                                   he

                             tandard

                                           earer


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



IN  THIS  ISSUE


     Meditation:
        Exhorted To Walk Honestly

     Editorial:
        The Breakdown of  Doetringi Discipline

     The Day of Shadows:

        God's Earthly Masterpiece

     Feature:

        Ai Examination of Reach Out and The Greatest Is Love


74                                                                THE STANDARD BEARER
4                                                                                                                                                                 1

                                 CONTENTS:                                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER
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        Exhorted To Walk Honestly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74                               Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids, Mich.
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     Editorial -                                                                      Department Editors::.  Mr. Donald Doezema, Rev. Cornelius Hanko,  Prof.
        The Breakdown of Doctrinal                                                    Herman Hanko, Rev. Robert C. Harbach, Rev. John A.  Hey% Rev. Jay
          Discipline In The Netherlands . . . .`. . . . . . . . .77                   Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus Schipper.  Rev.  Gise  J.
                                                                                      Van  Baren, Rev. Herman  Veldman. Rev. Bernard Woudenberg

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     ilbditation
                            Exhorted To Walk Honestly
                                                                       Rev. M. Schipper

                   "`Dbarly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which
                   war against the soul; having your conversatibn  honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas
                   they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold,
                   gl&& God in the day of visitation. "                                                                           I Peter 2:11,12.

       ".Having your conversation honest among the apostle will develop throughout the rest of this epistle.
     Gentiles," that is the positive and central thought of He will show how this honest walk of God's elect shall '
     this text!                                                                       be clearly demonstrated in every department of life. As
       In fact, this will be the central theme which the the elect strangers and pilgrims stand inrespect to their


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                     75



government, in respect to the servant-master relation, it. That belongs to our nature as we are born in tres-
in respect to the marital relation, and in respect to the passes and sins. But flesh is much more than that.
church; in each of these phases of life they are to walk      Flesh includes also all of our nature, our senses, our
honestly before the eyes of all.                              emotional life, etc. The lusts of the flesh are always
   Important it is, therefore, to understand clearly those passions which come up out of that corrupt na-
what the apostle has in mind when he speaks of the ture wherewith we are born naturally; those lusts
saints'. walk, and what is implied in walking honestly which seek to satisfy the flesh, which always seek the
among the Gentiles.                                           carnal flesh; Make no mistake about it, these lusts of
   One's conversation or walk has to do with one's the flesh are not only in the Gentile world, but they
whole manner of life. And in the text the emphasis reside also in the flesh of the Christian, as he is by
falls .on the outward manifestation of this walk. This is nature. In one word, as long as the Christian dwells in
also the implication of the term: "conversation." It the flesh, in the present evil world, he will have to
implies a dialogue, an exchange of words, audibly             contend with his evil, fleshly lusts.
spoken, between two or more persons. However, it can            To abstain from fleshly lusts means that we hold
be easily understood that one's conversation, or one's ourselves away from them, keep our distance from
walk, has more to it than mere outward form. Life and them. In no sense ought we to make provision for
its manifestation is not only what can be seen of it.         them or to indulge in them. It is as the apostle Paul
One's life and walk is always motivated by inward prin- puts it: "that we are to crucify, put off the old man
ciples. From one's life and walk cannot be excluded with his deeds." The reason is very evident.
the motivating, dominating, moral disposition of the            These fleshly lusts war against the soul!
man. It is the motions of the heart within that are             The soul here is looked at from the point of view of
reflected in the outward walk. As a man thinketh in his its spiritual substance which must be sanctified. Man's
heart, says the Scripture, so is he. Especially does this     complete nature is composed of body and SOUL In the
become very clear when you consider that walk from child of God dwells a new heart, but an old nature, in
the point of view of sin and grace.                           the center of which is the soul that controls the body
   In our text it is most important to note that, the in all its actions. And his regenerated heart has to bring
.apostle  is speaking of the walk of the elect strangers      the soul so under control that the body abstains, yea,
and pilgrims, the believers in Christ. It stands to reason    that the whole man abstains from fleshly lusts. And it
that their walk will be quite different from that of the      is therefore the experience of each child of God that
unbeliever. 0, indeed, the unbeliever,`or, as he is called there is a constant battle going on within him against
in the text, the Gentile, has a walk too. And his walk, these fleshly lusts. In other words, fleshly lusts are like
his outward conduct, is also motivated by inward prin- so many evil soldiers seeking to bayonet the very seat
ciples, by a wicked, unregenerate heart. He is inwardly       of his life. And in this struggle  the soul is not, nor may
corrupt. He is ungodly at heart. All his thoughts are to      it remain passive. It must, under the control of the
do evil. His will is perverse. His root is unholy. Hence,     regenerated heart, become spiritually aggressive. The
all his outward conduct and manifestation of life is very fact that the apostle mentions warfare against the
revealed in every kind of abominable work. When he soul shows that it takes two to make a fight. And if
speaks, he curses. When he works, he murders, steals,         you ask: Why is this reason to abstain from fleshly
commits adultery. When he sings, he rejoices in dark- lusts? the answer is two-fold: in the first place, the
ness. Because he does not have faith, all his works-are Christian has a new principle of life; and secondly, he
sin; for "what is not done out of faith, is sin" so Paul      is a pilgrim and a stranger in the world. Fleshly lusts do
writes to the Romans. The converse of this is true of not belong to the world from which he is reborn. And
the believer in Christ, in the regenerated child of God.      living out of the new principle of life which is from
His walk is motivated out of a new heart, out of the above, he becomes a stranger and a pilgrim who prin-
principle of grace, out of the love of God.                   cipally does not belong here. Consequently he will.have
  0, it is true, that the children of God have only a         to fight against all that has a tendency to hold him
small beginning of new obedience. And it is true also         here. Hence, he will have to fight against fleshly lusts.
that they have this grace in an old nature. That is why In the measure he fights, in that measure also he over-
they are exhorted in the text to walk honestly, and           comes and is sanctified. In the measure that he does
negatively, to abstain from fleshly lusts which war not fight, in that measure is he overcome.
against the soul.                                               Positively, the walk of the pilgrim will be good.
  Fleshly lusts!                                              There are two words in Scripture for "good." One is
  Those carnal desires that have their seat in our old        what is good essentially; the other is what is good in
nature!                                                       appearance. The apostle uses the latter word in the
  Flesh is not only the visible material of which our text. It refers then to that which is beautiful, pleasing,
bodies are composed, that part of us which we can acceptable. In the ethical-moral sense it is that which is
place before a looking glass and pamper. That is part of      excellent, noble, worthy of recognition, praiseworthy.


76                                               THE STANDARD BEARER



When the translation uses the term "honest" in con- and walk like that.
nection with our walk, it means that our behaviour is           Difficult calling, indeed!
good. We are honest in our walk when in every respect           Difficult it is, in the first place, because they have
we manifest what we essentially are, namely, a Chris- always to contend with the lusts of their own flesh.
tian. If we walk hypocritically, and can easily play ball     Always they remember that once they also were like
with sinners, we are dishonest, and our walk is not the Gentiles, steeped in corruption and wickedness.
good. That Christian who is consistent and reveals in They remember that once they were children of dark-
his walk his Christian principles is honest, and his be- ness even as the rest. But now they have obtained
haviour good. The possibilty of the latter, of course, mercy. Their lives have been principally changed. Their
lies only in the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit citizenship is now in heaven. They are strangers in the
within him. So, and so only, is it conceivable that the world, and the world has become stranger to them.
Christian will constantly and consciously fight against And yet they have this new life in an old nature that
sin and carnal passion, and desire to walk in a new and always still wants to do as the Gentiles; and they have
godly life.                                                   constantly to struggle with their carnal lusts. Their
      And where shall the dearly beloved conduct this greatest difficulty they discover is within them. The
conversation and walk?                                        evil which they would not, they do; and the good
      The apostle says: "among the Gentiles."                 which they would perform, they find not.
      Those to whom Peter addresses himself were scat-          Difficult it is, so the apostle informs them, that
tered among the Gentiles, that is, the heathen, those         those Gentiles falsely accuse them as evildoers. Liter-
outside of the Church of Jesus Christ. In a wider s.ense,     ally this was true concerning the early Christians, and
the term Gentile refers to the present evil world. That it has been true throughout all the ages. The record
world -which apparently is in control of the  govem- will show that when there happened to be an earth-
merit, the master-slave relation, and all other political, quake or a pestilence in the earth, the Christians were
social, and economic relationships, all of which are blamed for it. When they refused for God's sake to
brought under the control of sin and darkness.                obey an evil edict of the king, they were counted as
      Notice that the apostle says emphatically  among criminals. And so it is, that when the church of Christ
them. There is not, nor should there ever be, anything        or the child of  ,God reveals the grace of Christ from
anabaptistic about the Christian. Never is he exhorted within, they are ridiculed to scorn, or persecuted unto
to seclude himself from the world. 0, indeed, he is the death. Indeed, the way of the child of God is not
constantly warned not to live as the world. This also         easy, but most difficult. Yet, in spite of it all, he is
our text clearly teaches. In the spiritual sense of the called to walk honestly in the midst of the world.
word, we are called to live in opposition to the world.         And why must this be done?
But never does the Word of God exhort us to hide                That the Gentiles may see your good works, and
ourselves away from the world. Always there have glorify God in the day of visitation!
been those who advocate this isolation. It is well
known in such movements as asceticism, monkery, ana-            This is in complete harmony with the instruction of
baptistic, world-flight movements. And because we Jesus. "Let your light so shine before men that they
oppose the world and its philosophies and practices, may see your good works and glorify your Father
and do not allow ourselves and our children to partici- which is in heaven."
pate in these worldly practices, we too have often been         The day of visitation can refer to one of two things,
accused of being anabaptistic, guilty of asceticism.          or to both. Either it is the day when God will also visit
Nothing could be farther from the truth, The Christian the Gentiles with His grace as He had done to the
who understands his calling is found going about his beloved pilgrims; or, it is the day when He will visit  i
business in the very midst of the world. Not you un- them in His just and holy wrath, the day of judgment,
derstand, in the world's places of wicked amusement, the day of Christ. We see no reason to, exclude either
and cesspools of vice and sin; but wherever his voca-         of these possibilities. On the one hand, God has also
tion in life takes him, in the shop, in the office, in the among the Gentiles His people, who, when He visits
school, in the street, in the home. In the midst of the       them in His grace will turn from their evil way, and
world he is called to walk honestly, be a stranger and a      through the good works and honest conversation of
pilgrim in it, letting his light shine, revealing the life of His beloved shall be converted unto God, and render
regeneration antithetically. Not with a view to convert- praise unto His Name. On the other hand, there are
ing and saving the world, as some would have us be-           also among the Gentiles those who, falsely accusing,
lieve today; but rather, showing the grace of God             God's people while they behold their good works, shall
which is in us unto the praise of His glory. It is not        go on in their sin until the day that God shall come to
without good reason that the apostle addresses himself them in judgment. In that day even the wicked shall
to the dearly beloved, strangers and pilgrims in the justify God when He righteously shall condemn them
text, It is that in the midst of the world they shall live    according to their works, and in this theodicy shall


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                      77


  glorify God. For that reason, that God may be gloii- calling is-here given to the Church of Christ in the
  fied in and through the Gentiles, let the pilgrims and world, and unto each one of the children of God!
 .strangers  walk honestly among them.                           May He continue to give unto us His grace that we
    In the light of this, what a beautiful and urgent may faithfully fulfill that calling, even unto the end!


