VOLUME 64 Number 2
February 2017 E D I T I O N
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FREE REFORMED CHURCHES OF NORTH AMERICA
TFebruary
HE M
ESSENGER
2017 • VOLUME 64 NUMBER 2
EDITOR: Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes
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USA • T: 616.977.0599 ext.121
E: [email protected]
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T: 519.414.0090 • E: [email protected]
• Dr. Lawrence W. Bilkes
• Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes
• Rev. Joel Overduin
• Rev. Jerrold Lewis
• Rev. Robert VanDoodewaard
• Mr. Herman DenHollander
• Mr. John DenDekker, Treasurer
• Rev. John Procee
“It is of the LORD’S
mercies that we are not
consumed, because his
compassions fail not.
They are new every
morning: great is thy
faithfulness”
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2
FEBRuary 2017
February
M E D I TATI O N
(Lamentations 3:22-23)
H
aving entered the new year, do you feel hopeful? No? Did you say that you
feel hopeless? Studies show that in the months of January and February many
struggle with a feeling of sadness, while some even slip into depression. In
the general population, this may be partly due to the circumstances that come in these
months. New Year’s resolutions have already been broken. Credit card bills have come to
alarm them about their excessive holiday spending. Young adults are immersed in their
college assignments. So many days are just dark and dreary. With its clouds, snow, slush
and slippery roads winter has lost its attraction. General discontentment is setting in.
For some of us, there may be other physical or spiritual factors. Your sadness this year
may have an added spiritual dimension to it. You approached Thanksgiving, Christmas,
and New Year holidays with a certain expectation that they would be means of spiritual
enrichment. A spark of hope was kindled when special worship services or concerts
began to lift your spirits – at least, for a while. How painful those times are to remember
now! There was a true desire and even serious longing in your heart that the season’s joy,
fellowship, music, and good news of the Saviour’s birth would be used by the Lord as a
means of personal spiritual revival. But now … the spark is gone and you have been left
with an empty, hopeless feeling.
What is the solution for a heavy heart? Where can we go for encouragement? How
can we wake up hopeful in the morning? The answer is in the Lord and His faithful
mercy. Mercy can be defined as favour or compassion toward a needy person and more
specifically as undeserved favour. If we consider the essence of mercy as God’s attitude
of favour, then the acts of kindness and benefits which flow from His favour toward
sinners are His “mercies.” Since God is holy and just, these mercies can come to us only
as a result of the cross of Christ.
Jeremiah teaches us in Lamentations 3 that looking back at past mercies encourages
us to look forward in hope. Thankful for mercies past, we learn how to trust the Lord for
mercies in the future. This helps to give hope to the hopeless.
Preserving Past Mercies
On New Year’s Eve were you not reminded that you have many reasons to be thankful? In
CONTENTS
02
Meditation:
Encouraged by the Lord’s
Faithful Mercies
05
Church News
encouraged by the
Lord’s Faithful Mercies
By Rev. P. VanderMeyden
the past year we were favoured (above so many millions in this world) with food, drink, clothing,
shelter, conveniences, luxuries, and so many days of gospel opportunities and covenant privileges.
Why? Not because we are any better than others. They are all undeserved kindnesses – mercies.
As we think of the gift of time, let us not forget our God-given days are opportunities to obey
the gospel. We are called to redeem the time (Eph. 5:14). We were given those 366 days in 2016,
not because we deserved them. Each day was a new mercy. Believer, each day of last year was
an opportunity to “show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light” (I Pet. 2:9). But how has that gone? What were your thoughts as the last hours
of 2016 slipped away? Were you not humbled with conviction and regret?
How we have failed! We received so much from the Lord, but how have we responded to His
kindness? Instead of praising Him we have wasted so many opportunities on sinful pleasures
or meaningless vanities. Even as we tried to do our duty, it was often stained with self-centered
motives. We lived for the praises of men, and robbed the Lord of His glory.
Yet, we have entered a new year. The new year represents new mercy from the Lord.
Friend, if you are still not at peace with God – if you have no sorrow for sin, no trust in Christ,
no longing for holiness – have you thought about the seriousness of your state? All last year the
Lord was calling: “Today … harden not your heart” (Heb. 3:15). The call to repent and believe
in the Saviour has come to you in so many ways, for so many days. Have you thought about
this? What if the Lord, on any one of those days, had dealt with you according to what your sins
deserve?
We may all be thankful that the Lord “hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10). What would have happened if He had dealt according
to what his justice demands? We would have been consumed by His holy wrath. Yet, that has not
happened. Why? The answer is: “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed.”
Now, what about the question we mentioned earlier: how do we face the future? Especially
those who feel hopeless are wondering: how do I go on with my life each day? That brings us to
the way this text gives hope for the future.
06
EDITORIAL:
The Favourite Psalm
of the Huguenots
10
A GOODLY HERITAGE (31):
Dutch Secession Theology
After 1892 (2)
13
Book review:
The Reformed
Baptism Form
16
BIBLE STUDY (21):
It Is the Lord
19
interview: With
Student Young Jae Lee
21
Canons of dort
conference
In South Korea
23
report on the naparc
2016 annual meeting
24
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Faithful Mercies
The book is called “Lamentations” because, as Jeremiah says, he is “a man that has seen
February 2017
3
ME D ITATIO N
affliction” (Jer. 3:11). He describes his severe affliction as
“wormwood and gall” (v.19). The memory still humbles him
(v.20). Yet, while he remembers it, he says, “therefore I have
hope.” Amazing! While Jeremiah predicts the destruction of
Jerusalem and captivity of Judah, he rejoices that he and the
Lord’s covenant people are not utterly consumed by God’s
wrath. That gives him hope.
Why could Jeremiah still have hope? Because the Lord’s
dealings show that His mercy toward His people is faithful.
Their salvation does not rest in themselves. It rests and stands
secure in HIM! In the Lord’s faithfulness in Christ Jesus!
Because the Lord laid on His Son, as the Lamb, the sins of
His people, therefore He is faithful to the Gospel promise of
forgiveness. Because God’s just and consuming wrath came
upon Jesus, therefore the Lord’s “compassions fail not” toward
His own.
“But how do I personally experience that sense of hope?
How does this encourage me?”
First, this encourages you to believe that it is possible – yes,
also for you. Listen, friend, if Jeremiah could have hope in the
midst of “wormwood and gall,” then it is possible for you to
find hope in Lord’s mercy in your circumstances.
Word & deed Ministries
seeks to help needy people in the developing world
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projects focus on...
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sponsor a child,
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Learn More by Visiting...
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contact us:
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Serving God, Bridging Communities, Renewing Lives
4
February 2017
Secondly, know this: that the Lord is your only hope. You
cannot find it in anything or anyone else. Our faith and hope
cannot rest in our circumstances, feelings, or anything else.
Faith does not depend on what we perceive with our physical
senses (Heb. 11:1). It rests in something even more reliable.
Jeremiah says in the next verse: “The Lord is my portion,
saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him” (v. 24). Is that
not also the confession of your soul? To whom else can you
go? Who else can truly give hope to the hopeless. He is your
only hope!
Thirdly, seek the Lord and wait on Him. Go to Him in
prayer and cast yourself before Him pleading for His mercy.
Cast yourself upon His mercy. “God, be merciful to me, the
sinner.”
“But how do I know that the Lord will answer?” Because He
is faithful. His faithfulness is great. If He gives a promise in
His Word, then trust Him. He is true to His word. Jeremiah
encourages you with God’s promise: “The Lord is good unto
them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him” (v.25).
Jesus confirms it: “Seek and ye shall find” (Luke 11:9).
Daily Mercies
How is it possible for hope to be kindled in a sinner’s heart?
What gives us the ability to have hope each day? It is the
Lord, who delights to show mercy to those who seek Him. He
delights to apply the effectual grace of His Holy Spirit to those
who ask. That is why Jesus encourages us to pray for the grace
of His soul-changing Holy Spirit (Luke 11:9-13). As we turn to
Him each day, humbled by our trials, repentant for our sins,
we will not be turned away disappointed. The Lord in mercy
works even this repentant prayer for His mercy. He will be as
true to His work as He is true to His word. We will not plead
His promise in vain.
On what basis can a holy God give mercies to sinners? By
His perfect obedience and all-sufficient sacrifice, the Lord
Jesus has paid the price for God’s unfailing compassion and
enduring mercies. Now every promise of mercy is sealed by
His blood. In Christ they are “Yea, and Amen” (2 Cor. 1:20).
As we awake each day this year, confessing our sin and
turning to Him, we will surely find that “His compassions fail
not” and that His mercies are “new every morning.” As we do,
we will want to join Jeremiah in his doxology, “Great is thy
faithfulness!”
What a wonderful encouragement to get up and live each
day for the glory of God! Delighting in new mercies will assure
us that we are experiencing a “small beginning” and foretaste
of the eternal doxology of heaven.
Rev. Pieter VanderMeyden is emeritus pastor of the Free
Reformed Church of Vineland, Ontario.
