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The KANSAS CITY BIBLE COLLEGE D r . W a l t e r L . W i ls o n , P r e s i d e n t 73 th & S ta te L in e K a n s a s C ity , M is s o u r i
7 *<* id (Ac HEAD and learn clearly and definitely the doctrines of the Bi b l e , its theology, its t y p e s , its prophecies. 9 HEART and develop the devotional attitudes and attributes of godliness that will enable you to be a good advertisement for the Lord Jesus Christ. HAND and become efficient in all branches of Christian Service, Soul Winning. Pastoral Service, Missions, Music, and Practical Work.
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t y o n
Teaching ministry by an efficient faculty of godly educators. Homelike dormitories with light, attractive rooms in quiet and beautiful surround ings at unusually reasonable rates. Recreational facilities on an a t t r a c t i v e four-acre campus.
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July, 1945
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Our Readers Speak “ I wish to tell you how much I enjoyed the Apc^l number of THE KING’S BUSI NESS. It is fairly .pulsating with new, vital life, If issues similar to this one açe continuing, I wish to enter subscriptions for one year for the following three per sons . . Miss Evelyn Rosenberg Wilson Creek, Wash. “ I think THE KING'S BUSINESS is the best paper ever published on Sunday School lessons. I wouldn’t give it for any I ever read. I don’t want to do without it.” «J. D. Vinson Demorest, Ga. “ While renewing, my Subscriptions, I wish to express high appreciation for the changes and additions as to the contents, arrange ment and appearance of THE KING’S BUSINESS.” St. Petersburg, Fla. Dr. Samuel B. Harris “ I am thankful for the way in which Biola makes it possible for servicemen to receive THE KING’S BUSINESS free,, of charge. I guarantee you that each issue is read eagerly from cover to cover.” Wilbur E. Stenstrom, Engr. Tng. Sec. A.S.F.T.C., Fort Lewis, Wash. “ I enjoy THE KING’S BUSINESS more than any magazine I have ever taken.” Mrs. H. B. Cravens Utica, Ky. “ I have been a reader for several years and do enjoy its contents very much. May God richly bless and sustain you in your noble work for Him.” Mrs. Alma Hopkins Long Beach, Calif. •‘The magazine is much improved. The last issue is wonderful.” Miss Margaret Tate Erie, Pa. “ We like the article in the May KING’S BUSINESS about the work among the youth of the South, and believe this movement is what will save America from the fate of the dictator nations if it gets around soon enough.” Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Bevan Cameron, W. Va. “ I was much interested in your article on tract distribution in the May KING’S BUSINESS. . . . My work is in a public office . where there is an excellent opppr- tunity to _hand out- tracts . . . Our son overseas is a Christian and I would like to send tracts to him to give out to his soldier companions.” Mrs. Arthur Smith Gentry, Ark. “ Our colored students have been greatly blessed by their reading of THE KING’S BUSINESS . . . . We certainly do appre ciate the interest in reaching these needy Negroes for Christ.” Southern Bible Training School Dallas, Tex. “ I enjoy reading its inspiring pages. It is indeed refreshing to read the pure, un adulterated gospel message that ever gives one an uplift in these days of prophecies being fulfilled.” Anna M. Hirscher Portland, Ore. “ The cover of the June issue of your magazine was quite a' surprise, seeing the same picture as on the May issue, but with a different color. I not only look forward to the contents of THE KING'S BUSINESS, but also to the attractiveness of the cover which heretofore was so varied and inter esting.” Sir! Ottoson
f O m O R R O U l
These young people will be devoting their joyous energies to the high purposes o f the gospel.
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• This happy group, like hundreds o f others on Wheaton campus, are studying, learning, exploring, and discovering the depths o f knowledge where that knowledge is centered in Christ and the Bible. ★ To do its work most effectively Wheaton must have dormi* tories, a dining hall, a library, a science building and a music building.Where could a better in* vestment be made to perpetuate the memory o f a loved one?
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COLLEGE WHEATON, ILLINOIS
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242,
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NG ' S . * Does it Pay?
In this day of education, in this time of intensity, with necessity and urgency laid upon us to labor mightily for the cause of Christ,--------does Bible Institute training pay, -------- is it important,---------is it vital?
Read this sincere testimony of Rev. Percy 8. Crawford* O.D. Pastor Young1People’s Church of the Air President King’s College
m
Graduate Bible Institute of Los Angeles 1926
Percy B. Crawford
“I am happy to give you the following tes timony for good old ‘Biola’ : “I attended the Bible Institute of Los Angeles and from there entered the University of Califor- nia, then to Wheaton College. Following that I spent three years in Westminster Seminary and then took my graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania. As I look back over the years, I value the instruction and the love for souls I received at ‘Biola’ more than anything else in my life. Not only were the Scriptures impressed upon my mind, but I received along with it a real
spiritual blessing—a filling of the Spirit of God —which has stood by me throughout these years. “I now have four boys of my own and by God’s grace, I am going to insist on their attending Bible School at least somewhere and trust they will get out of it the blessing I got out of ‘Biola’. Personally, I think one of the finest investments a person can make is to keep the doors of this won derful school open. The Institute is able to offer to -young men and women wonderful blessings only if we are loyal to it and support it with our prayers and with our gifts. I am 100% behind this great institution.”
