                                    IIe



                                           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:

        Christian Laborers Exhorted

     Editorial:

        Developments In New Zealand (4)

     Feature :

        Crisis in the Southern Presbyterian Church (2)

     All Around Us:

        More on Government and the Schools

        Genetic Time Table



                                            Volume XL VIII /Number 9 / February 1, I972


194                                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


                             CONTENTS:                                                                  THE STANDARD BEARER
Meditation  -                                                                        Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and August.
  Christian Laborers Exhorted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -194                       Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
                                                                                           Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids,  Mich.

Editorials -                                                                   Editor-in-Chief: Prof.  H. C. Hoeksema
  An Urgent Request To Questioners . . . . . . . . . .197                      Department Editors::.  Mr. Donald Doezema, Rev. Cornelius Hanko, Prof.
  Developments in New Zealand (4) . . . . . . . . . . .197                     Herman Hanko, Rev. Robert C. Harbach, Rev. John A. Heys,  Rev. Jav
                                                                               Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, Rev. Marinus Schipper, Rev. Gise  J.
                                                                               Van  Baren. Rev. Herman Veldman. Rev. Bernard Woudenberg
Feature -
  Crisis in the Southern Presbyterian                                          Editorial Office:  Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
                                                                                                  1842 Plymouth Terrace,  SE.
        Church (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199                      Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506
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Studies In Election -                                                          questions for the Question-Box Department are welcome. Contributions
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Meditation

                           Christian Laborers Exhorted
                                                                  Rev. M. Schipper

               "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also
               to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief,
               suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall
               take it patiently? but  if,  when ye do well, and suffer  for it,  ye take it patiently, this is
               acceptable with God."                                                                                     I Peter 2: 18-20.

       You must  _ be reminded that the apostle in this the world, and never to compromise our Christian
section of his epistle is still speaking of our honest identity for material, carnal reasons. This we are to do
conversation among the Gentiles. That is, we are even when that corrupt world wrongfully accuses us,
expected to walk as children of God in the midst of and cruelly abuses us.


                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                         195


   Not only are we to do this with respect to our Nor does Scripture anywhere ever say to the masters
relation to the government which the Lord                     that they must free their slaves; or, that the slaves
providentially places over us, but now the apostle also       should rebel against their cruel masters and seek to free
exhorts us to do this in the sphere of labor.                 themselves. Noticeably Scripture always leaves the
   Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear!        masters as masters, and the servants as servants.
   The servant, who is addressed here, is literally a            Now, of course, we in our modern society and
domestic, a servant who lives in the same house with economy are no longer accustomed to the master-slave
his master. He is not one who works on the far end of relation. Fact of the matter is that in our ears such
his master's estate, where his master hardly ever sees terms are repulsive. Under our modern system workers
him, but he is one who is constantly under the eye and        are free, free to work if they please and free to leave
surveillance of his master.                                   their j obs if they so desire. Under our system
   Masters, on the other hand, as the term suggests, are      management no longer owns the laborer, nor can he do
the lords who rule over the servants. A transliteration with him as he pleases. Yet the principle set forth by
of the term which the apostle uses here is our word the apostle in our text still obtains. It must still be
despot. However, since this word has come to have a           maintained that in the shop or whatever the nature of
bad meaning among us, referring to one who, is                employment may be, the employer must have
ruthless, tyrannical, we must point out that it does not      authority over his employee for the time that the
necessarily have this bad sense. Rather, the term             employee works for him. And that authority must be
emphasizes the absoluteness of his dominion. One, respected. On the other hand, the employee must be in
therefore, who was a master in the sense in which the         subjection to the authority of his employer in fear - not
apostle uses the term, was one who had absolute the slavish fear of eye-service or crawling fright, but
authority over his house-servant. Such a master, the the fear of respect, in the fear of God. So that even
apostle says, could be either good and gentle, or he          under our system, though the masters do not own their
could be forward, that is, cruel and perverse.                laborers and the laborer is free to leave his employ, the
  That there are masters who are good and gentle,             laborer is expected to be in subjection, and the master
does not mean that they are necessarily good in the           is expected to apply his authority in the fear of God.
ethical sense, in the spiritual sense of the word. This         H o w e v e r , i n   t h e   m a s t e r - s e r v a n t ,   o r
would be true, of course, if the master was a child of employer-employee relation, whichever you prefer to
God. But there are masters who are good and gentle who        call it, there is always the temptation not to be
are not children of God. They are that, not because           spiritual. You see, the elect strangers, whether they be
they are the recipients of a certain "common grace," as masters or servants, are still in the flesh. Were this not
some aver; so that they are enabled to do good even           the case, there would be no need for the admonition of
acts of civic righteousness. Rather, the apostle refers to    our text. But the truth is that we are still in the flesh,
those who are kindly disposed to their servants, and we still have our old nature; and that nature, unless it
who treat them well. There may be many reasons for is brought into subjection, will be carnal, materialistic,
this, but grace is not one of them. Most of them know,        seek the things below.
of course, that it will not pay for them to treat their         Consequently masters may be good and gentle, or
servants unkindly. The servant will work more                 froward and perverse. As we have pointed out before,
faithfully and energetically when he is good to him,          for purely selfish reasons masters may be good to their
rather than when he is treated perversely. His goodness       servants or employers to their employees. But for the
toward his servants is not motivated by grace at all, but     same reason they may also be perverse. It is well
out of selfish, carnal, material gain. But the apostle known in our day, as it was in earlier times, how
does not have these good masters especially in mind. It       management often seeks to extract the last ounce of
stands to reason that it is not difficult to be subject to    strength from their employees, how they have made
good masters. But it is a different matter when the sweat-shops out of their factories, how they have
master is perverse, and he treats you harshly and             dismissed men grown old in their employ without any
unjustly. And this becomes all the more difficult when        consideration of their well-being. On the other hand, it
you consider that the apostle insists that we be in           is also true that there are servants, laborers, who
subjection to such masters in all fear. This does not respond favorably to their good masters, employers,
signify especially a fear of fright and of punishment,        not only to reciprocate, but for material reasons.
but rather, a fear of respect. It means that without Eye-pleasers they are, who seek the praises of men, or
exception the attitude of these servants is to be             better jobs, or more pay. And when their employers
motivated by the proper fear of respect, principled by        are cruel and abuse them, they will rebel, and even
the fear of God.                                              organize to strike against them. Or, in some cases, and
  To be noticed here is the fact that the Word of God         with wrong motives will submit to their abuse. Perhaps
never seeks to change the system of society, nor does it      one is the father of a large family and cannot afford to
attempt to alter the relation of masters and servants.        quit his job. It may be also that jobs are scarce, so that


196                                         THE  STANDA.RD BEARER



he will not dare to go elsewhere to find work. Or, he of wicked men was condemned. And so it is still. The
may be naturally a man who can absorb a lot of abuse.      sufferings of Christ are filled up in His people. To be
Not with this kind of patience, and surely not for these sure, Christ suffered because He bore the wrath of God
reasons, would the apostle exhort us to be patient. Nor over against our sin. That suffering His people cannot
would he appraise such conduct as being thankworthy. bear, nor need they. But there is also a  suffering.of
  Literally, the apostle says: "For this is grace, if on Christ which He gives unto His people to bear, the
account of conscience of God, someone bears grief, suffering of reproach and shame. Christ suffered in this
suffering unjustly."                                       sense because He had a conscience toward God. We
  The motivation, therefore, for being in subjection will experience this suffering when by the grace of God
with all fear, and especially to masters who treat you we emulate Him.
wrongfully, is conscience of God, i.e., conscience           We must bear in mind that the apostle is speaking
toward God. What does that mean? Conscience, you only of suffering wrongfully. This, and only this, is
know, means literally: to know together with. Here it praiseworthy before God. It stands to reason that if
means to know together with God. And this implies the laborer does not do his work, if he idles away his
that you stand before the face of God, knowing Him time, if he does some other misdemeanor for which he
and His will. Because we fear God, and always stand is reprimanded, perhaps for which he is even buffeted,
consciously before His face, and desire to be pleasing or loses his job, there is nothing praiseworthy in that.
to Him, therefore, we bear the wrong patiently. This is The apostle says "For what praise is it if sinning and
thankworthy, literally, this is grace. And grace means being buffeted, you are patient?" If a man is unfaithful
that which is beautiful, beautiful in God's sight. This is in his work, or, if he cannot do what is required of
beautiful to God, when He beholds us in the sphere of him, he must expect that he will be treated
labor in subjection to our masters, even patiently accordingly. And to suffer for these reasons, does not
bearing their abuse, because we are motivated by His bring down the favor of God, but His displeasure.
fear.                                                        Rather, the apostle is speaking here of suffering that
  But, you may ask, why is this so that God looks is wrongfully imposed. And that means that the
down in favor upon one who suffers wrongfully? servant does his work faithfully. It means that he
Perhaps you are also one who asks: Should not one be labors as before the face of God, not men. It means
commended who stands up for his rights, who tells the that the servant is mistreated and suffers because he is
boss where to get off, who perhaps helps to organize a a child of God, and a disciple of Jesus. Such suffering
union that will strike in order to bring management in evokes the favor of God, and is at the same time a
line, or to bring an end to the mistreatment? If the manifestation of the grace of God in that servant. So
thoughts expressed in this question reveal your manner God rejoices in His suffering people when He beholds
of thinking, as it is the manner of thinking of many His own work of grace in them. This is the significance
today, and you think that even as Christian men you of the text.
can organize to strike if necessary to get your rights,      Thus also the Christian laborer will also put to
then the apostle tells you, negatively, this is not silence the ignorance of foolish men. By doing their
well-pleasing to God. But it is pleasing to Him when we duty as before the face of God, they will silence evil
bear our suffering patiently with a conscience toward speakers and evil doers. More importantly, their good
Him. But why is this so?                                   conduct will register in their own consciences that they
  The answer to this question we will see more in are the objects of the favor of God.
detail next time, the Lord willing, but we can say this      By nature the Christian is no different than the man
now: the answer is to be found in the suffering of of the world, who, when he is mistreated also in the
Christ. Not only did He suffer because He bore the sins sphere of labor, will fight back, rebel, organize force to
of His people, but He also suffered wrongfully at the withstand oppression. By nature he is also impatient.
hands of the wicked world. He did not fight back. He Against that old nature he is required constantly to
did not use power to defend Himself. :He did not open fight. But having received grace, let him reveal that
His mouth in self-defence. But he had a conscience grace in that sphere of labor; and so will he experience
toward God, and therefore bore patiently the evil that the favor and l&ss~g of God.
was heaped upon Him. And by this conduct the world




                            The Standard Bearer bears the flag of the truth: follow it!


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 197


Editdrials

                     An Urgent Request To Questioners
                                                  Prof H. C. Hoeksema

  Three times in recent weeks I have received letters my wastebasket  - unread! This almost happened to
for Question Box without a signature.                            these three questions; in the nick of time, as I was
  First of all, let me restate our policy. That policy is looking for the signatures, I noticed that they were
that all communications for Question Box MUST BE letters intended for Question Box, and therefore saved
SIGNED. When the questions are published, however, them.
neither names nor initials will be used. But for various           Secondly, therefore, if the readers involved will
good reasons, I cannot accept unsigned questions.                inform me of their identity in the near future, I will
  Fact is that it is rather dangerous to send any try to answer their questions. I repeat: when your
unsigned communications to me. My personal rule is question is published, I will not make known your
always to look at the end of a letter for the signature identity - unless, of course, you specifically request it.
first; and if there is no such signatui-e, I throw letters in      Please!


