                      The  .:  1
       STANDARD
                      BEARER
p- A REFORMED SEMI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE





                      All  these  passages  and  more  indicate
        . .     `0


     that  the  church  "lives  in  the  public  eye."
     Believers   must,  therefore,  live  in  such  a
     manner that:no reproach, no shame is brought
     to  the  gospel  or to  the  name  of  God.
     Positively,  believers  must  shine  as  lights  in  the
     world. They, are called to witness, to testify of
     the  wonder  of  grace  performed  by  God  in
     Jesus  Christ'  for  them.  .  .  .  That  witness  must
     go forth also by the lives which they lead.

                                    See "The Believer's Calling
                                     in  Missions" -  page  203


c                                         Volume LVI, No. 9, February 1, 1980 -


                                                              THE STANDARD BEARER


                           CONTENTS:                                                                                     THE STANDARD BEARER
                                                                                                                                    ISSN 0362-4692
                                                                                         Semi-monthly. except monthly during June. July, and August.
                                                                                           Published by the Reformed Free Publishing Association, Inc.
Meditation  -                                                                                         Second Class Postage Paid at Grand Rapids,  Mich.
                                                                                 Editor-in-Chief:  Prof. Homer C. Hoeksema
   The Trial of Abraham's Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194                   Department Editors:  Rev. Wayne Bekkering, Rev. Arie  denHartog,  Prof.
                                                                                 R o b e r t   D .   D e c k e r ,   R e v .   D a v i d   J .   Engelsma,   R e v .   R i c h a r d   F l i k k e m a ,
Editor's Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197          R e v .   C o r n e l i u s   H a n k o ,   P r o f .   H e r m a n   H a n k o ,   R e v .   J o h n   A .   Heys,  Rev.
                                                                                 K e n n e t h   Koole,   R e v .   J a y   K o r t e r i n g ,   R e v .   G e o r g e   C .   L u b b e r s ,   R e v .
Editorials  -                                                                    R o d n e y   M i e r s m a ,   R e v .   Marinus   Schipper,   R e v .   J a m e s   Slopsema,  Rev.
                                                                                 G i s e   J .   V a n   Baren.   R e v .   R o n a l d   V a n   O v e r l o o p.. Rev. Herman  Veldman,
                                                                                 M r .   K e n n e t h   G .   Vi'nk.
   Why? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...19 7      Editorial Office:  Prof. H.C. Hoeksema
                                                                                                                 4975  Ivanrest  Ave. S.W.
   Test-tube Babies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199                                           Grandville,  Michigan  49418
                                                                                 Church News Editor:  Mr. Kenneth G. Vink
My Sheep Hear My Voice  -                                                                                                  1 4 2 2   L i n w o o d ,   S . E .
                                                                                                                          Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507
   Letter to Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201              Editorial Policy:  Every editor is solely responsible for the contents of
                                                                                 his own articles. Contributions of general interest from our readers and
The Lord Gave the Word  -                                                        q u e s t i o n s   f o r   t h e   Q u e s t i o n - B o x   D e p a r t m e n t   a r e   w e l c o m e .   C o n t r i -
                                                                                 butions will be limited to approximately 300 words and must be neatly
   The Believer's Calling in Missions . . . . . . . . . . .203                   written or typewritten, and must be signed. C OPY  deadlines are the first
                                                                                 a n d - t h e   f i f t e e n t h   o f   t h e   m o n t h .   A l l   c o m m u n i c a t i o n s   r e l a t i v e   t o   t h e
                                                                                 contents should be Sent to the editorial office.
All Around Us  -                                                                 Reprint Policy:  Permission is hereby granted for the reprinting of
                                                                                 articles in our magazine by other publications, provided: a) that such
   "Porneia" (Fornication) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205                r e p r i n t e d   a r t i c l e s   a r e   r e p r o d u c e d   i n   f u l l :   b)  t h a t   P r o p e r   a c k n o w l e d g e -
                                                                                 m e n t   i s   m a d e ;   c )   t h a t   a   c o p y   o f   t h e   p e r i o d i c a l   i n   w h i c h   s u c h   r e p r i n t
   Why Educate Our Children? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207                    appears is sent to our editorial office.
                                                                                 Business Office:  The Standard Bearer
   The Sin of Sodom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207                                          Mr.  H.  Vander   Wal.  Bus. Mgr.
                                                                                                                  P.O. Box 6064
                                                                                                                 Grand Rapids. Michigan 49506
In His Fear  -                                                                   New Zealand Business OffIce:                                     The Standard Bearer,
                                                                                                                                                  c/o   O P C   Bookahoo.
   Assault  ontli?Xhristian  Home and Family:                                                                                                     fi.r?Box   2269.   -'  '
                                                                                                                                                  Christchurch, New Zealand
      The International Year of the Child . . . . . . .208                       Subscription Policy:  Subscription price, $9.00 per year. Unless a
Faith of Our Fathers  -                                                          definite request for discontinuance is received,  .it  IS  assumed that the
                                                                                 subscriber wishes the subscription to continue  wrthout  the formality of
   Of God's Eternal Decree                                                       a renewal order, and he will be billed for renewal. If you have a change
                                      . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 10    of address, please notify the Business Office as early as possible in order
                                                                                 to avoid the inconvenience of delayed delivery. Include your Zip Code.
Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 14         Advertising Policy:  The  Standard Bearer  does not accept commercial
                                                                                 advertising of any kind. Announcements of church and school events,
News From Our Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 16                   anniversaries, obituaries, and sympathy resolutions will be placed for a
                                                                                 $3.00 fee. These should be sent to the Business Office and should be
                                                                                 accompanied by the $3.00 fee. Deadline for announcements is the 1st
                                                                                 or  the  15th  of the month, previous to publication on the 15th or the
                                                                                 1st respectively.
                                                                                 Bound  VOiunX?S:  The Business Office will accept standing orders for
                                                                                 bound copies of the  current  volume; such orders are filled as soon as
                                                                                 p o s s i b l e   a f t e r   c o m p l e t i o n   o f   a   v o l u m e .   A   l i m i t e d   n u m b e r   o f   p a s t   v o l -
                                                                                 umes may be obtained through the Business Office.




MEDITATION




                              The Trial of Abraham's Faith
                                                                    Rev. II. V&man


                  "`By faith Abraham when he was tried, ojjkd  up Isaac: and he that had received the
              promises ojyered  up his only begotten son,
                  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
                  Accounting that Cod was able to raise him up, even jkm the dead; from whence also he
              received him in a jigure.  "
                                                                                                                                                               Heb.  11:17-19

   How strange is this event in the life of Abraham!                               offered up to the Lord. This is the climactic event i
First, he and Sarah must wait twenty-five years                                    Abraham's life. This is evident from the epistle  c
before Isaac is born, till both are utterly impotent to                            James, James  2:20-24. This holy writer singles  OL
bring forth seed. And then this only son must be                                   this event in the life of Abraham.


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                195



  This incident is recorded in Genesis 22. On the one          Secondly, he must slay Isaac, his only begotten.
hand, Abraham's response was immediate. Did' he              Genesis 22 adds the observation that Isaac is "thine
inform Sarah of the Lord's command? And, on the              only son whom thou  lovest." One may object that
other hand, what a  jou'rney this must have been to a        Ishmael, too, was Abraham's son. However, Ishmael
mountain the Lord would show him!                            was only the son of Abraham, not of Abraham and
                                                             Sarah. Besides, Ishmael was no longer with Abraham;
                                                             he had been sent away. And, Isaac was his only son,
              AMOSTSEVERETRIAL                               also as far as the covenant is concerned. So, Abraham
                                                             must sacrifice Isaac, his only begotten, whom he
  God here tries or tempts Abraham. He commands              loved.
him to offer up his only son. We may well ask: how is
this possible? How and why did the Lord command                Thirdly, Isaac was the only hope of the covenant.
him to do such a thing?                                      The text emphasizes this. We read: "Of whom it was
                                                             said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called." The
  The distinction between trials and temptations             meaning of this expression is clear. The "seed" here,
must not be sought in the word as such. It is stated         of course, does not refer merely to Abraham's natural
that the word trial always has a good meaning in             descendants, the Jews. The seed here is Christ and, in
Scripture, whereas the word temptation is usually            Him, all the elect of God throughout the ages. The
used in an evil sense. And if it be objected that James,     Church is meant here, the elect church of God, God's
in Ch. 1: 13-16, speaks of temptations whereas we            covenant people elected from before the foundation
read in this text that Abraham was tried, we may             of the world. And now Abraham is called to sacrifice
answer that the word here is the same word as  `in           this son. He waited twenty-five years for this Wonder
James 1: 13. The distinction between "trials" and            Child. Isaac now has become seventeen years of age.
"temptations" lies in the one conducting them. When          He was the delight of Abraham and Sarah. And
Satan tries or tempts us, puts us to the test, his           Abraham must slay him. Remember: none can ever
purpose is always evil, to lead us into evil. But when       take his place. God's covenant stands or falls with
the Lord tries or tempts  ,us, He does it to purify us.      him. This is Abraham's test, imposed upon him by
His motive is always good and salutary.                      the living God. What a severe trial!
  To understand these trials of God's people, we
must. understand that we are moral-rational creatures.
This characterizes God's entire work of salvation. The                     AWONDERFULFAITH
grace of God does not simply operate upon us but  in           That Abraham had a struggle is indicated in the
us and  through  us. We are made spiritually active in       text. We read that he accounted. . . . Abraham,
His work of grace. I assume that from the viewpoint          therefore, counted, calculated, computed; he con-
of God's power He could save us and lead us into             sidered the pro's .and the con's, the things for and
glory without these trials. But this is not God's way.       against, and concluded that God was able to raise him
He purposes to purify and strengthen our faith               from the dead.
through many trials and temptations.                           Abraham experienced this struggle at the very
  As far as Abraham is concerned, he was confronted          outset. The Lord had commanded him to offer up his
with a two-fold choice.He could either obey God or           son. In Genesis  22:3 we read that he rose up early in
disobey Him. He could either sacrifice his son and           the morning. So, by this time. the father of believers
break, his heart, or he could  o.bey the natural desires     had accounted that God was able to raise him up.
of his heart and spare himself  the. agony of sacrificing    This implies, however, that he had struggled through-
Isaac. He stood before this choice. And the same             out that night, had now come to his decision.
trials also' confront us. It is always either-or. We are       Then, he struggled while  enroute to Mount Moriah.
always faced with the alternative: walk in the ways of       What a tedious, tortuous journey this must have been
the Lord contrary to our natural desires, .or disobey        of three days! While on the way, he must have
the word of the Lord and satisfy the carnal desires of       informed Isaac of the purpose of the journey without
our flesh.                                                   informing him that he was to be sacrificed. Indeed,
  This trial of Abraham was most severe.                     had he wished, he could have retraced his steps.
   First, he must slay his son. He must not only watch       Abraham, however, never falters along the way.
him die. Were we ever at the deathbed of one of our            And then we have the final scene. Abraham
children? What a tremendous agony of heart and soul          commands his servants to tarry behind with the asses.
to watch the agonies of that final death struggle!           Enroute to the top of the mount, Isaac asks his
Abraham, however, must slay his son. He is com-              father, according to Genesis  22:6-7. Abraham answers
manded by God to sacrifice him upon Mount Moriah.            him. Did the father of believers in his answer refer to
He must thrust the knife into his heart or throat.           Isaac, or to a sacrifice other than that of his son


