BROADCASTER
Mola Monthly Publication of the BIOLA FELLOWSHIP Vol. 6 No. 5 MAY , 1966
CONTENTS THE PERILS OF ALCOHOL ........... 3 ALCOHOL'S DANGERS .................. 5 YOUTH AND ALCOHOL................ 7 EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL.................. 9 JESUS AND W INE............................ 11 BIRTH CONTROL .............................13 YOUNG CHRISTIANS ..................... 15 UNSAVED FAMILY ........................17 DISCIPLINE ........................................ 19 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.........22 PARABLES AND PEARLS ..............27 STUDIES IN DANIEL....................... 31 COVER: A scene from the 75-acre Blola Campus with several of the stu dents In the distance. A large grove of olive trees is located on the Cam pus, the last remaining in the city of La Mirada, once a part of the Mc- Nalley Olive orchards.
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A SPECIAL FIVE PART SERIES
The Perils of Alcohol by Dr. W . Robert Smith
W ithout question , one of the greatest problems which plagues not only the American home but also our entire nation is alcoholism. By conservative estimate there are some five million alcoholics in our nation. Some compute the figure as high as eight million. This is not something about which only Christians are con cerned. The secular world is very aware of the insidious creeping dis ease which is spreading rapidly. We should understand that a per son so addicted has become a slave to alcohol. To be sure such practice is sinful, but the situation nonetheless calls for love and patience on our part. In addition to seeking to understand them we must also, by the grace of God, try to help them overcome the tragic difficulty. As Christian parents we must be able to communicate the problems and dangers to our children so that they will resist the temptations through the power of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit. Moody Press has published an ex cellent book, “God is For the Alco holic” by a former alcoholic, the Rev. Jerry Dunn. He was once addicted to
drink and had to leave his family when he spent time behind jail doors. He points out that once a person has become addicted to drink he can never touch it again. He is now working with alcoholics in Omaha and has a wonderful m in is tr y among them. Those of you who have loved ones who have become ensnared in this wicked tool of the devil will want to secure this publication. Rev. Dunn points out that there is a need to understand the nature of the addiction as well as the back ground and psychology of the person. An alcoholic becomes so enslaved that he will lie, cheat, turn on his dear ones, and generally do anything to get liquor because of his craving. While he may feel self-condemned he will still proceed to hurt and hamper those he loves just for another drink. In a practical vein, many loving wives want to know how they can help their husbands who have the problem. They wonder if it is best to leave them. Sometimes it is, because of the intolerable situations which exist. If there are children in the home, they should certainly be considered. Many have been the heart-breaking experi
own. In the secular world psychia trists are hard pressed to find any real “bonafide cures” of alcoholics. They readily see, however, what such groups as Christian clinics and min istries are doing to rescue these poor souls from the blight of hell. Let us never forget that the only power we have to help an alcoholic, and the only power one can have who is addicted to liquor, is through Christ. The Sav iour is the One who in loving compas sion can say, “I love you, my son, re gardless of what you have done or of how you have failed. I died for you, my child. Your sins have been atoned for through my shed blood. If you turn the burden over to Me I will cleanse you. I will give you My life and My fellowship.” Let us remind our children, as we read in the first Psalm, “Blessed is the man who walketh not in the coun sel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” It is easy to become ensnared when one doesn’t have the right kind of companionship. Many young mothers and fathers are laid waste because they erroneously think that drinking is sociable and fashion able. They don’t want to be looked down upon. When I was J>ut a lad I took a WCTU pledge which was a sacred vow before the Lord. It has helped me through the years. It is important to have such firm convic tions based on our desire to serve the Saviour in a manner pleasing to Him. It is clearly seen that the world has a guilty conscience about drinking. If one turns down mushrooms nobody says anything. The same is true with almost any other food or beverage. But let a young person refuse a drink and he is branded as “a holy Joe” or some such title. This shows that the crowd has a guilty conscience! We need to show our young people that alcohol is not only sinful but also that it is positively damaging and devas tating to the physical well being. Out side of man, alcohol can be a great blessing, as God intended it should be, however, inside it will bring financial, physical, mental and spiritual destruc tion. 4
