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     A   REF'ORMED  S E M I - M O N T H L Y   MAGAZiNE



     IN THIS ISSUE

                   %
           Mediiation:
               The Faithful Saying

          Editorials:
              Iconographic, Pornographic, and Distortionistic
               A United Reformed Church?

          "World Economic and Social Development"
               (see: Examining Ecumenicalism)

          The Numbering of Israel
               (see: A Cloud of Witnesses)



                                               Volume XL VI/Number 6/Dee. 15, 1969


122                                                         THE STANDARD  BEAFtER



                             CONTENTS:                                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER
                                                                                        Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and August.
Meditation  -                                                                           Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
       The Faithful Saying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122                      Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids,  Mich.
                                                                               Editor-in-Chief: Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
Editorials -                                                                   Department  Editon::.  Mr.  Donald Doezema, Rev. Cornelius Hanko, Prof.
       Editor's Notes . . . . . . ; . . . . . . . . . . . . .-. . . . .125     Herman Hanko, Rev. Robert C.  Harbach,`Rev.  John A.  Heys, Rev. Jay
                                                                               Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus Schipper, Rev. Gise J.
       Iconographic, Pornographic, and                                         Van  Baren, Rev. Herman Veldman, Rev. Bernard Woudenberg
            Distortionistic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125     Editorial Office:  Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
       A United Reformed Church? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I28                                    1842 Plymouth Terrace,  SE.
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Meditation

                                           The  Fait~hdu-I Saying
                                                                   Rev. M. Schipper

                     "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into
                 the world to save `.sinners; of whom I am chieJ: "                                                    I Timothy L-15

       A faithful saving!                                                      sinners.
       Which can siani much repetition in our time, when                               Faithful saying!
 its contents are almost obliterated. with  all the tinsel                             A reliable, trustworthy doctrine which was  in-
 and noise hosting the myth concerning a jolly old St. tended to be not merely a formula of faith to be taken
 Nick, a myth which has largely replaced the infallible on the lips of the professor, but a tried doctrinal truth
 truth that Christ Jesus came into the world to save which constitutes the very heart of the gospel. A truth


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   123



which has passed through many a controversial melee;            tion of all.
which has engendered the gibes of Satan, and brought              Christ Jesus came into the world!
the professors of it into the flames of persecution. A            That is the first element in the saying that com-
truth which nevertheless has emerged as the granite             mands your acceptance! Into the world He came!
rock out of the tempestuous sea - more sparkling and               But was He not always in the world, that is, since its
glorious than ever. Which was embedded itself in the            creation? Indeed He was, but not as Christ Jesus!
hearts and has been expressed on the lips of the believ-        Surely as the son of God, and more particularly as the
ing church as an unshakable conviction.                         Logos, the Word of God, He is the very Word by which
  Worthy of all acceptation!                                    God called the world, the cosmos, into being. He is
  Because it merits your approbation, and appro-                also the Word which God continually speaks that sus-
priation! Because your faith, that gift of the grace of tains the world and all that is contains. But the apostle
God in you, embraces it as the fundamental, basic truth         is not thinking merely of the world of creation and the
upon which all your faith and hope rests.                       Divine Logos whereby the world came forth from the
  Such is the nature of the saying and your reaction to         hand of the Creator in all its splendor, harmony, and
it when you learn to know yourself as a sinner, among           beauty. Rather it is that created world as it now lies
whom, like the apostle, you consider yourself to be under the curse of God in the midst of sin and death.
chief.                                                          It is the world of which Satan is prince, and in which
  The saying was undoubtedly restated so many times             fallen mankind gropes in darkness and in slavery to sin.
that it is pointless to say that the apostle is referring to    It is the world of creation as it also came under the
any particular statement which Jesus Himself made, or curse for man's sin, and which now groans and travails
that others made concerning Him. In other words, you            in pain, waiting for our redemption, and looking in
cannot find in the gospels any literal statement as it hope to be delivered.
appears in the text; while all of the gospels, and espe-          Into that world Christ Jesus came!
cially that according to John, emphasize the truth of              God's anointed Saviour!
the statement again and again. How often the Lord                 That He is Saviour is already indicated in the name
speaks of His coming into the world to seek and to              Jesus! "For thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall
find the lost. And does not Martha, the sister of Mary save His people from their sins." "For God sent not His
and Lazarus, declare: "Yea, Lord; I believe that thou           Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the
art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into          world through Him might be saved." "For God so
the world?" 0, indeed, it was a faithful, reliable,trust-       loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
worthy saying which was handed down to and appro-               that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
priated as infallible truth by the apostle.                     have everlasting life."
  Once the apostle evidently considered it a prepos-              Beautiful Saviour!
terous lie, and therefore he sought to silence those who          Anointed of God! That is the significance of the
repeated it by having them imprisoned and killed. It is         name Christ! God set Him apart in His eternal counsel,
this fact that he bemoans in the context when he says:          appointed Him, and by His spirit qualified Him to be
"Who was before a blasphemer, and persecutor and the Saviour of the world - the world that God loved.
injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it igno-           Through the conception of the Holy Spirit, there-
rantly in unbelief." How different was his attitude and fore, and through the birth of a virgin, Christ Jesus
his reaction to the saying when the grace of God made His entrance into the world, our world of sin and
captured him, implanting in his heart faith and love death, but God's world which He planned to save
which is in Christ Jesus.                                       through the way of sin and grace.
  A faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation!                   Wonder of wonders! The Divine Saviour came into
  Does this mean that the saying is worthy to be the world!
accepted by all men? or does it mean that the saying              Oh, indeed, He was sent of the Father!
should be considered worthy of acceptance in its en-              But He also came! Preparing a place for Himself in
tirety? It should not be difficult to see that the apostle the womb of the virgin, He is born of the seed of
refers to the former, and that for two reasons. In the David, born under the law. It was in Bethlehem of
first place, it goes without saying that the statement:         Judea that He chose to make His lowly entrance into
"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" our world. At His birth the heavenly angels of God are
should be accepted in its entirety. The saying cannot sent to signal its reality, and the lowly shepherds from
be altered, nor can any portion of it be omitted with- the fields of Ephratha rush to be the first witnesses of
out destroying the saying. And in the second place, the         His humble appearance; for the virgin brought forth her
last part of the saying, namely, "to save sinners," first-born Son, God's Only-Begotten, and dressed Him
implies that the "all" refers to all sinners, and since all in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger.
men are sinners therefore the saying should be accept-            Thus He made His entrace into our world, and into
able to all men. It merits the appropriation and recep- our nature!


124                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



       And He came to save sinners!                            sinner. Sinners they are who sense their great .need of
       Not to save all sinners did He come! Nor was it His the Saviour and the salvation He came to realize for
intention in coming into our nature to make salvation them and in them.
possible for all men!                                            Of whom I am chief!
       Rather, among all the sinners are His people whom         But is not the apostle mistaken? Should he not,
He came to save! Those given Him by the Father from rather have said: Of whom I was chief? And is not his
everlasting, when He was anointed and appointed to be statement a gross exaggeration? Is it not the same
their Saviour!                                                 apostle who elsewhere declares: "touching the right-
       To save them He had to first enter their state. This    eousness which is in the law blameless?" And are
He could and did do when He assumed their nature, there not myriads of sinners who would heartily dis-
and in that nature assumed also their guilt, and with agree with the apostle? Would not Augustine and John
their guilt passed under the righteous judgment of the Bunyan take the apostle to task for this exclusive
Holy God. Moreover, to save these sinners He had to appropriation of the title: chief of sinners? And how
merit righteousness for them by walking with their about you, my reader, do you agree with him?
guilt in the way of perfect obedience. To save them He           As to that first question, no, the apostle is not
not only had to bring a sacrifice of atonement in His mistaken. He may have been and was a forgiven sinner,
blood for their sin and guilt, but at the same time and a cleansed sinner, and a sanctified sinner, but he
fulfill the law of God so perfectly that He Himself would still have to say, not, I was, but I am a sinner.
could not be condemned. In other words, as their And the answer to the second, again is: no, this is not
anointed Head and Redeemer He must not only satisfy an exaggeration. When the apostle saw his sin in the
God's justice overagainst their sins, but He must also light of the salvation wrought by his Saviour, then his
merit the right to have them declared perfectly right- sin was so great that the sins of others could not
eous in the same judgment of God. But this is not all. compare to it. The meaning cannot be that the apostle
For He must not only be Christ Jesus for them  - He was guilty of more sin than any other fellow sinner,
must also be Christ Jesus in them, shall they be saved. except in his own assessment, in his own condem-
So as Christ Jesus He by His Word and by His Spirit nation of his own guilt. And that is why Augustine and
enters their hearts and applies unto each of them His John Bunyan, along with myriads of other sinners, and
saving grace. So His itinerary in the world takes Him why you and I will say the same as Paul: Of whom I
from Bethlehem over the hill of the skull to Pentecost am chief.
and the upper room, and by the Spirit of Pentecost
through the preaching of the gospel into every heart -           There is here the personal appropriation of the faith-
regenerating, calling, justifying and sanctifying them - ful saying! Though we are not saved apart from the
applying unto them His saving power.                           people of God who are saved from their sins, there is
       Thus He saves them by delivering them from the nevertheless a personal appropriation of Christ Jesus
greatest possible evil, and bringing them into the pos- the Saviour which forces you and me to stand at the
session and enjoyment of the highest possible bliss.           cross alone and experience that salvation as if He died
       Sinners He saves!                                       for us only. Like the  publican (Luke 18: 13) we ex-
       Those who through their first father Adam have claim : "God be merciful  `to me (not: a; but: the)
missed the mark of the high calling of God to love Him sinner"; as if among all the sinners there is none like
with all their heart, mind, and strength. And who ever you and me.
since can only increase their debt - who consequently            That is what saving grace does to the sinner. It
are totally depraved and inclined to all evil. But who makes him to exclaim: I am the least of all saints, and
have been brought to a spiritual knowledge of their the foremost of all sinners. It humbles us into the dust
depravity, of their sin and guilt and corruption, having so completely, that it can be fully appreciated that
been confronted with the law and the gospel, and in sa.lvation is of Christ Jesus alone!
whom the Word and Spirit of Christ Jesus dwells  .-              It is that Saviour, God's anointed Servant, whose
convicting them of sin, and impelling them to cry out coming into the world we celebrate this Christmas tide,
to the living God: 0, God, be merciful to me the because He saved us from our sins!



             Have you ordered your copy of Therefore Have I Spoken?


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 125





                                         EDITOR'S  NOTES

   Once in a while when we try to plan a given issue, it Rodney Miersma, James Slopsema, and Ronald Van
turns out to be impossible to avoid breaking up an Overloop.
article and continuing it in the next issue. This hap-                              ***
pened in our December 1 issue, and the victim of the
surgery was Rev. Kortering's department. You will find       By the time- you receive this issue, the biography of
the conclusion of his article on "The Error of Situa- Rev. Herman Hoeksema, "Therefore Have I Spoken,"
tions Ethics" in this issue.                              should have come from the press, and copies should be
                                                           on the way to those who ordered promptly. If you
                           ***                            hurry, perhaps you can still get copies before Christ-
                                                          mas. Use the order envelope which was enclosed in the
   The faculty of our Theological School is happy to Nov. 15 issue. If you have lost the envelope, send your
announce that three more of our seminarians have order, accompanied by $5.95, to: Reformed Free Pub-
been licensed-, under faculty supervision, to speak a lishing Association, P.O. Box 2006, Grand Rapids,
word of edification in our churches. They are Messrs. Michigan 4950 1.


