FOR PROTESTANT REFORMED YOUTH - Beacon Lights › wp-content › uploads › 2015 › ... · FOR...

FOR PROTESTANT REFORMED YOUTH

4 -

VOLUME XXlV APRIL, 1964 NUMBER 3

Published monthly. except J 11 n e and A u c u s t CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: by the Federatjrm of Protestant Reformecl Young f<er. Robert Harbach. ........... Truth va. Error People's Societres. Axstha Lubbers ..................... Critiquc

Mrs. C. Krcccl ................. Seas Editor EXECUTIVE BOARD: Re\-. H. Ilsliko . . . . . . . I:run~ Dort to Today

Harry I.;tnucrak ......................... 1'1 taaide:~i Her. G. 1.ubbcr~. Rev. I;. Van Oaren ........... CaIvirl Rcitsna ............................. Vice I'resident I:IOIII the Pastor's Study .\Iarilyu Ondersma ............................ Se~'retiiry Joyce Kuiper . . . . . . . . . . . .....-4 >st. Sccre1nr.v Jim IIuir insa , .

........ I rri~surer ...... Edward I ~ n g e r a k Asst. Treasurer

m .......

Sb&-on Pr~nce ................... .I.ibraria~:

EDITORIAL STAFF: Robert Dcckt-r . . . . . ...... Etlittir.ili.(:hici H. W. Kuiper ..................... Asroci.rtc Editor John Kalbbnk .................... 3Ianapi11r Editor Sacy Iiecmatrx . . . . ..Fi;:ance .\1:11!:iser

STAFF: Heleri Fl ikk~.!~r.~ ............................ ..Clerk Csrol \'an Punen ........................... >\sat. Clerk I . c h i .... As<:. tq, \I.III. k:d.

All materiol for publication should be oddraasmd to MR. ROBERT DECKER

1004 Temple. S. E., Grond Rapids, Michigon Grand Ropids subscribers please fomord sub-

scription dues lo JUDY BYLSMA 904 Adams, S E . Grond Ropids, Michigon 49507 Subscribers outride of the Grond Ropidr orso

pleose forward subscription dues to LOUISE LOOYENGA

2604 Almont, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49507

......... All undeliverable moteriol (Forms 3579) should be

Mary Pastoor returned to Louise Lcoyenga, 2604 Almont, Edward Lanperak Public Relatia~rl> Stat? Grand Ropids, Mich. 49507 ..... Sharon Prince ................

Judy Br lsnn ............. Louise a ........... ) S~lbsc'i~tioll J ~ J I ~ ~ R C ~ S

Subscription price: $3,00 Second Class .Postage pard at

Grand Rap~ds. Michgan

EDITORIAL Your Perronol Librory

H W K-.prr 'EATUSE ARTICLE

Sex in Our Time Dr D J Monrno

OPEN FORUM Mary Bclh Lubbe~s i n y s Feenztro trply to Mr Thy5 Fecrlctra

H W Kdlper 'ROU DORT TO TODAY (9 9

A Time of Decline (1619-1834) Rev H Honko

CRITIQUE I 1 Federol Aid to Education ~conttnuedl

Ago'ha Lubbv rs TiUTh i. ESROP

Billy Grohom'r Min~stry of Error R t . R C Harbach

BOOKS Behind the Wall - Robtrt E. A Lt td

Rrvtvwed by Mr. Robert Dcckur FROM THE PASTOR'S STUDY - YOUR MISSIONARY SPEAKS

Youthful Stewordr of God in Christ Rcv G Lbbber>

HELPS FOR BIBLE STUDY Genes~s 22

Rc i G Ldbber: NEWS

Lois E. Kregrl

YOUR PERSONAL LIBRARY

T11c sole purpost: of tl~is editorial is to offer to you, Protestant Iiefornted youth, a suggestion for considerittiol~. The suggestion is intin~ittely associnted \r4tli the Ii~ct that you, as the yotttll of the Church of Christ, itre naturi~lly a I(8i1rning youth and, by His grace, ;~rc. co~~stiurlly irl clrlest of increisit~g your rintlerstanclirlg of that which Ile ltns re- veoled 1111to us it1 His \\'ord. That, in itself, ib :I bcc~utiful tllo~tgllt.

\Vet kl i rve tl~itt it wo11lt1 Ile I,c*~tclicid for you to co~~sidrr cstablisl~ing, for your per- scinal rrse, a pri\wte library of a type that wo~~lt l aid you i l l y1111r stutly ;~c.tivities in the spheres of yotls home ; ~ n d yollr church. Elimini~tcd, dtercfore, fro111 the tlisc~ission ilrc. all o t l~r r t).pcls of books. \\'e spo:~k solely no\\- of S'I'UDY I~ooks; tools, if yo11 please. with \vltich j-ou nli~y Inore qrlickly or ntore ;~ccuratcaly colnt3 to a clearer uncle~.stonding of the l'nlth. \\'c l~ope tlti~t the rc~ults of this suggestion: ( 1 ) may assist yo11 in your ~lnderstnnding or that Truth, as yo11 from wc.e!i to \veek 111itke prrl,i~ri~tion Tor your part in the spirittlill activities that ;Ire yours to enjoy, and ( 3 ) 111ay s t i~l~ul ;~te :I positive rr2;tction or1 your picrt to tllc crlcl tl1;1t cs\fc.rl

in yo11r clay to tlny walk tllerc r ~ ~ i ~ y I)r thtsc took available to you, \\,it11 which you will Inore i~~tclligently be al,l(. to set4 out an- hwers to cluestic~~~s and l,~.c~l~lems tl~nt arise.

So\v we realize., of collrhe, that presently you arr living ;it home i~tld therc.fore >-or1 rnny alrt!i~d>- Itlcvc. avnil;ll,lc for your 11s~. solllc of thh type of books, \vllich your parcnts o\\fn ancl \\rhiclr they arc hitp1)y to let you 11s~:. Then i t woultl iIppe;lr so~ne\vItnt ~~onsensici~l for ~ O I I to go out :untl ol)l;~il~ thmm for yourself. Tltis is, in ;I scwse, hue. I Io\\;ever, \vc I I I I I S ~ re;~lizt- t l~at \\hen clo .'IC;I\Y> the PSI" it is ( 1 0 1 1 ~ 2 ill ;I t\vinkli~~g. Ceneritlly spr;lking, any\vay, it is not a gradual process. And \vc. fcel that it is a desired thing to make cl~lsc associations, with this type ol l~oolis, \vl~icb ilrc- lasting, provided that we can be 1~x1 to selcct them irriglit. Then \vc? \\dl1 be 11nppy to 1)c ablr

to takc. with [I\ these tools. \vhich, in a very trite tnanner of speaking, may I,e considerecl as "oltl friends". Ant1 those 1)ooks whicll Ila\.e tl~roilgh 'sl~crience proven to be brllcs- ficinl tools in tllc stutlv of God's \\'on1

.is to \vliat titles sllol~ld be col~sitlrrerl for your lil)rary, \ve \\rill mitke just ;I fen, co111- ments. First, assume that, crs cr book to be obtairletl, the Biblr itself neetl not c:ntc!r into this disc~lssion. 110 not be i~lnnllrtl ;it this, for \\-e mean thereby that it is assul~~cul that \\.r all cherish it dciul\- and so alreatl\* have one; t l ~ r ~ s wc- ~tced only to ;~dtl to tl tv

1ibr;tn those things (books) that \\-e feel will be of I~rrtefit to 113 in the stt~tly of TH.4'l' \\'ORl>, \\.hiclt is i~ntl rr~rrst renrairl centrill in die entire lil)ran, not only, 1111t also in the stutlirs in which we engage. \Ye might say on thi* point, t l~a t there are Bil~les mcl there arc Bibles. 'There are tllose with or without cnncorcli~nccs, maps, encpclo- pedi;~, d i a g r a ~ ~ ~ s , etc., c.;lch with greater or lesser desira1,ility. Po11 tlccicle, if you are to purchahc a nettr I3ible, ju\t which type it \\.ill be lor you.

T ~ C - I I sho~~ltl you desire to 1)cbgin gradtli~l- ly. ill the dircctio~l which \vc suggest, \vith what should vou start? \Vc feel that this will be tleten~~inetl hy you, in your o~vn peculiar cue11111\1,1nce\, your manner of study, t l~e type of discus\ion that you hold in yonr particltli~r wciety. \\-I* further hope tlti~t tlii\ \\rill be t l o ~ ~ e upon the atlvicc or a l~d cons~lltation wit11 your parents and ~ O I I ~

pastor. They may s~lggcs* a Bible colt- mrcla~~ce, or a Rible tlictionary, or a repl~tit- ble commel~t;~ry 0x1 t l ~ e I)ook wllicl~ you iu.tL presently cliscl~ssiug (if there is n "go(~l" colntrlentav icvnilable on i t ) . Thih set of ;~itls \voulcl be :I clt~~sislircl possession, 11s yorr rrsc' it and es you itre ablr to add to it over the years. .And the fact thcre it is Illere is in itself ;I great help. r\re~l't all inclinetl lo make tl\e of stlch thitlg\ mucll rnore re;ttlily if have th1.111 there itl~rnecliately at ollr cli\Po\;ll?

BEACON LIGHTS One

Consider these things. too, in light of the fact that thcy \*fill mnti~lue to be of \emice to you ;L\ you grow oltlt,r and yoo become lllenibers of the adult societies of your church. This brings ub to an interest- ing matter. Co~nnionly in the idter-recess hour in many of the societies one of the Tluee Fomis arc. tliscussed. Let 11s say tllat the Heidelberg C;~trclusm is 11ci11g studied and that all of the ~llenlbers in turn are. called upon to introduce the various Lord's Days. Please ~~ntlerstand me a*ell. I ;Iln not .\elling books. In fi~ct, I am not rc:~lly sure t11;lt thew arc ;rvailable in their r~~tircaty, but there are meml)ers in situations ;IS tlescrihd ;tbove who Ilavc. the coniplcte c*sposition of that confession, \mitten by our own Rev. H. Hoebema. 'I'l~ey have these in their homes to assist tllenl to adequately prepare for their own turn for introducing tllc Ics- son and also to follow in the ib~ltirr series of the discussions. Is this getting :I I)it too idealiztic? E\,rn to the point of impwc- ticality? Yes, it is, 111i1es.s you h;lve cx~eri- cnced and realizctl that the benefits of the society life of the church are in a large Incxislire ciirectly proportional to the time and the effort which you yoursclf are able and willing to spend in preparation.

Concerning the cost, we will only say that yo11 sill a150 determine what you ~h011lc1 sl~entl on this l ibmn at any given time. It nccd not, in fact, it perhaps should not be donc in any other way than a gradual nl;ln- ner, always attempting to HI the need ;IS

it ;~risc.s. Likely, then, if you scr the necd for ;I certain ;ttldition, the finances (they rtmlly uren't so great) \+-ill be there, too.

Think it over. If you feel that it would l)r of benefit to r~otl, what will you do? In closing. there is one thought that I want to 111i1ke very clear. Rc?~nen~ber that m y otlier books which you nlay clesirr to ol~tain, tho11g11 helpful, arc: !let otlly uids. Yo11r stl~dics must always begin with the \Vord. Yol~r studies must always end with the \\'ord, too. Remember that IT is always the final and only anthority, in the last ;~ni~lysis. These other books me but servants to yo11r sh~dy.

N o \\lorthy mmniel~t:~tor has ever e;~rnecl a greater status for his commentary than that. Reading the opinions of man may assist II\, i.e., of Godly men \\rho have been given to we, in a special way, the Truth. But cow- piiring Scripture with Scripture ( t h o ~ ~ g h otl~er books can and mily assist us to that c.ntl) is the only way to amve at the Trl~th.

11.\i7.~.

Young Peoples Spring Banquet

May 12th. - 6:30 P.M.

Protestant Reformed Church

Two BEACON LIGHTS

DR. D. J. MONSMA

7'11~. stoff of l j ~ . ~ o n 1 . I ~ I I . I \ felt t11e1t the i~ragct;itre ottgl~t to refled or1 t l ~ c nlorctl rlecc~y urrd exl)loitcttioi~ of sex tchich is so rarr~lturrt today. Dr. Jlotrsrr~er 11ct.s c~bl!l cot~~plied 1cit11 our rccltrest. Hi.$ article sl1011lc1 prore hclpft~l to (111 of rts, brrt rs)~ecially to otrr yortlrg people to cchoiir thc.s..tcp tl~irrgs are so allr~ri~rg.

R.D.D. cstl.

If followed your initial i ~ r ~ ] , ~ ~ l s c , this is thr first i~r~icle that you are reatling in this April iss~~cb of I1ec1co11 Liglrts. Tlli, fnct cids attention to the universal curiosity we have about thr s~~l)jcct of sex. Ih appi.iil is used to gootl ;~tlv;~~~tirge by authors, ~ a i l ~ t e r s , ad- vertisrrs, riltlio producers. sportsmct~, tele\i- sion l)rotluccrs, manufacturers atltl n whole list nf otht~rs . . . all \vl~ich profo~~~ltlly influence our livcts.

13y w;~y of knowiug what we tlrc consider- ing, it is i111l)ortnnt to give ;L tlelir~ition of scs. I ~ I I I I st~rt. that an origi~~itl z~tte~rlpt on the part of c.nch rrader w o ~ ~ l d r e s ~ ~ l t in an equal 1111mber of tlcfinitions. The first, very obwpious clefinition which \ITebster gi\,es is, "One of tht. t\vo divisions of org;t~iisnls foni~c-tl on the distinction of t ~ c i l ~ g millr or fer~~;ilc: .\l;~lcs or Fcmali-s collecti\~c*ly." T ~ I I S , thrre is ;I I I I ; I I ~ nntl n female of c.;1c11 species of creiitc.tl lifc. I le gives n secontl tl'finition which is Inore. tl'scriptive, “The. 511111 of the pecu1iaritic.s of s t r~~cture ant1 function that clistingl~ihh n lnnlc fro111 a f e ~ ~ ~ n l ~ orgiinis~n." \\'ebster bro;~tlcn tlle field of consiclcr;ltiori by his third clefinition, "The sI~li~.rc of be- ha\ior c lo~~~i~r i~ tcd 11). the relntio~~s I)c*twccn m:~lr ant1 f(:~ni~le. By rstensio~~, tl~c whole sphere of I)c.l~i~vior related eve11 i~rtlirc*ctly to thc sesk~nl r111ictio11s ;i~ld e n ~ l ~ r i l c i ~ ~ g 1111 i~ f - fcctio~~:ttc ;u~tl pleas~tre-seeking c:o~itl~~ct." Behavior of the hwro sexes \wit11 ill1 its rnn~i- lications comes closer to what is ilnplicd by the w\,ord srs. -4 f o ~ ~ r t h definition rcitcr;ltes this w\ith. "Tllc pl~c.noniena of scsl~ill in- >tincts ;lnd tlieir manifestations." 'I'lris latter open.; Fe~r co~rsitlc:r:itior~ th~. wholc :1ri2n of

sexual devi;~tions portrayed in tho~rglrt, con- versation, l i lcr i~t~~re and crime. LVc. c:o~rld attempt to tlcfi~~c~ ses as That gift of God to his creatures which enables the conipli- mentar). ~ ~ n i o n of the male and fe~nille of each spcu.irs so that they ru;iy gener;ltc their o\m kind. 'I'his i~nplies a c11e111ic;~l and physical attraction behveen tl~c~rr, :~nd, in the case of Initn, ;I p.sychological, c~notional and spiritu;~l i~ttriiction.