By God’s grace, the fall term of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles will open September 4, at which time it is estimated that more than 800 earnest young people will enroll for training. As tuition is free, the Bible Institute of Los Angeles will be responsible for the expense of this training which is approximately $125 .00 per student per year. Many of God’s stewards undertake the cost of training one or more students. W e are asking God to lay it upon the hearts of 800 of His faithful ones to aid us in this labor of love.
For further information please address all communications to: THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ÁNGELES Incorporated
558 S. Hope St.
Los Angeles 13, California
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July, 1945
THE K ING 'S BU S IN ESS
The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporateci
Published Monthly by And Representing
Vol. 36 Louis T. Talbot, D.D. Editor-in-Chief
No. 7 William W . Orr, D.D. Associate Editor
July, 1945 Ransom Marvin John Bazart Illustrators
Betty Bruechert, Managing Editor
CONTENTS: Our Readers Speak............................................................................... .......... 241 The Third Golgotha by H. Framer Smith ............................................. 244 Editorially Speaking ......................................................................................... 246 God’ s Man Makes Use of Faith by Herbert E. Kann...„ ............ ...... 248 Postwar World Peace by Robert L. Evans .................. .......................... 250 Today’ s Youth Evangelism .................................... ...................................... 251 The Choice of the Cross by Arthur Hedley.... ................................... 252 The Bible in the News..... ................................................................................ 254 The Bible Institute of the Air................................... ..................................... 255 Junior King’ s Business by Martha S. Hooker ..............................:......... 256 Dr. Talbot’s Question Box .......................................................................... 258 Book Reviews .......... ......... .............................................................................. 259 Greek Word Treasures by Bernard Ramm ........................................ 261 Devotional Readings ............ 262 Biola Family Circle .................................... .......................................1........... 263 Young People’s Topics ............ ........ .............................................................. 265 Sunday School Lessons ......................................... ....................... ................. 268 Object Lessons for August by Elmer L. Wilder ............ ........................... 275 Speaker’s Scrapbook ............................... 277 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION— “The King’s Business” is published monthly; $1.50, one yr.; $2.00, two yrs.; 75 cents, six months; 20 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Canadian and foreign subscriptions 25 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REM ITTANCE —Payable in advance, should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to “The King’s Business.” Date of expiration will show plainly on outside wrapper or cover of magazine. ADVERTISING —For information, address the Advertising Manager, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 13, Calif., or our eastern representatives, Religious Press Asso ciation, 51 No. 52nd St., Philadelphia 39, Pa. MANUSCRIPTS —“The King’s Business” cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts sent in for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1938, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in the Act of February 28, 1925, embodied in paragraph 4, section 538, P. L. and R., authorized October 1, 1918, and November 13, 1938. ADDRESS: The King’s Business, 558 So. Hbpe St., Los Angeles 13, Calif.
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TH E K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S
This scholarly a n d spiritual study by a well-known Bible teacher will be deeply appre ciated by serious students of the Word of God. The second and concluding part of this article will appear in the August issue of this magazine.
the New Testament. But those who bear this beauty of the Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valley struggle to blos som and bloom and fragrance in a field or cosmos grown wild with tares. In the Lord Jesus they have peace. In the cosmos they have tribulation (John 16:33). They are in the cosmos, but not of it! . Perhaps luxuriant is more appropriate than wild as descriptive of this cosmos growth. For when Peter (1 Pet. 3:3) speaks of “outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold or the putting on of ap parel,” he incloses this descriptive utterance within an initial THE and a closing COSMOS. One familiar with Greek recognizes in this a literary artifice of that lan guage which eloquently describes a cosmos that is as rich as it is luxuriant with tares. Historically he would know, too, that this patronage of the beautician, this bejewelling, this fashion plate parading here condemned by the Spirit through Peter, were part and parcel of the pagan Roman games. He would be aware that in these Roman provinces of Asia Minor, where lived the re cipients of Peter’s epistles, these stylistic accoutrements of heathenism were more slavishly observed than in the imperial city of Rome itself. An equally colorful description of the cosmos appears in the Epistle of James (3:6). Our “little member,” the tongue, is under discussion. It “boasts great great things.” In fact, “the tongue is a f-ire; a world of iniquity.” In the original this latter phrase reads: “ (The tongue is.. .) the cosmos of unrighteousness." Here is a simile that paints not a cosmos but the cosmos as a field not merely rich, but ripe, in luxuriant tares. No marvel that the Spirit of God, through Paul, speaks of those who are “without Christ” as folk “having no hope, and without God, in the world" (Eph. 2:12). Such, in part, is the cosmos of the third Golgotha. Once the beautiful garden of God, it now bears a rich and luxuriant growth that must one day be reaped to be burned. The third Gol gotha is a cross in a field of tares. When Good Seed Graced the Very Good Cosmos In our Lord’s statement “the field is the world,” the stress is on the cosmos rather than upon field: this latter term dwarfs, the former term magnifies the true dimen sion of God’s world. It is, in truth, “the everything that God had made: and, behold, it”—this everything—“was very good” (Gen. 1:31).6 There is New Testament war rant, too, for this conception of the very good cosmos, graced only with good seed.