20
th
a nnua l
Church News
February 2017
CAMBRIDGE REFORMED BIBLE CONFERENCE
Held at the Calvary Pentecostal Church • 127 Hespeler Road (Hwy 24), Cambridge, ON
Call to the Ministry
Is the Lord calling you to the
ministry in the Free Reformed
Churches of North America? If you sense He is, the Free
Reformed Theological Education
Committee wishes to receive your
application by March 1, 2017. Please contact the secretary
of the committee for the most
recent edition of the Handbook
for Theological Education,
which contains the application
prerequisites and requirements.
the
church
and her
splendor
march 24 at 8pm - 25 at 9:30am, 2017
Rev. D. H. Kranendonk, Secretary
593089 Oxford Road 13, RR#1,
Norwich, ON N0J 1P0
P: 226-960-9807
E: [email protected]
Conference Speaker
Rev. Mark Johnston
Bethel Presbyterian Church, Cardiff, UK
florida reformed fellowship
Florida Reformed Fellowship services are being
held in the First Baptist Church of Bradenton’s
Memorial Chapel located at 1305 Manatee Ave.
and will continue through March. Service times
are at 9:30 am and 2:00 pm. Ministers have been
scheduled for each Lord’s Day. Entrance is on the
13th St. side of the building. Questions? Contact
Marty Staal ([email protected], 941-751-9970).
visit
cambridgerbc.ca
for more information
Cambridge Conf 2017.indd 1
2017-01-11 10:06 AM
2017
DUTCH DAY
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
SPEAKER:
REV. W.E. KLAVER,
Pastor, Maranatha Free Reformed Church
LOCATION: Dundas Free Reformed Church,
253 Weir’s lane, Dundas, ON
do you want
to help?
This is intended for
those who would like to
assist in the work of the
supplementary Psalter
committee. We are hoping
to form a review team
whose main task is to
examine both the text
(lyrics) and the score (music)
for the various Psalters
selected, recording results
in an on-line spreadsheet.
If you are interested and
would like to know more,
please contact Pastor
Rob Vandoodewaard at
[email protected]
Lunch will be provided!
All who understand the Dutch language are warmly invited to join us!
Coffee 9:45AM • Morning Session: 10:30AM • Afternoon Session: 1:00PM
2017DutchDay.indd 1
2017-01-16 2:28 PM
February 2017
5
The
Favourite Psalm
of the
Huguenots
EDI TOR IAL
Note from the Editor: This year we may celebrate the
500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. On
October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed the notable 95
theses to the church door at Wittenberg, which stirred
up a work of church reformation throughout Europe
and beyond. Throughout this year 2017, we will bring
you articles commemorating noteworthy aspects of the
Reformation of the 16th century.
T
he Huguenots were French Protestants of the 16th
century, followers of John Calvin (himself a Frenchman),
and fiercely persecuted by the political and religious
powers in France in the late 16th century. At their peak, they
numbered about two million or ten percent of the population of
France in the second half of the sixteenth century. Throughout
the period, seasons of persecution heated and cooled, under the
influence of political struggles and edicts passed and revoked.
Many, however, paid the ultimate price, including the many
thousands brutally slaughtered on St. Bartholomew’s Day alone
(August 24,1572).
Their fortunes in France never really stabilized. Many of them
sought refuge in countries throughout the world where they
were tolerated, such as the Netherlands, England, Scotland,
Brazil, South Africa, the East Indies, and also North America.
Many became prominent in both church and state. Some have
claimed that twenty-one of the US presidents have Huguenot
blood, though eight certainly did (including George Washington,
the two Roosevelts, Harry Truman, and Gerald Ford). Other
prominent descendents include William Byrd, Samuel de
Champlain, Winston Churchill, and more recently, Al Gore, and
Sarah Palin. In 1985, then French president Francois Mitterand
6
FEBRuary 2017
apologized on behalf of the French government and people for
the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which provoked heavy
persecution of the Huguenots in 1598. A commemorative stamp
was issued, which read: “France is the home of the Huguenots.”
Sober Lives – Joyful Praise
Many Huguenots were skilled craftsmen or professionals, and
known throughout Europe as hard-working people, and were
eagerly welcomed by the countries to which they fled. Their
lives conformed to the call of Scripture to “gird up the loins of
your minds, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is
to be brought to you” (1 Pet. 1:13). Telling is the commentary
by Florimond de Raemond, a Roman Catholic historian in the
late 16th century. He characterized the lives of the Huguenots
as follows:
They comported themselves as the pronounced enemies of
luxury, of public festivities, and of the follies of the world,
which were all too prevalent among the Catholics. In their
societies and at their banquets, one found neither music
nor dancing, but discourses from the Bible, which lay upon
the table, and spiritual songs, especially the Psalms as
soon as they were brought into rhyme. The women, with
their modest apparel and bearing, seemed like sorrowing
Eves or penitent Magdalens, repeating in their lives the
description which Tertullian gave of the (Christian) women
of his age. The men appeared dead to the world, and filled
with the Holy Spirit. Each was a John the Baptist preaching
in the wilderness. The outward demeanor expressed only
humility and obedience. They sought to gain a place for
themselves, not by cruelty but by patience, not by killing
but by dying, so that in them Christianity in its primitive
innocence seemed to be restored.1
Intriguing is especially Raemond’s remark of their love for
the Psalms, by which he means the Genevan Psalms, the use of
which John Calvin and his successor Theodore Beza so eagerly
promoted. The Psalms were not only sung in worship, but also
in the homes of the Huguenots, and even on the battlefields as
well.
This spectacular use of the Psalms is not often considered
by our generation in the West, largely unfamiliar with severe
religious conflict. However, the 16th century battlefields of
France often witnessed the armies of the Huguenots singing as
they looked to God to vindicate their cause. Among the Psalms
cherished by the Huguenots were Psalms 118 and 124, but none
was more loved than the 68th: “Let God arise, and by His might,
put all His enemies to flight, in shame and consternation”
(French: “Que Dieu se montre seulement”).
On one occasion near the present French city of Dieppe, a
Huguenot army defeated a much larger army in the middle
of an ominous fog, while waiting for reinforcements that
never came. At a critical point in the battle, the captain
called to his troops, sunken down in weariness, “Lift up
the Psalm. It is full time.” We read in the record of this
event: Above the din of the marching armies, rose the austere
melody of the 68th Psalm, and the swinging march of
the Huguenot companies. They forced themselves like
an iron wedge into the armies of their enemies and split
them asunder. The sea fog cleared away; the Huguenot
artillerymen shot their cannons in the time of the Psalm
and their enemies were scattered.2
triumphs for and among His people. Specifically, the Psalm looks
back and shows how God came as a great warrior to redeem His
people from bondage in Egypt. As they lay in miserable, squalid
conditions, oppressed and afflicted, sighing and groaning, He
delivered them (v.13), led them through the wilderness, and
brought them to the land He had promised to them.
The poetry of this Psalm lines up many sad pictures next to
happy ones. For example, it pictures solitary ones brought into
families and people bound in chains set free (v.6). There is a
picture of dirt-covered people lying among pots, but by God’s
glorious power, they fly free like a dove in the sunlight with
feathers of gold and wings of silver (v.13). At each turning point
from sadness to gladness is the Lord Himself, the only Deliverer.
This Psalm so appropriately represented the cause of the
Reformation for three reasons.
1. The Psalm celebrates the power and grace of God alone to
deliver from death and woe (vv. 1-8), or in the words of the
common Reformation slogan: Sola gratia (Grace Alone).
2. The Psalm magnifies the glory of the Word of God, as it
is preached by the servants of Christ (vv. 9-23), or as the
slogan says it: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone).
3. It seeks the glory of God alone in all things (vv. 24-35), or
in the familiar Latin words: Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God
Alone).
A Psalm of Divine Deliverance
Psalm 68 was written as a song of praise celebrating God’s
A Weary Inheritance
A central verse in the whole Psalm is verse 9: “Thou, O God,
These truths are still so very relevant to the churches of the
Reformation today. Not a year goes by without old and new
attacks on these very truths of the gospel and the glory of God in
salvation and the church.
FEBRuary 2017
7
E D IT OR IAL
didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine
inheritance, when it was weary.” The Reformation was a
time of awakening and revival, as the undiluted truth of God
descended in abundance to refresh people who had become
weary through the false doctrine, vain rituals, and corrupt
systems of religion at the time.
Sometimes the Bible speaks of the Lord’s people receiving
an inheritance from God (e.g. 1 Pet. 1:3-4). However, the
Scriptures also speak of the Lord’s people as “His inheritance”
(see Ps. 28:9). They belong to Him, by right, for He has
purchased them to Himself. He owns them, and they will be
His forever. He rejoices in them, as one rejoices in whatever he
or she possesses by lawful right, and God will take care of them
forever as His own. Once, like the children of Israel in Egypt,
they were enslaved solitary ones in bondage (see vv. 4-6), but
God redeemed them unto Himself with the precious blood of
His own dear Son. They are His now, and that forever.
Before the rediscovery of the gospel by Luther and others,
these truths were supplanted through official Roman Catholic
doctrine. The system of works-righteousness made clear to
people that they had value only if they could do things such as
pay for indulgences, perform rituals, receive the mass, look to
saints, lean on the hierarchy of the pope. All this brought such
profound spiritual weariness. In the church of Rome, people
like John Huss, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, Martin
Luther were toiling, slaving under the bondage of rites and
works, praying, and confessing, as they tried to find a God,
who wouldn’t simply demand more, expect more, and punish
more.
A Plentiful Rain
As Psalm 68 makes clear, God had not forgotten His inheritance.
