by Dr. Blaine Bishop Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church Los Gatos, California
BIBLE PARADOXES
QARADOXES ABE TO BE found in the r Bible. We hear of seeing unseen things, conquering by yielding, and reigning by serving. We are exalted by being humble and made wise by becoming foolish. The believer is made free by becoming a slave. We are the strongest when we are weak, this power being found only in Christ, of course. In the earthly life on our Saviour there came these strange paradoxes. He was the Bread of life and yet He hungered. Al though He opened the fountains of living water, He cried from the cross, “I thirst.” Though He prom ises us His joy, we read that He was the Man of sorrows. He died that we might live. He was made captive that we might go free. He humbled Himself that we might be exalted. He became poor that we might be made rich. In James 1:9 and 10 we have an other unusual paradox. The one who is low is to rejoice when he is exalt ed as is the high when he is brought low. Here we see that the ground is all level at Calvary in the sight of Jesus Christ. It is the attitude of the heart that really counts. Actually, a person can have nothing of this world’s goods and still be just as wicked and mean in his attitudes to ward possessions as one who has great wealth. One day, as Jesus was leaving Jericho, he was confronted by a blind man who cried out for mercy. Jesus told him to arise and come for heal ing. There was also a rich man there by the name of Zacchaeus. He had to climb up a tree in order to see the Lord. To him, Christ said, “Come down.” In order to meet the Saviour one was exalted while the other was humbled.
In verse nine of James chapter one, see what is termed as the “low man.” The low degree of which James speaks is evidently that of human appraisal. Men have a way of measuring success by the degree of accumulation of goods. This is en tirely wrong. The old itinerant Meth odist minister, Peter Cartright, was speaking, when someone whispered to him that Stonewall Jackson was in the audience. The faithful preach er continued right on talking about sin and repentance. He wasn’t afraid of offending anyone. They again re minded him of Jackson’s presence. Whereupon Cartright declared, “I don’t care if Stonewall Jackson IS in the audience. If he doesn’t repent of his sin, he’ll be lost like any other sinner.” After the service Mr. Jack- son thanked him for his strong re buke. Because of the saving grace of God one can certainly rejoice in that he has been made rich in true wealth that can never be taken away. The one who knows Jesus Christ as personal Saviour can say with con fidence, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” The poor in this
Mr. Dietrich Buss (center), member ot the faculty of Biota College, teachingGerman and Political Science, with his wife, talk to one of the students, Douglas Hendren of Belen, New Mexico.
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