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Outstanding aid for church leaders in four areas:
Administration^
. . . a 44-page monthly magazine that contains useful information and expert guidance in administrative areas such as church programing, organization and staffing, church financing, administrative skills, church facilities, communication, pastoral ministries, community needs, and the work of deacons. $2.75 a year (12 issues). ^ C h - i t r c h . I v l • • • • • • * • • • ...................................................................................................................... M A G A Z I N E . . . a 52-page quarterly that furnishes adequate help for setting up and maintaining a church library and that shows how the library ministry can help correlate each area of church life into a more effective total program. Included are technical helps, promotion ideas, space-saving suggestions, and information on suitable equipment and room arrangement $2.00 a year (4 issues). church musician . . . a 68-page monthly magazine that provides ideas; plans; rehearsal procedures for all age groups; biog raphy; hymnological studies; a 24-page, removable section of hymns and anthems for youth and adult choirs; and many additional materials which music leaders can put to immediate use. $5.00 a year (12 issues). mi j u n i o r m u s the
. . . a 52-page quarterly magazine for nine- through twelve-year-olds that features true stories about music, simple exercises in music theory, articles on hymn study and appreciation, biographies of musicians, and fiction with a music theme. These materials are closely related to the monthly music units for this age group in The Church Musician. The 16-page music section can be removed easily for filing and reuse. $1.50 a year (4 issues).
cu^recreation
. . . a 52-page quarterly magazine that presents fresh, unique, practical suggestions for all religious recre ational uses and for all ages. It gives aid for planning recreation buildings and facilities . . . tells how to choose equipment and how to take care of it . . . reviews the newest and best resource materials in the church recreation and related fields . . . offers readily usable ideas, plans, diagrams, and illustrations for parties, fellowships, and banquets. $2.00 a year (4 issues). These jive magazines provide the best in leadership help in these special areas. Subscribe for them TODAY! (Write for information on bulk rates.) Please enclose payment for individual orders. Use the handy cou pon to place your order. (To avoid cutting cover, see coupon on page 39) The Sunday School Board a Southern Baptist Convention LITERATURE INFORMATION A 127 Ninth Avenue, North • Nashville, Tennessee 37203 Southern Baptist Convention The Sunday School Board • LITERATURE INFORMATION 127 Ninth Avenue, North • Nashville, Tennessee 37203 -------- Please send: One Year [~1 Church Administration @ $2.75 $----------- Q] The Church Library Magazine @ $2.00 | | The Church Musician @ $5.00 ------- ] The Junior Musician @ $1.50 ------- □ Church Recreation @ $2.00 ------- TOTAL $____ 9-64 KB Two Years $------------
Enclosed is $----------------. [[] Please bill our church. Name-------- .-----------------------------------------------------Address City -------------------------------------------------------- Name of My Church___________________________________:----------- (Please give the name of your church if this order is to be charged.) -State
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Published monthly by The Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc., 558 So. Hope St.,
M A I L E D T O Y O U W I T H F A C T S
FREE! BALL POINT PEN-SOUVENIR OF VALLEY FORGE
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A S a non-drinker, GOLD STAR offers . you special consideration. If you are carrying ordinary hospitali zation insurance, your premiums are helping to pay for accidents, illnesses, and hospital bills of drinkers. Alcoholism is now our nation’s No. 3 health problem, ranking immediately behind heart dis ease and cancer. Until now, your insur ance cost as much as those who drink. Now, with rates based on the superior health records of non-drinkers, GOLD STAR rewards you for not drinking. GOLD STAR pays you $100.00 per week (or $14.28 per day), from your first day in the hospital, and as long as you are there, even for life! Claim checks are sent directly to you, for you to spend as you see fit— for hospital or doctor’s bills, mortgage payments, food — anything you wish. And the present low rate on your policy can never be raised as you grow older, not matter how many claims you file, but only if the rates for all policy holders are changed! Can You Afford To Be Sick? One out of_ every seven people will spend some time in the hospital this year. A fall on the stairs or on the side walk, a sudden illness or operation could put you in the hospital for weeks, even months. Could you afford a long siege in the hospital, with costly doctors’ bills, expen sive drugs and medicines? Many people lose their savings, their cars, even their homes. Don’t take chances! Remember— once the doctor says it’s your turn to enter the hospital, you can’t buy coverage at any price. Find out N O W how much this great GOLD STAR Policy NLH (Rev. 3-64) saves you. Then later, if you do w ant a policy, w e'll send it on a 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee — to be checked by your lawyer, doctor, or other trusted advisor. TIME IS PRECIOUS I If you don't drink, act quickly. Without cost or obligation, get this card into the mail TODAY.