Their weariness didn’t escape Him. He sent a plentiful rain
(v.9). Rain in the Bible is a picture of the abundance of God’s
blessings. As rain brings blessings in physical life, water to
drink, fruitfulness in crops and vegetation, and so on, so too
God rains down spiritual blessings on His needy people. Think
only of Ezekiel 34:26: “There shall be showers of blessing.”
Think of the following spiritual blessings rained down during
the Reformation:
1. The ministry of the Word. Often the Lord compares the
ministry of His truth to rain: “As the rain cometh down, and the
snow from heaven and returneth not thither, but watereth the
earth…so shall my word be that goeth forth from my mouth”
(Isa. 55:10-11). Especially verse 18 of Psalm 68 highlights this:
“Thou hast ascended up on high; thou hast led captivity captive;
thou hast received gifts for men, for the rebellious also.” In
1559 John Knox wrote that the cause of the Reformation in
Scotland was so quickly progressing that it “seemed as if it had
rained down ministers from the clouds.”
2. The Ministry of the Spirit. Isaiah 44:3 promises: “I will pour
water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground;
I will pour out my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon
thine offspring.” What a blessing the Lord poured down
when He gave His Spirit, blessing the Word preached by the
Reformers to the hearts of common people everywhere, giving
a knowledge of the gospel to them. Like rain, the Spirit came
down so plentifully then, bringing spiritual life in abundance.
3. Jesus Christ and blessings in Him. Psalm 72 prophesies that
Christ’s coming shall be “like rain upon the mown grass” (Ps.
72:6). Ultimately, every blessing that God sends down is for
the sake of Christ and concentrated in Him. The Reformation
understood this in a magnificent way. Christ is such a plentiful
rain. Literally the word means “a rain of freenesses.” It is free
and full, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3-12: “Blessed be the
Lord God, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in
Christ Jesus …, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all
wisdom and prudence….” God’s way of giving is not like ours.
We are often stingy and reluctant. God’s giving is free, deep,
wide, and plentiful. He gives at the best time and in the best
8
FEBRuary 2017
way, revealing Christ to His inheritance in
a way that is most suitable to their growth
and strengthening.
commemoration stir us up to seek the God of Psalm 68, the favourite Psalm of
the Huguenots.
A Strengthening God
God has a purpose in all His works. The
Reformation, and the Huguenots in
particular, are a good example of the truth
of Psalm 68:9: “Thou, O God, didst send a
plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm
thine inheritance, when it was weary.” To
confirm means to strengthen, to prop up,
or to make steady and secure.
This was evident among the Huguenots
not only in how they fared in battle at
Dieppe and elsewhere in their struggle
for the freedom to worship God as He had
commanded, but also in far deeper and
broader ways. The Lord not only gives
strength to win, but strength to suffer and
endure. The Huguenots did plenty of that
as well. What emboldened them against the
persecutors was the clear light of God’s law
and gospel that radiated from Scripture.
With a sense of their own weakness, they
sang the robust language of the Psalms
to find divine strength flowing through
them. Their lives centered on God. God’s
self-revelation in the gospel, in Christ,
and in their lives personally was the secret
source of their strong witness not only in
France, but throughout the world, as they
infiltrated societies, churches, and all sorts
of arenas with the strength that only truth
can give.
We live in days that call for a robust
Christianity, where young and old will
stand for truth no matter what the
cost. Whether we descend from the
Huguenots or not, our spiritual family is
a fighting family the world over. Many
of our grandfathers and grandmothers,
Huguenot or not, loved Psalm 68 and
the refreshing and invigorating grace it
proclaims amid their struggles. Our ageold enemies are still the same. Many of
our brothers and sisters throughout the
world know the cost first-hand. True
strength will come only from the God
who sends plentiful rain. May this year of
1 Quoted in Henry C. Sheldon, History of the Christian Church: Vol. 3: The Modern Church, Part
1 (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1895), 185.
Endnotes:
2 Rowland E. Prothero, The Psalms in Human Life (London: John Murray, 1907), 200.
FEBRuary 2017
9
A GOODLY HERITAGE ( 31 )
Dutch Secession Theology After 1892 (2)
CHUR CH H IS T O RY
T
he union of the vast majority of the
this book, Bavinck dealt with themes such
Secession and the Doleantie Churches
as immediate and mediate regeneration,
in 1892 brought great joy to both
presumptive regeneration and the biblical
participants in the merger. Yet, the new
basis for baptism. Throughout he explores the
denomination continued to be divided over
historical background of various positions and
doctrinal issues, which reached such intensity
lets the light of God’s Word shine on the issues
that many feared that unless someone with great
under discussion.
authority and wisdom would come forward to
herman bavinck
bring the warring parties together, a split was
MAN of the HOUR Immediate or Mediate Regeneration
imminent. That man was Herman Bavinck.
At the centre of the debate was Kuyper’s teaching
Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) was a son of the Secession and of immediate regeneration by which he meant regeneration
became its leading spokesman. A graduate of Leiden University, effected apart from the preached Word of God. The Secession
he was ordained to the ministry in the Secession Church. He leaders held to mediate regeneration, meaning they believed
taught at the Kampen Theological School and later at the that the new birth is brought about through or by means of the
Free University. He was a prolific writer and his major work, preaching of God’s Word
Reformed Dogmatics, recently translated into English, remains Kuyper based his argument for immediate regeneration on
a standard work on systematic theology. Although he did join the biblical doctrine of man’s total inability. Since spiritually
the merger with the Doleantie churches in 1892 and adopted dead sinners can neither hear nor respond to the Gospel,
many of Abraham Kuyper’s Neo-Calvinist views, particularly he maintained that the Holy Spirit regenerates without the
regarding social and cultural issues, he remained for the most medium of the Word. The Spirit implants the seed or kernel
part loyal to Secession principles regarding soteriology (the of the new life in the elect sinner which seed is later brought
doctrine of salvation).
to fruition by the Word preached. All God’s elect receive this
Although Bavinck was a close friend and colleague of Kuyper, seed at birth. They are baptized on the assumption that they are
he did not agree with the latter’s views on baptism and the ordo already regenerated, so that by the time they can hear the Word
salutis (order of salvation), especially when these teachings they are able to understand and receive it by faith, which along
began to cause divisions within the churches. In the early with repentance, is the fruit of regeneration. Thus, regeneration
1900s, many in the (united) Gereformeerde Kerken (GKN) were precedes calling in Kuyper’s order of salvation. The far-reaching
wondering whether being baptized as an infant meant that the implications of this teaching caused a lot of tension in the newly
recipient was de facto saved. In other words, did presumptive instituted federation.
regeneration somehow lead to baptismal regeneration? Some Against this background of controversy, Bavinck wrote his
believed that it did; others insisted that it did not. This growing book on Calling and Regeneration.
uncertainty deeply troubled Bavinck and he decided to write a
series of articles dealing with the order of salvation, which he Immediate Regeneration According to Dort
saw under attack.
He introduces this topic by conceding to Kuyper that the
His articles later appeared in book form under the title, Holy Spirit can and does at times work apart from the Word.
Calling and Regeneration (Roeping en Wedergeboorte). In Although Bavinck’s main thesis defends the doctrine of mediate
10
FEBRuary 2017
By Rev. C. Pronk
regeneration, he acknowledges that in regeneration the Spirit
sometimes works cum verbo rather than per verbum (with the
Word, not through the Word). He explains that many Dutch
Reformed theologians since the time of the Synod of Dort
(1618-19) insisted on the immediate operation of the Holy
Spirit because they were afraid of Arminianism which puts the
emphasis more on man’s role in salvation (e.g., his supposed
ability to believe the Word) than on the sovereignty of God the
Holy Spirit. According to Bavinck, the fathers of Dort and their
successors did speak of regeneration as an immediate operation
of the Holy Spirit, but they did so in an effort to refute the errors
of Pelagians and Arminians who claimed that regeneration was
contingent on man’s decision.
As strange as it may sound, the Remonstrants or Arminians
at the Synod of Dort were the ones who insisted that the Word
of God is the means God uses to regenerate sinners. However,
what they meant by this was that the preaching of the Gospel
serves only as a means to persuade sinners to accept the offer
of salvation. In other words, the efficacy of the Word depends
ultimately on man’s ability and willingness to comply with its
demands. As Bavinck explains,
With the Remonstrants, regeneration, faith, and
conversion thus became dependent upon and tied to a
condition that had to be fulfilled by man. They denied,
therefore, that along with the Word, a special effectual
operation of the Holy Spirit had to occur within the
sinner’s heart; they denied any operation of the Holy
Spirit alongside the Word; and they insisted that the
moral operation of the Spirit in and by the Word was
sufficient to convert and renew a person who wanted to
be converted and renewed.
To combat this serious error, the Reformed occasionally
made use of the term “immediate regeneration”; but as Bavinck
emphasizes, they never intended to exclude the Word as a
means of grace from the Spirit’s work of regeneration. In their
treatment of the order of salvation, without exception, they
placed calling before regeneration.
Immediate Regeneration According to Kuyper
While it cannot be denied that Kuyper could appeal to some
orthodox divines for support of his teaching on immediate
regeneration, we need to realize that he used this concept for
different reasons than did the fathers of Dort. Kuyper needed this
concept as a necessary element in his supralapsarian theological
system. If, as he taught, the covenant of grace is made with the
elect only and if they are justified from eternity, it follows that
they are also regenerated from eternity and enter life as such.
