“Woe to the Church Whose Trumpet Gives a Faltering Sound”
As members of the Christian Reformed Church, we have had the privilege of celebrating the !25th anniversary of our Church in the past year. I read with pleasure the book I Will Build My Church published at the 100th anniversary of the CRC. But if we examine our church life in the course of the last 10 years and compare it with the founding of the church in 1857, I conclude that we, as church are not building on the same foundation as did the first pastor, Rev. K. Vanden Bosch. There is in recent years much unrest in our church, which causes much controversy. We see two streams of thought growing as a result of decisions of synods, and new teachings of professors. I mention a few examples.
Synods have now been wrestling with the issue of women in office for ten years. When I read the 38 page report in the Acts of Synod of 1981 I came to the conclusion that “the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom” is missing from it. Putting women in church offices is worldly, un–Calvinistic and unbiblical, because nowhere in the Bible can we read that women were meant to be office bearers in the church. The Bible also warns in three places, Deuteronomy, Galatians, and the last page of the Bible, that whoever does not heed its warnings will find the door of heaven closed. I know that there are many in our church who do not share my convictions, which nevertheless are based on the Bible. They tell me that I am not going along with the times and that we live so differently now. I would like to point the readers to an article in the Banner of 8/16/82, “Woman to Woman,” written by Ethel Mawhinney. The writer speaks from 40 years of experience in the United Presbyterian Church of how many problems this issue has caused and is causing in that church. She reminds one of the old proverb, “A warned person is worth two.”
Secondly, the decision the synod made regarding dancing in June of 1982 causes me great concern . This is not to the glory of God to which He has called us in His Word. Therein He has shown us two paths, the broad way which leads to eternal damnation and the narrow path which leads to eternal life with the Lord. I believe that the synod with this decision is carrying the dancers into the broad path of destruction . The most important thing in this life is that we can say with Asaph, the psalmist, in all of our time on this earth, “Nevertheless, I am continually with thee; thou dost hold my right hand . Thou dost guide me with thy counsel and afterward thou wilt receive me to glory” (Psalm 73:23, 24). Let us wake one another up to fight against unholy behavior. You cannot dance in a “redeemed” fashion, as many think; you bring yourself into temptation and dance along with the world, you who are taught to forsake the world and our old nature. We live in this world but must not be of this world. These two cannot go together.
Thirdly, when I read reports made in the last 10 years, such as “report 44,” about the first chapters of Genesis, whether Adam and Eve were “historical” persons, about women in office, about dancing, and now in 1983 another report on “headship,” I ask myself, “Is there still teaching in our church? Is sin still recognized as sin?” In many churches we hear one-sided preaching about God’s love, but that God is angry against sin is not mentioned. We now experience more “scientific” preaching, what men also call “the new theology.” Fortunately, not all of our ministers have been infected with it, but many still preach “Thus saith the Lord” and take notice of the signs of the times which Christ foretold.
As a concerned member of the church, I know that I have not brought up anything new. What has been dished up for the last ten years comes from the top; therefore it is high time that we ordinary lay–members, who are highly dissatisfied with decisions being made and wish to live to the glory of God and serve Him in spirit and in truth, let ourselves be heard, and bring up what concerns us. The congregation that goes up on Sunday to serve God is to be the body of Christ. But things are now going wrong with our church; this is not going to turn out right. The unity that we still have we are losing with the Truth of God’s Infallible Word. Therefore I would call on all who love this truth, for which our forefathers gave their lives, to bring your concerns to your consistory and assure them of your concern for the church. In 1983 the Women in office issue is on the agenda again.
Brothers and sisters, let us try, out of love for the church to keep the unity that Christ taught us . If we continue to go as we are going now, in 10 years we will be in the same boat as the Reformed Church in the Netherlands. It is better to turn around at the halfway point than to continue and be completely lost.
H. J.Syrier, R .R . 2 Burgessville, Ontario, Canada NOJ lCO