              Developments In  Nevw Zealand (4)
  As might almost be expected, in the light of history, Reformed Churches of New Zealand there has been
the ecclesiastical developments in New Zealand corruption of discipline. This is serious! To put it in
included not only the doctrinal Appeal by the brethren the language of Article 29 of our Netherland
Koppe and van Herk  - an Appeal which was the Confession, the Sessions of Christchurch and of
climax of the battle for doctrinal purity and doctrinal Silverstream-Wainuiomata, and also the Synod, have
discipline waged by the Reformed and Presbyterian exhibited one of the marks of the false church, which
Fellowship of Australasia. Said developments also "persecutes those who live  holily according to the
included personal appeals directed to the Synod of Word of God, and rebuke her for her errors. . .  ." In
1971 by three brethren who played a leading part in the second place, I want to encourage the brethren
the struggle in New Zealand and whose names are involved: not only by assuring them that we believe
connected with the publication of the  Reformed they have been unjustly treated, but also by reminding
Guardian. These three brethren are W. van Rij, who at them that this very persecution, though bitter and
the time when the struggle began was elder in the painful, is nevertheless a good sign. It is an indication
Session (consistory) of Christchurch, and J. Koppe and that they are on the right side and that they are in
B. van Herk, officebearers at Silverstream-Wainuiomata. good company. They may "rejoice and be exceeding
I wrote: as might almost be  expected,  there were               glad: for so persecuted they the prophets that were
personal cases involved. Why? Because history shows before you."
that almost without exception when there is doctrinal              In the third place, I want to call attention to this
controversy, those involved become personally, on one perversion of discipline because it underscores the
side or the other, the object of attack. And frequently, truth of my earlier evaluation of the doctrinal
as has also been the case in our Protestant Reformed decisions of Synod. I wrote earlier that some of the
history, it is those who stand on the side of the truth of decisions of the Synod seem at first glance to be rather
our confessions who become the object of a perverted sound decisions and that, in fact, they almost seem to
discipline, a discipline which therefore amounts to per- declare what the brethren of the Fellowship have been
secution. This was the case also in New Zealand, as we fighting for. Nevertheless, we have demonstrated that
shall see.                                                       this was not the case. And now I call attention to the
  About this perversion of discipline in the fact that this very perversion of discipline and
above-mentioned instances I want to report and persecution of the brethren van Rij, Koppe, and van
comment.                                                         Herk is proof that our evaluation of Synod's doctrinal
  My reasons are several. In the first place, I want to decisions is correct. For, certainly, if Synod had at all
call attention to the issue of this discipline as such intended to express agreement with the petitions of
because Christian discipline is one of the marks of the the Doctrinal Appeal, they would have hastened to
church; and along with the doctrinal corruption in the advise the Sessions concerned that they must by all


198                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



means undo and apologize for the discipline imposed it and its inevitable end: schism. The session considers
on these three brethren; and both Synod and the that br. van Rij has failed - and has acted contrary to
Sessions  - in fact, all the churches  - would instead        his duty as an elder of our churches. It trusts that your
have thanked these brethren for sounding the alarm            Session - while seeking the guidance of God's Word
against these serious doctrinal deviations. Nothing of and Spirit, and in loving concern  - finds its way to
the kind was done, however. Synod itself did not deal with the brother in a manner which will promote
actually treat their cases. The Sessions involved have the wellbeing of our churches to the glory of the Name
not retracted and apologized for their discipline. In of the Lord of the Church."
fact, in one instance, at least, they have continued to         3) Rev. N. Hart, minister of the Reformed Church
insist that the brother involved must still apologize.        of Avondale, wrote on January 2, 1970 his reaction to
This is rather clear evidence, therefore, that in spite of the first issue of the  Reformed Guardian:  "While I
some good appearances and some apparently sound or realize that the editorial does not bear Mr. W. van Rij's
conservative decisions, the Synod nevertheless did not name, his appeal for `. . . assistance to continue to send
justify the brethren in their doctrinal stand and  $heir      forth this Newssheet, each month' is nothing short to
battle against the deviations for which Dr. Runia was raising `mutiny in the Church': his name is associated
largely responsible.                                          with this appeal. Even if Mr. van Rij did not make that
  I am writing this not only for the sake of our              statement personally, it is my desire that Mr. van Rij
American readers. But I hope that this may come to            be led to send a public apology to the Session of the
the attention of not a few in New Zealand, so that Reformed Church of Avondale, by such action as your
when they see this evaluation from an "outsider," who         Session sees fit. At present we could not accept Mr.
is able to judge objectively, their eyes may be opened van Rij in full communion, until he publicly repents of
to the injustice done in the Reformed Churches and to         this incitement to mutiny, (see Psalter Hymnal, 1959,
the dangers which are threatening "down under."               Form for the Celebration of the Lord's Supper; p.
  Moreover, I will base all that I write` on the              93)."
documents and decisions which the brethren involved             4) The Session of the Reformed Church of Geelong
have sent me.                                                 wrote under date of February 20, 1970: "After
                                                              carefully studying the letter Mr. W. van Rij sent round
What Was The Issue?                                           to the sessions and taking note of the answer of the
  Very simply put, the issue which led to the                 Board of Directors of the College this session would
imposition of discipline in these cases was the               very urgently plead with you to ask Mr. van Rij to
publishing and distribution of the  Reformed Guardian,        withdraw at least the personal accusations against Dr.
in which the alarm was sounded concerning the                 K. Runia."
doctrinal deviations of Dr. K. Runia..                          The Session itself also took action, as we shall see;
  This was the issue, first of all, in the case of Mr. Wm.    but it refused to adjudicate the above charges against
van Rij, who, at the time when all this began, was elder Mr. van Rij, serious charges of sin against the ninth
in Christchurch's Session. Here is the documentation,         commandment in connection with the publication of
taken from the letter of separation sent by Mr. and           the Reformed Guardian.
Mrs. van Rij to the Session of Christchurch under date          At Silverstream-Wainuiomata it was no different.
of October 18, 1971:                                          After the  Reformed Guardian  made its first
  1) Dr. Runia himself wrote to the Session on                appearance, the Session adopted and placed in the
January 2, 1970. In this letter he deals with van Rij's       bulletin the following: "Session deplores the action
article in the Reformed Guardian on "The Crisis in the taken by Elder J. Koppe in distributing copies of the
Reformed Churches." And Runia wrote, in part: "The            Reformed Guardian, Vol. I, No. 1, among members of
accusations show a complete, lack of theological              our Congregation before Session could formulate its
knowledge and yet these brethren present themselves           answer to the questions under discussion." And as
as the defenders of the Reformed Faith. All this means        early as February of 1971 the Session began to take
that harm is done not only to my good name, but to            disciplinary action. The following decision was made:
the cause of our churches and of the Reformed faith in        "`That Elders van Herk and Koppe be suspended from
New Zealand and Australia. I cannot see it otherwise          office, as they do not adhere to their ordination vow,
than that these brethren have grievously sinned against       in which they promised to submit to the government
the ninth commandment (cf. Heidelberg Catechism,              of this church, in all  things,pertaining  to their office.
Lord's Day 43)."                                              This suspension to be lifted as soon as these Elders
  2) The Session of Invercargill wrote in a similar vein:     refrain and disassociate from participating in
"It (van Rij's article) betrays a mentality which is          publishing of the Reformed Guardian, and give
definitely contrary to the spirit of the ninth                evidence of their willingness to the Church court."
commandment, and which will serve to evoke                    (Quoted from letter by J. Koppe) And this was also
extremism in the minds of those who are susceptible to        published in the Church bulletin even before a


r

                                                 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   199



     neighboring consistory was consulted, so that it was         2) The publication of the  Reformed Guardian  as
     made known to the congregation that "after lengthy such was no sin. In publishing this paper and in writing
     discussion Session decided not to tolerate Elders about the doctrinal deviations, the brethren were not
     participating in publishing the Reformed Guardian only writing about matters which were in their very
     anymore and to inform the Wellington Session of this nature public; but they were also doing the very same
     decision." As is stated in the Appeal of these two thing that * Dr. Runia was doing. It is indeed strange
     brethren, "The Church of  Silverstream/Wainuiomata that Dr. Runia might publish his views in magazine and
     has PUBLICLY STATED the fact, that they decided to book; yet the brethren might not publish their
     have us removed from this holy office in the church of disagreement with and opposition to those views - even
     Jesus Christ, both in the Silverstream/Wainuiomata though  Trowel and Sword  would be closed to them
     bulletins of 21-2-`71 and 114'7 1, and in PUBLIC in and even though these matters had not as yet been
     the Congregational meeting at Silverstream, on adjudicated by any Synod.
     19-7-`7 1."                                                  3) At no time  - and this must be emphatically
       Again, all of this was due to the publication of the stated - did the brethren cast any personal aspersions
     Reformed Guardian.  These brethren were on this or slanders on the person of Dr. Runia or anyone else
     account publicly held up to their congregation as being in these public writings. Indeed, they accused Runia of
     guilty of some gross sin which made them worthy of false doctrine; but there never was any personal note in
     removal from office, though no  s.pecific sin on their anything written. Never, for example, did they accuse
     part was ever proven.                                      Runia of being an unbeliever, as they were accused of
       Now before we proceed with this history, three facts doing.
     should be emphasized:                                        Yet, mind you, neither the Sessions involved nor the
       1) While serious  charges  of gross sin were made, Synod of 1971 have to this day done anything to
     none of these charges was ever substantiated and remove the serious charges laid against these brethren!
     proven. It is, of  course,  one thing to  make  such         What was done by these bodies we shall see next
     charges; it is quite another thing to produce evidence time.
     that these charges are true.                                                                                     D.V.


     Feature

            Crisis In The Southern Presbyterian Church (2)
                                                  Dr. John Richard de Witt

       In my first article I gave a brief summary of the Christ. Indeed, one of the most painful attacks found
     situation with which evangelicals are confronted today place in The Banner of the Christian Reformed Church
     in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S., the Southern (issue of Oct. 8, 1971) in which the  edit& plainly
     Presbyterian Church. I should like now to attempt an accuses the steering Committee of this very thing, and
     assessment of the present state of affairs, especially of then goes on to state that though conservatives in the
     certain factors which complicate it, and to say PCUS complain of laxity in discipline, "it is obvious
     something of my own reaction to the direction events that were it otherwise, prime candidates for
     appear to be taking. The character of the PCUS is so disciplinary action would be members of the steering
     very mixed and the spectrum of theological opinion so committee." We recognize that schism is sinful and
     broad that it is difficult to be both concise and that no separation even may be undertaken unless the
     accurate. Readers will take what I say as representative case is perfectly clear and there is no alternative.
     of my thinking as an individual. I am, of course, very       But upon long and diligent reflection we have come
     much on the side of the Reformed party, if it may be to the conclusion that schism is not an issue in our
     called that; but I also have some quite serious doubts present ecclesiastical context, nor, for that matter, is
     and criticisms at the same time.                           separation as such. The whole point may be summed
       To begin with, those of us who are concerned with up thus: Are we in the Southern Church who are
     the doctrinal soundness of the PCUS and continuing committed to the historic confessional and
     the historic testimony of the denomination have had constitutional position of the denomination (and of
     to face the question of schism, or at least of the Reformed Churches generally) obliged to enter
     separation. The charge is behg levelled against us from into  a  union with the essentially confessionless
     many sides that we are seeking to rend the body of UPUSA? We do not wish to leave the present


