What the Editor in Chief of Christian Reformed Publications Believes To Be True

              “All humanity, all of Adam’s race has been regathered into the one new humanity under the headship of the new Adam” is the claim that the Rev.  Leonard J. Vander Zee makes on page 48 of his book entitled: Christ, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. He does not put this forward as a proposition to be debated. This is an expression of something Vander Zee believes to be true.

              He buttresses this claim with these statements:

               ● “God is reconciled to”…“every man and woman.” (page 48)

              ● “The reconciliation of all has taken place in Christ . . . .” (page 49)

              ● “God’s stupendous act of reconciliation that through his Son involves all humanity and, through his death and resurrection reconciled all of humanity to himself.” (page 50)

              ● “God has accomplished our salvation in Jesus Christ for the whole human race before faith receives it.” (page 63)

                Vander Zee does say: “While God’s act of salvation in Christ, the second Adam, includes all of the first Adam’s descendants, this does not mean that all will be saved” (page 49). This self-contradictory statement, in the light of the above statements, is refuted by Romans 5:10, 11. 

              It is my conviction that: “It was God’s will that Christ through the blood of the cross (by which he confirmed the new covenant) should effectively redeem from every people, tribe, nation and language all those and only those who were chosen from eternity to salvation and given to him by the Father” (Canons of Dort II, Article 8).

               Therefore I reserve the right to publically say that the Rev. Leonard Vander Zee, who has not withdrawn this claim, namely that: “All humanity, all of Adam’s race has been regathered into the one new humanity under the headship of the new Adam” — thereby contradicts what the Christian Reformed Church professes to be true in the Canons of Dort.

                                                                 Cordially, Neal Punt

Copy to: Rev. Leonard j. Vander Zee

PS You may duplicate this article for discussion purposes as long as you quote this source. 

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