by Dr. William Ward Ayer
Where Art Thou?
W HILE THE ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA have had their programs which question contestants, the Lord has His own “Quiz Program” in which all men must participate. Reading through the gospels we see that Jesus was a perpetual interrogator. One of the most important queries ever asked came at the start of the human race. God sought our first parents and called, “Adam, where art thou?” These two had been cre ated and placed in the Garden of Eden. Here they were given definite instructions on how to live and act. They could eat of every tree except one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God said, “In the day that ye eat thereof, thou shalt surely die.” Through the temptation of Satan, Eve broke down. God’s law was trans gressed. Then she gave to her hus band and as a result their eyes were opened. They knew that they were naked. To hide the shame they sewed fig leaves together, making aprons. Before their fall they were in the image of God who, the Bible tells us, is clothed in light as a garment. When they sinned, that glory depart ed from them, and death was now in evitable. How many people today seek some poor clothing of expediency. How in adequate this is apart from.the gar ments of C h r is t’s righteousness. From the very beginning man’s own religion is of the “do-it-yourself” va riety. Now Adam and Eve heard the Lord calling them but they hid. Finally, Adam answered God, “I heard Thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked.” The only thing Adam could say was to begin blaming Eve. When the Lord asked her, she was quick to blame an other, “The serpent beguiled me and I did eat.” The Bible’s first book makes it plain that judgment was
passed upon Adam and Eve, and all men after them as a result. God is still asking this original question. Millions of people are hiding themselves behind their own particu lar trees, not listening to the voice of the Lord. One hiding place is man’s civilization. How he has endeavored to forget his sinful nature by multi plying scientific achievements. He feels he no longer needs the Creator. While these things may not be sinful in themselves, when they are used as a hiding place from the Almighty, they are an abomination. The call clearly comes in our smug national complacency, “Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?” While we pour out billions on space travel, the evil forces of atheistic communism are ta k in g over the world, even infiltrating every depart ment of our national, educational, re ligious, industrial and economic life. The forces of hell are on the march bringing disaster everywhere. These are the “fig leaves” of the mid-20th
Moving rapidly ahead toward a March 15th com pletion date is the new, much-needed Biola gym nasium. This picture, taken at press time, does not show the outside walls and other parts,of the building which have already been finished. Addi tional classrooms, which have been urgently re quired, will also be located in this imposing and functional structure.
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