JANUARY, 1 9 6 9
WITH DECEMBER, 1968, RADIO FEA
January, 1969 / Volume 9 / Number 1
MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP president . s. H. SUTHERLAND editor . . . . AL SANDERS production BILL EHMANN design . . . JOHN OZMON printing CHURCH PRESS
CONTENTS
ON THIS MONTH'S COVER
THE OLD POTTER.................. 3 SQUATTERS ON THE ROOF . 5 LIONS ON ALL SIDES Dr. John Hunter ................ 7 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE AI Sanders ............. 9 PANEL DISCUSSIONS ............ 20 PARABLES AND PEARLS . . . .24 STUDIES IN I JOHN Lloyd T. Anderson .............. 30
Radio Station KBBI (107.5 FM), owned and operated by Biota is now broad casting 24 hours daily from the La Mirada Campus. Seated is Mr. Donald W. Ranson, General Manager. Looking on are Biola students Larry Neiswander o f Spokane, Washington and Nancy Kildal of Denver, Colorado. KBBI began broadcasting in May of 1959.
Second Class postage paid in La Mirada, Calif. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, Calif. Address: Biola Broad caster, 13800 Biola Ave., La Mirada, California 90638.
t h e b i o l a h o u r
CALIFORNIA Arroy Grande-San Luis Obispo KÓAG
San Bernardino-Riverside KACE
1570 9:30 A.M. MTWTF 590 7:30 A.M. Sun. 1080 8:30 A.M. Sun. 8:00 A.M. MTWTF 9:30 P.M. MTWTF 910 4:00 P.M. Sun. 860 8:00 a.m. MTWTF 1100 8:30 A.M. MTWTF 1440 10:30 P.M. Sun. 8:30 A.M. Sun.
KFXM
1280 10:00 A.M. MTWTF 550 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1050 9:30 A.M. MTWTF
Santa Cruz KSCO San Diago KSCO
Bakorsfield-Wasco KAFY
99.1 (FM)
KWSO Burbank KBBQ
KBBW 102.9 (FM)
7:00 A.M. Sun.
1500
Chico-Paradise KEWQ Fresno-Dinuba Lodi-Stockton KCVR Los Angeles KRDU
KDEO XEMO
930 8:00 A.M. MTWTF 1130 8:30 A.M. MTWTF 8:30 P.M. MTWTF 1570 8:00 A.M. MTWTF 8:30 A.M. MTWTF 1460 9:00 A.M. MTWTF 1390 11:00 A.M. MTWTF 1390 9:30 P.M. MTWTF 910 8:00 A.M. MTWTF 1400 8:30 A.M.Sun.
San Francisco KFAX Santa Maria KCOY
OTHER STATES OREGON
KBBI KTYM
107.5 (FM)
Los Angeles-Long Beach KGER
Albany-Eugene KWIL Ashland-Medford KWIN KWIL
KGER
790 8:00 A.M. MTWTF 790 3:00 A.M. MTWTF 580 11:10 ,A.M. MTWTF 7:00 ,A.M. Sun.
