14 Jun GS 1983 art 173

Posted at 17:00h in CanRC, GS 1983 by

GS 1983 ARTICLE 173 – Reopening – Belgic Confession

The chairman requests to sing Psalm 68:1, 2, 12. Roll call is held.

The discussion on the revision of the Belgic Confession is continued. The revision of the Belgic Confession is adopted, as amended by Synod The Recommendations D 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are ADOPTED.

Committee II presents:

A. MATERIAL – Agenda VIII, C,

  • 1. Report from the Committee on the Belgic Confession
  • 2.  Letter from the Church at Abbotsford re Belgic Confession
  • 3.  Letter from the Church at Abbotsford re not to accept this new translation
  • 4.  Letter from the Church at Brampton
  • 5.  Letter from the Church at Burlington-East
  • 6.  Letter from the Church at Burlington-South
  • 7.  Letter from the Church at Chatham
  • 8.  Letter from the Church at Cloverdale
  • 9.  Letter from the Church at Langley
  • 10.  Letter from the Church at Smithers

B.  OBSERVATIONS

  • 1.  The Committee on Translation and Revision of the Confessional and Liturgical Forms appointed by Synod Coaldale 1977 presented a report, dated June 1979, to Synod Smittwille 1980, in which it explained the basis and method of a new translation, and in which it made some remarks about changes in the content of the Belgic Confession (Art. 1, 4. 9 and 15).
  • 2.  The Committee repeats the remark of the previous Committee, that it will be proper to inform the sister Churches abroad of the slight emendations in Art. I, IV, IX, X, XXXVI and XXXVII.
  • 3.  The Committee appointed by Synod Smithville 1980 received with respect to the Belgic Confession the following mandate:
  • a.    to consider incorporating the emendations suggested to Synod 1980 into the draft to be presented to General Synod 1983;
  • b.    to continue the revision of the remaining Articles XXIV-XXXVII of the Belgic Confession in accordance with the Textus Receptus (of Dort 1618/1619) and to submit a completed, linguistically corrected draft to the next Synod with copies to the Churches nine months prior to its convocation.
  • 4.  A great number of comments, received from Churches and Church members has to be evaluated by Synod, before the final report can be adopted.