-1s we wo~lltl c?rpcct, t luougho~~t history in the ~nintls of sinful men, it is t11c 111isuse of this gift of Gotl which is most pro~ninent. This fact i t l o ~ l ~ tends to explair~ the re- luctance of Cocl's people to disc11ss the su1)- ject of scs. Rather, we find ol1rse1vc.s refemng to it in general teml.; of sin or sin against thr sew-enth c o n u ~ ~ a r ~ t l r ~ ~ r ~ ~ t . 'Ihe thesis of this I ~ o r t article is, "\\IF :trc8 I)~ ' i~tg over-cspouc-tl to scbs today". Sesc~i~l sills h;rve beerr :i prol,lrrll since the fall of r\cl;~~n, but \vr know tl~itt our cspomlre to the111 is be- roniing rrlorc. intense as the worltl of sin develops. Even early in Genesis, wrVe read that the >on.; of God \\-erc attractrtl to the daugllters of Illen. In G e n r h 19 \vt. ;Ire told of the \ i l l of the men of Sodotn ;cl)tl the sins of I,III'> tli~~rghters wvitl~ thcir I':~tlrrr. \\:hell, t l l ro~~gl io~~t the early Iiistory of the c11ildrc.11 of I5rclel. \re src the ntlmerolts ~ : I I I - tions against ;i great varieh of ~ Y I I ; I I sins, we are promptetl to come to thr co~~clusion that thew .inful acts have not c11;ingcd or developed si~~cc* the law \\-as gi\,en. I lo\\?- ever, t l ~ c i~tcidence ant1 variety of thc. tcrnp- tntiolls to c.orn111it these suls tue fresh, new and -more rlllnierous with eaclr succcc*rling

BEACON LIGHTS I ,

. I T I I ~ P

GI-~ic-rittion. TIic. tuticar~ritcrl inventions ol the Ii~xt cc-ntury irlo~lc. 11;1ve mi~de it much easier for 115 to IWCOIII~. i~c (~~~i~ in tecI with the si11Cul ;tspc8ct5 of scs. Co1r5itlc.r only the mass print- i ~ ~ g of Ix)oks, magnzi~rcs i~ntl ne\vhp;lpers, rc~tlio, motlern niuxic, ~rrovies, :~uto~nol)iles i ~ t ~ d tr.lcvision. Every iige 11;ltl its ilrb;~i~ch- ( d r y , crime and filthy 1itrr;lhtrc. E:;acl~ suc- ce~rling age sc.en~ed \\.one to those \vho rsprcs\ctl rnncern over these ~roblrms. It ix tlifficc~lt, however, to fintl rrliable statistics which xpcu.ifically tleline;~te the progress of i~n~norality in rrl;~tion to the q i r i t of the age.

Thrrc.forr, I sought out the opinions of othen who Ilitve written on this si~bject. .Icmrrling to rese;~rcl~ by tl~c: P.T.A. Ilaga- zine reported in their April, 19@2issue, 73% of the respondents to a questionn.&e felt that chiltlren receive their sex infomiation. scs vn l~~es and wbsequent conduct from home infit~cnces. If this is true, each parent bears trc*~~~endous req>onsil)ilit)~ in this re- piird which must I= exercised c.uefully. Tlie love nnd respect which chilclren note behveen their fatl1c.r and mother will foster .;i~nil;ir ;~ttitt~tles in the chilclren. HOII~ES \vl~crc xcs is honored as a rift of G ~ t l wllicll Itiu ;In i~cceptcd place in our lives, will gcncr;ltc: i~ttitutles in the chiltlrrn which \\.ill help them to tlistingt~isl~ its proper I I S ~

froni its depraved cleviations. The responses to the above questionn:+irc

sI~o\\~ctl a great concern by parents for the cxtcrn;~l influences on their children's ideas of sex and life. \lost freal~entlv mentioned

A .

w;is the tremendous effect of telrvision in the honie and disgr~st over the urrnloral tllenlrs of .so many movie and telejision

ofrrrinp. Alany pilrentz i ~ t l ~ ~ ~ i t t c d laxness oI strpen~ision over tlit: ty11c.s of I~ol~td;u song5 their children listenctl to i111c1 sang. It seems t11;lt one group of xo~~gs jdirys 1111 the :tttr;~ction of lovc \vl~rrcti~s other ~ T I I I I ~

spe;lk5 only of the thwarting nspc.cts of love . . . Imth in ~liisleading ways. to say the least. r\lthough most parcnts I)c.lirvc their Ilo~ne il~fluencrs to be I)enefici;~l, nltnost all agreed that the influence of t l ~ e miJority of television progranls and atlvcrtising \\'as detriment;tl. Children wontlcr, for i~lsta~lct? . . . doex ii \\,onlan al\\uys kixs ;I ~ i inr~ pas- sionately at their first meeting? Do married people idways date outsitle milrringe? Tlie implication of most propclrns o11 the snhject is that you IIIIIS~ be ~ ~ ~ I I I I O ~ ~ I I S , ro~nilntic and seq- in a sensuous \\ri~y in order to be ;I \tic- cessful person before or after m;~rriagr.

Unless we have faith in Gotl :~nd lwlieve that our lives have ~neaningful pttrpose, we becoil~e as the ungodly who fi~ltls no f~tlfill- ment in love Iwfort. or after ~ni~rringc. Thux sex becomes ~nerrly an escape whose after- math is disillusionment and bitterness. The depri~\~rtl nature of niuch that is called ses is a direct result of t l ~ r ;~t lv~~rl>t of the ~l;~ttiml man to live \\ritho~~t Cod.

\Ve inn). conclude then. thi11 clrildrcn get their basic idcw of lovc ; I I I ~ ~~t;l~.rii~gi* fro111 living with their parents ;~tltl ol~srrving the \tray of life their f;uniily r r l ~ r t ~ s r ~ ~ t s . Itleally then, Protestant Hefonnc.tl lio~ncs where Godly love and rcbspcut ;ire tal~ght irnd prac- ticed behvren mother, father :rntl children, will help n3011ld proper ;~ttit~~cles basetl upon script~lral principles of gotlliness ;ind morality.

ll:*ar \lr. Editor: Thc non nth was Februaq and ordi~larily

\vould have Incled snow, ice, and coltlncss. Rut this clay vergecl on the balmy; a chilly \vintl wllistled, yet iiloft in its arms it ~iresiig~d spring.

:\x I g.u.cd entranced out the kitchen wintlo\v, I coultl scr the knoll rising bare and 1)le;tk on the fringe of nur snntl!? property.

Only \\<spy wertlx ;tntl friiycbtl ~nilkpods snrayed lo~teso~ncly in tht* ps t s . .And on the west edge of this site of Iirntl stretched a row of mongrel trees xt;~ntling naked and desolate ill the intr~~ding sun, wrapping itx stripped arms 'round itself to I~itlc its sllnn~e- f~~lness. Yet from this blritk csjxlnse \\-auld I)lossom b~~ildings ;i~itl ;~clivily. For tliis site of land hat1 hecn purcliasetl to iiccolnnio-

Four BEACON LIGHTS

tlutr. our O\VII future 11i.gl1 school. A t \v i~~gr cl t Iropcs gl;~~lcctl tllro~~gll 1111: a\ I nlused o ~ r tlrc benelits thill wodtl I)c ;~ccruecl to 111).

cllilclcr~ ;tttcnding our own high school. The nrail~n;un's powder t ~ l r ~ e Rarnbler IIIII-

tilatecl 1ny Illuse. and ;IS I turned from tlrr wintlo\v to Tctcli the morning tidings, a ga1111t I)l:~ck crow flaplx.d Forlornly 'cross tllc- shaclowctl sky.

I retumetl to thc house with the Beacor~ Liglrts, nntl looking past the grilly dishes so ironici~lly stacked nei~tly, I deciclctl to rr;d t l ~ t Wctrror~ Ligl~fs. Nol~le? Pcrl~i~ps. Slorr likc.ly tl~or~gh - lazy.

1 tr~mecl to the editorial, ;tntl a wave of he\rildernient \wept over me. So, it cor~ltln't be! 1-es, it is! An article 011, "'l'l~e Need for Protestant I(c4o1 med High Sc,l~ools".

E;~gorly I I,egan rratlit~g, content to con- tinue I I I ~ r;unl,ling tlroughts of the ~r ror~~i t~g . But how cluickly my ragerlrcss turned to ir- ratenehh. i \ ~ ~ t l 1))- the ti~~rc. I had corilpleted

I refer to t l ~ c editorial 11y Jlr. Iiuiper in t l ~ e Febru;lry issue of Hcc~cot~ Lights. Per- hap\ I slio~~ltl fint give A l l . liuiper tile 1)erlcfit of all 111y tloubt~, :111tl s;iy that maybe hlr. liuiper ovCrhtated hi~nscnlt; perhap\ e\,crl it capital lcttcr was negligently omittrtl. But if not, then I take part ic~~li~r objection to the follo\\,ing:

1. \Ir. Ii~~ipt*r states, ". . . parents i r ~ the Grnntl Ii:~l)itls nrea havc~ tl:~recl to esprcs.; this [a I1rotc5tant Hefori~~etl high scllc~ol] ;I; their cl(:sire of soul, . . ." Is Slr. Eui- per titte~npting to say t l r ; ~ t there are 11cc1- ple in cli~~rclies outsitl(. thc Grand Riipitls area \ \ ~ I I I I tlo trot t l ~ r n to rsprccss this clesirt.? I ~nerely i ~ r f o r ~ ~ ~ hlr. l i ~ ~ i p e r that the t\vo schools in tl~c. Cra~itl Hapitls area arc. e:1c11 over tell yt.ara oltl ;urd have their gradr a).stc,ms fairly well e~tnbl is l~~~tl . I'm surc! that six or stavcrr years ; I ~ I I srlcll rul i~itrorl~~cecl ve~iturt. \ \ ~ o ~ ~ l d hi~\rc heen thc~~~gli t to 11r \*cry

pr ts~~n~ptuot~h.

2. Slr. tit~ipc.r states, ". . . thus god, I~ut not GOI)." Let me note her? tllitt I was U I I I I ~ Y the imprc.ssion t11;lt fiotl, ~ l ~ c a n t itlol; tl~erefore, no Gocl. Either Gocl is Cocl (with a c;~pitill G ) or Ile is not Cod. Slr. Iiuiprr actuillly says t11rn thi~t t l ~ r people \\,l~o believe thnt

Cot1 gi\'es grace to all do not really brlic~ve in God at 1111. 1 refuse to stand brlriric~ such 1,oltl ;~Iiinnntions.

3. Llr. Ki~iper statrs, ". . . confessio~dly they deny Him . . . Iro\v can they kno\v IIiln?" The aml~ig~tity of this sti~tcment is ~~lisle;rdi~lg in tlrc* contest in \vllic<h it is t~sctl. Does Slr. KuipCr mean that c~nfc.\sionally t11c.y dilute the truth hy inserting son~ething \vhich ma11 nus st do ant1 \vhich Script~~rt. repeattvlly tencl~c.; he C ; I I I I I I I ~ do? H I I ~ Ilr. Euiper tlocs not \vritc th;~t. 111. s;~yh that conh~ssitrt~i~lly t11c.y tler~!l Him! C ; i r ~ i n g out Slr, h i - I,er'\ logic, anyonc. \\rho denies Christ is 11ot one of Hi,. Therefore, people \\rho vo1111lt;rrily placc themselves ru1t1t.r tl~is conft:.\siol~ :Ire Ily that token r~ot kno\vn of I li~n. By this statenlent t11t.11, hIr. liui1,c.r implies (evc.11 though he siiys he is not sl,eaLing head for head) that the Christian Refomled Church as i ~ n inati- tutc is the false ch~~rclr. This, ~lrithcr, can I cmtlorse.

4. Then Slr. Iiuiper spc;~ks of the sitring ot our young peoplr to the "enemy", ant1 s t rmgtl~~ning the111 in the "canse of that encn~y". Is XIr. Iiuiper still linr;u~g~ring a l m ~ t the Chri\tiiun Reforn~etl Clu~rch? I ;t\\ume so. Tl~erc.fore, I only note that I rr~nsider tllc cllemy to br those that h;~tc Jesus Cluist. .ind I \\.auld 11ot be so lmld as to t.ig that meaning on this

.5. Slr. lir~iper concl~~dcs that tllc. "reign- ing" of a 'king and queen" in n high scl~ool is comparable to idolatry and I~l;~s~,hemy. Tut, tut, undoubtcully it's not ;icatlc*~nic. ..i~.;~trctlly, it's silly. But, I~lns- llllt~llly?

'I'l~e only parallel in c1111rch history tvith \vhich I ci111 compare Jlr. K~uper's ctlitorial is the c;~sc* of the \l;lrcu)~lrt placards written in 153-1 11). .-\ntoine Xl;~rcanrt. Thcscb l>l;~u- ;~rds or~tlinc~tl by this strong proponrllt ol Calvin and his c u ~ ~ s c , \\.ere aimed i ~ t the abuses of the pap;il rll;k.\s. IIo\vr\,cr, their style \\,a\ so abusive and their ;~tt;~ck so biting, that Calvin I~iln\eIf \\9;~s 1;ltt.r to write:

On 1 1 1 ~ ocrasio~i of the placnrtls, fury Haretl up so greatly against the. f;~ithful that ollr cause \\.;is tnade odious.'

\ l a y Beth Lulll~rrs lClidier. J ~ I I I I . The JInrr Cod .\IaSt~red, 1). 60.

BEACON LIGHTS

Drar Sir:

In rc.g;irtl to the Beacorl I,ig/its of Feb. 1964 in the editorial \rfrittcn by .\lr. H. Kuiprr, entitled: "Thc Stu.tl for Frotestant Refomled High Schools", I h:~vc. tn;iny rlrler- tions. I \vould like to ask llr. kuiper ;I few c~ciestions in regard to some of t111: ~t;cteillent.s n1;ltltt in his ,article.

