Magyar Egyház, 1965 (44. évfolyam, 2-12. szám)
1965-02-01 / 2. szám
12 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ Christ, my Savior, I take up Thy banner and will hold it with Hungarian fidelity and pledge that / will hold it, even if I am to remain the last one of my flock. Thy name radiates from this banner. To Thy name will 1 bear witness in evevry moment of my life, with all my words, deeds and acts. / will participate in Thy kingly work and fight against sin, against Satan, the enemy of God’s people and against all enemies of the Hungarian Reformed Church. I will participate in Thy high-priestly work, offering my life on Thy altar for my people and Church and I am ready to die for Thee and for the treasures entrusted to me. My people, fellow ministers in the service, lift high the banner of Jesus Christ, and follow me into the battle with your prayers. PROTESTANTS LAUNCH 17th ANNUAL APPEAL FOR NEEDY OVERSEAS Protestant denominations have set a goal of $17,- 097,745 for their annual One Great Hour of Sharing appeal for support of programs of assistance to the hungry and needy in 40 countries overseas. This was announced by James MacCracken, executive director of Church World Service Department which sponsors the appeal on behalf of participating Protestant and Eastern Orthodox communions. Church World Service is a department of the Division of Overseas Ministries of the National Council of Churches. One Great Hour of Sharing will be observed in more than 94.000 individual churches throughout the country on SUNDAY, MARCH 28. Funds realized through this effort will go toward support of individual denominational programs of assistance, and joint projects of aid carried on overseas through Church World Service, the World Council of Churches and related interdenominational organizations. “Both disaster relief services and long-term rehabilitation efforts to help those in need to help themselves, are made possible through this united Protestant appeal,” said MacCracken. The churches responded to 23 disasters during the past year, including a cyclone in East Pakistan, a typhoon and floods in Korea, drought and floods in Brazil, and critical refugee needs in Congo, Burundi and Uganda. MacCracken also cited self-help rehabilitation projects supported by the churches, giving as examples road-building in Chile, school construction in Grenada, dam and well building in Ghana, a continuing reforestation program in Algeria, irrigation development in Korea, and construction of solar distillation plants in Greece for conversion of salt water to fresh water. “We recognize that the backbone of the churches’ service program in the area of acute human need has been to provide vital food, clothing and medicine.” Included in the aid given to the hungry and malnourished overseas are vast stocks of U.S. Government commodity foods distributed through the SOS (Share Our Substance) program. During the past year 294,421,- 026 pounds of SOS foods, valued at $17,910,844 were distributed. Other services rendered are the teaching of skills and trades to aid the destitute in attaining self-sufficiency; assistance to orphanages and hospitals, tuberculosis clinics and other health facilities, and mobile medical and dental clinics. Communions working together to aid the needy overseas in programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing include our Hungarian Reformed Church in America. Special offering envelopes will be distributed among all our congregations. Return them with your generous donation. THE SECOND HELVETIC CONFESSION RENDERED IN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SECTION X Predestination of God and his election of the saints. 1. IT hat do we understand by predestination and election of saints by God? We understand that God had from all eternity, by His free grace, with no partiality, predestined or elected the saints whom He wants to save in Christ. 2. Is there no basis at all for the predestination or election of God? Yes, there is. God had predestined or elected us in Christ and because of Christ. Therefore, those who are in Chrirst by faith, are also elected. But those who are without Christ, are rejected. 3. For what purposes did God predestine or elect us? God predestined or elected us for the following purposes according to Ephesus 1:4-6: 1. that we should be holy and blameless before Him, 2. that we be His sons through Jesus Christ, 3. that we praise His glorious grace which He freely bestowed upon us in the Beloved (Jesus). 4. How should we think of our fellowmen as to their election or rejection? We should hope for the election of all men, although the Holy Scripture indicates that only a certain number of men are elected. 5. IF ho misunderstand the true meaning of predestination or election? Those who talk like this: a. since only a certain number of men are elected, and since I do not know whether or not I belong to them, therefore, I enjoy life; b. if God elected me, my salvation is certain regardless what I do. But if God rejected me, neither faith nor repentence can help me because the decree of God cannot be changed. 6. What is our duty? We have to hear and believe the gospel that “God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” If we believe this we are in Christ, that is, we are elected most certainly. 7. What else should dispel our doubts concerning our election? Our doubts should be dispelled by the fact that the promises of God are addressed to all men; that we are planted in Christ by baptism and we are nourished by his flesh and blood in the church for our eternal life. Stephen Kovács
