1994 Issue 6
No psalm, unless it be the twenty-second, is more frequently or more directly referred, in the New Testament, to the Lord Jesus Christ. You may take the following citations as illustrations. Christ is here prophetically represented as saying they that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs on mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty." (V.4.) In the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of John, this language is reproduced: " But this cometh to pass , that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they hated me without cause." In the twenty-second and twenty-third verses of this psalm it is written: " Let their table become a snare before them; and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually shake."
Many describe Calvinism with the acronym T.U.L.I.P.. While there is revelance to the acronym, Calvinism encompasses more than many people suppose. T.U.L.I.P. is a description of the soteriological perspective of Calvinism and to equate the acronym and Calvinism limits Calvinism. Calvinistic theology encompasses much more than soteriology: it represents a comprehensive world and life view. The so-called five points of Calvinism actually developed after the death of Calvin. They resulted from the Synod of Dort. The Synod assembled to rule on Arminianism which originated in the Netherlands. The doctrines advanced by the Arminians were: limited depravity, conditional election, unlimited atonement, and resistible grace. The Synod of Dart formulated five points to counter the Arminian doctrines. They are: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the saints. In doing this, the Synod formulated the Scriptural teaching of predestination in conformity with what Calvin taught.
The Solidarity of Jesus With God's Chosen People
By submitting Himself to John's baptism, Jesus came forward publicly to be identified with sinners, I.E., the chosen, but fallen, people of God.
The Inauguration of Jesus Into His Priestly Calling
At Jesus' baptism He is publicly called by God to bear the sins and to become obedient unto death as the kingly-priest and mediator of the new covenant.
The fact is, Williams was never a Baptist except for a very brief time. During his lifetime, he held Baptist convictions for only a few months and this occurred nearly three years after his departure from Massachusetts (1639). When he was banished, he held to paedo-baptism. W. Clark Gilpin makes this remark:
"Having once become a Baptist, Williams did not long remain one. Instead, he concluded that the Roman apostasy had so disrupted the state of the church that no authentic congregations could exist until Christ initiated the millennium by sending new apostles to recreate the church. Hence, only a few months after being rebaptized by Holliman, Williams departed from the Baptist congregation at Providence, never again to count himself the member of any church." (The Millenarian Piety of Roger Williams, p. 56)
The New Age Is Lying To You by Eldon K. Winker, Concordia Publishing House 3558 S. Jefferson Ave. St. Louis, Mo. 63118-3968 c. 1994 pb. $10.99.
William of Orange: The Silent Prince by W.G. Van de Hulst Inheritance Publications. Available in the U.S. from Inheritance Publications 8085 Kraft Ave. S.E. Caledonia, ML 49316. c. 1992 142 pp. pb.
The news media seems to set the tone for political and social discussion in our day. It should not be surprising therefore that much of that discussion has been rather shallow in character. One popular subject upon which the media has focused a great deal of attention in recent times has been the problem of sexual harassment.
What should we Christians think about this subject? It is not too difficult to discern why the media would find this a popular topic to address. Concern for this problem allows the media to portray itself as a compassionate champion of yet another group of oppressed people (i.e., the sexually harassed). It is a common trait of unbelieving men that they try to do good works to salve their conscience and justify themselves before others and before God. It should not surprise us that there are humanist do-gooders in our world. Man tries to make himself a "good guy" without confessing his sinfulness and fleeing to Jesus Christ for refuge. This is man's "fig-leaf agenda," - his attempt to cover his true nature and make himself presentable by his works of righteousness.
