All Articles For Contending for the Faith

Another of the Church Fathers to whom we would call attention in connection with our discussion of the early views of the Church particularly as concerning the tremendous esteem in which the office of bishop was held is Tertullian. In our last two articles we called attention to the writings of Ignatius and Irenaeus and noticed that the latter even calls the bishops the successors of the apostolate.

Before we begin our discussion of the early views of the sacrament of baptism as entertained by the Church in the first centuries of the New Dispensation, it will probably not be amiss to call attention to the Jewish washings, the baptism of John, and the institution of baptism.

Continuing with our discussion of the early views of the sacrament of baptism, and calling attention to the significance of this sacrament during that early period of the Church in the New Dispensation, we noted that one might easily receive the impression from some expressions of the early Church Fathers that they attributed efficacy to the external rite of baptism, such as the power of regeneration, cleansing from sin, sanctification.

A Few General Observations (cont’d) In our preceding article we remarked that, beginning a series of articles on the “early views of the sacrament of baptism” we thought it not amiss to call attention to the washings and purifications in Israel in the Old Testament. We also called attention to the baptism of John, and briefly touched upon the Baptism Formula. We are now ready to continue with our “general observations” to which we purposed to call attention before deciding to write the article which appeared in the preceding Standard Bearer.

The Protestant Church world, we all know, is divided upon the issue of the baptism of infants. In the churches of Reformed persuasion there is general agreement with respect to the baptism of infants as such, but hardly unanimity with respect to the grounds for this practice. There is general agreement with respect to the question whether infants should be baptized but not with respect to the reasons for this administration of the sacrament.

We concluded our preceding article by calling attention to Point Three of the Three Points of 1924 and expressing the conviction that this conception is in violent conflict with all the writings of Calvin. In II, 2, 6, toward the close of this paragraph, Calvin writes: “And this liberty is not diminished, although we are corrupt, and the slaves of sin, and capable of doing nothing but sin.” And in II, 2, 18. Calvin writes:

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. 

Justin Martyr was a Gentile, but born in Samaria, near Jacob’s well. The date of his birth is uncertain, but may be fixed about A.D. 114. His father and grandfather were probably of Roman origin. Before his conversion to Christianity he studied in the schools of the philosophers, searching after some knowledge which would satisfy the cravings of his soul.

We concluded our preceding article with the remark that we would comment in this article on the claim of Rome that it is truly the Catholic, universal Church of God and of Christ in the midst of the world. In the first place, the name, “Roman Catholic Church,” is certainly a misnomer. That church calls itself the Roman Catholic Church. How can a church be catholic, universal, and at the same time Roman? Does not the name, Roman, limit that church so that it is no longer catholic or universal? O, we know that Roman Catholicism teaches that the name...

Rev. Woudenberg is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.  Romans 11:6 As we have seen, Dr. Klaas Schilder considered the covenant to be a legal or forensic relationship between God and all the baptized children of believers. Emphasis was placed by him on the promises of the covenant, but never apart from its demands and its threats. If anyone fails to meet these...