  196                                           THE STANDARD BEARER



 which the Lord would provide?                                promise. This faith drew from the father of believer
                                                              the conviction that God would raise Isaac from  thl
    How wonderful is Abraham's victory! Indeed,               dead. And this applies also to the Church throughou
  Abraham offered up Isaac, his only son. The text            the ages. To believe is contrary to the flesh, a takin;
  emphasizes this. We read in verse 17 that he "offered       hold of the invisible. We must believe that God is
  up Isaac," and the word indicates a completed act on        that He loves us, that all our sins are forgiven, that  ;
  the part of Abraham. Of course, this means that to          life awaits us in heavenly glory and immortality.  Am
 Abraham the deed was as good as accomplished; he             all these things are invisible, contrary to all that  WC
beheld his son as sacrificed and slain.                       see, also contrary to our flesh.
    How did he conquer?                                                          A GLORIOUS FRUIT
    First, he accounted that the Lord was able to raise
  him from the dead. Now we might be inclined to say                 What a glorious fruit for Abraham! First, he  also
  that it must have been comparatively simple for             received him in a figure. He had really sacrificed hi
  Abraham to come to this conclusion. Was not Isaac           son, in his mind and thoughts. And now, not actually
  the long awaited one,  the  child of the promise?           but in a figure, also in his thoughts, he received hin
  Would not "in Isaac his seed be called"? Surely, Isaac      again from the dead. He not only saw Isaac as slain
  must live. So, if he must be sacrificed, he must surely     but also as raised from the dead. Secondly, Abrahan
  be raised from the dead. And God is able to do this.        experienced the strengthening of his faith. Now this  i,
                                                              always God's purpose. when He tempts or tries Hi;
    Simple we say? Yes, provided that we bear one             people. And thus it was with Abraham. A mar
  thing in mind, to which we wiil shortly call attention.     becomes physically stronger as he exercises. This i
  But, does this simple, logical conclusion make              also spiritually true. It is for this purpose that  these
  Abraham's task less difficult? Abraham, we under-           trials are necessary. As we are tempted and  endurc
  stand, must still contend with himself, and Isaac is his    and experience the wondrous power of God  tc
  son, his flesh and blood. Does the fact of his being        sustain us in our trials we grow and are strengthened
  raised lessen the agony of driving the knife into his       We do not grow in the knowledge of what we can do
  heart? Besides, why kill him if he will be raised           but only in what faith, God's gift, can enable us  tc
  anyway?                                                     do. And, receiving Isaac from the dead as in a figure
    And this we may apply to-the Church throughout            Abraham also received from God the blessed  revela
  the ages. How often `God's people are subjected to          tion that it was the will of God, not only to call hi:
  cruel tortures! We read of them at the end of               seed in Isaac, but also that this would occur in  the
  Hebrews 11. And we, `too, believe that God will raise       way of death and resurrection. Indeed, the father  0.
  us from the dead. But, we must contend with our             believers saw Christ's day afar off and he rejoiced ir
  flesh and blood. Are we always ready to submit our          it.
  bodies to unbelievable and inconceivably cruel tor-                And for us? Beneficial and blessed are tht
  tures?                                                      afflictions and trials of the people of God.  The)
    Secondly, Abraham gained this victory by faith.           always serve the strengthening of our faith.  Enduring
  And faith, in Hebrews 11, and also in this text, is the     them we experience the power of God's grace anew
  evidence of things unseen and the substance  .of things     They serve to purify us. They enable us to count al
  hoped for. After all,' he must slay Isaac,. and that        things but loss for the sake of Christ. They serve  tc
  means the absolute end. Beyond this, Abraham could          impress upon us the folly of the things below and  thl
  not see; he dealt with things invisible. His conclusion     glory of what awaits us. And, tried by fire as silve
  concerning Isaac's resurrection was not a conclusion        and gold, we believe that all the sufferings of thi
  of reason, but of faith. Besides, never had a               .present  time are never to be compared with the  glor:
  resurrection occurred in the history of the world and       that shall follow. Indeed, we are always more  thai
  of the church. But he believed in God and in His            conquerors through Christ Who loved us.





            THE STANDARD BEARER

                  is a thoughtful gift for a "Shut-in".


                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  197





                                          l!?ditor's Notes


Price Increase.  The pressures of inflation have forced       2) We have a small number of copies of  Reformed
the Board of the R.F.P.A. to increase the subscription        Dogmatics  and  Behold, He Cometh!  on hand which
price of our  Standard Bearer  to $9.00 per year.             are still available at the old price of $9.95, subject to
Substantial increases in publishing costs at every level      Book Club discount. Both of these books are already
make this necessary. We trust that our readers will           in process of reprinting, but inflation is forcing us to
understand and will realize that at less than  50~ per        increase the price of both to $12.95. If you want a
issue the  Standard Bearer  is still a good magazine          bargain, hurry! The old price will hold only as long as
bargain. Let me take this opportunity also to suggest         the supply lasts.
and urge that our churches inflate their collections                                 ****
for the Standard Bearer.                                      Begging for Help!  Our next large RFPA book will be
                                                              my The Voice Of Our Fathers (An Exposition of the
                        *-*  *  *                             Canons of Dordrecht).  It is already in process, but
                                                              cannot be completed until we have more cash on
Book Close-out.  As noted before, our Publications            hand. It is estimated that the total cost of this project
Committee is in need of hard cash to proceed with             will be in the neighborhood of $14,000. Since the
various publishing projects. Inflation is striking in this    beginning of our organization we have not asked for
area also. In order to realize some cash, the RFPA            contributions. But we could surely use some  good-
Publications Committee announces the following:               sized gifts right now. I am thinking in terms of gifts
1) A bargain basement close-out on  God's Covenant            of $500 or $1000. This would speed up our
Faithfulness.  All remaining copies of this book, which       publishing process. We do have several projects on our
will not  be reprinted, will be sold for $2.95. Since         waiting list! Send your gifts to: RFPA Publications
this is already a 50% discount, this price is not subject     Committee, P.O. Box 2006, Grand Rapids, MI.
to a further RFPA Book Club discount.                         49501.


EDITORIALS
ProJ: H. C. Hoeksema

                                                      Why?

   From time to time I receive inquiries, both orally         accomplish by speaking out. They ask, for example,
and in writing, as to why the  Standard Bearer  speaks        whether I hope to convince men like Dr. Daane or Dr.
out critically and sometimes rather sharply on various        Boer of their error. Or do I hope to convince Pastor
issues related to the subject of the free offer of the        Hulse, of  Reformation Today,  that he is on the wrong
gospel and common grace. Occasionally it is not even          track? Or do I hope to make the Christian Reformed
inquiries which I receive, but rather bluntly critical        denomination see the error of its way? Others are
accusations. Some will inquire as to why, when                averse to controversy in our columns, quite in
various other publications express themselves in one          general. Still others express that controversy with
way or another in favor of the well-meant offer, the          respect to "liberals" is all right, but that with respect
Standard Bearer  speaks out often in reply and                to the "conservative" family controversy and criti-
criticism. Others inquire as to what we hope to               cism are to be avoided.


198                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



  Hence, although upon occasion I have dealt with             Bearer  was called into being; and it is for the
these and similar questions before, it may be helpful         exposure and refutation of these errors that our
to do so again and in greater detail.                         Standard Bearer  was called into being. Though times
  First of all, and from a purely practical point of          have changed, and though there has been develop-
view, it happens from time to time that we write on a         ment both with respect to the truth and with respect
controversial subject because  we  are  asked  to do so.      to the lie, principally the battle is the same and our
Sometimes a reader-friend will send us a church paper         calling is the same. And as the Lord gives us grace, we
or a clipping to call it to our attention. Sometimes a        shall be faithful to that calling. Should we fail, the
reader will specifically ask us to reflect on a certain       Standard Bearer  would lose its reason for existence.
writing. Thus, for example, when several months ago             But there is another viewpoint from which we may
I commented on a couple articles in  Reformation              ask this question, "Why?"
Today  which were plainly Arminian, this was in
response to an urgent request from a reader in                  We may ask it from the point of view of our
England who has learned to know our  Standard                 readership. With respect to our readers, why do we
Bearer  as a champion of the Reformed faith. And              write about these matters, matters of concern in
when we receive such requests to write on crucial             other churches and in other magazines, matters which
issues, we try to be helpful.                                 might seem to some to be of no concern to us, and
                                                              perhaps even none of our business?
  In the second place, why do we write? Because
others write, and because it is our perfect right to            In the first place, taking into consideration the fact
reply and to take issue. It seems a bit strange and           that by far the largest part of our readers is Protestant
inconsistent that there ,--are those who have no              Reformed, we answer that we write for their
objection when in certain quarters men promote their          instruction. They must know what is going on. And
errant views on such a subject as the general,                this is particularly true with respect to the very issues
well-meant offer of the gospel (free offer), but take         which I mentioned above. Why? In general, because
great umbrage when a magazine such as ours takes              these controversial issues directly concern our heri-
issue and sharply contends against such writings.             tage. Specifically, this is true because we do not live
Simple fairness would seem to dictate that we have as         in isolation, but in close contact with others, outside
much right to write and to be read on such issues as          of our small Protestant Reformed circle. This makes
those of opposite views.                                      it imperative that we know what we believe, that we
   In the third place,  `we write not only because we         understand the times, that we are aware of the issues,
consider it our right to do so, but still more because        and that we discern the connection between various
we consider it our calling and our duty. This is true,        errors in 1980 and the errors of 1924. This is even,
first of all, quite in general. It is our calling to          more imperative when we take into account the
condemn and expose the lie and to vindicate the               passing of generations. The generation which has to
truth. But more specifically, this is our calling             any degree a direct knowledge of the events and
particularly with respect to those aspects of our             issues which brought about the origin of our churches
Reformed faith which are most intimately connected            is almost gone. New generations, the second and the
with our origin and history as Protestant Reformed            third and even the fourth, are taking their place. It
people, and therefore with respect to those errors            ought to be a matter of great concern to us  - to our
which are most intimately connected with that                 pulpits, to our catechism rooms, to our parents, to
origin and history. I refer to the truth that God's           our schools  - to see to it that these new generations
grace is sovereign and particular, for the elect alone,       know and understand thoroughly what being Protes-
never common. I refer to the truth that the gospel is         tant Reformed is all about. And it is one of the chief
the power of God unto salvation unto everyone that            concerns of our Standard Bearer to assist in this.
believeth, that it is the sure and unconditional                Closely connected with this, in the second place,
promise of God to the elect alone, never a mere,              stands the fact that in a negative kind of way the
general offer, dependent on the will of those who             history and developments of the present are vindicat-
hear. I refer to the truth of the antithesis, the truth of    ing our Protestant Reformed battle of 1924 and our
world-fight, as over against either the error of              stance today. I have referred to. this phenomenon
synthesis and amalgamation or the error of  world-            before. In 1924 and the years immediately thereafter,
flight. I refer to the truth of total depravity, the truth    our leaders warned and prophesied that inherent in
that the natural man is incapable of any good and             the Three Points of Common Grace there was a denial
inclined to all evil by nature, as over against the error     of particular atonement, and that some day the error
that the natural man by a non-saving operation of the         ,of general atonement would rear its ugly head in the
Holy Spirit is capable of doing much good. It is for          Christian Reformed Church. That prophecy came
the vindication of these truths that our  Standard            true with the Dekker Case of the 1960s. In those


