         Rev. H. Hoeksema, 1139 Franklin St., S.E., Grand Rapids 7,
                      Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
         Our Doctrine  -                                                                                                                                                        Mich.      Contributions will be limited to 300'words and must be
               The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..A... 127                                                                                                 neatly written or typewritten.
                      Rev. H. Hoeksema                                                                                                                                          All church news items should be addressed toMr.  J. M. Faber,
         Trying The Spirits  -                                                                                                                                                               1123 Cooper, S.E., Grand Rapids 7, Mich.
               Destructionism                       . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     129         Announcements and Obituaries with the $2.00 fee included must
                      Rev. R. C. Harbach                                                                                      I
         From Holy Writ  -                                                                                                                                                      be mailed 8 days prior to issue date,  to  the address below:
               Praying For Those in Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . ..I.................. 131                                                                                   All `matters. relative to subscriptions should be addressed to
                     Rev. G. Lubbers                                                                                                                                                       Mr. James Dykstra, 1326 W. Butler Ave., S.E.
         In His Fear -                                                                                                                                                                               Grand Rapids 7, Michigan
               Dangerous Familiarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                        133             Renewal: Unless a definite request for discontinuance is
                     Rev. J. A. Heys
         The Lord Gave The Word  -                                                                                                                                              received it is assumed that the subscriber wishes the sub-
               The Evangelical Approach In Missions:                                                                                                                            scription. to continue without the forma!ity of a renewal order.
               As Carried Out By Christ Himself . . . . . . . . . ..L................ 135                                                                                                        Subscription price: $5.00 per, year
                      Rev. C. Hanko                                                                                                                                                  Second Class postage paid at Grarid Rapids, Michigan
         The Church At Worship -
               To the Utmost Of Our Power . . . . . . . . . ..*......~................. 137
                     Rev. G.  Vatiden  Berg
         Examining Ecumenicalism  -                                                                                                                                                                  ANNOUNCEMENT
               Reformed Ecumenism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                                         139
                     Rev. G. Van Baren                                                                                                                                              Classis East of the Protestant Reformed Churches
         All Around Us -
               Concerned Presbyterians                                                                                                                                          will meet on Wednesday, January: 6, 1965 at 9 A.M. in
               Non-Neutra  Neutrality                                                                                                                                           the Hudsonville Protestant Reformed Church. Con-
               Atheists in the Church                                                                                                                                           sistories will please take note of..this in the appoint-
               The Vatican  &uncil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...*' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
                     Rev. H. Hanko                                                                                                                                              ment of their delegates.
         News From Our  dhurches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.                                             144                                                Rev. M. Schipper,  S.C.
               Mr. J. M. Faber





                                                                                                                                                           ON  EARTH,  PEACE

                                                                                ffGlo~y to  Gtid in  the highest, and on  earth peace toward men  of                                                                       . . j
                                                                               God's good  pleasure."                                                                                                   Luke  2:14

                                                                                                                                                                    Rev.  J.  Kovteving
          Sweeter words can hardly be imagined.                                                                                                                                was peace all during the past 1964 ye.ars, there is this
          Peace!                                                                                                                                                               peace now.
          Peace on earth!                                                                                                                                                          On earth peace: this is a present reality.
          Yes, without question we will one `day pas's through                                                                                                                     It doesn't look that way; hence God sent angels to
 the portals of perfect peace. Our teit, however, does                                                                                                                          earth to lead His church in singing it. How necessary
 not have that phase of peace as its primary emphasis,                                                                                                                         it is for us to bow -before the Word and take the cue
 rather it unfolds before our eyes the peace that we en-                                                                                                                       for our music from the Spirit who $one can provide it.
 joy right now, while we are still upon this earth.                                                                                                                                This is a song 0: faith.
          No wonder God commissioned angels to bring us                                                                                                                            Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evi-
 this amazing message. Surely, such a gospel would                                                                                                                              dence of things not seen.
 never arise in the hearts of men. I know men are able                                                                                                                             We must be very careful that we do not become en-
 to envision a world that is free from the pangs of war,                                                                                                                        chanted by the babe1 of this world that would make this
 and for that goal they are willing to work long hours and                                                                                                                      song a basis for world peace among the nations.
 expend great efforts, but what folly! You understand                                                                                                                              I say we must be careful, because our flesh would
 that our text does not refer to some future' utopia in                                                                                                                        like just that. We like to imagine that the dhy is com-
 which it might be possible to have peace on e&rth. The                                                                                                                         ing when bloodshed shall be remotied  from this earth.
 glorious gospel sung from angels' lip& is for the pres-                                                                                                                        I assure you, however, that that kind of p&ace is never
 ent.            On that first Christmas night,; because Christ                                                                                                                 promised to the church and will never come.
- Jesus had come ,into the world, therewaspeace. There
                                                                                                                                   I                                               Are you gbing to blend your voice with the angels


                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  123

this Christmas? Then you will have to choke off the           our sins.
impulse of the.flesh and by grace sing a peculiar song        Now comes the angelic song,  ".Peace  on earth to
as a stranger in the earth. By grace, I say, for that is     men of God's good pleasure."
impossible for the flesh.                                        God delights in His children. His sovereign pleas-
   You felt the heart-pangs of war? You men that             ure determined that He would glorify His name in
handled the guns, .manned  the boats, and guided the air-    gathering unto Himself a family.          To realize this
craft are only too eager to repress those memories into      pleasure God elected unto Himself a people. He de-
the deepest recesses of the subconscious and try to           creed that they alone would be objects of all His favor
forget the whole bloody mess. Destruction of property,        and love, and He would take them unto Himself in
wounded soldiers, widowed mothers, orphaned chil-            heavenly glory.
dren, - all comprise the aftermath of war; and no mortal         These people, however, were in themselves corrupt.
creature likes to imagine that there cannot be some           As such they could never be the objects of His favor,
way to stop such a display of hatred. We like peace.         for -God cannot have pleasure in sin. Therefore God
   We read concerning the attacks upon children of            elected His people in Christ. God would transfer His
God by wicked men, and we shudder; History proves             enmity which He had against His sinful children to His
that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.      own Son.
Stretched upon the racks, nailed to crosses, burned at           The incarnation was the beginning of this mighty
the stake, tortured with every conceivable fiendish           work.
method, - such is the story of the church militant. For          God Himself had conceived in the womb of the virgin
the flesh that is not pleasant; we like peace.                this Wonder-child. His name is Immanuel, God with
   Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to send              us. The God-man would now grow up into a man and set
peace on the earth; I came not to send peace, but a           His face to Jerusalem. You see, we cannot separate
sword."                                                       Bethlehem from Calvary. He is our Prince of Peace
   We must interpret Scripture with Scripture.                only because He is our Captain, given unto us from our
   Nowhere in God"s  Book do we read that the church          Father in order that He might ascend the Hill of Gol-
will be free from the assaults of the sword. We read,         gotha and there establish our peace with God.
in fact, the very opposite. Surely, there will be a brief        He did just that!
`span of time prior to the return of our Lord in which           `The cross was the battle field.
the nations will be at peace with one another, "They             A terrible struggle took place on that cross. The
shall beat their swords into plowshares and their             very thought of the cross drove our Peace-maker to
spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up            His knees in the garden, where he cried out amidst the
sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any        bloody sweat, "Father, if it be possible let this cup pass
more." Isa. 2:4. According to Rev. 13:4 the question          from me; nevertheless not my will but thine be done".
is raised, "who is able to make war with him?" that is,       An angel came to strengthen Him. There was only one
the beast, the symbol of anti-Christ. There will be in-       way to exchange enmity for love; that was the cross.
ternational peace for the world; but for the church,          With His eye fixed upon that cross, Jesus gave.Himself
"And it is given unto him to make war with the saints         to His enemies; silently He' stood before the perverters
and to overcome them." Rev. 13:7. The portion for             of justice; like a lamb upon the altar, He laid His arms
the church will be the great tribulation when the powers      upon the wooden beams and bore the `pain; Suspended
of the nations will no longer be directed against each        between heaven and earth, despised and rejected of
other, but they will direct them against the witness of       men, Jesus cried. out the keynote of the cross, "F'ather,
the true children of God.                                     forgive them for. they know not what they do".
   Take warning: the godless sing and quote the words            It was there that He made peace for us.          .
of our text, but they do not understand. Whether it be           He had no sin; it: was ours. He had no guilt-; it was
President Johnson with his "Great Society" or the late        yours and mine. When God saw our guilt upon Him,
Pope John XXIII with his "Pacem in Terris," the same          God hid the face of His favor and extinguished the lu-
foreign note is sounded.      Some would-be Calvinists        minaries of heaven and enshrouded the cross in the
seem confused on this same score.                             blackness of His wrath. The mockers were silenced,
   The peace of which the angels sing is much deeper!         only His cry could be heard, "My God, My God, why
It is the peace of the heart. Peace is the removal of         hast thou forsaken me". The real anguish of the cross
all enmity and hatred and the establishment of loving         was ' God's judgment against our sins which He had
friendship.                                                   transferred to His Only Begotten Son.
   Jehovah is at war! He is the righteous God Who                Jesus bore it all! Immanuel, the Divine-in our hu-
cannot and does not overlook sin. In Him is light, and        man nature, bore the full measure of God's wrath for
there is no darkness at all. He is loving to the holy,        our sins. Refusing the stupefying drink offered to Him
and filled with hatred against the wicked. That is His        by His executioners, He consciously, every moment on
righteousness.    We know that in ourselves we arein          the cross, cried out, "I love thee" for all our hatred
the blackness of sin and guilt. We are conceived and          expressed by our sins. When all was completed, He
born in sin and by nature children of wrath. We know          sealed His work with the cry of victory, "It is finished,"
that. Before the conscience of every child of God who         and Father took Him out of the grave and welcomed
has been influenced by the Breath of God there looms          Him home in glory. Our peace with God is sealed in
the insurmountable load of the judgment we deserve for        the empty tomb.


124                                                           THE STANDARD BEARER

       In anticipation of this completed work, `Jesus had                    begin to raise that heart-rending question, Is God pun-
said to His disciples while He was yet in-the Upper                          ishing me, are these afflictions `evidences of His wrath?
room, "Peace ,I leave with you, my: peace I give unto                            Then too, while we are on earth He assures us,
you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not                        : `Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid".
your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John                      Why? "For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth. . . .
14:27.                                                                       but if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are par-
       The angels sang, "Peace on earth to men of God's                      takers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Heb.
good pleasure".                                                              12:6-8. That brings peace.
       Now you understand. That peace is the loving kind-                        Finally, it is this peace that strengthens us in the
ness that God bestows upon His people through the cross                      midst of the real battle of faith. We expect to be per-
of Jesus. There is no wrath, no hatred, no enmity of                         secuted for Christ's sake; we know that if the world
the righteous God upqn His people; there is `only love.                      hated Jesus, they will hate us also; we know that it may
In that knowledge our hearts rest content in God.                            be our portion to live in the great tribulation, yet we
       We experience that while we are yet on earth.                         have peace. He has sworn with an oath, "I will never
       How often does not our soul cry out when oppressed                    leave thee nor forsake thee." The God of Jesus prom-
with the burden of the guilt of our sins. When the keen                      ises that. If God be for us, who can be against us? We
edge of the Sword of the Spirit cuts open our hearts and                     have peace in the knowledge that our victory is secure
with spiritual eyes we look into the black chasms of sin,                    in our Captain, Jesus Christ.
we tremble and quake. Our lips stammer, "God be                                  On earth ye shall have tribulation.
merciful to me; the chief of sinners.",.                                         On earth peace!
       It is then that the penetrating shaft of God's light                      You see now, there is no conflict.
illuminates our understanding, gently unfolds before our                         Let us follow the example of the angels and con-
tear-filled eyes, the hill of Golgotha and points us to Him                  clude, "Glory to God in the highest." He is the Ex-
Who bore the judgment for our sins. !He whispers into                        alted One, the Mighty of the mightiest, the Lord of
our ears, "Thy sins are forgiven thee:."                 :                   lords and the I<ing of kings.
       Such peace passeth ail usnderstanding. It is our pre-                     This peace comes to us from Him. Our Peace-
cious possession now, whii,? we are ;yet struggling on                       maker was from Him.
our way to glory.                                                                All the adoration must return to the Giver.
       It is this peace that quiets the troubled soul of the                     I'm sure that when we enter the portals of perfect
sick, whether in homes or hospitals; I dare say that                         peace, we will be able to sing this more emphatically.
at no time in our lives does the blackness of our sins                       Then peace will be on the new earth, and no tears will
prevail upon our consciousness as when God takes us                          distract us.
out of the rushing current of life and /forces us to rest                        On earth peace; glory to God!
awhile. We often know ourselves best on a sickbed. We                            May this song be in your heart, ,always.

                                                                                                                -

                                          I





                                         THE  CHRISTIAN  REFORMED  SYNOD

                                                    AND  THE  "DEKKER  CASE"

                                                                      (5)
                                          BEGGING  THE  QUESTION
                                                              Pvof. H. C.  Hoeksenm

       The study committee  appointed by the Chr. Ref.                       the salvation of the non-elect or to perform any*re-
Synod of 1964 in connection with the so-called! "Dekker                      demptive act on their behalf,                        L
Case'*' was not only given a general mandate to study                            f`c. Whether the nature of the atonement as satis-
the doctrine of limited atonement as it relates to the                       faction reveals the universal love of God.
love of God, and to study the doctrinal expressions of                           "d. Whether the teachings of the Canons of Dar;
Prof. H. Dekker; but they were also enjoined,by Synod                        warrant the use of such concepts ,as universal atone-
to study. specifically the following: a `.                                   ment and limited redemption..
       "a. Whether the nature of the atonement and the                           "e. Whether tie efficacy of the atonement! is deter-
decree -of-election allow for the validity5 of making a                      mined by the' good pleasure of God in distinction or
qualitative distinction between the general love of God                      `abstraction from the. love of God.
and His'special love for the elect.                                              "f, Whether, `the doctrine of limited atonement as
. "b. Whether there;. is Scriptural evidence' that the commonly understood and observed in the Christian
universal love of God includes any intent to bring. about
                                                    s                   ' Reformed Church impairs the principle of the universal

                                  .,      ._

                                                                                                                     /

                                               .