I \vould like to ask B r o t l ~ ~ r K~iipc*r first of all: \\,hilt proof do you I~avt. for tbe statcn~cnts you rnadc in the. ctlitorial, tlii~t the group thnt maintitins the Christian High Schools. in \vhich there are mirny things w e cannot condone. does tot Er~otc Chri.91.~

Secnndly, what proof do yo11 h;i\*c that tllty cle11y IIirn co~ifersioncilly? .\lark you, yolir \t;~tr~rlent i.s not that in aonlr respects they tler~y Cluist by their confcssictn,, Ixtt cor~fessb~~cilly they deny ilitrr. .l'h;~t statement nlenns that in all their confessio~~s they deny Ili~n. Remember, Slr. K~~ipr r , that you ;Ire ir~structing the ~011th of God's Churcl~ in your Beaco~~ Ligltts article. You must prove to them and also to inr that tlu~ group has no cnnfessions but the, onc that tlcnics Christ. And that they ;Ire, therefore, worsr than the Roman Ciltholic Church th;~t still confesses some c t f the c:crtlinal truths of Scripture: as the virgin birth, the di\.inity of Christ, the triune csistencr of God. Can you prove to our yoltng people that this group confesses the anti-Christ, and denies the \.irgin birth and divinity of Christ? Do they deny the power of the cross? 110 they derq. the tnith of free j~lsti- fication through the gracc: of Cotl i r ~ Christ Jesus? 110 they deny the powcbr of [His reslir- rection? Remember, Slr. 11. K~iiprr, that you \\-rote in your article that tlrc!~ do plot krrotc: Hiin, tllc Chrisi.

:\nd if t l~at be true, why i\ i t that our Churches i ~ r w p t the baptist11 pcrfom~ecl in this ~ T O I I ~ ? And ho\v can our C h ~ ~ r c l ~ r h ac- ccpt their confessi~l~\ if they ct,nfr.ssiotral$~ tlrrly Ilim? And tell me, \vllc.rr ollr ministers pr;ty i~lso for other churcheh t11i1t i~rc in the \vorlcl, do they in their praycra c~clude the Cllrihtian Refonned Church? :inti \vhy then does our Synod still call tl~c.in Ixethren if they rlo not kno\x- Cl~rist?

.&ncI, Slr. Kuiper, \vhy tlo yo11 not wvritc thnt \ve cannot contlonc nnything in their schools? Do you not by your own statement, "of ~niiny", rather than "i111". cleny your

chi~ryc. that they clo not Lt~ow Christ conft.ssiot~i~lly?

I l i c l yo~t know (read lirv., cl~aps. 1-4) t11;lt chr~rches nrho do holtl to seine heretical teachings are l)y Christ Hi~nsclf confessed as kno\\-ing Him? A11d that Christ through John I~lc-ssed them, Rev. 1:1-5n: "John to the scvcn churches which nre in Asia, Grac-e be ~ ~ t ~ t o you, and peace, froin him who is ilntl who was, and who is to come, and fro111 tllc scb\?cn spirits which ;Ires 11efore his tl~rone and front Jeslls Christ." Tl~is 1)lrssing is given to tllc Church tluougho~it it11 the ages. TIIIIS this 1)ltssing also inclutles tile Cllristian Refonnet1 Church of today, docs it not? If so, Slr. Kuiper, then they kno\v II~III, and Christ knows them, then they know Him cor~fcssionally also.

rl'llink it over and let 111t. 1lc;ir frotn you in the Rcrrron Liglrfs. A I I ~ I)y 1111 means provc. to the youth ?;on ;irta i~~slr~icting that hiis groltp has no cor~fcssior~ 11rr1 t l ~ e one tlrc~t dct~ic?s Ch&.

Thys Feenst~i~ Rt=tll;~rltls. California

Reply t o Mr. Thys Feenstra Dear Mr. Feenstra,

Grt~ctings in the Lord, brot11c.r. l 'he etlitor forw;~rtlc*tl to me for answer your lettrx conctrrning my editorial, "'l'lic h7eeci for Protestnrtt Refonried Higl~ Scl~oois", as it ;ippeiircxI in the February, 1961 issue of Bwcor~ Lights. Your letter, in addition to setting forth various questions concerning n few of my statements in thc editorial, evidctlccs your clear understiu~tli~~g that the y o ~ ~ t h of tllr Cli~uch of C11ris( is being h- str~ictc-tl cor~tir~rrally and tlii~t we do \\ell to rc:i~lc~inl,er that fact al\v;~ys; in thia cahe, al)(~cifi~~lly, as they ,are reatlrrs of our prri- odic;cl. the Beacon Lights. Tl~crrfore are of one! mind on that matter. I nnl happy for that, for it will undouhtcdly sene ( 1) to undc.rscorc. and emphasize, ~tiri~~istakahly, tllc illitin tlin~st of the whole ctlitorial con- crrtting which your cluestions arise, and ( 2 ) lo ht.ll1 us to continuc i l l lhat rei~liza- tion ;is these matters of yoltr clr~c.stions iur tli~c~t.sstul in th' reading elf oitr yoritl~.

For the bake of the reader, I~rotlrer Feen- strit, 1c.t me at the outset a ~ ~ t * t ~ with you in your it1c:ntification of t l ~ e "group" which m;rint;rins the esistiug "Cl~risti;ln" high schools ;~ntl concmling whosc confessions we

BEACON LIGHTS

\vritr, namely, the confessions of the Chris- tint1 Hefont~cstl Church.

Corlcrrnir~~ I I I ~ words "co~~Fe~sionally tl~ey deny Him" you say that st~ch Inearl5 "in .\I.L their cortfrssions tlley deny Ililn" (ciipitds niinv, ll\IrK). :inel by tliv \\-i~y, since you appc.ar to bc \v;u-nitlg t~lc concerning \vhi~l I \\?rote for o ~ u 1'rotc.st;int Heformetl yor~th, ancl heciutsc yott insist that proof be given for thew things which I wrote, [ takc: it for grantcd, brother Fern- \tr;t, that yo^^ [lo r~ut bc1iet.e tlrnt this grorrp cor~fes.sioricrll!l elerries Clrrist. Thus I li.~ve given rny \t;~~rcl on the ~ni~tter, iuncl yo11 11). your letter Iliive evidenced yollrs. So\\. we know \\,here we are.

in the i~l)ht~.;~ct, brother, yollr dif ic~~lty is not uith nlc, but with IIIC st1.11ctltre of the English lat~g~li~ge. Uoo noticc t l~a t I do not say that ;ill specific portious of their confessions, e . ~ . , ;In)- one of t l ~ c Three Forn~s of Unity, constihlte in tlrentse!ccs a dcninl of the Cll~iht. Of co~~rsc, IIOI! Not 1x.r se. '1.0 tlo so wol~lrl I)c to rcl>~~di;lte Llloso 111i11gs \vhiclt \re or~rselves, a5 l'rotcstont ReEor~necl, cherish ; t r ~ t l 11i1ve cherisl~etl ant1 maintained tluough tlte years, and tl~rorrgh hmc<.r.!~ clrld

npoutasy, tool Furthrr, yo11 should untler- stiinil that tIl(. atl\.erl, "confessionally" here 1llt:ans that I ;1111 I I O ~ sI)i:i~king almut the uie~cs or ttotio~ls, perhaps, of one or a group of inclivicl~litls in their calnu that have b t rn expressed \\~lrich most ccrtiiinly deny the Christ of Scriph~re's Gotl. Onr finds ;I lot of that too, ol course, 1,111 s ~ l c l ~ is not what i~ meant by t l ~ c term usetl.

"Confessioniilly" here Inrill15 that the group referret1 to hab, officicrlly as otr ir1.5ti- trrte, expressed in and aa its credo, i.e. its confessii~r~s, doctrinrs \\~llicI~ i ~ r e contriinf to tllr 11-ortl ol' Cocl. Arttl \v(- clo not nc*c.tl more proof for THAT, (lo we? And you clo not belit.vt:, tlo you, llii~t one or a group cirri tamper with the II'ortl in some sernl- ingly insignilic.;~nt niannrr :uitl not tliercl~y :tll'r.ct THE CIIliIST I lin~sctlf, \\'II~I IS Ilri~t \\'orcl? Thus it means that in or by tltcir confession.;. \vhich arc. :I single crltirr c.n- tity, thcy tleny IIillt ;inti it does not nlrSi\n, tines not si~y, Ilor even connote, that therefore each c o ~ ~ s l i t u c ~ ~ t part of t l~at confession is, per sc8, i t tlt.~iial of Cl~rist.

In that connection, I lrt15t that you do not have to rccci\.c proof from me that the heresies ;~dopted by the Christian Refornlcd in 19% ;;rv indeed confi~ssions which they

Ila\-v ollicially adoptctl :111d a150 oflicierlly tr~oit~lnirr yet today. I f so, especblly lor the very youthf~~l readera \\41o ha\-[* i111 i~~tcrest iu this pnrticular aspcbct of the n~i~t tcr and have not \tr~died it I>rfore, c-onult, iumong other refc-rerlcr5 ( 1 ) Rev. FI. Iloc~ksemit: The Pre~tc*stc~~~t Reforri~~cl Chtrrcltes irr Arrrer- iced, spvcilically those. clliiptcrs wl~ ic l~ treat of tllc ii~sistence of their classic ant1 sy~tod with rc..;pec.t to mmpliilnc~ and agrcwnent with thr Three Pointa, and ( 2 ) Prof. 11. C. Hoeks'~ni~: Tlte Thrc*e P o i r ~ t ~ Still Hi~~tlirlp!, "The S t i ~ ~ ~ t l i ~ r d Bearer" Vol. NSS\'IIl, No. 18, ~ p . 414-413. Jrl\t ;I brief per~tsi~l of these t\\w soltrees illone (ant1 there are more!) \\,ill srtbst;inti;tte the .st;ctcr~~c*~~t that the 11erc:tical Thrrc Points are it11 integal and i~~sc.l,;tr;tblc. piwt of their co~~I'(.ssiou. 'Tl~r ske~,lici~l reader fro111 tllr Cl~ristii~tr lic- foniied ciunp need not i~ccept the \,ic.\v.; of the hvo i~forcnientionetl a~~thors , but nlay &\ire in\trittl to glean the identical nlaterial rssentinlly fron~ the .-\CIS of his o\\ I I church, as it i11)plics to this 111:ltter.

Presently 1 will r e t ~ ~ r n to your statement that 111y editorial states that in oll their rolllessions they deny Christ. .it this point, howcver, I \\,ill rc.flcu.t 011 a fc\v of the quc.stic~ns that bwr directly on t11(, ques- tio~l. hlost of them you nlay takt* i~nd sul)rnit for discussion in your Lien's Socirty, etc., in vie\\. of t l ~ e tntth of my ?;t:ttcments. Certainly it \vould prove to be edifying, but underxti~ndably it is impossil>le tlli11 thry ~vould 1111 be co\,errtl in this ilrts\vcr to your main ol)jcction. ri~rd, too, in ;ulothc*r sense, they are crll directly or~.~tcered in nly con- cluding remark$.

Concerning orlr nlinister, praying for "other c l l t ~ r ~ l ~ c s thilt ilre in the tvorld", 1 can only sily that I II;I\T never heart1 of lliat before, in just that \wy. I hnce hcilrd that they pray for that \\,hole CHURCII SIILI- T.iSVl' a* it esi5ts o\.er the length and brcadtll of the earth. \\'it11 the latter, I :igrce; wilh lhtb former, I tlo 11ot agree. Un1t.s~ you mean thitt the only I)osible praycar that should I,e and is uttercul for '-mother cl~urcll" is that. if it plrase Gotl. she he given grace to rt:l,c.nt from thc npost;~<y of her hi~rctical paths. 'l'llirt thrrc is ;I ws t differencct I)?- l\veen lhc hvo is ol)vio~~s.

Conccr~~ing the lioman Catholic Ch~uch, I \\-oulcl be extrcnic*ly careful as to what esteem I give her, cSven that she confecses .ultne of t l ~ c cardinill tr~tth of Scriptures.

BEACON LIGHTS

And by the way, brother Feenstra, who said that the Chri\tian Refonlied Church was worse, but YOU? I certainly clicl not; rather, I affirm that they both, be it then in varying degrees perhaps, have given way to the lie, and that they hot11 confessionally deny the Christ. But that distillctiori is yotlrs, not mine.

Concerning pollr question as to why I did not write that we cannot condone crt~ythi~~g in tliese schools, it o~ight to be evident that there may be rrothing wrong, perl~aps, wit11 some of the course5 \vhich they tlecitle to place in their curricula, that is, the scopc of the subject matter of a givm course in history. for esample. \ly objection to con)- placently bending my child to their school is that they have (primarily) employecl teachers that are in total agreement with the hrresies of 1921 (and tlie inc\itable attend- ant decay) and if possible I desire thi~t 11iy child be u~structed 1,y one \vho confesses the trtrtl~ of tlie ll'orcl, and not ~nan's dis- torti011 of it!

C o n c e n ~ ~ g the reference to the chc~rclles in _&qia, although Christ obviously had his elect in each place, and to that end os yet had tlre wndlestick there, I air1 convir~ced that God through Christ did not bless tlw efforts of that church that tcere based on tllose heresies. So then He does not confess that a heretical confession Lmows Him, lmt rather confeses that His elect that are still in h a t sphere still may kno\v Him . . . and they are called to come out!

So, brother Feenstn, I do not believe that the Lorcl blesses the Cluistian Re- fom~ed Church AS ISSTITUTE a~ry more! Use it? Yes, I believe that the candlestick nlay still be there for the sake of l i i ~ linger- ing saints there, but the carldlt~stick's witness is opposed ro the \\itnes!. of the co~~fessionv of the instihlte. I am co~rvincecl that God does not 1,less air institute that fostcrh Cod- dishonoring hrresieh.

Sow cwncerning your interpretation tItili my btaternent me;uis that in (111 their corl- fessions they deny H~LII, I have saicl that ~~amnlatically tliiq is not true, hut no\v &nlr that spiritually such is most certainly true. I affirn~ that tho~~glr they allege to hold to the 'r11r~e Forms of Unih (we do not call her the "false church", do we?), they, nonetheless, by their official addenda to these fonns deny the Sovereigr~ God of the Scriptures, they deny and do not prcl-

cl;iiln the good tidings of Scripture's Christ, Imt mtlier a miseri~ble s)nthetic "gospel". Tlit~s when they apply their confession's concepts of God and His Christ to the Three Fonns, they himply (lo nut have the .\illilr 'I'liree Fornls that we Il:tve, brother. \\Tith those addenda, they have thorolighly corrl~pttd \\hat it liact pleased God to give :IS a heritage to our fathers, ;tntl their gener;ttio~ls. And \vllen they tncrii~taitl those heretical rlocttbles ~cithin their bosonis, they AS INSTITUTE DEhT THE CHKIST IN ALL THEIR CONFESSIONS AWL> THUS CANNOT FZKO\\~ HIM!

h,Iark you well, mention is n~ade irr tlre editorial that this is not a condc:mnation Iread for head. nor of indivicluals or groups of irldi\,iduah within that canlp. The etli- torial attacks, as you understoocl vew \ve11 in your letter. the COSFESSIOK of the INSTITUTE. And it proceetled fro111 the t111t11 that as institutt. t11c.y had gone way- \vartl, not only, but that in the process of time (ant1 forty years has been aniple t i~ne to cle~nonstrate the truth of this affimiation) these doctrines hit\.e become increasingly so com~pt, that \\,hen its meml~ers wzilk according to that canfession, it is virtually inlpossil~le to delineate behvcen it and the \%~orltl!

