The "Promise" to the Children of Believers

A while ago, a discussion evolved on the listserv of the RCUS that ended up talking about the meaning of the promise given to children of believers. I am by no means a theologian, but a mere lay member in a Reformed (RCUS) church, and I know relatively little about theology. However, I know something about this topic as I have encountered this discussion before when I was a member in the Reformed Churches (Liberated) in Holland. I fear that too many members of that denomination are living under the delusion that the church teaches automatic salvation for the children of believers (the learned men of that church most certainly do not!) and it is a misconception that has bred distrust and confusion among other Reformed churches in the Netherlands.

Being a linguist, one of the first things that struck me as going wrong in the discussion was the correct understanding of the word “promise” in Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 74, and more broadly in Acts 2:39. Someone said, “You seem to be telling me that I can be in the covenant (visible church), and have the promise of salvation, but in the end, not have the actual salvation and be lost.” I can come to no other conclusion myself than that this is what the Bible teaches. It comes down to understanding what “promise” really means.

A very narrow, literal reading would be to understand “promise” to mean something like “a sacred oath” on God’s part to give salvation at some future point. After all, a “promise” is like an IOU: nothing is given yet, but it will be given later. On Scriptural grounds, this is an impossible interpretation. Since God has elected those whom He will save from before the beginning of time, it would be silly to posit the giving of a promise of salvation but not actual salvation at that same moment in linear, human time. As if there can be a period of time between the giving of the promise and the time actual salvation rendered to the elect person in question, during which this person is unsaved and not only remains in his sins, but does not benefit from the privileges of God’s covenant through Jesus Christ. What would be the point of making such a promise, if it has no benefits?

Clearly, this is not what is meant with the word “promise.” It always struck me that the use of “promise” in Acts 2:39, which I believe to be one of the foundational texts for this discussion, is not a very precise word in the sense that all those present at Peter’s sermon and all their children and all people who are afar off without exception were saved that moment or were going to be saved in the future. After all, the verse has a subclause: “as many as the Lord our God will call.” This applies to all three categories of people: the hearers, their children, and those who are afar off. The word “promise” is a very general statement that God will save some of the people in each of the three categories, but not all. It seems to me—and I know no Greek, though I can use handbooks—that the word epaggelia (which renders “promise” in Acts 2:39) implies more of an announcement by God than a vow. It is a general statement of actions God will surely perform but in what way and when remains part of His secret will.

In announcing the “promise,” both in Acts 2:39 and in HC Q&A 74, something concrete is rendered at the time of the announcement that is not identical with actual salvation. This concrete thing is certainly the inclusion in the covenant or visible church. This has real benefits because it provides the means of grace, that is to say, it brings the Kingdom of God near through the preaching of Jesus Christ, the only Name under heaven by which we must be saved. It also brings an obligation, because ultimate unbelief on the part of the person to whom this “promise” was offered implies the rejection of God’s grace and salvation. Theirs is the greater offense than that of the unbelievers to whom the offer was not made.

Now, it is true that we humans cannot distinguish between those who have received only the outward benefits of this covenant through God’s promise and those who are elect in God’s forejudgment. It is therefore prudent and right that we should treat all who have received this covenant promise—adults as well as children, that is to say, communicant members and baptized members—the same way, because they have this in common: they have all received the covenant promise, and by extension, the God-ordained privileges of the visible church. Thus, by this promise, and by the sacrament of baptism which is a sign and seal of that promise, the children of believers are distinguished from the children of unbelievers. One might even argue, distinguished from adult unbelievers as well, but this is a moot point.

Thus we must accept the children of believers as part of the covenant, and assume them to be saved, until and unless it becomes clear that they are not. The latter is not a statement of fact but an assumption. This distinction is vital; confusion on this point can lead to terrible consequences, as I have sadly witnessed in the Liberated Churches. The misunderstanding of this difference between inward and outward privileges, of visible and invisible church, of the meaning of this promise to the children of believers, has led to a terrible presumption on the part of children of believers, especially those in the rebellious years. After all, if you are taught the wrong doctrine—“You are a child of the covenant, so you are saved.”—you may easily fall into the trap of Romans 6:1: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” I have seen it and it festered to an alarming extent in the Liberated Churches when I was a member there. It teaches children a false sense of invulnerability and presumption.