ences related to me about husbands who may have been kind and gentle when they are sober, but even bestial when th ey become “liquored-up.” There can be no generalization on these matters of counselling, how ever, and every case should be in dividually weighed and prayerfully considered. While such treatment does not necessarily mean divorce, or pro vide a scriptural grounds for such a final action, yet living separated for a time may bring the matter into the open and force the issue. The Lord Jesus Christ pointed out that the only basis for divorce is “except for fornication.” The apostle Paul in the seventh chapter of I Corinthians sug gests the approach through living apart yet remaining married or else being reconciled. Let us consider the plight of an al coholic who needs help. By the grace of God he has been able to give up liquor and is now on the way to re cuperation. The problem comes when he goes back into a home where there is unfriendliness, untidiness, disorder, and bickering. Records reveal that such things often cause him to fall back into his old ways. Therefore the first need is try to find out why the individual drinks. There may be a number of reasons some of which could be only superficial. Without the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spir it to help him, a man has no real de fense against the devil. Some men drink to forget their problems. One may have a wife who looks at TV all day long. The dishes aren’t done, the food isn’t well prepared and there is no warmth or adequacy in the home at all. He may feel trapped, that he will never have those things which he feels will bring him joy or satisfac tion. He drinks to forget his problems. Other men drink (and we refer to women as well in all of these in stances) when they start going with the wrong crowd. This is so often true with our young people who be come trapped before they know it. It is a very evident fact that no person can overcome alcoholism by himself or through any efforts of his
ALCOHOL'S DANGERS I T IS A sad THING to realize tlie growing number of women who are alcoholics in our nation. Such an in dividual is a very needy case, usually more so than the man. The family endeavors to cover up for her and they generally try to keep her inside. This usually compounds her problems. With the millions of dollars being spent by the beer and liquor industry advertising their products, we as par ents need to instruct our children very carefully concerning the problems and temptations they will face. For this reason I believe it would be profitable for us to spend a little time consider ing alcohol strictly from the stand point of science. After this we can make some psychological and spiritual applications. You see, alcohol, outside of the body is really a great blessing. Alcohol both dissolves and dehydrates. It is made through fermentation. Most of us can remember our mothers doing home canning and the great caution which was taken to avoid fermentation set ting in. The purpose of the steriliza tion, of course, was to kill any bac teria which might cause sickness. Al coholic fermentation does not “set up” in shalow liquids because the wild yeast gets the oxygen from the air. When wild yeast germs cannot get oxygen from the air they break down the sugar content by a process of fer mentation giving off carbon dioxide and thus making alcohol. There are, of course, very elaborate processes of chemically p ro du c ing alcohol, how ever, this is the basic way it happens in the home. Alcohol is a marvelous chemical. If we were on TV we would suggest an experiment which would graphically portray what we have been saying. To do this we would use 16 little bottles or test tubes. In eight of them we would place water and in the other eight, ethyl alcohol which is the basis
Dr. W . Robert Smith
of the beverage industry. By changing compounds there is actually an end less number of alcoholic compounds. All of them have these two properties in dissolving and dehydrating. With these little vials we would put some oil in one, some resin in an other, camphor in the next, and then a plant leaf, such as from a geranium or a violet in the fourth. Then we would put the same substances in al cohol, one to each little container. Before going any further let us check our experiment. For the first, water has no effect on oil while al cohol dissolves it. In water resin goes right to the bottom while in alcohol it dissolves. In water camphor floats while alcohol will dissolve it. In water a green leaf will remain that way while alcohol will take the color out of it. The other characteristics of alcohol is that it dehydrates. Continuing our experiment we take the remaining lit tle bottles this time using bread, sugar, meat and the white of an egg. In water sugar will dissolve while in alcohol it makes it harder sinking to the bottom of the glass. Bread in wa ter will cause it to become mushy and finally decay. In alcohol it hardens as it dehydrates. Meat in water causes it to putrify. Alcohol, a great pre servative, will dehydrate it so that Pictured below is Myers Hall of the Talbot Theo logical Seminary.
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properly controlled it can be kept for a long period. The white of an egg will become slimy and finally have a very strong odor when put in water. In alcohol, however, the egg white gets cooked just as it would coagu late if it were cooked on the stove. Having completed our experiment we can readily see the problem when an individual takes alcohol into his system. This is a great curse of man kind! Alcohol is a deterrent to normal body function, and is a protoplasmic poison. There is no question about the tre mendous effect alcohol has upon off spring. Alcohol is a narcotic and a OPEN M Y EYES Open my eyes, that I may see This one and that one needing Thee; Hearts that are numb, dissatisfied; Lives that are dark, for whom Christ died. Open my eyes in sympathy Clear into man's deep soul to see; Rise with Thy wisdom to discern, And with Thy heart of love to yearn. Open my eyes in power, I pray Give me the strength to speak today. Some one to bring, dear Lord, to Thee; Use me, O Lord, use even me. — Betty Siam (martyred in China) habit forming drug. You see, we need to tell our children more than, “Don't drink!” This will serve for awhile, however, when they get older they will want to have more positive informa tion. They should know the effect upon the body as well as upon the soul. The Lord has given us intelligent minds to deal with problems. By faith in Him, salvation brings not only eter nal life, but also the indwelling pres ence of God’s Holy Spirit, giving us the empowerment to overcome tempta tions. Alcohol has been given of the Lord as a blessing to man, making life easier and even aleviating human suf fering. Let us not pervert what God has ordained, or we will find destruc tion and misery as a result.