The Cross in a Field of Tares E VERY instructed, believer knows' that he is cruci extend the figure and speak of a third Golgotha? A further passage from Galatians conveys to us the scrip tural reply. It reads: "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord. Jesus Christ, by which^ the world is crucified unto me; and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14). In its original Greek dress the passage is less poetic, but as much more pungent as it seems prosaic. “But to me,” it tells us, “may it never occur to go on boasting except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which, to me, world stands crucified, and I (stand cruci fied) to world." This is the third Golgotha. In the second, the believer is crucified with Christ.3 In the third the believer is crucified to the world. Indeed, and especially if he be a spiritual believer, the world is crucified to him. The third Golgotha is a kind of dual crucifixion! In the sphere of Bible exposition, there is no more interesting pursuit than that of apprehending the scrip tural sense and meaning of this world of the third Gol gotha. Throughout the New Testament our English Ver- sion* renders four different Greek words by the Eng lish equivalent (?) world. They are aion, meaning “age” ; ge, meaning “earth” ; kosmos, meaning “world order” ; and oikoumene, meaning “inhabited world.” The world of Galatians 6:14, cited above, and of all the following passages mentioned, is kosmos or world order. It is our English term cosmos, the term that we shall henceforth employ, except in direct quotation, to indicate the kosmos-world we are examining. The New Testament offers no formal definition for cosmos.® Instead we have description: always colorful; sometimes vivid. We cite several examples. In what the disciples call “the parable of the tares of the field” Jesus describes the field as the cosmos: a field sown with good seed—“the children of the kingdom” ; a field abounding in tares—“the children of the wicked one.” The good seed finds no place in the disciples’ caption for the parable (Matt; 13:36-38)! Good seed, and its growth and fruitage in the cosmos, are given rich mention in
fied with Christ (Gal. -2^0)1; that- this second Golgotha, to use a figure of speech, spoils him as a servant of sin (Rom. 6:6).i By what token dare we
July, 1945
Lord God formed man of the dust of the groupd. . . ” (Gen. 2:5,7). Whether thus created or subsequently born, the Bible speaks of man as an integral part of the cosmos. The anguish—the Greek says tribulation—of child-bear ing is forgotten “for joy that a man is born into the world” (John 16:21). Moreover, Jesus is the True Light— the Greek says Genuine Light—“which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John.1:9). Here then are the Scripture facts. The cosmos is originally created by God and subsequently renovated by Him, the Spirit of God and the Word of God acting as associates. Life in the image of, and after the likeness of God, crowns these labors of the triune God. There upon God saw—the Hebrew word means to view with discriminating discernment—this cosmos which He had made and, behold, if was very good. Since the seed in the parable is mankind—“the children of the kingdom” ; since God graced His cosmos-creation with a man made in His image-likeness and a woman taken from the side17 of that man; we may correctly speak of a time when there was no enemy seed in our present field of tares: a time when only good seed was in the very good cosmos-crea tion.
From Mars’ hill, the supreme court in Athens — the court of the Areopagites, Paul declared to cultured Athenians that “God...made the world, and all things th ere in ...” (Acts 17:22-24). To the world of Roman might he declared that “the invisible things of Him (God) from the creation of the world are clearly seen’’ (Rom. 1:21). In the original the prepositional phrase is from world creation: a much stronger statement than that of the English Version.7 The cosmos then, and all things in it, are God's creation: the everything that God made and declared to be. very good. Since all things are from the Father (cf. Jas. 1:17) but through the Son, and by the Spirit, the latter can ’remind us that “the world was made by-Him (Jesus),” and that “without Him there was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3, 10). In each of these verses from John’s gospel ac count the Greek term rendered made is more correctly to come into being; the Greek preposition rendered by is more correctly through. There is further scriptural evidence that the cosmos is the creation of God: the everything that He made and pronounced very good. In describing Israel’s future trib ulation, the Spirit quotes Christ as saying, through Matthew, “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world" (Matt. 24:21). But through Mark He quotes Him as saying “the beginning of the creation, which God created" (Mark 13:19).8 In the thinking of our Lord, let us observe, the cosmos and the whole crea tion are identical. The very good cosmos-creation is animate rather than inanimate; vegetable, animal, and—as its highest form—human life lies at the very heart of its divinely wrought structure. Before its earth became void and without form9 plant life, which was not utterly de stroyed by the ruin of the fall, existed: when God, by the Spirit and the Word, renovated the, earth, He merely called upon vegetation to reappear. Any animal life that may have existed, perished: in the renovation of earth God therefore creates animal life. Human life, which had never before existed, is created as-the climax of the' renovation. In contradistinction to other forms, human life is created in the image, after the likeness of God.1® Perhaps because the first of these words—see footnote- means, primarily, “to delineate obscurely,” the second phrase—“after the likeness”—was added by the Spirit of God. Its meaning is similitude, likeness, model, pattern. A cosmos without man is scripturally inconceivable; “ ...there was not a man to till the ground...and the 1. In both those passages the Greek verb is passive: the subject is acted upon; he himself is not the àctôr in this matter of. cruci fixion.; In Gal. 2:20 the verb is perfect tense: “ I have been, hence, still am crucified with Christ.” In Rom. 6:6 it is aorist tense: the old man ,is once for all crucified with (Christ). 