  Editoria 1
                  The Breakdown of Doctrinal Discipline
                                       In The Netherlands

                                                Prof. H. C.-Hoeksema

    Our regular readers know that the Standard Bearer and His satisfaction for sin through the bearing of the
 has reported rather frequently on instances of bla- wrath of God. Reconciliation is given the horizontal
 tantly un-Reformed and heretical teachings on the part twist which is characteristic of the social gospellers.
 of leaders in the Gereformeerde Kerken in the Nether- Probably one of Wiersinga's sharpest critics has been
 lands. All of these instances are evidences of on-going the Rev. J. Hegger, editor of In De Rechte Straat, and
 deformation in the Dutch churches, a deformation himself a converted Roman Catholic and therefore
 which by this time has reached appalling proportions.         quite understandably offended by this denial of the
 Again and again, professors of theology and ministers         only sacrifice of Christ.
 in good standing in the churches have come out with             It must be remembered that what is especially signif-
 eye-popping pronouncements about Scripture, about icant about this instance of heresy is the fact that it
 various doctrines, about the Christian's calling in vari-     involves the theological faculty of the Free University,
 ous spheres of life, to the point that one would think        not only Dr. Wiersinga. For it was by that faculty that
 that now at last some ecclesiastical assembly will call       Wiersinga was granted his degree of doctor of theology,
 this or that man on the carpet and suspend and depose         and that, too, on the basis of this heretical doctoral
 him. But in no single instance, until now, have the           thesis. Moreover, the theological faculty members are
 churches there taken any disciplinary action. In other        all ordained in the Gereformeerde Kerken, and subject
 words, ecclesiastical discipline with respect to doctrine     to the provisions ,of the Formula of Subscription. As
 has broken down.                                              has already been remarked in the Netherlands (by Dr.
    The latest example of such a breakdown concerns            Herman Ridderbos) these faculty members, therefore,
  the heretical teachings of Dr. H. Wiersinga about the        bear not only a scientific but also an ecclesiastical re-
 doctrine of atonement and reconciliation. Prof. Hanko         sponsibility; and the two cannot be separated. The
 reported on this matter in All Around Us in the May 1         faculty members, therefore, cannot properly approve
 issue (p. 343). Rev. Herman Wiersinga wrote a doctoral ,from a scientific point of view what they have vowed
~ thesis (and received a degree from the Free Uni-             to oppose in the church and according to their ordina-
 versity!) on "Reconciliation in Theological Discus-           tion vows. In other words, they cannot approve a
 sion." According to a brief report in the R.&S'. News         heretical doctoral dissertation such as Wiersinga's with-
 Exchange of Feb. 23, "The contention of the book is           out becoming co-responsible for Wiersinga's heresy,
 that the Bible teaches that Jesus' sacrifice was not di-      and therefore, like Wiersinga, liable to discipline for
 rected to God but to man. In the author's view the heresy. In fact, it might be argued that the responsibil-
 sacrifice of Christ is not a gift to God that makes God ity of the faculty in such a situation is even heavier
 gracious or provides satisfaction but rather God's great      than that of Wiersinga. For of all people, these theolog-
 gift of salvation to man by which he reconciles, de- ical professors ought to recognize  - and condemn -
 livers and converts man. The blood of Jesus Christ            heresy when they see it!
 speaks of our liberation from a `blood-shedding exist-          And this means, of course, that the  Gerefowneerde
 ence.' The blood of Christ was not offered to God but         Kerken have come to be confronted by a highly serious
 was a saving, cleansing, and renewing gift of God to          situation!
 man." Subsequent reports and discussions in some of             What has happened?
 the Dutch papers have made it abundantly clear that             The R.E.S. News Exchange carried the following re-
 Wiersinga's teachings are indeed as heretical as first re-    port in its October 26 issue:
 ported. He denies the vicarious nature of Christ's death             The General Synod of the Reformed Churches in


78                                                      THE STANDARD BEARER


       the Netherlands at its September meeting issued a           and others to be guilty of heresy, but nevertheless de-
       "Synodical  Message" concerning the biblical doctrine       clined to take any disciplinary action. It is quite con-
       of reconciliation.                                          ceivable, therefore, that also in this instance the Synod
          Th& declaration was occ&ioned by the recent dis-         will make a similar finding. In fact, I would dare to say
       cussion in the Dutch churches concerning this central       that this is quite likely, especially in view of the great
       doctrine of the Christian faith. The Synod received a       influence of the very Amsterdam theologians who are
       number of protests concerning the book of Dr. H.            inextricably involved in this case with Wiersinga. I.
       Wiersinga on the doctrine of reconciliation in Re-
       formed theoldgy (see RES NE  2/23/71). Dr.                  could even conceive of it that the Synod will make one
       Wiersinga had also lodged a protest with his church         of those  &sipid, lukewarm, Laodicea-like, "both . . .
       council against the teach$g of the church confes-           and" decisions: the confessions are right, but Dr.
       sional standards on reconciliation. The text of the         Wiersinga also has a point.
       Synod's declaration follows.                                  In the second place, even the present declaration of
          The General Synod of the Reformed Churches               the Synod represents a breakdown of doctrinal disci-
       (Dordrecht 1971-72) in session in Lunteren, feels it-       pline, in spite of the fact that Synod seems to reaffirm
       self under compulsion to issue a statement regarding        the confessional doctrine of atonement.
       the central doct.rine.of reconciliation.                      Why do I say this?
          The examination of new thoughts concerning re-             My first reasDn is that, according to all that has been
       conciliation, as these have arisen and have been pub-       reported of Wiersinga's position and according to all
       lished; takes place in the proper way by scientific
       reflection and ecclesiastical process. The carefulness      that I have read in the way of criticism of that posi-
       which this requires demands a necessary calmness and        tion, the Synod could have analysed the heresy of
       time.                                                       Wiersinga and produced grounds for condemnation just
          The Synod appeals to the churches to await in            about as quickly as to have prepared the above declara-
       trust the results of this testing by the light of the       tion. In .other words, the statement of the second para-
       Holy Scripture. At the same time this naturally does        graph is false: "The examination of new thoughts con-
       not mean that as, long as the above mentioned exatni-       cerning reconciliation, as these have  arisen and have
       nation has not yet been concluded there would have          been published, takes place in the proper way by
       to exist. any uncertainty regarding the confession and      scientific reflection and ecclesiastical process, The care-
       the church's preaching on reconciliation with God in        fulness which this requires demands a necessary calm-
       the substitutionary power of the suffering and death        ness and time." At the very best, the above statement
       of Christ our Lord.
         T$e Synod recognizes herein its oneness with that         represents the weakness of hesitation. At its worst  -
       which the church of all ages has confessed: that            and one finally comes to expect the worst, even when
       Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures:.      he would like to expect better things  - it represents
 `.--. And it understands hereby nothing else than that            an attempt to pull the wool over people's eyes. It is the
       &.ich is contained in the confessional standards of         typical sop which liberal-minded ecclesiastical assem-
       the Reformed Churches, namely that God in His in-           blies so frequently have thrown to the "poor, unen-
       finite goodness has sent His Son to be a reconciliation     lightened traditionalists." But when one's house is
       for our sins, has caused all our unrighteousness to fall    afire, he should not first spend a long time deciding
       upon Him who knew no sin and was made sin for us            whether there is indeed a fire,  ,and then ponder the
       that we might become the righteousness of God in            question whether or not he will put it out, and then
       Him, and, converted to God by Him, should lead a            consider dilatorily what means to use. Yet this is what
       new life. Therefore the church praises and adores her       the Synod has done, and, I fear, is doing. Meanwhile,
       Lord as the holy Lamb of God that takes away the
       sin of the world.                                           the house is rapidly being destroyed!
          It is the intention of the Synod in this declaration       My second reason is undeniably objective, in case
       to point to and emphatically affum in all its continu-      you cannot accept the first. It is this: Dr. Wiersinga has
       ing reflection on the confession of reconciliation, that    himself lodged a protest with his church council
       which the church has always confessed and the classic       against the teaching of the church confessional stand-,
       formulary for Holy Communion rightly calls the only         ards on reconciliation. In other words, if indeed the
       ground and foundation of our salvation. (RES NE             Synod affirms the confessional teachings, then Dr.
       10/26/71)                                                   Wiersinga is by his own admission a heretic. Why, then,
      At  fast glance, this action of the General Synod should it require so much carefulness and time to reach
wy seem. to be discreet; and Synod's declaration may a decision?
seem to have an orthodox, and even a rather  stel'nly                But what is worse, Dr. Wiersinga is liable to de facto
orthodox, ring.                                                    suspension from office. For according to the Formula
      In the first place, however, judging by past perform- of Subscription, one does not first publish abroad sen-
ances, this means nothing. Do not forget that only last timents which are contrary to the confessions, and
year the General Synod adopted the utterly contradic- then file a protest against the confessions. On the con-
tory decision in which they plainly found Dr. Kuitert trary! One first files a gravamen, and that, too, without


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                            79


in the meantime teaching his deviating sentiments course, there would be a good many steps to retrace,
either publicly or privately. Failure to follow this           Neither does a situation such as that in which the
promised procedure iS in itSelf Suffkient grounds for GKN now find themSelveS  ariSe Suddenly.ItiS the end
discipline.                                                  of a process, more or less gradual.
  Hence, the Synod is aLready guilty of "too little and        And what is the moral of the story?
too late."                                                     This: Never take the first step in that process!
  As we have  already remarked: the above is by no             For it is not the last step that is fatal, but that first
means the first evidence of a breakdown of doctrinal step. When once you open the door to false doctrine,
discipline in the GKN. The fact is that by this time there is no stopping - unless, miraculously, you repent
those churches are wide open for all kinds of winds of and return all the way!
doctrine. The situation is such that by this time the          And therefore, the moral of the story is also this:
churches are paralyzed, constitutionally unable to cope Abiding vigilance and resolute discipline of doctrine
with heresy any longer. The only hope would be a are the price of purity of doctrine and preaching!
miraculous and complete about-face. And then, of               Let usnever  forget it!


All Around- ?Ys

                                            E c u m e n i c i t y
                           The Consequences of Disobedience
                                                    Varia

                                                  Pro5  H. Hanko

ECUMENICITY  (cont.)                                           Another development is the formation of the Na-
  In the Oct. 15 issue of the Standard Bearer we called tional Presbyterian and Reformed Fellowship. What
attention to some more recent ecumenical develop- this is can best be described by means of a quote from
ments. There are still a few such developments which the  Presbyterian Guardian.
deserve mention. This is especially in the light of the             The news item (in a former issue of the Guardian,
fact that many now believe that the so called COCU               H.H.) noted the presence of participants at a planning
plans are not making any appreciable progress in ef-             meeting in Philadelphia from the following churches:
forts to unite protestantism. Many have given up on              The Presbyterian Church U.S. ("Southern"),` the
COCU and are looking for alternatives. COCU stands               United Presbyterian Church U.S.A., the Reformed
                                                                 Church in America, the Christian Reformed Church,
for "Consultation on Church Union" and envisions an              the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the Reformed
eventual merger of nine protestant denominations with            Presbyterian Church Evangelical Synod, and the Re-
a combined membership of over thirty million.                    formed Presbyterian Church N.A. (Yovenanter"). At
  One such new development is an impetus towards a               least some of the participants from the Orthodox
worldwide union of Lutherans and Reformed. Talks                 Presbyterian and the two Reformed Presbyterian
between Lutheran and Reformed theologians have                   Churches were there with the approval of some offi-
been going on for over a decade. Many have concluded             cial  agency within their churches; all others were
that there are no insuperable obstacles to such union            there without ecclesiastical endorsement of any kind.
and that the time has come to take positive steps to-               The Fellowship is open to any ordained minister
wards bringing the Lutheran and Reformed branches                or elder from any church in the Reformed or Pres-
of Protestantism together. A first step which has been           byterian tradition who will share in the new organiza-
proposed is the establishment of fellowship which                tion's objectives. These goals include a joining
would permit pastors and members of participating de-            together for "encouragement and mutual assistance
nominations to receive communion in churches other               of those who seek in our time the unity of a pure
                                                                 witness to the Word of God and the testimony of
than their own. It will be interesting to see whether the        Jesus Christ"; and this is avowedly a seeking after
breach `between Calvin and Luther is eventually healed.          true ecumenism that is both Reformed in doctrine
One point to remember however is that many Lu-                   and Presbyterian in church government. In other
theran and Reformed Churches have departed far from              words, the Fellowship at least is open to working
the teachings of both Luther and Calvin.                         toward a "National Presbyterian and Reformed


