                                    he

                             tandard

                                           earer

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



IN THIS ISSUE


     Editorials:
       TEN for `TWO
       Developments in the Gereformeerde Kerken

     Meditation:
       And Jesus In The Midst

     All Around Us:
       "Word of God" or "Words of God"

    New Department:
       Friendship With God


                                               Volume XLVII / Number 13 / Api1 1, 1972


290                                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


                             CONTENTS:                                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER
                                                                                       Semi-monthly, except monthly during June, July and August.
Editorials  -                                                                          Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
                                                                                              Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids,  Mich.
   Editor's Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290         Editor-in-Chief: Prof.  H. C. Hoeksema
   TEN for TWO.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291            Department Editors::. Mr. Donald Doezema, Rev. Cornelius Hanko, Prof.
   Developments in the Gereformeerde Kerken . . .292 Herman Hanko, Rev. Robert C. Harbach, Rev. John A. Heys, Rev. Jay
                                                                                 Kortering, Rev. George C. Lubbers, F&v. Marinus Schipper. Rev. Gise J.
Question Box -                                                                   Van Baren. Rev. Hermin Veldrnan. Rev. Bernard Woudenberg
   As To Genesis 3:22 . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294 Editorial Office: Prof. H. C. Hoeksema
                                                                                                    1842 Plymouth Terrace. SE.
                                                                                                   Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506
Meditation  -                                                                    Church News Editor:       Mr. Donald Doetema
   And Jesus In The Midst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295                                         1904 Plymouth Terrace, S.E.
                                                                                                           Grand Rapids, Michigan 49598
Studies in Election _                                                            Editorial Policy:  Every editor is solely responsible for the contents of his
                                                                                 own articles. Contributions of general interest from our readers and
   Its Supralapsarian Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297 questions for the Question-Box Department are welcome. Contributions
   Its Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298    will be limited 10 approximately 300 words and must be neatly written
                                                                                 or typewritten. Copy deadlines are the first and the fifteenth of the
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Editorials

                                                     Editor's  Notes

  In this issue we welcome back to our columns the it a point to get, your copy promptly. Volume III of
Rev. B. Woudenberg. His department is a new one. In                              The Triple Knowledge, An Exposition of the
it he will reflect on some of the practical implications Heidelberg Catechism has been promised by the end of
of the precious truth of God's covenant of friendship April. This, like the other volumes, will sell for $8.95.
with His people in Christ Jesus. Follow this The three-volume set will sell for $24.95. We are sorry
department from the very beginning!                                              for the unavoidable delay in publication, but happy
                                *****                                            that at long last this set will be complete.
  Two new publications will soon come from the                                                                   *****
presses. The paperback reprint of Rev. Herman                                        Speaking of  publicaiion   news,  Mr; H.  :Vander Wal
Hoeksema's  Whosoever  Will,  originally published by has consented to act as Sales Manager for our R.F.P.A.
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, but long out publications. Anyone who has had experience with Mr.
of print, js scheduled to appear about April 1. It will Vander Wal in  his other capacities, as, for example,
se&?or -$1.95. This will be a limited printing; so make Business Manager of the Standard Bearer, will know of


                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                                            291



his efficient, prompt, and cheerful service. You may, Gereformeerde Kerken,  we still have available a few
without doubt, expect the same kind of service from copies of the two brochures by Dr. Ph. Huyser,  Het
him when you purchase our books.                                     Verwordingsproces in de Gereformeerde Kerken, I  &
                           *****                                    II. You can obtain them for $1.00 each by writing to
   For those who can read Dutch and who are  the  business  office .
interested in reading about the situation in the



                                             TEN for TWO
                                                      Prof H. C Hoeksema

What Is it?                                                         from this, campaign. Besides that, our financial interest
   Very simply put, the "TEN" refers to ten issues of is strictly secondary.
the Standard Bearer; and the "TWO" refers to $2.00,                    Our chief reason is that it has always been the
the special, introductory, trial-subscription price for purpose of the  Standard Bearer  and its parent
TEN issues, or, roughly a half year's subscription.                 organization, the R.F.P.A., to send forth a  Reformed
   This introductory offer is available to anyone who is witness. And we are convinced that the contents of our
not now a subscriber to our magazine.                               magazine constitute such a Reformed witness - clear,
   To make it easy to take advantage of this special distinctive, consistent, dependable, forthright,
offer, we have enclosed a postage free business reply Scriptural, confessional, and with a widely varied
envelope. All you need do is to fill in your name and scope, with a broad appeal to Reformed people the
address, add a $2.00 check or money order, and drop world over, and pertinent with respect to the crucial
it in the mail box; you will receive the next TEN issues issues of the day. In other words, we are convinced
of our magazine.                                                    that we have something good and worthwhile to say to
   [A special note to our foreign readers: You will not God's people.
find a postage free reply envelope enclosed, since this                But if a magazine is to be at all an effective witness,
is not practical in our overseas mailings. You will, it must have  readers;  it must reach people. It must
however, find an envelope to which you should add reach as many people as possible. And this is the
air-mail postage. And our trial offer is open to readers purpose of this campaign.  .We want to reach more
in foreign countries on the same basis: TEN issues for people, also and especially people outside our
TWO dollars. We would especially like to encourage Protestant Reformed circles. And we want to induce
overseas subscriptions. You will find that our Standard them to become regular readers of our magazine. For
Bearer  has material of interest to people of God all this purpose we are offering our magazine at a
over the world.]                                                    greatly reduced rate, in the hope that new readers will
Why Is It?'                                                         evaluate the -Standard Bearer and its clear Reformed
  Obviously, the purpose of this trial-subscription witness in these ten trial issues favorably and will then
campaign is to gain new subscribers. Our immediate become regular subscribers. For this reason we want
purpose is to. gain trial subscribers. And our ultimate new readers to have the opportunity to judge and
goal is, of course, to gain new permanent subscribers; e v a l u a t e   t h e   S t a r i d a r d   B e a r e r   n o t   o n   t h e
in other words, we hope that once a person tries the recommendation of someone else, but on its own
Standard Bearer for ten issues, .he will want to have the merits, We feel that many who become acquainted will
Standard Bearer  visit his address  regularly.                      like it so well that they will not want to miss it.
  But why, you ask, do you want to get new Ten for Two - Who Can Help? And How?
subscribers?                                                           But why, you ask, do you enclose these reply
  The answer is:  .we  ared interested in  growth.  Our envelopes with the copies to all regular subscribers?
readership has been growing steadily; but we would                     Well, this is exactly where you get a part in the
like it to grow more rapidly.                                       campaign!
  But why?                                                             Yes, the Board of the R.F.P.A. is also advertising
  Although it is true that as our readership grows, our. this`trial offer through other channels.
cost per subscriber decreases, this is. not our. chief                 But it was felt that if we could enlist the help of,all
reason. Besides, we would have to. trip& our.present our subscribers and get,. let us' say, one thousand
readership in  .order to make  *the  Standard Bearer salesmen, this would be the most effective method.,
self-sustaining. And'while this would be wonderful, `we                No, I should not use the word "salesmen."
are too realistic even to.  hop.e  for-this  kind of result            The word should be "witnesses." For this is a very


292                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



real opportunity for each one of you to witness and to do is to enclose payment and enclose the names and
help in extending the Reformed witness of our addresses of those to whom you want us to send trial
magazine.                                                  subscriptions. This will be a gift subscription on your
   What can you do?                                        part. But it will certainly serve the purpose of this
   In the first place, you can take this issue of the campaign.
Standard Bearer and the enclosed envelope - after you        In the third place, this is a golden opportunity for
have read it, but don't wait too long - and offer it to a consistories  and church extension committees. Send in
friend or neighbor whom you think should be a reader. a list of fifty names and addresses of those whom you
Urge him to read this issue. Call his attention to the want to reach with our Reformed witness, and send a
trial subscription offer. Urge him to make the test!       check for $100. Our Business Manager will take care of
   In the second place - and this is the easiest method the rest.
- you yourself can send in one or more trial                         JOIN THE TEN-for-TWO CAMPAIGN!
subscriptions for some other person(s). All you need to



             Developments  in the Gereformeerde Kerken

  We have already reported that the Synod of the under the Formula of Subscription. But if- this were
Gereformeerde Kerken in the Netherlands has refused not enough, the material of Dr. Wiersinga's doctoral
to take action against two representatives of the new thesis offers plainly sufficient grounds for the charge
theology at the Free University of Amsterdam. Neither of heresy. To give the reader some idea of the nature
against the notorious Dr. Kuitert nor against Drs.         and the blatant character of this heresy we will refer to a
Baarda would the Synod take action. Instead, while few items that are mentioned in a protest addressed to
allowing these men to continue in good standing, and       the consistory of Amsterdam, the  Classis  o f
thus to continue to do their evil work in the churches,    Amsterdam, and the General Synod of the
the Synod has chosen the course of referring these         Gereformeerde Kerken  by representatives of three
matters for discussion.                                    conservative organizations in the Netherlands. This
  We may also report that the Synod rejected               protest was published in the paper  Waarheid en
objections against Prof. Dr. G. T. Hartvelt, of Kampen. Eenheid.  The document is too long to quote in its
More than one complaint was registered against him in      entirety; but it is a well-written protest, with ample
connection with his view of the alleged human factors proof from Scripture and the Confessions of the fact
in Holy Scripture. But the Synod judged, according to      that Dr. Wiersinga is guilty of a plain, forthright,
a report  in Friesch Dagblad,  Jan. 14, 1972, that Dr.     conscious denial of the important and central truth of
Hartvelt had not gone beyond the confessions.              satisfaction and of the heart of the biblical doctrine of
  There is still another case before the Synod. This is    atonement. So clear is this protest that it is amazing
probably the most crucial case and the most blatant that the case ever had to reach the Synod and was not
case of heresy before the Synod - if, at least, one may    immediately disposed of at the consistorial level.
speak of bad, worse, and worst cases in this                 One instance of Dr. Wiersinga's denial of Christ's
connection. I refer to the case of Dr. H. Wiersinga, who vicarious satisfaction for sin concerns Galatians 3: 13,
in a doctoral dissertation has denied the vicarious        one of the classic passages of Scripture used to prove
atonement of Christ.                                       this doctrine. There we read: "Christ hath redeemed us
  At this writing we have received no report of from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:
Synod's action in the case, although by this time the      for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a
case must have been treated by Synod and a decision        tree." You might, ask: how is it possible for anyone to
reached. But we wish to give the reader some idea of deny that this passage teaches vicarious atonement?
the seriousness of this case. Much has been written        According to the protest, Dr. Wiersinga writes as
about it in various Dutch papers, and many a sound         follows concerning this text on page 35 of his book:
criticism has been made. The question is, however,         "Christ has redeemed from the curse of the law, but,is
whether any ecclesiastical action will be taken against that, without anything more, the curse of God? Yes,
Dr. Wiersinga. That ecclesiastical action  should  be indeed, Christ suffered under the curse of the law. He
taken is, it seems to me, hardly debatable. For one was made a curse. But by whom was Christ cursed?
thing, Dr. Wiersinga published his dissertation, in        The authorities, the defenders of the law, cursed Him.
which he flagrantly contradicts the confessions,           Paul does not say here that  God  cursed him." And a
without having filed a  gravamen.  This in itself is little later Dr. Wiersinga writes in the same connection.
sufficient ground for de facto suspension from office, explicitly that Paul does not venture to say here