2. Not, as in the Authorized Version, “ by whom.” It is liter ally ‘‘through which.” 3. Crucified “ with” is a single word in the Greek. It is used of the malefactors who were “ with-crucified” (with) Christ. So with th e,believer. In Christ he is “ with-crucified:” as well as 4‘with-resurrected and with-seated in the heavenlies” (Eph. 2:6; Col. 2:12, 3:1). 4. We shall use this term, throughout, to indicate the Author ized Version. 5. Like, for example, the definition .for gospel, in 1 Cor. 15:1,3, 4. “ . . . I am explaining unto you the gospel which I gospelled unto you . . . how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He arose again the third day, according to the Scriptures . . . ” The gospel is the actual, necessary, substitutionary, predicted, and victorious death of the Lord Jesus Christ. 6. The Hebrew reads todh me' odh. Todh means good in the sense of agreeable, pleasant, cheerful, joyful, beautiful. Me’odh means might, power, excess. Used as an adverb, it is really a noun. It is derived from an unused root, 'udh which, in the cognate Arabic language, means “ to surround with the view to make strong.” The everything that God made was mighty and powerfully good: it was excessively pleasant and beautiful; it was agreeable, and cheerful, and joyful. 7. The Greek reads apo ktiseos kosmou. The preposition is fol lowed by two nouns, the first in the ablative, the second in the
genitive case. The Idea conveyed Is not so much one of time (temporal) as of power (effectual). 8 In -the Greek of each verse we have the exact prepositional construction mentioned above: apo ktiseos kosmou, “ from world creation." Matt. 24:21 has ap’ arches kosmou, “ from world begin ning;” Mark 13:19 has ap’ arches ktiseos, “ from creation begin ning.” 9. The Hebrew verb hayetha, in Gen. 1:2, indicates that some thing other than the creation mentioned in Gen. 1:1 has now. come Into being. It is a void and formlessness which were no part of the original creation. Without form, in Gen. 1:2, is tohtir; in Isa. 45:18 tohu is translated vain. The Spirit tells us, through Isaiah, that God created the world, not tohu! 10. Image is the Hebrew tzelem, derived from tzalam, a verb not found in Hebrew but used in the cognate language Arabic and Syriac. In Arabic it means .to be dark, obscure; in Syriac, to delineate. The Hebrew tzelem primarily means shadow, then image. 11. The English Version reads: “ One of his ribs.” The Hebrew reads 'achath mitztzal’ othaio. The shorter of these two Semitic words is the feminine form of “ echadh, meaning "one male.” Our feminine form means, therefore, “ one female." The lengthier compound word does not mean "from his rib," , but rather “ from his' side.” The Hebrew reads tzela’ : a word that occurs forty-one times in the Old Testament.' It is rendered rib only twice: both times in the creation story, and both times erroneously. It is more cor rectly rendered side twenty-nine times. Beam, board, chamber,, corner, halting, and leaf are its other renderings. The only sense in which it could possibly mean rib is the rib or framework of a building; not of a human being. God put Adam into deep sleep and took one female from hi.s (male) side.
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S E D I T O R I A L L Y S P E A K I N G
The Bible Institute
Is Here t© Stay
The Rise of Bible Schools S HORTLY before the turn of the century, the movement known as “Destructive Criticism” in a very marked way was making inroads into Christian circles throughout this country. The tides of materialistic and humanistic philosophies were rising high and threatening to engulf not only the churches of our land but the schools and colleges where our church leaders were trained. God’s answer to this danger seemed to be the "Bible Institute” movement. If the seminaries of the land were to spawn men who avowed disbelief in the scriptures as the Word of God, then God would raise up another source of providing heralds of His truth. So it was that the Bible In stitute was born—simple in organi zation but mighty in potentiality. Here were presented opportunities not only for the would-be pastor or mis sionary volunteer but also for the or dinary layman. The years have proved the value of the “Bible Institute” movement, and today, viewing the work of the past fifty years, we are more than ever convinced as to the stability of the place which the Bible Institute under God has made for itself. Today we are seeing the inception and growth of numbers of distinctly Bible' colleges and Bible seminaries. Dbes the coming of these mean an end ti> the Bible Institute? We feel that the answer is “No,” for Bible insti tutes fill a place in God’s economy which is botl\ unique and elemental in- the matter of Christian education. For Lay Personnel Most of the Bible Institutes of the country are open to those who have merely a high school education or less. Some of these young people have no intention of continuing higher learn ing, and yet there is in their hearts a desire for some systematic training in the truths of the Word of God. Some are hampered by circumstances or hindered by financial stringency. Where will such folks go in order to obtain the desired knowledge of God’s Word? The ranks of the Bible Institute have from the very first been filled with this class.