200                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



denominational structure. Instead, we pray daily for confession, and to declare that though the majority
the grace of God to be displayed. amongst us afresh. may be prepared to commit ecclesiastical suicide and
But we feel bound in conscience to continue on as a to surrender their doctrinal identity, all are not so
Reformed Church when the merger with the UPUSA willing; some will continue to hold to the gospel of
has been determined upon and consummated. That is Christ:It is easy for those who have forsaken the faith
the true state of affairs with us.                         - and I refer here not to any Christian Reformed
  There has `been some careless talk about a  "new         editor, but to those who hurl the charge of schism
denomination," to be formed after merger. It may be        within our own denomination  - to cry up peace
that from one point of view, in that the constituency      and to cry down disturbers and troublers in Israel.
of the continuing church will not be identical with that But with whom does the fault lie? Who are the liars
of the PCUS as presently existing. But we are insistent    and thieves, the destroyers of the souls of men?
upon the fact - and I write as a mere minister, and as       The most prominent defector from the conservative
having no official relationship to the Steering movements in the PCUS after the announcement of
Committee or any other agency  - that we intend to         the formation of the Steering Committee was Dr. L.
continue, not to separate. And we assert that the real Nelson Bell, former medical missionary to China,
separationists will be those who forsake the Reformed prominent evangelical leader, father-in-law to Billy
confessional and constitutional position of the Graham, and board member and associate editor of
Presbyterian Church to enter into union with a body The  Presbyteriavz Journal.  The same  Banner  editorial
(the UPUSA) that has long since given up any binding which spoke out against efforts to lay the ground work
relationship to the Westminster Confession, or any for a continuing Presbyterian Church in the South
other, has adopted position after position in which the made much use of his words in resigning from the
moral and doctrinal posture of the Church of Christ Journal  in protest against the plan of action adopted
has been corrupted, openly tolerates error of the most by his erstwhile colleagues. Dr. Bell feels that "the
grievous sort, and no longer requires its ministers or its battle must be  `on a higher level than that of an
members to adhere to the evangelical faith of the Word organizational issue and that a division in the Church
of God. Dr. De Koster's charges are both unjust and will not solve the problems caused by liberalism." He
untrue, but one prefers to think of him as poorly thinks moreover "that there are evidences of the
informed on these matters.                                 presence and power of the Holy Spirit working across
  Furthermore, the liability of the members of the         America and within the bounds of our Church, which
Steering Committee and others to discipline in a should cause us to look up and thank God." And he
tighter and better ordered ecclesiastical system,          holds also that "The  Journal  board's involvement in
according to Dr. De Koster, is an assertion so full of what will certainly prove to be a separatist movement
strange presuppositions and so replete with is not justified by the present situation in the Church."
misconceptions that it is difficult to comprehend how Dr. Bell is no doubt an admirable Christian and a
it could be made at all. For the editor of the official notable evangelical leader. We all respect him for what
publication of the Christian Reformed Church  - a he has done in the past, and for his courage and
church born in  .separation at best, and professedly forthrightness in the present. But we think him wrong.
orthodox  - to come down on that side is a very And we grieve at the harm which his withdrawal may
strange thing indeed. The Steering Committee and have done, not to us, but to the cause of Christ. I, for
others  - I among them  - are working toward a my part, believe that he has seriously misjudged the
continuing church and denouncing the present laxity situation. His own words indicate that this is the case.
of the PCUS because it is now possible  - our Our battle is not one having to do with an
constitution notwithstanding  - to hold  almost any organizational issue only. It is basically a theological
aberration imaginable of a doctrinal or moral order one. The gospel is at stake. Furthermore, no
(for example, the lawfulness of abortion for Presbyterian with any understanding of history or of
` `economic" reasons) and yet to remain in good the New Testament can hold that organization is an
standing in the denomination. While admittedly in a incidental matter, and that what really counts in the
sounder situation it would not be tolerated for a group end is the intangible spirit of the thing. Structure
to raise itself against the courts of the church and pertains to the very nature of the church. Why
openly to protest and work against their decisions, in otherwise are we Presbyterians? Is not our form of
the present case it is a question of heresy and grave      church government based squarely upon the teaching
moral and spiritual error. And we believe that while       of the Word of God? Even there, though that might
the peace of the church is of great importance, there      not justify separation - indeed, I believe it would not
can be no true peace when the truth is not honored         - we cannot be indifferent. But the issue is still more
and adhered to. What the Steering Committee is fundamental, as I sought to show in the first of these
doing is to insist that the church is duty bound to        two articles. Though we respect a man like Dr. Bell,
respect its own constitutional position  Bnd its own therefore, we cannot follow him; and we lament the


                                           THE STANDARD BEARER                                                201


decision which he has felt compelled to make.             very basic significance of the Reformed faith.
  Second, another complicating factor in assessing our      No doubt this is to be traced in large measure to the
situation is the very mixed character of the theological seminaries and to the preaching and
denomination, even of the evangelical party within the teaching of the past. As so often has been the case,
denomination, which I referred to at the beginning. decline did not come all at once, but the seeds of it
As a  relative newcomer to the PCUS I am still were being sown  long  before the fruit they were  to
insufficiently familiar with the details of the history of produce became apparent. There was a movement
the denomination to be able to put my finger on the from the high Reformed convictions of men like
source of the trouble. Perhaps one ought to say Thornwell and Dabney to a  lower,~ vaguer f&m of
"sources" of the trouble, since there is seldom a single Calvinism, and from thence to the situation as we find
point of origin in denominational deterioration and it today. What a heavy burden of guilt for the apostasy
decay. It does seem certain to me, however, that even among the majority in the leadership of the PCUS
the conservatives in the church are in large measure so must be borne by the seminaries is self-evident. But
unclear in their adherence to the Reformed position reaching a bit further back, the finger of blame must
and the Westminster Confession as to make quite also be pointed in their direction for the indefinite,
difficult any attempt at co-operation under the present untaught evangelicalism of the conservative part of the
circumstances, and even more so later on in the projected church as well. Because instruction in the theological
continuing church. Many men call themselves faculties grew careless and became caught up in a
Calvinistic and Reformed when they are in fact very diluted theology, this was passed on to the actual
far from that. Ministers  - and I speak here of preaching within the congregations themselves, so that
evangelicals  - appear able to sign the Confession in thousands of church members have, I believe, never so
good conscience, intending nothing like the mental much as heard a truly Reformed sermon. Even with
reservations of the liberals, and then to go on in the evangelicals in many places fifteen to twenty minute
practice of their ministries behaving much more like essays on religion, topical treatments of some biblical
Arminians. It is well known that Mrs. Billy Graham is a subject, have been the rule rather than the exception.
member of the PCUS, and Leighton Ford, Graham's There is little taste for exposition, little love for
associate evangelist and brother-in-law, is a minister in preaching, though there is a residual conservatism that
our denomination. Such instances may be taken as balks at the perversion of the gospel which is currently
typical of many others. We have many amongst us who being handed down from above.
are broadly evangelical, but not distinctively              I do not know what percentage of the conservative
Reformed. In current usage  one  employs the word ministers are truly Reformed. There are some, of
"evangelical" as distinct from Reformed: one who is course. And there are many others who mean to be
Reformed is certainly an evangelical in that he holds to such. That in itself is a hopeful sign. Where there is
the great doctrines of the gospel; but, alas, not all adherence to the Scriptures and a determination and
evangelicals are Reformed. Many are Arminian. intent to be faithful to the confessional stance of the
Evangelistic practice among these evangelicals involves church, there is always a point of contact of which
the employment of all the techniques of modern mass advantage may be taken and which in the mercy of
evangelism, decisionism, preaching in which the God may yet be the means of strengthening the
glorious truths of the Word of God on election, the Reformed witness in our part of the country. But one
nature of man, the bondage of the will, dependence may easily understand how uncertain the future must
upon the Holy Spirit for regeneration, are either be said to be when strong Calvinists, weak Calvinists,
obscured or not mentioned at all, preaching which is evangelicals, even distinctly Arminian evangelicals, will
quite indistinguishable from that in churches making be constrained to co-operate with one another and to
no claim to the name of Presbyterian or Reformed. It rebuild the fabric of the church with one another in
has been astonishing to me that there can be so open a the event of a continuing PCUS. As I have made clear
claim to the historic position of the denomination and enough by this time, I am very much on the side of
at the same time so little awareness in some quarters of those who are prepared to resist to the end any merger
what that means in terms of the actual work of with the UPUSA. But I also have doubts as I reflect
evangelism and the ministry as a whole. I rather think upon our circumstances whether there are enough men
that only a minority among the conservative ministers of a Reformed character to ensure the continuation of
could give a creditable explanation of the five points of a truly Reformed and Presbyterian Church, "a
Calvinism, though these are abundantly evident in the Presbyterian Church loyal to Scripture and the
Westminster Confession of Faith; certainly relatively Reformed faith."
few of them would make any effort to put them to            A third complicating factor is formed by the whole
work in their preaching and teaching. It is my question of church property, pension funds, that kind
impression also that a  great  part of the orthodox of thing, and also the tendency of men, even of good
constituency of the church are in ignorance on the men, to go along with the majority, the establishment';


202                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



no matter if that does violence to their professed away from the consequences of the principles they
principles. In the study draft of the plan of union have held through many years because they see where
which is presently before us there is an important these otherwise will lead them.
provision called the "escape clause." This clause, as it      I could go on and on. An excessive sanguineness about
stands, will permit those congregations which the future, based upon no realistic assessment of the
conscientiously find themselves unable to participate prospects, is also coming to the fore. The better
in the union'to  remain outside the new denomination showing of conservatives at the last meeting of the
to be formed by a merger of the PCUS and the UPUSA General Assembly than has been the case in years is
and to continue on as a Reformed and Presbyterian deceiving some into thinking that we shall now be
Church, taking their property along with them. The going on from strength to strength, when what last
Steering Committee is adopting the approach that it is year's meeting really proved was that doing our utmost
legitimate for conservatives opposing the union  - was not enough and that unless something else
unwilling to enter into it  - to support the plan of intervenes from the outside, unless God revives his
union with the end in view of securing possession of church, the liberal hegemony is firmly in the saddle.
their buildings and properties; and indeed it does seem This, too, has had its ill effects.
that the plan  of'union invites this kind of support. I       It means something to be a Presbyterian in this
for one, however, am perplexed here, and unable to country, to have the name of Presbyterian, to belong
understand how I can be asked to vote for something to one of the great Presbyterian denominations with
which in the very -nature of it I find reprehensible. their heritage, their traditional strength of character,
Others are also facing the same ethical problem, and their entrenched social position, their Bank of England
will be unable to have any part in such an undertaking. solidity and dependability. And it costs a good deal to
I hope that the "escape clause" is never removed. It turn one's back on all that, to say nothing of the
may be. Voices are being heard to cry out loudly heartache involved in contemplating the dissolution of
against it as "un-Presbyterian!" It is said that the the church which has been one's spiritual mother, in
clause proceeds upon Congregationalist rather than which one grew to adulthood, and in which one heard
upon Presbyterian assumptions, that it opens the way the gospel of God's grace in Christ. I can understand
to schism and independency, etc. As though it were the mixture of feelings and thoughts and questions and
Presbyterian for apostates to deprive the faithful of perplexities in a man who stands face to face with an
that which they have bought and paid for with their extremely difficult decision, one he has not courted
own contributions, which they resent seeing used for and which he does not want to make. Many, unable to
unscriptural worship, and which they will in muster up the necessary resolve, will simply go along,
consequence not willingly hand over to the enemies of though in much distress and with great distaste. And
souls. I hope the clause will not be removed, and I that, too, will affect the cause and add to the
believe we must fight to see it retained as no more than complications in this whole matter.
just. But this does not mean that we are also to vote         But however many the factors are which complicate
for a plan of union, which union we oppose, because our situation, I believe with all my heart that our
some temporal good may accrue to us.                        struggle is an urgent one, and that we have no choice
  Though unlikely at the moment, that clause may be but to press on. We are in a time of crisis. This is so
taken away in the end. And if that happens I fear, negatively, in that we shall have to decide not to enter
human nature being what it is, that a good many into a merger with a largely apostate church, and have
ministers and congregations will go the way of their to do so very soon. It is also the case positively, in that
buildings and their pension funds, rather than the way we live in a time of exciting and exhilarating
of their consciences. This sort of thing has happened in opportunity and challenge:  ,All about us is a society
the past, and it will happen again. I do not say that seeking for answers, seeking in all the wrong places,
these people will consciously violate their consciences. unwilling to listen, but needing to hear the answers
Human nature is far more subtle than that, and more which only the Reformed faith is able to supply. Some
devious. What will take place is that these men will of' us are called to labor in relatively uncomplicated
gradually evolve in their own minds a rationale that ecclesiastical situations. Others stand in a much more
can enable them somehow to square their refusal to complex and involved situation, confronting a much
continue in a truly Reformed and Presbyterian Church less unambiguous moral and spiritual set of
without doing violence to what they have then come circumstances. We do not perhaps see the issues alike,
to view as their convictions. One sees this process because our background, opportunity, and training are
already at work in men who are permitting themselves quite different. But we are basically one in the faith,
to become convinced that those who have given one in the Lord. And in these times of hardship and
themselves to laying the groundwork for a continuing trouble we cannot do more for the truth than to
denomination are schismatic, separatist, ill-advised, remember and pray for and help each other. That help
precipitate, etc. Some are even now beginning to back has frequently to be little more than an indication of


