fulness and depravity of the human heart. So, in Psalm 19:12, David rightly prays, “Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” This means not only things done out of the view of others, which would include both deeds and thoughts, but also those which have become habits so much so that we never think much about them any more. Let me illustrate. Have you ever known anyone who is unpleas ant to be around? I think the Word of God clearly teaches us that it’s a sin for a Christian to be critical, sour-dispositioned, filled with tem per, possessing a loose tongue, and always being cynical. Yet, aren’t these things common to many Chris tians? They have followed in such pathways for so long a time that they no longer consider them sin ful. We’ve justified ourselves. It’s not a case of gossiping; it’s merely telling someone the facts about what’s going on. We don’t lose our temper; we’re merely exercising our prerogative of righteous indigna tion. Of course we’re never sour; we just happen to be more objective about life and our fellow man. Perhaps you have heard the an cient legend of the blacksmith who
is confessed, this terrible disease, infecting the soul, will continue to creep its way across the pathway of our minds until our character gradually deteriorates. Think for a moment about the income tax situa tion. According to statistics, from 75% to 80% people in our coun try cheat on their income tax. Now, if it’s true that 93% of the popula tion belong to churches, it must be that a lot of church members, even professing Christians, are dishonest with their government. So as the c h a r a c t e r gradually deteriorates, man loses his concern about sin and its eroding effects. At the office, someone may help himself to the company’s stationery, pencils, paper clips, and so forth, justifying or ra tionalizing the activity by thinking, “They don’t pay me what I ’m worth; anyway, they don’t even know they have them.” The basic problem here is that we’re not judging sin in the light of the Word of God, but by principles of man, many of which are embodied in what is known as the new moral ity. In other words, something is only sinful if a man is caught. This is the basis for lowering moral standards on sex. We can’t possibly measure sin by what other people say of it, no matter what kind of deci sion our Supreme Court may hand down. The only way to judge sin is by what the Bible tells us, for these standards never change or vary. It’s rather interesting to note how that men are seeking certain th in g s which are now against the law, while those things now legal they would have made illegal. Just the listing of them is quite a commentary on the times in which we’re living. As an example, there is a concerted effort to legalize abortion, homosexuality, LSD, marijuana, adultery, and gam bling. Things which these people would have declared illegal are capi tal punishment, prayer, censorship, and police investigations. If nothing else this certainly reveals the sin
Dr. Earl V. Pullias, Chairman of Higher Edu cation, USC, addressed a recent gathering of Southern California representatives from colleges and universities sponsored by the greater La Mirada Chamber of Commerce in honor of Biola. Dr. Pullias has assisted the ministry of the school as a counselor in its program of accreditation. During the month-long program La Mirada honored Biola with special citations presented by the city, county, and also the California State legislature.
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