Emphasis on English Bible It is written in the very name of the Bible Institute that the chief text book is the Word of God itself . Col leges offer a liberal arts education with subjects intended fully to round out the education and experience of the student. He is to be fitted for the various tasks and contacts of life. In some colleges a course in the Bible is offered, but the ratio is al ways many to one. On the other hand, in the Bible Institute, the ratio is reversed. To be sure, there may be some deserved criticism that the Bible Institute student lacks certain types of knowledge, but it can be affirmed that he does know his Bible. The courses he has studied during his years in Bible school are calculated to make him feel absolutely at home within the pages of the sacred scrip tures. Missionary Spirit It is no secret that the missionary boards look to the graduates of our Bible institutes for their candidates. The reason is patent. There missionary zeal has always found fertile ground. Prayer has been stressed and practiced, and in answer to believing prayer God has furnished a deep and fervent love for the cause of missions; Mis sionary statesmen always include the Bible Institutes in their itineraries, and the results are indeed gratifying. Scores, of earnest young people with their faces toward the light say, “Here am I, Lord, send me.” Practical Experience A feature of the first Bible Institute, which is still In existence, is its em phasis upon the practical experience. Not only are students taught the theory of personal evangelism, but opportunities for them to practice what they have learned are offered. Each student is given regular assign ment where he may grow in grace by doing, and where he may see the practical result of the preaching of the imperishable Word. This produces strong Christians who are fortified for later ministry. The Bible Institute is Here to Stay We pray God’s richest blessing upon
the Christian college and the seminary which stands true, but there are things obtainable in the Bible In stitute which cannot be found in either of these two worthy institutions. Together we work for God—each one complementing- the ministry of the other; each one adding his own parti cular part to the complete training of the Christian soldier. Of competi tion let there be none; of cooperation let there be much, as together we strive to tell the name of Christ to many eager hearts who shall in turn speed the story to the ends of the earth. World's Cries Today is the hour of destiny for civilization. The world cries out in its agony and need. Whether or not there will be even a temporary peace on earth will be largely determined by the measure of missionary alert ness on the. part of the Church of Jesus Christ. More than the average Christian realizes, the missionary zeal of Christendom is born and nurtured by the Bible Institutes of the land. So the world challenges the Church, and the Church challenges the Bible Institutes. Notwithstanding the un concealed disdain of some persons, Bible Institutes hold a most strategic place in meeting the world’s need. God grant that the stream of eager, idealistic and Bible-trained young people may grow into a mighty river, carrying the blessed \yater of life to multitudes of thirsty souls. The Bible Institute is here to stay. God’s blessing and favor have been evident in a very marked way in the past. The challenge of the hour is greater than ever before. Pray with us tha‘ we may be found faithful, and in the center of the will of God in the stirring days which lie ahead.
July, 1945
missionary service. The subjd sufficiently comprehensive to i the common ailments of any an climates. They will furnish the s dent with sufficient knowledge of t human body not only to care for him self properly but to aid others when qualified medical service is not avail able. The Bible Institute is very fortu nate in securing Miss Leonie V. Sou- birou, an eminently qualified regis tered nurse, to head this department. Those who are interested are invited to write to the Dean of the Institute. ★ ★ Missionary Giving We are in receipt of a letter from the Financial Secretary of the People’s Church in Toronto, Canada, which re latés the heartening news that dur ing the year 1944 this church re ceived and disbursed nearly $118,000 for missions. This very excellent rec ord from the church of which Dr. Os wald J. Smith is pastor strikes a clarion note which is extremely timely as the war days draw to a close. The business of the church primar ily is to send forth the story of the gospel of God’s love. But missions are expensive; they cost the church in prayer and money and young lives. But the value of missions is far be yond our power to estimate. Not only do they bring amazing benefits to our country politically, but the spiritual benefits are innumerable and lasting. ★ ★ G. Campbell Morgan At the age of eighty-one, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, prince of preach ers, went home to be with the Lord he loved. The Church has lost a great Bible expositor, a prolific religious writer, a man of real pre-eminence in expounding the Scriptures. All through his long and useful life, Dr. Morgan held to unqualified acceptance of the Scriptures as the inspired Word of God. The preachers and laymen who have been mightily helped either by his spoken or written word run into large numbers. It is to be remembered that for several years Dr. Morgan was a mem ber of the resident faculty of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Dur ing those years, the students who took his various courses grew in grace and in the knowledge of the-Word of God. The ministry of Dr. Morgan does not end with his death, but on and on in ever widening circles, his influence will continue to bless hearts and lead men to Christ and to a knowledge of the things of God. Surely Dr. Morgan was one of the modern spiritual giants of his day and we thank God upon every remembrance of him..
