The Wonderful Works Of God

[Iconoclast]

In His book The Wonderful works of God Herman Bavinck declares; [pg102]

Now the church has not received this Scripture from God in order to simply rest on it, and still less to bury this treasure in the earth. On the contrary, the church is called to preserve this Word of God, to explain it preach it, apply it, translate it, spread it abroad, recommend it, and defend it-in a word, to cause the thoughts of
God laid down in scriptures to triumph everywhere and at all times over the thoughts of man.

Further down he offers this;
And in a larger sense much more is part and parcel of this service of the Word; this, for example,
1]That in our own hearts and lives,

2]in our profession and business

3] in house and field and office

4]in science and in art

5]in state and community

6]in works of mercy in missions

7]and in all spheres and ways of life

This word be applied, worked out, and made to rule.

The church is pillar and ground of the truth (1tim.3:15)

Do you agree with this?

Do you actively seek to implement these ideas in your sphere of influence?

Is he suggesting a Theonomic view of life?

Are we to be active in society, or is it like polishing the brass on the Titanic?

 

[Iconoclast]

Pg103.
Every believer and every church if the testimony of the Holy Spirit be present their confesses that the word of God is the truth. And as the errors and heresies and subtler and subtler, the church is more compelled to take careful account of the truth it confesses and to state its Creed in definite and unambiguous terms .
Naturally the oral confession by force of circumstance becomes also a written confession.

The function of the confessions or Creeds is not to push the scriptures into the background, but rather to maintain them and to protect them against individual
Caprice.
So far from violating the freedom of conscience, they support it over against all sorts of heretical spirits who seek to leave the weak and uninformed Souls astray.

 

[agedman]

Again, my opinion only.

We are “in the world, but not (to be) of the world. As Abram, Noah, Joseph, Moses,... we seek a better place.

Now, as ambassadors we are to be a light to others, salt to the wounded, looking for the good for even those who despise us.

Because, as not true citizens of the world, we abide as ambassadors compliant in the world systems in which they are appointed by the commander and chief, our Lord Jesus Christ.


However, (again imo) the modern assemblies are wholly given over to the fleshly, and care very little that Christ is not truly invited into their midst.

The church has left the Scriptures (the Lord Jesus Christ). They have allowed Jezebel in their midst, they have swooned to fleshly delight rather than attend to the first works of the calling, The typical church shrinks from taking a stand and compromises to prevent slander. The assembly accepts the debauchery among its leadership, and there is no true repentance or call for accountability. The typical assembly has become weak, and ill prepared for the treacherous demonic influences.

I could go on, but frankly, if the church is in such disastrous state, is it not true that their feeble attempts of social reform is but adding worm fodder to the apples?

 

[Iconoclast]

"aged man,

Again, my opinion only.

We are “in the world, but not (to be) of the world. As Abram, Noah, Joseph, Moses,... we seek a better place.

Now, as ambassadors we are to be a light to others, salt to the wounded, looking for the good for even those who despise us.

Because, as not true citizens of the world, we abide as ambassadors compliant in the world systems in which they are appointed by the commander and chief, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes. Ambassadors bring the message of the King.
This I believe is what he is getting at when under the section of this book, he moves from General revelation, to special revelation, when he said this;
Further down he offers this;
And in a larger sense much more is part and parcel of this service of the Word; this, for example,
1]That in our own hearts and lives,

2]in our profession and business

3] in house and field and office

4]in science and in art

5]in state and community

6]in works of mercy in missions

7]and in all spheres and ways of life

This word be applied, worked out, and made to rule.

The church is pillar and ground of the truth (1tim.3:15)

However, (again imo) the modern assemblies are wholly given over to the fleshly, and care very little that Christ is not truly invited into their midst.

In those places, they violate their responsibility to be part of being pillar and ground of the truth. It starts in each individual who fails to obey as we are called to do by this special revelation

The church has left the Scriptures (the Lord Jesus Christ). They have allowed Jezebel in their midst, they have swooned to fleshly delight rather than attend to the first works of the calling,

In such places, they settle for that comfortable seat in the pew, as a spectator to be entertained. They fail to keep their own heart many times, and this attitude spreads like the coronavirus.

The typical church shrinks from taking a stand and compromises to prevent slander. The assembly accepts the debauchery among its leadership, and there is no true repentance or call for accountability. The typical assembly has become weak, and ill prepared for the treacherous demonic influences.

The longer you live you get to experience this from place to place. If you are able to find places that attempts to remain faithful to the scriptures, you are blessed indeed.

I could go on, but frankly, if the church is in such disastrous state, is it not true that their feeble attempts of social reform is but adding worm fodder to the apples?[/QUOTE]

If surrounded by such places we should double our efforts to help in such a struggling work...I have a suspicion of where he will go with this.

 

[Iconoclast]

on page 106 he points out the Roman Catholic church drifted from scripture to church tradition.
He points out that doctrinally they went towards the error of Pelagius concerning the grace of the true gospel of scripture..The drift toward Mary worship, led by the Papacy continues this drift.
He points out on pg107
The three heresies or errors above represent a curtailment of the prophetic, priestly, and kingly office of Christ and a violation of it.

 

[Iconoclast]

Many sought to oppose the error but were overrun by The Roman Church.
Some were forcibly suppressed and smothered in blood.
The times were ripe for reformation.
The return to the scriptural teachings was and is opposed by religious people.

