BEACON m LIGHTS

Credibility Gaps

Convention Speeches

FOR PROTESTANT REFORMED YOUTH

VOLU?.:E XXXl OCTOBER 1971 NUMBER 6

I I t ! : . p .I I I c I it I u s t CONTRIBUT ING EDITORS: I,? the., I:vL~c-:,,I~s 11 ,.i Priitr\t:!111 I <v~~~ I I I I ~~ Tcu l~p l t c i . l<t ! l~ t - : : H~ rbach . .iK.~tI~,l 1,11I1lwr<. D*,~III~ P c ~ , ~ ~ l t . S ,, ,rti+. \ , ! I $ ~'IIVICII. 5.11~ l 'cri8.tr,~, J v . 8 1 1 t ~ t . <;rittr-r-. E X E C U T I V E BOARD: I < v . < ; I.i~h!xrs. Re,.. (;. 1':ot l i .a rc~ t . K;:th:-

t s , , : > iia,~:\*.k.,;~~l, - - ~ I'~C\I<~VIII : ICt I ti:firsv~~rr>rr 11, I\III.~, l < . ~ ~ - l ~ c l 1.11bl>er,.

\ ' z 5 c- F7 c-idrl-;: r'arr>l I): k.tr:l Sei.~.rt,?iy: S . I -- .\..I-~.~~II Sccrctar,: Jim S 1 : : . Treiinre: : Vcrn Il;.irrlinn . Qa .\..; 7 :c .i:lrtr: 5Iir:i~. I;rrttrr. 1.ihraii;n.

t------u-, E D I T O R I A L STAFF:

. . . , , J 1 . All moteriol for ~ ~ b l i c a t i c n should be o d d [ - 4 1 , t t . p . . - A--.,rix:c- Edi lor: Joq I Iu i i kcn - to CALVIN REITSMA A-.r~.!:itr Emil;,.r: Ken K~.t , lc - Firlnnrc hfan-

1 3287 1. Canal, Grondrillo, M i ch 49418 . : - ~ c i Nrwr Edi:cr: JEANNE GRlTTERS

STAFF : t

1130 Fronk!in. S. E., Grand Ropids, Mich. t

I)(,I.:..~ t i t x~ l~ t - r , Bcth \VC.I~,I, .I<~I:LIII~V \Tan13relc. Grorrd Ropidr subscribers pleas,. forword

IG,~I:I F l l k k c ~ n ~ . Jsnr S c l ~ i ~ ~ i > v r . Jt111y On(1rrsnln. subscription dues to JUDY HOLSTEGE

l11<1! Hjml-tcrc. Jan L~ibl,c,r.. No113 J[ici-smx. 5537 Lowndolc, Hudronvilln, Mich. 49426 i

I. i t r! T . o o ~ r i ~ z z . R ~ t ~ d y JIc.ic~r. Gres Enrcls. Subscribers outsids of Grond Ropids please \ r.1, (C.ri#: R>l=n!-. E : I I , I ~ V iIg.rk*c.n~-i. K.~th!- forword rubscription duo5 to I !. ,,.., b. 1 % 731!.c- c->t;,.r. EUNICE HOEKSEMA \

1842 Plymouth Ter., Grond Ropids, Mich. 49506 Ii n;i; c. i :hc ciarerial oi B t ~ c o : ; T.rcurs is rc -___N_) r,rir:tc. i ti, a?:n:hr; .;criodical. rrc wi l l ~nnr rc io tc '----- . . c,,::r ;.l.in: tile i iurzc. i l 1 c . :Irtic.!ri ~ri Br\irrc T.rc,:i~c (in not neCejsarilv Forms 3519 should be returned to BEACON LIGHTS i t i t i i ~ .>tr th r I itu ;.i;int r , i :he Editorial Stxff. Erer:., Box 7383, Grond Ropids, Mich. 49510 authlmr I. .i.lcl>- rei:.nniihlr iqar thr contcnti of liii n3.vr> ~ r t i ~ i c

Srcoad Class Postaac p.tid at (;:and Rsoids. J l i r l~ in: l t l

ED -c; ,.L Crrdtbillty Gopr ' - J7hn Kol ,I>P< k

CO'. FNTION SPCECHSS -

The Mork of o Dlsclple" - Rev J Korl~rtng

Fol low~cg After Jesus" - R r . M Sclr~cper 10

The Freedsm of Being o D~sciple" - Re. G Yon 8 0 - ~ n is

ANSIJE9 TO PUZZLE 16

NEL'IS FROM FOX AND ABOUT OUR CHURCHES - Kor, f t Kor 1.n 19

Y GAPS The tern1 "credibility g;~p" is frrclucr~tly

usc.tl in the spllrrr or the federal govcarlr- writ. In all likcliht~otl, it origirl;~tc.tl 11c.r~. 111 governl~lcnt, pul)lic olfici;ils oftc.n s;ty they ;ire going to tlo 1n;lny i1nport;tnt things h11t \vhcn all is said itntl (lone, they do very littlc, or the veq ol)lx~site occurs. For e ~ i l l l ~ p l ~ : The president m;ty say th;~t fctl'fi~l taacs \\fill sllrely 1 ~ . lo\vcred witllin ;I ccr- titi11 ;1111o11tit of ti111(:, l)tll before lotlg, yo11 notice- them inc,rc;~si~~g. \\'llrn this happc*ns, yo11 h;~ve ;I crrdihility gap. Yo11 I~cgill to tlot~l)t t l ~ ; ~ t the presitlcnt \\.ill actually do \\.II;I~ he says he will (lo. Tilere i \ ; I I ~ ob- viol~s contradiction l ) r t \v(-e~~ \\?hat he says ;111d \\,l~ilt hc ~ C I C S .

'1'11~. ti.rln "crcdil~ility gi~p" is not lil~litc~rl only to gover1lmet1t;ll ofFicinls l>ut c;u1 ;tls:) ho tlscd in scn~tinixir~g the life of ;I cl~urclr iintl individnals \\.ithin ;I chnrch. It is ill thih sense that I spc.:~k of Credibility Gi~ps.

\ \ ' l a , as Protestar~t Ilcforlned prol)lc*, 11;1vct n favorite espres.rioll tl~ilt cloctri~~c~ ;inel priicticc are orrr,. If I \vcrct to posit thtk itlea tllict \vl~;+t \\T nc-ctl ill ollr churclic~ i.r a littlc more practical prc;~chit~g, 1 aln quite surcb that better than half the mc~nl,crs of ollr churches \\.oulel ol>ject ant1 tc11 me Itre cnnllot clivide thc prc,aclli~~g into tloctrini~l allel I~u~e t i cu l preacl~i l~x I>rcnuse they ;trcb ones. Iiut it's es;tctly ;it this poi111 tI1i11 \vc have 21 "credibility g;~p." Not because the statvlnent is false, I ) I I ~ \~ecause \vc as in- divid~~;~L\ often do tl~ings, end say things \\,hiell contradict ~ 1 1 ~ 0 doctrines in whicl~ \ve I~c.licwc.

111 Oltl 'l'rstamcnt Ilislory it \wls ce r t ;~ i~~ ly trllr 1\1;1t cloctrinc- alltl lxrctice coc~ltl not he scl)ilr;tted. This is oh\-ious when one sttltlic\ the life of ;III Israelite. I n 11% (.very clay life he sacrificctl to the Lord, lie fi.i~stctl to d1c Lord, IN. gave n tenth of all he grcB\v to the Lortl along with the first fruits of liis crops. Alltl yet oftcn thro11gl1- out thcir history "crctlil>ility g~nps" appc.;tr. They cl;~im to love thc Lord, they sacrifice to thv Lord but \src read often in the prophets that Cad despised their s;icrifict~ hecn~rse they were tlisobedient, l>ec:~usc. long with their Jehov;lll \r.orship they wor-

shiped all t11t- Ilc=;cthen idols of the n;~tions arc~lnd t11c11,. .it times the cvnditions \\,ere so b;td t11;tt the hr;~tlterl notions co~lltl very easily Iii~ve co~~siderrt l Ihri~cl no dif- ferent t11a11 the~r~srlves. Thc-y \\,ere corn- mnde t l to trust in the Lord hut instead they gatl~cred large ar~llic-s \\-ith many horses ;111tl clli~riots in the In.licf that they \r70ultl win ill tllrir o\vn stwt~gth.

In the Nv\v Testo~llc.~tt, the iq~ostlc. James cotrccarrls himsrlf \\.it11 "crctlil~ility gaps" \\,itl~in thr early Chrihtiitn church. He anprily condemlh tlle c;~rly Cl~ristii~ns for I~onorillg Iwrsonh in gocnlly apparel and bcinx p~~rti i t l to thosc t l ~ t ;Ire poorly dressed. (;ocl, s;~ys ja~nes , c l ~ t ~ > e the poor of this \\.o~.lil \vllo ~\~rn . riel1 in faith 1,111

you, 111- I)rcthrcn, t!espisetl tllese poor itncl respect tllc ricl~. So also Ile bitterl!- cle- ncunces thore. in the chltrch \vllo tlo not givc to those th;~t itre needy, destitl~tc and naketl.

His I)attlc cry apain\t tllesr 311d t ~ t l i ~ r conditiolls \\ritl~in the ch r~rc l~ i.; ;I resound- ing "fait11 \\,ithoi~t \vorks is tle;~tL." lii~itll arltl \vork< ;Ire otle. To11 c;iullot Ir;~ve one \\ithout tlle otller. So al>o tloctrine \\ithotit practice is ;I tiead doctrillc.. The hvo go hand in h;tnd. .+nd yet ill the lives of tllc people of Cot1 there is often a very obvio~ls, apparent sl.p;lration 1>rt\\,ee11 thc t\vo. So 1nuc11 so, t11:1t olltsidc!rs are oftcw inclined to disbelieve our Christianity. As James says "brethren, thc.se things ought not 50 to be."

3s \\.c. c;lrcfull>- e s a n ~ i t ~ e our cloctrir~c ;u~d xvaik together \ve are sllrc to fintl many conflicts i ~ n d outright cuntwtlictions. T h t ~ "credil)ility gi~ps" in our 1ivc.s ;Ire varir.tl and 1n;iny. Sornc of these that follo\v \\,ill apply to ill1 of 11s. So111c that yo11 may discover i r ~ your o\vn live, 11iay not be included. I t is possible that yo11 may think that there itre no "credibility g;cpsP ul your life; in that cilse you should cluestion your honesty ill r\.i~lu;~Ling your life..

Scripturcr repeated?\. tells 11s to trust in the Lord. TIiis trust is ;I Ic;ining on, or hea\>- reliance on the Lord. The Psaln~s are full of such espressiolis as "I have tns ted in thy mercy. . .; Our fathers trustccl in thee . . .; O God, 1 trust in thee . . .; 1

BEACON LIGHTS One

tn~stc.cl in thee, 0 Lord . . .; T r ~ ~ s t in tllc. Lortl i~ntl do thou good . . ,; Hlc~ssecl arc they that put their t n ~ s t in t11r.c. . . .". Over ant1 over ;gain the \Vorcl of God tells us to trust in the Lorcl. \Ve sing of this in our Sr~~~clay services. \\'e hc:rr it proclaimctl to 11s fro111 the pulpit. I'rt, arc we paying attention to \\.hat is being prc::rcl~cd and \v11;1t \\,I. are singing? Or arc: \vcs bc~sy thinki~~g a l > o ~ ~ t nllr gro\vinx sirvi~rgs ;~c- counts, thc expected pensio~~ \\*r.'ll rccri-;I. \\,1>c*11 \vc retire, the in.snriuiccr pnlicy to he use11 in time of emergency. Often thesr thincs hecome thona in our sides. The\- give 11s ;I false t n ~ s t itncl a firlsr scSose of sc-cr~rity.

\\'IICII \vc clairn to tri13t ill thr. Lord but seerc:tly perhaps, are filli~~g I)irr~~s with tht. gootls of this \vorlcl, is thcrc. ]lot ;I VC-I-?.

rral "creclil~ilit?. gap"? Gotl is not mocked. \\'<a Inay he ably to hide our inner goals, dr\ire.;, ; I I I ~ our underlying trust frorn cad1 otlaer I~ut nevrr from God. I think a lot of us \vor~ld feel much Inore con~fort;tble if Script~~rc had said, "Tn~st migl~tily in ymlr siivings account and in your insr~mnce policy."