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                    125

love of God and tends to inhibit missionary spirit and        was, especially because no one could ever answer the
activity.' (Note: This is a statement quoted from Prof.       question what grace the reprobate received in the "offer
Dekker's first article on John 3:16. H.C.H.)                  of the gospel" if it was not a saving grace, this distinc-
   "g. Whether it is consistent with the genius of the        tion has nevertheless been maintained and it is still
New Testament evangelism to say to each and every             maintained by the opponents of Dekker today. It is the
man, `Christ died for you,' and whether this statement        protection of the First Point and of this traditional but
is productive of confusion and misunderstanding in this       inconsistent explanation of the First Point that is at
generation of universalism and Arminianism." (Note:           stake in point "a" of the mandate. One can hardly help
This is also, of course, a direct reference to Prof.          speculating what would become of the First Point if the
Dekker's first article. H.C.H.)                               study committee should agree with Prof. Dekker. Would
   Such is the mandate of the committee of Synod.             it be revised, and would the doors then officially and
   Now much could be said about this mandate.                 frankly be opened for this Arminianism?
   For example, to anyone who has followed the history           Point "b" of the mandate involves the First Point
of this case this mandate leaves the distinct impression      of 1924 no less. Has not the matter of "intent" always
that while Professor Dekker is not accused by anyone          been one of the crucial issues in the idea of the well-
and is in no sense of the word on trial ecclesiastically,     meant offer of the gospel to all? And did not the honesty
nevertheless someone is trying to "get at" Dekker's           of the well-meant offer of the gospel exactly hinge on
teachings. If this is not the case, why should there be       this question of God's intent, and that too, in the light of
a study committee at all? Why not leave the entire            His predestinating intent not to save the reprobate?
matter of Dekker's teachings to the free discussion           And as far as the performing of "any redemptive act
carried on in the various journals? Now, however,             on their behalf" is concerned, was it not always one of
every one of the seven points of this mandate is going        the gross inconsistencies of the general, well-meant
to require some kind of judgment, determination, in           offer of the gospel that it purported to offer to the rep-
regard to Prof. Dekker's views, although no one has to        robate something which God did not have for them, due to
this date had the courage to bring charges against Dek-       the fact that Christ died only for the elect?
ker ecclesiastically. I consider this a very insulting
and unfair treatment of a professor of theology in good          And if point ` `e" is studied, will not the study com-
standing in the churches. Do those who attacked Dekker        mittee have to face up to the fact that the Three Points,
in the journals expect this study committee to do what        as well as Dekker's views, attempt the foolishness of
they themselves failed to do, i.e., come with irrefutable     abstracting the favor of God from His good pleasure?.
proof from Scripture and the confessions that Dekker          For how else can one ever speak offavor  or love to the
is wrong?                                                     reprobate, -whether, to use Dekker's terms, that is a
   Secondly, the mandate is, after all, rather vague in       redemptive or a non-redemptive love, -than by-separ-
more than one respect. This is partly the fault of the        ating that love or favor from the eternal good pleasure
committee and partly the fault of Prof. Dekker. For           of the predestinating God?
example, what is "the doctrine of limited atonement as           In the fourth place, one may stand amazed at the
commonly understood and observed in the Christian             fact that a church which stands officially on the basis
Reformed Church?       What is meant by "missionary           of the Three Forms of Unity, and especially on the basis
spirit 7' ' What is meant by "impairs" and "tends to          of the Canons of Dordrecht, must investigate matters
inhibit ?" And, in point "g" of the mandate, what is          such as are mentioned in this mandate. Is it indeed a
meant by `Lconfusion and misunderstanding?" Suppos-           question whether our Canons warrant the use of such
ing that Dekker's teachings are found to be productive        concepts as Iuniversal  atonement and limited redemp-
of confusion and misunderstanding? Are they then to           tion? Must this be synodically studied and decided? Is
be condemned, excused, or perhaps pitied? Admittedly          it a  question,  -can it be a question in a Reformed
confusion and misunderstanding are not desirable, es-         church, -whether the nature of the atonement as satis-
pecially not in a professor of theology. But you cannot       faction reveals the universal love of God? Can it ac-
discipline for confusion and misunderstanding, though         tually be a question in a church that is officially and
you might perhaps disqualify him. Yet Prof. Dekker            confessionally Reformed whether it is consistent with
was recently given permanent tenure in the seminary,          the genius of New Testament evangelism to say to each
implying that both in his doctrine and his ability to         and every man, "Christ died for you?" It seems to me
teach he was deemed well qualified to instruct future         that anyone, also in the Christian Reformed Church, in
ministers for the rest of his life.                           whom `beats a heart that loves the Reformed truth must
   Thirdly, it is perfectly obvious that this mandate         needs stand aghast that the Synod could ever find it in
was composed with the First Point of 1924 in mind.            its conscience to put a question-mark behind these mat-
This is evident already from the very first item of the       ters? If these things can be synodically questioned,
mandate. The First Point (although with its teaching .of      then one is warranted in changing Prof. R.B. Kuiper's
the general, well-meant offer of the gospel it denied this    question to a statement, and to say, "Ichabod! The
qualitative distinction in the love, or grace, of God) has    glory is departed!"
always been interpreted by its defenders as maintaining           And let it be said with tears !
a two-fold love of God: a special, saving grace to the            But let it also be said that there is one fundamental
elect and a common, non-saving favor of God to all            error that underlies this entire mandate.
men.    Utterly inconsistent and confusing though this           That most fundamental error is that Synod begs the


126                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER

question exactly on the one issue of the so-called uni-               cipally, not in 1964, but in 1924. If you stand on the
vevsal love of God.                                                   basis of the Three Points, you have embraced the error
       Notice, please, that the orthodoxy of a doctrine of            of the universal love of God. Prof. Dekker has only
universal divine love (that is, love of God to all men) is            followed the error of the First Point with greater con-
nowhere challenged or even questioned. It is simply                   sistency and boldness. The Synod of 1924 in the First
assumed.        This is known in logic and debate as the              Point said, "A." Prof. Dekker has said the "B." Ap-
error of begging the question, i.e., assuming thatwhich               parently he does not want to say "Z" yet; for he claims,
ought to be proved. We all know, of; course, that this                though inconsistently, that election and reprobation are
idea of the universal love of God is the most fundamental             still sovereign and that ultimately the decree of election
of Dekker's tenets. He began with this idea in his first              is carried out. But the "Z" that necessarily follows
article, "God So Loved - All Men." : But the Synod in                 from "A" ultimately is the doctrine of full-fledged
its mandate not only does not question this; it assumes               universalism.
the reality of a universal love of God throughout. It                    Until' this fatal error of a universal love of God is
only questions the validity of distinguishing this univer-            seen and acknowledged and repudiated, I can foresee
sal love as general and special, the validity of `a univer-           no salutary results from the labors of Synod's study
sal intent to save and perform a redemptive act, etc.                 committee. I can indeed foresee that theywill be com-
       But this is fundamental. After all, the e,ssence  of           pelled, for consistency's sake, to justify Prof. Dekker.
Prof. Dekker's position lies not in his doctrine of a                     And in that case, I could see a ray of hope. For
universal atonement, but in his doctrine of a love of                 perhaps then the eyes of some will be opened to the
God for all men. And this means that the whole case                   heinous error that was adopted principally in 1924 and
lies not in the domain of Canons II (the !death of Christ),           which has now made the Christian Reformed Church
but in that of Canons I (divine predestination).                      the victim of rank Arminianism.
       And this fundamental error was committed, prin-                   May God grant that it may yet be so!


                                  "SHOlhD  I  PREPARIE  FOR  THE  MINISTRY?"

                                                                (4
                                           /  THE  NEED  FOR  MINISTERS
                                                     `Prof.  H.  C. Hoeksema

OUY Acute Shortage                                                    experiencing the more or less unsettled conditions
       Last time I mentioned the fact that we are not ac-             attendant upon the constant moving around of our
customed in our churches at present `to speak in mild                 ministers, as well as their repeated absence for some-
terms of a mere "need" of ministers, but rather to                    times lengthy classical appointments, feel the pinch of
speak of "an acute shortage" of ministers. I also                     this `shortage.
made the point that from the point of view of our clergy,                But probably we all were inclined to heave a too
our potential ministers and seminary students, our                    ready sigh of relief when we learned that this year the
churches as a whole, and our covenant parents this                    number of students at our seminary took a sudden
poses a very serious and sacred responsibility, -- the                jump from one to four.        The shortage was no longer
more so because we as churches profess to have and                    so critical, we thought.
to proclaim the pure gospel.                                             Nor, I am sure, is there anyone more pleased and
       That shortage of ministers, therefore, should be               thankful at the sudden increase in our studentbody than
reason for pause. And again, not only for our young                   the undersigned.
men who stand at the threshold of their life's work,                     But let us not relax as though the shortage is past':
but especially for them, this shortage should be reason               For this is `not the case. The contrary is true. Con-
to stop and think.;                                                   sider the following items:
       With this in mind these lines are written.                        1. We have at present "five vacant pastorates, -
       First of all, let me analyze the shortage and thereby          four vacant and calling congregations and one vacant
underscore it. It is hardly possible that any of us could             missionary charge. %This already will take up more
be unaware of it; but it is possible that we are not as               than our present student body, one ofwhomis expecting
aware of it as we ought to be. Probably those of our                  to graduate at .Jhe end of this term, D.V., and three of
churches who have experienced the trials of an extended               whom will be at least two `years away from graduation
vacancy are most keenly `aware of it. : :Cur ministers,               at the close of the present school term. Hence, even
who, having hardly become settled after their first                   after another tw o and a half years one of these five
two years' stay in a congregation, must pass through                  vacancies will remain unfilled.
the crisis of one call after another, certainly are aware                2. The Lord in the past year has Igiven us clear
of it. Those of us who are directly connected'with the                warning of the fact that two of our beloved veterans in
work of our Theological School surely cannot avoid a                  the ministry will not always be with us, both of them
keen awareness of it. And, ingeneral, all our churches,               being past the Biblical three score and ten years.


                                                 THE STANDARD'BEARER                                               127

They will leave a large place vacant presently in the        teachers unto His church.       To Him, therefore, we
churches, a place that will needs have to be filled,         must and do commit the needs of our vacant congrega-
both in our seminary and in the churches.                    tions, of our mission posts, and of our seminary. And
   3. The Lord has given us a potential field of labor       indeed, such prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
in Jamaica to which we are unable to give the desired        is the only way to Christian carefreeness also with
measure of attention because of the man-power short-         respect to this need, this urgent need, of our churches.
age. It is safe to say that if a man were available, he      This we must never forget! If the Lord Himself does
would surely be sent to Jamaica and would find more          not call, no one will be called to the ministry.
than enough labors for one man.                                 Eut does our responsibility end there?
   4. It has been the policy of our churches in the past,       By no means ! For, on the one hand, the Lord Christ
according to synodical decision, to have two mission-        uses means, which in this instjnce implies that He
aries in the work of church extension, labdring to-          usually calls forth His ministers out of the organism
gether.    This is a Biblical ideal. But this adds one       of the church.     And, on the other hand, a genuinely
more to the shortage.                                        prayerful attitude in this matter does not exclude, but
   All of the above does net take into account various       rather implies that the church will not be coldly
other factors. There is, of course, the factor of normal     passive in regard to this need, but rather will see its
attrition in the number of our ministers, due to age or      sacred duty, under the Lord's blessing, to produce its
ill health. Nor does it take into account the possibility    own ministers through the education, training, and
that even any of our younger ministers could by the          guidance of the covenant seed. If our churches are to
Lord be removed suddenly from the labors of the              have ministers, they must be produced out of the
church militant.    Nor does it take into account the        organism of our churches. That is the way the Lord
possible addition of new congregations. Nor does it          works usually. And in that sense it is the responsi-
take into account the fact that our last Synod decided       bility of our churches to produce trainees for, the
to investigate the possible expansion of  .our seminary's    ministry.
work into the area of pre-seminary studies.                     This is also the spirit of Article 19 of our Church
   It is obvious, therefore, that it requires no rich        Order, which requires that "The churches shall exert
imagination to speak of a rather acute shortage of           themselves, as far as necessary, that there may be
ministers and potential ministers in our churches.           students supported by them to. be. trained for the
   And why do I point to this ?                              ministry of the Word."
   Am I filled with anxiety and sinful worry about              Again I say, - more emphatically in the light of our
the morrow? In no wise I Also in this we must surely         shortage,  - let our churches, our pastors and elders,'
be mindful of the Lord's injunction, "Be not anxious \1  our covenant parents, yes, and our school teachers
for the morrow . . . ." And not only so, but as church-      too, face up to this calling in their guidance and
es we may well remember thankfully that the Lord has         counselling,  in their preaching and catechetical train-
always provided for us in the past, and that as surely       ing, in their educational processes, in their parental
as we believe that we represent the cause of His             advice and admonitions, - especially when our covenant
church in the midst of the world, so surely we may -         youth arrive at' that crucial stage of "choosing life's
also go forward in the confidence that He will continue      task."
to provide for us in the future. About this we need             But especially: let our covenant young men, who
have absolutely no doubts I                                  "are strong" and in whom "the word of God abideth,"
   Moreover, we must always remember that it is the          give earnest consideration to this matter, - praying
Lord, the exalted Christ, Who gives pastors and              unceasingly.