Compare These Important GUARANTEED Benefits No Age Limit. Same liberal benefits whether you are 1 or 101! Guaranteed Renewable. That’s right— you may renew your policy for your entire lifetime if you so desire! The Company can never cancel your policy because you have too many claims, or because you grow older. Of course, if there is deception in making application, the policy may be ineffective. No Waiting Period. That’s right. GOLD STAR does not penalize you with any 30 day, 6 month or 9 month waiting periods before your coverage goes into full effect. And Gold Star pays from the very first day you enter the hospital. No Salesman Will Call. Your policy is mailed to your home. Claim checks are sent directly to you; can be used for rent, food, hospital, doctors’ bills — any pur pose you wish! Good Anywhere In The World. GOLD STAR has satisfied policyholders in all 50 states and in many foreign countries. Up to $6,000.00 cash. GOLD STAR guar antees 1» pay up to $6,000.00 cash for accidental loss of limbs or eyesight. Only Conditions Not Covered: Every kind of sickness and accident is covered, except hospitalization caused by the use of alcoholic beverages or nar cotics, mental or nervous disorders, any act of war, pregnancy, or conditions existing prior to issuance of policy. Everything else is covered! These proper exceptions help to keep GOLD STAR rates lower for YOU!
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unique provisions, superior to any otherwise available. I have un bounded confidence in the integrity and consecrated business ability of my good friend Arthur De M oss."
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This is the same GOLD STAR Plan you’ve seen in 300 leading publications including Reader’s Digest, Farm Journal, Christian Herald, Woman’s Day, Redbook, Together, Today’s Health, Family Circle, Capper’s Weekly, McCall’s, Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies’ Home Journal, and many others. S
SEPTEMBER, 1964
T T ti e K i n g s B u s in e A PUBLICATION OF THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, INCORPORATED Louis T. Talbot, Chancellor • S. H. Sutherland, President • Ray A. Myers, Board Chairman SEPTEMBER, in the year of our Saviour Vol. 55, No. 9 Nineteen Hundred and Sixty-four Established 1910 Dedicated to the spiritual development of the Christian home M e t THE CHO ICE THAT MOSES M A D E — Vance Havner ................. 10 PENTECOST A N D TONGUES — M. R. DeHaan ......................... 12 ANGEL A T HER SHOULDER — Kenneth L. Wilson ................. 14 I'D RATHER DO IT MYSELF — Conrad Jensen .......................... 17 DON 'T INTERUPT ME — Dick Hillis ................. .................. 19 REPENTANCE — Ralph L. Byron ............................................. 21 MESSIAH 'S PREVIEW OF H IS K INGDOM — Charles L. Feinberg .... 22 THE FALLING STONE — I. M. Haldeman ................................ 24 OUR RESURRECTION BODIES — Robert G. Lee ........................ 26 THE STORY OF PAO CHUE — Alice M. Ardagh ......................... 40 A VICTORIOUS N IGHT — Claire Vickers ................................ 43 Feobues MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR — Samuel H. Sutherland .............. 8 CULTS CRITIQUE — Betty Bruechert ..................................... 20 DR. TALBOT'S QUESTION BOX — Louis T. Talbot ................... 30 TALK ING IT OVER — Clyde M. Narramore ......................... 32 PERSONAL EVANGELISM — Benjamin Weiss ........................... 33 BOOK REVIEWS — Arnold D. Ehlert ......................................... 34 WORLD NEW SGRAM S — James O. Henry .............................. 36 SCIENCE A N D THE BIBLE — Bolton Davidheiser ..................... 37 UNDER THE PARSONAGE ROOF — Althea S. Miller ............... 39 Column READER REACTION ............................................................... 7 PRESENTING THE MESSAGE .................................................... 31 Cm With the reopening of school this month, Biola College students meet together in front of one of the Women's Residence Halls to discuds the summer's activities. Students in background are Gary Wilburn, Sunland, California and Pam McDonald, Aptos, California. Seated on the lawn (left to right) are Mark Vincent, Bakersfield, California; Jeanne Henry, La Habra, California; Marilyn Gripp, Long Beach, California; and Skip Mitchell, Prineville, Oregon. (Church Press Photo) — All Rights Reserved —
TH E B I BL E S P E A K S ON 20,000 S U B J E C T S ! NAVE’S TOP ICAL BIBLE Edited by O. J. Nave, D.D., LL.D.
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ADVERTISING — for information address the Advertising Manager, The King's Business, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California. MANUSCRIPTS — "The King's Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Second-class postage paid at Los An geles, California. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, California. ADDRESS: The King's Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angelos 17, California.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION — "The King's Business" Is published monthly. U.S., its possessions, and Canada, $3.00 one year; $1.50 six months, 30 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Foreign subscription 75 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REMITTANCES — Should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to "The King's Business."