DEPENDENCY OF LIFE Legend tells of a wicked young guard in the court of an oriental king. Because of his riotous living the courtier was brought before his sovereign and read the penalty of death. While he readily admitted his evil deeds, the young guard tearfully pled for mercy prom ising he would never again be an em barrassment for his monarch. The king was so touched by his sincerity that he thoughtfully gave him a slim ray of hope. He called for a shell to be placed in the condemned man’s hands. Then admonishing him to hold it perfectly still he filled the container with oil until it could hold not a single drop more. The king then instructed him, “I want you to take this shell and walk through the city streets today. I f you are able to come back this evening, having not spilled a single drop, your life will be spared. On the other hand if a drop does fall, these two guards, who will accompany you, will be your executioners.” Although it seemed an impossible fete, it was bet ter than nothing. He left the palace, then walking carefully, slowly, deliberately, with each step measured, he made his way through the streets. A t the end of the day, unbelievably successful, he re turned to the king for his promised pardon. This he was granted, but the amazed monarch asked him first to an swer two questions. One was, “What did you see today?" “Why nothing,” the guard replied solemnly. “Then what did you hear today?" again asked the ruler. “Nothing,” was the same response. A l most unbelieving the king pondered, “You mean, you walked through the streets of our city on this market day, the busiest time of the week, with all of the crowds jostling about, and yet you saw nothing and you heard nothing. Why?” Quietly, the now broken man re plied, “Because, your majesty, I fixed my eyes only upon this shell. You see, my very life depended upon it.” In the busy activities of life, are our eyes so fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ that we arenot detracted bythings about us? Arewe lookingto Him mo ment by moment? How dangerous it is to listen to voices in the world. Let us rather redeem the time, for the days are evil. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” * * it The brook would lose its song if you took the rocks away. * * * 6
YOUTH AND ALCOHOL
by Dr. W. Robert Smith
W hile conducting a C h r i s t i a n conference I was confronted by a teenager who honestly asked, “Really ‘Doc,’ while I don’t drink, it's been a great temptation at school be cause the crowd does. I’ve been taught one shouldn’t and so I haven’t. But actually, what’s wrong with a friend ly glass of beer?” I made it a point to spend a little time with this young man starting with some of the basics, such as the science of alcohol. It is one thing to tell our youth, “No,” and it is quite another to forti fy them with some positive guide lines to help them in times of tempta tion. Children do need to know “why.” In the Lord’s service, as good fathers and mothers, we should become con versant, having knowledge in these areas, so that we might properly in struct our children. I pointed out to this young man that there are many things accom plished in our world today because alcohol is an excellent chemical. The problem comes in as alcohol is mis used. Alcohol dehydrates, taking the moisture out, and it dissolves. Planning for a continuing increase in the student body are leaders of the Arizona Bible College, Biota's Phoenix affiliate. Pictured below are Mr. Merv Fishback (left), executive administrator, and Mr. Theodore Fischbacher, dean.
In the human body the nerves are coated in a fatty substance called lipoid. When alcohol enters the body the first thing that happens is that it dissolves the nerve coatings affecting the brain. The protoplasm at the heart of the nerves is much like the white of an egg. Alcohol acts like a stove, cooking or dehydrating this sub stance. This is what accounts for all the physiological limitations and weaknesses that result. Some scientists believe that any amount of alcohol heightens one’s sex ual desires, frequently taking away inhibitions. Many an act of unchastity, fornication, and adultery is committed by people who are under the influence of alcohol. Many criminals in penal institutions will admit that they com mitted these terrible deeds following consumption of alcohol. Liquor exerts its most serious prob lem on the nervous system affecting the function of seeing, feeling, mov ing, thinking, and self control. We have sadly observed an individual “liquored up” and how loud and ob noxious he becomes. He starts to shout at the top of his voice. The rea son is because he doesn’t hear so well and as a result he talks louder to compensate for it. No wonder there are so many accidents on our high ways when the eyesight as well as other nerves are so affected. Such in formation is conclusively shown from repeated scientific tests and is factual. Actions and reactions begin to slow down to a very noticeable extent. This is why drivers with beer or liquor in them find it more difficult to move their foot from the accelerator to the brake. Despite all the warnings by law enforcement officials, hundreds of people are killed every year as a re sult of alcoholism. Alcoholism disturbs all the impor tant normal body functions, slowing down actions of important organs, 7
take poison, for that is wh^t alcohol is inside the human body. More than this, however, there are the moral and spiritual aspects of al cohol. The greatest affect is upon the human brain. This is where one’s judgment, his self-control, and other functions are cen te red . The Lord Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, wants to guide and strengthen us. It is difficult enough for Him to have a place in our lives without stupifying our brains and taking away our judg ment. The Bible tells us that those who become involved with alcohol are not wise. In these very real problems con fronting mankind, we as believers need to be good witnesses for the Lord. Let us be properly armed with information and fortified with the Spirit seeking to reach those in need through a sincere Christ-like divine love. Let us avoid all appearances of evil as we seek, through God’s help, to keep our dear young people from becoming ensnared in this disease.
