Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Mar/84

Contributor - Rev Cor G Bons

Title - Editorial

Topic - Editorial

The church and every individual Christian have a place in the great divine master- plan of Salvation. This world may seem to be in a hopelessly confusing mess, and life as such may seem to serve no real purpose. Yet, the Christian faith reveals to us that God does have a great and wonderful plan for His creation, and that He will bring this plan to fulfillment.

This season of Lent may seem to contradict what I just wrote down. After all, what can you expect for the future after your Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, has died on the shameful cross?! What is left of the dreams and hopes you had built on Him whom you considered to be the most gracious and loving Person in the entire world, when you realize that He, too, was overpowered by the evil forces that seem to control everyone and everything?

So many plans have been made, so many goals have been set by you and by me over the years. But not all of them were realized. Parents have their hopes and dreams for the future of their children. How rewarding it is when you see them come true! But how humbling and disappointing when the reality turns out to be different from what you had hoped. Pastors and faithful church-workers have their ideals; they set goals and objectives for the church they serve, they make plans and work very conscientiously to carry them out. But sometimes, after a few years, when they look at the outcome, they must honestly say that not all those goals were reached and many of their efforts did not have the expected results they prayed for. These and other experiences may lead us to say, with the Preacher in the Old Testament: "All is vanity. what does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun".

In this season of Lent, however, we also remember the reasons and the purpose for which Jesus Christ died. We must remember that His crucifixion played the key role in the divine master plan to bring about reconciliation and salvation for a world lost in sin. The seemingly senseless, hopeless death of Jesus was in fact the only hope for a lost creation.

After his resurrection Christ reminded His disciples of their role in the divine master plan. "Thus it is written," He said, "that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the si city, until you hare clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:46 - 49).

Also the Apostle Paul knew that we play a role in God's plan. In his letter to the Ephesians he stated that we have been chosen before the foundation of the world and appointed to live for the praise of His glory, created for good works, to make all men see His plan, that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.

How great a vision for the church today! The role we play in the master plan of salvation is often being obscured by darkness, disappointment and suffering, especially when we seek to follow the Master in His footsteps. But have no fear! Our Master is firmly in control; His goal will be reached, His plan cannot fail. For to Him belong dominion and power forever.

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