today that we are approaching the end of God’s deal ing with us under grace. While we must do all we can to bring these young rebels to Christ, it must not be at the sacrifice of Biblical teaching. Psalm 119:89 states, “ Forever, 0 Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven.” God is not going to change His Word which deals first and foremost with man’s sin fulness. God is not going to change His purpose which is to reconcile man to Himself. God is not going to change His message which tells of man’s utterly lost state, his hopeless prospect in himself, and his total need of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. And we dare not change the method we use to something less than His Word allows. It is essential to the survival of the organized church that we do not change the message to meet thè acceptable standard of the “ now generation.” Many from within the church say that this satanic culture is justified for its wanton departure because of the phoniness and hypocrisy within society and the organized church. Certainly! there are hypocrites in the church, just as there are sick people in hospitals. Both are in their proper place for healing. “ Come out from among them and be ye separate,” means just that. There is no scripture upon which to base the approach of joining them to win them. While damnation looms for those who travel the road with the “ now generation,” there is still God’s way out. II Timothy 2:19: “ But the solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken: and these words are written on it: “ The Lord knows those who are His” ; and, “ Whoever says that he belongs to the Lord must turn away from wrong-doing.” (Good News For Modern Man.) Don't discount God’s way out be cause of what you have seen in the church or a pro fessing believer’s life. He who professes is not as secure as he who possesses and the proof of pos sessing is involved in the turning away from wrong doing. Jesus often, if not always, went into the world of what was the “ now generation” of His day. He never went to entice them with an acceptable message. He went on God’s terms and His to declare in not-so- acceptable words what the state and need of the people were. He did not find many hearers. He told of the “ straight and narrow way” and the “ few there be that find it,” and He addressed His message to the “ little flock.” Jesus is looking for quality, not quantity. “ Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” (Psalm 107:2). We have dealt with two references that deal his torically and prophetically with narcotics abuse. Gala tians 5:20 and Revelation 21:8 deal with God’s sure judgment and damnation reserved for those who per sist in their use. This also produces a very predicta ble result; eternity in outer darkness! KB Bob Bateman is Executive Director of World Military Missions Crusade, San Diego, California. 18
just thinking
by J . V F . Lasater
R ecently I visited the old farm where I grew up. Many things on it have changed. The old house is gone, the barn is no more, and the storm cellar where we used to seek refuge from the “ Texas Tor nadoes” is caved in. In fact, every thing has changed since I left to join the Army during World War II. "* But in my visit I walked again the familiar paths and sought out the places I used to know so well. I gazed upon the water-hole THE KING’S BUSINESS
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