The danger in this view is that all covenant children are viewed
as regenerated from birth without ever being confronted with
their lost state and condition and the consequent need to be
born again. Bavinck issues a strong warning against this danger
when he writes,
This teaching [of presumed regeneration] can provide
ready occasion for many to be lost who imagine they are
headed for heaven. When the emphasis is shifted from
faith to regeneration, one can quickly console oneself with
the thought that one is regenerated in youth and that the
new life will sooner or later manifest itself in faith and
conversion. And even if it does not manifest itself, that is
not decisive, for regeneration [one may think] is sufficient
and leads infallibly unto eternal salvation.
Infant Salvation
Bavinck deals extensively with the question regarding the
salvation of infants. Surely, his opponents argued, in their
case regeneration precedes calling and thus must be viewed
as immediate in the sense that it takes place without the
instrumentality of the Word. For Bavinck this reasoning is false.
“If without their knowledge little children are received by God in
grace and are regenerated,” he argues,
then this always presupposes that the covenant of grace
FEBRuary 2017
11
CHUR CH H IS T O RY
together with the gospel wherein it is proclaimed had
already existed objectively and historically…[hence] they
could not partake of regeneration unless they were born as
covenant children. Precisely as covenant children they are
called by God… To them as children of believers together
with their parents comes the promise…made known and
offered only in the gospel. As the seed of Christian parents,
not detached from the dispensing of the Word but in
connection with it, they are internally called by the Holy
Spirit and thus engrafted into the regeneration of Christ…
In this way Bavinck makes a strong case that, certainly within
the boundaries of the covenant of grace, regeneration always
involves calling by, through or in the context of the Word of
God. Moreover, since regeneration cannot be separated from the
Word and its promises, covenant children are to be baptized,
not based on their real or presumed regeneration, but based
on those promises. In Bavinck’s words, “The sacraments mean
nothing and are not sacraments if they are isolated from the
Word. Sacraments are seals of the Word, follow upon the Word
and are connected indissolubly to the Word.”
Concerning the salvation of infants dying in infancy,
Bavinck holds unequivocally to the Synod of Dort’s comforting
pronouncement in the Canons of Dort (I.17), although he adds
the caution that the Synod did not extend this comfort to parents
in general but to godly parents. His explanation is that “parents
who themselves have no interest in their own election and
salvation cannot be genuinely concerned about the destiny of
their children, and neither need nor can enjoy such comfort.”
Evaluation
Bavinck deserves a great deal of respect for his efforts to
mediate between the Secession and Doleantie factions within
the Gereformeerde Kerken. Nevertheless, the question remains
whether he probed deeply enough to get to the essence of
Kuyper’s errors. Although he rightly rejects Kuyper’s notion of
“dormant” regeneration, according to which a person can have
the seed of the new birth in him but continue living in sin for
years before coming to repentance and faith. Yet, Bavinck does
maintain the notion of regeneration as an implantation of a seed
that waits to be activated by the Word rather than a divine act
resulting directly from the Word applied by the Holy Spirit.
Dr. J. van Genderen writes in his Concise Reformed
Dogmatics, co-authored by Dr. W.H. Velema, that Bavinck
agrees in principle with Kuyper’s view that regeneration is to be
interpreted as “the granting of the ability to believe and that the
Word is required to activate this ability.” While Van Genderen
agrees with the distinction between regeneration as the beginning
of life (as taught in Canons III/IV, 11-12) and the subsequent
development of that life as defined in the Belgic Confession
12
February 2017
(Art. 24), he cautions against restricting regeneration to its very
onset. Rather, he considers regeneration “to be a ministry of the
Spirit under and through the proclamation of the Word,” and
sees Bavinck’s “linking up with Kuyper’s view as a step backward
rather than keeping pace with Calvin.” The reference here is to
Calvin’s statement in his Institutes (III.24.10): “For those who
imagine that some sort of seed of election was soon in them from
birth itself, and that by its power they have always been inclined
to piety and the fear of God, are not supported by Scriptural
authority and are refuted by experience.”
Although Bavinck clearly favoured the classic Secession
position on the order of salvation over the one taught by Kuyper,
he was nevertheless willing to give both views legitimate status
within the new federation. This is clear from the Conclusions of
the Synod of Utrecht in 1905, which reflect Bavinck’s influence.
The key passage in that synodical document reads as follows:
According to the Confessions of our church the seed of the
covenant by virtue of the promise of God is to be regarded
as regenerated and sanctified in Christ, until the contrary
is shown in their confession and conduct when they reach
years of discretion; but it is less correct to say that baptism
is administered to the children of believers on the ground
of supposed regeneration, since the ground for baptism is
the command and the promise of God.
Clearly, this was a deliberate compromise. This 1905 decision,
which was adopted also by the American Christian Reformed
Church in 1908, was a compromise, “cobbled together [as] a
kind of pacification formula – abortively - to appease both sides
of the theological aisle present at the Synod and in the Reformed
church.” As the late Professor J. Faber said in an address to a
United Reformed audience in 1998:
The Synod of 1905 accepted a Pacification Formula of
which Herman Bavinck was the spiritual father. It basically
placed the two different approaches of former Secession
theologians and former Doleantie theologians beside one
another. It was a compromise, but 1905 brought peace. It
saved and consolidated the Union of 1892.
But did it bring peace? Not really. True, it “worked” for a while.
The two views managed to live side by side, but considerable
strife continued between the two factions until the Gordian
knot was cut in 1942 and the Synod of Sneek-Utrecht of the
Reformed Churches in the Netherlands met (in the midst of the
Second World War!) to pronounce in effect that the Kuyperian
views regarding covenant, baptism and related matters were
henceforth the only official and legitimate position to which
all office bearers and members had to subscribe. Thus the “less
correct” view prevailed. As Dr. Faber indicated, the Synod of
1942 adopted only the Kuyperian part of 1905 and left out the
doctrinal concerns and emphases of the Secession. “Who would
have anticipated or predicted such an outcome,” Dr. Ron Gleason
asks. “Yet it was precisely that kind of incorrect toleration
that sounded the death knell to what began as a union of two
Reformed churches. The future was bright, but somewhere
along the line the requisite watchfulness over sound doctrine
was relaxed, and eventually the two churches terminated their
relationship.”
This is what always happens when denominations merge
too quickly without resolving their doctrinal and other major
differences. The Free Reformed Fathers of 1892 knew this and
acted accordingly. They were convinced that the differences
were major and therefore non-negotiable.
When the GKN Synod of 1905 sanctioned the teachings
of Kuyper despite a well-documented protest that had been
submitted which spoke of his “deadly teachings and sophist-like
BOOK R EV IE W
errors that are nowhere to be found in Scripture or the Reformed
confessions,” the continuing Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken
felt vindicated and confirmed in their opposition to these same
errors. “Let children thus learn from history’s light!”
Sources:
Herman Bavinck, Saved by Grace: The Holy Spirit’s Work in Calling and
Regeneration (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2008).
Ron Gleason, Herman Bavinck (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing,
2010).
J. van Genderen and W. H. Velema, Concise Reformed Dogmatics
(Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2008).
Rev. C. Pronk is emeritus minister of the Free Reformed
Churches residing in Brantford, Ontario, and former editor of
The Messenger.
By Rev. C.A. Schouls
THE REFORMED BAPTISM FORM
– A Commentary by B. Wielenga
448 pages hardcover (Published in 2016 by Reformed Free Publishing Association, Jenison, Michigan. Translated by Annemie
Godbehere. Edited by David J. Engelsma)
T
he Reformed Free Publishing Association is the voice of
the Protestant Reformed Churches in print. This makes
the appearance of The Reformed Baptism Form by Bastiaan
Wielenga even more striking. We congratulate the RFPA on this
book: it has a pleasant appearance and format as well as clear (i.e.
black on white!) pages.
This work is not of Protestant Reformed origin. Dr. Bastiaan
Wielenga ( 1869-1949) was pastor of the Gereformeerde Kerken
in Nederland. This is a translation of the second edition (1920,
with footnotes) and I have access only to the 1st edition (1906, no
footnotes), but there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of this
translation. The editor, Rev. D. J. Engelsma, is Professor emeritus
of Dogmatics and Old Testament (1988-2008) at the Protestant
Reformed Theological Seminary.
The original was entitled (in translation) “Our Baptism Form,”
whereas the translated version is entitled “The Reformed Baptism
Form.” In the Dutch Reformed “market” of one hundred years
ago, “Our Baptism Form” made sense. All Reformed churches,
of whatever denomination (and there were only 3 or 4 then),
used this Form. Now, in the English-speaking world, it would be
foolish to use the same title. While the CRC still had an updated
version of this form as recently as 1976, it has since produced a
new form which appears to be identical to that of the RCA and
very much like the form used in the PCUSA. It may be a version
of the high liturgical form used in the French Reformed churches
of Calvin’s time.
In this book, the Reformed churches have received a precious
and timely gift. The book itself is a pleasure to read, if you have
the time and the interest to tunnel through some theological
issues which, regrettably, may be mysterious to many people
today. The book is divided into six chapters, beginning with (1) a
review of the nature and history of the Form, then dealing with the
parts of the Form as they express (2) the doctrine of baptism in
general (longest section), then (3) of infant baptism in particular,
followed with (4) comments on the prayer before the actual
administration of baptism, while (5) the rather brief admonition
to parents between that and (6) the thanksgiving prayer receives
almost as much attention as the first main section.