         Iconographic, Pornographic, and Distortionistic
                                              Pro5 H. C. Hoeksema

  The October 10 issue of  The Banner  carried, con- discernment Dr. Seerveld's allegedly Christian art is
trary to the expressed judgment of its Editor, the utterly repulsive.
Reverend J. Vander Ploeg, an article entitled "Chris-        I will pass by the fact that in his remarks on "under-
tian Art," written by Dr. Calvin Seerveld, professor of standing art" Dr. Seerveld fails to give his readers
philosophy at Trinity Christian College, and placed as something to understand, that is, a clear statement of
one of a series of articles on "New Frontiers for the what Christian art is. I will pass by the fact that even
Reformed Faith. ".One might almost have expected, in what he says is left completely without foundation, so
the light of some recent past performances, a set of that apparently the reader is expected to accept what
"pro" and "con" articles about this article of Dr. is written on the writer's say-so. I will pass by, too, the
Seerveld, with the Executive Committee of the Board following statement, which indeed makes one wonder
of Publications (who placed the article) taking the whether Christian art could possibly be produced by a
"pro" side, and Editor Vander Ploeg taking the "con" non-Christian artist: "You also do not determine what
side. At the very least, one would have expected that is Christian art by whether, upon checking, you can
after the Editor's dissenting note, his "expressed judg- determine whether the artist was an orthodox, church-
ment" would also have been "`expressed" in print; or going believer who lived an impeccable, moral life.
would that have been contrary, perhaps, to the "ex- Sometimes a believer's right hand does not know what
pressed judgment" of the Executive Committee of the his left hand is doing."
Board of Publications? At any rate, such stuff as            Instead, I will turn to the three examples of "Chris-
Seerveld would pass off as `Christian art" ought not to tian art" which accompany .the article in photograph
go unchallenged. And  so The Standard  Bearer  will form and to Seerveld's comments about them.  Evi-
break the silence.                                        dently it was the photos as well as the article that
  This writer does not claim to be an artist. Neither offended Editor Vander Ploeg. They offended me too;
does he claim to be an expert art critic. Neither would and I would not reproduce them  in The Standard
he presume to set forth a "philosophy" of Christian Beaver even if I could. We can judge them, however,
art. Yet he does claim to have some degree of Christian from Seerveld's own interpretation and evaluation.
discernment, a discernment which has its objective ICONOGRAPHIC
standard in the Word of God and its subjective prin-         Concerning the first illustration accompanying his
ciple in the grace of regeneration. And to his Christian article Dr. Seerveld writes as follows:


126                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER



         Take a look at the sculptured, robed figure hover-         are inseparable? And was he not reminded of the words
       ing, as it were, suspended over everyone below (fig,         of the. Heidelberg Catechism: "That we in  no wise
       A). It has a venerable, patriarchal, grand distance to       represent God bjr images, nor worship him in any other
       it that commands respect. Yet the arms are stiffly
       forward - no, better - stretched out in those sleeves,       way than he has commanded in his word?" Or how
       straining to reach, the hands simultaneously blessing        about the following language of the same Catechism?
       and wanting to touch. . . . While the visage is stern,       "God neither can, nor may be represented by any
       forehead and eyes concentrated in prayer, tlie an-           means: but as to creatures, though they may be repre-
       cient beard is alive, like strong flames of fire that are    sented, yet God forbids to make, or have any resem-
       steady but could consume. The round holes of the
       two sleeves could be trumpets! announcing. . . . And         blance of them, either in order to worship them or to
       notice the chips missing on the top fold of the robed        serve God by them." Or this?  ". . . we must not pre-
       arms? As if the majestic figure is hurt, nicked, grieved     tend to be wiser than God, who will have his people
       while loving, waiting and wanting to embrace.                taught, not by dumb images, but by the lively preach-
         This art product is Ernst Barlach's attempt to             ing of his word." Or if the Catechism was far from his
       make known the meaning of our Father who is in               thoughts, was he not reminded of the direct Word of
       heaven, God of the Old Testament who showed him-
       self in Jesus Christ.                                        God? "Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves;
  Now it surpasses  what little artistic sense I may have for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the
how anyone can derive Seerveld's description from the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the
figure accompanying it. To me the figure appears &.m- fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a
ilar to some grotesque, misshapen Buddha. In other                  graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness
words, what we have here is a piece of pure  subject-               of male or female . . . " Deuteronomy 4: 15, 16.
ivism, not a work of art in which there is harmony of                 Indeed, "To recognize Christian art you must study
form and essence, designed to express objective reality, the product, and test its spirit," as Seerveld says. You
truth. And this is one serious objection which I have to must ask, "What kind of allegiance penetrates its
all of Seerveld's illustrations. The alleged beauty of symbolical form?" My answer is - and it is, I believe,
Seerveld's kind of art is simply in the eye of the                  an answer based on the Word of God: "Not an alle-
beholder or of the artist. There is much of this kind of giance to the one true God of the Scriptures, Who
"art" nowadays, some of it pretending to be Christian,              commands us not to make graven images." This "art"
some not making this claim. And the more faithfully is iconographic;,it  is not art, but the perversion of art.
this philosophy of art is practiced, of course, the more            For beauty is virtue; and virtue is the love of and
diverse become the interpretations, highly imaginative, keeping of God's commandments.
which one might attach to the works of art. Even of PORNOGRAPHIC
this first illustration six different viewers might very              The second illustration presented by Dr. Seerveld is
well have six totally different interpretations. Frankly, as follows:
when I behold such "art," my reaction is such that I                      Now examine the two misshapen figures seated
                                                                        naked on a bench (fig. B). The black shoulder lines
am usually left in a quandary as to what the "artist" is                slump down. The belly is a tub of fat and sunken
trying to express; and my next reaction is that I am                    flesh; the ugly breasts have been wrestled and
always tempted to "spoof" it.                                           mauled. The jaw is set, the thich neck coxse, ringed
  But what greatly troubles me is that from a material                  ironically with baubles. The blue-brown, sunken
point of view this is an utter perversion of art.                       colors; reinforce the heavy-hearted lines: these bodies
                                                                        have been bruised! wasted! ruined frdm any glory.
  For it is iconography.                                                There is a kind of hurt horror and sorrowing com-
  What is iconography? It is "the art of representation                 passion in the smeared, stolid, pitiful composition of
by . . . images." the term comes from  eikon,  image,                   these two old prostitutes, gross, socially discarded,
and gvaphein,  to describe.                                             enslaved.
  In other words, this first illustration involves the sin                 This art product is the way Georges Rouault tried
                                                                        expressing the truth that the wages of sin is death and
of making a graven image; and it invites the viewers (at                that the wiles of the "strange woman" are an evil full
least, if Seerveld's description, quoted above, is sup-                 of heart-breaking and heart-broken misery.
posed to be the meaning of this image) to join in this                Again, this illustration is an example of pure subjec-
sin against the Second Commandment.                                 tivism. In fact, the painter, Georges Rouault, is de-
  Did not Dr. Seerveld, before he presumed to call this scribed by Encyclopaedia Britannica (Vol. 17, pp. 59,
Christian art, not ponder the fact that true beauty and 60; 1958 Edition) as belonging to a movement called
virtue are inseparable? And did he not ponder the fact Fauvism: "Les  Fauves,   variously called the `Wild
that virtue and the keeping of God's commandments Beasts' or the `Wild Men,' were distinguished by a


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                    127


general- freedom of colour usage and design elements. f o r m :
                                                                      "Does- the sculpture or painting or poem or
Actually the entire movement was a form of subjective music or architecture or dance, or whatever kind of art
Impressionism, in which the formal elements of paint- piece it be, witness with laughter and hope to the
ing appeared to be used quite arbitrarily." He is'noted goodly rich, earthly creation our Lord made for us to
for "following a mystic line of inner vision." The be obedient in (as fig. C does)?"
illustration, according to Seerveld's description and            This last illustration is, in the first place, the most
interpretation, is an outstanding example of such sub- obvious example of purely subjectivistic impres-
jective Impressionism. I know not whether this is sionism. One would almost judge from Seerveld's de-
Seerveld's own interpretation or that of the artist.           scription that this would be an interesting picture of
  But this is not the worst aspect.                            children flying kites in the setting of an open meadow.
  This is pornograph (from porne, harlot, + graphein), He speaks of green and of lightness in the sky and of
meaning obscene or licentious painting. By what right, simple stylized bodies, etc. But even in the blackand-
even in the name of art, does a man put on public white reproduction of this painting one can readily tell
display the nakedness of women, be they supposedly that this "art" violates every rule of line and form and
prostitutes, when the Lord God Himself gave clothing perspective. Everything in the picture is distorted, gro-
to cover their nakedness? Any artist or viewer of art tesque, out of proportion, without proper perspective.
who knows himself and his own lecherous, depraved I cannot believe that the God of order and beauty
nature will have to admit that stuff such as this is an wants even "kite-flying boys and girls" portrayed in
appeal to the "lust of the flesh," though it be in a this manner. Nor could I get it over my conscience to
perverted and repulsive manner. And in this age, which call this in any sense beautiful. In fact, I am tempted
in its various art forms is notorious for its pornography to say that a kite-flying boy or girl could paint a better
and its trampling of the Seventh Commandment ("All picture; this work actually impresses one as being the
uncleanness is accursed of God!"), to me it borders on work of someone who either lacked the energy or the
the sacrilegious to present this as an illustration of artistic ability to produce a well-arranged, well-propor-
"New Frontiers for the Reformed Faith" with an tioned, natural picture..
appeal to Scripture. It is a perverted sense of the grace        And as to the purported theme of this painting?
of sanctification which imagines that one can put "call          Well, just what does one say about such things?
girls" (whether young and voluptuous or old and worn             Far-fetched? Yes! I rubbed my eyes in amazement
out) on public display, whether in painting or photog- when I read it. Modern beatitude? "Modernistic," I
raphy, in a Christian manner. If it appears in Playboy, think, would be a better word.
then we ban it from our homes, and probably go on a              But Christian art? Hardly.
holy crusade against pornography. But-if it appears in           I can almost hear one of my Northwest Iowa friends
The Banner in the name of Christian art . . .?                 grumble, "Humbug!"
DISTOR TIONISTIC                                                                         ***
  Dr. Seerveld's third illustration is also neither art nor      All this would be ridiculous, were it not extremely
Christian. He describes it, in part, as follows: "Do you serious.
see the spring-clean, outdoor world of kite-flying boys          Serious it is, in the first place, that The Banner can
and girls (fig. C)? There is space on the green and even dream of placing such stuff, and that in the name
lightness in the sky, and their simple stylized bodies of "New Frontiers for the. Reformed Faith." By this
show how fresh and uncomplicated, easy, really, it is sort  of thing  The Banner  misleads its many readers,
to be very young. Those are a child's hands. And the and it does despite to the names "Christian" and
figures dance in pantomime, as it were, . .  ." And "Reformed." Let no one imagine that I can take de-
again: "There is certainty, simplicity, gentleness, air to light in this. I cannot! I can only weep over it. But I
breathe and order, suggests the painting, in this world cannot and will not refrain from exposing it and warn-
we inhabit. Creation is the playground of God where ing against it.
He lets his kids fly kites together, in happiness, when          Serious it is, in the second place, because if this is a
they stay close to him. Henk Krijger, coming resident sample of the kind of instruction which emanates from
artist at the Institute for Christian Art (Chicago Trinity Christian College - and I fear it is, - then the
Ridge), puts symbolically to canvas here a modern young people at that college are not receiving proper
beatitude: Blessed are the children who fly kites, in instruction. And those of our own young people who
peace, for they are benefiting from the redeeming are attending there should be on their guard, lest they
mercy of our creator God." And again, in question. imbibe this corruption. Let them not be eager to


128                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



accept every new idea at face value just because it has a the A.A.C.S. (then the A.R.S.S.) in its "Christian Per-
pseudo-relevant sound and a pseudo-Reformed name.           spectives Series 1963." If this is a sample of the philos-
  And serious it is, in the third place, because it does ophy of Christian art in their proposed Christian
not speak well for the A.A.C.S. I am reminded, in this university, then the whole project is not worth the
connection, that this same Calvin Seerveld is the time, energy, and money required to establish such a
author of "A Christian Critique of Art," published by university.