Oxnard-Ventura-Santa Barbara KOXR
Redding-Red Bluff KQMS
Continued
Page 34
Dr. John Hunter
I I l k W k V
W HILE SERVING the Lord in the Orient, we had the privilege of visiting a number of remote villages, away from the spots where the tour ists go. I was able to see the country as it really is. We held conferences with some missionaries serving with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. What a blessing it was to be with them! ' ' I was taken to meet the old village craftsman, a potter by trade. They make vessels in the same manner as they did in Bible times. The place where he lived and worked was very common, just a little unpretentious hut amid all the poverty and dryness. India broke my heart as I realized the many needs of the people, not the least of which is spiritual. My missionary host asked the pot ter to make something for me. He agreed and sent one of his grandchil dren out with a paper sack to get some clay dust. The potter took this and sprinkled water into it, just as you ladies would if you were mixing batter for a cake. The substance be came a “sloshy” mess. The old man, with a long, drooping, gray mus tache and wearing just a loin cloth, sat at the wheel. By now a small crowd had gathered to watch him work. He checked the mixture, added a little more dust and then a little more water so that it was just the right consistency. He put it on the center of the wheel, which was just a little larger than the wheel of an automobile. As it spun around the process began. He worked deftly, al most like magic. His hands seemed to be talking to the clay. He was really thinking through his fingers. He had no plan and asked me what I wanted made. I pointed to a vase he had made sometime before suggesting that he \
duplicate it. It literally grew up be fore my eyes. My mind went to the verse of Scripture in Jeremiah 18:2, “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.” This was exactly what I was doing. It was fascinating to think of the picture the Bible gave. “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, say ing, 0 house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, 0 house of Israel” (Jer. 18:3-6). This artisan in a remote Indian village was doing the same. Then, all of a sudden, the old man stopped. His sensitive fingers evidently had felt something rough. It may have been a stone or a small twig. Something was not right. If left in the vessel, it could spoil his finished product. The shape might be correct but the flaw could cause it to leak and crack. Jeremiah had stopped, too. He also saw something out of the way. With sudden finality the whole mass was crushed to one glob of clay again. He didn’t throw the substance away but started all over again. There is a similarity with our lives, to the clay,- upon the potter’s wheel. God is teaching us an important lesson. We, too, need to be molded in His sensi tive hands. Watching the potter, I learned sev eral important things. First, the wheel always must be turning. If it doesn’t, the vessel will never grow. 3
all over again to be a trophy of His grace. If Christ isn't your Saviour, then you are just useless dead dust. God can take and bless you so that you will have real meaning for daily existence. The tears of repentance turn the dust of your life into the clay which the Lord can mold and shape. It is up to you, if you are willing. God is, are you?
The wheel has to be moving before any development can come. Next, the clay has to be soft and yielding. If it were dry and unyielding, what could the potter do? The third thing is that it is vital for the hands of the potter to be on the clay. This Indian man’s hands never left it. If they should, the vessel would slump to one side changing its shape. This forcefully reminded me of God in my life. Are you a Christian? If you are, then you have given your life into the Lord’s hands. This is how we should consider ourselves. The problem is that sometimes the Lord can’t . do much with us because we break all of the rules. We resist move ment and want a change that’s our own will. We are spiritually dry rather than soft and pliable in the Lord’s hands. How foolish we are in our endeavors to build our own lives. If we could only see that all we are doing is shaping broken, use less vessels. When we are sensitive to the lead ing of the Holy Spirit, then when the Lord points out a flaw and a weak ness, we must be willing to say, “Heavenly Father, take away that which is the problem. Remove this foreign thing which isn’t of You. Then, Lord, crush me down and start all over again!” But who wants that? we think. We- want to be pushed up and aren’t willing to pay the price of having the dross removed. Remember, a potter doesn’t patch up a vessel. What good would it be? He wouldn’t be true to his craft. Keep in mind that God doesn’t patch up Christians. The Bible testifies, “If any man be in Christ, he’s a new creation.” As we think of this old potter, do you see your life reflected in the illus tration ? The Potter is God. The clay is your life. Do you want God’s best? Don’t run away from the hands of God but yield yourself to Him. If He finds the impurity, let Him take it out. He may need to crush it down but it is only so that He can build it 4
Many are the opportunities for involvement and service by the students at Biola. Picturedabove at the right is Carl Martinson, a member of the Stu dent Missionary Union Council, serving as treasurer. Getting further information is Janet Archibald of Drain, Oregon.
Dr. J. Richard Chase (seated). Academic vice presi dent of Biola, checks a publication with Dr. Robert Crawford, new Dean for Biola Colege. Dr. Crawford has served as Chairman of the Divisionof Science and Mathematics. He and his family attend the Temple Baptist Church of Fulerton.
