Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Sept/65

Contributor - R. DeVries

Title - You must be bound to Christ

Topic - Youth

"Yes, dare to be a Paul! Dare to be a Timothy!" That were the words with which Miss Geene ended in the May issue of "Pioneer".

As Christian Young People we have committed ourselves to the service of the living God in whose image and after whose likeness we were created in order to praise and glorify Him at all times and in all places. But how do we do that ? Or in other words, "How do we prove ourselves to be Christians ?" To prove ourselves as Christians is simply to be bound to Christ ! And to be bound to Christ is to carry the cross after Him to Golgotha. As Jesus carried the cross for us so we must carry the cross for others. Simon of Cyrene was even compelled to carry the cross for Jesus - Matt. 27 : 32.

This, of course, can mean many things but it always means that we are willing to share in the guilt of others. It always means that we are willing to be fools for Christ's sake. Let me use a few examples to illustrate this. If, e.g., one of our members resigns or just simply stays away from the meetings, do the officers and also the other members of the Fellowship bother to find out why and what the reason is ? Are we then willing to share in the blame for the friction or do we take the attitude that we are right and the other party is wrong ? It may be quite possible that that is so. But just the same, the wounds and the scars may only be healed if we are willing to carry the blame together; right or wrong. This example does not only hold true for a Youth Fellowship, of course, it may be applied to every organization in the Church and also outside the Church. How exactly you, as an individual, would go about that, is your problem. We are not all alike, although all of us must be bound to Christ. There is a diversity of gifts and capabilities. Just take your Bibles a minute and read carefully Romans 12 :1 - 8 Some of you will remember how that was explained at our Conference at Chesley Lake. It is not a job to be, done by one person in the Church or by one person of any organization in the Church. It's a task that requires it. The Christian's simple answer is the sixth commandment and the scientist's answer is that all living things have a desire to live, and to end life would be morally wrong. And with that we sweep aside the question whether suicide can be moral. Moreover, a person who thinks of committing suicide is the combined efforts of all who -ire bound to Christ and the cooperation of all, who are committed to His cause.

Have we anything to say to the political and social issues of our day ? I should say so. Not only have we something to say but we also have something to do. Do we not vote for these political leaders? Then we are also responsible for the issues. And there are plenty of issues that could stand some examining in the light of the gospel : education, labour conditions, social welfare, slums, alcoholic problems etc. Also here it goes that the wrongs of society will only be righted if we also are willing to be responsible for these wrongs.

It is true, of course, that as Young People we usually are not in the places where the decisions are made. But it is also true that there are many ways in which we can give support to the people who have to make these decisions. Also as Christian Young People we are part of the body of Christ and therefore also we are called to serve God and our neighbour. There is more that can be done than just go carolling at Christmas and singing at Easter.

I have tried to throw a bit of light on the suggested questions by Rev. VanDyk in the May issue of "Pioneer". I hope it has been to the point.

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