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C O M P A S S IO N Dept. K94
6
THE KING 'S BUSINESS
Evangelize Ind ia Now!mam Mission dollars win far more souls to Christ when used to train nationals in thorough heart and head preparation. $10 a month pays for room and board for a student at Hindustan Bible Institute, Madras, India.
Dr. William W. Orr, Chairman of Board
Dr. Hugh Murchison, Vice-Chairman
Rev. Clinton Goodwin,
Treasurer fim m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m •HINDUSTAN BIBLE Gentlemen: □ Please send information. J INSTITUTE INC ^ Enclosed find $....... . for student support. J Dept. K Box 2 *1 5 Name -------------------------------------------- ■ Terminal Annex Address ............. ........................ ............— S~. ■ Los Angeles, (a lii. 90054 ....................................................._____ _________
JUN IOR K ING 'S BUSINESS For many months I have enjoyed the Junior KING’S BUSINESS stories written by Betty Bruechert. I am ten years old, and always look forward to reading her stories. I wondered if it would be possible to republish some of the older stories she has written. I am always disappointed when one of her stories is not in THE KING’S BUSI NESS. Belli Gather, Tujunga, California E ditor ’ s N ote : The suggestion o-f Beth Garber is a good one, and we are an ticipating more articles by Brs. Brue chert in the near future. WHERE ARE THEY? Just a word to let you know THE KING’S BUSINESS has been a real blessing to me. I noted the recent comments about the covers, but I feel they are very attractive. I only wish we knew where all these pretty places are. Could this be noted on the inside? Bette Antelman, Gardena, California The only thing we find lacking in your beautiful magazine covers is that you don’t put a note inside telling us the location or a little about the people we find there. The contents, however, more than make up for anything lack ing in the covers. Mr. and Mrs. John Lander, Coalinga, California COVER SUGGESTION I wish to comment on the cover of your magazine. I like the magazine very much and have been a subscriber for several years. I use many of the articles in my Bible class work and find them both interesting and helpful. In the April 1964 issue a Los Angeles reader wanted to see a Bible verse on the cover. Why not have a Biola stu dent select his favorite Scripture verse for each month of the year? Mrs. E. Johnson, San Francisco, Califom’* SPORTS ON SUNDAY ? In your April issue you have an ac count of Felipe Alou, who was given a Bible and who reads it. But do not these teams play on the Lord’s day, and is that not a desecration of His day? We are told that whatsoever we do, we are to do all to the glory of God. Is a Christian glorifying God even if he does read the Bible, if he is not abiding by its precepts? The money spent on sports on the Lord’s day alone could be used very profitably in the Lord’s work. Mrs. H. Jessie Dickson, Victoria, B.C.
Dr. N. Paul V. Gupta, President and Director
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Wheaton Annuity Contracts yield a liberal rate of return (up to 8.6%, depending on your age) and assure you of income checks for life. And in addi tion to the generous financial benefits—you have the priceless satisfaction of knowing that you have made an eternal investment “for Christ and His King dom”—that you are having a share in the training of young people for Christian life and service. Wheaton Annuity Contracts are available in mul tiples of $100 on a Single Life or Survivorship basis. And through the Wheaton Annuity Plan, you can also provide regulated sums of money by will to your loved ones. They also provide important tax benefits. 2. Wheaton Deposit Agreements currently pay V/2% per year For the person who wants his money to go into the Lord’s work, but finds it necessary to have the prin cipal available if needed —the Wheaton Deposit Agreement is ideal. Deposits may be made from time to time, and withdrawals in multiples of one hundred dollars may be made upon written notice. Currently you receive 3]/2% interest per annum and payments are made semi-anntlally. -------------------- 1 I Please send me, without obligation: Q Pleasant Tomorrows, the illustrated booklet which ex plains in detail your Annuity Plan. G Folder describing Wheaton Deposit Agreement.
These two plans . . .
make it possible to have your funds at work for the Lord . . . some in Wheaton Annuities, where the rate of return for the older ages is higher . . . and some in Wheaton De posit Agreements, where your principal is always available if needed and you are as sured of a good return on your money. Write us for more detailed information as to the flexibil ity of both Wheaton plans. No obligation, of course.