D o YOU KNOW w hat squ a tte rs are? These are people who simply move in and settle down. A year ago, when I was in Hong Kong, I was fascinated by people who lived as squatters on top of the high build ings. The scene was very grim. Build ings which look lovely from the ground can in actuality be decrepit and ugly from the top. This “Crown Colony” is on the mainland of China where it physical ly Connects with the Communists. Be cause of conditions,, there are refu gees continually moving out of Red China into Hong Kong. The British government doesn't encourage th is but does accept those who flee from the Communists. They have really done amazing things for these help less and hopeless people. They flood into squatter camps for there is no place else to go. Generally speaking, the people are clean and tidy. The hill sides, and every available portion of land, is filled with them. They will get some sticks, cardboard boxes, whatever they can salvage to protect themselves from the elements and try the best they can to get along. Even tually they may be able to move into an “H” block building. It’s very prim itive by American standards, for the rooms are about 10 x 12 feet with no bath facilities at all. Five adults and several children will live in this room. The cooking and bath facilities are in the center of the building and things must be shared. They are just glad to have a place to be. It is sad to see these people who have so little when you think that we at our very worst are so much better off. There isn’t even a small comparison available. My heart went out to these brave people who were content to be “squatters on the roofs”
of apartment and store buildings. Since they didn’t interfere in the slightest with the people who lived below them, they were allowed to use this precious space for a little shelter. The squatters had to carry their water from the street below. This was a hardship. The open pipe might be a mile or so away. I wonder if we could live in conditions like that? These Chinese people are heroes just to go on living in the face of such difficult circumstances. When I was there a hurricane struck. As the w a rn ing sounded, everybody had to get off of the streets. The squatters on the roofs took down their little houses, rolled up their few belongings and scurried away to the basement in which to huddle for safety. When the tempest was past they would go back up and build their huts all over again. It’s a sad and tragic story. As I travel around the world, I find many Christians who are squat ters, too. Can you imagine squatters in the kingdom of God? Jesus said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). We come to the cross, receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour. Our sins are forgiven, and we are safe in His kingdom. According to the Bible, however, God has far more for us in salvation than just the ini tial stages with our sins forgiven. Romans 5 shows us that there is “much more.” (See especially verse 10 .) Too many Christians today are content to be Christian “squatters.” They have never gone on to enjoy the good things God has for them in this world. There is the exhilarating joy of knowing that Jesus Christ is 5
is it with you? The Lord has so much more for you. He says, “Let me take your life. Stop being a squatter and living in a tent. Come out and move on in fellowship.” A squatter is someone who takes old things and tries to make do with them. When Christ gets hold of you, and you enjoy His fullness, then you grow in grace. You start to be an inheritor, appropriating all that is of Christ. Of course, no one forces you to be anything more than a squatter. It’s your choice! Your own life will be a disappointment when the Lord has for you “much more” if you do not take it. Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer, except that which lies outside the will of God. One isn’t prosperous just because he gets enough credit to live beyond his own means.
real in our own day-by-day experi ence. It is an absolute wonder to wake up each day, saying, “Thank you, dear Lord, for the gift of this opportunity.” If all you know is that your sins are forgiven, you are still a babe in Christ, nothing more than a squatter. Just because we get older, or are more active in church work, doesn’t mean that we’re growing spir itually. When you stop being a squat ter and say, “Lord Jesus, now I want to have all there is of You; take my life and give me joy, blessings, and victory.” This is the way one grows in the Christian faith. We need to mature in the fullness of Christ. How So many people make the big mistake of working themselves to death, just so they can get the things which supposed ly enable them to live better. True wisdom is like a river for the deeper it flows, the less noise it makes.
Professor Joseph Wong, one of the members of the faculty of the Arizona Bible College in the field of Christian Education, speaks to a class of students at Biota'sPhoenix affiliate. ABC, as if is popularly known, has consistentlygrown in enrollment since Biola took over the ministry some five years ago.
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I t ’ s so interesting to observe dif ferent things around the world, from which practical illustrations may be drawn. As an example, I ’m thinking of time spent in Kenya, Africa. I had been working with the Africa Inland Mission Bible schools and sharing God’s truths with the missionaries. How wonderfully the Lord blessed! On'my last day, before I flew on to Ethiopia, a friend wanted to take me to Nairobi where he wanted me to see the state game reserve. About three miles outside of this capital city there is the beautiful entrance. The place appears to be veritable fairy land of excitement. It is illegal to shoot any of these creatures. They are protected in this entire area. The animals can live just as they want to. No one is to disturb them. There are roads going through the area. You can go wherever you like just as long as you don’t get out of your car. We hadn’t gone more than 300 yards when we came upon several giraffes eating leaves off of the tree tops. A little farther on there were some antelope. Turning the curve, we came upon a whole family of baboons. One of them hopped on top of the car and tried to get inside of it. About a mile farther we saw a group of cars stopped. It looked as if it might be something interesting. I think I got the biggest shock of my life. Coming up the road toward us was a huge lion. It seemed immense. Then, looking around, I saw that there were lions in abundance on every side. They reminded me of so many cows going home to be milked. I grabbed for my camera and started shooting. It was really something! You should see the photograph. I’m glad I remembered the instructions.
