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                                                ._    Volume XL VII/Number 2 / October 15,197O
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     26                                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



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     Meditation
                                                     The Two  Ways
                                                                      Rev. M. Schipper

                  "For the Lord knoweth th-e way of the righteous: But the way of the ungodly shall perish."
                                                                                                                                      Psalm  1.6  -

           Two ways there are!                                                     knew of no third alternative.
           The way of the righteous!                                                   At the same time, while the ways are clearly  dis-
           The way of the ungodly!                                                 tinguished, all men who walk on these ways are also
           A third way there is not! It is always either the way clearly marked and separated into two classifications.
     of the righteous, or it is the way of the ungodly! As They are either the righteous or the wicked. And again,
     Jesus said it: there is a.broad way that leads to destruc- there is no third classification.
     tion, and a narrow way which leads unto life. He also                             And blessed is he who walks, not on the way of the


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  27



ungodly, but on the way of the righteous. For the way cation, without which no man shall see God. Under the
of the ungodly perishes. But Jehovah knows the way direction of the will of God they walk. O,, indeed, they
of the righteous, and therefore the righteous who walk will confess that they have but a small beginning of
in the way He knows are blessed. The truth of our text new obedience, yet a new direction is manifest in all
is just that simple.                                       their walk. That new direction  .is seen outwardly as
   Consider those two ways!                                they live in the midst of the world. Once they were
   The term "way" is figurative, of course. It pictures    friends of the world, seeking the things which are be-
to us the life of a man as he lives it in the present      low, and glorying in those things which satisfy their
world. Into that world he is born, and in that world he flesh. But now it is different. They are, because they
walks in a certain direction, and unto a certain destina- are righteous, strangers in the world and to that world.      -
tion. Man is as a traveler who starts off from a certain They seek the things which are above. They look for
beginning point, but with a view to a certain end. And the city which has foundations. And because they are
all that he experiences between these two points is strangers they are hated and despised by the world and
called his way. The text proceeds from the idea that killed all the day long. They walk,. not in the counsel
every man is on such a way. Unavoidably and unmis- of the ungodly, nor do, they stand in the way of sin-
takably each one is traveling on his way.                  ners, no do they sit in the seat of the scornful; but
   Though it is true, as was already suggested, every their delight is in the law of the Lord.
way has a certain destination and comes to an end,           The way of the ungodly is quite different!
nevertheless the text does not expressly have in mind        The ungodly is the natural man, whose mind is en-
the end, but the present way. It is the way either of mity against God. He is without God in the world. 0,
the righteous, or the way of the ungodly as they are this cannot mean that he does not know God, or that
traveling on their respective ways in the midst of the he is wholly unaware that God is. God has not left
world.                                                     Himself without witness. The ungodly knows that
   We may think of these ways, of both the righteous God is and that He must be served and thanked, for He
and the ungodly, from two points of view. We may has the work of the law written in his heart. But in his
conceive of them as being the spiritual-moral choice of darkness and depravity he says: No God! He declares
both the righteous and the ungodly. And we may con- that he will have nothing to do with God. He hates
ceive of them both from the point of view of the God and His commandments, and there is no fear of
eternal counsel of God, and as He works out that coun-. God before his eyes. His real lord and master is the
se1 in history. He ordains and plans the way, and he prince of darkness and his will he chooses to perform.
directs each one on his respective way.                    He is a slave of sin. And he delights to sit in the coun-
   The way of the righteous!                               sel of the wicked, in the seat of the scorners. He moves
   That is, the way of the people of God! Righteous on his way, motivated by the principle of sin and
are they in a two-fold sense. In the first place, juri- death. He revels in sin and corruption, and his delight
dically. Righteous they were from all eternity in the is in the things that please his carnal nature.
counsel of election, when God gave them to Christ to         Be not deceived by the philsophy that would have
be justified by Him. Righteous they are made to be you believe that out of this classification of the un-
through the perfect obedience of their Redeemer, godly another class may be formed that are more re-
through His death and resurrection. Righteous they be- fined, that are able to do good, that merit the favor of
come through the gift of faith which, as a living bond, God. Such philosophy finds no support in our text,
unites them to their justified and glorified Redeemer. nor in all of the Word of God. Though one may appear
In one word, they are declared to be and they really to be civilized and refined, if he has no real sorrow for
are, right with God. They stand, according to His judg- sin before God, he is ungodly. Though he be one who
ments of them, in perfect harmony with His will, and makes great sacrifices for the material support of his
without any guilt. In the second place, they are also fellow-man, if he has not the love of God in his heart,
righteous in the spiritual-ethical sense of that term. he is ungodly. Though he be imbued with all the cul-
Whom God justifies He also sanctifies, and will also ture of Athens, if he fears not God, he is ungodly.
glorify. None can claim to have part in justification Though his eyes stick out with fatness, and he have
without also in principle having part in sanctification. more than heart could wish; if he does not serve God
The second has its ground, and is therefore the fruit of with it all, he is ungodly.
the first.                                                   The way of the ungodly perishes!
   The  .Word of God in our text undoubtedly has in          Notice, that the text does not say that the ungodly
mind these latter when it speaks of the righteous. They shall perish. This is implied of course. All the ungodly
have received a new principle of life. They walk in a shall be destroyed. But the text says: the way of the
new way through this world. Outwardly they walk ac- ungodly shall perish. And this cannot mean only that
cording to God's holy law. Inwardly they walk by the the way on which the ungodly walk will ultimately be
choice of a new heart. And this is the way of sanctifi- destroyed, but it is always in the process of perishing.


28.                                              THE STANDARD BEARER


The ungodly walk on a way that is perishing. And why their way because His eye of love is always upon~them.
is this so? Precisely because there is no grace of God on Secondly, He knows their way because He determined
the way of the ungodly.                                         it for them. He knows the end of the way of the right-
       Contrary to the conception which would have you eous, and all the steps to that end, for He decreed
believe that God is favorably inclined to the ungodly in them. He knows the way and ordains that all shall
this world, and that He showers upon the ungodly His work for good to them who walk on it. He knows the
grace that is common to all, the truth is that the way way of the righteous because He prepared it for them,
of `the ungodly perishes because on that way is the and He gives them grace to walk on it.
constant revelation of Jehovah's burning wrath. And               Blessed are the righteous who walk on that way!
all that the Lord gives to the ungodly on that way is             Blessed are they now and unto all eternity! Their
given with a view to the fact that he shall be destroyed        way never perishes, and they never perish on their
forever. The rain and the sunshine, the abundance of way!
material prosperity, what he eats and he drinks - it is a         Blessed are the righteous as they walk on their way!
curse unto him. The very way on which he walks is the Even though it be a way that leads them through'suf-
way of the curse, and the wrath of God abides on him            fering and distress. Always on their way they taste
as he walks in that way.                                        God's favor, which is more than life itself. Nor do they
       Terrible doctrine, you say? Not as terrible as the ever have to fear, even when their way leads them
doctrine `which would have you believe that God is              through the valley of the shadow of death. Nor should
gracious to the ungodly for a time, but in spite of it all they ever, as their fellow-traveler Asaph did, become
at last He will destroy them. What a cruel doctrine that jealous of the way of the ungodly.
is! What a terrible doctrine that is that would make the          Only a little while, seventy, and if they be very
unchangeable Jehovah to change in His attitude to the           strong, eighty years, and their traveling days are over.
ungodly. With such a doctrine you lose the God of the           Then shall they exchange their pilgrim staff for a palm
Scriptures - that is terrible! With such a doctrine God         branch, and their helmet for the crown of life.
becomes an idol - and that is terrible! But this is the           Of this hope and assurance they are certain, because
Word of God, that the way of the ungodly shall perish.          they have their eye of faith fixed on their Redeemer,
And the ungodly also perish, because on his way he              Who walked their way before them. That's how He
receives no grace. Deny this, and you reply against God knew their way  - He walked that way as the God of
and His Word.                                                   their salvation before them. That way led Him to the
       The way of the righteous, on the other hand, Jeho- cross and to death, where He was despised and for-
vah knows!                                                      saken. But because God knew the way of THE Right-
       That means, first of all, that He loves his way. That    eous, His way took Him to heaven and the crown. And
is always the implication of God's knowledge in Scrip- the righteous, bearing His cross after them, and keep.-
ture when it is directed to the righteous. God knows            ing their eye of faith fixed upon Him, share in His
the way of the righteous in love as He sees His people          glory.
in Christ, even as their way leads through suffering and          Blessed righteous!
sorrow, strife and persecution. He loves their way as it          Blessed Lord, Who knows their way!
leads to repentance, confession, and prayer. He knows


Editorials

                Publication News - The Triple Knowledge

                                                  PVOJ: H. C. Hoeksema

       The first volume of The Triple Knowledge is on the       purchase the entire 3-volume set for $22.50. This is a
way !                                                           real bargain! The original IO-volume set, which we are
       Enclosed with this issue is an order-envelope for        now reprinting in 3 volumes, sold for $2.50 to $3.00
your convenience in taking advantage of the  pre-               per volume. You can obtain the whole set for $22.50! 1
publication reduced price. Here are the details. Each of -This new edition will be entirely corrected,  un-
the three volumes of this set will sell for $8.95 when          abridged, and printed in a handier, more readable, high
published. When the set is complete, it will sell for           quality 3 volumes. And publication plans call for the
$24.95 per set. But in this pre-publication sale you can        whole set to be complete in one year.


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                     29


   There is only one hitch. To take advantage of this chism!
bargain, you must order and pay for the entire set                  True, many of our people purchased this work when
before Thanksgiving Day. You can, of  course:, order it was first published. But many of the younger genera-
jpst the one volume at the full price of $8.95, and then tion do not have it, and they could not get it because
purchase the others as they are published.                       parts were out of print. Now this treasury of  instruc-
   What is the value of this set? It is not only a com- tion is being made available again. Take advantage of
plete explanation of the Heidelberg Catechism, but it is this opportunity.
a clear and simply written exposition of the whole of               Yes, there is one more advantage in this  pre-
Reformed doctrine and of many passages of Scripture. publication sale. This is an advantage for the R.F.P.A.
When completed, this set will contain more than 2100 Publications Committee. Our printing of these books is
pages of valuable instruction and reference material! dependent upon our sale of books. Your purchase of
What a treasure for yourselves, your families, your chil- this new volume, or, better yet, of the whole set in
dren. What a useful tool in studying for societies, in advance, will help to finance the printing of the next
finding answers to questions,  ih preparing for  cate- volumes. Help the good cause along!



          Convocation Address: love Jehovah Your God!

                    [NOTE: The following address was delivered on the occasion of the beginning of the
                    new  term  at the Theological School of the Protestant Reformed Churches, at "Sem-
                    inary Night," Sept. 9, at our Hope Protestant Reformed Church. For the convenience
                    of our `readers, we also quote the Scripture passage referred to, which was read at this
                    convocation.]