such as the brain and the liver often causing disease and degeneration. The liver has often been referred to as the chemical laboratory of the body. It produces bile to aid in the digestion of fats. It stores starches and sugars collectively for future use. Poisons and other harmful things in the body are oxidized and then expelled in the waste so that they are eliminated. Alcohol hinders the production of bile. It allows sugars and poisons to ac cumulate in the blood so that they are not carried off. This is a very serious situation. Alcohol is a habit forming drug. It creates a desire for a repetition of it. It is a poison which attacks the proto plasm of the body cells. There is a high probability that it also affects the germ cell of life, too. There is a large mass of data revealing that al cohol affects the offspring in one way or another. Basically, there is no physiological way to justify, “Just a friendly glass of beer.” Why would you want to encourage someone to Biola was recently host to the Moody Institute of Science which has moved its headquarters to the nearby Whittier area. Pictured below are ad ministrators for both Christian organizations. From left to right are Dr. Robert Constable, executive
vice president of Moody Bible Institute, Dr. Louis T. Talbot, chancellor of Biola, Dr. Irwin Moon, founder-director of the Moody Institute of Science, Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland, president of Biola, and Dr. Ray A. Myers, chairman of the Biola Board.
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EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
by Dr. W . Robert Smith
O NE IS APPALLED TO REALIZE how many men, high in business af fairs or in the military, have become slaves of liquor. A young woman came to me on a college campus a few weeks ago in great distress. Her mother was an alcoholic and had abused her. For this reason she was taken to a neighbor’s where she lived most of her life. The real mother had seemed to take her resentment out on this dear child. She was the eldest of four children. While in the other home she found the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. Now in college she had only been a Christian for about two years. Her father, she told me, was also an alcoholic. There was no one now to care for the children since the mother had recently died. She asked me if she should give up her education and stay home. She was concerned about the children for her father, while he was a good man, was such a slave to liq uor. Sometimes he could earn money but other times there was little to eat. Obviously the ideal situation would have been to prevent the father and mother from ever becoming alcoholics. It may have all started with some thing so seemingly insignificant as a “little party.” This tragic scene is repeated over and over again. The well-known Dr. Alvarez, consultant at Mayo Clinic, pertinently pointed out, “If I knew what I now know about alcohol, I would never have tasted the first drop.” Some people have a tremendous propensity for alcohol. Someone will probably say, “Well, temperance ‘has moderation.” It has been well said, however, that “Temperance is the quality of moderation in healthful indulgence, and a b s tin e n c e from things harmful, such as the use of in toxicating wines.” The problem of alcohol is far more deep-seated than the fact that you may become an alcoholic and thereby
have a real problem in your home. Alcohol causes a limitation and a weakness any way you have it in the human body, no matter how small the quantity. The nerves are bathed in a fatty substance which is dissolved by alco hol. Because your nerves are proto plasm they are destroyed. Alcohol ab sorbs the water in your body with great harm. Alcohol is a narcotic and has this very affect upon the nervous system. Alcohol may affect the life cell, hurting the ovary or the ovums, as well as the sperm cell of the hu man offspring. The data of science re veals these truths. It was Aristotle who declared, “I would suggest that a judge who is going to administer justice, a magis trate who is a ruler of his country and has the right to speak, a soldier who is protecting his nation, or a father who is to go in with his wife and cohabit to have a child, should leave alcohol strictly alone.” The an cients believed that alcohol did affect the offspring. There is a definite af fect on the human cells. A laboratory experiment was con ducted using four cocker spaniels which were mated. They were the same strain and vigor as far as the scientists were able to judge. Two of them were named “Meg” and “Topsy.” The other two were called “Bum” and “Tipsy.” They had the same kind of physical characteristics and were given the same kind of care with the exception that Bum and Tipsy had a small quantity of alcohol with their meals while Meg and Topsy did not. In tests it was shown that Meg and Topsy retrieved 922 balls, nearly twice the number of the other pair. Other such activities went on, but the startling effect was on their off spring. Bum and Tipsy only had 22 pups born to their union, only four of which lived and were normal. 9
Meanwhile Meg and Topsy had 45 pups, 41 of which lived and were nor mal. The difference is between less than 18 per cent compared with 91 per cent. Of course, we can’t equate such experiments with human pat terns. Obviously the population is growing as is the rate of alcoholism. The correlation is indicative of many problems faced today. There are some children who are mentally and physically disinherited because of al cohol. This is certainly not true in every case, however, the overtones of danger do exist. Such things are not widely discussed or brought to public attention due to one primary fact in that billions of dollars are involved in alcohol. People are readily addicted to liq uor. They may feel inadequate and such beverages steel away their brains and make them feel high. They will forget their problems and do things under the influence of alcohol they might not have the courage to do otherwise, being restrained by their own morals. If you are not receiving copies of the BROADCASTER monthly, you may have them come to your home or office automatically by being a member of the Biola Fellowship. This is a group of faithful donors who invest monthly in the distinctive ministries of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc. Specific monthly amounts are not set; this is a matter between you and the Lord. In maintaining this 58 year old work for the Saviour, we have found that faithfulness on the part of God’s stewards is the important thing. You are invited to become co-laborers with us in this vital testimony. The invest ment you make will bring you this publication monthly, hereafter, without your request. If you are already a member of the Fellowship and have received an extra