                                            TH,E STANDARD BEARER                                                293



that the crucified Jesus is One Who is accursed of God.    testimony to the churches concerning this case, trying
   On page 87 of Dr. Wiersinga's dissertation, according to assure the churches that the Synod still held to the
to this protest, he explicitly denies that the biblical Confessional position, but at the same time saying that
history of the passion of Jesus ever speaks of a this case required careful and extensive study before.
satisfying of the righteousness of God by Christ. And any pronouncement could be made. This I simply
he makes the point that "also of an actual bearing of cannot understand. After having read various published
the punishment (of sin) by Christ there is nowhere criticisms of Wiersinga's position, I can only come to
explicit mention."                                         the conclusion that the case is so simple that it could
   On page 158, according to this protest, Dr. be decided almost immediately by anyone who is at all
Wiersinga discusses Isaiah 53. This is, of course, acquainted with the position of our Confessions.
another classic passage of Scripture concerning the Moreover, in the very protest from which I quoted the
atoning suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ. There you above examples, there is extensive proof from the
read language such as the following, in verses 4 and 5: Confessions and careful and extensive proof from
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our Scripture that Dr. Wiersinga is altogether wrong. I do
sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of not have the space to quote this part of the protest.
God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our But my own opinion is that any decision concerning
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the the doctrinal position of Dr. Wiersinga could be taken
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his almost literally from this protest.
stripes we are healed." Yet Dr. Wiersinga is of the          As I said at this writing the decision of the Synod is
opinion that in Isaiah 53 there is no mention of a not yet known. But I do not have high expectations. In
transfer of guilt from us to Christ. He maintains that, the first place, the Synod has given no evidence of
like a sacrificial animal, the Servant of Jehovah bears doctrinal steadfastness up to this point; and it has not
the burden of many: sicknesses and griefs, the had the courage to condemn any of the representatives
punishment, the iniquities and the sins; but this of the new theology. If they would now condemn
bearing does not have to be understood in the strict Wiersinga, they would certainly be guilty of measuring
substitutional sense. The Servant of Jehovah, according with two measures. And, in the second place, behind
to him does not take over our burden, does not take Dr. Wiersinga stands the Theological Faculty of the
away our burden from us, but bears it with us. Free University, which conferred on him a degree on
According to Wiersinga, there is reference in Isaiah 53 the basis of this heretical dissertation. Condemnation
only to a "solidarity" of the Servant of Jehovah with of Dr. Wiersinga, therefore,  would& automatically
us, but no reference to a substitutionary bearing of render the orthodoxy of the theological professors
guilt.                                                     suspect also. And it would seem to call for
   Examples of this kind could be multiplied. Passages ecclesiastical action against them as well as against
of Scripture which have always been understood in Wiersinga.
Reformed Churches and in our Reformed Confessions            In the light of past performances, therefore, and in
as teaching Christ's vicarious satisfaction for sin are the light of the ramifications of the Wiersinga case, and
simply twisted and corrupted by Wiersinga in such a in the light of the general decadence prevalent in the
way that they do not teach atonement through Gereformeerde Kerken,  it is almost too much to
satisfaction for sin at all. And examples of Wiersinga's expect that the General Synod will take any forthright
denial of the atonement similar to these can be and condemnatory action. At this point in time, it
multiplied. Moreover, according to published reports in would almost be a shock calculated to rock the entire
the Dutch papers, Wiersinga admits that his views are denomination if the Synod would begin to exercise
not those of our Confessions; and he maintains that any real doctrinal discipline.
the Confessions are wrong.                                   This does not change the fact, however, that this is a
   But I say again: it is simply amazing that one who so crucial case. For it is plain to any right-thinking child
blatantly denies Christ's atonement through of God that the denial of atonement through vicarious
satisfaction for sin could even survive as long as this in satisfaction constitutes a denial of the very essence of
a church which calls itself Reformed. This only goes to the gospel. When this happens in a denomination, that
show how far the Gereformeerde Kerken have already denomination must without any debate be classified as
fallen.                                                    in the camp of the false church, For where there is no
   It is also amazing that the Synod of the atonement, there is no salvation! Where there is no.
Gereformeerde Kerken  has taken so much time with atonement, there is no Christ! And where Christ is not,
the Wiersinga case. Perhaps our readers will recall that there the church is not!
when the present Synod first began to meet, it issued a
                                                     .
                                     TEN for TWO  --Take.Advantage  Of It!


294                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



Qu es/ion Box                                                                            .
                             As To  Genesis 3:22
                                              ProJ: H. C Hoeksema

   From a Grand Rapids area reader I received the the text says that man now knows good and evil, while
following question:                                        after the fall man knew only the evil experientially.
   "Pertaining to Genesis 3: 22, how must it be Besides, this could not be a ground for what is stated
understood? Various remarks and comments were in the rest of the text and in verse 23.
made at a recent Men's Society meeting as to its              3) The suggestion has been made that there is irony
meaning; yet I find myself not satisfied with the or sarcasm in the words, "Man is become like one of
answers.                                                   us." This I consider highly unlikely. For, first of all, it
   "A related question is this: does that same verse is at least questionable whether irony, and certainly
(Genesis 3: 22) become the reason, or ground, for verse sarcasm, are in harmony with the holiness and truth of
23?"                                                       God's being. And, secondly, this surely would not fit
Reply                                                      here. We would not expect God to use such a mode of
   First of all, let us get the verses in question before expression in this context with a view to the
us. Genesis  3:22 reads: "And the Lord God said, life-and-death seriousness of the sin and fall and misery
Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good of man. Neither would we expect the use of either
and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take irony or sarcasm in the light of the fact that the Lord
also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever." God has revealed His grace and His promise to Adam
Genesis 3: 23, which is involved in the related question, and Eve.
reads: "`Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from          4) It seems to me, therefore, that this divine speech
the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he points to the fact that man had sinfuZZy  assumed such a
was taken."                                                likeness with God as to determine for himself what is
  My questioner does not state. his specific problem; good and what is evil. First of all, I find this to be a
nor does he state what the remarks and comments statement of exactly what had taken place in the fall.
were with which he was not satisfied. Hence, without This is precisely what man had done: while it is God's
addressing ourselves to any specific problems which prerogative alone to determine for the creature what is
may have arisen in the discussion mentioned by my good and what is evil, man had presumed, in defiance
questioner, let us try to understand the meaning of the of God, to determine this for himself. While God had
verses.                                                    said that it was sin to eat of the forbidden tree, Adam
  In the first place, we may remind ourselves of the and Eve decided for themselves that it was good and
setting. The time is not only after Adam and Eve have desirable to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good
eaten of the tree ~of the knowledge of good and evil, and evil. This is exactly the pride and the arrogance of
and not only after their sin has been exposed by the sin. Man exalts  ,himself to be God. Secondly, this
Lord God, but also  - and I deem this significant  - understanding of the first part of verse 22 also makes it
after the announcement of the promise of Genesis possible to understand, and to see the connection with,
3: 15. This is significant because it means that we must the last part of verse 22, where God says, "and now,
view this part of the chapter against the background of lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of
God's gracious dealings with Adam and Eve.                 life, and eat, and live forever."
  In the second place, we are confronted in verse 22 by      In the third place, there is the question as to the
the question, what does it mean that the Lord God meaning of the last part of verse 22. Briefly stated, this
says, "Behold, the man is become as. one of us, to is an emphatic way of saying that man must by all
know good and  evrl- "? Perhaps we may answer this means not be allowed to partake of the fruit of the
question best by a process of elimination.                 tree of life, the other special tree in the garden.
   1) These words cannot mean that man had actually Sometimes this part of verse 22 has been explained as
become like God. This is obviously contrary to fact.       meaning that up to this time man had not yet partaken
  2) They cannot refer to the fact that even as before of the tree of life at all. This, however, is not likely in
the fall man knew the good experientially, that is, to view of the nature of the tree of life. First of all,
love it, so after the fall man knew the evil without going into a detailed explanation of the tree of
experientially, that-is,. to-love it. For while this fact is life, we may point out that the tree of life had a kind
in itself true, and closely connected with the of sacramental significance, symbolizing the higher life
significance of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, of man in communion with God. Secondly, God had


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                295



given Adam and Eve the right to eat of all the trees in according to which Adam and Eve were expelled from
the garden, with the exception of the one tree, the tree the garden. I would add, however, that not only is
of the knowledge of good and evil. Thirdly, it is not there an act of judgment in man's expulsion from
probable (in comparison with the nature of other trees, paradise. But in the light-of the promise, we must view
and of the tree of life in the heavenly paradise) that by this as an act of salvation. Eating of the tree would
eating of the tree of life only once man's life would have resulted in a perpetuation of the state of death.
have been perpetuated. We must rather understand Hence, God expels Adam and Eve from the garden and
that man would have to eat of the tree of life from access to the tree of life. In Christ, however, Who
continually in order to reap its benefit.                     is the resurrection and the life, temporal death is
  The implication of verse 22 cannot be that Adam become the servant of the elect, to open for them a
and Eve at this time could have lived in the true sense passage into eternal life and glory, and to the heavenly
of the word after the fall. Rather the words signify tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of
that by continued contact with and eating of the tree God.
of life, the earthly existence of Adam and Eve would            I do not know, now, whether I have satisfied my
have been perpetuated even in their fallen state.             questioner any more than did his fellow prophets in
   In the fourth place in the light of the foregoing, my the Men's Society meeting. But I have tried. And to
questioner is correct in his suggestion that verse 22 my questioner I say: if you still have problems, call
becomes the reason for the statement in verse 23 again.


Meditation

                            And Jesus In The Midst
                                                     Rev. M. Schipper

              "And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of the skull, which is
              called in the Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either
              side one, and Jesus in the midst. "

  How simple is the gospel record concerning the which informs us that the place was an elevation,
crucifixion of our Saviour!                                   which from a distance appeared to the passers-by in
  No description is given of the cross to which He was the shape of a human cranium. Slightly off the beaten
nailed. Nor are we told how they nailed Him to the road going north of the city of Jerusalem, there the
cross. Nor is anything said of His physical reaction to crucifixion took place. Significant here, however, is
the torture He must have endured as the nails were not the name of the place, but the fact that the place
driven into His blessed hands and feet.                      was without the city. Reflecting on this fact, the writer
  Very simply the Word of God informs us that, to the Hebrews in his epistle tells us, "For the bodies
having borne His cross to the place of the skull, there of those beasts whose blood is brought into the
they crucified Him with the two others, and Jesus in sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned
the midst.                                                   without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might
  Yet from these three crosses set on the hill of the sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered
skull, and especially from the one in the midst, without the gate." (Hebr. l-3 : 11, 12). The reference is,
proceeds a Word of God that is laden with saving truth of course, to the law of the sin offering, which
to which we do well to listen, and to embrace with a stipulated that the blood of the sacrificial beast should
true and living faith.                                       be sprinkled on the horns of the altar in the sanctuary,
  This Word of God speaks to us, first of all, of the but the body of the beast should be taken outside the
common curse!                                                camp and burned. That it was considered an accursed
  Notably, the very place where the crucifixion was thing is indicated in the fact that those `engaged in
accomplished spoke of the curse. We refer not so much getting rid of the body of the beast were considered
to the name of the place, as to the place itself. The site unclean until the evening. Jesus, therefore, that He
was called the place of the skull, which is called in the might be the fulfillment of the type, suffered without
Hebrew Golgotha. Several are the explanations given the gate. He is cast out of the city as an unholy and
which are intended to interpret the meaning of the accursed thing. Consequently, the hill of the skull
expression, the most acceptable of which to us is that became the place of the curse.