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 199



same years our leaders warned that implicit in the          again in 1953, which was compelled in the process of
First Point of Common Grace was a denial of                 that struggle to develop the Reformed truth positive-
sovereign reprobation, and that some day this error         ly and to defend it, and which continued to exist in
would be openly expressed. That prophecy is coming          close proximity to the mother denomination which
true today before our very eyes.                            expelled us for the sake of the truth. By God's grace
  Now  when the  Standard Bearer  calls attention to        we have consistently maintained our position as
these things, this is not merely by way of warning to       churches.
what is after all a very limited Christian Reformed           Closely connected with this, in the second place,
readership. But it is for our own instruction. And it is    stands the fact that in the course of our struggle we
for our own encouragement. For the very fact that           have had the opportunity to observe firsthand the
these prophetic words of a Hoeksema and an Ophoff           devastating effects of the doctrine of a free offer. As I
of yesteryear are fulfilled is a very strong and clear      mentioned earlier, in our mother church it has led to
indication that they saw correctly with respect to the      the further errors of general atonement and a denial
Three Points. It is a vindication of their position  -      of sovereign reprobation. Do you wonder, then, that
and ours.                                                   we speak out sharply against this error, no matter by
  But there is more.                                        whom it is promoted? I know there are those who do
                                                            not deem the matter so important, who have thought
  Although our circulation is small, there is neverthe-     the  Standard Bearer  was too sharp in its polemics.
less a considerable number of readers of our magazine       There are those who like to be satisfied with being
outside our Protestant Reformed denomination.               conservatively Reformed, or.Presbyterian, in a general
These readers are found throughout our own country          kind of way, those who fear the divisiveness of an
and Canada. They are found in the United Kingdom            issue of this kind, those who think we should be
and the Netherlands and Australasia and South               satisfied with being evangelically Reformed without
Africa and Singapore and elsewhere, throughout the          being polemical and without attacking those who
world. They are found among Reformed and Pres-              take an opposite stand with respect to common grace
byterian and Reformed Baptist people.                       and the free offer. But let them consider the fact that
  And we have something to say to them. I dare say          ultimately this is impossible. And let them consider
that it is something which they cannot hear from            the fact that we of the Protestant Reformed
others  - not because we are better than others, but        denomination are able to. speak from  experience.  We
because of the peculiar struggle and history of our         know from experience and from observation that it is
Protestant Reformed movement. Perhaps some of our           impossible ultimately to deviate or to maintain a
readers are surprised and even taken aback  - and           weak stand or a neutral stand or even a discreet
possibly even mistakenly offended from time to time         silence with respect to the error of the free offer and
- at our incessant battle and our controversy against       at the same time to maintain such fundamentals of
the free offer and its proponents. They ought not to        the Reformed faith as particular atonement and
be, but in a way I can understand this.                     sovereign predestination. Eventually he who attempts
  Let me point out to such readers, in the first place,     to hold to a two-track theology will be forced to the
that we occupy a unique position as Protestant              point of either . . . or.
Reformed Churches. I know of no other Reformed                To witness of these things, both within and
denomination which has been, through the doctrinal          without our Protestant Reformed circle, is one of the
struggle through which we passed in 1924, which             primary tasks of our Standard Bearer.
continued as a denomination ever since that time,
which passed through a  closely,related doctrinal crisis      Pay attention!


                                      Test-tube Babies

  This issue has now come home in concrete form to          attempt would be made in our own country also to
our country. Not long ago there were news headlines         experiment with the production of such "test-tube
concerning the success of attempts in England to            babies." Recently it was reported that in one of our
produce a "test-tube baby." It was to be expected           eastern states approval was granted for the  establish-
that before long this scientific "advance" would            ment of a lab, or clinic, devoted to this purpose. You
result in a proliferation of attempts by medical            may depend on it that this is but a beginning, and
science to imitate this feat, and that before long the      that the attempts to promote what is called "in vitro


200                                                                        THE STANDARD BEARER



fertilization" (the fertilization of a human egg outside                                              "With such thoughts and plenty of private capital,
o f   t h e   w o m b   i n   a   t e s t - t u b e ,   f o l l o w e d   b y   t h e              eugenic crusades, heretofore distastefully elitist and
implanting of the thus initiated fetus in a woman's                                                repressive, can be given a show-business sparkle.
womb) will multiply.                                                                               Moreover, laboratory embryos can be transferred to
                                                                                                   the wombs of lesbian women, repealing the law as old
I r o n i c ,   i s   i t   n o t ,   t h a t   t h e   s a m e   s o c i e t y   w h i c h        as protoplasm which binds maternity to heterosexual-
promotes unlimited abortion and murders countless                                                  ity.
infants in the womb also promotes the production of                                                   "Or, more ominously still, the same technique of
such test-tube babies?, And is it not ironic, too, that                                            embryo transfer can be nationalized and employed
the very production of a test-tube baby involves (see                                              solely by government license, to give children to
below) abortion?                                                                                   women previously sterilized by government decision.
    Yes, the Lord snares the wicked world in its own                                               The  total  control of population can become govern-
worldly wisdom and wickedness.                                                                     ment policy.
    From. time to time we receive a little paper called                                               "But if this latest step toward societal mutation,
National Christian Action Coalition ALERT.                                                         or, to change the figure, this match against the tinder
                                                                                     The           of a nation already, in the long view of history,
December, 1979 issue carried an article from which                                                 reproductively abnormal, is to be kindled by federal
we think it worthwhile to quote at length.                                                         grants for research on  in  vitro fertilization and
    The article begins as follows:                                                                 embryo transfer, in this year when the first test-tube
                                                                                                   baby was successfully carried to term in England, it
           The traditional Christian family, as we know it, is                                     will not be done in the name of vast possibilities like
       quickly becoming a' memory. One of every two                                                these, nor will it be averted by prophetic cries against
       marriages now ends in divorce. The increase in the use                                      them. The technique for winning public acceptance
       of contraceptives has made procreation purely volun-                                        for morally dubious policy innovations is by now
       tary, rather than natural and affectional. Feminist                                         familiar. Attention is distracted from the long, his-
       Betty  Friedan applauds "the pill" as one of the most                                       torical perspective and the broad, social impact;
       important scientific developments of this century, for                                      attention is concentrated on a small number of hard
       it made the "women's liberation" movement possible.                                         cases. Advocates of abortion law reform hammered
       In the last decade, we have seen the family further                                         away at the rape case, the incest case, the case of
       eroded by public acceptance of "alternative life-                                           severe damage to maternal health. Today the ad-
       styles," "open marriages," "no-fault divorce," co-                                          vocates of  in vitro  fertilization and the back-up
       habitation, and public promotion of "non-traditional                                        research to perfect it are ethically acceptable:"
       families."
                                                                                                 Perhaps some of the above may be deemed
    The article then goes on to quote the opinion of a                                         imaginative. Nevertheless the tremendous potential
Dr. William Marshner, Chairman of the Department                                               for evil involved in this newest success of medical
of Theology at Christendom College, as follows:                                                science is vividly pointed out.
       "such is the societal tinder to which today another
       major innovation, the test tube baby, may well apply                                      The article concludes by pointing to the evil of
       the match. Alterations of the style in which human                                      abortion involved in the very production of test-tube
       life is transmitted have come closer and closer,                                        babies, as follows:
       through layer after social layer, to the biochemical                                           Why are we opposed? Other than the clear
       core of the process itself. Now, with the test tube                                         anti-family indication expressed above,  in vitro
       baby, it is no longer a question of not choosing  th,e                                      fertilization opens the door to mass-produced abor-
       family but of obsolescing it technologically.                                               tions. Human life begins at the point of fertilization.
           "For the first time, human gametes, utterly                                             These "researchers" and doctors who are experiment-
       disengaged from the persons at their source, can                                            ing with test tube babies don't just fertilize one egg;
       circulate freely and congregate in  vitro. Embryos so                                       they work with several, choose the "best"; and
       initiated can be transferred to the womb of any                                             destroy the rest. These eugenic abortions are based
       woman willing, or coerced. Famous persons can be                                            solely on human judgment. The child is treated as a
       paid handsome fees to put their sperm or their ova                                          consumer object whose worth depends on the color
       into circulation. An ordinary woman, living a dull life                                     of its eyes, its sex, and "healthy" appearance.
       in middle America, can begin to ask herself new                                                The ethical and moral implications of  in vitro
       questions, remarkably independent of her love life or                                       fertilization are staggering. . . .
       even of her marriage: When she wants a child, shall
       she go to bed, or shall she go to the lab? Shall she                                      Certainly, no child of God can be lured by this
       `know' a man she knows, or shall she conceive by a                                      latest medical advance.
       man she admires? Shall her child spring from a man as
       ordinary as herself or from the seed sold at the                                          When you have the opportunity, raise your voice
       International All-Star Sperm Bank, a subsidiary of                                      against its promotion and approval  - on Christian
       Upjohn?                                                                                 grounds.


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                  201



MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE





                                      Letter  to Timothy


                                       February  1, 1980     seen it happen time and time again (perhaps in your
Dear Timothy,                                                own life) that people will condemn fiercely faults in
                                                             others of which they are themselves especially guilty.
  We were talking about the power with which we              Jesus has this very thing in mind when he warns:
are endowed by God to know ourselves. You will               "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy
recall that we ended our last letter with a discussion       brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that'is in
of the apparent conflict between the Scriptural              thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother,
injunction on the one hand to live lives of  self-           Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and,
forgetfulness, and on the other to be constantly busy        behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite,
with knowing ourselves in some sense  - as in                first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and
self-examination.                                            then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the
  Now, before we attempt to, resolve this problem,           mote out  of thy brother's eye.". (Mat. 7:3-5.)
we ought to be reminded of'something else which              Jesus means to say here, not only that we
Scripture says concerning us. Scripture tells us, in one     have beams in our own eyes which need casting
way or another, that we cannot really know                   out; he means to say, not only that these  beams  are
ourselves. Scripture is rather insistent upon this point.    much larger than the small motes in the eye of our
And the main reason why we cannot know ourselves             brother; but He also means to say that we cannot
is  sin.  Just plain sin. Sin makes it impossible to know    possibly see what is wrong with our brother until we
ourselves as we truly are.       '                           have taken out of our lives the sins which are present
                                                             with us. Only when we first get the beam out of our
  There are several ways in which Scripture drives           own eye will we be able to see the mote which is in
this point home to us. For one thing, Jeremiah writes        our brother's eye. But it is so terribly hard to see that
in chapter  17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all          beam in our  owneye. And, as long as we do not see
things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"            the beam in our own eye, we cannot see clearly even
Now, it is true that the prophet means here that the         whether the brother has a mote in his eye.
depths of depravity in man are so great that it is             The same thing is true of self-examination. We
impossible for anyone to plumb these depths. We are          cannot really examine ourselves at all. This is a
always surprised at how evil man really is. But the          spiritual impossibility simply because it is a spiritual
prophet means also to say that this is true of each          exercise. Sin is so totally devastating that it makes us
man personally. He is so desperately wicked that he          spiritually blind. We are, because of our sin, so blind
cannot even see his own sins and the depths of his           that we cannot see our sin. If we are to examine
depravity. He cannot know himself as he truly is.            ourselves, we need a'spiritual power which we do not
  It is for this reason that one of the chief                possess of ourselves. This must come from God. That  -
characteristics of men is that while they have  20/20        is why the unregenerated man can never confess the
vision when it comes to seeing the faults, weaknesses,       truth of total depravity. And, indeed, the truth of
and sins in others, they are totally blind when it           total depravity makes him furiously angry. Even the
comes to seeing their own faults. You have yourself          regenerated child of God has a great deal of trouble


