Planting Apple Trees
Rev. Barry Gritters exhorts the Protestant Reformed Church community to maintain faithfulness to its Reformed heritage and theological treasures while actively living out the Christian faith in the present age, despite the expectancy of Christ's imminent return. Drawing on Luther's famous apple-planting aphorism, Gritters outlines five areas—including fidelity to Reformed doctrine, creeds, church order, Christian education, and biblical practices—that the PRC should emphasize and cultivate for spiritual growth and maturity.
Luther reportedly once said that if he were told the world would end tomorrow, he would still plant an apple tree today. Some have taken from this Luther's love of gardening, or of his care for the environment, but if Luther indeed said this, I take him to be teaching that Christians ought to be faithful today, planning for the future, even if they believe Christ will return tomorrow. The Protestant Reformed Churches (and the whole church of Christ) are living near the end of the age, but we...
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