I rcApeat, I think it is high time that we l~ave 1,egim to move in the direction of or~r own high schools; I am thankful for it, because it is iinpossible for those who upholtl heresies, ecclesiastically. to teach our chil- Jren the TRUTH in school; and I have the assmnnoe in my soul that we will rsperience His choicest blcssi~igs on our lahors, :Li \we labor in His strength, stecllastly and un- ashamedly defending our heritilge against all its ntl\,ersaries. I tmst fro111 t l ~ e lack of comment on these points tlrt~t you are in agrecmcnt wit11 me.

I hope that this lias explained to you stand ;ant1 the reasons for having uritten it for om youth as welL

Fraternally in the Lord, H. \V. Kuiper

A n~an's frec-~~.ill clztlt~ot ctrrc 11it11 ecen of the tootl~aclte, or of o sore finger; crnd r,& he tnaclly tlrittks it is it] its pnccer to ctrre his sorrl.

TOPLADT Standard Bearer

Eiglit BEACON LIGHTS

Dor t To TOIIAI' the development of the reformed faith

(9 ) 2- ---r T- - REV. HERMAN HANK0

A TIME OF DECLINE (1619-1834)

'I'll(. rc;~elcr will rc=citll that \Ire were dis- c~txsit~g tile ~ ; I I I ~ \ of the spiritual clecline in thr Cl~r~rclics 01' 111c Nctherli~nds in the l>eriotl h e t \ v c ~ c ~ ~ ~ t 1 1 ~ Sytrocl of I)or~lrecht and the, Schisn~ of' 183-1.

\\'I. 11;1cl co~~rc* to n d i s r~~ss io~ i of the role t11i1t I I I I , SI;II(> pliiyc.tl in this dvcIi11~.

'I'l~c Nv t l r t~~ . l i~~~ds Cl i~~rches werv 11ot free fro111 govc.r1111rc.111 i l l l e r f e r c ~ l c e ;u the C I I I I ~ ~ I I I : ~ of / \ I I I C - ~ ~ C ; I :Irv tiil:~)~. TII(: Re- forn~cd C l ~ l ~ r c l ~ in Nrtlierlancls was rather ;I " S ~ ; I ~ I , Cl111rc:l1", l'hc. sec t~l i~r goverllment had ct~nsit le~~;tl) l~~ to sny i l l the nlf'nirs of the Church.

:\I tl~c. tilllo 01' tl1c1 S Y I I O ~ L I ~ Dordrecht ; I I I ~ i l l tl~tl ycitr\ I ' o l l o ~ i ~ i ~ : t l~is Synorl thc State* hncl ;I voicc in thc followillg m;~tters. ( I t o ~ ~ p l r t to I r c b noticctl th i~t this voice nhich the St;ttr> Il;itL i l l c-cclesi;tstic;~l ~rlntters was I I O ~ ;tlu*ay\ t l ~ c * s;~rlrct. .I lot tlcpendecl upon 1v11o \v;t\ ~ I I 1)o\ttvr; l~o\v stro11g tiny given colrgrvg:ition, or cl;~ssiy, or syrrod \v;~s: Iio\v i~np:)! . t ;~~~t ~hcs Stzitc. coliridered ;I matter in \vl~ich to i~itcrfcrc*. '1'1111s. ; ~ t one time in this l)c.riotl tlic SI ; I I~# c.sc*rcistxl grc;cter influence ~ I ~ I I I ;it ot11c.r t i~~ ics . )

I I Thv St;~tc. Il;rtl the right to :~pprovc all c;~nelitlntc.s for tlrc* ~ ~ ~ i l l i s t n (or disapprove o f ) I)c.forv they co~~lcl 1 ~ . ordi~ir~rcl into o f i c ~ . .' ) ' 1 ' 11~ Stiit~. Il;rtl tlic. right to approve

of ill1 l i r i~~i i t t~rs t11;tt \vrre (~1igiI)lt- for ;I

ci~ll: ; ~ ~ i t l ;I ~ ~ ~ i r ~ i s t c ~ r cot~ld not accept a c;~ll plhc\vl~~.rc* i ~ ~ ~ c l I I I O V ~ to ;I I I ~ \ V locatio~i \vit l io~~t tli(. Sti~tt :(~ i~ppro\';~I, or, a t least, \\.itllo~~t trotifyillg the State.

3) T l ~ e Sli~lt- I r i ~ t l tllc rig111 Lo appoint t\\.o ~nernl~c.rs \rtlro wcarc! not ollicc1x.nrcrs in

the Church to attend all Consistory llcet- ings. Thesc ;~ppointeeb had advisory vote and spoke for tlic governme~it. The i i l l l l c*

W;LI h l e of broader c.cclchinstical ;~sxc~nl)lics. -il\vays there \\,err reprrsmt;tti\.c~s of thr State 1)rCsent. This \\'as (,\.en true iit I>orcl- rwht in 1618. 4) S o provincial ( l x ~ r t i c ~ ~ l : ~ r ) or K~IL~IIII;II

Synotb eol~lcl meet \vitI~out first st*c~~l.ing rppro\,i11 froln the Slate.

5) T l ~ c financinl support nf t l ~ c CIII I~C~IL'S, the salaries of ~ninisters arid the. s ~ ~ p l ~ o r t of the schools c;lmc. ill whole or in pi11-t I ~ O I I I

the State. The finar~ci;il support of tlic: 5111- dents sh~dying for thcs nlinistr). itlso ~ ~ I I I I ~ '

f ro~li the State. 6 ) S o ~ninister conld lx. sc~spcr~dctl i ~ r ~ t l

deposcd from officc~ \\,itlro~~t thc Stittc I)cilig notified; and, during certain periocls, it scellls a., if the State cnr~lcl even overn~le thc tl(.ci- -ion of an ecclesii~~tic;rl ns\cr~~l)ly.

But even uith all this ;ct~tllority tlri~t the State \vieldrti, it still was not s;~ti\fied. There a-ere coil\ti~rit i ~ t t ~ i n p t s 11iade to it~crc-i~se~ it. In fact it i, po.iib!r that thi, rcscbntmcnt on h e part of tlic- Statc to\vard\ \\41;it it con- iitiered it, limited autllority in the. C l ~ u r c l ~ led the St:~tc to refuse to call ;I S;~tioni~l S>-nod. For one of the a i to~~~i t l i ng facts of [his period is that for over t\vo 1111ntlrvcl ?-ears there \vas IIO S;ctio~lnl Synoei. Fro~n the Synod of Dordt in l(il8-1619 u ~ ~ t i l slrort- Iy after the schism of 1834, the Stilt(. \\*auld prrnlit 111) Sationnl Synod to colrvenc..

The result \vas t l ~ ; ~ t tllcrc \\,as ;I conrtitnt tug of \vi\r behveen C l ~ u r c l ~ i111e1 Sti~lc*; thcb Statr h y i ~ i g iti hest to increast. its ic~~l.horily,

BEACON LIGHTS N i i ~ e

and the Church trying it3 t ~ r \ t to resist tlit.si! tentacles of state control.

Therr \\.as brief respite fro111 this struggle in tlre latter part of the 1700s ant1 in the eiirly part of the 1800s when the Cl~urcli~s almost succeeded in gaining a completr. srp- aration bet\veen itself and the State. But \vl~en the Yeherlands h~rned from a led- enation into a monarchy ;uonntl 1810, the State once again sccuued its juristliction o\.er the Church and brought the Cl~nri.l~ illto closer union wit11 the State than ever Ileforc.

In fact, thc Stnte all but took away from the Church the authorih of its l)ro;ltlcr cc- cle~iastical assrmblies by reorganizing thc entire Cliurch in a way that was tot;mlly dif- ferent from the principles of tlrc Clrl~rcll Order adopted at Dordrecht. The Clm~~rches were told that their ministers cnuld gather in classical and qnodici~l sessions not to discuss and decide upon ecclesii~stical mnt- trr.4, but to "cultivate a friitrmal spirit" alllongst themselves. The classes that resislcd this intrusion were clisciplinrd; their decisions ignored; and tlie Statc ran roughshod over all that t l ~ e Church stood for.

It is not difficult to imagine what :I tro- n~endous effect this had upon the clevi.lol)- ment of the Churches d ~ u i n g tltis period. h few of the no re obvious results we can mention.

1) For one thing, ;it certain times in this period, a measure of religious tolerance wits forced upon the hnd, so that the lio111i111 Catholics, the Lutherans and even the .4r- IIIUI~IL< \\.ere given the right of esistcnc:e. Even tliongh the Refomled Churches re- mained the "State Church" and receivrtl special privileges, these other groups wt:re tolerated and allo\ved to engage in propa- ganda for their vie\vs. :ilthough all these groups (and especially the Arnminians) hilt1 heen contlenined by the Ch~~rc l i not only, but also by the State, they were once again given a free hand in the country. And, IIC- cause they were not the "Stntc Clll~rch" they c~njoyel a nirasme of frrcdom that was clenied thr Refonned Churches \i~hicll 11nd ahvays to contend \\rith a State poking illto their affairs.

In fact tlie Sti~te (to\\';udh tile entl of chis period) even ~nade several attempts to perstlade the Reformed Cliurd~es to conml)inr. \ ~ i t h the Roman Catholics, the Lutherans and the ..\m~inians into one large clenonlina- tiou. The State pushed this matter strongly.

2 ) Secondly, the fact that the State had to approve of the meetings of Particular and National Synods gave thc Statc some nieas- llrc of control over these hotlies. In fact, :IS we aleady noticed, the State refused to call a Natiolul Synotl for over ?OO years. l'lie result \\,as that any unified action on t l ~ c part oi the \r~llole Chwcl~ \ifas nest to impossible. I f the Churches as a whole \\ranted to act concertedly in such matters as discipline, ~r~issions, settlement of doctrinal disputes, the only way they coulti do this was through ccarrespontlcnce behvren the classes or the particular Synods. This \i7ils tedious, time-consuming and led to all kinds of ~iiisuriderstilnclings bctween the v:irious ecclesiastical gatherings. Oftenthnes it was impossible to get anything resembling ~ ~ ~ l a ~ ~ i l ~ l i t y of opinion or even a majority vote on fundamental cluestions \vl~cn all the particular Synods had to nleet separately and only had contact \\ith each other l y way of correspondence. This is not difficult to scc. It is !ike a Consistory- trying to conduct all tlie affairs and business of a congregation witl~ont ever meeting together and only \vriti~lg letters to each other.

3 ) Tllirdy, the res~llt of ti11 tllis was that doctrinal questions \vent unresolved, minis- tcrs who taught heresy often went unclis- ciphetl, matters concerning the missionan calling of the Church and the theological schools \vent unattended. I t was not long before the c=pitapli codd be rckad over the Rcforr~~ecl Cl~urches: ".\nd tl1c1.e wiu: no king in Isriiel; iind every nlan did that ~vhicll was right in his o\vn cyea."

4 ) Finally, althougli the Stat(% never iuc- ceeded in actually taking away from the Church ber key po\x7er especinlly as it ap- plied to the suspension ar~rl tlcposition of mifaitlift11 ~ninistc:rs, even herc t l ~ c State had consideri~hle infl~~ence. If n 111inister \CIS &s- ciplined in one congregation, (and there \\,as plenty occ;lsion for it with cvrry I~rrcay run- ning rampant) the State co111d see to it that 11r \\us gi\.en a position in another congregatior~ where the people were nmore \villing to tolerate hi3 views. Ancl if he could be given 110 position elsewhere, the State woiild oftm pay liis sala~y until he ciietl itnd make it possible for him to propa- gate his lie\\-s in other \\lays. There \\,ere evcn timrs \vIlcn the Stnte overruled the deposition of ~ni~tistrrs hy their Consistories

(Cor~tintred on page 16)

BEACON LIGHTS

CRITIQUE AGATHA LUBBERS

FEDERAL AID TO EDUCATION

( continued)

Space did 11ot pennit an evaluation of t l ~ r lnatrrials quotecl in the h'larcl~ issue of the Heclcon Lig11ts concerning the general question of Fecleral .kid to Eclucation, Yes or No. ..\ fr\v gcneral ol~scr~,ations were made conccnling thc ctl~estion r1e;Ir tlre he- ginning and at tlie cnd of the article. In this article \vc sl);~ll briefly ;ulalyze a few of thc s:~licr~t i~rgurnrnts of Professor De Kostcr and of Dr. Eclman as they each cle- fend opposite points of view with respect to iud for ecl~~catio~l from ~ l l e fecleral gov- erument.

Professor De Koster argues the p o i ~ ~ t that tax esemptiou ancl tax support are principally h e same. He uses this argument to pro5.e tlle fact chat essentially h e Christian is receiving aid from thr federal govem- men1 in an inclirect \\-;-ay. This to him seem.; to prove that becat~se it is pcrmissihle to rc*crivc :lid in tl~is \v : I~ , it is Iikc.\visc corrvct to reccive aid in tllr form of t1iroc.t pay~nent fro111 thr govctrn~lrent to rducational insti- tutions. The continuatio~~ of Christitl~i eclu- catiou is made possilde this way, 11e argues, lwcause Christian schools \\rill c.vent~ially be priced out of ctl~~vation. 'I7I>is is essi.ntially the argt~ment of Dr. Snapper \ifl~o ih ubo a n~eniher of the Ci~Ivin Collrge facutty.

13y drfi~~ition it \\~or~ltl s c c ~ ~ ~ t11:1t tax exemption and tax support are Cu~iclameutallp diffncnt. 'Tas s~~ppor t implies an outright payruent of fc(lc*r:~l fundh \vl~ilr tilx eseulp- tion involves a legal process \vhicll frces one from paying certain taxes because of other mitigating circumstances. .A tax esenlption is ;I privilegr accorded to any niiln with ;I

Irgitimt~te cl i~in~ \vhile sii1,port fro111 tases

rnuat be pnitl upon other consiclerations. It \ianltl sct.111 therefore that the p;qment of funds collectctl th ro~~ph the tasation of tlre popi~lacc \vo111d imply certain controls as to liom these funds shall be used if h e y are to be paid directly to an educational insti- h~tion. No\%; Mr. De Koster may say that therc are no limiting clauses nnd use as support for his argumentation the generous support given housing projects, gh-en shl- dents ant1 f ; lcnl~- members but the hard fact remains that such limitation seems truly likely when consitlcred in tlie light of the recent Supreme Court decisions resl>ectir~g religious instruction and \\*hen considrrcd in hrc pcrspevtive of thc \\'ickard vs. Fil- burn decision of tlie Supre~ne Court in 1943 \i*lrich st;~tes: "it is hardly a lack of due process for go\.ern]nent to regulate that which it s~~l)sitiizr.;." Stringent reshivtio~)~ are placed oil the use of funds r~i~id to schools for the subsidation of the milk and srhool 111nch programs. I t \voulcl: therefore, s c e ~ r ~ most likely that sucl~ reslrictions wo~Jc1 i~ltimately, if not immecliately, h r placed upon the use of ftrnds illlocated for direct instructional a r~d ec111wtion:il plllposes. Hr- specting tax eaemptiot~ let it be shtecl that tllerr is rlo l>ro\,ision for esen~ptions because of tuition paid to ;I private scllool. Xliury attmmpts have been made to circiumvent this rrntrictic~n :incl I I I ~ I I I ~ attenipts have bcen nlade to effect legislation tlrnt wor~l(l pcr~nit such exemption I>ut until no\v they have not been successfi~l.