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WHEATON C O L L E G E Wheaton • Illinois Dept. K94
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SEPTEMBER, 1964
message from
• REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS OF
Í
THY YOUTH —Ecclesiastes 12.1 ... |
BY DR. SAMUEL H. SUTHERLAND ¡^PRESIDENT, THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, INC. 1
AN EDITORIAL POLICY ECÉNTLY c r it ic is m has come to the editor because o f cer tain editorials which have appeared in the KING ’S BUSINESS during the past months. One such editorial had to do with the alarming increase in homosexuality. It was objected to on the grounds that, because o f the editorial, parents did not dare to leave the magazine around for their children to read. Certainly we would not wish to do or say anything whatever which would shock unduly the minds o f young people. We are confident that this reaction comes from a sincere and serious-minded parent who has only the noblest aspirations for her children, and nothing that we shall say here should be construed as a light-hearted atti tude toward the criticism that has been expressed. It has been the conviction o f those in charge o f producing the KING ’S BUSINESS that rather than to ignore this terrifying trend in modern-day society with the attendant danger o f leaving young people ignorant o f this deplorable condition and swept up in it before they are aware o f what they are doing, it is far better to acquaint them with the facts and with as earnest warnings to be on guard against this hellish practice as it is possible to express in words. Certainly the Word o f God itself, in a num- ber o f passages, speaks plainly and pointedly concerning this very sin, always warning against it and never condoning it. As a matter o f fact, whether parents today like it or not, young people are receiving information o f this as well as other evils. Tragically, in today’s social order frequently this information is , presented from a sickeningly sentimental and extremely sym pathetic point o f view. Immorality o f all types, obscenity, lewd and lurid suggestive ness o f every conceivable variety are bombarding the minds o f our young people with devastating consequences. It was the prayerful hope o f the editor that parents o f young people might be able to point to the editorial as presenting another voice along with their own and that o f their pastors, as well as other Bible- believing, God-honoring servants o f the Lord Jesus Christ who
6 o There is no book of guidance, no textbook for the young, that can equal the Great Textbook of the Ages — the Book that gives us rules for living that will never be superseded, that will never pass away. There are no Bibles made with more „care and skill than the Bibles made in Cambridge, where the printing of Bibles has been a responsibility of fine craftsmen since the sixteenth century. „ r 1
'Can ï. I florid k ! 'l i r i c a Á AT ALL BOOKSTORES
THE KINO 'S BUSINESS
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vehemently denounce these sinister trends with all o f the convic tion at their command. I f the editor has not made it plain that he thus supports Christian parents, he must acknowledge failure to express properly what has been in his mind and that which has been the sole purpose o f his editorials. Another criticism relates to editorials on Communism and the editor’s definite convictions concerning this satanically-in- spired, anti-God movement. It is claimed that our business is only to proclaim the unsearchable riches o f Jesus Christ and to forget political ideologies. I f Communism was merely a political ideology, this would be a valid criticism. However, Communism is vastly more than a political system. Striking at the very heart o f the spiritual nature o f mankind, it is, in essence, a religious system o f unbelief which manifests itself through political or ganizations. Being atheistic, Communism is essentially a false religion. We must understand that atheism is as much a religion as is any type o f theism. Communism is an atheistic religion striving to secure possession o f men’s souls as well as their bodies and their posses sions. This is where we, as Christians, must enter the conflict. Even as we are called upon to warn men and women against other forms o f false religion, so must we warn them against this false religion. Christians should be well-informed and continually on guard lest the wicked Communistic ideology sweep over our own beloved land. Do not think for a moment it cannot happen here. We are witnessing before our very eyes the beginnings o f a total take-over unless unitedly we take our stand and say to these advocates o f atheism, "thus far shalt thou go and no farther.” Regardless o f what was formerly thought by individuals as to the advisability o f Bible reading in the public schools, the simple facts are that the denial o f this right was sponsored, ad vocated and finally accomplished in large measure by those who would deny freedom to worship God according to the dictates o f our hearts and consciences. In saying this it is not to be con strued for a moment that one is accusing any member o f the Supreme Court o f being a Communist or even Communistically- inspired. However, we believe we are in the realm o f sound think ing when we say that the net result o f the unfortunate ruling o f the Supreme Court at this particular time was a source o f real encouragement to Communists and Communistic sympathizers in this country and around the world. It has served to encourage the individuals who sponsored this demand on the part o f the Supreme Court to refuse Bible reading in public schools to con tinue their avowedly atheistic, Communistic efforts to eliminate all chaplains from our armed forces, the phrase, "In God We Trust” from the coin o f the realm, in requiring that all religious property be taxed and in other ways ruling God out o f our national life and, ultimately, surely, out o f our personal lives. (continued on page 41)
. . . and would you like to put these funds into effective andprofitable use? Then, you should know about MOODY ANNUITIES Christian men and women are often concerned about the matter of investing their funds. Some do not wish to become involved in stocks and bonds because of the fluctuation and uncertainty of economic conditions. But they are interested in security and an as sured in com e. Moody Annuities meet both I of these requirements. This is what you should know about Moody Annuities: (1) . . . they assure an income up to 8.6 per cent (depending on your age) and this for as long as you live. To support this guarantee are the resources of Moody Bible Institute. In more than 55 years, the Institute has never missed an annuity dividend payment. And in addition , this extra dividend . . . (2) your annuity funds are carefully put to work in the great program of Moody Bible Institute, and thus you share directly in the blessings of this world-wide gospel ministry. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE DOUBLE DIVIDENDS ON YOUR MONEY? W e’ll be happy to send you the FREE booklet, DOUBLE DIVIDENDS, which
explains the Moody Annuity Plan in detail. It contains a chart showing income rate for all ages, explains tax benefits and tells you all about the many ministries of Moody Bible Institute in which you’ll have a share.