C CONSIDERATIONS

  • 1.  The Committee appointed by Synod Smithville 1980 continued to work on the basis explained in the report of June 1979 and presented to Synod 1980.
  • In order to facilitate the study of the material the Committee asks Synod to in­clude the above mentioned report into the Appendices to its Acts.
  • 2.  The Committee considered the emendations suggested by Synod 1980 as far as the Articles I-XXIII of the Belgic Confession are concerned. Result of this work has been laid down in a revised copy of these articles which copy, however. has not been sent to the Churches.
  • 3.  The Committee continued and completed the translation and revision of the Ar­ticles XXIV-XXXVII of the Belgic Confession. The Committee left out the twenty words between brackets in Art. XXXV I, deleted by Synod 1905 of “De Gereformeerde Kerken” in The Netherlands, and the marginal note concerning these words. since these twenty words do not belong to the received text of the Confession anymore. The Committee therefore is of the opinion that they should not be printed either between brackets but be left out completely.
  • 4. The Committee was apparently not able to meet the deadline of “nine months prior to the convocation of this Synod: in sending the Churches copies of the draft of these Articles.
  • 5. After having taken note of the revised copy of the Art. 1-XXIII and having consid­ered the various comments which have been received from Churches and Church members, the Advisory Committee has come to the conclusion that the follow­ing emendations and amendments should be considered for incorporation into the final text of the Belgic Confession. The corrections are numbered accord­ing to the pertinent Articles of the Belgic Confession.
    • II The Church at Cloverdale proposes the following change “first” and “second” with “firstly” and “secondly.”
    • V  The Church at Cloverdale proposes the following change “they carry the evidence thereof in themselves” with “they contain the evidence there of.”
    • VI  The Advisory Committee proposes they replace “I and II Esdras” by “Ill and IV Esdras” and to replace “power and efficacy” by “power and authority.”
    • VII  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “though he be an apostle” into “even for an apostle”; “because it is forbidden” into “since it is forbidden”; “whatsoever does not agree” into “whatever does not agree.”
    • VIII  The Committee proposes to keep the word “incommunicable” in the revised text. VIII The Committee proposes to change “eternally equal in one and the same es­sence” into “equal in eternity and essence.”
      • VIII  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “each have His personal existence” into “each has His personal existence.”
    • IX  The Advisory Committee proposes to change “especially those towards us” in­ to “especially those we feel in ourselves.”
      • IX  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “And for the baptism of all believers” into “For the baptism of all believers”; “we now believe it on the ground of the Word of God, and we expect hereafter to enjoy the perfect knowledge and fruit thereof in heaven” into “in this life we believe it on the ground of the Word of God, and we expect to enjoy its perfect knowledge and fruit hereafter in heaven”; “always been maintained in” into “always been affirmed and main­tained by.”
    • X  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “likewise the apostle Paul that” into “likewise the apostle Paul says that. “
    • XII  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to delete the word “other” in “all other creatures”; to change “He also still sustains and governs” into “He also con­tinues to sustain and govern”; “some of those” into “some of these”; “and expect daily” into “and daily expect”; “we reject and detest” into “we detest and reject”; “who deny that there are spirits and angels” into “who deny the existence of spirits and angels.”
    • XIII  The Committee proposes to change “righteous decisions” into “just judgments.”
      • XIII The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “and who may not transgress these limits” into “without transgressing these limits”; “unspeakable comfort. when we learn to understand thereby” into “unspeakable consolation. for we learn thereby.”
    • XIV  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “He lent his ears” into “He gave ear”, “He had nothing left but” into “He has nothing left but”. “For whatever light is in us” into “… was in us”; “Therefore we reject all contrary teaching” into “Therefore we reject all teaching contrary to this.”
    • XV  The Advisory Committee proposes to change “that the believers may sleep in their sininto” that the believers may sleep peacefully in their sin.”
    • XVI  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “had plunged into perdition. God has manifested Himself” into “plunged into perdition God manifested Himself”
    • XXVII The Committee proposes to change “fleeing from Him in utter fright” into “trem­bling fled.”
    • XVIII  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “we confess, therefore, that God has fulfilled the promise which He had made to the fathers” into “we confess. therefore. that God has fulfilled the promise made to the fathers”; “it was nec­essary that He took both to save both” into “… that He assumed both to save both”; “Over against the heresy of the Anabaptists … we therefore confess” into “Contrary to the Anabaptists … we confess. “
    • XIX  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “the reality of the same” into “its reality”; “Therefore. what He. dying committed into the hands of His Father” into “Therefore. what He committed into the hands of His Father”, “In the mean­ time His divinity” into “Meanwhile His divinity.”
    • XX  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “in that very nature” into “in that same nature”; “God therefore demonstrated” into “God therefore mani­fested”; “showered His goodness” into “poured out His goodness”; “who are guilty” into “who were guilty.”
      • XX  The Advisory Committee proposes to change “By a most perfect love” into “Out of most perfect love.”