                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                                            203


interest and  sympathy  - and for that reason I am glad God is the Lord of history, and that therefore the
for the invitation to contribute these articles. sunlight of his holy truth will dissipate the mist, and
Sometimes it has also to take the form of brotherly that at last he will show us where our footsteps are to
admonition and even rebuke. The road ahead is still far go.
from clear. We do not  how where it will lead us                     Brethren, love us and pray for us.
because we cannot yet see the way. But we know that


All Around Us
                        More on Government and the Schools
                                     Genetic Timetable
                                                           ProJ: H. Hanko

MORE ON GOVERNMENT AND THE SCHOOLS                                     the option of creating parochial schools and thus ful-
  The issue of the relation between the government                     fill the constitutional requirements for their children.
and private and parochial schools continues to be a                  This is a very difficult question which has no easy
vexing one. One of the problems involves the law answers. The argument of the Amish is clear enough.
which requires compulsory education until age 16. They argue, on the one hand, that education beyond
This problem is really limited for the most part to the the eighth grade or beyond the age of fourteen is
Amish who, generally, refuse to send their children to against their religious beliefs. Whether these religious
school beyond the eighth grade. The question is com- beliefs are correct and in harmony with Scripture or
ing up for decision sometime next year before the Su- not is not the question. They appeal to the Constitu-
preme Court of the United States.                                 tion of the United States which guarantees them free-
  In a recent issue of Christianity Today, the magazine dom of religion. We must therefore take their assertion
editorialized as follows:                                          at face value and believe of them that they are sincere.
       Among cases being heard by the U. S. Supreme                Under these circumstances, is it possible and in keeping
    Court in its current term are three involving the             with the Constitution to insist that the Amish violate
    Amish. The court is being asked to decide whether             their own religious convictions? Does not this do vio-
    Amish parents can be required to send their children          lence to the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of
    to schools beyond the eighth grade and the age of             religion?
    fourteen. Representatives of the Old Order Amish in              But, on the other hand, the government insists that
    Wisconsin contend that to do's0 violates their religious      a child must be educated until he is sixteen years old.
    convictions.                                                  Beyond that age education is a matter of choice.
       There is a great deal of sympathy for granting ex-
    emptions for the Amish. They are generally regarded           Whether this law is Constitutional or not will have to
    as a quaint, harmless people who deserve to be left           be decided by the Supreme Court in its present term.
    alone. It is difficult to see why modern sophistication       But, supposing that the law is Constitutional, the argu-
    should be imposed upon them.                                  ment of the government could very well be formulated
       But it is even harder to see what fundarnen~al  free-      in this way. Responsible citizenship in this democratic
    dom of the parents is being violated. Religious convic-       commonwealth requires an educated citizenry. A high
    eons are not per se inviolable. Would parents have the        school education is the very minimum to enable a per-
    right to keep their children illiterate? Indeed, one          son to function responsibly. If the government should
    wonders if the individual child's right to secondary          permit parents themselves to decide whether or not to
    education is not being automatically denied by the            send their children to high school, the government will
    parents. True, the opportunities for Amish teenagers          have to grant parents the freedom to educate their
    to leave their heritage will be greater if they begin         children or not to educate them in grade school as
    attending public high schools. But the free choice will
    still be theirs.                                              well. But an uneducated citizenry is a detriment to a
       No Christian parent approves                               democratic society. Indeed, such a society cannot hope
                                        all that is taught in
    public schools, but they are a necessary accomoda-            to continue if the citizens are not educated. The very
    tion to our times. If compulsory education is consti-         safety and future of the state requires compulsory edu-
    tutional, then there should be no exceptions on               cation.
    religious  grounds. Those who do object to public                So the demands of an educated citizenry run head-
    education at this level on religious grounds still have       on into the guarantees of religious free'dom. What must


204                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


then be done?                                                 becoming more and-more convinced. The end of com-
  We find some of the arguments of the editorial pulsory education is inevitably education as the gov-
quoted above to be wrong. The editorial seems to sug- ernment determines. And as B. B.  Warfield once
gest that no  fundamental  freedom of the Amish is observed, education by the government in a public
being violated. But this is precisely the point. The school system becomes the mightiest engine for the
Amish would surely demur. The editorial speaks of the         propagation of atheism this world has ever seen.
equal rights of children to an education. But children          But the problem  with the Amish also reminds us
are the God-given charges of their parents and have no that in a world of sin, where principles are abandoned,
rights apart from the fundamental relationship. The problems are created to which there are no solutions.
editorial suggests that the Amish could very well send                           ************
their children to the public schools because, though,
all  taught there is not to be approved by Christian            We have reported in these columns recently that the
parents, these schools are a necessary accomodation to        United States Supreme Court has struck down various
our times. This is, of course, an assumption. Whether         types of parochiaid. But this has not ended the battle
they are a necessary accomodation to our times re- and various organizations and states are attempting to
mains to be proved. And it seems as if the only               find other ways to bring government aid to parochial
grounds on which this can be proved is that of compul-        and private schools without breaking the rulings  of the
.sor$ education. And so one argues in a circle. But the Court. The latest of these attempts is the plan Pennsyl-
fact is, nevertheless, that the basic and underlying phi- vania is trying according to which the state pays par-
losophy of the public schools is not neutral but anti-        ents $75.00 for every grade school child and $150.00
God and anti-Christ. Can any Christian parent,                for every high school child when parents present
concerned about bringing up his children in the fear of vouchers at the end of the school year showing the
the Lord, permit such instruction to be given his child?      amount of tuition they have paid. This plan, too, is on
This would be a gross act of irresponsibility. The edi- the way to the courts to be tested for its Constitution-
torial suggests that, in the event the Amish are dissatis- ality. If such a plan as this is also struck down by the
fied with the public schools, they should erect               Supreme Court, that would seem to be the end of
parochial schools. But this is contrary to their religious    attempts to gain aid for private and parochial schools
convictions, they tell us.                                    from public funds.
  Their religious convictions may be wrong (and, in- GENETIC TIMETABLE
deed, they are), but does the principle of freedom of           The following article came into my possession re-
worship have to be curtailed because of this law that         cently which should be of some interest to our readers.
the government has passed? If it is a matter of religious            (This timetable is an updated version of the predic-
belief with the Amish, and if the government foists on            tions made two years ago in the RAND Corporation/
them compulsory education, we are back again to the               Douglas Aircraft studies and inclu$es some ideas from
days when religion is forced on people "at the point of           G. R. Taylor's The Biqlogical  Time Bomb. The dates
the sword." And history has proved in countless ways              are those of technological achievement and not wide-
that this does not only lead to failure, but it also is a         spread implementation.      Implementation will, of
damnable practice.                                                course, depend on social and economic considera-
  The whole question finally comes down to the role               tions.)
which a government may legitimately play in the educa-            PHASE ONE: By 1980.
tion of children. And here is precisely where the gov-               Effective screening of most major genetic defects
ernment in this country has gone wrong. The question              in order to advise parents against conception or to
of compulsory education is inseparably related to the             recommend abortion of a genetically flawed fetus.
question of whether the government may engage in                     Human egg fertilized successfully in test tube.
education at all. Our answer is that it may not. The                 Artificial inovulation of test tube embryo into
responsibility of educating children is a parental re-            womb of a nongenetic mother (One not related to the
sponsibility. And no government may usurp that role.              offspring).
If parents fail in this calling, they may be admonished              Choice of sex of offspring.
                                                                     Storage bank of genetically superior eggs tid
and urged to perform their God-given task; but they               sperm.
may not be relieved pf the calling by any organization.              Synthetic life created in the form of artificial vi-
  Does this imply that a government may not establish             ruses that will be used to cure some forms of genetic
the principle of compulsory education? In my opinion              disease.
it does. Parents must have freedom to educate their                  First cloned animals.
children according to their own convictions. And this             PHASE TWO: by 2000.
implies freedom not to educate them as well. This is a               Frozen embryos will be stored as insurance against
solution which runs counter to everything heard in our           nuclear holocaust and also for interplanetary coloni-
day; but it is a principle of the truth of which I am             zation.


                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 205


        Artificial placentas and mechanical baby factory.         nothing will happen without His will. The disturbing
        Effective control of most human defects through           thing is that man wants to do these things. There is a
    genetic manipulation.                                         philosophy behind all this which is unbelievably evil.
        Extensive transplantation of limbs and organs.            Based on the premise of evolution (that man is nothing
        Singlecelled life created from chemicals on the
     shelf.                                                       more than a highly developed animal who has reached
        Intelligent animals produced to do menial work.           the present rung in the evolutionary ladder by merest
        First cloned people.                                      chance) he now envisions the possibility of getting his
                                                                  hands on the "evolutionary processes" and manipulat-
    PHASE THREE: By 2050.                                         ing them at will to produce a superman, a "God-Man."
        Organ and limb regeneration in the same way that          And his assumption is that anything which science can
     some lizards grow new tails.
        Man-animal hybrid chirheras for specialized astro-        do, it  may  do. If he has the technology to do some-
    nautical purposes.                                            thing, it is  therefore  perfectly legitimate to go ahead
        Complex living organisms created from chemicals           and do it. That is, if science becomes capable of alter-
     on the shelf.                                                ing the mind of man, science has, by this capability,
        Widespread cloning of people with highly desirable        received the license to do it. And do not forget that
     characteristics.                                             the phrase: "the ability of science to do it" really
        Genetically enhanced human intelligence.                  means, when translated: "the right of a small group of
        Disembodied brains, organic computers, brain              men in positions of power to do to their fellowmen
    computer links.                                               what they want." It is the claimed right of a few to
        Postponement of death by at least 50 years.               decide the life and destiny of all; to decide what is
  What is particularly disturbing in all this is not so good for "the masses"; to decide what every other
much what man's claims are for the future in this mat- man ought to do. It is a godless thing, fraught with
ter of genetic manipulation. After all, these are loud danger, a hot breath of hell from the mouth of Anti-
and raucous boasts of ungodly men who claim the christ.
power to do all things. Whether they will be able to                But grace is greater than all in the lives of God's
accomplish all these arrogant claims remains to be people. Nothing can destroy their salvation.
seen. God is in heaven and Christ is Ruler over all;


Studies in Election
                                Its Supralapsarian Character
                                                           (Continued)

                                                    Rev. Robert C. Harbach

  We we discuss the character of predestination, elec- sion of something. Supra proceeds in the direct line of
tion and reprobation, we are really discussing the char-          train, track and terminal, or perhaps the order would
acter of scripture, for predestination is the very heart be better expressed as terminal, train and track. Scrip-
of scripture and of the gospel. Therefore, to ask, What ture will bear this out. We have already suggested that
is the character of predestination (or election)? is to           Romans Nine is not infra- but supralapsarian.
ask, What is the character of scripture? If the answer to           There Paul wrote, "For the children being not yet
the former be that it is supralapsarian in character,             born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
then the answer to the latter must be that scripture              purpose of God  according to election might stand, not
itself is of a supralapsarian nature. If this be  so; then        of works, but ~of Him that calleth." Why did God give
the following inferences will be true, as that, first, the preference to Jacob? It must be evident that He did so
supra-infra question is not unimportant. It has a very            simply because it was His purpose to do so, for He
fundamental importance. For the supra view is con- chose Jacob independently of any merit in him, in
cerned with the planning, realization and consumma- fact, His choice was before the children were born,
tion of God's purpose. Second, it cannot be true that             before they could do any good or evil. Since it is true
there is no real difference between the two views, as that "known unto God are all His works from the
though both are practically the same. In the supra beginning of the ages" (Acts 15: 1 S), that is, that He
scheme, nothing is  afterthought,  or "after the fact." does in time only what He has decreed in His secret,
There is no later introduced resource to affect an eva-           eternal counsel, then it must have been in the divine