                            A United Reformed Church?
                                              Proc H1 C. Hoeksema

       In the past few months several periodicals have respond."
reflected on the possibility of a merger, or ,at least        It is certainly not the intention of the present ed-
discussions with a view to a possible merger, between itorial to reflect in detail upon all of the above articles.
the Reformed Church in America and the Christian I believe it is fair to say that there are rather widely
Reformed Church. The Rejiomzed  Journal, in an article varied attitudes expressed in them. Some of these
by Harry Boer, was, I believe the first to speak out ,on writings appear to represent the broadminded spirit of
the subject. After the failure of the proposed merger ecumenicism (with emphasis on the -ism!)  which is one
between the RCA and the Southern Presbyterians, Dr.         of the characteristics of our times. In some I seem to
Louis H. Benes, editor of The Church Herald, seconded smell the rather wishy-washy kiss-and-make-up spirit.
Dr. Boer's suggestion. His editorial, entitled "Church Others favor a hands-off or wait-and-see attitude. And
Union - And Reunion," was reprinted in The Banner some appear to favor, to some degree, a discussion of
of August 29, 1969. In that same issue of The Banner issues, apparently in an attitude of ecumenical realism.
appeared an article entitled "The Lord Has Watched Again, some speak of "merger," while others speak of
Between Us," from the pen of Rev. Arnold Brink,             "reunion." And do I also detect that some have an eye
secretary of the denominational Committee on  Inter-        for a union of conservatives from both denominations?
church Relations. And in that same issue Editor John Perhaps there will be further developments; and I hope
Vander Ploeg reflected on the subject in a rather de-       that there will be further - and more frank -journal-
tailed manner, urging what he calls "ecumenical             istic discussion.
realism. " In De Wachter of September 2, 1969, mean-          Meanwhile, The Standard Bearer is interested in this
while, Editor William Haverkamp joined the discussion       subject, as it always is interested in events which
and advised that at present such discussions should not     concern the Reformed community. It is interested not
be held, but that the churches should wait to see the       merely in the narrower and more immediate issue of a
outcome of the labors of the committee for reconcilia- possible RCA-CRC merger or reunion and the discus-
tion in the RCA. Finally,  Torch and Trumpet,  Octo- sions about it. Upon this subject we shall certainly
ber, 1969, carried a three-part feature on this subject     comment,  - from the viewpoint of a spectator and
under the title, "What About CRC-RCA Merger?" This          listener, perhaps more objectively than the participants
was introduced by the following note, which will also       are able to do. But The Standard Bearer is also inter-
serve to explain somewhat the nature of this sympo- ested in the broader aspects of this subject which are
sium: "Rev. Gordon H. Girod, well known pastor of necessarily involved, namely, the aspects of ecclesias-
the Seventh Reformed.Church of Grand Rapids, Michi- tical unity (not union) and of being Reformed,
gan, was originally asked to describe and evaluate the        Still more. The Standard Bearer is interested in these
fact of the failure of the merger proposal involving his    aspects not only abstractly and as a matter of theory,
denomination and the Presbyterian Church U.S.               but concretely and as a matter of practice. I would not
(Southern). This led very naturally to mention of and venture to say at this stage, in the light of past writings
reaction to the current conferences with view to re- and past performance, that the Editor of  The Banner
union between the RCA and the Christian Reformed            and this writer would be meaning the same thing by
Church. To these reactions of Rev. Girod, we asked Dr.      these words when it comes to concrete specifics. But in
Peter Y. De Jong, professor of Practical Theology,          his August 29 editorial he writes the following: "Con-
Calvin Seminary, and Rev. John H. Piersma, pastor of        ceivably, a United Reformed Church could some day
Bethany Chr. Ref. Church, South Holland, Ill., to           still arise with its constituency drawn from the RCA,,


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                          129



the CRC, and other church bodies in which there are              It is, then, with a view to this idea that  The  Stan-
those who are eagerly longing for an affiliation that dard Bearer  will also discuss some of the matters  al-
will allow for greater affinity and the possibility of ready mentioned in connection with the RCA-CRC
seeing eye-to-eye and standing shoulder-to-shoulder at question.
a time when it is so urgent that what we sing may                And for a starter, I will propose three items which I
really come to pass: `Like a mighty army, moves the believe must needs have a place in any fruitful labor
church of God.' " Editor Vander Ploeg is not specific toward a united Reformed church:
in this statement; and it remains to be seen who are 1. A united Reformed church must be united, that is,
meant by "other church bodies" and what is meant by                genuinely one as to the three marks of the church,
"an affiliation that will allow for greater affinity," etc.        Article 29 of the Belgic Confession.
Does he, for example, mean some kind of vaguely 2.                 Such unity implies being Reformed, not in name
conservative and Reformed umbrella under which a                   or mere lip-service, but in the genuine, full, and
mixed constituency might find shelter?                             strict sense of the word, and that too, on the basis
  Nevertheless, the idea of a united Reformed church               of the Word of God and the Reformed  confes-
is an interesting and attractive, and, understood                  sions.
rightly, a sound idea. Moreover, it sometimes seems 3. The Protestant Reformed Churches as a denomina-
that the time must come, amid all the ecclesiastical               tion, both in name and ecclesiastical conduct, rep-
tensions caused by today's rapid apostasy, when those              resent such unity and such Reformed-ness, "and
who desire to be and remain genuinely Reformed must                desire to receive into our church communion
be well-nigh compelled (or impelled?) to flock  to-                everyone that agrees to our confession," Public
gether. Who knows? I have no grand illusions, when I               Declaration of Agreement with the Forms of
view the `Reformed scene, as to the size of those                  Unity.
remnants who desire to be genuinely Reformed. And I              For my part, I welcome and encourage discussion of
know that there are others, also from other denomina- this subject, - be that journalistic discussion, or be it
tions, who share my opinion on this score. But size and discussion on official or unofficial conference,  pro-
numbers are of no account. Did not our Savior Himself vided such discussion is specific, full, frank, and
address His church as a !`little flock?"                       honest.


All Around Us

                           Decisions  of  the  Gereformeerde   Kerken
                    An  Important  Union-labor  Decision  in  Canada

                                                       Prof, H. Hanko

DECISIONS OF THE GEREFORMEERDE KERKEN                              served that the Reformed churches in the Nether-
  At its latest session of the General Synod the  Re-b             lands had for many years cooperated already in WCC
formed Churches in the Netherlands (Gereformeerde                  activities and that their work was greatly appreciated.
Kerken) took some important decisions affecting the                Many members of the Synod expressed the opinion
future of that denomination and perhaps of other                   that membership in the WCC may not mean that the
                                                                   tie with the Reformed sister churches in the world>
Reformed Church bodies.                                            which are not members of the WCC, will be weak-
  The first of these was a decision to join the World              ened. Relations with these churches, they said,
Council of Churches (W.C.C.). We quote from the                    should be maintained.
R.E.S. News Exchange.                                                Dr. P. G. ,Kunst, president of the Synod, stressed
       (Utrecht) In an almost unanimous decision, the              that the Reformed Churches must become members
    General Synod of the Reformed Churches in the                  with a "clear Reformed identity." The church was
    Netherlands decided to join the World Council of               not asked to become part of a colorless ecumenism.
    Churches. Dr. Eugene Canon (should be Carson,                    The decision marks the end of a discussion that
    H.H.) Blake, in replying to the telegram in which the          lasted fourteen years. A decision to join was not
    decision was communicated to the World Council,                taken earlier because there was no general agreement
    expressed his satisfaction with the decision and ob-           regarding membership.


                                                                             8


130                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER



         The Synod will establish guide lines for those who           argument, stand in the way of a complete agreement
       will represent the church in the WCC. The request              with the confessional standards. It also asked that the
       was made that .an extensive explanation be sent to             commission give attention to the way in which the
       the Reformed sister churches which are critical of the         church could arrive at an eventual new confession.
       World Council of Churches.                                   It is difficult to believe that the Synod was sincere
  In a way this decision was inevitable. The  Gerefor-            in its decisions concerning the binding character of the
meerde Kerken had already decided that there was no               creeds. For one thing, it was but a short time ago that
obstacle to membership in the W.C.C. They had only                the Synod completely exonerated Geelkerken who was
waited with implementing the decision by actually                 condemned at Assen for teaching doctrines contrary to
joining to seek the opinion of their sister Reformed              the creeds. That the Synod should exonerate him
Churches and, as the report quoted above  says: "be-              means that the creeds are no longer taken seriously.
cause their was no general agreement  ,regarding  mem-            For another thing, there are many in the Church who
bership." Nevertheless, the decision to join the W.C.C.           not only teach doctrines explicitly contrary to the
is clearly an indication of how far the Gereformeerde             creeds, but who openly announce their disagreement
Kerken have forsaken their Reformed heritage.                     with the creeds. Yet Synod does nothing about these
  One wonders what effect all this will have on the               men and permits them to continue to function in their
Reformed Ecumenical Synod. The Synod of the  G.ere-               offices even though now they state that "all church
formeerden. Kerken was at great pains to stress that              officers should abide by the form of subscription."
they want to retain their ties with their sister Re-              And finally, incorporated in this decision is another
formed churches in the world which are not members.               decision to instruct a commission to investigate the
But the face is that the R.E.S. specifically advised the          possibility of a new confession. One instruction to the
Gereformeerde Kerken not to join the  WCC. What, if               commission is that the commission "determine which
anything, will the R.E.S. do about this?                          elements, besides the manner of expression and the
  Apparently in order to retain their own "clear Re-              method of argument, stand in the way of a complete
formed identity" within the W.C.C., the Synod will                agreement with the confessional standards." This cer-
"establish guidelines for those who will represent the            tainly suggests that one important reason for studying
church in the WCC." It will be interesting to see what            the possibility of a new confession is the lack of
these guidelines have to say.                                     agreement with the old forms of unity.
  In another decision, the General Synod discussed                  Another interesting development at this Synod is
the whole matter of the binding character of the                  described in the R. ES. Newsletter.
church's confessions. We quote the  R.E.S. News Ex-                     (Utrecht) The General Synod of the Reformed
change.                                                               Churches in the Netherlands held a discussion that
         (Utrecht) The General Synod of the Reformed                  lasted through an afternoon and an evening session
       Churches in the Netherlands reminded all local                 with a group of concerned people called the associa-
       churches in a letter that the church confessions have          tion for "Scripture and Confession." Representatives
       binding authority upon all as an accepted basis of             of the periodical "Truth and Unity" also partici-
       fellowship. The Synod also appointed a commission              pated. The great public interest in the meeting was
       to investigate whether, and if so, in what way a new           shown in the large number of people who attended
       contemporary confession of faith should be made.               the sessions.
         The Synod recognized that the manner of expres-                According to observers, the discussion resulted in a
       sion and the method of argument in the  creedal                clearer image of the central question of the authority
       standards should offer no obstacle to officers of the          of the Bible and the confessions and a great mutual
       church to express their complete agreement. There-             understanding of the varying positions.
       fore all church officers should abide by the form of             The Rev. E.J. Oomkes, chairman of the association
       subscription.                                                  "Scripture and Confession" outlined the concern and
         The Synod reached this decision after a lengthy              alarm about the newest ideas on the Bible and the
       debate on the binding nature of the confession and             confession. At stake in the "neo-reformed radical
       its function. On the one hand there was concern to             theology" he said, is not a view of the Bible but the
       maintain the old truth, in honest fellowship with the          Scripture itself. When one explains stories of the
       forefathers. On the other hand the Synod recognized            Bible as non-historical events, one attacks`the divine
       the need for a new confession that is directed to the          authority of the Scripture. Oomkes charged that
       issues of today. "We confess all l@nds  of things which        many in the church subscribe to the confessions, but
       are no longer at stake, and about those matters which          do not keep their promise to be faithful. He said that
       are at stake today we make  no. confession" one                the church now faces the question whether or not it
       delegate stated.                                               can be called Reformed. The spokesmen for the
           In its instructions to the commission to consider a        concerned stated that such a great "credl%ility  crisis"
       new confession the Synod asked that it study the               had arisen that they feared a "situation of conflict"
       present confessions to deterniine which elements,              would ensue. Some have left the church and others
       besides the manner of expression and the method of             are contemplating leaving, they claimed.