The tone of the book is set already in the first doctrinal section.
It is warm, pastoral, clear in opposing error, and winsome. For
example, his later dealing with the phrase, “not out of custom”
(pp. 280ff) bespeaks an irenic spirit even though he is hard hitting
at this point. This gentle approach is not surprising, considering
he was a protégé of Herman Bavinck, the great contemporary of
Abraham Kuyper, who quietly worked in the “great” Abraham’s
shadow but went his own way, developing his theological
FEBRuary 2017
13
BOOK R EV IE W
Continued...
inheritance from the “Afscheiding” (Secession) of 1834.
The book is worth reading especially by the younger generation
of elders and ministers who are not versed in some aspects of
our Reformed history. The first version appeared at the time
of animated discussions about the Covenant of Grace. Wielenga
might have thought “1905” was the end of the period of upheaval
about covenant theology, but the struggle was not over. Shortly
after World War II, Dr. E. Smilde came out with his review of
the struggles of that era in “Een Eeuw van Strijd over Verbond en
Doop” (“A Century of Struggle About Covenant and Baptism”).
The publication of the current volume, with its extensive editorial
footnotes, proclaims that struggle is still not over.
As far as his covenant views go, Wielenga, not surprisingly,
was Kuyperian, albeit not stridently. He stresses that the prayer
before baptism asks God “graciously to look upon this Thy child.”
He points out that this prayer originates in a certain covenant
concept. But he also states: “Concerning the children of believers
in general, the congregation knows and believes, indeed thanks
God, that he has accepted them as living members of Christ. But
the congregation may not and cannot say of a specific child, ‘This
one is elected’. After all, he may still be an Esau.”
The translated material may be a gift but many of the footnotes
added to this translation left me bewildered and at times dismayed.
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If there was a need for some commentary on the Baptism form,
why not just translate it, as is? If here was the need to make some
indications that major elements do not accord with views held by
the publisher/editor or his church, why not add a few footnotes,
or even a separate chapter to explain these issues? I have not kept
count of the number of footnotes critiquing the covenant view not
only of Wielenga but of all other Reformed (and Presbyterian)
teachers who do not hold to the views of Herman Hoeksema
and his followers. Of course, Engelsma has every right to issue
such critique and he may believe that extremism in defence of
orthodoxy is a virtue, but also in such defence there is a time, place
and method which can be correct, incisive and still gentle and
generous. The two page footnote (pp. 56-58) severely exposing
Wielinga’s “grave error. . . of forgetting the Canons of Dordt and
their doctrine of particular, irresistible (sovereign) grace” takes a
different approach.
Engelsma and Wielenga are both correct in pointing out
the inconsistency of church members who have their children
baptised but do not partake of the Lord’s Supper. But compare
Wielenga’s treatment of an old saint who had never yet embraced
the full meaning of the riches of his baptism (p.120; cf. the much
broader description on p.111 of the 1st edition) with Engelsma’s
statement (p.277, note 8) that “unbelieving parents” (he does
not allow for the possibility of doubt, struggles of faith, or fear)
partake of a “sore evil,” infused through the Puritan-influenced
teaching that a mystical “experience” is required as a seal on God’s
grace. Engelsma misrepresents both many of these people and
the source of this expectation. There may have been Puritans (and
Reformed) who have wrongly stressed the “mystical experience”
to expose dead orthodoxy or presumption and they may still exist.
However, the pietistic stream in Dutch Calvinism long predates
Puritanism and can be traced back to the early Middle Ages.
Wielenga’s classic has been used to piggy back a covenant
view which is controlled by election in such a way that the
well-meant offer of the gospel is heresy. This may be the only
doctrinal statement in this review with which Engelsma will
readily agree. The old and now little known controversy of Supraversus Infralapsarianism is still alive. Should this invite further
discussion? I prefer not. I prefer to live peaceably as much as
possible in this sin crazed, violent, and mad world. (I hear howls
of protest!)
For the record, my (and Pastor P. vanderMeyden’s) theological
education was at the Protestant Reformed seminary in the mid
1970’s. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there (as much as the
heavy workload can be enjoyed by any student). We were treated
cordially. We still have occasional good contacts with those with
whom we spent three fruitful years. We were not convinced of
these particular views, but they taught us how to preach!
Rev. C. A. Schouls is emeritus pastor of the Free Reformed
Church of Brantford, Ontario.
14
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scripture READing: John 21
STUDIES IN JOHN (21)
It Is the Lord
BI BL E S TU DY
D
o we ever grow beyond the need for the Lord Jesus Christ
to reveal Himself to us? To that question, John would have
answered a resounding “No.” After the gospel of John
seems to be completed in chapter 20, we have another chapter in
which Christ is still at the center, revealing Himself in all His glory
and splendour.
John 21 records an event that took place between Christ’s
resurrection and the ascension. Christ would soon leave the
disciples physically, but before He did, He trained them to live for
and serve Him as an unseen Lord. He gave them tools to be His
disciples even when He would not be physically present. In John 21
we see that He kept revealing Himself to the disciples, instructing
them and caring for them until He would depart to His Father in
heaven.
John is actually very explicit about His purpose. He focuses on
how Christ revealed Himself to His people in their needs. Verse 1
says: “After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples
at the sea of Tiberius; and on this wise showed he himself.” Verse
14 makes a similar statement: “This is now the third time that Jesus
showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the
dead.” The ways in which Christ revealed Himself are so significant
and telling. Let us consider in turn the three basic ways in which He
showed Himself.
A Tender Provider (verses 1-14)
On or near the sea of Galilee (also known as the sea of Tiberias),
Christ had done most of his teaching and miracles. So, some spring
morning after the resurrection, seven of the disciples were there
again. Simon Peter and Thomas were present, as well as Nathanael,
James, John, and two others. We don’t know where the other four
were, but these seven were together.
What a wearisome and frustrating night this was for the disciples.
These disciples had been up all night, laboring, but in the end they
caught nothing. As the disciples were rowing to shore, they spotted
16
FEBRuary 2017
someone on the shore. They didn’t recognize the person or the
voice of the person when He asked: “Children, have ye any meat?”
(verse 5).
The disciples were forced to answer in the negative. They had
nothing to show for their toil. They had come up empty-handed.
The Stranger did not leave it with a simple “No.” He said: “Cast the
net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find” (verse 6). They
then followed His instructions and cast the net on the right side of
the ship, and indeed, there was such a great catch, that they were
unable to draw in all the fish. At this point John recognized Christ
and said to Peter: “It is the Lord.” They knew that no one less than
the Savior could provide like this. He had filled their empty hands
so often and was doing it again.
In typical fashion, Peter grabbed his coat, cast himself into the
water, and hurried to shore. On the shore, he noticed a fire of coals
and breakfast already in the making – fish and bread. The Lord
could supply without them,. The other disciples soon followed with
the fish, and Peter helped bring the 153 fish to shore. The kind and
caring Jesus invited His disciples to eat what He had prepared.
«Come and dine» He said to them. He had come to feed his weary,
worn-out, and empty-handed disciples. This event reminds us of
what He showed amid the lack at the wedding in Cana (2:1-10) and
amid the hungry multitudes for whom he broke the loaves and the
fish (6:1-10). This Savior certainly is the same yesterday, today, and
forever (Heb. 13:8).
See how Christ revealed Himself in the every-day life of His
disciples. Sometimes we think that unless we are doing something
great for the Lord, He does not care about our daily needs and
struggles. But here is His care in black on white. The Lord’s people
might be doing something as simple as trying to provide for their
material needs, when He gently comes alongside them and reminds
them of His calm and characteristic way. Though He honors what
they do, He also provides for them and calls them into fellowship
with Him. He reminds us of the old ways in which He dealt with us
DR. G.M. BILKES
and reminds us of our calling. In this way He makes us admire and
love Him all the more. That’s the first lesson of this chapter.
A Restoring Shepherd (verses 15-17)
After the meal, Jesus continued revealing Himself, this time
specifically to Simon Peter. Of course, He had a reason for doing
this with Simon Peter now and a reason for doing it publicly. Peter
had publicly denied Jesus with an oath, three times. Now Christ
desired to draw forth a public confession from Peter that would
prove Christ’s forgiving and restoring love to Peter. He does this
by asking a simple question: “Simon, son of Jonas, Lovest thou me
more than these?” Just a few weeks earlier, Peter had said, “Though
all deny thee, yet will not I.” He had put himself above all the other
disciples, as if he loved Christ the most. As we say, pride usually
goes before the fall and fall Peter did. So now Jesus asked: Simon,
do you love me more than the others?
You know the story – how the Savior asked this searching
question three times, in slightly different ways, and how Peter gave
his answer, three times, hesitatingly, but affirmingly. Each time,
the Lord gave him a task: “Feed my lambs,” “feed my sheep,” and
again, “Feed my sheep” (verses 15-17). Christ didn’t even rebuke
Peter for denying Him. He didn’t put him to shame in front of the
other disciples. But Christ did want Peter to reaffirm his love for
and devotion to Him.
Though some have focused on the nuances of meaning in the
words “love,” “feed,” and “sheep,” far more important is how Christ
revealed Himself. Notice the following:
1. The seeking Shepherd. Peter had wandered like a lost sheep.
But the seeking Shepherd found him and put the finger on the
root problem in Simon’s life. “Lovest thou me?” He asked. In
the hall of Caiaphas, Peter had not been constrained by the
love of Christ. He had not kept himself in the love of Christ (see
Jude 21). Instead of arming himself with the love of the Savior,
he had feared man and fallen.