I':IIII, in Ronlans 12, exhorts the Iw- lievers to hc. transformed I>y t l ~ c rrncwing of your mind and not to be confom~ed to thr \rporld. John, iu John 1: 15, co~nmands "Love not thc \vorlci, neither the tl~ings that are in the \vorlcI. If any man love tllr \vorltl, thr love of the father is not in him." Christ, in Ilis senrron on the nlourlt procl;~ims, "So III;III can serve two nliistcrs . . .". Re- pent c.clly Cod's Il'ord directs 11s n\tray from tl~c. \vorltl and its pleas~~rc*~. Yet, in our foolish clncvncern for things spiritl~:rl, think \ve cirri have both the materii~l things of this world and the spiritual joys of God's kingclon~. \\'e to look like the world by \vc.i~rir~g their suggrstivc. btylcs. \Ve scek to I)c entertained I I ~ t l ~ c worlcl nntl its ~otllcss people. \Ve clo this not o~lly in attctntli~~g the theater b ~ ~ t i~lse) in 1)c:corning c~l~otionally involved in tlrc g rowi~~g sports crilzr. tthirt has spread t h r o ~ ~ g h o ~ ~ t oilr co~ul- t n . Our ~ninisters preac11 the antitlrrsis ancl \\.r go home, Hip on our tclcvisio~l sets and \vatch our favorite baseball team or footl~all tca~n in action. The old slogall "actions spiik louder than words" cor~tlrrnns us 2nd sho\vs our hypocrisy.

In I'si~l~n 101:s we rcntl, "wl~ose~ privily sl;rntlcreth Iris neighbor. l ~ i ~ l r \vill I cut 08 . . .". One. of the seven :~l>o~~iin:~tions that the Lnrd hates is 'lle that so\\'cth discord itmollg the brethren." \\'e I,elievC that the Lorcl lo\.cs us, His people, ;lntl \ve say h i t i ) rca~~sr Ife loves us \ve love* 1li111 and also oltr fCllc1\\. believers. IIo\vever, if \\.hat we srty is t r ~ ~ r , why does gos.sip, I~nrkbiting, ;inti c ~ i l talk about others r;un~l>;~~~tly sprencl trlmost ~~nchcckc*d througlior~t ollr var io~~s cong~.cgi~tio~~s? This certainly is not Scrip- t~~rc.'s itlrii of loving thr brcthrcn. ;\re \ve not lihtening \\then the minister preaches on tlre ninth commandment? Or are we too t ) ~ ~ s y trying to detemune \\vl~o t h e : minister night Ir;rvc: in mind that H'C fail to apply Gcitl's \Vortl to ourselves.

\V11c-r1 is ~ I I C last time you 1vi.111 to visit so~i~~c~nc: \vIio w s in troul~lc, someone who \vi~s burdened \\-it11 ;III o~vrwhelning load? \Vl~en was the last time you visited the. sick or the bereaved to comfort them with Cod's \\'ord? IIotv often in the past yrnr have you shown your concern for somc80nc else's problems? \Vc bc4ieve that we arc one in the Lord, hrotlrc~rs and sisters in Christ; ;ilrct yet when o ~ ~ e elf tlrcsse brethren espc.ricmces difficulties ;~lmosl too over- \vhr l~~~inr : to bear, he is ;rll~~ost ccrtain to fccl tlesc-rted by his own ; ~ t thr very time he nceds ti~cnl most. \Ve find that \ve are too l~usy to bother or \ve'll tlo it tornorro\v Ilr~t, of course, tomorrou. is even busier. rlntl so it gws.

0111. c l~~lrchrs lrave orgi~~~izcatl many so- cictic-s ill order to help 11s s t ~ ~ d y nrrtl cliscuss tlre \Vord of God. \Vo~~ltl lo Cod that Pal11 could say of all of us what he said of t l ~ e Uereans, "These tverc Inore noble tlr;~rr those in Thessalonica, in that they recrivc~l the \$ford with all readiness of ~ n i ~ ~ d , and searched thc scriptures d'dy, \vl~c.tl~c.r those things were sn." Our Lnrd irlso exhorts us to "search the scriptures: for in tlrc~n ye think. ye h;~vo eternal life: and they ;Ire they whicll tc~stify of me." Our societies hclp us search the scriphues and yet what a small percenti~ge of us are faithful members. Our societies should n\*eIl with one hundred percent attendance but in nriiny citses the very opposite is true; hardly enough menlbers to keep meeting \\reek after \\reek. . h d ptlrer~ts, don't c?rpect

BEACON LIGHTS

your children to go to l'or~nl: I 'c~~plr's Society if you do not attcb~~d ac111ll societics. You do not even Ilnve a right to itlsist that they go to societics until you yo~~sself 1)e- come a faithful tlic.~nhcr. 'l'hc S ; I I I I I ~ ;tp!~lies to reading our periodical?;.

Often the Lord bI~?;ws 11s \\.it11 hpecinl events i l ~ ~ r i r ~ a the, \vcek. '1'0 hc ;11,Ic. to at- tend a 1cct11re by one of our cap;~l~le min- isters; a griiduation progr;lnl of one of orlr sclnools; ;I pre-sy~roclical hcrlllon; i t 1 1 in- spirational meeti~rg; or n 'I'l~c*olol:ic;~l School Convocntio~i escrcisc ;are hlrssings the Lorti has given lo strc.ngtlien 11s spirituitlly, .in4 yct so often s ~ ~ c h special c~ccnsic~~~s ;Ire 50

~)oorly attended that thosc* \\rho sponsor s11ch activities b c g i ~ ~ to t l o ~ ~ h t (there is lllat cretli1,ility g:1(1) the b(1iritllcll strc.ngtl~ of our pc,ople.

I a n jioi~lg to q ~ ~ o t e from a Iettcr I re- ct~ivctl n \\?l~ile I~ilck. This persol1 spenks n l ) o ~ ~ t our 'Theological Scl~ool Co~~vocation esrrcise. "Prof. Hocksern;~ spoke OII PsaL11 llFJ:162, '1 rrjoicc. at tlry \Vortl, ;IS one that fintlcth great spoil.' I i i n~ h ~ ~ r t , t h ~ ' speech \via inspiring for the young men \vl~o arc l > e g i n ~ ~ i ~ ~ g i l~lot l l~r year 01' s t ~ ~ d y . Attenclar~cc \\?ah v c ~ y poor. C)ne wo~ltlers if our seminary is :~p~)reciiitetl. .Are not our pcnple fillctl \\.it11 joy that *even yol~rng men :ire stnclying and pr~apari~rg Tor tl~rs 111inis- in our c l ~ ~ ~ r c h ~ . s ? Don't our peoplo know that there is not another se~liiniary in ;ill the \vorld likc tllc P.13. Scminirry? T1i;rt it vrry really is t l ~ c Itist I):~stion of the 'Rc't'or~~~ctl Tntth'? 110 not our pcople realize how nlerciful ;1nd gracious God roilllp is to them? I f things were rifil~t the11 our a ~ ~ t l i t o r i ~ ~ r n \\'OIIICI linvc: been 1nuc11 too small ; I I I ~ I the faculty and studc.l~t body \rvo~~ld have got- ten :I srntl-off \rll~icll tlrcy i~ncl a11 in i~ttenrl- ancc \vo111cI nevc-r forge-t. \Ye t11i111k the Lord for our sen~inary; it fills us with joy; hut tbc apathy and luke\\~;~rmness (if one ciln even cilll it t11;1t) of o ~ ~ r people makes us mourn." Our unconcern in regard to matters ;IS important ns tliesc sho111d be onc of grei~t co1icc:rrl for eitcl~ of us.

:\nJ now Young Peoplc, I conl~nencl you \\hc.n ~ I I I I invite your boyfriend or girlfric~~d c:f ;unother faith to \\-orship \vith you in o:lr of ollr ch~~rches . 1311t, plc.;wc don't spoil it ;dl, ;IS 1 havr seen don<* \\,it11 I I I Y

o\\n ryes; hy \vhispering, joking, I;u~qhing, or slccl~ing during tlir scmice. Y I I I I ~ actions hi~ve onc ancl only one. nasult. Yot~r date or ste;ldy \rill 1wgi11 to di\l)elicvc yonr 4incc.r- ity. They \\.ill think if thc prencl~ing in your c1111rch lncs;in> no Inore to yon t11iu1 that, \\.l~y not come alont: \\-it11 Ine to I I I Y

church. \Vhy tlo you mike s i ~ c h ;I bic fuss about \vhicll church yo11 r o to? .Ap;~in, nctior~s spc.;tk I ~ ~ i ~ t l e r th;~n words.

\Vhy clo \\*r tvorn \\-l~en s c r i p t ~ ~ r r stat(,< "t;~ke no thoupht for to~~~orro\v.' ' \Vhy art. our co~~grcgnt io~l ;~l mc-etings so poorly ; I ( -

tendetl wheri \\,L- have. important busi~lrss fro111 the Lorti to tleitl \\pith? \\Illy itre w e tcn~ptcd to elleiit on our inconlc tas rc- tl!ms? \\'hy : I ~ I - we prone to tell little. cliscrert lies to pr~ll us out of no~~rcthing \re \\,oultl rather not do?

111 tllr Churcl~ of God and ill the lifc of earl1 individu;il belir\.er these "creclil~il- it). g;rps" oug l~ t not so to be. \I7e shoultl use cvcry effort \rre car) ~ ~ ~ l ~ s t e r to overcolllc5 t l ~ e ~ n ;inrl destroy thenl. You have faith; tllrn \how it by your works. If you I~ave ;I living ;tntl nbitli~tg faith you will witness of it in your \v:~lk. JOHX KAI.SHEI,:Y

-1 sincere th;ulks is rentlercui to the S o ~ ~ t h Hollnncl Young I'co~1"s Societ). for Ii~boring hard ;~ncl long to wake the 1971 Co~lventio~r trot only entrrtaining a11t1 en joy l~ lc , 11r1l ~ncst i t~~por tant of all, spirih~ally c~iriching. \\7e spcilk for a11 the- young peoplc \ ~ I I C I I \ve say from our hearts, "It \\'as good for us to 11;lve beell therc."

Si~rcercly, THE FEUER~TIOX BO.&I~II Carol Dykstm, Secy.

1\'e urc, sorry to nr~rrorrnce tlzut tcc IINCC not receicecl tltc 11o.bt-corrcc11tiorr recie~c crrticlc

tohich trs~rally acconrpunies the cortcerrtion pictc~res. (etl.)

BEACON LIGHTS Three

CONVENTION SPEECHES LLY in tlw l~a.51 rce of the BE.\COS I,IC.H-IS S ta t crrrrl the Frcler~~fioit Boer~l rtiislt to s11are tcitll orrr gencrnl rearlittg atrciicwce tllc s)~eerhes p r ~ j ~ n r r d lor the 1971 P.H. Y.P. concentioil.

The Mark of a Disciple REV. J. KORTERING

Teat: John 13:3.1, 35, "A iierti ro~~l t r rnnr i~~t r~~t I gicr rrnto yciri, tllcrt ye loce ofte anotl~err (AS 1 h a w laced ymr, illat ye (tho Ioce one ailother, by this .\hall oll 111~11 krlocl: that ye are r11y dirciple.~, if yr hcrce loce one to crnt~her."