The officials told us that we were per fectly safe as long as one remained in his car. I had no intention of leav ing. The lions completely ignored us. They would occasionally rub up against the car in a lazy fashion. Safety is insured inside the automo bile. There are dangers all around us today. Some are physical, others are financial, mental, or spiritual. Christ reminds us, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, nei ther shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:27-30). As a be liever, I belong to Jesus. I am one of His sheep and no one can touch me without His knowing. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, that’s where you are, too. Without Him, however, you’re on your own, w andering through life with more danger and catastrophes facing you fo r sure. Where’s your safety if you die? You will be lost for eternity. As I travel around the world into so many dangerous places, I see my self in the hands of Christ. It’s as it was when I was in the car in the game preserve. If you are suffering, it is in the hands of Christ if you know Him as Saviour. You may be persecuted, in tragedy, or facing bit ter opposition. Make no mistake, the lions are all around you. But you’re perfectly secure in the hands of Christ. The hands of Christ have held me through life and will hold me in death when He takes me to be with Himself. What a tremendous feeling of security! 7
To an older person there may come a sense of insecurity. Yet today some times the most insecure people are only teenagers. Security is coming to the cross and seeing your need of Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. It is the realization that Jesus Christ is alive, and that He dwells in your heart by His Holy Spirit. He will never leave you nor forsake you. No one can touch you or take you out of His hands. We could have gone on in the area and found elephants, hippos and croc odiles, and all manner of ferocious beasts. Yet, inside the car there would be no danger. This has been my spir itual record with the Lord Jesus. God hasn’t necessarily taken away the WE WAIT A STAR The heavens waited, bare and awed, To be set all aglow by God. A hush, a single prick of light. Another, till from sheer delight The morning stars together sang And heaven’s farthest reaches rang. Hearing the firmament proclaim The wonder of His matchless name. Dim, distant morn, When stars were born! Three men met on a long past day, Three kings were they from far away, And they had followed far, so far The guidance of a brilliant star. It led them over hill and glade, Through mountain paths, in sun and shade, To where the Lord Christ Jesus lay; Glory came down to earth that day. Oh wondrous morn, When Christ was born! Again, of bright and morning star, We wait Thy coming from afar. Our hearts have waited long, Thy bride Yearns to be at her Bridegroom's side. Throughout the long dark nights we pray
testings. He hasn’t removed the suf fering or taken away the danger. He’s simply clasped me all the firmer. I knew I was perfectly safe. In whose hands are you? You may go to church and are even a church member. This is fine and socially commendable. Keep in mind, though, that the church won’t save you. You personally must be the hands of Christ. You’ll recognize His hands, for they are nail-pierced. They have known suffering, and have always brought peace and comfort in the dark and difficult times. You can trust them fully. They have never brought tragedy. If you are in the hands of Christ today, you are safe for all of time and for all eternity.
"Come, blessed Lord, do not delay.” Our hearts are weary and grown dim From searching distant skies for Him.
We wait a star We wait a star!