dom given one who unquestionably has walked close to God. The same thing might be said of any country, including our beloved America. Only as we give God His place in our national and individual lives, will our land be preserved and blessed. ★ ★ If W e Had Sent A professor from Nanking Univer sity in China makes an interesting ob servation. It is his opinion that there might have been no Pearl Harbor dis aster had the Christian people’ really .been in earnest about sending mis sionaries of the Gospel to Japan. He compares the expenditure by the Unit ed States for pre-war missionary work in Japan and for chewing gum and cosmetics. The annual bill for cosme tics and gum is large enough to pro vide .. one hundred times as many Christian missionaries as were ever sent to Japan at one time. It is to our shame that we must ad mit that the church of Christ through out the world has never taken missions seriously. To be sure, there are in dividual churches and even, a denom ination or two intensely interested in getting the Gospel to the far ends of the earth, but the average church member and the average congregation look upon missions ,as just an added frill to our weekly worship. It is too late now to think of what should have been done in the decades preceding our present war. It is not too late, however, to plan for what we are going to do, God help ing us; in the years after God gives us the victory. Surely the peace which is to come will be a God-given addi tional opportunity to send forth the Gospel, and a divine challenge to really become interested in this task which’ is very close to the heart of God. Let the Christian people stir out of their sleep. Let them awaken to their opportunity. ★ ★ Medical Opportunity An exceptional opportunity for a one-year course in medical training is to be offered in "The School of Missionary Medicine" beginning with the fall term of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. This is planned partic ularly for missionaries on furlough, accepted candidates for the mission field, and graduates of theological seminaries, Christian colleges and Bible institutes who are preparing for full-time Christian service. Only such graduate students will be accepted. While this course is not designed for the purpose of making doctors or nurses, it will be very helpful in en abling missionaries to meet medical needs on the far-flung frontiers of
With Interest A most stupendous job has been demanded of the Treasury Department during the years of this present war. Money, thejrmount of which staggers the imagination, has been procured by means of war loans. We are now in the midst of the seventh great drive to borrow money for the continuance of the war. One of the arguments which has been repeated often is that the American government is merely borrowing from its people and that the money loaned for the purpose of prosecuting the war some day will be returned with interest. The contrast is pointed out that while our soldier lads give their lives, we are merely asked to lend our money. ,Of course, the security is the soundest to be found in this world, based upon the credit of the United States of America. Has it occurred to the Christians that in the matter of Christian fi nances, too, we are merely lending búr mopey? Be assured that God does not need our money. The silver and the gold are all His—unquestionably His —and the world and all that is there in. As far as financial backing for any of His projects is concerned, God is abundantly able to supply oceans of pearls or mountains of diamonds. But the thing that is uppermost in the mind of God is that we should re ceive the interest. Money which is spent for Christian enterprises is not given to God; it is merely loaned. Some day it will be returned to us with interest, and oh, what a rate of interest that will be—"pressed down, shaken together, running over.” In the meantime, we draw dividends of peace, contentment and the supply of all of our needs. If investment in United States war bonds is a good one, how immeasurably better it is to invest in the bonds of Heaven. ★ ★ ISiemoeller’ s Statement Dispatches of the past month have told of the release of Pastor Martin Niemoeller, militant leader of the con fessional church in Germany, who ,has been a prisoner of the Nazis for eight years. However, during the pe riod that he was incarcerated, the Lord stood by him. This valiant serv ant of Christ received a course of in struction comparable to that of the Apostle Paul centuries ago. In his first public statement fol lowing his liberation, Pastor Niemoel ler exhibited no bitterness. He spoke earnestly and firmly of Germany’s fu ture. Without building ,up false hopes, he declared that only as the German people in true humility turn to God will that unfortunate country ever emerge from chaos. Pastor Niemoeller’s words are en dowed liberally with the heavenly wis
THE E N G ’ S BUS I NE S S
ite
By Herbert E. Kann
A Message delivered in the Church of the Open Door at the 1945 Torrey Memorial Conference N OW FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:1,6). Many times I have read these passages with out fully uhaerstanding their message. One day as I sought to analyze from the Scriptures the whole subject of faith, I made three amazing discoveries, "The Faith” Faith refers to the entire body of recorded Scripture. In Jude 3 we are exhorted to “ earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Now here is something that God has delivered to men, not that which men have given tQ God. He has imparted something to us which He calls the faith, which is the Biblical revelation portraying God’s plan of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. This truth is enlarged upon in 1 Timothy 4:1: “Now the Spirit speaketh ex pressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” Here the doctrine of the faith is contrasted with the doctrines of devils. In 2 Timothy 3:8 we have the account of the rebellion of Jannes and Jambres against Moses, which occurred in the court of Pharaoh. These men withstood the words, the doctrine, the teaching of Moses, and Paul uses that incident as an illustration of the manner in which men today resist the truth. “Men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." So, very clearly we see that the faith refers to this body of Scripture. Faith As a Law We find “faith” active as a law, which is a condition of salvation. In Romans 3:27 we read that God is today granting life to men not on the principle of the law of works, but on the principle of the law of faith. Having summed up the matter in the third chapter of Romans, Paul asks this question: “Where is boasting then? It is ex cluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of
faith." Men have constantly sought for righteousness before God by the law of works, but God has completely closed that door, declaring to men the ineffectiveness of that principle as a means of salvation. He declares that “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin,” and this indicts all the world as guilty before God. We must remember that by whatever method man can be saved, it must be able to bear the scrutiny of the just and holy law of God. Salvation by the law of works is impossible because of sin, but when God gave His Son to die sub- stitutionally on the Cross, Christ met the demands of justice concerning our sins. His work satisfied the re quirements of the law of works for us and freed God to grant salvation by the law of faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Faith of the Heart There is personal faith by which the heart of man is surrendered to complete trust in the Word and char acter of God. There are times when the promises of God in the Scriptures are crystal clear; in these we trust, and our hearts are thus yielded to the control of the Word of God. There are other occasions when search- ; ing the Word fails to reveal what we should do in the face of some problem. The saint may be brought safely through this kind of testing if he will first wait upon the Lord and take no action until circumstances forbid his waiting any longer. Then he may make his prayer to the Lord, expressing his trust in the character of God and his determination to try the door which seems most clearly indicated as God’s will. Further, he may trust God to stop His child—if that be His will—by closing that door. The wonderful thing about faith is that any way you consider it, it is not a leap in the dark. It is trust in God’s Word and in His holy character. Bringing these facts now to Hebrews 11, we see that “faith is the substance of thihgs.” What “things” ? The things of the Scripture. “Things hoped for” refer to personal trust. Finally, this is the' principle, or law, by which God is working today as seen in the words, “But without faith it is impossible to please him.”
