"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (Heb. 13:8)

CIRCULAR LETTER December 1990

I greet you all warmly in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ with the words: "… To preach the acceptable year of the Lord…" (Isaiah 61:2; Luke 4:19)

All Bible readers know what this year of grace means. It refers to the year of Jubilee, which followed after seven times seven years, specifically, in the fiftieth year. In such a year of the Lord, all those who were indebted were set free. Every year has been such a Jubilee for many since the Lord first proclaimed it for the New Testament time period almost two thousand years ago. Most believers know the year in which they experienced their conversion. They remember it fondly. For them, it remains the special year in which they received forgiveness of their sins. Thanks to the great Day of Atonement on Golgotha, those who believe in the accomplished atonement may go out free.

Last year was also such a year of Jubilee for many. If time continues, next year will also be a gracious year of the Lord for many. The eternal gospel, proclaimed as if by the sound of trumpets, reaches the ends of the earth. We are now once again at the end of a year and we keep hearing that time has never passed so quickly as it does now. On the threshold of 1990 and 1991, the course for the future was already set, at least as far as a united Europe with 340 million inhabitants is concerned, as it will become a true world power by the end of 1992. Why, it is also repeatedly asked, are the borders falling now and not earlier? Why is the quest for unification the primary concern of the peoples of Europe now and not earlier?

This century has seen remarkable events, some of which were still witnessed by older generations: two world wars, the cruel, forever incomprehensible extermination of millions of Jews. After the Second World War, the Cold War began. Both military blocs were rearming. All of a sudden, everything has now changed overnight: rearmament is being replaced by disarmament, the worst weapons systems are being scrapped, and there is only one goal left, specifically, to achieve peace and safety and to build the pan-European house in which all peoples and nations will have a place.

One might ask: Are You, O Lord, establishing Your kingdom at this time? The time of the Gentiles is coming to an end, and the time for Israel is dawning. All spiritualized interpretations, specifically that the New Testament church has replaced God's people Israel, are without biblical foundation. The church of the Gentiles is spiritual Israel in the sense that it has truly received circumcision in its heart through the Holy Spirit according to the Word of God, having experienced a renewal and regeneration by grace. There are also people in this generation who, like Jacob, are being transformed into Israel, from supplanters to wrestlers of God. Every person who awaits the transformation of the body at the return of Jesus Christ must have experienced such a transformation in their heart, become a wrestler of God, and bear the victory of Jesus Christ. Circumcision of the heart occurs through faith through the power of the Word, which is sharper than any twoedged sword.

The Lord God made a covenant with Abraham and all Israel at that time and required painful circumcision of the body as a seal of the righteousness of faith. The people of Israel as the nation of Israel forever remain the people of the Lord. The same Lord made a covenant with the New Testament church and requires circumcision and the renewing of the heart. Only in this way do we receive confirmation through the sealing of the Holy Spirit that this work of God's grace has been accomplished in us. Condemnation came through the law, preceded by transgression through disobedience. The origin of sin lies in unbelief — rebellion against God — and leads to the transgression of the commandments and prohibitions given by God. Since this transgression occurred in the flesh, and we were thus separated from God in this body and delivered unto death, the Saviour had to appear in the flesh to remove this separation through atonement and reconcile us with God. At the same time, He overcame death and rose again on the third day. His victory is also our victory.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."(Heb. 13:8)

CIRCULAR LETTER December 1990

I greet you all warmly in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ with the words: "… To preach the acceptable year of the Lord…" (Isaiah 61:2; Luke 4:19)

All Bible readers know what this year of grace means. It refers to the year of Jubilee, which followed after seven times seven years, specifically, in the fiftieth year. In such a year of the Lord, all those who were indebted were set free. Every year has been such a Jubilee for many since the Lord first proclaimed it for the New Testament time period almost two thousand years ago. Most believers know the year in which they experienced their conversion. They remember it fondly. For them, it remains the special year in which they received forgiveness of their sins. Thanks to the great Day of Atonement on Golgotha, those who believe in the accomplished atonement may go out free.

Last year was also such a year of Jubilee for many. If time continues, next year will also be a gracious year of the Lord for many. The eternal gospel, proclaimed as if by the sound of trumpets, reaches the ends of the earth. We are now once again at the end of a year and we keep hearing that time has never passed so quickly as it does now. On the threshold of 1990 and 1991, the course for the future was already set, at least as far as a united Europe with 340 million inhabitants is concerned, as it will become a true world power by the end of 1992. Why, it is also repeatedly asked, are the borders falling now and not earlier? Why is the quest for unification the primary concern of the peoples of Europe now and not earlier?

This century has seen remarkable events, some of which were still witnessed by older generations: two world wars, the cruel, forever incomprehensible extermination of millions of Jews. After the Second World War, the Cold War began. Both military blocs were rearming. All of a sudden, everything has now changed overnight: rearmament is being replaced by disarmament, the worst weapons systems are being scrapped, and there is only one goal left, specifically, to achieve peace and safety and to build the pan-European house in which all peoples and nations will have a place.

One might ask: Are You, O Lord, establishing Your kingdom at this time? The time of the Gentiles is coming to an end, and the time for Israel is dawning. All spiritualized interpretations, specifically that the New Testament church has replaced God's people Israel, are without biblical foundation. The church of the Gentiles is spiritual Israel in the sense that it has truly received circumcision in its heart through the Holy Spirit according to the Word of God, having experienced a renewal and regeneration by grace. There are also people in this generation who, like Jacob, are being transformed into Israel, from supplanters to wrestlers of God. Every person who awaits the transformation of the body at the return of Jesus Christ must have experienced such a transformation in their heart, become a wrestler of God, and bear the victory of Jesus Christ. Circumcision of the heart occurs through faith through the power of the Word, which is sharper than any twoedged sword.

The Lord God made a covenant with Abraham and all Israel at that time and required painful circumcision of the body as a seal of the righteousness of faith. The people of Israel as the nation of Israel forever remain the people of the Lord. The same Lord made a covenant with the New Testament church and requires circumcision and the renewing of the heart. Only in this way do we receive confirmation through the sealing of the Holy Spirit that this work of God's grace has been accomplished in us. Condemnation came through the law, preceded by transgression through disobedience. The origin of sin lies in unbelief — rebellion against God — and leads to the transgression of the commandments and prohibitions given by God. Since this transgression occurred in the flesh, and we were thus separated from God in this body and delivered unto death, the Saviour had to appear in the flesh to remove this separation through atonement and reconcile us with God. At the same time, He overcame death and rose again on the third day. His victory is also our victory.