REFORMED CONTINUA Magazine of The Reformed Churches (restored) of The Netherlands Proverbs 8:32 - Volume 9 - December 2012 - From the editor December 2012 This is the 9th issue of the magazine Reformed Continua From the editor you now have in front of you. We are thankful to the Joh. Houweling page 1 Lord who made this possible. This time in December. In Spirit and in Truth The issue is also not as voluminous and hopefully it S. de Marie page 3 increases the readability. Introducing you to … In January we had decided that, instead of putting out DGK Hasselt and environs A. Admiraal page 6 a Magazine twice yearly, we would increase that to four times, but as you have noticed, we did not succeed. The General Synod of RCN(r) It was not possible to get the June and September at Hasselt 2011-2012 issues done, due to lack of time (among other things, S. de Marie page 8 the visit to the synod of the Free Reformed Churches Decisions regarding the Reformed of Australia). We hope to have more time for it in the Church (dissenting) Dalfsen page 12 coming year. From the Churches It is clear every time, even in deputies’ reports, that Joh. Houweling page 17 the Magazine is well-read and clearly meets a In all this we know that the Lord Himself preserves need. His Church to the end. It is the merit of the Lord that the Church still exists and that there are still This edition contains: lots of possibilities. We have been richly blessed, also by the many rich and beautiful sermons. An initial article by Rev. S. de Marie titled: In Spirit and in Truth; an article about our latest Synod and a Finally, we hope and pray that this edition may separate article about Dalfsen as published earlier again be well-received and will open the eyes in ‘De Bazuin’. to the right insight on the Church, as we confess The congregation at Hasselt introduces itself to you every Sunday, and so may contribute towards God’s this time. church-gathering work, to the honour of His holy Then: From the churches. Name. So far about the articles in this Magazine. Joh. Houweling, Bleiswijk From the editor 2 Click on this line to find information on internet about all the local churches REFORMED CONTINUA Magazine of The Reformed Churches (restored) of The Netherlands This magazine is issued by the ‘Deputies for Contact with Churches Abroad’ and is distributed automatically Magazine via the website: www.reformedcontinua.nl Editor in Chief: details Joh. Houweling, Bleiswijk Deputies Contact Churches Abroad: dr. W.J. Heeringa, Groningen Translators: Subscription is free of charge, Joh. Houweling, Bleiswijk R. Antonides-Beijes, Leek and can be obtained by adding ds. S. de Marie, Zwolle C.W. Bijsterveld-Terpstra, Ten Boer your e-mail-address to our mail- A. van der Net, Hasselt S.C. Franschman-Terpstra, Enschede list on the following website: R. Sikkens, Zwolle H. van der Net-Visser, Hasselt www.reformedcontinua.nl Via this website you can Contact deputies: Layout: also unsubscribe. Deputaten BBK J. Bos, Rotterdam c/o mr. A. van der Net Webmaster: Het Kooistuk 5 Items for the editorial board: C. van Egmond, Schiedam 8061 AT Hasselt c/o Hoefweg 202 The Netherlands 2665 LE Bleiswijk or via e-mail: The Netherlands © 2012 Joh. Houweling [email protected] - REFORMED CONTINUA - Volume 9 - December 2012 - In Spirit and in Truth The true liturgy John 4:23, 24: The Old Testament worship service was to pass 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when away to make way for the New Testament worship the true worshippers will worship the Father in service. That worship service is then freed from all spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such its shadowy characteristics, freed from formalism. to worship Him. This worship service will no longer be confined 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him to the one place, Jerusalem, but may be found must worship in spirit and truth. wherever the Lord will gather His own, that is - the true believers. True worshippers will then be the Living water true believers who, worldwide, will honour God The words that the Lord Jesus spoke to the the Father uprightly and in the right manner, that Samaritan woman in John 4 have much to say to us is – according to His Word. concerning the honouring of our God and the nature Those true worshippers will do it differently from In Spirit and in Truth of our worship services. On one of His journeys the now on. That is, not according to the ancient Lord sought out this woman who still found herself temple rules given by Moses, but ‘in spirit and in outside the covenant. He came to tell her that He truth’. 3 is the living water, Giver of the eternal life that is in Him. He pointed to the well of Jacob as an Christ example to make clear to her the importance of From now on it will be about God’s Truth that has His Person. Just as your body cannot do without been revealed, unveiled and brought to light by the living, healthy water from the well, so you also Christ. He Himself is the truth, the reality that the cannot do without the gift of Christ and His eternal centuries-old ceremonial service pointed to. Only salvation. For that He gives His Spirit that makes through Him God can now be known. The Spirit of alive. Everyone who accepts Christ in faith receives Christ will ensure that the Father will be known not only living water to drink, but will, through and served in ‘spirit and truth’ through the Word His Spirit, become a fountain of living water that of truth. springs up to eternal life (John 4:14). Only later did the woman understand who Jesus So communion may be possible with Christ and He really was. That happened when He let her see that may be proclaimed in the worship services. Every He knew her totally (verse 16-19). She then saw true worship service can now only find place in the that He was a prophet Who could tell her the Truth name of this Lord Jesus Christ, the Mediator of of God. the covenant, the High Priest who is Head of the church. The proclamation of Him as the substance The ceremonies abolished of the Word of Truth is henceforth the requisite for From John 4:21 on, the Lord Jesus made clear that every true worship service. There Christ Himself with His coming there would be a fundamental must come to stand as reality in the full light. change in the worship service and in the position of the Samaritans and heathens in respect to the All ceremonial proceedings that are meant as people of Israel, who then still knew a privileged sincere worship service by sinful man, can easily position. The Samaritans, being of heathen origin, develop into mere formalism. Also in the Old did not serve God at the proper place nor in the Testament human falsification and manipulation proper manner. The Jews in principle did do so. But, was seen. Through these sinful influences the Jesus said: it will happen now that I have come, that worship service received already then a human and also God the Father in Heaven shall be worshipped therefore often an idolatrous character. Then too in a different place and in a different manner. It it was already deprived of real spirituality. We can was because the Messiah had to come forth from see this for example in the swearing at the temple the Jews that the ceremonial worship service had, (Matthew 23:22), in the superstitious handling for centuries, been assigned only for them, but that of the ark by the sons of Eli (1 Sam. 4:3), in the would soon end, just as the privileged position of worship of the bronze serpent (2 Kings 18:4), in the the Jews would end. trading of the money changers (Matthew 21:12; - REFORMED CONTINUA - Volume 9 - December 2012 - John 2:15), in the bringing of hypocritical sacrifices it happens with the commandments and teachings (Isaiah 1:10-14). How often didn’t the prophets made by man. In fact they are without any value have to fight against formalism? and serve only to the indulgence of the flesh. You The great danger in that is that those forms turn can be overawed by them. It can all feel good, into idols. That images, used in the teachings of it might excite you into a higher sphere but they God by the use of shadows, will be revered in an remain earthly matters. The worship service can idolatrous manner, that man will seek himself in then even turn into a form of self satisfaction them and that they draw away from the truth. without any value. Without eternal worth! Set your mind on things above God is Spirit! With Christ the purpose of the shadowy worship has How is this to be avoided? Only if we let ourselves ceased. Now Christ, the great prophet, our chief be led by the Spirit of Christ. That Spirit works by prophet and teacher, may speak. means of the Word of Christ that is the Word of the As Moses said (Deut. 18:15): Father. John 4 verse 23 says: ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet ‘But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true from your midst, - him you shall hear.’ worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and In Spirit and in Truth In Spirit and in Truth (Deut.