There are four things which may affect the germ cell: radiation, syphi lis or venereal disease, white lead, and alcohol. If there is even the slightest likelihood that the use of alcohol would bring into the world a little child which is physically or mentally troubled, we should leave these things alone, if nothing else from a humani tarian basis. We need to teach our children the problems that are involved with alco hol, giving them the kind of environ ment and strength in Jesus Christ which will help them to say “no” to evil. In talking to this youth who had asked about drinking, he now said, “You know, ‘Doc,’ this is the first time anybody ever sat down and ex plained the problem to me. Do we have enough love and concern in our hearts to reach precious youth for whom C h ris t died? Let us be armed by the Spirit of God that we may help others to withstand the wicked attacks of the devil. copy of this publication, please pass it along to a friend so that he may also enroll in the Plan and receive these helpful monthly features from the broadcasts. Since all materials from the Biola radio programs are included in the BROADCASTER, publication is gen erally completed near the 'end of the specific month. Your patience is greatly appreciated. □ I would like to become a member of the Biola Fellowship. Biola Fellowship Members receive a packet of envelopes (24 to expire in two years for monthly contributions). I am enclosing $...................this month, and would like to send $_________ monthly for the ministries of Biola.
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I T HAS ALWAYS BEEN AMAZING for me to realize how some people can feel that the drinking of alcoholic bever ages in moderation can possibly be acceptable. They will argue that Paul speaks of taking wine for one’s stom ach’s sake. They will also infer that the Lord made wine. Such a rational ization, however, causes real prob lems, for one must realize the devas tating results of alcoholic consump tion. The proper interpretation of any language is to try, in so far as possi ble, by factual data and a careful analysis of the time when it was used, to project oneself into that era and culture to gain the real meaning. The King James Version of the Bible, translated in 1611, uses many words which were meaningful to men and women of that day but which don’t necessarily carry the same con notation today. As an example the word “conversation” th en meant “manner of life,” whereas today it means “talking to one another.” The word “Comforter,” speaking of the Holy Spirit, makes us think of One who dries your tears and puts His arm about you in a sympathetic way. The root meaning, however, is from the word “fort” and speaks of One who strengthens and fortifies you. He is our Advocate. We will see these same things in connection with the word “wine” used in Scripture. We certainly need to keep in mind that one can’t be moderate in the use of a substance which is harmful. This is, of course, very true about alcohol. It is a poison in the human body. Would anyone be foolish enough to suggest moderation in the use of arsenic? What is the point of convincing people they should use a little poison with their meals just be cause they won’t die from it? Keep in mind the fact that the Greek word translated “wine” in the
King James Version simply refers to “the fruit of the vine.” This is ac cording to best Biblical scholarship. That, you see, does not necessarily mean a drink which is alcoholic. The same is true of the word “cider” which can simply mean the fruit of the apple tree, or it can have refer ence to that which is fermented. So, the word in the Greek translated EASTER The Lord is risen, the resurrection morning Has dawned, and from my troubled heart has fled The fear of death, and now in place of mourning Joy, sweetest joy and peace are mine instead. The Lord is risen, the reign of sin has ended; He holds the key of death, and from its sway My soul is freed, for now in Him ascended Life, everlasting life is mine to-day. The Lord is risen, He Satan's power has broken. And from the foe, my ransomed soul is free; The Lord is risen, and by this wondrous token I too shall rise His glorious face to see. —Marion E. C. Netherton “wine” means really “the fruit of the vine” which is grape juice. This can be fermented or unfermented. Those who live in that culture today will hear people talking about “gathering wine leaves.” These are used to wrap a very special meat dish. What they have reference to are grape leaves. In ancient writings this is also commonly found. It is my belief that in the first re corded miracle of our Lord, the bev erage was unfermented grape juice. 11
When on the cross the Saviour was offered intoxicating wine. This was the custom of the Romans. Jesus would not take it. I do not believe that Christ used wine at the Lord’s Supper. The word “wine” is never used with reference to this event. Matthew records Him declaring, “I say uno you I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until the day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s king dom.” Why is it unlikely that the Lord would have used fermented wine ? This was a Passover feast. They were to search the house putting out any yeasted bread. It is highly unlikely that they would have had a high ceremony getting rid of all the yeast only to have a drink that con tained it. It is only yeast which can cause fermentation. During Bible times there were de vout people called Nazarites. They vowed not to touch strong drink. John the Baptist was one of these. It is highly unlikely that our Lord Jesus Christ would establish communion by using a prohibited intoxicant. It is further unlikely that our Saviour, with His wisdom and knowledge, would institute a high act of worship