the evidence of things not seen . . : But with out faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he -
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July, 1945
became the seed of the Church. That was the kind of service to which the Lord called them: ia faith, and many a missionary today is as faithfully serving the Lord in this type of service. The “ Forgotten Ones” Finally, some Christians are directed into the strang est service of all. They are those whom God apparently has forsaken. They trust in the promises, but they have not experienced deliverance. These include the multi tudes of saints racked by pain; those who languish in concentration camps because of their testimony for Jesus; outlawed and outcast ones for whom there seems, no help. Let us see the glory of this picture: They are serv ing the Lord Jesus; they are glorifying Him; they are made a “gazingstock” to the world, to angels, and to men. The whole universe must acknowledge the fact that they serve our Lord not for remuneration, for they receive none, but simply because they love Him. Behold them as depicted in Hebrews 11:36-38: “And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; be ing destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy; they wandered in deserts, and in moun tains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” God’s state ment concerning all of these: these who served, faithfully in “the pulling down of strongholds” of Satan; these who were “expendable” in martyrdom; and these who lan guished in pain without deliverance—was that they had “obtained a good report through faith.” “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, un- movable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for^ asmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” OUR AUTHORS THIS MONTH Dr. H. Framer Smith formerly directed the Pastors’ Course at Moody Bible Institute and was head of the New Testa ment Department ' of the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary. At present he is engaged in conducting Bible missions throughout the country and in writing on Bible subjects.
Faith in Salvation But now thé uses of faith: The first use is found in salvation. The faith referring to the principle of salva tion found in the Scriptures appeals to the heart as well as to the mind. If the root of sin goes right down into the heart, then salvation must penetrate as deeply. Do you know why David lived a miserable life for nearly a year? Because he kept covering the guilt of sin in his heart. (Psa. 32:1-5). He wallowed around in that state until he had become “ all unglued.” Then he turned his. whoie heart over to God, permitting the Word of God to control. David found faith working in salvation. Faith working in salvation brings personal faith to the faith. Abel’s gift acknowledged the value of the^hed blood. Enoch’s walk acknowledged the value of the Word of God. Noah’s obedience exhibited Noah’s faith acting on God’s warning. Abraham’s separation from the world acknowledged faith in the glory of God’s promise. Moses’ stand demonstrated faith in God’s power to deliver. Therefore, faith is first used in salvation. Faith in Prayer The second use is found as it is linked with prayer —Hebrews 11:6, “He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that dili gently seek him.” Now then, you can add to this, James 1:5-8, 1 John 5:14, 15, and John 15:7. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shalL.be donje unto you.” Howevpr, in all of this you must beware of the treacherous shoals of presumption and self-will, relying on faith as itself a work. No one is ever going to pass through the portals of Heaven into the presence of the Lord and be able to boast: “Well, I got here and it was my great faith that brought me through.” On the contrary, those who ar rive there will be giving all honor and glory to .the Lamb. The experience of every Christian is that of being taken to the school of prayer by the Lord and being taught what it means to truly abide in Him. Abiding in the Lord refines and alters the desires of the heart. Frequently the Lord may reveal His will by giving an answer to our prayers in one simple word—“No.” If we are abiding in Him, we will rejoice to hear that word as if it were “Yes.” Faith in Service The third use of faith is in Christian service- “What kind of Christian service?” you may ask. The answer is simple: the kind of service to which God calls you. Some are called to service that deals with the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan and advancing the program of God with strength and power. These are characterized in Hebrews ll:33-35a. They are the ones who “through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought right- ■eousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens . . • received their dead raised to life again.” Again, some are led into the type of Christian serv ice which is comparable to men volunteering for the de fense of their country. In Hebrews 11:35b these are de scribed: “ And others were tortured, not accepting deliv erance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.” This can only refer to their reward for service accom plished in the name of our Lord. In writing to the peo ple at Smyrna, thé Lord said through John: “ Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer . . . be thou faith ful unto death, and I Will give thee a crown of life.” The blood of the martyrs -in the early Roman persecutions
Rev. Herbert E. Kann is pastor of the Oliver Presbyterian Church of Minneapolis/ Minnesota.