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MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE 820 N. LaSalle Street • Chicago, Illinois 60610 Q Please send me, without obligation, dou ble dividends , story of Moody Annuity Plan. □ Please send folder, w h e r e th ere ' s a WILL, relating to stewardship. Nnme - Age _
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SEPTEMBER, 1964
V. rV -o_
C o> W o
\
T he N ew T estament biography of M oses is found in the Epistle to the Hebrews. There you have a thumbnail sketch of one of the greatest men of all time. It begins, as every biography should, with the family background on a note of PARENTAL COURAGE: “ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment” (Heb. 11:23). Not fearing the king’s commandment paid off for we read in verse 27 that when Moses grew up he feared not the wrath of the king. Like parents, like children! Egypt is a type of this world and its Pharaoh is the Devil, the prince of darkness. Any godly parent who tries to bring up children in this world-order today knows what it is to buck the edicts of Pharaoh in style, popularity, earthly success. How to rear children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord nowadays calls for all the wisdom the dedicated parents of any teen-ager can pray down from heaven. It takes a double-dose of Christian courage not to fear “ the commandments of the King.” Just as with Moses, the devil is out to destroy every promising child today. It takes faith to commit one’s child to God in an ark of bulrushes by the river’s brink as it wefe, but when a godly mother and Almighty God are in partnership old Pharaoh doesn’t have a chance. Amidst all the handwringing over juve nile delinquency we forget that too many church-mem ber parents would rather have their children succeed and be popular in Egypt than have them “bound for the Promised Land.” But family background is not enough, for ancestry is often like potatoes, the best part is under the ground. A boy must make his own decision so Moses came to A PERSONAL CHOICE (Heb. 11:24-27). It was a
double choice, both negative and positive. It was nega tive in that he refused to be called the son of Phar aoh’s daughter, he turned down the pleasures of sin for a season, renounced the treasures of Egypt and for sook Egypt itself. It was positive in that he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God and he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. Consider what a choice this young man made. He was the only free Hebrew o f his time. His prospects were brilliant. Wealth, ease, refinement, pleasure, pres tige, power were at his fingertips. Josephus says that Moses was in line for the throne of Egypt, one of the most powerful kingdoms of history, one of the greatest civilizations of all time. All o f this the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter could have had. Yet he chose to cast his lot with a nation of slaves. He risked his life for a host of ignorant bondmen living in exile, a weak, vacil lating multitude of undisciplined servants, easily dis couraged, often rebellious, quick to fall into the sinful ways of the heathen. They vexed Moses until he lost his patience, spoke unadvisedly with his lips and missed getting into the Promised Land himself. Nine out of ten would call him a fool for making such a choice but he was right. HE WAS RIGHT IN HIS REFUSAL. A man must say “No” to some things if he is to live for God. Nehemiah wrote, “ So did NOT I because of the fear of God.” A righteous man walks NOT in the counsel of the ungodly, he stands NOT in the way of sinners, he sits NOT in the seat of the scornful. Even Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, exponent of positive thinking, has writ ten lately about “ The Power Of The Positive ‘No’ ” . I f we are to travel the way of the cross we must “ say goodbye to the way of the world, to walk in it never-
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THE KING 'S BUSINESS
more.” The vain things that charm us most “we must” sacrifice them to His blood.” This world is no friend of grace to help us on to God and we must say goodbye to Egypt if we are going to the Promised Land. Recently after I had preached on this subject, a pastor’s little daughter prayed in family devotions that night using the Lord’s Prayer with this change, “And deliver us from EGYPT” ! We live in a day when it is more and more difficult to say “No” . We work both sides of the street, run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. We are in church on Sunday morning with Moses and all week we are in Egypt with Pharaoh. We would make the most of both worlds. We would work out an arrangement by which we might dwell in the Promised Land and also keep our old connections back in Egypt. Our church rolls are filled with a motley mob stranded in the wilderness, longing -for the fleshpots of the old life, preferring a taste of garlic to a foretaste of glory. Christians need to be called back to the Great Renun ciation: “ If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Moses was right not only in what he refused but in what he chose, “ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,” “ the reproach of Christ.” This is foreign language to the average church-goer today. We leave comfortable homes to ride in comfortable cars to sit in comfortable churches to hear comfortable ser mons, — what do we know about the reproach of Christ? We sing :' “ To the old rugged cross I will ever be true, Its shame and reproach gladly bear.” Then we fold up the reproach in the hymn-book and go out with not the faintest idea of what we have been singing about. We read, “ Let us go unto Him without the camp bearing His reproach” but what are the afflic tions of the people of God and what is the reproach of Christ? Certainly not our ordinary troubles to which everybody is heir. We are not bearing our cross every time we have a headache; an aspirin tablet will take care of that. What is meant is the trouble we would not have if we were not Christians, the trouble we have because of our identification with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. We don’t hear much about cross-bearing these days. Some people wouldn’t join church if they thought it cost anything to be a Chris tian so now we talk about how much fun you can have in a de luxe country-club Christianity. The former pas tor of the church where I belong says that less than a hundred years ago the members of this church were ridiculed and its pastor hissed as he walked along the street. We know nothing of that nowadays and it is not because times are better. We are a weaker breed of Christians who know nothing of the scandal o f the croSs. A dedicated New Testament Christian will suf fer scorn and opposition, will be an odd number, a stranger in the eyes of this godless generation, for “all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perse cution.”
