THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND THE OLD TESTAMENT, by Arnold A. Van Ruler, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 104 pages, $2.45. (Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromiley). Reviewed by Rev. Cecil W. Tuininga, pastor of the College Avenue Christian Reformed Church of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In this valuable little book Dr. Van Huler seeks to answer many questions that center in the relationship of the Old Testament to the New. A multitude of mixed and conflicting answers have been given to this question, bringing confusion on this weighty subject. Dr. Van Ruler seeks to guide our thinking in Scripture and to let Scripture answer that question for us. Although one may not be entirely satisfied with the author’s answers and conclusions, one will certainly be stimulated to deeper reflection on the many aspects of this subject. Many discerning questions are asked, but the answers given are not always convincing, at least not to this reviewer.

The basic question concerns “how we should acknowledge the authority of the Old Testament . . . as the Word of God” (p. 9). The author gives some positive and clear answers to that question. For example, he declares that “. . . the Old Testament is put into effect in him [i.e. Christ – C.T.] and on the other hand that it speaks about him because it is fulfilled in him,” and “. . . we know at least that everything in the Old Testament is true because it is also fulfilled in Jesus Christ. In him it has all been put into effect and is Yea and Amen” (p. 71). The author avers that “The Old Testament is and remains the true Bible,” and, “. . . the church itself, the body of Christ, the messenger and bearer of the gospel in the world, has always to take note of the great mystery that it is Israel in the sense that wild branches have been engrafted into the old stem, so that preaching of the Christian church can and must draw on the Old Testament” (pp. 72, 85). The author leaves little doubt that he sees the Old Testament as authoritative Scripture, and that to truly know the New Testament one must comprehend the message and riches of the Old.

Although there is much to appreciate in this work, there are questions left. One wonders just how the author harmonizes the above positive views with statements such as: “Promise set Old Testament history in a movement towards fulfillment. This movement towards fulfillment is not controlled by an unalterable plan. God allows free course to the history” (p. 38); or, “Baumgartel is, I think, correct to say that the OT does not speak christologically evcn when it speaks of the Messiah, because it understands the Messiah in OT terms (Verheissung, p. 69), and also to say that the saviour of sinners is nowhere in the OT (p. 139; p. 52). And one wonders just how to take the author when he claims that in the OT “There is . . . a profound confidence in the goodness of the world, the serviceability of man, and the possibility of sanctifying the earth” (p. 9). The context does not help us remove what seem to be liberal overtones.

However, the questions concerning Israel, the Kingdom of Cod, and the Christian Church arc brought into a review, as to the relationship of the three in the Old Testament and the New, and how we must see them today. Dispensationalists will be hard pressed to escape the impact of Van Ruler’s conclusions. But just what do we think of God? For that question alone this short work is worth reading. The conclusion should whet our appetite for reading: “Thus our discussion of the problems of the Old Testament ends with two great themes of theology—canonical Scripture and the Catholic church” (p. 98).

THE JESUS PEOPLE, by Ronald Enroth, Edward E. Ericson, C. Breckinridge Peters. Published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. 1972. 249 pages. $5.95. Reviewed by Rev. Fred Van Houten, pastor Ninth Street Christian Reformed Church of Holland, Michigan.

For one who desires to understand something of the current Jesus Generation, this book is very worthwhile. One of the difficulties is that the material was gathered in 1971, and one has the impression that present conditions arc not what they were three years ago, particularly with this kind of youth. This is no fault of the authors. They deserve real commendation for their excellent work of thorough research and extensive contact with representative members of this modern movement. The book is written from the perspective of evangelical Christianity, and is a genuine attempt to answer questions raised by the Jesus Revolution. Doth Enroth and Ericson are professors in Westmont College; Peters is a graduate of Westmont and a graduate student in Sociology.

These new “Christians” are known by various names, such as the Jesus Freaks, the Jesus People, Children of God, and Street Christians. One of the important defining characteristics is their insistence on the gospel with an essentially anti-intellectual and anti-cultural view of the world as a wrecked and sinking ship from which people must be  saved. A second characteristic is a strong apocalyptic belief that we are living in the last days. A third trait is their espousal of the charismatic gifts, primarily speaking in tongues. A fourth feature is their animosity toward the institutional church, which they believe is woefully inadequate in relevancy and ministry to our society. In their literature they complain frequently that the church is no longer the “Bride of Christ” but the “Whore of Babylon.” A fifth feature is the attempt at achieving a sense of community, often by establishing Christian communes.

It is surprising that they, for the most part, regard the King James as the only inspired version of the Bible. They confuse people considerably because they frequently say the right things in the wrong language. Theologically they can be called Fundamentalists, but sociologically their long hair and hippie dress alienate them not only from the churches but from society in general. The authors are very kind in stating their opinion that the majority of the Jesus Generation are genuine converts to Christianity, however eccentric and harmful the aberrations present in thought and practice.

There are at least four types of young people who are susceptible to this movement. First are those who have been on “trips” and are at the end of their rope. Second are those with a fundamentalist background but lacking in Biblical knowledge. Third are the lonely, those who strongly need a sense of belonging. Fourth are those with a permissive background and feel a need for discipline.