296                                                   THE STANDARD BEARER



     Moreover, also the crucifixion, the form of the crucifixion could read them. Though we are not
execution, speaks of the curse. Of this we read in told in so many words how the sign read above the
Deuteronomy  21:22, 23, "And if a man have heads of the malefactors, we may conjecture that it
committed a sin worthy of death and he be put to told in no uncertain language that these men were
death, and thou hang him on a tree: his body shall not thieves and murderers who were paying the penalty of
remain all night upon the tree,  ,but thou shalt in any their crimes.
wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is                        As to the superscription above Jesus' head, John
accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which tells us in the verse that follows our text, "Jesus of
the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." On Nazareth the King of the Jews."
this the apostle Paul reflects when he writes in                         Shall we hear the Word of God here, which
Galatians 3: 13, "Christ hath redeemed us from the unwittingly was intended by the Roman authority,
curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is Pilate, to be a slanderous and defaming designation, we
written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." must hear God speak in this sign of the curse-bearer.
Nor can we in this connection neglect to mention what Every word in that superscription is most significant.
this same apostle writes in II Corinthians 5 :2 1, "For he               Jesus! That is, Jehovah is salvation, or, Jehovah
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that saves!
we might be made the righteousness of God in him."                       This is the name given Him through the angel of
     There can be no question then that all this tells us God even before His birth. And when that name was
plainly that the very form of execution speaks of the given from heaven, it was also explained. "For He shall
curse. This is truth to which Christ also later gave save His people from their sins." He is Jesus,
expression when actually He passed under the vials of Jehovah-God, Who will save His people from their sins.
God's holy wrath, and He cries out that awful fourth But to save them from their sins, He must become
word of the cross: "My God, my God, why hast thou accursed in their stead. He must bear the curse for
forsaken me?" In the reconciling hour He became the them, and bear it all away. That is the speech of God
very accursed of God, and at the same time accursed of in respect to Him Who hangs in the midst.
men. Lifted up, as it were, between heaven and the                       Of Nazareth!
earth, men cried: "Away with Him, crucify Him,"                          Matthew in his gospel,  (2:23), tells us that when
while God also says unto Him: "Accursed art Thou, as Jesus as a child was brought from Egypt to the land of
the sin-bearer of my people."                                        Israel, He was taken to the city of Nazareth: "that it
     But there is more . . . !                                       might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets,
     There are three crosses on Calvary, and the cross of He shall be called a Nazarene." Now one looks in vain
Jesus is in the midst!                                               in the writings of the prophets to determine precisely
     In the midst of the malefactors who were dying for who prophesied this. In fact the term Nazareth or
their misdeeds, and making separation between them; Nazarene does not even appear in the bid Testament to
but also noticeably numbered among them!                              our best knowledge. So the question arises, What can
     It is Mark in his gospel who gives special significance possibly be the explanation for this notice in
to this, for he writes: "And with him they crucify two Matthew's gospel? And at the same time, What is the
thieves; the one on his right hand, andzthe  other on his s i g n i f i c a n c e   o f   t h e   t e r m   N a z a r e t h   i n   t h e
left: And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith,-And superscription? And how does this term serve to
he was numbered with the transgressors." We are aware designate Jesus as the curse-bearer?
that the Revised Version omits this verse, but we can                    As far as the text in Matthew is concerned, two
isee no reason for its omission. It reminds us of those possibilities present themselves. The one is that the
[Scriptures He came to fulfill, and this was one of them,            term Nazareth comes from the Hebrew NAZAR,
.that He must be numbered among the transgressors. meaning: off-shoot, root, rod, branch. And concerning
     o more plainly was this demonstrated than when Be the promised Messiah the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah,
b
!was crucified in the midst of the thieves. Indeed, the and Zechariah all speak of Him as the rod, the shoot
cross of Christ speaks of the common curse.                           out of the dry ground, and as the Branch. (See Isa.
     Notice, in the second place, that Jesus in the midst             11:l; 53:2; Jer. 23:5; Zech. 6:12). Significantly Isaiah
speaks of the mighty cursebearer-!                                    (53:2) says, "For he shall grow up before- him as a
     This is plain from the distinction between Christ and tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he
the malefactors in the superscriptions that appeared hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see
above their heads. Customary it was that those who him, there is no beauty that we should desire him."
were sentenced to be crucified bore a sign which The entire chapter in which this notice is found
signified who they were, and the crime for which they describes in detail the suffering Servant of Jehovah,
were to die. And when they had been affixed to their Who, bearing our griefs, and carrying our sorrows, is
crosses the signs were tacked to the upright which stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. In this light, He
extended above the cross-beam, so that all present at is seen as the curse-bearer. The other possibility is, that


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   297



1 the term Nazareth, or Nazarene, among the Jews was a and none other. He is the one Who shall come to His
   reproach. Even one of the disciples, Nathaniel by kingdom through the way of suffering and death, Who
   name, when told by Philip "we have found him, of shall battle with all the powers of sin and darkness, and
   whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, overcome them, thus leading the subjects of that
   Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph," retorted, "Can kingdom on to everlasting glory. God's King, born out
   there any  gqod thing come out of Nazareth?" In one of the Jews, establishing in His own blood the
   word, among the Jews, anyone or anything that came foundations of righteousness upon which- His
   out of Nazareth was to be rejected and despised as an everlasting kingdom  shall. rest. This is the speech of
   accursed thing. And of this rejection of the Messiah God, spoken loudly from the cross, and from Jesus in
   who comes out of Nazareth, all the prophets did write. the midst!
   (See  Psalm  22:6; Isa.  53:3; and many other places).           In the third place, Jesus in the midst speaks of
   Seen in this light, it is not difficult to see how Matthew sovereign predestination!
   could write that He was taken to Nazareth "`that it              0, indeed, He is the mighty curse-bearer, but He
   might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, bears not the curse for all!
   He shall be called a Nazarene."                                  Jesus in the midst makes also separation. On either
     But if you ask: What is the significance of the term side of Him were sinners, but not for both does He
   Nazareth in the superscription? Then we answer, first of bear their sin and curse. To the one, the Word of the
   all, that Pilate and the Jews would certainly designate cross which God is speaking, is pure foolishness, and he
   Jesus thus, because they hated, despised, and totally goes on to his eternal desolation in the way of his sin.
   rejected Him. Later the disciples of Jesus were also To the other, who was being saved, that central Word
   despised as  .belonging to "the sect of the Nazarene." of the cross was the power of God. That very day he
   (Acts  24:5). So that from the point of view of men, would enter with the King into the kingdom.
   the title "Jesus of Nazareth" was intended to be a               And Jesus crucified in the midst is the cause
   slanderous name, and Jesus was considered a man of whereby the thoughts of many hearts are revealed,
   ill-fame. However, if you would hear the Word of God thoughts of sin and grace, unbelief and faith. And this
   at Calvary, and understand that God speaks through distinction and separation flows from the eternal,
   that little Bible above Jesus' head, then you must hear sovereign good pleasure of God, according to which He
   Him say: Jesus, Jehovah is salvation, is My NAZAR. has chosen some unto eternal life in Christ, and
   He is come unto you as a root out of a dry ground, in reprobated others to their everlasting desolation in the
   Whom there appears no outward comeliness, because I way of their sin.
   have laid upon Him all my curse that was due to you.             And Jesus in the midst speaks of this power and
     Thus He appears also on the cross as the wisdom of God!
   curse-bearer!                                                    Hear-it, and believe!
       King of the Jews! That is, the eternally fore-               This is the Word of God that saves, and gives unto
   ordained King, Who is born of the Jews, for the royal you the only comfort in life and in death!
   seed of the covenant of God ran through that people,


   Studies in Election

                         Its  Supralapsarian  Character
                                                          (`Continued)
                                                      Its Purpose
                                                     Rev. Robert C. Harbach

   9. Its  Supralapsaritin  Character (concluded)                setting forth supralapsarianism, for that, we.believe, is
     Election takes us back to the beginning of things, to the predestinarian view to be found in Scripture. While
   the beginning of God's counsel, since it has to do with still on the subject, it is highly recommended that you
   what has priority in the divine mind. We have been read the articles in  The Standard Bearer,  Vol. 26,
   dealing with the divine order of God's eternal purpose which may yet be obtainable, on "Supralapsarianism
   as that order is revealed in and may be deduced from and Infralapsarianism." We now propose a brief look at
   Scripture. This, of course, means that we have been the order of the decree: of God as held by various


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theological systems, beginning with one of the lowest elect church in Christ, and a definite number of men
of them.                                                                          be "vessels of wrath." 4. of justification for the elect,
    First, there is Semi-Pelagianism, the motto of which and of damnation for the reprobate. 5. of the Fall of
is, "God can foreknow without foreordaining." This those elected and reprobated men. 6. to create these
view makes the decree of God one "to save                                         men.
individuals." The order is: 1. Decree to create,                                         Sixth, there is Supralapsarianism as held in the
including man, as a free moral agent, fallible, with his Protestant Reformed point of view. Our motto is,
will contingent (unpredictable). 2. Foreseeing the Fall "God is God." "God is always first." The decree is
of man, God decreed through Christ to provide free regarded as one "to reveal God's covenant." Our
salvation for all. 3. Foreseeing that certain individuals supralapsarianism  : is especially concerned with the
would accept the provision of salvation, while others question, "What in the decree is the main object? and
would continue to reject it to the last, God from what is subservient to that main object?" What we
eternity chose those He foresaw would accept it. The believe to be the most scriptural order of the decree is:
individuals He foresaw would not believe He decreed                               1. God's decree to reveal His own glory in the
to punish eternally.                                                              establishment of IIis covenant. 2. Decree to realize this
    Second, there is Armmianism, the motto of which purpose in the Son of God becoming Christ, the Image
is, "Ability is the measure of responsibility." This view of the invisible God, the Firstborn of every creature,
makes the decree one "to save believers." The order is:                           the Beginning of the New Creation of God, which He
1. The decree to create. 2. The decree to permit the became as the Firstbegotten of the dead, that in Him
Fall. 3. The decree to send Christ to die for the sins of all the  fulness of God might dwell. 3. Decree for
everyone in the world. 4. The decree to give grace and                            Christ, and for the revelation of His  ,fumess, the
light to all men sufficient to enable them to obtain                              Church and all the elect. (1) In this decree, Christ is
eternal life. 5. The decree to save those foreseen as not ordained for the Church, but the Church for
using the light they have, and as persevering in faith Christ. (b) The Church is His Body, and serves the
and holy living. 6. The decree to condemn those purpose of revealing the fumess in Him. 4. To realize
foreseen as not accepting the provision of salvation.                             this Church, and thus the glory of Christ, the reprobate
   Third, there is Amyraldianism, the motto of which are predetermined as vessels of wrath. (a) Reprobation
is, "God has a general love to all men." This view                                serves the purpose of election, as chaff serves the
supposes a decree "theoretically to save all." The order ripening and harvesting of the wheat. Isa. 43:3, 4. (b)
is: 1. The decree of possible universal salvation. 2. The All sin and evil are ordained of God as subservient to
decree to offer salvation to all men if they believe in                           the good. Gen.  50:20. 5. In the Counsel of God,
Christ. 3. The decree to give all men a natural ability to                        everything else in heaven and on earth are purposed as
repent and believe. 4. The decree to permit the moral means to the realization of both election and
inability (Fall) of all men. 5. The decree to save those reprobation, and therefore of the glory of God's mercy
w i l l i n g   t o   b e l i e v e .   -  N o t e :   A c c o r d i n g   t o    and justice in Christ.. Therefore, all things must work
Amyraldianism there is salvation for the heathen who together for the good of them that love God, to them
never come to hear the Gospel, if they accept the who are the called. according to His eternal purpose.
general grace of providence.                                                             It is to be noted that neither in the Infra- nor
   Fourth, there is Infralapsarianism. Its motto is,                              Supralapsarian order is there to be found any
"God cannot love a nonentity." Involved is a "decree                              "common grace," but that this error is either expressed
to save sinners." The Infra-order has a decree: 1. to                             or implied in the order of Pelagianism, Arminianism
create in perfection for God's glory. (A decree in and Amyraldianism.
general). 2. to permit the Fall. 3. to elect from the
mass of fallen men the "vessels of mercy." 4. to pass                             10. Its Purpose
by the rest of mankind and ordain them to dishonor                                       What did God plan and purpose for us in His decree
and wrath for their sin. 5. to send Christ for the of election? He purposed that we should be holy. "He
redemption of the elect. 6. to leave the rest of .hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the
mankind in their sins and to their just punishment.                               world that we should be holy and without blame
   Fifth, there is Supralapsarianism. Its motto is, "The before Him" (Eph. 1:4). We have already pointed out
last thing in execution is the first thing in purpose." that this is not the imperfect inner holiness which we
Or, "What is first in design is the last in have by grace in this life, but the perfect holiness of
accomplishment." It views the decree as one "to save glory ordained for us in the world to come. The Lord
the elect." This is a decree of predestination. The has indeed ordained both for us, but the latter is
Supra-order has a decree: 1. that God's glory be especially intended, because it is absolutely perfect. It
revealed in Christ and His Church. 2. the election of is "without blame" before God. He finds not a flaw in
Christ as Head of the Church. 3. that from all treatable                          it.
men (men to be created), a definite number be the                                        That holiness lies ahead of us. We do not have it yet.


