THE CANADIAN REFORMED MAGAZINE
The remarkable story of the Belgic Confession
Inside this Issue Editorial #ORNELIS¬6AN¬$AM
Being Faithful Even
to the Point of Death $R¬#ORNELIS¬6AN¬$AM¬IS¬ PROFESSOR¬EMERITUS¬OF¬/LD¬ 4ESTAMENT¬AT¬THE¬#ANADIAN¬ 2EFORMED¬4HEOLOGICAL¬3EMINARY¬ IN¬(AMILTON ¬/NTARIO¬ CVANDAM CANRCORG During the ages countless children of God have given up their life for the cause of Christ
It is difficult for us to imagine what the Lord’s International Version (1984). The first passage is from command to be faithful unto death (Rev 2:10) really Revelation 6:9-11, entails. Yet it is good to reflect on what our Saviour’s When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar words have meant in the history of the church and still the souls of those who had been slain because mean today, especially as we celebrate Reformation of the word of God and the testimony they had Day on October 31. After all, during the ages countless maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How children of God have given up their life for the cause long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge of Christ. Also in the time of the Reformation and in the the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” following century many paid the ultimate price for their Then each of them was given a white robe, and they faith and today many continue to do the same. were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be Martyrs’ Monument killed as they had been was completed. By quoting this passage, the Martyrs’ Monument As Reformed believers we are familiar with the cries for vengeance! Is this right? Should Christians martyrdom of men like Guido de Brès and the killings not love their enemies and want to forgive them? and suffering that the Huguenots in France endured. However, a careful reflection on this passage leads Presbyterian believers in the British Isles were also not to the conclusion that those killed for the faith are not spared the anguish of being faithful to death. crying for personal vengeance. They address God as There is a poignant monument in the cemetery the holy and true One. By doing so, they indicate their surrounding the historic Greyfriars church in desire that God’s holiness and truth be vindicated. Has Edinburgh. This memorial commemorates the suffering God not said that he would avenge the death of his of 18,000 Scottish Covenanters who died between 1661 saints (Deut 32:35, 43; Heb 10:30)? Well, Lord, show the and 1688 during “the Killing Times.” A key reason for world that this is true and avenge our blood! This is a the persecution was the refusal of the Covenanters legitimate cry for vengeance, for it seeks God’s honour. to affirm that the reigning monarch was the head However, God’s time is not our time and in Revelation 6 of the church, for this would be a denial of Christ’s the Lord indicates that he will restrain his wrath until preeminent position. In other words they resisted with the very last martyr has suffered. The saints however all their might the establishment of episcopacy as are dressed in white robes as they await that great day. found in the Anglican church. It was William of Orange who in 1690 eventually established Presbyterian church government in Scotland. However, in the meantime We need to continue to remember these much suffering took place and the Martyrs’ Monument Christians in our prayers as they attests to it. At the base of this monument are found three pay the ultimate price passages from the book of Revelation in the King James Version. They are instructive for shaping a The next passage on the monument elaborates biblical view on the persecution of God’s children. For on the white robes. Speaking of the believers before ease of comprehension, I will quote them in the New the Lamb in heaven, Revelation 7:14 says, “These are