King's Business - 1968-03

M A R C H 1968

OPERATION: by Robert L. Owen ^----- ÛÆëQ

WHY JOIN A CHURCH?

by Dr. Arnold T. Olson

WAR & CHRISTIAN IMPLICATIONS by Stanley G. Felgar

FROM HEARING TO SEEIN6

by Vance Havner

DO YOU

...to the preparation of thousands of young men and women for Christian service

HOLD

THE KEY?

THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP Consists of those who desire to be faithful stewards in B IO LA 's ministry. Their stewardship con­ sists of regular support of the GENERAL, RADIO, or M IS ­ SIO N A R Y funds. THE SPONSORSHIP PLAN Any friend who d e sig n a te s $200.00 a year for student training becomes a "Student- Sponsor" and likewise a par­ ticipant in the training of volunteers for worldwide service for Christ. THE CHR IST IAN 'S W ILL Many people intend to remem­ ber B IO LA in their wills, but many procrastinate, with fre­ quent resultant losses to the Lord's work. An inquiry to our office will bring information. THE INVESTMENT INCOME Those who want to give a part of their savings for investment in this Christian enterprise, and at the same time receive regu­ lar dividends, find this plan ade­ quately meets their needs. THE TRUSTEE ACCOUNT Preferred by some with Savings and Loan accounts. Donor, con­ sidered a trustee for BIOLA, is in complete control while living. At death, the remaining balance goes to BIOLA.

BIOLA SCHOOLS and COLLEGES, INC. La Mirada, California 90638 I am interested in: □ THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP

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Dedicated to the spiritual development of the Christian home r r < THE KING’S 1 £> Ì BUSINESS 13800 BIOLA AVENUE, LA M IRADA, CALIFORNIA 90638 A PUBLICATION OF BIOLA SCHOOLS & COLLEGES, INC. LOUIS T. TALBOT, Chancellor, S. H. SUTHERLAND, President, RAY A. MYERS, Board Chairman IN THIS ISSUE MARCH, 1968 . VOL. 58, NO. 3 . ESTABLISHED 1910 ARTICLES OPERATION SOMEBODY CARES — Robert L Owen .............................................. 8 FROM HEARING TO SEEING — Vance Havner...................................................... . 12 PROFITABLE BIBLE STUDY — R. A. To rre y................................................................. 14 WHY JOIN A CHURCH — Arnold T. Olsen ......................................................................18 WAR AND CHRISTIAN IMPLICATIONS — Stanley G. Felgar ..........................21 ON E ANSWER TO MISERY — Dorothy C. Haskin ................................................... 32 DON’T TAKE IT EASY — Lome S an n y................................................................................ 38 COMMUNION — Kenneth Fischer............................................................................................40 FEATURES MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR — S. H. Sutherland................................................... 4 JUNIOR KING’S BUSINESS ................................................. ...........................................................17 CHRISTIAN WORKERS’ CLINIC — C. Chester Larson ...........................................26 CULT’S CRITIQUE — Betty Bruechert .................................................................................27 TALKING IT OVER — Clyde M. Narramore.....................................................................28 OVER A CUP O F COFFEE — Joyce Landorf.................................................................... 30 BOOK REVIEWS — Arnold D. Ehlert .....................................................................................36 SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE — Bolton Davidheiser .......................................................37 COVER Members of Bethany Baptist Church of West Covina engaged in door-to- door evangelistic visitation. S. H. SUTHERLAND, Editor PAUL SCHWEPKER, Treasurer A L SANDERS, Managing Editor JAMES BRAMER, Controller BETTY BRUECHERT, Copy Editor JAN E M. CLARK, Circulation Manager BILL EHMANN, Adv. & Production Mgr. JOHN OZMON, Art Director EDITORIAL BOARD Bill Bynum, Bolton Davidheiser, Arnold D. Ehlert, Charles L. Feinberg, James 0. Henry, Martha S. Hooker SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: "The King's Business" is published monthly. U.S., its possessions, and Canada, $3.00 one year; $1.50 six months. 30 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Foreign subscription 75 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REMITTANCES: Should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to "The King's Business." ADVERTISING: For information address the Advertising Manager, The King's Business, 13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada, California 90638. MANUSCRIPTS: "The King's Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or- damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Second-class postage paid in La Mirada, California. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, California. ADDRESS: The Xing's Business, 13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada, California 90638. MEMBER r E V A N G E LIC A L PRESS A S S O C IA TIO N

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Not once in 61 years has Moody Bible Institute missed a payment or been late with a check—not even during the diffi­ cult years o f deep depression in the thirties following the big stock market crash. Moody annuitants have always received their checks regularly—in full and on time. The Moody annuity plan has brought security and peace o f mind to thousands o f annuitants through its generous, guar­ anteed lifetime incomes. And today’s rate of return {on newagreements) is the highest ever—up to 9.09%, dependingon your age. * While you are en joying this life­ tim e in com e your annuity funds w ill be actively working for the Lord, making possible the tu ition - free training o f consecrated young people for Christian service, and spreading the gospel th rough radio, literature and science film s. What investm ent cou ld be more satis­ fy in g ? B 1 Write tor Free Booklet which describes the Moody annuity plan in detail and provides information on important tax benefits. MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE 820 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, III. 60610 Please send me, without obligation: Q Double Dividends , story of Moody Annuity Plan. Q Folder relating to Wills. Q Information on Life Income Agreements. Date of Name__________________ Birth---------------- Addrees_______________________________ City_____________ Stale_______ Zip--------- CLIP AND MAIL COUPON TODAY! Write: Annuity Department Dept. 3K8