In short, when the Bible and the Heidelberg Catechism speak of the “promise,” they do not mean “sacred oath” sworn by God that He will give salvation, or that it has already been given, to all children of believers. It is a statement of eligibility for salvation, as it were, by being brought into the hearing of the gospel. It does not imply effectual calling, just as I cannot promise my unbelieving neighbor salvation when I evangelize him, though I might say to him, “I can promise you eternal life” (or, more properly, “God promises you eternal life”). The moment of announcement, of stating the promise, is not the moment of salvation.

4. Clinging to Christ

19 March 2006

Humble yourselves, therefore, under
the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting
all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be
watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking
someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds
of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called
you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen,
and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11, ESV)

We have here a certain promise. We read that the hand of God is mighty and that He will exalt us. We have the assurance that God cares for us. We are not alone and God does care, regardless of what the godless claim.

But note that the circumstances in which this promise is given: “casting all your anxieties on him,” it says. The apostle Peter is assuming the presence of anxiety. It does not matter whether he was refering to a particular situation since we can be sure that the admonition is general. In all circumstances, we can lay our care and anxieties on Him who is faithful.

The danger of not doing so is clear: the devil is “seeking someone to devour” (v. 8). In other words, not trusting in God will make one vulnerable to the devil. The idea of agnosticism, sitting on the fence about whether or not God exists, is something God does not approve of. He has given us a clear command: believe or perish, and He has given us the tools to discern Him (both general revelation, i.e. nature, and special revelation, i.e. the Bible). All those sitting on the fence are sitting there with their eyes closed and their fingers in their ears. And the devil has already shackled them. All who stray from God end up in darkness where the devil will bind them too.

So God’s promise requires of us trust and maturity of faith. It is in difficulties that it is sometimes hardest to trust God and yet we have God’s sure promise that “he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability” (1Co 10:13). Difficulties will come but we need not despair: God is with us.

Those who persevere and rely on this promise will grow in faith in the midst of difficulties. There will be a time of suffering after which God “will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (v. 10). These sufferings can be brief or take a lifetime. The Christians to whom Peter wrote endured persecution under Nero and other wicked emperors, and we are to be ready for persecution, too. But there is a crown for all who cling to Christ, realizing and ever remembering that He reached down and lifted them out of the swamp of sin. He loved us first. Now let us love Him.

3. Understanding Our Own Humanity

5 March 2006

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with
one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which
commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most
important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And
you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this:
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment
greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right,
Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides
him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding
and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more
than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that
he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34,
ESV)

The many divisions in Christ’s Church are something that grieves God enormously. These divisions are, I believe, mostly caused by our misinterpretation of the Great Commandment, which both Jesus and the scribe here quote from the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5). We tend to stress one of the four components out of proportion to the other ones, and I believe these emphases can be seen in the worship styles and the theologies of the various denominations—or, they are sometimes unfairly alleged against churches.

So what does the Great Commandment mean? Clearly, we should balance our love for God between the four components: heart, soul, mind and strength. These really are references to four different aspects of our being and we should do well to understand these differences if we are to understand our own humanity and the demands of faith the God puts on us.

First, heart (in Greek cardia) meant more or less what it means to us in metaphoric language: the feelings. Thus, we are to love God with our emotions just as we would love dear ones. In other words, outbursts of feelings toward God are not at all melodramatic as some austere Christians allege. Especially among Israel, there was good reason to love God because of His special covenant with and mercies toward them.

Second, we are to love God with all our soul. That is to say, we are to long for God and for His kingdom. We are to cling to Christ and His sacrifice, to the covenant sealed in His blood and understand ourselves to be a part of that covenant. We are to love God as people who have been personally saved by Christ and render Him gratitude for it.

Third, ignorant men may interject that Deuteronomy does not have “mind.” But these people are forgetting that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, while the New was written in Greek. The Greek translators of the Old Testament (the Septuagint) struggled with the Hebrew lebab and sometimes rendered it “heart” and at other times “mind,” since Hebrew combined both ideas in one word. Jesus’ use of “mind” in addition to “heart” underlines that our love of God must not be a foolish infatuation with an unknown idea, but rather ought to be accompanied by a reasoned understanding of what we believe. Though the Gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing, it is the power of God to those who are being saved (1 Cor. 1:18). Faith in Christ without theology, without doctrine, is a sure road to heresy and idolatry. We do not check our minds at the door when we enter the church.