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                                          131


       In their responses to the spokesmen for the `con-            tions remitted to the registered charity of their
     cerned', many members of the Synod showed that                 choice.
     they could understand what motivated the concerned               This action was hailed by Gerald Vande Zande,
     group in their desire to maintain the true confession.         Executive Secretary of the Committee for Justice
     At the same time some voiced criticism at the group's          and Liberty, as a "precedent-setting move - a move
     manner of organized approach that tended to form               that should have far-reaching positive effect on the
     dangerous fronts in church life.                               freedom of association still being denied to
       Professor H. M. Kuitert, whose writings have been            thousands of other Ontario residents not employed
     much in dispute, said that he could not understand             in the Civil Service." Prior to the enactment of the
     why he was accused of unfaithfulness to the Holy               regulation all civil service employees were required to
     Scriptures. "That is of course the foundation of your          pay dues to the Civil Service Association of Ontario
     life," he declared. But the theologian has the task of         as a condition of employment.
     unfettering the language of the Bible, that is, liber-           While the new legislation is a step toward complete
     ating it from the formulations of yesterday in order           freedom of association, Vande Zande observed, it is
     to give to men today an insight in the liberation of           only a beginning. He expressed the hope that the
     the gospel. The theologian must deal with the fonn-            same legal privilege "will also be granted to the
     ulations in an integral way without compromise. The            thousands of non-government workers who currently
     time is past for trying to solve problems by splitting         are `captive supporters' of secular unions to whose
     the church, he said.                                           social and political views they are entirely opposed."
                                                                      Vande Zande also pointed out that the right of
AN IMPORTANT UNION-LABOR DECISION IN                                laborers to designate the charity to receive the equiv-
CANADA                                                              alent of their union dues is a far cry from the right of
   While we are quoting the  R.E.S. Newsletter  anyway,             sending payroll  deducations to the union of their
                                                                    choice. As an alternative to the present closed shop
we may as well refer to another item which deals with               and union shop arrangements in which the majority
the question of religious conscientious objectors in a              makes decisions for all, regardless of their religious
closed shop or a union shop. The article reads:                     convictions, Vande Zande advocated "multi-union
       (Toronto) By enactment of law, the Government                bargaining - a set-up which would allow differently-
     of Ontario has allowed new employees who object to             motivated trade unions, which enjoy a certain min-
     payroll deductions for union dues "on the basis of             imum percentage of support, jointly to represent all
     religious or moral convictions" to have these deduc-           employees involved."


A Cloud of Witnesses
                                                 THE FAMINE
                                                     Rev. B. Woudenberg

              Then there was a famine in the days of David three `years, year after year; and David
           enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house,
           because' he slew the Gibeonites.                                                       IISamuel21:l

  There are certain events recorded in the Bible which         David's day recorded for us  towar! the end of the
jar uncomfortably against our modern sense of pro-             second. book of Samuel. In all likelihood the chrono-
priety and even of justice: but these also have their          logical time of this event was much earlier, perhaps
continuing purpose. They are reminders for us of the           soon after David  first became king over all Israel. The
fact that our world is not the only world, there have          event is not given us, however, just to fill out a his-
been places and days when people's values and atti-            torical record. It is given to us, along with the account
tudes have been far different from what they are now.          of the pestilence which follows, to assure us that in
But even more, because these events are recorded in            Israel God did not allow those who ruled as kings to do
the Bible with divine approval, they form an occasion          whatsoever they willed. For that which they did they
for us to stop and remember that everything that we            were held responsible; and, when such things were evil,
assume today is not necessarily as final and normative         He exacted punishment even unto the succeeding gen-
as we often think.                                             erations.
  One such an event is the account of the famine in              The famine struck the kingdom of David suddenly


132                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



and unexpectedly. In fact, it appears to have been persecute these people was in some way defending
taken first as a mere natural and normal event. At Israel and doing its God a service.
least, David did not think to inquire with the Lord         Of such a kind was king Saul, particularly in his
concerning it until the third year of famine was upon latter days. His respect and influence in the land was
them and the situation for this kingdom was becoming slipping badly and he knew it. He blamed it, of'course,
extremely critical. Then only did David inquire, and to David a&using him of treachery. Actually it was
the answer was given to him, "It is for Saul, and for his due to inane raging. But it came to the point where he.
bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites."            became desperate in his determination to regain favor
   The Gibeonites were a strange people within the with his people. That in those days he should set his
over all design of the land of Canaan. They were the eyes upon the Gibeonites was not surprising. A more
one people who thought to try to make peace with hapless, helpless people could not be found anywhere.
Israel in the days of Joshua when the land of Canaan For a man of a basically cowardly nature, such as
was given to them according to promise by the hand of Saul's, they were an ideal victim. With self-righteous
God. They alone sent messengers to Joshua pleading arrogance he set himself upon them, working havoc
for a treaty of peace between them and the nation of and destruction among them, Thousands were defense-
Israel, which treaty was also granted. The only trouble lessly slain, and this gave to Saul the opportunity for
was that they obtained this agreement by deceit, by which he was looking. The lands which the Gibeonites
claiming and pretending to be much farther removed had possessed, as limited as they were, became his to
from the heart of the land of Canaan than they really do with what he wanted, to keep for himself and his
were. Nevertheless, the promise was given in the name family or to distribute among his favorites. It enabled
of the Lord and was not to be broken. The only thing him to say to his own tribe, in defense of himself
was that the reservation was made that the Gibeonites against the popularity of David, "Hear now, ye Benja-
would serve as servants to the Israelites forever.        mites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you
   Actually, there was a particularly significant place fields and vineyards." It-was an abominable perversion
which the Gibeonites filled in the typical pattern set of righteousness and justice, but they were only Gibe-
forth by God in Canaan. They were the proof of the onites and no one was about to exert himself in their
fact that God is no respecter of persons nor of nation- defense.
ality in His elective grace. Although His covenant was      But God in heaven was watching, and He always
established with Abraham and his generations in a very remembers even though at times He bears things with
special way, there was no one, not even in the Old much longsuffering. It was not just Saul that was to be
Testament age, who seeking peace with Him would be blamed; it was the whole nation. They were all respon-
refused. All of the other nations were given to destruc- sible to defend the poor and helpless and surely not to
tion because of their sins and also because they refused co-operate in the destruction of an innocent people or
to recognize the greatness and authority of Israel's God to stand by without protest or objection. Of particular
when Israel entered the promised land. The Gibeonites blame were those who consented to take of the spoil
were the one exception, and they were not refused but of the Gibeonites for their own advancement. Even
were given a place within the nation even though they David, when he came to the throne many years later,
had sought it in weakness and deceit. They were the was not to be exempted. He knew what had happened
demonstration of the fact that God would refuse His and he should have responded immediately to restore
peace to no one who sought it in sincerity no matter and correct as far as he could the injustice that had
what the age of time. They. were a foretaste of'the been done to these poor and afflicted people. But even
gathering of the Gentile nations fulfilled with the com- he remained unmindful of them.
ing of Christ.                                              Thus it was that rather soon after David became
   There was a danger here, however, particularly from king over the whole of Israel, a severe famine beset the
those who were not spiritually sensitive to the divine land. At first David looked upon it as merely a natural
design behind those things which happened within event and thought little of it. However, time went on
God's chosen nation. These were the carnal in Israel and there came no relief. One whole year passed and
who found great satisfaction in their earthly, physical then another. Finally the third year was upon them
characteristics. Their pride was in the fact that they and the situation in Israel was becoming desperate. At
were physical  descendents of Abraham. To them the last David thought to go to the Lord and inquire into
Gibeonites were a corrupting force within the nation, the matter. Immediately the answer came back to him,
an impurity among those who boasted in their blood "It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he
descent. They were a people to be despised and mis- slew the Gibeonites."
treated, a people always to be reminded of the              There was a reason why in Israel this matter could
wretched deceit by which they had gained the ear of not be forgotten. Israel was a nation under God and to
Joshua, a people to be scorned and disparaged at every whom had been given His law. Never might it be
opportunity. They actually took the attitude that to thought that even the king was free to do whatever he


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  133



willed. God always stood in judgment over them, and and took seven of the descendants of Saul, two sons of
His justice had to be maintained in the land. Moreover, his concubine Rizpah and five of  Michal from the
because they formed one nation, there was always a second husband Saul had given her, and he gave them
corporate responsibility among them. Even though the to the Gibeonites. These men the Gibeonites killed and
king who had perpetrated this great injustice over the hung up their bodies on the walls of Gibeah from the
Gibeonites was now dead and gone, the responsibility barley harvest in April to the early rains of fall - a sign
for the deed still rested upon the nation. For it to be      to all the world of the repentance of Israel from the sin
forgotten would be as much as to say that it didn't of king Saul.
matter, and this the Lord would never do.                      To our day, of course, the `whole thing appears
  David realized immediately the validity of this posi-      repugnant and repulsive. We have no feeling for "visit-
tion. Before the nation could be justified it had to turn    ing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto
in repentance and proclaim its rejection of what had         the third and fourth generation." Our day would ra-
happened in an act of expiation. The world must be           ther err on the side of mercy.
made to know that in Israel the law of God was more            We need not assume, however, that our modem
important than the wiles of any man, even though he          feelings in such matters are necessarily so virtuous.
be king.                                                     They may well arise not so much out of a love for
  Thus David went to the Gibeonites which remained           mercy as out of a lack of feeling of moral indignation
and simply laid the matter before them. As the ones for a terrible moral atrocity as well as our lack of
who had been sinned against, it was they who could           feeling for the reality of corporate responsibility. Nor
best determine what would be sufficient recompense.          is it necessarily true that these sons of Saul were
Therefore David asked them, "What shall I do for you?        actually so very far removed from his crime. They may
and wherewith shall I make atonement, that ye may            well have been actual participants in the sin against
bless the inheritance of the LORD?"                          the Gibeonites, and it is altogether likely that they
  At first the Gibeonites rejected any recompense            may still have been benefiting from if not living upon
whatsoever. They answered, "We will have no silver           lands which had been taken so unjustly away from the
nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt     Gibeonites. If the principle of justice was to remain in
thou kill any man in Israel." They did not want it to        the land, punishment had to be exacted lest Israel
appear that they were eager to gather earthly gain from      should become engulfed in the very kind of lawlessness
the death of their brethren, nor even that they had any      which fills the world of our day.
desire to revenge.                                             Nevertheless, there was a tinge of bitter sorrow in
  With this, however, David could not be satisfied. It       what happened. We find it in Rizpah, the mother of
was God that was demanding that expiation should be          two of the men that perished. She could not interfere
publicly made for this sin. It might not be merely           with the execution of justice; but she would do what
passed over and ignored. Thus David insisted, "What ye       she could to soften the shame of it. Her sons were dead
shall say, that will I do for you."                          and their bodies would rot; but she would not leave
  It was what came back which is so shocking to our          them prey to the scavenger birds and animals. As long
modern sense of justice. The Gibeonites finally an-          as they hung upon the wall, she sat beneath them
swered, "The man that consumed us, and that devised          exposed to the weather, with nothing but mourner's
against us that we should be destroyed from remaining        rags for a bed. It was a touching move of tender sorrow
in any of the coast of Israel, let seven men of his sons     that finally was told of even in the court of the king.
be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto          David was moved and ordered that the bones of these
the LORD in  Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did               should be taken down and together with those of Saul
choose." Neither did David object to this. He made           and Jonathan which had hung in disgrace on the Phil-
only one qualification. Those who so died might not          istine walls of Bethshan buried in honor in the sepul-
be of the sons of Jonathan whom he had promised to           chre of l&h in Benjamin.
keep safely forever. For the rest, he simply went out



    Behold He Cometh ($9.95) oc Reformed Dogmatics ($14.95)
                      would make a worthwhile C,hristmas  gift.