3

MARCH, 1968

a message from the editor

O r o I n r o ■ o r o ■ 0 r n 1 n r 0 1

I U -1 U I U -J U I U -J U I U -I U I T H E S P O N T A N E O U S YOU Norman Grubb 2.50 For those seeking the express­ way of Christian life where they can live with spiritual vim and vigor. L E T US P R A Y Geoffrey King paperback 1.25 A stimulating study of the mys­ tery and wonder and glory of prayer for anyone desiring a more active and fruitful prayer life. T H E R E IS AN ANSW ER Leith Samuel paperback 1.25 u Life is beset with problems. ^ All have to be faced. The I author deals with doubt, suf­ fering, fear, loneliness, worry, y death, depression and defeat. U CHRISTIAN LITERATURE CRUSADE FT. WASHINGTON, PENNA.19034 L h c l c m c l c m c l c m c l c h J DIARY OF A DOCTOR’S SON NEW EDITION by KEITH L. BROOKS ■ u _i u I u _J u F R O M Y O U R L O C A L C H R IS T IA N B O O K S T O R E

BY DR. SAMUEL H. SUTHERLAND PRESIDENT, BIOLA SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, INC.

THEY DO LISTEN

0 r n 1 n r n I o r 0 1 n r o

y H E doubtless believes that there is very little value in writing to his elected representative, whether it be on the local, state, or national level. The attitude seems to be "What’s the use? My representative couldn’t care less about what I as one little voter might believe.” Perhaps this attitude is espe­ cially felt by the average conservative Christian who ordinarily does not dabble in politics. This is at least partially understandable in view o f the fact that a Christian’s mind is more likely to be concentrated upon our eternal habitation rather than upon the transitory things o f this life. Politics and politicians come and go. Why be unduly concerned about them when we have some­ thing that pertains to eternity to think about and proclaim? All o f this is perfectly true. However, during our earthly sojourn, we need to become somewhat involved in life as we find it. We have a responsibility to do what we can toward making our en­ vironment as wholesome a place as possible in which to live and rear our children. It seems evident that legislators on practically every level are dealing with more moral and spiritual problems in society than ever before. Therefore, the moral and spiritual aspects o f life are entering more and more into our every-day politics. For this reason, we as Christians must become particu­ larly involved in the whole gamut o f issues that confront us in this generation. In this beloved land o f ours we must do every­ thing possible to keep our religious liberties; otherwise, they could very easily be snatched away from us before we ever have a chance to do anything about them. We would then find ourselves in the same condition that so many Christian people who are living in deprived lands are, namely, having to worship God in secret, and having to be most careful in what they say and do lest the wrath o f the authorities descend upon them with its accompanying per­ secution, possible imprisonment, and even death. It can happen here! Life itself is becoming more precarious everyday. Recent decisions o f the Supreme Court, which is composed o f a body a v e r a g e v o t e r

Reprinted by popular demand. This authentic boy's diary fas- cinates young and old. Full of humor, yet with a message of inspiration and hope. Order from

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4

THE KING'S BUSINESS

o f nine men, most o f whom have been appointed to the bench by Democratic presidents and selected especially for their "lib­ eral” views, are tending more and more to cater to criminally- minded individuals, and less and less to the protection o f many other individuals who make up our society as a whole. In other words, the criminal is protected in his "rights” and his victim apparently is completely ignored. We are inclined to accept this most unfortunate situation and wring our hands saying, in effect, "It is a shame that such a condition exists, but what can one individual do about it?” Fortunately, there are some things that individuals can do about it. In a recent address to the Biola stu­ dent body, for instance, Mr. Roger Arnebergh, Los Angeles City Attorney, and himself an oustanding Christian and member o f the Biola Board o f Directors, said, in effect, that we should let our elected representatives know exactly what we believe and why. He said that, contrary to popular opinion, our representa­ tives do pay attention to individually written letters; not the petitions signed by a group o f individuals, or form letters, copied and individually signed; but instead, personal letters expressing our own convictions and written in our own individual style. These do have an effect upon our representatives, and if enough o f the right-minded people will let their convictions be known, the representatives will give an attentive ear to the wishes and convictions o f their constituencies. Recently a letter was received by a California voter from the Junior Senator from California. The letter stated, in part, "I have received your communication regarding your concern with the Supreme Court. . . . Under our constitution we have three separate and coordinate branches o f government. The function o f the judiciary is to interpret the laws. It has been felt by many that the Supreme Court in recent years has been encroaching upon the powers o f the Congress. As you know, I have strongly differed with the Court in some o f its decisions. . . . The courts’ do not have the final word in constitutional law, for our found­ ing fathers wisely established an amending procedure giving the people the final verdict. . . . I have sponsored, along with some o f my colleagues, bills designed to correct some o f the courts decisions. Thus far we have not been able to persuade the neces­ sary two-thirds o f the Congress to agree; however, I am certain, that as the views o f the American people are made known to the Congress, our chances will improve.” The only way that it is possible for the views o f the American people to be made known is to communicate with their elected representatives. Unfortunately, pressure groups o f various kinds have their own appointed lobbyists in state capitals and the national capital who are endeavoring in every way to influence the legislators to vote in accordance with their plans and wishes. The National Council o f Churches has its representatives in Wash­ ington to try to influence the passage or rejection o f bills accord­ ing to its own modernistic and liberal program. Unfortunately, (continued on page 42)

REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS OF

THY YOUTH —Ecclesiastes 12.1

HGLVlH iM .K

There is no book of guidance, no textbook for the young, that can equal the Great Textbook of the Ages — the Book that gives us rules for living that will never be superseded, that will never pass away. There are no Bibles made with more care and skill than the Bibles made ip Cambridge, wheretheprintingof Bibles has been a responsibility of fine craftsmen since the sixteenth century.

AT ALL BOOKSTORES

5

MARCH, 1968

lovethose * i 0J .C R pr ballpens » L in e !y UNDY... that’s what good writing is all about, and that’s the truth!

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Out to

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Mrs. Phyllis Pearce Eiler has been named Executive S e c r e t a r y o f GLINT (Gospel Literature in Na-

tional T ongu es), a n o n - p r o f i t litera­ ture missions as­ sistance organiza­ tion l o c a t e d in G le n d a le , Califor­ nia. Dr. Cyrus N. Nel­ son, P r e s id e n t o f t h e organization, made the announce­ ment.

h B r i (J is in! Listen to the athlete. He talks ot red dog and fast breaks, hazard and pin high, last lap and starting block, fall and riding time. The lingo of the athlete. For Christian athletes it is the language of victory. A1 Worthington, Gil Dodds, Bill Wade and twenty-eight other na­ tionally famous athletes unite their voices in pointing the way to victory in the Christian life. OUT TO WIN edited, by GARY WARNER $2.95 at Your Bookseller or write to Moody Press, Chicago 60610

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each

Mrs. Eiler

Mrs. Eiler will supervise GL INT ’S international office in its worldwide m inistry o f encouraging, guiding and assisting responsible groups in Edu­ cation literature. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., founder and first president o f Bob Jones University, went into the presence o f the Lord in mid-January. Dr. Jones had been known fo r his extensive years o f Bible teaching and evangelistic min­ istry. Ill health in recent years forced him to curtail his active schedule. HEY THERE VONDA ! a new color motion picture featuring Vonda Kay Van Dyke has been released by Gos­ pel Films, Inc., o f Muskegon, Illinois. Not yet 25 years o f age, Vonda Kay Van Dyke is the author o f “ The Girl in Y ou r M irror,” a best-seller, which has sold over 250,000 copies, and “ Dear Vonda Kay,” which is ju st off the press. She won the title Miss America in 1965. Gospel Films, now in its 17th year, distributes films in 30 languages in 121 countries around the world. Wheaton College has designated its library building the Robert E. Nicholas building in honor o f one o f the col­ lege trustees who has served on the board since 1932. The building was originally paid fo r anonymously by Dr. Nicholas. Dr. Nicholas w a s named to the college’s board o f re f­ erence in 1939. Three years later, he was elected to fill a position vacated by trustee Fleming H. Revell upon his death. The follow ing year he was elected to the executive committee o f the Board o f Trustees. Miss Millie Larson, linguist with the W ycliffe Bible Translators, working in Peru, reports that there are now more than 2000 Aguaruna students training in Spanish, reading, arith­ metic, and other varied subjects. She states, “ The enthusiasm fo r educa­ tion doesn’t wane, but seems to be on the increase among the Aguaru- nas.” Upon completing the primary school, many o f the students are tak-

ATTENTION: CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, ALL ORGAN IZATIONS • Excellent Profits • Little Effort • Effective Results

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$1600 CONTEST for WRITERS OF U NPUBLISHED M ANUSCRIPTS. Send for contest rules and free Brochure on publishing your book. Dept. KB Pageant Press, 101 Fifth Avenue, New York 3 I 7 J ? 1 7 n VERSE BY VERSE r J X l Z J L Z NOTES o n revelation Send today for current study on chapter one. Write:

RAYS OF REVELATION Box K, 604 No. Clark St. Chicago, Illinois 60610

JOIN THE A.E.C.C. If you have been called to preach an evan­ gelical message, associate yourself with a recognized Church Body which will provide you with all the rights of the Clergy and at the same time allow you to teach or preach without being restricted by man-made doc­ trines. Send stamp for literature. American Evangelical Christian Churches 192 North Clark St., Chicago, III. 60601