Loans to sh~dents and grants to fticulty members hardly fall in the same category as direct federal support to institutior~s for

BEACON LIGHTS .!?leuen

curricular or ir~\tr~~ctional i~nprove~nent. .\lost of these grants to facl~lty mctmberh are 111;lde through organizations which are nlost con- cerned with instruction in the hciences. The National Science Fountlation has tnade stipends availnhlr to scl~ool per\onnc~l on the. elementary ant1 secontlitry level who ;Ire kcy prrsonnel or ;ire actively involved in tht, imtruction of stutlents in the areas of hci- encu. and matl~r~naticl but t11-e stiperltls n no \\lily directly in\-olve thr instih~tion \vlrich c.nlploys sr~cli pc~rsonnel \\vlro are p;~rticil~;~t- ing in thesc. S;itional Scicncr For~ntl;ltion programs. For the agency or in\titution \\,l~ic.l~ is spn~~\oring s r ~ c l ~ it progr:lnl ,111d rccc-ives u~pport fronr tllc goverrl~lrcnl for thc. cu)nduct of thew pro~vdms tlrc.rc, :we other considerntiom.

"lla>ment for \vork \vcll clone" sec~lis to I,c the \\.eakc.*t consideration that co~~l ( l I)e rlicitrd to support a progr;im emphasizing fetler;~l aid to mlucation. It wo~tld hirrdly scu.111 possihle to hear onc argue the ncces- sity of federal aid to c*d~rcatiou on the grountls that Christian c*cl~~cational ir~stit~t- tions do 11nlc11 for tht. American socic?ty. This critici\nl seems dot~bly j~~stifietl when tllc question of federal aid is discussc.tl 1)). one wllo has his theological roots in :I Cal- \.inistic tmdition ant1 is ;I faculh rllc~~nbel- of ;I Refonnetl tu~llege. 1111plicit ill trry nrgu- nrcnt is the further as>~~~npt ion that the .American htittc is not Chribtian. It shot~ld not be arg~lc-cl that becir~~se the .4111r.rican stott. is not Co~nmu~ustic t h ~ t thercrorc it is Christian. Rccalrse tlirrc. is a pli~ce, n Gotl-ordained place, for thc Christian and for tire Refonned man in this denrocratic socicty does 11ot imply that the work clone 1,y t l ~ c HCfonlled edr~cator is t l e s m ~ i ~ ~ g of fetkral aid. The s tah~s ellto of C11risti;rn etlllciltion is not of s11c11 nah~rr that it cl~.hen.es govc.r~~~nc.nt nit1 along with other c~tl~~ci~tion;~l \.c.~ltc~res into \\~lrich t l ~ c Ct-deral covemment prc.bulnt's to stick its soci:~listic neck.

It iq untloubtedI>- e v i d c ~ ~ t from my prc- cc.tling re~narks, that 1 :IIII in more ncct~rd \\.it11 the argll~lle~lt of Dr. Etl~rlan th;ur I nm \\.it11 the :rrgr~nlent of Pn~fcssor Dc. Koster. Theologically, I>r. Edmen and I n~ny Ira\.e \-iolent disagrcc~nients h ~ ~ t on this sccrr~. \ye ci111 cnme to ~ I ) I I I ~ u n a ~ ~ i ~ ~ ~ i t > f of opi11i1111.

"Sloney is not the ans\\.er to q~~iility" is onc of d ~ e resnunding itrgtu~llentz of Dr. Etlnran. \\'it11 this I c-n heartily agrccL. It

slrould not I,i. o\.erlnnked, however, that I I I O I I C ~ , and cnouglr of it, is of ~>ar;r~nount in1110rtnnce in the carrying out of the school's inhtr~~ctional Ixogriuil. A staff of de\.otecl teachen, interestetl in professional gro\vtlr, is a reill necessity and for them 1nollt:p to promote tllis profcssio~~?I growth is it nccessih; I)ut honor ; I I I ~ status in thr cyc\ of the \vorld and a certain keeping up \\.itli tile "Han'lrd lmys" is hardly the call- i~lg of tirc Hefonned etlucator.

111.. Edmirn f~~rtllctr argllcs that frderz~l ;tit1 \\.ill Ie;~d to ~~ltinr:lte stantlardizetion. The strrngth of ail institution is its distinctive- ~lc~ss. Each institution in the Christian cam- 1n1111ity has ;I c;rlling to tlcvclop thr truth of Cotl's \\:ortl ;und any infri~~gcnlcnt of thih opportunity through the ;illocatio~l of federal funds \vollltl be a deprecation and denial of thr Imsis for instruction and a dcbnial of one's faith.

Inevitable m ~ ~ t r o l of etluci~tion by the civil state is one of the by-products of such a fculeral aitl program. This, Dr. Edm;~n also ;lrgues, i111d support5 this ;~rg~~nlcnta- tion I,y refcsrrirlg to the report: "The Effects of Feclrral Progritms on Higher Education: ;I Study of Thirh-sir Uni\.rrsities and a l - II.~c.s."

"The danger of fetlc.r;il control shoulcl I I I I ~ he disnlisred as ;I myth designed simply to sm.c the interests of local and srctional forces. It is and remain a coniinuing rlirnger to the intlependcnce of :tcademic i 11s t i tu t ions which ~nlrst be ~uarded n x ~ ~ i ~ ~ s t more. \.igil;~ntly as the role of federal ~o\,ern~nent i r~ higher cbtluc;ltion gr~r\\t>." 1111plicit i l l tlre entire ~~~ovcrnent 1)). cdu-

ci~tors for fcclc.ral f11nd.s could be a certain mo\qc~uent n\v;iy from the original repon- sil~ilih for etlr~cation. This responsibility did not rest n~itll t11e \tatr or thr t-ducator but \vitl~ the p:ircnt. The consitleration of c a f e - mint c.ducatio~l it3 a responsibility of the pirrcnt has JX'CTIII I~ pssC in the thinking of nllllry an individual and these wil l evidently s~.ll t l ~ e I,irtl~right for t111. prover1,i;tl nlrs\ ol pott;tgt..

.A rnnn u.it11 Cnd is alrccrc~s in the rr~oiwity. JOIIS Ksos

Y'rr.e!ce BEACON LIGHTS

vs. E R R O R

REV. ROBERT-C-: HARBACH

BILLY GRAHAM'S MINISTRY OF ERROR It is the contc~~tion of the Fnncli~n~c.~~ti~lisb

that Billy Gr;rhiul~ preaches tlie Gospel. "I think we mmt iigrce that Billy C.r;~h;u~l preaches the simple Go.spc1 of siilv;rtion."' Ilo\vever. ;tltho~~gh it is admittrtl t l~at "he preaches the true Gospel," yct 111s does not identify i~ntl tlenounce "tliosc. M ~ I O prraclr a falw gospel," so that Ilc "fi~ils to get across the f:lct tlliit the gospcl wlhich he preaches is thc o~tly t n ~ e gospel."" 111 thtsr words this writer regacts CT~I~I:IIII as a preacher of the gospc.1, hut ;IS one practic- ing unscript~~rnl ~nethods. 0th1:rs agree with this criticlr~e, espressing that Iris ~ ~ i e t l ~ o t i is tlot to I>c concloned "sin~ply I > I : C ~ I I I S ~ tlie gosl)el is I)roclaimecl ;tncl s n v i ~ ~ g l'rrtits [teerue tl~erc.frc~~n." 'I'hc.se words appc?:u. i l l 11 pam- phlet \\,l~~src Gri~lram is not ~l)c~cificnllp trrentionetl. hut \\,here the refcrc.~~cc- more thi~n likely incluc11.s l1im.3 Further tcsti~nony along this lint? wc: firltl in this: "'l'hc statenlent is I I S I I ~ I I I ~ nlade that 'Hilly prcaches the Gospcl.' c111cl it is ;~ci~nittecl that lie can and does I)rc~i~clr the Gospel, for hc* ci.rtitinly kno\\~s \\41;1t t l ~ c , Gospel i.;." RIII Ftt~~cla- me~~talistx "uo~~cler \\~hell~or I t ( . I,~:lic.\,es it himself" si~~cc> Ire e~l~ploys "I i l ~ c * r : ~ l is t i c methotls."~ 'l'hm again, we read, "L.ct it be clearly untlcrhtotrd that Dr. G ~ ; I ~ ; I I I I in his campaigns prc~aclics the Gospel. So far as I know his prcirching does not pilrtiike of modcn~isrn . . ."" O~rce again: "l'c.opIc* con- tinually siry Illi~t Billy preachrx 1111. Gospel. As I have, sti~tcbtl. it is plain t I r ; ~ t III! cIc)ch not

preach the \\rl~olr Gospel - or anv\vhc.n. ntur the \\-hole Gohpcl."" Grhani has 11ot yet abandoned the gohpel, 1)ut it is felt tllilt lie has "al~antloncd, con~pletely nbando~lecl the diktinctivc, glorious, intolerant ljo.uitiot~ of the cvc.rl;~sti~~g Gospel . . ."i (ital., RCH), \r?hatever thi~t is supposed to I I I I . ~ ~ I ! I I I I \ \ ~ is it possil)lc to i~l>a~rdon tllc l~ositiotr of tlic gospel, yet not ;11>nncion the gosl~el? Thc* position of tl~cb gopcl is a firm, eter~li~l st:u~cl on the tnlth of Gwl's \\'ord. Then, if that 6 the position of the gospel, doesn't ;I 111ar1 abantioning tl~;tt pohition abandon his stand on tlle \\'ortl of Cod? .And if he does that, doew't 11c. i~l);~ncltrn the gospel? t\~~otIier c.nrinc.nt critic of Cr;ilvarn co~~firms tl~ib, sity- ing, "Cotl'h ~>c.ol,lr arc- \vaking up to tllr fact that Billy Crolra~n has ab;uiclonctl ~ I I C historic I'rotest;u~t position."; His c~\~;t~rgel- ism ''is not the evang&sm of tlrc Scw Tes- tan~ent."!' So~ne \\dl go further, not orlly lanlenting t11c. fact that Graham cooperates with modrrnista, but it is unpliccl tli;~t lie is for doing so no inlc helicver. "Trl~e I)c4ittver\ \\dl ne1.c.r join hands \vith the ~~rotlc~.~rists of the t\veritic.tI~ cc.~~tl~ry to ilo the work of Gotl or to co~~fuse the cliurcli of Jc!511s Christ."ll' Yo\v \vlrt'n yo11 hum up thcasc. ap- prais:il,, yo11 will prol);~bly come 1111 \\,it11 s~~nc th ing like this: 1. Billy prmchcs the gospel. 2. I3illy is no believer. 3. Therefore, Billy is ;I B;I~;I:IIII.

I11e Iitttc~r, you r t - n ~ e ~ ~ ~ h e r , \v;I.\ 11 f;rlse proplict \\sl~o \\.as co~npromised hy tlrc cnc-

BEACON LIGHTS 7'h irfeetl

111ies of Israel, but \vho nevertheless, as far as the record goes, prencl~ccl nothing but the truth. .\Ian is not sufficient of Iii~nself to even think an)-thing of himself ( N o r . 3:.3), nor has h r iiny power of IGmseli LO

speak anything. Thc preparntion of hi3 heart antl the ansurer of his tongue is fro111 God's sovercaign pro\idential control and clirc*ctio~l ( S i ~ m . 91:38; Pro\.. 1G:l). Then, it is 110s- sible that in the sovereignty of God, a False pro~olirt preach tire truth. Juclas was s ~ ~ c l l a falac prophet ( Slk. 3:14, 19; G:i, 14, 30). So \ \we Caiaph;is (Jn. 11:.19-5.7) and Saul ( I Simr. 10:10). Hut there are other lalse propheh who arc not Balaitms, hilt Bualiies. They speak nothing h l ~ t lies. ( I Kings 19:h, '13). In the r>roviclential csecution of Cotl's cotu~<el Judas the gospel. In the proviclentii~l cnntrol of Chd, Zeclekiah of Chenaanah, an eclt~;ill>- false prophet, clid not. The false ~ r o ~ l ~ e t s were decei~,ers and

A

deceived, and as s11ch \vere ord;tinecl in the c~)unsel of God and nlovcd ;it I Ib aovrroigli clhposal to do His will (Job 1%16). Fur- thernlore, it was the Lord who put a l y i ~ ~ g s ~ i r i t in their mouths and so deceived tllrm and their dupes in order to re\.eal the cle- stn~ctive, punitive power of I-Iis nrrath ( Ezek. 14:9). The \\.ill of Cod is tlrc ctlllse of it all (Lam. 3:37) . Hut if it be askctl, I-Ioa shall \\;? distinguish a false propllet from a t n ~ r prophet?, Scriptnrc. Ira.: the am\ver. Read ilc-ut. 13:l-5 ;u~d \l:ltt. 7: 1.5-40. The false prophet, even \\,hen he speaks the truth, ahns to turn you awnji from the Lord. I Ir IeacLq :iway fro111 the narronv rate. \Ire are. l~o\\~evc.r, more con- - ccrncul with thr c111estior1, IIou In,ly \vc know nrhethrr the ~obpcl is being prc;~cl~ctl by a false prophet? Time n-ill tell. l'erl~nps the cornpan!- he keeps \\-ill be an indicntor. Balaam had too close an association witlr the big-wigs of \loab. Judas eventl~nll!t &ngctl sirlrs and stood \\-it11 the c11emic5 of Jesus (Jn. 18:s). Cniapllils ;ilwap ur;is ttlliecl \vith the e1lenly. Ti111c \\+ill tell!

It is of interest to read tllat a propliet states, "I ;uil convinced that. there is a great hunger of mind and thirst of soul on the part of h e average nlan for peace \vith Cad."ll So\\. "the average man," "the man in the strec i" is that modem Peliigia~~ \vlru does not deny the e.xiste~~cc of God, brlt presulnes to live \\ithout God. He is the natural nliln, and snc11 ;L man receives rlotll- ulg of the tl~iugs of God, lie rlocs not 111lder-

stantl the111 ( H~II I . 3:11), nor ccrn he under- stancl the111 ( I Cor. 2:l-I). Hunger and thirst for nnytlring spiritual is the nark, not of thr average (natural) 111a11, but of the child of God (.\It. 5:G). The mere man in the xtrc?et, thr ~~nregenerate, is wicked. He does not I~lmger for peace with God. Indeed, "tlicre is no peace, saitll my Cod, to the \\lic*kcd" (Isa. 57:"; 48:Z). Of hi111 the Lord iisks, "\\'hat hast tl~otr to do with poiicc?' ( I1 K. 9: 19). Desire for peace with God i\ tlir miirk of a Christian, not of the unconvertecl. "To loe s ~ ~ i r i t r r c ~ l l ~ ~ n~indecl is peace" (Ro. S:G), but they bi\.c only a carnal mind, \\rhich is not subject to the law of God, nor can be. "The way of peace have they not kno\vn" (3:17), nor have they ever sought it (3: 11 ) .