                                            THE STANDARD BEARER                                              299



But personal, subjective holiness we do have, or we only His elect from  all'eternity was a preredemptive
would not get to heaven. It is one "without which no grace, a super-creation grace, before the foundation of
man shall see the Lord." Though it is a gradual grace the world! God by that eternal particular purpose
working in us, and one which constantly reminds us of which He purposed in Christ Jesus did ordain us to and
our indwelling sin, yet it is a down payment on the in a super-creation union with Himself, our highest and
perfect holiness coming in glory.                        ultimate destiny. Grace is the source and fountain of it
   A purpose God had for us even prior to being all, including redemption, and all the rest
chosen to holiness was that of adoption. Eph. 1:5. We comprehended under the term "salvation." Salvation
owe our adoption as sons ultimately to God's decree of ("hath saved us") is the end of it all, and effectual
the end He purposed, not to the decree of the means. calling through the Holy Spirit and the preaching of
Then we owe the foundation of our adoption to our the Gospel is the stream which flows from that source
relation to Christ's person, rather than to His atoning to that end. His determining, exclusive purpose
work. We were predest-mated  to the adoption of sons contains the answer to, why the chosen ones rather
not on the basis of redemption (infra), but, going than the others were thus saved and called.
farther back, on Christ's* natural  sonship.  Our           It was God's purpose according to election to have
justification  is  owed to the decree of the means. "In His people  fov  Himself,  i.e., for Christ. He is the
whom we have redemption, through His blood, the ultimate end of the decree of predestination: "having
forgiveness of sin." (1: 7). Our adoption is, however, predestinated us to the adoption of sons by Jesus
through Christ as God's natural Son and we His Christ to Himself," (Eph.  1:5). These last two words
brethren in relation to His person. "Ye were called are very well translated "for Him," i.e., for Jesus
unto the fellowship of.His Son." (I Cor. 1:9).           Christ. We have been chosen to holiness  in  Him,
   Still, it must be understood that because of our fall predestinated to adoption  through Him, and were so
in Adam, adoption can be  bestowed  on us no other ordained  fov Him; as the great end, aim, Alpha and
way than through His merits. So the Son became Omega of all things. Then,.since we were predestinated
incarnate "to redeem them that were under the law, for Him, the predestination was not on the foresight of
that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Gal. man's fall or man's conversion. We were predestinated
4:5). For sin had created an obstacle to the bestowal on the foresight of Christ as Head of a glorified race.
of adoption. But Christ's redemption was not realized Christ was not set in the decree nor brought into the
to  procure  our adoption, but only "that we might world chiefly on account of sin and for the work of
receive" it, What procured it was the decree of the redemption. But Christ through redemption makes an
covenant.                                                end of sin, so becoming,the Head over all things to the
   God's purpose also was that we be saved, a design Church. Christ was not ultimately given for us; He was
He had subservient to His main object to bring many not subject to us. We were given to Him. Christ is not
sons to glory. This is expressed in II Tim. 1:9, "Who ordained for the Church. The Church was "for Him! "
hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not Christ is the grand end of all things (Eph. 1: 10).
according to our works, but according to His own Redemption itself is for His own glory before it is for
purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus our need (1: 6a, 12a).
before eternal ages." (Gk.) This grace that God gave                    (To be continued, D. V.)



All Around Us

                             Anglican and Catholic Agreement

                          "Word of God" or "Words of God"'

                                                  Prof H. Hanko


ANGLICAN AND CATHOLIC AGREEMENT                          bread and wine, and the corollary question of the
   One of the burning issues at the time of the repeated sacrifice of Christ in the mass. As most
Reformation of the Sixteenth Century was the children of the Reformation know, the Lutherans
question of the presence of Christ in the sacrament of rejected the doctrine  of, the mass but retained some
`the Lord's Supper - particularly in.the elements of the elements of Roman Catholic thought in their doctrine


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of consubstantiation. The Rornish  Church maintained                       Christ is present and active, in various ways, in the
that, through the activity of the presiding clergy, the                 entire eucharist celebration. It is the same Lord who
bread and wine of the eucharist were actually changed             -     through the pro@imed  word invites his people to his
into the body and blood of Christ; that, therefore, on                  table, who through his minister presides at that table,
the altar was offered the sacrifice of Christ once again.               and who gives himself sacramentally in body and
Lutheranism, in its doctrine of consubstantiation,                      blood of his paschal sacrifice.
                                                                           The sacramental body and blood of the Savior are
taught rather that Christ's real body and blood were                    present as, an offering to the believer awaiting bis
present in, with, and under the elements of bread and                   welcome.
wine.                                                                      The elements are not mere signs; Christ's body and
   The Reformed and Calvinistic branch of the                           blood become really present and are really given.
Reformation repudiated both these positions and                            The bread and wine become the body and blood
maintained that, the presence of Christ in the elements                 of Christ by the action of the Holy Spirit, so that in
was a  spiritual  presence; that the believer, by faith,                communion we eat the flesh of Christ and drink His
appropriated Christ's body and blood. The mass was                      blood.
strongly condemned even to the extent that it was                      On the question of the mass it is perhaps possible
called  in our Heidelberg Catechism, "an accursed that the Romish Church made some slight concession.
idolatry." All branches of the Calvinistic Reformation The statement. claims that "Christ's redemptive death
adopted this position and incorporated it into their and resurrection took place once and for all in
creeds. The issue was a vital one and a large amount of history." Thus: "There can be no repetition or
study was  .devoted  to the subject. Even between addition to what was then accomplished once and for
Lutheran and Reformed it was a point of no little all by Christ."
dispute, and the issue caused a great deal of trouble                  What strikes us especially about this agreement is
even in the days when Luther and Calvin were yet the fact that those churches who are pressing forward
living.                                                           in the cause of ecumenism are willing to twist
   As the present day ecumenical movement grew themselves into almost any shape in order to attain
stronger and more inclusive, various attempts have their goal of unity. If unity demands a total
been made from time to time to include the Roman abandonment of doctrine, this is not too great a price
Catholic Church in Protestant ecumenical to pay for unity. If the requirement is a watering down
organizations. But one of the points of difference of doctrine to the point of  inane generalities,  this too
between Protestants and Roman Catholics which the ecumenists are willing to do. If, on the other hand,
prevented closer union was  the. doctrine of the the ecumenical leaders come face to face with a church
presence of Christ in the bread and wine of the Lord's which holds to heresy and if, in the course of the
Supper. It seemed that this bridge was too difficult to discussion it is found that that church will not budge
build and the chasm which it had to span too wide. even a fraction from its heresy, they are willing to
For one thing, the very idea of Roman Catholicism in swallow the heresy in one huge gulp for the sake of
this question of the presence of Christ was usually union. No price is too great to pay. No obstacle is too
abhorrent to Protestantism. For another thing, on this great  to surmount.  But the truth of Scripture matters
key point Rome seemed immoveable. It could hardly not a bit. Union must be attained at all costs.
be anything else, because an elaborate structure of                    If this is finally adopted by the Anglican Church,
doctrine was built around this key point that the bread this denomination has abandoned its historical heritage
and wine of the eucharist very truly became the body and sold its soul to Satan for an ecumenical mess of
and blood of Christ.                                              pottage.
  Imagine the surprise in the Church world, then, "WORD OF GOD" OR "WORDS OF  G6D"
when Anglicans and Roman Catholics did reach such                      We have, from time to time, referred in these
agreement. An official Anglican-Catholic. study columns to the Association for the Advancement of
commission published a report in which a statement of Christian Studies (AACS). This organization which has
the doctrine was set forth upon which both Arthur its headquarters in Toronto is, under the influence of
Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Pope Paul Neo-Dooyeweerdianism, establishing a new system of
placed their seal of approval. The concessions, thought especially within the  Christian Reformed
however, seem to be almost entirely on the side of the Church  - although its influence extends far beyond
Anglicans; and it appears  from the report as if the the bounds of that denomination. We have called
Roman Catholic Church did not budge a fraction. A                 attention to the erroneous views of this organization in
few quotes from the report will make this plain.                  their doctrine of Scripture, of the Church, and of the
           Communion with Christ in the eucharist                 Christian's calling in life.
       presupposes his true presence, effectually signified by         `However, we are increasingly convinced that at the
       the bread and wine which, in this mystery, become          very bottom of this whole movement lies an error far
       his body and blood.                                        more serious and far more basic than any of the above


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                            301