                                       THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE,  CHURCH
                                                   Chapter  IX
                                   THE  SACRAMEtiT   OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER
                                         (contihed   from  December 1 issue)
                                                 Rev. H.  Hoeks&ma
   This is not only the teaching of Question and Answer      dwells both in Christ and in us; so that we, though
79, but is also taught already in the 76th Question and ..' Christ is in heaven and we on earth, are notwithstand-
Answer: "What is it then to eat the crucified body, and      ing, `Flesh of hisflesh, and bone of his bone'; and that
drink the shed blood of Christ? It is not only to em-        we live, and are governed forever by one spirit, as
brace with a believing heart all the sufferings and death    members of the same body are by one soul." And in
of Christ, and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin, and      Question and Answer 77 we are taught as follows:
life eternal; but also, besides that, to becomemore and      "Where has Christ promised that he will as certainly
more united to his sacred body, by the Holy Ghost, who       feed and nourish believers with his body and blood, as

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

they eat of this broken bread, and drink of this cup? In               Scotch Confession of Faith, Art. 32; ,the Thirty-Nine
the institution of the supper, which is thus expressed:                Articles of the Church of England, Art. 28; and the
`The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was be-                    Westminster Confession, Ch. 29.
trayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he                          All the Reformed confessions, in fact, emphasize
brake it, and said: eat, this ismy body, which is broken               that the eating and drinking which takes place at the
for you; this do in remembrance ofme. After the same                   Lord's table is only spiritual. At the Lord's table
manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, say-                  Christ imparts Himself to the believers. The bread
ing: this cup is the new testament in` my blood; this do               and wine are spiritual food and drink, food and drink
ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For,                unto life eternal. And through that food and drink Christ
as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do               imparts Himself at the table of communion. There is
show the Lord's death till he come.`; This promise is                  therefore also a spiritual operation, effected by the
repeated by the holy apostle Paul, where he says: `The                 Spirit of Christ. And finally, there is in believers also
cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion                a spiritual mouth, by which we eat and drink, that is,
of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it                according to the confessions, the mouth of faith, as we
not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being                 have already quoted from the Belgic Confession. It is
many, are one bread and one body; because we are all                   by faith, and by faith only, that we are hungry and thirsty
partakers of that one bread." AndQuestionand Answer                    for Christ, the only spiritual food.
78 is also pertinent here: "Do then the bread and wine                       Herein, therefore, lies the significance of the Lord's
become the very body and blood of Christ? Not at all:                  Supper.
but as the water in baptism is not changed into the blood                    We must not imagine that in the Lord's Supper a
of Christ, neither is the washing away of sin itself,                  certain grace is imparted to us that cannot be received
being only the sign and confirmation, thereof appointed                in any other way than by eating and drinking the signs
of God; so the bread in the Lord's supper is not changed               of the broken bread and the wine that is poured out.
into the very body of Christ; though agreeably to the                  Christ always imparts Himself to believers, and feeds
nature and prpperties  of sacraments, it is called the                 our souls unto everlasting life, and that too, chiefly by
body of Christ Jesus."                                                 the preaching of the gospel. To this the sacraments
       To Question and Answer 79 we already referred in                principally. add nothing. But it is true that through the
the December 1 issue.                                                  signs of the broken bread and the wine poured out at
       The same note is struck in all the Reformed con-                the table of the Lord the Holy Spirit accomplishes or
fessions.     Thus we read in the Belgic Confession,                   effects two things. In the first place, through the visible
Article 35: "We believe and confess, that our Savior                   signs the Holy Spirit strengthens the personal assur-
Jesus Christ did ordain and institute, the sacrament of                ance and the personal confidence of faith of the be-
the holy supper, to nourish and support those whom he                  lievers.         And, in the second place, the Spirit through
had already regenerated, and incorporated into his                     these same visible signs stimulates faith to a greater !
family, which is his Church. Now those, who are re-                    hunger and thirst for Christ, that by faith we may eat :
generated, have in them a two-fold life, the one cor-                  and drink Him unto everlasting life. Thus, and thus
poral and temporal, which they have from the first                     only, the supper of the Lord is a means of grace, a
birth, and is common to all men: the other spiritual                   means whereby the believer may grow in grace.
and heavenly, which is given them in their second birth,                     A word must still be said in this connection about
which is effected by the word of thegospel, in the com-                the Romish error that the Lord's Supper is also a con-
munion of the body of Christ; and this life is not com-                tinual sacrifice of Christ, offered by the priest. We
mon, but is peculiar to God's elect. In like manner God                can distinguish between the eucharist and the mass.
hath given us, for the support of the bodily and earthly               Both presuppose that the bread and wine at the Lord's
life, earthly and common bread, which is subservient                   table are transubstantiated into the very body and blood j
thereto, and is common to all men, even as life itself.                of Christ. However, while the eucharist consists only
But for ,the support of the spiritual and heavenly life,               in the eating of the wafer and the drinking of the wine
which believers: have, he hath sent a living bread, which              by the priest, the mass proper really consists in the
descended from heaven, namely, Jesus Christ, who                       sacrifice of Christ, also by the priest, under the form
nourishes and strengthens the spiritual life of believers,             of bread and wine. That this is true, that is, that the
when they eat him, that is to say, when they apply and                 Romish Church actually presents the Lord's Supper as
receive him by faith in the spirit. Christ, that he might              a continual sacrifice of Christ through the priest is very
represent unto us this spiritual and heavenly bread,                   evident from the Canons and Decrees of the Council of
hath instituted an earthly and visible, bread, as a sac-               Trent. For we read, according to the Twenty-second
rament of his body, and wine as a `sacrament of his                    Session, Chapter 1: "Forasmuch as under the former :
blood, to testify by them unto us, that, as certainly as               testament, according to the testimony of the apostle
we receive and: hold this sacrament iin our hands, and                 Paul, there was no perfection, because of the weakness
eat and drink the same with our mouths, by which our                   of the Levitical priesthood; there was need, God, the
life is afterwards nourished, we also do as certainly                  Father of mercies, so ordaining, that another priest
receive by faith (which is the hand `and mouth of our                  should rise, according to the order of Melchisedec,
soul) the true body and blood of Christ our only Savior                our Lord Jesus Christ, Who might consummate, and
in our souls, for the support of ou'r spiritual life."                 lead to what is perfect, as many as were to be sancti-
Cf. also the French Confession of Faith, Art. 36; the                  fied. He, therefore, our God and Lord, though He was


                                                 THESTANDARDBEARER                                                    129

about to offer Himself once on the altar of the cross         which the multitude of the children of Israel immolated
unto God the Father by means of His death, there to           in memory of their going out of Egypt, He instituted the
operate an eternal redemption; nevertheless, because          new Passover, to wit, Himself to be immolated, under
that His priesthood was not to be extinguished by His         the visible signs, by the church through the ministry of
death, in the last supper, in the night in which He was       priests, in memory of His own passage from this world
betrayed, --that He might leave, to His own beloved           unto the Father, when by the effusion of His own blood
spouse, the church, a visible sacrifice such as the           He redeemed us, and delivered us from the power of
nature of man requires, whereby that bloody sacrifice,        darkness and translated us into His kingdom. And this
once to be accomplished on the cross, might be repre-         is indeed that clean oblation, which cannot be-defiled
sented, and the memory thereof remain even unto the           by any unworthiness, or by malice of those that offer
end of the world, and its salutary virtue be applied to       it; which the Lord foretold by Malachias was to be of-
the remission of those sins which we daily commit, -          fered in every place, clean to His name, which was to
declaring Himself constituted a priest forever, ac-           be great amongst the Gentiles; and which the apostle
cording to the order of Melchisedec, He offered up to         Paul, writing to the Corinthians, has not obscurely in-
God the Father His own body and blood under the spe-          dicated, when he says that they who are defiled by the
cies of bread and wine; and, under the symbols of             participation of the table of devils, cannot be partakers
those things, He delivered His own body and blood to          of the table of the Lord; by the table, meaning in both
be received by His apostles, whom He then constituted         places the altar. This, in fine, is that oblation which
priests of the New Testament; and by those words, `Do         was prefigured by various types of sacrifices during
this in commemoration of me,' He commanded them and           the period of nature, and of the law; inasmuch as it
their successors in the priesthood to offer them; even        comprised all the good things signified by these sac-
as the Catholic Church has always understood and              rifices, as being' the consummation and perfection of
taught.    For having celebrated the ancient Passover,        them all."





                                                 DESTRUCTUONISM

                                                  Rev. R. C.  Havbach

   A persistent heresy, always enjoying a certain             and Edward White, Congregationalist. The latter, in his
amount of popularity, and, like crab-grass, cropping up       "Life in Christ," calls the doctrine of the so-called
under the driest conditions, is that of destructionism,       immortality of the soul "an intolerable assumption,"
the theory that the final end of men, at least the wicked,    . . . "the root of all evil in theology," . . . "the direct
is a total extinction of being. This is certainly the view    cause of the creation of a God-dishonoring theology"
of the pure Pelagian, the man on the street, and of the       (Laidlaw, "The Bible Doctrine of Man"). There are
atheist, the materialistic destructionist; for they all       three main forms of destructionism or annihilationism,
suppose that human beings at death pass out, or are put       which are: 1) pure mortality of the soul. All souls,
out of existence altogether. Advocating one form or           being mortal, at death cease to exist; 2) conditional
other of the theory of annihilationism, --for that is the     immortality, i.e., souls are naturally mortal, the souls
term which more currently identifies the subject under        of the wicked being ultimately annihilated, but those
review, -- are such philosophers as Epicurus, Spinoza,        continue in life which are by God gifted with immortal-
Hegel,  Hume, Voltaire and Locke. Among the anti-             ity. 3) Last, there is annihilationalism proper  - souls
Christian cults, two, especially, hold to the annihilation    are naturally immortal and persist in existence until
of the wicked, namely, Seventh-Day Adventism and              destroyed by an inimical power.
Jehovah's Witnesses. The founder of the latter, "Pas-            What is the meaning of the word "annihilation?'
tor" Russell, said to be of a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian       Annihilation is the act of reducing to nothing, of putting
legacy ("Chaos of Cults"), and said to be originally a        out of existence, of destroying absolutely; it is a com-
Congregation&St  (Die. of Amer. Biog., XVI, 240), be-         plete extinction of being. It is certain that man can
came a Seventh-Day Adventist, then made this error a          neither create nor annihilate matter; nor is there any
part of his own "I<ingdom  Hall" religion. Within the         evidence that any matter since the original fiat of cre-
church, variations of the error were adopted by R. W.         ation has ever been annihilated. The omnipotent God,
Dale, Congregationalist, author of a work on the Ten          who alone can create, has the power to annihilate; but
Commandmqnts;  before his conversion, by John Newton,         there is no evidence that He has ever annihilated any
author of ,the'hymn "Amazing Grace;" by Joseph Nicol          part of His creation. He alone has the power to anni-
Scott, M.D., assistant minister to his father, Rev. Thos.     hilate one atom of matter, yet nowhere has He ever
Scott, the Bible commentator; John Thomas, founder of         told us that He has ever done so or ever would do so.
the Christadelphians; Joseph D. Wilson, pastor of St.         There is no evidence that any thing brought into ex-
John's Refermed  Episcopal Church, Chicago; Horace            istence will ever be put out of existence. Therefore to
Bushnell of- the liberal New England school of thought,       suppose that the souls and bodies of a portion of hu-
                Q


  130                                               THE  STANDARb  BEARER

 manity will be annihilated is unphilosophical, unscien-         tegrating as a germinating seed, which renders the
 tific, and unscriptural.                                       -body as to its intended purpose temporarily useless;
         What is the meaning of the term "`death"? Anni-        but this is not annihilation.
 hilationists say that it means "cessation of existence"            The term "immortality" does not mean endless
 or "absolute non-existence." This. supposition in-              existence.    The word appears about five times in
 volves us in absurdity; for the penalty threatened              Scripture and never has reference to the immortality
 against Adam would then imply, "In the day thou eatest         of the soul, but rather to the immoriality  of the body
 thereof thou shalt cease to exist." Or then, (`when we          (I Cor. 15:50,53,54;  I Tim. 6:16; II Tim. l:lO), and has
 were dead in sins, He hath quickened us" would mean,           the meaning "not subject to death" or "c&a&lessness."
 "When we were annihilated, He made us alive,!" Death            What Paul said was not that this mortal body must put
 is first of all spiritual; and by spiritual death'is meant     on endless existence, `but that "this corruptible must
 a total spiritual. inability, not a destruction of man's       put on incorruptibility, and this subject to death must
 nature or spirit. Physical death is separation of the          put on deathlessness.       So when . . . this subject to
 soul from the body; : t is corruption of the body and          death shall have put on deathlessness, then shall be
 deprivation of the soul. It certainly is not an anni-          brought to pass the saying . . . `Death is swallowed up
 hilation of either body or soul. Eternal death is.the          in victory"' (I Cor.  15:53f). Death being swallowed
 separation of body and soul from God in hell. In the           up does not mean extinction, nor, aside from the elim-
 Old Testament there are about 45 different Hebrew              ination of physical death for the righteous, does it
 words translated ` `destroy" or ` `destruction," which         mean that there is no eternal death except in the sense
 in their root meanings denote a calamity, confusion, a         that oblivion'% everlagtingly  final. For in the second
 treading down, a sweeping away, an infliction,of  pesti-       death there is consciousness (tormented), it is constant
 lence, a crushing, a swallowing up, to be silenced, to         (day and night), and it is everlasting (for ever and ever).
 tear down, to bind, to dry up, to break up, to bring to         See Rev.  14:ll;  2O:lO. It is conscious, unremittent,
 an end, to cut off, to beat, to blot out, to pluck up, to      eternal torment, since it is a "suffeving the vengeance
 cut down, to make desolate, to lay waste, to spoil, to         of eternal fire" (Jude 7). There is no suffering, tor-
 bereave, to deal violently. None of these words means          ment, vengeance nor eternal fire in final oblivion.
 to annihilate as `they refer to man in history, or to his      The "furnace of  .fire" of Matthew 13:42 cannot be
 destiny in an existence beyond this life:.                     twisted t,o mean extinction of being, for there, not in
         Then there is the word "to perish,!' which does not    oblivion, but "there (in the furnace of fire) shall be
 at all mean to put out of existence; forl one who is ren-      the weeping and the gnashing of teeth!"              *
 dered extinct cannot then enter into peace.  "But "the            ' We cannot define life, but "life" and "existence""'
 righteous pevisheth,  and no man layeth it to heart, and       are not synonymous terms. Inanimate objects have
 merciful men are taken away, none considering that             existence,, but not life. The difference between. life
 the righteous is taken away from the evil. He shall            and existence is that life -is a condition of existence.
 enter into peace" (Isa. 57:1,2). The body perishes in          Death is another condition of existence. Life is anex-
 death, but the soul enters into peace. The word "per-          istence characterized by a vibrant, harmonious unity.
 ish" (abhadh,)  does not touch upon man's future destiny.      Death is an existence of a different kind, characterized
 This word is also translated "destruction." "Hell              by decay, dissolution and separation; and when that
 (sheol) and  destruction-   are before the Lord" (Pro.         separation is final, it is eternal death. Scripture in-
 15:11)1 This refers to the condition ;of the dead, that        forms us that God's favor is life, that to know God is
 although perished or destroyed, they are-still in a stave      eternal life, that.to be spiritually minded is life, while
 of existence and are before God's face:, i.e., within His      to be carnally minded is death. Life is not mere con-
 cognizance. The physical death of the wicked is-neither        scious being, <but the normal state of being in the like-
 unconsciousne&,  nor annihilation. The New Testament           ness, fellowship and enjoyment of God.          T
 word for destruction, apollumi, is used of the destruc-            Mal.  4:l is cited as  ' proof of the fires of divine
 tion of physical objects such as wine-skins, gold, food,       judgment so destroying the wicked as to "leave them
 and the hair of the head, without any reference to anni-       neither root nor branch," i.e.,' to annihilate them; but
 hilation, but rather to such injury as! renders the ob-        this text has no more of annihilation than the destruc-
 jects practically useless. A ship at sea destroyed in          tion of the many human bodies which in this worldshave
 a storm, becomes dismasted, r u d d e'r 1 e s s , s id e s     been consumed by fire. For in the resurrection, these
 smashed, totally ruined,.but  not annihilated. Apoblumi        bodies shall come forth entire, shall be united with their
 is used to express a "lost" sheep, a `,`lost" coin, or a       souls, and then cast into eternal torment in hell. Ac-
 "lost" son; but in no case may the idea of annihilation        cording to this heresy, however, hell is not a place of
 be forced upon Ihe word: The destruction of the world          eternal torment, but is the "everlasting destruction"
 by fire (II Pet. 3:6) is no annihilation,,but  a.rendering     brought about by the act of annihilating. The wicked
 useless as a human habitation. Yet after that destruc-         then become' "non-existent" and their extinction is
 tion there-is. a restoration and renewal, which could          ` `eternal punishment." But annihilation would make
 nap be the case if the world were snuffed out into ob-         endless punishment and eternal torment impossible.
" livion.     This word is also used of !the perishing or       Then it could not be said that "the devil . . . the Beast
 being destroyed from off the face of the earth in death        and the false prophet . . . shall be tormented day and
 when the body is destroyed. The Bible speaks of the            night for ever and ever" (Rev.  2O:lO).  A Russellite
 body being `planfed .as a seed, of dissolving and disin-       when asked the meaning of "the smoke of their torment


