Reformátusok Lapja, 1963 (64. évfolyam, 1-9. szám)
1963-08-01 / 7. szám
20 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS By Rev. Julius Paal Homestead, Pa. “To the teaching and to the testimony.” (Isaiah 8:20.) “. . . I restore it fourfold . . .” (Luke 19:8.) “But grow in grace and knowledge . . . make every effort . . .” (II Peter 3:18, 1:5-7; Eph. 2:8-9;' Phil. 2:12.) ★ ★ ★ IN TIMES OF TROUBLE: BACK TO THE RIGOROUS TEACHING OF THE REFORMED FAITH! Ahaz, the king, had his troubles. Isaiah, the prophet, tried to encourage him, but Ahaz never dared to ask for a sign, though his weak, wavering, vacillating faith did need the affirmation of a dynamic sign. (Isaiah 7.) And the people, the poor people during his reign, they had their own troubles. They were not satisfied any more with the quiet waters of the Shiloah, their own small river. They wanted to hear the mighty roar and see the mighty flood of the Assyrian rivers. The safe, abiding rigors of their own land was not enough for the people who heard about the riches and the “bigness” of the Assyrian Empire. Isaiah, the prophet, called for a retreat. He spoke only to his own disciples: “To the teaching and testimony.” The prophetic warning echoes in our own hearts: never mind the high sounding religious double talk, back to the teaching and testimony, back to the real, tested securities of our faith. When continuous political and economic crises sap the vitality of nations and peoples, when uprooted, mixed up, ever moving people look here and there and everywhere for guidance, we better walk our own tested paths. And a few years ago, we, as a congregation, decided to return to the tested, strict order of the Reformed Faith. And we, kind of, stick to our decision, and we are not sorry for it. And when we are ready, we start from here. REPENTANCE: WE MUST AMEND OUR WAYS Here is the story of Zakaeus. (Luke 19: 1-10.) Someone could say: it was easy for him, he had supper with Jesus. Many romantic church members would prefer the company of Jesus to the poor company of ministers, pastors, church workers. (“Others — ministers — are burdened with anxiety and guilt because of their inabilitv to play the part of the supernatural, holy saint that congregations expect of them.” — G. C. Anderson.) But look at the Church. We do remember Jesus, his life, teaching, death and resurrection. We have much more to build our faith on than Zakaeus ever did and still we do not have it easy. Zakaeus did not know much about Jesus. He heard that he was the friend of “sinners”, social outcasts. Much more important in the presence of Jesus, Zakaeus began to know himself. And to gain self- knowledge is a hard job. He recognized his own distorted, money grabbing, cheating life. He was a tax collector and a wicked one. And immediately he knew he had things to do. Actions speak louder than words: repentance was followed by amendments. He was willing to go all the way: make restorations fourfold. No wonder he was unburdened and was called son of Abraham by one who was beyond the pale of Pharisaic hair splitting and moralistic, proud condemnation of others. Oh yes, but we must not read this story in a safe distance. The story becomes a relevant encounter if vicariously we try to identify with Zakaeus. Previous generations would have said: what would Jesus have us to do! We are satisfied with encounter with the word which is directed to us all: repent, make amends! How can we come close to the ministry of service to our fellow men, remembering the great compassionate service of Jesus, the Christ, if we do not repent? We must be unburdened, released from our sins by sincere repentance and willingness to follow through with active restorations: make up with your brothers and sisters, make up for lost opportunities of service, work, study in the church. THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD How did we make out in our congregations?! How is the ministry of the Word in our midst?! In the parable of the seed there is encouragement and comfort for the preachers . . . and we need them. In the good soil the seeds will grow, the harvest will come, and all Scripture is good. (II Tim. 3:16.) The Word of God is good even when frail, sinful man (and who is not that?) is the preacher. (Second Helvetic Confession.) But what about the disciplined, faithful attendance at worship services?! Yes, the older congregation is growing weaker. The younger congregation is rather complacent about church attendance. The younger people are fast becoming the typical “American Protestant Church”: people drift to and fro, and coming to church depends too precariously upon “I like the sermon, or I don’t like the preacher” attitude. Mid-week worship services cannot get a foothold, not even penitential worship services. The main reason usually is that it is not a custom in “American churches”, whatever that expression may mean. The Reformed Church, however, all over the world taught that proper preparation for the Lord’s Supper entails at-
