Vol 32 Issue 14

* Condensed from an address delivered before the teachers of our Protestant Reformed Chr. Schools (Adams St. and Riverbend).

In the Reformed Guardian of March 25, 1956, the Rev. E. Knott, former minister of the Protestant Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, writes An Open Letter to the Reverend John H. Piersma, who also was once a member of the Protestant Reformed Churches and now minister of the Christian Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The Open Letter is a reply to an article written by the Rev. Piersma in the Torch and Trumpet of January on which article we also reflected in the February 1st issue of the Standard Bearer. 

“The deacons shall be, chosen, approved and installed in the same manner as was stated concerning the elders.” In Articles 24 to 26 of the Church Order the office and function of the deacons is described. Mention is also made of the deacons in Article 37 where it is stated that they may be added to the consistory by local regulation where the number is small. Article 40 stipulates the time, purpose and manner in which the periodic Deacon’s Meetings shall be held.

Article 9. This purpose proceeding from everlasting love towards the elect, has from the beginning of the world to this day been powerfully accomplished, and will henceforward still continue to be accomplished, notwithstanding all the ineffectual opposition of the gates of hell, so that the elect in due time may be gathered together into one, and that there never may be wanting a church composed of believers, the foundation of which is laid in the blood of Christ, which may steadfastly love, and faithfully serve him as their Savior, who as a bridegroom for his bride, laid d

Continuing our quotation of Augustine, in connection with his views on baptism, we quote the following: “For that sins which have been remitted do return upon a man, where there is no brotherly love, is most clearly taught by our Lord, in the case of the servant whom He found owing Him ten thousand talents, and to whom He yet forgave all at his entreaty. But when he refused to have pity on his fellow servant who owed him a hundred pence, the Lord commanded him to pay what He had forgiven him.

Services of divine worship are over.  We frequented the house of God.  There still remain many hours left on the Sabbath.  But our observance of that day is no longer required? By whose rule and consent? 

We now come to the very beautiful and instructive passage in I Corinthians 2:10-16, which teaches us the underlying and secret reason why, we, the church, understand the mystery of God in Christ, and why it is that the world does not understand these same mysteries of faith. The reason: God has revealed it unto us by His Spirit and He hath hid these same things from the wise and prudent.

The question may be asked whether it is necessary for the Christian constantly to utter this second part of the petition, throughout his entire life. There are those that deny this. They are called perfectionists. According to them, he that utters this prayer confesses that he is not yet completely delivered from the dominion of the devil and from the power of his evil nature. And therefore these people claim that the believing, redeemed, regenerated, sanctified Christian cannot properly take this prayer upon his own lips, at least not always, and not throughout his entire life.

De Verkiezing Gods (God’s Election), by G.C. Berkhouwer. Published by J.H. Kok, N.V., Kampen, the Netherlands. Price f 11.75. 

The second statement to which the apostates subscribe, let us remember, is: “Our act of conversion is a prerequisite to enter into the kingdom of God.”  According to explanation by Bellflower (Doezema), this may mean to the consciousness of the believer that all the requisites of salvation are fulfilled in Christ is a prerequisite to enter into the kingdom of God or to lay hold on the claim to the riches of Christ.