Then thr pro~)het clainls, "I Il;i\~e tried to avoid those controversial subjects that hin-e so often di\ided great segments of the Christian cln~rch h r n each other." Then he t~dds, "but, on the other honcl, I have not Ixtrgair~etl, parleyed or co~~lpronlised nly concrnt of the Christian faith."lz 'I-his stand will 1101 measure up to that of another, truly great prophet of u161n~)eachable in- tegrity, Dr. J. Crrsham S'lache~~, \vho said, "The hppc of religion \vhicll . . . shrinks fronl contro\~crhi:il n~utters will never stand i~nrid the shocks of life . . . The really i ~ n - 1)ortanl things ;Ire tlrings al)ol~t \'hicll nlen vill fight."':< To boast, "I lla\-e 1101 compromised my concept of the Christian faith" is to sily ~rothing. For it is not the same as sayiug, I have not compromised the Christian faith. The Christian faith antl a man's concrpt of h a t faith, are by no means necessarily ide~llical. \ire may agree \\-it11 Cral l i~~r~ t l ~ i ~ t ht. llas not compromised his co~lccpt of tlir faith. But he does not claim t l ~ ; ~ t hc llas not co~~rpromisecl the Christian f;~ith. Of late, Ire \\.oulcl have quite a time sr~stilining .s11c11 a claim. The \vl~ole \\,orld is :~ski~ig, \\'ith \vhom has he not compromised?

So\v there is clear evidence thi~t Gral~anl compromises ;ind corn~pts t l ~ c gcosprl, and does so with Ilis o\vn col~ce~)t and philoso- phy. I'or e s ; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o l e , llc says mau has a "depraved ant1 sinfi~l ri;iturc" (p . 20). but is not totally dc~~raved, since luau "turn to 1.Ii111 and accept the blessings of safety and peace . . ." (255). Graha~u informs us that lie is eternally intfehtetl to his mother for tc.acl~i~~g hiin the \Vest~ilinsler catechiml. But certainly he has departed from the tn~ t l l

BEACON LIGHTS

~.~nbraced thc*rt., nan~c.ly, t l ~ : ~ t man .r~~ffc.r.\ "tl~ct corn~ption O L his tclrolc~ nirture" ant1 is "trtterlq intlisl,osed. clisal~lctl. ant1 matl(. opposite unto all tlr;ct is spiritually good, ;rnd ~cl~olly inclirlc~d to ;111 evil, and that con- tinually."1.' This is the ptlrc, ~ ~ ~ r c o m ~ r o ~ n i s e d u~~com~pte t l truth. . l l~e S~III IC ~.irnnot he si~id for h e cor~cc~~ts of Gra11;ull.

\\'hat is his concept of s t ~ c l ~ a fundamenti11 as faith? IIc. concei\.es of faith ns originating \\it11 man, ;IS dependu~g Itpon Inan to pro- tl~lce it, rscrcisc it and n~i~intiiin it. l lnn cotlles to Init11 I~ccau~sc lie c.ltooscs faith (p. 123). He nssulncs tllat nrillr has faitl~; it is homething inherent in t l ~ c ni~tural Iniln, but he doe> 11ot know wherc- to put it. To "tl~e man in the street" 11r si~ys, "i~ll your life you Iravr heen . . . \vniting for somroric to ex- pli~ir~ God to ).OII hrforc yo11 c i ~ r ~ put yollr faith in 11ir11 . . ." (p. 34). 110 nien, or s o ~ ~ ~ c lost mm, \\.;iit all their lives to have Cod explained to them? as though that were the one great longing ol their lives? Scripture is :th~~ndantly l,li~in on who rc*;rlly \\.:lit for Cotl. The r~crtrrml man so011 forgrts IIis worh ;~r~ t l ~crlits ,lot for His counsrl (1's. 106:13)! But it is insisttd that the nirturil llran has "that intellectuirl faith, that his- torical faith." ilntl that if hc \\till only p ~ ~ t it i l l the right ol~jcct. Christ. ; ~ r ~ t l \vith that kind of f i ~ i t l t clt.sii-e tIis sal\g;~tion, tl~en "upon thc ;~i~thority of Cotl's \\'ortl you become ;r child of Gotl" (p. 148). The &Teatest thing you "can (lo to please Cod is to believe. I limn ( p. 127 ). 'I'his is so~l~c.- thing you, tllc. man in thc strcvt, the natu~r;~l, ~lnregeneratc Initn, ha\.c t l ~ c abiliv to (lo. "\\.e do not kno\\. Christ through the. five physical s c ~ ~ s ~ s , but ure kno\v liinl thror~gh thr sixth scnsc that Gotl lrtrs girerr ct:c,r!l rrlcrn - whicl~ is t l ~ e crbili~y to l~rliccc" ( ital., IiCH, p. 1-16). Faith, t l ~ o ~ ~ , to Grdlan~, is il native sonlcthing, latent ill man, and not, as Scripti~rc has if :In c\otic sometl~ing, \rrliicli hc ri~~rrrot have, "trxcept it I,e givcw him from I~c;l\.~n" ( J r l 3:27). hlar~ I I I I I S ~

;ilao hc hasic;~lly gootl-hei~rtc.cl, for if he only had sonrronc to explain Cocl to him, he \vo~lld put this '%t~iltl-it-yoursrif' faith in God! But Scriptu~re rr~nintls, "All Inen have riot faitl~" ( I 1 'rlres. 3:"). Xlrn tlo trot I~ave the powc~ at all to I~c.lic\~t., e~ccylt it 11c given the111 from nbc~vc (cf. Jn. 19: 11 \\it11 Phil. 1:29). It i5 plain from l'i~ul'b \vord to the I'hilippian\ ;rntl to the Thi.55.1- lonians that God doe5 not give thi\ gr;lccb

to crl l Incall. "For unto yotc (accordi~~g to the contest: yotr "in Cl~rist," in yo11 wllo~li I-Ie has bcgttll it guotl \\pork), unto !loti i t is gicen to be1ieX.e on l l in~. Yes, faith i h a GIFT of G)d , not .I gift like the .\t;~lks of gain left behind in 130;~~'s field, wl~ ic l~ one must l~ick and choose for himself, l)ut ;t gift like the Ioriullla, so\~rrc.ig~~ly ant1 fri:c.ly be- \to\vc.tl frt11i1 heaven, not upon ill[, 1,111 illwn tt~hom~oc.ver EIe \\ill ( Ro~n. 9: 18).

It i\ c\.ielrlrt that <;rithun think5 of f ~ i t h first in tile orclo sultttir. He puts Illitn, mid an act o r f man first in the scheme oC si~lv:~- tion. "If \ve actu;~lly I~clieve, the11 wc will live" ( p . 146), drat is. "at h a t prc.cise moment the Holy Spirit perforn~s the n~irti- cle of the new birth" (p. 108). Tl~ih is the rrrontwlls teaching tl~iit faith I)rrcc.clcs re- gent.r;~lio~~~, wherr;~s Scripture tr:rcIrc~s that as m;rny a h belie\,<. (present trnse) Icere born (piist, passive) of God, i.e.. s o ~ ~ ~ ~ t i n l c prior to their believing on and rc8cciving of Christ (Jn. 1:12, 13). So being 11on1 gain, I~orrr fmnl i~l~ovc, Imm of thc Spirit nrust ht. prior to, because nwess;~ry to, believing (3:3, 5, 6, 12). Further, hc that helieves (pres.) 110s I~asscd (pf.) out of death into life (.5:24). \\'hat J c s ~ ~ s said there is not that he \vho bclieves tl~rts pilssrs into life, t l~xt one m u t believe to gcSt to life, but that the l~elie\ring is the rffcct of having pi~sxxl out of death into life. The ,pirih~idl?; dead do not believe ( 5:38), rcill not I~elieve ( Lk. 22:67 ), and cor~t~ot I>elieve (Jn . 12:39). Thrrc!forc, the dead I I I I I S ~ be made i~li\,e, and I)c I>orn again of (orrt of, sigiifyi~~g origin) i~~cwrruptible cctl , by (tl~rorrgli, signif?ing t i t ~ l c ) tile \Vord of Cad \\,hich liveth ant1 ;ibidcth forc\tcr ( I Pet. 1:23). \\'hat is I11c.;lnt here is not tlriit fitith ancl t l ~ c ingrnftetl \Vortl are first before thc nr\tr birth, hut that thc nc\v Ilirth is firht I~cfore eithrr. It is the nr\v creirtuue which I>c.lic.ves ( I 1 Cor. 5:lT). ant1 rot the . . natural Illiln in orcler to become 11 new crcattlrc. 17;iith colnes out of gmcc,, 11or1 out of n:rti~rc~ (Acts 1S:P7).

\\'hen, then, \ve hove n divine \\fortl like "Believe. on the Lord Jc*ws Christ ar~tl thou ha l t I I ~ saved," \\re tlo not have :I l~clpless in\-itation, b ~ ~ t a \vortl with effectrli~l I,owcAr, like "I.ct the-re be ligl~t!" or "Lazar~~s, colue forth!" \Vllen Gocl spc;ikx this \vortl in the heart (!lot merely in the ears) tlrc re.srr/t ir~ten(led follo\vs ant1 ;~notlrer elect sinner lx=lirve\ t t r tlrr znving of the haul ( Ac. 16:

BEACON LIGHTS Fifteen

31: Heb. 10:39). l'his ic solitl Scripture. (Continrrc.ti fro111 page 10) Cr;i11;1rnis111 is pt~isoi~. ca\,c.n \vlrcn s ~ ~ c l ~ tlepositiorrs h;lcl Iwen ap-

IRt . \ . Rol,~. Dunz\rt.ilt,r UI "Hillv Gr;th.i~l~ -. .A Critique." Faith Theol. Scm.. P.O. R& 517-1. Elkirn Park. Philu. 17 Pa.. 10c. (p. 15).

"bid., p. 37.' :I"Coopc.r;~tion ill E\:111gvlisn1 " I,? Joh~t .\lt~t.riiy,

13il1lt. Tnlth I)c,pof S\vt,~~~rl. P;!:.,, (E . N) . 1"A .\lini\tr) of Di\~~l>tdiincc. hrist~~~t~ I\t.,iccr!l

I'rcw. C o l l i ~ t ~ ~ ~ d . S. J.. .??c. (11. 170). y,il>id.. p11. 29. 37.

'.. IIa'Pi-am aith Gpl." 1,:- Bill? C;r;tham. l > ~ > ~ ~ l > l f - -

c1.1~. G n r d r ~ ~ City. X. T.. 195.3. I:il>id.. (l>rc+ae). l:~"Christi.tt~it\ and Liherdiin~." J. ( : t t+Ii ;~in

Ll.tchen. Llact~~iilan, 192:l. p. 1. 17. I ~\Yesto~inrtrr L.C.. .A. 2.5. S.C:., A. 18.

proved 1)y the Cl;issis: ant1 tlrc State tried to forcr con\~egations to rct;~in thrir minis- tcars. All thi5 ~ n i ~ d e the tlisciplinc of false trilchers into1eral)ly tliffic~~ll. Ancl it utab a IIIC:UIS to encwufiigc. Irerc-hy to nln riunpant in the C:hurche.;.

'I'hc rt.sr~lt was tll;tt by thr tiu~c: tlir schisln ciume in 1831. tlrcb Chnrch 11;1d I)ecorrle little Inore tll;trr a rul~lwr s t ; ~ r ~ ~ p of the State.

"Use tchat tcrk*rit yotr /)owcs,s. . \ lut~y u t i ood.r rcotrld bc rjlcrlt if r t r l hirrf.5 sung 6%-

( .r l~f :Ito\c. that ring best."

Behind t h e Wall ROBERT E. A. LEE, published by Wm. B. Eerdmons Publishing Co., Grand Ropids, 53.50 (169 pages). Reviewed by Mrs. Robert Decker

The author. drawing tlpon his pc~rsonsil ol,sen-atio~rs and rsl>rrience.; in Berlir~, has crcnted a no\.el del,icting the life and prc~b- Icn~\ of t\vo yoimg Germans. \\-emer IIirn, ;I lxll>licist for ;i film cornp;iny in Ha~~~l )urg , Cc.rn~an>- ipc.ndi a rnontl~s vacation in \\rest Bcarlin. Out of cllrio\ih he ventures Iwhintl the 13erlin \\'all to ,ee the lift. of Eait I3rr- liners. Herr hr mtrts Liw Lcl~man, an iictive Co~r~n~unist Part?. nlrn~ber, ;uld bt.c.o~ncs strongly sttachrd to her. He rcalizes tl\:~t llrr political ant1 rc*ligiot~s beliefs :Ire clian~ctricnlljr ~)ppoird to hi, o~vn. She h:is I~een tr;~ir~cd in Com~nuni>t tloctrine.; l ~ r r entire life. Slir lives in ;i fearful \vorltl of Party p1edgt.s ilncl clisciplines. Thi.z. is a \\-orld i r ~ which one .en.es thc I'arh in all things. n \vorld in \vliich one looses Ilis own identi5 for the s:tke of thr Com~nunist P;~rly. \Verner Hirn ci~nnnt f o r ~ e t Lise or the evili of her Party. IIc risks l~ i r own life to attempt to deliver her octt of

this fea r f~~l tvorld I~ehincl the wall. But is Lise ready to tr;rrrsfc.r to another world after die has ki~o\\n only the Co~iimuni.;t world? Is shc \villing to give up sening the Corn- n~unist Pnrh- and 5en.e \\'crner7s Cod?

Behilltl the dccl> soul struggles of these t\vo young people i h heen the subtlr perse- ct~tion, the psycllologic;~l 11;lrassrncnt srtfferetl I I ~ an Eiirt Cernlnn pastor ;~ncl his congreg:l- lion: tllc total allcpiance of trur Party ~nem- I,erb to the Communist Party and it's Imders; iitlcl tlie IlorcLslup\ sitfferetl by those who do not \v;int to si~rrcnder t h t ~ ~ ~ ~ s e l v r s to the stiu~~dartl, of tlre P;~rty.

Indrctl, this book gives a vivid picture of t l~c tlisrrr;~l life 1)chincl tl~cb Berlin \\'all; n picture 111;it makrs the rei~tlrr Inore thankful to our Cot1 for the frccdo~n we enjoy here in .4mcric:i.

.A sharp tongue, is the o11ly edge tool t11c1t grorcs kcpc,rrer wit11 corwtrrt~t IISC.