■fd. by LINOY PEN COi. north bollywoid, calif. 91605, L S I

6

THE KING'S BUSINESS

ing advantage o f o c c u p a t io n a l courses and other vocations that are also made possible through the min­ istry o f Wycliffe Bible Translators. Scripture Press Foundation, o f Glen Ellyn, Illinois, sponsored thirty-five workshops, messages, panels, a n d sharing sessions in a 3% day con­ ference in Wheaton. It gave oppor­ tunities fo r missions personnel from 47 countries and 43 mission boards and 35 other organizations to seek answers to numerous problems relat­ ed to local church Christian educa­ tion in varied situations ranging all the way from civilized cities like Tokyo, Japan, to prim itive tribal areas such as those in Chad, A frica . Follow ing the seminar theme o f “ Mobilizing C h r i s t i a n E d u c a t io n Overseas,” Dr. Howard G. Hendricks, o f Dallas Theological Seminary, stated that “ the key to mobilizing the teach­ ing m inistry o f local churches in any country is always the national pas­ tor.” Other speakers included Rev. Edwin Frizen, Executive Secretary to IFMA and Dr. Roy B. Zuck, Executive D irector o f Scripture Press Founda­ tion. "Letter to An American Lady," a book o f C. S. Lewi* letters, edited by Dr. Clyde S. Kilby, professor o f English at Wheaton College, has ju st been pub­ lished by William B. Eerdmans. It con­ tains 152 letters written in a corres­ pondence between C. S. Lewis and an anonymous American lady whom he never met. All o f the letters are part o f a collection belonging to the Whea­ ton college library. W ritten between 1950 and 1963, the letters, according to Dr. Kilby, “ pretty well iden tify the events in Lewis’ life after 1950.” The Navigators o f Colorado Springs, Colorado, sent three couples in the last month o f 1967 to Indonesia, New Zealand, and Kenya, to start new Navigator ministries or to supple­ ment those presently existing. Mr. Edwin Norman has been appoint­ ed Advertising Manager in the Edu­ cation and Information Division o f

The great lied in COMMUNICATION IS- YOU!

. . . and M B I ’s new major can help you to meet the challenge and prepare for a rewarding career in CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATIONS

But the challenge and the opportunity for Christian communications is coupled with the urgent demand for trained personnel.

To meet its responsibility in training and preparing young people to communicate the never-changing gospel message in an ever-changing world, MBI introduces a new Major* in Communications . . . offering challenging studies in four areas o f emphasis: audiovisuals, oral, writing and radio. Never has the need for these skills been more vital to the cause o f Christ than NOW! With today’s tremendous advances in globe-circling techniques, mass communication has virtually reduced our shrinking world into what has been termed a “global village.” The worldwide rise o f literacy, the advance o f Christian broadcasting, the preparation and the distribution of literature has reached staggering proportions. MBI—with over 80 years o f teaching experience— is in an eminent position to offer in-depth training in C hristian communications with its highly qualified faculty and excellent on-campus facilities for acquiring practical experience.

Gospel L igh t Pub­ lications o f Glen­ dale, California. D i­ visional D i r e c t o r Dean A. Dalton made th e r e c e n t a n ­ nouncement. Mr. Norman has held a position as Accounts Executive

Write for the illustrated booklet, “Christian Career Guide.” Director of Admissions, Dept. 3K8 MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE

Mr. Norman with Metromedia o f Los Angeles. He was form erly with Delta Lithograph o f V a n N u y s , Calif., as P rin ting Quality Control Engineer. F or fifteen years he worked in the promotion department o f the Haven o f Rest, Hollywood, Calif.

‘ Students with two years of liberal arts study (60 hours of credit) combined with the three years of MBI’s professional study can qualify for the B.A. degree.

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7

MARCH, 1968

Bethany Baptist Church of West Covina, California successfully launches a brand new type of visitation evangelism . . . by Robert L. Owen 1 “ F i w e r e A C o m m u n i s t , I’d be scared to death of this type of evangelism going into effect,” said Jack Chick, creator o f “Operation: Somebody Cares,” a brand new approach to reach into com­ munities for Christ. Chick was referring to the concentrated, house- to-house evangelistic outreach effort used by the Bethany Baptist Church of West Covina, Califor­ nia, recently. Basically, the operation consisted of a handful o f dedicated laymen who visited 100 homes six times each in a three-week period. “ It was rapid-fire brainwashing with the Gos­ pel,” Chick said. “ And it paid off.” At the heart of the plan was the set of cartoon- type booklets, written and illustrated by Jack Chick, with such gripping titles as: “ Somebody Loves Me,” “Holy Joe,” “ This Was Your Life,” “ A Demon’s Nightmare,” “ Somebody Goofed,” and “ The Beast,” with a simple set o f instructions for their use. Instructions include such basic information as: how to make the master map o f the area; how to divide into teams; how to obtain permission for a religious survey; the mechanics of meeting and talking to prospects, and the keeping o f records. Workers are urged to : “ Choose your own sched­ ule, but come—-blizzard or flood. Don’t stop the pro­ gram once it starts.” At the outset, Pastor Joe Kirkwood, in charge of Bethany’s Outreach Program, contacted Jack Chick. The two o f them, with the knowledge and co-operation of Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson, pastor of Bethany, planned the. strategy for their program. They announced their need for several laymen who would co-operate in making an all-out attempt to win souls in the community. From the willing vol­ unteers, ten were selected: five men and five women. When instructing the group, Kirkwood and Chick told them, “We’re offering you a tough, thankless job — without glory. You’ll experience occasional rudeness and embarrassment as you talk to people. But you’ll also be overwhelmed with a