206                                          THE STANDARD BEARER


mind from all eternity to put enmity between the seed means He will use to the accomplishment of His own
of the serpent, Esau, and the seed of the woman, end. These things chiefly have people in view, contem-
Jacob. It is a plain scriptural fact that divine election plated  first in an unfallen and glorified state (w. 3-6)
and reprobation, God's choosing some and rejecting and then in a fallen and redeemed state (7-9).
others, were independent of any foreseen "good or            This is what God worked in His counsel. He did it in
evil" in the creature, and so irrespective of any merit eternity past. "He hath blessed us," "He hath chosen
or demerit (the fall) of man. It may also be noted that us" (v. 4), "having predestinated us unto the adoption
the language "the  purpose  of God according to elec- of sons" (v.  5),  "He  hath  made us accepted in the
tion" furnishes evidence for the Calvinistic doctrine of Beloved" One (v. 6). The means employed to accom-
double  predestination, that there are two parts of the plish this already determined counsel produce a pres-
divine decree, that there must also be the purpose of ent blessing and its enjoyment. "In whom we have
God according to His sovereign reprobation. Romans redemption through His blood" (v. 7). That first and
9:22 surely bears this out. "What if God willing to highest purpose of God revealed- in w. 3-6 is there
show His wrath, and to make `His power known, en- declared full and complete without any dependence
dured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath upon a foreview of the fall. Those "all things," which
fitted to destruction!"                                    God works according to the counsel of His will, follow
  Also the supralapsarian view is more in harmony from the elect being eternally blessed in Christ, and
with Romans  9:21 than is the infra-view. For God, those blessed ones being chosen in Him. These spiritual
who has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass (Acts blessings with which He has blessed us, He has given us
4:27-28), in His eternal purpose contemplated His on much higher ground than that of His being our Re-
people first, not as sinful, fallen creatures, but, as deemer. He gave them to us from all eternity on the
noted in Romans 8:29-30, as glorified saints, as eter- ground of Christ's being the Image of God! He chose
nally predestinated to be conformed to the image of us in Christ, not as picked out of a fallen humanity,
His Son. With that in mind, consider this: "Hath not but with the end deter-mined that we should be holy.
the Potter power (authority) over the. clay, of the same God's election saw us first not as unholy, but as holy.
lump to make one vessel unto honor and another to This is not the imperfect holiness of this life, but the
dishonor?" Now that lump of clay to begin with is an perfect and unchangeable holiness that neither unfallen
unformed lump. But is it also to be regarded as a fallen Adam nor the unfallen angels had by nature. There in
mass or an unfallen lump? The latter, certainly; for if His decree He viewed us as holy, as having predesti-
the whole mass of mankind were considered in the nated us to the adoption of sons  (v, 5). That is, we
mind of Paul infra-wise, as fallen, he would not have were from the beginning of His decree considered as
spoken of some vessels destined to be unto honor and the sons of God in perfect communion and friendship
some to dishonor, for under that scheme of predestina- with Him.
tion the whole mass of clay was already in the state of      Now since the Lord has blessed us according to His
corruption and dishonor. Then the decree would be, purpose of election with  all spiritual blessings, then
for some, to leave them in and consign them to that there are not only those blessings just enumerated
dishonor, while for the others, to extricate them from which belong peculiarly to the end He has in mind for
dishonor and elevate them to honor. For this mass of us, but there are also those blessings which belong
unformed clay is the mass of creatureship not yet peculiarly to the means to secure that end. The latter
made and not yet considered as corrupted and fallen. blessings, however, were ordained through and on con-
But rather out of that unformed mass God fitted some sideration of the fall, and for us, regarded not as holy
to destruction and others He beforehand prepared to in perfection, but as sinners to be redeemed and so
glory. This view alone extols the certainty and sover- brought to holiness in perfection and glory.
eignty of God's decree as no other does.                     These blessings of God's eternal purpose, then, were
  This is also true in Ephesians 1. There, too, we find first in His intention. So they are said to be "before
the distinction made between the end God had in mind the foundation of the world" (v.  4), i.e., they were
and the means He ordained to realize that end. For ordained to us logically and spiritually in Christ before
from verses 3 to 6 we have God's first and highest consideration of laying the foundation of the universe.
purposes of His decree expressed, Then in verses 7 to 9 That which was first in His intention He designed to be
we have the decree of the means in which He foreap- realized at the end of the world. Thus the adoption to
pointed the accomplishment of that purpose. Then we which we were predestinated we yet await (Rom.
will understand what is meant by "being predestinated 8  :23). Then the blessings of God's ordained means
according to the purpose of Him who worketh  all were next in His intention, and are given us in this life,
things after the counselof His own will" (v. 11). What for in this present we  have  "the forgiveness of sins"
things are these which God works? First, the things He through His blood. Those blessings first in His main
has ordained to be the glorious end of His people, and purpose stand on the ground of Christ's person, as we
second, the things He has ordained to be the wonderful have it, "blessed . . . in Christ . . . chosen in Him . . .


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accepted in the Beloved." But the blessings ordained as prior to any consideration of the fall of man, for we
means stand on the ground of Christ's work. These             were viewed in Christ before we were viewed in Adam.
latter blessings God uses in a reconciling way to bridge The elect angels were never regarded as in a fallen mass
the gap that because of sin separates us from the when they were chosen, for they never fell. So with
ultimate blessings, which were always first in His elect men; they were regarded in the same unfallen
intention.                                                    lump of humanity when He chose them. Christ as God
  So there are blessings which we receive "in Christ" manifest in the flesh was chosen, but neither He nor
(w. 3, 4) as glorified, holy sons of God, and there are His perfect humanity ever fell in Adam. Consequently,
blessings which we receive "through Christ" (v. 7) as the people chosen in Him must be considered at that
sinners with sins forgiven. The former blessings are point in the decree, at least, as unfallen. Eve was-given
ours in Christ as Head. The latter are ours in Christ as      to Adam before sin entered. So the church was given
Savior. This is the divine order. "Christ is the Head of to Christ as bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh,
the church, and He is the Savior of the body" of Christ not as fallen, but as from the very  fast, glorified!
(5:23). "In the volume (the head) of the Book  #(of God's purpose for His elect has a double reference.
Election) it is written of Me, `Lo, I come (as Saviour!)      First, He ordained them to glory, and then with regard
to do Thy will, 0 God!' "                                     to the fall, to salvation. So His ordination of the
  God chose Christ and foreordained Him (I Pet.               reprobate has a double reference. He ordained them to
1: 19) to be the sovereign end of His eternal purpose.        destruction as creatures, and to condemnation as
Christ is the end of our election. He is God's Elect,         sinners.
God's Delight (Isa.  42:l). We are God's elect and                               (To be continued)
Christ's delight (Pro. 8:31). Therefore our election is


From Holy Writ
                          Exposition of Hebrews
                                                   Rev. G. Lubbers

THE SUBJECT IS STILL"FAITH"(Hebrews  11:17-19) justification of the godless sinner, but it shows this
  It must be kept in mind that faith is here not merely       godless sinner as he is transformed by faith into a man
defined in a rather scholastic definition, but is here which has learned the obedience of godliness. Yes,
described to us in its living operation and manifesta- Abraham's faith had not merely the form of godliness
tion in the lives of the saints. We see faith here as the     which denied the power of it, but here is the power of
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things         godliness manifested in a living faith!
not seen. It is the faith by which the elders obtained a        Here is faith which takes God at His word. If it must
good report. Yes, we saw this in Abel, Noah, Enoch,           be a human sacrifice and the breaking of God's own
and now. in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yes, even in            ordinance, the fundamental law of God governing the
Sarah, the mother of kings and nations.                       sacrifices (Gen.  9:6) then Abraham will do so. If it
  In the case of Abraham it is constantly the obedi-          means that God will destroy his own promised mercies
ence of faith that clings to God's Word and His to which Abraham clings with all his being, then let it
promises which is displayed before our eyes. He               be so. It is the blotting out in one stroke of all the
obeyed in leaving the land of his birth; he obeyed in         promises which Abraham has greeted and received
dwelling as a sojourner in the land; he obeyed in wait-       with so much longing and desire and joy
ing for the promised son, Isaac. In all this, faith shines    ("Anadexamenos")  then he rests his cause with the
forth in glorious beauty and splendor. We see here the        LORD Himself. Here is not the dictum: I see and
like-precious faith of all the saints which is to be found    therefore I believe, but here we have the "credimus ut
unto the praise and honor of God in the day of Jesus          in telligemus, " that is, we believe that we may  under-
Christ. (I Peter 1: 7) However, in all of this, faith is not stand! Here is the triumphant cry of faith:  Jehovah-
yet perfected. This perfection of faith was exemplified jireh, the Lord will provide!
and demonstrated in Abraham offering Isaac his son
upon the altar for a burnt offering, a thank offering ABRAHAM'S FAITH IS TRIED  (Genesis 22: l-3;  He-
wholly consumed in the service of the Lord! Here we brews 11: 17)
see a faith which is not sterile and dead and useless,           The writer simply tells us the facts in Genesis. The
but here is living faith which is not only the means of       God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob pays the patriarch a


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visit. He calls to him:. Abraham! He calls him by the for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou
significant name: a father of many nations have I made hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me!"
thee. It was a rather crowning point in Abraham's life. It (Gen. 22: 11, 12) Yes, Abraham was interrupted while
was a word of promise which Abraham so gladly re- in the process of offering his son as a burnt offering.
ceived, in hope against hope. He would be the heir of We see it as a moving picture in the Greek imperfect
the world. (Romans  4:16-21) But now Abraham is tense of the verb. Some have translated it "while he
"tempted." Yes, Satan would tempt him here to sin, to         prepared to offer up his son." This is too weak. The
fall back into disobedience and perdition. Abraham thought is that he was actually offering the son when
must not continue to look for the city which has God intervened!
foundations, for the better. country which is heavenly;
he must falter in the battle and be overcome with THE DEEP WAYS OF GOD'S TRIAL IS RESOLVED
frustration and despair. But God has better thoughts, BY FAITH'S REASONING (Hebrews 11: 18,19)
thoughts of peace for Him. He will lead him through             Had God not said to Abraham: in Isaac shall thy
this humanly impossible way, and Abraham will say:            seed be called? And had that not been at the occasion
God cannot lie, He cannot deny Himself, He cannot of the weaning of Isaac when Ishmael mocked the little
not fulfill His promises to me which culminated in the Isaac? Had Sarah then not insisted in getting rid of
one point, when I sent away Ishmael:  in Isaac shall Hagar the Egyptian handmaid and her son, saying, "the
there be a seed to thee!                                      son of this bond-woman shall not be heir with my
  For what does it mean that God  tries  (tempts) son." And God had agreed with Sarah and He had
Abraham? Does it mean that God desired Abraham to instructed Abraham to send Ishmael away. Oh, it had
fall? Not at all. But it does mean that God makes the grieved Abraham greatly. He had overcome that
way humanly impossible for Abraham. That there is fatherly sorrow in faith, and now all his hope for be-
absolutely no victory over this temptation; there is no coming a great people and nation is pinned upon Isaac,
solution to this hopeless contradiction except in faith. the son of the free woman. And God cannot lie. He
Faith as the substance of things hoped for and the had said: in Isaac and in no one else shall the Seed be
evidence of things not seen! This is faith's great called! In Isaac Abraham is Abraham and Sarah is
moment. It will be the test of faith in its ultimacy in Sarah! Thus was the former word of God. And not one
Abraham.                                                      of these shall  falI to the ground. The Word of God
  Like staccato blows the message comes to Abraham:           cannot fall out!
"take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou              The text in Hebrews tells us that Abraham had so
lovest,  and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer joyfully claimed these promises for himself. He was
him there for a burnt offering upon one of the moun- living in this pure joy that now at last he would be the
tains which I will tell thee of." (Gen.  22:2) And heir, that he would finally obtain the promise.
Hebrews 11: 17 says that Abraham did exactly as the (Hebrews 6: 11, 12) Now in one word the LORD will
LORD had commanded him to do. He offered his son dash all his hopes to pieces. It seems that the LORD
Isaac! He completed the task of offering his son. Such will destroy His own work, and that the Lord is
is the implication of the perfect tense of the verb in        changeable, that he is as a man who promises but does
Greek. He did more than merely contemplate the act. not bring to pass. Yes, it almost has the semblance of
He walked for three days to the mountain. He de- the sadist who raises the hopes high, and then laughs
liberately left the servants and the ass behind. He when he dashes these hopes to smithereens, and then
walked up that mountain with the wood, the fire, the lets the poor victim pick of the bits of his perished
knife and Isaac. And when the latter inquired con- hopes and fond expectations! That was the temptation
cerning the sacrifice, Abraham did not flinch, but with which Satan tempted Abraham. For that was the
pressed on in faith, waiting for what the LORD had in natural conclusion. God is not just, He is changeable.
store for them. He built the altar, tied Isaac as the He can lie, nay, He does lie!
sacrificial victim on the altar and will consummate the         For not so for the ratiocination of faith!
act by putting the knife into Isaac's jugular vein so that      Faith believes that God is and that He is a rewarder
the blood may flow, in which the life is. Oh, awfully of those who seek him. Faith believes that God is not
sublime moment of faith! Abraham finished the act in in the abstract, but in the midst of the battle. Nothing
faith. That is the sublime reality here in Moriah. His shall separate me from the love of God, life, death,
faith is tried and it is not found wanting. It was not a      things high or low, future or present or past. All things
dead faith. He was justified by faith-which revealed work together for good to those who love God. That is
itself in the work of love for God! (James 2: 22-26)          what faith says!! And such was Abraham's faith. Yes,
  It was not Abraham who stopped Isaac from being there was here perhaps a syllogism of faith. It ran
slain on the altar. It was the LORD Himself who inter- something as follows:
vened, He calls: "Abraham, Abraham . . . lay not thine          1. God is Almighty, God is able, NOTHING IS TOO
hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him:              WONDERFUL FOR GOD.