We commonly think that life’s major decisions are made by older people but actually the three greatest choices anyone can make are decided upon usually by young people before they reach their middle twenties. The salvation of thè soul, the choice o f a life work and a life companion : these are life’s greatest decisions and usually young people make them. When one makes that first choice and trusts Christ, it is all-inclusive; all other decisions are wrapped up in it. We read that Moses “ESTEEMED the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.” He made a survey, took stock, added up all the facts on both sides and made his decision. He looked at Egypt’s best and Israel’s worst and cast his lot with the people of God. Furthermore “ he had respect unto the recom pense of the reward.” He looked into the future and saw not a nation of slaves but the kingdom that was to be, not only under David and Solomon, but that greater kingdom when Christ should reign over a restored Israel. When we choose our crowd, we should do it with the long view. God’s true people are not much to look at now, but their day is coming. They suffer now and reign later ; they bear the cross now and wear the crown hereafter. You don’t hear much about that in our prosperous, popular, modem Christianity but this is New Testament Christianity and it is what Moses saw by the telescope of faith in his day. His contemporaries may have said, “ That Hebrew is crazy,” but here I am, centuries later, writing about Moses. He lost his life to save it. He went down to go up. He staked his for tunes on eternity instead of Egypt and he won. Finally, along with his PERSONAL CHOICE there was PERSEVERING CONTINUANCE: “He endured as seeing Him Who is invisible.” When he first tried to deliver Israel, “he looked this way and that way” (Ex. 2:12). He was cross-eyed and nobody ever accomplished much for God looking two ways. He tried to kill the Egyptians on the retail plan, one at a time, but after his post-graduate course in Midian he looked only one way and having chosen the imperishable, he saw the invisible and did the impossible. Like Paul, he was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision and, like Paul, he could have said, “ This one thing I do.” From then on all of him was headed in one direction so that his life came to a point like a sword and not like a broom ending in a multitude of straws. Moses made his choice and so must we. He said “No” to Egypt and “Yes” to God and so should we. For us as with him it is the sufferings of God’s people or the pleasures of sin for a season, the reproach of Christ or the treasures in Egypt. No man can have both. Mod ern youth needs to face squarely this “ either, or” deci sion in a day when exponents of “ neither, nor” Chris tianity would produce a new variety with loyalty divided between Egypt and Canaan. We need a new breed who are willing to be the scum of the earth and a spectacle to the world for the scandal of the cross.