It is very unfortunate that the leadership, which is rash and undisciplined, does not direct all this youthful potential in the ways of the Word of God. The authors say it so very well: “We see then the need for the Jesus People to come together with church Christians. What is needed is a linking of the intense personal experience of the Jesus People with the mature reflection of adults, of the enthusiastic zeal of the new with the stability of the old, of youth with age, of hip with straight” (p. 244).

   

THE GOD OF SCIENCE, by Frederick E. Trinklein. Published by Wm. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. 1971. 192 pages. $3.45. Reviewed by Rev. Fred Van Houten, pastor of Ninth Street Christian Reformed. Church of Holland, Michigan.

The book is a series of personal interviews with thirty-eight leading American and European scientists on the nature of truth, the existence of God, and the role of the church. The nine chapters treat such matters as miracles, learning from the past, and learning from youth. These thirty-eight scientists include engineers, medical men, astronomers, biologists, chemists, geologists, oceanographers, and physicists. These were chosen because their training and work involve the laboratory method in the study of man and the physical universe.

It is clear from these men that there are no standard sets of views on science and religion. They differ very much, and  manifest no uniform pattern in their thinking. The book really does not tell very much that the discerning person does not know already.

For the most part, these men are typical “scientists” with a rational explanation of life, truth, and God. Some typical Kantian expressions are these: “The existence of God is entirely unattackable for the scientist. God is, in and of himself, not representable for our mind and our senses.” “The existence of God is not a scientific question.” “The concept of God is a subjective feeling in the heart of every man.” Here and there one finds an expression that voices n bit of appreciation for the supernatural, but most of the men do not think on that level at all.

As may be expected, most of these men are negative toward the church. This is where their atheism, agnosticism, and rationalism arc expressed. Instead of trying to understand the historical calling of the church, her mission in society. her fidelity to the Bible, and her message of salvation, they chide her for irrelevancy and intransigence. She is blamed for not walking in the ways of the Aufklarung and for not adjusting to the times and the people of the modern day. Some are cynical about the supernatural as out of step with man’s thoughts today.

Saddest of all is the absence of appreciation for and understanding of the Bible. Even the author himself in summarizing these “scientific sentiments” does not honor the Word of God as His revelation to man.

GOD’S WAY OF RECONCILIATION Studies in Ephesians 2), by D. Martyn Lloyd–Jones. Published by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. 380 pages. Price $1.95. Reviewed by the Rev. Hubert De Wolf, pastor or the First Christian Reformed Church, Byron Center, Michigan.

If you are the kind of reader who likes to read all exposition of Scripture that gets down to the real meaning of the Word of God and its significance for our life in relation to God and to our position and calling as Christians in the world, then you will want to read this book. It affords a wealth of knowledge and comfort. Those of you who have read the author’s Studies in the Sermon On the Mount will recognize the same style and careful attention to detail in this book. The particular style of the book is due, as the author explains, to the fact that the material was originally presented in the form of sermons. The book does not therefore pretend to be a commentary in the usual sense but an exposition of the Word of God with particular reference to its application to life.

The title of the book indicates what the author believes to be the main theme of the second chapter of Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. With reference to this chapter he writes in his preface:

“Here, we have expounded and laid before us clearly God’s way of reconciliation—the only way. It deals with the profoundest and most elevating themes of the Bible. It shows us man’s desperate need, it unfolds the glory of God’s grace, the wonder of the cross of Christ, the breaking down of middle walls of partition who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the kingdom of God.

“I know of no chapter in the Bible which states so clearly and perfectly at one and the same time the essential evangelistic message for the unbeliever and the status and the privileges of the believer.”

The nature of the material makes a review of the contents of the book virtually impossible, except in as far as one might feel compelled to take issue with a certain interpretation as contrary to the teaching of the Scriptures. Your reviewer, however, has found nothing that would make this necessary. On the contrary, the material content of the book is soundly Reformed.

One of the striking features of the book is its relevancy. It not only speaks to the truth in a merely objective way but it speaks also to the specific questions of our day. In realizing this goal the author consistently approaches a truth from both the negative as well as the positive point of view. In this way he finds occasion to warn the reader against many erroneous views and fallacious teachings that arc current today. At the same time it gives him opportunity to set forth the clear teaching of the Scriptures over against all departures from the truth.

The more one reads the writings of  this author, the more one is impressed  with his sincere loyalty to the Bible as the Word of God. His theological stance is also clear. The truth of “salvation by grace alone” is to be found on almost every page of the book.

If there is any negative observation to be made it is that the author tends to he a bit wordy. This is probably to be explained in part from the fact that this material was Originally presented in sermon form, and also in part to the fact that the author goes into broad detail in the applications he makes with reference to the text under consideration. There is bound to be some redundancy when, for example, one writes five chapters of eleven pages each on one text. But for all that, this is a good book, well worth the time it takes to read it. Every sincere reader will find it truly rewarding. It is also worthy of a place on every minister’s bookshelf. It affords excellent material for the young and/or busy pastor.