                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   131

  ascendeth up for ever and ever", answered, "Danger!"           " alive' ' signifying no cessation of being, but existence
  But if for the wicked extinction of being must neces-          in a human body. Annihilation would render all suf-
  sarily end their torment, then danger of what? Or?ce           fering `and ~misery impossibie. Total extinction of the
  annihilation has gone into effect, what danger can there       soul and body does not permit of any more being, act-
  be? And why does their smoke continue to arise, and            ing or suffering. But Scripture teaches that for the
 that forever? Jesus taught that "hell" is "the fire that        wicked there are degrees of punishment. Some are to
  never  shall be quenched," and is a place "where their         be beaten `with few, others with many stripes. How-
 worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mk.              ever, on the theory of annihilation, there can be no
  9:43-48).     This makes annihilation impossible, for on       degrees, as there can be no degrees of nothingness.
  the supposition of it, the fire would be quenched, their       As Spurgeon well said, "Annihilation would be ended
 worm would die, and "the smoke of their torment"                punishment, not endless. " Also we are inclined to
 would not exist, and so could not "ascend up for ever           agree with Biederwolf, that "A man who can read an-
  and ever" (Rev.  14:ll). Furthermore, the wicked are           nihilation into Scriptures like these can discover a
  to be hurled alive into the Lake of Fire, the word             Beethoven symphony in the croaking of a frog pond."





                                     PRAYING  FOR  THOSE  IN  AUTHORlTY

                                                      Rev.  G.  Lubbers

  Those In Authority Ministers  of  God- Continued              not possible by anyone who has merely the light of
     I here affirm that every man, woman, and child             nature. We read here in Art. 4: "There remain, how-
 who is not enlightened by the grace of God is an an-           ever, in man since the fall the glimmerings of natural
  archist, a rebel at heart! Paul says, "Let every soul         light, whereby he retains some knowledge of God, of
 be subject to the powers that be;" every individual            natural things, and of the difference between good and
  "soul", put your soul, your affections, your joys and          evil, and discovers some regard for virtue, good order
 sorrows in subjection to the powers that be! He does           in society, and for maintaining an external orderly
 not simply say that you must be subjected, but let             deportment.       But so far is this light of nature from
 every soul subject himself. That can only be done by           being sufficient to bring him to a saving knowledge of
 grace !       We feel that very, very much when we read         God, and to true conversion,  that he is incapable  of
 I Peter 2:13-21. Peter knew what itmeant to be thrown           using it  avight even in things  nacuVa1 and civil.  Nay
 into prison. He had stood before the Sanhedrin and had         further, this light, such as it is, man in various ways
 said, "We ought to obey God rather than man." Acts              renders wholly polluted, and holds it in unrighteous-
 5:29..     He said this when they forbade him to preach        ness, by doing which he becomes inexcusable ,before
  any longer in the name of Jesus. This same Peter               God."
 writes in I Peter 2:13, ff. as follows: "Submit your-              This we can apply to all the rulers of this world
 selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake;          ,.-who are not Christians - yea, to your and my sinful
 whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto gover-           heart and nature! We do not speak here of the bowing
 nors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punish-         before authorities by virtue of the light of nature, or
 ment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do          by virtue of some innate goodness, or because of some
 well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye        high and lofty "Americanism." Paul is speaking here
 may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. AS             of those who can be addressed: by the mercies of God!
 free, and not using your liberty as a cloak of malicious-       We speak here of those whom God has picked up from
 ness, but as the servants of God." And notice this:            the miry clay and has taken away all our disobedience,
  "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God.                and has put his law in our hearts, thus having a new
 Honor the king. Servants be subject to your masters             obedience, a new commandment through the blood and
 with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also        Spirit of Jesus Christ. This is thus inscribed in our
 to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if. a man for         hearts so that it will never be erased, nay, not unto
 conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrong-            all eternity.
 fully. . . . . For even hereunto were ye called: because           Thus we shall be perfect citizens under the sceptre
 Christ also suffered for us, leaving us anexample, that         of the LORD of lords, and the KING of kings.
 ye should follow his steps."                                       That is our first proposition.
     So those in authority must be obeyed !
     Of course, you understand that such obedience is            The  Gospel-Minis&y and Those In Authority
 more than that which could possibly spring from the                My second proposition I find taught by the Apostle
 fountain of natural light. The Canons of Dort, III, IV,        to the Gentiles in I Timothy 2:1-7. It is: the Gospel
 Art. 4, we read about the natural light the unbeliever         ministry is, in Scripture, ever most closely associated
 has. Subjecting one's self to authority for God's sake         with those in authority. In I Timothy 2:1-7 they are
is not possible by so-called "common grace." It is               joined very closely. A little survey of this passage


132                                                  THESTANDARDBEARER

will demonstrate this.                                            could not pray, if he did not have the entire situation
       We, in the past, have become acquainted with this          in his hand! All is in his control!
passage in I Timothy 2:1-7, particularly in our battle               We ought to notice, furthermore, that it is defi-
with those who teach that God wills j to save all men,           nitely the motive of the pyeacbing of the Gospel that is
every man; who teach that it is the igood-pleasure  of            controlling in history. We do not agree with the late
God that Christ, would die for every man, woman, and              Dr.  Kuyper,  who in his  Stone  Lectures  develops the
child that comes from Adam. And iwe know that the                thesis that the course of the history of the world must
Christian Reformed Churches, as well as their spokes-             be traced over old Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,
men, have quoted this passage to show that the Scrip-            Medo-Persia, Macedonia, Rome, Islam, and Western
tures here teach a well-meant offer of salvation to all           Europe from the days of Charles the Great, which is
men, or at least a favorable attitude of God to all               then called the world of "Calvinism."          We do not
men!        And this favorable attitude indicates that God        agree with this Weltunschauung,  that life-and-world-
has the intention of somehow making iall the objects of          view of  Kuyper.        Not at all ! We hold that we must
his common favor. Thus we became acquainted with                 say:  ckuvch history  is wovld his tory!    The history of
this passage in a negative and in a ,rather  polemical           the world is, rightly considered, the history of the
situation in our. handling of the sword of the Spirit,           church. We see this very clearly in the Ante-Diluvian
the Word of God. However, we must bear in mind that              period as recorded in the book of Genesis, where the
that does not exhaust what Paul has to say here. Paul             generation of Cain in their culture perishes and leaves
has something positive to teach us concerning prayer!             the scene of time and history, while the generations of
       We must notice what this positive instruction of the       Seth continue over Noah, Abraham, David, Christ.
Word is.                                                          That is where we see the genealogy. There is really
       Paul is not speaking here, .first of all, against cer-     only one genealogy in the Bible; it is the genealogy of
tain heresies, but is teaching us in this passage con-            the birth of Jesus Christ. That genealogy ends when
cerning the manner of our prayers for all men and for            he is born.      He is the last Adam, the fulfilment of
kings and all who are in authority in the dispensation           history.    World history, we repeat, is church history.
of the ministry of the Gospel - all for: the Gentiles.               In the New Testament we meet with the same pres-
       We must listen very, very  careklly to what he             entation concerning the history of the world as being
teaches us here. He teaches us in this passage that it           church history! Christ says to his disciples, "Unto
is well-pleasing to God that we :ray for all men and             me is given all power in heaven and on earth. Go ye
for kings. Writes he, "For this is good and acceptable           therefore and disciple all nations, baptizing them in
in the sight of God our Savior, who wall have all men            the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
saved and come unto the knowledge of  ihe truth." That            Ghost." Matthew 28:18,19.       And the Lord Jesus adds
God is here denominated "Savior" does not refer to him           his comforting promise, "And lo I am with you always
simply as the creator and the ruler lof the world, but           (all the days), even to the end of the world." John, ac-
refers to him as he is the "Savior" in our Lord Jesus            cording to Rev. 5, weeps much when he sees that there
Christ; for I Timothy 1:l says, "Paul, an apostle of             is no one worthy to open the scroll which is on the right
the Lord Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our              hand of Him that sitteth on the throne. There was none
Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope.`"              found in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth who
God is here the Savior in the Mediator, as he saves us           is worthy.     Then he is comforted: "Weep no more !
from our sins. `We have a similar passage in Chapter              Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David
4:10, "For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach,          hath overcome in order that he might open the scroll
because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior             and the seven seals." And when the Lamb breaks the
of all men, specially of those who believe." In other            first seal, a voice from the throne says, "Go forth!"
words, we live in the dispensation of the fulness of             And the four horse-men ride through history: the white
times, the acceptable year of the Lord, in which the             horse, the red horse, the black horse, and the pale
over-all truth and anchor-point is that there is one             horse. Each horse has a rider. Thus also in Zechariah
God, Savior, oneimediator  of God and men.                        1 the four horses and their riders areunder  the myrtle
       Notice further that Paul emphatically teaches here        trees. But notice: the white horse ineach case goes up
that in this dispensation that he has beenmade  a preach-        in the lead; it is the controlling motivein history. It is
                                                                 `.the Gospel-course of our Lord Jesus Christ as he goes
er, a herald  (keen&),  -- a preacher of the Gospel
amongst the Gentiles. He affirms this with an oath: I            forth conquering' and to conquer, gathering the church,
                                                                 chosen to everlasting life, from the beginning of the
lie not! God will use Paul's ministry to gather the              world to the end of time out of the entire human race,
church, the elect from the Gentiles, j that they might           from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation! When the
be brought to the knowledge of the truth, as he writes,          church is gathered, then shall be the end! And since
"Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle              the white horse leads, goes out first, all the other
(I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not) a teacher of          horses follow and are subservient to the white horse.
the Gentiles in faith and verity." Vs. 7:                _)      All of history centers around the church and the
       Lastly, in this connection, let us notice,, !that both    Gospel-preaching through which the Holy Spirit works
Paul as a preacher and all men, kings and all who are            faith. For this reason peace must be taken from the
in authority, are in the hands of God, the one God                earth, according to Zechariah, that Jerusalem may be
through Jesus Christ. He is supreme1 Otherwise we                saved and glorified.

            .4$


                                           !      THESTANDARDBEARER                                                     133

     The center of all things in history is the peace of         herbs, including every genus and species of herbs.            L
  Jerusalem!                                                     Thus we read too in Ephesians 1:3, "Who has blessed
     Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!,                           us with  all  spiritual blessings in heavenly places,"
     I would still like to mention a few particulars con-        which certainly must mean every kind of spiritual
  cerning the text in I Tim.  2:1-7, more specifically           blessing.    This must refer to the blessings of re-
  concerning the term "all men" and "for kings", and             demption, of justification and sanctification and glori-
 that it means that we pray for them.                            fication in Christ Jesus in all the church, the blessings
     In the first place, I call your attention to the fact       of his elective love: all kinds of spiritual blessings.
  that in the text here "all men" does not mean "every            And, again, in I Cor. lo:25 Paul enjoins the church to'
 man".       Also the term "whole world" never means             buy all that is in the shambles. This certainly does
  "every" man; all men never means every man. "All"              not mean that they must buy out the owner of the
 in Scripture often refers to "all kinds". We read in             shambles, but rather that every kind of merchandise
 Matthew 4:23 ". . and healing all manner of sickness             sold in the shambles was permissible to ,be bought.
  and all manner of disease among the people". Here              They need not count anything unclean, even if it had
 the KJV has translated "all diseases" by "all manner            been offered to idols. Nothing in the shambles is to
  of diseases". Correctly so. This is interpretation on          be considered taboo!
  the part of the  KJV, but it is correctly giving the
  sense of "all". InLuke 11:42 we read that Jesus chides             This, of course, has implication for the "all men"
  the Pharisees that they "tithe mint and rue and all            for whom we are enjoined to pray, including kings and
  manner of herbs. .`I    This does not mean that they            all who are in authority.
  tithed all the herbs under the sun, but all kinds of                               (to be continued) I




                                           DANGEROUS  FAMILIARITY
                                                       Rev. J. A.  Heys

     The seraphim cover their faces with their wings in           God's holiness. Nor are they children of iniquity to
  the presence of God.                                           whom the light is repulsive. Rather are they perfect
     Isaiah saw them do this in his vision recorded in           beings who from their creation have lived flawlessly
  Isaiah 6:1-3.                                                   in His fear. .They are holy creatures who in His fear
     Each seraph had. three sets of wings. With two              cry out of His ,holiness  and are overwhelmed not only
 wings they covered Lheir faces. With two they covered           by His holiness but with joy because of it. Their cry
  their feet. And with two they did fly. At the same time         is not one of dismay but of joyous praise.
 `they cried to one another, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord           And we who are full of guilt?. . . .       I
  of hosts: the whole. earth is full of His glory."                  Must not we even hide our faces from these sera-
     What a striking picture!                                    phim ?
     What a lesson in humility before the face of God!               We have fallen into the sin and condemnation of
     By their speech they express and confess this holi-          Adam! We were created as holy and righteous as God's
  ness of God. By their covered.faces they underscore             angels. Our creation, according to Psalm `8:5, was a
  and emphasize their conviction that He is the Thrice-          little lower than the angels. Yet we were -not lower in
  Holy God. ,By word and work they confess their own              the sense that. we were less holy. We were beautiful
  unworthiness before His majesty and the fulness of             creatures, shining with all the glory of God's com-
  His perfection, .In length and breadth and depth He is         municable attributes. And ,now .from a spiritual point.       .
  holy.     Go left `and right to observe His works. Go           of view it may be said of us in truth that we "look like
 `forward and backward through the length of His cre-            `the devil." Created in God's image, we we,re in holi-
  ation.    Reach up into heaven and down into hell. If           ness like Him; but -fallen in Adam and deceived by
  you then speak the truth of what you have seen, you            Satan, we are, even as J,ohn the- Baptist declares, a
  will with the seraphim extol Him for being holy, holy,          viper's brood; and the works of our spiritual father,
  and holy. You will see nothing but.holiness in Him.             the -devil; we do. Even after the wonder `of regenera- .
    I Now these seraphim, if you please, are themselves           tion has implanted a new and holy life in us, we ,still
  holy creatures.     They have never had the guilt of           have that old nature that is evil through and through.
k man's sin and have never fallen from their first state             Do we, then, though born again and conscious- of
  in which `they were created.      These are not fallen        , that guilt, which is ours by nature, behave' as those
  angels who are dazzled by the `brilliancy of His holi-         who know this thrice holy God and their own unworthi-
  ness.     These are not guilty creatures whose con-             ness? Dare we stand before-Himwithuncovered faces?
  sciences smite them before the Siniess One, They are            Dare we lift our heads in pride and boldly look'at  Him
  not creatures who must hide their faces in shame be-            as His equal? It is important for us to consider His
  cause of their own unholy actions. They are not chil-           boliness. It is important that we learn and learn anew
  dren of darkness whose eyes cannot stand the light of           of this holiness of God. The seraphim know it and need