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  2. Isaac will be dead, nothing but ashes, cremated on            Abraham is not put to shame. God's word of
     the altar of God. Yet, it will be consecrated ashes, promise stands. Not one word will fall to the ground
     and not some  heather&tic  cremation of those till all are fulfilled. For Abraham received his son from
     who belittle the meaning of the body and the the dead. He received in thus in a figure. As far as
     resurrection of the body in the last day.                   Abraham's faith was concerned he really received Isaac
  3. But if God will have him ashes dedicated on the back to himself from the Lord - from the dead. Per-
     altar in his service as a burnt offering, a  thank- haps there is here the expanded thought that Abraham
     offering from me, then I commit him to the saw that the only way in which Isaac could be the one
     hands of the Almighty God, who cannot lie. He in whom the Seed would be called would be through
     will surely fulfil His Word of promise. Isaac will death.
    .be raised from the dead. Hallelujah! The Lord will            Howbeit, Abraham receives another reward. He re-
     prepare the sacrifice!                                      ceives this time a fuller and more condescending assur-
  In this faith Abraham is triumphant! Faith is the ance that the Promise surely be realized. That we have
victory which overcomes the world. It says all is God's! an anchor with God in the holy place is affirmed by
Be it Abraham, Isaac and his ashes from the altar, all God's oath. God could swear by none greater, so He
are God's Life, death, things present, things future, all swore by Himself. He came, as it were, between
belong to the Lord.                                              Abraham and the promise with His word of oath. Thus
  Thus is this matter resolved by faith's reasoning. Abraham now has two immutable things to assure him.
And this reasoning was resolute. Such was the position He goes down the mountain with greater and gladder
of Abraham's faith as he progressed from the tent to assurance that in Isaac the Seed would be called. He
the mountain-top! Here is anticipated the prayer of came back with the lad from the mountain-top and
Christ: Father, into thy hands I commend my son, now he can really look for the redemption of Israel to
Isaac!                                                           come forth from the loins of Isaac, and he sees a great
ABRAHAM'S FAITH AWARDED (Hebrews 11: 19 b) and mighty people, a great nation in him.


Contending for the Faith
                                  The Doctrine of Atonement
                                                THE REFORMATION PERIOD
                                                    THE SYNOD OF DORDT

                                                         Rev. H. VeZdman

  Before we call attention to the  doctriae of teaching of Holy Writ. Fact is, this doctrine constitutes
atonement as set forth by our fathers at the Great one of the fundamental doctrines of Calvinism, one of
Synod of Dordt, it is well to quote once more the                the Five Points of Calvinism. And it is also a fact that
second article of the Remonstrants, setting forth the the fathers devoted an entire head of doctrine to this
Arminian presentation of this doctrine of the work of teaching in the Canons. It is true, of course, that these
our Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary:                 Five Heads of the Canons are the answer of the fathers
          That, agreeably thereto, Jesus Christ, the Saviour     to the Five Points of the Remonstrants. Nevertheless,
    of the world, died for all men and for every man, so         this doctrine constitutes the content of an entire Head
    that He has obtained for them all, by His death on
    the cross, redemption and the forgiveness of sins; yet       of the Canons, the Second Head.
    that no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins            Secondly, when discussing this doctrine, it is also
    except the believer, according to the word of the            well to bear in mind that these Five Points of
    Gospel of John 3:16: "God so loved the world that            Calvinism are inseparably connected. They all stand or
    He gave His only-begotten son, that whosoever                fall together. To maintain the one, it is necessary to
    believeth in Him should not perish, but have                 maintain all the others. And, of course, the
    everlasting life." And in the First Epistle of John 2:2:     fundamental heresy of the Arminians or Remonstrants
    "And He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for        is their denial of the absolute sovereignty of the living
    ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."        God in His counsel of predestination. This is the first
  When calling attention to this doctrine of the point of the Arminians and it also is the first point of
atonement as set forth by the Synod of Dordt, it is the Five Points of Calvinism. This connection between
well to be reminded of the great significance of this            these several doctrines cannot be denied.


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  Point I of the Remonstrants is a denial of the His sovereign good pleasure. Fourthly, Arminianism
sovereign and unconditional character of Divine must lead to the denial of the truth that the grace of
election. Divine election is either sovereign and            God is irresistible. This, too, is expressed in the fourth
therefore unconditional or it is conditional and based point of the Remonstrants, and we quote its
on foreseen faith. The love of God is either particular,     conclusion: "But as respects the mode of the operation
determined solely by the Lord or it is general and of this grace, it is not irresistible, inasmuch as it is
dependent upon the free will of the sinner. The written concerning many, that they have resisted the
Remonstrants advocated a universal love of God and Holy Ghost, Acts 7, and elsewhere in many places."
conditional predestination. The doctrine of a universal According to the Remonstrants, salvation depends
love of God is Arminianism. This doctrine of a upon the will of the sinner. This means that, according
conditional predestination must lead to universal to them, the sinner can accept salvation, will to be
atonement. The history of the Christian Reformed saved, but he can also resist this grace of God, refuse to
Church since 1924 is a clear corroboration of this. In be saved. We must understand this. It is, of course, true
1924, at the time of the adoption of the Three Points that the sinner rejects the gospel, tramples the grace of
there was very little talk of a universal atonement. But God under foot. Because of the obduracy of his heart,
those points do speak of a general love of God, he wants nothing to do with the blessedness of
expressing itself in a general offer of salvation in the salvation. Viewed subjectively, from the viewpoint of
preaching of the gospel. Today that church has upheld the sinner, he chooses the things of sin and of the
Prof. H. Dekker, retained him as a professor in its world and despises whatever is connected with the
seminary, and this in spite of the fact that he has grace of the Lord. However, this must not be confused
publicly declared himself in favor of the heresy that with the teaching that the grace of God is resistible.
Christ died for all men, head for head. This is              That the grace of God is resistible means that the living
inevitable. How can God love all men and offer God can be resisted in His desire to save. It means that
salvation to all men unless there be a salvation for all     the Holy Spirit can be thwarted in His desire and
men. The Lord cannot offer something that does not efforts to save the sinner. It means that God does not
exist. If He offer salvation to all, there must be have His own way, that He is  fjlustrated  in His
salvation for all. And this means that this salvation intention and effort to save. And this is certainly
must have been made possible through a general refuted by what we read in John  6:44: "No man can
suffering and passion of the Lord Jesus Christ. The come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me
first point of the Arminians must lead to their second draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." This
point: universal atonement. The one simply does not text teaches us two things. First, if the Father draw
make sense without the other. This is very serious. not, no man can come to the Saviour. This coming to
How careful we must always be with respect to our Jesus is, therefore, absolutely dependent upon the
teaching of the love of God, whether it be general or        almighty drawing power of the Father. And, in the
particular! Thirdly, the doctrine of a general love of second place, this passage of Holy Writ also teaches
God and a universal atonement must lead to a denial of that when the Father draws man must come unto the
complete and absolute depravity. The Three Points of Lord. This, too, is taught in this particular Word of
1924 are also a clear corroboration of this. And this is     God. And the teaching that the grace of God is
also plainly evident in the Five Points of the resistible means exactly that the sinner can thwart the
Remonstrants. And this, too, is inevitable. The teaching living God in His work of salvation. Fifthly, and
of a general love of God, expressed in a general offer of    finally, Arminianism leads and must lead to the denial
salvation, must lead to the teaching that the sinner is      of the certain perseverance of the saints. This denial is
able to accept this offer of salvation. How can anyone expressed in the fifth point of the Remonstrants. Of
be sincere when offering something to someone unless         course! If the grace of God be dependent upon the will
that person be able to accept it? To offer salvation to      of the sinner, one can never be sure of the perseverance
all men, and this means that the sinner's acceptance of of the saints. A chain is never stronger than its weakest
that salvation is dependent upon that sinner's free will,    link. The sinner, once saved (we speak, of course, the
certainly must mean that that sinner be also able to         language of the Arminian), can then fall away from
accept it. And this is a denial of the sinner's absolute     grace and fail to persevere unto the end.
and utter depravity. If the sinner be dead in his sins         Is this Arminian doctrine serious? Is it true that, if
and miseries, then it must follow that the Lord must         only we are saved, it really makes no difference what
begin His work of salvation in that sinner, and this         we believe? This sentiment is often expressed. The
must mean that that work of the Lord is strictly             salvation of the sinner is the all-important thing. These
unconditional. If the Lord must begin the work of points of doctrine are really very irrelevant. We should
salvation in the heart of a sinner who is dead in sins not be so distinctive in our preaching and teaching. Is
and in miseries, then it follows, must follow, that He this true? Emphatically not! First of all, from the
begins that work where He pleases and according to           viewpoint of the salvation of a sinner, does it really


                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER                                                        211


make no difference how a sinner is saved? Does it make tremendously important because the glory of the living
no difference whether one has the assurance of God is at stake. God's glory is the issue. Should a saved
salvation or whether a sinner never enjoys this sinner not be concerned with the way in which the
assurance? Does it make no difference whether a saved truth of the Scriptures is presented? Should.it not be a
sinner can take the songs of the redeemed people of matter of vital concern to a saved sinner whether God
the Lord upon his lips or whether doubts and fears is presented as a beggar who is desirous to save all men
accompany him all the days of his life? Do we not read ,but must be satisfied when only a handful come to
in 2 Pet. 1: 10-l 1:' "Wherefore the rather, brethren, Him to be saved? Does it speak of the power and glory
give diligence to make your calling and election sure: :of the Lord when He offers His salvation to all and
for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an         then must stand idly by, waiting for the sinner to
entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into respond to His plea and consent to the Lord to begin
the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus His work of salvation in him? The answer is plain.
Christ." This does not mean that we must make sure of               Before we call attention to the doctrine of the
our election as such, as if our election were dependent atonement as set forth by our fathers in the Canons of
upon us, but it does mean that we must put forth all Dordt, the Second Head, we note that the late Rev. H.
diligence to be sure of it ourselves, put forth every Hoeksema, introducing his remarks upon this section
effort to stand in the assurance of our election, and to of the Canons, writes as follows:
make our calling and election sure means that we make                    Atonement through satisfaction, - this is the
our election sure in the way of walking in the way of                 Scriptural and Reformed doctrine which was opposed
our calling. Is this serious? When we must give                       and twisted by the Remonstrants and which is
diligence, put forth every effort to attain unto this                 expounded by our fathers in this chapter. He who
assurance? Indeed, our salvation and pure doctrine are                denies election must also sacrifice this doctrine of
inseparably connected.                                                atonement and reconciliation through satisfaction
                                                                      ultimately. If Christ has not satisfied for a definite
  This, however, is not all. Is this Arminian doctrine                number of men, then His death has not atoning
serious? Of course it is! And not merely from the                     significance; and then, too, there is in Christ no
viewpoint of our salvation. There is something more                   payment, or ransom, for our guilt.
important than a sinner's salvation. Or, let us put it              How true this is! The Lord willing, we will have
this way: a sinner's salvation does not merely consist in opportunity to call attention to this as we call
his being saved, in his being'transported into heavenly attention to what our fathers have to say in connection
life and glory. Man is and never can be the important with the Scriptural truth of the atonement of the cross
thing in a sinner's salvation. Man is not saved primarily and of Calvary.
for his sake but for God's sake. And the truth is so