202                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



with this when it becomes concrete. He probably has           facade which covers up a deep selfishness after all.
no trouble with the truth of total depravity as an              But there are also people who are inordinately
abstract doctrine. But there is nothing which makes           preoccupied with themselves. Sometimes this is sheer
people so angry as to have their own sins pointed out         selfishness. Their motto in life is: "Me first, and the
to them. They have a natural inclination to rebel             devil take the hindmost." They are so totally
against this. Everyone of us has a lot of Arminianism         absorbed in themselves that they seek only their
in himself when it comes to the truth of total                well-being, their comfort, their enjoyment, their
depravity as applied to his own life.                         pleasure. This is a very great evil. It especially
  Two things are necessary if we are really to                characterizes our age. Again and again  Time  maga-
examine ourselves. One is that we have the Holy               zine, to cite but one example, calls our present times,
Spirit within ourselves Who gives to us the spiritual         times of individualism. And by this fancy euphemism,
ability to do this; the other is that we always examine       Time  means only that we live in times when every
ourselves in the light of Scripture. These two are            man is concerned only about himself and gives no
really the same. Together they mean that only the             thought to anyone else.
Holy Spirit can tell us the kind of people we really
are. The Holy Spirit tells us objectively in the                There are people who are preoccupied with their
Scriptures. Apart from the Scriptures we can never            health. They are so concerned about their health that
form an accurate and correct picture of ourselves.            they are always sick with something or other. They
Apart from the Scriptures we will always think of             are called hypochondriacs and they make it possible
ourselves as better than we really are. But the               for doctors to live a good life with large incomes.
Scriptures tell things about us which are really true.          There are people .who are preoccupied with their
They tell it as it really is. And the Holy Spirit, by His     own life. They are always worried about every aspect
work within our hearts, imprints that truth upon our          of their life. They are the ones who are always taking
self-consciousness. The Holy Spirit makes what is             these foolish and stupid tests in the  Readers Digest:
objectively set forth in Scripture a truth which we.          "Is your marriage healthy? If your score is 20 or
truly appropriate and confess. And it is this which           better, you have a healthy marriage. If your score is
leads inevitably to  confessio,n of sin and a deep cry        below. 12, you had better see a marriage  counsellor."
for forgiveness.                                              They are preoccupied with following all the rules in
  This is the reason why The Psalmist, as, e.g., in           bringing up children. They read manual after manual,
Psalm  139:23,  24, prays: "Search me, 0 God, and             column after newspaper column. And, because every
know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and              man has a different idea and a different program,
see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in          they are always mixed up and never know what is
the way everlasting." The Psalmist is not praying this        right and what is wrong. But they are sure something
prayer that God may acquire some information about            is wrong. And the more they read, the more certain
us which He does not possess. But it is only in this          they become that things are not right.
way of God's searching and trying that we are able to           They are preoccupied with their mental health.
know ourselves.                                               They are always engaging in some sort of self-analysis,
  Now there is an important principle here which              some kind of self-psychoanalysis, and they find all
concerns our entire mental and spiritual well-being.          sorts of things to be wrong with them. You have no
There are, on one extreme, people who in a bad sense          doubt been struck with the fact that it is not at all
of the word never seem to give a thought to                   unusual for people who have mental problems to be
themselves. Sometimes  .these people are reckless and         so completely absorbed in themselves that they
easily endanger their own lives. They seem so utterly         cannot hear anything else but what immediately
unconcerned about themselves that they foolishly              concerns themselves. You often have the feeling: if
plunge into every kind of danger without giving any           only they would forget themselves once, they would
thought about what it will do to them. They are,              be cured of all their mental problems. But they are
what we sometimes `call, scatterbrained and irre-             trapped in a vicious circle of thinking so completely
sponsible. There is often in these people, however, a         of themselves that they are bound to find something
deep selfishness  - even though it is hidden. It is a         or other wrong. They analyze and ponder every
selfishness which manifests itself in a proud disdain         thought, every desire, every motive, every action,
for their own safety and well-being but which is              every event to find some significance in it which will
rooted in a desire to appear before men as brave and          lead to a greater understanding of self. Modern
courageous. There is, often in these  people,  a reckless-    psychology is, in large measure, geared to such
ness which is born out of a desire to be "thrilled" by        self-understanding. "Know yourself!" That's the
one new experience after another. And so, even                watchword of today's world.
though it seems as if they are self-forgetting, this is a       This sort of a thing leads to untold grief and


                                                THE-STANDARD BEARER                                                203



countless problems. And we must learn to put a stop           victorious in Christ through the power of confession
to this. But how?                                             and forgiveness in Christ's blood. We will see
  The solution to the problem lies in the Word of             ourselves as those who have been given a place and a
God. Every bit of our knowledge of ourselves must             calling in God's kingdom and Church. We will see
come from the Word of God. We must fasten                     ourselves as those who labor in that calling with much
ourselves to that Word. We must always see ourselves          sin and imperfection, but as those whose labor is
only in the light of that Word. That Word must                never in vain in the Lord. We will see ourselves as
always be the mirror into which we look. Never must           destined to live in heaven with Christ, freed from sin
we come to any conclusions about ourselves apart              and blessed beyond measure in the tabernacle of God.
from it. That is our only escape. If ever we try                And the more we see ourselves in the light of
anything else, we will go wrong.                              Scripture, the more also we attain to the true
  If we do this we will discover the great spiritual          self-forgetfulness of which Scripture speaks as we
truths of Scripture, first of all.  We. will see ourselves    labor in the consciousness of God's grace.
as totally depraved sinners who are completely                  Both come together here. Both come together (our
unworthy of the grace of God. But, in the same                necessary concern with ourselves and our calling to
Scriptures, we will see ourselves also as those who are       self-forgetfulness) in seeing ourselves as God describes
redeemed by the blood of Christ. We will see                  us on the pages of Holy Writ, The closer we live in
ourselves as sanctified through the power of that             this consciousness, the more we shall also live happy
blood  - even though it be in principle now.                  and serene lives in the midst of the world. Our
  We will see ourselves reflected in that mirror as           troubles are rooted in our failure to attain this. Our
those who, because they are redeemed only in                  solutions lie in the doing of this.
principle, have to struggle daily with sin and its power                                 Fraternally in Christ,
in our lives and about us. We will see ourselves as                                      H. Hanko


THE LORD GAVE THE WORD





                                           The Believer's
                                     Calling in Missions
                                                PvoJ: Robert D. Decker





  It is rather commonly thought among us that                 and to the consistories and Synods and Mission
believers really have no essential calling as far as          Committees. This notion is all wrong and we ought to
mission work is concerned. Other than supporting the          rid ourselves completely of it. The believer has not
mission program of the churches by means of prayer            only a significant calling in mission work but an
and offerings, believers have no mission calling. At          essential one. The New Testament makes very plain
least they are not directly involved in mission work.         that without the believer and his witness there can be
That task belongs to the missionaries and preachers           no mission work at all.


204                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



  The believer has a calling first of all in the office of    There can be no question of the fact that the Apostle
believer. As children of God, the redeemed in Christ,         was deeply conscious of his need of the prayers of the
all the believers share in the anointing of Christ.           believers in all his preaching and teaching of the
They are prophets, priests, and kings in Christ. The          gospel. It is obvious that, apart from the support,
believers  speakthe praises of God, are consecrated in        encouragement, and certainly the prayers of the
His  service,,&nd rule over the works of God's hands,         believers, the missionaries cannot labor. This is no
all in Christ. The New Testament everywhere testifies         little matter. If there be no support and if there be no
to the fact that Christ calls and ordains missionaries        prayers on the part of the believers the missionary
and sends them out through the office of believer.            cannot make known the mystery of the gospel. Once
This is the way Christ gathers, defends, and preserves        more, the plain fact is: believers are indispensable to
His elect out of the nations. Christ never works apart        missions!
from the church. His  w&k is accomplished always                As prophets, priests, and kings in Christ believers
through the church and the-office of believer. This           are also called to witness in the world. The New
means most emphatically that apart from the office            Testament is full of this. Scripture exhorts us to have
of believer there can be no mission work at all. It is        our conversation honest among the Gentiles. The
the church, believers as members of the Body of               purpose is that they may see our good works and
Christ as manifest in the institute of the church in the      glorify God in the day of visitation. That term,
world, which preaches the gospel in all the world. It is      "conversation," means manner of living. This includes
not just men, individual missionaries, who preach in          all of our speech and all of our actions, our lives in
Jamaica or Singapore or East Lansing or Birmingham.           every detail and from every point of view. Our
The Church does that. Thus according to Acts 13 : 1 ff.       manner of living must be a testimony to the Gentiles,
The Holy Spirit said to the believers, the church in          the heathen (Cf. I Peter 2: 12). According to I Peter
Antioch: "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the               3: 15 we must be ready always to give an answer to
work whereunto I have called them." After fasting             every man who asks a reason of the hope that is in us.
and praying the believers laid their hands on, them           Again the purpose is that unbelievers who falsely
and sent them away.                                           accuse our good conversation in Christ may be
  In close connection with this is the fact that              ashamed. We must be ready to testify to those who
through the consistory the believers supervise both           ask concerning the hope that is in us. That implies
the work and the life of the missionary. Apart from           that we are living in such a way that our hope is
this rule of Christ through the church the missionary         obvious to those about us. I Corinthians  10:31-33
cannot function. It is clear, therefore, just from this       teaches that whether we eat or drink or whatever we
point of view alone, that the believer has a direct and       do we must do all to the glory of God. We must not
responsible place in  the  work of missions. In fact,         give offense, either to the Jew or the Gentile or the
Scripture teaches that the believer in the office of          Church of God. We must follow the Apostle's
Christ is indispensable to mission work.                      example who sought not his own profit but the profit
   In addition, the believers have the calling to             of many that they might be saved. And, to cite no
support the work of missions. From a material point           more, Acts  8:4 tells of the Jerusalem Christians who
of view the believer must liberally provide for the           were scattered abroad by the persecution which
earthly needs of the missionaries and the mission.            followed Stephen's martyrdom. They went every-
God calls believers to do this. Certainly, without the        where "preaching the Word." Literally, they were
faithful support of the congregations there can be no         evangelizing the Word, announcing the good news of
mission work. But there is more, much more.                   Christ. The believers themselves did this; they spoke
Believers must support the missionaries in prayer. In a       the Word everywhere. They did this not in the sense
very touching plea the Apostle Paul exhorted the              that they were official preachers. There were
Ephesians to pray for him: "Praying always with all           preachers among those scattered, Philip for example,
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching           who preached in  Samaria. But the believers witnessed.
thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for            All these passages and more indicate that the
all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given           church "lives in the public eye." Believers must,
unto me, that I may open my'mouth boldly, to make             therefore, live in such a manner that no reproach, no
known the mystery of:the gospel, For which I am an            shame is brought to the gospel or to the name of
ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak                 God. Positively, believers must shine as lights in the
boldly, as I ought to speak" (Ephesians 6: 18-20). The        world. They are called to witness, to testify of the
Apostle made the same request of the Thessalonians:           wonder of grace performed by God in Jesus Christ for
". . . that the Word may have free course, and be             them. They must call people to faith and repentance
glorified . .  ." (II Thess. 3: 1). And that same request     in Christ. They must not keep still about God and
is made of the believers in Colosse (Colossians  4:2).        about Christ and about His Word. They must be


