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In Matthew 16:18 the evangelist records for us one of the most encouraging promises our Lord has ever given to His people. Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Encouraging indeed! For by that short statement our Beloved Saviour tells us that the church is His church, and therefore that we who belong to that church belong to Him.

It is truly with good purpose that Scripture so often speaks of the preaching of the gospel under the figure of farming. Increasingly, in mission work, we see the appropriateness of this figure and learn the lessons it teaches. 

In the past our churches were rather severely criticized because of an alleged lack of emphasis on mission work. In fact, many accused us of not even believing in mission work. To a certain extent these charges are still leveled at our churches. It is said, for example, that because we deny a “well-meant offer” of the gospel we are not able to preach on the mission fields. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The Protestant Reformed churches have always believed it their calling to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.

. Singaporean Guest Article In this issue you will find a very interesting account of the history of the G.L.T.S. by a member of the Executive Committee of that organization, Francis Quek. (His full name is Francis Quek Kok How. By the way, the Francis is a Christian name, such as many of the young people add to their Chinese names. But do not be misled by the “Kok”. That has no connection with the Dutch name Koh.) The article was originally intended for our Mission Issue.

Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ: 

A staggering and to many people a bewildering number of churches (denominations) have developed through the years since the time of the great sixteenth century Reformation. It is not our intention to discuss the reasons for this phenomenon. Rather, the question we face is: how does one determine which church is true? What characterizes a true, faithful manifestation of Christ’s Body in the world? 

“. . .As for the false Church, she ascribes more power and authority to herself and her ordinances than to the Word of God, and will not submit herself to the yoke of Christ. Neither does she administer the sacraments as appointed by Christ in His Word, but adds to and takes from them, as she thinks proper; she relieth more upon men than upon Christ; and persecutes those, who live holily according to the Word of God, and rebuke her for her errors, covetousness, and idolatry. These two Churches are easily known and distinguished from each other.” 

Jehovah, the faithful covenant God, has entrusted into the care and keeping of His church the sacraments. They, along with the preaching, are ordained by God as official means to be used in the church in order to strengthen and nourish her members in the grace of God. The church is called upon, therefore, to guard and use the sacraments in such a way. This calling she dispenses with great joy, for these sacraments are to her very precious and of utmost significance.

There are especially two errors into which many believers have fallen in the exercise of the office of believer. The one error is to seek to exercise the office of believer apart from the institution of the church. The other error is to fail to exercise this office because of the institution of the church. Both errors must be avoided at all costs. To fall into either error is detrimental to the spiritual welfare both of the church and the individual saint. 

In past years a great deal has been written about the so-called “electric” church. By this is meant those religious broadcasts that come on radio and television each week. Their number, it seems, is boundless. One can find, especially on Sunday, a constant barrage of religious programming: from local church services to brief messages designed for special instruction of the listener. There are, in addition, a surprising number of Christian radio stations and television stations which broadcast daily the gospel message in word and song—at least these profess to do so.