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July, 1936
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
c Around the King’s Tableu B y P a u l W. R ood
There are two diametrically opposed Citizenship views as to the Christian’s relationship to his government. There are those who believe that the program of the church is to preach a social gospel which will bring in a new social order. The modernistic church is not concerned with the regeneration of the indi vidual but with the regeneration of society. This attempt to reform the world is a failure. In spite of disarmament propaganda, the nations are this year spending twice as much for armaments as was spent in the year prior to the outbreak of the World War. There will be no permanent peace in this world until the Prince of Peace comes. There is no Scriptural warrant for the belief that the world is going to be regenerated through the ministry of the church. The only solution of world problems is to be found in the return of our Lord. Some very devoted Christians maintain that a believer, being a stranger and a pilgrim in this world, should refrain from all participation in civic affairs. The apparent failure of reform movements into which Christians have poured time, energy, and money seems to vindicate this position. Both of these diametrically opposed views, however, are extreme and unscriptural. While it is true that “our citi zenship is in heaven,” it is also true that our citizenship is in the country of our birth or choice. Our primary ministry is to live and work as witnesses for Christ and win souls for Him. We must not become entangled with the affairs of this life so as to lose our testimony and neutralize our influ ence. God’s messengers must protest against unrighteous ness in the individual and in the nation as did the prophets of old. The Christian should exercise his franchise and allow a Scripturally instructed conscience to control him as he casts his vote in the ballot box. Our children are growing up in the community and country in which we live, and certainly we should take our stand and make our influence felt when moral issues are involved. We must have a Sense of proportion and let first things be first, and this will lead us to “render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s ; and unto God the things that are God’s.” The fact that we are admonished to pray for those who are in authority and that it is definitely stated that “this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour” (1 Tim. 2: 1-3) certainly means that we are to be interested in the affairs of State. The fact that we are born again should make us better citizens of the country to which we belong. A part of our duty as citizens is to vote and to use our influence against everything that is wrong and for everything that is right in the sight of God. If there ever was a time when the Christians of the United States needed to function as citizens it is now. Subversive influences are at work that would destroy con stitutional government. We need to be informed in order that we may pray and act intelligently. Communism is a threatening menace, and certainly no Scripturally instructed Christian will promote the purposes of communists by willful ignorance, cowardly silence, or criminal neglect in a time of national crisis when the very foundations of national wellbeing are being undermined.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude Commencement to God as we think of the Commence- At Biola ment week of 1936. The alumni dinner, on the evening of June 8, was more like a consecration service than a banquet. Loyalty to Christ and Biola and a determination to prayerfully and enthusi astically support their alma mater seemed to animate every alumnus present. The attendance exceeded all expectations and the program was deeply spiritual. Former students and friends, some of whom had been away in distant fields for many years, rejoiced in the fellowship which the occa sion afforded. The class day exercises attracted a large number of friends. A program of unusual spiritual depth and power was given by the graduates. The three speakers delivered messages that brought conviction and blessing. We know of at least one soul that was definitely won for the Lord through this service. This news was indeed an encourage ment to the class and especially to those who had prayer fully prepared themselves and had partaken in the pro gram. The climax of Commencement activities was reached on Thursday night, June 11, when one hundred and three students were graduated. The granting of a diploma by the Bible Institute means that the recipient has completed the prescribed course ■ of study, has passed examinations satisfactorily, has shown commendable zeal in Christian work, and has lived a consistent Christian life. The gradu ates had completed one or more of the following courses : Bible Collegiate,' Christian Education, General, Jewish Missions, Missionary, and Music. Twelve students had completed the course of the Evangelical Teacher Training Association, offered by the Institute in the day and evening schools. These young people received the teacher’s diploma of the Association. Possibly the outstanding event of the evening was the conferring of the degree of Bachelor of Theology upon six young men. This ceremony marked the passing of a new milestone in the history of Biola. It meant that the Insti tute is now a school with collegiate standing. The following statement was made by the President in connection with the conferring of degrees: The Bible Institute has recently taken a forward step in the field of Christian education. We have applied for and received State authorization for the conferring of certain degrees. At the present time, courses are offered which lead to the degrees of Bachelor of Theology and Bachelor of Christian Education. Recently, a four-year music course has been planned and authorized, and this course will lead to the degree of Bachelor of Sacred Music. This forward step does not mean any departure from the theological and spiritual standards of this institution. We adhere rigidly to our statement of faith in every detail, and at the opening of the next school year, every member of the faculty and every member of the Board of Trustees will be required to sign the statement of faith in the presence of the entire student body and assembled friends. Next year we will have a full-time leader serving as Director of Practical Work and teacher of Personal Evangelism, which means that an even stronger emphasis than ever will be placed on the subject of evangelism.
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