                                              THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 205


ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks         own image; that so we may testify, by the whole of
concerning the hope that is in them. That witness           our conduct, our gratitude to God for his blessings,
must go forth also by the lives which they lead. They       and that he may be praised by us; also that everyone
must live always and in every sphere in obedience to        may be assured in himself of his faith, by the fruits
the will of God. They must do that as husbands and          thereof; and that, by our godly conversation, others
wives, as parents and children, as youth and aged.          may be gained to Christ.", Note that the last reason
They must do that in their work as well as in their         given why believers must do good works is that by
recreation. In that way the lives of believers will be a    their godly conversation others may be gained to
witness to the power of God's grace in Christ in them.      Christ.
No offense will be left. Christ will be seen in them.          The conclusion is apparent. Even though believers
God's great glory will shine in them. J.H. Bavinck put      are not ordained missionary preachers they have a
it nicely when he. wrote: "Thus the church must in          calling, a very serious and even indispensable calling
her exemplary conduct, in her mutual love, in her           with respect to mission work. That calling of the
mercy toward all, in short in all her conduct, reflect      Church is rooted in its eternal election of grace in
something of the greatness of Christ, to the end that       Christ Jesus. The spiritual isolation, the  uniqueness  of
the witness of the missionaries may be supported and        its essence as the elect Body of Jesus Christ, has for
the church may grow." (Introduction To The Science          its purpose the manifestation of God's praises. In
Of Missions, p. 48)                                         I Peter  2:9 the Scriptures teach us that believers are a
   That witness of the believers will bear its fruit.       chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
Negatively, it will provoke the hatred and opposition       a peculiar people. The purpose is that they should
of the ungodly. The wicked cannot stand the light of        show forth the praises of Him who has called them
the gospel and they will inevitably and persistently        out of darkness into his marvelous light. God has set
oppose the witness of the believers. Believers must         apart the Church for Himself in the midst of the
expect to be persecuted by the world precisely              world. The church is a chosen generation, a priest-
because of their witnessing to the gospel. This ought       hood of kings, an holy nation separated from sin and
in no way cause them to fear or to be discouraged.          consecrated to God, and thus a peculiar people in the
The witness of believers renders the ungodly without        midst of the world. That the church is that, elect in
excuse and they will be ashamed in the day of               Christ, implies a serious calling. That calling is to
judgment. Positively God uses the means of the              manifest God's praises. The church does this chiefly
witness of believers to bring His elect into the church.    by means of the preaching of the gospel, but also by
There they will come under the preaching of the             means of the godly lives of its members. By that
gospel, hear Christ, believe, call upon His name and        mighty power the elect are gathered out of the
be saved. The Heidelberg Catechism speaks of this           nations; the ungodly are condemned and the King-
when it speaks of the necessity of good works, in           dom of God comes in Jesus Christ in all of its glory.
Lord's Day 32: "Since then we are delivered from our          Let believers everywhere be faithful in their office
misery, merely of grace, through Christ, without any        as prophets, priests, and kings in order that the
merit of ours, why must we still do good works?             mission work of the church of Christ may prosper
Because Christ having redeemed and delivered us by          unto the gathering of the elect and the coming of
his blood, also renews us by his Holy Spirit, after his     Christ.

ALL AROUND US



                                    "Porneia" (Fornication)

                                                 Rev. G. Van Baren


   I have observed some very good reviews on the            translation as close as possible to the original
New International Version  of the Bible which has           languages  - yet expressed in common and easily
recently been introduced. It is the result of long and      understood English. The translation has been done by
patient years of hard work. It is meant to be a             men of a conservative, Reformed background.  Per-


206                                                        THE STANDARD BEARER



haps the acclaim accorded this translation is merited.                commit adultery, and anyone who marries a woman
I have not personally made any kind of careful study                  so divorced commits adultery." The Greek word
and comparison of the version with the original.                      "porneia" occurs 26 times in the New Testament  -
However, as in any translation, there is often room                   and the King James version translates it each time as
for disagreement with the translator. There has come                  "fornicator." Related words are all translated similar-
to my attention recently an occasion for such                         ly ("commit fornication"; "fornicator";  "whore-
disagreement  - where it seems to me that the                         monger"; etc.). Any lexicon gives this same basic
translators have obviously and deliberately changed                   meaning.
the plain meaning of a word: the word "fornication."                    What is wrong with the NIV translation? First,
  I encountered this in connection with "Pressure                     fornication is a sin which is not limited to the
Points" in the  Banner  of December 14, 1979. A letter                married. The word can equally apply to one who
was written to Mr. De Mey, the author, which stated                   violates the seventh commandment while not mar-
in part:                                                              ried. Surely it would not be reasonable to warn the
          I have always been a firm believer in the fact that         unmarried that they must not in the state of
       only fornication is  a'basis  for divorce  (lvlatt.  19:9).    singleness commit the sin of "marital unfaithfulness."
       This text eliminates the ground of alcoholism. . . .             But secondly, the translation of NIV is an error of
                                                                      logical reasoning. While it might be argued that
  Mr. De Mey answers (in part):                                       fornication is, in the state of marriage, "marital
          First, as stated in the article, I believe divorce          unfaithfulness," it can not be maintained that
       should be the final option after all other possibilities       therefore this is a legitimate interpretation. "Marital
       have been exhausted. . . .                                     unfaithfulness" is a far broader term than "fornica-
          Second, I believe that, as in church discipline,            tion." De Mey correctly understands that "marital
       divorce proceedings should begin only with the hope            unfaithfulness" can include "alcoholism" of a partner
       and prayer that the act will bring the alcoholic back          in marriage. The trouble is, that many other things
       to God and his family by making him realize his need           also represent "marital unfaithfulness." Any sin of
       for treatment. As noted in the August article, we have         one spouse against the other is in fact a form of
  seen this happen on more than one occasion with                     "marital unfaithfulness." If I unjustly shout at my
       residents of the Jellema House.                                wife or falsely accuse her of certain acts, that is also
          Another point the letter writer raises is that              "marital unfaithfulness." What the world terms
       Matthew 19 verse 9 says that only fornication is a             "mental cruelty" or even "incompatibility" can as
       basis for divorce. I have used the New International           well be termed "marital unfaithfulness." My point is
       Version which uses "marital unfaithfulness" as                 that the NIV translation basically allows for anything
       grounds for divorce. I submit that alcoholism can              as ground of divorce. "Marital unfaithfulness" is not
       constitute "marital unfaithfulness." When a man uses           only inaccurate translation, but an extremely broad
       the money for alcohol, the money his family needs              concept.
       for their support; when he no longer is capable of
       making decisions as  the,head of the household; when             I have heard the argument in past years that
       alcohol controls him rather than his controlling               "marital unfaithfulness" is properly a ground for
       alcohol; then I believe that is "marital unfaithful-           divorce. I have heard the idea expressed that
       ness."                                                         "fornication" suggests this broader view of "marital
  I do not now intend to comment on the reasoning                     unfaithfulness." Now the NIV give the appearance of
of De Mey concerning the grounds of divorce. I am                     legitimacy to this idea.
concerned about the quotation he gives from the new                     I submit that this is an extremely dangerous and
NIV of the Bible.                                                     erroneous translation. It can only serve to encourage
  In checking the passage De Mey mentions, one                        divorce within the church. It is too bad that the word
finds he is correct. The NIV states: "I tell you that                 of Christ has so been twisted.
anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital                        But, perhaps the learned translators have good
unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits                     grounds for their translation. I am not an authority, I
adultery." The NIV translates Matthew 5  :32 the same                 admit, of the Greek language. Perhaps they can show
way: "But I tell you that anyone who divorces his                     that their translation is correct. Can you help me out,
wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to                brethren?

                                 ' Know the standard and follow it.
                                 `Read  The Standard Bearer


                                                                           THE STANDARD BEARER                                                                207





                                                  Why Educate Our Children?

    From the  Presbyterian Journal,  December 5, 1979,                                            with an education. In fact, educating the individual is
o n e   f i n d s   a n   i n t e r e s t i n g   q u o t e   w h i c h   e x p r e s s e s        but a  means  to the true end of education -which is
strikingly the differences in goals in educating chil-                                             to create a viable social order to which individuals
dren :                                                                                             contribute and by which they are sustained.
          Once in a delightful while your opponent in an                                              "Family choice is, therefore, basically selfish and
      argument will catch you off guard by stating his                                             anti-social in that it focuses on the wants of a single
      position so clearly that you find you need say                                               family rather than on the needs of society."
      nothing more. His very clarity tends to demolish his                                            As we said, sometimes no response is needed.  -
      position.                                                                                    Joel Belz.
          Such was the case in the controversy now raging in
      California over a statewide "family choice in educa-                                       The above quote reminds again of the goals of men
      tion" referendum scheduled for next June. If                                             in educating children. Children of God are indeed
      approved, the measure would allow families to send                                       interested in providing "individual students with an
      their children to either public or nonpublic schools.                                    education," yet far more. It must be an education
      Either way, the parents would receive a payment                                          which is based upon the truths of the Word of God as
      voucher from the state.                                                                  maintained within the church. This, the world flatly
          The liberal educational establishment, of course, is                                 rejects. And it is because of the fear that the "liberal
      horrified at the possibility. Indeed, a report published                                 educational establishment" desires' to destroy the
      by the Association of California School Administra-                                      private and Christian school systems, that we have
      tors claims:                                                                             opposed receiving any kind of assistance from the
          "Parent choice proceeds from the belief that the                                     state. It has repeatedly been seen that state support
      purpose of education is to provide individual students                                   eventually also means state  ctintrol.



                                                                   The Sin of Sodom

    Sodomy, or homosexuality, or "gay'? movement,                                                 York Annual Conference to take a leave of absence
all suggest the same sin. It is openly condemned as sin                                           for a year. When he refused to do so, the 1978 session
in Scripture. Yet increasingly it is regarded not as sin,                                         of the conference upheld his ministry since his
i n   f a c t   n o t   e v e n   a s   "d i s e a s e , " b u t   a   l e g i t i m a t e        congregation overwhelmingly indicated it supported
expression of sexuality. Churches have been permit-                                               him.
ting this sin to exist within its confines. Increasingly,                                            Mr. Abels' status was questioned at the 1979
those who so sin are allowed in the ministry while                                                session of the annual conference last June, but he was
practicing the sin. A report of this is presented in  The                                         again appointed to the congregation. The conference
Christian News,  December 3, 1979:                                                                then voted to ask the Judicial Council for a
                                                                                                  ruling. . . .
          A United Methodist minister who is a practicing                                            The ordinations of homosexuals is expected to be
      homosexual has had his right to continue in a parish                                        a major issue at the 1980 General Conference of the
      position upheld by the denomination's "supreme                                              United Methodist Church, to be held in Indianapolis
      court," the Judicial Council.                                                               next April. Upon learning of the Judicial Council's
          In its semi-annual meeting, here, the nine-member                                       ruling, Mr. Abels said he was "delighted," and added,
      council declared that the United Methodist Discipline                                       "At least I know I'm safe until next April, and
      provides that "every member of an annual (regional)                                         actually I see things changing for the better."
      conference continues the member in good standing
      and in the effective relation."                                                            So goes the "church world." Indeed, it is being
          The ruling involved. . .  ., After he announced his                                  fulfilled, "Many false prophets shall arise and shall
      homosexuality in 1977, he was asked by the New                                           deceive many."