    • XXI   The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change the first four lines to read: “We believe that Jesus Christ was confirmed by an oath to be a Highpriest for ever. after the order of Melchizedek. He presented Himself on our behalf before His Father. appeasing God’s wrath by His full satisfaction. offering Himself on the tree of the cross.”
      • XXI The Church at Burlington-East proposes to change “for the purification of our sins” into “to purge away our sins.”
      • XXI The Church at Burlington-South proposes to change “He paid back what we had stolen” into “He restored what He had not stolen (Ps. 69:4).”
      • XXI The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “As the righteous for the unrighteous … for all times” into “He died as the righteous for the unrighteous. He suffered in body and soul feeling the horrible punishment caused by our sins and ‘His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.’ Finally. He exclaimed. ‘My God. my God. why hast Thou forsaken me?’ All this He endured for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore. we justly say, with Paul, that we know nothing ‘except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.’ We ‘count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ’ our ‘Lord.’ We find comfort in His wounds and have no need to seek or invent any other means of reconciliation with God, than this only sacrifice once offered by which the believers are perfected for all times.”
    • XXII   The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “that Christ were only” into “that Christ is only.”
    • XXIII    The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “and to give us confidence; It frees our conscience of fear, terror and dread to draw near to God, so that we do not follow the example of our first father Adam who trembling, tried” into “give us confidence in drawing near to God, freeing our conscience of fear, ter­ror and dread, so that we do not follow the example of our first father Adam who, with trembling, tried.”
    • XXIV The Church at Abbotsford proposes to change the title “Sanctification and Good Works” into “Man’s Sanctification and Good Works.”
      • XXIV The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “makes man indifferent for a good and holy life” into “makes man indifferent to live a good and holy life.”
      • XXIV The Churches at Chatham, Smithers, Langley and Cloverdale propose to change “if they did not lean on …” into “if they did not rely on …”
    • XXV   The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “let” in the fourth line to “yet.”
    • XXVI   The Church at Burlington-South proposes to change “joining together” into “hav­ing united together.”
      • XXVI  The Advisory Committee proposes to change “that we men might have access to the divine Majesty. We would otherwise not have any” “into” that we men might not be barred from but have access to the divine Majesty”; “fantasy” into “fancy.”
    • XXVII  The Church at Abbotsford proposes to change the title “The Catholic or Univer­sal Church” into “The Catholic Christian Church.”
      • XXVII The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “We believe and profess one catholic or universal Church, a holy congregation” into”… which is a holy con­gregation”; “the Church” into “this Church.”
      • XXVII  The Church at Burlington-South proposes to change “will last until the end” into “will be to the end.”
    • XXVIII  The Church at Abbotsford proposes to change the title “Everyone’s Duty to Join the Church” into “Everyone’s Duty to Join the True Church.”
      • XXVIII  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “It is therefore the duty of all believers” into “To observe this more effectively, it is the duty of all believers.”
    • XXIX  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “the true Church which is to be distinguished” into “the true Church which must be distinguished. “
      • XXIX The Advisory Committee proposes to change “the true Church may be recognized” into “is to be recognized.”
      • XXIX  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “they believe in Jesus Christ. loving … crucifying” into “… love … crucify”; “it persecutes those who live holy lives according to the Word of God and rebuke the false church” into” and who rebuke …”
    • XXX  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “there should also be overseers and deacons to form together with the pastors the council of the Church” into “there should also be elders and deacons who together  with the pastors form the council of the Church.”
      • XXX The Advisory Committee proposes to change “By this means they preserve” into “by these means “
      • XXX  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “By this means everything will be done” into “By these means”
    • XXXI  The Advisory Committee proposes to change “not to impose by improper means” into “not to intrude by improper means.”
      • XXXI  The Advisory Committee proposes to change “have equal authority for they are” into “have equal authority and power for they are.”
    • XXXII  The Church at Langley proposes to change “to keep all in obedience” into “to keep all men in obedience.”
    • XXXIII  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “instituted for us: the sacrament of baptism” into “instituted for us, namely, the sacrament of baptism.”
    • XXXV The Advisory Committee proposes to change “He is eaten by them, that is spiritually appropriated” into “He is eaten by them, that is, spiritually appropriated.”
      • XXXV  The Church at Cloverdale proposes to change “Yet we do not wrong when we say that that what is eaten and drunk is the true natural” into “Yet we do not err when we say that which we eat and drink is the true natural.”
    • XXXVI  The Church at Brampton proposes to change “our good God has ordained” into “our gracious God”
      • XXXVI  The Church at Langley proposes to change “protect decent people” into “pro­tect those who do well.”
    • XXXVII  The Church at Smithers proposes to reinsert the conclusion of the article, name­ly: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus'” Rev 22:20.

