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¡lea d er ¡Reaction Question Box Helpful We love The King’s Business. We al ways turn first to the Question Box and simply devour the answers. M e . and M rs . J ames M. C lark Spokane, Washington A Spiritual Uplift I want you to know that because of having The King’s Business in our home, our eyes have been opened to so many truths and a strong desire to know more about God and to work with Him in the salvation of souls has been put within our nature. Your magazine is rated as “tops” among our reading material in our home. M rs . G len F. W asem Grangeville, Idaho Well Balanced I surely hate to miss even one copy. It is the most evenly balanced magazine I’ve ever read. You have a nice variety of articles. The thing I enjoy most about it is that you are Christ-centered and I know you are being blessed. E. L. J ohnson Compton, Calif. A Family Blessing We have gained great blessings as a family and individually in the reading of your editorials, stories and subjects. M rs . E thel H oyh Newport, N. H. “ Old Timers” Heard From I wish I could send you a lot more subscriptions to your valued magazine. I have been taking it myself since the year 1915 or thereabouts. 0 . M. K raybill York, Pennsylvania We were subscribers to the first issue of The King’s Business years ago and have enjoyed it thoroughly ever since. T he W eeds Milledgeville, Illinois We have been blessed for more than 30 years by reading The King’s Busi ness. W. G. S omerville Barnardsville, North Carolina Christian Fellowship I am writing primarily to tell you how much I love The King’s Business. This past month seemed to hold more than the usual amount of worldly prob lems and it seemed so awfully long waiting for your magazine to come. I was so hungry for some spiritual food —for a “ talk” so to speak, with Chris tian friends. I am isolated in the coun try and it is impossible to have Chris tian fellowship in the winter time. The two articles by Mr. Rose and Mrs. Has- kin are wonderful. They are so well written and very vivid. God will surely (Continued on Page 18) J U L Y , 1 9 5 2
BUSINESS
Official Publication of The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Incorporated Betty Bruechert Louis T. Talbot, D.D. Editor in Chief No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission All Rights Reserved Voi. 43 July, 1952 No. 7 Reader Reaction ........................................................................................... 3 Editorially Speaking .................................................................................. 4 Dr. Talbot’s Question Box ........................................................................ 6 Strictly G.I., Captain Cleo W. B u x to n ................................................... 7 The Security of the Believer, Part One, Douglas C. Hartley ........... 9 Building the West is His Business, John R id e n ................................ 11 Inside Hollywood, Dorothy Clark Haskin ...................................... 13 Our Great Salvation, Joseph T. Larson .............................................. 14 Poem, Day and Night are Thine ........................................................... 15 Hunting Headhunters in Ecuador, Mrs George M o ffa t t ................. 16 Junior King’s Business: July Christmas, Sally H aw th o rn e ........... 17 The Bible in the News, William W. O r r .............................................. 20 Our Bill o f R ig h t s .......... .............................................................................. 21 Poem, Be Thou Faithful, Gladys K e r f o o t .............................................. 21 Biola Family Circle .................................................................................... 22 Book Reviews, DonaldG. Davis ................................................................. 23 The Work and the Workers, William W. O r r ...................................... 24 Young People’s Topics, Chester J. Padgett ........................................ 25 Sunday School Lessons, Homer A. Kent, Allison A r r ow o o d ........... 30 Object Lessons, Elmer L. Wilder . . . : ..................................................... 26 Cover, P. 7, Harold M. Lambert Studios, Philadelphia, Pa.; Pp. 9, 21, Eva Luoma, Weirton, W. Va. William W. Orr, D.D Associate Editor Managing Editor SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION— “ The King’s Business” is published monthly; $2.00, one year; $1.00, six months; 20 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. W rite 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. REMITTANCES—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 of wrapper or cover o f magazine. ADVERTISING— For information, address the Advertising Manager, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California. MANUSCRIPTS— “ The King’s Business” cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Entered as second-class matter November 7, 1938, at the Post Office at Los Angeles, Cali fornia, under the A ct of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate o f postage provided for in the A ct 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. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, California. Page Three