208                                         THE STANDARD BEARER



IN HIS- FEAR




                            Assault on the Christian
                                  Home and Family:
              The International Year of the Child
                                             Rev. Wayrte Bekkering


  The attack of Satan upon the Christian home and         impossible to attain. Too much influence is left with
family is nothing new, only now it has become more        the individual home and family unit. Too much
bold. Always have the home and family been of             latitude is given for the continuation of other goals
prime concern for Satan, because they are two of the      than those that directly bring about Satan's  one-
foundation stones of society  - that is, society          world kingdom.
defined loosely  `as the sphere in which the church         The home and family will have to be moved out of
functions or the circle in which God's people live and    the way.
move in connection with all other men and things.
Society as we know it depends on the home and               One of the many means that Satan is using to
family. All of our life and activity stem out of the      attain his goal is the International Year of the Child
home and family.                                          (IYC). If we just look at the IYC on the surface and
  Satan's goal is to homogenize the human race into       uncritically, there seems to be a good emphasis on the
one pliable mass. A mass blindly insensitive to the       needs of children all over the world. The IYC seems
unchangeable standard of God's righteousness. A           to be seeking good ways of alleviating problems that
mass dedicated to the satisfaction of its insatiable      afflict children everywhere.
lusts, A- mass with no god except man-centered              Let us, however, look more carefully at the IYC. It
humanism. A mass seemingly cut loose from any             is always a good thing to look at the principles upon
standard of morality and manifesting itself to be         which anything is founded in order to determine
thoroughly lawless. Of such a mass Satan supposes         where it is coming from and where it is going.
that he will be lord supreme. He dreams that his          The IYC began in the United Nations. It was first
original goal to have God's throne will soon be           proposed by a representative of the community of
realized. Triumphantly he will declare, "Behold the       Non-Governmental Organizations  .at the UNICEF
people is one, and now nothing will be restrained         Executive Board meeting in 1974. The matter was
from them, which they have imagined to do."               referred to the Economic and Social Council, which
  The devil has a problem. The problem is that the        requested the Secretary-General of the U.N. to
home and family foster a certain independence. The        submit to the 1976 General Assembly "a report on
home and family are the means whereby many                measures and modalities for ensuring the adequate
important things are transmitted from one generation      preparation, support and financing of an international
to the next. In this way are our national characteris-    year of the child, to be preferably the year 1979." On
tics continued, our peculiar customs carried on, our      the basis of this report the Economic and Social
children educated and our religious heritage passed       Council recommended the proclamation of the Year,
along. Some of these things are obviously more            and on 2 1 December 1976 the General Assembly
important to us than others, but they are all             passed the resolution authorizing it.
propagated by the home and family.                          Let us briefly discuss what Non-Governmental
  Satan knows that as long as the home and family         Organizations (NGO) and UNICEF are.  NGO's are
remain in their present structure his goal will be        various organizations that are not under direct


                                                THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 209



governmental control or regulation. They are organ-           Year of the Child, with UNICEF as the agency in
izations that are seeking to better society in general        charge of implementation. This is not all. There are
or some segment of society in particular. These               more numbers on the program. By Executive Order,
organizations are basically humanitarian. That means          President Carter has authorized the 1980 White House
that they are not operating on principles drawn out           Conference on Children, and the 1981 White House
of God's Word and to God's glory. Even though many            Conference on Families. If these follow the pattern of
of these organizations are churches or religious groups       the 1970 Conferences, participants will not debate
they nevertheless show themselves to be humanists.            whether or not the federal government should rear
Jesus says in Matt.  12:30,  "He that is not with me is       children; they will merely discuss how. The prevailing
against me; and he that gathereth not with me                 philosophy has already been established.
scattereth abroad."                                             We should notice from the above that there is a
  Just to give you an idea who some of these  NGO's           common source for both the International Women's
are, here is a sampling out of a list of more than  150'      Year (IWY), and the IYC. Both are flowing in the
who have endorsed the IYC: AFL-CIO, American                  same stream to the same  endLgoa1. This is made
Medical Association, Church, Women United, Girl               obvious from a quotation out of a "Report of the
Scouts of the USA, National. Council of Churches,             World Conference of the IWY", published by the
National Education Association, Planned Parenthood            U.N.: "Non-governmental organizations, especially
Federation of America, Inc., Salvation Army, and the          women's organizations, national family planning and
United Way of America.                                        other population organizations, welfare agencies,
  UNICEF means United Nations International Chil-             trade unions, co-operative and religious bodies con-
dren's Emergency Fund. It was established in 1946 to          stitute important resources for development and
assist children in war-devasted countries. Since then it      vehicles for change. Their increased effectiveness
has shifted its emphasis from temporary and emer-             depends on the policies of Governments and the
gency to long-range and  permanent.  It has also              increasing involvement of trained educated younger
greatly broadened its scope to include social, educa-         women and men."
tional, and cultural considerations.                            We must not be hoodwinked by the high sounding
  Let us take note of some interesting statements out         goals of the IYC. This is not an isolated effort to help
of the resolution adopted by the General Assembly of          needy children, but it is part of Satan's concert to
the U.N. concerning the IYC.            "Recognizing the      destroy the Christian home and family. The goal is to
fundamental importance in all countries, developing           strip parents of their God-given rights and responsibil-
and industrialized, of programmes benefiting children         ities to rear their children in His fear, and to transfer
not only for the well-being of  .the children, but also as    them to governmental organizations.
part of  broader efforts to accelerate economic and             We can expect to be bombarded unceasingly by
social progress.  " (emphasis mine, W.B.) "Recalling in       these "good concerns" of the so-called child rights
this connexion its resolution of 24 October 1970              advocates. Public education from the day care center
containing the International Development Strategy             to the university level is geared for the implementa-
for the Second U.N. Development Decade, and the               tion of these goals. TV is  .an effective tool in Satan's
Declaration and the Programme of Action on the                hand to hammer home. his evil philosophy. The
Establishment of a New International Economic                 general consensus of the society in which we live is
Order  of 1 May 1974, and of the resolution of 16             already swayed towards Satan's goal.
September  I975 on development and international
economic co-operation." (emphasis mine,                         What must we think of all this`? Is this some new
                                              W.B.)  This
reference to the "Establishment of a New Inter-               inexplicable effort of the devil? No, we do not think
national Economic Order" seems extraneous to the              it strange concerning this fiery trial which is to try us
subject of the IYC, and yet  ,it is integral to its very      as though some strange thing happened to us. God
beginning and goal.                                           tells us that all these things must come to pass. Nay in
                                                              all these things we are more than conquerors through
  We ought also to be aware, that the IYC is not just         Him that loved us. Our Sovereign God reigns supreme
an isolated aspect of the assault on the home and             working all things for the good of His people. The
family, but it is connected with other U.N. programs.         victory over Satan is ours in Christ Jesus.
  In 1959 the U.N. passed a resolution called
"Declaration of the Rights of the Child," but little            Now with that confidence look at your home and
was done then to implement it. The U.N. declared              family. Examine the training of your children. Are
1975 to be International Women's Year, and desig-             you fighting faithfully against Satan's assault on the
nated 1976-1985 as International Women's Decade.              home and family? Let us renew our efforts by God's
In 1976, the U.N. named 1979 to be International              grace as we live in His fear.


210                                                            THE STANDARD BEARER



FAITH OF OUR FATHERS





                                        Of God's Eternal Decree
                                                               Rev. Ron Van Overloop





                   Chapter III - Of God's Eternal Decree                       and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will,
                                                                               hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting  glory,a out of
          1. God from all eternity did, by the most wise and                   His mere grace and love, without any foresight of
       holy counsel of His own will,  .freely and unchange-                    faith or good works, or perseverance in either of
       ably ordain whatsoever comes to  pass:a  yet so, as                     them, or any other thing in the creature, as
       thereby neither is God the author of  sinp nor is                       conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto;b  and all
       violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the               to the praise of His glorious grace.c
       liberty or contingency of second causes taken away,                        a. Ephesians  1:4,9,11;  Romans  8:30;  II Timothy  1:9; I
       but rather  estab1ished.e'                                              Thessalonians  5:9.
          a. Ephesians  1:ll;Romans   11:33;Hebrews   6:17;Romans                 b.  Romans9:11,13,16;Ephesians   1:4,9.
       9:15,18.                                                                   c. Ephesians  1:6,12.
          b. James  1:13,17;  I John  15
          c. Acts  2:23;  Matthew  ,17:12;  Acts  4:27,28;  John  19:ll;          6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so
       Proverbs  16:33.                                                        hath He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His
          2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can                          will, foreordained all the means  thereunt0.a  Where-
       come to pass upon all supposed conditions;" yet hath                    fore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are
       he not decreed any thing because He foresaw it as                       redeemed by  Christ;b  are effectually called unto faith
       future, or as that which would come to pass upon                        in Christ by His Spirit working in due season; are
       such conditi0ns.b                                                       justified, adopted,  sanctified,e and kept by His power
                                                                               through faith unto  sa1vation.d Neither are any other
          a. Acts  15:18;  I  Samuel23:11,12;Matthew   11:21,23.               redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified,
          b. Roman's 9:11,13,16,18.                                            adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect  on1y.e
          3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of                       a. I Peter  1:2; Ephesians  1:4,5; Ephesians  2:lO;  II
       His glory, some men and angels"  .are predestinated                     Thessalonians 2: 13.
       unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to                          b. I ThcSSalOnianS  5:9,10;  Titus 2: 14.
                                                                                  c.  Remans   8:30;  Ephesians  1:5; II Thessalonians 2: 13.
       everlasting  death.b                                                       d. I Peter  1:s.
          a. I Timothy  5:21;  Matthew  25:41.                                    e .   J o h n   I7:9;   R o m a n s   8:28,ff.;   J o h n   6:64,65;   J o h n
          b. Romans  9:22,23;  Ephesians  1:5,6; Proverbs  16:4.               10:26;  John  8:47;  I John 2: 19.
          4. These angels and men, thus predestinated and                         7. The rest of mankind, God was pleased,
       foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably                         according to the unsearchable counsel of His own
       designed; and their number is so certain and definite,                  will, whereby He extendeth or withholdeth mercy as
       that it cannot be either increased or diminished.a                      He pleaseth, for the glory of His sovereign power over
                                                                               His creatures, to pass by, and to ordain them to
          a. II Timothy  2:19;  John  13:18.                                   dishonour and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His
          5. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto                      glorious  justice.a
       life, God, before the foundation of the world was                          a. Matthew  11:25,26;  Romans  9:17,18,21,22;  II Timothy
       laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose,                   2:19,20;Judc4:iPeter2:18.