80                                                       THE STANDARD BEARER



       Church" that might include all the various remnant               drivers, Justices, and The New York Times.
       groups who are still true Calvinists.                          Alsop goes on to make some interesting observations
      Several things are evident from  the above quotation.         about this.
In the first place, this group is still "unofficial" in the                The conclusion is obvious: nobody plays by the
sense that it is a voluntary meeting of men who are not                 rules any more. Not the kids, not the cops, not the
appointed by their respective denominations or author-                  garbagement, not the editors of the Times, not the
ized to act on behalf of their churches. In the second                  keepers of Manhattan's bridges. This has, to be sure,
place, it is also evident that the Fellowship is com-                   never been a notably law-abiding country. Even so,
posed of "conservatives" within the Reformed and                        there was a national consensus even as recently as ten
Presbyterian church world who are alarmed at the                        years ago that law breaking was pretty risky business,
apostasy of their denominations and who are inter-                      and morally dubious to boot.
ested in preserving the Reformed and Presbyterian her-                     This is no longer so. If Daniel Ellsberg  goes to jail,
itage. In the third place, although this also is quite                  he will be widely hailed as a martyr-hero like the
unofficial, the Fellowship has as its goal the formation                Berrigan brothers. . . .
of a new denomination in which conservatives in these                      What has happened to make the great change. . . ?
(and other) denominations could find a refuge.                          One thing that has happened is that "civil disobedi-
      The organization is in its infancy. Developments                  ence"  - a euphemism for breaking those laws in
should prove interesting.                                               which the law breaker does not believe - has become
                                                                        both respectable and relatively safe. The civil-rights
                                                                        movement of the early '60s began to make it respect-
`THE  CONsEQUENCES  OF  DISOBEDIENt2E                                   able, and the increasing unpopularity of the Vietnam
      The child of God whose life is governed and guided               war has helped to make it safe as well as respect-
by the; Scriptures is able to know the will of God in                   able. . . .
these evil days and is able to define, in the light of                     The unpopularity of the war has also lent respect-
God's Word, what is the great sickness of our times. He                 ability to the  `crevolution"  of the radical young. . . .
is in a position to evaluate present day trends and                     The young have taught the angry workers and other
                                                                        interested onlookers an important lesson  - that if a
point out their evils and their dangers. He can do this                 great many people are breaking the law at the same
because the Word of God sheds light upon his path-                      time, an individual doing so runs little risk of severe
way.                                                                    punishment. , . .
      Sometimes, in surprising ways, worldly men are able                  In other areas, breaking the law involves very little
t6 see these same things. They write, sometimes as if                   pe_Isonal risk. The "kids" who are. "busted" risk at
their writings are original findings, things which God's               most a whack on the head, maybe a-whiff of tear gas,
people have been saying right along. A rather striking                  possibly a night in jail. They thus become, almost
illustration of this is a column in Newsweek written by                 painlessly, instant heroes. The garbagemen or postal
that thoughtful and, often, provocative, but unbeliev-                  workers who strike don't even risk that much  - on
ing columnist, Stewart Alsop.                                           the contrary, they are rewarded with fat pay raises.
      The column was written soon after Daniel Ellsberg                     Obviously, it is possible, and always has been, to
broke his pledge to protect government secrets and                      break the law in a good cause. Undoubtedly, the edi-
handed masses of papers dealing with the Vietnam War                    tors of the Times most sincerely believed that their
                                                                        cause was good. So did the kids, the cops, the bridge
to the New York Times which promptly proceeded to                       keepers and the garbagemen. But surely there is a real
publish them.                                                           danger here. In his Farewell Address, that eminently
      Referring to several acts of law-breaking which took              sensible fellow, George Washington, had this to say:
place about the same time (the sealing off of Manhat-                   "The very idea of the power and the right of the
tan's bridges, the- invasion of Washington by thousands                 people to establish government presupposes the duty
of young people who committed many lawless acts,                        of every individual to obey the established govern-
the arrest of many of these young people by police                      ment.
who disregarded constitutional procedures, the illegal                     Many Americans now regard it as the duty of the
strike of workers in public services such as postal                    individual to defy "the established government." Past
workers, firemen, etc.), he asks whether these things                  history suggests that mass defiance invites, sooner or
                                                                        later, an authoritarian and repressive response. Today
would have happened twenty, or even ten, years ago.                     in this country there is less repression of dissent than
His answer is "No." And he quotes from the dissent of                   in any other nation. . . .
Chief Justice Burger in the New York Times case:                           So the danger is not immediate. But the disintegra-
          It is hardly believable that a great institution (like        tion of the authority of the "established government"
       the Times) would fail to perform one of the basic and            could produce an authoritarian regime,  if  it were
       simple duties of every citizen with respect to the dis-          combined with a severe economic depression. That
       covery . . . of stolen property . . . That duty, I had           combination could happen here.
       thought  - perhaps naively  - was to report forthwith,         While Alsop  certainly does not understand that God
       to responsible public officers. This duty rests on taxi      has ordained government, and that it must be obeyed


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                             81



for God's sake, he does see that, if the right is granted grants amounting to $200,000 to various liberation
to every man to decide for himself whether or not he groups in southern Africa. It has also given an equal
will obey or disobey an existing law, that government amount of money to other organizations within Africa,
cannot long continue. And he sees, too, that the result many of which have been insurrection groups under
is totalitarian regime which denies its citizens all rights. communist domination. A loud cry of dismay and a
He sees what many churchmen, who openly advocate howl of disagreement have risen throughout the world;
and themselves practice civil disobedience, refuse to and even  the  Reader'sDigest   has pointedly asked
recognize. Often the children of this world are wiser in whether this is the real business of the Church. It is an
their generation than the children of light.               indication of how far the W.C.C. has gone in the direc-
                                                           tion of the social gospel.
VARIA
  The world synod of bishops is, at the time of this                               *****
writing, still engaged in its month-long meeting at the       There are several bills now pending in Congress
Vatican. It is more than an average and routine meet- which are bills aimed at giving the government the
ing. While the results of the meeting wiIl not be known right to take, without the agreement of parents, chil-
for some time, the church faces crucial issues. And the dren from parental control and place them under govern:
issues meet in the struggle between conservative and ment care. The reasoning is ostensibly that many
liberal factions of the church. While the problems of children do not receive proper care and training in the
modernizing the church and of taking a stand on the home, grow  up uneducated and underprivileged and
issues of "world revolution" engage a great deal of the become problems for society. The supporters of the
bishops' time, nevertheless, the problem which is hit- bills argue that if parents cannot do a proper job of
ting the headlines is the problem of clerical celibacy. taking care of their children and if the result is that
The church is in a sort of a crisis on this point. The these children become burdens on society, the govem-
problem is that for every two or three men who are ment must step in and do what the home is failing to
joining the priesthood these days, five are leaving. And, do.
as often as not, the reason is clerical celibacy. The         But it is not all quite that simple. Many supporters
bishops, however, can only advise; the pope has the of the bill already speak of the long-range goals as
last word. And the pope is a conservative.                 being government care of all children. The propaganda
                         *SC**                             mills are already at work and the country is being sub-
  Recently. the World Council of Churches has, under tly prepared for such a program. What a monstrous
a program of aid to combat racism in 1970, given crime it would be if this ever came into existence.


Feature

                                      An Examination of
              Reach Out and The Greatest Is love (1)

                                                 Rev. David Engelsma

  Reach Out and The Greatest is Love are versions of are especially urged upon the children and young
the New Testament Scriptures. Both are illustrated edi- people of'the Church as the Bibles that will make the
tions of "The Living New Testament," the copyright Word of God clear and relevant. The charge is made
to which is held by Tyndale Foundation,  Wheaton, that the older versions, particularly, the Ring James
Illinois. -The date of the copyright is 1967. The text of Version, are unclear and generally unsuited for the use
both of these New Testament Bibles is the same. They of modems, especially, the youth.
differ only in the illustrations which they contain and       In fact, the translation of the New Testament Scrip-
in the comments that accompany the illustrations. tures, God's holy Word, that is found  in Reach Out
These Bibles are being widely disseminated and widely and The Greatest is Love is, in its entirety, wretchedly
used, today. They either replace the older versions of bad, so that one cannot know and understand God's
the New Testament, such as the King James Version, Word from it. It is a loose paraphrase of the New
or they are used with the older versions as an aid to Testament Scriptures, rather than an accurate transla-
understandmg  those allegedly obscure versions. They tion. This paraphrase is, throughout, corrupted with


82                                               THE STANDARD BEARER



the.private interpretations of the one who did the para-        this way: "Into this world He came . . . not as an em-
phrasing, so that the very Word of God in the par-              peror, but as  .a low-born person, to taste of the
ticular text is obliterated.. What is still worse, these        poverty, the sorrow, the anguish, to be just one man in
"Bibles" represent a deliberate, wicked attempt to de- a system in which men exploited men" etc. (Cf. the
stroy certain fundamental doctrines in Scripture which introduction to the book, no page number given).
the producers of these "Bibles" hate. This attempt is When they do mention His death, the comments say,
made by distorting, or eluding, the words of ,the New "He was murdered" (cf. the introduction to Luke).
Testament Scriptures that teach these doctrines. These The comments make false statements concerning
Bibles are an all-out attack upon the Reformed faith,           Christ and concerning the calling of Christians. They
or Calvinism. They have the effect upon a man who is do so in order to cater to the sin of modern youth of
Reformed and rears his children to be Reformed that             engaging in revolution against authority. The introduc-
he burns with holy anger.                                       tion to  @ark, boldly entitled, "Be a Rebel with a
      I will demonstrate these charges to the complete Cause," takes issue with those who object to the rebels
satisfaction of every man that is willing to weigh the          of our day and denies that it is necessarily bad to rebel.
evidence honestly, before the face of God, Whose                It then defends as good the revolution of the colonies
Word the Scriptures are.                                        against England in 1776. In this context, it refers to
      The text, or translation, of these two versions is the    Christ as a rebel. "Be a rebel!," it says to young per-
main thing. There are, however, several other serious sons, as long as `"in your rebellion - in your uprooting
objections to these New Testament Bibles. The very              of the evils and inequities of contemporary society -
first objection must be registered against the titles of (you) replace them with integrity, reality, and God's
these books. It is wrong to put a title of our own              love flowing through your life." All of this is sheer
choosing on God's Word. The only title it may have is           deviltry, especially, in light of the circumstances of
"Holy Bible," of "New Testament." Putting a title on            revolution among the youth in our day. Christ was no
the Scriptures forces all of God's Word into the mold rebel, nor a revolutionary. It is monstrous, a blas-
of that title and leaves the impression that the title          phemy, to call Him one. Christ calls all rebellion
expresses the one, main truth of the Scriptures, to against authority, sin, whether that authority be
which all of the contents are subordinate: What`audae- parents, civil government, or the elders of the Church.
ity, not to mention falsity, to subject the whole Word The calling with which the Word of God confronts the
of God in the New Testament to the human concept of young people of Christ is: Do not be a rebel. The
"Reach Out." Even though "The Greatest is Love" warning is: Every rebel that continues impenitently in,
tries to be a Biblical quotation (in fact, it is not a          his revolution will be damned (cf. Romans 13:2 in the
quotation, for I Corinthians 13 : 13 says: "the greatest King James Version). In addition, the comments are
of these  is love," in reference to faith, hope, and simply worthless as introductions to the books of the
love), it, too,. is a selection by men of that which they Bible. For example, what must one think of an intro-
think to be most important in the Bible and a subjec- duction to Ephesians that does not so much as men-
tion of the whole New Testament to that truth.                  tion the Church, or God's election of the Church in
      The second objection concerns the pictures and ac- Christ to be Christ's Bride, but instead shows three
companying comments in both of these Bibles. A Bible            pictures of the war in Viet Nam and declares that in
should not have pictures, certainly not pictures that Ephesians Paul talks about the basic hatred behind war
are intended to be illustrations of the truth of Bible,         "and goes on to describe the only cure and the only
aids in understanding the Bible. The fundamental weapons which will really change planet earth." The
reason for this every Reformed man, woman, and child            overwhelming emphasis of the comments, in keeping
knows. It is the reason given in the Heidelberg Cate-           with the nature of the illustrations, is on man, man's
chism, Q. 98, in connection with the prohibition of             troubles, man's happiness, and man's duties to his fel-
images: "God . . . will have his people taught, not by low man. The various evils in humansociety are viewed
dumb images, but by the lively preaching- of his word." merely as problems for men, never as transgressions
The comments accompanying the pictures in  Reach                against God, nor as the judgments which God in the
Out are bad. .These comments appear as an introduc- last days sends on the wicked world. The nature of the
tion to the entire New Testament Bible and as intro- humanistic comments makes plain that the title, Reach
ductions to each of the books in the New Testament.             Out, supposedly the very heart and center of the New
Not once is the word, "sin," mentioned in these com-            Testament Scriptures, refers to man's reaching out for
ments. It is amazing that someone could introduce the his fellow men. This is false doctrine, the false doctrine
meaning of the entire New Testament and the meaning             of making man the center of all things, in God's stead.
of each book' without mentioning sin. Never once do Reach Out is guilty of perpetrating this outrage upon
the comments, in any way, say that Jesus died for the           God's own Scriptures, the message of which is, in fact,
sins of His people. Instead, these comments prefer to what God has done, what God does, and what God will
describe the purpose of Jesus' coming into the world            do, in Jesus Christ.


