MISSION TIDINGS

GIFTS RECEIVED FOR MISSIONS IN OCTOBER 1980

CLASSIS MIDWEST SOURCE AMOUNT

In G.R. Church col. Gift $ 600.00

Friend in MI. Gift 150.00

In G.R. Church Col. Gift 100.00

Friend in Grand Rapids Gift 11.00

Unionville Col. 550.00

Friend in Lynwood Gift 125.00

Friend in Grand Rapids Gift 100.00

Friend in Norwich Gift 100.00

CLASSIS WEST

Friend in Iowa Gift 350.00

CLASSIS FAR WEST

Port Alberni Col. 580.00

Edmonton Gift 200.00

Total $2,866.00

Dear friends,

Herewith we want to thank everyone for the kind support for the mission. May the Lord truly bless you and your gifts.

We are glad to inform you that Miss Ria Baaijens who had to return from the mission field in Igedde in a very serious condition, and for whom the doctors first thought there was no hope of recovery, by the great mercy of the Lord, is priviledged to be up and around again, but humanly speaking will not return to the mission field.

At present Rev. Kuijt is visiting in the United States and Canada.

The Lord willing, Tom and Meta Moerdyk hope to arrive in the States in January 1981.

On October 24, Mike Meeuwse was united in marriage with Carol VanBeek of Artesia, California. Rev. Verhoef solemnized this marriage. May the Lord truly bless them together for time and eternity. On Nov. 8 a reception was held in Kalamazoo for them. They will make their home in California while Mike takes 6 months of training under M.A.F. supervision, and then, hopefully, will be sent to our mission in New Guinea, and make their home in the valley of Langda with the Louwerses.

The work continues in Baldwin on a part time basis. There is need here for winter clothing, especially blankets for the cold winter months.

We also include a letter from Dr. and Ria Scheer. May the Lord remember His covenant and bless us all with the one thing that is needful, to be made new creatures in Christ Jesus. Hearty greetings in behalf of the mission board.

American General Mission Fund
Netherlands Reformed Congregations of
United States & Canada
John Spaans, Treas.
2376 Shadow Lane N.E.
Grand Rapids, MI. 49505
(616)364-8379

A LETTER FROM DR. AND RIA SCHEER

Onuanyim, 6-2-80

Dear family and friends,

Three months have already transpired since our return from the Netherlands. Much has happened during this time. The first four weeks have been very busy. Many emergencies were brought to our clinic. We have had to perform several Caesarean sections, and several times also seriously injured people were brought to us. It appears that special things always come in clusters. It has caused us to reflect about what we are able and are not able to do in Izi. For example, a few days before Easter, a man was brought to us in the middle of the night. He had fallen from a tree. A branch had ripped open his abdomen, and all his intestines had come out. His relatives had tied him to a plank, placed a cloth over him, and strong men carried him on the plank. After three hours they arrived in Onuanyim with the question whether the doctor was available. There you are! Confronted with a man, weak from pain and loss of blood. Small gravel and some grass were found among the intestines, which had been wrapped in a cloth. After a desperate short prayer we began to treat him. We were fininshed after three-and-one-half hours. The man was still alive, but would he remain alive? This man recuperated miraculously fast. Then there is gratitude for God’s help and guidance. However, other incidents could also be related which did not have such a happy ending.

The question confronting us now is: In which direction are we going? A few years ago a choice was made to implement a system of simple rural medicine in Izi. Approximately 90% of our patients suffer from six of the most prevalent diseases, which in most cases could be prevented. These people can be helped with medication and good instruction and do not require complex care. However, there are a few seriously ill people, with a dramatically changing diagnosis, who require treatment in a well-equipped small hospital. In general, a hospital is more appealing to the people, but a hospital is also a very expensive proposition, requires many trained staff members, and ultimately is only beneficial to a part of the population. Obviously, hospitals are necessary in every area; however, in view of the course of events in Izi, and the lack of any other type of care, this is presently inconceivable. Nevertheless, we cannot neglect this small group of seriously ill people, and therefore we try to help them as much as possible. However, the danger is not inconceivable, that as we work in this manner, we will ultimately arrive at a hospital-like situation, which does not nearly satisfy the requirements for good hospital care, and at the same time may cause the necessary rural care to be neglected. This danger has become more real since Dr. Schoonhoven has left Ikachi a few weeks ago. Certain seriously ill people, such as people with a strangulated hernia, who otherwise would be operated on by Dr. Schoonhoven, now expectantly wait in Onuanyim. From the aforementioned, you can imagine that this development disturbs us. Performing operations such as with the man who fell out of the tree, is really an undesirable situation in Izi, and it only attracts more patients of this nature.

Where do we then have to go? To the government hospital in Abakaliki, which is two hours away from us by car over very poor roads? When they arrive, it is very questionable if they can be helped in the government hospital, which is dependent upon whether they have money or not, and which most often is the case. Many Izis refuse to be referred to Abakaliki. To Ikachi then? Momentarily, this is impossible, and in a future situation it will perhaps not be so desirable.

The third possibility, which has been considered, (for which many efforts have been put forth), is to transport emergency cases by airplane. Mkar Christian Hospital is located at a distance of 60 miles by air, which can be reached in 25 minutes. This hospital is a well-equipped hospital of the American mission group in S.I.M. Seriously ill patients could be transported to this hospital. Last year a beautiful airstrip was constructed under the leadership of Tom Moerdyk. Since October, 1979, we are waiting for official permission from the Nigerian government to use this strip. At this moment, nine months later, we are still waiting. In the meantime we had an official visit from a government delegation. They inspected everything and received a detailed report dealing with all aspects of our mission work. The reactions were very positive, which encouraged us to continue. As far as our medical work is concerned, we are now in a period in which we must seriously reflect upon its purpose. How shall we continue? Where must out-clinics be located, who must be trained, and what type of training will this be? What sort of relationship will there be with the church? We ask for your prayers that we may receive wisdom to make the decisions which must shortly be made in reference to this.

In the beginning of April we went to Jos for a period of language study. We were accompanied by Nwibo. We spent two weeks in the Center of Bible Translation and two weeks in the S.I.M. resthouse in Miango. We had a wonderful time and learned very much. Yet it is a difficult task to truly learn and speak the Izi language.

In the beginning of May we returned from Jos. We were happy to come home again to resume our daily work. Not only we ourselves, but also other members of our team have been spared miraculously in accidents or near-accidents. This week yet, a tractor with trailer almost drove into the river. It wasn’t so much due to the determination and courage of the driver, but it was above all due to Divine protection that the driver, the tractor, and the trailer escaped this danger without injury or damage.

Last week Hielke and I, along with the members of the Onuanyim congregation, labored in Nduawa-la, a village six miles from here, approximately two miles past Ndimbam. We were received very warmly and the reaction to the proclamation of the gospel was so positive, that last week one of the students of the Bible school went to preach there. It was decided, in principle, that this will be done each week. Will you also remember this village in your prayers?

The Sunday school program is also expanding. In addition to Oswanka, Onuanyim and Isieke, a Sunday school program will also be established in Mdimbam. Titus, who is one of the boys from Ndimbam, who was baptized by Rev. Elshout last November, is gaining some experience in other villages, so that he will be able to try it on his own in a few weeks. Every Friday evening, the Sunday school helpers gather together with Ria to make preparations for the coming Sunday. This work gives Ria a great deal of satisfaction.

We are presently in good health and wish to use this opportunity to thank you for all the letters and cards which we have received from you during the recent months.

Receive our heartiest greetings,

THE DIVINE FOUNDATION GOD USES IN HEALING BACKSLIDING Part IV

(Based on Hosea 11:7, “My people are bent to backsliding from Me,” we have briefly examined in the Banner’s last three issues: 1) the backsliding of the church in general, and 2) the backsliding of God’s people in particular. Based on the second text we have promised to reflect on in our consideration of backsliding—Hosea 14:4a, “I will heal their backslidings”—we are now prepared to observe how God heals His backsliding flock. In this issue we hope to probe the Divine FOUNDATION God uses in healing backsliding, and in subsequent issues, the Lord willing, the Divine MEANS, STEPS, and CONTENTS of this wonderful healing.)

Backsliding is more than a God-dishonoring, Christ-denying, and Spirit-slighting sin that grows progressively worse step-by-step. It is also a dangerously contagious disease. The backsliding of one Lot can do more damage within the church than scores of worldly people surrounding the church. The spiritual army of Christ is more often hindered by the fewness of its faithful soldiers (who, by grace, are truly “fighting the good fight of faith” in the strength of Him who has gifted them with “fingers to war and hands to fight”,) than it is by the great multitudes of sword-carrying enemies.

On the other side, what a blessing if God’s child may live out the spiritual condition of Asher in the midst of the church, whose feet were dipped in oil (Dt. 33:24)! If their footsteps may drop the blessed drippings of the Holy Spirit in their daily walk of life and conversation, they shall be of more blessing to a church than dozens of lukewarm children of God.

Thus, contagiousness exemplifies itself in both the backsliding of Lots and the blessing of Ashers. This double contagiousness does not only reveal itself in the church at large, but also within the heart of each child of God. One backsliding thought, for example, can destroy an entire week of peace, and conversely, one thought placed in the soul by Jehovah can end an entire week of strife.

People of God, are you Lot or Asher in your church, in your family, and in your own soul?

We want to view ourselves as blessing Ashers, but it shall be a wonder if we are even vexed Lots. How many times have God’s people unsuccessfully tried to stop their backsliding, to cut off its progressive stages, to heal their own soul? How many times have they vowed to repent and return to the Lord? They cannot count the number. As David confessed that he knew not the number of God’s righteousnesses and salvation (Ps. 71:15), so they know not the number of all the thousands of attempts to heal their own backslidings before the countenance of the spotless Lord of hosts.

Often twenty, thirty times a day they have determined to heal themselves, but every time they failed. Oh, if only once in their life their strength would have possessed healing power! If only once they could be satisfied with themselves and their own work! If only once the Lord could be satisfied with who they were and are, as well as with what they were doing—yes, even with what they were attempting to do. If only they could heal themselves half-way, and give over the rest to the Lord.

But it became and remains impossible. They have to learn that they are unable to take one step towards healing no matter how great their desire is to be healed. They experience that all their love, religion, piety, repentance, humility, unworthiness, and faith cannot bring them one inch closer to God. Not even one sigh closer. Oh, if they could have sighed away their backsliding, it would have been sighed away long ago.

God’s children must lose all foundations in themselves to heal their own backsliding. They have to be taught by the Spirit that they have no more ability to exercise self-recovery after received grace than prior to their hour of regeneration. In fact, instead of coming closer, they have to learn the doubly painful lesson that all their efforts are no better than quicksand. The harder they try, the deeper they sink. Sincerity, earnestness, and hard spiritual labor all cause them to depart ever farther from backslidings’s solution.

They have to lose everything. With Warburton, they have to learn they have not one prayer, desire, nor sigh: “I have to ask for a desire to have a desire, and sigh for a sigh.”

Everything testifies against them. All is wrong. All is sin. All is the fruit of their deep fall in Adam where they have willingly plunged themselves into an everlasting state and condition of backsliding. The fall becomes their fall and fault. They become Adam before God.

For the first time or by renewal, they are brought by the Holy Spirit to confess: “I am nothing but sin before God; I have done nothing but sin against God; I sign off my own future at judgment’s Divine bar, for God is righteous and just to give me the wages of sin forever—death and hell.” Self and sin become one when a soul is brought back to paradise. In paradise they lose the hope, yes, even the right of attempting to heal their own backslidings. Vowing is eternally cut off as a foundation.

Paradoxically, it becomes hopeless from their side to ever bring themselves into the right place before God at the very time when the Holy Spirit is actually bringing them there. Healing becomes so impossible that not only can they not do it, but even (and I say with with reverence) they can not see how the Lord can do it.

But are not all things possible with God? “Yes, but… but my case is an exception. God can save anyone but me. I am nothing but sin, and how can God strive against His own nature and have communion with sin? I am beyond the chief of sinners. I fear I am a special vessel—fitted, formed, and moulded by the Divine Potter to destruction and damnation, in order to glorify His holy justice (Rom. 9:2). It is impossible from my side and impossible from God’s side.”

Oh friends, I firmly believe that if God’s children were not upheld in these days by the secret strength of the Lord they would commit suicide, for they are living without hope, yes, even as dead persons before the Lord. The Lord may do with them what He wills. He may kick them, step on them, curse them, mock them, cast them away immediately and eternally. To all they respond with the Shunammite, “It is well.”

Are you also amongst that select number who know what it means to live without God, without Christ, and without hope in the world? Do you know what it means to come experimentally to the end of all foundations—the end of the law, the end of self-righteousness, the end of all fig leaves, the end of self, and the end of hope?

Then Proverbs 14:14 has become reality also for you: “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways.”

“Lord, I am that backslider. It began already in the womb. I was conceived in sin, and born in iniquity. My entire life is nothing but one stream of prodigal backsliding flowing continually farther from Thee. I am filled with myself, hating and abhorring all that I was, am, and fear—shall be. All of I must go overboard with Jonah.”

The Bible is a curse-book for such souls. Their life is a sin-book. Their future is written in the reprobation-book. They come to the Lord with ropes about their necks as Benhadad’s servants, judging and condemning themselves, expecting to die, yes, even willing to die on account of the worthiness of the Lord’s Name and the glory of His attributes. Divine attributes are esteemed higher than their own salvation.

They come with but one request: “Lord, is it possible that I can have a little corner alone in hell where I will not have to curse Thee, but rather, where I may justify Thee—forever crying out from the flames of hell with the thief on the cross, ‘I have received the due reward of my deeds, but Thou hast done nothing amiss’?”

Will the Lord grant such a request? No, for He who has wrought their request will then do abundantly above what they can ask or think: “I, Jehovah, will heal their backslidings,” (Hos. 14:4a).

Inexpressible, incomprehensible, glad gospel tidings of good news for the death-bound and hell-bound! “I,—Jehovah-Rophi—the Lord that healeth thee, I, the Almighty, who can raise the dead to life, can also heal you, sinner, though you deserve ten thousand deaths.”

There is yet more. More than a “can”. “I will; I, for My own Name’s sake, will heal thy backsliding.”

There is no doubt in our text because there is no doubt in God.

All foundations of both saving and restoringgrace lie in the Triune God’s sovereign pleasure alone, and out of this sovereign good pleasure flows Jehovah’s one-sided, eternal covenant of grace, well-ordered and sure in all things (2Sam. 23:5). His covenant cannot fail for God Himself is its Originator, Maker, Head, Worker, Keeper, and Essence. It is an eternal, sovereignly decreed, covenant-sealed “I will”.

All foundations of restoring or healing grace lie in the Triune God from eternity. The fountain-head of all restoring grace lies from eternity in the heart of God the Father who has engraven His beloved ones in the palms of His hands with an unchangeable and unconditional love while they were yet enemies, obliging Himself to find out a way of salvation consistent with both justice and love. It is as if the Father speaks out: “I will heal my elect for I have loved them too long to let them go. I have decreed their salvation on too firm a foundation to let them perish. I have too much invested in them (the very blood of My Only-begotten Son) to pass them by. I will heal in spite of My people, for My Name is at stake. I will not, I can not take back eternity, where I have intertwined their names with Mine. Yes, I must heal their backsliding else I should cease being God, heaven would no longer be heaven, Christ would be ho Christ, grace could not be called grace, and all Divine promises would no longer be yea and amen in Christ Jesus. ‘My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips,’ (Ps. 89:34). Nor do I desire to alter it. I will heal their backslidings—I can, I shall, I must, but also I delight to do it.”

The Fountain-stream of restorative grace lies from eternity in Jesus Christ Who took upon Himself the full cause of the elect—willingly accepting their names and persons in the eternal counsel of peace, voluntarily plunging Himself into an incomprehensible engagement to substitute Himself in their room and place, to the total satisfaction of Divine justice’s demands. Hiding His Divinity behind the human veil of flesh and blood, He agreed to bear their infirmities, suffer their sufferings, be tempted with their temptations, be innocently cursed with their merited accursed death, be flooded with the floodgates of His Father’s wrath against all the sins of His people—in one word, to become sin for them that they might go free. Gethsemane, Gabbatha, Golgotha—from eternity Christ gave His amen to it all so that restoring grace could righteously and triumphantly pursue His elect till their last breath. Outside of Christ’s bloody death and interceding life there can be no restoration. He is God’s great Door of approach to His throne. No other entrance will conduct us to His golden sceptre; no other will bring us into the holy of holies (Heb. 10:20).

The fountain-application of restorative grace lies in the Holy Spirit Who willingly gave Himself from eternity to enter elect but stony hearts of fallen children of Adam, to take up His dwelling in the horrible pit and miry clay of their God-hating and sin-loving souls, in order to work out within them Divine salvation in and through Christ Jesus.

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He restoreth my soul,” (Ps. 23:1, 3a). Jehovah’s sheep shall not lack restoring grace from eternity because the Jehovah-Shepherd is bound unconditionally amongst His own Divine Persons to love His people to the end. “I will heal their backslidings; I will love them freely,” He promises in Hosea. Blessed, onesided convenant! No, Abraham, you need not walk between the pieces in the covenant-establishment— Jehovah has done it all, the I AM THAT I AM. Three Divine Persons have mutually engaged themselves to pledge faithfulness to the eternal charter of the covenant of grace. The Father has pledged the Son: “I must and shall receive all for whom Thou hast given Thy life as a ransom price.” The Son has pledged the Father: “I must and shall fully buy back and redeem all that Thou hast committed to My charge. Of all that Thou hast given Me I shall not lose one.” The Spirit has pledged both Father and son: “I shall gather them. I shall bring them with weeping and supplication to the throne of grace and footstool of mercy.”

Sheep of God: all foundations lie outside of you. “Let thine heart take courage, wait on the Lord,” (Ps. 27:14). It is not your case. It is Jehovah-Shepherd’s. He can, will, must, and delights to heal your backslidings. He shall not fail. He has bound Himself to Himself. His self-wandering sheep rest on an unwavering foundation: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him.” (Hosea 14:4).

“Lord, heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee,”(Ps. 41:4).

—Rev. J.R. Beeke

JESUS CHRIST IS BORN

In swaddling bands the Saviour view;
Let none this weakness scorn;
The feeblest heart shall hell subdue,
Where Jesus Christ is born.

The crowded inn, like sinners’ hearts,
(O ignorance extreme!)
For other guests of various sorts
Had room; but none for Him.

But see what different thoughts arise
In ours and angels’ breasts;
To hail His birth they left the skies,
We lodged Him with the beasts.

Yet let believers cease their fears,
Nor envy heavenly powers;
If sinless innocence be theirs,
Redemption all is ours.

-J. Hart

A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB

“Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be as a spider’s web. “Job 8:14

Dear reader, I hope that it is your daily delight to read and study the Word of God. The more prayerfully we read, and study God’s Word, the oftener we will observe that our attention is called to a text which leaves an impression with us.

To the above text we wish to call your consideration. For a better understanding of this text we should consider the preceding texts: “Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.” Job 8:11–12. Here we find that the hopes of the hypocrite are compared to a rush or flag. It may look green and gay for a while (the rush outgrows the grass), but it is light, and hollow, and empty, and good for nothing. It withers presently, before any other herb. Even while it is in its greenness it is soon dried away and gone in a short time. So the paths of all that forget God; they take the same way the rush does, for the hypocrite’s hope shall soon perish.

They are in our text compared to a spider’s web. An earnest Christian is like a laborious bee, fetching in all his comforts from God’s holy Word. The hypocrite’s however are like the subtle spider weaving his own web out of a false hypothesis. They have their own concern about God, thinking Him altogether such as themselves, being very fond of their own works, as the spider of her own. It is said of the spider that she takes hold with her hands, in king’s palaces, Prov. 30:28. So does a formal professor; he flatters himself in his own eyes, doubts not of his salvation, is secure of heaven; but is easily, and sometimes suddenly swept away.

The definition for a hypocrite is; that he pretends to be something what he is not, one who pretends to be better than he really is, or pious, virtuous without really being so. This is now the picture of us all by nature. How deeply we have fallen from being a crown piece of God’s creation. We have sold ourselves to the father of lies: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it,” John 8:44. We read of his subtle deceit to Eve, the mother of all living: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil,” Gen. 3:4,5. The Lord did not leave our first parents utterly destitute, though they were under the sentence of a threefold death, temporal, spiritual and eternal death. However, in His divine mercy He promised them the coming of the Messiah, Christ Jesus: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel,” Gen. 3:15. Adam and his wife here received the promise of the Savior Who was to come. In other words, Christ was here revealed unto them with a ray of hope for their salvation, although a revealed Christ is not an applied Christ. This God further manifested in His divine care unto them as we read: “Unto Adam also and his wife did the Lord make coats of skins, and clothed them,” Gen. 3:21. He provided for them, not with-standing their disobedience. He does not disinherit His own but promises them their provision also for the time: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread,” Ps. 37:25. Their clothing is given them, and their food is provided for them, even the beasts of the fields are for their sustenance. Adam and his wife in their self righteousness and hypocrisy had made a covering to cover their nakedness, trying to appease their maker, but also those fig leaves had to be taken from them, and they stood totally naked from all righteousness, having no hope and without God in the world.

These coats of skin which the Lord God made had a significance. A beast had to be slain before their eyes to show them what death is, and that only through the shedding of blood was there forgiveness of sin. Christ is here a figure, who is therefore said to be the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. God in Christ made reconciliation for the sinner. Adam and Eve beheld with their own eyes God’s FREE gift for their salvation; these coats symbolized Christ’s righteousness applied for their salvation. Their salvation was assured by Christ embracing them, and they became children of God by adoption. In this state they awaited the promise of God hoping to receive of Him the fulfillment of the promise that this Savior was soon to be born. We read in Gen. 4:1, “And Adam knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.” Great joy and gladness filled her heart: “A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world,” John 16:21. As to the birth of their first born, and all their posterity, we read what we find in Job 14:4: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.” Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters. In verse 2 of Genesis 4 we read: “And she again bare his brother Abel”, (meaning breath).

Adam and Eve had a great responsibility in the training of their children. They knew of the bitterness of sin, but likewise had tasted the mercies of God in pardoning their transgressions. What greater joy could they relate to their children, than that notwithstanding the deep fall, there is mercy to be obtained in the blood of the Lamb. The boys grew from their youth also to a responsibility in life. The land was to be tilled, and the cattle were to be fed. Cain took his interest in tilling the soil, while Abel chose the feeding of the cattle. They were instructed that there were six days within the week that they should work, but the seventh day was the day of rest, and that was the day wherein they were to bring an offering unto the Lord. We read of their offering in verses three and four of Genesis 4: “And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord, and Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.” For Adam and Eve, the sacrifices of Cain and Abel could have seemed both alike good. But God is the searcher of the hearts, and He knowing the hypocrisy of the heart of Cain and of his offering, rejected him and his offering. The offering of Abel was done with uprightness of heart. He offered of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof, with the hope that the promised Messiah would be his redeemer. Soon the enmity of Cain’s heart was manifested when he slew his righteous brother Abel. Adam’s and Eve’s expectation in their first born son was shattered, the beginning of the persecution of the church of Christ had taken place. But God who is rich in mercy rules above the power of Satan. He gave unto Adam and Eve another, that is the third son, whose name is Seth (meaning appointed) to take the place of Abel. In Seth the promise of the Mediator of the church is further established. “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth,” John 4:24.

It was a testing time for the disciples when Christ told them, “One of you shall betray me;” they that were innocent suspected themselves most, and therefore cried out, “Master, is it I?” “Is it I?” penetrates within the heart of every true child of God.” It is the hypocrites who hear the Word, and never mind it; they keep standing firm in their faith, never wavering, until it is too late, forever too late. They die with “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB.”

We find many examples thereof in the Word of God, both in the Old and New Testament. We shall not be able to name them all, but let us consider some very outstanding proofs for our serious consideration. “Is it I?” In Gen. 25 we read of a very devoted couple, Isaac and Rebekah, whom the Lord blessed with the birth of twins. As to their life we read in Gen. 25:27, “And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.” Isaac, his father, had a special love to Esau the first born, because he did eat of his venison. “And Jacob” sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: and Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint; therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall this birthright do me?” Gen. 25:29–32. Jacob, spending some of his time in the tent with his father and mother, was well aware that the birthright was typical of spiritual privileges to those of the church of the first born, which had become the longing of his heart, because the Mediator was promised to be born in this lineage. This Esau profaned. Isaac had good intentions to bless his firstborn at his death bed, but Esau came too late. Jacob received the blessings of the firstborn and he would have the supremacy over Esau. We read of Esau’s plea; “Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?” He missed the spiritual blessings, for he had slighted them. His tears came too late. He bewailed remorse for his folly, not with a Godly sorrow, but with bitter hatred. He had “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB.”

In I Sam. 10 we read of Saul, the first king of Israel, that God gave him another heart, that he prophesied and was counted amongst the Prophets, and was anointed as king. In I Sam. 13 we read of his disobedience. In verse 14 we read, “But now thy Kingdom shall not continue; the Lord hath sought Him a man after His own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over His people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” His heart turned into enmity and he hated the anointed of the Lord. We read of his death in I Sam. 31:4, “Therefore Saul took a sword and fell upon it.” He had “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB.” A man unto whom God gave another heart and still was lost. Should we not question, “Is it I?”

In the Old Testament time we read of seventeen Prophetical books written by men of God. Where the Lord God builds His church, Satan builds his chapel for the destruction of the Kingdom of God. We first read of God’s admonishing words against false prophets in Deut. 13, of the denunciation against them in Deut. 18:20, and of their punishment in Jer. 14:15, “By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.” In the prophet of Isaiah, we read how the Lord describes these false prophets. Is. 56:10, “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” They all proclaimed that the Lord God had called them, but they were tools in the service of Satan. They died with “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB”.

In Matthew 25 we read the parable of the ten virgins, whereof five were foolish, lacking the divine grace within their hearts, missing the one thing needful, Christ Jesus for their surety, having no wedding garment. Verse 12 states, “But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” There hope became “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB.”

In Acts 5 we read of Ananias and Sapphira his wife, and the judgment pronounced upon them. They both agreed to falsehood before the Apostle Peter claiming that they gave all that they had received in the sale of their property. They died by being covetous, and their hope became “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB.” Where do we stand before the Lord; Is it not: “Is it I?”

We could write of many others in Scripture who have died with “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB”. But let us turn to ourselves and to the present age. We are warned in 2 Peter 2:1. “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” We presently have multitudes of Professors, Cardinals, Priests, Pastors, Educators, and Laymen, who have placed themselves within the circles of Christian education bringing in heresies and false teachings, denying the Lord, Who alone is the head of the church. Christ Himself has forbidden, “And call no man your father upon the earth: (with spiritual relationship) for one is your Father, which is in heaven,” Matt. 23:9. He alone is HOLY. As is written, “There is none righteous, no, not one,” Rom. 3:10. In their self righteousness they are leading many souls to destruction, claiming to be the seed of the covenant, always content with their own works, never wavering in their state for eternity, taking the Word of God literally for their salvation, and applying their salvation by a word of five letters, (JESUS), but lacking the power of His work within their souls. All Christ’s enemies shall perish and their hope will be “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB.”

Do we personally know by soul’s experience that Christ became our righteousness, and that His atoning work alone is the foundation for our salvation? Have we been stripped of our self righteousness, and have we experienced His embracing love towards us? God’s people will know with how great a deliverance they have been purchased by the unsearchable love of Christ. Therefore the Church of Christ may boast of His love. “We love Him, because He first loved us,” I John 4:19.

Let us search our hearts for we read, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jer. 17:9. And may our prayer be with David, the man after God’s own heart— “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,” Ps. 139:23–24. Lest we die with “A HOPE AS A SPIDER’S WEB.”

“And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” I Pet. 4:18.

C.F. Boerkoel, Sr.

ROME AND REUNION

Evidence of Rome’s design for the gradual sub-missmion of the Protestant Church. “ Interconfessional Co-operation’” in 1968 shown to be in harmony with Rome’s plan outlined in 1894.

“ Interconfessional Co-operation”

It was publicly announced early in June 1968 that agreement had been reached on a document entitled, “Guiding Principles for Inter-confessional Cooperation in Translating the Bible”. This document was issued jointly by the Executive Committee of the United Bible Societies and the Vatican Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity. At a meeting in London in January, attended by the Archbishop of York, President of United Bible Societies, Bishop J.G.M. Willebrands, Secretary of the Vatican Secretariat, announced that Pope Paul VI had given his approval to the “Guiding Principles”. The press release was adopted by the United Bible Societies’ Executive Committee and the Vatican delegation in London on January 10th, but the “Guiding Principles” had been under discussion since 1963. The first of a number of developments which made this agreement possible was the recommendation of the Second Vatican Council that Roman Catholics should co-operate with other Christians in translating and distributing the Scriptures.

The National Bible Societies draw nearer to Rome

The United Bible Societies’ organization includes the British and Foreign Bible Society, the National Bible Society of Scotland, the American Bible Society and many other national Bible Societies. These are now publicly committed to a policy of “interconfessional co-operation” with the Church of Rome.

The Romeward drift of the ecumenical movement with which the national Bible Societies are aligned is increasingly evident in many parts of the world. The Brisbane Courier dated 17th July 1968 reported an announcement by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Port Moresby and the Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society in the territory concerning moves towards complete cooperation on Bible projects in Papua-New Guinea. The moves were decided upon at a conference of Roman Catholic bishops. Until now the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society in that area has been supported by Protestant churches and missions, which are now drawn in “co-operation with Rome”.

Need for Protestant Vigilance

It is time for Protestant Christians to consider every aspect of this development and to recognise it in its true character, as the highly successful accomplishment of an important part of Rome’s design to recover her dominant position in areas which were once emancipated from her influence.

The Trinitarian Bible Society

PLENARY INSPIRATION

“In the present materialistic age the people of God are constantly challenged as to whether they have an infallible source from which they may derive sure knowledge of the purposes and works of the Almighty. The Protestant answer to this question is that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, having been given by inspiration of God, are the only and all sufficient rule of faith and judge of controversies.

“Inspiration is that divine influence which, accompanying the sacred writers equally in all they wrote, secured the infallible truth of their writings in every part, both in idea and in expression, and determined the selection and distribution of their material according to the divine purpose …

“Plenary inspiration is a divine influence full and sufficient to secure its end. The end secured is the perfect infallibility of the Holy Scriptures in every part, as a record of fact and doctrine, both in thought and verbal expression; so that although they come to us through the instrumentality of the minds, hearts, imaginations, consciences and wills of men, they are nevertheless in the strictest sense the Word of God …

“The Holy Scriptures themselves claim to be the Word of God as a whole—”All Scripture is given by inspiration of God”—and never hint at different degrees of authority for their several portions. The perfect accuracy and agreement of so many authors, of various ages and nations, which we find in the Holy Scriptures, itself demands the assignment of a supernatural cause …”

Professor A.A. Hodge—”Outlines of Theology”

Faithful ministers are very scarce, who can rightly divide the word of truth, and that can take forth the precious from the vile. I have a much better idea of what preaching should be than I can preach myself; but it is God’s pleasure that ministers should be poor, ignorant, weak creatures, full of infirmities, and with hearts full of sin and deceit, so that He may have all the glory and that, when conversions take place, it may be said by ministers and people, “See what God hath wrought!”

-Wm. Tiptaft (Monthly Message)

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