errors. This error has to do with the generally accepted far-reaching in its implications.
view of this organization of the "Word of God."              Increasingly this idea of the Word of God has come
  Generally speaking, those who are involved in this under- attack in various church periodicals. And this
movement consider it to be a serious mistake to speak whole concept has been the subject of lengthy
of  ooze Word of God; they prefer to speak of a discussion and debate. One ,recent  instance of this is a
three-fold Word of God; and, even, of a four-fold Word conference which took place in January, 1972 at
of God. They insist that God speaks His Word in three Trinity College where this whole subject was discussed.
or four different ways: 1) in the Scriptures; 2) in the      But we get the general.feeling from reading all this
creation, preservation and government of the universe; material that many who are opposed to the three or
3) in Jesus Christ; 4) in the proclamation of the gospel. four-fold concept of the Word of God do not always
  Now this may, off-hand, seem to some to be a rather know just exactly how to attack this error. They seem,
insignificant point of doctrine which really has no in some instances, to be at a loss in their efforts to
important consequences for the faith of the Church. pinpoint what is really wrong. There has been, so far as
And it may seem to others to be a correct statement of we know, no extensive and thorough-going analysis of
the doctrine of the Word of God. But both conclusions this position and no sharp and Scriptural critique of
are wrong. This view of the Word of God has had the serious error involved.
broad and sweeping consequences in the thinking of           And this is not good, for the error is very basic and
the AACS. Some of these consequences are these. deadly; and if it is not weighed in the balances of
Those who hold such a position have taken a view of Scripture and condemned on Scriptural grounds by
Scripture which in some measure denies its infallibility. means of a thorough analysis of the problem, those
Cf. e.g., our last article in the Standard Beaver in which who defend this position are going to run away with
we quoted an article by Dr. Clark who criticizes the field.
severely the views of Scripture held by Arnold De            We make these comments not because we intend to
Graff, a member of this AACS movement. Generally take up this task in our columns. This rubric is not
speaking, the Scriptures are considered to be intended to be a column on Apologetics; nor is there
something different from "propositional revelation"; the space to accomplish this here. But we make these
they are said to contain no objective statements of remarks to alert our readers to the deadly danger of
truth concerning God; they are characterized as being a this position and to stimulate discussion among us on
confession of the early Church concerning its faith in this question;
God.                                                         It seems that if the problem is to be faced
  Again, those who adopt this three or four-fold Word four-square and the position properly condemned, the
of God maintain that the Word of God in creation is following Scriptural truths will have to be taken into
revelatory and authoritative for large segments of our account.
life. Some of the consequences of this position are: 1)      1) It is true that the concept "Word of God" is used
that the moral and ethical standards of Scripture are in different senses in Scripture. We make a point of
relative; 2) that the creeds of the Church which this because some critics of the AACS position have
embody the truth of Scripture are limited in their denied this. Dr. Norman Shepherd, e.g., is quoted in
value and use to the life of the believer as member of the Outlook as saying: "there appears to be no place in
the church; 3) that the Word of God in creation can be Scripture where the expression  word of God  or
formulated in creeds for other areas of life; 4) that something like it is used for the creation." We wonder
therefore we need a special creed for educational what Dr. Shepherd does with a passage such as John
purposes, for political activity, for united Christian l:l-5.
labor activity, etc. And all these creeds must contain       2) But, while this is true, it is also true that
the Word of God as found in the creation, government, Scripture teaches that the Word of God in creation can
and preservation of the world as distinct from the no more be heard by the sinful and depraved man. He
Word of God in the Scriptures.                             cannot hear this Word of God both because that Word
  Further, this same position has led to an idea which is, objectively, silenced by the word of the curse; and
describes revelation as a process, by which is because, subjectively, the sinner is spiritually, and
apparently meant that revelation is a dynamic concept ethically blind and deaf. While, according to Romans
which has continuous and real power. However, one 1, God's power and divinity may still be known
wonders whether those who maintain this do not also through the things that are made, this is the revelation
mean to say that, because revelation is a process, there of God's wrath upon the heathen and is only for the
is continuous revelation in the sense that the content purpose of leaving the ungodly without excuse.
of revelation is constantly being increased.                 3) All this brings up the question of revelation. And
  These are only some of the consequences of this we think it high time, also for the men of the AACS,'
position. But they are sufficient to demonstrate that to pay some close attention to this very  im@ortant
this whole concept is very broad in scope and Scriptural concept. It would be well for them and for


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ali conceinedto  study carefully the Scriptural teaching Scripture is intent on pointing out that the preaching is
on this point and define precisely what Scripture has "the power of God unto salvation"; that it is "to them
to say. We believe that, if this is done, it will be proved that are called both the power and wisdom of God."
that also revelation is a particularistic concept in But it must be remembered that this is true only
Scripture; i.e., that it too is discussed in Scripture insofar as and because of the fact that the preaching is
along the lines of election and reprobation.                            Scriptural. This is lost sight of constantly by the
   4. The doctrine of Scripture itself must be supporters of the AACS. In fact, these men tend to
maintained in this connection as Scripture sets forth slight the preaching and consider the preaching as less
that doctrine. That is, while it is true that Scripture is than of crucial importance. It is only because
the  record  of the revelation of God, nevertheless, preaching is the proclamation of an infallibly inspired
Scripture is the infallibly inspired record. And, because and written record of the revelation of God that it is
it is the record of revelation, it tells us, above all else, the one and only power of God unto salvation, and
Who and What God is and does. It is thus the record of that it is of absolute importance for the whole of the
God Himself, It is not a confession of the faith of the life of the child of God in the world.
early Church. It is not a mere collection of beliefs of                     7) Finally, therefore, while we admit that the
f o r m e r   s a i n t s ,   I t   i s   n o t   s o m e   s o r t   o f concept "Word of God" is used in different senses in
G e m e i n d e t h e o l o g i e .    It is God's record of His Scripture, the crucial question is - a question which
revelation.                                                             has not been answered by all who have written on this
   5) Central to that revelation and therefore central subject so far as we know - what is the relationship as
to the Scriptures is Christ. For Christ is the fulness of defined by Scripture between these various uses of the
the revelation of God: for in Him dwelleth all the concept? And what is the relation between these
fuh-ress of the Godhead bodily.                                         various uses of the concept and the concept
   6) It  .needs to be proved that Scripture calls the `"revelation"? The thinking of the leaders of the AACS
preaching of the Word "revelation." It is true that this is so fuzzy on this point that we are inclined to believe
question can only be answered after a careful that they mean to establish no relation at all; that they
definition of "revelation." But the fact remains that it mean to teach that all are independent of each other.
is doubtful whether this is Scriptural terminology.



Friendship With God

                                          The Covenant life of God

                                                          Rev. B. Woudenberg

                                                    A WORD OF INTRODUCTION

                  Anyone who sat with any regularity under the preaching of the Reverend  Herman  Hoeksema knows that
              there were few subjects that gave to him greater satisfaction than the subject of the Covenant of Grace.
              Anyone who took part in the pleasantly informal study classes which he so fondly conducted in church and
              school also knows that one  of  his great regrets in life was, especially in his latter years, that he had never
              been able to find the opportunity to bring to development the doctrine of the Covenant of Grace in its
              interrelation with all of the rest of theological thought. It has often seemed to me that the responsibility to
              remember and to pursue this goal remains as a kind of legacy upon the Protestant Reformed Churches.
                  The present series of articles does not presume to be a fulfillment of that purpose. The author lacks both
              the theological and literary abilities for that. But what is hoped is that these articles may serve to remind us
              of  the need and to provoke some thoughts in that direction; and, if they so do, the efforts will be satisfied.



   Strikingly beautiful in Genesis 1: 26, "And God said, missing; something would be wrong. The picture that
Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."                      would be left us would be of a God who was all alone
   Imagine what it would mean if we read here, "And in eternity, a God speaking to Himself, creating man,
God said, I will make man. . ." Something would be as it were, because He needed someone with whom to


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speak and share His life. It would be hard to escape the      Accordingly Solomon; blessed with a sage power of
feeling that God was creating man because of a lack in observation by God, made note of it thus in Proverbs
His own nature that needed to be filled. But could 15: 17, "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than
such a God even be a real God at all?                       a stalled ox and hatred therewith."' And again in
  Allah, the god of the Moslems, is really like that. Proverbs 17: 1, "Better is a dry morsel, and quietness
Mohammed, in setting forth his concept of god, therewith, than a house full of sacrifice with strife."
borrowed a great deal from our Scriptures, with the           In a much more profound way David brought out
result that there is much in his concept of god which is the importance of friendship to life when he reflected
similar to ours. But one thing he missed was the so often in the Psalms upon the suffering which was his
doctrine of the Trinity, and with that he missed the when this was denied to him. So we read in Psalm
heart of the whole matter. The result is that his Allah 3 1: 11, "I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but
is a lonely figure, who in spite of all of the greatness especially among my neighbors, and a fear to mine
ascribed to him dwells all by himself in a cold and acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from
distant eternity. Even the most devout of Moslems me." Psalm 38: 11, "My lovers and my friends stand
feels no closeness to Allah on a personal level. All one aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off."
can ever do is to bow fatalistically before eternal Psalm  55:12, 13, "For it was not an enemy that
whim. Allah is not one who can share life, and reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was
therefore not one who can be looked to for it he that hated me that did magnify himself against
compassion and understanding. A person can only me; then I would have hid myself from him: but it was
submit himself in cold legalism before his impersonal thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and my
demands. And so Islam is a cold and fatalistic religion, acquaintance." But it is the next two that strike us
functioning through legalistic systems of reward and with a special force. Psalm  22:6, "But I am a worm,
merit, because of the nature of the god before which it and no man; a reproach to men, and despised of the
bows;                                                       people." And Psalm 41: 9, "Yea, mine own familiar
  But Christianity is not that way - because our God friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread,
is not that kind of god. He does not just exist; He lives hath lifted up his heel against me." These are
a full personal life in a fullness of personal love and important because we know that especially these latter
fellowship within Himself throughout all of eternity. two Psalms  do- not represent the mere weakness of a
Here is the wonder of the doctrine of the Trinity. Our sinful and troubled man; they are Messianic Psalms
minds may not be able to grasp it in full, rational which anticipate the nature of the suffering of our
understanding, but through it we know that there is a Lord and Saviour, when he would come to take the
personal fellowship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit anguish of our sin upon Himself. This was His
within the eternal oneness of the divine Being.             suffering, too.
  Loneliness is a terrible thing. We all know it              And what does it all mean? Actually we are
instinctively. It is one of the sorest pains a person can touching very closely here to one of the deepest
know. Those who are lonely die their own kind of principles of Scriptural thought  - the truth of the
death.                                                      covenant of grace.
  We learn to hide it when we get older, but look in          Not infrequently it has been recognized in both
on any group of children and you can soon see it. That Reformed and Baptistic traditions that there is
which counts to them most is to have friends, others something basic about the truth of the covenant,
with whom to play, others by whom they are which runs through the  i whole of the Scriptures and
accepted, someone with whom they can feel together. serves as a unifying principle. Moreover, especially in
  I have often asked groups of young people what, in light of recent archeological and linguistic findings, it is
their day-to-day living seemed to concern them more increasingly apparent that the historical Reformed
than anything else. It usually takes a little while to get objection to the idea that the covenant could be a sort
through to them that one is not asking for what they of two-sided agreement between God and man is quite
think they should answer or even what their peers correct. Very apparently, the whole idea of a covenant,
might expect them to say, but in the end it will almost even in secular practice, was that of a relationship
always come out that they are mostly concerned with imposed by a sovereign ruler upon his subjects, and so
having friends, someone with whom they can talk the covenant of God in Scripture must be a unilateral
freely and be accepted for what they are, someone covenant too.
with whom they can freely share.                              When, however, effort is made to give some
  And this is not all so superficial as it might at first substantial content to the concept of the covenant, so
seem. It reflects something basic in the nature of man, as to give meaning to its unifying function in Scripture
according to which he was made to be an image-bearer and theology, efforts seem to flounder. Almost
of the Creator God, as Genesis 1: 26 says, "Let us make invariably what comes out is another sort of legalistic
man in our image, after our .likeness."                     relationship which simply cannot do justice to the


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organic nature of the relationship between God and these things do relate closely to the covenant in the
His people.                                                 presentation of Scripture; but the essence and  in-r-/
  There is, however, one striking exception to this. portance of the covenant goes much deeper than'
The Rev. Herman Hoeksema, when writing about the that. It touches the communion of spiritual life,
essence of the covenant in Believers and Their Seed, p; whereby the inner realities of spiritual experience are
62, puts it this way, "That life of God is a covenant s.hared together in the living fellowship of the
life, a life of the most intimate communion of love and covenant. It is this which reaches out through the
friendship,  restin,0 in the unity of God's Being, and history of covenant development to give new meaning
living through the personal distinction. The Lord God and content to the whole of theological conceptions.
is a covenant God."                                           And in the second place, it is to be noted that the)
  There are particularly two things that we should source of this covenant is to be found in the very
note about this statement.                                  nature of God Himself  - the triune nature, wherein
  In the first place, it designates the essence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit dwell together in a perfect
covenant life to be "a life of the most intimate and eternal covenant communion of life. Here is where
communion of love and friendship." This is much all spiritual realities begin. They were not created. The
more than a mere legalistic arrangement by which spiritual realities belong to the nature of God in
various persons come under obligation to each other, eternity. It is only our privilege of grace to be able to
such as various treatments of the covenant concept. see them through the wonder of divine revelation, and
purely in terms of oaths, promises, testaments, pacts, to be able to live in them through the wonder of the
etc., would seem to intimate. It is true that some of covenant which this God has established with man.