which would cause others to stumble. He H im se lf declared that there would not be anyone entering into His kingdom who caused other people to stumble. People always bring up Paul’s words to Timothy, “Take a little wine for thy stomach’s sake, and for thine oft infirmities.” Timothy was a devout young man. Paul himself took the Nazarite vow. It is a chemical fact that grape sugar is very close to blood sugar. If the youth had stom ach difficulties Paul would suggest grape juice for extra strength in the time of physical exertion. This was not fermented. History reveals that one of the Greek’s favorite recipes was to take either milk or water and mix it into dehydrated grape juice. It was a spe cial tonic. The fruit of the vine most certainly was preserved without fer mentation. It was done through dehy dration. Alcoholic fermentation will not set up where the liquid is very hot or very cool. This is why we put our milk into the refrigerator. The wild yeast germs or bacteria do not develop and it does not sour. At room temperature it will. Boiling milk will keep it from souring. This is what they did with grapes if they wished to prevent fer mentation. There can be no true and careful examination of Scripture which will support the assumption that the Bible endorses moderate alcoholic consump tion, or that Christ himself ever made such a substance. Some of the worst things they said about our Saviour were the false accusations that He was a gluttonous man and a wine bibber. The Bible teaching re minds us, “Look not at the wine when it sparkles in the cup; in the end it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder.” It points out that “the man who errs thereby is not wise.” May we heed the careful teaching of Scrip ture on this important and vital sub ject. Seek the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in His perfect path way and to help others along the way in the truths of God. 12
One of the most unique Christian training centers in the country is the Biola School of Missionary Medicine, Miss Leonie V. Soubirou, dean.
the man for his wife is wrong unless it issues in a child. This I do not be lieve is a correct view. God has or dained the blessed union of husband and wife together. Another point is that it is not wise for mothers to have children too close together. The ideal spacing de pends upon the strength of the mother along with other pertinent factors. Generally speaking, we be lieve that two years apart is ideal. The first child should be walking around so that the burden is not so great on the mother in her second pregnancy. Spacing too far apart, however, can mean that the offspring won’t be friends. There are, of course, many forms of birth control. A young couple should seek the help of a medical doc tor. Personally I have some serious misgivings about all of these pills which are on the market. We do not have all the knowledge concerning what may happen to the offspring in th'e days to come. The two best meth ods are mechanical. One is pre scribed for a young mother while the other is available to the father. Sometimes both are needed. I have had people tell me they were opposed to birth control because it meant the same as committing mur der? This is not so. After a child has been conceived and life begins, this is the time of care. A purposeful de struction of the little embryo could be considered as murder. Keeping the sperm cell from fertilizing the ovum so that human life does not take place, however, is not. Mechanical and chemical birth control is the pre vention of the conception of life while at the same time permitting husband and wife to express their love together, rejoicing in the good ness of the Lord. Sometimes people do not want to 13
I N recent years more and more in terest has been manifested on the subject of birth control. The matter is freely discussed in society and openly debated in national magazines. Christians are wondering what their proper attitude should be in the light of God’s Word. While the Lord does foreordain all things to come to pass yet He never forces man. I believe the Saviour has a plan for each fam ily as to how many children should be in the home. This we are to follow and yet, God will not compel us. The disciples followed the plan of Christ but this was not because they were compelled to do so. As a marriage counsellor, I do ad vocate birth control. The Lord in tends us to use the judgment and wis dom He has promised to give in the choosing of our children. Nothing should be planned more carefully in life than your home. This is certainly true in choosing your wife. Although I believe it was ordained of the dear Lord that I be united with my be loved wife, yet I had to make the choice. There had to be an understand ing of one another. Our second choice together was to bring into the world five precious children, created in the image and made in the likeness of God. Together we have been able to live as heirs of His grace. Children should not come into the world just accidentally or haphaz ardly. Before they are conceived we should carefully pray. I do not think it is wise for young couples to have a child their first year. This time should be set aside to adjust to one another. This should give appropriate time without extending it further. It has been felt by some doctors that prolonged use of chemical means to prevent conception could induce tem porary sterility. Some people imply that the love of