      134                                                THE STANDARD BEARER

      not learn it. They were created in the possession of it.       ness is an eternal virtue that was there even before
      So were we, but, having lost it, we need ever and anew         -the creation of the world. There is eternally a holy
  -to grow in the knowledge and consciousness of that                relationship between Father, Son, and Spirit.          And
      holiness of God, lest we become sinfully familiar with         before all the works of His hands God is infinitely and
      Him. Familiarity, we are told, breeds contempt. And            eternally holy.
      evidences of this there certainly are in the church-              He is holy exactly because He is God alone. Refer
      world of today. In His sphere there is-so little conduct       to I Timothy 6:16 and see this truth from Paul's pen,
      in His fear. In the sphere of His church on earth, in          "Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which
      that which calls itself His church, in the lives of those      no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen,
 ` who claim to be born again and to 1cnow'Him in the                nor can see: to whom be- honour and power everlast-
      salvation which He has prepared in Christ, there is            ingly. Amen." 0, that men would only realize that He
      not the fear that holiness produces.                           is GOD! Karl Barth coined a phrase which, - although
             What is God's holiness ? It is, we are all agreed,      he had something different in mind, - expresses the
  lthat virtue of God according to which He is completely            fact: He is The Wholly Other. He is this not in the
      cut off from all sin. This is so beautifully expressed         sense that He cannot be known but certainly in the
      in Habakkuk 1:3, "Thou art of purer eyes than to be-           sense that He is The Incomparable One. With Whom
      hold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." Somewhat           will YOU compare Him? As Isaiah states it in God's
      differently John declares this truth in I John  1:5,           name- in Isaiah 40:25, "To whom then will ye liken
": .God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."                 me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One." Note
      James also speaks of this holiness of God in James             that His holiness is presented in connection with the
      1:17, where he calls God "the Father of lights, with           fact that He is not to be compared and cannot be com-
      whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning." All           pared with any creature. He is the Creator far exalted
      this is quite `evident, for the word holy comes from a         above every creature.
      verb which means "to cut off, to separate or isolate."            Do not insult Him or lower Him in your thoughts by
      God surely is separate from all sin. Hisinfinite being         trying to classify Him. In His fear you will not want
      is cut off infinitely from all sin of all kinds. There is      to say even that He is in a class by Himself. Then you
      no shade of sin in Him. There is no shadow of sin even         still are classifying Him and lowering Him to the level
      that can or does fall upon Him. The pure white, newly          where we may arrange Him alongside of, instead of
      fallen snow is as white as any earthly creature can be.        elevating above, all His creation. He is The Wholly
      Yet at eventide, - or even in broad daylight of noon, -        Other. Let us leave it there lest we attribute to Him
      a shadow can fall upon it to make it appear to be any-         any of the weaknesses and frailties and limitations of
      thing but white. This never happens with God. He is            the creature. In no way, from any point of view are we
      p&e light and always abides in pure light. The man             on an equal footing with Him. He is distinct, so dis-
      who tries to make a shadow of sin fall upon God only           tinct, so infinitely distinct from all His creatures. The
      adds to the blackness of his own perverted `soul.              gulf, the difference, and distance between Him and the
             So holy is God that unholiness of any kind or degree    creature, -- even the holy creatures, - is far greater
      cannot be committed by Him. God cannot sin. This is            than that between the pauper and the millionaire, be-
      not a limitation placed upon God; This .in no way, takes       tween the moron and the highly educated professor
      away His freedom. Rather-does it speak of His infinite         with all his degrees and titles justly earned; between
      freedom.: Nothing outside of His own holy Being limits         the king on the throne and the subject in prison. He
      Him so that He cannot sin.. His own holy Being decrees         is GOD; and therein is His holiness.
that He,cannot  sin. No creature couldever entice Him.                  There are so many ways in which men deny this.
      James says: that He cannot be tempted with evil. Evil          The flesh always wants to bring Him down to our level;
      is outside of His will; and it shall never rule over His       for we would still be like God according to Satan's
      will. He is the light that will always drive away all          lie. The natural man is bold! He makes no attempt to
  +darknesS  and never fellowship with it. Does natural              hide his conviction that God must be our servant, and
      light ever seek the darkness? Can light and darkness           all his "prayers" indicate this pride. What troubles
      ever sit down together and join each other? Does not           us no little is the modern trend in prayer in church
      the light always drive darkness away? And God, The             groups and circles to "get chummy with God." There
      Light, drives all sin from before His face and remains         is a familiarity fostered and practiced which is ex-
      Himself pure light.                                            ceedingly dangerous and leads to contempt. Even that
 .           Yet the seraphim "did not hide their faces and call     contempt is to be seen in more thanone way. We refer
      God holy merely because there is no-sin in Him at all.         specifically at the moment to that familiarity that ad-
  ,They did all this *before any sin entered the world and           dresses God as You (or even blasphemously: the Man
      even  be_fore  they knew  what  6sin was. Before Satan         up There!). We mean speaking to Him and of His works
, performed the first sinful act in the whole universe, i            as Your works, speaking of Your Son and all use of such
      and sin was first committed inheaven, - all the heav-          pronouns instead of the former Thou, Thy, Thine and
      enly host! Satan included, hid their faces in the con-         Thee.      All this is presented as a proper relation to
      sciousness of God's holiness and confessed His infinite        God; and those who pray thus are pictured as being
 1 holiness. Satan also -?&as created good, and for a brief          very near to God. Their prayers are not stuffy and
      time he was an obedient servant of God who worshipped          stiff. It is" more like talking with a good friend.
  God and walked in humility before Him. God's hdli-                    Eyebrows are already being raised. Replies of
                                                 *  "
                       /


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  135

 ridicule are already being prepared, no doubt. Look          somewhat different.      We have had and used these in
 up your Greek Bible! Such a distinction is not to be         ages past.    Why the necessity of change? Has God
 found there!!      Jesus never made such a distinction       been lowered since then, or have we increased in bold-
 either!!! In Matthew 6:3 He tells us not to let our left     ness and familiarity?
 hand know what our right hand does. And He speaks
 of  thy  left hand.     The very same word is used in           iot only do we have and have we used "Thee, Thou,
 Matthew  6:9 when He teaches us to pray, "Hallowed           Thine, Thy," but there is approval of this recorded in
 be                                                           Scripture.    God did not say to Moses in Exodus 3:14
        Thy  name." The difference between youv and thy
 is merely a matter of the Old English, the Quaker way        that His name was Jehovah but rather Jaweh. Refer to
 of speaking according to which our English Bible was         Smith's Bible Dictionary under the name Jehovah and
 translated.                                                  you will note that the Jews dared not use that name Jaweh
        We agree. But whereas we findit proper to address     and used the vowels of the Hebrew word Lord, namely,
 the judge as Your Honor and our superiors in business        Adonai, instead between the-consonants of Jaweh. That
 or social areas as Mister, our soldiers are taught to        fear of the Lord is often so lacking today. Men prefer
 salute their officers, do we not condemn ourselves?          to seek equality with God rather than to exalt the Lord
 We show deferenc.e  to men and not to God? And Scrip-        and humble themselves as His servants: They prefer
 ture teaches us to show this deference to men. Paul          to go and urge the seraphim to tear their wings from
 says in Romans 13:7, "Render therefore to all their:-,.      before their .eyes  and "get friendly,with God."
 dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom            It is for that reason also that today such songs as
 custom; fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour." "We've Got a Great Big Wonderful God" can have such
        And make no mistake about it, Scripture does          appeal.. One does not speak and sing that way.before
 clearly indicate that we are not in prayer (or other-        God's face, but before the,face of agod of man's imagi-
 wise) to get familiar with God. The saints in the Old        nation. Hiding our faces in our "*wings" we will sing,
 Testament prostrated themselves in the dust and did         ' "How Great Thou Art." In His fear we will ,always be
 in their very speech indicate such an awe and rever-         conscious of our own insignificance before Him, and
 ence before God as that of the seraphim in Isaiah            we would rather be silent than to use His name or
 6:1-3.      What is more, we do, today have such termi-      refer to Him in a way that would lower Him to our
 nology to deal with God as the Wholly Other. Had it-         level and deny Him His transcendent glory. We are
 not been done in the past, had we no way with our            walking on thin ice and in great danger of losing God's
 words in our English language to use so that we place        divinity when we deliberately erase and discard pos-
 ourselves in the reverent attitude and make ourselves        sible and proven methods of teaching our children that
 conscious of His majesty and holiness, it would be           He is God and not a creature.


                              7&  dad  gate  7de  Wart&  d  d
                                                                               (Psalm 68:ll)

                               THE  EVANGELICAL  APPROACH  IN-  MISSIONS:

                                   AS  CARRIED  OUT  BY  CHRIST  HIMSELF                                     .i

                                                    Rev. C.  Hank0
        In the iight of the evangelical approach that is         Or we might even ask why He, Who was able to feed
 commonly  .advocated  in our day, one could readily          multitudes with a few loaves and fishes, did not find
 conclude that the .coming  of our Lord and His public        means to feed millions of the earth's inhabitants with
 ministry I on earth was not most perfectly timed after       the true heavenly Bread. Why didn't He travel to Asia
 all. We might be inclined to conclude that the fullness      Minor, where there  were. so many synagogues of
 of time that marks the appearance of Christ in the           dispersed Jews; to Greece, `the center of knowledge
flesh should have been at the close of this twentieth        ,and wisdom; to Rome, where the world power of that
 century-instead of two thousand years ago. Take, for         day had his throne; and to the ends of the earth, where
 example, the thoroughly organized Billy Graham cam-          millions of people were still ignorant of the Gospel?
 paigns with all their workers, choirs, stadiums, radio       Why did He, Who spoke as no man had ever spoken,
 .and television support. It is no effort at all for such     limit His ministry to that narrow strip of land along
 an organization to reach out to millions of people on a     the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea? Why in
 single evening or to send forth their message to the        the three and one half years of His ministry did He
 far ends of the earth.. If it is true that God loves all     spend so much time in the limited Confines of Galilee,
 men, and that it is His desire to save all men, we can       where He was so coldly rejected? Why did He preach
 only wonder what Jesus might have done `if all these        - mainly to. Jews, and only occasionally to a few Gentiles,
modern inventions like public address systems, radio          if the lost sheep of the house of Israel included all men?
 and television, as well as the automobile and the jet           But when we turn to the various Gospel accounts we
 plane had been available to Him in His day.                  find that all the emphasis is on the fact that the Good


ci         136                                               THESTANDARDBEARER

           Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep and also very       tide whether they, would hail Him as the promised
           actually gathers His own sheep unto Himself. And in           Messiah or brand Him as an atrocious deceiver. They
           doing so the thoughts of many hearts are revealed, so         recognized the fact that He was the carpenter's son,
      that some believe not because they are not ofHis sheep.            who had been reared among them., They knew His
                  At the announcement of Jesus' birth to Joseph, the     family well. They saw in Him no great potentiality as
           angel of the Lord informs him, "And she (Mary) shall          a public leader or national hero. They voted against
           bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus:        Him, and their antipathy became so overwhelming that
           for he shall save (not, "all men," but). his people from      they even attempted to kill Him. But who would dare
           their sins." Matt. 1:21. And again, when the angel            to say that Jesus had made the wrong approach?
           announces the birth of the Savior to the shepherds, he           Just as He had done in Jerusalem and in Nazareth,
           tells them, "Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good          so also in Capernaum Jesus declared that He was the
           tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. (Lit-      Christ. And He did it in a most impressive manner.
           erally, "to all  the  people")." Luke  2:lO. And the          For not far from the city He fed a large multitude of
           angelic response rings forth, "Glory to God in the            many thousands with five loaves and two fishes. What
           highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."           greate.r evidence could He produce that He was indeed
           (Literally, "on earth peace in men of good pleasure!")        the Bread of life sent from heaven to feed His people
           Luke  2:14.       Isn't it significant that only shepherds    unto everlasting life? But the carnally minded Galileans
           should be recipients of that message, and only a few          wanted earthly bread and an earthly king; and there-
           wisemen would be led by the star to the place where           fore when He refused to become their earthly king and
           Jesus was ?        The adorable wisdom of the Most High       told them in no uncertain terms that His kingdom is
           wanted it exactly that way to reveal His sove,reign  good     heavenly, they turned their backs to Him. And yet
           pleasure. For Jesus came to save His peoplejfrom  their       Jesus confidently declares, even while the thousands
           sins.                                                         are rejecting Him, "All that the Father giveth unto
            Even the aged Simeon spoke `of the fact that "this           me shall come to me; and him that cometh unto me I
           child is set (some versions have "ordained") for the          will in no wise cast out." John6:37. And a few minutes
           fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign       later He informs this same disgruntled audience that,
           that shall be spoken against." Luke 2:32-35;                  "No man can come to me, except the Father which
                  When Jesus began His public ministry, His, own         hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the
           family, as well as His disciples, and even John the           last day,"    John 6:44. This is quite different from
           Baptist, were offended by Him. At His first appearance        proclaiming a universal love for all men, a divine de-
           in Jerusalem, He preached His inaugural sermon by             sire to save all men, and an appeal to all men to accept
           driving the buyers and seIlers out of the temple with         the proffered salvation. But at the same time this was
           the cutting whiplash of His powerful tongue, saying,          a powerful assurance to those who hungered with long-
           "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house          ing souls for the true Bread of life, informing them
           an house of merchandise." Even His disciples were             that their hunger was the power of divine grace draw-
           shocked until they called to mind that the Ps,almist had      ing them to Christ as steel is drawn to a magnet. There-
           said of Him in prophecy, "The zeal of thine house hath        fore Jesus puts the soul-searching question to His dis-
           eaten me up." John 2:13-17. And as if He would add            ciples, "Will ye not also go away?" To which they can
           insult to injury, He added, "Destroy this temple, and         only answer, as Peter expresses it, "Lord, unto whom
           in three days I will raise it up." Whatever He meant,         shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." And
           the chief priests understood very well that He declared       yet they were not all' sincere, as Jesus exposes the
           Himself to be the promised Christ. And they were              hypocrite among them, saying, "Have I not chosen you
           convinced that this was the kind of Christ that they          twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
           would never accept. (Luke 20:14). They never forgot              We hasten on to John 10. There Jesus declares:
           His pungent statement that they were the temple de-           "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am
           stroyers and He the Temple Builder. It was brought up         known of mine.`:. .He does not hesitate to emphasize
           at His trial before the Sanhedrin. It was thrown at His       His peculiar ownership, His love and deep concern for
           teeth when He seemed so shamefully helpless on the            those given to Him by His Father. He even adds that
           cross.        But, Jesus' first sermon in Jerusalem was       He lays down. His life for His sheep. He does not
           quite different from the commonly accepted evangelical        preach a universal atonement, as if in some sense He
           approach of our day, in which the messag'e of God's           lays down- His life for all men, but declares that His
           universal love is considered basic  f& all Gospel             sacrifice is for the elect. Even those who must still
           preaching. And that already at the outset of-`His min-        be gathered unto Him in the future belong to Him as
           istry.                    u                                   His sheep.` For .Jesus adds, "And other sheep I have,
                  When qur Lord came to Nazareth He did the same         (not.: shall have), which are not of this fold: them also
           thing. He took up the Scriptures and read a portion+of        I must bring; and. they shall hear my voice; and there
      the prophecy of Isaiah, whereupon'He  openly declared              shall be one fold and one shepherd." `John 10:.16. This
           to His audience that He was the fulfillment of that           was Jesus.' Gospel ministry to the poor.in spirit, to the
           prophecy.         For a while the people listened in'rapt     broken hearted, and to the prisoners. For the Spirit of'
           attention. Never, yet had they heard anyone speak with        the Lord' God was upon Him to preach good tidings to
           such conviction, and power as this man spoke. Then it         the meek; to bind gp the `broken "hearted, to proclaim
           gradually dawned on them that they would have to de-
            .       '                                                    libe.rty to thecaptives. Isaiah 61:1,     L %
      :                                                                                                           id      1 .    5
                                                                                                                          *,