In His Fear

                                          The Pilgrim Life

                                                        Rev. D. H. Kuiper

2. THE PILGRIM AND THE BIBLE                                      in his hand, right in front of him at all times, so that he
    "I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with              does not lose his way. He needs that. He needs a lamp
    rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his     unto his feet and a light upon his pathway. He needs
    own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden             signposts that will, without fail, direct him to his
    upon his back."                                               destination. These signposts must point in the direc-
  With these words did John Bunyon begin his endur- tion of the land where he has his citizenship, the
ing work,  Pilgn'm's Progress (written in Bedford Jail, heavenly country where God is not ashamed to be
England, in 1675). He saw a man on a journey, a called his God. They must point out his specific calling
pilgrim, with a great weight of sin upon him, and a as he wends his way through a sin-darkened,  God-
book in his hand. That book was the Bible. Bunyon hating world. They must point out the dangers he will
accurately portrayed the Christian as a stranger in the           confront: the swamps of sin to be avoided, lest he
midst of a dark, danger-filled world, a world that                become spotted with the mud of the world; the
would mislead, entangle, and destroy the Christian.               entangling alliances that would paralyze him if entered
And so as Pilgrim makes his way; he has the Bible open into; the pseudo-gospels that deny his God the glory


212                                         THE STANDARD BEARER


and rob him of needed comfort. Clearly, these sign- about this point, it can only serve the advantage of the
posts must not evv! What a terrible predicament for the enemy. We wish in this article to demonstrate that the
pilgrim if the signposts, or the guidebook, misleads and Word of God is unassailable by making some explana-
proves to be untrustworthy!                                tory and applicator-y remarks concerning II Peter
  It is our position that God has provided His children    1:20-21: "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of
with an inerrant Guide, with infallible Signposts, with Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the
true Light, so that throughout his pilgrimage the Chris- prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but
tian pilgrim may know assuredly all that is needful to holy men of God spake as they were moved by the
know this side of the grave. He may know God as the Holy Ghost." Peter and the other apostles faced the
Creator of the Universe, as the Sustainer and Governor same apostasy, the same attack on the Scriptures, that
of all things, as the Father of Jesus Christ. He may the church faces today. In their speech and writings,
know Jesus as the Lamb of God slain from before the they were accused of following cunning devised fables.
foundations of the world, and may know the fellow- In response Peter states: one, we were eyewitnesses of
ship of His death and resurrection. He may be con- those things concerning which we wrote; and, two, no
vinced of the reality of the kingdom of heaven, as it is prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.
now being established in the hearts of the elect and as
it will be perfected when Christ returns for those elect That the Bible is the Word of God
with power and glory. He may know what God re-               It is necessary, first of all, to show that when Peter
quires of him while he remains on earth. What Father speaks of "prophecy of the Scriptures" he is referring
would have him avoid, and what pleases Him. How to to the Old and New Testament, the complete Bible as
view the world round about, how to estimate its goals we know it today. It is true that at the time he wrote
and activities, how to live in respect to the neighbor. these words there existed only the Old Testament
This inerrant Guide is the Bible, in which the Christian writings; all of the New Testament books had not yet
pilgrim discovers who he is, where he came from, been written, nor had they been gathered into the
where he is going, and how he is to behave while he is canon and received by the church as such. When his
going there.                                               audience read and heard these words, therefore, they
  The Devil does not miss the importance of all this.      undoubtedly thought of Moses and the prophets. How-
As he rages on this earth in the short time that he has    ever, the New Testament is also prophecy and must
been given, he repeatedly makes attacks on the also be included in the consideration of this text. It
authenticity and reliability of the Scriptures. The speaks of the fulfillment of all the types and promises
success of these attacks may be gauged by the conces- in Jesus Christ, and it looks forward to the final reali-
sions the church on earth makes in this area. The word zation of those promises in the great day of Christ. All
apostasy (to fall away from a firm, established posi-      Scripture is one; it is all prophecy Therefore, Peter
tion, hence, to fall away from the truth of the Scrip- refers here to the whole Bible, from its opening "In the
tures) may be applied to much of what the church beginning. . . ." to the final "Amen."
decides nowadays. Cardinal truths of the Word of God         It is of the utmost importance that the pilgrim know
are questioned, superficially studied, confidently that no prophecy of any Scripture is of private inter-
denied. The doctrine of Scripture itself is a favorite pretation. That phrase has given commentators con-
target on which Satan and his apostates "zero in." siderable` trouble; the majority of them seem to think
Their strategy is: if the foundations are undermined, it refers to the fact that you cannot interpret Scripture
can the house of Truth long stand?                         privately, that is, you cannot explain the Bible by
  Saddest of all is the response of the church in this yourself, in your own understanding. In itself that is
devilish attack. In one denomination after another the true. Unless the Spirit guide us in our study we can
reaction can only be described as a caving in, a never understand the deep things of God. Spiritual
buckling under, a compromising. Oh, it can appear so things can never be spiritually discerned except in the
very innocent. A church will decide to appoint a com- light of the Spirit of Truth. Yet, this is not the idea of
mittee to study the nature and extent of the authority the text. If we keep verse 21 in mind here ("For the
of Scripture,or something like that. But does that need prophecy came not in old time by the will of man.")
study? May that be studied and questioned in the year we  find that Peter is teaching a fundamental and  far-
of our Lord 197  l? Does it not belong to the very reaching truth concerning the  origin  of Holy Writ.
foundation of the church of Christ that the Word of Thus, what we have in the Bible is not the private
God is absolute authority and completely reliable for interpretation or personal opinions of a man, a writer,
all the areas on which it chooses to speak? That has or a prophet! Let us understand this! When Moses
been established at Carthage and Hippo under wrote the book of Genesis long, long after the flood,
Augustine in the fourth century. Luther and Calvin and when he wrote that beautiful first chapter on
asserted the same, necessarily, at the time of the Great creation, he did not give us his thoughts on how the
Reformation. If the church forever chooses to wonder universe came into being. He did not record a private,


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                                213



human interpretation of those days, and what grace that it turns out works, may not change the
happened on those days, or what was the folk-lore of hatred of God for the wicked into love for them, may
various tribes and peoples concerning the beginning of not make the atoning, satisfying death of Christ for His
the world. But God gave him to understand the fact of sheep some kind of making available of salvation to
creation, and gave him the interpretation of that grand anyone that believes. Because no Scripture is of any
event. What Moses. wrote, therefore, is  God's Word private interpretation, we must hear, and accept, and
concerning His work of creation. Or, when Peter, love all of Scripture. The full counsel of God must be
James, and John wrote concerning the transfiguration sounded forth and embraced. And then if we run into
on the holy mount, they did not record their private questions, a simple rule will see us through. The rule is:
interpretation of that event, nor did they manufacture Scripture interprets Scripture. Man may never say what
cunningly devised fables, but God revealed to them the Bible means, but the Bible itself tells us what the
what had transpired! Christ was given the power and Bible means. Then God Himself is our Interpreter. In
glory that would be His in endless measure at His great His light we see light!
and second coming. Or, finally, when the Scriptures         And if men rise in the church who would do other-
tell us that as children of God we are pilgrims and wise, if men stand up and begin to misinterpret the
strangers on the earth, with heavenly life, heavenly Word and give to it their private opinions, if men
citizenship, and a heavenly calling, then it is not so would confuse the pilgrim and lead him astray, then
that we have but a human estimation of the situation. the church may not be tolerant of them! Because we
But God is saying we are pilgrims, God is saying that deal here with the very Word of the living God, toler-
we have a glorious destination, and God is telling us ance is a terribly sinful thing. It is deadly. The creature
what our behavior must be as His people. There is man is not allowed to believe what he wants concern-
nothing private or human about any of the Scriptures. ing the Being of God, the eternal decrees, the death of
They contain no personal opinions or pet theories. Christ, the pilgrim calling, or any other matter touched
They give us God's own word!                              on by divine revelation. If a man perverts that Word,
  Because this is so, man may not give to the Scrip- he must be called into account and brought to re-
tures his private interpretations either. Man may not pentance; and if repentance is not forthcoming, he
explain the Word of God to suit his fancy, ignoring must be cast out of the church lest the unrighteous
those passages which humble him or limit him or leaven of the word of man begin to permeate the
offend `his human sense of fairness. We may not ignore    church. The Bible is the Word of God which cannot be
those passages which tell us we are dead in trespasses in broken. And you may be sure that it cannot be im-
sin, nor those that teach that God has chosen us un- proved upon. What God has revealed is sufficient, in
conditionally unto glory, and damned others un- order that He have all the glory, and that the church is
conditionally to perdition. We may not so explain surely saved!



              A Word of Warning To Dr. Jam.es Daane
  While proofreading the copy of an article that will wishes to reveal his opposition to the position taken in
appear  in  the  Standard Bearer,  the question does one of the  Standard Bearer's  articles. And, indeed,
occasionally arise, "How widespread will the reading of often to ridicule the truth an article is written as a
this particular article be?"                              response to what appeared upon the pages of the
  From the pages of other magazines we often find Standard Bearer.
evidence that our Standard Bearer is eagerly received       Thus in the December, 197 1 issue of the Reformed
outside the circle of our churches, that its articles are Journal under the title, "Universalism: Two Versions,"
deeply appreciated, and that from a geographical point above- the signature of James Daane there appears an
of view the magazine. certainly gets around for a paper attack on our article in the October 15, 1971 Standard
with such a relatively short subscription list, covering Bearer that bore the title, "The Perfect Beginning." In
our country from north to south and from east to this article Daane is bold to state that the position of
west, spanning the wide oceans, and then continuing our churches is worse than heretical in that it is
inland to eager hands and eyes, hearts and minds.         demonic! And it is to this .wholly  unfair and incorrect
  At times there are also indications that the articles charge of his that we would address ourselves at this
are read, reread and then carefully (though not time. An extended siege with the "flu" bug delayed
necessarily faithfully and with the right kind of care) our answer till this time.
copied over in another article wherein the author           We would, first of all, give Dr. Daane a very serious