 

[tyndale1946]

I hear what you brethren are saying and couldn't agree more but I might add The Wonderful Works Of God are more than often MARRED by the works of men... Brother Glen

 

[Iconoclast]

"tyndale1946

I hear what you brethren are saying and couldn't agree more but I might add The Wonderful Works Of God are more than often MARRED by the works of men... Brother Glen

On pg102/103...He offers this;
Against such heresies, whether to the right or the left, the church is obligated to speak out resolutely and clearly and to state what is the truth vouchsafed to it by God Himself in His word.

The Church does this by it's assemblies, in which it established what according to its conviction must be held as Divine truth and thus as a teaching of the church on some particular point or other.

Thus the truth laid down in scripture leads, on the part of all those who believe and embrace it, to a confession, a creed.

Confession is the obligation of all believers and is also the dictate of their own hearts; the person who truly believes with his whole heart and soul cannot but confess, that is, testify to the truth that has made him free. and to the hope that has been planted in his heart by that truth.

As the errors and heresies grow subtler and subtler, the church is the more compelled to take careful account of the truth it confesses and to state the creed in definite and unambiguous terms.

 

[Iconoclast]

On pg143,144 He speaks of God's great works of creation and maintenance of all things, and people.
Then he writes this;
Holy Scripture also expresses this matter differently. It says that God brings everything into being according with his will or counsel. In other words, all the works of God, both those of creation and those are redemption, are the product not only of his thought but also of his will. Humanly speaking, we can say that every work of God is preceded by a deliberation of the mind and decision of the will.
in some passages of scripture the word used is counsel and some it is establishment or decree ,and some it is purpose, and some ordination, and then some of it the favor or good pleasure of God st. Paul speaks of the good pleasure and the Council of his will and Ephesians 1:5, and 11
Ps33:11,prov19:21,isa46:10; acts 2:23,isa49:8,2tim1:9,eph3:12

 

[Iconoclast]

God is in control of whatsoever comes to pass.
He is Creator sustainer, redeemer, and judge.

His control over what is carried out in time is by His providential dealings with mankind.

Concerning this providence, on PG.144/145
As the living God He is at the same time the operative God. He cannot do otherwise.
He works always [john 5:17].
All life,and especially the fully blessed, eternal life of God is power,energy, activity.
Such as the maker is,so is His work.
Because God is the maker and creator of all things, his works are great and wonderful as in Psalm 92 :vs 5 Psalm 139 : 14, true and faithful all together Psalm 33:4 and one 111: 7, and just and merciful psalm 145:17 and Daniel 9:14.
Included in all those Works, certainly, for the creation and maintenance of all things having an earth, Mankind and the Myriad of people, the Wonders were done in Israel and for Israel, and a Works which he accomplished through his Servant.
Humanly speaking, we can say that every work of God is preceded by a deliberation of the mind and the decision of the will. In some passages of scripture the word used as counsel, and some of this establishment, or for decree.
In some it is purpose, and some ordination, and then some it is the favor for good pleasure of God. St. Paul speaks of the good pleasure and the Council of God's will in Ephesians 1: 5 ,11

 

[Iconoclast]

In the book the wonderful works of God by Bavinck, on a section discussing creation and providence pg159 he comments,
Scripture calls the work of Providence a life-giving and persevering activity ;
,Job 33 :4


and Nehemiah 9:6

a renewing psalm 104:30,

a speaking Psa.33:9

a willing, revelation 4:11 ,

a working John 517,

and upholding of all things by the word of his power Hebrews 1:3

a caring 1st Pet. 5:7

and yes even a creating psa104: 30

and Isaiah 45:7

pg160;
The living God is not to be pushed to one side or into the backround after the creation issues from His hand.
The word Providence means that God supplies the world with what it needs.
It is an act of God's mind not only, but also of His will, a carrying out of His counsel. It is an activity by which from moment to moment He keeps the world in existence.

 

[Iconoclast]

Herman Bavinck on page 140 writes this;

In order to satisfy this requirement ,the Christian Church and the Christian theology in the early period made use of various words and expressions which cannot be found literally in the Holy Scriptures.
The church began to speak of the essence of God and of three persons in that essence of being.
It spoke of the triune and the trinitarian,of essential and personal characteristics, of the eternal generation of the Son and of the proceeding of The Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, and the like.

There is no reason at all why the Church and the christian theology should not use such terms and modes of expression.

For the Holy Scriptures was not given to the Church by God to be thoughlessly repeated but to be understood in all it's fulness and riches,and to be restated in its own language.in order that in this way it might proclaim the mighty works of God.

Moreover,such terms and expressions are necessary in order to maintain the truth of scripture over against misunderstanding and error.
History has shown that lighthearted disapproval and rejection of these names and modes of expression leads to various departures from the confession.

 

[Iconoclast]

pg141;
The Father is He from whom,the Son is He through whom,and the Spirit is He in whom all things are.

It is the Father that we are particularly indebted,therefore, for His electing love, to the Son for His redeeming grace, and to the Spirit for His regenerative and renewing power.

 

[Iconoclast]

on page 169;
Adam must have dominion over the earth, not by idleness and passivity but through the work of his head and heart and hand.

But in order to rule, he must serve;he must serve God who is his Creator and lawgiver.
Work and rest, rule and service,earthly and heavenly vocation, civilization and religion,culture and cultus, these pairs go together from the very beginning.
They belong together and together they compromise in one vocation the great and holy and glorious purpose of man.
All culture, that is,all work in order to subdue the earth, whether;
agriculture,stock breeding,commerce,industry,science,or all the rest,is all the fulfillment of a single Divine calling.
But if man is really to be and remain such as he must proceed in dependence on and in obedience to the Word of God.
Religion must be the principle which animates the whole life and which sanctifies it into a service of God.