Hungarian Church Press, 1968 (20. évfolyam, 2. szám)

1968-06-01 / 2. szám

HCP Vol XX Special Number

1968 No 2- 57 -(07679)

rather narrow-minded type of piety« But the two postures were at one at one point: both strove to make the life of the church an end in itself* Whereas the Church can only fulfill her mission in this world if she lives for the world* The truth of this is much more evident in a socialist society than it was in the former system. And so, in the light of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit we have soon had to realise that the church can no longer rule and direct in the new social order, yet she has also received the opportunity from the Lord cf the Church to starve for the good of the whole society, these opportunities ever widening in the measure to the extent of which the church humbles herself in doing her service* It has been in terms of this insight that our churches have been freed from the foar for the survival of the church and guided to work for the renewal of the church* It has been in this way that God has made the vision of the serving church the only possible life pattern for our churches«

b) The Primary Ministry of the Church Is to Live as Church

"The Church dees not exist in order to maintain herself but in order to be the herald of God's Kingdom, that is, of His kingly rule in this World".^ This insight has placed our churches under the obligation to renounce their own vaunted righteousness, thus standing before the tribunal of God's judgment,and thus fulfilling one of their most important tasks, their prophetic ministry*

In the new historical situation, our churches have realized that the only modus vivendi for them is to live as churches, that is, not for the purpose of maintaining themeselves, but of proclaiming the Kingdom of God* However, the Church can only meet tnis requirement if she gives up the claim to be the sole repository of truth and justice, thus sitting in the judgment seat and judging the world« As quite the reverse, it has become clear in the new social system that the Church herself is to stand continually before the judgment-seat of God, also mindful cf the fact that, in the new social system, all her steps are watched with critical eyes, but mainly of the obligation to weifh all her words and deeds in front of God's tribunal*

It is this heart-searching in the sight of God that enables the Church to discharge what is one cf her most important tasks: her prophetic ministry« But, at this point, we have to dispel some misunderstandings. In all parts of the world and in wid e circles the view has come to prevail according to which the prophetic service consists chiefly in criticism, in a negative stance of judgment and of proclaiming the judgment of God* Whereas the truth is that the primary service of the prophet is to proclaim the "good news",the Gospel (Isaiah 40:61 and other uexts). The Gospel proclaimed try the prophet only turns into the bitterness of proclaiming judgnent if the people addressed do not obey the Gospel« We have had to learn that, in the new social system, because of the successful solution of certain grave problems formerly impervious to all attempts at their solution, people in general have become more