                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER                                                     137

   Later in this chapter we read that Jesus was in                    Matt. 13:10-17.
Jerusalem at the feast of dedication, walking on Solo-                     In the face of such an overwhelming testimony, it is
mon's porch. The Jews came to Him and asked Him,                      certainly impossible to maintain that Jesus approached
"How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the                  His audiences with a proclamation of a universal love
Christ, tell us plainly." As if He could have told them               and a divine desire to save all men.
more plainly than He did1 But Jesus answered, "I told                      Honesty demands, therefore, that all those passages
you and ye believed not. The works that I do in my                    that might appear to teach the opposite must,, on sound
Father's name, they bear witness of me." And then                     exegetical basis, be interpreted in the light of this
Jesus adds, "But ye believe not, because ye are not of                witness of our Lord.
my sheep, as I said unto you." Do not overlook the
import of that statement. Jesus does not say, "Ye are                      John 3:16 is often mentioned. "For God so loved
not of my sheep, because ye believe not". But Jesus                   the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who-
says the very opposite, "Ye believe not,  because ye                  soever believeth in him should not perish, but have
are not of my sheep". The objection might be raised                   everlasting life." The exegetical question centers
that this denies human responsibility. But Jesus ob-                  about the term "world". Must `:world" necessarily
viously does not think so. For in Matthew 11, Jesus                   be interpreted as referring to all men, the sum total
upbraids the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Caper-                of the human race? If so, what do we do with the next
naum for their unbelief which they revealed when so                   verse that says, "For God sent His son into the world
many mighty works had been performed among them.                      . . . that through Him the whole worldmight be saved"?
And almost in the same breath He expresses His praise                 Does that mean that God somehow failed inHis purpose
to God for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom of                  to save all men? But if "world" means in this connec-
heaven to some and hiding it from others. For in                      tion that whole glorious and harmonious unity as God
verses 25 and 26 we read, "At that time Jesus an-                     conceives of it in Christ, and as it is realized in the
swered and said, I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of                      new creation, we have no difficulty with John 3:16, nor
heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things                  with verse 17. What a wonderful assurance of God's
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto                love in Christ that realizes its purpose in the elect
babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy                  believers unto the praise of the glory of God's Name
sight."                                                               eternally  1
   Therefore it does not surprise us that Jesus taught                    Nor should Matthew  11:28  create any problem.
in parables for the very purpose of bringing separation               Jesus says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
between the elect and the reprobate, between those who                heavy laden, and I will give you rest". Our Lord Him-
are given grace to believe and those who are hardened                 self calls every one in His audience to face the ques-
in their sins. Much of Jesus' preaching was done in                   tion, "Am I laboring, hopelessly loaded down with the
parables.    And when the disciples asked Him, "Why                   burden of my sin and guilt?" To this the unregenerated
speakest thou to them in parables?`, Jesus answered,                  sinner proudly answers: "Not I, nor will I come, for
"Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the king-                your rest does not appeal to me." That is obvious
dom of God: but unto them that are without, all these                 from the reaction of many to Jesus' public ministry.
things are done in parables: that seeing they may see,                (Rev.  3:17). But those who have. learned to know their.
and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not                  sin and misery hear the voice of Jesus calling, draw-
understand; lest at any time they should be converted,                ing them, and they come to find rest for their souls.
and their sins should be forgiven them". Mark 4:11,12,                For Christ's word never returns void.


                                   74 e &%td
                                   ("0 worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Ps. 96:9a)

                                     TO  THE  UTMOST  OF  OUR  POWER

                                                    Rev. G.  Vanden   Berg

   The above caption is a partial quotation taken from                into OU'Y plan after we have successfully realized our
the third question that is asked by the church of parents             many other personal or family ambitions. Neither is
when they present their children for baptism. It                      this promise conditioned by "our financial ability to
clearly defines the limitation of the sacred vow in which             underwrite all that is involved in this instruction;"
promise is made that we will arduously and faithfully                nor is it a promise that is limited to a. single sphere
instruct the children God entrusts to our care "in the                of our life; but without qualification we pledge our-
aforesaid doctrine," which, for us Protestant Reformed                selves before God to bring up our children in the
parents, can only mean the faith or way of life set                   Protestant Reformed way of life in the home, in the
forth in the Protestant Reformed credo! We will spare                 school, and in the church. To realize this we will ex-
no effort. We will not engage in this prodigious task                 pend every energy and resource at our disposal, and
only if it is "convenient" or "practical" or if it fits               no obstruction that we have the power to remove will


  138                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER

  stand in the way of its attainment. In this most. solemn        said that they walk in obedience to  the. baptismal
  of all pledges we dedicate our will, our mind, our              pledge. Also this responsibility is not limited to the
 bodies, our all to a task that is fundamentally more             primary or elementary level of education but extends
 important than the biggest issue confronting the' United         as well into the broader and more specialized area of
 Nations.      We vow to utilize to the full every ounce of       secondary education.       We, as Protestant Reformed
 mental, volitional, physical, and spiritual ,power that         parents, are bound. to give  `our children a special
 is given to us. Our task is primal!             I                training, a covenantal training, not in a restricted
         Although the aforementioned conditions, as well as       time and area of their lives but in every sphere
 others that could be added, often deter us' in the ful-          throughout their lives.
 fillment of our pledge, these things do not alter in any            Whether this objective is  possible  of realization,
 way the clearly expressed meaning of the promise                 its practicability, the methods to be employed in coping
 made.        And if we are inclined to seek refuge from          with the many problems that arise in this labor, --
 our responsibilities in these excuses, the time to voice         these are all matters that have no real bearing upon
 our objection is not after but before we have so com-            the issue here. The question is not how and when our
 mitted ourselves in the baptism of our children. Yet,           goal will be attained, but rather are we agreed and do
 it is not exactly an isolated instance where you find           we have a united expression concerning what our goal
 parents who, without reservation, speak the vow and              shall be? To this question we areduty bound to answer
 then later come up with such arguments: as: "It is               affirmatively, and there may not be any  .hesitation
 sufficient if my children are catechized and taught at           unitedly to express this. Our aim, purpose, and goal
 home," or, "I pay taxes for the education of my child,           as Protestant Reformed parents is to provide "to the
 and I can't afford to pay for Christian education on top        utmost of our power" as much Protestant Reformed
 of that," or again, "The Christian school is too far            education and training for our children as possible.
 from home (bus service provided), and my children               Such is inherently our calling as set forth in our bap-
 can learn the three R's just as well in the community           tismal pledge, and it is inconceivable that we would
 school." Is this taking our pledge seriously? Have              renege at this or be hesitant to express this. The
 we forgotten that it was to GOD that we said "to the            argument that "the aim is impossible anyway, and
 utmost of my power?" Do we really think that with               therefore I  am not for it" is fallacious. Rather we
 impunity we can evade the responsibilities of His               should say, "The aim is a worthy one, and therefore
 covenant by hiding behind excuses'? On the contrary,            to the utmost of my power I am for it and will expend
 but if we cannot sincerely say "to the utmost of my             every effort to see it realized." Only then are we
 power," let us say nothing at all, or at least request          ready unite.dly to face the questions "how" and "when"
 our consistory to revise this "loaded" question to read         shall we begin and "what about the many and varied
 something like this: "To the extent that it proves to be        practical problems that we encounter upon this ven-
 convenient or suitable to me",                                  ture". Without that united expression we cannot begin
         To pledge "to the utmost of our power" implies          to talk about the possibility of realizing our common
 that there is a goal or object toward which we purpose          aim, for then it is apparent that the aim itself doesn't
 to strive. This goal is. not yet reality. It must be at-        exist.      But when there is a real determination to do
 tained through concerted effort and diligent labor. It          "the utmost of our power" in obedience to God's
 appears before us as a worthy  objective for otherwise          command, the Lord frequently dissipates the insur-
 our  .promise  to expend ourselves and every means              mountables and causes our most humble efforts to
 possible becomes most foolish. In this case that ob-            blossom into realities.      "Weakest means.,fulfill His
 jective is theithorough training of our children in "the        will, mighty enemies to still." `P
 aforesaid doctrine," and the intangible and unmeasir-               It is but natural` for us to attribute our failures, if
 able value of this is not even subject to dispute. or ar-       not directly then indirectly, to the lack of God's pro-
 gumentation.       And we now repeat that all our power         vision and thus attempt to put the fault on Him rather
 must be exerted unrelentingly to see to it that our             than ourselves. This may serve to placate our con-
 children are so trained in the `church, in the home,            science somewhat, `but it, does not alter the fact that
 and in the school.        Parents are not faithful to their     the blame is on us. God tells His people as they are
 baptismal pledge when they view with indifference the           encamped at `the Red Sea to move forward and He does
 catechetical instruction, the preaching of the Word and         not open the way through the sea before He issues His
 even the. society activities of the church. ' By these          command. He does not show .them how they are to ad-
 things our children are instructed and it is our paren-         vance, but He gives them the order. He.will have His
tal duty to se.e to it and insist upon it that these things      people walk by faith, putting all `their trust in Him
 are pure `by the standard of the Word of God. Like-             alone.       In that way He will perform great and many
 wise parents . violate their baptismal pledge when in           wonders, that His people may be amazed, and, over-
 the `home they condone un-Protestant Reformed prac-             whelmed with `gratitude, will break forth with praise
 tices and. permit various worldly media to mold the             to His Name. This does not mean that God will do for
 minds and poison the souls of themselves and their              us anything we desire if only we put forth an effort
 children. And only when Protestant Reformed parents             first;      Neither does it mean that God's work is con-
 are united. in purpose and striving to establish and            tingent upon us or, as has been expressed, "God helps
1 maintain a system of sound Protestant Reformed in-             those who help themselves." Not at all; but it does
: struction for their children in the school can it be           mean that God will not put to shame those that, in obe-


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  139

dience to His Word, walk in the ways of His holy cove-        pay our tuition, and be satisfied that they are being ed-
nant; and in that way He will not only provide their          ucated.      Our dissatisfaction with such an arrangement
needs but will also bless them. Conversely, God will          might at least be more in evidence by the organiza-
not bless us when we assume a defeatist attitude to-          tion of societies where the problem is seriously con-
ward the demands of His covenant and thereby indi-            sidered and studied and every possibility of altering
cate that in our judgment He asks too much of us.             the situation, however meager, exhausted. In such
Meanwhile we continue to use the material abundance           societies we have room to labor to"`the utmost of our
that He gives to us for our own selfish purposes and          power;" and even then if our aim is not materialized,
ends, ever adding to our accumulation of temporal             we can rest in the peaceful satisfaction that we are
luxuries while our children are educationally starved         heeding the promise made to God. This peace cannot
or poisoned. But on this point we need only to be re-         be our experience while we abide in complacency and
minded that our Heidelberg Catechism in Lord's Day            assume an attitude of indifference toward this most
50 instructs us in the truth "that neither our care           significant facet of our calling.
nor industry, nor even thy gifts, can profit us without          "To the utmost of our power. . . ."
thy blessing."                                                   The words by themselves are enough to make us
   Neither can we give any credence to the argument           shudder; and when their far reaching implications are
that "the utmost of our power" is fulfilled when our          brought to our mind, we are filled with  ifear and  '
children are enrolled in a Christian School, be it then       trembling. Oh, not in the sense that we become afraid
of anti-Protestant Reformed principles and practices.         or terrorized, but rather so that we are humbled be-
The argument in support of this position usually runs         fore the majesty of our calling and we cry out, -"Lord,
thus:     "Doctrine is not taught in the schools, and         what wilt Thou have me do?" We all have many tasks
therefore whether I send my children to a Christian           to perform each day in the place of our labor, in our.
Reformed, Lutheran, or Methodist Christian School             homes and in the church. Yet, in no singular task are
has no bearing upon my baptismal promise". This               we required to expend "the utmost of our power" as
argument is false because it rests on the supposition         here.       In the training of our children we are called
that one can instruct children in history,.mathematics,       upon to give all and to spare nothing. We may labor
the sciences, etc., without imparting to the child a          for eight hours in the shop or office, and, although
distinct philosophy of life.     It falsely assumes that      perhaps tired, we still have a reserve. ofpower to use
doctrine and life are two separate entities. Now it may       when we return -to the labors of our homes; But in
be admitted that there are circumstances where one            the training of our children there is no let-up, no va-        -
is given no alternate choice. It becomes a matter of          cationing, no quitting time or diversion to another
necessity that our children are sent to schools other         matter. .                                    i
than those that are founded on Protestant Reformed
principle. A vivid example of this is found in the total         "All that I am I owe to Thee ~.
lack of Protestant Reformed High Schools, necessitat-                  Thy wisdom; Lord, hath fashioned me. .  `."
ing that all our children of these years attend else-            Then Lord give us also that grace by which we may
where. However, it is impossible that Protestant Re-          dedicate that "all" to the task before us  "t$train up'
formed parents can be satisfied and complacent in such        our children in the way they must go," so that we may
circumstances. "The utmost of our power" does not             also have the confident assurance of Thy Word, "and
consist in our ability to. enroll our childrenin a-school,    when they are old they shall not depart therefrom".