Discipleship is cnicial in tnlr day. Truc it is that the SO\\' generation is cutlght up in the fauti~sy of i~~tli~iclui~lism. l ' o u ~ ~ g ~wople pride thcl~lsel\'ca in doing t l i~ir o\vn thing. It \r-o~~ltl seem as if we live in the cli~y of Illany teachers, I~ut few pupils. I'rl.

it is a filritasy. .I cartoon I s;l\v not so long i ~ ~ o ill~lstrates this point. I t pict~lred :I long haired, rihl>oned, tiltteretl frllo\v qittin~ \vith Iiis guiti~r by the side c~f tl~c. ronrl. Iic hi~d a sikm :around his neck, "1'1n doing I I I ~ osvn thing." Thc. photogri~phcr \vho took this pichlre used a \vide?-anglr Icns, for as far as yo11 coultl see in the di\;ti~nco, thc road \va< lined with frllo\vs, dressetl

diatcly of the tlkciples of Christ, they \\,ere 1 2 i n nun~l~er and sat at the feet of Christ for some 3 years. They i~sked Christ rilles- tiolis ant1 Ile tauglit them milny tn~ths. Fro111 this, ;IS \rfc;ll as from the \vord used in ollr tesl. \re nlity conrlutlc th:~t :I tlisciplc is $1 p ~ p i l . a learner, one who has not gat111;ctetl from school, l ~ u t is in the process of It.;lrning. Bearing this in mind \ve call distillg~~i.\h 6 elements: 3 teach(-r, a pupil sul~jc~ct rl~;~teriitl, comn111nic:ttio11 of this m:ctcrial b!. the teacher, assi~nilation of it by the pupil, and tletennination, that is the inll~lcvwe tvhich this kno\vletlgc has upon the life of the pupil.

rxactly as the one in the for(sjiro~~ntl, each 111 our test Chri\t tells 11s emphatically. Iwaring a sign proclniming, "I'm tloinx lily “Yea are rn!~ discil~les." 'I'his indicates that o\\m thing." It is not a qllestion r~'llet1tlter Christ Himself is the teacher. No \vontler, \\.c arc disciples, rather it is a cl~r,!stio~~, \r-hose rli\cioles are \vc!

1-011 yolmg people are s~~rrountlc~cl wit11 $1 ciccophony of confusion, many ~llnstel.< want V ~ I I to sit a t their feet. On the one hi~nd yo~t have the \vorsliil~pcrs of sat:lll who bl;ctantly niock all thing\ that itre holy i~nd gli~clly folio\\. the devil. You I~irve tlic. Jcstls movement which i\ even moio tlcncl- 1y. for they 'Ippear to give recog~iition to Chri\t. hut cle~~>- Him as Sicvior ancl Lord. In between yo11 ha\,c* every form of I)rlicbt and morality. Set, in the midst of this confusion, \vc hear the clariot~ call of tht. \\'ord of God, "By this shall ill1 mew kno\\, that ye are Iny disciples, if ye hilvc. love- one to anotlirr." In tn~ th , the mark of .I

tlisciple must be rasily disting~~isht.tl ant1 it is oilsen-ed by the way yo11 young people love each other.

Clirist tells 11s in ollr test that his dis- ciples arc: those who learn to low. Reforct \ve can apprrcinte this in any t lc . l :~ i l~ t\l(s

shoultl remind ourselves just \v11;1t a dis- ciple is. LTndoubtedly, we think ilil~nc-

for I4e is the exalted Christ, who having gonr through de:~th ancl licll is now at tlte right hand of God. He has received of the 1:athcr all kno\vledgc. nnd ~ n ~ t h not only, but also the Holy Spirit hy \i'hom He is ~ 1 ) l r to makc all things ho\v-n to us. \\'ho are p~lpils? Sot ill1 men, for by natl~re not one of 11s will sit at I-Iis feet. Rather, all t l ~ c * children of God wllo :Ire regeneriitcd ant1 possess the gift of faitlr. As horn from above, we ha\*e the necessary interest in the things of hcavm. The nli~tcrial \vhich Christ tei~ches is the trtlth. This applies to the cre:~tion. science, history, 'mcl all things which Got1 has made ant1 donla. The kcy to interpreting all this linoxvled~c is the \\.'ortl of God. In the crnter of all mtth stands the infallible Scriptures. The class roo111 wherein this howledge is mmmu- nicated is in the n;lrrowcst sense, the 11o11se of God. True it is that at such a time that a Christian scl~ool teacher presents the truth of Christ i l l the cl;iss room or parents in the homes, C h t is con~rnunicating this knowledge I>y the Holy Spirit. Yet, the

Four BEACON LIGHTS

preaching of the IVortl is uniqr~r ant1 tlistinct. ' I ' l~ro~~gh tlre preacl~ing and sacra- ~nents, Christ communicates llis grace. By ~ I I C grace of God we ;Ire enabled to as- similate this instruction. 1;iiith is \vorkecl ill US by the l~reaching of' tli(h I~iOrd irntl by faith \vcs 11c.licve that \vl~icl~ is b~~c , . 111

this way \vcs irrc i~lflncncecl ill otrr lives, \vc 1)elieve and livc: iiccording to His will.

No\%*, Christ tells ns thi~t ;IS far as the. nrirterial \vllicl~ IIc gives 11s 21s clisciples is roncer~~rtl, i t I.n;ay 11e s111111n:1rized in this, Christ teoch~~s us to lovc! "A Ire\v co~rr- ~r~i~n&llent I give unto you, that yt. lovc one ;mother." l\'e may \\.ell ;~sk, why ih it that the conr~~~iwcl to love constit~~tes the II(,;II* of C:I~rist's i~~stn~ctiorr to 1-lis cliscil~lc~s? . . I \vo things I~irvc. to 11e cor~sidc~~~rcl in ans\tPcr. l:irst. \vhcn Christ teachrs 11s to love 111. 11ring.s 11s to t l ~ c chief cnrl of our esisterrcc. viz. to glorify God. Thv love of God is i~l\vays fir\t itr~tl precedes 111vc for one ; I I I -

other. This is 111ac1c pl;~in for. us in 51i111. 22:37-40. \\'illlout Gocl's love in 11s i~nd ollr love to Cocl in retur~r, there can be no tnle love for one anot11c.r. Divinr lovc. provides 11s with the necessilry strmgth to love one :c~~otllc!r. In doing [Iris we f~~lfill the purpose of our crc;rtio~~; \vcb praise Cotl. The second rcbnson is thi~t love makcs it so eaA3- for 11s to leani. Notice citrefully, Christ does not simply tc;tch 11s the ircil- tlcmic \1111ject of love., I-lc ic.i~rhes ns to k ~ c ~ . Hc :1ct11al1y provitlcs 11s with tlrc potver to love.. \\'hen this is presertt, w~ eagerly learn what Christ teaches us. \Ve hilve a sligl~t reflection of this when \vc gel

to sch0111. It is casier for 11s to learn if wr lovc tllc tc~i~cher a~ltl tl~c. sul~iecl. Thclr we have thc necessary initii~cive ttncl clrivc to work hi~rtl. Hot\, t n ~ e this is for cliscil,les of Jews, \vhcw Christ tritclres us to lovt. 13i111self anel tl~rough Fliniself to love Gocl, \vc. eagerly It-urn ant1 i~ssi~~rili~tc- tlre I r~~t l , . Our refationsl~ip is one of love nncl tl~irt ~nakes all the difference.

\!'hat ih lovc? It is obvio~is that h;~vc to ans\rrer this question by I)eing f;~ithful disciples of Christ and pc~usc at IIis f't-t. 'Vl'hi~t clors cjllr hlaster say? 'The import of this approach is forced upon us by the hur- rage of those around us svho would teach us a \\Tong itlea of love. The world of un- Iwlievers have :un icl(.;r of lovr, but it is

urrollg. 'I'lreir love-ins Hy under the 11i1111ler of love. Tl~'y have in ~nind a ~)itssio~rate embrace \vl~rreby they co111111it fornication; this they c;dl love. Tl~c. w~cial activists 1111-

hlrl their banrlers, '"\lake love not w;tr," and mean tlri~t we s11011ltl care for t l ~ c pnr,r of the \vorlcl, remove tliscri~nini~tic~~~, CHI-

harlce peace by social justice, hut pay no ;ittention to the heart of man \-hiell is sin- fill. Soci;~l justice \\+ithout salvatio~~ from sin is not justice, it is simply a rc*fincd form of sill. .l'lrta J c s ~ ~ s ~rrove~ncnt 11;rs its slogarm, "ShllI,E, J c s ~ ~ s loves yo~r," or, "If you love Jesus, horlk your horn." All this sttperficiirl talk of lo\^ is a perversion, for a lovc of Jesus i11,:irt from the i11111rr- n ~ e ~ l t is ;I (Ic.11ii11 of God 13i11iself.

Love is rootctl in Cod. .-\ccordi~lg to I John 4:s. God is love. Since it is tl~c* will of God thirt His love I)e commu~~ic;~tctl to us, He ;~ccon~plislres this throlrgh Jesus Christ. Cl~rist died OII thr cross ill ~~rcler that Mc 111ig11t toke ;I\v:I)~ the wrath of C;oel against our \ins and 11writ for us tllc love of God. 'I'hrough tl110 1)lood of Christ on the cross ;~nd the Iloly Spirit's \vorL in the gospc.I, our sins arc taken away i~ntl \\.c itre l~ ro~~gl r t into fello\vship \\it11 ( h t l . He slretls llis love t~broad in our 11c~;vts. It i\ tlris love that \\,(. slrxrc \vitlr O I I ~ ;In- cthcr. Cl~rist tells 11s that His culn~~ni~ncl- ~nent is t11;tt \ve love one another ;~ntl this love for one t~nother 111nrks us as IIis dis- ciples. Notice carch~ll!. that this lovr \\rlic11 \ve r1111st have for c;tch other is not ;I different love fronl the love God I I ~ I S for us, rather it is the same love \\.hiell G I ~ gives to us tvhich in t11m slxrre wit11 one i1notl1c.1..

Ho\v (lo \rrc- know this? Listen, ".A IIC\V

corn~~rtlrrd~~~cnt I civr unto you tlvat ye love one nnotlrer; as i have loved 1-ou, th;~t ye ;~lso love one another." Tlrc amazing phr;~sr is this, ";IS 1 have lovetl you." \Ve i11.c to love one ;urother in the \tray that Christ lovc~l us! 'fhis involvcs 4 things. First, Christ loves those \vl~o in themselves arc. not \vortl~y objects of love. H y nature \VIA

hate, \\.L. sill, ~e brcuk Coil's holy lit\\.. I'c:t, Christ loves us! Tlris i~lso applies to our love for one i~notl~er. \\'c. certainly arc. not >~lch nice people, not even in our youtlr, \ve sin so frcclurntly, we Irurt each othcr, wc nre not tlcsirable in our selves. Seco~rtlly,

BEACON LIGHTS

BEACON LIGHTS Soc;erl

Christ loves 11s in such a \my that t l r tnakes 11s pleasing to Cod. Even t11o11gl1 \re arc un\vorthy in o~~rselves, Christ's lovc is sanc- tifying, tl iro~~gh His love He removes sin i i r d cleanses 11%; fro111 evil. This n111st also characterize our love for one i~nother, by lo\.ing one another, we rnust sccbk to I I I ~ I ~ F .

r;~cli otllcr Inorc. holy in Gotl's sight. Tl~ircl- I>-, Christ espresses this lovc tl~rougl~ i v - ing, "Greater love hath no miill than this, that a man lay do\\-n his life for his frienils." This Christ has clone for us a:. an act of perfect love. So too in ollr love for each other, we r n ~ ~ s t give of r>i~rselvc*s for one anot1ic.r. T n ~ r Cllri\tian Iovr is giving not only of one's possessions, bl~t of one's self. Finally, the lovc of Christ is persistent, \ve do not deserve it, some- times respond gratefully. so111c.ti11ies we take it for gra~~tctl , yet He rnnt iu~~c\ to love I I ~ . Tluough riches and poverty, war and pcitcr; th ro~~gh lifr and death Christ gelilly and lovingly Ir:ttls us along unto our fin;ll glory. This too n i ~ ~ s t be t n ~ c of our love one for another. In all contlitions and in ;ill events, we are to love encli other. We mubt per\i\t in that love even \\.hen it is not rrceivrtl, c.\fr~~ \\.hen wc rnc.o~~r~ter enemies.

Christ prescnts this to us in the contest of a conuilandnirnt, "A ne\v eonlrnandment give I unto you." This is a conirnand~nent not in the sense that Christ sits over 11s wit11 a long whip forcing 11s tn obey, rather, it is ;I commandment ;IS tli(* sphere of life. Just as fish need thc \filter For life and birds need the air to S I I M V ~ , so \rVe need love in order to ;~hicIe in the cnven=t friendship \vith God. It is a neru comrnandnient, not as if it had lrcver been kno\vn before, In~t in the Oltl 'I'est:~~llcrlt it was a co~nm;~ndrnent of Icttc.r, il led Israel to long for deliverance.. I)r~t now it is written upon the portal\ of our heart, so that in the nea.nw of spirit it is a way of liberty and freedom.

\Ve sho~~ltl nest observe that ;I tlisciple of Christ docs not only learn to lovc:. 1)11t lie practices this love \vhich Ile h;ls Ic:~rnrtl, This is donr in two \I-ays, first \vc have to help one another in dealing with our sins. Love deniands this of us. Secondly, love causes us to help one another do that \vllich is good.

Conccarning our sins, we should briefly notice* tliut in order to deal with eacli otl~rr's sins, \\.r have to first of all de;il wit11 our o\\v sins. This b necessary if \vc arc. to I,c clualified, 'TII~II wilt behold the ,not<. t l ~ i ~ t is in thy brother's eye and not cnri- sirlcar tlie beam in thy own eye, tho^^ hypo- trill.," llatt. 7:3. \\'c 111t1st f i r h t rcIIiovtB tht. l>o:~~n in our o\vn eyr in order that urc. can see clearly to rrnlove thr sliver in our I>rotlier's eye. It stands to reason. \Vr 111ust learn that lovc tl~.~nands the repent- ancc of sin for o~~rselves first of all. \Ve II ; IVC sin and sin is ;I breach of love. \Ve c:cn never walk in sin ant1 say th;lt \vcb tlitl t11:ll i t1 love to God. Love is es~ressetl ill ol~etlicnce of God's li~\\.. \\Vhen we sin, it acts nr :I I ~ m i e r Ix*t\vcen God and us, we try to rover up and Gotl seems so far away. Only when we get or1 our knees and plcad \\fit11 Cot1 for forgivrness and raniestly en- d~ilvtlr to flee fro111 all sin, can \tre cs- pc*rience the removill of tlut barrier ;tnd fcllo\vship in tlle lovc of God. If we are to love one anotller tnrly, we must flee fro111 sin ; ~ n d thus be in a position to express this love to one anotlrcr.

I.li~\,ing donr tlris, we niust nest realize lhi~l we 111ust not lei~cl one another into sin. I f \vc. truly love one mother, \vc \\'ill desire that sin be removed from one another. \\'r realize that as sin is a barrier between Gotl ilnd us so it is ;I barrier between G d ;IIKI our brother ;~nd sister who sin. \ire tlcasirc that they also w:dk in righteo~~sness ant1 t r~~tl l . This causes us to feel the horror of I~eing respnnsil~le for leading someone into sin. Love \\ill do its uh11ost to avoid s11c11 a thing.

And yet, isn't this what we do so often ;IS yo1111g pcnple. \\'11;1t i111o11t those times yo11 sneak to tlic! nov vies and s11:1re t l ~ c full 1)y s11l)terfugc ~vitll a younger brotllcr or sister? You can't truly love cach other in tlie family circle and be a bad csample to cach other. \\'hut about the tirnt:s you sneered at the gal or fellow who st~~rlies tliligently and gcts good grades in scl~ool? Yo11 know \x*hst s ~ ~ c l i mockery amo~~nts to, yo11 are challenging hinl to tvaste his tilne as you are and isn't that leading into sin? \\'hat about your dress, tight pants, short skirts, and hot-pants. You carit \r7ear that kintl of clothes and claim that your \laster

Eight BEACON LIGHTS

Jesus Christ instrt~cts yo11 to \rvc;lr tI1c:ln. If yor~ wear them yo11 have. sat at the feet of tlrc unbelieving \vorlcl. 'I71ey hirve a ~nor~il- ity that itdvo~rtc~s frrv-love ;ttld Illis in- cll~tles the styles of clotl~cs \vhiclr they ~rlake poprlar. By \veilring them yort itre identi- fic:tl wit11 tlien~ itncl 111;ty lritcl otl~rrs into sill. Sesy clothrs protl~~ce Itts~ful thougl~ts itntl deeds soon tollo\\f. Yor~ cirnnot love ear11 otli~sr nntl clo s11c11 thir~gs. Similarly for long Ilcrir, it isn't that long hair makes a \vorsr Chris t i :~~~ I I V rnore tlii~lr short Irnir ~nirkes a Iletter one, rirther, it Ir;rs to do \!.it11 iclentification. Look among youraclves ns young l~coplv, see t11(* fello\vs with long h:rir, they art? not telling us tl~itt thcy gl;ldly sit ilt Jcsl~s' feet, r;itlicr tliey sit at tl~c! feet of the world with its Ilippic. movclncnt, Jes~rs freaks, peace movcument \\?hich taken togcther is arrti-christiir~~. A tliscil~lc- nus st l~cirr a mark. Tl1;tt mark is love; not as the \\-orld lovc*s, hut its Christ lovcs us. In d our :tppeirr;rncc we muht divorce ortrsclves from the \\,orlcl and reveal the love of Chrkt.

\\'h;~t tlo yo11 tlc~ wl~en yon k~ro\v itnother yotrrig person hirs donc \\~otrg? Do you show lovc* to hi1117 T11c.11 yo11 \ V O I I ' ~ j ~ k r i~hot~ t it :tnd think sin is funny. Neither \vill you \vhisI)cr about it itncl riiitkc. I i h ~ tl~c. bntt of your gossi],. Lovc? denlinlds that you tirlk to hini or her ant1 point out his or her i n nntl cidl tl~catn to rcllent. Our lovtb I I I I I S ~ I)e siunctifying! Do yo11 tlo tl~at? This is t l ~ c mark of a disciple of Christ.

Still mnrc:, a tlisriple of Cllrist prcl~~rotrs good in the lives of those arourrd Irinl. To do this \\,to nlust he good pr~pils and listen intr~itly to our klirste~-. IIow citn we pro- mote gootl if \ve do not k~iom \\.hat is good. \\'(! nrmt I)r are1~11t stl~dents e l f the Scrip- htrc-s, he steeped in t l ~ c tloctri~rcs of the Word of Cod and enthusiastic about the grei~t tnrtlls of rcdt21111)ti011 ttntl mace. \I'e won't say, 1 hate tloctrini~l scrn~r~r~s; \vc. \\-ill love. then) for t1nc.y form the I);rsis of our mnr;tlity. M'e will grow in thr conviction of the truth ~rnd thus be a l ~ l r to coilfon~~ our lives nncl those of others to the \\.ill of God reve:rled in the Bible.

Flow? Begin at hornc: obey your parents, re\pc!ct tl~cm, ahclw tl1(*111 Iovt* by doing what they require of yo11 ant1 irpprcciate thrir efforts to glritle yo11 in tlrc right way.

Encouricge ei~ch 0tht.r in hcl)crol, adutirc the best gifts nncl seek to creitte a trrlly Chris- tkn irtmosphere in school. Use yollr spirrc time l)rofit;rlily, if you sit by tltc Tl' arrtl radio, filling your m~r l wit11 rock 111~rsic itlid tau ;tnd Inuse I I ~ O I I the comedy Ilrogritlns that present life ;IS a pli~ygrountl i~~stoirel of a hnttlegronnd. yon itre not revatling love to God icnd will not lie ahlc to Iovv each other. Engage in physical exercise; it's irupnrtant for a health>- I d y infltterrces ;I healthy ~riintl. Hcitd gootl boohs, enj~py Cllristian mr~sic, kecp abrcitst of our t i~~rcs in tllc light of God's \\7orcl, devvltrp your skills i ~ t mt~sic itr~tl tlillrre~~t 11obbit.s. all ulr i . ; reaps fnrit I I I I ~ C I godliness. Let your \r~lrolt. life Ilc. ;I \vitnc.sr in worcl ir~rd deccl.

Finally, ;I tlisciplc of Christ will not only practice the love IIC. lias learned, he \reill be distinguished by it. Our life is ;ln opc-~~ hlok for ;ill to a'%. Thiv is a reason for our ctrrrcem to love* or~e itnother, "By tlris shall it11 nlen k11o\v tl~iit ye itrr my clisciples."

Tnrc it is that by loving one iunotl~er, wc. glorify God. It is in this \viry tl~itt Goel is acho\vledged ;is the Cfil elf all praise and Hi; purpose is furthered. Besides this, wc tiLw rnricl~ orrr own lives ;IS \\,ell ils e;tclr other'\ \\.hen \\.e loi,e each other. Chris- tian n~itrriagc* is ;I good exan~plc. Heris Ilo\vcvcr, Christ emphasizes that all nlcrl nnrst krro\\, that \vr love each otltcr and throt~gh this love thcy will know that \VI!

are Christ's disciples. \Vhy? Three reasons, first, by our loving citch otlrcr thtr \vickctl \rill bc witlrout c,scuse. t\s we love eacl~ other in Christ, \\.e \\pill criticize the workers of iniquity itntl they \\fill hicte us for this. \\'e 111ust not ilvoitl this, rather espect it. They \\.ill increse in their sin anel if t l~cy hurt 11%. God's vengcitnce \\rill f;dl I I ~ I ~ I I I

thnn and their cup of iniq~tity will beconlc full. Secondly, there !nay be some: yolung I)coplc that we may lead to Christ. 011r life must be a testimony of tlrc love of Christ to thitt enti, to provoke true jmlorrsy so that they \\till seek otlr ctot1ip;iny and rejcact tlvat of the \vorld ant1 its folly. Finally, I)y loving each (11 her \ire n.ill iilso 11c. joir~c!tl closer togetllrr \vitlri~l the Christi;rrl church. I ho\ \ , thcre is an element anong evrlr our yorlrlg people who try to \valk iis close. to the world its possible, yo11 hee t11e11r harc itt this convention i ~ s well. Don't be ;II-

BEACON LIGHTS

tractetl to thc.111, makc them fc-el thi~t if they Thc nlark of a disciple i\ that 11r loves \valk close to the- \vorltl in their way\, they ohel \ . )lake thi, a time of c.saniin;ltion, are not popular here ;it this convention. Enco~~rilpc c3;1cI1 other in fighting 011 thr infltrence of sin and 111aintain the t r ~ ~ t l i ancl moral\ of the \i70rd of &I. This will at- tract yo11 to rach othrr and notlling I,ind\ Christian yotlnc penplc more closely than when they flw from sin and \\.alk in tllr \\ill of God.

arc yo11 m ~ l y n disciple? Does it show in your life? This convention is dcdicatccl to helping yo11 ans\srcr it personally. Sly prayer is that yo11 may be able to say with convictinn, I am a tlisciplc of Christ, I know it, His love in rile shows hl nly love frr otht*rs.

Xlay Cod I,r pr;iisetl for this1

Following After Jesus* REV. M. SCHIPPER

Introt/rrc+tion: I\'c are pltrtsed to be prc.sent \\fit11 yon

on this 31st ann~~;ll Convrntion, ; ~ t l t l to have ;I part in the prngmm \vhich hi~s I l a 5 1 r

arranpcd. \\'r are also ple;lsed \vitl~ the. generirl thenlc! of this Convention, \vl~ich is: Disciples of Christ. I t struck Inc tIi:~t such a theme \vot~lcl be chosen in a d:~y \vl~en there sc.ems to be considrr;thle cor~fusion as to precisely what constil~~tes :I clisciple of Christ; \vhcn yotang people go fro111 the onc. estremc of seeking intlcl~endenccn, and appt-iring un\villing to follo\v :lftc!r a ~ ~ y l ~ o d y , to the other cstrenlc of bwoniing "Jesus people." Intlced, \vc live in n clay tvlrtw it becomes increasingly tlitiicult to bc. ;I truct disciple of Jesus Christ. In the light of this, we say again, that we are pleasetl to help in the development of this theme.