134                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER



Contending for the Faith
                                          THE DOCTRINE OF SIN
                                                THE THIRD PERIOD - 730-1517 A.D.
                                                  PROTESTANT DOCTRINE OF SIN
                                                       ACCORDING TO CALVIN

                                                            Rev. H. Veldman
                                                                        i.
       We concluded our preceding article by calling atten-           Let us note here the place which is ascribed in the
tion to Point Three of the Three Points of 1924 and present day to the doctrine of Common Grace, as set
expressing the conviction  that this conception is in forth in the Three Points and  taught subsequently by
violent conflict with all the writings of Calvin. In II, 2, the advocates and defenders of this doctrine. First, as
6, toward the close of this paragraph, Calvin writes: far as the Three Points are concerned. Common Grace
"And this liberty is not diminished, although we are is not merely a grace which extends to the  realm of
corrupt, and the slaves of sin, and capable of doing nature. But it also extends to the realm of grace. For
nothing but sin." And in II, 2, 18. Calvin writes:                  God does not merely show grace to the elect, which,
           We now proceed to show what human reason can             then, is particular, but also to the entire creation. The
         discover, when it comes to the kingdom of God, and         Common Grace of the present day is not only a grace
         to that spiritual wisdom, which consists chiefly in        found among the heathen outside the realm of grace,
         three things  - to  know God, His  paterns)  favour        but it is definitely common, embracing also the repro-
         towards us, on which depends our salvation, and the
         method of regulating our lives according to the rule       bate. Besides, the Common Grace of today is surely a
         of the law. In the two first points, but especially in     denial of Particular Grace. Actually, Common Grace
         the second, the most sagacious of mankind are              consists of an offer of Particular Grace. God's love and
         blinder than moles. I do not deny that some judi-          grace, always particular in the writings of Calvin, are
         cious and apposite observations concerning God may         meant by the Lord for all men. Secondly, according to
         be found scattered in  thk writings of the philos-         late leaders such as H. Bavinck and A. Kuyper, Com-
         ophers; but they always betray a confused imagina-         mon Grace is the basis for Special Grace. And another
         tion. The Lord afforded them, as we have before            wrote once that Calvin never tires of speaking of God's
         observed, some slight sense of His Divinity, that, they    Common Grace to all men. In fact, Common Grace is
         might not be able to plead ignorance as an excuse for
         impiety, and sometimes impelled them to utter              &eater in scope than Particular Grace. Particular Grace
         things, by the confession of which they might them-        extends only to the elect., but. Common Grace is the
         selves be convinced. But they saw the objects pre-         basis for the Particular, and extends to all men. In fact,
         sented to their view iu such a manner, that by the         this Common Grace would also reach out to the god-
         sight they were not even directed to the truth, much       less into all eternity, for the gospel is a well-me&g
         less did they arrive at it;  just as a  man,, who is       offer of salvation in Christ to all.
         travelling by night across a field, sees the corusca-         Is it any wonder that a church, advocating and
         tions of lightning extending for a moment far and          teaching a theory of Common Grace, should proclaim
         wide, but with such au evanescent view, that so far        a social gospel, and that more and more this social
         from being assisted by them iu proceeding on his           gospel is being preached today. Should we be too
        journey, he is re-absorbed in the darkness of the           surprised when a social gospel is increasingly receiving
         night before he can advance a single step. Besides,
         those few truths, with which they, as it were, fortu-      the emphasis, proclaiming a universal fatherhood of
         itiously besprinkle their books, with what numerous        God  and a universal brotherhood of men, calling atten-
         and monstrous falsehoods are they defiled!                 tion to segregation and integration,  social inequalities
       In  the light of these quotations, that there is no          and injustices, also nationally and internationally, and
love, grace, mercy of God except as in Christ Jesus,  and setting forth a remedy in which all men can share and
then only of Him in the Church of God, through the which can make this world a better place in which  to
Spirit of sanctification, that the preaching of the gos- live? Does not God love all men? This is surely a
pel is of no benefit to the reprobates, that Common universal fatherhood of God. And if God loves all men,
Grace does not restrain sin, neither enables him to do              should not all men love one another? More and more
any good; yea, that the doctrine of the Three Points is             the fundamental truths of Christ's particular atone-
not to be found within Calvin's doctrine of Common ment and of the Kingdom of Heaven as antithetically
Grace, we understand that Calvin's doctrine in this opposed to the kingdom of darkness and of this world
question is very limited in scope.                                  are being silenced  and replaced by a social gospel


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                                135



which can be of benefit to the whole world, without writes that it was necessary that the Spirit of God
the Christ and without His cross.                             should infuse into  Bezaleel and Aholiab the under-
  What a tremendous difference we notice in Calvin's standing and skill requisite for the construction of the
Doctrine of Common Grace. Calvin's Common Grace tabernacle.
extends only to the  realm of nature. And also in this          Secondly, Calvin opposed the Pelagian conception
connection the reformer speaks of a common and which denied man's corruption and maintained an elec-
particular grace, in the sense that some persons are tion upon foreseen faith. That Calvin opposed this
more richly gifted then others. But when Calvin speaks heresy bitterly is acknowledged `by all. But we must
of the realm of grace, then he maintains an essential not forget that this sovereign election was also the
distinction, expressed on page 62 of Calvin's Calvinism, key-note of God's election as-a nation. Repeatedly he
namely that the redeemed are distinguished from the asserts that also this election of Israel as a nation was a
children of destruction exactly by grace, and we proof of God's sovereignty. Besides, we must note that
quote:                                                        God's so-called Common Grace was not a burning issue
          In a word, most true is that which Augustine
    testifies: "That the redeemed are distinguished from      in those days. And it is simply a fact that Calvin was a
    the children of perdition by grace alone, which re-       wonder of God's grace in the midst of an age of
    deemed ones that common mass of original co&p-            blindness and heresy.
    tion would have gathered to the same perdition but          Calvin's Common Grace, although broad in content,
    for the free grace of God. Whence it follows, that the    is nevertheless very limited in scope. It is very limited
    grace of God to be preached is that by which He           because, as the portion shared by elect and reprobate,
    makes men His elect, not that by which He finds           it is to be limited only to the realm of nature. It is very
    them as such.                                             limited because it is to be found only in temporal
God loves only His people in Christ Jesus. Outside things, and is of no meaning for that which is spiritual
of that Church of God everything is curse. Then the           and eternal. And this grace is very limited also because
gospel is a savour of death unto death, and never it is never the key-note of Calvin's writings. In the
anything else. And, according to Calvin, Common present day, they speak jubilantly of God's Common
Grace, consisting of external gifts, is found alone           Grace; Calvin, however, rejoices in the doctrine of
among the godless. In the sphere of Divine grace, the God's Special Grace. Today they say that we must not
godly and the ungodly are distinguished exactly by concern ourselves with `God's hidden will; Calvin de-
grace, and they have nothing in common. We would              clares that the revealed will must be explained in the
not expect anything else from Calvin, the defender -of light of God's hidden will.
God's sovereign will over against Pelagianism. It is true       Finally, what is the Divine purpose of this common
that Calvin speaks of a common grace to all men in the grace as set forth in the writings of Calvin? It is
realm of nature, but he confuses the grace of God with peculiar of Calvin that he, in connection with his
the things,  r and the Lord bestows upon them only doctrine of Common Grace, always maintains the doc-
temporal mercy.                                               trine of God's sovereign grace, and that he always seeks
  This view of Calvin receives added emphasis when the purpose of Common Grace in this, that the Lord
we note the heresies which Calvin opposed.                    maintains His righteousness, and all men are rendered
  First, he opposed the heresy that all good gifts were inexcusable before God.
ascribed to the devil. That God was the source of all           This question, or rather its answer is called in the
these things was denied. It is for this reason that Calvin present day a problem which cannot be solved, and
writes the following in II, 2, 16: "Yet let us not forget will ever remain a problem here below. Today they are
that these are most excellent gifts of the Divine Spirit, afraid to proclaim the clear teaching of Ps. 73. They
which for the common benefit of mankind He dis- are correct when they declare that Asaph's problem
penses to whomsoever He pleases." It has been con- consisted in the prosperity of the wicked. But they err
tended that Calvin never tires of writing that God's when they declare that Asaph's problem was solved
mercy, favour and goodness are bestowed upon all. when he trusted in the Lord but that the problem, as
Fact is, however, that also these thoughts of the re- such, remained unsolved. In the present day what is
former must be viewed in the light of Calvin's defense revealed is separated from that which is eternal. And
of God's sovereignty. Over against this heresy, that they do not seek the solution by comparing the things
these gifts were ascribed to the devil, Calvin maintains that are seen with the things that are eternal and
that the sovereign Lord is the Source of all good and unseen.
He alone. How strange it would be that Calvin, the              This failure to solve the problem of Asaphmight be
man of God's sovereign election, who consistently sep- understandable if the Scriptures denied us this solu-
arated the church and the world, should rejoice partic- tion. The Common Grace theorists would have us
ularly in a .favour of God to all men! Incidentally, to believe that there are two tracks running through this
emphasize that all good gifts are from the Lord, Calvin, world and that these tracks are parallel. They prefer to
in the paragraph from which we quoted, in II, 2, 16, speak of two spheres, the earthy and the heavenly, and


136                                             THE STANDARD BEARER



declare that they cannot be reconciled. They would Scriptures supported this contention. But such is not
have us believe that an offer of salvation to all who the case. The Word of God does not separate the things
hear the gospel may be in conflict with God's eternal that are present and earthy from the things that are
decree of election and reprobation, but hasten to add eternal, and surely teaches us to view them in the light
that this conflict is not real but only as existing in our of each other. And that this is also the position of
defective minds. The conflict lies only in our thinking. Calvin we will see, the Lord willing, in our following
And I repeat: this would be understandable if only the article. Then we will briefly point to this.