           Deuteronomy 13 : l-5
              "lf there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a
           wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let
           us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not
           hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God
           proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
           your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and Fear Him, and keep His command-
           ments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him. And that prophet,
           or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away
          from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you
           out  of  the house of bondage, to thrust thee out  of-  the way which the Lord thy God
           commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. "

Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ:                                Christ, between faithfulness to the confessions and the
  These remarks based on Deuteronomy 13, especially              Word of Christ, between the battle of the church, the
verses l-5, I address particularly to the student body           battle for the truth, and obedience to the calling and
with you who are present at this gathering as witnesses,         mission of the church in the midst of the world. Most
although all of us may well benefit from and heed                seminaries today do not only heed that loud hue and
them with respect to the calling and life of the church          cry, but they also take the lead in sounding it, both to
today.                                                           the church round about them in which they serve and
  There is a great hue and cry going up today - also in          to the students whom they are supposedly training for
the Reformed community  - that the church must re-               the gospel ministry.
vamp her structures, reform her theological expres-                 We are different! And that difference is a calculated
sions, rechannel her resources. It is a cry against theo-        and intentional difference. And it is a basic difference.
logical and confessional orthodoxy, A cry, it is, not to         And - what I especially wish to lay upon your hearts
be concerned any longer with the purity of the church,           as we begin this school term  - that difference is a
and a cry to do away with the institutional stability of spiritual difference. The heart of the Word of God in
the church. At the basis of that general hue and cry is a        this passage which speaks of lying prophets and their
disjunction, a separation, a false contrast between              lying signs and wonders is: Love Jehovah your God,
theological orthodoxy and subjection to the Lord                 and abstain from the service of other gods! Here you


30                                              THE STANDARD BEARER



have expressed the deepest spiritual principle with attention to the one fundamental implication which evi-
respect to all theology: it is either the service of the dently has the emphasis in this passage, namely, that
Lord your God, or it is the service of other gods and false prophets are characterized by this, that they con-
the temptation away from the service of the Lord your tradict the Word of God. This is the main point here.
God.                                                              Of course, such false prophets do not bluntly say in
      This passage speaks of prophets. A prophet, in so many words, "Let us serve other gods." This would
general, was one who claimed to speak and to-teach never be successful. But they garb their teaching in
the truth, to reveal to the people the will of God. With pious form, in religious form, in prophetic form, appar-
regard to such prophets, there were three possibilities. ently in revelatory, Biblical form. They claim, "We also
The first is that of the true prophet. He was one who are prophets. We also speak the will of God!" How-
spoke in harmony with Moses, that is, in harmony with ever, if what they say is tested by the revealed will of
the revealed will of God, the Scriptures, and who God, by the Word of God  - which is, after all, the
therefore would furnish signs and would speak things only ultimate test  - their teachings are found to be
that would follow and come to pass. The second possi- contradictory of that Word of God. And then, though
bility was that of the false prophet who would pre- it may seem to be pious - though, we would say today,
sume to speak a word in the name of the Lord, but though it may seem to sound Christian and evangelical
whose word would not come to pass nor follow, Deut- - you can briefly characterize it as coming down to
eronomy 18: 18-22. And the third possibility was that this: "Let us go after other gods." This is the central
of the false prophet who might have. signs and won- contents of all such false prophecy and false teaching.
ders, even signs and wonders which come to pass, but In this you have expressed the central purpose of it.
who directly contradicted Moses, that is, contradicted And in this you have expressed the ultimate outcome
the revealed Word of God. He was a lying prophet with and end of all that heed such teaching: they follow
lying wonders.                                                 after other gods! Or, to put it in up-to-date terminol-
      It is about that last, the lying prophet with lying ogy: here you have expressed the central contents, the
wonders, that Deuteronomy 13 speaks.                           central purpose, and the outcome of all false theology:
      And we must not miss the point with respect to these in the deepest sense it is characterized by saying, "Let
signs and wonders. The text says that such a prophet us go after other gods, which thou hast not known,
or dreamer of dreams gives a sign or a wonder; and the and let us serve them."
sign or the wonder whereof such a prophet spoke                   This is historically true.
would come to pass! A sign is the prediction of a fu-             It was true among Israel. Their history is full of
ture event or a remarkable event which comes to pass. examples of such false prophets. Sometimes the test of
And a wonder, closely related to the idea of a sign, is Deuteronomy 18 could be applied to them: the things
some mighty work performed by such a prophet. But which they spoke, their signs and wonders, failed to
the point is that these were proper  credentials  of a come to pass. Then it was fairly simple. But it is evi-
prophet. This is according to Scripture itself in Deuter- dent from this passage that sometimes the power of
onomy 18. Such signs and wonders apparently testified darkness works lying wonders and mighty works. The
that here was a genuine prophet, testified that God was passage speaks of a prophet who gives a sign or a won-
with him.                                                      der, and the sign or wonder comes to pass. God allows
      But the testimony of his credentials was only an it and so directs things that their signs and wonders are
apparent  testimony!                                           realized.
      For the prophet spoken of in this passage is evident-      And thus it has been also in the history of the new
ly a lying prophet. He employed his signs and wonders dispensation. There has been and still is the lie of
in support of and to lend credibility to the he. And Roman Catholicism, for example. How often it has
notice the lie.: "Let us go after other gods, which thou been confirmed by lying signs and wonders! Or there is
hast not known, and let us serve them." Now that the lie of spiritualism, or the lie of Pentacostolism `or
strikes at the very heart of all the Mosaic revelation, so-called neo-Pentacostolism : confirmed by lying signs
that is, at the very heart of the whole divine revelation and wonders! There is the lie of modernism and its
through Moses  - and remember, that means at the contradiction of the Word of God. It teaches that Jesus
very heart of the whole of the Word of God: for the Christ is not come in the flesh. He is a noble man, and
Word of God is one! The heart of that revelation is this He is a great teacher; but He is not the Son of God
as to its deepest spiritual, ethical principle: "Thou incarnate. In particular there has been in our century,
shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart and and there is today with renewed emphasis and with
soul. Thou shalt walk after the Lord your God, and fear greater insidiousness than ever before, the lie of the
him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, social gospellers - a lie which is propagated increas-.
and thou shalt serve him, and cleave unto him."                ingly in the Reformed community also. (In paren-
      Now there are several inferences which may cor- theses, let me remark that I think it a mistake to charac-
rectly be drawn from this statement. But I call your terize it as emphasizing the horizontal aspect of faith


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   31


more strongly than the vertical; that is, after all, only a approach the church with these, - all this is according
relative difference. Besides, it involves a false disjunc- to His sovereign counsel and providence. This is the
tion again.) But it comes with the gospel that we must implication of the statement, "for the Lord your God
improve the world and try to make it into a kingdom of proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your
God. We must bring about renewal in society; we must God. . . ."
proclaim social reconciliation. And we can do it, they       Briefly, the Lord's proving of His people includes
say! Look at all our mighty works! Look how we can three things. In the first place, to prove is to apply a
cast out devils  - the devil of war and the devil of test by which to detect and to distinguish the genuine
racism and the devil of poverty! Look how we can and true from the false. In the second place, to prove is
subdue the powers of nature and of the universe! We to sift, to separate the true from the false, and thus to
have the credentials! There is reason to believe us! And purify. And, in the third place, to prove has its purpose
there are many taking up that hue and cry today. The and result in causing the true and the genuine to ap-
church must forget its preoccupation with orthodoxy pear more clearly and more gloriously. Here this idea is
and with purity and with isolation and safety and insti- applied to God's people, to Israel, that is, to the
tutional structure and must become open to the whole church as it appears in the midst of the world.
world! Let us go after other gods!                           But notice a very striking fact here, one which
  Moreover, Scripture emphasizes that in the latter should speak to us very loudly.
days this very phenomenon will be emphasized. Did            The viewpoint of this proving is not that of knowl-
not our Lord say, Matthew  24:24: "For there shall edge. You might expect that it would be exactly this
arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew question of knowledge of the Word of God, knowledge
great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were pos- of the truth. When the -question is one of recognizing
sible, they shall deceive the very elect?" And is not the and detecting errors, one of not heeding lying proph-
Man of Sin described in II Thessalonians  2:9, 10 in ets, when the issue is that of a doctrine contradictory
these words, "whose coming is after the working of to the Word of God, would not the test be one of
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and knowledge? Would you not almost expect the text to
with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that say here: "for the Lord your God proveth you to know
perish?" And is not the second beast described in Rev- whether ye know His revelation, His Word and His
elation 13: 13, ff, as doing great wonders and deceiving commandments?" But this is not the case. This is not
them that dwell on the earth by miracles which he had because such knowledge is not necessary  - in fact,
power to do in the sight of the beast? And notice, with indispensable. It is, indeed, necessary. In order to de-
respect to all these passages, that the central character- tect and to ward off lying prophets and their lies it is
istic of these false prophets is the same as in Deuter- important to be founded in the knowledge of the truth
onomy 13: they contradict the Scriptures and say, over against false prophets. In fact, all other things
"Let us serve other gods!"                                being equal, he who is most thoroughly founded in the
   It is in this context - I propose - that we must view truth of the Word of God is best capable of detecting
theology and the matter of right and wrong,theology, and warding off the attacks of enemies of the truth.
and, along with that, the whole matter of training in But this is rather assumed here. It is assumed that they
right or wrong theology, or, if you will, the right or know the Lord God, that they have heard His voice,
wrong training and preparation for the ministry of the that they have been taught His Word, His command-
gospel. It is exactly as serious and fundamental as that. ments.
Either: "Let us love and serve Jehovah our God - and         No, the viewpoint of this proving is a deeper one, a
that is the God Who has revealed Himself, the God of spiritual one. It is the viewpoint of  the love of God!
the Scriptures!" Or: "Let us go after other gods  - That emphasizes not that there is a disjunction be-
contrary to those Scriptures!" A third possibility there tween knowledge and love, between orthodoxy and
is not. And this is, in deepest essence, what your work love, between right theology and love. It emphasizes
in the seminary and your preparation for the ministry rather that in the deepest sense of the word the ques-
is all about.                                             tion is a spiritual one. It is not one of the head, but of
  But there is more.                                      the heart. It is not one of knowledge, but of principle.
  Notice that this passage teaches plainly that the From that point of view, you see, you can be, so to
Lord our God has His purpose with these lying speak, two hundred per cent orthodox; but ultimately
prophets and their lying wonders. He is sovereign, re- you will go away on some occasion after other gods,
member. He is sovereign not merely in the sense that after false doctrine - for whatever may be the reason.
He is confronted by the phenomenon of these lying For if the love of God is in our hearts, we will not
prophets and that He is able to use them and foil them. serve other gods. If the love of God is in our hearts, we
But He is in sovereign control in the complete sense. will reject all doctrine militating against the Word of
That they are there, and that they are lying prophets, God. And if we do follow after false prophets and false
and that they give signs and wonders, and that they teachers, it is in the deepest sense because the love of


32                                              THE STANDARD BEARER



God is not in our hearts.                                      tion of the false prophet. In Israel such a man had to
      In other words, right doctrine and following after be killed! That was due, of course, to the  national-
the truth and faithfulness in our confession is in its theocratic form of the church. And there might be no
deepest spiritual essence a question of the love of God! mercy and no reprieve, whether the false prophet was a
This is the perspective which we must never lose in all stranger or your closest friend or relative! That has been
our theology! And this must be the motivation to characterized as cruel and hard and contrary to the
move us to labor faithfully and diligently according to spirit of the New Testament by some. This only arises
the ability which God gives us!                                from false and wicked sentiment. For would not such a
      In this attitude of the love of God, it is plain what false prophet bring upon Israel all the terrible curses of
our attitude must be. We must apply the Word of God. Deuteronomy 28? Was not such a false prophet a cruel
Here the test is not that of signs and wonders. They and wicked murderer of soul and body? Was he not an
may be lying signs and wonders, which are used to enemy of God? It was the true love of God and true
confirm the lie. That, therefore, cannot be the final mercy toward God's people to kill such a one!
criterion. But the criterion is that of the Word of God,         And our attitude must be the same in the dispensa-
His revelation. This test is infallible, and dependable. tion. No, we do not kill: for the church does not bear
And it is clear and perspicuous, within the reach of all the sword in the new dispensation. But we must con-
God's people. Hence, if anything is in harmony with sider such a one an enemy, not a friend. We must
the Word of God, cling to it, seek it with all your consider him a most dangerous and destructive agent in
heart, follow it  - even though all things seem to be the church. We must have no fellowship with such. We
against it. And if anything is not in harmony with that must receive him not in our houses, nor bid him God-
Word- of God, then, for the sake of the love of God, as speed.
surely as you love Jehovah your God, reject it - even            For the Lord your God proves you by him, that you
though all the mighty works and lying wonders are in should love the Lord your God, and keep yourselves
favor of it. For it leads you to other gods!                   from idols!
      And our attitude must be one, too, of resolute rejec-


AEZ Around Us

                             Mclntire and Ky  - A Wicked Alliance
                                       Joshua's  Lsng Day Again
                               The A.A.C.S. and Christian Schools

                                                    ProJ: H Han ko

MCINTIRE AND KY-A WICKED ALLIANCE                              alarm is not quite clear. Some were alarmed at the fact
      Anyone who has read the daily newspapers the last that the protest demonstration of the anti-war move-
couple of weeks has noted that Dr. Carl McIntire has ment would lead to violence. These wanted Ky to stay
received publicity in the national press which goes be- home ostensibly because this would prevent a danger-
yond anything he has heretofore received. This public- ous confrontation in Washington. Others, chiefly legis-
ity is due to the fact that McIntire invited  Vice- lators, were themselves part of the peace movement.
president Ky from the Saigon government in Viet Nam Others thought the presence of My would stir up the
to attend and speak at his March For Victory Rally radicals to renew their vicious protests against the Viet
scheduled for October 3.                                       Nam war. Others thought that Ky was too much of a
      From the outset it was quite plain that, although "hawk" and would torpedo Nixon's plans to take
McIntire considered this a coup of no mean import- American troops out of Viet Nam. Whatever the rea-
ance, there were many in this country who were sons may have been, there was a lot of opposition to
alarmed. All those who are a part of the anti-war war McIntire's  plan.
movement were so alarmed that they planned an ex-                McIntire was very proud of his coup and filled the
tensive demonstration in Washington to protest Ky's pages of his  C?wistian  Beacon with stories about the
presence in this country. But many in the government importance of this coming event. He told again and
were also alarmed. The reason for the government's again of his own trip to Saigon to be assured that Ky


                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                               33


would come even though pressure was being put on Jehospaphat when he made alliances with the kings
him to stay at home.                                            of Israel against foreign invaders. "Shouldest thou
  The news has just come out that Ky has changed his help the ungodly, and love them that hate the
mind on speaking at McIntire's rally and has decided Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the
that it would be best for him to make himself scarce Lord." These were the words of Jehu to Jehosaphat in
for the time being. That this decision was forced upon II Chron.  19:2. McIntire would do well to read and
him by high officials in the government is clear re-read these words and ponder them carefully. Per-
enough.                                                         haps it will lead him to divorce himself from his in-
Newsweek writes:                                                volvement in politics.
       The decision to urge South Vietnam's Vice Presi-
    dent Ky to cancel his U.S. visit (for speeches at right-    JOSHUA'S LONG DAY AGAIN
    wing, win-the-war rallies) came from Richard Nixon.           Our readers will recall that some time ago we dis-
    Before Presidential aide Henry Kissinger took off for       cussed in these columns a paper which was widely dis-
    Paris to see Ky, one Cabinet officer confided to his        tributed by a certain Mr. Harold Hill in which he told
    staff that the South Vietnamese `official would not         of some space scientists who were checking the posi-
    come. How did he know? "The president told me."             tion of the sun, moon and planets to determine their
  McIntire was quite naturally disappointed and relative positions in the future. He told of how, in
blames it all on the fact that this country is soft on tracing backwards, a missing day was discovered and
communism and is intent on hushing, even through the how the mystery was solved by references to the day
use of force, the voices of those who are fighting the in which Joshua commanded the sun and moon to
good fight against communist aggression.                        stand still and the backward movement of the sun dial
  All of the politics in these events is not of a great in the days of Hezekiah. This was all presented as
deal of concern to us. What does concern us very much proof for the veracity of Scripture.
is the fact that McIntire could get involved in a mess            At the time we wrote about this, we pointed out
such as-this. How is it possible for one who claims to that it was just possible that the whole story might
be a defender of Scripture and a battler for the truth prove a hoax; and that, in any event, believers must
to ally himself with a man such as Ky? After all, Ky is not base their faith in the veracity of the Scriptures on
a man `who has a reputation for what is called euphe- any scientific proof.
mistically "fast living". Whatever may be the truth or            Although the original article by Mr. Hill was widely
falsity of any charges of gross sin brought against Ky, circulated and although many Christians hailed it as a
there is not one who will attempt to defend the propo- vindication of the Scriptures, it now appears that our
sition that he is a Christian. He is, as far as his religion is doubts about the article were well-founded. Some in-
concerned, a Buddhist - although most in the Saigon vestigation has been done by people who wrote direct-
government are Roman Catholic. He is, as far as his ly to Mr. Hill and by others who contacted the space
personal morality is concerned, anything but a Chris- scientists who were supposed to have made the original
tian. And yet, because it suits McIntire's campaign to discovery. The results of this investigation are as fol-
win the war, he is willing to join forces with an un- lows:
godly man.
  This is especially painful and evil because McIntire            1) The space scientists in Baltimore Maryland who
himself has repeatedly castigated liberals for joining were supposed to have been involved have no knowl-
with unbelievers, evangelicals for joining with liberals, edge of the whole thing and are not acquainted with
and all for refusing to be "separatist". Especially evan- anyone by the name of Mr. Hill.
gelicals have drawn fire from him, including Billy                2) The story itself is not new. An almost identical
Graham, for making common cause with ungodly men. story appeared as early as 1936 and was told in a book
But now suddenly McIntire is willing to share his plat- by Harry Rimmer entitled "The Harmony of Science
form with this wicked man because Ky happens to and Scripture." Bernard Ramm, in a book he wrote
agree with him on the need for total victory in Viet- entitled "The Christian View of Science and Scripture"
nam. There is a measuring with two measures here repeats this same story, but specifically repudiates it.
which is hypocritical in the extreme and which casts
grave suspicions on McIntire's sincerity in his battle for        3) Correspondence addressed to Mr. Hill, and his
the right.                                                      answers, some of which I have seen, produced no re-
  This is, no doubt, the result of McIntire's constant sults. Mr. Hill simply spoke of a newspaper article
mixing of religion and politics. We have pointed out in which concerned another matter, documentation
other articles how wrong it is to mix in such an unholy which he had mislaid and a personal testimony of his
alliance the defense of the faith with political battles "own experience in meeting God personally a few
and to identify the battle of faith with any earthly years ago."
struggle between governments. Here is the result                  All of this leads to the conclusion that Mr. Hill sim-
of such error. It was against this sin that God warned ply repeated a story he had heard and which had no


34.                                                      THE STANDARD BEARER


basis in fact. It ought to serve as a warning not to make                 The new reformational movement  - in applying
the truth of God's Word dependent upon such scientif-                   the philosophy of the law spheres  - differs on this
ic evidence. The Word of God stands in its own right.                   point, in that it maintains that the school belongs to
Its authority is rooted in its own divine origin. It needs              the community of the teachers. Not the school build-
no human props to substantiate its truth. The simple                    ing but the curriculum, the whole forming of the
fact remains that the unbeliever will never accept the                  child, the entire education is a responsibility of this
Scriptures no matter what "proof" is offered in sup-                    community of teachers, who are responsible to God
                                                                        as Christians, but who are not responsible to the
port of it. Unbelief is not a matter of ignorance, is not               parents.
rooted in lack of sufficient proof, is not to be ex-                      This point especially has become a bone of con-
plained in any other way than a deeply rooted hatred                    tention, and it has become a difficult point for many
of God. The fault is a spiritual fault. What Abraham                    parents that this view of the community of teachers is
told the rich man in hell remains true for all time:                    being forced upon them. Some are so concerned
"They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear                        about it that they foresee the end of the Christian
them. If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither                  schools in Canada and America if this viewpoint
will they be persuaded though one rose from the                         would be generally accepted.
dead." Luke 16:29,3 1.                                                    Another point is that of the instituted church.
       As for the people of God, they bow in humble sub-                Among Reformed Christians there always has been
mission before the Scriptures, receiving them as God's                  agreement (and the confessional standards speak)
Word. This is sufficient for them.                                      about the unique character of the instituted church.
                                                                        Its offices were considered as instituted by the Lord,
THE A.A.C.S. AND CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS                                      different from any other organization and from any
       Some time ago we wrote a brief article concerning                other office. In the church function the means of
the position of the A.A.C.S. on Christian Schools. The                  grace, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, as nowhere
A.A.C.S. is the Association for the Advancement of                      else. But now we get the impression that by this new
Christian Studies. It is the movement, the main                         reformational movement the church is sometimes
strength of which is in Canada, which is attempting to                  criticized in an undue manner. Probably as a result of
                                                                        the philosophy of  the law spheres the church is
establish a Christian University in Toronto. We have                    placed on the same level as other organizations, as all
been, in the past, critical of the writings which some of               branches of the same tree, and other offices are
the leaders of this movement have produced; and we                      granted the same character as the special offices in-
criticized their position on Christian Schools as being a               stituted by the Lord and  His apostles. Many fear that
denial of parental and covenantal schools, a denial of                  such criticism and these theories  will undermine the
the office of all believers and a denial of the impor-                  church to a dangerous point.
tance of the church institute.                                        While the criticism made here is extremely mild, we
  We were recently happy to read that an editorial in               are happy to hear that there are those who are alarmed
Calvinist-Contract had the same criticism. In a rather              by these recent trends in the A.A.C.S. It is somewhat
lengthy editorial, this newspaper had several pointed               deceptive that the leaders of this movement, both in
criticisms of the  A.A.C$. Among these we read the Canada and in Trinity College, speak of the fact that
following:                                                          they are the true warriors against the liberalism ram-
          Take for instance the matter of Christian schools.        pant in the Church and the humanism which dom-
        For years it has been maintained that the Christian         inates the thinking of the Church; that they are intent
        schools are parent-controlled, which means not only         upon bringing the Church back to "reformational
        that the parents own the school-building, but also          thinking." All the while, (and Calvinist-Contact is un-
        that. they decide on the curriculum. This opinion was       doubtedly correct in tracing this back to the irifluence
        based on the conviction that it is the parents' respon-     of Dooyeweerdian philosophy) they are undermining
        sibility that their children are christianly educated,
        which means that the school is a complement to the          fundamental principles of the Reformed faith. The end
        home. With all due respect to the teachers, they are in     result of such work will be the same liberalism and
        fact assistants to the parents in the execution of their    humanism against which these men repeatedly inveigh.
        task to educate their children.