T H I KING'S BUSINESS

plan. And prayer. God used the plan. Jack Chick felt that “The Scripture is the key to the whole operation. God’s Word is tucked away in this sneaky presentation o f the Gospel. And that’s the only thing that’s going to get to people’s hearts.” Apparently he is right, for the books continue to work. Occasionally someone picks up one of the books in a recipient’s house and reads. There have been reports that these “ innocent bystanders” have also fallen prey to the impact of the Gospel. According to Pastor Lloyd T. Anderson, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, results o f “Operation:

feeling of accomplishment, blessing and revival! And what’s more, you’ll win souls for Jesus Christ . . The group blocked out an area of 100 homes, 20 for each of the two-person teams. All of the homes were to be contacted six times during the three- week duration of the program. They were to go out three successive Sunday afternoons and Thurs­ day evenings. After brief, thorough orientation, the teams went out. The Lord went with them. Results were fantastic. Eighty-five percent of the persons visited accepted the materials, while fifty percent of them mailed back the survey cards. Even more startling was the harvest o f souls. From the 100 homes visited, twenty-three persons indicated on their cards that they had accepted Christ as their personal Saviour. One reason for the unusually high positive re­ sults could have been the approach. Workers were instructed to say something like: “We’re from the Bethany Baptist Church. We’d like to leave you a free booklet to read and invite you to visit our church.” They were to be courteous, well-dressed and brief. They were to leave the book and never be­ come involved in an argument. One worker said, “Most of the people were very nice. But after the third visit they seemed a little stand-offish.” The reason for this, she indicated, was that the book given that third visit was “This Was Your Life.” With a smile this woman said, “ It really packed a wallop!” (This particular book graphically portrays events that could occur in the hereafter—for both those who have and have not accepted Christ.) One of the respondents was a Roman Catholic. On her card she boldly indicated that she had found the Way. Another caller said, “ In one home the woman came to the door and refused the book. The fol­ lowing week her husband accepted the book.” In one neighborhood all the Catholic families but one accepted the books. “But we’re encouraged,” said a layman who took part in the effort, “God will speak to them through His Word. Especially if the others of the same faith get help.” One man reported, “A Catholic family on our street who took the books began asking questions o f a born-again Christian family. They wanted to know if ‘This is really what the Bible says about our salvation?’ They accepted and read every book and said they were thrilled with their message.” When asked what he thought was the secret of the campaign’s success, a participant said, “ Two things, I’d say: the books and the totally different

Bethany’s pastor, Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson, and Outreach Pastor Joe Kirkwood train the visitation teams.

Won to Christ through “Operation: Somebody Cares” two teenagers visit Dr. Anderson for further guidance.

9

MARCH, 1968

Somebody Cares” are still coming in. Even now, weeks after the end of the campaign, some people are still sending in their cards. Chick worked for years perfecting his books and details for “Operation: Somebody Cares.” While he held down a full-time job during the daytime, he worked on his books during lunch and coffee breaks. Then at night he’d go home and package orders for his already printed books until midnight. Now he says, “ It seems like a wonderful dream that they are finally paying off with results like the ones we are seeing now.” In the instructions that go with each “Opera­ tion : Somebody Cares” package, Jack prophetically says, “When the results are in, each home will have heard the Gospel presented six different ways. The hearers will be without excuse. Souls will be saved, and you will have done the job that our Lord has ordered us to do. . . .” Bethany Baptist Church o f West Covina, Cali­ fornia, has conclusively proved that Chick knew what he was talking about. EE

Visits are quick, courteous and effective.

Jack Chick, creator of the program, and Joe Kirkwood acquaint the workers with the books.

4

,

Dr. Anderson instructs new converts from the Word.

THE KING'S BUSINESS

AD V ERT ISEM EN T

T h o s e o f y ou wh o are r eady t o go t o w o r k a n d s t o p p l a y i n g c h u r c h . . . . s e n d o n e d o l l a r t o ..........................

Chi ck Pub I ¡ cat i ons P. 0 . B o x 4 1 2 5 6 L os A n g e l e s . C a l i f .

9 00 4 1

we w i l l send y ou a l l s i x of t h e i l l u s t r a t e d g o s p e l b o o k l e t s , an i n s t r u c t i o n s h e e t and d e c i s i o n c a r d u s e d i n “ O p e r a t i o n S o me b o d y C a r e s