SEPTEMBER, 1964
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O UR L ord ’ s last commission is recorded in the first chapter of Acts: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). This verse gives us our Lord’s final commission to His disciples as well as the outline of the book of Acts, and describes the program for the Church which began at Pentecost, and will be completed at the Second Com ing of Christ. It was in three stages: 1. Jerusalem and Judaea 2. Samaria 3. The uttermost part of the earth The book of Acts is therefore easily divided accord ing to this commission and program. The first seven chapters record the first division—the ministry of the apostles to the Jews “ in Jerusalem and Judaea.” They preached to no one but Jews. They did not go beyond Judaea and they still preached the message of the King dom. The second stage of this program “ and in Sama ria” is recorded in chapters 8 to 12, and marks a transi tion period. The Gospel now goes beyond Judaea into Samaria. It had been preached in Jerusalem to the Jew first, and now it is to go beyond Judaea. After Philip carries the message to Samaria, the third stage of the commission begins in chapter 13, with the sending forth of the first missionaries to the Gentiles. This last stage of sending the Gospel to the “ uttermost part of the earth” occupies the rest of Acts, from chapter 13 to 28, and is still in the process of being carried out. The Gospel was to “ the Jew first” (that is history); then to Samaria (that, too, is history); and we believe the last part, “ to the uttermost part of the earth,” is rapidly nearing fulfillment in this age o f radio, literacy and the printed page. In the first two parts of the pro gram, to the Jews and the Samaritans (who were half Jewish), Peter and the apostles do the preaching. In the fulfillment of the last phase, to the Gentiles—“ the uttermost part of the earth,” the Apostle Paul takes over the stage. We emphasize the importance of recog nizing this threefold commission and its development
in the book of Acts, so we repeat: (1) To Jerusalem and Judaea (Acts 1 to 7 ) ; (2) To Samaria (Acts 8 to 12 ); (3) To the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 13 to 28). P reparation for the T ask We come now to the most important chapter in Acts, the second chapter. It records the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, in preparing the disciples for their great task of carrying out this pro gram to Jerusalem, Samaria, and all the earth. Failure to rightly interpret the events of this day of Pentecost will becloud the study of the rest of Acts. The right interpretation of all that follows in Acts depends upon the right interpretation of the meaning of the baptism in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The chapter opens:
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, ' as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 1:1-4).
This was not the first day of Pentecost. This day had been annually celebrated for hundreds of years by the nation of Israel, and this particular day recorded in Acts was the prophetic fulfillment of the typical Pen- tecosts which had foreshadowed the outpouring o f the Spirit upon the disciples. Pentecost was one of the seven Jewish feasts mentioned in Leviticus 23, begin ning with the Passover and ending with the Feast of Tabernacles. These were annual, prophetic, typical feasts, pointing forward to Christ’s coming. The Pass- over was fulfilled at Calvary; the Unleavened Bread in His burial; the Firstfruits in His resurrection; and Pentecost was fulfilled in Acts 2. The word “ pentecost” means literally “ fiftieth” so the literal translation of Acts 2:1 should be “and when
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the fiftieth day was fully come.” Pentecost was the fif tieth day after the Feast of the Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:25, 16 ). So this Pentecost was to come according to the unchangeable Word of God, fifty days after the resurrection o f Christ, who was our Passover (I Corin thians 5 :7 ). There are a number of things to be observed here. 1. This Pentecost for the Church cannot be repeated in this dispensation, for the fiftieth day can never come again. It can no more be repeated in this dispensation than can the crucifixion or the burial or resurrection of Christ, which were in fulfillment of the Feasts of Pass- over, Unleavened Bread, and the Firstfruits. When the Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, the third Person of the Trinity came in abiding presence upon the infant Church. Jesus said o f this in John 14:16, And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth . . . (John 14:16, 17). Pentecost for the Church was once for all. He did not come upon the company in the upper room, and then go away to be poured out over and over again upon individual believers or upon the Church. He came to abide (to remain) until the Church goes to meet Her Lord. In the Old Testament the Spirit came and went to empower individuals for their mission of priest or prophet or king. But in this dispensation He abides. To speak, therefore, of another Pentecost in this dispensa tion is to reveal a total misunderstanding of the experi ence of Pentecost. 2. The outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost was not the result of anything the disciples did. The Spirit did not come in response to their prayers. He did not come because they were all with one accord in one place. He came because it was time for Him to come, and be cause Jesus had promised He would come. If they had not been with one accord in one place, if they had not been waiting, Pentecost, the fiftieth day after the Cross, would have come anyway. How glad we are that the disciples were in the place where they could receive the Holy Spirit. Had they not been there, Pentecost would have come anyway, but they would have missed the blessing. 3. Notice also the accompanying manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s coming. Three things are specifically mentioned. There was first a “ sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind.” Secondly, there were visible tongues as of fire which sat upon each (every one) of them. Thirdly, they began to speak in other languages. There are those who report present-day Pentecostal ex periences, but where is the mighty wind, where are the visible tongues of fire? They claim the speaking in tongues, but before the speaking in tongues there was first the mighty rushing wind and the visible tongues as of fire. Why are not these manifestations present in the so-called present-day experiences o f the bap tism in the Holy Spirit? Why take only the speaking in tongues and not be able to claim the other accompanying signs—the wind and visible fire? 4. The languages these disciples spoke were not “ unknown” tongues. They were existing languages un derstood by the people who had gathered for the feast. They needed no interpreter. This is clear when we read: And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? (Acts 2:7, 8). The Greek word translated “ tongue” is dialektos,