Mr. Griffis, Mr. Freed made a tour, preaching throughout Spain, visiting many Protestant churches and carefully evaluating the position of the Protestants throughout the country. Upon his return to Madrid he received word that Mr. Griffis was most anxious to see him. He questioned Paul Freed as to what he had been doing in Spain, saying that the word had come to him directly from Franco and the heads of the Spanish government about his activities in that country. The Baptist minister gave a straight-forward answer to the effect that he had been preaching a positive message, speaking against no one, but preaching the same message that he preached in America. Then Griffis told him that in reality the message that he had received from Franco was one of confidence in the work that Paul Freed had been doing and that Franco was well pleased with his activities. This confi dence from the Spanish government was priceless, giving him freedom to move about in the interest of the cause that he was championing. To further compli ment this young man, Mr. Griffis asked him to consider returning to Spain in some capacity connected with the Em bassy. “ Through this interview with Stanton Griffis he was able to come in contact with many top men in Washington. He was then asked by President Truman to come to Washington to confer with him about the matter of religious liberty in Spain. On December 21, 1951, at 12:30 P.M. . . . Mr. Freed stepped into the White House for a half-hour interview with the President of the United States. History without a doubt was being made for Spain! “ Paul Freed felt that he should return to Spain not in an official capacity but simply as an American Protestant lead er, who in the American way, was hop ing to champion the cause of religious liberty, speaking for all Americans who believe in the God-given right of reli gious freedom and expression. Also he felt he had a message, although com pletely unofficial, from the President of the United States to the heads of the Spanish government. “ During the last two months he has had continuous conferences with govern ment officials, Spanish Protestant lead ers, and the new American Ambassador. “ He was accompanied by Rev. B. I eighton Armstrong, pastor of the Cen tral Presbyterian Church of Paterson, New Jersey. “ Lincoln MacVeagh, the new Ambas sador to Spain, arrived in Madrid the last week in March. His first official ap pointment in Spain was with the enter prising young American—Paul Freed. The Ambassador was very sympathetic and he made the statement that he was positive that Mr. Freed, in the capacity in which he was working, could do more for the cause of religious freedom in Spain than he himself would be able to do. “ The Protestant leaders of Spain are waiting and watching development!.
states, ‘The Spanish government made three definite promises. NcfW the first promise was this: (1) They would go down through the list of 31 closed churches that I submitted and open all the churches that they possibly could. The ones that they could not open they would give me the exact reason. Later they indicated they would open two-thirds of them and the other third they would work on. (2) The Spanish government promised they would definitely work towards obtaining more religious liberty for Protestants. (3) They further prom ised that wherever it could be shown that there was a group of Protestants, they would give them permission to open a church.’ “ Last year Protestants in Spain hailed the improved relations between Spain and the United States as a possible ground to hope that there would be more religious liberty in Spain. Then . . . two outstanding Roman Catholic priests were converted, Senor Albornoz, World Gen eral Secretary of the Marian’s congre gation, and Senor Padrosa, Director of the Loyola Institutes of Tarrasa and Barcelona, one of Spain’s greatest ora tors. It was likely these two conversions worried Cardinal Segura and caused him to lash out at Protestants as reported in Time maeazine on March 17th in which he said, ‘This benevolent attitude toward Protestants must cease.’ The very same week saw an attack on a Protestant church in the Cardinal’s city, Seville, in which the pastor was attacked, hymnals and Bibles destroyed, gasoline poured on the altar of the church and the inside of the church burned out. “ In the midst of all this God raised up an American by the name of Paul Freed, an ordained minister of the Southern Baptist Church. Having heard of exist ing conditions relative to Protestant work in Spain, he became interested and in 1948 he made his first trip to Spain, making an extensive survey and care fully observing conditions for the Protestant church there. “ In July, 1951, he had an audience with Stanton Griffis, then the American ambassador to Spain. This was a step in the direction of religious liberty for Protestants. After his interview with
Talbot Theological Seminary A STATEMENT of more than usual interest was made at the 1952 commencement exercises of the Bible In stitute of Los Angeles. Dean S. H. Suth erland, on behalf of the faculty and Board of Directors, announced the open ing of the Talbot Theological Seminary, offering a new three-year theological seminary course to those possessing a B.A. degree who desire sound dispensa- tional and premillennial instruction in the Scriptures. During Dr. Talbot’s ab sence in ministry in the north, the Board of Directors dec'ded that this new school should be named in honor of its Presi dent in recognition of his unt’ring la bors and sacrificial service on behalf of the school for so many years. Dr. Talbot reluctantly acquiesced with characteris tic modesty. The Bible Institute of Los Angeles now comprises four schools: Biola Bible College with a four-year course offering a B.A. in Bible, Christian Education and Music; the Bible Institute proper, with a two-year course in Bible and related subjects; the School of Missionary Medi cine, with a one-year graduate course for missionary candidates; and the new Talbot Theological Seminary. Report on Spain W E would like to quote in full a recent news release written in Spain by Kay Smith, Associate Editor of The Missionary Digest, which sets forth a very informative and significant view on Protestant affairs in Spain. “ The day that Paul Freed stepped out of the White House, he also stepped into the vary middle of one of the most criti cal problems of religious liberty in the world today—Spain! Since the date of that conference, December 21, 1951, with the President of the United States, on religious liberty in Spain, probably more constructive work has been done on the problem of religious liberty in Spain since the war. “ After four interviews with the Min ister of Interior of Spain, Paul Freed