The Strength of Youth                     .-

                            The Error of Situation Ethics
                                          (continued from preceding issue)

                                                   Rev. J.  Kortering

  The natural man cannot fulfill this law. Already in love is purely humanistic. It is brotherhood, not love
Israel, the law was a taskmaster which drove them to expressed to a personal God directly by the keeping of
Christ, Gal. 3 :24. No man can keep the law of himself, His law and indirectly by loving the neighbor.  Their'
"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by idea of love begins and ends in man himself.
nature the things contained in the law, these having           The tragedy is that the natural man, who  cannot
not the law are a law unto themselves," Rom.  2:14. keep the law of God, cannot love either God or  the.
Even for Israel, the law itself could not save, "There- neighbor. John explains this in his first epistle, espe-
fore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be cially the second chapter. Of the world he says, "For
justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust
sin," Rom. 3 :20. The law shows us our sins; and by the      of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
grace of God we are humbled to seek our salvation but is of the world." The situationist wants to apply
outside of ourselves in Jesus Christ, "Therefore we "love" to every man and vainly imagines that every
conclude that a man is justified by faith without the man has the capacity to exercise this love. He obvious-
deeds of the law," Rom. 3  :28. Through this faith in ly rejects the Scriptural idea of total depravity of the
Christ, we do not reproach the law, we do not say that natural man. A morality based upon the innate good-
the law has no meaning for us; we see that only in           ness of man's love is bound to end in utter chaos; and,
keeping the law by grace through the work of the Holy the God of righteousness shall laugh at them with His
Spirit, have ,we fellowship with God. In the words of derision, for He shall bring all this into judgment.
Paul, "Do we then make void the law through faith?              Only the children of God have the power to love.
God forbid: yea, we establish the law," Rom. 3 :3 1.         Without the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, we
  This law has two aspects, the outward form and the hate, only hate. "Herein is love, not that we loved
inward spirit. This includes the outward deed as well as God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the
the inward motivation. These two are inseparably con- propitiation for our sins," I John 4: 10. This love is
nected. Situationists show their ignorance of the Word applied in our heart by the Holy Spirit, "And hope
of God when they attack the law of God as being a maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed
mere code. Jesus made plain that the sin of adultery is      abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given
not just the deed, but the inward attitude as well, cf. unto us," Rom. 5 :5.
Matt.  5:27,28. Paul continues this same thought in             This love is not expressed in some vague way of
II Cor. 3:6, "Who also hath made us able ministers of loving people. This love is expressed most intimately in
the new testament, not of the letter but of the spirit:      the way of obedience. This obedience is expressed in ,
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." The     doing what God commands us to do in His Word.
letter without the spirit kills; the two must be taken       Scripture is full of such references. James  1:25, "But '
together. Much of the outward "letter" was fulfilled in whoso  looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and ~
the coming of Christ, but the spirit which applied to        continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer but
the moral aspect continued.                                  a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his
  If one has a wrong idea of law, it stands to reason deed." Consider I John  2:4, "He that saith, I know  ~
such an one will also have a wrong idea of love. Here him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar and i
too, the  situation&t is entirely in error. Their idea of the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in i


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                                          137



 him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know certain situations, we are warned against all adultery,
 we that we are in him."                                        both in thought and deed. This same thing is true with
   This applies to all of God's moral law. The way that respect to all other sins.
 Israel was instructed to express their love of God is the        It is our privilege to view the law of God not as a
 same for the New Testament church. Christ's summary bond of slavery, but as a sphere of liberty. Freedom in
 of Matt.  22:37-39 is not a distillation, but a  compen- Christ is not freedom from the law of God, but it is the
diuin. Proof of this is seen in that elsewhere in the New       freedom of grace to be made able to begin to keep, not
 Testament, warnings are given of all the sins enumer- some, but all the laws of God. "Stand fast therefore in
 ated in the ten commandments. Consider Gal. 5 : 19-2 1, the liberty wherewith Christ has set us free," Gal. 5 : 1.
 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest  wliich  are            May God give us grace to be able to reject the
 these, adultery, fornication. . . idolatry. . . mur- apostate morality of the situationists and hold to the
 ders . . . drunkenness . . . but the fruit of the Spirit is faithful observance of God's holy law and express our
love, joy, peace. . . and they that are Christ's have gratitude to him by loving obedience in every situa-
 crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we tion.
 live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit." The          Only then is God glorified through covenant young
 Word of God doesn't say adultery is wrong  under people.


 Examining Ecumenicalism

               "World Economic and Social Development!'
                                                       Rev. G. Van Baren

   The World Council of Churches, meeting at Uppsala                died for all, should be in the forefront of the battle
 in 1968, adopted a `third report entitled, "World                  to overcome a provincial, narrow sense of solidarity
 Economic and Social Development." This document,                   and to create a sense of participation in a world-wide
 too, serves as evidence why the faithful Christian and             responsible society with justice for all. . . .
 true church cannot belong to this world-wide organiza-               The church is called to work for a world-wide
 tion. The document enters into an area which is not                responsible society and to summon men and nations
                                                                    to repentance. To be complacent in the face of the
 within the scope of the work of the church. In the                 world's need is to be guilty of practical heresy. As we
 document, conclusions are drawn which are opposed                  try to meet this challenge, we recognize the impor-
 to the teachings of Scripture. There is not even an                tance of cooperating at every level with the Roman
 attempt made in the document to base conclusions                   Catholic Church, with other non-member churches,
 upon the instruction of Scripture. Plainly, it is a docu-          with non-church organizations, adherents of other
 ment composed by men, based upon human philos-                     religions, men of no religion, indeed with men of
 ophies, presenting solutions which are contrary to                 good will everywhere. . . .
 God's Word.                                                          `Churches are called, in their preaching and teach-
   Several facts become obvious as one reads this brief             ing, including theological education, to set forth the
                                                                    biblical view of the God-given oneness of mankind
 report. First of all, it points to a developing unity or           and to point out its concrete implications for the
 oneness of mankind. Now in this, I believe, the report             world-wide solidarity of man and the stewardship of
 is correct. Only this report presents the oneness as               the resources of the earth.
 good  - a goal towards which it strives. It does not             Secondly, and in harmony with earlier pronounce-
 recognize the developing oneness today as a sign of the ments, the W.C.C. emphasizes that the church must
 coming of the antichristian kingdom which will unify actively carry out its programs of justice for all men -
 mankind for a brief time. And this oneness becomes even by means of revolution if necessary. Notice:
 the incentive for  the, W.C.C. to promote equality of                The death of the old may cause pain to some, but
 man and nations. The report states:                                failure to build up a new world community may bring
        We live in a new world of exciting prospects. For           death to all. In their faith in the coming Kingdom of
     the first time in history we can see the oneness of            God and in their search for his righteousness, Chris-
     mankind as a reality. For the first time we know that          tians are urged to participate in the struggle of mil-
     all men could share in the proper use of the world's           lions of people for greater social justice and for world
     resources. . . .                                               development. . . .
        Christians who know from their Scriptures that all            The building of political structures suitable to
     men are created by God in His image and that Christ            national development involves revolutionary changes


138                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER



       in social structures. Revolution is not to be identified     the development of "underdeveloped" nations. It urges
       with violence however. In countries where the ruling         aid to underdeveloped countries, and suggests that
       groups are oppressive or indifferent to the aspirations      "developed" nations pay 1% of their gross national
       of the people, are often supported by foreign inter-         product to these poorer nations. It urges nations to
       ests, and seek to resist all changes by the use of
       coercive or violent measures, including the "law and         work toward the elimination of hunger; of oppression
       order" which may itself be a form of violence, the           of the poor by the rich; of unjust government. It sets
       revolutionary change may take a violent form. Such           forth a program that has found wide appeal especially
       changes are morally ambiguous. The churches have a           in the eyes of idealistic youth of our day. Its motives
       special contribution towards the development of              seem so good; its goals so high. The W.C.C. is "Chris-
       effective non-violent strategies of revolution and           tianity in action."
       social change. Nevertheless we are called to partici-          It is not so striking, I suppose, that in a report such
       pate creatively in the building of political institutions    as this, there is no reference to Scriptural passages. The
       to implement the social changes that are desperately         W.C.C. does not bolster its arguments by referring to
       needed. . . .                                                Scripture. Many heretical sects do substantiate their
         The Church must actively promote the redistribu-           false teachings upon certain passages of Scripture
       tion of power, without discrimination of any kind, so        wrested out of context. But in this document, the
       that all men, women and young people may partici-
       pate in the benefits of development. . . .                   WCC. does not even deign to try that. One receives
          The churches should . . . participate in a respon-        the impression that the W.C.C. stands above the Bible
       sible way in movement for radical structural changes         - and will render its judgments even in spite of or in
       necessary to establish more justice in the society. . . .    contradiction to Scripture.
         Churches in developing countries should . . . take           Another striking thing in this document is that
       an open and public position calling on their commun-         though the name of Christ is used (I believe three
       ities to realize the need for revolutionary change. . . .    times), yet His work, His atonement, is not mentioned.
  In order to achieve its desired goals, the W.C.C.                 Christ came into the world to redeem unto Himself His
would promote a union among peoples and nations.                    chosen people and deliver them from this world. The
They would advocate lifting men out of the narrow                   W.C.C., in this document, rather concludes that since
confines of nationalism, and imposing upon them a                   "Christ died for all," now we have to seek to create a
form of international government and control. In th&,               "world-wide responsible society with justice for all."
the W.C.C. is advocating exactly what Scripture fore-               That is the spirit of the antichrist which denies Christ`
tells concerning the end-days: there will be a healing of           openly - or which cleverly ignores His work and posits
the wound of the beast (Rev. 13), so that all men will              something else in its stead.
wonder after it. The W.C.C. does not seek that unity                  The document is an illustration of what happens
for which Christ prays in John 17, a unity of His                   when the "church" plunges out of its field. The faith-
disciples based upon that unity reflected within the                ful church is not interested in the area of economics
Trinity, but rather it seeks a unity of all men. Thus               nor of social development in the way this report sug-
would this organization promote the "kingdom of                     gests. Christ did point out that we were to give to
God" among mankind here on the earth. The report                    Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the
states it this way:                                                 things that are God's. Christ warned His disciples not
          Collective international action to improve condi-         to set their hearts on clothing, food, or drink. He calls
       tions conducive to development is called for; e.g.,          those who are so concerned with their food and cloth-
       creation of supra-national structures to deal with           hi% "of little faith." Christ reminds the disciples that
       regional and world economic planning involving the           they must not fall into the error of the Gentiles who
       stabilization of the world market; an international          exactly seek always for material things. He directs
       taxation system to provide funds for develop-                them to look to their heavenly Father Who knoweth
       ment. . . .                                                  our need  - and provides according to His promise.
          They (the churches) should especially consider            Christ admonishes the disciples to seek first the king-
       how the present economic structures in which
       national sovereignty plays a decisive role can be            dom of God and his righteousness  - and all these
       transformed into a structure in which decisions              things will be added to you. (Matt. 6) The W.C.C.
       affecting the welfare of all are taken at the inter-         would have been better served if its report had re-
       national level. . . .                                        viewed and analyzed the meaning of Matthew 6.
          The World Council of Churches must, contiue and             That Scripture is opposed to the revolution  advod
       increase its cooperation with United Nations agencies        cated (in cases of necessity) by the W.C.C., is plain
       in the field of development. . . .                           from Romans 13. One need not study long nor hard to
  Upon the above foundation, the W.C.C. in its report               discern that this passage exactly commands the Chris-
lays out a general plan for the improvement of man on               tian to submit to civil government  - even if it is a
the earth  - an improvement which, in this report, is               wicked government, as that which ruled the world
exclusively concerned with the physical. It advocates               when Rom. 13 was written.


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                139



   The church of Christ has the singular calling to would be beneficial for the church if a careful study
preach Christ crucified. The church does have a calling were also made concerning the proper calling of the
with respect to the poor, too. For the mercies which church with respect to works of mercy. But this calling
are manifest to the elect church in the cross of Christ, of the church is far removed from the one suggested in
will be reflected in faithful giving, in a manifestation of the report of the W.C.C. The faithful church could
mercy, toward those in need. In these days of af- never adopt their suggestions - in fact, would have a
fluence, of government aid, of social security, of calling to separate from them on the basis of this evil
societies for the support of those who are ill  - the report.
church has almost forgotten what its calling is. It


Studies in Depth
                                         The Gideons
                                             Rev. Robt. C. Harbach