                                            REFORMED  ECUMENISM
                                                  Rev. G. Van  Baven

   Before discussing specific ecumenical endeavors,           E c u m e n i c a l ?
                                                                                  The "two terms might sound, contra-
as the World Council of Churches, I want to consider          dictory to our ears. For though it is true that several
our own position over against ecumenism in general.           Reformed churches on our own and on other continents
I had already touched upon this in a former article, but      have membership in the W.C.C., yet the thought lingers
now I wish to elaborate a bit upon that. In particular,       persistently in our hearts that Reformed principles
what must we say of the abundant Scriptural refer-            can not be made to harmonize with the ecumenical
ences used in support of the present-day movement?            movement of our day.. The suggestion is made that one
We must agree that it is our duty to bow before proper        must be either . . . or  - but not both: Reformed and
arguments from Scripture.        But, do the ecumenists       Ecumenical.
properly interpret those passages which they love to
quote?                                                        Should We Oppose Ecumenism ?
   A secoid question arises, implied in the title of             The above question appears to be in a class with,
this article, "Is it possible to be both Reformed and         "Should we oppose motherhood?" In either case, one


140                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER

is viewed as some sort of ogre if he answers-affirma-              earth as far as this relates to its size, power, and
tively.       After all, ought not every sincere Christian         influence with men.       I fear that many will be led to
seek the ultimate reunion of all churches ? Should one             disillusionment as it becomes more and more evident
in any way want to perpetuate splintered Protestantism?            that the Church's future on earth is not one of great
Is not the old slogan very true here: "In unity there is           honor and glory, but of tribulation. But despite his
strength?" We might suggest that union of denomina-                post-millennial view, the author presents some very
tions would result in a compromise of the truth or, as             forceful, simple, and sound answers to the arguments
it is sometimes expressed, union on the basis of the               of ecumenists whose ultimate goal is the union of all
lowest common denominator. But the ecumenist denies                denominations.    The denomination to which the Rev.
that this would be the end result of proper ecumenism:             J. M. I<ik belongs (which is member both of the N.C.C.
           It is sometimes suggested that the ecumenical           and the W.C.C.) would do well to heed the wise words
       movement worships fellowship at the expense of truth,       of one of their own.               .
       and there is no doubt that this is a real temptation in
       all ecumenical endeavor.                                    But, What Of John  17?
                                     But  this cannot happen
       where the true nature of koinonia (fellowship, com-            More often than any passage, the ecumenist quotes
       munion - V.B.) is remembered, for koinonia includes         John 17 with special emphasis upon verse 21, "That
       necessarily the common recognition that Christ has          they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I
       the first and the last word and that no churcli, no         in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world
       Christian can be expected to give up what he believes
       to have received from the Lord.1                            may believe that thou hast sent me." He insists that
                                                                   "the unity that reflects the union of the Father and the
       The question remains. Ought we to opposeecumen-             Son must become manifest on earth in the actual life of
ism? If by the term "ecumenism" ismeant  that action               the Church, in its message and in its outward order,
and interaction of denominations in such organizations             in the mutual relations of its members and its united
as the National Council of Churches and World Council              action in the world."2 And any differences of doctrine
of Churches, our answer must be an emphatic "Yes."                 or government which yet exist must be settled in the
Good reasons, I believe, can be given for such a                   sphere of this unity.
position.       Nor ought we to be misled by, the many                 Now we must admit that ideally the unity of John 17
specious arguments, Scriptural arguments too; which                ought to be seen in an outward unity of all Christians -
are presented to support the idea of ecumenism. In                 as such unity will surely exist in heaven. Certainly
this article I would present our answers to some of                the world, which sees only the outward, can recognize
those arguments.                                                   the work of God in His church by what it sees in the
       For those interested in a more detailed answer to           life of its members.       And the child of God ought to
the arguments of the ecumenist, I would recommend a                desire that the unity of John 17 be manifest in a proper
worth-while little book entitled  Ecumenism  and  the              outward way too. However, having acknowledged this,
EvangeEicab,   written by the Rev. J. Marcellus Kik,               we must be also spiritually realistic, Fact is, divisions
pastor of the Second Reformed Church of Little Falls,              are the fruit of sin.      Fact is, that even the best of
New Jersey. (The book is published by the Presbyterian             Christians remains polluted with sin as long as he is
and Reformed Publishing Co.; Box 185; Nutley, New                  on earth. Fact is, that man's understanding (of Scrip-
Jersey. It can be purchased for $1.10.) The Rev. J.                ture too) is too often influenced- by what his flesh
M. Kik is an avowed post-millennialist. He writes on               desires to believe. Our conclusion must be that any
page 143:                                                          enforced union, despite these self-evident facts, will
           The writer belongs to the school that looks for a       result in compromise and neglect of the truth. I
       more glorious future for the church in time and history     conclude that though we ought to strive for the ideal of
       before the second coming of the Lord. Prophecy con-         perfect unity as children of light, yet this will not be
       cerns itself with time and history and not with the         seen in all its glory until Christ returns to raise us in
       qonsummate  kingdom in its eternal form except for
       incidental reference. Many wonder how in a time of          perfection to inherit the new heavens and earth.
       great distress, of flagrant sin, of secularism and un-          What does John 17 teach'?           Briefly notice first,
       belief within the church, how one can ever believe in       union must be based upon that perfect union between
       the Coming Great Church. Isaiah lived in a time when        Christ and the Father. Christ prays that the Church
       Israel was apostate yet looked forward to the glorious      may be one as they are. This is, then, the standard
       days of the Messiah. The future should be determined        according to which the propriety of any union of de-
       not by contemporary events but from the Word of God.        nominations can be measured.
       Many at this time are reading the pages of history to           Secondly, following from the above, union must be
       determine the future; far better that they read the book    based upon the truth. The Father andchrist are united
       of the Lord of history.                                     on `the basis of the truth without any compromise.
       The purpose of the article is not to debate concern-        Union is not to find the truth, but because two agree as
ing this post-millennial view. It should be obvious,               to the truth as do the Father and Son.
however, that one's view of the "millennium" neces-                    Thirdly,  asi Father and Son have one goal, the glory
sarily affects his conception of the position of the               of God through the salvation of the church in the Cross
Church of Christ at the end of time. The "post-                     of Christ alone, even so denominations can unite only
millennialist" injects a falsely (according to my con-              as they also are agreed on this truth. -John 17 empha-
viction) optimistic view of the latter-day Church on the           sizes that Christ has accomplished the work He came


                                                           THESTANDARDBEARER                                                         141

 to perform. Union is wrong when it joins those who                     The Unity We Seek
 differ concerning this work of Christ for His people.
    Finally, do not forget that the union between Father                   Unity we too must seek, but this unity is principally
 and Son is spiritual - that is, it can not be seen with               spiritual.    Such Biblical oneness is sought only by one
 the physical eye. In this way, prays Jesus, the church                regenerated by the Spirit of God. He is led in newness
 also must be one. It is the spiritual bond of faith in                of life. He shows a concern with the truths which God
 Christ that unites the Head with the body. Though that                has revealed to us. He delights in studying and learning
 union ought to become manifest outwardly, and&o a                     that truth recorded in the infallible Word of God. And
 limited degree it is (as can be seen in denominational                he, experiencing his own blessed union to Jesus Christ
 life), it is not the outward which is first, but the                  his Lord, `seeks fellowship and communion with those
 spiritual. Outward union must be based on the reality                 of like mind with him. The union of saints is first of
 of spiritual oneness, not vice versa.                                 all spiritual.
    There is the related claim that denominationalism                      Yet this spiritual oneness ought  ' to be seen in
 is wrong. (Is Christ Lutheran, Methodist , Roman                      certain visible ways too.          Not, I believe, a rush of
 Catholic?) Supposedly, denominationalism hinders the                  denomination to unite with denomination; not evan an
 cause of missions; it arou.ses  antagonisms; it causes                urge to enter discussions "with a view. to possible
 division of efforts  as. well as duplication of work.                 merger;!' This "urge to merge" is not the answer to
 Nevertheless, we can maintain that under                              the prayer of Christ in John 17. The spiritual unity of
                                                 present  civ-
 cumstunces (that is, since we are sinners living in a                 the church can be manifested in a visible way first in               -
 wicked world) denominationalism has proved for the                    discussions between Christians and denominations who'"
 most part to be to the advantage of the church. Who                   show evidence .in their confession and walk that they
 would want to return to the pre-reformation church? I                 cleave to the same Savior as He is revealed in Scrip-
 would mention only three definite advantages of  de-                  ture. These can discuss common problems which we
 nominationalism:                    * ;                               confront today; they can discuss doctrinal differences
                                                                       too. The point is not first whether such discussions
    1. Principally, I believe, it has been useful as a                 might lead to merger, but whether such would not
 means of preserving the truth. True, denominational-                  spiritually benefit the participants, Secondly, there
 ism is the result of divisions caused by error, lies,                 ought to be mutual encouragement of Christians who'
1 heresy. It is also true that in heaven there will be no              face sufferings and persecutions on the earth. In-
 denominationalism.           But imagine what the situation           stances of this wouid be the "clothing drives': recently
 would be if all those called "Christian" were to dwell                for the Jamaicans or the post-war assistance given to
 under one ecclesiastical roof! The truth would soon                   brethren in the Netherlands. Such evidence of oneness
                       ..`
 be buried under an avalanche of heresy. Now those                     can grow. Thirdly, we ought to warn one another as
 who hold to the same interpretation of the Word of God,               denominations of errors' which grow ever more ram-
 can maintain and develop the truth together, - and                    pant. This must be motivated not by a desire to criti-
 together can oppose that which is the lie.          -.                cise, but the desire to direct one another in the truth.
    2. Denominationalism does away, to a large extent,                     Today, more than ever before, such unity must be.
 with bureaucracy and hierarchy with their attendant                   seen.     The unity which is the goal of present-day
 evils, which necessarily  wo;ld arise in one large                    ecumenism is a unity which will culminate in the
 united church.                                                        church of the  anti-Christ.        I am convinced of that..
    3. Records show that the smaller denominations 3                   It becomes' ever more imperative, then, that those who
 contribute proportionately far more to the cause -of                  yet love the' truth,. encourage one another in the faith,
 missions and the supp,prt  &of t-he church than do larger             and together pray'for the coming again of Christ, when
lzdenominations.  *Whatever the reasons for this might                 the church will be one - spiritually and visibly.        I
 be, it ought to indicate' that the size oaf a church or- i            1: W. A. Visser `t' Hooft, The Pyessuve  of our Common
 ganization does not in itself determine the zeal and                     Calling,  .Doubleday,  p. 75
 support for the work of the kingdom.                                  2. ibid., p. 83..    ~

                                                I                                                                   _





                                                A6&hw?? &
                                                                           ,
                                                            ,: Rev.  H, Hanko
 Concerned  Presbyterians   -                                              There are several remarks that we want to make
    Our readers will r$call that in the last issue of the              about this movement, - a movement, by the way, which
 Stundavd   Beaver   we reported concerning a movement has spread . also to other denominations, including
*in the. Southern Presbyterian Church which has as its                 Episcopalians, Methodists and Lutherans.
 goal the spiritual revival and renewal of the Church.                    First of all, we want to make it clear that we have
 This movement is composed of ministers and laymen                     no criticism .of the aims of this group of Concerned
 who dedicate themselves to work and pray for a return                 Presbyterians. Surely all who are willing to fight for
 of the denomination to the truth of the Westminster                   the truth and preserve the faith against the inroads of
 Confessions.                                                          modernism are to be sincerely commended. 8.
                                                                                                                         .L,