2. The restoring Shepherd. Christ searched and probed Peter’s
heart with these three questions: Do you love me? Do you love
me? Do you love me? We only love because He first loved, and
here the Shepherd was shedding abroad His love in Peter’s heart
so that Peter could not deny it any more: “Thou knowest….” He
cast himself upon the Lord’s omniscience: “Thou knowest….”
Peter’s estimation of his own knowledge had diminished and
his confidence in his own brave words was gone. But he also
knew that Christ knew His heart, and that even though words
would fail, the Savior knew that Peter truly loved Him.
3. The commissioning Shepherd. Once He had awakened love
again in Peter, Christ gave a renewed task to Peter. It would
be a labor of love: “Feed my sheep. Feed my lambs.” The great
Shepherd of the sheep entrusted even His little lambs to Peter.
Without love for Christ, Christ cannot use you; but with love for
Christ, Christ can use you, and will use you, whoever you are
and whatever calling you have.
Christ’s way of dealing with Simon Peter reminds us of how
He dealt with the Samaritan woman: gently, perceptively, and
winningly. He had not come to judge and destroy, but to lead and
care for His sheep. He knows them and makes them know Him so
that they hear His voice and follow Him. He ensures they will never
perish (see John 10:27-28).
Which of God’s children do not need Christ’s restoring grace in
their lives? We all sin and slide back. We all deny our Lord and
our calling, even despite our best intentions and resolutions. No
sin is greater than His sacrifice, and no sin will stand in the way of
His plan to bring His Kingdom close. He uses His broken-hearted
sheep, as they have learned to find forgiveness and purpose in Him.
A Sovereign Pilot (18-23)
In the third section of this chapter, the Lord showed Himself as
the Guide or Pilot of His people. He prophesied concerning Peter:
FEBRuary 2017
17
TEACHING POSITIONS
Rehoboth Christian School, Copetown, Ontario
Invites applications for possible Elementary
Teacher, Secondary Teacher, and Educational
Support openings for the 2017/18 school year
We are looking for qualified individuals with a vision
for Christian education to join our committed,
vibrant community of learners. We are a K-12
parent-run school serving the families of four local
Free Reformed Churches and beyond. Located
on a beautiful rural setting between Hamilton and
Brantford, RCS has been blessed with a strongly
supportive community, and since our inception in
1978, have grown to an enrollment of 380 students.
Please send a cover letter, resume, statement of
faith, and references (teacher applicants are also
asked to include a philosophy of education) to the
attention of: Brian Kemper, Principal
198 Inksetter Rd P.O. Box 70, Copetown, ON L0R 1J0
T: 905.627.5977 • E: [email protected]
w: www.rehoboth.on.ca
The Board of OXFORD REFORMED CHRISTIAN
SCHOOL invites applications for high-school
teaching position(s) and elementary teaching
position(s) for the 2017/2018 school year.
Oxford Reformed Christian school is a parent-run
school serving the needs of several local Reformed
communities and has been operating for over
eleven years. We have been blessed with a new
facility located in Mount Elgin, a rural village in
south-western Ontario. Our present enrolment is
over 300 students and we offer a Kindergarten to
grade 12 program.
We have a need for qualified, passionate elementary
and high-school teacher(s) to join our staff team. Teachers committed to the Reformed faith and to
Christian education are encouraged to apply before
March 1, 2017.
Applications must include a resume, statement
of faith, philosophy of Christian education, and
references. Promptly send to: Oxford Reformed Christian School,
c/o Mr. W. Van Brugge (principal),
333182 Plank Line, PO Box 87,
Mount Elgin, ON, N0J 1N0.
E: [email protected] • T: 519-485-1142.
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL invites
applications for the following teaching positions for
the 2017/2018 academic year:
Secondary French/Math Teacher
Part-time Elementary Teacher.
We seek
• Qualified applicants who seek to serve Jesus
Christ in the area of Christian education and who
submit to Holy Scripture as confessed in the
Reformed creeds
• Committed professionals who positively lead
students to a life of dedicated service to our Lord
• Enthusiastic, dedicated rookies or seasoned
veterans looking for a positive change
How to join us
• submit a résumé, with a statement of your
philosophy of education, a statement of faith, and
references, including one from your current pastor
Please forward inquiries and/or applications to:
Mr. Brian C Bosch, Principal, 2850 Fourth Avenue,
Box 400, Jordan Station, ON, Canada L0R 1S0
T: (905) 562-7303 • E: [email protected]
18
February 2017
B ible St udy
Continued...
“When thou wast young, thou girdest
thyself, and walkedst whither thou
wouldest: but when thou shalt be old,
thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and
Compare how Psalm 23 pictures the Lord
another shall gird thee, and carry thee
and how we see Him in this chapter. Note
whither thou wouldest not. This spake
at least 5 similarities.
he signifying by what death he should
Some think that it was wrong for Peter to
glorify God” (verses 18-19). In following
go fishing without the Lord’s direction;
the Savior, Peter would sacrifice his
others don’t find any fault with Peter for
life, like Christ had sacrificed Himself
doing so. What is more important in this
passage than the rightness or wrongness
for Peter. Both died to glorify God,
of Peter fishing?
though only Christ’s sacrifice merited
The
last words of Christ in this gospel
grace, including the grace for Peter to
are:
“Follow
me.” In Revelation 14:4 John
be sacrificed.
writes about “following the Lamb.” How is
The Savior compared Peter’s
“following the Lord” so basic, so difficult,
independence and self-will when he
and yet so blessed?
was young with how things would be
If you look back over this chapter, you see
when he would be led to his death
how Christ asks three questions (verses
about thirty years later. We know from
5, 15, 23). Reflect on how these questions
show the heart of Christ.
church history that Peter would die as a
martyr in Rome, crucified upside down,
Peter was not allowed to be concerned
about God’s plan with John. What can we
since he refused to be crucified like his
learn from this? Is this hard for us?
Lord had been. Peter testified for his
Peter is to glorify God in his death (verse
Savior. This time, his love for Christ
19). What does it mean to glorify God in
was stronger than his fear of man. This
both life and death?
time, he didn’t deny Christ, but testified
until the end.
Yet Christ was doing more here than simply telling Peter how he would die. He was
teaching Peter that He would not be an independent agent in charge of his own life. This
lesson is never easy, but especially for someone like Peter. Christ’s final words in this
gospel cut deeply into Peter’s soul: “Follow me.” When you follow Him, He leads the way.
He goes before you. He clears the path. He shows the way to green pastures. He brings
to Himself.
When Peter heard this command, Peter couldn’t resist looking over his shoulder at
John: “Lord and what shall this man do?” In other words: What does the future hold
for John? How often we compare ourselves to others! Christ instructed Peter and us,
saying as it were: “Don’t go there - comparing yourself to John. I will do whatever I will
with him, just as I will do what I will with you. Your duty is not to ‘figure’ but to ‘follow.’”
Christ is the Sovereign of life and death. He leads each one personally, bringing glory to
Himself through them.
Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes is Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Puritan
Reformed Theological Seminary and a pastor of the Free Reformed Church of Grand
Rapids, Michigan
RECYCLE YOUR GOOD USED BOOKS
REFORMED BOOK SERVICES
will thankfully receive your good used books, specifically books by Reformed authors.
Contact Susan Keuning at 905.627.3910; Fax 905.628.2896; Email: [email protected]
Thank you very much for the books that were donated!
Th eological E d u cation C ommittee
I ntervie w wit h St udent
Y o ung Jae L ee
Q. 1. Young Jae Lee, can you tell us a little bit about your background
(where you were born, something about your parents, siblings,
where you went to school, etc.)?
A. I was born in Ulsan, Korea. My parents were diligent and hard
workers without knowing Christ. My father was a technician in a
harbor facility. I have only
one younger sister. Most of
the time, we attended public
schools until we entered
colleges. My conversion took
place while I was attending
Ulsan Presbyterian Church
during my high school
period. I graduated with
a B.A. from a Christian
University in Seoul that
was established by the early
Presbyterian missionaries in
the late 1800s.
Q. 2. Please introduce us to
your wife and children.
A. My wife’s name is Min
Kyoung Lee (Kim) and I
received her as my helpmeet from the LORD in November 2004.
She was converted around 1994 in the same church as I was
converted later and she was a youth member when I first met her.
She became a registered social worker after her secondary education
in Seoul and mostly worked with a social welfare centre and nonprofit organization. In 2007, we went to South Africa as a married
couple with the desire to become missionaries. The LORD granted
us the first two children during our stay in Africa. Providentially, we
could travel back to Korea to deliver the children. Yuha was born
in October 2008 and Doha was born in April 2011. After I initiated
my theological studies at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary,
we received our third child, Joel, in November 2013. Our three sons
are all healthy and very active and we thank the LORD for these
precious gifts. Yuha wants to be a firefighter and Doha wants to be
a gospel minister. Joel, whose biblical name is after Dr. Joel Beeke,
is too young to express what he would like to be. I am blessed so
much to be a husband and a father. It is a lot of fun to be a dad of
three
boys!
Q. 3. Explain how you believe the Lord is calling you into the
ministry.