             REFORMATION RALLY  - OCTOBER 30  ,- 1st CHURCH


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   35



Studies in Election

                        Election - Introductory Remarks
                                                Rev. Robt. C. Harbach

  No truth suffers more the attack of man's natural           ing, planning or action. It has often been said, and let
hatred, enmity and opposition than the truth of elec- us keep saying it, that God is God, and over against
tion. It has its foes both in the house of its friends and    Him man is nothing and less than nothing. God is al-
in the doubting castle of those who know the least            ways first. His counsel is always first. None can be His
about it. It is denied both by those formally acquaint- counsellor.  He is before all things. His counsel is before
ed with its mysteries, and by others never having made        creation, before man, before the fall. An architect has
it the object of fair investigation. It is held down in his own plans in mind before he draws them up. They
unrighteousness both by the master of Israel and by originate in his mind before they materialize on paper.
the hewer of wood or drawer of water. Where evident He, naturally, draws his plans before he begins to
in the young, it is castigated as youthful dotings in build. Yet how inadequately this illustrates the high
imagined  theologies.  The aged one holding it is put         and mighty Architect of the universe whose counsel is
down as a case of religious paranoia. Yet there is al- no dead, mechanical blue-print, but the eternal, sov-
ways a remnant according to the election of grace,            ereign, living will of the living God. According to His
where hearts are opened to the truth, prejudices              own will He has foreordained whatsoever comes to
against it removed, and grace obtained to give diligence      pass before the creation of the universe. From all eter-
to make calling and election sure.                            nity He has determined all things in the secret counsel
  This great truth is very ancient. It validly boasts an      of His eternal purpose. Yet this secret counsel He has
antiquity greater than that of the historical church or not kept, causing it to remain a secret, but has revealed
the preached gospel. For it is eternal election, the rev- it in His own Word of grace. There revealed is His
elation of God's mind. Yet, for all its antiquity, it is eternal purpose, the end of which He has purposed,
not some strange, out-dated oddity buried under the together with all the means ordained to that end.
ruins of decadent civilizations now only a piece of pet-       A building in the process of construction may often
rified traditionalism. It is transcendent above all time seem to resemble a shambles, its hideous array, almost
and history, and is alone interpretive of space, time         as rubble, obscured with an equal, or only slightly less
and history. Therefore, all truth, no less this one, must     hideous scaffolding, in all, so far, revealing no order
be examined, reviewed, loved for its own sake, main- nor design. In fact, to begin with, there is much more
tained, evaluated and seen to be as relevant to the           design apparent in the scaffolding than in the building.
times as tomorrow's newspaper.                                Most spectators are content to gape at the, to them,
  This is a fundamental truth. It is a fundamental of meaningless disarray of stone and steel. Rarely have
the Christian faith, as essential and indispensable ele- they the curiosity, much less the interest, to obtain a
ment of the faith. Strange, then, it is that they who         view of the master plan, which would furnish them
call themselves Fundamentalists, and pride themselves with an immediate insight to the finished edifice. Then
in being great defenders of the faith, do not have a          they, seeing the end from the beginning, would have
place, among their fundamentals, for this basic funda- that which so mystified them made plain. It follows,
mental, the doctrine of election. Yet not so strange is       similarly, with a knowledge of God's eternal counsel.
it when we consider that Fundamentalists are, almost Ignorance of the decree of God will render history to
to a man, doctrinally and practically Arminian. That is       the understanding of a man an insoluble riddle. The
what makes a man an outspoken or tacit enemy of this basic question to the issue at hand is whether God
truth. The best theologians and instructors in Reforma- works all things according to the counsel of His own
tion truth, which is the only genuine biblical truth,         Chill, or whether He is often governed by chance;
have always begun their systematic theologies first whether the call of the Gospel makes an uncertain
with a dissertation on the attributes of God, then to         sound, or whether it is sure to all the seed which the
continue with a treatment of the eternal counsel  ,of Lord has blessed; whether God prevails or man pre-
God. This is evident in the works of Calvin, Guido de vails; whether the evil is always subservient to the
Bres, Gill, Hodge, Berkhof and Hoeksema. Works pro- good, or whether throughout time the antithesis of
duced by men of great predestinarian faith are incom- good  to. evil must be left indeterminate; whether the
parable in relation to the efforts of the moderns.            Lord depends upon His own almighty will or the puny
Without a firm, grounding and basis on divine attributes will of the creature; whether all things, whatever come
and divine decrees, one is not set for any sound think- _ to pass, have been infallibly and immutably fixed in


             .                  .


3c                                             THE STANDARD BEARER


God's eternal decree, or whether God and His universe novice is not one to handle it competently. Sharp tools
are bound by a merciless fate.                              do not belong in the hands of children or fools. It is
      The doctrine of election takes us back to the begin- not "for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit
ning of all things, to the decree of the covenant, where of Christ, to have . . . before their eyes the sentence of
God decreed His dwelling with many glorified sons, God's predestination," for such only wrest the Scrip-
decreed the preaching of the Gospel, the coming of tures to their own destruction (Art. 17, "Of Predesti-
Christ, the fall of man, the creation, and the entrance nation and Election," The Thirty-Nine Art. of Relig.,
of sin into the world. It takes us back to the starting Ch. of Eng.).
point`, where God begins, and where, too, man must            But difficulties should not discourage us, nor deter
begin, if he would have the right view of life, and have us from investigating what God has revealed on this
understanding of the truth. Being foundational truth, truth. There is nothing unnecessary taught in Scrip-
anything not established upon it is built on sinking ture, nor is anything there not beneficial to know.
sand. Any thinking not in harmony with this truth, When the Lord ceases to teach, we should relinquish
will according to the degree of deviation be faulty.       our desire to learn. But whatever is declared in Scrip-
Departure from this fundamental truth will result in ture, we must be careful not to refuse or withhold
fundamental error and fundamental misunderstanding. from God's people. "We can know only as much about
The Gospel will not be understood. Indeed, without predestination as God has seen fit to reveal. It is
election, there is no Gospel, for the Gospel is good important  we  know  that  much!" "Buy the truth, and
tidings of great joy to all the  people, who have been sell it not" (Prov. 23 :23) is a price many are unwilling
chosen in the Lamb slain from the foundation of the to pay. Too occupied with that crumbling idol - tele-
world. Without election, the atonement will not be vision, their worldly pursuits, or their own cozy circle,
understood, in fact, if there were no election, there they will not be disturbed by prayerful, careful and
would be no atonement. For the Lamb without spot or heart-searching study of God's Word. But such difficul-
blemish was forordained from the foundation of the ties are insurmountable only to the lazy. Especially the
world. Without a rooting and grounding in this truth minister, but nonetheless the believer, is called to
there can be no proper understanding of God's purpose expend effort to become a workman that needs not to
in sending His Son into the world, of the mysteries of be ashamed, because he knows how to cut a straight
God's providence, of His plain promises, or of what is path through the Word of truth.
even more fundamental, His covenant.                          No truth is more important than this one. Upon the
      Here, admittedly, we have difficult doctrine. This is book of election there stands inscribed at the head of
especially so in the comprehension of it.Yet we trust that its register the name of the Son of God, If there were
what we shall write in this series shall be not only edify- no eternal election, there would be no Jesus Christ,
ing but plain, and interesting,  especially to older youth and if no Jesus Christ, then no Gospel; with no Gospel;
and young adults. Some of our readers, outside our no people chosen in Christ, and so no salvation of any
Protestant Reformed circles, have the disadvantage of part of the race. But the Gospel, the plan of redemp-
sitting under a non-doctrinal preaching ministry where tion and the whole eternal purpose of God for the
truth at best is presented topically, but at that, not entire universe have their origin in divine election. For
comprehensively. So that even if the hearers have the as our Canons of Dordt  (1,9) remind us: "election is
ability to search, sift, collate, classify and index, the the fountain of every saving good, from which flows'
scattered statements from the pulpit furnish nothing of forth faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation,
this truth. Regular, systematic preaching, according to and finally eternal life itself." Out of this fountain God
Scripture and the confessions, where this truth is has from all eternity blessed His chosen church with all
orderly set forth, is not available to them. Then there    spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ, according
is another difficulty: the accepting of this truth is not as He has chosen us in Him before the creation of the
an easy matter. Even when the mind does grasp what universe. This being so, election is the most blessed
Scripture teaches on the subject, the heart rebels truth. Election is before all blessings, the fountain of
against such pride-abasing truth. The natural mind is every blessing. Those blessings the elect have already
enmity against God and His revelation, which enmity is out of eternity because they are in Him, and they are
especially manifested in prejudice against this partic- in Him because chosen in Him. Therefore,, to shut out
ular trust. Only the grace and power of the Holy Spirit this truth is to rob God's people of their most glorious
can remove opposition to His Word and open the hopes and prospects.
understanding to understand the Scriptures. Further,
the preaching of this truth is not a simple task. The                      (To be continued, D. V.)                      `.


                                                                                                                 .'
                           REFORMATION RALlLY - OCTOBER 30 - FIRST CHURCH


                                                      THE STANDARD BEARER                                                    37



        Come Ye Apart...  .And Rest A While
                                 ".Devouring Flame. .  ."
                                                            Rev. C. Hanko

           As I sit here writing, fires are still raging out of       plants, animals and man these are eagerly anticipated,
        control in many areas round about us. Hot Santa Anna          since the drought and the accompanying fire threat
        winds have seared the already dry and thirsty hillsides,      have actually been with us for some time. And yet this
        ravines and canyons. Bone dry brush and grasses need          anticipation is not without fear.
        but a spark to change the country into a roaring in-             One thinks of the incessant rains of the early
        ferno. A few days ago fires were racing through the           months of 1969. Day after day torrents of rain fell in
        canyon south and east of us, threatening the outskirts the valleys, mountains of snow heaped up in the higher
        of the city. In one day sixty-six different fires were        altitudes. As the snow melted and the rains continued
        reported in scattered areas. Some of these were ob- to fall, the streams grew into rivers and began to break
        viously started by incendiaries, who are bent on adding their bounds. Dry riverbeds became raging, foaming
        misery to misery and terror to terror. They are as cold       rivers. The force of the water carried along with it huge
        blooded as the looters who step in an area as soon as         boulders, trees, houses, and whatever came in its path.
        the evacubes have left their homes and properties be-         Bridges and roads were washed out. The water turned
        hind. Hundreds of thousands of acres of land lie burnt        and twisted to dash along wherever it pleased, even at
        and black, hundreds of homes have been destroyed,             times down city streets or wherever it could find a
        and many hundreds of people have sought refuge else-          channel. Many homes had to be evacuated as this wild,
        where, some of them not able to return to their homes         threatening monster reached out to destroy.
        again. Anxiety, terror, horrible dread have filled the           Probably the worst of all were the mud slides. Rain-
        souls of hundreds of thousands who saw their proper-          soaked hillsides were burdened with the extra weight
        ties threatened.                                              heaped upon them. Slowly they began to move.
          The mighty God, Jehovah, speaks                             Houses built on the hillside sagged, crumbled, and fell.
             And calls the earth from sea to sea;                     In other areas unbelievably large masses of saturated
          From beauteous Zion God shines forth,                       mud began to shift ever so slowly, but soon with gath-
~            He comes and will not silent be;                         ering momentum spread across roads, down into
          Devouring flame before Him goes,                            ravines, and with increasing speed started down toward
             And dark the tempest round Him grows.                    the valley. The weight and the pressure of the mud
          And still the hungry flames sweep onward, spreading         caused trees to topple, boulders to tumble along; in
 destruction everywhere. Flames rise as high as fifty                 fact, everything that was caught up in its grip was car-
feet, billowing forth in mushroom clouds of angry                     ried along or crushed to bits. Like an ever-growing
        smdke. One hears the crackling of the flames, the roar        snowball this ugly mass slithered into the valley, ooz-
       `of. the wild fire, the dull thud of trees and timber ing into and out of houses, but leaving from three to
        falling to the earth. One sees the fifty mile an hour gale    five feet of hard dirt inside and outside of the build-
       striking first from one direction and then from an-            ings.
.  .@her, turning everything into a holocaust.  Yellowish-               This could very well happen again while the hillsides
        orange smoke  Climbs into the blue skies, rolls across lie naked and unprotected. Yet no one pauses long
        the path of the sun., casting an awesome shadow upon          enough to recognize God's judgments descending upon
        the earth, spreading burning cinders and hot ashes in         the earth. There is talk of natural causes, freaks of
       `its wake. One only wonders how long this will last.           nature, catastrophes, and the like, but God is not in all
:         And  .y&t no one seems to regard the hand of the            their thoughts. One is reminded of the condemning
Almi.ghty.  is He directs His devastation wherever He                 statement of Revelation, describing a world that is ripe
`wills. No
. .              on-e listens to the voice of the Most High in        for judgment: "And yet (in spite of all the vials that
`,  the..  fir&storm that covers the land. No, but fear does          were poured out) they repented not!" Man goes his
&rip `the human heart with  gnxious  dread of what may                proud and wicked way, eating and drinking, marrying
-.I  :f@%v. The protective covering of the soil is now                and giving in marriage, still dreaming of a greater and
       swept' fi-orn. the hillsides, while the anticipated winter better tomorrow.
       rains are in the offing. Even though it has been a year          Jesus tells us that all these visitations are the be-
- _ and a half since sufficient rains have fallen at one time         ginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:8). He was speaking
 to,.p&netrate the'soil  deep into the earth, these rains are         to His disciples, and is therefore speaking to His
. . due and ,may very well come. For the sake of trees and            church, for the word for sorrows could well be trans-