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Many feel that upon the outcome of this Baptist Minister’s work, to a great ex tent, lies the future hope of the Protest ant work in Spain.” Come Ye Apart and Rest Awhile B IBLE readers will remember that during the days of the ministry of our Lord, He was many times besieged almost to the point of distraction by those who wanted His healing touch or who sought favors of one kind or an other, along with earnest seekers for divine solace. On one occasion the Lord and His disciples completely withdrew from the multitudes in order that they might rest and fellowship only with one another. It is trite indeed to remark that we live in a very busy world. America was recently diagnosed as the most nervous nation in history. It is true that we are a great nation and a stupendous pro ducer, but we are also a race that burns the proverbial candle at both ends. This tendency grips not only the average citizen of our land but Christian people as well, and so it is necessary that God’s children turn aside from the business tasks which fall to their hands during the year and occasionally retire into a secluded place where the body may be rested, the mind refreshed and best of all, the spirit enriched. Such a place is a summer Bible Con ference. During the last several decades this splendid movement has grown to excellent proportions. Scattered over our land there are scores and scores of beau tiful, restful spots where Christian peo ple may gather far removed from pro fanity, liquor, tobacco and the blare of amusements. The Bible Institute of Los Angeles sponsors a number of Bible Con ferences. In the current season a confer ence is to be held at Jennings Lodge July 20 to 27. This delightful spot, just outside the south city limits of Portland, Oregon, has excellent accommodations and an auditorium seating well over a thousand. Another beautiful spot is the Glen- dawn Baptist Bible Grounds on Five Mile Lake just off the highway between Seattle and Tacoma. Along with other conferences, Biola will sponsor a week there, August 3 to 10. For folks in California there will be a week of conference at the Mount Her- mon Grounds near Santa Cruz, August 17 to 24. In all of these conferences a fine program of Bible teaching has been outlined. All sorts of accommodations are available and costs are exceedingly rea sonable. Those who are interested should write, care of Extension Department, Bible Institute of Los Angeles, 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 17. The President’s Source Of Wisdom M ANY Americans have been deeply grieved over the actions of men elected to high office. In what certainly seems to be a sad abuse of high power, these officials have demonstrated again JULY. 1952
a well-known fact that their wisdom is quite ordinary, that they are just men after all and that they 'are ruled by the same low passions which afflict the lives of all. Why do we expect a man who is elected to high office to be elementally any different from others? No one upon the face of the earth has wisdom enough to govern a million people, to say noth ing of governing a complex nation of 150 millions. Yet there is a deep feeling that rulers ought to have more wisdom to rule and ought to be fundamentally honest enough to rule righteously. There is a tendency on the part of many to forget that even the President of our United States is just simply a man governed by the same characteristics that are to be found universally. But there is a basis for the expecta tion that a ruler should exercise more than average wisdom. The foundation of this belief is undoubtedly taken from the pages of Scripture. Since the time of the flood it has been a principle in human life that God delegated into human hands the authority to rule. From that day to this God has held human government accountable for the exercise of righteous authority and for the punishment of evil doers. In a number of instances, par ticularly that of King Solomon, it was demonstrated that there was special wis dom available for those who, under God’s permissive will, were elected to the office of ruler. It is easily remembered that King Solomon had such wisdom and such extraordinary power of judgment and discernment that people came from neighboring kingdoms just to sit at his feet. All of this was a gift from God. God’s principles have not changed to day. We believe there is to be had special insight, extraordinary w i s d o m and strength of character for rulers who de sire the same. The only requisite, how ever, must be that the ruler be humble enough to recognize God as the Giver of all good gifts, and with patient humility consistently to seek such wisdom. There must also be a corresponding course of righteous action for it cannot be con ceived that God would continually be stow wisdom upon a ruler who held office through tyranny or ruled unright eously. What then is to be the lot of a people with rulers who are too proud or too wicked to seek God’s favor? Even here there is an answer. Those who know God and those who name the name of Christ are invited to pray for rulers and those who are in authority and the promise is made (1 Tim. 2:1-3) that a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty will result. It seems to be a difficult thing to pray for unrighteous leaders. Yet, this is one of God’s ways to bring these leaders into a place where they will not only act in wisdom for themselves but where God will turn the doings of their life into actions which will result in beneficial legislation and honest government. The application is not hard to find. America would most certainly have bet ter leaders, more helpful legislation and