\\'c- also snppose that thc first sprakcr \vho ;rcldressetl you on the the~nc: Tllct hl,lr!i of the Disciple, also definrtl for yo11 t11r significance of the term "Disciple." Knon- inn the thoroughness with svhich tht: first speakcsr usually treats his subjccl 111;11t(3r, urc. be1ic.v~ he h;rs given you thct Scriptr~r:~l idea of ;I disciple. Conscc~~~ently we \ \ r i l l not take the time to tlcfine tlris part of onr wl>ject, esccpt to point o ~ ~ t how tllc test givcr~ to us uses thct term. \Ve \vrrt. asked simply to spmk on the: "Costliness of Being a Ilisciple." r\nd dre alggested test given to mc is: \lotthew l6:-7-1, which rc.;lcls ;IS

folltnvs: "Thcn saitl Jcs-11~ t111to llis ( l i s r i l ~ l ~ ~ , If any man wiI1 came after me, let him deny hin~self, and take up his cross, and folio\\? me."

"Prepared from notes used at the convurition.

Thert. are t\vo t l~i l~gs in t11~ contest that olrulrt to he pointed out, ancl which 11;rve I?c:rriag on the lest proper.

'I'11(~ first hi~s to do \vith th(- vrrses 13ff. where. Jesus is said to Ilc in Circsarea Plulipl~i, mcl where IIe asks IIis disciples concerniny His identity. IIe first asks them: IVho do men say that I the Son of nlan ;~m? To this clrlestion the tlisciples offer \. :

I I I I ~ I I I S ;IIiswers: "SOIII~ say l11o11 art John the I3;1ptist, solnc. Elias, and other Jeremias, or one. of thc I~roplrc~ts." He then asks the tlisciplcs: "13111 who say ye t l~a t I am?" Simon Peter, answering for the tlisciple group, rcclies: 'TI~~III art ~ I I C Christ, tile Sml of the living God." J e s ~ ~ s , after first prono~~ncing a blessing upon I'eter for hav- ing n ~ i ~ t l r this confession. then infor111s him Ihat tile ilns\s7cr co111d not h:~vc: come from him, I~ut thro~tch the revelation of His F;~thi,r in heavc:n. And He ~nnrks this con- fession as constituting the very basis upon \\*hiell Cacl will build His church, against \vlricl~ the gates of hell shall not prevail.

T l ~ c second matter of whicl~ the cnntest speaks is i h ~ important infornlation which Jesus g;tvc IIis disciples concc,rning llis suf- fering and dent11 in Jcnlsale~n. and Peter's reaction to it. The Lord atas very conscio~~s ;at tlris timr of the s~lfFeri~~g which was al ,o~~t to 11c imposcul up011 Him 11y the lenders of thc Jews, ancl of IIis dc:ath and rcsurrcction \+,11ich \vould follow. Peter be- g;ln to r e l ~ ~ ~ k ~ Him, sayi~~g: "I3c it far from thee h r d : this shall not he unto ~hee." Jesus interprets this relmke as being the very \vortls of Satan, ancl at the same time ;111 indication of the \s7rong under- standing the disciples had of the reason for

Ten BEACON LIGHTS

follotvi~~g I-li~n. Tl~is latter I)c.c;uiie thc oc- casion for Iris pronn~~ncenient of the words of ollr test. As the word "then" indicates. it irxs the proper time for Jes~ls to instruct His disciples in thc true ~ ~ ~ c , ; ~ n i n g of tlis- cipleshil), ant1 ~ I I I - r e q ~ ~ i r e l ~ ~ ~ v l t s true tlis- cipleship demands.

\Vith these remarks in mind, \ve \vol~ltl spe;~k to yo11 for ;I little whilc on the s111)- icct: FOLLOJVINC. AFTER J I'SLIS. Cori- c e r ~ ~ i r ~ f this s~~lijrct, there arc3 three clues- tions \vr would like to raise. ;tncl answrr. \Vhat does it 111c;ln? What docs it require? -lncl, LJnto \\-lint tloc.s it let~tl?

I. \lrllrrt tloes it nrcn~~? To colne dtcsr Jesus meatls to be Ili\

discil>lc. But \v11;1t is involvc*tl in being ;I

discil)lc. of Jesl~s? I n the ligl~t I I E thr con- t c ~ t tl~is is a11 i~nportant clucstion. \Vc! should not forget tliitt thoug11 tlic disciplt-s thm~~gl i Peter hat1 made a \vondrrfi~l con- fession: "Thou art the Christ, t l ~ e Son of the l i v i ~ ~ g Gocl," I11c.y ncvcr~l~c-lrhs tlitl not understi~nd the lull i~nplicntioris of that confession. To thc111 the tenn "Christ" \vas synonymous \\pith glory, honor, power, tllc ascent to the ~n ig l~ ty throne of David, a way or conquest :ultl victory. i \ ~ ~ c l tiisciplr- ship \\.;IS for tlicln consider~~d from t l ~ e vie\\point of the c1ucstion: \ \ l ~ o shall I,e the greatest? \\%en Jcsus therefore inFor111etl thc:ln that Hr* \\,;IS going to st~lTcr nr~d tlic:. this violcntly clnsl~ctl with thc conception they had of IIirn. And \vhen he intimated that tliscipleship consisted not in merely I~econiing great. 1,111 it cntail(btl \)caring a cross ;~Ftcsr IIini; tliis, too, violcntly militated against their conception of thc disciple.

Tnle discipleship consists, first of all, in hearing i~ncl recviving His \Vord. That is to say, I-Iis entirc Word, not ~norcly that part of it which niay appear i~cceptal~le to us. It is the Wort1 or Him \Vho is the truth. And tllt~t U'ord l~ccolnes an :~\vful \\-orcl of JCSIIS. It is the \V[~rd that rontlenms :ill sclf-riglilcoamess of men. It closcs the king- don1 of licaven against all \vl~ose righteorls- ness docs not esccccl the riglitcousness of the Scril,cs and l'harisees. It condemns the \vc~rltl of unrighteousness, ;niJ insists that \vtn l ~ i ~ v e 110 rigl~teousness of ourselves, that wc are corrupt and incli~~cd to all evil as \ire are by nature, that \Ire are guilty, undonc, and wortl~y of death :~lit l dan1n;i-

tion. It 1c;lves no hope for the. natural man, no gro11nt1 o n which hc can merit before God. And at the sanlc time that \\'orcl of Jesus reaches down to us in o~lr hopelessness only to declare to 11s a right- eousnvss of Gocl. :\ righteousness which is perfed because it is founded on the death and res~lrrection of Jesus our Lord. and d ~ a t can be ours only as an eternal gift of free griice. It is the \\'ord cwnceming ;I

righteo~lsness \vhicli is freely in~p~ltcd to 11s. that is \\rought in 11s through the Spirit of Christ, that justifies 11s freely and smctifies us \vholly, and that ~nakes 11s new crcaturcs in an olcl \vorlcl, light in the mitlst of dark- ness. citizens of Ileavrn \\-hilc we are in the midst of this \vorldlj- Babylon. 0, that \t-ord contains still more. It delllands of us tll;~t wc. figlit thr: fight of f ;~i t l~ unto t l ~ r entl. 'I'l~i~t \ve 11t. holy as God is holy i ~ i d l our walk of life. That \vc fors'de the world ;111tl its lusts, and 1% of God's part). in every phase of life.

Inclectl, to be $1 diqciple of Jesus, yo11 must hear and receive His \\'ord. .ind it is not enough that you merely hear it. 0, to he sllrr, it ir; necessary thi~t we csvrr come ul~tler the Ii(.ciril~g of that It'ord. I h t there is much more. That \\'ord must IJC hidden in our hearts. The hearer must also receive whi~t he 1ie;irs. It must Ile an al,icl- ing factor in Iii\ inncnnost spirit~~dl being. That \\rorcl must IJe the controlling prill- ciple in one's whole life, shall he be a disciple of Jes~~s . IIc cannot \\,a& \\-itho~~t it. It must guide him whcrevcr he g~c'b. It must slird liglit on llis pathway. It nir~\t draw. and lead h i ~ n to the light. A true disciple listens continually to that Word of Christ, and alwap lie asks \\.hat the mill and the \vord of Christ is. AI\vays hc is hearing, receiving, and doing that \\'orel. So, and so only, can one come after Jesus.

At tliis point \vc \vi>h to ask you young penplc, considering all that is irnpliecl in bcing :I tlihciple of Jesus: IF'o~~lcl yo11 IIC a disciple of Jesus? You feel the u~vful ini- port of tl~is question, don't you?

Today it is bn.onunp popular among youth of our tirnc to be "Jes~~s' peoplr." r\s \ve said in our opening remarks, thc crazy bent of youth is to swing from one extreme s\tfeep of thc pendulum to the very opposite estrenie. One day. not long ago,

BEACON LIGHTS

tlle yo~nig \vc>uld rccognizc* no one wl~om they tvo111d follow, casting otl' fro111 thrm a11 authority, and living riotously 11s rcvolution- i~ries. Today, the stveep of thc per~dulum moves then1 in the apparently p i o ~ ~ s tlirec- tion - to follo\v after Jesus. Not, you uu- derst;~ncl, the Jesus of the Scriptures, Who is the Son of God come into thv llesh, the J e s ~ ~ s \Vho took upon Him the gl~ilt of the sins of Clis people, and I)orc. t l~at guilt unto the tree. of the cross, in order to remove it fro111 bcforc the face of Cotl. C)f that JCSIIS the- do not know, nor clo they \viint Him to I)e their Ieatler. Sot tl~r Jesus \fiho speaks to 11s the \\Torti of Gocl which dis- closes our depntity, ant1 the. ricer1 of a r i g l ~ t ~ ~ ~ s n e s s which God has ~)rcpared, \vhich righteomness only will i~llow us to enter tl~rough the giltrs of llis ht.:lvc~nly kingtlon~ - but a Jesus of their in~itgi~~iltion - a Jesns who is a wpcr star.

1 am not speaking tod;~y to young people who \vouid have a Jesns that \\.ill aUo\v them to rock itnd to roll; nor is nry que.;tion directed to those \\.ho would claitn to follo\\r such a Jesus. Rut I i~sk yon, Protestiu~t Reformrcl youtl~, who have be- come : ~ c c ~ ~ ~ ; ~ i n t e d with t l ~ c \\'ortl of God, ant1 have met therein the Jesus of t l ~ c Scrip- h~rcs: \\'onltl you 1 ~ . His tlisciple? If your iins\\'er is: Yes; then you Irnvr heard and received His Word, ant1 hid it in your hearts. T11;tt \\'ord will I)c thv princi~:le \vherel>y your \\-hole life is rcgul;~tctl and controlled. This is a very i~nport:~nt clues- tion, and very personal, wlrich you nilist ;trlswcLr. \\'lrcn yon are ortr of Jesus' rlis- ciples, you will to come after IIi~nl

nut yo11 kao\\s, don't yot~, t l ~ t no man \sills or can w i l l to mnle after Ilim, :is 5e is 1)). nith~re. men by niitnre are carnal. They love clarlcness rather th;~n light. They love anti seek the \vorlcl, ri~ther than the kingelom of heaven. They lovc: tlrcir own worcl, ancl would hear the worcl of man, r;ttl~cr t l~an to have anything lo clo with thc \\'ortl of Cod and of Christ. The natttml man \\ills just die opposite of followhg after Jesus. 0 , hc may havc ;In imaginary JL~IIS, H.~OII I he has concocteel in his own mind, \\,horn he trill follo\v -but not the Jesus of the Scriptures.

You :tnd I must understand that tile will to conle after Jesus is the f r ~ ~ i t of mere

;r~~cl sovvrcign grace. To follow ;n~cl to will to comet ilftcr Jesus, is ~ I I C r c ~ ~ l ~ l t of His c.lfici~cio~~s call. He calls yon :111tl yorl conle after Ilinl. I-le speaks His :~l~nighty \I-ord, ant1 you obey it. He irresistil)ly says: Fol- low \lc! and His disciples sny spontaneous- ly: I come! Stnnge as it may scc.111, he who wills tn corne after Jesus is alre;rdy after Him. It is the choice of his 11ciu.t. He \vho Irc:~rs ;lnd receives His Word, will I>c Jesus' disciple.

No\v 1 was asked to speak to you today especially on: The Costh~c:ss of IIiscil)leship. .And so no\\, I come to thc hei~rt of thi. srll>jcct \\.lren I call yonr attention to:

Jc*s~ts snitl, "If any miin will come after nlc, Ict 11i1n deny hinlself, ;rntl take up I1i5 rsross, ilntl follow nle."