214                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



and brotherly warning by calling his attention to the         must fall . . . (Here Daane deliberately cuts off half of
fact that the despicable, self-righteous Pharisees who        one of the pieces because it does not fit the picture he
did not believe the truth Jesus preached ascribed His wants to make from our article) . . . lose his
works to demonic power. And on several occasions righteousness so that through the cross of the Last
they declared that He was under demonic influence Adam God might display His perfect righteousness.' "
and power. Unwittingly, and yet very really, Daane              Now we did not write, and Daane cannot find it in
put us in some very wonderful company and himself in          our article, that God made Adam perfect  because  He
a class that is not to be envied. But let him understand made him fallible. Had Daane wished to paraphrase our
two important truths while he does this:                      words, it would have been fairer and more correct to
  (1) All the charging that Jesus did His works by write, "God made a perfect Adam when He made him
Beelzebub, the prince of the devils, did not make it so.      fallible." And his "because" should have been the
Talk is cheap, and all Daane's calling white black is not     phrase he deliberately left out, namely, "so  that'the
going to make it black. What is more, each time the grace of God in Christ may shine forth." He should
Pharisees said that Jesus had a devil they only revealed have informed his readers that when we were writing
how fully they themselves were under the influence            of God calling all things good, including a man who
and power of the devil. It is quite easy to call another's    could fall into sin, we wrote, "What can that mean but
doctrine demonic when one has not the truth oneself.          that after each act of creating God saw that what He
And Daane may be sure that calling devilish the truth,        had called into being would serve perfectly the
which we presented, and which is taught throughout realization of that glorious kingdom of Christ?" And
Holy Writ and the Reformed Confessions, does not again that we wrote, "A creature is good only when
come from the guidance of the Holy Spirit.                    that creature is able to serve the purpose for which it is
  (2) It is exactly in the connection with this evil          made and intended. God saw that all was exactly as it
charge of the Pharisees that Jesus warns about a sin          had to be in order to serve the purpose of bringing in
that cannot and will not be forgiven. See Matthew             ultimately the fulfillment of that mystery (the one of
12:22-32. And a man who ridicules the truth of God's which Ephesians  1:9, 10 speaks)". If Daane does not
sovereign, eternal, good counsel and who calls de- want that truth and wants to ridicule the sovereign,
monic the doctrine which teaches that he has perfect          eternal good counsel of God, he had better not only
control.over all His creation to realize His eternal good     get off that thin ice at once, but also throw his skates
pleasure in Christ is skating on some very thin ice!          away!
  Would to God that the truth of Scripture and the              Daane continues, "So, `the beginning was perfect.'
teaching of the Heidelberg Catechism in Lord's Day            But not only the beginning: `so is every step of the
XL111 - which calls his works of falsifying our words         way from that moment of the beginning onward
and of publicly slandering us the "proper works of the        through all time.' Not only creation as it came from
devil"  - would bring Daane up short, even as the             the hand of God, but the fall, and every sinful moment
statement of Ellwood did, so that he would repent of          (Not our expression, but Daane's) that issues from the
this evil and make the apology which he owes us.              fall is also `very good' and indeed `perfect.' Hence says
  We need not defend our article, for Daane does not          the writer, `Of the cross God also said, as He looked
even make a suggestion of trying to prove from                down from heaven, `Behold it is very good'. Of the fall
Scripture that our position is incorrect. He perverts our     of man He said the same thing!"
writing, as we shall show. But he gives no exegesis of          Now here we have some amazing revelations. Daane
Ephesians  1:9, 10, Colossians 1: 15 and Revelation ridicules the idea that God would say of His  own
13:8, which we used and presented as shedding light           works that they are good, and the idea that every
upon Genesis 1: 1. Daane preferred ridicule to exegesis.      moment of time God has all things perfectly under His
And when one has before one a jig saw puzzle with             control to bring forth the new Jerusalem and make
over a hundred pieces, and then selects a few of the          man, who was created a little lower than the angels,
pieces, some of which that one will cut in half, and          enjoy highest glory with Christ. BUT this same Daane
others which that one will reshape so that a new              is quite ready to say, and is emphatic to insist upon
picture can be formed, the artist who painted the full        saying, that the man described in Romans 8:7,8 (The
picture need not defend his work. But he has a right to       man with a carnal mind, not subject to the law of God,
be indignant at the  ?ne who corrupted his work and nor able to be subject to that law, the man that cannot
passed off the composite of changed pieces as an possibly please God) can do something because of
example of the artist's lack of knowledge of which the holy God from heaven will look down and
perspective and proportion. That is what Daane did            say, "Very good." In fact Daane, as a strong proponent
with our article.                                             of the unscriptural theory of "common grace" is ready
  Daane writes of our article, "In it we are told that to say that this spiritually dead man can do civic
God made a perfect Adam because He made Adam righteousness, and that is saying a whole lot.more than
fallible. Adam was `very good' because `the first Adam        that he can do things that look good to man, &d bring


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                              215



material good to man! We, in our artitile were speaking the way he asks it. Plainly when he asks, "Why is it
all along - and Daane knows it - of that which is good that in conservative Reformed churches heretical
and perfect because it is complete, is as planned, and is expressions about God's love and grace bring forth
able to serve its purpose. Daane stumbles over this immediate response and sharp criticism, but worse
while he still insists that without the regenerating grace than heretical expressions about God in terms of sin
of God the totally depraved sinner can do something evoke only silence, no matter how often and loudly
that is  ethically  perfect in God's judgment. Let him proclaimed as Reformed orthodoxy?" Daane's implied
look up the third infamous point of 1924 and he will answer is: "Because they are not fair. Because they are
find that synod spoke of good in the sense of not consistent." The real answer is that the
righteousness,  that which is right according to the conservative Reformed churches are exactly that,
judgment of God's law, that which pleases Him churches that want to conserve (preserve) the
because it is ethically perfect. God cannot say of His Reformed Faith, and the liberal "Reformed" churches
own works that they are good, according to Daane, but want to be liberated from that Reformed Faith. Having
He will call ethically, spiritually good and perfect the lost a sovereign God - a God Who does as He pleases
works of unregenerate men!! No wonder Daane has (Psalm  115:3) and has a right to do as He pleases
that question in his last paragraph of his brief article! (Romans 9: 18-24)  - these liberal "Reformed"
  Still more, God have mercy on those precious sduls churches no longer understand either God's sovereign
of the Christian Reformed constituency who must call grace or sin. Daane's brief article shows this.
Daane in when they suffer loss and bereavement. For          That is why Daane's title is all wrong! It should have
not only has his sharp scissors cut pieces out of the been, "God's Grace: Two Versions." Ellwood gave a
picture we painted and altered them, he has also version of God's grace that makes it so common that it
removed from his Bible The Triumph Song of the is universal and ultimately saves every human being.
Redeemed which we find in Romans 8. He is not able Protestant Reformed truth, which is a defence of what
to come to his sorrowing people and say, "we know Christian Reformed doctrine was some sixty years ago,
that all things work together for good to those that maintains a particular, sovereign grace of God so
love God." When his sorrowing sheep come to him wonderful that in His perfect control over all creatures
after a bereavement by the violence of a criminal, he God uses the devil and all sinners (confer the book of
will have to say to them, "Every sinful moment" is not Esther) in their very sinful deeds to cause all things to
under God's control. Some things work for your good, work together for the good of this people that is called
but you better decide for yourself which do. I do not according to His sovereign, eternal purpose of election.
believe that ALL things, sinful deeds of men included,       Let Daane carefully and seriously exegete Ephesians
work together for the good of those that fear God." 1:9, 10; Colossians 1: 15 and Revelation 13: 8, letting
What will he say to them, then, when they say, "Yes, Scripture interpret Scripture; and let what he then
but did Joseph not tell his brethren, `As for you, ye finds bring him up short before he skates to still
thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, thinner ice of calling other doctrines of Scripture
to bring to pass as it is this day, to save much people devilish doctrines. It will do him personally much good
Alive' "? Faith sees how perfectly, yes how perfectly, to listen to God speak from Holy Writ.           J. A. Heys
Dr. Daane, everything - all the hatred, the deceit, the
cruelty, of Joseph's brothers  - served the sparing of
the lives of God's covenant people. Did Joseph spout                  RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY
forth a devilish doctrine when he so informed his
brothers? Did Paul have a devil when he not only says        The Mary-Martha Society of, Redlands, California,
that WE KNOW, but also somewhat later speaks his wish& to extend its  he&-tfelt sympathy to Mrs. Jean
firm convictions of being PERSUADED that nothing is Jabaay in the recent death of her father,
able to separate us from the- love of God in Christ?                      MR. JAMES VERHEY
Again we warn Daane against denying God His glory of                           of Hull, Iowa.
sitting on the throne ruling all His creatures, the          "For whether we live, we live unto `the Lord; and
spiritually good, and the spiritually evil as well, to whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live
fulfill the mystery of uniting all things in Christ.       therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." (Romans 14:8).
  We cannot answer Daane's question in that last                                                   Sue Porte, Pres.
paragraph, that is, we cannot answer it according to                            Audrey V* Voorthuysen, Sec'y.



                        The Standard Bearer upholds the only standard: the Word of life!


THE STANDARD BEARER
       P.O. Box 6064
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506


216                                         THE STANDARD BEARER

                                News From Our Churches
  Classis East met in regular session on January 5, gregations. And, at present, he is considering the call
1972 at Southeast Church. Rev. Schipper led in open- from Redlands. Redlands' trio, incidentally, included
ing devotions and Rev. Van Baren served as chairman        Rev. R. Decker, Rev; R. Harbach, and Rev. J. Heys.
of this session. Each church was represented by two                                ****
delegates.                                                   A pulpit exchange was arranged between Rev. C.
  Hearty welcomes were given to both Rev. C. Hanko Hanko and Rev. G. Van  Baren  for the evening of
who returned to Classis East after seven years in Classis January 2. Rev. Hanko, then, preached for one of his
West and Rev. G. Lubbers who was spending his last former congregations (First Church), while Rev. Van
day of furlough in "the states" before returning to his ,Baren preached in Hudsonville.
missionary labors in Jamaica.  Classis bid the Rev.                                ****
Lubbers Godspeed and God's richest blessing as he re-        After the worship services on that same Sunday
turns to his work.                                         evening, many of our people in the Grand Rapids area
  The reports of the Stated Clerk and the Classical traveled to Hope Church to attend a program at which
Committee were received. The usual committees were they were able to "meet and hear our Missionary tell
appointed. Elders R. Clawson  and J. Bomers served on of his labors in Jamaica." The size of the audience was,
the Finance Committee, Elder J. Heys thanked the la- in Rev. Lubbers' words, "proof of continuing interest
dies for their catering servic& `and Rev. Heys, Rev. C.    in and support of the work in Jamaica."
Hanko and Elder C. Westra prepared the classical ap-         In speaking of his labors on the island, Rev. Lubbers
pointment schedule. The schedule adopted for HOPE stated that, in order to make the brethren there
is as follows: Jan. 16 - M. Schipper; Jan. 30 - J. A. Protestant Reformed in doctrine and in the use of the
Heys; Feb. 13  - C. Hanko; Feb. 27  - H. Veldman; sacraments and in the exercise of discipline, it is of
March 12  - G. Van  Baren; March 26  - R. Harbach; vital importance to prepare future ministers. To that
April 9 - H. Veldman.                                      end, he continued, we have a school there. Instruction
  Subsidy requests were received from Holland and in that school includes such things as Old Testament
Kalamazoo and were forwarded to synod requesting History and the Heidelberg Catechism, as well as
approval.                                                  English grammar. And, according to Rev. Lubbers,
  An overture regarding the proposed seminary build- instruction is given with much profit. The students are
ing site was also forwarded to synod.                      able to acquire "profound theological insights."
  Voting for  synodical delegates resulted in the fol-       How are things progressing on the island? According
lowing elections: MINISTERS: Primi - C. Hanko, R. to the testimony of our missionary, in a speech given
Harbach, J. A. Heys, G. Van  Baren  Secundi  - G. at First Church last summer, it's very difficult to give a
Lubbers, M. Schipper, H. Veldman ELDERS: Primi - progress report. There are "intangibles there that can
J. M. Faber, J. Kalsbeek, Sr., D. Langeland, G. Pipe not be measured. One can not measure growth of joy
Secundi  - G. Bouwkamp, J. Buiter, James Heys, D. in Christ Jesus." For himself, Rev. Lubbers asserted at
Meulenberg.                                                that time, he "neither looks forward nor backward,
  Rev. Van  Baren was elected to serve a three-year but upward to God." His progress report: "Hitherto
term as primus delegate ad examina and Rev. C. Hanko hath the Lord helped us."
and Rev. Veldman were elected to serve three-year and        In both of the speeches Rev. Lubbers emphasized
two-year terms, respectively, as secundi  delegates ad his desire for our prayers that he may have boldness in
examina.                                                   preach&g the gospel. And on both occasions he added,
  Questions of Article 41 of the Church Order were "Don't forget Mrs. Lubbers." In his words, "she's
answered satisfactorily.                                   practically a second missionary on the island," and,
  Classis will hold its next session on April 5, 1972 at "only the Lord knows how valuable she is to the
Hudsonville.                                               ministry." Of the 16,500 miles put on their little Ford,
  Rev. C. Hanko closed the session with prayer.            he mentioned last July, "Mrs. Lubbers couldn't have
                 Jon Huisken, Stated Clerk, Classis East missed more than 200."
                                                             From a January 9 bulletin: "Rev. and Mrs. G.
                            ****                           Lubbers left from Kent County airport this past
  All the "Call" news for this issue concerns Rev. R.      Thursday for their labors in Jamaica. May we continue
Decker, pastor of our church in South Holland, Illi- to remember them  in- our prayers and through
nois. Rev. Decker has declined the calls extended to       correspondence."
him from the Randolph and Hope (Grand Rapids) con-           And through correspondence.                       D.D.


