Vol 46 Issue 07

Fear is here!  And though we wanted it otherwise, we brought it with us into the new year. Putting up a new calendar, calling the month by a different name, and the year by another number does not take away the fears we had in the year that is gone by with startling swiftness. 

In our preceding article, we called attention to the fact that the Word of God does not separate the things that are present and earthly from the things that are eternal, and surely teaches us to view them in the light of each other. And we maintain that this is also the position of Calvin. 

ATTACKS ON PAPAL INFALLIBILITY The Second Vatican Council which had begun its meetings under Pope John and finished them under Pope Paul had discussed at some length the problem of papal authority. It had adopted the principle of “shared authority”, i.e., the principle that the pope shared his authority in the Church with the bishops. But the Second Vatican Council had not specifically spelled out what this meant in actual practice. It was interpreted by each cleric in the Roman Catholic Church to suit his own ideas.

In the same article from in de rechte straat mentioned in the editorial “Flight From The Telephone” a very important aspect of doctrinal controversy is touched on by Editor Hegger. And both because it is of importance in all controversy and because it is of special importance in the current controversy against the “new theology” in the Netherlands, I want to comment on it. 

In one of the Dutch papers, in de rechte straat, (Nov., 1969) there is reported a tragic instance of the sad state of affairs in the Gereformeerde Kerken, an instance at the same time of the reckless manner in which certain leading figures express themselves publicly to the detriment of the churches. This incident involved Dr. J. Lever, biologist at the Free University of Amsterdam, and one of the leading protagonists of the theory of evolution in the Dutch churches. The above-mentioned magazine quotes from an interview between Prof. Lever and a certain A.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5, 6

It’s pretty evident, from a quick look over all the bulletins, that we have several vacant churches in our denomination. All our churches are, sooner or later, affected by classical appointments. Rev. C. Hanko had quite a distance to travel for his two week appointment in Hull! Our seminary (students, that is) is certainly made aware of the minister shortage. They’re getting some valuable experience rather early in their training. As we mentioned before, first-year Seminarians Wayne Bekkering and Marvin Kamps have already occupied pulpits.

We are grateful to our God and our Lord Jesus Christ that the Editor of The Standard Bearer has so ably defended the matter of parental financing of our Christian schools over against those who are misleading many Christian parents sinfully to transfer this parental duty and responsibility to government in part or in whole. Surely this issue is of such great importance and significance for the spiritual welfare of our schools that we should all become rightly concerned to do the will of God in this question.

And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. II Samuel 24:1  

OUR HOPE DIRECTED TO CHRIST’S RETURN WITHOUT SIN—Hebrews 9:27, 28