38                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



lated as "birthpangs." God began a new work years ago        "Behold, I am with  you  alway, even unto the end of
already at the tomb of Joseph when He raised Jesus           thi world!" She bends herself as she cringes in labor
from the dead. The earth trembled and quaked as the          pains, realizing very well that these are but forebodings
Lord opened the vacated tomb to proclaim to us the           of harder bearing down pains that are still to come, as
resurrection Gospel. Since that time God has carried         God through her brings forth a new creation.
out His work of renewal through the exalted Christ in          These are the beginning. One could translate that as
the hearts of His people, implanting in them the new,        "the principle." The basic fact is that even now old
heavenly life, preparing them for the resurrection still     things are already passing away to give place to the
to come.                                                     new. The groaning creation tells us also to groan in
      But in the meantime, all creation groans and is in     eager expectation as we wait for our final adoption,
travail together even until now. How loudly creation         the redemption of our bodies. God is preparing us for
groans as tremors of earthquakes rumble in the ground        that glorious Day when time will be no more, when all
and rattle the windows of our homes! How loudly the          the weary night is past and we awake in righteousness
creature groans as rabbits flee, as fires roar, as waters    in the new creation.
surge and boil in turbulent rage! Along with us they           Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her con-
are awaiting the renewal of all things at the time of the verts with righteousness. (Isaiah 1:27).
final manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans                       He calls aloud to heav'n and earth
8:18-23).                                                               That He may justly judge His own;
      Birthpangs! God loudly proclaims through all this               My chosen saints together bring
devastation: "Behold, I make all things new!" The                       Who sacrifice to Me alone;
waiting church is in the midst of it all, but sees the'               The heav'ns His righteousness declare
power of the Almighty and hears His reassuring word:                    For God Himself as Judge is there.


Feature

                      The Return of the Glorified lord (2)
                                                 Rev. G. Van Baven

      But do you want Him to come again? You have no hour of the fall, the hour of the flood, the hour of the
choice, of course. But do you want Him to come calling of Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees and the
again? Are you eager to hear the sound of the trumpet,       establishment of Israel in the land of Canaan. There
to see the glory of His righteousness? Or does the was the hour of the fulness of time when the Son
thought give you now already a dread and fear? Or enters into our flesh to suffer and die; to rise again and
perhaps you think that this coming again is too far ascend gloriously to the right hand of our God. The
away; that it ought not really to concern us here today      next hour, which is also the last one, is His return on
nor affect our daily life and walk. Some have said that. the clouds of heaven.
They have suggested that Christ is not coming again            But how do we know  that that next hour will not
soon. You point them to Scripture where the Word of stretch out yet another thousand years? How do we
God speaks of "the last hour"; where the Word of God know? I would suggest, if you want to know, you read
declares, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand"; Matthew 24. There you find emphasized that the day
where the Word of God mentions "the last times" (I and the hour of Christ's return knoweth no man. But
John 3 :2). "Oh," states the objector, "the apostles the fact remains that unmistakable signs are presented
were mistaken. They said it was the `last hour' 2,000        there as well as elsewhere in Scripture. There can be no
years ago. They were deceived. And we today have no mistake when the Christian maintains that He is com-
reason to believe that He is coming again soon. Perhaps ing again soon. I would review some of those signs with
thousands of years in the future, but not soon." Yet you. One of them, emphasized in Matthew 24 and in
the Word of God was not mistaken when it speaks of Revelation 6: 1,2, is the preaching of the gospel to all
"the last hour," or, "it is the last time." That Word        nations. Before Christ comes again, the gospel must go
does not measure the last time by the standards which forth unto all nations. In Revelation 6, the white
man has devised. But the Word of God measures time horse, representing the preaching of the Word, is sent
on the "time-clock" of God. According to that "time- forth to cover the earth. When it has accomplished
clock," there are different hours which strike  - one God's purpose and the Word of God has gone forward
after the other. There was a moment of creation, the to all nations where God is pleased to send it, when


                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER                                               39



  God's people have been gathered from the four comers heaven. Instead of holding fast to the Word of God,
  of the earth, then shall the end come. Then our Lord there is a holding to the word of man. Instead of main-
  returns on the clouds of glory. This is the principal sign taining what the Word of God says of authority, chur-
  of the end. All other signs of Christ's return have their ches of our day march in protest and advocate
  place, but they must all serve the purpose of the rebellion in order to "serve mankind." This sign of
  preaching of the Word and the gathering of the saints apostasy, of separation from the truths of God's Word,
  until the body of Christ is complete.                      is a reminder to you and me that the end is at hand.
    What are the other signs of Christ's return? A daily       But perhaps you say that these things have always
  newspaper will remind you of the fulfillment of the occurred in the history of the world. To a certain
  signs of His return. May I remind you of what you .extent, that is true. One who reads history, both the
  have been reading? Matthew 24 speaks of signs in all of history in Scripture and also secular history, notes
  creation. You have recently read of terrible earth- immediately that there were always wars. Why then
  quakes in different places. You have read of hundreds should wars today be a special sign of the end? One
  and thousands of people killed by these earthquakes. reads history, and finds that there were always earth-
  Jesus says, "That is one of the signs of My coming quakes - some far more devastating than those of our
  again." Or you read of pestilence. Pestilence often- day. Why should earthquakes today be a special
  times accompanies such natural disasters as earth- reminder that our Lord's coming is near? Or there is
quakes. That is a sign of Christ's return. Hurricanes the sign of apostasy. Why, one looks back in the his-
  have struck  - some  labelled  the most disastrous in tory of the church, and he finds that there was re-
  history. These are signs of His coming again.              peated need of reform. There were denials of the
    Or Christ speaks of another class of signs involving divinity of Christ at the very beginning of the New
  the actions of man himself. You read daily of men Testament age. There were denials of the Trinity in
  fighting one with another, destroying property, killing, past ages. There were denials of the atonement in the
  laying waste the land. You perhaps give it little past. Why should the apostasy of our day be con-
  thought - but every time you read of wars, you have sidered as something unique? Even John in his epistle
  before you the clear sign of the nearness of Christ's states that there were many antichrists in his day. Why
  return. Or you read of crime which increases by leaps then should the signs we see remind us of the soon
  and bounds every year. You read of the influence of return of our Lord?
  drugs. You read of such moral decay in our society           In the first place, the signs which we see and hear,
  that sometimes even the world itself deplores that come from every portion of this globe. That has never
  which takes place. And every time you read these happened before. In the days of Luther or Calvin,
  things, you can say, "My Lord is coming again soon. these men saw signs of the end. In that day some even
  This is His reminder to me."                               suggested the possibility that the pope was the anti-
    Again, there is the passage of Revelation 13 present- christ. But the fact was that their observance of the
  ing the two beasts, one of which arises from the sea and signs of the end was limited to those signs seen in their
  the other from the land. The one beast represents the immediate area. Today, by means of modern com-
  political power of a world united together - the time munications, there is brought to the attention of the
  when the wound of the beast is healed; the second church (and to all men) signs which take place on
  beast represents the social, economic, religious powers every point of this earth. Hardly any sign can take
  of this world combined together to force all men to place anywhere today, but that you can read of it
  bow down and worship the image of the beast. This tonight in your daily newspaper.
  prophecy is being fulfilled today. You know how man          Secondly, there has never been a time in the history
  through means of modern communication seeks to of the world when so obviously Revelation 13 is being
  unite nations, causing all men to act, live, and desire fulfilled. Always in the past, nations were at each
  alike. You hear of denominations of churches seeking other's throats. There is still much of this today. But
  to unite, proposing to call themselves: Churches of today, more than ever before, one sees how that man
  Christ Uniting. It all reminds one of the Word of God strives after a unity of mankind. There is also the
  which. states, "This all must take place, and then attempt to unite churches, a unity based not on com-
  cometh the end."                                           mon confession or doctrine, but upon a desire to be-
    There is also the sign of apostasy. You see it on come one.
  every hand. Churches, which at one time held fast to         And today especially, these signs are converging
  the infallible Word of God, now turn their backs on it towards a climax; they are occurring all at the same
  and deny it. Many churches now deny its infallibility time. Yes indeed, in the past there were signs of war; at
  on various points: the creation account; the .record of another' %i-n'~ "there- were signS of' pestilence or earth-
  miracles, even the atonement. Churches deny its infalli- quake; and at another time perhaps there was much
  bility by denying the Trinity, or the resurrection from apostasy. Now all of these signs are evident at the same
  the dead, or the return of Christ on the clouds of time.


