Calvin Synod Herald, 2007 (108. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2007-11-01 / 11-12. szám

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD

9

There are four Hungarian children from Melegfoldvar who attend this school, but we have many language and faith problems with them at our religious classes. They learn a lot of superstitions from their classmates, and orthodox dogmas from their teachers. I may teach them the importance of bible reading and of Calvin’s teachings, but they go back to school and, because they spend more time there, that influence is stronger. Day by day, they forget how to read and speak their Hungarian language and don’t feel at home in a Reformed church service where the language is Hungarian, so that the loss of their language means also the loss of their religion.

This is why we want so much to do something for these children. We have seen many similar situations in the other villages in which these situations end with total annihilation of Reformed congregations. My wife and I have taken on the dormitory expenses of a young girl, Kocsis Andrea, because otherwise her family couldn’t afford her going to the Gheriaschool; but we cannot do more from our small income. And so, once again, we are asking help to give them learning and future work possibilities.

We pray for them and try to lead them on God’s path, but they need a chance to leam and do more than their parents. They need a chance for a good job to support their children’s expenses.

In the United States, I saw that people have much more money because they have education and are working hard for their money. And I also saw what your schools do for your children. We would like to do the same for our children here. We want to show this way for our children too, learning and smart working. And that is why we ask you to help us give these children a chance to break out from this circle of poverty.

Family situations are different, and the TEKA Diaspora Center in Gheria fixes expenses according to their need. Our aim is to assure transportation for every child weekly to Gheria and back. Last semester an anonymous person from America supported eight children from Feketeleak, eight from Melegfoldvar and two from Gy eke. We thank God for that support. It was very helpful. This year, the Teka Foundation got transportation supported from Germany for the Gyeke and Feketelak children. This leaves us with eight children from Melegfoldvar, along with five who will start in elementary school, for a total of 13 children from 3rd to 1 Oth grade who will need support. If you could help to meet their needs, it would do so much to restore the Reformed faith to this part of our historical lands.

Barticel Kiss Krisztián

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Reformed Doctrine, Chapter X Of Effectual Calling

i.

Those whom He elected and those only God is pleased to effectually call.[l] God by His Word and Spirit[2] calls the elect out of their state of death to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. [3] God spiritually enlightens their minds so they can understand the things of God[4] for salvation. God removes from them a heart of stone and gives to them a heart of flesh. [5] God renews their wills by His almighty power making them able to do all spiritually good. [6] God further draws them to Jesus Christ: [7] yet does so in a manner whereby they come most willingly by His grace.[8]

II.

The effectual call of the elect is of God’s grace alone, not from anything foreseen in man, [9] who is altogether passive until being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit. In the renewal of the Holy Spirit[ 10] alone is man able to answer the call and to embrace the grace offered and given in the call.[l 1]

III.

Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Jesus Christ, through the Spirit[ 12] who works when and where He wills as He alone pleases.[13] Likewise with all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word. [14]

IV.

Those not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word,[15] and may have some common operations of the Spirit,[16][16] yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved. [17] Men, not professing the Christian religion, cannot be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the laws of whatever religion they do profess. [18] To assert and maintain that any by any other means be saved is very destructive to the true faith and is to be detested. [19]

Questions

1. Whom does God actually call to salvation in Christ?

2. Can the non-elect respond to hearing the Gospel in any way whatsoever?

3. Can the non-elect actually be saved and why or why not?

4. Will man of his own will left to himself ever seek God?

5. Why cannot God be called unfair in the election?

[1] Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28,30; 11:7; Eph. 1:5, 11;

II Tim. 1:9-10

[2] II Thess. 2:13-14; James 1:18; II Cor. 3:3, 6; I Cor. 2:12

[3] II Tim. 1:9-10; I Peter 2:9; Rom 8:2; Eph. 2:1-10

[4] Acts 26:18; I Cor. 2:10, 12; Eph. 1:17-18; II Cor. 4:6

[5] Ezek. 36:26

[6] Ezek. 11:19; 36:27; Deut. 30:6; John 3:5; Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:23