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   83



   So far, we have criticized the comments in Reach term, "Word."
Out. There-are comments in The Greatest is Love that            2.  John 3:3. The Greatest is Love has Jesus saying
are, if anything, worse than those noted in Reach Out;        to Nicodemus: "Unless you are born again, you can
`At the very beginning of the book (page c), there ap- never get into the Kingdom of God." In fact, as the
pears what is intended to be an introduction to the King James Version translates, Jesus said, "Except a
entire New Testament. These remarks purport to pro- man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
vide the key to understanding the New Testament. We God." Without now pursuing the doctrinal implica-
read the following:                                           tions, it is plain to everyone that there is a vast dif-
"`1.. We do not deserve God's love.                           ference between not being able to get into the King-
 2. God loves us so much that He gave His Son to die dom and not even being able to see the Kingdom.
    for us.                                                     3. Ephesians 2: 1 T/k Greatest is Love reads: "Once
 3. We must accept God's love for us.                         you were under God's curse, doomed forever for your
 4. If we accept God's love our life- will be transformed sins." That which the Holy Spirit actually inspired is:
    and we will live forever.                                 "And you hath he quickened who were dead in tres-
 5. We accept  _ God's love by acknowledging Jesus passes and sins." The important doctrine that is
    Christ as the Son of God and surrendering our lives obscured by the new translation is the doctrine of total
    to Him."                                                  depravity. This text teaches that man in himself is dead
These introductory comments proclaim a certain in sins, incapable of any good, also the good of accept-
theology. Stated briefly, the theology teaches that God ing God's love by believing in Jesus.
loves all men and sent Christ to die for all to  make*
,salvation  possible for all. Whether a man actually is         4. Romans  8:7. The Greatest is Love  reads: "Be-
saved or not depends upon his acceptance of God's             cause the old sinful nature within us is against God. It
love by believing in Jesus Christ through the power of never did obey God's laws and it never will." The King
his free will. This is the theology of Arrninianism.  It is James Version correctly translates: "Because the carnal
the theology that the Reformed Churches condemned mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the
as heresy at the Synod of Dordt in 16 18-16 19. This          law of God, neither indeed can be." The last phrase
theology is, not the gospel, nor the key to the gospel, teaches the inability of the natural man to keep God's
but a perversion of the gospel, for it denies the good        law. He cannot do the good.
news that salvation is of God's grace alone and makes           5. Romans 8:28. The Greatest is Love reads: "And
salvation, at the decisive point, dependent on man's we know that all that happens to us is working for our
will and an accomplishment of man. The introductory good if we love God and are fitting into His plans."
comments of  The Greatest is Love,  therefore, lead The King James Version correctly reads: "And we
away from the gospel of the New Testament, under the know that all things work together for good to them
guise of leading into it.                                     that love God, to them who are called according to his
   Our fundamental criticism of these Bibles, however, purpose." The new version gratuitously inserts the
concerns their text, or translation. Both  Reach Out word, "if," and completely alters the last phrase, so
and  The Greatest is Love  have the same text of the that it seems that it depends upon what we do,
New Testament Scriptures.                                     whether all things work for our good or not, rather
  First, this text is not an accurate, reliable translation than upon God's calling us according to His purpose.
of the original Greek New Testament Scriptures. Ap-             These are merely examples of the inaccuracies in
parently, it does not attempt to be. The result is that it    The Greatest is Love and Reach Out that make them
does not faithfully give the words of God in the New totally unreliable Bibles. This unfaithfulness to the
Testament in English. For this reason alone, Reach Out true words of God occurs on every page. No one
and  The Greatest is Love are incapable of serving as should try to minimize the seriousness of this unfaith-
New Testament Bibles, whether in replacing other ver- fulness. These books claim to be the New Testament
sions or in aiding one to understand other versions.          Bible, the New Testament Word of God. The fact that
What good is a "Bible" that fails, not just in a few they play fast and loose with God's Word is an evi-
passages, but throughout, to give the very words that dence that the producers of these versions have no
the Holy Spirit inspired? As a consequence of this care- regard for the verbal inspiration of Holy Scripture. If
less unfaithful rendering of the New Testament Scrip- God inspired the very words of Scripture, no one may
.tures, important doctrines are utterly obscured. I will lightly substitute other words for God's words or re-
now prove this charge by referring to passages in The place the exact words that God inspired with a phrase
Greatest is Love at random and comparing them with that is supposed to express the idea of the text in a
.the correct translation of the King James Version.           general way. Such Bibles constitute an attack on the
   1. John 1: 1.  The Greatest  is  Love  reads: "Before doctrine of the verbal inspiration of Scripture and,
anything else existed, there was Christ." It substitutes      thus, an attack on the doctrine of Scripture itself. For
"Christ" for the term that the Holy Spirit used, the if such books.are accepted as good, usable versions of


84                                              THE STANDARD BEARER



Holy Scripture, the doctrine of inspiration, by virtue the Churches have departed from the truth that "all
of that fact, falls away. The production of such Bibles, Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (II Timothy
as these, and their widespread use in the Churches, is a 3: 16).
loud and terrifying testimony to the extent to which (to be continued)


The Day of Shadows

                          God's Earthly Masterpiece
                                                  Rev. John A. Heys

      God is a master builder, and every creature that He    a reptile that "adjusted" itself to living out of the
makes is a masterpiece.                                      water on the dry'land. But he cannot find the "missing
      An earthly, human, master craftsman has his mis- link" between the beasts of the field and man. The
takes as well as his masterpieces. The knife may slip in     closest he comes is the gorilla. But he realizes that
a moment of carelessness. The brush may not realize there is an important gap between the highest of
the desired effect; and the color may not be wisely primates and man.
mixed and chosen. The fingers may become numb,                 That he will never find this "missing link" is due to
stiff or weak, and a substandard work results. But           the fact that there is no missing link. The animal world
God's work is always perfect. All that which He does         did not produce man. The serpent in his original fform
has the characteristics of the work of a master. One is      was higher than all the beasts of the field. For Scrip-
not more perfect than the other, for all are absolutely ture declares that he was more subtle than all the
perfect. And His last work of creating on this earth         beasts of the field. That means that he was more clever
instead of showing weakness or weariness becomes His than any .other creature. It does not mean subtle in an
earthly masterpiece.                                         evil sense. The serpent could. perform more of the ac-
      We may single out this one of His earthly creatures tions peculiar to man than any other earthly creature.
as  His masterpiece because it stands at the top of an But were men to find a serpent in his original form
ever-ascending scale of master works, not as something (which, of course, is impossible), they would not have
more perfect, but as that which reveals to a greater in their possession the "missing link." Man did not
degree His wisdom and skill. And the very way in             evolve from the serpent, or from any other creature.
which He brought it into being likewise sets upon it         He came into being by a very special work of God.
the seal of being His earthly masterpiece. We refer, of And the very way in which God brought man forth
course, to man who was brought forth by God as the strikes the death blow to the theistic evolutionistic
last work of creation.                                       explanation of man's origin. For God formed him and,
      First God brought forth the inanimate creation, the breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and created
lifeless ground on which man would stand, where he him in His own image.
would work, and which would sustain his earthly life           That God formed man speaks of special care, that is,
through the plants about to be created. Then God of a special touch of God. He was very careful in all
brought forth the. living creatures. The first of these His works, and therefore all are masterpieces. But with
were those that would be rooted in the ground, the .man God used His hand instead of issuing a creative
plants which had life but no blood, and were not able        call, as He did with all the other earthly creatures. In
to move about from place to place. Then came the fact, in God's own mind man is a special creature. For
living creatures which have the power of locomotion to before creating man the triune God spoke to Himself
swim,. fly, crawl or walk and have blood, wherein is         and said, "Let us make man in our own image, after
their life. Finally came this masterpiece of a rational,     our likeness." No such speech preceded any other
moral creature, a living soul that was created in the        work of creating. And if we appreciate this truth, we
image of God.                                                will cry with the psalmist, "What is man that Thou art
      In all this the evolutionist sees an ever-ascending mindful.of him? and the son of man that Thou visitest
scale of creatures that i's the result of an evolving proc- him?" Psalm 8:4. Or again when the psalmist cries out
ess whereby one species produced the next higher in Psalm 139: 14, "I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully
species. He sees a link between the plants and the ani-      and wonderfully made; marvellous are Thy works; and
mals in the sponge, which, though it is an animal, is that my soul knoweth right well."
rooted in the bottom of the sea as a plant. He finds a         Take a look at the human eye and ear, the marvel-
link between the water animals and the land animals in lous brain and nervous system, the digestive system,


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   85


the heart and circulatory system, the properly placed the earthly creation might in loving service, be dedi-
muscles and perfectly designed skeleton to support cated to .God.
that body! Even now under the curse these bodies are          A creature that knew God and loved God was
a wonderful piece of "engineering." They are master- brought forth so that through his mind and will all the
pieces of construction and design. What camera can rest of the earthly creation that is not able to know
compare with the eye? Yea, the movie camera and TV and love Him would yet glorify the Creator. The fish
camera depend upon the human eye to record or reveal and fowl, the cattle and creeping things of Genesis
any object to us. What piece of machinery can heal 1:26 cannot speak to God and tell Him how glorious
itself as the human body does? What work of man can He is. The garden of Eden and its plants had no voice
do what the human brain is capable of performing? to sing God's praises or power to extol Him for His
The computer was designed by human brain, must be virtues. But God made man with these powers so that
fed its data by human brain, must be repaired by a he could use that garden and all the fish, fowl, cattle
human brain's direction. What mental powers are and creeping things, the water and the soil, and then
found in man - such as reading, adding a sum of num- could with them and because of them come before
bers, inventing machines and labor-saving devices, to God and say, "0 God how great Thou art! 0 God how
mention only a few, which are far beyond the powers good Thou art!"
of all the beasts of the field and forest!                    Therefore also, God, according to Genesis  1:28,
  And created in the image of God there was in man's blessed man and.told him to multiply and replenish the
nature - not in his physical appearance - a creaturely earth and to subdue it. He must spread over the whole
reflection of some of-God's attributes. He was created earth and subdue it. This does not mean that there was
in true knowledge (Colossians 3 : 10) and in righteous- conflict between God and the irrational creation. It is
ness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24), in these to be like, not a case of putting it down, but a case of directing
the holy, righteous all-knowing God. He was like God that which cannot itself consciously and willingly
in these virtues with creaturely limits. An image is like direct itself to God's glory. To subdue it then means to
but not the same as that after which it is fashioned. An `use it and direct it to the glory of God.
image of a man may resemble his appearance. But the           For that reason we today have that earth and the
wax, or stone or wood is cold and not warm, like flesh. fumess wherewith it is stored as God's royal priest-
It is hard and not skin-soft. It is like in appearance hood. Picture in your minds a pyramid like those that
from a distance, and as far as proportions of the fea- stand in Egypt. The base is broad and wide. The sides
tures are concerned, but it also misses much of what have a distinct,  sharp, inward slant upward to the
the reality is. So, although man, the creature, was point at the top that is directed heavenward. That base
made in the image of God, the Creator, he resembled represents the earthly creation. The point represents
God. only in a creaturely way and with creaturely limita- man as his life then was directed upward to God. All
tions. He isnot God's equal but His image bearer.           that earthly creation is under him as its king and priest,
  And this is possible because, while God formed him and at his disposal to use to the glory of the God to
out of the dust of the ground, God breathed into his Whom his life pointed, whether it be  fish or fowl,
nostrils the breath of life. And man became a rational, cattle or creeping thing, plants, water, or soil. Indeed,
moral being, that is, a creature who could know God here is God's earthly masterpiece! What a glorious pic-
and could love .Him, and therefore could consciously ture!
and willingly serve Him. It is into that rational, moral      Everything in that pyramid from the base line to
(or thinking, willing) nature that God pours this true man at the top flowed in one direction, namely, to-
knowledge, righteousness and holiness, which also, of ward that man as he exercised dominion over it,
course, imply love.                                         dressed and kept the garden. And he was directed to
  Of special interest is the reason why God created God. Physically and externally he faced- that creation.
man, and the reason why He made man exactly that Inwardly and spiritually He faced the Creator of it all.
way as a rational, moral being. To begin with the lat- His fleshly eye saw that earthly creation, while his
ter, Genesis 1:26 declares further, ". . . . and let them spiritual eye saw God in His glory in that creation. His
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the earthly hand took hold of these creatures, and his
fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the spiritual hand directed them to God's service and
earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth praise. His fleshly feet stood on that warm  soil  - no
upon the earth." Having dominion means that he was shoes `then and there - while spiritually his feet were
to be their king. In Genesis 2: 15 we read. that God walking in the paths of righteousness. All creatures
placed man in the garden of Eden "to dress it and keep through  Him returned back to the God, Who made
it." These two verses declare the truth elsewhere them and sustained them, in praise and deeds of love.
pointed out in Holy Writ that man was made to be              But we know that it did not remain that way. Man
God's royal priesthood, his priesthood of kings. His inverted the pyramid to press all that creation into the
kingly priest, in order that through him the whole of service of his flesh. Now that whole  .creation presses


