W hile fear is one of the basic causes for the increase in men tal illness during these latter days, the second contributing factor of the three is undisciplined living. The Word of God gives us many interest ing and graphic descriptions of this characteristic. In II Timothy 3:14 we read a list of 19 signs of the desperate times in which we are living. The Spirit of God gives us a very revealing analy sis here. Unfortunately, many of these signs are found in the profess ing church, where people revert prac tically to the pagan conditions men tioned in the first chapter of Ro mans. In these most descriptive words, the all-characterizing phrase is, “without self-control.” This sum marizes the entire gamut of undis ciplined behavior. This passage talks about the lack of discipline as to self. People are rightly described as being lovers of self, lovers of pleasure and haughty. If you don’t think individuals are lovers of self, you have probably for gotten that popular song that goes, “I love me, I love me, I sit with my self on the park bench,” etc. See the recent statistics of how America spends her money: over thirty billion dollars for gambling, far beyond that for crime, twenty billion for al coholic beverages, five billion for to bacco. On the other hand, America annually spends (a total figure) one hundred and thirty million for mis sions. What a pittance compared with selfish indulgences! We are liv ing in an age like that of the first century when the citizens had given themselves over to such pleasure and abandonment that they had to invent new devices to excite and stimulate their worn-out and spent passions. In these last times men are also
undisciplined as to possessions. They are lovers of money. We hear about the golden calf being worshipped at Mt. Sinai. America, however, is worshipping a green calf. A young man once asked his wealthy father how much money it took to make a man satisfied. The wise parent sagely replied, “Always a little more.” Looking at some folk, one can see dollar signs in the pupils of their eyes. Contentment is never attained. Our age is characterized by un disciplined, boastful men and its peo ple are called railers, slanderers and the like. Think of the undisciplined life in our nation as far as home au thority is concerned. “Disobedient to parents” is the way Scripture puts it. How true with multiple murders throughout the land. How can we ex pect children who know nothing of home authority, to be tolerant of civil, governmental or heavenly au thority? Listen to what Paul writes of peo-
Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, dean of the Talbot Theological Seminary, goes over several ver sions of the Bible in his work with the Lock- man Foundation in preparing manuscripts for revision of the Old Testament, American Stand ard Version. Dr. Feinberg wil be Bible teacher for Biota's tour through Europe and the Holy Land June 5 to 26, 1967.
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