The Strength  oj Youth

                       "Fathers, Provoke Not To Wrath"

                                                Rev. J. Kovtering

  The attitude of parents toward their children FATHERS EXHORTED
determines in a large measure the way they treat them.        The words of Eph. 6: 4 can't, help but make every
In those homes where children are not wanted, parents father sit up and think, "And ye fathers, provoke not
sometimes treat their own flesh worse than the beast. your children to wrath: but bring them up in the
When children are desired and enjoyed, the whole nurture and admonition of the Lord." There are two
atmosphere of the home breathes with a spirit of love things that strike home. First, the duty of instruction
and happiness. All of this is a mere natural and human is directed to fathers; we might be inclined to dispute
relationship within the home.                               this and say that mothers have more to do with
  When however, we apply the same principle to the bringing up children. Secondly, Paul warns that fathers
spiritual response of parents toward their children, we must not provoke their children to wrath: are they
see the same thing amplified many fold. If parents more inclined to do this than mothers?
consider their children to be "chips off the old block,"      In dealing with the first aspect, it will help us to
their response is one of pride. 0, how they like to see understand that Paul advises concerning parental
their children succeed in whatever they do, because responsibilities on the basis of the, divinely appointed
after all, it is a reflection upon the parents that relationship between husband and wife. In the
brought them into the world. If however, parents preceding chapter, he has carefully laid out the
consider their children to be conceived and born in sin, important truth that the husband is the head of the
redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and precious in wife and the wife must be subject to her husband. In
God's sight, their response is one of humble this text, he continues to articulate this relationship as
supplication to God that He may cause this faith to it applies to the instruction of children., The calling to
develop in their children and come to full expression instruct children rests foursquare upon the shoulders
to God's glory.                                             of the father as head of the house. This is part of the
  It is the unique privilege of covenant parents to authority which God gives to him. It is his
consider their children to be God's heritage and responsibility to see to it that the children whom God
therefore needing instruction in the way of the Lord. has given unto him are properly instructed. Hence the


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                   305



exhortation comes to the father, "Ye fathers, bring up       PROVOKE NOT TO WRATH
your children in the nurture and admonition of the              It can't be that Paul would imply that fathers are
Lord." The father has to see to it before God that this      more inclined to provoke their children to wrath than
is done. This same idea is expressed in connection with      mothers. In some instances this may be true. It is
baptism; the father is the one who secures a baptismal       conceivable that mothers, who deal more with the
slip from the consistory in those churches where this is     children than fathers, are guilty of provocation to a
required. The father presents the child for baptism at       greater degree than fathers. Here, too, it is directed to.
the time of the sacrament.                                   fathers by virtue of their divinely appointed role as
   A father, however, cannot smugly sit back and say         head of the wife and home. All dealings that parents
that he heeds the admonition of this text if he sees to      have with their children must be according to the Word
it that his children are properly instructed. Not only       of God, and every father must see to it that this takes
must he see to it that his children are instructed; he       place. If there is a provoking to wrath either by the
must also be involved in the instructing! Here many          father or mother, the father must deal with this
fathers fall short. It is a shame upon our homes, that       problem so that it is overcome.
many men are content to let their wives see to it that          To provoke to wrath means literally to irritate, to
the `children learn catechism properly, get their school     cause adverse reaction. We think of the terrible effect
work finished, study the Sunday school lesson, etc.          of rubbing salt on an open wound: the result is only
Though it is true that mother is peculiarly adapted to       too well known. In applying this to the reaction of
being more intimately involved in this work, just            children to parents' dealing with them, we should
because she is mother, and no father can possibly            point out that the idea is not that a parent must always
usurp that from her, this doesn't mean that father has       deal with  his children so that the child will respond
nothing to do with the instructing except seeing to it       favorably. One could be a perfect parent and still get
that someone else is doing it and his children are           unfavorable responses from children. Rather, the idea
receiving it. As a father, he must also be involved.         is that parents must not deal with their children in
Mother and father are both parents, and this means           such a way that they irritate their children wrongfully.
they share the work of instructing their children.           This, too, is possible, for parents are sinners, and as our
   It might be well also to remind ourselves that            Heidelberg Catechism expresses it, children are to
principally the work of instructing cannot be passed on      "patiently bear with their weaknesses and infirmities,
to anyone else either. Without the involvement of            since it pleases God to govern us by their hand,"
parents, any instruction on the part of someone else is      Lord's Day 39. We find this same reference made in
superfluous. This is made obvious in so many ways. A         Heb. 12: 9, 10, "Furthermore, we have had fathers of
preacher can work hard on sermons and carefully spell        our flesh which corrected us . . . For they verily for a
out the Word of God as it deals with life's problems,        few days chastened us after their own pleaszlre; but he
the whole family can sit under that preaching and            for our profit."
receive it, but if father and mother do not implement          We suggest five ways that parents can provoke their
that word in the sphere of the home, it profits nothing.     children to wrath.
For example, the preacher can warn about the dangers           First, by making unjust demands upon their
of television, which are very real, but if father and        children. This can be done either by expecting more
mother do not control the TV in the home and the             from a child than that individual child can produce, or
children are permitted to watch almost any program           by treating a child as if he were our slave, simply
and almost any time, the Word of God that has been           ordering him around and expecting that he will jump
preached is denied in that home. Similarly in                at our every beck and call. How careful we have to be
connection with catechism instruction: if parents do         to recognize that God doesn't give the same gifts to
not supervise the study of their children, the children      every child, and consequently we have to require of
will learn their lesson the last minute (and it might        our children in the measure that they themselves have
even be the wrong lesson) and the whole business is an       received. This also must be done with love and
empty show of piety which produces little if any fruit.      understanding; our homes are not fortresses in which
School teachers confirm that the homes that have             father is the sergeant and everyone has to salute upon
parents which are vitally interested and involved in the Ucommand.
things their children are learning at school produce the       Secondly, we can be guilty of unjust punishment.
best students. No one, and let me underline it, y10 oyle,    Wisdom in punishing our disobedient children requires
be it preacher, teacher, Sunday school teacher, can          of us a determination of a punishment that somehow
take the place of parents when it comes to instructing       measures  u-p to the degree of offense. For greater
the children. The parents determine the success of any       offenses there must be a more decisive degree of
means that may be used to instruct children. This            punishment. Here, too, one cannot compose a chart
determination is under the blessing of God upon their        and say that this will be our guide. Discipline of
efforts.                                                     children isn't that easy. Each child is an individual and


306                                           THE STANDARD  BEARER



has to be treated as such. An excellent guide in deeply. Permissiveness on the part of parents may seem
discipline is our own reaction to it; if we get some kind to make young people, happy, but covenant young
of personal satisfaction in getting even with our people desire parents to lay down the law to them and
wayward child, we can be sure that the motive is not stick with it. If. parents become willy-nilly, young
love, but revenge which is a motive of murder. Listen people lose their confidence in them and feel terribly
to Ps. 103: 13, "As a father pitieth his children, so the alone and uncertain. This leads to many harsh words
Lord pitieth them that fear him." What is pity? "For and often times the parent is himself the cause. How
he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of easy it is for us to: provoke our children to wrath.
men," Lam. 3:33. Our discipline has to reflect God's A DOUBLE RESPONSIBILITY
dealing with us, and that is that God groans, grieves,         Recognizing the fact that this warning of the Holy
and feels pity when He finds it necessary to deal Spirit through the Apostle Paul is no empty sound, but
adversely with.us. If we discipline in any other way, we an urgent message to fathers and mothers, we do well
provoke our children to wrath.                               as parents to examine ourselves in this connection. Just
  Thirdly, if we deal inconsistently with our children, because we are the parents doesn't make everything we
we deal wrongfully. This can be done by varying our do right; it could be that we are the cause of friction
demands one day from the next. This confuses a child between ourselves and our growing children. Wherever
to no end. It can also be done by having a different we fail, we have to repent of this and change and seek
standard of conduct for our children than we do for God's direction, that we may in turn remove all
ourselves. For example we can forbid our young obstacles that would interfere with instructing our
people to attend movies and chew them out if they get children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
caught, but watch movies over television ourselves.            At that same time we must caution young people
This provokes our teen-aged children to wrath.               that the weaknesses and frailties of parents may not
  Fourthly, we can be guilty of favoritism This, too, give license to trample under foot the authority of
didn't die with Jacob. Some of our children have more parents. The raucous band of teen agers that call for
pleasing personalities, some have more gifts, some seem their rights in the home, that spew forth their venom
to be able to do most things right, while others can't in claiming that all unjustice and ill treatment must be
seem to do anything right. How tempting it is for us to resisted and every young person must have the right to
favor the one with the pleasing qualities and neglect or determine his own life is surely not the attitude of
aggravate the other. This must be avoided.                   covenant young people. Shall we quote it again,
  Finally, we can also provoke our children to wrath "patiently bear with their (your parents') infirmities
by neglecting our duty over against them. Teenagers and weaknesses since it pleases God to govern us by
know what they may expect from their parents; when their hand."
their parents fail them this aggravates and often hurts        Our strength is inthe  Lord.



From Holy Writ

              Exposition of Ephesians  535-21

  In our preaching on the island of Jamaica we are new or renewed influx of the power of the Spirit
confronted with a somewhat different rejection of which manifests itself then in emotional outburst, in
errors from those which we must constantly reject in the preaching and worship-service, with a resounding:
the midst of our churches in the States. I say rather
                                              _       _      praise the Lord!!
advisedly that this difference is "somewhat"; it is            It is our purpose in these essays to allow the Word
merely a matter of degree. Because of these errors we        of God to speak, to interpret Scripture in the light of
also must have a somewhat careful selection of texts         Scripture, and not to formulate various premises which
for our preaching. Without making this preaching a we will then prove from the Scriptures. Our method
riding of certain pet notions and a one-sided emphasis, will be inductive; exegetical and not dogmatical! We
it is' necessary to pin-point these errors and to refute did not look for any particular points of refutation,
them with the Word of God.                                   but we found them in the very clear and lucid teaching
  It occurred to me during the study of Ephesians            of Scripture, when we compared Ephesians 5: 18 with
5:  l $-2i  how very  .erroneous the notion is that to be    Colossians 3: 16. Although we will not concentrate
"filled with the Spirit" simply means that one has a solely on these two Scripture passages, we  will;