ii

MARCH, 1968

experience is not the main thing, does not mean that it is nothing. There is such a thing as experi­ ence and our Saviour promised to manifest Him­ self (John 14:21). A lot of fundamental, conserva­ tive saints have grown awfully dry trying to escape the other extreme. There is great need for some souls who have seen as well as heard, who have met God one way or another in vivid, vital, glow­ ing, heartwarming personal experience. We readily grant that experiences vary, that background, temperament, and a dozen other fac­ tors influence them. There is no stereotyped ex­ perience. Each man who met God in the Bible met Him in a different way. It might have been at his conversion or when called to a life work or when filled with the Spirit. It might have been in an hour of suffering, in a great revival, a personal touch in body or mind, something too intimate to relate. It might have been tempestuous as a hurri­ cane or quiet as an autumn sunset. What we are saying is that the men and women who have glorified God and blessed others have been those who passed beyond the realm of hearing into see­ ing. One day they came into something that sparked all their latent faith and knowledge and set fire to their orthodoxy and made it burn. It is Abraham giving up Ishmael and Isaac to find in God his great reward. It is Jacob limping from an encounter with a heavenly visitor but afterward having power with God and men. It is Moses on the backside of the desert coming to the mountain of God, watching a bush that would not burn up, going back to Egypt no longer to “ look this way and that way” but to endure as seeing Him who is invisible. It is Joshua meet­ ing the captain of the Lord of hosts and having his commission renewed. It is Isaiah unclean and undone before a holy God. It is Daniel with all his comeliness turned to corruption. It is Habak- kuk with rottenness in his bones moving from pouting to praising. It is Peter in a secret ren­ dezvous with Jesus made ready for the new “ Fol­ low me.” It is John alone and lonely on Patmos falling at the feet of the glorified Christ as one dead. It is timid Timothy stirring up the gift of God within him. It is John Wesley up to that moment a failure for all his godly upbringing, his Oxford education, his praying, his rigid discipline, his missionary zeal — a failure for all that, I say, then suddenly getting his heart warmed in a little meeting, going out from Aldersgate Street to warm a world. It is Moody so conscious o f God’s pres­ ence that he is overwhelmed one day with the power of heaven. It is Finney set on fire to blaze through his generation in almost terrifying re­ vivals. It is Hudson Taylor, worn out trying to

FROM

TO Hm/t/tu/ - S e e in g by Vance Havner

“I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." —Job 42:5, 6 yHE B ook of J ob is not an explanation of the • problem o f suffering. God did not give Job explanation; He gave him revelation. In the pres­ ence of God, Job escape^ from the swamps of fear and doubt and bewilderment into the higher re­ gions of unclouded trust. He learned that one may safely trust though he may not fully understand. Job reproached himself for his pride and self- righteousness and repented in dust and ashes. It was the beginning of a new day for Job. For years he had been a believer, a good man who feared God and eschewed evil, of whom God said, "My servant Job . . . there is none like him in the earth.” When adversity struck from all sides, stripping him of children, possessions and health, he bore a better testimony than any of his pious visitors. But there remained for Job a deeper experi­ ence. He summed it up thus: “ I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; BUT NOW MINE EYE SEETH THEE.” He had heard of God, and hear­ ing, he had believed. That is good enough to start with; it is where we all start. “ Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Job had gone a long way on that faith and so have many others but there came a blessed day when what he had long heard was now seen. He saw God, not in a vision nor in a manifestation to the senses but in a personal, inward, consciousness of the very presence of God. Perhaps you can recall some matter that perhaps you revolved in your mind for a long time. Then one day it became real to you and you said, “ I see it!” You could not put into words what you saw, but you saw. Right here is the weak spot in our Christian faith and life today. Thousands o f dear souls have heard and have believed and some o f them have developed strong characters, lived righteously and suffered nobly as did Job. But they have never met God like Job met Him. They have heard o f Him but have not seen Him. There has never been that shattering, melting, humbling awareness of God that brings us out of ourselves and into Himself. For years a lot of us have majored on walking by “ dry faith.” We have insisted that one must stand on the bare Word, regardless of sign or feeling or manifestation. That is true, but because

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coals smothered under a lot of ashes. Anyway, a lot of us are trying to remedy the situation in the wrong way. A vacation or a hobby will not cure that. Post-graduate courses and new degrees these days do not bring modem Jobs from hearing to seeing. A change of pastorates will not do it. It is one thing to resign, another thing to have our commission “ re-signed,” stamped anew with God’s approval. I am not pleading for some strange, queer, self- induced emotional binge. Seeking that sort o f thing has led into all sorts of weird and wild excesses. But for fear of that we have gone the other direc­ tion and some of us will miss a blessing rather than give up a prejudice. I am not labeling this experi­ ence or proposing “ steps” or “ rules” to follow. Both the Bible and subsequent history prove that men who have had power with God and men have first had their Jabbok like Jacob of old. The pat­ tern is incidental: what matters is that we take time out for a conference with God. It may mean canceling some other petty little conferences with flesh and blood but if it sends Paul to Arabia and brings him back with new orders it will be his greatest day’s work. The modern set-up of a church is so arranged — and the devil has had a hand in it — that the pastor is not so much a preacher; he is more like the head of a department store. He may have to slash some red tape and even offend some dear sister by not attending a tea-sipping of the Sons and Daughters of I Will Arise but if he is to be God’s man, he must get into the Divine Presence farther than morning devotions will take him. Somehow, at any cost, he must get past hear­ ing to seeing. Many an earnest chap who has heard well and believed well has seen but poorly and will yet have to have his comeliness, turned to corrup­ tion and rottenness, enter his bones and cry, “Woe is me for I am undone!” before heaven commis­ sions him to his finest work. Is this experience worked up? I am not con­ cerned with the psychology of it any more than with the pattern of it. One thing I would say: You must want it, desperately desire it. Then you must move from “ It” to “Him.” The Psalmist said, “My soul thirsteth for THEE, my flesh longeth for THEE.” Jesus said, “ If any man thirst, let him come unto ME and drink.” A lot of dear peo­ ple are always chasing “ it” and sometimes they think they find “ it” and “ it” fades. But when they get through to Him, they quit pumping at their own poor wells; they become fountains. There must be earnest desire, thirsting after God like the hart after the waterbrook. Thirsting is not casually wanting a drink of water. A mild desire for God’s best does not bring Job from hearing to seeing. God pours out water upon him

