Vol 23 Issue 16

In our last article in this column we called your attention to an unscriptural tendency in the present Christian School system, the tendency, namely, of a “social gospel”. There are other errors. We believe that the mixing of numerous denominations into a Christian School constituency is also an error. (Cf. Pamphlet by M. Fakkema, entitled, “New Christian Schools on the Pacific Coast”). It must lead to generalization of principles and finally to colorless instruction. There is more over the danger of opening the doors of our schools to the unchurches, against which also the last held Union Meeting raised its...

Russia. . . . The following is a United Press dispatch which appeared in the Holland Evening Sentinel recently. It was written by R. H. Shackford, veteran United Press diplomatic correspondent. Mr. Shackford has just returned from covering the Big Four foreign ministers conference at Moscow and is writing a series of articles portraying background glimpses of Soviet Russia. From the following it becomes apparent that even Russia is discovering it cannot disregard God’s laws with impunity. “Religion. . . .is the opium of the people.’’ Those words of Karl Marx are chiseled in red sandstone on the wall of...

Strange though it may sound to us, it is nevertheless the clear teaching of Holy Writ, that Israel must pass through the curses of the law to obtain the promised blessing. Israel, the church of God, must pass through death and hell to get to heaven. Such is the very evident implication of such a passage of Holy Writ, as Romans 11:31, where we read: “For God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that He might be merciful to all”. And, again, also this sense is very clear in Galatians 3:22, which reads: “For the Scripture hath shut up all...

Scripture’s Sociology Scripture’s primary interest is spiritual. Scripture insists that we shall deal righteously with our fellowman, treat him with respect and in the fear of God. In short, we shall love our neighbor. I believe it may truly be said that Scripture is not much interested in how well you fare economically or financially. With us this is often the primary thing, and no wonder, because we are of the earth, earthy and carnal. In I Cor. 7:20-22 we find Paul saying: “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he is called. Art thou called, being a...

The Lord having delivered His people out of the hand of Nahash, Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go down to Gilgal and repair (the Hebrew verb is chadash in the piel) the kingdom there.” The kingdom, its typical-symbolical dispensation, was the Lord’s tabernacling with His people in the earthly Canaan and their fellowshipping with God in His holy temple; it was their being blessed by the Lord their God in the way of their covenant fidelity in the city and in the field; it was the Lord’s blessing the fruit of their body, and the fruit of...

Statements occur in my previous writing (under the caption: Dr. Ridderbos and the 800 Zeros), that I wish further to explain, that there may be no misunderstanding. I wrote, “Power in the church is either mandatory or advisory. A third kind of power there is not. And by power I mean right (authority) to command or advice.” And this also, “An elder in the church has mandatory power over the congregation as the vicar of Christ.” Now certainly it is only the Word of Christ that commands the flock, so that only insofar that the ruling and teaching ministry in...

4. To our objections against the idea of a millennium during which Christ is supposed to reign with His people on this earth, with His throne in Jerusalem, we may finally add the incongruity of the conception. This incongruity is twofold. The first concerns the irreconcilable conflict that must needs express itself, in such a state as the millennium is supposed to be, between the ethically perfect condition of Christ and His risen saints and this sinful world. Whatever may be the conception one may try to form of the wonderful reign of peace in the millennium, sin still prevails...

We received the following contribution. Rev. Herman Hoeksema, Editor of The Standard Bearer Dear Brother, Will you allow me to reply briefly to your editorial “A Closed Shop With A Loophole”’ in the April 1 issue of your paper? A few words of explanation will do much to clarify the situation I’m sure. There’s a history back of this union shop contract with Hekman’s that ought to be known. The C.L.A. in 1945 fought A.F.L. attempts to force all Hekman employees into one of its unions through interference with the Company’s business. That organization did not have one member in...

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Heb. 9:24 For. . . . Shadows belong with shadows: the way of shadows is sufficient to lead into the shadowy pattern. Reality belongs with reality: the way of reality alone is capable of leading into the true sanctuary. True, also in the days of the shadows there was a sanctuary. And because it was a sanctuary, it must be purified, for nothing is pure among men...