Journal: Central Bible Quarterly
Volume: CENQ 01:2 (Summer 1958)
Article: Black And White
Author: Warren Vanhetloo

CenQ 1:2 (Summer 1958) p. 17

Black And White

Warren Vanhetloo

Dean of Central C. B. Seminary

Most people can distinguish black from white quite easily, and knowing these two extremes can even help us to recognize various shades of gray in between. This seems particularly helpful as we look at the two extremes in the religious picture of our day. There is no special advantage in being able to analyze all various shades of gray, but there is great advantage in being able to comprehend clearly the black and white.

It will not be necessary for us to consider all the differences between the two positions to see the radical contrast if we can choose basic and representative aspects. For this investigation of the black and white of the religious picture today we shall look at but three areas: the personality of God, the revelation of God, and our response to God. Our recognition of these should enable us to comprehend the contrast in other areas.

What Does The Man In The Pew Believe?

Mr. and Mrs. White sitting there in the Lighthouse Baptist Church believe in the actual existence of a personal God. They worship a Being who actually exists and is the cause of all other existence. They accept the teaching of the Word that “God is Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth,” and this heavenly Father has a personal desire that He be worshipped (John 4:23–24).

This God Mr. and Mrs. White worship is a person in the sense that He has likes and dislikes. He is the one who created all things and upholds all things. He is a person who can be offended to whom all created persons are responsible. He is a person with whom individuals may have fellowship and communion.

Mr. and Mrs. Black over there in the Liberal Community Church do not conceive of such a personal being. God is no more to them than the Prime Mover, the First Cause, the Ultimate. He has no actual existence beyond this impersonal scientific conception, except as conceived by those who seek contact with the Eternal. For them God is as real as Santa Clause or Uncle Sam. He exists as an idea in the minds of men.

Since God is not a personal being, there was no order or purpose in creation, but only chance arrangement. There is no real assurance that the order of the present world will continue. It is nonsense to think of man being held responsible by God and someday being punished in Hell. These are all outmoded concepts held by those who thought of God as a person.

There is thus radical contrast between these concepts, and this area is basic to most others. For instance, let us consider next revelation.

Mr. and Mrs. White believe tha...