Hungarian Church Press, 1957 (9. évfolyam, 14-15. szám)

1957-11-30 / 14. szám

HOHE5 XI„30,1957, Vol,. JX/14-159

3 -turned out to be a me re semblance of what we took for realities, For the period of the great disillusionment followed end, within it, above all, the judgment over our church. causing a serious and still existing crisis in the life of our church, I ought tc submit a report on two years, the first cf which was full of what was perhaps an unduly foverish outburst of hopeful efforts, while the record of the second reveals now a multitude of almost incurable wounds and sufferings. It is our- last chance now to investigate not only the church events of the last couple of years but, with the deepest humility in the sight of God, also that whole period the roots of which go back to the time of the two lost wars, and it is_, at least . the new period of our life after Tor Id far II which, in its entirely, calls for a serious reassessment.

This reassessment, however, - let me humbly speak for all of us - is a task: that is beyond our powers. Nevertheless, we oliull make an effort, as best as we can, in this direction« . The main question is obviously this: was the pioneering iuitiativu.. which our church, in the furnace of a worldwide transformations undertookj on act of obedience to the will of God, or was in on act cf unbelief and treachery ? There is no third answer, Of course, the reference to the obedience to God^s will must carry the qualification that even the noblest deeds and most humbly obedient acts of sinful mm are exposed to the vitiating force of sin, and so it is only our effort to do the right thing that Tire are entitled to call our own. The rest, which is everything, is supplied and added by the grace of Godc But cannot these miseries and infirmities of ours, these failures which have accumulated and have gone without corrections over all these yóors obscure chu narrow path vrhioh «*• as it seemed - we had held firmly in view , and, while walking, therein* we had sought God'’s will, trying to respond to it, in a fruitful end practical woy, with our obedience of faith? I cm now looking for a point to start from, and so I aslc the question: What was the vision of faith in our church at the time cf the great debacle which ended the wax- for us and of the granting of a renewed lease on life which God was gracious to give us? For an answer I take the following quotation;

11 In the course of our quickly passing time the Church walks in the narrow path amidst two temptations«. The first is to ignore the signs of the times, and thus tryiig to preserve or defend things which God judged and condemned and the second temptation is to accomodate ourselves to the changes of our history in a way as to sacrifice values which God entrusted to our church,, "Hold that fast which thou hast ., that no man take tty crown".. There is a sure guide to show our way, and that is the Word of God«, The lord of God for us is not simply the Bible the words of which are often used by man to justify his own ideas; the will of God is revealed to us ~ as the teaching of the Heidelberg Catechism on the church tells us "by His Word and Holy Spirit", The Church is not a static, complete aid rigid frame but a living stream which is constantly in becoming, as the Word and the Spirit continually call into being and build up the Church. This Church is not yet the Church Triumphant which will attain to perfection when the Lord returns; it is the Koclesia. Militans, the struggling communion of saints, the pilgrim people of God that is different from the world and yet exists in this world.- It 2.3 this situation which causes tensions a 1 actuates the service in which the lif e of the Church, directed by its Lord, and by Him alone, here and now evolves* Thu Church knows and, under the paverful guidance of the Holy Spirit, believes that 'the Lord God omnipotent roigneth"«, ;nd the Church confesses, already here end now, what« the "great voice of much people" will proclaim, according to Revelation.!: "True and righteous are his judgments"-.- It is this word that is the basis of our orientation-. Our Lord is not only the Head of the Church, but Ho.is also the Lord of the universe and of history, and so., apart from His will, nothing happens anywhere in thip world», Anri whatever He does is true and righteous. This

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