Questions from Our Readers

Recently, I received a number of questions which were left over from the Norwich Youth Day. Rev. H. de Leeuw forwarded them to me and asked if it were possible that I would try to answer them in The Banner of Truth. To show that we take all questions seriously, I will make an attempt to do this. However, at least three of the questions asked were answered in The Banner as recently as this year. Please refer to those Banner articles. I will list them, so everyone can see that they were, indeed, answered.

How do you encourage someone who struggles with depression when although our sinful state on earth is depressing, they need to be more positive about life and enjoy the things God has given them?

In the June 2023 Banner I addressed an issue somewhat related to this but would add here that depression is a very broad and complicated subject. Sometimes it can be treated with a positive outlook on life and a reminder that it is not sinful to enjoy what the Lord gives in His common grace, but such an “encouragement” serves little when depression needs medical attention. It is nearly impossible to address this question any further than what was written in the June Banner.

What is your position on NRC participation in a political position? In the Netherlands there is an NRC political party; the political position there versus here is much different, but in light of the LGBTQ and the rich Christian heritage, especially in America, would it be okay to have a political office?

This question was dealt with in the January 2023 Banner.

Do you believe in different levels of punishment for those who have never heard of Christ?

You can find an answer to this question in the February 2023 Banner.

What is the best way to speak about God to a friend who does not believe?

This is a commonly asked question but not so easy to answer. My first advice would be to try not to “preach” and not even to “convince with one’s own words.” God’s Word is the best means to convince because it is the Word of God Himself and whether we have knowledge of the Lord or not, we always need it through the Word, by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you speak about God apart from His Word, you are trying to convince with your own words, and that is insufficient and poor at best.

If you do a little research on anecdotes regarding this subject, you might find some interesting stories like the one I found about Isaac Newton (1642-1727) who once was visited by an atheistic scholar. On his desk there was a beautiful cardboard globe. The man asked Newton, “Who made this?”

Newton answered, “No one.”

“That cannot be,” said the atheistic friend.

Upon this Newton said, “Do you think it is foolish that this cardboard globe has no maker? You are even more foolish by thinking that the real world globe does not have a Creator.”

Perhaps the Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 2, explains best how to approach the subject, namely, that we know the Lord by two means: by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, which is before our eyes as a most elegant book, wherein all creatures, great and small, are as so many characters leading us to contemplate the invisible things of God…and secondly, more clearly and fully by His holy and divine Word. Also, Article 1 and 3 of the Belgic Confession point to how the Lord reveals Himself through His Word.

Finally, always remember that our “convincing” is so limited and falls so short. I recently heard a moving story of a minister who was reaching out to catechism students who were not attending his catechism classes. One young person wrote back and his words were: “If you prove to me that there is a God, I will come to catechism class.” The minister responded by saying that he would like to have a conversation with this friend. When this conversation took place, the minister told him that he was not going to be able to prove to him that there was a God. “For,” said he, “that would be the same as telling a mole that there is a sun, and that would be to no avail because, first of all, moles are blind and, secondly, they live under the ground. What you need, my friend, is that the Lord would open your eyes. Then you will believe that there is a God.”

What a clear and direct answer did this young friend receive. Perhaps he did not expect such an answer. Let us learn from this to be clear, direct, simple, and to the point. Do not begin a conversation with difficult doctrinal statements. Christ Himself gave the perfect example when He spoke with the woman at the well (John 4) when He opened the conversation by asking: “Give me to drink…” followed by “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.” At the appropriate time Christ said, “Go, call thy husband.”

Send your questions to: Rev. H. Hofman, 2339 Deer Trail Dr. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505, or hofman@premieronline.net.

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