Finally, to love God with all our strength reminds us that there is simply no greater affirmation of our humanity than to have faith in Him who made us. We are but by the grace of God. To deny God is to deny our own existence and thus we are to use all parts of our lives without exception in the service of God. Leave out any of these aspects and you have sectarianism, heresy, idolatry and a host of other nasty false ideas of who God is—and of who we are as people.

2. Understanding Our Neighbor's Humanity

22 January 2006

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will
be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds,
and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son
asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will
give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things
to those who ask him! 12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do
also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:7-12, ESV)

It is that famous verse 12, the so-called “Golden Rule,” that really is the center of this passage. The rule is so famous that one can easily point to other religions and philosophers expressing similar sentiments. But have we ever considered why this verse is placed here?

I used to think that the Sermon on the Mount, of which this is the tail end, was a disjointed series of sayings, haphazardly woven together by the Evangelist. But as soon as one takes Scripture seriously and takes the claim of historical accuracy at face value, deeper truths appear. As soon as one accepts that it was Jesus Himself who consciously put that Golden Rule in this place, one sees so much better what is going on on that hillside in Israel.

If we remember the section before, that is where Jesus reminds his audience not to judge people. With common sense we are to approach situations. But Jesus’ message is also about fairness, and the epithet “hypocrite” (v. 5) was not used loosely. Verses 7-11 are meant to teach the exact same lesson as verses 1-6, except in a less confrontational way. Our Redeemer goes out of His way to win over His audience with a sweet lesson of grace. First, He gives the hard rebuke of God the Son (vv. 1-6), then He proves that He is also truly man and understands the human heart.

Christ brings the people to the emotional acknowledgement what their own desires are. He impresses on them their thirst for righteousness. After all, they made a point of coming to listen to this Teacher. In the same way, He reminds them that all people have desires. It is only fair that we should treat other people in that understanding. But more than that, He also shows us how fair God is: He gives us when we ask. So we should also give when our neighbor asks something of us. And yet more deeply than that, we are to see our neighbor as real human beings, with real human desires, rather than as faceless creatures, hindrances or adversaries. We are to understand our neighbor’s humanity. So verses 7-11 are there as a lesson in compassion, holding up a mirror to the audience then, and the reader now, to remind us all of our deepest desires, in order that we might remember who we and our fellow human beings are. And love our neighbor as ourselves.

1. Common-Sense Christians

16 January 2006

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way as you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to
you. 3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no
attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let
me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your
own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 Do not give dogs
what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample
them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:1-6,
NIV)

The passage contains two extremes: judging too harshly, and not judging at all. Many a Christian leader has pointed out that it is wrong to assume that Christians should not judge. The only people who bandy about verse 1, usually in the antiquated, if poetical, language of the King James Bible (“Judge not, that ye be not judged”), are unbelievers. I deeply believe that they do not understand what the verse says but rather use it as their mantra against Christians. It is a prime example of “selective research,” that is to say, finding those bits that you agree with and quote them out of context.

If we look at the context, say, the next verse, it becomes clear that Christians have the right to judge. In verse 2, Jesus says that we will be judged in the same way as we judge others. The assumption is that we do judge. We already know from other parts of the Bible that we will eventually be judged anyway. So the passage is a clear reminder, not that judging is bad, but that we use common sense when we judge.

In other words, we have to be discerning in our judgments. The example of the speck and the plank underscores the fact that we have to think about our actions. The first priority is to take the plank out of our own eye. Once we have done that there is nothing against taking the next step: taking the speck out of our brother’s eye. Jesus believes it is fine to see specks in other people’s eyes and encourages us to remove those specks. Just as long as we are doing it wisely.

The final verse in the section is a sad reminder, though. It reminds us that we will be judged harshly by some unbelievers, no matter what we do. We should not waste our time trying to convince or evangelize those who persistently scoff at God. In the process we might enrage them to such an extent that they take offense at our Bible thumping. That is not the way to deal with unbelievers. Sometimes you just have to walk away and leave it up to God. That is a tough decision to be taken in discernment.