improved national conditions if only those who know how to pray would deeply and earnestly lay before God the needs of their leaders. On the other hand, the responsibility for poor govern ment, ill-advised laws and laxity in high circles is traceable not only to the human instruments themselves but to those Christians who could have prayed and failed to do so. Smoking Women C AN’T somebody please tell our lovely American women and girls that when they put the cigarette in their mouths they change their entire appearance? Is there no one to lift up his voice in this day and cry out against this vile and odoriferous habit which is enslaving our girls and young women, mothers and even grandmothers? We look in vain through the pages of magazines and through the columns of newspapers to find anyone who will stand up and de clare that tobacco is one of the grossest, silliest, filthiest and most degrading hab its ever to force itself upon a nation, especially upon the women of a nation. It is one of life’s deepest mysteries to find that our American women who are so deeply concerned about their appear ance and personal daintiness that they spend several billions of dollars upon preparations to beautify their bodies, to avoid offensive odors, and bad breath, and to keep their skin in a youthful condition, can abide the ravages of this despicable cigarette habit. Everyone knows that smoking blackens the teeth, soils the fingers, spreads the ashes all around, defiles the air and robs a woman of her sweetness and femininity, giving in exchange a look of blasé brazenness and hardness almost comparable to a skid row character. The matter of the physical harm of cigarette smoking has been discussed many, many times. Once in a while you will find a courageous physician who will stand up and tell the absolute truth. But how in the world can anyone seri ously doubt the harm that is done to the delicate tissues of the lungs by the constant inhalation of smoke, even any smoke. The alarming rise of lung cancer is pitiful testimony to this disgraceful habit. Yet people do go on living even though they are heavy smokers. This, however, is due, not to the lack of irri tants in tobacco smoke but, rather, to the amazing recuperative powers of the human body. We do not expect this editorial to greatly change the habits of the Ameri can women. But we wish there was some organization with power and prestige that would call this vile cigarette menace by its right name. We wish there were groups of high-thinking, right-living American women who would go on record as opposed to this greedy malodorous monster and would pledge themselves not only to abstain in their own lives but to urge upon our lovely growing girls the added charm and attractiveness that can be their’s by abstinence. Page Five
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this armour, not hang it on. In the tow er of London there are statues on which armour is hung because these images have no life. Sometimes men “ dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1) “hang on” the armour of God, and try to produce the graces of the Spirit in their own strength. They need first to be born again, for to “put on the whole armour of God” requires life—new life in Christ Jesus. What are the errors taught by Je hovah’s Witnesses? I know they are false teachers, and do not believe some of the fundamentals of the faith. In the first place the Russellites, known now as Jehovah’s Witnesses, are Unitarians. They claim the doctrine of the Trinity was well suited to the Dark Ages, which Pastor Russell claimed produced it. Therefore they deny the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit. They also deny the eternal deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for they teach that He was a god, but not the God. They teach that, before His incarnation, He was none other than the Archangel Michael. Thus they make our Lord a created angel, not the Creator. They teach that Jesus was a human being during His earthly ministry, but that in His incarnation He was not the spiritual being He was before. They teach that at the cross His humanity was annihilated, that after His death His body was either secretly taken away by God, or “ dissolved into gases.” They teach that man is not saved by God’s grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, but by doing good works. Pastor Russell taught that Jesus Christ returned in October, 1874, and went into hiding with some of His dis ciples, and that in October, 1914, He was to be manifested with the living disciples known as “ the true wheat.” The number of these disciples was to be 144,000. (He took this number from the reference in the book of Revelation to the 144,000 Israelites.) Jehovah’s Witnesses teach soul-sleep, and are bitterly opposed to any and all orthodox teachers concerning hell and the lake of fire. According to the plain teaching of the Word of God, no one can be saved who believes what is taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses concern ing the Lord Jesus Christ, to say nothing of other errors taught by the system. We would, therefore, warn our readers against it as a dangerous and pernicious perversion of the truth of God.
Ephesians 5 :25, 26 says, “ Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” What is this washing of water? Here we are told that we are cleansed from the penalty of sin by the blood of Jesus; and that we are cleansed from the power of sin by the Word of God, which is “ quick [living], and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword . . . and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). Someone has said, “the blood is for judicial cleansing; the water for moral cleansing.” Furthermore because we have accepted the shed blood of the Lord Jesus as an atonement for our souls, “there is therefore now no condemna tion” to us before our holy God. (Read Rom. 8:1.) And as we let the Holy Spirit cleanse us from the defilement of sin, even after we are saved, by the “washing of water by the word,” we confess our sins, and are cleansed from all unrighteousness on our pilgrim walk with our Lord. (Read 1 John 1:9.) Let us put before us this whole ar mour of God described in Ephesians 6: 10-13. “ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” When the inspired Apostle wrote of our wrestling not against “ flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the dark ness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” he gave us an insight into the power of Satan and his hosts. If the devil were flesh and blood we should be more equally matched against him. But he is a wicked angel, very powerful, very sub tle. We can never fight against him to win the battle except by the power of God’s Holy Spirit through the Word of God, protected and shielded by the whole armour of God. Furthermore, we are told to put on Please explain what is the “whole ar mour” of God mentioned by the Apostle Paul.
Dr. Louis T. Talbot Some years ago in a radio broadcast I heard you say that Christianity was better than Judaism. I am very anxious to hear your explanation. Christianity is better than Judaism, as seen in its Pounder, Christ. Christ is better than the prophets, better than the angels, better than Moses and Joshua, and better than Aaron, the first high priest of Israel. He offers a better sacrifice in a better tabernacle, under a better covenant, established upon a bet ter promise of a better resurrection, to an eternal inheritance in a better coun try than that given to Abraham, even in that “ city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 1 1 : 10 ). Of all these good things in Judaism —good because they were shadows of better things to come—the shedding of the blood of the sacrifices was the very heart. All the sacrifices were offered by faith in the Lamb of God who was to come to take away the sins of the world. He came. He died. He rose again from the dead. Concerning His finished work on Calvary, the Holy Spirit wrote to those perplexed Hebrew Christians, saying that the Levitical sacrifices were no longer needed. The prophet Jeremiah said very plainly, “ And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of sin is, there is no more offering for sin” (Heb. 10:17,18; cf. Jer. 31:34). Thus it is seen that all the Levitical sacrifices were but the acknowledgment of sin, the calling to “ remembrance” of sin, daily, yearly (Heb. 10:3). They re minded the sinner of his guilt and of his inability to pay the penalty of his sins, at the same time pointing him on to the One who was to come, who had planned from eternity to pay the debt of sin for a guilty world.
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ent, too. I prayed that God would for give my lackadaisical attitude and my pride in thinking that all I had to do was live a “good life.” As soon as a lull came in the battle and I had an opportunity to call my men together, I told them what I be lieved—how Jesus Christ had died for each one of them and what He meant to me, and how I had failed them up to this point. I told them that I would not harass them by talking about it all the time, but if they wanted to pray or find out what the Scriptures said, I would be glad to talk or pray with them. This was the beginning of a very fruitful time. We had Bible studies together, and a number of men accepted Christ as their Saviour. I had learned the hard way. There after when I was assigned to a new unit I made it a habit at the first occasion to call my men together to tell them what I believed. I let them know it was my greatest desire to help them before the heat of battle came, when—busy with the duties involving the whole unit —I would not be able to help. When I entered the service this time, I made it the primary requirement for myself that the men who were with me would know that I was a Christian. I did not go knocking on doors to tell them; but I found that there are plenty of “ bull sessions” when what we did be fore being called back in came up for discussion. Here is the opportunity. It’s possible to avoid the issue by talking in generalities, but I found that the most expeditious thing is to state quite frankly and sometimes even bluntly what you are living for. Your statement is bound to be followed by a hush in which everyone looks a little amazed and even embarrassed, but if you follow it up with some such remark as, “ I don’t know what I would have done without Jesus Christ as my guide,” peo ple will be interested. The discussion on my first three nights in the barracks during my present term of service lasted until after midnight as I ex plained what a Christian is and what it means to be one. Never before have I had such opportunities to witness with real freedom and to such attentive ques tioners. Page Seven
Used by permission of Inter-Varsity Fellowship*
I P “ 6.1.” has not already become a part of your daily routine, there is a good possibility that it will very shortly. As you pass through endless “ G.I.” lines, they will throw “ G.I.” clothes at you, you will eat “ G.I.” chow. “ G.I.” can mean lots of things, but in the service it means “government issue.” You will even be called a “ G.I.” yourself and live with other “ G.I’s.” And you will get a “ G.I.” education which will include many things and all prefaced with these two little letters “ G.I.” How you take this “ rough and ready” education depends on you and what you believe. I spent nearly four years in Uncle Sam’s University and have now re turned at his request for a post-grad uate course. In contrasting what I •did when I entered the service the first time with this present donning of Army olive-drab, I see some things that may be interesting to you as you are con fronted with the armed services. As a result of my past experience I believe I have a keener insight into how much one’s conduct counts, and on entering the service this time I have tried not to repeat my previous mistakes. Our Primary Allegiance The basis and principal assumption of all this is that we are “ soldiers of Jesus Christ,” a fact which supersedes even our allegiance to the United States. As a “soldier of Jesus Christ” I en tered the service the first time with the philosophy that “ I would live my Chris tianity, and others would see it, and my life would speak so loudly that I wouldn’t have to talk.” I was quite con vinced that this was the best plan, but J U L Y , 1 9 5 2
as I look back I realize the real situa tion—that I was afraid to do anything else and did not have enough confidence in my Commander, Jesus Christ, to speak forth for Him. If you are talking down the spoken-witness angle, examine your motives honestly to see if your main difficulty is not that you are afraid and ashamed of Christ. I received a reward in the service commensurate with my philosophy of living. The men knew I did not smoke or drink. In fact, I think many of them were frankly puzzled as to what on earth I did do. A negative philosophy will never save sinners. When I left the first company of which I was a member, my company commander said to me, “ I have heard of Christians but I- never met one until I met you.” Actually this was a rebuke, for I had never made an attempt to tell my C.O. what Christ meant to me. I was not shaken out of my “just liv ing as a Christian” until several days of combat had passed. The word was sent up to me that one of my men was dying and was asking for me. The fire was heavy, and I didn’t feel I should leave my men to go to this one man. The messenger finally said, “He wants you to pray for him. Won’t you please come?” That hit me. Apparently I had acted enough like a Christian to make him believe I could help. So I made my way back some yards to the wounded man. He was deep in shock, and I could see that he was about to die. He could say nothing but “ Pray” over and over. I did pray, but he soon slipped out— where I do not know. I prayed for that dying man that moment, but I prayed something differ
actions may determine their decision. If you merely condemn without trying to help, they will go with those who claim to have a good time. If you are cheerful and take into consideration the men’s lack of knowledge, and if you have something to do to interest them, they will follow you. Their ideas of interesting things are not the same as yours. It is a real pleasure for you to go to church. But this will probably not interest them. Go bowling, or visit the service club, or go into town to see friends of yours or theirs. As you try to be friends with them and understand their backgrounds, you may win them to Christ. Above all, be a “ regular man.” All I have said thus far could apply equally well to a man in the service or one training for the service in some thing like R.O.T.C. In such an on- campus unit, you can still gravitate to your own clique. Don’t! Get acquainted with other men in your own unit, your equals as well as your superiors and inferiors. Here you will have the free dom and the time to make friends and an excellent chance to tell of salvation through Christ. As an officer-to-be you will have even greater opportunities to witness for Christ. When that freshman comes into your unit, instead of scaring the wits out of him with your gruffness, invite him out to the fellowship meeting or spend some extra time in finding out a little about him—what he is studying and what his plans are. You will be amazed at what a lasting impression it will make on him that someone was interested. This little matter of interest, in my estimation, makes the difference be tween a mediocre officer and a good one. A good officer is interested in his men as individuals, and as a Christian offi cer, he further sees them as people whom Jesus Christ loved and died for: thus he bends every effort to tell them of the Saviour who has meant so much to him. This does not mean he is “ soft” on his men, but rather that he tries to understand and love them in a way which, small though it is, reflects how Jesus Christ loves and understands him. Each of the services has an exacting discipline, and its definite requirements must be fulfilled by each man. The pur pose of uniformity in everything is that there may result the automatic func tioning whieh is necessary in combat and times of stress. God, too, sets forth a strict discipline for His soldiers, and we in His army must conform. In both cases men’s lives are involved: in the government service, physical life; and in Christian service, spiritual life. Upon entering the service of your country you have no choice but to conform to gov ernment issues and soon find yourself a typical “ G.I.” in everything. Are you willing as a Christian to be strictly “ God’s issue” that men may have spirit ual as well as physical life? * Available in booklet form from lUbU N. Astor, Chicago, III., at 10 cents. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
with God. I believe that bowing your head for grace before meals is expected of you as a Christian, but I am not sure that long periods spent on your knees in prayer beside your bunk is. I have known too many instances when this was considered only a parade of one’s Christianity. My personal solution was to lie on my bed and with head down talk to the Lord. Then I visited the prayer room which almost all chap els have when I wished to kneel and pray for longer periods. Men tend to be repelled if you seem to be putting on an act. They will soon make it very uncomfortable for you and perhaps completely neutralize your witness if they feel you are a sham. Your personal attitude toward the service will be one of your greatest testimonies to your Christian life. I must confess that I am greatly alarmed at the many people who wish only for a “ good deal.” I have not found over five persons in the last year who seemed to look forward to making a contribu tion in combat or wherever the service might send them to face hazards. The great tragedy has been that many Christians are falling all over each other trying to get a “ privileged posi tion.” To me it is a denial of all that Romans 8:28 teaches us. If you come into the service, believe with all your heart that God has a real place for you and don’t look for the softest little job you can find. America was never built on that philosophy, and it will not stay strong on it either. If we believe that God has a plan for our lives, we need not fear, for He will “ do abundantly above all that we ask or think.” The service is not a place to “mark time,” but right now it is God’s greatest mis sion field for you. Your fellowship in the service will be another problem. There won’t be a nice little Inter-Varsity clique whose mem bers always, say the right thing and never do anything wrong. Rather there will be some pretty tough characters who will do things you didn’t even know existed. They will come home to the barracks at night, or should I say morn ing, after long hours of worshiping at Bacchus’ altar and insist on telling you all about the night’s fun when you are interested in nothing but sleep. Such a situation will put your Christian love to the severest test, and you will come out of it either a misfit or a “regular joe.” It has been interesting to note that the worst sinners often make the finest and most energetic Christians. Be a true friend, not just one who looks down his nose every time the boys have too many. That’s the only life they know, and unless you lead them to something better by what you say and do, you have no right to complain. It is only by the grace of God that you are what you are. ■. i l i i The Positive Witness There will be a number of men who will be on the deciding line, and your
“As a Good Soldier of Jesus Christ”
One other of my excuses should be mentioned — another conscience - salve which allowed me to remain silent about my Lord—namely, that I might turn out to be a poor soldier and thus bring dis repute on His name. Although I believe that I was somewhat honest in this, it was also just plain laziness on my part and a real stratagem of the devil. I found as time went on that, when I aligned myself on the Christian side, I was “on the spot.” Men looked at me, and I was never allowed to forget that they judged what a Christian was by what I was and how I acted. How many times in Italy when I beeame so tired of fighting and war, constantly crawl ing up one side of the mountain and fighting down the other, I would see a house alone on the mountainside and wish that I could go there and just lie down and rest. Then I’d remember, “ A Christian would never do that.” There was no way out. I had to go on. Also when the shelling got hot or the bullets were flying thick and fast, my reaction was to freeze down behind a wall or ditch, but the thought that “ a Christian would never do that” gave me the impetus to move and to lead others to move when they, too, were afraid. Thus I believe that I can advise from actual experience in the service—put yourself on record as a Christian, and it will make you a better service man. It means that you can’t cut into the chow line. It means that you aren’t al ways looking out for yourself first. It means keeping that rifle spotlessly clean or doing that task of yours just a little better than anyone else. God enjoins this, too, in Colossians 3:23,24: “ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Making the Most of Your Spiritual Life In the service your problems in re gard to your spiritual life will be just like those of your life at university. Only more so. It will be hard to find a period for the Quiet Time. Reveille comes so early, and you are too tired at night. You most likely will find that thirty or more men in the same room with you are not conducive to quiet. I found the noon hour one of the best times to get alone with God in garrison. If you want a quiet place early in the morning, the company day room is one of the best. If it is fair weather usually just a short walk will take you to a chapel or to a woods where you can be alone with God for the time which will set the tenor for your whole day. There has been much discussion over what po sition you should assume in praying while in a barracks. I believe that the best principle is to be as unobtrusive as possible in carrying out your communion Page E'ght
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I S Christ who saves able to keep to the end or can the truly born-again believer ever be lost? While this question apparently has puzzled many down through the years, and great Bible scholars have divided on it, it is contended that God’s Word is clear in this respect as He intended it to be on all spiritual teaching. “ If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17). “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). It is proper therefore, not to hold opinions—wordly wisdom, which is fool ishness with God (1 Cor. 3:19)—but to set down findings from the inspired Word, the only authority, Holy Spirit interpreted (1 John 4:1-3), through the wisdom from above (Jas. 1:5; 3:17). While without careful study some pas sages may be taken as supporting the “ saved and lost” doctrine, this theory constitutes a denial of too many truths of God, as we shall see; moreover, the complete context argues for security. The Christian who holds that he can be lost loses much, and being of “ a doubt ful mind” (Luke 12:29) cannot serve God as he ought. Truly, many such ex ceed in service some who embrace secur ity, but having to be concerned about themselves, their service cannot rise to full capacity. Neither can they experi
and precious stones, his presentation at the Judgment Seat of Christ would have been wood, hay, stubble—reprobate. Paul is never in doubt as to his salvation: “ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principal ities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come . . . shall be able to sepa rate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39). Another apparently difficult Scripture is: “ For if after they have escaped the pollutions of this world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” (2 Pet. 2 : 20 ). This chapter, dealing with false teachers rather than the redeemed of God, states in verse 9: “ The Lord know- eth how to deliver the godly out of temptations” which are definitely prom ised in First Peter 1:7, “ and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment.” It proceeds to describe such unChristlike behaviour that no doubt arises as to their unsaved state. Note the manner of the mentioned escape: “through the knowl edge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” rather than by acceptance of His saving work.
