Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 7
Q&A 21 Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 7
Q&A 2121 Q. What is true faith?
A. True faith is not only a sure knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word, but also a firm confidence which the Holy Spirit works in my heart by the Gospel, that not only to others, but to me also, remission of sins, everlasting righteousness and salvation are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits.
Beloved in the Lord, when we are dealing with the matter of faith, we realize that we are dealing with one of the foundation stones of our lives. Because true faith is something of course, that everyone needs and without it no one is going to be able to live. And when we come to an understanding of what that true faith is, it is not such an easy matter, because even though the Bible speaks of it constantly, that nevertheless it does so in various ways. And it does so especially by giving us various examples of it, as we also saw in the chapter that I read to you concerning the catalog of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. And there it is a faith that is shown by an Abel or the faith that is shown by an Enoch, or the faith that is shown by a Noah, or by an Abraham, and so you are able to go on. And finally he says, "what more can I say of Gideon and Samson and Barak, and all of these others," because there is a different kind of faith that these showed. Nevertheless it was all the same kind, but it came to different expressions, because they lived under different circumstances of life. And as a result of that, we also find that even in the teachings of our Lord that He time and again refers to the various examples of faith. So that He even says one time concerning a stranger that has come to Him, "I have not found so great faith, not even in Israel."
That is the way in which it is described, and that is also the closest that we are going to be able to come to it, that we are going to come to a description of it. Rather, a description than a definition. Closest the Bible comes to a definition of faith is that what we find in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." That's faith. And the Heidelberg Catechism has taken that up and comes with the definition very similar to that when it says here in question 21, "true faith, not only a sure knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word, but also a firm confidence that these things are mine."
That is true faith, and the compendium of the Catechism which we teach to our children and to our young people has such a beautiful definition of it too, when it says, "that true faith is a certain knowledge of God and His promises revealed to us in the Gospel, and a hearty confidence that all my sins are forgiven me for Christ's sake." That's it. That is that true faith of which the Bible speaks, and that is the faith that is so important in our lives that we do well that we stop by this one question and answer to look at that, "what is that kind of faith?"
We speak to you this morning on "A Living Faith."
Noticing in the first place, its importance; secondly, its knowledge; and thirdly, its confidence.
Now we are to realize beloved, that it is indeed necessary that we have that true faith. And when we speak of a true faith of course, that also already assumes this, that there are also others. That there are also other kinds of faith; we have seen it again very recently, the kind of a faith that is exercised by some of the cults. We see that faith in various countries, we see that faith as it is expressed in the Far East, we see faith that is expressed in Buddhism, in Hinduism, in Shintoism, in all of these kind of isms. And it is a faith that is sincere, don't forget it. They are sincerely wrong. But they are sincere, it is not a matter of sincerity, that is not the question. There are those who belong to the Buddhists or Shintoists or Hinduists who will go to death for their faith. And how are you then going to ascertain which is the true one and which is not. Well, that is precisely the problem before which we stand and therefore we are also to realize that there are ever so many false. There are so many false faiths but that is so difficult again to see in our day because, in our country of course, the one is just as good as the other.
That is the pluralism that we have in this country, the one is as good as the other. And you hear of it all the time in the news. That whether you are Christian or Jew or Mohammedan or Hindu, what's the difference? You are all searching for the truth, and you are never going to be able to come to a conclusion that the one is better than the other. That is Americanism, that is pluralism, that is the secularism in which we live. And that has its effect. That has its effect upon ever so many people in the church. So that they of course, would never, never fall for Buddhism; no... That is next to heathenism, and they wouldn't want that. No, it has to be Christian.
But at the same time, that there are also ever so many of those others that are not so far off. And as a result of that these are the ones who make their inroads, and you would be surprised how many who have been brought up in conservative Christian churches throughout America have fallen for some of these cults, and some of these false religions. Then it is also true beloved, that there are ever so many others where there is a confusing of the truth. Not that it is another religion but that there is a confusion of the truths, and that they also approximated the truth in many ways, but don't have it. Now ever so much of that of course, is so dangerous for the people of God in every age, and I don't know how many times it has happened to me, in the last several years especially, that people would say, "Well, what he says, that is, what comes from their particular book is all true; yah, it doesn't feed me, and I don't get anything, and my heart is cold, but yah, it's all true." Now what are you going to do with that? You are going to say to it finally, it isn't, it isn't true, it's a falsehood. That's what comes; and that it is under the guise of the truth, and certainly they are not going to stand there and express open falsehoods, open lies; that would never go over. So that it is always this way, that you are going to put it into the guise, into the clothing of the truth of God. And in that way, that even though they are confused that nevertheless it is going to lead ever so many astray. And that of course, leads ever so many more astray such as Hinduism or Shintoism or Buddhaism.
We are not going to fall for those things so fast, but nevertheless those where there is a confusion, where there is a falling away from some of these things, and that over a period of time of course, becomes rather large. That gap becomes greater and greater and after a time they no longer know the difference, no longer know the difference between the truth and the lie. Oh, may I put it even more crassly; they no longer know the difference between a good sermon and one that is poor, that leaves them cold. That's where we are today.
Those are the things that have had their effects, and those are the effects that we are seeing throughout all the church world of the present day. And it is getting dangerously close to ourselves, dangerously. It is getting so close in fact, that there are ever so many that are falling victim already, and they don't even realize it. They don't realize that they are falling victim and that their children are already gone.
Those are the dangers, and consequently we have to realize what is the importance of a living faith. And the living faith beloved, comes only out of the Word of God, that centers on Jesus Christ; that's what the Word always does, as we have seen in previous Lord's Days; and that is applied by His Spirit. That is the way true faith comes into the heart, and no other way. It has to be grounded in the truth of God which is grounded in Jesus Christ and has to be applied by His Spirit. And therefore all of the various gimmicks that are being used and that even in Reformed circles today, and that is becoming more and more so. And you would also be amazed at much of the mail which I receive. The gimmicks that are being used everywhere in order to entice people to come, and that they may again receive stones for bread. So that a living faith, where does it come from, how important is it? It is of such importance that without it we cannot live. See, there are so many people also, as we will see in a moment, but let it be said now, there are so many people who, as far as that living faith is concerned, they don't want to live by it, but they certainly hope to die in it. Because you can't die apart from that, but to live it, huh.
Then there are so many restrictions and that there are so many difficulties so that they go contrary to it. What is a living faith? That is a faith that is there all the time. That is a faith that is not there only when you come to church or when you come to the communion table, or when you are at family visiting. But that living faith is there all the time, also when you are doing your daily work, when you going on a trip, in everything that you do. That living faith is there, and if it isn't, then you haven't got it, then you haven't got it. And that's why it is so important. What is found here in Lord's Day 21, in question and answer 21 of Lord's Day 7. What we find here in Hebrews 13, what our Lord speaks of so many times concerning that faith that has been implanted, and when He sees that faith He rejoices and gives thanks to the Father for having brought it in the hearts of those who respond to Him.
Those are the things that we see time and again in the Scriptures. When Simon Peter comes to the confession; there you have just an example and we just might mention it; He says, "whom do men say that I am?" You know the passage. And then Simon Peter says, "but Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." "Blessed art thou because it is not flesh and blood that hast given this to thee, but my Father which is in heaven." I can see the works of my Father in you. A living faith has been provided. So important it is because that binds you to the Christ of God.
Secondly; Notice also that it is a knowledge. The Compendium says, that it is a knowledge that we have so that it is something that comes to the mind. And that is something that we should not be so afraid of, as they are in so any places, after all it isn't a matter what you know, it is a matter what you feel. That is the thing. Or what you do, but not what you know, and consequently, they come to make profession of faith in ever so many places and it isn't a matter whether they know what election is and what faith is and what various other things are; justification, and sanctification, and so -- but do you love the Lord. That's all... Who wants anymore than that. Well, the Bible does; and otherwise you're going to run completely stuck, on practically every page of the Scriptures.
Because you will have to know the truth of God which He has given us in propositional truths. He has spoken to us and He has given us His Book, and you'd better know it, and otherwise you won't have faith. It is the knowledge that is grounded in that truth, that is grounded in that Word of God, and not in Time magazine. That is grounded in that truth and only in that truth, and that is the only thing that may ever be proclaimed from the pulpit. That truth of God and that truth in all of its fullness so that we come to the knowledge, the knowledge of that truth. You know, it is one of these things that is making it so difficult in many places today because they believe that also the memorization for example, of Scripture and Catechism and things like that, that that is out. That is not the good pedagogy of the present day. To memorize; aw, that it belongs to a former day, former age. That's antiquated. There are those who sat in concentration camps during the second World War who had only that which they had memorized in youth, and that was the only thing to comfort them in those days when every Bible and Testament was taken away from them. And then they remembered that Catechism, then they remembered those Psalms, then they remembered the Scriptures, and that was their food and drink. Yes there has to be a knowledge, and that knowledge comes by means of the mind, and I know that there are always so many other things that enter into it but nevertheless these are the things beloved, that are important.
That we will realize that the Scriptures always speak in the New Testament of this, that conversion -- don't let anyone lead you astray on that -- that conversion is essentially a change of mind; that is the original word. A change of the intellect. That's conversion, that's where conversion begins, because it begins out of the Scriptures. And therefore there has to be that certain knowledge, knowledge of God and of His promises, that knowledge of that Word that He has given to us, the knowledge of that revelation. Now there is that knowledge that has been given to us so that we will also know some of these things, and these are the things of course, that are always very clear to us, and that is, that it is God, the God of the Bible, who has formed the world, who has created the world. That it is the God of the Bible who is upholding all things, nobody else. He is the one who has all things under His divine control. We commemorated it again this past week in the ascension of Christ. Christ at His right hand, who is in control over all things; we know that, we know that. And you may never let go of that, and as soon as they begin to chip at that, whether it is true or not that God has made all things in the way in which it is stated in Genesis one. Who cares? We got John 3. Is that enough? The Bible says "No." You've got to have Genesis one also. You have to have that because you have to know that it is God who made the world. That it is God who upholds all things, and He did it the way He said He did, because otherwise you can't depend on Him.
Say, these are the things that are involved beloved, in regard to the whole view of Scripture today, and that is the problem. It is not first of all a problem concerning women in office, or evolution and creation, or homosexuality, but it is first and foremost a problem; "what saith the Word." And do we bow before that; that's the problem. And now that Word says these things, and it says that in that garden of Eden, God said to the first couple, "You are to eat of any tree of the garden, it is all for your food, except that one." Very arbitrary, arbitrary. I'm not afraid of that word. He says concerning that one and she sees it later on that it is good. Of course, He has not made anything that is not good. But He has said, "Don't eat of it, and in the day that you do, you are going to die." Now is that so, did that really happen. And did that snake really speak? And it says, "Yes, Yes."
Now what is true faith, that you believe that. Yah, that you believe all that which the Scriptures teach. That you believe all that which has come to us by revelation. That you come to the very clear realization that your God does not lie. "All men are liars," says the Psalmist. But He cannot lie; He is always true to Himself. And He spoke this Word. When you are beginning to take away from that Word of God you are dealing with the most dangerous thing that exists here on this earth. You are beginning to question the veracity, the honesty of your God. That's dangerous.
But of course, we have never come to that conclusion that finally it is this, that we would not believe anymore that God made heaven and earth. Or that He had not sent the flood, or that He is not upholding heaven and earth by His providence. Nah, we don't go that far. That is again next to heathenism. But at the same time beloved, it also means this, that when we deal with that knowledge that we are to have, that is an acceptance of that whole Word, also when it is dealing with you and with me. And that it is an acceptance of this when He says to Peter, you are not to forgive three times, or seven; but seventy times seven. That's pretty hard for me to swallow. Why must I always draw on the short end; why must I always turn the other cheek; why must I always forgive, always have to be in the wrong. That's Scripture; that's why.
See, and we do not doubt for a minute that God made heaven and earth and all that it contains, and that He upholds all things by His providence. That nevertheless when it comes to these things that had direct bearing on your and my life, now we begin to tear whole pages out of the Bible and lay them next to us and burn them up. Because of the fact that these are the things that we have never really accepted. And that is the danger. We can so easily sit in judgment on the critics, the critics of Scripture, that higher criticism. And when I read in my study for example, some of these higher critics, it makes my blood run cold. And yet I begin to wonder sometimes how close I am to them. Aw, I would never fall into their errors, never, never. Because your bringing up has been entirely different, and you would never say that, nah, you've got to mythologize the Bible so that you come to the kernel, and that the husking can be laid aside, as they say even in Reformed circles across the ocean. The husks are there, and you throw them away, that's no food, but you get to the kernel. And now it is the theologians view how to get the kernel and what that kernel is. You people don't know, you people don't know. So that the theologian has to tell you what that kernel is and what you can throw away. And then I read a book for example, as I read not long ago of one who stated that all these things that have been believed so conscientiously by his people for so many years was really nonsense, really nonsense.
What do we care whether Jacob went to this place and that place and the other. What do we care when Jacob came into Canaan or Abraham or any of those. All I need is this, that I am forgiven, that Jesus died for me, and now I can close the Bible on it and I have a Bible left that is such a small pamphlet that I can easily put it in my vest pocket. That is the thing that we have today, and that is the way in which we are being robbed of the Scriptures, and of our faith. Because faith is a knowledge, a knowledge beloved, of this nature that it is not, "I don't know, but I believe it," No -- never. I believe, therefore I know. That's it. Because it is that certainty that comes out of the Scriptures. I know, because I believe. And those are the things that have to be emphasized in our day, and if they are not, then though we may have all of the outward manifestations of those things that are the same as they always have been; we have lost the faith, we have lost our consciences; we have lost our lives; and then there is nothing left. Living faith, first of all, has that knowledge as it is stated here. True faith is not only a sure knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in His Word, but that certainly. All that He has revealed, every bit of it, because, you know, one of our own theologians said only a short time ago, "I have real trouble, not with that term infallibility, but with that term inerrancy. Heh, we've got to get rid of that." No, as soon as you get rid of it, then you have rid of everything.
That Word is inerrant; that Word is infallible. Because my God said so. And therefore that's what I can rest on, and then I can live in that faith, and I can die in it, because this is our only comfort, remember that. Also in question 21 as well as Question 1.
And finally, notice also that it is a comfort. Here it is a comfort beloved, a consolation that is given to us because here you have this, that it is not only that, but it is also that confidence which the Holy Spirit works in my heart by the Gospel that not only to others but to me also, remission of sin, everlasting righteousness and salvation are freely given by God merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits.
So that we now have that confidence given to us that we have that life. That we have that salvation, that we have that faith. No, we and every former catechumen will also, and present catechumen will also remember that there are various kinds of faith of which we speak, also in Reformed theology. That there is a true saving faith but that there is also historic faith, that there is a temporary faith, and that there is a miraculous faith. Now, are these essentially different or is it merely in quantity. That saving faith is something that rises far above the others, but is that temporary faith also the right faith, except that it doesn't last as long. No, no. That already shows that it is counterfeit. Is the historic faith something that believes all the things that are taking place, but is not able to go the next step, that it is also for me. No; it is counterfeit from beginning to end. And then that miraculous faith, I never made too much of that in Catechism teaching because of the fact that it is not so common anymore, but it was very common in the days in which our Lord was here, and that is, that they looked for a sign. And now if Thou wilt give a sign, show us a sign, and by that sign we are going to determine whether it is true, yes or no. Naw, we don't talk that way anymore. And consequently we have somewhat disappeared from that view of miraculous faith.
But nevertheless, it still raises its ugly head in ever so many places. And therefore we also have to realize that it is not in signs, but it is in the Word; not in the signs that are performed, but many signs have been performed. It is not in this, that they are now finding archaeologically all kinds of things that corroborate what the Scriptures have said; I don't need that. Fine, if they do it, but I don't need it. It is there already in the Word and that is enough. And that, I believe, and I accept, and I have that confidence because it is not only a knowledge, then it would be something that would be dead. Then I would have a head full of knowledge, and there are those people you know. Some have said to me they know the Bible from beginning to end, which is of course hyperbole, nobody does. But they know the Catechism from beginning to end too, which is also, I think, hyperbole. But it doesn't mean anything to them. You know the type; they know. Ah, you meet people like that every once in a while, they will talk to you even about election, and reprobation, and righteousness, and holiness, and sanctification, and all these things. They know the terminology. Yah, that was also Karl Barth, he knew all the terminology, and he used it and then there were so many Reformed theologians who did not ask him to define his terms. And they thought he was speaking about the same things that they were, and he wasn't. And led them astray.
And those are the things beloved, that are still happening. So that it is not only a knowledge but it is also this confidence, and that is the comfort. Because it is not only a matter of the mind, but it is also of the emotions. Do you feel this? Huh! It isn't so much that you know about sanctification or justification or what have you, but that you know it inside. That emotion is filled by it, and it is, it should be. And sometimes the Reformed have been rather short on that emotional involvement in their faith. Now watch out! That emotion is also something that is very superficial. You see it in a child; no, you and I can't do that, those who are grown up, but a child can cry and laugh at the same time, tears are still streaming down the face and already he is smiling or laughing. So, so narrow is that band of emotions. No, what the Catechism means is this beloved, that it is a hearty confidence of the heart, of the whole person; not only of the mind but also not only of the emotions, but also of the will, of the hand.
That which is not of faith is sin, and everything has to be done in accordance with that faith. You have this, that Paul even talks about it, that the believer even eats and drinks differently. That whether you eat or drink, you do all to the glory of God. Now you better figure out how to do that, but that's Scripture. So that from the heart we are going to be controlled, controlled by our God, controlled by that faith which He has given, controlled by an entirely different principle of life. And that it is given to me.
You know, you still meet those people who wonder; I met an older person in the mid 90s, a relative, this past week who says, "I am a doubting Christian." I talked to her for quite a while; a doubting Christian. I made known to her, "Doubting is sin, doubting is sin." When God has once said; don't you doubt it; that's sin. Then you are beginning to question whether He's telling the truth. But she's a doubting Christian, I know what she means.
So that for so many it is this, yah, I know what Lord's Day 7, question and answer 21 says; I know what Hebrews 11:1 says, but sometimes I wonder, do I have the true faith, or could I be fooling myself? That ever rise in your mind? Huh! Is it really the truth? Yah, says the Confession and says the Scripture, hereby you can tell; is it grounded in the Word? Is it grounded in Jesus Christ? And then it is the true article. Then it is the genuine article, and you don't have to wonder. Because that is the essence of true faith, that it is given to me as well as to others. Not only to others, but also to me. I know my sin, it's great, nobody knows it like that. And it is so good that nobody knows it except my God. Because otherwise you would have no respect in this world anymore; nobody would respect you or me, if they knew what went on in our hearts. He knows. And that is something that is humbling, but that the Catechism is able to say, the confession is able to say, not only to others, but also to me is this grace given.
But also to others; you see, the Pharisee thought it was only for himself. And then the publican comes and says, "it's for me too; I hope." He's still standing quite far; quite far away. But to others too, so that, as the former question and answer said, to which I called your attention last time, that it forms that church, that body of Christ, and that it is also given to others. But also to me, and that it is given to me in such a way; notice, but to me also, remission of sins, everlasting righteousness and salvation. All these benefits are freely given by God merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ's merits. Nothing that I have or you have, nothing. But it is of grace, "by grace are ye saved through faith, and that, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God," says the apostle to the Ephesian church. That's the Gospel. That to me too that has been given, and therein I rejoice, that gives that confidence; I know my Redeemer liveth, my Redeemer. And that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And then I have that knowledge which guides my, all my thinking. That whether I read in the Bible or whether I'm reading the Kalamazoo Gazette, I am guided by that faith and so interpret it. And that is a living faith, the faith by which we live, that faith that has been given to us as a gift. Treasure it, treasure it highly. Amen.....
Father, we come unto Thee, thanking Thee for Thy grace and goodness made known to us. Thanking Thee for the glorious truth which Thou hast imparted to us again in this hour. Thou O God, art gracious, Thou art kind, Thou dost give to Thy people whatsoever they need. We pray O God, that Thou wilt accept the thanks of our lips and hearts. Grant us Thy blessing further on this day, bring us together in Thy house again in this evening, that we may again feast upon Thy Word. Forgive our sins, and hear us, in Jesus name. Amen.....
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