full physical faculties of vision. Of course the world will ask, “Well, what happiness is there in turning away from the things of this earth ?” Let us never forget that the world is dead in trespasses and sins. Human ly speaking, unsaved people can see nothing but the passing fancies of this life. This is not to infer that things on earth are always sinful in themselves. Yet even that which is harmless becomes dangerous when it's given a place above Christ. He should be pre-eminent. As an illus tration, there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with the newspaper, but when we spend more time reading that, some magazine, or perhaps watching television, than we do in studying and meditating upon the Word of God, we deprive ourselves of the spiritual nourishment so vitally need ed and available only from God. I personally don’t believe there’s any thing wrong with attending a foot ball, baseball, or some other game. Sports and athletics are healthful and relaxing. Yet, if we deprive ourselves of fellowship with God’s children in church, or if we have not personally spent time alone in communion with the Lord, this can be harmful. This is that about which Scripture warns when it tells us not to set our affec tions upon the things of this earth. Further, consider the car you drive. There’s nothing wrong with possess ing an automobile, and there’s noth ing wrong necessarily with owning a higher-priced model. But when a per son does this to the exclusion of in vesting in God’s program of redemp tion and the proclamation of salva tion around the world, then he has set his affections upon the things of this earth and not upon the things of heaven. This truth penetrates every area of our lives. Everything we do should be examined in the light of the ques tion, “Where are my affections really centered?” Make no mistake; we don’t secure salvation by the kind of life we live. We are not saved by 14
During World War II, in the early days of the Pacific fighting, new names were cropping up in the news paper accounts: Iwo Jima, Saipan, Palmyra Island, and others in the Caroline chain. People began buying maps of the South Pacific. They learned of new places of which they had never heard. Why the sudden interest? Why, they had loved ones in these areas! Now, so should it be with the Christian’s relationship to the things of heaven. He should be occupied with thoughts of the place where some day he will spend all eternity. One of our listeners over the years, now home in the presence of the Lord, Mrs. Helen Lemmel, wrote a Gospel chorus containing these lovely words: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace." The interesting thing about the au thor was that Mrs. Lemmel herself was completely blind. Yet she had a much greater spiritual perception than many people who have their Mr. J. D. Sarver (back to camera) member of the Biola College faculty in the Physical Edu cation Department, chats with Kathy Stine, a freshman from Arvin, Calif. Miss Stine's father is a member of the Biola Stewardship Depart ment and also a graduate of the school. Looking on is Monica Smith, freshman from Louisiana whose mother, Mrs. Gwen Smith, also attended the school.
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