D RECOMMENDATIONS

Synod decide:

  • 1.  To thank the Committee for the completion of its task.
    • ADOPTED
  • 2.  To include the introductory remarks to report of the previous Committee, dated June 1979, in the Appendices to the Acts of this Synod.
    • ADOPTED
  • 3.  To incorporate, besides the emendations which were suggested by the General Synod Smithville 1980 (Acts Art. 123, D, 3, a-k), the following emendations and amendments in the text of the Belgic Confession:
    • V  Change “they carry the evidence thereof in themselves” with “they contain the evidence thereof.”
    • VI  Replace “I and II Esdras” by “Ill and IV Esdras.”
      • Replace “power and efficacy” by “power and authority.”
    • VII   Change “though he be an apostle” into “even for an apostle.”
      • Change “because it Is forbidden” into “since it is forbidden.”
      • Change “whatsoever does not agree” into “whatever does not agree.”
        • DEFEATED
    • VIII   Keep the word “incommunicable” in the revised text.
      • Change “eternally equal in one and the same essence” into “for these three. in one and the same essence, are equal in eternity.”
      • Change “each have His personal existence” into “each has His personal exis­tence.”
    • IX  Change “especially those towards us” into “especially those we perceive in ourselves.”
      • Change “And for the baptism of all believers” into “For the baptism of all believers.”
      • Change “we now believe it on the ground of the Word of God, and we expect hereafter to enjoy the perfect knowledge and fruit thereof in heaven” into “never­theless in this life we believe it on the ground of the Word of God, and we expect to enjoy its perfect knowledge and fruit hereafter in heaven.”
      • Change “always been maintained in” into “always been maintained and pre­served.”
    • X  Change “likewise the apostle Paul that” into “likewise the apostle Paul says that.”
    • XII Delete the word “other” in “all other creatures.”
      • Change “He also still sustains and governs” into “He also continues to sustain and govern.”
      • Change “some of those” into “some of these.” Change “and expect daily” into “and daily expect.”
      • Change “we reject and detest” into “we detest and reject.”
      • Change “who deny that there are spirits and angels” into “who deny that there are any spirits and angels.”
      • XIII Change “righteous decisions” into “just judgments.”
      • Change “and who may not transgress these limits” into “without transgressing these limits.”
      • Change “unspeakable comfort, when we learn to understand there by” into “un­speakable consolation, for we learn thereby.”
    • XIV Change “He lent his ears” into “He gave ear.”
      • Change “He had nothing left but” into “He has nothing left but.”
      • Change “Therefore we reject all contrary teaching” into “Therefore we reject all teaching contrary to this.”
    • XV  Change “that the believers may sleep in their sin” into “that the believers may sleep peacefully in their sin.”
    • XVI  Change “had plunged into perdition … God has manifested Himself” into “plunged into perdition … God manifested Himself.”
    • XXVII Change “fleeing from Him in utter fright” into “trembling fled.”
    • XVIII  Change “we confess, therefore, that God has fulfilled the promise which He had made to the fathers” into “we confess, therefore, that God has fulfilled the promise made to the fathers.”
      • Change “it was necessary that He took both to save both” into “… that He assumed both to save both.”
      • Change “Over against the heresy of the Anabaptists … we therefore confess” into “Contrary to the heresy of the Anabaptists … we confess.”
    • XIX  Change “the reality of the same” into “its reality.”
      • Change “Therefore, what He, dying committed into the hands of His Father” into “Therefore, what He when dying committed into the hands of His Father.” Change “In the meantime His divinity” into “Meanwhile His divinity.”
    • XX  Change “in that very nature” into “in that same nature.”
      • Change “God therefore demonstrated” into “God therefore manifested.”
      • Change “showered His goodness” into “poured out His goodness.”
      • Change “who are guilty” into “who were guilty.”
      • Change “By a most perfect love” into “Out of a most perfect love.”
    • XXI  Change the first four lines to read “We believe that Jesus Christ was confirmed by an oath to be a Highpriest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek. He pre­sented Himself in our place before His Father, appeasing God’s wrath by His full satisfaction, offering Himself on the tree of the cross”
      • Change “for the purification of our sins” into “to purge away our sins.” Change “He paid back what we had stolen” into “He restored what He had not stolen (Ps. 69:4).”
