Vol 24 Issue 19

Other Churches. . . . During the month of June many denominations besides our own hold their annual Synods or Assemblies. Since we have written previously of the problems which various other Churches face, their resolutions in respect to these will be of interest. We quote briefly from various periodicals the decisions of some of these Churches at their annual meetings.

Scripture often speaks of God’s face, especially in the Old Testament, but also in the New. This expression is even more common than we often realize, for the word for face, both in the Hebrew (panim) and in the Greek (prosoopon), is sometimes translated as countenance, and sometimes even as presence. For example, in Psalm 4:6 the word is translated as countenance, “Lord, lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us.” While in Psalm 16:11 that same word is translated as presence.

It’s happened to most of us, I suppose, who write now and then, that you talk with somebody, and say, “Yes, I wrote about that lately, remember?” And you discover to your dismay and his chagrin, that he doesn’t remember. He simply had not read your last article. Now it is possible that you did not read what we were trying to express in our former issue.

As we have seen, in the wilderness of Engedi Saul had received tangible proof that David was not seeking his life. The Lord had delivered him into David’s hand, but David’s eyes had spared the king. As was stated, Saul now was, must have been, as assured in his heart of David’s innocence as he was convinced of his own existence in the flesh. Yet a year and a half later the king repeats his persecution. David has returned to the wilderness of Ziph and hides himself in the mountain of Hachilah situated near the cities of Judah.

Another passage of Holy Writ which throws light on the certainty and wholly particular and unconditional character of the promises of God is the word of the apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 1:12-20. We quote: “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to youward.

Lord’s Day 23 3. Faith and Justification (cont.)

In the Wachter of June 1, 1948, we read the following from the hand of the Rev. E. Van Halsema, editor of (DUTCH REMOVED): For the convenience of those who are not able to read the Holland language we will give a resume of the foregoing article: