The Church in The Netherlands (1)

What do we understand by “the Church”? “A holy congregation of true Christian believers, all expecting their salvation in Jesus Christ.” In this manner our God-fearing fathers expressed themselves many years ago in the Confession of Faith which they left us. There are many church buildings, in fact, many idol temples in the world; in our country and in our own city, too. Oh, what confusion, what discord do we see everywhere! The nearer we come to the end of the world the more religious persuasions and denominations there will be. The Lord Jesus warned His disciples and also us against the times that were at hand. They would cry out: “Lo, here is Christ, or there.” But the voice of Truth Himself added the warning: “Believe it not.”

Fundamentally there is only one Church, and that is the “Church of Christ.” This Church consists of two parts. The one part of this Church is already in heaven and has surmounted all obstacles. The other part is still on earth and lives in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. It dwells in the midst of a world which “lieth in wickedness.” The Church is an institution of God, planting of the Lord. The true Church consists only and entirely of the Lord’s chosen ones.

But this Church also has a visible appearance. When Christ spoke of this visible manner in which the Church appears in this world He compared it to a net filled with both good and bad fishes; or to a field bearing both grain and weeds, tares and wheat.

It has always been this way; it is still this way; and it will continue to be this way until the end of the world. There have been people, even in the days of the Church fathers, in the third and fourth century, who contended for a perfect Church on earth, like the Novatians. In the middle ages, too, there were some who advocated this opinion, for instance, the Labadists. However, this notion is contrary to the Word of God.

The true Church was chosen by God the Father, was redeemed and delivered by God the Son, but is also wrought upon, sanctified and sealed to the day of redemption by God the Holy Ghost.

It follows, then, that the Church is not an institution of man, but is formed and instituted by God Himself and gathered together by Christ. This Church has existed from the beginning of the world and will remain until the very end. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church of God.

Christ is anointed King upon God’s holy hill of Zion. As regards the visible manifestations of this Church, Christ will never leave nor forsake that either. This Church is scattered over the whole world because God calls his own people out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation.

Very properly they are called blessed whom the Lord chooses and causes to approach unto God, that they may dwell in His courts. They are the living members of the Church of Christ, who are begotten again unto a lively hope. May our hearts ever be deeply impressed with this solemn truth.

It pleased the Lord to plant His Church in Europe, too. In the Acts of the Apostles we read about this in more than one passage. From ancient times the truth has been proclaimed in the Netherlands. Later on it was darkened and obscured because of the rising power of the Roman anti-Christian Church. Nevertheless, God caused the light of the gospel to arise again after the great Reformation, for which the Lord employed Luther and Calvin. God also raised up men in the Netherlands who were endowed with extraordinary gifts as regards the explanation, unfolding, defense and establishing of the pure truth.

The Church in the Netherlands enjoyed a period of prosperity during which the eternal divine truth as it is in Christ Jesus triumphed for many years in spite of all opposition. The National Synod of Dordrecht, which convened in that city in 1618 and 1619, is an eloquent witness to this fact. Alas! the “boar out of the wood” has corrupted and destroyed so much.

Soon after 1650 the decay began to appear and things went from bad to worse. The number of graceless ministers multiplied; truth was fallen in the street, and the fear of God departed. It went so far that the fundamental principles of the Church, established and revealed by God in His eternal testimony, were undermined. The divinity of Christ was denied by many and the doctrine of predestination was attacked.

Only a few faithful ones remained. Darkness of night prevailed, and Egyptian darkness. In the days of the Reformation God’s Church in the Netherlands was persecuted to the death. The blood of God’s children and servants was poured upon the ground. However, it again became evident that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church. Under the reign of Alva more than 18,000 were executed in the Netherlands. Still, in those days the Church of God flourished and was a city set on a hill. But in the centuries following, the Church was prevaded with a spirit of slumber. The writings of men such as Vander Groe, minister at Kralingen, which our rising generation in particular should read and study, tell us of the deep decay of the Church of the Netherlands.

King William the First, who came in contact with the episcopal church in England and the consistorial church in Germany, began to meddle with church affairs. The magistrates may indeed be nursing fathers and nursing mothers for the Church (in fact, this is their duty) but for the rest they are not to concern themselves with the affairs of the Church. Church and State each have a separate and distinct sphere. Christ is King of the Church, and only He rules and bears sway there.

Rev. W.C. Lamain (1904–1984) pastored the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Leiden (1929–1932), Rotterdam-South (1932–1943), Rijssen-Wal (1943–1947), and Crand Rapids, Michigan (1947–1984).

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