Bible by Bolton Davidbeiser, Chairman, Scion«« Division,
science and the
I f t h e ten digits from 0 to 9 are written on ten cards of the same kind, one digit on each card, and some one who is blindfolded draws the cards from a box, one at a time, returning each card and mixing them thorough ly before drawing another, the series of digits drawn will be at random. If people are asked to imagine such a series of random numbers and to write them down, they will generally com ply out of courtesy. After obligingly writing such a series of numbers, peo ple are usually astonished when told that they really did not do what they were asked to do because they were asked to do something which is im possible. In many cases it can be told at a glance that the numbers are not at random. Some people will not use the 0 at all. Some will include in their numbers the whole series of digits in order from 0 to 9, and the odds against this sort of thing among real random numbers is astronomical. Most people will follow a digit by the next lower digit more frequently than anything else. If these and other common pat terns are pointed out, a person who tries again can write a sample of numbers which is much better than the first. But no matter how much he learns about randomness and no mat ter how hard he tries, he still cannot write numbers really at random. Real random numbers have no trends. There are an indefinitely high num ber of ways in which one can look for trends, and no one can write a sizeable sample of numbers without introducing some trends. One can draw an object lesson from this. We have asked many people to write a series of random numbers and most of them have tried. God asks everyone to be perfect, and many peo ple who try say that they are doing the best they can and that this should be sufficient. As most people are sur prised when told that it is impossible to write numbers at random, many are surprised when told that the best they can do is not sufficient to please God
and that in comparison to God’s stan dard our best efforts are but as filthy rags. If a person studies random numbers, he can greatly improve his style of writing numbers to mimic random ness, but the numbers he writes can still be shown not to be random. Sim ilarly a person who makes a sincere effort to do what is right can live a much better life than one who does not. But even though a person becomes well known for his good deeds and is an asset to the community in which he lives, he still cannot approach God’s demand for perfection. One may write a few numbers in such a way that they cannot be dis tinguished from random numbers be cause the sample is too small. It may be that one can live for a short time in such a way that imperfections are not apparent, but no one can live very long without revealing a sinful nature. There are certain types of work in which random numbers are needed, and they may be freely obtained in a library from tables prepared through the use of mechanical devices. But a person who needs random numbers cannot write them for himself. Sim ilarly everyone needs salvation al though he cannot obtain it through his own efforts. But it is freely pro vided. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who lived a perfect life, free from sin. Thus He is the only one qualified to take our sins upon Him self and to redeem us through His vicarious sacrifice of Himself upon the Cross. In this way we become perfect in God’s sight through His merits and not through our own. By the authority of Holy Scripture we are told that there is no other way to be saved than to accept the way which is provided in Christ. Ac cepting Him as Saviour redeems us from the penalty for sin and intro duces us by a new birth into the fam ily of God. Accepting Him as Lord enables us with His help to suppress the old nature and to live for Him.
W ILL IAM CULBERTSON President, M ood y Bible Institute speaks on the fundamentals of the faith. M I S S I O N S “The supreme purpose for which the Lord has left His Church here on earth is the reaching of men everywhere with His gospel. “In the carrying out of this purpose of God, the Church has utilized various methods and means. The danger has al ways been that in the use of what may be called secondary means, the primary purpose will be forgotten. So on many occasions missions has degenerated into humanitarianism: trying to do good, to help people—all of which is quite legiti mate, but forgetting man’s spiritual need. “Let us be sure that whatever we have done, if the gospel is not truly and power fully preached, we are not fulfilling God’s command. While some may have to give a large portion of their time to such serv ices as education, medicine, and agricul ture, these things have their importance in providing the opportunities for the presentation of the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. And, to be most effective, such a presentation ought to be done, at least in part, by the educator, the doctor or nurse, the agriculturalist. “In the missionary activity of the Church, there is no substitute for devoted commitment to the great doctrines of real Christianity, warm love for the souls of men, clear testimony as to the gospel, godly living as an example; in short, there is no substitute for a dedicated and taught Christian full of the Holy Spirit. “God’s purpose for His people is a mis sionary purpose.” Every Christian should have a copy of William Culbertson’s book God's Provi sion for Holy Living, a happy blending of Bible study and practical exhortation. 112 pages, paper bound. For your free copy, write Moody Bible Institute, Dept. K-l-872, 820 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago 10, Illinois.
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11
JANUARY, 1961
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