A. First, the Lord gave me such desire to share the gospel when I
first came to know Jesus personally. Through my own conversion,
I was convinced that the gospel is the power of God to them that
believe (Rom. 1:16). In an amazing way, the Lord opened the door
for me and my family to come and study at Puritan Reformed
Theological Seminary in July 2011. The more I studied the Bible
at this seminary, the more I became convinced that there is no
higher calling than to preach the gospel as a messenger. Second,
I could complete my first
theological degree (Master
of Divinity) at our seminary
in May 2016. I believe that
I am lawfully given both the
privilege and responsibility
of preaching the gospel to
all. Though I am weak in
many ways, my sufficiency
is of God. Third, I was
given some opportunities
in our federation to preach
and be engaged in church
ministries. Whether in
long or short term, I had
privileges of being involved
in ministries at the Free
Reformed Church (FRC)
of Calgary, Alberta, FRC of Oxford County, Ontario, and FRC of
Grand Rapids, Michigan. These providential opportunities have
increasingly confirmed my sense of calling.
Q. 4. What led you to apply to become a student for the ministry in
the Free Reformed churches?
A. When we first arrived in America, we visited a few local churches
in Grand Rapids, and decided to worship at the Free Reformed
Church of Grand Rapids. I was blessed to hear the clear gospel
preaching from our pulpit from various preachers, and my family
was becoming more and more part of the church in various ways,
mainly due to her blessed gospel ministry.
Then, it is amazing how I became a Free Reformed student. I was
praying for an internship opportunity in a local church. Then, I was
approached providentially by Rev. Hans Overduin in late 2013 for a
potential eight-week internship at Calgary FRC. What was noteworthy was that a few Korean families had already been worshipping at
this church at that time. Some of them were going through difficulties due to language barriers and cultural barriers though they were
so eager to be part of a Reformed Church. It was my joy to relate to
them and serve them with the same desire to see a Reformed church
growing across potential barriers.
After the most providential and necessary ministerial experience
under the supervision of the Calgary consistory, I had to pray about
FEBRuary 2017
19
Th eological E d u cation C ommittee
becoming a student under formal ecclesiastical oversight. I was led
to pursue further confirmation of being called into the gospel ministry. The LORD graciously confirmed my sense of calling by leading the churches to accept me as a student in the Free Reformed
churches.
Q. 5. What are some of the major cultural differences between
Koreans and North Americans? Has it been difficult for you and your
wife to adjust to these differences?
A. Koreans emphasize strong family ties very much. Their culture is
based on ancient Confucianism, along with the Chinese and Japanese. North Americans vary but usually they are very independent
and sometimes viewed as individualistic. We are still learning these
cultural differences and we believe that this learning greatly enhances our sanctification process. The differences of the cultures
can
reflect various blessings from the LORD.
Q. 6. Describe church life in South Korea. How does it differ from
church life in North America in general and in the Free Reformed
Churches in particular? A. Korean churches went through a very rapid expansion within
a very short period and they are very active in Christian missions.
Only the United States of America sends more missionaries into
the world than Korea. Though the Korean church history may be
a lot shorter compared to the churches in North America, Korean
churches have not neglected the imperative of passing on what
they received to other nations (Matthew 28:19-20). In addition, the
churches in Korea emphasize prayer so much that many of them still
have early morning prayer meetings during week days. Many come
to pray before they go to work in the early hours of the day. The Free
Reformed Churches of North America are well-known for being established on a very strong doctrinal foundation inherited from the
Dutch Reformed tradition. These churches have grown steadily as
the covenant generations grew. The FRC have never failed to emphasize
the purity of doctrines and centrality of preaching.
Q. 7. You are almost finished your formal theological training.
Describe your experience at PRTS.
A. I have been challenged by the academic rigors and workload at
the seminary. But I had a very good environment where I could learn
from brothers from all over the world. Furthermore, my view about
the church and about preaching in particular have been formed by
studying the Scriptures and by observing the way my professors
deal with the Word of God both in classrooms and pulpits. I am
also most thankful for their exemplary family lives in their homes
because
practices illustrate principles.
Q. 8. At the time of this interview, you are preparing to move to
British Columbia for a five-month internship in Langley under the
supervision of emeritus pastor Rev. T. Aicken. What are you looking
forward to? What are you looking up against?
A. I express my gratitude to the Theological Education Committee and the Consistory of Langley FRC for arranging this extended
internship. I would love to learn from such an able and seasoned
20
FEBRuary 2017
minister regarding sermon preparations, teaching, and leading the
worship services. In particular, I would like to grow in my love for
the church as the bride of Christ and to grow in handling some practical and spiritual matters that can arise in a local congregation. I
would also like to get to know the office-bearers and other FRC ministers regarding their ministries in the Fraser Valley, and to learn
from them. Ultimately, I pray that this would be mutually profitable
internship overall and God be glorified in every way. Surely this is
going to be a busy yet fruitful internship on a weekly basis. But, I
hope that the stress from moving to a new environment and from
the busy schedule would make us as a family more dependent on
the LORD. We pray that at the end of this internship we may know
where
to serve for our future ministry.
Q. 9. You hope to be presented for candidacy at this coming synod
in June. Should synod declare you eligible for call, do you desire to
minister in a Free Reformed congregation or are you open to other
ministry opportunities?
A. Yes, I strongly desire to minister in a Free Reformed congregation in North America, if I am declared a candidate this year, the
Lord willing (1 Tim. 3:1). It would be my greatest honour and privilege of being called to serve a local Free Reformed congregation (Ps.
100:2a). It is my prayer that I remain faithful to the Lord’s calling
for
His church (1 Cor. 4:2; Phi. 2:12).
Q. 10. Who is the Lord Jesus Christ for you?
A. The Lord Jesus Christ is my Saviour, my Redeemer, my Advocate,
my Prophet, King and eternal High Priest, my closest Friend, and
my Beloved One. He came into the world to save sinners and I am
one of them (1 Tim. 1:15). He redeemed me with His perfect Person
and work on earth and in heaven therefore my body and soul belong
to Him alone. Jesus shines into my darkness as the light of life that
He may rescue me out of the miserable pit and thereafter may guide
me through this earthly pilgrimage. He is my Advocate in the sense
that He keeps defending me against the accuser before the tribunal
of God. He is my Righteousness because without His perfect righteous garment I know that I can never stand before the most Holy
God. As the Prophet, He speaks to me still through His written word
and His Spirit. He is my King whose mighty hand protects me from
all harm. He is my eternal High Priest whose bodily sacrifice is the
everlasting theme of my death song and whose prayer is continually
offered for me. He is the anchor of my soul in that He already entered eternity so that I may follow Him as one member of His body.
I am never alone because of His friendship and I am never the same
person because He gave Himself for me so that I may live in Him,
with Him and for Him. Finally, He is my only comfort as no other
comfort is like Him to me, Young Jae Lee, a sinner.
Rev. J. Schoeman is pastor of the Abbotsford Free Reformed
Church and chairman of the Free Reformed Theological Education
Committee. Student Young Jae Lee is a student for ministry in
the Free Reformed Churches, studying at Puritan Reformed
Theological Seminary.
A CANONS OF DORT CONFERENCE IN SOUTH KOREA
Some Reflections on a Surprising Development
O
n June 21, 2016, I received an email from Daniel
Chung, pastor of “The Church of One in Christ in South
Korea,” inviting me to speak on the Canons of Dort at a
ministers’ conference. The request was to give seven lectures on
this subject during the week of December 12-15, as well as preach
in various churches on the Lord’s days and several week nights
on related themes.
The background to the request was my book of Sermons on
the Canons of Dort, which had been translated into Korean and
published a few years ago. Much to my surprise, the book had been
widely read by many who were looking for the kind of doctrinal and
experiential food the Canons supply. Among those who were edified
by the book was Daniel Chung and members of his congregation.
The Church of One in Christ is part of the Reformed Presbyterian
Church, a conservative denomination which officially subscribes
to the doctrines of the Reformation but seeks to become more
solidly grounded in those doctrines, not only intellectually but
also experientially. To assist church members in this endeavour,
Rev. Chung and several other ministers established the Martus
Ministry in 2012 to promote the doctrines of the Reformers and
Puritans. A large part of this ministry consists of translating and
publishing the writings of English Puritans such as Watson, Owen,
and Sibbes, as well as modern authors in the Puritan tradition like
Pink, Lloyd-Jones, and Beeke. The Martus Ministry also invites
Puritan-minded speakers from other countries to give lectures at
conferences. I was honoured to be invited to be the main speaker
at the conference held in December, where I lectured on the
Arminian Controversy and the response to it by the Synod of Dort
held in 1618-19, concluding with the impact made by Arminianism
worldwide.
FEBRuary 2017
21
Accompanied by my wife, Ricky, without whom I would not have
gone, our journey began on December 8 and ended December 22.
After a long flight of some fifteen hours via Vancouver, B.C., we
arrived at Incheon airport near Seoul and were picked up by our
host, Daniel Chung and another Reformed evangelist stationed in
Cambodia, formerly working in China. They took us to a hotel for
a much-needed rest. The next day, Saturday, we were shown some
interesting sights in Seoul, a city of over 10 million inhabitants.
The following Sunday we were taken to a church on the second
floor in a city section, pastored by Rev. Chung. His well-stocked
library showed his interest in the Puritans and other Reformed
authors, some of which he has translated into Korean. I preached
in his church in the morning. After a meal of very unfamiliar
food, with the whole congregation – a regular event – we went to
another Reformed church in another Seoul high-rise building to
conduct the afternoon service. All preaching services and lectures
were conducted in English and translated into Korean, which
made the sermons and lectures last longer than usual.