BEACON LIGHTS

REV. G. LUBBERS

YOUTHFUL STEWARDS OF G O D IN CHRIST

So 50 lor~p ago ;I fctther lear~~ccl that his l~rlovetl 5on had sonic* 1,rrrcils in Ius dr;~\v \vhiclr ditl not belong to Ili111. 1Jpor1 ques- t i o~~ ing tlrr yo11tIrf11l l ; ~ t l lie was s;itltlenecl to 1r:rrn that these hntl Iwrn t;~kc.n 1,y-l1i111 fro111 t11c large super-~n;~rket sttjrt.. So\v the. ;unlount stol1.11 \vas vcsr!. mininr;tl. Inventory \\ro~~lcl hardly \rave i~~t l ic ;~ted thnt there \\,as so~~rt-thing ~i~issing. I3ut in the c t r~wcienc~ of this lad tllrrc was st~niething \vrittrrr - intlt.li11ly. I I t . hatl pl;tyrtl the ~xlr t of ;I

thit4'! In t l~is c;~so the I';rther took the elriltl )lack to the storr, not\\-itl~stantlir~r: his c ~ i n a ,~ncl i ~ n g ~ i s h , iurtl had hi111 hi~ntl t l r c . per~cils to tlrr mnnilger of the. storr. 'l'lrc. little 1;1~1 ;tlx~logizetl \\,ill> te;~rs ;111d S ~ ~ I I I I V !

So\\,, do not co~i t lc~nn this l';~ther! Hc. dill not spnrc. the rod: Irc correctc.cl his >on while therca \v;rs Iropta ;~ntl rlitl 1101 herd Iris crying. Pro).. 19:18. 'I'l~crr \crns ;r~lotlrer boy \\,hose father tlid 11ot correct him. nor did llc

instruct hirn in the prvnt truth that God'.; I)c:ople are rvtlee~ned from sin, ;IIMI Irom thr sir1 of ste:rli~~g! This i;~tller evitlcr~tly fnrgot thr rod. But lie hat1 Illoney to send I I ~ I I I to college to obtain ;In educ;~tion, to lx. \.c.rsrd in tlrc huma~~i t i rs . But t l ~ c fear of tlrc lAORD \vhich is the beginni~lg of wis- dor~r was not taught hiul, ant1 hca \vw not instructed in the co~nrnnnd~r~c~r tx of tht. Lord, as thcsc. ;Ire not i111 old r.om~~rrriidment, but ;I new c o u ~ n ~ ; ~ n t l ~ ~ l e r l t l,ec:r~~se of the. Sr \v T e ~ t a n ~ r n t in Cl~rist's blootl! This boy w:rs indeed edt~catetl as far as tllc world goes,

but lnc. llad not h e n chcipliied to \ l~un the unfruitful work\ of dnrkne\.! He tlid not .teal pencils merely; he \tole niorc. clear tlurlgs such ns electric razors, tr;uisistor radios. ;md the like. He diti this in it small city \\it11 four to eight Hefonned Church- tomers pointing to\vard he;~\.err ;~ntl God. Urlt ch~lrcll-to\\,c-r\ f;~il \vl~c.rr the first prin- ciple\ of the \\'ord ;ue not t.~ught ;I\ the \va> c ~ f gratitude, the \v;ry of t l~o \c \vho have Iwen retlcu.~necl from \in and w l ~ o r ~ ~ n s t walk in the sc.cond part of the Covcnant of grace!

I t is ever ;I ti~nely subject to prc ;~cl~ on t l ~ r cigl~th c o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r ; ~ n t I n ~ r n t of the Dec:rlogue "Thou shalt not teal"! 011 n recent clrurch bu l l e t i~~ \ve \\,rote. the follo\ving obwrvirtion, which \\I(: here pz1s.r on fnr \\.hat it is \\fort11 to yell:

"llcnlly \vcS 11uve ;III import:urt and timely subject in tlus scartnon. \Ve \ \ r i l l be talking abor~t that I ~ a d word: stc~olirip. It rcafers to \vIr;rt i.4 tlone iu slctrlll~ because those doing it \ill. itnd, thcart+'orr, cannot tlo bo openly. 'Then, too, they 1nig11t 1,e caught a t it. .%nd they nc.arl>- :~l\v;~ys are! XI;ly I ask you a few c111c.s- tions? I meall \\.ill yo11 \eriouhly try to find tlre answer in the 23-I-B-L-EP 'rhrze q~rt.stions arc.:

a. \\'by do 1llc.n ste;~l? Is the rcason olrtsitlr of ;I nl iu or inside of Irim? Do estrmal contlitions make ;I thief, or do a 111;trr's desirc 111i1ke him one. Don't c o n f ~ ~ s e

BEACON LIGHTS Setienteen

occ;~sion ;~r~cl cause!! Xlatt. 15: 10. I). Docs tht- f3-I-R-L-E tciiclt thi~t "clcp-

tomania" is ;I sickness; that it is a sickness like a chiltl having measles? Or is it per- verted desires coming forth f n ~ ~ n a sinfill, and depritvcul hei~rt and fronl an evil ;~ntl comlpt will i l l Iw)ndage, \\,ltich cloes not clrairc to (lo the will of Gocl? No, do not givr the ;Ins\\.cr of ~nodcm psychologists and psyc11i:ltrists. These cil~tnot and may not speak in the for~rrrr of Cocl. Kor may they q>eak in the pulpit of the tn!r pmphcth \r.l~o speak the \\'ortl of C:od. Tltr Bible te:~rhes that Judas 1sc;triot \vas ;I tllief: Ilc 1v;l.s not "sick" I I I I ~ he was clo\\nright s inf~~l . Jollu l2:G. 'l'l~irvc-s do not enter th(. tiingdom of hei1vc~11 - I I I I ~ ~ ; ~

converted to GIKI! Then, t11c.y arr no longer thicvc?;. h l ~ t honest men, stc\\vards of God in Christ Jesus. Only sue11 are honest nlm, tn~ ly sincere beforc the face of Cad, wholly separated fro~n evil. I Cor. 6:lO: I Pctrr 4:15.

c. \lllly is stealing rooted i l l i!c~vetous- ness? Covetot~sness is essentially itlolatry. It is \\.orshipping the god-Xla~n~tton, is it not? \\'here is your treas~~rc? Sliltt. 6:19- 21; Col. 3:5. Did it ever occur to you thit !lottr "frcc-c,ntcrprise" might I)c- cantou- fli~ged iclohtry?

d. Do wr ste;tl from God? Ilis t h e , His honor, His glow? Rut tlo \ve get away with the loot?

e. Is " C o r n r n u ~ " the same as love of Christ in our hearts which has le;lrned to give to those w l ~ o have need? Or is it still nothir~g but organized "greed" of fallen ri~itn? Stealing on it ni~tional and intemittion;tl scitle?!.' \\-hen tht* great ;tpo?;tle I':IIII I1a3 aJ-

monisl~ed the. cllurch ;at Ephcs~ts to \valk as the>. I~;t\,c* Ici~mcd Christ, to p11t off the old nwn entl to p ~ ~ t on the new III;III, \vllicI~ is creattd nftcr Cod in true righteousness, holiness itntl t r~~t l i , he then I>ctgi~rs lo gi\r: a re\\- pilrticulars from the liiw of Goel. r\lno~tg other exhortations hc \\-rites thc. follo\\.ing \\-ords, which \r7c. may \\.ell ~tlelnorizc. ancl let then1 >ink d ( ~ p into our ht.;~rts. Thclsc trwrtls read,

"Let him tlt;tt stole steal no Inore: 1,111 rather let hinl labour, working \vith his hanck the thing which is good, that Ile may have to give to him that necdetll" Eph. 4:28.

Since \vc ;Ire Christii~ns i~ntl yo11 arcs

Cltristiit~~ ) . I I I I ~ ~ I , Imrn again in Christ, your II(.\\' 1l;trne is ntrt tlt;tt of thieves; it is that yo11 arc stc.~curtis in Christ Jesns. 11;ty 1 ask you to take your Bible (what nonsense to itsk this question!!) and notice tllr fnl- lo\\,ing:

111 the first pl;trc. tlt;~t the Scriptllrcl are ritt11i.r replete \\it11 notices concerning the i t l c * r ~ of ste\\~;~rc\shi~~ I,otlt respecting this stt~\r~i~rtlship anlong Inen and ;IS there is :I

ste\v;~rdship \vhiclr is ours to\\.ard God. Tltn.; in Gcn. 43:19 a ste~\r~i~rcl is a "III;UI who i5 scbt over" the affairs of another. In Gen. 14:4 stlcl~ ;I strward is calleel one who is "ovrr a hotlsc:", wllile Abraha~it call5 the old Elieziu ;I stc~\vitrd, that is, ;I "son of i~celuisition", \\.ltilc Solomon's princes over his affiiirs ilre clc~~ominated ste\r,;trcls, since they too hi~ve I~cen set over t l ~ c king's affairs in his hol~se ;ultl e~tencled lii~~pclo~n. In the Xeu,.Testii- ntc!nt Scriptnres ;I steu~nrtl is called one "to wl1o111 ;I thing is cu~ntmittrrl" (1,Iatt. 20:8; 1,11kc. 8:3) and also it steward is one \vho is ;I "house n~nllitgcr" for i~nothcr (1.11kr 1ti:P-4). Ancl Pnnl spenks of the n~inisters of Christ ;th k i n g ste\r;~rtls of the mysteries of Cod.

In the2 second place, notice that tl~ere arc C I J I I ~ I-lements \\.hicl~ are notcwortl~y, ant1 o11c11t to be c;trrft~lly obsewed in our life. 'l'ltr first of tltesr reitlitits is. &a1 no stc.w- ctrtl is ever a st~:\\~;~rd by his own private self-appointment. r\ ntan i5 n ppoi n t e d stc\\fard by another. Thus it is ever :Intong mcu. Thus it \\.its with Joseph in the 11o11sc of Potipltiir, and wit11 Elie7~1r in the house of t\l)rahaln. And, again, thtts i t \\?;IS \\-it11 the ste\r~:trcl in the p;trahlc of Christ i l l Luke 16: 1 f. f. And, \\le nlay ;tdd, tlritt thr15 it \\,as \vith the ste\vitrdsl~ip of A t l i u l ~ in the firzt Par;tdise, prior to the F;III! Cocl said to lti111 "He Fnlitft~l ant1 1n11l- til>ly, iuld replenislt the e;lrtlt, and s~~l>t lur i t : nncl I~nve do~ninion ovrr the Hsl~ of the sc9;t. anel over the fo\\,! of the air. and over every living thing tktt moveth upon the f;tcc: of the earth." Gen. 1:". The second I . ~ ~ * I I I ~ ~ I I ~ in all ste\\,;~rtlship is, that it is rerlllirc.tl and s o ~ ~ g h t in a steward to he I'o~~ncl faithful. I Cor. 4:" Tile third rlc~ncnt is, tililt n steward ntt~st never itct thr pi~rt of o\s7ner, but 11tr1.4 give account of his ste\v;trdship, ancl work solely for the inter- c4t from whom IIC has received his steward- ship. :\nd. lahtly, let it hc observecl, that if a stc\\,i~rrl is tlnfaithf~~l Ire can he rrn~ovccl

Eighteen BEACON LIGHTS

fro111 his ste\vartlship. It is taken fro111 liiln ;tntl given to ;in01 lrc:r \\,ho i.5 ~rort l~y.

In the third pli~ce, \ye slro~lltl notice that ~latllral Inan no longer is ;I stew;ird, but is ;I thief. The wl~ole \vorltl lies in darlmas. Ililn w;~s driven From thc e;utlily Parndise of Cmcl. He was remo\.etl from his stew- ;trdship. That Atl;i~n ren~;~inrd stc.w;~rd is only bcc;u~se now Ire is stc.w;lrd in Irope in Christ. Ilr subtll~cs all things under him. Ile fulfills the so-called "Common .\Ian- tl;~te" ant1 in H i ~ n we see that it is n very special hlulndatc. wl~ich \vas yivrn to Adam ;IS image-bearer, and which nonr we have again as image-he~vcrs of God in Christ, as

wns of the li\.il~g Cotl. See your cr~l l i~~g, youl~g people! Yo11 :Ire

hte\vnrtls of God, ha\-ing been brought forth by the word of truth. So\%- you uue some first-fruits of the cre;~tion of God. J;~mes 1:18. :\ltl~or~glr this i \ not li~r~ited to your life in the church-institute it aLso includes such callings ;IS ministers, elder;, deacons, teachers, fathers, mothrrs.

Pmy that yo11 be ;IS faithful in this your office. and calling here ;IS are the angels in heaven in theirs!

"Sin may be c h p e d so ck~se that Ice can not see its face."

HELI?S FOR BIBLE STUDY ON THE

Genesis 22-23 Book of REV. G. LUBBERS

ABRAHA.\l'S FAITII GIVEN TIIE Ll LTIAlATE TICST. Gm. 23: 1-1 8

Tl~c. COI)II)IN~I(/ of GO</ Tlli~t Abra11a111 Sacrifice Iscrac a. Tht. cornn1;tntl us sctcll. Vs. 2

1-It was n co~nmand! Obedie~~ce was the ortlcr of th(h tl;~y; the. obecii- ence of faith. T l ~ c God of glory spoke. Acts 7:2

"At the silme timc it was God Al- ~nighh , t l r t? so\vrt!ign God, with who111 r ~ o l l h g is i~npossihlt. cscept do evil. Before I l i~n Ahr;~l~;lln was ttr walk with a sincere I~ritrt. Gcrl. 17:l; Esodus 6:8, 3.

1). 'l'hr difficrrlty of this cnmmantl. I-I-Ie was ;In only son by Ihc free-

woman, Silrah. Gill. 4:16 ?-He \v;~s i1 son; a 11at11ral b o n ~ >on,

flesh ;111tl 1)lood ties! T l ~ e Lox1 s;tys: stlcrificr tcl 11lc11 Illis son "wvho~n thou lovest".

c. The impossihilit~/ of this com~nand. I-IIe is tht. son of prolnise. (:en. 21:

I' '-\\'o~lld appear entire contrary to

God's own design of snlv;ition :IS inclicatrtl in Cotl's fonncsr dealing with Al)cll~arn I I ~ till this point. For "in 1sn;ac shall the Seed be

GENESIS calletl". Cell. 11:13; Ito111. 9:7; Hel>rc\vs 1 1 : 18

2. The Faith of ribraharn Tried. Cen. 22:I-3 a. Such was the design of God. See

Gen. 22:l 1-He put Abraham's faith to the test.

We "te~npted" Ili~n, tested him by m;~king the u i y of obetlience tbx- ceetlinyly difficult. a-The temr "tempt" is the trans-

lation of tllc Hebren* verb "nir- scih," in tlrc \.erb form wl~ich indicates intensive action: to try, Lo p r o v e anyone . The K.].\'. tmnslittw this verb S I I I I I ~

t\\.crrty ( 5 0 ) times: to prore; somc trvelvc (12) times: to terl~pt nntl one ( 1 ) t h e : to frfl. \tie find some illustrati\w instances of to tempt in Es. 17: 2, 7; Stun. 14:E; Deut. 6: 16; Ps. 78:18, 41, 56. 111 the N.T. see Ilatt. 4 3 ; Lukc 10:25; 1 Cor. 10:9.

b--No doubt tllc translation to proce is ;I 1)ettcr or~t.. \\'by? See Ex. 15:25; 16:4; 20:20; Dcl~t. 8:2, 16; 13:3; 33:s; Judg.