assume the responsibilities of a fam ily. To not want any children, from my point of view, is to prostitute the ordinance of marriage, refusing the Lord’s exhortation to be fruitful and to multiply. The greatest power God THE FAITH OF A CHRISTIAN The faith of the Christian is simple and sweet, Yet it's precious, more precious than gold. It's faith in the Saviour that makes us complete, And that opens the door to the fold. The faith of the Christian is steadfast and sure, And ‘it holds against tempest and shock. Its sturdy foundation will ever endure, For it's built upon Jesus, the Rock. The faith of the Christian is tender and kind; It's as gentle and soft as a dove. It's home to the homeless, and sight to the blind; It's a marvel of infinite love. The faith of the Christian is tem pered and tough. Like a bulwark of steel or of stone. Repelling all onslaughts, no matter how rough, It withstands, though abiding alone. The faith of the Christian is tested and proved; It quite often is tried till it hurts. But, after the battle, it still is un moved. Oh, it's wonderful, Friend, and it works! The faith of the Christian is hard to explain; It's not smelled, tasted, felt, seen, or heard. Enduring through the ages, it so shall remain. It's eternal. It's built on the Word! —Alvy E. Ford has given us is to bring a mortal soul, created in His image, into the world. He expects us to use, within the mar riage relationship, this holy privi lege. To use any kind of prevention
from conception outside the marriage, or to engage in extra marital rela tions, or premarital relations, is adultery and fornication. This is sin ful, contrary to the will of God, and an abomination to the Lord. There is no such thing as the “new morality.” It happens to be as old as sin. When God is no longer our standard of values and when His Word is not given its rightful place, immorality is rampant. These evil and wicked concepts of our day should be deplored by every true child of God. Only real love is grounded on holiness and the right eousness of the Lord. I think of a friend of mine who visited church with one of his friends in the armed forces. The young man apologetically told my friend, “You know, you’ll have to make allowances for the doc trines of our old pastor.” “Shall I?” responded my friend. “Oh, yes. You see his doctrine is as old as the hills.” My friend knowingly smiled and corrected him appropriately, “No, it is as old as the One who made the hills.” You see, .the Lord determined the laws of morality; they don’t change. We change, we sin, but there is no new morality. It is just the old immorality dressed up in a feeble justifying garb. May the Lord give us grace in our lives to see and to understand the problems, using that perfect wisdom He has promised to give us by His Holy Spirit. Let us rejoice in the blessing of our homes, ordained of the Lord, where we might share to gether themanifold grace of God. * * * Maybe some people who talk by the yard and think by the inch ought to be moved by the foot. * * * Nothing lies outside thereach of prayer except that which it outside the will of God.
Nothing is more displeasing to God than complaining saints.
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YOUNG CHRISTIANS
by Dr. W . Robert Smith
R adio listeners have s u bm i t t e d some very interesting questions. We are not always able to answer them over the air, however, due to the personal nature of the inquiry. To do so adequately would require many more facts and information before practical counsel could be rendered. One mother writes, “We have sev eral children in our home, ages, 7, 6, 5, and 1. My husband and I have been born again for several years. The six and five-year-olds, as far as I can tell, are also saved. Our 7-year-old girl, however, doesn’t seem to have any relationship with the Lord. She will brag about knowing all the Christian songs, and says she asked Jesus into her heart two years ago, but is not visibly interested in Him. Frankly, I have not had a good rela tionship with her since she was a baby. There seems to be a strain be tween us. I pray every day that I will love her more, but it is so hard. She is so deceiving and selfish. When I try to be loving and show interest in her, she rejects it. What can I do?” Parents need to be careful in impos ing upon little children a mature love for Jesus Christ. Youthful emotions will vacillate. They will enjoy mud pies now and in a moment later want a sandwich. Because a youngster does not always show a continuing inter est in the things of Christ doesn’t mean that he is necessarily disinter ested. There are many things about them that captivite their fancy. In the case of a happily married couple sometimes there is great exhuberance of joy while at other times they will quietly accept one another, going about their work, with very little out ward expression. Parents unfortu nately will sometimes seek to impose upon a child a kind of perfectionist complex. Boys and girls are not ma ture adults nor are they great spir itual giants. There is a great deal of
difference between innocence and spiritual maturity. As an example, a small boy is innocent to the problems of sex because he has never gone through the stages of maturity. Some of the characteristics of little children should be emulated in hu mility by many of us. When we try to impose upon a child the maturity of an adult in some of these areas, we may be asking him to do some thing which his heart isn’t in. When he gets older he will frequently say his experience was not real and he will rebel. It can be dangerous to cause pressures and tensions in these early years. This is true when par ents put undo emphasis upon grades and force the youth to a place where he mentally breaks. Unfortunately, this happens all the time. Too much of it is merely for the satisfaction and prestige of the parent. Don’t try to make your child perfect. You are not. Put before them their only per fect Example, the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach them to seek wisdom and guid ance from Him. Above all, let them know the reality of your concern and deep abiding love. Give them the sense of security which they must have. In the case of our letter writer, this strain probably is the mother’s fault. The child did not put the bar-
One of Biota's talented students is Dave Clark of Los Alamitos, California. Young people have the opportunity of selecting music as a major, along with a choice of t8 other different courses/.
