ferent from other writings, and were accepted by the early church as God’s Word and placed along side the Old Testament. This book called the Bible has been translated into more than a thousand languages and dialects. Read it, study it, memorize it, be lieve it. It is God’s Holy Word. Rev. John B. Houser, D.D. has been pastor o f the First Baptist Church, Corvallis, Oregon, since 1958. Located across the street from Oregon State University, the church includes many facility members and s tu d en ts in its “family.”
reveals truths concerning Him self, His plans and His will; con cerning man and his need for sal vation. All o f this would never be known if God had not revealed it. But how were all the 66 books of the Bible brought together into one volume? It must be remem bered that there were many other sacred writings besides the books in the Bible and frequent refer ences are made to them in the Scriptures. We believe that Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament. In these writings you will read many times, “And the Lord spake unto Moses.” In Exodus 24:4 we read, “And Moses wrote all the words o f the Lord.” Joshua’s farewell message was written “ in the book of the law of God” (Josh. 24:26). As the prophets wro te , they prefaced their writings with “ thus saith the Lord” or “ the Word of the Lord came unto me.” These writ ings, then, were regarded from the very first as the Word o f God and binding upon the people. Je sus certainly believed the Old Tes tament was God’s Word. He quot ed it and preached from it. By the time Jesus came to earth, these Old Testament books had been collected and put together in one volume. The New Testament did not come into being until after Jesus had ascended to Heaven. In Him God was speaking again and men wanted to preserve His words. As the number of persons who could give personal testimony as to what Jesus did and said was, through death, rapidly becoming sma ller , and Christianity was spreading, it became necessary that trustworthy accounts o f His life and teaching be preserved in written form. So our four Gospels were written. Later the Epistles were written to meet various needs, to answer questions, to teach doctrinal truth, to comfort and aid the Christians in times o f stress and sorrow. A sifting proc ess then began in which these books or writings inspired by the Holy Spirit were seen to be dif
but we know about, is in people who really love God. We know that God is here and helping us when we follow His rules and love each other. The Rev. Kenneth L. Fischer has been Pastor o f the Magnolia Bap tist Church, Anaheim, California, since it was organized in 1956. He is a graduate of Biola Col lege and the California Baptist Theological Seminary. The Magnolia Church has a Vacation Bible School numbering nearly 600, and a Vacation Bible Club for older youth of over 100.
WHERE DID WE GET THE BIDLE?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BESAVED?
by Dr. John B . Houser T h is is a question often asked by children and older people. We realize that the Bible is different from other books. We read it in our homes; we study it in Sunday school; the pastor preaches from it in the pulpit. What makes this book different? Where did it come from? These are good questions but not easy to answer. The word “Bible” comes from a Greek word biblion, which means a scroll, or little books, and is used to designate the collection o f books o f the Old and New Tes taments. The Bible is God’s Word to men. He has spoken by the Holy Spirit through men to men, II Peter 1 :21. In the Old Testament God spoke through or in the prophets, such as Moses, Isaiah, Daniel, etc. In the New Testa ment He spoke first by His Son the Lord Jesus, and then by men whom He chose to be with Him. Thus the Bible is not God, but is God speaking His Word to men. In this book called the Bible, God
by D r. C. W right Norton J esus C hr ist came to this world to break the power o f Satan. He could do this be cause He was with God from all eternity and can never be de stroyed. When He died in place of men for their sins and rose from the dead, He broke the pow er of the devil. No longer could Satan claim the people o f earth as being only his. Now men were free to choose to be free. Now men could accept what the Lord Jesus did for them and escape the pen alty for sin, which is spiritual death. Now men could be victori ous over their lower natures and be freed from the spirit that had controlled them. Now men could walk in the Spirit o f God and live under His dominion and pow er. The power o f God is still as great as ever and the Lord saves men whenever they ask Him to. God is indeed a Gentleman and
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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