  Bernard Levin, one of England's leading newspaper reach visitors from all over the world. This could be
columnists, commented in the London Daily Mail on done if $10,000 would be furnished to purchase the
November 8, 1965, that "The only thing you always Testaments. In another offering, "exactly $10,000
seem to find in an hotel room of any quality, wherever and 44 cents were supplied, the majority in checks!"
you are, is the Gideon Bible." The columnist added          "From all over the world . . . openings (occur) to
that the Gideon practice of placing Bibles is one place and distribute Scriptures in Roman Catholic re-
"which only does good, and which has never hurt lated institutions. An enthusiastic welcome from
anybody in the doing of it." The object of the Gideons leaders in the Roman Catholic church and from the
in performing this task of Scripture distribution is students themselves" is remarkable, inasmuch as
stated simply as "that of winning men and women, Gideons offer only the King James Version of the New
boys and girls to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Testament, and the Gideon membership is not open to
Christ." The means by which efforts are made to Roman Catholics, and the Gideon stewardship reports
accomplish this stated objective take various forms. are not presented in Roman Catholic churches, even if
Gideons conduct evangelistic services in jails, city res- requested.
cue missions, do personal witnessing, give "testi-          The outreach of the youth New Testament ministry
monies," distribute gospel tracts, and engage in open in other lands is overwhelming. Private, parochial and
air preaching "to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ public schools in most countries are open for Gideons
known.". The mainstay means employed is that of to distribute New Testaments to the children, "Many
placing the Bible "in certain well-defined traffic of these schools would not allow a foreign missionary
lanes . . . in the streams of national life." The Gideon to witness to the children, but do allow Gideons to
program is called a non-sectarian, extended arm of the distribute Testaments to them." "The work of the
local church, as Bibles and Testaments are placed in Gideons in other countries is carried on by Christian
areas not normally open to pastors and churches. business and professional men who are nationals of
"They reach out with the Precious Seed, the Word of each country. The work is truly indigenous. . . Na-
God, to those who might never enter a church tionals have greater access and liberty to reach their
building."                                                people with the Scriptures than do Americans." The
   The Sixty-ninth Gideons International. Convention, Gideon outreach of placing Bibles is now extended to
held in Detroit, Michigan, at the Sheraton-Cadillac the airplanes of BOAC, United, American Airlines,
Hotel ballroom, in 1968, was attended by 1,624 South African, Ozark and 16 other airlines.
people from 32 countries. (Bibles and Testaments are        The 1967-68 total world funds goal was $2,637,060.
distributed in 77 countries). This convention decided The amount actually raised was $2,787,764. The goal
to supply 100,000 English Testaments for distribution for placing Scriptures throughout the world in that
in the Philippines. Roman Catholic schools and col- period was  5,000,OOO. Actually placed were
leges there gave permission for distribution of 50,000    5,539,280. The previous year saw 5,062,OOO Scriptures
Testaments. This project would cost $36,?00. Offering placed. The goal for this year is 6,000,OOO Scriptures.
baskets were passed and $36,555 were received. At the     (Note:  - The Refomed  Herald, May, 1969, reported
same convention, Mexico City Gideonsreported  a plan that "a record total of 5  1,642,211  Scriptures were
to distribute Spanish-English Testaments to hotels to     distributed throughout the United States by the Amer-


140                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



ican Bible Society in 1968. The goal for this year is 60 sized. He neither hears nor believes "good news" who
million Scriptures of the United States.")                 believes that he can "accept the Savior," if he only
       An index of pastors influenced or converted through will. To one who knows he is dead in sins, such
the instrumentality of a Gideon Bible shows one presentation, sentimental, emotional, sensational, indi-
Cumberland Presbyterian (Arminian), 4 Methodists, 5 vidualistic, unbiblical, philosophizing, is not good, but
Holiness-type and 17 Baptists. Gideon workers also bad news. What hope is there for a sinner who is
have connections in the Youth for Christ movement and carnally minded, not subject to the law of God, neither
the Billy Graham Crusade. Billy Graham films seem indeed can be, receiving not the things of the Spirit of
to have quite an outlet at a Roman Catholic university God, neither able to know them, guilty before God, no
in the Philippines. Recall at this point that Pelagianism fear of God before his eyes and all his so-called right-
has always been acceptable to the Roman Catholic eousnesses nothing but filthy rags? What hope is there
Church. Gideon literature contains many "personal for the sinner who by nature loves sinj his pet sin, the
testimonies" of converts and "personal workers," none slavery of sin, and cannot, any more than dead
of which, as noted above, are adherents of Presbyte- Lazarus, rise from his grave of sin? Certainly there is
rian, Reformed or Calvinistic persuasion. The organiza- none in the bad news that "You, an Ethiopian, can
tion rings with a Baptist and individualistic tone change your skin; you who are accustomed to doing
throughout. Its emphasis is not upon the church or the evil can do good; you can choose; you can accept Him
family, but upon the individual. It emphasizes "believe and be saved." Good news is that He shall save His
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou (singular) shalt be people from their sins, raising them from their spiritual
saved" at the expense of the remainder of the text, graves, giving them new hearts and faith to believe the
"and thy house." It quotes, "Marvel not that I said Word of His grace.
unto thee (singular), Ye (plural) must be born again"         The Bible ought to be read. All men are bound to
as though the text were purely individualistic, overlook- read the Word of God, should read it daily, wherever
ing the passage from the singular to the plural. The they may be, even though spiritually incapable of
construction in John  3:7 is similar to that in  1:5 1, understanding it. Originally man was capable of per-
"and He saith unto him (singular), `Amen, Amen, I say forming personal, perpetual and perfect obedience to
unto you (plural), hereafter ye (plural) shall see heaven the law of God, but by his own wilful disobedience he
open and the angels of God ascending and descending deprived himself of the divine gifts of knowledge and
upon the Son of Man." The word is directed to righteousness. But he continues in rebellion against
Nathanael, and in chapter three to Nicodemus, but the God who refuses or.neglects to read God's Word. Yet
blessing referred to is for Christ's church, for "all the without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit inter-
Father hath given Me."                                      preting His own Word, understanding of it cannot be
       Conversions are invariably referred to in such lan- had. Then let a man read and pray for the light of the
guage as "I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior," and Spirit. Let him know that faith  cometh by hearing,
are usually from some socially unacceptable way of hearing by the Word of God preached and the Word of
life, as conversion from sin is a rarity, if not, a non- God preached by a duly called and sent preacher
entity. One is saved simply  t because of "accepting (Rom. 10: 17, 14, 15). Such a preacher of the Word  1
Christ as personal Savior.?' There is no mention of may make use of a Bible permanently placed in the
belonging to the faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, of com- hospital room as he conducts his pastoral sick visita-
ing to a knowledge of sin, misery and condemnation tion. But false interpretations of the Bible, printed on
under the wrath of God, or of a saving knowledge of front or back of the Book is not only misleading, but
deliverance from all that evil. Conversions are sudden, perverting of the interpretation self-consistent with the
with little or no reference to the sin question. Salva- Bible itself. Better to distribute Bibles with no inter-
tion comes simply by "accepting the Lord," regardless pretation whatever. The church is called of God to
whether there be a particle of the knowledge that one preach the gospel to every creature, which will then
is spiritually dead, helpless, hopeless, beyond all self- put the Bible at their disposal, even though no creature
help, prone to hate God and the neighbor, incapable of by nature has any spiritual receptivity. But the gospel
doing any good and inclined to all evil. Experience true is proclaimed only by setting forth the Bible's own
conviction of sin, know something of the plague of the self-consistent message that salvation is "not of him
heart, know yourself dead through trespasses and sins, that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that
and you also know the misery that you cannot and will showeth mercy."
not come to Christ, except the Father draw to Him.            Wonderful it is to be in possession of facts, the most
You then know that you receive Christ because God essential and most precious, to.preserve  them, spread
has accepted you. Dangerous it is to get over the "sin them over the earth, making them available in every
question" as quickly as possible and push the whole place. But it is something else to have the right inter-
matter of man's sin,`misery  and moral impotency aside pretation of the facts. Utterly necessary it is to have
so that the chance to "accept Christ" may be empha- . both fact and interpretation. The necessary,  indispen-


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 141



sable, fundamental set of facts are found in the Bible. which are the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confes-
There are almost as many interpretations of these facts sion, the Canons of Dort, and the Westminister stand-
as minds to think them. Better to distribute the facts ards. Denial of these confessions is denial of the inter-
with no accompanying interpretation than to do so in pretation the Spirit has given His own Word of truth.
connection with the wrong interpretation. The Spirit These interpetations the Spirit has given His own Word
has promised to lead the church in all the truth. He has of truth. These` interpetations stand, ancient though
kept His Word in giving the church that great body of they be, for truth is never out of date, and they go
truth found in the Apostolical Confession, the Nicene hand in hand with Scripture no matter what the igno-
Creed, the Athanasian Creed, the Waldensian confes- rant nor the inimical may do.
sions, and the great Reformation confessions, among


~
 In His Fear

                                          Who Said So

                                                  Rev. John A. Heys

     There really would be nothing so strange about it, if    vital difference whether the Unitarian or the Trini-
in your mind you put a question mark behind the title         tarian says, "I believe in the Holy Spirit." And it
above and read it as though it asked, "Who said So?"          certainly makes an infinite difference whether God
     This is an expression that is so frequently used that    speaks and says something or whether Satan does so,
way.                                                          either directly or through men.
     When we want to get out of some unpleasant work;           Why do we write about this difference?
when children do not want to obey the command                   There has been for a long time, and this evil is
given; when our flesh rebels at the order directed unto       becoming almost the rule today, a practice to address
us, we question the authority of the author of that           the covenant youth at their graduation, at their con-
command or order by saying, "Who said so?" In effect          ventions, at their clubs, and the like, with the word of
it often means, Who is going to make% me? And if we           man rather than the Word of God. There is a  well-
can put a question behind the authority of the speaker        known radio program whose music or choir and organ
and so evade the unpleasant task, our flesh rejoices in       are superb. But the spoken word always begins with a
getting away with it again.                                   quotation from some philosopher of the world, some
     As a question the expression belongs in the class        former president of our country, some unbelieving
;Nith those of the defiant, "Who do you think that you        statesman or the like. The word of God is seldom if
are to order me around?" or the careless, "So what?" ever even quoted during that "spoken word." But the
or even Cain's proud, "Am I my brother's keeper?" It          point of approach is always the words of some man in
smells of the conceited and rebellious reply of Pharaoh       the world. And this is to be found in so many more
to.Moses when he came with God's word of command              fundamental circles as well. It is not strange to have
to let His people go, "Who is the Lord that I should          the speech begin with,  F`Emerson said. . .  ", or
obey His voice to let Israel go?"                             "Lincoln once told . . ."
     But there is no question mark behind the title             This we not only deem wrong but also extremely
above. And we do not want one there, for we are not           dangerous.
presenting a question here. We are making a statement           In the world this is all that we can expect. Having
which in its entirety is this, "Who said so makes a           put the Bible on the shelf they must depend upon the
tremendous difference." It certainly does. It makes a         words of men to preserve a little "culture," to spur the
tremendous difference whether a citizen comes strol-          youth on to conquering the world for man's sake, to
ling up to tell you that you may not park there, or           instill a little respect for law and order and the like.
whether the authorities have said so. It makes a great        But in the church of God and among His covenant seed
deal of difference whether the hospital visitor stands at     there is no substitute for the WORD of God.
your bedside and tells you that you surely do have              Oh, that does not mean that we have to be
cancer, or whether it is your physician who knows             "preachy." And commencement exercise speakers bet-
your whole case and has examined the tissue. It makes         ter beware that they do not come with a sermon. But
an important difference whether the believer or the           they must come with the Word of God. They  may
unbeliever says that he has had a good time. It makes a       approach the seed of God's covenant with nothing else.