—Martha Snell Nicholson
THE STABLE I am so glad He was not born In some rich palace bed. I am so glad to know it was A lowly place, instead, A place where soft-eyed cows and sheep Were sheltered and were fed. For to the country-born of earth A stable will ever be A wholesome place, where night comes down With its tranquility, A place of heart's ease and content For all who choose to see. And so I like to think of Him, Fjrst opening His eyes In that good elemental place Beneath the friendly skies, That the men of fields could find him there, As well as the great and wise. —Grace Noll Crowell
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by Al Sanders
QhhiidmaA TJlsAAaqsi
of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” It was also Isaiah who prophesied many years before the birth of the Saviour as to what His name should be. In Isaiah 9:6, an oft-quoted por tion of Scripture, we read, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Fa ther, The Prince of Peace.” Webster defines the subject of a name as, “That title which describes a person or object; the reputation of same.” How beautifully these words of the prophet describe the person and reputation of the Lord Jesus. In the broad expanse of Scripture, there are at least 350 different names given for the Lord Jesus Christ, and each of them individually, or all of them put together, beggar the true and adequate description of His peer less person. “H IS NAME S HA L L BE CALLED WONDERFUL.” Do you know any human being who has ever lived, except the Lord Jesus Christ, who could bear such a name ? Lovers, in the first stages of getting ac quainted, may use the adjective “won derful” to describe the persons to whom they have given their hearts. But love is fickle and disappointing, and soon heartbreak may come. In no real sense can any human being be called “wonderful.” Webster de fines “wonderful” as, “A miracle; astonishment by something strange or not understood.” How right that description is. We cannot explain Christ. The mortal minds of scholars, philosophers, and even some theolo- 9
T here is a world of difference be tween reputation and character. As someone has well said, “Reputa tion is what men think you to be; character is what God knows you to be.” It almost goes without saying that men and women in social circles and every strata of life today are more- interested in their reputation than they are in their character. The Lord Jesus Christ was slandered when He came to this earth some 2000 years ago; however, He was at all times in every respect, very God of very God. He is co-equal, co-eter nal, co-existent with the Father; in fact, in Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. In Philippians, Paul writes of the coming to this earth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes this area of theology is called “The Incarnation,” which simply means the bodily mani festation of the Almighty. God came to live among men, as a Man, yet our Saviour was and is without sin. We are told, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:5-7). Plenty of people would like to make themselves over, at least, as far as their reputation is concerned. The Lord Jesus Christ made Himself, not of great esteem, but the Bible says “of no reputation.” How beautifully this thought fulfills the teaching of the Holy Spirit through the prophet Isaiah when he declared, “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man
gians of the centuries, have tried to reason about this reality of history which is by far more greatly attested to than any other fact. God so loved the world that He sent His only be gotten Son to die on the cross for sinners, those who hated God, those who were His enemies. God didn’t have to do it. We certainly didn’t de serve it. It was in His great infinite love that no finite mind can even begin to understand, much less ex plain to another, that caused Him to give Himself to redeem us to Him self. His name shall be called Won derful. The man who has never come to know the Saviour cannot under stand Him and His divine plan for every human life. I’m glad that the Holy Spirit of God placed this name first for it pre pares us more adequately for all the others that follow in this portion of Scripture. There is an ancient prov erb which states, “A wonder of earth grows gray-headed in nine days.” This means that men soon are able to fathom the facts behind that which at first seemed to be wonderful. But oh, the depths of the riches of Christ are unfathomable; they are truly “wonderful.” This word can also be translated, “marvelous.” By defini tion, marvelous simply means “sepa rated one; belonging by itself.” How well this fits the picture we would verbally draw of the Saviour. He is all by Himself; He does not have any others like Him; He belongs to no other class. No wonder Peter de clared, “Lord, to whom shall We go, for Thou alone hast the words of eternal life?” He is the only One to whom we can go for peace, joy and assurance of our soul’s eternal des tiny. He is the only One to whom we can go with our problems, and He is the only One to whom we need to go
with our prayers and supplications, asking for divine forgiveness. This we know by the words of Paul, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men: the man Christ Jesus.” His name shall be called “Marvelous.” We have some friends who just had a lovely new little baby girl come into their household. I think it took them one entire week before they could make up their minds what the child’s name should be. Maybe you were expecting a boy and got a girl, or vice versa, and you were caught without a name for the wee one, and faced a similar problem. But here the name of the Lord was not a last- minute decision, but was given 750 years before His birth in Bethlehem’s manger. That’s one of the reasons why we are assured of the accuracy of the Bible and the reality of the incarnation. When we find the term “angel of the Lord” in the Old Testament, it refers to none other than to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Judges 13:17, 18 we read, “And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that, when thy sayings come to pass, we may do thee honor? And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?” Now that word secret means by in te r p r e ta tio n , “Wonderful.” Here, even before the writings of Isaiah, the Lord’s name is given, further proof of the accur acy and inerrancy of the Scriptures. But for a moment, let’s ask our selves, How was Christ wonderful? You think of some of the things in volved in this regard. First of all, He was wonderful in His birth. He could have come to this earth as a prince, a great ruler, an outstanding king — anything He wished. The Bible tells us, “He humbled Himself and took upon Him the form of a servant.” He who was the philoso pher’s wisdom was willing to take the lowest position and station in life
Christians like camels unload their burdens by kneeling.