ence fully the joy of salvation; freedom from fear of death while lost; knowledge that Christ fully satisfies; nor, because of concern for themselves, can they share fully God’s own concern for the unsaved. How, too, can they recommend to others One whom they cannot fully trust? Their own faith is lacking because they will not—cannot—trust themselves com pletely to the love of God as expressed in the finished work of Christ, nor to the promises and privileges of either. They must rely on their own weak strength, instead of the power of the Almighty, to “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). Being slaves to fear because, to them, Christ’s sacrifice has not freed them fully from the law, they have not “ been called unto liberty” (Gal. 5:13). They will not believe that “ the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Consider the following quotation: “ But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Cor. 9:27). To what does Paul refer? Study of the entire chapter indicates a discussion of personal liberty and reward of ministry: not salvation, but service. The marginal reference, Jeremiah 6:30, refers to Israel’s failure to stand for God as “ re probate silver—rejected.” Had Paul failed in service, instead of gold, silver
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Hebrews 6 promises “full assurance of hope unto the end” ( v .l l ) ; becáuse “it was impossible for God to lie, we . . . have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (v.18); “ an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast” (v.19); “ even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec” (v.20), an eternal order culminating in Christ, the “ once for all” offering. Shall we deny that God cannot lie, by doubt ing that the anchor is both sure and stedfast? What sort of a refuge, if sin can reach us through Christ to damn us again? Further definite declaration that the born-again condition is an undying one is found in First Peter 1:23: “ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” “ The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Rom. 8:16). Note “ that we are”—not every minute, or month or year, but a continuous and continuing experience. John 1:13 says, “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” If born of God, then kept by God! “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform [or maintain] it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). Further unqualified assurance is found in First Peter 1: 3-5: “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrec tion of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and unde filed . . . reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.” Paul expresses similar assurance: “ The testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God . . . we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our’s in the day of the Lord Jesus” (2 Cor. 1:12,14). If these Christians could be lost again, how could Paul write under inspiration with such confidence? He does not say to the elect at Colosse, “ if ye seek the things which are above, ye are risen with Christ,” but because ye are risen with Christ it is natural “ to set your affection on things above” (3:2), “ put off the old man” (v.9), and “ on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (v.10). If our lives are hid with Christ in God, we set at nought everything Christ did if we believe that sin to the loss of salvation can reach us in spite of His shed blood. Well might Paul say, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34), pleading His shed blood, and our faith in Him. Will God refuse to hear His plead ing? (CONTINUED NEXT MONTH)
the devil’s family into God’s, and back again, ad infinitum. We have natural birth into Satan’s family, but a spiritual birth into God’s. The Greek translation “ doth not commit sin,” actually means “ doth not practice.” First John 1 clarifies the thought. “ If we say that we have not sinned [past tense] we make him a liar” (v.10). “ If
God's Word does move some to a moral housecleaning, sometimes mistaken for conversion, even to the extent of preach ing the gospel, as some have testified after their ultimate real conversion ex perience. Jesus Himself spoke of these: “The last state of that man is worse than the first” (Matt. 12:43-54). The parable of the sower (Matt. 13:3-9) is helpful in this respect, and it is further emphasized by Heb. 6:4-6: “ For it is im possible for those who were once en lightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God, And the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” Nowhere in this or any other passage does the Apostle admit that a truly redeemed person can be lost. He simply states that if such an one could fall away, he could not be re saved. This is why keeping, as well as saving, depends on the unfailing mercy and grace of God. While such persons would “ crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,” it would be of no avail, seeing that He Himself “ needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his Mr. Douglas C. Hartley we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (v.8). Jamieson, Faussett and Brown comment respecting this verse: “Have, not have had, must refer not to the past sinful life whilst unconverted, but to the present state wherein believers have sin even still”. Again we emphasize, salva tion cannot be lost—but its joy can be. This was David’s experience following his sin over Bathsheba. “ Restore unto me,” he prayed in Psalm 51:12, “the joy of thy salvation.” There is one respect in which believers sin equally with unbelievers, so that in thinking continuously about our own restoration instead of putting all our being into love for God and our neigh bor, we would be out of grace again al most as soon as forgiven. Has anyone ever proved the possibility of loving God “with all [his] heart, and with all [his] soul, and with all [his] mind . . . and [his] neighbour as [himself]” on which Jesus said in Matt. 22:40 “hang all the law and the prophets” ? What then is sin as here referred to? The argument is for habitual sin—prac ticed lawlessness and anarchy against God. “ Doth” implies wilful accomplish ment; “commit” to pledge or bind one self to a definite course. Literally, there fore, “ Whosoever is born of God doth not wilfully determine to bind himself to habitual lawlessness and anarchy against God;” and if he does sin in single acts, wittingly or otherwise, the blood of Christ and His imputed righteousness covers every sin of the penitent—past, present and future. T H E K I N G 1S B U S I N E S S Page Ten
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