Jachin and Boaz—those two massive, brazen pillars standing on either side of the priest as he entered Solomon’s temple were two monumental witnesses that testified to the truth of God’s covenant. According to the name of the former, the revelation regarding God was that he establishes, and the revelation according to the latter was that in him is strength. God’s word in Jachin was, “I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure…I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it” (Isa. 46:9–11). God’s word in Boaz was, “Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory” (vv. 12–13). Thus Israel was surrounded on the left hand and on the right with the testimony of the living God—the God who establishes his covenant by his decree and the God who redeems his covenant from destruction by his everlasting power of grace.
Jachin and Boaz—those two massive, brazen pillars towering over the congregation that assembled for worship were God’s antithetical word over against man’s vain imaginations about himself and his abilities. Throughout this issue of Sword and Shield is the sharp expounding of that same antithetical word. In the Meditation Reverend Kamps teaches Jachin and Boaz over against the ashen aphorisms and clay bulwarks of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. In the rubric Understanding the Times, Reverend Ophoff continues exploring a recent, concrete case wherein hearts of enmity against Jachin and Boaz have become manifested. Reverend Pascual capably unfolds the antithesis of Jachin and Boaz in his sermon on Ecclesiastes 3:15. And in the Running Footmen rubric, Mr. Caleb Ophoff defends the Jachin and Boaz of the Christian’s assurance over against Ish-jachin and Be-adam-oz, the two pillars standing at the entrance of the Protestant Reformed Churches’ counterfeit temple, teaching that man establishes and in man is strength.
In the editorial the undersigned begins a brief series on the assurance of faith taught in Lord’s Day 32: “Also, that every one may be assured in himself of his faith by the fruits thereof” (Confessions and Church Order, 120). This study is not occasioned by any lack of writing on the topic in Sword and Shield. Indeed, several articles already have taught the Jachin and Boaz of this Reformed confession.1 Rather this study was occasioned by a personal phone conversation that the undersigned had earlier this year with kinsmen according to the flesh who lust after the Protestant Reformed perversion of this Lord’s Day. More specifically, this study has in view what was sent via text to my wife the following day:
In light of […]’s conversation last night, my devotions this morning included reading and dwelling on these words. Can’t help but share them with you. Thinking and praying for you today.
“These words” and “them” refer to what accompanied the text—that is, a highlighted photo of question and answer 65 of A Compendium of the Christian Religion:
Q. 65. What purpose then do your good works answer?
A. That I may thereby testify my thankfulness to God for all His benefits, and that He may be glorified by me: and that also I may be assured of the sincerity of my faith by good works as the fruits thereof; and that my neighbors may be edified thereby and gained to Christ. (Confessions and Church Order, 151, emphasis added)
To the one who sent this text to my wife: You must understand that such good words and fair speeches only make my wife and I want to vomit. What is so repulsive is not how easily you make an open show of your piety before men (you can keep your prayers that you speak to your deaf and mute idol—we do not want them) or how you so easily imitate the pattern of the serpent by conversing with my wife (who was not even present for most of the conversation) while intentionally excluding me. But what is so repulsive is your proud, ruthless, and coercive doctrine about the function of good works in Lord’s Day 32. We loathe it from the very depths of our beings. Thus I have summoned your doctrine to stand trial, and the purpose of the editorial is to scrutinize it. And I assure you that your doctrine will be found as nothing but ashen aphorisms and clay bulwarks.
To the reader who has received by the grace and election of God the love of the truth, may the truth written in this issue strengthen you in confessing Jachin and Boaz and stir up from your heart a boasting in the living God, the God who establishes his covenant by his decree and the God who redeems his covenant from destruction by his everlasting power of grace.
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