      • Change “As the righteous for the unrighteous … for all times” into “He died as the righteous for the unrighteous. He suffered in body and soul feeling the horrible punishment caused by our sins and ‘His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.’ Finally, He exclaimed, ‘My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?’ All this He endured for the forgiveness of our sins. There fore, we justly say, with Paul, that we know nothing ‘except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.’ We ‘count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ our Lord.’ We find comfort in His wounds and have no need to seek or invent any other means of reconciliation with God, than this only sacrifice once offered by which the believers are perfected for all time.”
    • XXII  Change “that Christ were only” into “that Christ is only.”
    • XXIII  Change “and to give us confidence; It frees our conscience of fear, terror and dread to draw near to God, so that we do not follow the example of our first father Adam who trembling, tried” into “give us confidence in drawing near to God, freeing our conscience of fear, terror and dread, so that we do not follow the example of our first father Adam who, trembling, tried.”
    • XXIV  Change the title “Sanctification and Good Works” into “Man’s Sanctifica­tion and Good Works.“
      • Change “makes man indifferent for a good and holy life” into “makes man indifferent to live a good and holy life.”
      • Change “if they did not lean on …” into “if they did not rely on”
    • XXV Change “let” in the fourth line to “yet.”
      • XXVI  Change “joining together” into “uniting together.”
      • Change “that we men might have access to the divine Majesty. We would other­ wise not have any” into “that we men might not be barred from but have ac­cess to the divine Majesty.”
      • Change “fantasy” into “fancy.”
      • XXVII  Change the title “The Catholic or Universal Church” into “The Catholic Chris­tian Church.” 
        • DEFEATED
        • Change “We believe and profess one catholic or universal Church. a holy con­gregation” into “… which is a holy congregation.”
        • Change “the Church” into “this Church.”
        • Change “will last until the end” into “will be to the end.”
      • XXVIII  Change the title “Everyone’s Duty to Join the Church” into “Everyone’s Duty to Join the True Church.”
        • DEFEATED
        • Change “It is therefore the duty of all believers” into “To observe this more effectively, it is the duty of all believers.”
      • XXIX  Change “the true Church which is to be distinguished” into “the true Church which must be distinguished.”
        • Change “the true Church may be recognized” into “.. is to be recognized.”
        • Change “they believe in Jesus Christ … loving … crucifying” into “… love… crucify.”
        • Change “it persecutes those who live holy lives according to the Word of God and rebuke the false church” into “… and who rebuke …”
      • XXX  Change “there should also be overseers and deacons to form together with the pastors the council of the Church” into “there should also be elders and deacons who together with the pastors form the council of the Church.”
        • Change “By this means they preserve” into “By these means”
        • Change “By this means everything will be done” into “By these means …”
      • XXXI  Change “not to impose by improper means” into “not to intrude by improper means.”
        • Change “have equal authority for they are” into “have equal power and authority for they are.”
      • XXXIII Change “instituted for us: the sacrament of baptism” into “instituted for us. name­ly, the sacrament of baptism”
      • XXXV  Change “He is eaten by them. that is spiritually appropriated” into “He is eaten by them. that is, spiritually appropriated.”
        • Change “Yet we do not wrong when we say that what is eaten and drunk is the true natural” into “Yet we do not err when we say that that which we eat and drink is the true natural.”
      • XXXVI  Change “our good God has ordained” into “our gracious God Change “protect decent people” into “protect those who do well.”
      • Synod decides to place the twenty words that were deleted from Article 36 in footnote.
      • XXXVII  Reinsert the conclusion of the Article. namely “Amen. Come. Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20
  • 4.  To adopt provisionally the amended text of the Belgic Confession so that it can be included in the Book of Praise, after it has been linguistically scrutinized.
  • 5.  To inform the Churches abroad of the emendations in the Articles I, IV, IX, X, XV, XXXVI, XXXVII.
  • Except for those marked DEFEATED, the Recommendations are ADOPTED.
Print page