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 nonetheless, quote these two passages here, so that the (Isaiah 26: 19) There must be a freshness of the
 readers may, at the outset, know the crux of the morning, the hope of the new day in their lives, a
 Biblical teaching on this point of being filled with the waiting for the hope of the blessed resurrection!
 Spirit.                                                      Wherefore Isaiah said again "Arise, shine, for thy light
    In Ephesians 5: 18 Paul admonishes "But be ye filled is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee."
 with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in Psalms,             Such must be the manifestation of the lives of these
 hymns and spiritual songs. . ."                              Ephesians who are created unto good works by Jesus
   And now notice what Paul writes in Colossians 3: 16 Christ, saved by grace through faith. Were they not
 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all elected and foreordained unto good works, to be holy
 wisdom, teaching and admonishing each other, in and without blame before God? (Ephesians 1:3-5;
 Psalms, hymns and spiritual odes. . . ."                     2:lO)
   We cannot here enter into the exegesis of these              This warning deals with the walk, the outward
 passages in this introduction. Nevertheless, we do wish manifestation of the inward life of the Spirit. If they
 here to point out that very obviously one cannot be live by the Spirit, let them walk by the Spirit.
 "filled with the Spirit" without at the same time being (Galatians  5:25) That is the force of the "wherefore"
such that the "word of Christ dwells in us richly." He in the text. This is the precept of the Gospel built upon
 who does not possess the indwelling word of Christ the fact of the reality of the grace of Christ  .through
 richly does not have the Spirit richly. Such a one is not the Spirit.
 filled with the Spirit of Christ, but somehow is               Paul speaks in this passage of the "walk" of the
 intoxicated by some enthusiasm of the flesh, a mere saints. In this letter there is a sharp demarcation between
 hysteria which is not miles removed from the heathen the "former walk" and the "walk  whichis worthy of
 incantation. In a word that is pure paganism.                the calling wherewith we have been called." (Ephesians
   To hold the line in these evil days we must not 2:2, 3; 4: 17, and Ephesians  2:10,  4:1,  5:2) In each
 separate what God in His good-pleasure has bound case it refers to the total circumference of man's life. It
 together:  filled  with the Spirit of Christ, who causes refers to his relationship to God, to his fellow-man and
 His Word to dwell richly in our hearts by His Spirit.        to all of creation, as this proceeds from the heart,
   By their fruits ye shall know them, and be able to whence are the issues: of life. Now in the total
 distinguish the true prophets from the false. Yes, we circumference of their life, from the very center of it
 also know these two by their true or false theology, or to the outer periphery, they are to walk as Christians
 lack of theology in the good, Biblical sense of the term!    ought to walk. They must be very careful in their walk,
   Meanwhile we shall not forget that Paul's vision is their thoughts, words and deeds. It is especially in the
 broader than the error which we have signalled above. words of their mouth and in the meditation of their
    Let us listen to him and seek to exegete his writings. heart that they must be acceptable in God's sight. For
                                                              from the  fulness of the heart the mouth overfloweth.
 A   N O T E   O F   W A R N I N G   T O   T H E   EPHESIANS They must know time and season in an evil world!
 (Ephesians 5: 15)
   This warning reads as follows: `See  then that ye NOT AS FOOLS BUT AS WISE (Ephesians 5: 15 b)
 waZk  CircumspectZy,  not as  fooZs,  but  G wise,  etc."      Paul speaks here of "fools" and of "wise" as two
 (5:15)                                                       classes of people and not simply as two states of mind
   This is a note of warning, admonition and in the Christian, the flesh and the spirit. Basically,
 correction. It is a warning to take the Christian life God's people are not those devoid of heaven's wisdom.
 seriously, not to quail before the enemy, nor to sell the They have received the "wisdom which is from above."
 seriousness of the days short. It calls to a halt: beware. They are therefore not fools. They fear God. The fool
 Do not be spiritually asleep. For this warning is            says in his heart: there is no God. That saying cannot
 introduced by the cogent conjunction "Wherefore." arise in the reborn heart of the saint! They are wise,
 This warning follows with stringent necessity from the these saints of the Most High God.
 foregoing teaching. The Ephesians were once darkness           Paul now makes an appeal to their new "wisdom"
 but now they are light in the Lord Jesus, who is the which is the wisdom of the Cross.
 light of the world. And now they must walk in the              As such they will be "buying out" the time..
 light even as he is light! They ,must not walk as those (exagorazomenoi).  This. is present middle participle.
 who are spiritually dead, but they must awaken from This means that the wise saints are like a merchant
 their sinful stupor, their spiritual listlessness, their seeking goodly pearls, and that each time, they seek
 languid spirits, and become alert to the dangers which       for the pearl of great price. Each day they buy it out
 surround them from without and which deceive from for themselves. They buy the truth and sell it not! Yes,
 within! Had not Isaiah thus also cried in his day, "Awake they buy even wisdom, and instruction and
 and sing ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the    understanding. (Proverbs  23:23) This is the kingdom
 dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out her dead?" of heaven's glories.


308                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



  And what do these saints in heaven's wisdom buy              They are all evil, that is, they are inherently days in
out? They are told to buy out time. No, they cannot which we are surrounded by our threefold enemy:
buy out  alI of time. There is so much in time that is Flesh, world and Satan, which do not cease to assault
not gold, but the mere tinsel of sin, such as, being us, tempt us, and seek to affect our eternal ruin in hell.
drunk with wine. That, too, is in time, in the "days" in         It is well to bear this in mind so that we may be
which we live. These you must not purchase to                  aware of the sins that so easily beset us! (Hebrews
yourself, saints. We must buy out all and everything           12: 1) Then will we be in the spiritual  state. of
which belongs to the "good works in which we are to            awareness of the mortal conflict which is ours.
walk." God has before prepared for every day a certain           The days are evil. Be wise with the wisdom
amount of good works in which we should walk, in the wherewith God has graced you; ye were darkness, but
entire circumference of our life: church, home and now are ye light, in the Lord! Wherefore know your
school, in the shop and factory, in the day and in the times, know it three-hundred-sixty-five days of each
night. These we must buy out to ourselves in heaven's year, and know it every minute of each day. Know
wisdom! When we attend the church we must use all that tribulation is the lot of the saints, and that we
our talents and every opportunity. When we attend must enter the kingdom through much tribulation.
school we must make the most of these studies as a Know also as wise that we can be of good cheer
preparation for life. When we are rearing a family we because Christ said "I have completely up to the
must make the most of bringing up our children "to present moment overcome the world." (John  16:33)
the utmost of our ability according to the aforesaid             Hence, we must not be indolent, senseless Christians,
doctrines." Parents must have no regrets when they without holy insights and penetrating understanding.
grow old that they failed to buy out the time.                We must have a guiding rule in the midst of this evil
THE DAYS ARE EVIL  (Ephesians  5:16)                           world and these evil days: the will of the Lord. We
  No, there are not just some "bad days" as we speak must know the Word of Christ. We must listen to Him.
of them in our every day parlance, This we sometimes We must follow the Lamb slain from the foundations
do. Things have been going contrary to expectation; it of the world. No shiftless, unthinking, trifling,
has been. a rather fatiguing and frustrating experience, frivolous, lazy Christian can stand in these evil days. We
and we say "I've had a bad day." Paul has something must study the Scriptures, and ask after the will of our
far more profoundly serious in mind when he says "the Lord who bought us with His blood. Nothing less will
days are evil." When Paul days that the days are evil he do than to have a penetrating understanding of the will
is `referring to every day that the sun rises in the East.     of the Lord, as a rule and guide of all our walk!



The Day  of Shadows
                                  Where Are You?
                                                      Rev. John A. Heys

  The first words which the devil spoke to man in his together with the one that followed, was designed and
state of righteousness were a series of questions.             served to bring Adam to the knowledge of a
  The first words which God spoke to man after he righteousness which is restored in Christ.
fell from his state of righteousness likewise were a             In Satan's series of questions we may, therefore, see
series of questions.                                           an implied, unexpressed question. That question is,
  Neither the devil nor God asked these questions to "Why are you here as God's servant, when you can be-
gain some information. The devil asked Eve, "Yea, come like Him? Why are you satisfied with your lot when
hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the you can improve it immeasurably?" Implied in God's
garden?" But he knew very well what God told Adam; questions is the question, "Why are you here under the
and rather than being an act of seeking information, trees instead of by the tree of life where we formerly met
this question of the devil was designed and'served to and had sweet communion together?"
take away. man's righteousness. When God came to                 Satan came to preach the lie and went with Adam
Adam and called, "Where art thou?" He knew exactly under the trees, gloating over his victory, and waiting
where Adam was; and instead of being an attempt to to lead man further in the development of sin and the
gain some information from Adam, this question, he. God came to man under the- trees of the garden to


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preach to him the gospel, and to give him the comfort same, we are at work. The question, unspoken in an
and joy of that gospel in Christ.                          audible way; not to be heard as Adam heard it, is still
   By the question, "Where art thou?" God brought there, "How come you are here today, and were not in
into sharp focus Adam's sin, in order that he might the sanctuary yesterday, where formerly we had sweet
know his hopelessness and be made ready to enjoy the communion together? Is this earthly work of yours
good news of salvation in Christ; might deeply know more important than the spiritual work My Son
his guilt and from the beginning understand that we finished to prepare a rest that remaineth for the
are saved by grace.                                        children of God?"
  Adam knew his sin as soon as he committed it. But          Where were you, as you sat in the pew, and the
he had no way at all of knowing at that moment that collection plate was passed in front of you? Or, rather,
there was any way out, that there was any salvation where was your heart when the cause of God's
possible. He knew the penalty that God had predicted:      kingdom was before you, and His servants, the
"In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." deacons, presented that cause to you? And remember
He knew absolutely nothing of a way of escape. He          that God does not ask that question to gain informa-
could not run to God for forgiveness, and not simply       tion anymore than when He asked Adam where
because his mind now was darkened by sin. There he was. He knows what your hand does, and what your
simply was nothing God had ever said to him, there heart told the hand to do. He asks this question in
was nothing anywhere in God's creation that would order to cause you to search your own soul.
show him that there could be salvation and forgiveness       Where were you during the long hours between the
by this holy and righteous God! He knew nothing of services? In bed taking a long nap? Before the
grace and mercy. He could not know of the love of television set enjoying the world with the world?
God for the world, according to which He would send Curled up in a chair with a book written to excite and
His only begotten Son into the world, that whosoever satisfy the flesh? Cramming for an exam or test
believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting    tomorrow in school, or doing an assignment you would
life. How could he know any of this?                       not take time to do, because you wanted to spend the
  In that light God's question also means, `tWhere did     time of other days satisfying the flesh? Adam was
your sin get you, Adam? Where are you now? Are you hiding from God. But are we not hiding from Him as
where Satan promised you that you would be, or are         well, when on this day He has provided for us such an
you in a state of guilt before Me?" And Adam's answer abundance of ways to meet Him in spiritual activities?
to the question, "Where art thou?" would have to be, Today we have such, an abundance of spiritual
"I am on the way to hell! That is why, when I heard        literature to read, so many books to use to increase our
Thy voice, I was afraid and went and hid myself, for I     knowledge of the salvation we have in Christ, and to
knew myself to be naked." How fully Adam would             refer to in order to prepare for the discussion of God's
have agreed with Solomon, who in Proverbs 14: 12           Word in the society organized for our age group.
wrote, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a Actually we should find the day all too short for what
man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." But we could not do during the week, because six days of
in His grace God came to teach Adam his misery, in         the week we are called to  labour for our material
order that He might teach him his redemption, and needs.
how to express gratitude to God for that salvation.          Where are you when these society meetings are
  We do well today to set ourselves squarely before        held? Shall we ask, "Where are you hiding? To what
God's question, "Where art thou?" Hence our title have you run, and from Whom have you run?" Satan's
above these lines. Let us begin with the first day of the unspoken question is certainly there, "Why be there
week. Where are you on the Sabbath? The services for       dealing with those dry, doctrinal things, when you can
divine worship are a few blocks away and have already      be out enjoying God's wonderful creation? That, too,
begun. Where are you? There are, of course, those who      is your calling." God's question, unspoken in an
cannot be there bodily, because God has made it            audible way, yet there before us is, "Why are you not
impossible. Yes, we wrote impossible, not inconvenient     searching the Word of life, why not gathered by that
or difficult. We do have to come often with difficulty.    water and bread of life, this fountain of spiritual good
But if tomorrow, still experiencing that difficulty or     and blessedness, My Word', which is `More to be desired
affliction, we are at our desk in the office, at our than gold, yea than much fine gold: sweeter also than
bench in the shop, behind our counter in the store, out    honey and the honeycomb?' " Or is it that you do not
in our field, or wherever our daily toils require our      agree with the psalmist - and with God Himself - who
presence, then again God's question is there, "Where       wrote these lines?
art THOU?" And the emphasis may fall there. When             Where are you when a helping hand is needed?
we were at home the day before, His question was Where are you when men (or women) are needed to
there. It is there with equal force the next day, when,    serve on a committee, when a `specific work must be
all circumstances and conditions of the flesh being the    done, and the call is made for volunteers? Where are