40                                             THE STANDARD BEARER



      Anyone with any degree of spiritual discernment at/ well as in business and political life, and to have -their
all must recognize that the end is near. I can not and: say in any structure affecting them. Our aim is recon-
may not forecast how many days, weeks, or years may ciliation which means directing conflicts towards con-
yet be. But I do emphasize to you that the coming of structive ends." But the Word of God declares in
Christ is soon; not tomorrow (for the antichrist has not Romans 13 that power and authority are instituted by
come yet), but it will be soon.                             God; and whosoever rebels against authority, rebels
      What does this mean for you as children of God?       against God. And though churches in our day insist
The Word of God always emphasizes in connection that we must become involved in all sorts of social
with all of the signs: "Watch!" There is evidence of the activities such as removing injustices between races, the
opposite within the church. There is evidence that Word of God is not concerned with these problems as
some misunderstand the significance of Christ's return. such. The Word of God never dealt with the problem
There is the fact that some will ignore the return of of slavery in the days of Paul, except to tell the slaves
Christ; these persist in enjoying the pleasures of sin for to be obedient to their masters. They must be good
a season. Are you of those who try to ignore the truth slaves. It does not deal with the problem of poverty
that Christ is coming again soon? Do you set your except to tell the churches of Jesus Christ to show the
heart rather on ease, the comfort and pleasures that mercies of our Lord in helping one another. We are
this world has to offer? Or do you have a distorted pilgrims and strangers here. We are not going to change
idea of the return of Christ and of the consequent this world and form it into some sort of a utopia. And
calling of the church? Many churches today are placing no one will. We, as pilgrims, are to be faithful. Pilgrims
more and more emphasis upon a social gospel. Ques- must be diligent. Pilgrims must beware lest they fall
tions are asked concerning "involvement." Perhaps you into the sins of the world about them. But pilgrims
have heard some of them: "How many marches have understand always that they are indeed strangers. Their
you joined lately as churches of Jesus Christ? How kingdom is not on this earth. Their kingdom is coming
involved have you become with the social problems of when our Lord returns on the clouds of glory.
this world? What have you done to help the poor in             On the other hand, when we think of the return of
the ghetto areas? What have you done to help them get our Lord Jesus Christ, we must beware lethargy, care-
better instruction, higher wages - to bring them into lessness, indifference. I want to emphasize that,
the mainstream of American society? What have you because I see much of this in us. It is almost as if we
done to protest Nixon's slowing down of integration? say, after hearing of Christ's soon return, "So what?"
What have you done to protest the war in Vietnam? We confess the truths of God's Word. We acknowledge
How have you assisted those who want to avoid war that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming again soon. But,
and the draft?" These are questions that many so what? We continue our daily activities as if this
churches of our day want answered. There are many soon-return makes no difference in what we do and
engaged in all of these activities  - being convinced say. Therefore, the Word of God says to us, "Watch!"
evidently that in doing this, they are serving God and         Do you know what it means to watch? That does
His kingdom.                                                not suggest idleness. The idea of watching here is not
      But they are wrong. The only way any man can ever similar to the "sidewalk supervisor" watching the con-
be changed, really changed, is through regeneration. struction of a building. That man is idle. He is doing
You might build the unregenerated man a beautiful nothing. But one who watches spiritually is one who is
home. You can guarantee him a high annual wage. You deeply active and greatly concerned. I would suggest
can provide for him a social security. You can free him first of all that watching involves a proper knowledge
from the demands of fighting wars. You can give him of God's Word. No one can watch unless he has a
beautiful schools. But you have not removed the basic guide, unless his eyes are open to see and understand.
problem. The problems today are not merely social No one can watch by his own cleverness or wisdom,
injustices. It is not merely the problem of wars. The but the infallible Word of God is given to him to direct
problem is a wicked, perverse heart. When man's heart him in watching. You must know that Word. Know its
is perverse, whether he lives in ghetto areas or in East doctrines. Know what Scripture says about the coming
Grand Rapids, he is dead in sin. He rebels against God's again of our Lord Jesus Christ. Know what this world
law, and refuses to recognize God's authority or power really is, and what is going to happen to it when Christ
over him. Only regeneration can change him.                 returns. Be sure you know that thoroughly. In the
      Therefore we must oppose such positions as ex- second place, watching means that you observe around
pressed by the World Council of Churches at its meet- you the very things about which the Word of God
ing in Uppsala, Sweden in 1968. Among other things, speaks. You must see the wickedness of this world
the W.C.C. said, "We affirm that young people are concerning which the Bible tells us. You must see the
right to challenge authority which is not constantly signs about us. Watch for those. And, of course, in this
earned. Young people have a right as well as old to watching, look up. Your deliverance is at hand. Look
participate in decisions in schools and universities, as for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Desire it. That


                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER                                               41



is watching.                                                 yourselves hold fast to the truth. Do not neglect that.
  You who watch must be very diligent in your daily          Do not be indifferent with respect to it. Do not ever
                                                                    _
life and walk. If you are watching faithfully, you do        say,  "IvIy church  - right or wrong." But hold fast to
not come to society unprepared. If you are watching          the truth regardless of consequences. Maintain that
faithfully, you do not come to church on Sunday with         truth whether you are imprisoned because of it, or
little concern about what is preached. You search            whether you are put to death because of it. And pray.
God's Word faithfully.                                       Pray for that grace, wisdom, and strength to endure to
  Then, be spiritually active. Be active in instructing      the end. Christ promised it to us. Christ Himself has
covenant seed. Tell them again and again what God            urged us to pray without ceasing. Pray particularly be-
tells us in the Word. Do not leave the instruction of        cause of the night in which we live. Pray for His quick
your children to the world. Are we not tempted often         return. Pray that in sincerity. Every night and every
to shove our children in front of the television set and     morning, pray, "Even so come, Lord Jesus, quickly."
tell them to sit and watch? They get instruction there         October 22, 1844 came and went. Christ did not
- but of the wrong sort. Rather, you take your chil-         then return. But I do believe that not many more days
dren on your knees, and you remind them of the near-         shall go by; not many more years - but that Christ is
ness of the end of time. Tell them what they must look       coming again. And you, Church of Jesus Christ, are
for; warn them of all the evils that surround us which       called to live as those who want Him to come again.
seem about to engulf the church of Christ. And you             Do you so pray, "Even so come, Lord Jesus?"


Question Box

                Are Our Professors Eligible To Be Called?

                                                   Prof H. C. Hoeksema

From a Grand Rapids reader comes this question:              manent appointment" and "indefinite tenure." The
   "Are the professors at our seminary eligible to be former term means that on Synod's part it is unneces-
called by one of our congregations? If so, please ex- sary to consider anew a professor's appointment. He is
plain how this is possible, especially after they have appointed once for a definite term of 3 years; then, if
received a permanent appointment. Is this appoint- his work is satisfactory, Synod appoints him for a
ment after all not permanent?"                               4-year term; and, finally, after 7 years, the  appoint-
Reply                                                        ment becomes permanent, that is, Synod does not have
   To arrive at a proper answer to this question we to consider the matter of his appointment again. As far
should have before us the pertinent article (Article 7) as the professor's holding of his office is concerned,
of the Constitution of the Theological School, first of however, it is correct to speak not of  permanent
all. This article reads as follows: "A professor shall tenure,  which would imply that he is unqualifiedly a
serve three years, and after that four years if reap- professor for life and without any possibility of re-
pointed. If after this he be reappointed, such appoint- ceiving and accepting a call. But it is correct to speak
ment shall be permanent. Thereafter his services at the of indefinite tenure, or urzlimited  tenure, which implies
school can be terminated only through the synod for- that he occupies the position of professor without
mally retiring, expelling or deposing him for reason limitation of term, that is, remains a professor until
urgent, cogent and legitimate."                              such a time as he would receive and accept a call else-
  In connection with this article, our 1962 Synod where. In this respect, he is like any other minister: the
made a clarification with respect to the very question tenure of a minister is indefinite or unlimited. He is
posed by my questioner, Article 261: "A motion is not called for a fixed term; but he remains the minister
made to adopt XII, B, which is `that Synod declare           of a congregation until he receives and accepts a call to
that Prof. Hoeksema not be eligible for a call during his another congregation.
next four years' term (definite tenure), but that if and       2) That a professor can be called by a congregation
when he should receive appointment for indefinite at the  follo.wing  times: a) At the end of his 3-year
tenure, the usual rule concerning eligibility for call term, should synod not reappoint him or should he de-
apply.' Carried."                                            cline the appointment. b) At the end of his  4-year,
  In the light of the above data, it is plain:               second term, should synod not reappoint him or
   1) That distinction should be made between "per- should he decline his appointment. Thus, for 7 years


42                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER



there are only two fixed times when a professor could harmful for the faculty, for the students, and for the
be called. c) Two years after he has received a perma- churches. For the same reason - although there is no
nent appointment and indefinite tenure (the usual rule rule about this  - it would appear to be a matter of
concerning eligibility for call), he may be called at any    common sense that a professor, should he receive and
time. Hence, it is a total of 9 years after his first accept a call from a congregation, could not simply
appointment before a professor becomes eligible for a leave the school immediately: for example, right be-
call from a congregation without any restrictions.           fore the new term begins or in the middle of a school
      The wisdom of such restrictions lies, I think, in the term. The welfare of the school would seem to require
fact that the Seminary requires a degree of stability in     a smooth transition and an ample period to provide a
its faculty; a constantly changing personnel would be replacement.



                                   About "`Offer of Grace"

      From a Grand Rapids reader comes the following changeably. This is true not only in the writings of
question: "If we speak of `offer of grace' or `offer of Revs. H. Hoeksema and H. Danhof, who, of course,
salvation, ' does that mean the same thing? And if there criticized both expressions. But this is also true of the
is a difference, will you please answer this in the Stand- writings of men like Prof. L. Berkhof, Prof. W. Heyns,
ard Bearer, so more may profit by it?"                       Rev. Keegstra, Dr. Zwier, Rev. J. K. Van Baalen, all of
Reply                                                        whom were defenders of the idea as set forth in the
      I wrote about this same subject in the May 1, 1967 First Point of 1924. It is also plain in the light of the
issue in connection with the "Report of the Doctrinal decisions of the Christian Reformed Synod of 1926 in
Committee" in the Dekker Case. Any reader with the answer to protests against the Three Points that the
bound volumes can look this up. At that time the sub- attempted distinction between the terms is not correct.
ject was treated because the Doctrinal Committee,              3) If you study the terms a bit more carefully, you
which wanted desperately to uphold the First Point of can readily see why they mean essentially the same
1924 but not to uphold Prof. H. Dekker, tried  - thing. For what is salvation? It is nothing else but the
though unsuccessfully  - to distinguish between an implication, the sum-total, of all the blessings of grace,
"offer of grace" and an "offer of salvation." They such as redemption, regeneration, the saving calling,
wanted to reject the former and to keep the latter. faith, justification, etc. In fact, it is perfectly correct to
Without going into all the details of what I wrote at call these so many "graces." Scripture also uses the
that time, let me quote that committee to show how term grace in this way. Grace is not only an attitude; it
they ended up by contradicting themselves:  ". . . As is not only "undeserved favor;" it is not only a power; it
we said in our introduction, grace is never offered, but is also the actual blessings of salvation as these are
always conferred or bestowed. What the gospel does bestowed upon us and wrought in us. From this it is
offer is not grace, but full redemption from all sin and very plain, therefore, that to speak of an "offer of
eternal life in Jesus Christ. (Notice the contradiction grace" is the very same thing as to speak of an "offer
here already; for what else is "full redemption" but a of salvation."
blessing of grace? But now notice the more direct con-         4) This makes it all the more important to see that
tradiction which follows. HCH) Fact is, it is Christ when we speak of an  offer  (whether of grace, or of
Himself in all the fulness of His grace and truth who is salvation), we are sailing in Arminian waters. It is the
offered therein." (italics added) It is plain that the very nature of an  offer  that it is dependent for its
committee after all says that grace is offered.              fulfillment upon its acceptance by the person to whom
      And now my answer:                                     the offer is made. Hence, an offer of salvation or of
      1) There is absolutely no essential difference be- grace makes salvation (grace) dependent upon the man
tween these two expressions. In studying various to whom it is offered. But salvation is of the Lord, not
writers on this subject one finds several expressions of man or of man and the Lord together. It is correct,
used, all of which are used in essentially the same way: in the light of Scripture and the confessions, to speak
offer of grace, offer of salvation, offer of the gospel, of a promise of salvation; but a promise is dependent
general offer of the gospel, general and well-meant for its fulfillment only on the one who promises,. in
offer of salvation, gracious offer of the gospel, gracious this case God. It is correct to speak of salvation as a
offer of salvation, well-meant offer of grace and salva- gift  or a gift of grace. Mind you, not as a gift that is
tion, etc.                                                   offered! An offered gift and a gift are not the same,
      2) Historically these terms have been used inter- you see. No, salvation is a gift. It is bestowed in  ab-


