All Articles For Vol 47 Issue 20 9/1/1971

We may as well begin with information concerning a couple of not very recent calls. Rev. R. Moore was chosen, from a trio which included also Rev. R. Harbach and Cand. R. Miersma, to receive the call to serve as pastor in our church in Randolph, Wisconsin. Rev. Moore has also received the call from Doon. According to a late report, Rev. Moore has accepted the call from Doon. Rev. D. Engelsma has declined the call to become the third professor in our seminary. And, at the time of this writing, Rev. R.

According to Hebrews 9:10 (Gk), the Old Testament dispensation and its worship in connection with the first tabernacle stood in exterordinances and “various baptisms.” These baptisms were plain types of the New Testament’s “one baptism.” The Old Testament, we saw previously, reveals that these baptisms werewashings, as the King James Version correctly translates in Hebrews

The previous article showed that angels are in God’s decree of reprobation. They have been ordained to condemnation and to eternal judgment, a certain definite number of them. Since the elect angels had never fallen, all the angels were, in the decree of God, viewed neither as yet created, nor as yet fallen. It ought to be readily understood that not first with respect to the decree of the angels was their creation. This is not true, even with respect to the plan of a man. He first plans to have a house before he determines to build a house.

One hears a lot of talk about the “now generation.” It may be a bit difficult to determine what the expression means, but the general idea seems to be quite evident. Especially the youth of today wants to do their thing NOW. They are unhappy with the “establishment” and want to change it, and that right now. They express their resentment against the established order of things by wearing long unkempt hair, matted beards, filthy, tattered clothing, and show a complete disregard for all law and order.

Finally, the Great Synod of Dordt was about to be convened. The moment had finally come when this august assembly would assemble in Dordtrecht, Netherlands. 

Last time we penned down a few thoughts in connection with the graduation address which we delivered to the class graduating from our South Holland, Illinois, Protestant Reformed Christian School June 8, 1971. Since one of the principle purposes of this department is to treat educational matters, we would at this time like to give some of the thoughts of the graduation address we delivered two nights later to the graduates of our Adams’ St. Protestant Reformed Christian School, in Grand Rapids. 

You teenagers are well aware of the fact that sometimes the domestic waters are troubled by petty bickering, nagging conflicts, and even serious differences. We are not always riding the same wave with our parents.  The climate is stormy: harsh words, lost tempers, erratic behavior, and predictable remorse.  Many prayers are offered nightly on behalf of parents and teenagers that such incessant conflicts may be resolved, that peace may be in the family, and that our homes may bear the seal of the covenant of grace. 

Question  From a young man among our Michigan readers I received several questions about witnessing. He writes as follows:  “Dear Prof. Hoeksema:  “Your replies in the ‘Question Box’ have shed much light on some very pertinent and even disturbing questions.  “I have a problem that disturbs me very much. I would like to know what exactly is our calling as Christians in regard to our effective witness for the Lord? Just how far are we to extend our witness? 

Elsewhere in this issue, I have tried to answer several questions sent to me about our calling to witness. In connection with this subject, reference is made toRomans 10:9, especially to the words, “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.” This reference reminded me of some pointed remarks on this subject in a sermon on this text by the late Rev. Herman Hoeksema in God’s Eternal Good Pleasure, pp. 203, ff.

In the last issue of The Standard Bearer, we began a discussion of this subject once again. We noted then that the central question concerning the rightness or wrongness of abortion is the question of when the fetus becomes a person. If the unborn child is a person at the moment of conception, then abortion is a violation of the sixth commandment. It is murder.