86'                                               THE STANDARD BEARER



down on him to crush him. Its beasts slay him. The (Ephesians 1: 10); and God purposed from eternity to
food he eats to sustain his body kills him. The storms come into our flesh to realize this. See also Hebrews.
howl over his head, the floods destroy his home and 2:5-18. Man must be made in the image of God, a
crops. He fell from being that lofty royal priesthood of rational, moral being if His Son is to assume a human
God to being a SLAVE OF HIS FLESH, dedicated to nature prepared in the Virgin Mary. We must look to
Sin!~                                                            Christ and His glorious kingdom when we examine the
       We must remember, however, that God is a master work of God in bringing forth this earthly masterpiece.
craftsman. All His works are `masterpieces. That crea- It is a necessary stepping stone to the masterpiece of
tion fell into ruin by man's rebellion is not because all masterpieces when God Himself in our human na-
there was a flaw in God% work. No, all was very good. ture sits upon the `throne of the united heaven and
But God had, even when He brought forth this earthly earth, and the angel world and the creatures of heaven
master work of man, a more glorious pyramid with as  .well as man and the earthly creatures are all "sub-
Christ at the apex and  under Him heaven and earth dued" by Him and directed to the glory of God.


The Signs of the Times
                                            "The Signs"
                                                     Rev. G. Van Baren

       John was greatly troubled. Tears flowed from his hurricanes, tidal waves, and the like. These have always
eyes. Great sobs were wrenched from his chest. And he            taken place. Some have suggested that therefore this
had reason for this misery. He had seen a scroll sealed          can hardly be a sign of Christ's return. Yet Matt. 24:7
with seven seals. That scroll must be opened  - but' identifies these specifically as signs of Christ's return:
none appeared worthy to take it and loose its seals.             ". . . and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and
Finally, he receives the information from one of the earthquakes, in divers places." (Strikingly and literally,
elders that the Lion of Judah's tribe, the Root of verse 8 of this chapter terms these "birthpains"  -
David, had prevailed to open the book. That One was birthpains which precede the "birth" of the new crea-
Jesus Christ. The Book He was about to open was the              tion). This is Christ's answer to His disciples who had
Book of God's counsel. What was found in that Book asked, "What shall be the sign of thy coming and of
must take place, in order that, at its conclusion, Jesus the end of the world?" (Vs. 3).
might return on the clouds of glory. Therefore John                Another sign in creation is that of famine. This, too,
had been greatly disturbed when none could open that is mentioned in Matt.  24:7. This is the prophecy of
Book (Rev.  5), for an unopened Book would simply                Rev. 6:5-6 where the black horse (black for famine) is
mean that our Lord could not return. What John presented running across the earth. The running of this
learned was that Jesus Himself will see to it that the horse reveals that there is a lack for the poor ("meas-
things found in that Book will take place in proper ure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley
order and time. He was the only One Who could so for a penny"), but plenty for the rich ("see thou hurt
direct all these events in order that He might again not the oil and the wine"). It is difficult for us to
return to gather His people to Himself. Jesus is, even imagine this in our land of plenty, yet reports indicate
now, in the process of opening those seals. What we see          that thousands die daily in the world in fulfillment of
taking place about us is the unfolding of those seals.           this sign.
And since all this is under the control of Jesus, we               A third sign in creation is disease and pestilence. The
ought'not to be afraid - though troublous things are             fourth horse (Rev. 6:7-8) portrays this. He is pale
surely transpiring.                                              green (color of death); Death rides him and the grave
       The events of those seven seals,- as also presented in    follows him. Though man seems to have brought under
other Scriptural passages, will be the concern of this           control many pestilences of the past, there is clear evi-
article. I want to divide the various signs into five ma:        dence not only of the. continued existence of pesti-
jor parts. You are to take note about you how that lence but also that new and diverse forms of this might
many of these signs are even now seen. May this en- be arising today.
courage you the more to watch for the soon-return of Signs within the ungodly world
our Lord Jesus Christ on the clouds of glory.                      First, there are signs connected with man's scientific
Signs within-creation                                            progress. He performs amazing feats - almost unbeliev-
       One reads repeatedly of earthquakes, tornadoes, able ones. Most striking and widely known are his


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   87



walks on the moon. But other developments are as parents, unthankful, unholy. . . ." Paul writes again in
startling. Man works wonders in the world of electron- II Thess. 2:3, "Let no man deceive you by any means:
ics and communication. He does wonders in the world for that day shall not come, except there come a fall-
of medicine. He makes unbelievable discoveries in the ing away first. . . ."
world of the atom and the sub-atom. Today, we, the            And for the church there shall also be persecutions.
common people, simply take these things for granted Some of this has already fallen upon the church. Se-
- though we readily admit that we hardly understand vere persecutions occurred in the past. According to
it all. Some of this is suggested in Revelation 13 where some reports, persecutions are taking place in some
are presented two beasts - given power by the dragon. countries today - persecutions for Jesus' sake. Matt.
The second beast especially performs great wonders 24 also mentions this in verse 9, "Then shall they de-
and miracles. The climax of their wonders is the image liver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye
of the beast which is made: an image that appears to shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." But
live and to speak. This image requires all to worship it. even this shall be "shortened" for the elect's sake (vs.
So does man develop in an amazing degree - and.uses 22).
this development in the service of sin.                    The coming of the antichrist
  Another obvious sign of the end is the lawlessness,         The spirit of the antichrist is ever present in this
the racial conflict, the revolutions, the open godless- world. We read in I John 4:3, "And `every spirit that
ness which abounds. This is a sign often mentioned in confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
Scripture. It is also a sign seen throughout the ages. not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist,
The third beast of Rev. 5 suggests the very real divi- whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even
sions between rich and poor (vs. 5-6). Lawlessness was now already is in the world." Jesus stated in Matt.
evident in the days of the apostles (II Thess. 2:7). Anti- 24:23, 24, "Then if ,any man shall say unto you, Lo,
christ is himself called the "lawless one" ("Wicked" - here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall
II Thess. 2: 8).                                           arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show
  A third sign in this class would be wars and rumors great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were pos-
of wars. These, too, have been present during much of sible, they shall deceive the very elect."
the history of this world. These are, however, identi-        But there shall also be one antichrist who sets him-
fied as signs of the end of the age. That is done in self up as Christ Himself. II Thess. 2:3, 4 makes that
Matt. 24:6, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of very clear, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for
wars; see that ye be not troubled; for all these things that day shall not come . . . except that man of sin be
must come to pass, but the end is not yet." Or there is revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalt-
the second horse of Rev. 6:3-4. This horse is red eth himself above all that is called God, or that is
(blood) and its rider has a great sword. The power is
given the rider to take peace from the earth and that worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of
man should kill one another.                                God, showing himself that he is God."
                                                              This antichrist is presented also in Rev. 13 where the
Signs within the church                                    two beasts are mentioned. There, too, and in the pre-
   First, and most significant, is the sign of the preach- ceding chapters, it is clearly presented that this will be
ing of the Word. This must go forth to all nations. the time of great adversity for the church. In that day
Jesus speaks of it in Matt. 24: 14, "And this gospel of none shall be able to buy or sell without the mark of
the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a the beast.
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
The white horse of Rev. 6 suggests this same truth. Signs in the heavens
That white horse is first and is doubtlessly served by        Closely connected with the end are the signs in the
the three which follow it.                                 heavens. "The sun shall be darkened, and the moon
   Then there is the awful apostasy seen in the church. shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
Such apostasy is seen within churches formerly ortho- heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be
dox ; but it is also seen within the conservative shaken." (Matt. 24:29) Those will be shocking times
churches of our day, when some forsake the truth and for the people of this woild. We, however, shall be able
follow after the lie. Though such causes great grief to see these signs with joy - for it marks the fact that
within the church, it, too, is clearly foretold in Scrip- the return of Christ .is at hand. In Matt. 24:30 there is
ture. In I Tim. 4: 1 we read, "Now the Spirit speaketh also mentioned the "sign of the Son of man in
expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart heaven." Whatever this sign will be, it will serve as
from the faith, giving heed. to seducing spirits, and doc- reminder of the impending return of Christ.
trines of devils." And again in II Tim. 3: 1-2, "This         And then shall the end be. He who knows and
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall watches can also rejoice. These are not times for sor-
come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, row - but for gladness of heart., Just remember. . . .
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to                        ". . . The Lord is at hand" (Phil. 4:5).


88                                               THE STANDARD BEARER


From Holy Vrit
                                      Exposition of Hebrews
                                                     Rev.  G. Lubbers

ABRAHAM'S SOJOURN IN THE LAND OF PROM-                             At the time of Abraham we read "and into the land
ISE (Hebrews 11: 9, 10)                                         of Canaan they came . . . and the Canaanite was then
      Abraham walked by faith and not by sight. Each in the land." (Gen. 12:5, 6) This meant that the
step of the way he walked more progressively in faith.          Canaanites were the possessors of the land, they
He walked with earnest expectation of hope. It was the          claimed it and builded,  cities in it, developed their cul-
faith which is the substance of things hoped for, the ture and art here, and said this is our dwelling-place;
evidence of things not seen! Without this faith, which here will we live. When the sin of the Amorite is full
believes that God is and that He is a rewarder of those then will the Lord root the Canaanite out of the land,
who seek Mm, it would have been impossible for which came to pass initially in the days of Joshua, and
Abraham to please God. He was to believe to the sav- was finally completely under David when Jerusalem
ing of the soul, and not fall back into unbelief and became the city of the Lord in the land. Meanwhile for
eternal destruction. For, as we have emphasized in an           a period of some two hundred forty years the patri-
earlier essay, Abraham is not a mighty hero among archs are pilgrims in the land. It was God's dispensa-
men; he is a poor, weak, struggling saint, who out of tion of pilgrimage for the fathers. They merely so-
weakness is made strong. The secret of his strength is journed in the land!
the faith of God by which he is empowered. Faith is               All that these fathers had was God's promise to give
the victory which overcomes the world, and such was to them this land! Hence, it is called: land of promise.
the faith of Abraham.                                           It was the promise of God in which God stated in so
      This example of what God wrought in Abraham'is many words that he would give them this land. And
held before the eyes of the He,brew Christians for their faith here, therefore, is a clinging to the promise of
encouragement and admonition to persevere in the God, believing His Word, His oath. God had spoken
good walk of patience, which they need. We do well not          and they believed. Says the LORD "Unto thy seed will
to lose this practical aspect of this writing out of sight. I give this land." And Abraham in response of faith
      The writer here selects another aspect of the life of "builded an altar unto the Lord," who appeared unto
Abraham. In the former verses he had pointed to the him. There had been a Theophany. In some form God,
obedience of Abraham in leaving the land of the the God of glory, had appeared. (Acts  7:2) And thus
Chaldees, underscoring that he "went out, not know- Abraham took the first step in his earthly pilgrimage in
ing whither he went!" Such was the deep trust of the land. He kept the Sabbath in hope!
Abraham in the LORD. Now the writer selects an                    Those who would like, to pursue this matter of
aspect of Abraham's life which he had in common with            God's promise concerning the land, His assurance that
both Isaac and Jacob. They were fellow-heirs of the He would certainly give the land to the fathers, should
same promise to eventually inherit the land. The point read those passages in Scripture which speak of this
here is that the patriarchs were pilgrims and strangers specifically. We refer to such passages as Genesis 13 : 15
in the earth. This they confessed themselves to be.             where we read God's repeated promise to Abraham
      We do well to take notice of this aspect of their life    "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give
of faith and hope, the hope of Israel!                          it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as
      This pilgrimage was in the "land of promise." This        the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the
was a promised land. The writer does not here give the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also be num-
geographical location of the land, situated on the bered." Or, again, we refer to the beautiful promise of
eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. That is not his God in Genesis 17:8 "And I will give unto thee and to
interest. Nor does he speak of it as being the "land of thy seed after thee, a land wherein thou art a stranger,
Canaan" who was a grandson of Noah, son of Ham. On all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession;
the contrary he speaks of it as a land of promise. That and I will be their God." This promise is repeated in
the Greek Article is missing indicates that the writer          such passages as Genesis 24:7, 26:4 to Isaac and Jacob,
does not mean to identify the land, but rather that he          as well as to Moses in Deuteronomy  34:4, and it is
is qualifying the land as to its spiritual nature by virtue     sung of in joyful praises in Psalm 105: 9, 11. Truly the
of the immutable promise and oath of God. It is a land          Bible is replete with these great and precious promises.
which the heirs of the promise would receive by the lot Thus did God work faith in the hearts of the pilgrim
of God. It was really a land where Abraham would                fathers by holding these promises before their eyes.
dwell as a possessor as a "great nation." (Gen. 12:2)           And thus faith is wrought in our hearts when these