work up a satisfying faith, finally resting in the Faithful One. It is Phoebe Palmer learning to say, “When I gave all trying over, simply trusting, I was blessed.” The time would fail me to tell of many another Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jepthah and David and Samuel who by ways as diverse as themselves came to such a soul hunger, holy heart­ burn and heavenly thirst that they found no sat­ isfaction in anything short o f God Himself; who got past seeking God’s gifts to where they could sing, “Now Thee alone I seek; Give what is best.” I tell you, when a man gets through to that, he is past hearing to seeing, and Job’s glorious words are not a strange language to him. Because we are painfully short of such souls today, even our most orthodox Christianity is weak and pale and dull and dry. I know, of course, that one must first take his stand on the plain Word of God and not make personal experience his standard. “ Let God be true, but every man a liar.” If God’s Word is not enough, nothing else would ever be enough and we would not be persuaded though one rose from the dead. But God does grant personal experiences of varying kinds and degrees to His children. Some He starts off with a glowing red-letter day. He comes to others in times of great trial and test­ ing. To some He grants mighty miraculous deliv­ erances. Every Christian life begins with a miracle and some are guided all their lives in such mar­ velous fashion that it can be explained only by saying “ It is the Lord.” Many of us have known blessed seasons of prayer and meditation, special Divine interventions, rare hours when God became so near and Christ so real that we seemed in heav­ en rather than on earth. There are sometimes long seasons, of course, when God seems far away and He seems to trust some of His children so much that He can leave them for awhile in the dark. But we are not to conclude that because we are no longer in the apostolic age that the best we can expect is a walk o f dry faith unlit by heavenly visitation. Our Lord loves to draw near as He did to the lonely Emmaus pilgrims long ago and we ought to start every day expectantly, not only looking for His return, but seeking His face today. It is this very matter that spells the differ­ ence between a dry, ineffective ministry and a life “ owned and operated” by the Lord. Ministers who have heard by the hearing of the ear have carried on like Job faithfully and religiously. They are men of good character and integrity who fear God and eschew evil. But they need to see God. Others started out on fire but the fire is now a bed of

MARCH, 1968

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Cont. that is thirsty. Whatever brings about that thirst, that holy heartburn, whether it be a sermon or a song or the Scriptures or adversity or sickness or quiet meditation; whether the condition be sought or unsought, Job must quit talking and let God have His say. Peter never did get anywhere as long as he did the talking because usually “ Peter said . . . not knowing what he said.” Tribulation may bring it but not always need it be so. “The goodness of God leadeth us to repentance” and while things seem to be going well, a man may let God show him that he is nothing. It was while Moody was successfully carrying on herculean la­ bors for the Lord that two godly old women were used to show him that a man could be tireless but still Fireless. Arguing the pattern and the psychology of all this, we but compound the confusion. Satan likes to get us busy taking it all apart. Like falling in love, it does not start with a pre-arranged pro­ gram. But when Job gets through to God Himself, past hearing to seeing, HE KNOWS. By whatever road you take and at whatever cost you take it, make sure you can testify with the saintly patri­ arch of old, godly as he was even before he could say it, “ I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; BUT NOW mine eye seeth Thee.” You see, it is not more education, more activi­ ties or more meetings that we need so much as that what we already believe might become real. We need fire set to all our accumulated knowledge and work. We need to “ familiarize ourselves with the familiar.” I have heard of a brother who wished he had never read the Gospel of John so that he might read it for the first time. I think I know what he was driving at. Some o f us have grown up in Christian homes and have been saturated with the language of Scripture. We have heard and believed and have sought to live faithfully but what has been heard needs to be seen. I think that was what Timothy needed. He had enjoyed a godly upbringing; he had heard and believed the Scriptures, but Paul sensed that all this needed to be set aflame. That was what John Wesley needed and it was what he got at Aldersgate. What he had long heard was there seen. We have heard of the godly saint who, while studying the resurrection story one day, was so seized by the reality of it that he rose and went about shouting “ He’s alive! He’s alive!” What long had been heard and believed was seen. Is it not true that while familiarity with Gospel truth may not breed contempt, it may make us compla­ cent and smug since we “know all the answers” ? It will be a blessed day for many of us if we can say, “ I have heard . . . I have believed . . . BUT NOW I SEE” nn 14