So11 will notice that the 1,ord specifies espc-cinlly three requirements: srlf-denid, cross I)rnrinp, and follo\ving I l i~n. .Illow Ine I)ricfly to delineate cnch of these r e clnirc~ncnts.

The first, and perhaps the no st Iituniliat- ing rcclnisitr of tnle clisciplr:sl~ip is ielf- tlcuii~l. 1311t what does that I I I I ~ ~ I I I ?

Literi~lly scslf-denial nie;uls: to tliso\\m, to renollncc self. It means i ~ i tllc no st ab- s o l ~ ~ t e sense h a t we must forgcat about our- selves, give up our own intrrcsts. Self- 111~niill is the v e v opposite of mnint.tining one's aclf. It is that act \vl~crcby one he- comes nothing in his ou7n eye\. It is the will not to insist on one's n;rlnc and p s i - tion, one's honor and glory, OIIC'S 111eans and posscs~ions, yea, cven onto's o\vn iife.

.-I speci;~l thank-you to yo11 retiring Federation Board members, Ilitve Lanting, Jini \';~rlOvcrloop, Linda Ekcn~ar, and Sort Browtrr, for the dedic;itior~ \vhich you've sho\vn while sening on the I)o;~rcl. As you reci~ll the past two yeilrs, I~ol~eft~lly you will rc~llcnlber not only thc- l~c;~tli~cl~es and responsiI)ilities, but more i~nportant, the Christi:ln fellowship ancl fun \vhicIi you must hi~ve enjoyed. On behalf of the Prot- estant Refonlied Young People, we say, "Thanks for your senices."

Sincerely, THE FEI)~~:~IKI-ION B0.m Carol llykstra, Secy.

BEACON LIGHTS

Y ~ I I I nus st ~~rlderstand that the Lord does not s:ty that you lnust deny something to yc~~~rsrlf, if you \vo~~ld he Idis disciple. If the Lord 11;1tl said that, it n~ idr t be com- p;~rativc.ly easy to be His disciplc:~. That kind of self-tlcrlial, one finds in t l ~ c \vorld, ant1 oftell also in the church. Slcn will clcny tl~rlnselvc:~ nrr~ch for Inany reasons \\.hen it involves themsclvcs. Tlrcy will t l c ~ ~ y tllc.rnsclvc~s I'ootl ar~tl drink which otlienvisr thcy critve, if their health is at stake. 'I'lrey will tlcny tlrr~nselvc~s leisure ant1 rebt, i f the ol~jcct elf thi#ir ambition is i~~volvc~tl. P;~ri~dosic;~l as it nl:ly secln, Illen \rill tleny thr~l~wl\,es the \vorid i~nd the tl~irlgs ol tllr \vorltl, ill orc1i.r to gilin more of d ~ e \vorld. Renlark;~l)ly Jehus s;rys some- thing I I I L I C ~ I tlifferc*nt tlii~n this. Never clid He say: deny yourself sornetl~ing, tlre~l yo11 \vill bi. my tlisciplt~s. No - Ilis rc~cl~~iren~c-~rt is ;In al>solutc. onc. HI. says: clcrly your- s,-If!

That Inecrns, everything you I ~ i ~ v e i ~ n d art!. I t inlplirs tlli~t bcfore God ant1 Hi.; Christ you (lo not insist on jrotlr own rigl~teorrsness, ant1 that you conl'c.ss tllat yo^^ arc uttcrly lost in yourself. It means tllirt yo11 espc.ric~~cc a ~ l d co~~less that you find a11 your rigl~tcousriess, yea, all you nt!ctl for your snlvatio~l in Christ :~lonc. It implies that I>cforc: men you seek not the praise of Inen, I)ut arc alw:~ys ready to suffer rrproach nntl even death if necessary for Christ's sake.

Indetd, this self-deniitl is quitc contrary to the spirit of this worltl. Thc* nrorlcl wants men thiit have ambition to mtlke for thcnl- selves ;I uanic, wllo Ilavr the cncrgy to gain ricllcs irnd positio~l in life. And it ofkrs riches, firme, ;mcl pleas~~res to all \vho will folio\\* her. Cllrist, on thc other hand, tle- m:~~ncls the very opposite. Hc o[lt.rs you no ir~tlnce~nent to self-iunbitions, I>ut cortde~nr~\ th(~111. 1 le rcrluircs con~pletr nl~a~~rlonir~g of self, shall we Ile Ilis clisciples.

'I'he seconcl recll~irr~nent Ilecevsary for t n ~ e di\cipleship is that \ve take 11p our cross.

Thc cross of wl~icll Jesus here speaks is said by sonic to refer to what Scripture calls the "old I I I ~ I I ~ of sin," thc c o n ~ ~ p t nature the disciplc retains after his regcn- rration and convc~rsion; the old nature

which thct ;~postle 1';1ul admonishes sho~lltl be n~ortified. Accorclingly, when tlrc. old 11at11rr overpowers one so that he f:tlls into sin, he is supposed to have a cross \critl~ which 11t. has to co~~tend. For esample, ;I

Christian tnay he qrrick-tcmpered and fly off thc. handle, ;IS they say. Quite of1c.n ht! will even excllsc. Ilimself \\*hen he docs this uith the rmlnrk: 1'111 sorry, In~t yo11 will please escllse llle for \\.hat I said, for I I I ~

hot tc.mper got the best of me. Toll sec2, that's thr cross I llave to bear. 111 my opinion tl~nt is not a cross, b ~ ~ t an evil nature th;~t often r ~ ~ l e s over us, arltl u.cs \r-oultl dn \\.ell to get rid of it.

Scitl~er is the. cross the irffliction ancl suf- ferings onc. oftc.rr hwrs in h i s lifr. Xlally speak of sickrrcss and pain i s so many crosses \vcs havc to I)ciir. But hardly can tile suffering in thr I~ody and ~nind in thi- \vorlcl be an trnrl>le~n of the cross of which J~SII \ spci~ks.

Riitlrer, the cross is ahvays cc~ltr:~lly tlrc- cmss of Christ. Sot, you rlnder\tand, \\,hen that cross is the rnrblern and rne:llls of atonenrent; for thrn it stantls uniquely ;llonc.. In this sensc: there ib orlly on(. cross, ant1 that is the cross \rhich Christ alone Iwrc, ant1 upon \vhic11 He alone. s l f -

feretl and (lied. But Jesus rileant that Mi5 cross which is the r~ltimntc espression of the hatred of the \vorlcl sg'ah~st God and His Anoinlcd must also he ours. Yo11 see, IIk cross and our cross are closely related. The \vorld hatcd Hitn because He was of God and they ;Ire of the \vorlcl. rind thC sewant is not greater th;rn his Lord. If they 11atc.d Him they will also hate Lhem tiiat will conle after Hin~. For He is in them, and 1,econlcs rl~anifcst through tlie111. Hii cross reflect3 in the crosses they hear \\rho will follow Jesus. .-\ntl \\,hen yo~c bear that cross, you tirke it r~p. You must assume tlre I>rlrd(.n of it. Ollr who t d c s up ;I

1~urdc.n asblllnes \\dli~igl?- to c a r - it. So also one \r,l~o tiikes 111) the cross, csprcssscs therel~y the \\?llin~mess to not only hear it, but ;llso to suffer its rcproaclr. Cross-bc.;tring is ini.\itable for the tme disciple of Jesms. Jesus' disciples do not comc aftcr Him to gain a cro\\m in this \vorld, but he who \r,ills to he IIis clisciple nrust will to deny I~imself ant1 bciir the reproach of Christ in this \vorld.

BEACON LIGHTS

Tllc third requisite of true discipleship Jrs l~s imposes npon us is: "And follo\v Xle."

Thi~t means, of course, that Jesus must 1c;trl. Sever ntiiy the opposite be tr~lc. In- rleetl there are 1n;tny in our clay who wol~ltl have tlte oplx~sitc be tnlC. 'I'lrey \vo~~ltl have you do ~on~ething for Jcst~s. .And \vhen you follo\v this conception tlrrol~gh you find that tl~c)- 111;ike JCSIIS to lollr;\v them. So! Jcsns must lcatl. He r n ~ ~ s t com- mand. He n ~ ~ ~ s t speak first. He nus st tell us fir51 of His cross. This is prccist~ly what Peter, ;~ccortling to the cor~tesl, f i r i l c 5 r l to untlerstand. He did not w;~r~t Jrstts to lel~tl, to go before Ilib cross: I~u t Peter rvould b a r his cross hvfore Jesus. In reality J c s ~ ~ s al\v.~ys leads. Ile \rras the ohcdirllt Scrvont to the Father. He enti.rc.tl the evil \r.orld in \vhich \r7e live, assumi~~g our ni t t~~re in \\ llicll He co~tltl \ufFer ;~ntl die. I lcr~x He was n~ocked and despi\c.tl. Hrrc I lr sof- feretl ;tnd diccl. Yes, hrrr II(. \t7rnt on before us hearing IIis cross.

Ant1 we must follo\cr Him. 0, tllis C;I I I I IO~

surely mran thi~t \\,r n~clsl or (,:In go throngh \\-hat Ilc. (Lid. That \vonltl 1,e st- terly in~pssible. .& \\,r p~in ted ot~t I)~:fore, t l~erc is :m ;1s11ect of flis cross \vl~ic.ll \vc cannot, nor nc.etl to bear. Hut follo\\~ Him \iVi- ~nu\ t nevcrt~~eicss. Listeninc to IIi\ \\*ortl of t l ~ r cross, ;~ntl never ita~erting onr own notions, anrl never soyinx: Lord, this shall never be unto Thee. But follow- ing a.illingly, snhmissively, silently; \ve hear His rrproach, renouncing our o\wt j~ltlgment to the \ITord of tile Lortl, ;uncl clenyi~tg our- selves completely. That is I~caring the c~oss and follo\\ing after Jesus.

111. Unto rchat it lec~tls. \\'hen Jesus leads, ant1 we follo~v Him,

\\-hat \rill ape e x ~ e r i ~ n c r as far 21s this \rrorld is conccrcd? \Vc.II, young people, your end \\ill 1)e IIis erltl. Hci~tg I>y His grace His disciples, yon \vill experience sh~me, reproach, suffering. and ultinlately death. For yo11 see Jesns not only taught us that shall wr. bc His disciples \vt3 niust be partakers of His anointing, Imt alscl of His suffering. \\'auld you follow Jesus, poll can cxptct notl~ing more in this world. IIr \trams you that as they persecutrcl Ililn st)

d~ey \\ill also persecute you. The \\rnrld and tlte power of darkness w i l l persecute you in every sphere of life, if you will hear

i t r r t l obey the Lortl; while yo11 txke up your (.ross, deny yo~irself, and follo\v Him.

.Are yon prepareti for that? Make no ~nis- take ah0111 it, this will surely happen to yo11. .Ant\ \sre \ P ~ I I I ~ ~ warn yon Lhat tht: Script~ires t l ~ ; ~ t in the I:~st da>-s this s~~ffering \\,ill became more intense. Jc-SIIS fcrem~ntccl us tll;~t \vhcn Antichribt \vill come the. c.lc.ct of Got1 will c.sl~c.rience suf- fering so severe that if God had not \hortenrtl the days the very elect r.f C d \vould not he able to endure. These (lily+. \\T I)elie\,c., :Ire fast co~ning u p o ~ ~ us. 0vc.r- night the peace ;IIIC~ quiet \\.c no\\+ c.tljoy, ntay be changed. So\\. it is clnite to I I ~ a Christia11. \ire nlay still go to church. ;~n(l worship as \rre please. \Vr may still enjoy orlr socieh life, \vhere nnn~oleatc.d wc Inay s t ~ ~ d y God's \ITorcl. No one :~p- peals to Imthrr 11s. But it \\$ill not con- tinlie thus. The day i* no1 far a\rvay \vhen the po1vc.r of darkness \<il l I~rrali forth in ;t11 its fury, against tlre churc.11, and ogi~irlst ~ I r i ? people of God. In fact. c>vcsn no\\.. if \\re \\ro~~ltl let our light slli~tr morc: than

do, \vc- would e\perience Inore oppoai- tion than we do. In the light of this, \\rould yo11 stiU I,c Jesus' tlisciple? This is \<'hat i t is going to cost you, if yo11 \vould rr~nain tnle to Him.