The conference began the following Monday, at a free-standing,
P H
EACE
AVEN
FREE REFORMED ASSOCIATION
PEACE HAVEN Free Reformed Association in Brantford,
Ontario operates two homes with assisted living in a Christian
environment for persons with disabilities. For more information
about either full-time residential care or regular part-time respite
care, please contact Peace Haven Director, Margaret Heemskerk,
email: [email protected] • cell: 519-770-8816
or Secretary, Jorina Bouman, [email protected]
22
FEBRuary 2017
quite large church building located in a new area near the outskirts
of Seoul. The meetings were held at 2:00 pm and 7:00pm with
about 100 in attendance, mostly ministers and their wives, as well
as some members of various congregations and denominations.
Translation were provided by two seminary professors, Dr. Chin
and Dr. Kim, both of whom had studied theology in the USA and
England.
As planned, I lectured on the Canons of Dort, first providing the
background leading up to the Synod of Dort, after which I explained
the doctrines at issue in the controversy with the Arminians.
I was told that most people, including many ministers, were
rather unfamiliar with the material presented. This unfamiliarity
surprised me and made me wonder how Reformed these churches
are, but those in attendance were interested and eager to learn.
Many who had purchased and read my book on the Canons were
challenged by the doctrines of sovereign election, total depravity
and man’s absolute dependence on God’s grace for salvation. Some
people we met questioned whether they were saved and wanted to
hear more about the Spirit’s work in regeneration and conversion.
Others were encouraged by the Canons’ emphasis on the love of
God for lost sinners and the genuine invitations to come to Christ
for salvation.
Another personal surprise was that after every lecture people
came with the books they had purchased, including the one titled
No Other Foundation, which has also been translated into Korean,
and requested my signature, indicating their interest in and
appreciation for what was new to them. I realize mere interest is
no sure indication that a real change has occurred, but with God’s
blessing it could lead to such a change.
Our prayer is that this unexpected visit so late in my ministry
may yield lasting fruits. After many discussions with Daniel Chung
and other concerned pastors and church members (with Daniel
translating), we can come to no other conclusion than that the
Lord has His people in Korea and that there is a real hunger for a
biblical, confessional and experiential presentation of the gospel.
May God bless the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Korea and
the Martus Ministry to the growth and deepening of the faith of
His people and the conversion of many who profess faith in Christ
but still lack the evidence of a godly walk. May He send revival also
in the larger Protestant denominations, many of which appear
to have abandoned or compromised the very principles that
characterized the Reformation.
This year we will hear much about Martin Luther and the
500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. May the
churches in Korea and all churches that trace their origin to that
mighty movement of the Spirit never forget the five solas of the
Reformation: Sola Fide, by faith alone; Sola Scriptura, by Scripture
alone; Solus Christus, through Christ alone; Sola Gratia, by grace
alone; Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone.
Rev. C. Pronk is emeritus minister of the Free Reformed
Churches residing in Brantford, Ontario, and former editor of
The Messenger.
Report on the NAPARC 2016 Annual Meeting
Rev. Jerrold Lewis, Rev. Carl Schouls and I attended the annual meeting of
the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) held
in Pompton Plains Free Reformed Church on November 8 and 9, 2016.
Opening
The meeting unofficially started with a delicious lunch served by the
ladies of the Pompton Plains FRC. The formal opening took place at
2:00 pm with Rev. Bartel Elshout leading in prayer, Bible reading, and a
heart-warming meditation. He took the place of Dr. Lawrence W. Bilkes,
NAPARC’s 2015 chairman, who was unable to come. Special mention and
prayer for recovery was made for Dr. Bilkes. All meetings were sprinkled
with robust Psalm singing, sounding much like a large male choir. The
meetings were ably chaired by Rev. Elshout.
Member Churches
The following churches were represented:
• Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARPC)
• Canadian Reformed Churches (CANRC)
• Église Réformée du Québec (ERQ)
• Free Reformed Churches of North America (FRCNA)
• Heritage Reformed Congregations (HRC)
• Korean American Presbyterian Church (KAPC)
• Korean Presbyterian Church in America (Kosin) (KPAC)
• Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC)
• Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)
• Presbyterian Reformed Church (PRC)
• Reformed Church in the United States RCUS)
• Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America (RPCNA)
• United Reformed Churches of North America (URCNA)
The Bible Presbyterian Church and the Protestant Reformed Church
attended as visitors.
Business
The main business concerned the various reports of all the delegate
and visiting churches. They were enhanced by follow-up questions and
answers. Each presentation was closed with prayer.
Each denomination’s report had been previously circulated, allowing
the presentations to be extemporaneous. A brief but lively discussion
took place regarding the desirability and need as churches to unite as
per NAPARC’s goal. Some wanted to drop the word “need”. One of the
delegates reflected the mood of the meeting, and no doubt the original
intent of NAPARC, when he clarified that the word “need” means that
every effort is to be expended to gain unity, where this is reasonably
attainable.
Speeches
On Tuesday evening Rev. Schouls preached a sermon on Habakkuk 3:1719. It was a comforting and suitable message in turbulent times, it being
the day of the American presidential election. Rev. Schouls took the place
of Rev. Peter VanderMeyden who was unable to come due to sickness.
The message was well received.
On Wednesday evening Rev. Lewis read a paper on English Latent
Antinomianism dealing with the truncated Calvinism of men such as J.C.
Philpot and W. Gadsby. While praising their warm devotional style and
ability to explain the believer’s heart, Rev. Lewis warned for some serious
doctrinal errors. These include: justification from eternity, denying the
third use of the Law, viewing the elect as not under God’s wrath before
regeneration, and rejecting the free gospel offer. He showed how many
in experientially Reformed churches were raised on this somewhat
questionable diet, leading to a false passivity, fogginess on justification
of the ungodly, and an undervaluing of man’s responsibility. The speech’s
good reception was evidenced by the many interesting questions (and
answers!) that followed.
Fraternal Meetings
As usual our delegates met with brothers of other denominations. Rev.
Lewis and I had a two hour, informal, frank and helpful meeting with Rev.
Elshout and elder Bill Tanis of the Heritage Reformed Congregations. We
challenged one another, discussed obstacles and a possible ways forward
in our relationship as demoninations.
We also had a two hour breakfast meeting with Rev. Michael Ives and
elder Vince Gebhart of the Presbyterian Reformed Church. The PRC is a tiny
denomination with seven congregations, five ministers, and less than
300 members. Most of their ministers are “tentmakers.” They are actively
pursuing union with the North American presbytery of the Free Church
of Scotland (Continuing), which we applaud.
For the first time, I believe, we had a meeting at NAPARC with
two ministers of the Protestant Reformed Church of America. We had
interesting and cordial discussions about the covenant, the gospel offer,
baptism and preaching. They are contemplating joining NAPARC.
Conclusion
It was good to be there. The Church of Christ in North America is larger
than the FRCNA. During NAPARC’s 42 years of existence only one union
of federations has taken place. It is painfully obvious that union with most
NAPARC members is improbable and undesirable. Each denomination,
however, needs to examine the legitimacy of continuing separately,
given Jesus’ desire expressed in John 17.
Mr. Connor Keuning is chairman of the Interchurch Relations Committee and
elder in the Free Reformed Church of Hamilton.
FEBRuary 2017
23
AnnouNcements
60th Anniversary
Obituary
February 22, 1957 - 2017
March 3, 1930 – December 25, 2016
(Rotterdam, the Netherlands – Zeeland, Michigan)
“Happy is he
that hath the
God of Jacob
for his help,
Whose hope
is in the LORD
his God.”
Psalm 146:5
With
thankfulness
to the Lord,
we rejoice
with our
parents:
Coe (Folkert) &
Trudy Smid (Postma)
With much love from their children
Phil and Sue Smid
Jackie and Gary Heikoop
Tilly Roth (†Tony)
Margaret and Ed Brink
Sharon and Ray Halma
22 Grandchildren • 14 Great Grandchildren
Home Address:
2079 Book Rd. W., RR1 Jerseyville, ON L0R 1R0
24
FEBRuary 2017
In His sovereign love and mercy, the Lord took unto Himself,
Geertruida Laura VanderGraaf
age 86 of Jenison, on the Lord’s day, Christmas, 2016.
She leaves behind her devoted and faithful husband for almost 65 years,
Teunis VanderGraaf
and children:
Jack & Carol VanderGraaf of Wyoming, MI
Jim & Mary VanderGraaf of Grand Rapids, MI
Louise and Bob Schut of Jenison, MI
Elsa VanderGraaf of Grand Rapids, MI
Yvonne & Herb Leegstra of Brantford, ON
Juanita & Jeff DeJong of Saint George, ON
John and Brenda VanderGraaf of Jenison, MI
She is also lovingly remembered by her 28 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren.
Pastor Jerry Bilkes officiated at her internment and Pastor Ian Macleod at the
funeral service on Friday, December 30, 2016, at the Grand Rapids Free Reformed
Church. It was her deepest desire that family and friends be reminded of Heidelberg
Catechism Q&A #1: “What is your only comfort in life and in death?”
Mailing Address:
Teunis VanderGraaf,
8504 Corsica Dr., Jenison, MI 49428
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