PROFITABLE BIBLE STUDY

T h e b e i s s o m e t h i n g in Bible study more impor­ tant than the best methods and that is the fundamental conditions o f profitable study. He who meets these conditions will get more out o f the Bible, while pursuing the poorest method, than will he who does not meet them, while pursuing the best method. Many a one who is eagerly asking, “What method shall I pursue in my Bible study?” needs something that goes far deeper than a new and better method. The first o f the fundamental conditions o f the most profitable Bible study is that the student must be born again. The Bible is a spiritual book, it “ combines spiritual things with spiritual words” (I Cor. 2:13, A.S.V., 1901), and only a spiritual man can understand its deepest, most character- istic and most precious teachings. “The natural man receiveth not the things o f the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged” (I Corinthians 2:14, A.S.V.). Spiritual discern­ ment can be obtained in but one way, by being bom again. “ Except a man be bom anew he can- not see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, A.S.V.). No mere knowledge of the human languages in which the Bible was written, however extensive and accurate it may be, will qualify one to under­ stand and appreciate it. One must understand the divine language in which it was written as well, the language of the Holy Spirit. The second condition of the most profitable study is a love for the Bible. A man who eats with an appetite will get far more good out of his meal than one who eats from a sense o f duty. It is well when a student of the Bible can say with Job, “ I have treasured up the words o f his mouth more than my necessary food” (John 23:12, A.S.V.), or with Jeremiah, “ Thy words were found and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing o f mine heart; for I am called by thy name, 0, Lord God o f hosts” (Jer. 15:16, A.S.V.). Many come to the table God has spread in His Word with no appetite for spiritual food, and go mincing here and there and grumbling about everything. Spiritual indigestion lies at the bottom o f much modem criticism of the Bible. Abounding life means abounding hunger for the Word. Study of the Word stimulates love for the Word. The author can well remember the time when he had

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ing themselves in this way. They see what the Bible teaches, but they do not follow it, and they soon lose their power to see it. Truth obeyed leads to more truth. Truth disobeyed destroys the capacity for discovering truth. There must be not only a general surrender of the will but also specific, practical obedience to each new word of God dis­ covered. Do not study the Bible for the mere grati­ fication of intellectual curiosity but to find out how to live and please God. Whatever duty you find commanded in the Bible, do it at once. Whatever good you see in any Bible character, imitate it im­ mediately. Whatever mistake you note in the ac­ tions of Bible men and women, scrutinize your own life to see if you are making the same mis­ take, and if you find you are, correct it forthwith. The sixth condition is a childlike mind. God reveals His deepest truths to babes. No age needs more than our own to lay to heart the words of Jesus, “ I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes” (Matt. 11:25). A child is not full of its own wisdom. It recognizes its ignorance and is ready to be taught. It does not oppose its own notions and ideas to those of its teachers. It is in that spirit we should come to the Bible if we are to get the most profit out of our study. Come to the Bible not to find a confirmation of your own opinion, but to be taught what God may be pleased to teach. We see why it is that many persons can­ not see things which are plainly taught in the Bible. The doctrine taught is not their notion, of which they are so full that there is no room left for that which the Bible actually teaches. Many a man is so full of an unbiblical theology that it takes him a lifetime to get rid of it and to understand the clear teaching o f the Bible. “Oh, what can this verse mean?” many a bewildered man cries. Why, it means what it plainly says; but what you are after is not the meaning God has manifestly put into it, but the meaning you can by some ingenious trick of exegesis twist out of it and make it fit into your scheme. Don’t come to the Bible to find out what you can make it mean. Someone has well said the best method of Bible study is “ the baby method.” I was once talking with a ministerial friend about what seemed to be the clear teaching o f a certain passage. “Yes,” he replied, “but that doesn’t agree with my phi­ losophy.” This man was sincere, yet he did not have the childlike spirit, which is an essential condition of the most profitable Bible study. The seventh condition o f studying the Bible for the greatest profit is that we study it as the Word of God. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the church of the Thessalonians, thanked God without

more appetite for books about the Bible than he had for the Bible itself, but with increasing study there has come increasing love for the Book. The third condition is willingness to do hard work. Solomon has given a graphic picture o f the Bible student who gets the most profit out o f his study, “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou cry after discernment, and lift up thy voice for understand­ ing; if thou seek her as silver and search for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear o f the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:1-5, A.S.V.). Now, seeking for silver and searching for hid treasures means hard work, and he who wishes to get not only the silver but the gold as well out of the Bible, and find its “ hid treasures,” must make up his mind to dig. It is not glancing at the Word, or reading the Word, but studying the Word, that brings the rich­ est yields. The reason why many get so little out of their Bible reading is simply because they are not willing to think. People are constantly crying for new methods o f Bible study, but what many of them wish is simply some method of Bible study by which they can get all the good out o f the Bible without work. Weigh every word you read in the Bible. Look at it. Turn it over and over. The most familiar passages get a new meaning in this way. Spend fifteen minutes on each word in Psalm 23:1 or Philippians 4:19, and see if it is not so. The fourth condition is a will wholly surren­ dered to God. Jesus said, “ If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching” (John 7 :17, A.S.V.). A surrendered will gives that clear­ ness of spiritual vision which is necessary to un­ derstand God’s Book. Many of the difficulties and obscurities of the Bible rise wholly from the fact that the will o f the student is not surrendered to the will of the Author of the Book. It is remark­ able how clear and simple and beautiful passages that once puzzled us become when we are brought to that place where we say to God, “ I surrender my will unconditionally to Thine. I have no will but Thine. Teach me Thy will.” Doing that wrought a complete transformation in the author’s theology, life and ministry. The fifth condition is very closely related to the fourth. The student of the Bible who would get the greatest profit out o f his studies must be obedient to its teachings as soon as he sees them. It was good advice James gave to early Christians and to us, “Be ye doers of the word and not hear­ ers only, deceiving your own selves.” A good many who consider themselves Bible students are deceiv­

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