   142                                                            THE STANDARD BEARER

          But, and this secondly, goals may be ever so lofty;                  tion carried down the road to the false church, and who
  but if the means of attaining them are wrong, there is                       simply do not know what to do about it.
  little to hope for.                      We offer therefore the following
  criticism of this movement in the hopes that it will be                      Non-Neutral  Neutrality
  taken in the spirit in which it is given.                                       Some issues back, we discussed an article appear-
          On the one hand, then, while this is not a condem-                   ing in the Reformed Journal in which Prof. Henry Stob
  nation of the movement itself, we question whether the                       took the position that membership in existing labor
  realities of church history and of the revelation of the                     unions was indeed possible for the Christian because
  will of God in Scripture are properly taken into account.                    these unions were truly "neutral." He took the posi-
  When once a denomination begins to drift on the road                         tion that these unions as organizations were neither
  to apostasy, there is little reason to expect that it will                   for Christ nor against Him; that therefore, a man
  return. This is, most generally, not the way in which                        could belong to them while still retaining his religious
  God works.                         Besides (and in close connection with     convictions either for God or against Him.
                                                                                                           .._~
  this), the whole movement is based upon the- hope                               We criticized this on the grounds that neutrality is
  (often expressed in the pages of the  Presbyterian                           always an impossibility.
  Journal) that our world and country can still expect a                          In the last issue of the Reformed Jouvnal Dr. Stob
  revival of the true religion.                       This, it seems to us,    writes once again about this matter of neutrality. He
  flies in the face of the clear teaching of Scripture                         writes about it in two separate articles which are in-
  which speaks rather of increased apostasy as we near                         teresting to compare.
  the end of time and never mentions revival as something                         In the first article, he writes concerning a Mr.
  which we may expect and for which we may pray. The                           Mostert who worked as a diesel mechanic in a factory
  church becomes smaller, not larger. "Will I find faith                       in Vancouver, Canada. This Mr. Mostert was fired
  yet on the earth?" is the warning of the Lord.                               from his job because he refused to join or support the
          On the other hnd, it is a question that needs answer-                International Association of Machinists, Vancouver
  ing whether this is a proper method tofollow in seeking                      Lodge, No. 692.
  a return of the church to the truth. I presume the re-                          Concerning the firing of this man, Dr. Stob writes:
                                                                                  Concerning the firing of this man, Dr. Stob writes
  buttal would be that any efforts to bring about a revival                          If Mr. Mostert
                                                                                     If Mr. Mostert's refusal to join the union had been
                                                                                                       's refusal to join the union had been
  which do not violate God's law are justified. But is                            based on the peculiar and un-Reformed notion that a
                                                                                  based on the peculiar and un-Reformed notion that a
  this really true? Within the framework of the church                            neutral union is an impossible possibility, and that
                                                                                  neutral union is an impossible possibility, and that
  there is explicit ecclesiastical procedure to deal with                         every union which is non-Christian is by that token
                                                                                  every union which is non-Christian is by that token
  apostasy and heresy. This is to bring officially to the                         anti-Christian, he would now be deserving of little
                                                                                  anti-Christian, he would now be deserving of little
  church's attention the deviations in doctrine and life                          sympathy. And by the same token the peoplewho fired
  which are ruining the church. The correct procedure                             him would have a claim on our understanding and sup-
  is to bring the church back again to its faith through                          port.
  appeal to its ecclesiastical assemblies.                                           But the facts put Mr. Mostert in the right. Accord-
                                                                                  ing to reports published in the 
          It may perhaps be argued that this is impossible as                                                          Christian Vanguard -
                                                                                  which we are bound to believe  - Mr. Mostert was com-
  long as the ecclesiastical assemblies are under the                             mitted by the constitution of the International Associa-
  control of liberals; that a group such as Concerned                             tion of Machinists to subscribe to the principle of
  Presbyterians is devoted to a spiritual restoration in                          "class struggle", a Marxian principle which goes
  the church which will bring the control of the denomi-                          counter to the Christian faith. That is, he was bound
  nation again into the hands of conservatives. But the                           by the constitution to make a religious commitment
  fact remains that this movement is more like a                                  which as a Christian he could not possibly make. It is
  "church within a church" than anything else; that it is                         a testimony to the solidity of his Christian convictions
                                                                                  that he refused to make this commitment even though
  therefore really a movement that stands defiantly op-                           it resulted in his dismissal.
posed to the directions and decisions of the major
  ecclesiastical assemblies. The rule of the church is                            In other words, Mr. Mostert was fired, not because
  surely that decisions of assemblies are binding upon                         he was convinced that to join a "neutral" union was it-
  the constituency - at least to the extent that it be-                        self contrary to the will of God; rather he refused to
  comes ecclesiastical rebellion to oppose them in any                         join because he had to subscribe to a basic principle
  other way than through official channels. Is not the                         of Marxianism. Indeed, if he had refused to join be-
  result of defiance ecclesiastical anarchy? And is not                        cause membership in a "neutral" labor union is in-
  this movement, as commendable as it `may be in its                           compatible with a Christian's faith, "he would now be
  aims, becoming guilty of just such defiance? Surely,                         deserving of little sympathy."
  if the shoe were on the other foot, - if the conserva-                          On the very next page of the Refovmed Journal, Dr.
  tives `were in the majority, and organizations were                          Stob has presented in writing his convocation address
  formed within the church which were dedicated to the                         which he delivered at Calvin Seminary when this in-
  promotion of liberalism and modernism,  - conserva-                          stitution opened its doors for a new semester last
  tives would have every right to attempt to stop such                         September. In the very beginning of his address the
  movements on the grounds that they were rebellions.                          professor writes:
          We cannot see the justification of such a movement                         In aneffort to delineate the Seminary's stance I call
  as this.,.-.It seems to be a result of the utter frustra-                       attention to three well-known facts: that the Seminary
  tion of conservatives who see their beloved denomina-                           is a Christian  institution, that it is a Reformed institu-
                          ' .,I .
               .; : ,t
              .:.


                                                     TiiE  STANDARD  B E A R E R                                                        143

    tion, and that it is a  Christian Reformed  institution;                     These percentages are admittedly small. But the
         A.  Christian. Calvin Seminary is Christian. This                 actual number of atheists within American Churches,
    means many things that I cannot now enter upon, but                    computed on this basis, is not. The 1 per cent of the
    among the things it means is that the Seminary is not                  membership of the United Church of Christ amounts to
    neutral.     So far is the Seminary from being or wishing              about 20,000 atheists; and  .even  if only one-third of 1
    to be this that it is built on the conviction that neutval-            per cent of  ,Methodists  and Episcopalians are atheists,
    ity is  impossible. (Here the italics are mine, H.H.)                  this means there are about 45,000. A total of 65,000
    It holds that all men are religious and that they are                  atheists in three American denominations is a lot of
    this basically, prior to anything that they do, think, or              atheists.    The most recently published FBI figure for
    feel.    John Calvin, whom we honor as one of the great                membership of the  U. S. Communist party is 17,360.
    teachers of the Christian Church, ascribed to all men                        And what more shall we say about the pulpit when
    a sensus divinitatus  which he recognized as the seed                  this same investigation reveals that 32 per cent of
    of religion, and for him it was an indisputable fact that              the Congregationalists, 24 per cent of the Methodists,
    all men serve a "god", either the one who has revealed                 and 16 per cent of the Episcopalians do not believe that
    Himself in the Incarnate Word, of whom the Christian                   Jesus is the divine Son of God; that 43 per cent of the
    Scriptures testify, or one whom men in their imagin-                   Protestants do not believe in the Virgin Birth; that 72
    ings have devised. He taught - and in this teaching he                 per cent of the Congregationalists, 63 per cent of the
    is quite correct - that there is no non-presuppositional               Methodists, 59 per cent of the Episcopalians, 42 per
    approach to anything. The first and radically deter-                   cent of the Presbyterians, 38 per cent of the Disciples
    minative decision  ~of man is for or against Jehovah,                of Christ and of the American Baptists, and 31 per
    i.e., the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and this                    cent of the American Lutherans do not believe that the
    decision governs and controls every subsequent de-                     biblical miracles actually happened; and that 35 per
    cision of whatever sort.                                               cent of the Protestants either believe that Christ's
    Here Dr. Stob affirms not only that CalvinSeminary                     promise of eternal life is only "probably true" or
                                                                           have "no hope" for a future life at all.
 is not neutral, but that neutrality is impossible. One
 wonders by what semantic legerdemain Dr. Stob would                       Not very surprisingly, this same survey ,revealed
 explain this flat contradiction.                                      that denial of these fundamental doctrines of Scripture
    Labor unions do not simply lose their.neutrality by                was most prominent in those Churches `who are the
adopting a Marxian principle; neutrality is impossible.                most deeply involved in current ecumenical discus-
And labor unions are dedicated to sin. Neutrality is                   sions.       This certainly supports the contention that
' no more possible for them than it is for Calvin Semi-                theological apostasy and modern-day ecumenicism
nary.                                                                  generally go hand in hand.
    One additional remark. Prof. Stob pleads for re-                   The Vatican Council
ligious freedom.         He writes, "No one may be com-
pelled, on pain of losing his job, to subscribe to a                       The third session of the Vatican Council is over.
creed that goes counter to the historic Christian con-                     Two things again stand out.
fession." Yet, there are those who sincerely maintain                      The first is that this third session, like the one
that to join a "neutral" labor union "goes counter to                  before it, did very, very little. Many topics were dis-
the historic Christian confession." To these Prof.                     cussed; some were given the approval of the.Council;
Stob says, "If, as a result of your conviction you lose                most were sent back again to committee for re-draft-
your job you are deserving of little sympathy. Rather,                 ing. Any specific decisions that really are of major
the men who fired you have a claim `on our understand-                 concern to the church were not made. The Roman
ing and support."                                                      Catholic Church remains precisely the Roman Catholic
    It all comes down to this. In our days of tolerance                Church it has been untie the Reformation.
there is abundant room for anyone who maintains any                        But the second important development is, in the
kind of error; but there is, no room for one who de-                   words of  Time,  that "Paul VI last week coldly and
fends the truth. For the truth there is no place. For                  dramatically reaffirmed that it is the Pope, and not the
the man who maintains it there is nothing but scorn.                   bishops of the Vatican Council, who really runs the
                                                                       Roman Catholic Church. Just as the third session of
Atheists  kz the  Church                                               the council was ending, Pope Paul--siding with the
    A startling report of a survey appeared in                         conservative cardinals of the Roman Curia- took a
                                                          Chvis-       major decision out of the hands of the progressive
 tianity Today which revealed the extent to which athe-
 ism has penetrated the Church. We quote the following                 majority of prelates."
 pertinent paragraphs:                                                     There were many. who went to the Vatican Council
                                                                       and who took part in its activities who were more in-
         (The survey reports) that 1 percent of the Protes-            terested in a statement on religious liberty for all
    tants and 1 percent of the Roman Catholics. . .are                 faiths than any other matter up for discussion. They
    agnostic.     These said baldly, "I do not know whether            were prepared to judge the success or failure of the
    there is a God, and I don't believe there's any way to             entire Council on what the Council decreed concerning
    find out."                                                         this question. They were determined at all costs to
         As for atheism, the investigation discovered that 1           get the Church to declare that `all religions must be
    percent  of. the Congregationalists (United Church of
    Christ) and something less than one-half of 1 percent              tolerated by the Romish Church.
    of Merhodists and Episcopalians interviewed asserted,                  But just as the'council was readytovote on a state-
    "I don't believe in God."                                          ment declaring this, the president ruled that no vote


       144                                                      THESTANDARD BEARER
       would be taken on the entire matter. Many bishops                            development in the doctrine of Mary, for he declared
       were stunned and furious. Withir minutes they had                            that Mary is now "Mother of the Church;" and that with
       succeeded in drawing up a petition to the pope signed                        all this he was taking sides with the Vatican curia that
       by more than 800 prelates and asking the pope to                             fights change every step of the way.
       overrule the president. `The .pope  flatly refused; and                             This is the Roman Catholic Church, -a Church
       that was the end-of that.                                                    where the pope assumes all authority to himself alone.
              Besides, through various changes which the Pope                              What the future will bring remains to be seen.
       had made in schemata already adopted, Paul made it                           There is to be anothersession, but probably not before
       clear that he intends to dp v&-ylittle  sharing of author-                   1966. But before then many things can change.
       ity with the bishops as they had decided; that he favors

                                           %!s%tu  ybm  dwc  &md$&
                                           ("All the saints salute. thee r . ." Phil. 4:21)

              Rev. H. Veldman, of Hope Church in Grand Rapids,                      they "desire the office (of a bishop), desire a good
       received the call to be Home Missionary of our chur-                         work", do so without "campaigning", realizing that it
     ches.                                                                          is a calling to the office and not a running for it.
              First Church, of Grand Rapids, extended a call to
       Rev. J.A. Heys of South Holland, Illinois.                                          The Radio Committee of our Reformed Witness Hour
                                                                                    has informed us that they have prepared a special tape-
              Rev. H. Hoeksema has been granted a threemonth's                      recording which should prove to be of interest to the
       leave of absence from his pulpit by the consistory. The                      program committees of the various societies of our
       infirmities attending his latest stroke, especially the                      churches.       The tape, which plays at 7-l/2 inches per
       difficulty to read, prompted the "Dominee" to make                           second and runs for about 30 minutes, consists of
       this request. Prof. H.C. Hoeksema has consented to                           musical selections by the people of Protestant Reformed
       take his father's place in the morning services until                        persuasion who reside on the Island of Jamaica, and of
       Classical appointments can be arranged.                                      short messages from other parts of the world where
              Holland's congregation hopes to worship in their                      our distinctively Reformed radio programs are heard.
                                                                                    Necessary information can be obtained by writing to:
      new church Sunday, Dec. 6. The Ladies' and the Men's
       Societies reoessed the previous week that themembers                         Mr. H. Vander Wal, 1047 Alto Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids,
                                                                                    Mich. 49507. Those living in or near Grand Rapids may
       might clean the building for occupancy and to move and                       receive this information by calling CH 32953. Your
       install the pews and pulpit furniture,.The  congregation                     total cost of using this tape is: a four cent postage
       is duly proud of their new home and-welcome your in-                         stamp!
      : spection.  Drive down East 16thSt. and follow the signs.
       News of the dedication date has not yet reached our                                 The Prot. Ref. High School Cir.cle scheduled their
       mailbox.                                                                     November meeting for the 23rd. It was held in First
d                                                                                   Church, and Mr. Wayne Lanning was the speaker.
              Nov. 16 Hope's Men's Society met with Hudsonville's
       men at IIudsonville.  Mr. Graeser, of the visiting society,                         The Adams St. School Mothers' Club meeting on Dec.
       gave a paper which was later discussed.' And, First                          3 featured a Christmas Program rendered by the school
       Church's Junior Y. P. Soc'y was host to Southwest's                          children, to which the fathers received a special invi-
       young people Nov. 22,        Karen I<uiper, of Southwest,                    tation.
       gave a brief history of Augustine, delineating the doc-
       trinal controversies conducted by that early Church                                 Hudsonville's Choral Society rendered a Christmas
       Father, especially that against Pelagianism.                                 Program in their church after the evening service
                                                                                    Dec. 13; and The Hope Choral Society is inviting the
              The Young People's Society of Southeast Church in                     people to their Christmas Program planned for Dec.
       Grand Rapids, sponsored a dinner for all the members                         20.                                         -
       of their congregation  De?. 5. The young people in-
      ". vited their families to "an evening-of Christian fellow-                          Holland's pulpit was occupied Nov. 29 by seminary
       ship". The proceeds were earmarked for the Carpet                            appointees because of Rev. Lanting's bout with laryn-
       Fund.                                                                        gitis; student R. Decker in the morning and Prof. H.C.
                                                                                    Hoeksema in the evening. That's just another benefit
              Inall the current bulletins we find an announcement                   the eastern churches enjoy because of their nearness
     I that r,eads something like this: :iThe Annual Congre-                        to pulpit supply.
       gational Meeting will be held on (date). Election of
       office bearerssand  the adoption of the budget will take,                           In order that our people in Pella might also enjoy a
       place at that time." After having recently endured a                        Thanksgiving Day sermon, Rev. J. Kortering, of Hull,
     ' barrage of campaign speeches by the National.Election                       Iowa, conducted the servic on Nov. 24.
     r candidates it is refreshing to know that election offices&                          . . . see you in church.
     are filled in our. churches every year' by men who, if:                                                                                J.M.F.