142                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



These children of God must go home with what their          and again Who said so makes a tremendous difference.
God said and be able to go home convinced that,             God speaks the:truth,  the unadulterated truth. Man lies'
"Thus saith the Lord." All that which is said, must be      or speaks a half truth that is more dangerous than the
that which God says. The Christian youth must hear          open, outright lie.
Christ. And we have no right to approach them at any          "To err is human?" Well, what do you mean by
time with anything but the Word of God in Christ. We        erring? What does the natural man, who has never been
owe it to them; but we also have a solemn obligation in     born again, mean by erring? Indeed man does make so
regard to them, one that cannot be taken too seriously.     many mistakes; and that is why they put erasers on
  And that at once reminds also of the speeches             pencils. But is saying all this the same as what God says
usually delivered in chapel services in the presence of when He teaches us that we are all conceived and born
covenant youth. Tragically enough the best speech is        in sin? Did David in Psalm 5 1:5 simply mean that he
the one with the best jokes; and the success of chapel      did the human thing when he committed adultery and
that morning is gauged by the amount of laughter that       killed Uriah? But be that as it may, does this statement
could be engendered among the young people. Al-             do justice to God's Word that says that after the fall
though these chapel exercises were once instituted and      man is TOTALLY DEPRAVED? To -err may be hu-
have for their purpose the spiritual edification of the man, if you understand that erring correctly, for the
youth, they are turned into hours of entertainment of human race today. But man was not so created, and
the flesh. The children then come home to retell the        therefore the statement in a sense says too much. It
jokes they were taught that morning and have not the        can easily lead to the attitude, "Oh,well, that is the way
faintest idea anymore about what else was said and          it is, Why fight it; Let's adapt ourselves to it and be
what the title or topic of the speech delivered was.        charitable to each other because of it." Must we teach
Any resemblance between chapel in a Christian school        our children that we can expect a slip now and then by
and assembly in the public school system is earned man, rather than to say what God says in Romans 8:7?
rather than avoided. Distinctiveness and the antithet-      "Because the carnal (natural) mind is enmity (not now
ical position are not to be found to any great degree       and then displays enmity) against God: for it is not
anymore.                                                    subject (ever) to the law of God, neither indeed can
  This will happen every time when the Word of God          be." Why exchange the watered down "To err is hu-
is shelved for the word of man. The resemblance be- man" for that powerful Word of God? Is it because our
tween chapel and assembly is not due to the fact that       carnal mind wants to find a little good yet in man? But
the public school system introduces the Word of God         again it makes all the difference in the world who said
and sees the value of the truth. It is not that the         so! GOD said what we quoted in Romans 8:7. And let
unbeliever sees and is convinced that "the fear of the that be taught to His covenant children, not man's
Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Were that the case,       philosophy.
we might perhaps find some room for rejoicing and             Once again, you can just hear a commencement
have hope for the future. But it is due to the fact that    speaker address the graduates, "Abraham Lincoln once
the Christian school system has found some good in          said, `Honesty is the best policy.' Remember that as
the words of men who have not been born again. The          you go into the world. Let honesty rule you and you
chapel has moved into the assembly room. The assem-         will have success in your business. `Crime does not
bly room has not been converted into a chapel. The pay.' Honesty is the thing to seek and to follow. .  ."
thoughts proclaimed in the assembly are not those of That we are called to be honest by God for the glory
the man who said so in the chapel. The words echoed         of His name soon slips away, because we began with
in the chapel are those of the man who said so in the man and his word and found something "worthwhile"
assembly. Chapel is not anymore, "Thus saith the            to say to youth apart from the Word of God. But is
Lord" but "Let me tell you a little joke that you will honesty the best policy? Dishonesty is a good policy,
also hear in the assembly room of the public school but honesty is the best? And do we follow policies
system and a few moral principles that are there advo-      because they are going to bring advantage to our flesh?
cated." Is it any wonder then, that, when the students      If that is the principle we want to get across, we can
themselves conduct chapel, they go a step further?          soon come to advocating many violations of God's
  Oh, we do not mean to say that the sayings of the         principles, because they seem to give us joy and do
unbeliever may never be quoted. They do so often            enrich the flesh. A half-truth is a more subtle and
have such clever ways of saying things. From man we useful tool in the hands of Satan than the outright lie.
got the expression, "To err is human" and "Honesty is       Let us be sure we teach our covenant youth the whole
the best policy." But the fear of the Lord, which is the truth, the pure truth, by letting God's Word shine on
beginning of wisdom, simply is not in these expressions our subject not only by causing it to be the starting
along with thousands of others. On the surface they point of the speech. Rather than, "Emerson once
seem quite harmless and usable. But exegete them once said . . ." let it be, "In His Word God says . . ."
and place them alongside of "Thus saith the Lord";            Therefore also class mottos are so much more beau-


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 143



tiful and safe when they are phrases from what God
says. And first of all we will have to be convinced that
it does make a difference who said so. We will have to
believe that the natural mind is always going to have a
different point of view and have different morals than
the mind of God. The tragedy is that so much of the                   Thou art my portion, Lord;
church world has cast away the doctrine of total de-
pravity, which God says, and exchanged it for a partial                  Thy words I ever heed;
depravity, so that they see some good in what the                     With all my heart  Thy grace I seek,
natural mind ("which is not subject to the law of God,                   Thy promises I plead.
neither indeed can be") produces. Here, undoubtedly,
is the explanation of the fact that the seed of the
covenant in the churches are being fed what has been                  I thought upon my ways,
produced by the, carnal minds of unregenerated men.                      Thy testimonies learned;
  Even the reborn Christian, who still has his flesh,                 With earnest haste, and waiting not,
often speaks according to his carnal mind. And there-                    To Thy commands I turned.
fore we must always be so very sure that what we
teach our children, even from the textbooks of these
reborn children of God, actually is what God says.                    While snares beset my path,
  Remember that we often get that other overtone of                      Thy law I keep in view;
this matter as well. Parents have the tragic experience               At midnight I will give Thee praise
that their children begin to take hold of the philos-
ophies of the world and the lies of the false church.                    For all Thy judgments true.
And the answer that they get is, "Teacher said so."
"Our pastor said so" "The Dean of our college, the                    All those who fear Thy Name
chapel speakers, educated men said so." And the "said                    Shall my companions be;
so" of the parent goes into file thirteen!
  Who said so does make a tremendous difference.                      Thy mercy fills the earth, 0 Lord;
And let those then who have the say in teaching the                      Thy statutes teach Thou me.
children of God's kingdom be sure that they are fol-                                     -Psalm 119
lowers (imitators) of God. Let it be so that when the
instructed ask them on what they base their instruc-
tion, they are able to say, "God said so." Then we are
safe: And our children are safe. Then we instruct in His




                       NOTICE

           There will be an Office Bearer's Con-                      RESOLUTION OF SYMPATl3.Y.
       ference January 6, 1970, at 8 P.M. in                  The Martha Society of the  Doon Protestant Re-
       the South East Protestant Reformed                   formed Church hereby expresses its sympathy to two
       Church.                                              of their members, Mrs. Sy Aardema and Mrs. Don
                                                            Aardema in the passing of their husband and father
           Prof. H. Hanko will speak on the                               MR. SIMON AARDEMA.
       subject: "In the light of Article 25 of
       the Church Order,' may we accept gov-                  May the comforting words of II Cor. 5 : 1 - "For we
                                                            know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were
       ernment aid, such as Medicaid or Med-                dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not
       icare?"                                              made with hands, eternal in the heavens," - sustain
                                                            them in their sorrow.
                             John Dykstra, Sec'y
                                                                                          Mr. E. Van Egdom, Pres.
                                                                                            Mrs. C. E. Klein, Sec'y.


 1'44                                               THE STANDARD BEARER



                                   Mews From Our Churches

    Let's start with a couple of requested announcements. First            "Generation Gap? The Federation Board doesn't believe in:
 of all, a bit of news  concerning  our radio broadcast. "The one! Let's see young and old at Hudsonville Church Nov. 23 for
 Program Committee of the Reformed Witness Hour informs us a Singspiration! Bring your enthusiasm along!" That from
 that Rev. John A. Heys will be the speaker on the radio Grand Rapids area bulletins., The only advance information was
 broadcasts beginning the first Sunday of the New Year. Rev. that Mr. Hib Kuiper would be the song leader and that "special
 Heys has prepared a very timely and interesting series of mes- numbers have been planned." The way to find out about those
,sages which should prove of interest to all of the listening special numbers is to go. It happens that this writer didn't. But
 audience. All of our Protestant Reformed Churches, with one from reports, one of the several very  fine numbers was a
 exception (Redlands, California), are geographically located so saxophone solo by Bruce Lubbers, who is fast becoming some-
 that the radio broadcasts can be heard in their areas. Are you thing of a favorite at "special number" time.
 listening? Each Lordys Day?"                                                                       ***
                                 ***
    And then there's a rather mournful note from Mr. John                  Also from Grand Rapids bulletins, an appeal from the Radio
 Faber. "In my LAST Newspage I goofed!" The Missionary trio, Choir. "Members are very urgently needed. Unless the turn-out
 as reported in the Nov. 15 issue, should have included the name is much better this week, we will be forced to permanently
 of Rev. Harbach rather than that of Rev. Engelsma. He says that       disband. This is a final plea for members." Like all good news
 this should convince readers that it's "hi& time I was emer- ::;1 items, this one also has a happy ending  - the  turnGut  was
                                                                      b e t t e r .
 itated." This must have been with tongue-in cheek, of course.-'
 But the new news editor hopes that this column in the future                                       ***
 will be able to measure up to what it's been for the past twelve
 from the pen of J.M.F.                                                    In the absence of Rev. Kortering, who had a three-week
                                 ***                                   classical appointment in Pella, Rev. Veldman preached at Hope
                                                                       Church on Sunday, Nov. 23. At this service it was his happy
    According to one of the speakers at the farewell progrim for privilege to baptize two of his grandchildren!
 Rev. Lubbers, the mission committee is "taken up with" the
 work in Jamaica. It seems that the same could be said about                                        ***
 many others in our churches. The Senior Young People's So-
 ]ciety of First Church in Grand Rapids, for example, sponsored a          Members of Kalamazoo Church must really enjoy their Sun.
 `Thanksgiving Day program centered around the work in Ja- .day bulletins - that is, if the ones I've received thus far are any
 maica. The somewhat disappointingly small, but certainly ap- indication `of what's typical. The .news is interspersed with
 preciative audience was ,treated to vocal solos by Priscilla Bol      quotes from the Standard Bearer, from the Bible, from the
and Arnold Dykstra, and a Thanksgiving Reading by Pat Kamps.           works of Spurgeon, etc. Very interesting!     ..
 Part of the feature  att'raction  was slides of Jamaica by  Mr:                                    **+
 Meulenberg  while Rev. Lubbers himself, by means of a tape sent
 to Grand Rapids, reported on his activities during the first two,         From a couple of Nov. 28 congregational meetings - First
 weeks of his stay on the island. The audience could not help but- Church of Grand Rapids, in its role as calling church, extended
 be impressed with the fact that modern means of communica- the call to Rev. Lubbers to serve as missionary in Jamaica.
 tions can certainly be put to good use by the Church. According' Hudsonville congregation decided against an addition, in the
 to Rev. Lubbers' account, he's having what must be typical form of a south-side wing, to their present church building.
 problems with red tape in his attempt to get possession of the                                     ***
 clothing sent by Southwest Church..He also said that he misses
 his congregation and family and friends, but is experiencing              Some more news just in from the Jamaican front, thanks to
 God's richest blessing, and asks for our continued prayers. The Mr. H. Meulenberg with whom Rev. Lubbers corresponds reg-
 collection taken at this program will be used to help alleviate       ularly. Rev. Lubbers did not waste any time in purchasing a car
 the travelling expenses incurred by the Jamaican ministers.           with which to travel from church to church while on the island.
                                 ***                                   He also bought the bare necessities to furnish the house on
                                                                       Garadet Terrace which will be "home" to the Lubbers for the
    The following from a reader in .B&ish Columbia to Rev. next couple months. He writes that the sun shines every day.
 Woudenberg: "Thank you kindly for the tapes and the study And the temperature is "not bad" - 80 degrees in the morning.
 outlines that I have been receiving from you. . . . This part of In Michigan, at least, that sounds pretty good. He experiences
 the country is going into a spiritual drought. Please keep up the some troubles, of course, but he writes, "the Lord brought us
 good work and may the Lord keep on blessing you and your here; we are people of one day at a time, so we will see what the
 ministry." Incidentally, Rev. youdenberg has recently declined Lord has in store for us." He mentioned, by the way, that he
 the call extended to him from our church in Hull, Iowa.               had not heard from home yet. Note the new address:
                            ***                                                           General Delivery
    From Doon's  bulletin we learn that the consistory of that                            White Sands Post Office
 church has placed the following on trio: Revs. C. Hanko, H.                              Montego Bay
 Veldman, and D. Kuiper.                                                                  Jamaica, W.I.                       D.R.D.