                                                                         THE STANDARD BEARER                                                               211


           8. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestina-                               earth, is isolated from that end. He "worketh  all
     tion is to be handled with special prudence and care,a                                  things  after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians
     that men attending the will of God revealed in His                                      1:ll).
     word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from
     the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of                                   These first two articles of this chapter show plainly
     their eternal  e1ection.b So shall this doctrine afford                                 that the actions of men are also comprehended within
     matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of  God,e                                   His living will. "The lot is cast into the lap; but the
     and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation,                                   whole disposing thereof is of the LORD." "A man's
     to all that sincerely obey the Gospe1.d                                                 heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his
           a. Romans  9:20;  Romans  11:33;  Deuteronomy  29:29.                             steps. " "The preparation of the heart in man, and the
           b. II Peter  1:lO.                                                                answer of the tongue, is from the LORD." "Man's
           c. Ephesians  1:6; Romans  11:33.                                                 goings are of the LORD; how can a man then
           d. Romans  11:5,6,20;  II Peter l:lO; Romans  8:33;  Luke
     10:20.                                                                                  understand his own way?" "0 LORD, I know that
    This chapter of the Westminster Confession deals                                         the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that
w i t h   t h e   t r u t h   o f   t h e   e t e r n a l   c o u n s e l   o f   G o d ,    walketh to direct his steps." God "doeth according to
including predestination. A close examination of and                                         His will in the army of heaven, and among the
comparison of this chapter with the First Head of the                                        inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand,
Canons of Dordrecht reveals many similarities, both as                                       or say unto Him, What doest thou?" (Proverbs
to their positive statements and as to their rejection                                       16:33,9,1;  20:24;   J e r e m i a h   10:23;  D a n i e l   4:35)
of the errors of humanistic Arminianism. I would                                             When talking to the heathen on Mars' Hill, the apostle
urge the readers to make  ,this comparison. This                                             Paul establishes as a fact that it is in God that "we
comparison shows that there are only two matters                                             live, and (literally) are moved, and have our being"
contained in the Canons which are not found in this                                          (Acts 17: 28).
chapter of the Westminster. This first matter is the                                           The Westminster Confession is conscious that the
contents of the first four articles of the Canons,                                           immediate reaction of sinful man to the truth of a
which subject material does not deal specifically with                                       sovereign, determining God is the twofold charge that
the doctrine of God's eternal decrees, but is included                                       God is the author of sin and that man is as but a piece
to give the setting for the treatment of this truth. The                                     of wood or stone in the hand of God. It denies these
Confession also treats this material, but elsewhere.                                         charges.
The second item found in the Canons, but not in the
Confession, is the material of Canons I  - 17, which                                           The problem of the all-determinative counsel of
deals with the eternal estate  of- the children of godly                                     the sovereign God and the existence of sin may be
parents who die in their infancy. We must wait until                                         insoluble to our frail minds. But we do know that the
the tenth chapter, article, 3, before we  find the                                           holy God is not the author of sin, nor does He
Confession's treatment of  this, matter.                                                     approve of it. And we know that God does use and
                                                                                             overrule evil for His own wise and most holy
   That which is sounded forth as the theme of the                                           purposes. "Ye thought evil against me; but God
treatment of this Biblical truth, both in the West-                                          meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day,
minster Confession and in the Canons of Dordrecht, is                                        to save much people  alive".(Genesis,  50:20).
the glory of the sovereign God. The praise of His
glorious grace is sounded loudly. We pray that we                                               Relative to God's sovereign determination making
may hear that tone and join in that praise as we                                             man a stock and a block, the Confession presents the
consider this blessed truth.                                                                 position that God's decree is perfectly consistent with
   As the Creator and providential Ruler of all things,                                      the nature of the creature. God does not violate the
God has a definite purpose for the destination of all                                        will of His creatures, because the same all-compre-
He created and rules. That end or purpose for all                                            hensive counsel determined the nature of the creature
things is the glory of His most holy Name. The plan                                          and each action of that creature. The Counsel of God
or determination to attain that end for all things is                                        does not contradict or conflict with itself. The
God's counsel, will, good pleasure, or eternal decrees.                                      determination of the action does not conflict with
Because God is eternal and unchangeable, His                                                 the determination of the will of the creature.
determinations also are eternal and unchangeable and                                           The Confession also states that this sovereign
living.                                                                                      determination is not dependent or conditional upon
   This eternal and all-wise will of God comprehends                                         foresight. Rather it depends only on the "wise and
all things. Comprehended in that one perfect plan is                                         holy counsel of His own will." The eternal deter-
not only His chief end, but also all the ends and ways                                       mination of God does not come out of His foreseeing
to those ends which in turn serve the chief end: His                                         of events. Against this Arminian position the Canons
glory. That chief end is achieved in everything. No                                          of Dort and the Westminster Confession state that
event in creation or providence, in heaven or on                                             God foresees them because He has determined them


 212                                          THE STANDARD BEARER



(cf. article 9 of Canons I). God will have mercy on        were ordained to eternal life believed." "But ye
whom He will have mercy and He will have                   believed not, because ye are not of my sheep" (Acts
compassion on whom He will have compassion. "So            13:48, John  10:26).
then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that           In article 6 the fathers  sf the Confession apply the
runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy" (Romans            truths of articles 1  and 2 to election, and state that
9:  15,16). Isaiah asks, "Who hath directed the Spirit     God ordains the means as well as the end of salvation.
of the LORD, or being His  counsellor hath taught          This is presented in Canons 1  - 7 in language which is
Him? With whom took He counsel, and who                    very similar. When God elects unto eternal salvation,
instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of              He at the same time determines the means by which
judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and  shewed  to        He will accomplish this eternal salvation. The means
Him the way of understanding?" (Isaiah 40:  13,14).        God uses to accomplish the end of salvation are:
   In articles 3  - 5 of the Confession, this eternal,     redemption in Christ, calling unto faith, justification,
sovereign, and unconditional counsel of God is             adoption, sanctification, and preservation. Let us
applied to the destiny of men, viz., predestination.       remember that this distinction of end and ways or
   So simply does article three state this deep truth.     means to the end is man-made, for his own
                                                           clarification, and that God is above such a distinction,
   Notice that in the presentation of this `truth the      because for God to determine the end is to determine
ultimate end and motivation of God is given: "for the      the way.
manifestation of His glory." The man who questions
the truth of predestination is shown to be walking on         This article implies limited atonement and par-
the holy ground of the glory of God. In fact? not only     ticular grace. The purpose to save some is the purpose
does article three begin with this theme, but article      to give to them only the means to salvation. A decree
five ends that way as well. God's praise and glory are     to save all is inconsistent with a decree that only
at stake any time this truth is preached, discussed,       some be saved. And,  on the other hand, a purpose to
mentioned, or denied. Would that all would be              give grace to all cannot coexist with a purpose to save
mindful of this and make it their presupposition.          only some.
Scripture states that God has predestinated "accord-          Therefore, "by grace are ye saved  through faith;
ing to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of     and that not of yourselves: it is the  gift  of God," and
the glory of His grace" (Ephesians  1:5,6).  The same      God has "from the beginning chosen you to salvation
holds for the truth of reprobation. "The LORD hath         through sanctification  of the Spirit and  belief  of the
made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for      truth" and  `to  the praise of His glory" (Eph.  2:8; II
the day of evil." And "what if God, willing to show        Thess. 2: 13; Ephesians 1: 12).
His wrath and to make His power known, endured               Article seven deals with the Scriptural truth of
with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to     reprobation. It is from these that God has sovereignly
destruction" (Proverbs  16:4; Romans 9:  22). Whereas      determined to withhold His grace. As do the Canons,
man makes himself bold to deny predestination,             so does the Confession treat this from an  infralap-
Scripture is bold to state it.                             sarian viewpoint.
   It is against the Arminian position of various kinds      Why has God determined to withhold His grace
of election that the Confession states that the number     from (or to pass by) some? The answer of the
of the elect is certain, definite, and unchangeable.       Westminster Confession is, because it was His good
Thus it is implied that there is no other' kind of         pleasure to do so. He has "mercy on whom He will
election. Confer Canons I, Rejection of Errors,            have mercy and whom He will He hardeneth"
articles  2,5,6.                                           (Romans 9: 18). That which moves God to take one
  As with the Canons 1  - 9, so the Westminster            and pass by. the other is wholly within Himself,
Confession (article 5) denies conditional predestina-      unsearchable to human understanding. God did not
tion. The Arminian presentation is that God,' fore-        determine to harden one because of the existence of
seeing who would believe and persevere, elected those      sin in him. God does not reprobate because of sin,
individuals. The Calvinistic position is that Scripture    but He does punish because of sin. "Because of these
teaches that the only ground for election is God's         things (the sins of verses 3-5)  cometh the wrath of
sovereign and free grace and love. God chooses us to       God upon the sons of disobedience" (Eph.  5:6). And
faith and perseverance, not because of our faith and       this is "to the praise of His glorious grace."
perseverance. We are chosen not because we are holy,         This doctrine is irritating and a rock of offense "to
but "that we should be holy and without blame              them which stumble at the word, being disobedient:
before Him" (Eph.  1:4). We  are elected  "to  salva-      whereunto also they were appointgd" (I Peter  2:8).
tion" (II Thessalonians  ,2: 13). Faith is the fruit of    Let us not be surprised that man becomes angry at
election and cannot  be, its condition. "As many as        such a doctrine, for it denies the desire of every sinful


I                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER                                                 213


     man to be "as God," determining for themselves                       The prudence and care mentioned requires of those
     "good and evil" and their eternal destiny (Genesis             who deal with the truths of God's eternal decrees,
     3:5). To any and all charges against this Biblical             that they handle them only in a Biblical manner and
     doctrine we can only reply, "Nay but, 0 man, who               from a Biblical perspective. The perspective is always
     art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing            the glory of God's good pleasure. The manner is
     formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou                continually showing its  Biblicalness and that this
     made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the              truth of election is the fountain of all grace. At the
     clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto                same time, this manner does not consist of the
     honour, and another unto dishonour?"                          revelation of the election or reprobation of particular
                                                                   persons.
        Because this doctrine is  the the Word of God, it is
     to be taught, and the teaching thereof is to be with                 This doctrine of predestination is to be used to
     prudence and care.                                            show men the greatness and independence of God. It
                                                                   also shows the certainty of God's promises and the
       Notice first of all that it is to be handled. Today         efficacy of His grace. It brings men to see their
     many do not want to handle this doctrine. And many            absolute dependence.
     who do handle it, so emphasize the "special prudence                 The comfort believers derive from this doctrine is
     and care" that they eliminate its mention from the            that they are brought to see that their salvation is
     preaching, and hide it away in  the ivory towers of           wholly of God and that they owe  I-Em all praise and
     seminaries and ministers' studies.  The. Confession           honor for dealing so mercifully with them out of His
     says, handle it. And, I submit, what better way to            mere good pleasure.
     handle this Biblical doctrine than in the preaching? It
     is the gospel.                                                   When taught without care and' prudence, false
                                                                   presumption arises. The Canons speak of carnal
        Notice, secondly, that the Confession makes no             security which is the effect of rash presumption or of
     distinction in predestination when it speaks of its           idle trifling with the grace of adoption. But when the
     being handled. It is not that just election is to be          doctrine of predestination is taught with care, the
     handled, as if the `truth of reprobation is too hot to        desired diligence and humility  tid abundant consola-
     handle. God forbid that we should divide the                  tion results. May God  give us this prudence and care
     indivisible mystery of predestination.                        to handle this high mystery of predestination.


                                               BOOK BARGAINS
                                                      CLOSE-OUT SALE!

                                               GOD'S COVENANT FAITHFULNESS
                                                    (50th Anniversary Volume)
                                                        Usual Price: $5.95
                                                         Sale Price: $2.95
                                                (not subject to Book Club discount)

                                               REFORMED DOGMATICS $9.95
                                                  (subject to Book Club discount)
                           Our new printing will be priced at $12.95. As long as the supply lasts, you
                       can obtain this volume at the old price.

                                                 BEHOLD, HE COMETH!             $9.95
                                                  (subject to Book Club discount)
                           Also this volume will go  ip to $12.95 in the reprint. Get your copy at the
                       old price as long as the current  supply lasts.
                                                 (Please add 10% for postage.)
                                               Reformed Free Publishing Association
                                                          P.O. Box 2006
                                                  Grand Rapids, Michigan 4950 1


214                                                    THE STANDARD BEARER





                                                 Book Reviews


STORIES CHILDREN LOVE, by-W. G. Vandehulst;                              These stories will have appeal for children from
Paideia Press, 1249 Plessis Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba,                  four years old and up, and they still have appeal for
Canada,  R2C3L9,  1 9 7 8 ;   e a c h   $ 1 . 4 5   ( p a p e r ) .    children who can read them by themselves. As an
(Reviewed by Gertrude Hoeksema)                                        Barly primary teacher, I found that young children
   This is a series of eight short story books for                     were charmed not only by the characters and
children, each 48  pages'long,  originally written in the              suspense of the stories, but also by the interesting
Dutch language, and with settings in the Netherlands.                  illustrations. I would recommend them as wholesome
The titles and cover designs are attractive, and the                   stories.
inside illustrations are' excellent black and white
sketches which' give the young story-reader an
authentic portrayal of Dutch scenes and Dutch
children.                                                              PERSPECTIVES ON PENTECOST, New Testament
                                                                       Teaching on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, by Richard
   The eight separate books are titled:                                B.  Gaffin,  Jr.; Baker Book House, 1979; 127 pp.,
   1. The Little Wooden Shoe                                           $3.95 (paper). (Reviewed by Prof. H. Hanko.)
   2. Through the Thunderstorm
   3. Bruno the Bear                                                      Although the controversy which swirled around
   4. The Basket                                                       the subject of Neo-Pentecostalism has settled down
   5. Lost in the Snow                                                 somewhat, the question remains an issue in many
   6. Annie and the Goat                                               churches. Another book on the subject is, therefore,
   7. The Black Kitten                                                 not out of place. Especially is this true if the book is
   8. The Woods beyond the Wall                                        a carefully written, exegetical study of the whole
                                                                       issue. This book, by the professor of New Testament
   Appealingly written, each story is about a small                    at Westminster Theological Seminary, admirably fills
incident in the life of a Dutch child  - a lost animal, a              the need. Although, since the controversy began, I
broken toy, or a Dutch baker who plays tricks.                         have read a large number of books written in the
Vandehulst understands and loves children and knows                    debate, this is, in my judgment, one of the best. Its
how to make the feelings of his characters come alive                  excellence lies especially in its careful exegesis of all
with poignancy or gentle humor. Themes such as                         the pertinent passages. The author begins with a
being lost or having disaster follow a child's                         discussion of Pentecost and its significance for the
disobedience keep the listener's intense interest until                relation between the exalted Christ and the work
the last page. For American children, the books have                   Christ does for and in His Church and proceeds to a
the added benefit of giving word pictures of life in                   discussion of prophecy and tongues-speaking in the
the Netherlands. ,                                                     apostolic era. He argues convincingly that these gifts
   Written from a Christian perspective, the stories are               were part of the foundational life of the New
neither "preachy" nor moralistic, but embrace a quiet                  Testament  .Church,  organically connected with the
faith; and the characters of the story ask a simple                    work of the apostles; that, therefore, these special
prayer for help or a humble prayer for forgiveness                     gifts ceased with the close of the apostolic period.
with a sincerity that fits the author's style.                            Although there are some minor  pbints at which I
   As with all translations, something is lost in the                  would disagree with the author (it seems to me, e.g.,
re-telling; and at times the language is stilted and the               that he gives too  ~much prominence to the gift of
diction not idiomatic. Also, because Dutch stories are                 prophecy), there are few books around which are so
written in the present tense, the translations are also                persuasively written. We recommend it in the strong-
in the present tense  - a novelty for .the young                       est way as an important contribution to the literature
American listener  - but a novelty to which he easily                  on the subject and as a real help in the Church's
adjusts.                                                               apologetic against Neo-Pentecostalism.


                                                               THE STANDARD BEARER                                                                   215


                             NOTICE!!!                                                                  N O T I C E ! ! !
                        TEACHER NEEDED                                         The newly appointed Clerk of Southwest Protestant Reformed
   Covenant Christian School in Lynden, WA, is in need of an                Church in Grandville, Ml is Mr. Gerald Feenstra, 7643 Cardinal Dr.,
additional teacher for the 1980-81 school year for Grades 3 thru 5.         Jenision, Ml, 49428, Phone number  (616) 669-1484. This congre-
Teachers interested in filling this position should contact Mr. Frank De    gation's new Bulletin Editor is: Mrs. R. Kreuzer, 3674 W. Hillcrest
Boer, 9088 Northwood Road, Lynden, WA 98264.                                Road, Hudsonville, Ml 49426. Phone number  (616)  669-1792.





                                                                                             WE`DDING ANNIVERSARY
                                                                               On February 3, 1980, the Lord willing our parents, DAVID AND
                 WEDDING ANNIVERSARY                                        EDITH VANDER  KOOI will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
                                                                            We their children thank the Lord for the patience, love, and guidance
   On February 11, 1980, our parents, MR. AND MRS. GORDON                   shown to us through the years. It is our prayer that our Heavenly Father
WASSINK plan, the Lord willing, to celebrate their 25th wedding             will keep them in His care and that His abiding love will be with them
anniversary.                                                                always.

   We, their children, thank God that through them we have been                "Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his
provided with a Christian home and Christian instruction. And we pray       ways." (Psalm  128:l)
that God will continue to be near and bless them in the future.                                                  Daryl  &  Maris Vander Kooi
                                                                                                                   Michelle, Dalaine, David Shane
   Psalm  100:5   - "For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and                                         Robert  & Mickey.Vander Kooi
his truth endureth to all generations."                                                                            Timothy, Michael, Joel
                                   Mr.  & Mrs. Deane  Wassink                                                    Jay &Joan Scholten
                                      Katie                                                                        David, Daniel,  Jami, Diane
                                   Mr.  & Mrs. Darle  Wassink                                                    Gerry  & Sharon  Smeyers
                                      Ross                                                                         Todd,  Tricia, Marc
                                   Mr.  & Mrs. Timothy Mowery                                                    Don  & Debra Vander Velde
                                      Ryan  & Eric                                                                 Johnathan, Matthew
                                   Douglas
                                   Karla




                                                                                             WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
                                                                               On February 3, 1980, the Lord willing our parents, DAVID AND
                                                                            EDITH VANDER  KOOI will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
                                                                            We their children thank the Lord for the patience, love, and guidance
                 WEDDI NG ANNIVERSARY                                       shown to us through the years. It is our prayer that our Heavenly
                                                                            Father will keep them in His care and that His abiding love will be with
   On January 18.1980,  cxrr parents, MR. AND MRS. BEN VAN DER              them always.
MOLEN celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. We thank our
Heavenly Father for keeping them for each other and for us, and pray
that He will continue to bless them in the years to come.

                                   Martin and Betty Van Der Molen
                                   Larry and Viola Engbers
                                   Arvin and Judy Kelderman                                 RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY
                                   Donald and Rita Van Maanen                  The Ladies Society of the Hope Protestant Reformed Church
                                   Byron and Joyce Van Der  Mojen           (Walker,  MI) expresses their sincere sympathy to a fellow member, Mrs.
                                   Christy Van Der Molen                    Dick Kooienga, in the loss of her sister, ALICE RAYMAKER.
                                      and 17 grandchildren.                    "For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide
                                                                            even unto death." (Psalm  48:14).

                                                                                                                 Mr. Jon Huisken, Pres.
                                                                                                                 Mrs. John Buiter, Sec'y.





                RESOLUTION  OF  SYMPATHY                                                    RESOLUTION OF SYMPATHY
   The Martha Ladies Aid Society of the Hull Protestant Reformed               The Adult Bible Class of Faith Protestant Reformed Church  in.
Church expresses sincere and heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Peter R.            Jenison, Ml, expresses their sincere sympathy to Mrs. Jan  Mienma in
Westra, Mrs. Tim Kooima, Mrs. William Kooiker and Mrs. Alvin Kooiker        the loss of her mother, MRS.  JOHANNA PERSENAIRE. May the God
in the death of their father and father-in-law, MR. NICK  KOOIKER.          of all mercy comfort her according to His Word found in Romans  14:8
   "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon       - "For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we
                                                                            die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the
them that fear Him." (Psalm  103:17).                                       Lord%."
                                   Rev. Ronald Cammenga, Pres.
                                   Mrs. Harold Van Maanen, Sec'y.


 THE STANDARD BEARER                                                                        SECOND CLASS
          P.O. Box 6064                                                                    POSTAGE PAID AT
Grand Rapids, Michigan 495'06                                                            GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.



 2         1        6            II            THE STANDARD BEARER


                                 News From  Our  Churches
      Our Hope Church in Walker, Michigan has sched-         at the Lamont Christian School at 8:00 PM. The
uled a special congregational meeting on January 14,         discussion topic is the 37 articles of the Belgic
to call a minister from  ,a trio consisting of Rev. David    Confession. All interested are welcome to attend.
Engelsma, Rev. Gise Van Bar-en, and Rev. Bernard               Rev. C. Hanko and his daughter Alice left Michigan
Woudenberg.                                                  for Bradenton, Florida on January 2. Rev. Hanko and
      Two of the three professors in our seminary are        his son Professor H. Hanko both stayed in the same
currently considering calls: Professor Hoeksema to           city in Kentucky one night  - but neither knew the
serve as `minister-on-loan' to Christchurch, New             other was so close. Professor Hanko was returning
Zealand, and Professor Hanko to serve as pastor of           from Bradenton after preaching there December 23,
our church in Redlands, California.                          25, 30, 3 1 and January 1. Services in this Florida city
      Redlands has received pulpit supply from varying       are being sponsored by the Church Extension
sources during this period without a minister. Pulpit        Committee of First Church in Grand Rapids. At-
supply can be quite a problem for those of our               tendance at these worship services has increased to
churches which are located many miles from the               60. Many contacts for our churches have been made
nearest sister church (about 1,100 miles in  Redlands!       and continue to be made as a result of this work in
case.) Rev. George Lanting filled the pulpit in              Bradenton.
Redlands from mid-December through the holidays.               Mr. and Mrs. Glare Prince of First `Church were
Rev. Arie den Hartog preached in  Redlands the first         scheduled to leave Grand Rapids for Houston, Texas
two weeks in January, since he has been unable to            on January 16. They plan to give a public program
leave for Singapore to take up his labors as missionary      for our congregation in Houston, Texas that evening,
there. The necessary permits have yet to arrive.             on the work our churches have been doing on the
Following Rev. den Hartog,  Redlands expects to have         island of Jamaica. On the next morning, the Princes
Rev. Dale  -Kuiper preach for them on a classical            plan to leave Houston with Rev. and Mrs. Wayne
-appointment. The consistory has also announced to           Bekkering for Jamaica. The Jamaican emissaries plan to
the congregation that they have made arrangements            spend two weeks or more visiting and laboring with
with-Rev.  Marinus  Schipper to labor in their midst for     the people in `our' Jamaican churches.
the latter part of January and the month of February.          Our Southwest Church in Wyoming, Michigan
      Rev. and Mrs. Ronald Hanko received a rather           `celebrated' an event of note at the end of 1979.
special Christmas present  -  right'on the day. They         Their church directory finally arrived after a long
were blessed with the birth of a baby girl, Jessica          wait (2 years?) and the bankruptcy of the company
Noelle. Mother and'baby are both well.                       which was supposed to produce their "picture
 Effective on Sunday, December 16, our Faith                 directory."
Church in Jenison, Michigan has changed the order of           Southwest has also set a record, unless someone
their worship service so that the reading of Scripture       from one of our other churches can surpass it. Mr.
takes place just prior to the sermon. A reason given         Phil Lotterman has `hung up his old typewriter' after
for this change is that this order is more consistent        20 years as church bulletin editor. The new bulletin
with the order used by most of our other churches. It        editor for Southwest is Mrs. R. Kreuzer, 3574 W.
also permits the Scripture reading to be recorded on         Hillcrest Rd., Hudsonville, Michigan 49426
the tape given to the shut-ins, in addition to the           (616-669-1792). The. new clerk of the Southwest
sermon. It could also be added to the reasons given in       consistory is Mr. Gerald Feenstra, 7643 Cardinal Dr.,
the Faith bulletin that it does seem appropriate to          Jenison, Michigan 49428 (616-669-1484).
have the sermon follow the reading of the Scripture            And, speaking of clerks, the new clerk at First
upon which the sermon  is based.                             Church in Grand Rapids is the undersigned (address
  A discussion group of Protestant Reformed people           inside the front cover).
sponsored by the Reformed Witness Committee of
Hope Church` has been  :meeting  every other Tuesday                                                       K. G. V.