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  43



solute freedom and sovereignty and according to God's       of God. It is Reformed to speak of  the  general  proc-
sovereign good pleasure on the elect alone.                 lamation of a particular gospel.
  5) Perhaps I should add to this that one must not                                    ***
confuse the terms "offer" and "preach." Indeed, salva-      [Note: I have received two more questions, but these
tion, the gospel, must be preached to all to whom God       will have to wait until the next issue. Our "Question
in His good pleasure sends the gospel, along with the. Box" is thriving suddenly. And that is good. Keep the
command to repent and believe. But this is by no            worthwhile questions coming.]
means the same as offering salvation to all in the name


From Holy Writ

                             Exposition on Jude 24, 25
                                                  Rev. G. Lubbers

  The living church, who lives a godly life and keeps fore us with Christ. Because of this joy set before us we
her garments unspotted from the world, lives a truly        endure affliction and despise the shame looking for the
eschatological life of hope. She has her eyes rivoted reward of the faithful!
upon the celestial city of God. She lives in the hope of
one day seeing God; the joy of the perfect day thrills THE FINAL SAL VATION IN GLORY IS CER TAJN
within the breast of such a battling saint. Such hold (Verse 24)
fast what they have that no one take their crown!             The form in which the certain perseverance (preser-
  Such is the "common faith" once delivered to the vation) of the saints is cast together with the certainty
saints. Faith does not put to nought the law of God; of the final glorification is that of a song, a doxology.
yea, faith establishes the law. However, in the church Such songs, such doxologies are meaningful and must
to which Jude is writing his brief epistle, things were be studied. Thus it is with the entire bundle of the
not well. Certain men had crept in unawares into the psaltery of Scripture. The entire bundle of Psalms are
church; reprobate men who were before of old pre- so arranged that the last Psalm is the great Hallelujah
dicted and ordained to this condemnation.                   of the church. These are Messianic, Christological, and
  These changed the grace of our God into lascivious-. have good soteriology (applying to us what we have in
ness! These were antinomians who said: let us sin that Christ) and not the least do they have good  eschatol-
grace may abound! Since we are saved by the blood of! ogy, the separation of the wicked from among the
Christ from all our sins, and since grace abounds over righteous. One has only to read the "key-note" of the
all sins, let us now rejoice in the abundance of grace' Psalms as given in the first Psalm!
through sinning lustily! (Rom. 6: 1)                          Here, too, in this doxology this is very clear. Fact is,
  In the face of this we must contend for the faith that the "preservation of the saints" and the "glorifi-
once delivered to the saints. This means that we main- cation" are united as links in a chain. It makes us think
tain straight orthodox lines in teaching the structural of the golden chain of Romans  8:29, 30 "For whom
truths of the Bible. Let every man beware how he he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be con-
buildeth on the foundation. And this building on the formed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
foundation is contending for the faith also in the field firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he
of sound Christian ethics. For sound confession and a did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he
godly walk go hand in hand. And history is replete called them he also justified: and whom he justified
with classic biblical examples of those who walked in them he also glorified!" This is the connecting link in
lasciviousness and in disobedience to those in author- this doxology between the two parts of salvation
ity. Jude mentions: the fallen angels, Cain, Sodom and which the God of our salvation is able to perform!
Gomorra, Korah, Balaam. This epistle gives us a               The focal point of this doxology is God! He is called
graphic and lurid description of the vanity and empti- "the only wise God our Savior." Three elements here
ness of such men. And also such men must look for the call for our attention:
appearance of the Lord from heaven when he will               1. He is God. The Bible does not try to prove with
come  .with the ten thousands of  -.his saints  to,-ex- logical. arguments that. God is! The Bible begins with
ecute vengeance upon the ungodly. However, the the confession and dogma: "In the beginning
saints live in the hope of being one day in the presence God. . . ." The church in the wilderness understood,
of God's glory with exceeding joy! This joy is set be- and all the devils in hell understand that God is, and


44                                                THE  STANQARD  BEARER



they tremble!! They understand that God is one! And the power of God to keep the church from stumbling
this one God is over all through all and in all! That is         is through admonitions and warnings. We must not
the heart-beat of this doxology and of all spiritual conceive of this power of God simply in an abstract
songs!                                                           and purely mystical way, so that the Christian simply
      2. That he alone is God. Fact is, there is a reading in    spontaneously does the will of the Lord and is kept.
the Greek text which omits the attribute "wise" and              Just as the body is in need of food to be strengthened
speaks of the "only God." That, too, is preeminently and needs medicine and surgery to ward off disease
necessary in a doxology to God. Not man, not his and weakness, so our spiritual life is in need of warning
salvation is the center, but God is central in all his           so that we may be strong and contend for the faith
works, preeminently in our salvation! Thus he is here once delivered to the saints. Jude would have nothing
acknowledged.                                                    of the antinomian "don't tell God's people what to
      3. That he the only wise God. God's wisdom is that do." Our fathers of Dordt are in line with Jude when
virtue and perfection of God by which he so arranges they write in Heads of Doctrine III, IV, 17  ". . . for
all things in history that they lead to the highest end! grace is conferred by means of admonitions; and the
and glory of his name, and to the greatest salvation of' more readily we perform our duty, the more eminently
a poor sinner, the rectification of the angels who had; usually is this blessing of God working in.us, and the
not fallen, and to the renewal of both heaven and earthi more directly is his work advanced; to whom alone all
through the destruction of the world by fire. He sees' the glory both of the means, and of their saving fruit
and proclaims the end from the beginning according to and efficacy is forever due. Amen."
the counsel of His will. This wisdom is here most                  2. But this same God is also able to present us fault-
intimately connected with our "Savior." He is the less in the presence of God's glory with great joy. As a
Savior of those who raise the anthems to the great' backward glance we must insist that he presents us in
white throne. He is our Saviour in Jesus, who will save glory, but then the good work.which  he has begun in
his people from their sins. He is their God: Immanuel, us he will finish even into the day of our Lord Jesus
`God-with-us. God was in Christ reconciling the world Christ. This glory is the inherent in salvation. It is prin-
to Himself!                                                      cipally the grace wherein we now stand. However, the
      There is another virtue which is here doxologically description here of the glory is well worthy of our
ascribed to God. It is God's power. And power here is:           sanctified notice. It is called the glory of his presence.
what is possible with God. It is in Jesus that God shews This makes one think of the glory of Sinai before
that there is nothing impossible with him. He raises the which all Israel trembled. That, too, was the presence
dead to life and calls the things which are not as if they of His glory. But there Israel was not filled with joy.
were! (Romans 4: 17) What God began, by raising the              They were not filled with the joy of Christ: my joy in
dead sinner from death and spiritual grave, he finishes you, and your joy full! They were filled with fear.
in preserving us from falling and presenting us. Two Even Moses said: I exceedingly fear and tremble. It was
things we should here notice:                                    the glory of the law-giving. But here is a glory of grace
      1. That God, as the only wise God, is able to keep         which exceeds all the glory of the old covenant written
us from falling. It requires a very wise God, who is             in tables of stone. This is the glory of grace, the glory
almighty, to do just that. The term in the Greek for             of the law written in our hearts. Here is a glory of the
"keep from falling" might be translated' "keep from Holy Spirit which changes our hearts, changes us even
stumbling." The metaphor here is derived from the now, looking into a glass darkened, changes us from
usage among the Greeks to `harness their horses and              glory unto glory as by the Spirit of the Lord.
bind their legs in such a way so as to support them in             Unto the very steps of this glory we have now come.
their races, to keep them from stumbling and ulti-                 We may draw near with uncovered faces!
mately from falling. Thus the saints must be kept from             But one day we will be presented as the perfect
stumbling. And particularly the saints whom Jude is church, faultless. Then will the purpose of the election
addressing must be kept from falling into the antino-            of grace be attained in us: holy and unblameable be-
mian error of changing the grace of God into lasciv- fore him in love. We will be the perfected Bride. The
iousness in doctrine and life. That is the only hope. If Virgin daughter of Jerusalem shall be glorious. She
we were left to our own strength and ability for even            who was a guilty harlot and an adulterous woman shall
one moment we would stumble and fall. Yes, our Sav- then stand forth arrayed in the glory of grace. That
ior God in Jesus ever lives to pray for us. He who said          will be the lie to all making and changing the grace of
to Peter: Satan has willed to sift you as wheat, but I           our God into lasciviousness!
have prayed for you that your faith fail not. We are               It will be in exuberant Joy. Everlasting joy shall be
kept in the power of God.                                        upon our foreheads. This is the exceeding joy of those
      We may not fail to notice that this doxology is            who have come from the great Babylon of sin to, Zion's
couched in a context which is replete with threatenings lofty mount, which is beautiful for situation, the joy
and warnings. And let it be emphatically stated that             of the whole earth!


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                45


   This final salvation in glory is certain!                which overcomes all opposition. It is the power in the
 TO GOD ALONE THE GLORY (Verse 24)                          preaching, in the admonitions, power which guarantees
   Here we can be brief. Four things are here stated: -     the perfected church.
   1. Glory is mentioned. It is the glory of grace, of         4. Finally, it speaks of dominion. This is God's
the great work of-God from Alpha to Omega and  .a11         sovereign authority. God has the right to shew forth
the manifestation of His grace and love, mercy and his praises. And that, too, is his greatness and glory. He
peace, through sin and death, through this present his- rules over death and hell, and no one can say: what
tory to the ages to come!                                   doest thou!
   2. Majesty is also mentioned. It is the greatness of        Yes, to this we must add the "Amen." It shall surely
God. God is great. It is God's sovereign greatness come to pass, more surely than I feel in my heart that
whereby he is able to keep us and to present us blame- this is all true. And this we must say with sanctified
less in the presence of His glory.                          lips. We must learn to sing this meaningfully, shall we
   3. Also God's dominion is acclaimed and extolled sing it spiritually.
here. This is the invincible manifestation of power



                                       Annual Reports,
                                                 R.F.P.A.

                                      ANNUAL SECRETARY'S REPORT - R.F.P.A.

   Society Members and Friends of the Ref. Free Pub-        issue for expenses. The R.F.P.A. Board is very grateful
lishing Asso.                                               to Mr. Pipe for this dedicated work which he is doing
Dear Brethren,                                              on our behalf.
   In the past year the Board has labored harmoniously         We also express appreciation to our Business Mana-
in executing the task of publishing the Standard Bearer     ger, Henry Vander Wal for the excellent job he is doing
under the able leadership of our president, Richard -for us. Through the dedicated efforts of these two men
Teitsma.                                                    the publishing of the Standard Bearer was possible in
   In reviewing the minutes of the Ref. Free Publ.          this past year. A hearty thanks to both of them.
Assoc. Board meetings of the past year we find that            We are also pleased to report that our financial
the item of most importance was the investigation of        standing is much improved at this time. We note that
printing cost of the Standard Bearer by a committee         in March of 1969 our balance on hand was approxi-
appointed. This matter came up when Wobbema                 mately $800.00 and now, as of August, 1970 our bal-
Printers informed us of the necessity of increasing the     ance is $4,400.00. Because of the increase of our funds
price again this year by approximately $100.00 per          the Membership, Information, and Education Commit-
issue. The committee appointed to this task proceeded       tee is seeking feasible ways of promoting further distri-
to contact other printers and seek ways of keeping the      bution of the Standard Bearer.
cost down.                                                     The retiring Board members are Richard Teitsma,
  After carefully comparing and considering the type        George De Vries, and Henry Velthouse. Our thanks to
of work the other printers could and would do, and          them also for their faithful labors.
knowing from experience the careful work and other             We are grateful that the Lord gives us this privilege
considerations which Wobbema Printers has given us, it      of being instrumental in witnessing to the truth of His
was decided to continue with Wobbema Printing Co.           Word. We seek His guidance for our editorial staff for
However, by doing our own contracting and mailing           the coming year.
we could keep the subscription price as is.                                                            G. Bol, Sec'y
  This move, to do our own contracting and mailing,         Postscript:
meant that we should look for someone who could                1. Elected at the Annual Meeting on Sept. 24 were
spend time at Wobbema Printing Co. to take care of the brethren John Bos, John Kalsbeek, and Fred
addressing the Standard Bearer, sorting them for mail-      Hanko .
ing, and delivering them to the Post Office. Gerrit Pipe      2. Statistics received from our Business Manager
graciously consented to give of his time and energy to      show a net increase in regular paid subscriptions of 23
this work. Mr. Pipe is given a small remuneration per       during the past year.


4       6                                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



                                                 ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT, R.F.P.A.
                                                            .    (Sept. 1, `69~Sept. 1, `70)

Balance on hand, September 1, 1969. . . . . .$2,026.88                                 Kalamazoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.50
     Receipts:                                                                         Loveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45.92
      Subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . .6,871.90                                    Lynden..............................51.0 0
      Memberships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94.00                                    Oaklawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.33
      Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,738.07                              Randolph, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95.52
      Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 0.00                                Redlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..177.5 6
      Bound Volumes . . . . . . . . . . .487.00                                        Southeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565.85
     Receipts for the year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,420.97                  South Holland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591.15
                                                                                       Southwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116.02
     Total Receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16,447.85

     Disbursements:                                                                  Societies:
      Wobbema Printing Co. . . . . .7,144.69                                           HopeSr.,Mr.&Mrs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.00
      Photo Composition Co. . . . .3,055.00                                            First Ladies Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 .OO
      National Correct Color Serv. . 6 14.00                                           Eastern Ladies League . . . I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83.00
      Postage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348.98                               FirstJr.,Mr.&Mrs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..39.5 0
      Holland Bookbinding Co. . . . . 350.40                                           Hudsonville Men's Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8.05
      H. VanderWal, trans expense . . 75.60                                            South Holland Ladies Society . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.00
      G. Pipe, trans expense . . . . . . . . 65.00                                     First Men's Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.00
      Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 8.3 3                                First Priscilla Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60.00
     Total Disbursements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .l 1,7 12.00                Hope Ladies Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.00
                                                                                       Refreshments - Annual
Balance on hand, Sept. 1, 1970 . . . . . . . . . . .4,735.85                             Association Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.42

Gifts :
     Protestant Reformed Churches:                                                   Total Gifts:
      Doon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..90.8 7          Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4,895.60
      Edgerton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81.91           Societies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .419.97
      First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,168.05      Individuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,422.50
      Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41.15
      Holland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191.80                                                                   $  6,738.07
      Hope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..1,077.2 5
      Hudsonville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341.90                                                        G. Bouwkamp, Treas.
      Hull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198.82



                              INMEMORIUM                                               The Fall Meeting of our. Eastern Ladies League will
       When on May 11, 1970, it pleased Him to take from be held D.V. October 22, 1970, at 8:00 PM at First
us our beloved husband, father and grandfather                                       Protestant Church Grand Rapids,  Mich. Prof. H. C.
                                                                                     Hoeksema will speak on the subject, "Our Attitude
                      GERHART BROEKHOUSE                                             Toward The Sabbath". May we see you all there!
the Saviour fulfilled His Word of John 17  :24a,                                                                                            Tillie Sietstra
"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given                                                                                      Vice Secretary
me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my
glory -."
       May this gracious determination of our Lord com-
fort us in our loss.
                                             Mrs. Gerhart Broekhouse
                                       Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gunnink
                                            Mr. and Mrs. William Buys
                                                         12 grandchildren
                                                   3 great grandchildren
Edgerton, Minn.


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 47





                  REFORMATION DAY CELEBRATION

                 What  Does  The  .-Reformati6ti--Mean  To  You?
                                                                                             c
                    For an informative message which will answer this important question

                       plan now to attend the Annual Reformation Day Commemoration.


                                                       l 66


                                                 THE DATE
                                           FRIDAY, OCT. 30 at 8 PM


                                                 THE.PLACE
                              THE FIRST PROT.EST-ANT RE-FORMED CHURCH
                                              (Fuller at Franklin)


                                              THE SPEAKER,
                                           PROF:HERMAN  HANK0


                                             -THE-SUBJECT-
                 "THE REFORMAT`ION AND.THE UNCHAINING OF THE SCRIPTURES"

                                                       0  0  -0

                         For a sound Biblical Exegesis of this subject be sure to attend!


                                   (Sponsored by the Protestant Reformed Churches)





                            News  From  Cur  Chu.rc;hes.
  We have a requested announcement that is, for this        if the lecture is as good as the title (and with Prof.
column, rather unusual in that it's-advance news. "The      Hanko speaking, it no doubt will be), you'll certainly
Reformatioli and the Unchaining of the Scriptures" -        want to be at First Church of Grand Rapids on Octo-


                                                                   :_
  THE STANDARD BEARER
           P.O. Box 6064       :                                                                           SECOND CLASS
 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506  ;                                                                          POSTAGE PAID AT
                                                                                                       GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
                                    _~~-~   .~~-.-- ~_~-- --~~~
 48                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER


 ber 30 at 8 P.M.                                                        ary in the beginning of his duties there." The con-
                             ***                                         &story of our Kalamazoo Church decided to grant the
       Hope Church held a farewell program for  Rev:                     Committee's request  to. "lend" its pastor for these
  Kortering on September 25. He preached his farewell weeks. in Jamaica. And, in his own -words, Rev.
  sermon on September 27, and left for Hull the follow- Harbach "deems it a great opportunity to be able to
 ing Tuesday. From a trio consisting of Rev, Harbach, visit our sphere of labor in Jamaica." His plans are to
  Rev. Heys, and Rev. Van Baren, Hope has called Rev.                    return on October 2 1.
 Van Baren. `From the Southwest congregation, ,the call                                        ***
 has gone to Rev. Engelsma. And Rev. Harbach has re-                       For three weeks during the month of..August, five
  ceived the call from Randolph, Wisconsin.                              Protestant Reformed teachers met together in a
                             ***                                         Federation-sponsored workshop to study the teaching
       We understand that there was a crowd. of about                    of literature in our schools. Participating in this work-
 fifty-five people at the Kent County Airport -on the                    shop,- held- at Covenant High School, were Mr. Fred
 memorable morning of Sept. 9, `to see -Rev. Lubbers Hanko from Hope, Mr. Lamm Lubbers from South
  off. It's plain that we as Protestant Reformed people Holland, Mr. Darrel Huisken from Hope, Mr.  `Jim
 are, as Rev. Van Baren mentioned in his farewell re-                    Huizinga from Adams, with Miss Agatha Lubbers from
 marks in the program on Sept. 6, "enthused about one ~ Covenant acting as director. Perhaps the best way for
  of our number leaving the territorial bounds of our' us to learn about what was accomplished during those
  country and laboring in another land." "Then," he. three weeks `is to listen to what a couple of the partici-
  added, "we should not forget them .  :`, when the                      pants, themselves, have to say. Mr. Huizinga, for exam-
 novelty wears off." It has been some time now since ple, notes that "the beauty of this summer's workshop
  Rev. Lubbers has left. Is the enthusiasm `beginning -to                is that it  ~gave five teachers with common interests,
 wane? It's very important that we remember him in our                   common goals, common problems, and.common faith
 prayers. But "Rev. Lubbers doesn't hear our prayers                     an opportunity to meet together, to discuss together,
  . . . He is, however, encouraged and he feels the ties                 to `work together, to build together in the interest of
 which bind us together, by our letters. " Rev. Lubbers                  the Covenant and the coming of the Kingdom. With
 also, in his remarks at that farewell program in First .God's grace the result of this'workshop can only be an
 Church, emphasized that point. He admitted  that-he  .' improvement in the --quality of instruction in our
 would not be able to answer all the letters, but he                     schools."                                  -
 underscored their importance. He knows from experi-'                      Mr. Hanko observes that "in terms of my own pro-
 ence that after he picks up a handful of letters from                   gress as a teacher, the workshop was of more benefit
the post office, "the sun shines a little brighter, and                  than any college course in teaching that I have ever
 one's step is a little lighter."                                        taken . . . I now understand .far more clearly how liter-
       On that same plane to Jamaica was, we should not ature can be taught from a Protestant Reformed per-
 forget, Rev. Elliot, who was returning to his homeland                  spective,, to use the `standard of Scripture in evaluation
 after an extended stay in the states.. Those who had an                 of literary work and to use literature to define Chris-
 opportunity to hear him were impressed with his                         tian life' . . . I am  sure. that the workshop will have
 knowledge of, and understanding of Scripture,  and- immediate benefits in our schools and I heartily recom-
 with his "deep faith, firm adherence to  .God's Word,                   mend that more of our teachers be `given opportunities
 and his concern for his own congregation." And  .he,                    to benefit their subject areas by future workshops."
 also, received his impressions concerning-us. He noted,                   Miss Lubbers (who, according to all the participants,
 at the' Farewell Program, that he "had  se,en that we                   provided very fine leadership) reports that the teachers
 accept him as a brother, not  as; a stranger' or  .alien                worke/l not only long but hard. They enjoyed- them-
 because of his brown skin." He; no doubt, had refer-                    selves,? however, and have decided to "meet periodi-
 ence to the same thing as did Rev. Lubbers, who men-                    cally during the school year to exchange ideas and to
 tioned in his farewell sermon at First Church that ."we                 stimulate one another in the teaching of literature."
 have a sin problem, not a skin problem."                                We should add that the benefit derived from this work-'
       Did you know that Rev. Harbach accompanied Rev.                   shop will not be limited to its members. A written
 Lubbers to Jamaica? On the advice of the Jamaica Sub-                   product, consisting of nearly 100 mimeographed pages,
 Committee, -the Mission Committee decided to "send                      will soon be ready for distribution to other teachers.
 another man to Jamaica, along with Rev. and Mrs.                        The sponsoring of this workshop is, no doubt, one of
 Lubbers, for a period of six weeks, to aid the mission-                 the best moves that the Federation has ever made. D.D.