Yet, let not this discouriifie you! You 11:lve e v c y reason to rcajoicca 11nd to he exceeding plad. For your rc\r.;~rd shall he qreat! I f this \vere not so, yon \r,ould have re;rson to be the most miserable of all creatures. But remcrnkr, J c s ~ ~ s leads! IIe went on before you. I-Ie suITcrrd and d i d , \,ut He zilso arose from the tlt,nd. -Ancl He usccndcd to highest glory. And He has pro~nised to give unto His faithfill dis- ciples IIis glow. In the way of faithfulness, they shall also attain unto it. This is His \\lord, "If 1.e shall deny Xlo before Illen, 1 will also deny you bef(~rc IIy Fathcr \\.hich is in heaven; but if ye shall confess Ale before men, I will also confess you I~rforc I l y Father w l ~ c h is i l l heaven." If \ve by IIis grace deny oursrlves, and fol- lo\\, Him, be,ainp our cross, I-Ie \rill lead ) r c ) ~ l and Ine unto everlasting glory. \lay IIe c.nnLinue to give unto us tlritt grace whereby \rye may continue to fight t l ~ c good fight of faith, evcn unto the end, that no one take I ) I I ~ crown.

BEACON LIGHTS

The Freedom of Being a Disciple REV. G. V AN BAREN

In tl~c: past two spcx-cl~es givo~r i ~ t this convention, our i~ttention was directed to t\rm tn~ths: disciples of Christ hnvc marks which identify tl~cm as tlisciples indeed; nncl, true tliscipl(~ship is "costly." Now thv :~pparent conclusion which might Ile drawn is that a11c11 a disciplesl~il> must surely 1)r ;I very li~l~iting t h i ~ ~ f . A disciplc is certainly not free! There are so iii;lny things a dis- ciple call not (lo: he can not seek certair~ forms of cntert;~irr~~rcnt: Ilc can no[ obtain certain tjpes of jol~s; he n1;ly not Ile fricntls with this \vorld. Often discipleship iippears to be 111c:rely ncgi~tive: don't, don't, don't.

Becnt~sc silcl~ scems to 11r t r l~r , young people oftc.11 hesitate about confessing their faith. So~nc ha\~c even c.s~rrsscttl t l ~ ; ~ t i.vil idea thi~t they \\.o~~ld desire to 11:1ve their fill of f ~ ~ n heforc. ockno~vleclgir~g tlisciplv- .;hip. Later - but 1101 now \\ill t11c.y I,e :I

discil>lc~. Otllers I)clievr that tlisciplehip ought not to liulit Il1er11 ;it ill[. 'I'11c.y should feel free to do \vh;ttever they please-yet Iw identified as ;I disciple! TIN. secontl speech 11rnc1e p l i ~ i ~ ~ [hat this is i~nl)os.\il>lr.

I Iy s1111jcrt s~~ggests the t n ~ t h tl~ot clis- cipleship represents the only truly frc.e state there i\ in the u~livcrse. A [rile disciple i\ frcac in his union to Christ. h~lcl st~cli free- tlom is a positivc thing. There :Ire, it is true, tl~ir~jis \vhich no disciple ran (lo or nlay do. But he is free as a clisciple to scrve God from the heart with all that he is and ;ill that he l~as. No child of this \vorltl 11;~s thid frc~ctlom. No one call obtain th;~t freetlonl a,itIr money. None can seek i t and find it in itnd of themse1vc.s. This frccclom is a gifl - p~~rclrasecl tlrro11g11 the I~lood of the L ~ I I I I ) on the cross of Calvan. In that freedom \vc ought to rejoice.

The sce~niilg c.ontrat1ictin11 urliicll we face is this: One who insists that 111- is "free" because he can do as he pleases, is rcaUy a slilve. IIc is a sl;~vc. of sin; he can not do nor seek the gootl; he is i~ndcr the scntencr of death. His imnginecl "freedom" is in ;~chiality an illl~sion suggested 11). satan ;~lready to Eve in l'ar~tdisc.. Hut one who is tnily free, is a slave of Jcsus Cl~rist. Paul repeatedly identified himself as such a slave. Yet this same Paul boastetl in the

liber~y \vl~ert.\vith Christ has ~n;~t lc us frcut.. Bondage to Christ is tnle freedom. Let 11s underst;ind this \\.ell and not I>e dcceivcd by tltc sircn song\ of tllc \vorltl uhicl~ \ \ fo~~ld wgoest oll~envisc.

But what i> freedom? \Ye have often h e n told that we live in the I ; I I I ~ of the free. 17irst, wtS ought to rernovc ~ ' I ~ : I ~ I I

misconception\ c o ~ l c c m i ~ ~ g freedom. It is not tlic remov;~l of a11 restraint. There arc: some- \\rho cerlll to hrlicve that they :Ire

free \vllen they free thr~~~sel \ ,es from partsn- tal, ecclesiastic;~l, or qo\.ernment;~l restraint. Sonle > i)nth rnovementr of onr clay procecntl urider XIICII an ;~ss~imption. Children w;u~t to be { r e from all parrrltal control. Iiany \rrnnt no control or n ~ l c in thei; livrs 11y either church or state. 'I'he oft-r~sctl phr;~sc*. -*Do yoilr o\vn thing," s~~gzcsts thc sanlr thourht. One tllcn is free only when he can do \vhatevc.r lie tn;iy pleahc witlrout fe,u of consrrlllc3nces.

T l ~ r absence of all rehtraint \\.auld res~~lt. of course, in c11:tos. 11 fish in the wi~ter could 11ot claim to be truly frcc only whcr~ he Ic;tps from that water 11p3n the land. .is soon its hr frees hi~nself fro111 the re- stnint ( 111atc.r ), he din. - h c I tllnngl> \vcc suppo\cdly live in a free land, obvio~~sly that tlnes not mean that restraint i\ gone. Try tclling tllr policca~n.~n who stops ~ O I I

for speetling, ''l3ut \ve live in a frce land!" Or ag.~in, my freedo~n to use iny hand or fist cntls at thr point of my neighl)orYs nosc. Tor ;un I "free" to take or occupy proprrty \\-hich belongs to nly neighbor. Ren~ove restraints, and there \\.o111d be chaos t~ntl anarchy.

Sor is free do^^^ the ability to choose bc- tlveen alternative\. S O I I I ~ w g g a t that t n ~ c freedom means that onc can choose eithrr the good or the evil. IIe must have the ability and inherent right to choose thus - or he is not free. But that s~~ggestion is .~lso false. God, for instance, can not choose the evil. Tct God is absolutely and sovereignly free. Nor \\-ill \re be "free" in that srnse in heaven. There wc shall 11c. perfectly free -yet unable ever to choose any more the way of sin.

l lay I suggest, without entering into tlir

BEACON LIGHTS

~ i r i o ~ ~ s philosopl~ical a r g u ~ ~ ~ c n t s , tliut there. are ~ e \ ~ e r a l points to the itle;l of frc.ctlon~ which we ought to re~l~etnixr . First, t n ~ e freedom can only exist within prescribed bountl;~ries or l i~~vs . \\'itl~o~lt such li~ws, free- dom is impossil)lc. S o nation or city could cantinue \vitlio~lt I;I\\-S: In\vs iigainst spred- ing; I:I\VS against murder ;~ncl stealing: laws for property possession. The t~nivc.rsc~ ror~ltl not cat~tinne \vithout ia\v\ \vIiich Cod placed there: laws of gravity: of propcr(ic.s of light; of gro\vth. Pior can there I)c. true fcertloni without nloral I;r\v\. Frc.c*tlt~~l~ prr- snpposc.~ bountl;~ries.

Sor are bol~ndaries mcrc arbitr;li-y l;~\vs \vhicl~ Illen devise. Dict;~tors, rvil r~~lc:rs, and othrrs n i i~ l i t \rek to c.l~force I;I\\IS \\~lii~.lr are evi! and cc~n t raq to the I\-ord of God. But laws \vhich are oppo\ed to t l ~ r Lx\v of Gotl, la\vs tlesipt*d to p ro~ l~o te tile honor :~nd glory of man - these p rocc~d out of the sinful heart of man and t t ~ I i i \ o\ivn condc~nnation. The propcSr bound:trie!s far freedom are cst;~l~lislied 1)); the i\l111ig11ty, the Sovereign One. He Hin~self is ; ~ l ~ s o l ~ ~ t e l y free. It is He \\%I revr;tls to His creat~~rcs what arc the limits ;mtl Imtunds in \\hich they can esict ;111d enjoy tr11r f r eec lo~~~ . 'l'llc la\vs \vhich Gotl estxblisl~es nrt not ol~ly "naturnl" la\\,s. i111t also moral 1i1\v. And the 11c;lrt of tlrc law or hounds nphicl~ Cod establishes is this: Love Cotl with t l ~ y \vl.~ole heart. In viol;~ting that I;t\v, 111t111 lost his frcedo~n and entcred into that \tate of chaos \vhic.h is eviclent also todt~y. Free- dom is to lovt. Cod pcbrEectly \ \ l i t l ~ IIII~.'S

\vholc being.

Secondly, frc~culom s ~ ~ p p o s e s the al)ility to live :mrl act within the* I101111daric.s Cotl has estahlishctl. T l ~ e in;~l)ility to li\)e \vitl~- in t l ~ c restrictions whiclr Gocl csti~l~lisl;es, results in s h v c n arid tlc:tth. S~rcli \\ro.~ld be t r~~c. of t h c : fish \vliicl~ jumps fro111 tho water. Sinlilarly, a man \\,ho ig110rc.s Gad's laws and weks to \valk under \\;~ter, clro\vns. . hd the man \vho seeks to escape God's la\\?s ill the morttl-spirit~~i~l l>lanc., dies. miis ditl z \ ~ \vlicn he refused to obey the good cr)n~rnand of Cmd concerning the tree of knowledge of good i111t1 rvil. Hut true freedom involvcs the tltrsirc: ontl ability to live within the limits of God's pcrfcct law. This freedom presupposes perfcct holiness and riglitc*ousness. One- \\711o

is truly frctc. is b o ~ ~ n c l by Gotl's la\\.. lo\-rs i t . and \v;~lks according to it.

Finally, freedo~n has as its c.nd, perfect fc.llo\vship and communion with the ever I~lessecl Gotl. F r e e t l o ~ ~ ~ is not solne state in \vlrich the! crralure in any \bvily setaks scalf. It is that state in \\.hich he can perfectly serve and glorify thc Creator. In this \v;~>-, 11e :IIZO enjoys tilt. blessirics, frllo\\~ship, ant1 coln~i~union \\fit11 God.

This frc-edom, t n ~ e freedoln, can IH? trilced t l ~ r o ~ ~ g h the rrcorcl o f Scripture. Acl;i~n~ l~ossc~sserl freetlom 11y virtue of tlic f;lct that Cod created him perfect and good. But ridan1 cot~ld and tlitl lost. tlic~t frt.c-doin in the of clisolxttlicnce. Im- nictliatcly, ho\vever, Cntl rc.vc.i~l~,cl to .-\tl;~~ii the only \\,;I\; of frcbedom (Gc-~~e>is 3:l.j). :\ntl t h ro~~ghou t the Old Testitmrnt ;iyc, thv saints enjoycd freedoln - tlrorlgh it n-;is the freedom of a child. The)- livotl tu~clrr the type and sl~;tdo\v. They wcrr bound by Inany la\vs regarding sacrifice desijpc-cl to poinl them to thc dc.liverance \vhich \vo~~l t l cnlne i ~ r the cross. But they \ \we free in Cl~rist.

That frertlonl tlcveloped i l l t h r Serv Ilispensation nntlc-r the clirt.ctio~r of t l ~ r Spirit of I'rntecosl. -Ille cltiltl of Cot1 tlo longer must observe the Ia\vs of sacrifice

ANSWER TO LAST ISSUE'S CROSSWORD PUZZLE

T;tkc.n fro111 Tlle S e i ~ T e ~ t ( ~ t ) ~ e t ~ f 111 C w - roorcl Prrzzlco (No. 19) by 1.11cile Jol~nson, iund r ep r i~~ tvd b y pcn~lission of Baker 13ook Irottse, Grand Rapids, llich.