Rev. Arthur Hedley is a minister and author from Dun stable/ England.
Rev. Robert L. Evans of Pasadena/ California/ is a retired Presbyterian minister.
The writers of the Young People s Topics this month are all graduates of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles: Miss Marguerite Johnson, '43, teaches Euodia and. Eteri classes in the San Joaquin Valley; Mrs. Jack Brown, 41, labors witn her husband at Stay, Kentucky, as a missionary; Rev. Lowell Wendt, *40, is pastor of the Montecito Park Church; and Rev. Paul Roper, former Oregon pastor, is continuing his education at Westmont College.
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THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S
Postwar World Peace
Every Stible believer
will be interested in
6y ROBERT L. EVANS
n p HERE is no subject so univer sally discussed today as the .A. problem of world peace. Inter national agreements or compacts are being proposed and considered by the world powers and by statesmen with the purpose of outlawing wars and making it impossible in the future for an aggressor nation to rise and plun der its neighboring people and throw the whole world into a state of war. It is but natural under the present world conditions that all right-minded men should long for the day of uni versal peace, providing social security and religious freedom for all peoples. But does this universal desire for cessation of war indicate that human nature has changed and become more kind and brotherly? War and blood shed have been the history of the race since the beginning. Does the present frantic effort to outlaw war mean that unregenerate human na ture has at last become generous, loving and unselfish?. And that race hatreds, national pride and animosi ties, the desire for revenge and selfish greedy ambitions will. no. longer dominate and rule men of every clime and color? Does it not rather mean that the present technical, scientific war has become too costly in human life and money to further pursue? With our modern high explosives and our command of the unseen forces of nature we can destroy an entire city within a few hours, burying thousands of innocent victims under its ruins. Even the devil might consider more humane methods of settling national disputes. Postwar Peace Hence, we find the great world powers planning a postwar peace that envisions all the nations dwell ing together in peace and harmony, with war entirely outlawed, and free dom guaranteed to every individual to live his life without fear. This all sounds very plausible and appealing. However, can this Utopian condition be brought about by the simple ef forts of fallible men, be they ever so sincere? There cannot be a world peace as
confess Him as Lord. A careful study of the Word of God reveals that a number of things must precede the setting up of that kingdom of peace over the earth. Divine revelation in dicates that there never will be per manent peace until His kingdom is established. Furthermore, our Saviour predicted that there would be wars and rumors of wars and that nations would continue to war against each other until He returned at the end of this age (Matt. 24). Before permanent peace can take place, all the forces of evil that have incited the wars of the world will be brought into swift judgment by the intervention of the Son of God from Heaven with His mighty angels (2 Thess. 1:7-10; Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 19:11-21; Psa. 2). These passages en vision not the end of the world, but the judgments to take place on this earth when the Son of God establishes His kingdom at the end of this age. These judgments cannot be executed as long as the Church is still in the world witnessing for her Lord and preaching'His gospel of grace. When the Church has completed her testi mony among the nations, and the Holy Spirit has gathered the e l e c t number out of the nations, the Church will be taken out of the world. Then the way will be clear for the Lord to set up His throne of judgment and usher in His kingdom of peace. Lastly, we cannot conceive of a permanent world peace as long as the world as a whole continues to ignore and reject the claims of Jesus Christ as the only Saviour and Lord. He is never invoked or mentioned at the council table of nations when they meet to discuss international ques tions. The Church' of God will do more to hasten the day of universal peace by confining herself to her Master’s program, by pleading with men to be reconciled to God, and saving them out of the world to Christ, than by joining with the world in its social sehemes and seeking to patch and mend a broken world by international covenants (Matt. 28:19, 20; 2 Cor. 5:20; Gal. 1:4; 1 Thess. 5:1-5; Psa. 2:10-12).
long as the Jew is out of his in heritance and continues to be a sore problem among the nations. God’s kingdom of peace involves the author ity of the Lord firmly established over all other authorities and governments with Jerusalem as the center from which shall go forth the mandates of the King. The Lord shall judge and rebuke even strong nations, compel ling wars to cease and guaranteeing to all, justice, security and peace. The Jew must first be back in his land to make this possible. Read carefully Isaiah 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-4; Acts 3:19-21. Satan’s Fate Before nations will cease fighting, Satan, the prime instigator of all wars, must be bound and cast into Go,d’s prison. As long as he is loose in the world, wars and intrigues will con tinue among the nations. His last at tempt to frustrate God’s kingdom of peace will be to start a war on earth to completely destroy God’s ancient people, the Jewish race, and to set up a new religion with himself as the object of worship. Surely there can not be peace in the world while he is still loose (Revelation, chapters 12, 13, 19 and 20). We must not forget that in spite of all the war and confusion, man by his sin has brought into the world, God is still sovereign in His own world. He has a program for this world that will finally establish His will supreme throughout the whole earth, bringing it into a warless condition. This pro gram has been planned with full divine foreknowledge of all of man’s depravity and rebellion, and with full knowledge of Satan’s effort to thwart and undo the work of God. God’s pur pose will be carried •out to its final fruition when His chosen ruler as the Prince of Peace will establish the will of. God supreme. Every knee shall then bend to Him and every tongue
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