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Tier there. A woman .told me, “You know, I don’t have very much rela tionship with my son. He looks like the man who left me. He has a gruff voice like his father and in too many ways reminds me of him. It is hard for me to love him.” This is unfor tunate. The mother needs to ask the Lord to forgive her and to give her divine love for the boy. We should recognize that a child who needs love the most is sometimes the one who will apparently, on the surface, reject it.
In the Greek there are three words for love. Eros is that which is base and sometimes even sensual. This is the type of love about which the sen timental and fickle songs of the world are written. The next is philos which is a love of kindredship and interest. Hence stamp lovers are called “phi latelists.” The highest form of love is expressed by the word agape. This represents the full embodiment of God’s divine love for us, even though we are so unlovely much of the time. One of the questions we have re ceived is from parents who are con cerned about their child’s problem of stuttering. Some speech therapists be lieve that stuttering can be the result of too much pressure exerted by par ents. They will continually correct a child, having him say things over and over again, until he gets them cor rect. If he doesn’t articulate properly and tensions are created, the end re sult could be a problem with stutter ing. If this happens, put on no pres sure at all. It would be well to seek the help of an expert in this field to render specific suggestions to help you and your loved one. Be sure to let the child know you love him and that these things will pass away in time. Do not embarrass him. Try to make him feel as much at ease as possible. Many of life’s problems can be cor rected through love and understand ing. Project yourself into the place of the child and see how you would feel. To be sure, children need to be corrected and disciplined. At the same time, however, they need love, encouragement, appreciation, accept ance, approval and security. If there is something the child can not master, then point up the area in which he does excel. This will build confidence in himself. How we can thank the Lord for His grace and love. Let us ask Him for that wisdom which He has promised to give liberally. Let us not be doubt ing as a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. Come in confidence and assurance to th e Lord for strength and unfailing guidance.
NO HANDS BUT OURS Christ has no hands but our hands To do His work today; He has no feet but our feet To lead men in His way. He has no lips but our lips To tell men how He died; He has no help but our help To bring them to His side. We are the only Bible The careless world will read; We are the sinner's gospel, We are the scoffer's creed. We are our Lord's last message, Written in deed and word; What if the type be crooked? What if the print be blurred? What if our hands be busy With other work than His? What if our feet be walking Where sin's allurement is? If our lips be speaking Of things His lips would spurn? How can we hope to help Him, Or hasten our Lord's return?
It has been shown that when a little child begins to deceive there is a reason for it. He wants to gain a higher status with those whose love he desires. Ask yourself, “What is there in my life which may be creat ing tension?” The Lord will reveal this to you if you are honest with Him and yourself. How we as parents need to learn to be patient, kind and tenderhearted. Remember how that while we were unlovely in ourselves, Christ died for us.
UNSAVED FAMILY
by Dr. W . Robert Smith
T here are m a n y grandparents who are rightly concerned about the families of their children. Re cently we received a letter asking, “Where adult children are not walk ing with the Lord and grandparents visit in the home (perhaps as ‘baby sitters’)» to what extent should they instruct the little ones in the things of the Lord?” This is a very pertinent point we should weigh very carefully. Some times young parents have forsaken the goodly and Godly paths of their mother and father. Unfortunately, this is all too prevalent. As a grand father myself, I feel we must always be kind, considerate and loving. It is really not our position always to be correcting and chastising. We made mistakes in our own home. There are some things, however, we can do constructively. If we go over board we can become obnoxious and not be welcome in the home. We ought to be very gracious and kind, not too free in making suggestions. On the other hand, there are many ways we can communicate our love for the Lord in the homes of our chil-
dren. The very manner in which we live is significant. Do you willingly play games and “chum” with the youngsters? They will soon be attracted to your loving and joyful manner. Don’t try to tell them everything. Communicate in such a way that they will want to ask you things. It will “open the door” for you. This only comes when you are living close to the Lord, and filled with the promised power of His Holy Spirit. Unless your children forbid you, you can tell your precious grand children Bible stories. Show them how to pray, and give them simple answers to how God has faithfully led you through the years. Talk about the things that are good in a positive way. Don’t tear down their mother and father. An e n t i r e l y different question comes from a woman who says, “My husband points out to me that he will be accountable for all decisions, ac cording to Scripture, in the final analysis. He is very strict in telling our teenagers what they should do. Now they are beginning to resent him. I do not like being belittled and usually try to explain why our chil dren should obey their father. We are trying to live consecrated lives’ for Christ. How can I change this situa tion so that I will not see my Chris tian teenagers go down the drain?” Your husband’s point o f view needs correcting. He will not be held ac countable for all family decisions. Every person is given a free moral choice. In Jewish law the father was responsible for the children’s direc tion, control and discipline, but not for all the mistakes they happened to make. The one paramount responsi bility he has is to give his children a godly and a Christ-like loving ex ample. He is to represent to the child the very nature of our heavenly Fa ther. The whole message of the Gospel
Biola's director of Stewardship is Mr. John Isaac, formerly an engineering executive with Douglas Aircraft before entering the Lord's service.
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