BEACON LIGHTS .\'inelect1 /'

2:-3" 1'5. 26:.'. In tlic N.T. see b-.+bri~li;i~ii (lid so~iie "ncraunt- I1 Cor. X:H, 22. 111 t l ~ c * latter ing". IIe re(i.sot~ctl I,clievingly. passage t l ~ c thought is itkin to He placed the I~o~,ril,le reality trir~l. 1 I'cter 1:7. It 111cnns tllat of ;I dead son over against the the a p p r o v e d character, tlw gel~~~ineness of I\brahani'.\ faith muht be r~~crnifestetl!

2-This rlesig~t is ever prese~rt ;~nd in- tended ill ill1 the trials of Cod's children in their afflictions, their difficidt way of faith ant1 obedi-

t ence. Sec 1io11i. 5:3-5; Roni. 8:2S; Hebre\\,s 12:4-13; J;unc.s 1: 2-4: I Peter 1:6, 7; Rev. 6:9-1 1 .

b. Abral~ani's fnit 11 rises to i ts ~~erfecf iot~ and ftrlne-9s. Sc-r James 2:22. His filitli is made perftrt. I-Yotice the follo\ving fiicts: . .. the three tl;~ys journey. I lrnr to

reflect, to l ~ e tr~nptetl I,y Satan to u~~bclicf.

b--The rlr~estion of Isaae concerning the alxence of a saerific!ial lamb. \'s. 7

c-iihnllli~~n has all tliitt is ncces- SIT). for tlic sacrifice, ant1 n i ~ ~ s t del ibe~~tely do this.

2-Abnh;t~~i \,rings a brrrilt-offering. There is ;I differerlce I,ct\veen i t

brirr~t-offc~ring and a )~ctrc.c- and sin-otFeri~ig. a-A sin-offering and a trcs~x~ss ot-

fering \\.ere mn~pr~lsory, ;ind are propiliulonj in natl~rc.

b-A b~~rnt-olfcring was r:olr~t,ttrnj, and c.xI>rrssecl llomngc, sell-[led- icutiori and tllanksgiaitig.

c-Hence, Abraham's faitli must be purely rill act of obedience. new obedit.ncc, of one who is juhti- fietl 11s faith ;~ncl who is ini ,; \\-;-ardly renewed by Gocl's Spirit. It n~ust he a li\,ing I';titll re- \-ealing itself in works of thank- fi~lnc..ss.

3-:\brall;im, ill lus miiitl, trc/cr(rll~l sacrifices his son, 1sn;lc. I lehrews 11: 19b. a-Bonics out by t l ~ e nccx~~int of

.\loses here in Gen. 22:IO-12. This \v:o no Illere prt.tc.~isc. The tic-ed \\,;I\ ;~ccoinplisli~!tl E.ti

as Al,r;~ ham \via\ cc~r~crrnetl. r\br.~l~itm did not in hi\ tlc~pest heart or v e n act "withl~old" his only 4011 from God.

n~iinipotent God, :~rid lie came out on the credit sicle of tlle ledger. God is ablc to raise from the [lend. t-Iel~rews 11 : 19. Cncl Alrrrighty hacl givc-n , this son f r o ~ t ~ the dead once. Rom. 1: 16-21. He is still Almighty; ~ ~ o t h i n g is impossi1,lc uith I-Ii~ii. 111 1sn;ic the Srctd sl~all I)e c;~ll~tl. The way in Christ b dyi11g to lice; he th;lt loseth his life s l i d find it. John 10:l-19. Isaitc \viU then needs be brought forth fn,m the cle;ttl the second tinie. Cod shall lose none, but rabV them up in tlie last day!

c-Ant1 t l~us -1brahani's faith \\.as trietl-:uld fully re\ve;~led in all it5 l~ote~ithlitg in this sacrificv, ;I tliiunkoffering! I It, is tried; his faith is not fo~ll~tl wanting. It is a gift of God, this faith. It ih /I~'d~Cfed! For the idea of per- fection see: L~tkc- 13:32; Jol111 17:23; 11 Cor. 1.3::): Heb. 2:lO; 5:9; 11:-10; 12:23; 1 John 1: 17, 18.

d-It is esipri~sedly stated in James 2 : 2 2 t h a t .-\1~r;1ham's filitll "\vrouglit with Iris works, and 1,). \\wrks was fair11 made prr- fect. Is this tracliing of faith ant1 \\rorks reprign;tnt to the tc;~ching of Paul in Horn. 1: 1-7 \\.liere he rluotcs Ccri. 13:6?

$ 3. Tlre Faith of Abruha~r~ I'roto-Type of the Fuitlt u! 1\11 Beliecers. ii. Principally it is 21 picture. o f a "friend

of Ccd", ancl ;i picture of the love of God \\.l>icll IIe manifested in the sending of I [is Son to tlic fnr our sins on the Cross! 1-For the term "frie~lcl of God" see

Ixaiah 41:s; I1 Chron. 20:7 ~ I I I ~

J~uiies 2:23. Sotice its far-reaching implicatic~ns.

2-The love-life of C(~tl, energizing this fititli (Gal. J:(i) is clearly ancl u~unist;lkably set fort11 in this sacrifice of Isaac by Al>r;~llam!

I,. And to 511cli an '&heir" is the promise. Herc \\.r \re from " f ; ~ i t l ~ unto faith."

Ttce~at!~ BEACON LIGHTS

( Iloln. 1 : 17 ) for Ilc, \irl~o possessc,, sll;tll rccei\fc. Inore. Honca: I-Cocl spc.;llis trcict, to i\l)rnl~;urn -. a- l o st;~y his li;u~tl at the sacrifice

Gen. 2.3:10 11. 11-l'o s\\!c;lr by 1Iilnsell to m;tke

the promise hllre to all the heirs 1)y t\vo imnil~t;~I~le things. Gen. 2 2 : 15-18; Ilcl~. 6:20. \\'h;rt wcro thesc t w o i n l ~ n l ~ t a b l e tllings?

2-:\nd this promihe atantls i l l Christ. in w h o ~ ~ l all C:otl's p ro~~~isea arc yea ancl .Amen to the glory of God the Father. 11 Cor. 1:20. In Isaac sllall intlt.ctl thc- S(.c*rl be crrlled!

IIOPEFLrl. PEt1SPIIC7'1\'ES FOR THE REALIZAI'ION OF ?'ME PRO.\IISE Ih' ISAAC IS CAL1,I':iJ 7'0 t\13i~AIIAA\i'S A7'- TE.V7'iON. Gen. 21:20-24 1. Abml~u~t~ ' .~ Cor~cerr~ Is Iiere Stiggested

As Presrcl)l)o.sctl for Istrtrc's El~ittrre. VS. 20 a. For the rccord of the family-tree of

'I'erall rci~tl Gen. 11:27-32. Notice tlri~t Teral~ had tl~ree solis: Haran, N;~llor ar~tl Abram. Notice further h a t .\!ilcah \was u dallghter of IIiiran and I>c.c;ln~e the wife of Nal~or. 'l'hr entire ~ I ; I I I or fanlily 1novt.tl from Ur of tllr Cl~;il<lees to .\lesopota~nia. See Gen. 1 1 :31. He sure to confer yclllr Bihlc. I I I ; I ~ . Rt!it(l also Slc.phen's orlclress. :\cts 7:'. 3.

1,. I;or a proper e\-alrlation of hhrd~:unr's concern rr.>cien: sl~ch passitges a h C;c.n. 12: 1-3; Gem. 13: 14-18; Gen. 15: 1-91; Gm. 17: 1-7; Gen. 18:9-1.5; Gen. 21: 1-13. All tl~ese p;thsage.; .\peak of the rundry ;~ncl clivrrsc promises of God to -II)~:~IKIIII!

c. This hiitl all been brought to a foc115- l~oint in the sacrificing of 1s;l;lc. Ck.11. 2.7: 20-.34.

2. 7'11~ Fan~il!l-'l'rcc Ilerc~ Giret~. ;I. Hememl)c-r that ;11n>ut 100 years Il;lcl

elapsed since Al~rlthiun 11;ttl been in Haran en route from Ur of the Chi11- dees to Cirnaan, t l ~ e land of Pro~nise. IIuch 11;ltl happened.

1). The lint. in question herc is: Nallor ( IliIcah) Kemurl, Bethuel and then liebekall-lsaac's f ~ ~ t t ~ r e wife.

.3. The Relatio~t.slrip to tlie "Holy Line." a. It is not given here in the Bible to

si~tisfy mere hllnran curiosity conccrn- i ~ ~ g ..\hr:~l~;uu's relatives, in1 escr<rpt fro111 a personal rne.ssage deli\~eriul to one of A1)rahaln.s scnants, tultl passed on as grnt.ral infor~nation!

1). It is srrcretl record of ho\v Kebeknl~ I)ecan~c n n~otllrr in L\rael, aud how presently she will cnlne to cl~vcll in Sarah's tent, \vherc believing motl~er's are savcul in child-bearing, placing tl~c~ir co~~fidcncc. upon the "Seccl" to collie.

MEVS .. from, for, and about our churches

LOIS E. KKEGEL

Radio News It is indeecl gtmd nc\\v regartli~rg the

radio ministry ol our Protestant Ilefoni~ed (:llr~rclrcs that wc: report this morrth. The! liadio Co~nmittec of our Iic~formrtl \\'itness Hour has infor~rrcvl us that two ne\v "stations" 11;1ve be11 ;rdcled to the list of the o~~t le t s I)ro:ltlc;~: i ~ ~ g ollr rlistinc~tivc.ly He- fornled rllclio p 1 o g ~ a n c;lch Lorcl's Day. hlthough these r~c.\v stations have no official

call Icttrrs, no professional r~~gineers, [lo e1ebor;tte e q u i p ~ ~ ~ e n t with whirl1 to hroi~tl- cast tlicse progr;uns, atill the liste~lcrs \vllo hear the progralns over thcse hvo "statio~ls" enjoy ;und arcs estrenlcly grateful for tllc privilege of Ilr.;~ring the truth of Gc~l's \\-ord each \\.eck. The- tnpea itre "air<-tl" by nlcztns of hvo battery cjprrated transistor recorclers, \vhich were donated to the mcrnlxrs of tlre chr~rchts in Jamaica by ;I menrlwr of i:irst

BEACON LIGHTS Ttcellfy-otic

J'lf!:: ZANDSTRA J R . 3 . R . 1 BOX 227-A CI1ICAGO H E I G I I T S , ILL .

M a k e it a d a t e a n d a t tend the

2 4 t h A N N U A L C O N V E N T I O N

to be held at HOPE CHURCH

AUGUST 25, 26. a n d 27

Cl~urch ant1 by ;I filmily fro111 the conprcnga- tion in IIt~d.wn\ille. The HCVL. Elliott and Frame, piistors of two of thc: churcl~rs it1 Jilmaica, report th;~t the programs come through lo11t1 and clt.ar, and that thcir congregation* enjoy thr true preaching of the \\'ord .as emphasizctl on ;dl our pn)Krams; they also enjoy singing ;llong with thc Hndio Choir the I'salnls so dearly cherished I,y our l'rotestant Refomled Churches. Trios a n d Calls

Our conpegation at Lynden has estc~~ded a call to Rev. J. Heyz.

Rev. C. Lubbers has accc.ptccI thc call to Solltll\\.est.

First Church has estendetl ;I call to He\.. B. \\'oudenlwrg to 1)e hlissio~liury. W e d d i n g Bells rung on Slarch 13 for Hobert \'an Ilyke ;~nd Henrietta Slae Er~iper (Ilope). Cal led Home

Slrs. C. \'an Pnttcn (First) at the. age of 60 years. N e w Infant Members .I daughtrr, b n l to llr. a11rl hIrs. E ~ ~ g ~ n e

Kuiper ( South IIoUand ) A tlaitghter, born to hlr. ar~tl Mrs. Jim De

I3oer ( I I d ) .I son, born to Slr. and Slrs. Alvi~i Eooi-

ker ( Ilull) :\ son, Imrn to l l r . anti llrs. G. Schil~~ll~el

( Hope ) h son, Imm to llr. and Slrs. Jay Lul~l~ers

( Hutlsonville) Congratulat ions to llr . ant1 Slrs. J;tkc. \'antlc.r~ Top ( Iloon) \vl~o celebrated their 45th \\,cdtlir~g anni- vvrsary OII SIarcl~ 10. Membersh ip C h a n g e s

Slr. John Veltho~~se transfrrred hi* Inem- bc.rship to Soutlleiut froni First Churcl~. In Genera l

The Coninlittee for Publication of Protes- tant Refonnrd Literature is contlucting a

clrive in ;1l1 our ch~~rches for the sis tl~ousantl clollars nccded to hegin its first project, the l~rinting of Rev. 11. Hwksenla's Dogniatics.

Xlaily ~ I L ' the Y o ~ ~ n g People's Societies are currently cliscus~i~~g "Youth and I Ioliness" in prep;lr;~tion for the cunvention with that theme \vlrich is to take pli~ce thi* slllnmer in Iiopc: Church.

Speci;il music \vas provided by . h o l t l 1)ykstrn ; u ~ d the I lope Quartet at the Eastcr Si~~gspir;ltion in First Church on hlnrch 29. hlr. C. Jonker led the singing and did much to make the songs more ~neaningf~~l by a I)rief comment itntl scripture refercnce be- Sort. each one.

Doon's Young People's Society .\poluored ; u n Easter Singhpiration on hlnrrh 29 in Lloon Cl~r~rch.

"Protestant Refonnecl Etlucation, t l ~ e Cd1- i ~ ~ g " was the subject of Hev. Davit1 Engel- SIII~I 'S Icctnre in Iloon on Xlnrch 17. Thc. N~,rth\vest Iowa Protestant Refor~~~c.tl School Society sponsorecl this lecture, and the cl~urclrc.~ of Hull, I>oon, ant1 Edgcrton were invited.

lie\.. tl. \ 'eldn~;t~~ was to lecture in Sonth Iiolland on lipril 6 on "Church Slrrgers, ;I

Sign oS thc Times." Historic note: Cl;~ssis \Vest net in Etlgcr-

ton during the week of Sl;rrch 15 - the f h t ~nc~eting o f Cl;issis held in our ow11 church Ix~ilding there since it wits taken ;i\rray in 19.53.

Barhkira Zandstra made. confession of faith in South IIollantl Churcl~ on hlarch 29.

Eastern Ladies' League is to meet on April 23 in Hope Church.

Coming events at Hope School i~lclude it

Choir I?esti\~al, sponsored l ~ y the Slothers Circlr on Slay 8; commencement on June 5; anci ;I school picnic on June 3.

Rev. C. Hanko has 11cc.n ;isketl by the Slen's Socieh of Onkla\vn Cl~urch to lecture thcre on .April 30.

BEACON LIGHTS

Date post:	07-Jun-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	2 times
Download:	0 times

FOR PROTESTANT REFORMED YOUTH - Beacon Lights › wp-content › uploads › 2015 › ... · FOR...

Documents