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                     89



same promises are held before our wondering eyes as              them up on high to heaven itself, where one day Jesus
they have been made yea and Amen in Christ Jesus, to             would enter in glory as the chief Captain and Author
the glory of God the Father. (II Corinthians 1: 20)              of their salvation. They saw clearly that it was not the:
  Now truly the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob                earthly land of Canaan which they sought. Hence, they
were ones of sojourning in the land. They really felt            must not only live, but also  die  in the land, and "be
that they were not permanent citizens of the land at             gathered to their people."
all. They did not feel at home, did not act as those               Wherefore we read that Abraham looked for a city.
who were at home. They really had no "home" here                 Fact is that the text says that he looked for "the city."
on earth. To return to the land of Ur of the Chaldees            And this city must not be in the land of Canaan, such
was impossible. They had obeyed in faith to leave that           as men build. For an earthly city is earthly in every
land forever! To put up a house, build a city in the             sense of the term. Earthly relationships, fellowships,
land was impossible. It did not belong to them. They             laws and ordinances. It also has no permanency.  AI1
were merely sojourners, nomads with their flocks. The            the cities of this earth disappear, disintegrate, and lie
various terms used to describe this dwelling in the land         buried under the sands of time. Their place and name
in hope of obtaining the promise are very significant as         is known no more. Such was. the plight of the city of
a mere word-study. The terms in the Hebrew are such              Cain which went down in the Flood even though it
that they either indicate that the patriarchs were               stood for hundreds of years! And such was the plight
strangers (fr. M. French estrangiev,. foreigner from ex-         of the city of Babel whose tower was never finished
traneus,  external, from extra- outside.) A stranger is an       but "received the mortal wound." And thus it was and
outsider, he is really outlandish, one who does not              is with all the cities of the world, and thus it shall be
belong in the land. The only business that Abraham               one day, when "in one day" Babylon shall fall and be
had in this land was the command of the Lord to live             cast as a stone into the sea. (Rev. 18). But Abraham
here in hope of receiving it. He was a pilgrim (per anger) looked for the city. He looked for the city which has
one merely passing through the land. Hence, his entire           "the  foundations." Because earthly cities have  crum-
life was different. It was a pilgrimage! That is empha-          bling foundations they do not stand. But the founda-
sized in the text. And such these fathers were con-              tions of the city of our God are righteousness and
fessedly. They acknowledged before the people of the             truth.. They are righteousness and truth which have
land that they were such pilgrims and strangers on the           been established in the "Seed," which is Christ; the
earth. They gave account of the hope which was in                righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. And this right-
them and gave glory to God! (I Peter 3: 15) Truly, they          eousness is the "chief corner-stone." And the founda-
were a strange people who were never understood by               tions are the basic teaching of the Gospel, the word of
the people of the land. These did not understand the             promise fulfilled, preaching Christ's merits on the
Patriarchs because they did not know the God of glory!           Cross, and justification in His blood.
                                                                   The city which Abraham sought, with Isaac and
T H E   E X P E C T A T I O N   O F   A B R A H A M   A S   A    Jacob, is beautifully portrayed to us in Biblical sym-
STRANGER IN THE LAND (Hebrews 11:lO)                             bolism in Rev. 21, .where John in the Spirit is shown
  What was the secret of this strange conduct of these           the Bride of Christ, the numberless throng of
Patriarchs? They were men of like passions as we. They           Abraham's great nation under the picture of a "city," a
could have returned to their country. The Canaanites             holy city, the New Jerusalem. We cannot enter into an
did not put them in bondage as did the Egyptians later           interpretation of that passage. We refer the interested
with an entire nation. This the writer to the Hebrew             reader to the beautiful' exegesis. given by the late Rev.
also underscores in Hebrews 11: 13-l 6. And we do well           Herman Hoeksema in his "Behold He Cometh," pages
to take notice of this. This passage is a key-passage to         669-704. I cannot urge the reader too strongly to read
understand the conduct of these strangers, and also              these pages from Rev. Hoeksema. It will be a great
clearly states how these fathers understood the prom-            spiritual feast and will be an incentive to lift up your
ise of God! Fact is, that these strangers and pilgrims           weary eyes on high, so that we may gird up the loins of
died in the land "not having received the promise" of our mind and be sober and hope perfectly for the reve-
possessing the land. How could these Patriarchs die in           lation of Jesus Christ. (I Peter 1: 12)
peace and not feel that the LORD had forgotten His                 This city is designated as being one of which "God is
promise? They understood that the real country was               the Architect and Builder." The emphasis in the text
the  heavenly  country. That country was a "better falls on "God." God and no one else has thought out
country" wherein God would grant them all the things the beauty, the grandeur, the immovableness of this
which he had promised already  in  the  Protevangel  of city in Jesus Christ His Son. -That Abraham sought this
Genesis 3: 15. Hence, they are not merely pilgrims and           city (and he had good reasons to do so) was because of
strangers in the land of Canaan, but they are such in the very wording of the promise, as well as the pedak
the earth.  They raised their eyes not from Ur of the            gogical way in which the LORD Himself led him step
Chaldees to the earthly land of Canaan, but they lifted by step.


90                                             THE STANDARD BEARER


The Strength of Youth

                       The Mission of the Church                                                         -
                                               Rev. Robert D. Decker

      It has become fashionable in our day to speak criti- defining the issue fairly. The current criticism of the
cally of the Church as an Institution of Christ. There is Church is this: The Church is not being faithful to its
place for criticism. The instituted Church is not above mission, which is to create a better world; a world of
criticism. But that criticism must be honest, Biblically peace, love, justice, and happiness for all people. The
based, motivated by love for the Church of Jesus world is full of racism and the church does nothing
Christ, and therefore CONSTRUCTIVE! We have no about it! One by one congregations will sell their prop-
patience for those whose purpose is to tear down and erty, move out of the inner city black ghettos, relocate
destroy. We have no patience for those who simply in the comfortable suburbs and proceed to spend thou-
rebel against the plain Biblical directives for the sands of dollars for #elaborate facilities. Meanwhile the
Church and clamor for change for the sake of change. ghettos continue to burn with hatred and sometimes
We do recognize, however, that some of the criticism is with fire. Crime increases, frustrations deepen, but the
warranted and legitimate. When our young people, for Church is gone and does nothing about it. Instead the
example, point to the lack of zeal which so often char- Church even encourages segregation by isolating herself
acterizes us we ought to listen, painful as it may be. in the suburb. The Church on this score, it is said, fails
When they point to some of the inconsistencies evident in its mission to bring about racial peace through inte-
among their parents, we had better not dismiss them gration. And not only does the church fail: it only
lightly and say: "0 well, they're young." At the same solidifies itself the more against the blacks. This is one
time, however, much of the criticism leveled  `at the example.
church today is unwarranted. It is not constructive,            Another is the pollution problem. When is the last
but destructive.                                              time, the critic will ask, you heard a sermon on this?
      It is being said that the Church, with its fine build- What is the church doing about the destruction off our
ings, its worship services, societies, catechism classes, lakes, streams, rivers, forests; or about the smog we are
and other functions is just not "with it." This criticism forced to breathe? Again the church says nothing and
is most severely leveled at our own Protestant Re- does nothing.
formed Churches. We are considered by outsiders, as             More and more it is being said that the Viet Nam
we are wont to speak of those who are not members of war is unjust. (The writer happens to agree.) Has your
our churches, as "old fashioned," much too conserva- pastor ever preached a sermon on the atrocity of Viet
tive, negative, loveless, too much concerned with doc- Nam? Once more the Church is silent! The world is an
trine, etc. Perhaps you have heard some of this. armed camp. Nation stands overagainst nation, race
Perhaps this type of thing has raised questions in your against race; there is war and rumour of war, but the
o$vn soul about the mission of the church. Maybe you church never addresses itself to the problem. Instead it
are beginning to wonder why your Protestant Re- warns its members about Arminianism. Or it is at great
formed. pastor preaches expository sermons every Sun- pains to maintain an infallibly inspired, and, therefore,
day, which often last close  .to an hour. Perhaps you inerrant Bible.
even chafe a bit under it all! Isn't there more to it than      So we could go on. Cities are dying, people are starv-
two church services a-Sunday, consisting mainly of two ing, nations are warring, youth is rebelling, the econ-
rather lengthy sermons? Does Christianity consist in omy is unstable, crime is increasing, prisoners are
catechism classes which I must attend, young people's rioting and the church is still preaching sin and grace
, societies, and the dreaded annual family visiting? And, and gratitude following the outline of a 16th century
must the church be so terribly touchy about doctrine? creed! The Church fails in its mission!
There is a heavy emphasis on the doctrine of the Scrip-         Such talk ought to make every Bible-believing, Re-
tures as stated in our confessions; the Heidelberg Cate- formed Christian very angry! That criticism rises out of
chism, Canons, and Belgic Confession of faith. Does a rejection of the true mission of the Church of Jesus
there have to be? And, to get back to sermons, why Christ as instituted in the world. The mission of the
does the preacher always emphasize our failures, Church according to the Bible is simply this: "Preach
shortdcomings,  and sins? Maybe these are representative the Word!" That's all, preach the Word. This is all
of the questions you have.                                    Christ ever told His Church to do! Preach and baptize
      It is always dangerous and difficult to generalize. in all the world! (Matt. 28: 19, 20) This was the in-
The danger lies in oversimplifying and the difficulty in spired Apostle Paul's charge to his spiritual son


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   91



Timothy according to II Timothy  4:2. This is the loved us (cf. Romans 8).
teaching of Ephesians 4, I Corinthians 1, and indeed            All things therefore are for us and nothing can be
the whole Bible.                                              against us as members of the body of Jesus Christ.
  Along with the rejection of that Biblical teaching on When the Church, therefore, preaches Christ crucified
the mission of the church goes the erroneous notion of it is faithful to its mission. When the Church calls its
the relation between the Church and the world. All the members to seek the Kingdom of Heaven as strangers
criticism against the church comes out of the idea that in'the earth who are born again to a living hope, it is
the church exists FOR the world! That is exactly not faithful to its mission. The Church is obedient to
the way it is! The Church does not exist for the world; Christ when it holds before its members the calling to
but the world exists for the church! Take your Bible live antithetically. When it calls its members to fight
and look up the first chapter of Colossians and meditate the good fight, to put off the old man of sin, and to
prayerfully on verses 12 through 20.. There the Bible put on the new man in Christ, to love not the world
teaches that by Christ and for Christ all things were neither the things that are in the world, to strive for
created. All things, notice, things in heaven and in the Kingdom of Heaven by making their calling and
earth, visible and invisible, thrones, dominions, princi- election sure, etc. then the church is faithful to its
palities, and powers are by Christ and for Christ. And calling.
Christ is the head of the body, the church. That simply         Then the Church does not superficially deal with
means then that all things were created for the Church!       symptoms such as racism, poverty, murder, and crime
We find the same precious truth in the forty-third and and all the rest; but it deals with the REAL ISSUE,
forty-fifth chapters of the prophecy of Isaiah..              which is SIN against the most high majesty of God!
  And what a wonderful truth that isj The counsel of And thus the Church comforts its members with the
God to glorify Himself by saving  -a church in Jesus Gospel of salvation by grace through faith, the gift of
Christ to be realized in the glory of the new heaven God. God's people are turned heaven-ward where is
and earth is being realized NOW in time and history. their citizenship and whence they expect their Savior,
Overagainst that Church of God there develops the Who shall change their vile bodies into glorious bodies!
Kingdom of this world, which under the rule of the
devil'opposes the Church and attempts to destroy the            That makes us as covenant young people radically'
cause of Christ. With temptation, scorn, false prophets different! We have a heavenly goal, a heavenly set of
and teachers, the fire of persecution, the devil and the values, a heavenly life, and on earth we are, as father
world of sin make war on the church. But in all their Abraham, sojourners in a strange and alien land!
raging fury they are only imagining vain things and             Let us pray, then, that the Church, our churches,
God holds them in derision; He laughs!  (Psalm 2) remain faithful to the mission of the Church, in order
Christ has the victory. His cross is the redemption of that we her members may by the power of the risen
His Church and the destruction of His enemies. His Christ seek those things which are above, where Christ
blessed resurrection seals it! Sitting at the right hand of is, and not set our affection on things below! Then we
Go'd He rules all things so that they must in spite of will not foolishly look for an earthly kingdom, but
themselves serve the salvation of His Body, the Church. keeping ourselves unspotted from the world, being
Indeed, the church sings with the Apostle Paul: "Who clothed with the armor of light, we will awake out of
shall separate us from the love of God? . . . in all these    our sleep _ id look for the coming Savior and His King-
things we are more than conquerors through him that dom!


Studies in Election

                                             Its Justice
                                               Rev. Robert C. Harbach

7. Its Justice                                                cof creation and providence, who in both spheres distri-
  The enemies of unconditional election contend that          butes His gifts very unevenly. Equality does not appear
for God to sovereignly choose a people to Himself and         in God's distribution of physical, mental, social and
to deny the rest of mankind the same blessing as the          material bestowments. Equality will not appear, either,
elect is to become so partial as to treat the rest of in the perfection of the New Heaven and New Earth.
mankind with the greatest inequality. They must real-         There will be found in perfection the communion
ize, however, that the God of election is also the God        saints, but not the equality of saints. Nor is the sover-


92                                               THE.STANDARD  BEARER



eign God bound to make an even distribution`of that          does similarly in the heavenly sphere. He has mercy on
which is alone in His hands. Then how could it be whom He will, and whom He will He hardens. He has
wrong for Him to give His spiritual blessings as it His favorites, the sons of Jacob. He excludes all others,
pleases Him, evenly or unevenly?                             the people against whom He has indignation forever.
      Imagine conversing with a man of the world on the He will enjoy with His own the seclusion and security
subject of justice. He has some regard for honesty, and of His heaven of heavens, free of intruders, and free of
may therefore exclaim, although somewhat as Pilate, the threat of expulsion from His own domain. He will
What is justice? For he honestly does not know what          conduct the operations of His, the King's, business as
he is talking about when he discusses the subject, and       He pleases, bestowing five talents on some, or none on
is rather tolerantly and amusedly suspicious. of anyone others. He will not be corrupted or coerced into merg-
who thinks he does know. To illustrate his point, he ing His own elect institute with the institutions of the
may ask, What is profitable, ,to get well when sick, or      world.  He.  will have a true church, keep it pure and
to die? Or is it to keep healthy when well, or to  be-       true to Scripture and the Reformed confessions, and
come sick? For some have gained by being sick. But bring it into His eternal kingdom quite separate from
who is to say what is good, or best? What standard is the society of Satan.
there by which to judge? So the man is lost who does           In this country, men are still, to a great degree, free.
not begin with the Word of God. For justice is that          But if God is to be charged with injustice because He is
which is in harmony with the revealed will of God.           the God of election and reprobation, then man will
Justice is the weighing out of what is right. With all soon be charged with injustice merely because he is
men the sons of fallen Adam, rebels against God, what free. For God is eternally and sovereignly free. He
is right for them is destruction under the wrath of alone, strictly, has free will. But man is still free, in this
God. God's justice is inexorable, and is either meted land, to select the woman he desires to marry. Not yet
out against the sinner, or against the Divine Substitute     does the government require a man to marry according
who bears the Stroke of justice they deserve.                to the will of the state. If a man is and may be so free
      In connection with the justice of God's predestina- to choose, is there injustice in God's choosing whom
tion, He, in the matter, simply does'that which is right.    He will to dwell with Him in His heavenly home? If a
It is all a question of what is right. It is not a question man in choosing- a wife does not wrong to the other
of what God ought to do. It is one of the basic presup-      women he of necessity must reject, then certainly God
positions of our Calvinistic and Reformed world-and- is not only free to select and separate His own from all
life view that God is God, and that He is the absolute       others, but also in so doing He wrongs none of the
sovereign who hides His eternal counsel from the rejected element of humanity. If a man has a perverted
"wise" and reveals it unto "babes," so that then in this     idea of justice, he will have no proper conception of
connection we do not speak of what God ought to do.          freedom
"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" The           When we think of the justice of God, we want to
sovereign is not obligated to his subjects. It is not man remember that the attribute of His justice is an expres-
who makes the "decision" here, but God. He decides sion of His being, of what He is, and then to remember
whether there shall be a creation, whether the creature that justice in man is a creaturely reflection of God's
shall exist at all, whether He shall love or hate the attribute of being. Then divine justice and human
sinner. It is His decision whether a man shall be a vessel justice are not on the same level. The sun and its reflec-
of mercy, enjoying covenant fellowship with Him, or a tion are not on the same level. As Christians, we really
vessel of wrath, and so a castaway forever.                  hold a two-level view of reality (though not a double-
      If God's justice be called into question with election track philosophy)  - God's level and man's. Human
`and reprobation, the very foundation of the most justice is the giving to each his due. But in divine
fundamental principle of Calvinism, the absolute sover- justice, nothing is due from God, not one thing He ever
eignty of God, upon which predestination stands, is gives. Man is responsible to be just. God is not re-
attacked. God's dominion and right of disposal is indis- sponsible. He gives not account of any of His matters.
putable. To call God or His predestination into ques- God is God. All answer to Him. He answers to none.
tion. is not only .the height of audacity, and absurdity,      The churches of the land are, increasingly, having
but it is futile!                                            trouble with the doctrine of predestination. Some go
      Today, `men are charged with injustice because they so far as to rewrite the historical Reformed creeds,
choose their own friends to the exclusion of others; omitting this great truth. They have strong allies in
because they have their favorites, because they would those who have not yet gone this far, but who never-
enjoy the seclusion of their own private property, be- theless omit the truth of double predestination from
cause they would operate their own private enterprises their preaching, and who mention it only to put it in
in their own way, because they would in their busi- the shade. So many pulpits have no more than a
nesses serve a clientele of their own selection. Such a Ladies-Home-Journal type of "theology," a kind of
charge is really an attack on the Almighty God, for He Ann-Landers morality, or a Miss America philosophy.


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                    93
                                                                                                                          ,

It used to be almost universally agreed that a man acts must  .suppose  that he has some merit before God. In
unjustly if he allows another to break the law whenit his  day;`Spurgeon well refuted the charge. "Is there
is in his power to prevent him from doing so. Now one man in the world who could have the impertinence
today, almost no one thinks this way. Then no longer to say that he merits anything of his Maker? If so, be it
can "the average man" criticize God as unjust for being known unto you that he shall have all he merits; and
a predestinating and reprobating God. For in this day his reward will be the flames of hell forever, for that is
of "new morality," which means no morality, man is so the utmost that any man ever merited of God. God is
patently without a shred of justice.                       in no debt to man, and at the last great day every man
  But let not the critic conclude from this that when shall have as much love, as much pity, and as much
God sees a sinner committing a crime that He, when goodness as he deserves. Even the lost in hell shall have
He does not prevent it, becomes a party to it. God all they deserve; ay, and woe worth the day for them
certainly has the power to prevent it, and to do so .when they shall have the wrath of God, which will be
without infringing upon human liberty in any way. But the summit of their deservings. If God gives to every
the inherent justice of God cannot be judged according man as much as he merits, is He therefore to be ac-
to the creaturely reflection of His justice in man. The cused of injustice because He gives to some infinitely
measure cannot be judged by the measured. What is more than they merit?"
the measure of justice? Nothing less than the free will       The unfriendly critic will also claim that God cannot
of God; nothing else is just. The just is not just because possibly make a sovereign election of some and a
it is just, but because God wills it to be just, and wills sovereign reprobation of others, since He is "no re-
that which is in harmony with His own nature.              specter of persons." Hear Calvin answer this charge.
  Predestination makes God guilty of injustice? So the -"The Scripture denies that God is a respecter of per-
Arminian has always contended. Yet except for God's sons, in a different sense from that in which  they
predestination and election, all moral creatures would understand it; for by the word person it signifies not a
have died eternally. Then there would be no angels, man, but those things in a man which, being con-
only demons; no redeemed, only the damned. This is spicuous to the eyes, usually conciliate favor, honor
no theological invention, but the plain expression of and dignity, or attract hatred, contempt and disgrace.
infallible inspiration: "Except the Lord of hosts had Such are riches, power, nobility, magistracy, country,
left us a seed, we had been as Sodom" (Rom. 9:29). elegance in form, on the one hand; and on the other,
Not an earthly nor a heavenly being would be saved poverty, necessity, ignoble birth, slovenliness, con-
were it not for God's election. There would be no tempt and the like. Thus Peter and Paul declare that
atonement if there were no election; creation, perhaps, God is not a respecter of persons because He makes no
but no salvation. For man was created in moral perfec- difference between Jew and Greek, to reject one and
tion, but was made a mutable creature. He could receive the other, merely on account of his nation
change, fall. He could not abide in perfection, he could (Acts  10:34; Rom. 2: 11). So James uses the, same
not escape falling without election unto faith, holiness, language when he asserts that God in His judgment
salvation and every saving good.                           pays no regard to riches (2:5) . . . There will, therefore,
  They who will not have election and reprobation are be no contradiction in our affirming, that according to
guilty of folly. So the Lord regards them. "He put no the good pleasure of His will, God chooses whom He
trust in His servants, and His angels He charged with will as His children, irrespective of all merit, while He
folly" (Job 4: 18). The elect angels were made in per- rejects and reprobates others. Yet, for the sake of
fect holiness, yet as to their creaturehood, no reliance further satisfaction, the matter may be explained in
could be placed in them, nor in their standing. The the following manner. They ask how it happens, that
folly which God ascribes to them is their imperfection of two persons distinguished from each other by no
and weakness in comparison to Himself. Angels are the merit, God, in His election, leaves one and takes an-
highest creaturely intelligences, but by nature, and of. other. I, on the other hand, ask them, whether they
necessity, finite. .Their original perfection was mutable suppose him that is taken to possess any thing that can
and insufficient as to their innate endowments to attract the favor of God?. If they confess that he has
maintain them in unchangeable holiness to eternity. not, as indeed they must;it will follow, that God looks
For that, they needed supernatural power; they needed not at man, but derives His motive to favor him from
election-grace to confirm' them. Then what greater His own goodness. God's election of one man, there-
folly it is to attempt the subversion of electing grace fore, while He rejects another, proceeds not from any
which alone establishes in immutable perfection. There respect of man, but solely from His own mercy; which
is no hope even for a holy angel apart from electing, may freely display and exert itself wherever and when-
grace. Much less hope is there for a totally depraved ever it pleases. . ." (Inst.,  III, XXIII,  X).
son of Adam unless sovereign mercy distinguish him!           Election and reprobation do not make God a "re-
  When God is charged with injustice because He has specter of persons." When the angels that sinned fell,
made a sovereign election, vain man laying the charge God provided no Savior for them. He was no respecter