BEACON LIGHTS

irnd circu~ncisio~r. for tI1c.s~) were ft~lfillc.tl in Christ. Now Ile live-s untlCr God's Ii~\r

its an adult - he rn~lst still fully o l~cy tlrc Iir\r. of Cod, l ~ t Ire obeys it voluntarily and \\,it11 an uncl(.rstanding of that \vhich Ire dors. Ilowcvctr, I)cc;u~se hc: Ii;ts still a sill- ful flesli, tlio cl~iltl of C:ocl c c i ~ ~ t i n ~ ~ c s tn sin ;twinst Ciotl ; I I I ~ His law.

Finally, frcetlorl~ \rill b r l o ~ ~ g to the saints in g l o n in tlic fullest, nlost ~ lor ious , scnsr. Tlien thc ~nt.rnl~ers of Cllrist's 1)citly slr:111 no longer sill -nor \rill lhey be nl,lc to sin. They \\.ill br i111lc to choose the gocitl ;111 thc= time \\tith their \r.hole [icing. That is the pcrfcct frccdom \vl~ich we dcsirc to pohscss- anel \vhicIi is 111-omised 11s for Jesus' sake.

Hut hour citn onc ol~tain 511ch freeclorn? I rrpei~t, srlch freedom can not bc. oh- tilined by r:.~no\lal of restri~i~rt or la\\-. This is \\,hat thc tlcvil 1i;ld srlggc.stctl to Evt. in I'irradixc. Flc sirid, "Pea, God dotlr krrow thirt in the clay YOII eat of I I ~ L . tree of kno\\~l- edge of fiootl ant1 evil, yc shiill LC: its God, kno\\,ing good nntl evil." In effrct, sat;rn told Eve thilt she worrltl I)(. free only \rhcn she re~r~ovc*tl 11re rcstr;rinth mhich Gocl placed ~ r p o ~ r 11c:r. The tlc~vil 11nc1 this worltl constantly c.l~iphnsizt~ tlrat s n ~ n c lie totli~y. :\ncl \ r r so~~rc.tirrrcs begin to succuml, to its snares. Through song, on television ant1 in movie, in I~ook and m;tg;rzine, man s ~ ~ g - pests tl~irt frc.c:cl(im is attainirl~le thro~rgl~ t111. rc.~~ro\-al of ill1 restraint. Tlrnt is the iclea too of thc "new morality" of which \re Iinve heart! nluclr in past ycS;lrs. Accorditrg to this nc\v "~lror;ili~-.'-." one need uo longer obsene thc~ tl(:t:rils of tht. tcn corun~;rnd- lr~t~rrts, ;IS long 21s he "lovc.s." Onc can col~r- mit murtlrr, uclrrltcry, stc::rli~~g - in lovc. And ui th motlcm technology it is seemingly possible to avoid some of the consecli1encc.s of violation of Cod's 1;1\v.;.

You, yo~rlrg pcoplr, arcb pi~rticularly sus- ceptible to t l~is reasoning. I t is rather nor- 111i1l that young people I~cgin to desire to "use their o\vn \rings." You think in tc.r111i of freeing yourselves from "~non~ma's al>ron strings." l'lrcreforr. too, this lie of s:r1;111 that freed0111 is oljtained hy removing ;il l

restmint is irppciiling. You, especkllly, must I>e\x7are of it.

S o r is man I~orn frrc.. 01re is born in Irondage of sill :~ncl cleatlr. ,\darn, orrr firht

father, rcl~resented all Inen when Ile fell. The resirlt of that fill1 of Ada111 \v;r.; that d l rnerl are born de;rd in sin. Alan has then neither the po\rcr nor the clcsirc to deliver lii~rrself from the slavery of sin. \\'bile wicked merl I,o;~st, "I atn frcr!", these arcb really slaves to sin.

Jesus tell\ us that t l ~ c tnith shall 111;rke you frc-r. \\That is tnrth? That is the question Pilate asked Jcsrrs a t His triirl - and ditl not await i i ~ r iln?i\\,er. TIIITC. has heen nlirch philosopl~izing about t l~is tlrrrb- tion. But again, Christ, in John 14:ii, tells us simply: "I an1 th r way, the trtrtlr, irnd the life: no man comcth onto tilr Father but 11y me." Jcsns, \\')lo is the rcvc-lation of Cotl, is t11(& tnl t l~ . All that is in I i i r r~~~ony wit11 the perfect Heing of the Fntl~vr is t n ~ t h n:ltl is found ill Chriqt. Christ is the Truth !:ecnuse He ni;rnift.sts the love, nrrrey, grace, ancl \visdom of Cad. Christ shows Cocl to llis people. I le does this i l l Iris incarnation. rincl IIc 11oc.s this \vl~c*n he records infallibly the Scriphrre through holy men. T1r:lt tnith \vhich is Christ is cvident centrally or1 the cross. There is scc.11 tlrc tnith of Gorl's riglltc~ot~sness (for t lc (liles not i~llo\v sin to zo irnpunished). Thcrc is revealed tlrc truth of lIis infinite lovc (for He sends His only Son to die under llis wrath for His people). 'There is rcvcaled Gocl's prncc ; ~ n d mercy (for He dcsircs to cause I-lis people to Ile blest forevern~orc).

That t r l~ th makes free. Sothirrg else does. Through full payment, the jr~stict: of Cod is satisfied. Through the cross, we are delivered from the bondage of sin and death a t~t l are asst~rctl n place in glory.

T o enjoy to tlre full your f reedo~~r , you must know the tnlth. One does not I~ccome free mcrrly by knowing the tnrth, of course. SIil11y know of the truth who are not at :ill Iree. One is free accortli~rg to the ctcrl~nl detenrri~i;~tiorr of Gotl :IS Ilo

BEACON LIGHTS Seventeen

re.&es His plan in time tlwough the cross. But the conscious~~ess of our fre1:d0111, the joy of freedom, comes in the way of know- ing the trt~th. The more clnildren of Cod Imotv of the truth, of the cross, of their redemption; the more thcy stand nmazecl in the freedom t lut is theirs. And thwe \\rho kno\v the truth, also live in that frec- dom. These surely desire to serve Gocl in all things.

Therefore, Christ insists that true disciples are to continue in His \\.'ord. The Word of Christ is revealed in Scripture. It is an infallibltl \\'ord \vhich therefore ncvctr cllanges. That \\'ord is givcm for our I~encfit and instruction. One will not find the Word of Christ in creation. By special revel:~tion, Christ revetlls Himself - and the meaning of creation.

It is that Word \vliich wc rnust know nncl hear. \Ire must hear that Word ill the preaching - h a t God-orcli~ined lr~eans of grace for the strengthening and citllil~g ol die church. We are not to try to find nlorc! "pleasingp sttbstitutes for that preaching. It must, rather, be used faithfully according to the connnnands of Scripture.

Ancl we are to study and know that \Vord. It is the revelation of God throligl~ Christ. .-\nd we neecl know it particularly in these days of great wickeclness ontl apostasy. False doctrines of every sort are creeping into the churches. You must be able to distinguish the false from the. true. You, then, LIUST know the Word of Cfid. I would urge yo11 to sh~cly it diligently. How rnuch would we not kno\\f of that \Vord if we spent as: luuch tilne usitl~ it as \ve do with television or with sports? Yet that Word deserves more sturly and time than that svliich is set nside for recreation or cntertai~lment. Study lhnt U'ord in preparation for the he;iring of t l~c preaching. Study that \Yard in preparation for society discussion. Study it in the homc with family, 'and privately in your own per- sonal devotions. But s h ~ d y that Word.

A tnte disciple, says Jesus, continties in that M70rd. The confession of the chilcl of God is not mcrely a single act. It might seem that ~ - a y so~neth~les. At times, yomg people can quickly and thoughtlessly make a confession of faith. These might have no real intention of abiding by the teaching

and instmction of that \Vorcl. They will readily clcptrt from the church for tllr srkr of rni~rrisge or of work. Sl~cll is hypocritical.

One enjoys true freedom and h~o\vs the truth only in thc \r7ay of continuing in the \Vord. He knows the Worcl and loves that whicl~ it teaches. Hc sceks OLLL the ~ n e a n h p of thilt \Vord as a guide for his own prr- so11al life and wall;. For he dcsires to do that \vluch God requires of him. Iie con- tinues in the Word \\!hen he sreka out en- tertainment. Hc mntinues in the \Vord wl~cn he chooses his friends. Ile continues in the M'ortl \vhen he seeks his life's calling. That \Vord is a la111p to his fe't and a light to his pathway.

Yot~, young people, continue in the \Vord. Tlnen yon sl~all know the tnlth and con- sciously enjoy- the only freedom there is: freedorr~ from sin and cleath, freed0111 in holiness I,cfore Gocl. Cocl gralll that to you.

Remember the

Beacon Lights Literary

Contest

send entries before

December 31, 1971 to

DONNA KNOPER

1438 Elliott St., S.E.

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(See June-July issue for rules)

BEACON LIGHTS Eighteen

NEWS from, for, and erbout our churches KAREN KARSTEN

From Loveland, Colorado: SIr. Gary Erks ;\ntl bliss JO;III Zaridslra

Lovel;lnd's yo1111g people arc. l)~ls>. think- ing a11c1 planning i ~ h ~ ; l d for (it~gt~st, 197.). IIoprft~lly. rlrst tc.i~r's Conve~itior~ ~vill b r i r ~ ~ Inan>- yoctnp peoples to the I ~ c ~ n ~ ~ l i f i ~ l st;~tr of Colorado.

l l r . ;uid Xlrs. Don Schxvnrz rcjoicc in th,. birth of ;I tl;~ctglltc~r.

From Hope, Walker, Michigan:

Slr. ;~ntl Jlrs. A. 13l.tl111111el r(-joice it1 tllc, I,irtll of ;I daccp11tc.r.

The ncw adclrcs~ of Dick Ecrdmans is: Dick Eerdmnns 379-56-3060 11. 13. 3hnd .*\ADCOhI ( AG ,4SD) 11 1'( ), Ye\\- Yo1 k 09227

Slr. nntl hlrs. Hrr~i i i~n Schippcr and son \\*err rrccived from First Church in Graricl Rapids.

From South Holland, Illinois:

Confession of f;1it11 was matlc by \I'illn~r B ~ ~ I I I I I I , hlarilyn Ha&, nlid Jcnnir Hoving.

\\err 11nitc.tl in n1arri;~gc on September 23. On September 17 I'rof. IIanko drliverecl

a pi111lic Icchlre in South Hollantl on "Thc* Cllri\tiali .tntl the Fill11 Arts."

From Hull, Iowa:

A cc~nl)ined yoilng peoples 11nrty wits held in I1oo11 on ..\up~rt 10 \\.it11 the yo~tng people. nf Doon.

Str. I.eon Lrittenbognard and lliss Phyllis Hock:;::., \\.ere unitrtl in marri;~gr on S(:p- te~nlxr 3.

Miscellaneous News:

Rev. :,loore accepted the call to Doon and Rcw. IA;lnting co~ldc~cted the installatiol~ senkc. of Rev. lltrorc.

-4 singspirntion \\,;IS held ill the Hudson- ville Ch11rc.11 on September 26, It wils sponsorctl by flit R~r~cor LIGIITS.

School doors arc. open, societies have. begun. house visitations are scheduled and \ve are I,usier than we were last Novcnl- her. In tlic bustle of living let's not forgct to live.

Extra copies of this and other issues

are available from the editor at

30# a copy while supply lasts.

BEACON LIGHTS Nineteen

-1nnouncing our new editor for the Department News From, For. and .-\bout Our Churches.

Plcasc send all Ne\w 1tc1ns to

hIlSS JEANNE GRITTEKS 1130 Fr:~nklin, S. E.

Grand Rapids, hlich.

MOVING? Please fill out form and mail to subscription manager (see inside cover for address).

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BEACON LIGHTS