310                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



you when the sick, the widows, the shut-ins wait all
day for a knock on the door, or for the telephone to
ring?
  But why go on? It is well for us to place ourselves                                                               1
                                                             the Son of Man, Jesus our Saviour Who came to them,
                                                             the very same Person Who came some four thousand
                                                             years later in our flesh. For the name Jesus, as the New
                                                             Testament or Greek form of Joshua, or Jehoshua,
squarely before God's question, "Where art thou?" It means Jehovah saves, or Jehovah is salvation.  God
is not for Adam. alone. It is not simply for the             came to seek and to save that which was lost. God
particular situation in which Adam found himself came though in the mercy of Christ, not to destroy but
when God came in the cool of the day. Parents at night to save. And in our experiences this salvation always
- and in the day - often wonder where their children begins with a consciousness of our guilt and of the
`are. Do they very often ask themselves where they           hopelessness of our state and condition before Him.
themselves are, and where their children see them?             There was no question as to where Adam and Eve
  We can easily speak a word of condemnation in were from a judicial and from an ethical point of view.
regard to Adam's hiding under the trees, and call it         But they had to be brought to a full realization of it in
foolish. We can view our own running away from the order to enjoy the knowledge of being saved from it.
right way, and from things spiritual, as some brilliant God's approach to fallen man with the gospel is first to
work of wisdom on our parts, and, perhaps, boast             make crystal clear his guilt and corruption. He has no
about it to others at a later date.                          social gospel for man except one that speaks of a
  Better it is that we face the question, for in that way    solution of all man's problems and woes through the
God gives us the assurance of a restored righteousness forgiveness of sins and in the new Jerusalem. His
in Christ. He never gives that to us under the trees approach to fallen man always is to make him know
where we are hiding without bringing us to the               his sin before God. God does not at once - as on many
knowledge of our awful guilt before Him. And He              a "mission" field is done i assure of His love. Instead
teaches us to know our misery by calling our attention He makes known to fallen man his guilt. He does not
to our sinfulness. However it is not simply a matter of tell man at once where He is going to bring him, but
exposing our guilt. Judas had that knowledge and where he is. A man who is lost must first know where
admitted that he had shed innocent blood. He never he is, before he can proceed to where he wants to be.
came to the knowledge of redemption, because his And let us not pretend to be wiser than God, so that
knowledge of his guilt was not a knowledge of misery. we gloss over sin and rush in to assure of God's love,
He had fear. He had self pity.  `But he was not              before a man even knows his sin before God.
spiritually miserable. Adam and Eve were because God           Let all missionary activity, let all preaching, and let
gave it to them. And as we pointed out, God's questions      all approach to the unsaved be that of bringing to them
were directed exactly at bringing Adam and Eve to            the question, "Where are you in the eyes of the holy
that knowledge, that spiritual miserableness which was God?" Let us show them that they are naked and have
essential for them to be able to receive the gospel with eaten of the forbidden fruit.. Then we can show them
joy.                                                         the Cross as the love of God for His people in Christ.
  We are reminded of the New Testament light which Otherwise we bring them to the Antichrist, who will be
is shed upon this approach of God. Jesus said it, "The hailed as the saviour of the world (not the Church)
Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is         because of his social, economic, educational, surgical,
lost." In that light we must consider those words of medical, therapeutic achievement, and promises of a
Genesis  3:8, "And they heard the voice of the Lord kingdom of heaven on this earth, an escape from
God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." poverty, social injustice and war, without the Cross or
Yes, it was "the Lord God," which in the Hebrew is           Spirit of Christ.
Jehovah Elohim, Whom they heard. Therefore it was




          ..        A  TTENTION!!!'                                               STUDENTAID
  All Standing Synodical Committees are reminded               Notice is hereby given that students who qualify are
that their  repor.ts for the' Synodical Agenda must be eligible for financial assistance during the final three
sent to undersigned on or before April 15. years of their studies at our Seminary.
Supplemental reports may be submitted later, but ail           Please contact the secretary of our Student Aid
material. for the Agenda must be submitted by April
                     -                                       Committee.
15.  _                                                                                             Gerrit Pipe, Sec'y
                          Rev. D. H. Kuiper, Stated Clerk                                    1463 Ardmore St., SE.
                    1314 MainStreet, Pella, Iowa 50219                                   Grand Rapids, Mich. 49507


                                             THE STANDARD BEARER                                                311



                      NOTICE!!!                              "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
  According to the decision of the Synod of 197 1, the     and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor
Consistory of First Protestant Reformed Church,            crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the
Grand Rapids, Michigan, was appointed the calling          former things are passed away." (Rev. 2 1:4).
church for the 1972 Synod. The Consistory of First                                           Mrs. Gerrit J. Gunnink
Church hereby notifies the Churches that the 1972                                     Mr. and Mrs. Jerold Gunnink
Synod of The Protestant Reformed Churches in                                        Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Gunnink
America will convene, the Lord willing, on Wednesday,                      Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Ross (Betty Jean)
June 7, 1972, at 9 A.M. in First Church. The                                                     Mr. John Gunnink
preSynodica1 service will be held Tuesday evening,                                    Mr. and Mrs Duane Gunnink
June 6, at 8 P.M. in First Church. Rev. G. Van Baren,                                Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Gunnink
president of the 1971 Synod, will preach the sermon.                       Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hanson (Julia Ann)
Synodical delegates are requested to meet with the                                            Mr. Darwin Gunnink
consistory before the service. Delegates in need of                                           and 14 grandchildren
lodging should contact James Heys, 1432 Giddings
Ave., S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507.
                                      James Heys, clerk


               CHANGE OF ADDRESS
  The address of the new parsonage of South Holland
Prot. Ref. Church (Rev. Robert Decker) is 165 15
South Park Ave., South Holland, Illinois 60473. The
telephone number remains unchanged : EDison 3-l 3 14.


                    IN MEMORUM
  On January 27, 1972, it behooved our Lord to take
home our husband, father and grandfather
             MR. GERRIT J. GUNNINK,
at the age of 64 years, 5 months, and 15 days.



                              `News From  Qur Churches

  At a Congregational Meeting held in Grand Rapids' the  Classis in opening devotions. He read from
Hope Church on March 3, a call was extended to Rev. Ephesians 4 and addressed the delegates on verses l-3.
D. Kuiper for minister, and to Rev. B..Woudenberg  for       Rev. J. Kortering presided over the Classis, and Rev.
home missionary of our churches.                           R. Decker served as secretary.
  For the news editor . . . another unscheduled              The Taped Sermon Committee, consisting of Mr.
respite, courtesy of Classis West.                         Garret Flikkema and Mrs. John Flikkema from the
                                                   D.D. South Holland congregation, reported that it will soon
                                                           have a complete series on the Heidelberg Catechism
                                                           and that it now has "a good supply of special sermons
  .Report  of Classis West of the Prot. Ref'd. Churches    on hand." This committee made the following requests
                       Pella, Iowa                         of those who borrow tapes: "We would- request that
                    March 1; 1972                          upon using a tape, the particular consistory using it
                                                           please mark either the tape or the box as to the date
   Classis West met in Pella, Iowa on March 1. Seven used and the name of the church that used it-  T  .,-. It
ministers and fourteen elders represented the churches would'also be nice if those returning tapes would send
of Classis West.                                           either a card or a letter telling when they. are sending.
   Rev. R. Decker, president of the previous Classis, led them, since we feel that we have lost a few, tapes in the

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



312                                            THE STANDARD BEARER


mail."                                                        the end of August, 197 1. The Co&story asked Classis'
  The Church Visitors of Classis West, Rev. C. Hanko approval of Oak Lawn's decision to disband.  Classis
and Rev. G. Lanting, gave their report. Included in this gave its approval.
report were these remarks: "Gratefully we can also              A Corn&tory asked Classis' advice on its decision to
report that there is abundant evidence that the erase a baptized member. In executive session, Classis
blessings of our covenant God are upon our churches. heard details of the case and advised the Consistory to
Peace, unity and spiritual growth are manifest and the proceed with erasure.
office-bearers testify to diligence in the exercise of the      Classis adopted the following schedule for Classical
duties of the offices in the church . . . One thing Appointments.
especially impressed us during the visits made to the Forbes:  March 12  - J. Kortering; March 26  - R.
churches during the past year. All the churches, though Miersma; April 9,-- J. Kortering; April 16 - R. Moore;
in varying degrees perhaps, are, nevertheless, zealous April 30 - R. Miersma; May 7 - J. Kortering; May 21
about and active in church extension and missionary - R. Miersma; September 3 - B. Woudenberg.
labors. By means of either printed material, radio Randolph:  March 26  - R. Decker; April 9, 16  - D.
programs or lectures, or a combination of two or more Kuiper; May 7  - R. Decker; May 21  - D. Kuiper;
of these means, each congregation labors to make the September 10 - B. Woudenberg.
truth of God's Word known outside its own immediate Redlands: March 19, 26 - R. Moore; April 9'16 - G.
circle.. Moreover, in most of our visits we spent more Lanting; May 7, 14  - D. Engelsma. This schedule
time in discussing this aspect of the calling of the assumes that the vacant churches will request, and
church than we did regarding any other particular receive, supply in the summer months from the
labor. And these discussions were prompted by the Seminary.
consistories themselves. A sure testimony that the              Seven Churches, Edgerton, Forbes, Isabel, Loveland,
Spirit of Truth is active in the churches. For this we as Lynden,  Pella, and Randolph, requested subsidy for
churches should be exceedingly thankful."                     1973. Classis granted these requests and sent them on
  The Council of the South Holland Protestant to Synod.
Reformed Church presented  an "Overture  Re Future              Classis conducted the necessary elections with the
Seminary Building." The overture follows: "Much as following results:
we are in favor of, building our own seminary, we                  Stated Clerk of Classis - Rev. D. Engelsma
nevertheless come to you with the overture that Classis            Ass't. Stated Clerk - Rev. J. Kortering
urge Synod to rescind their decision to purchase the               Classical Committee - Rev. R. Moore
two lots at the proposed Cambridge site for this                   Delegates ad,examina
purpose. GROUNDS:  A. This site is in a potential                       Primus - Rev. D. Engelsma
`problem area', subject to the threat of racial takeover                Secundus - Rev. D. Kuiper
in the (not too distant) future, resulting in an                   Church Visitors - Rev. J. Kortering and Rev. G.
inevitable devaluation of all real estate involved. B. To          Lanting
spend in excess of $70,000.00 under such conditions                Delegates to Synod:
could well lead to financial disaster, and is not in the                             Ministers
best interest of our churches. C. At. this time, the           Primi                                Secundi
Cambridge property can still be sold, at ANY PRICE, R. Decker
and the proceeds used for a downpayment on property D. Engelsma                                    R. Miersma
(lots) at the right location, away from `problem areas.' J. Kortering                         R. Moore
Better to lose one, three, or even five, thousand dollars G. Lanting                          B. Woudenberg
now, than to jeopardize  $70,000.00 or more. D.                                          Elders
Monies required for the new project can be raised the          Plimi                                Secundi
same way as proposed for the original project, namely J. Den Hartog              (Lynden)     E. Bruinsma (Loveland)
by funds and donations from all of our churches." T. Feenstra                    (Redlands) E. Gritters (Hull)
Classis decided to forward the overture, to Synod W. Griess                      (Loveland) J. Hoekstra (Hull)
"without  p.rejudice" on the ground that  "Classis lacks H. Huisken              (Edger-ton) B. Menninga (Pella)
objective information to decide on the overture.-"              Classis will meet next in Hull, Iowa on September 6,
  The Consistory of the Oak Lawn Church informed              1972, the Lord willing.
Classis that Oak Lawn has decided to disband and that                              Rev. David Engelsma, Stated Clerk
the congregation stopped holding worship services at                                                             Classis West