94                                             THE STANDARD BEARER



of their persons. All those fallen angels were worthy of. lying still, in adoring wonder, at the footstool of God's
damnation, and all were damned. But when man fell, sovereignty, is the last attainment of the sanctified soul
God provided a Savior for some of the human race. in this life - as it is the beginning of heaven.
Does this, then, make Him a respecter of persons? If            "The reason why anyone believes in election is just
,He were such, would He not rather have saved the this, and only this - that God has made it known. Had
angels and reprobated man? Then there is the Jewish the Bible been a counterfeit it never could have con-
nation. God chose it to be the repository for the tained. the doctrine of election, for men are too averse
oracles of God. Why, since they were a people  stiff- to such a thought to give it expression, much more, to
necked, murmuring, complaining, rebellious, impeni- give it prominence.
tent and stubborn? A respecter of persons never would           "The Bible not only teaches the doctrine, but makes
have settled on the Jews for such an honor. Election it prominent - so prominent that you can only get rid
makes God a respecter of persons? Then why did He .of election by getting rid of the Bible." (Dr. Geo. S.
choose "the poor of this world" (Jas.  2:5)? Had He Bishop, Z%e Doctrines of Grace, Chap. 11, "The Doc-
respect to the rich, how many of us would be saved? trine of Election True," p. 167).
Not many magnates, not many millionaires, not many              Election is solely an act of God. He made His decree
of royalty, not many of the gifted, the influential are of election back in the ages of eternity (Acts 15: 18).
chosen. But God has chosen the weak, the, base, the God is the chooser. His people are the chosen. Some-
despised, the nothings, the no-bodies of the world. He times you hear a bit of "city mission" theology when
rejects publicans and chooses harlots. Why? That "no it is said that God votes for you, the devil votes against
flesh should glory in His presence." If He were a re- you, now you must cast the deciding vote. But Scrip-
specter of persons He never would have chosen any ture knows nothing of this idea. Rather Scripture says,
such off-scourings of humanity.                               "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and
      But not by force of argument does one come to ordained you. . ." (Jn. 15: 16). The truth is that "God
believe the doctrine of election. "The reason why any hath from the beginning chosen you" (2 Thess. 2: 13).
one believes in election is that he finds it in the Bible.    Therefore it is called "election of God" (1 Thess. 1:4),
No man could ever imagine such a doctrine - for it is and the persons chosen are called "God's own elect"
in itself, contrary to the thinkings and wishes of the (Lk. 18:7). The elect man does become a chooser, but
human'heart. Every one, at first, opposes the doctrine, only because God has chosen him. We choose Him
and it is only after many struggles, under the working because He  fast chose us. "Mary hath chosen that
of the Spirit of God, that we are made to receive it. A good part."
perfect acquiescence in this doctrine  - an absolute                            (To be continued)

Come Ye Apart . . . And Rest A While
                                              Pollution
                                                   Rev. Cc Hank0

      Pollution is one of the most widely discussed prob-       And then there is the soil pollution. Farmers are
lems of our day.                                              best acquainted with this problem, and are also the
      Air pollution has become a menace to all our larger most concerned about it. Modem weed and pest killers
cities and their suburbs. You recognize these areas al- have done their work well, but have also left their
ready from a distance by their yellow, murky haze that poison in the soil. As a result, certain crops cannot be
hangs over them. Soon you feel its sting in your eyes, grown on that soil. And the poison runs off into the
its irritation in your nostrils, even before the obnox- `streams. Many localities are -prohibiting the use of many
ious stench penetrates into your consciousness. Imag- of these poisons, but the solution to the problem has
ine what that must mean to breathe that air day after not been found.
day and even year after year. Newspapers report the             Fully as bad is the water pollution. At this writing a
intensity of the smog from day to day, and some com- large oil slick is once `more moving along the Pacific
munities have smog alerts to warn its citizens not to seaboard. This becomes a rather common experience,
engage in any strenuous exercises during the crucial but every time it happens marine life is threatened, as
periods. Reports have it that other countries have the well as many miles of beach polluted. In the western
same problem, and that Tokyo has special oxygen States the wild life that threatens the sheep is being
booths on the street comers where people can  find poisoned, so that the poison from the decaying carcas-.
relief. Various remedies are sought out, but the prob- ses runs into the streams and does its damage there. All
lem only increases.                                           over the country there are reports of fish and fowl


                                           THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 95



dying, some species even being threatened with extinc- wicked influence behind. Sin breeds sin in ourselves
tion, just because of the pollution of the soil and the and in others.
waters.                                                     Therefore Solomon gives us that vivid description of
  We could even speak of land and sky pollution. In the seductive power of sin. He tells us that the man
spite of warnings against littering, defiant man strews who listens to the fair speeches and flattering words of
his beer cans all aiong the roads and highways. Junk a deceitful woman is so captivated by them, that he
yards are heaped with wrecked autos and trucks. Even goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the
the skies and the moon are being littered with trash. slaughter, (can you not just see him go?), or as a fool
Wherever man comes he leaves his stamp of pollution. to the correction of the stocks. Proverbs 7:22,23. "Till
  And thus mankind is bringing havoc on itself. This is a dart strike through his liver, as a bird hasteth to the
not a mere coincidence, but is the righteous judgment snare, and knoweth not.that it is for life."
of God against sin. God is not mocked. As man denies        The devil is working overtime these days, because he
God, defies God's law, and sets himself up on the realizes that his time is short and he must still do his
throne as if he were God, the sovereign Lord of heaven worst.
and earth avenges His own Name by giving the sinner         His strongest weapon is the modem pulpit. Who
over to his vanity. God, not man, has the universe in could ever have imagined that the Name of God would
His power and carries out His own counsel according be so defiantly opposed and His truth so brazenly
to His purpose. Therefore He. sends man out on a trampled under foot? That Book that like an anvil has
`dead-end road. And in the distance we can hear ever withstood the hammer blows of oppostion for so many
more plainly the approaching footsteps of our Lord.       centuries is now being struck with blow upon blow as
  But even so, the worst pollution is being ignored.     never before. God's own infallible Word, divinely in;
                                                          spired and given through holy writers, the only real
  For the worst pollution lies in the depravity of authority and court of appeal, has been degraded intq
man's own nature. Paul describes the fallen human a collection of myths and old wives' tales. And that
race as "foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse even among those who profess to maintain the faith of
lusts and pleasures, living. in malice and envy, hateful our fathers, so valiantly maintained in the days of the
and hating one another." (Titus 3:3).                     Reformation! Thousands, even in the church, seek
  In Romans  3:9-18 the apostle quotes various pas- their advice and peace of mind from the worldly-wise
sages from the Old Testament to prove this very thing. Ann Landers, rather than from the Word of God.
He writes, "As it is written, There is none righteous, There is a form of godliness while the power of God
no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is and of His Christ is denied. God's Law is filed away in
none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the attic to collect dust. The word sin is contraband.
the way, they are together become unprofitable; there Who cares to speak of sin, anyway? Man's frustrations
is none that doeth good, no, not one:. Their throat is an and problems arise from his environment. Someone
open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used de- else is to blame. Maybe the trouble lies in his bringing
ceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose up. The parents may have been too strict or the church
mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are too narrow-minded. Whatever the cause may be, one
swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in can rest assured that his pangs of guilt are unfounded,
their ways: And the way of peace have they  ,not foolish, and can do him more harm than good. Let
known: There is no fear of God before their eyes."        every one do as he will, as long as he seeks the good of
  Whether we like it or not, this God's own descrip- himself and his companions. Let man set up his own
tion of you and me as we are by nature, and of every standard of right and wrong, but allow him ample
man, woman and child that-comes, into this world, room for the lusts and pleasures of the flesh.
conceived and born in sin.                                  And along with this the cross of our Lord and His
  Jesus raises a finger of warning in Matthew atoning death are denied. The sole ambition of man is
15: 18-20, saying, Those things which proceed out of to escape the serious consequences of his adulterous
the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile life, of his indulgence in liquor and `his drug habit.
a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, Poverty, racial strife, warfare and social inequality
mur.ders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, must be wiped out. Freedom from want, freedom from
blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man." war is man's goal, but then above all, freedom to sin.
Take another look at .the warning of our Lord, for He        Pollution, spiritual pollution, downright wicked de-
does not merely say that the things that proceed from pravity is excused and condoned. But let the sinner
the heart and come over the lips prove that a man is who is burdened with his own guilt and depravity seek
defiled, polluted. That is true enough, for the tree is his refuge in that despised cross of Calvary. Repent-
known by its fruits. But Jesus warns us that this stream ance, rooted in regeneration and manifesting itself in
of corruption that wells up out of the cesspool of'our godly sorrow that seeks after God, is still the only
hearts actually defiles us. It leaves its filthy stain and solution for every single one of our problems.


      TtiE STANDARD BEARER
               P.O. Box 6064                                                                    SECOND CLASS
     Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506                                                              POSTAGE PAID AT
                                                                                             GRAND RAPIDS,  MICH.

9     6                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


                                     News  From Our Churches
           Several items concerning various of our ministers packed liked the proverbial sardine! But one very
     have come to our attention through bulletins, which, easily forgets all that, with a lecture like that of Rev.
     incidentally, arrive remlarly. We notice, for example, Decker. His subject was "The Foolishness of Preach-
     that Rev. G. Van Baren has declined the calls he had ing." He pointed out that the power that will lead the
     received recently from our Randolph and Hope (Grand church today in an on-going reformation is the preach-
     Rapids) congregations.                                      ing of the Word. It may be true that preaching today is
           We learn, further, that Hudsonville held a welcome considered by many to be outdated in our modern
     program for Rev. Hanko and his family on Friday, technological world. It may be that .preaching  does not
     `October 29.                                                fit in the scheme of those whose emphasis is on apply-
           Rev. Veldman, pastor of our Southwest congrega- ing Christianity to the social ills of the world. The fact
     tion, was scheduled for surgery (described by the is that grace is communicated in no other way than
     pastor as "not serious") on November 5.                     through the preaching of the Word. When the pastor
           Then there's this very interesting item concerning stands in front of us on the Sabbath, we are con-
     the pastor of our church in Holland: "Holland's Con- fronted with Christ, the King of the Church.  Let  the
     gregation commemorated the anniversary of the Rev. world scoff at preaching - it pleases God to save us by
     J.. A. Heys' 30th year in the ministry." That was on it.
     Friday, October 22. The Consistory made arrange-              Those were just a few of the points of that speech.
     ments for a program, which was followed by a social The whole thing will, no doubt, appear in the Standard
     hour for the congregation. The program consisted of a Bearer; but we couldn't resist saying a few words about
     couple of numbers from each of the societies and a it. To the mind of this writer, the high point was
     speech (based on I Thess. 5: 12  &  13). by Rev. M. reached with these words that still ring in my ears:
     Schipper  whois, by the way, a son of that congregation.    "May I say it? May I say it? I'm going to say it!" And
     Rev. Heys was presented with a gift of appreciation for then he went on to express his conviction that, by the
     his labors during those thirty years. Concerning that grace of God, the Protestant Reformed Churches mani-
     time element, there's this from Southeast's bulletin: fest  the  mark of the church  - that foolishness of the
     "How swiftly the years go by! Seems like yesterday pure preaching of the gospel of Christ.
     that he was declared candidate for the ministry."             According to the closing remarks of Rev. Van Bar-en,
           From the September 31 bulletin of First Church the chairman -of the meeting, tapes of the lecture are
     (Grand Rapids) comes the following: "We welcome to available to interested persons by contacting either a
     our pulpit and fellowship a son of .our congregation, member of the committee or Rev. Van Baren.
                                                                                        **X**
     Rev. R. Decker of our South Holland congregation.             The title of Rev. Van  Baren's Reformation Day
     The pastor is exchanging pulpits with him today."           speech was "Shall There Be Reformation No More?" It
           That pulpit exchange was, no doubt, occasioned by was given, as we mentioned, in South Holland. The
     the fact that Rev. Decker, of South Holland, was in Church Extension Committee of Rev. Van Baren's con-
     Grand Rapids to present a Reformation Day Lecture gregation, .however, felt that it should be heard in the
     on October 28, and Rev. Van Baren, of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids area as well. Arrangements were made,
     was in South Holland to present a Reformation Day therefore, to have the speech broadcast over WFUR-
     speech on October 29.                                       FM, at 3 P.M. on Sunday, October 31. Bulletin an-
           The lecture of Rev. Decker was one of a series spon- nouncements in the Protestant Reformed Churches in
     sored by the Lecture Committee in Classis East of the the area encouraged members to "inform your friends
     Protestant Reformed Churches. It was held in the and relatives of this special broadcast - and urge them
     Christian School gymnasium of Allendale, a small com- to listen." In addition, advance notice of the broadcast
     munity just outside Grand Rapids. The size of the was given over the radio station and in the local news-
     audience was gratifying. In fact, the size of, the audi- paper, so that as large an audience as possible would be
     ence was such that seating very quickly'became some- reached by Rev. Van Bar-en's timely message.
     thing of a problem. Either there were more people                                 *****
     than anticipated, or less folding-chairs, so that those       A third Reformation Day Lecture was held on Octo-
     who arrived after 7:45 found themselves being directed ber 28 in Loveland. The speaker was Rev. D. Engelsma,
     to bleachers, which must have rivaled the benches of of course, and the topic was "Apology for Calvinism."
     our Jamaican churches for good, solid discomfort. And                                                        D.D:


