The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Where do you and/or your church stand?

P.22

The NRC also takes seriously this word of Scripture, expounded by Calvin and others: "the fashion of this world passeth away." The congregations have frequesntly been accusssed of * legalistic zeal * however, unjustly so. A great distinction needs to be made between legalistic zeal and evangelical sanctification. The latter consists of a serious observance of the law of God. This in turn engenders an ardent turning away from a life in which "meditation upon life eternal" is absent. Time and again we are exhorted to live as such, so that by the many things modern life offers us we may not be drawn away from the service to which GOd's Word exhort us.

The simplicity of the life of the congregations has at times been scornfully ridiculed. However, those times when congregational life in the midst of this world drew attnetion were not the worst times. The exhortation not to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkeness has long been a component of the distince identitiy of tghe NRC. The Christian ought to be a stranger here below - a PILGRIM who confesses to be but a stranger and pilgrim here, seeking a better country (Hebrews 11:13-14).

However, this did not imply a turning away from one's calling in life. Particularly Rev. GH Kersten has contributed to the realization that in confessing to be "not of the world" it not be forgotton that we are also "in the world" In the realm of the education our congregations have labored with great zeal; in the political realm, the Reformed Political Party became the organization within which the NRC could bring their political responsibility to expression. It thus became very evident that there was not a turning away from the national dimension of being Reformed. In the past a lack of possiblities helped promote an unbilical aversion for the natural life of every day. This was, however, not Reformed. The significance of Rev GH Kersten's influence upon the congregations in this respect ought not to be underestimated