the same as our word “ dialect.” It is the same word translated “ language” in verse 6. We emphasize this point because so many people turn to the day of Pentecost for their argument for speaking in tongues. I heard one enthusiastic exponent of a repeated baptism in the Spirit say, “ I received the gift o f speaking in tongues the same as the disciples received it on the day of Pentecost.” This sincere but mistaken enthusiast simply did not understand the speaking in dialects by the disciples at Pentecost as completely distinguished from the sign of tongues as de scribed in I Corinthians. Please notice, the languages used at Pentecost were languages which were spoken by the audience being addressed. They all understood what was said. They were not unknown tongues and needed no interpretation. This was entirely different from speaking in an unknown tongue as a sign for doubtful, carnal believ ers. 5. The purpose of the speaking in various languages at Pentecost was in fulfillment of Jesus’ command that the Gospel should begin in Jerusalem, and then go into all the world. It was to the Jews first. In the provi dence of God, Jews from every part of the world were present at the Feast. There were no Gentiles addressed, and among the 3,000 converted on that day there were none but Jews. I read in Acts 2:5, And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Notice, Jews from every nation under Heaven, and at least sixteen countries are mentioned in verses 9 to 11: Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, . . . Mesopotamia, . . . Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, . . . Libya about Cyrene, . . . Rome, . . . Cretes and Arabians . . . (Acts 2:9-11). These were all Jews or Jewish proselytes. Here they are gathered, and they are to spread the message of the Gospel to the whole world. And Pentecost was the setting for telling the story to every nation through the Jews. Hence the speaking in tongues. It was to pro claim the Gospel message by the nation destined to tell it to all the world. These Jews from all these nations went back to their homes all over the world knowing the mes sage of the crucified, resurrected Christ, having heard it declared in their own language and dialect. This was the purpose of the tongues on Pentecost— to proclaim in every language the gospel message. It has nothing in common with the sign o f tongues men tioned later in the book of I Corinthians. We repeat, therefore, that this speaking at Pentecost in the vari ous languages was for this one occasion only, to make known the glorious Gospel to all nations, and although no Gentiles were present, the languages of the Gentile nations were heard and that from Jewish lips, indicat ing how in the future the whole world would again hear the Gospel through God’s redeemed nation of Israel (Revelation 7). After this day of Pentecost, this particular miracle of speaking in the well-known languages o f the world was never repeated. We look in vain through the rest of Acts or the epistles for a repetition of this experi ence. We do find the gift of speaking in unknown tongues in two instances in Acts (Acts 10:46 and Acts 19:6), and it is recorded as present in only one church among all the churches mentioned in the book of Acts and the epistles.
From the new • hook, uPentecost and After** _ published by Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, $2*50.
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SEPTEMBER, 1964
A thrilling chapter from a new missionary biography concerning Mrs. Lillian Dickson |A \s Sx&M 'S - - wan
angel
shoulder
by Kenneth L. Wilson
Mrs. Dickson and one of her lepers.
F RM O SA was a bubbling brew when Jim Dickson re turned late in 1945. He went immediately to the mission compound at Taipei. The houses were intact on the outside except for broken windows. Inside, the ceil ings were down, and all was a fearful mess. Troops were living on the compound and were also occupying the Mackay Memorial Hospital, even though, before the missionaries left, the property had been turned over to the Formosan church. Jim went to the hospital to look around. At the door, two soldiers crossed bayonets in front of him and said, “You can’t go in.” “ I want to see your commander,” Jim insisted, and finally they let him go by. He approached the Chinese officer in charge. “ The missionaries are coming back,” he said. “We will be wanting the hospital in a very short time.” “You can’t have it,” the officer reported. “ It’s ours.” “ But this hospital belongs to the church,” Jim said. “ The Japanese recognized our property rights. They used the hospital but they paid rent to the church. I am here by permission of General MacArthur to make a survey. I would hate to have to report that our allies treated us worse than our enemies!" Jim wrote to Lil, “ I think the house will be ready by the time you get here. They will surely turn over the
hospital, too. In a few months I will come back home to make my report to the mission board, then we will return to Taiwan together. . . . The mountain churches have grown amazingly since we left. They call it the Pentecost o f the Hills. Remember little old Chi-oang, our unlikely student? She did most of it. Wait till you see. . . !” Things had changed, and most of the changes were caused in some way by the greatest military cataclysm ever to sweep the globe. A pledge made by America’s President Roosevelt and Britain’s Prime Minister Churchill to China’s Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek at the Cairo Conference in 1943 became a part of the Tokyo Bay surrender treaty: Formosa and the Pesca dores were returned to China. Japanese troops, police, and residents were evacuated from Formosa to Japan with the help of United States ships. Taiwan became a province of the Republic of China. For fifty years the islanders had been adjusting to Japanese rule. Now they had to accustom themselves once more to a new way of life and to another landlord. The Taiwanese—these Chinese who had lived on the island for generations—spoke Amoy. The Japanese had introduced their own language into the schools as the official tongue. Now the Chinese coming from the main land in increasing numbers brought their official lan-
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