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God willing, believes firmly in the Virgin Birth of Christ. . . one aspect of the fact that His name is called WONDERFUL. Christmas will never appeal to reason. It appeals to the truth of God’s love and grace for you and me. Chapter Two T hat our S aviour was wonderful in His birth no mind can truly fathom. It was a supernatural event, never happening before, and never happening since. Christ was also wonderful in His life. In Luke 2:52, we read concerning the Master, “He grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” The Gospel writer says about those who heard Him speak, that “they wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.” Nicodemus, well- schooled, and well-versed in the things of the law, as well as possess ing an excellent educational back ground, could not, in his finite think ing, comprehend the infinite wisdom of God through Christ. When told of the necessity of the second birth, of salvation through faith, he re sponded by saying, “How can these things be?” The mind without Christ is blind to the truth and cannot fa thom God’s simple plan of salvation. The life of Christ was a wonder, a miraculous, supernatural marvel that defies description apart from the teaching of the Word of God. At His crucifixion, the hearts of those who performed the act of execution were filled with the realization of this fact, as is testified to by the Roman cen turion who cried out, as the earth trembled, “Truly, this was the Son of God.” All the miracles, the divine wisdom, the gracious goodness, the overpowering of Satan and the in spired teachings give evidence that
so that He might be identified with all men, so that from the least to the greatest, all might have the privilege of eternal life; none, not anyone of any age, would have an excuse. In His wonderful coming, we have un mistakably the interweaving and in tertwining of humanity and deity. Since man had sinned, death must be required of man. But another Man, the God-man Jesus Christ, stepped into the place of your sins and mine, bearing them on the tree, the cross, that He might redeem us to God. He paid the price, the Just for the un just. There have been certain destruc tive critics of every generation who have said, “It never happened before, and it has never happened since; therefore, it never happened.” Let me read you what Dr. Howard Kelly of the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Medical Clinic had to say about this aspect ; “If the Virgin Birth occurred twice it would have taken away from the very significance of Christ’s com ing.” And he is righ t; if it had occurred to others, how could His name have been called “Wonderful?” I am greatly distressed, and yes, even a little disgusted, as I feel you probably are, too, to read in national news magazines statements from the lips of so-called Christian education leaders of certain liberal denomina tions. These religious groups, which once stood firm for the truth, have departed from the faith and from the Gospel message. Here is a state ment made by a leader of a group who spoke on the subject of the adult teacher manual produced for use in Sunday schools across the nation. “We strongly feel that the subject of the Virgin Birth is far too techni cal and controversial for the Christ mas lesson, and that certainly it should be avoided.” This is heresy to the Christian message. I want to go on record on behalf of Biola which for the past 60 years, and for the years to come until the Lord returns,
You cannot be your brother’s keeper if you are caged by selfishness. 11
our Saviour was wonderful in His life. He was also wonderful in His death. The Scriptures reveal some thing of the awful agony which was His as He took upon Him the sins of us all. It was not just a good man who died on the cross; He was very God, the second person of the Trinity, who gave His life to pay the price of our sin. He was Wonderful in His resur rection. All the power of the Roman army could not keep the stone from being rolled away. The empty tomb gave.evidence of the fact that earth could not keep its prey. He rose tri umphant. No matter how fine we con sider some of our friends, at best they are still sinners. And no matter what their ministry on earth, when they have died, their labors and trials on earth are finished. All of the lead ers of religious, as well as political, systems have died and have been buried; none have risen again to live forevermore. This is the difference between Christianity and all man made philosophies of earth. He is also wonderful in His coming
again. This is the Christian’s spur in the night of adversity. “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.” We know He is alive because we can have fellow ship with Him through prayer and His Word. It was Martin Luther who, in centuries past, capsulized th is truth in the thought, “I would rather be in Hell with Christ than in Heaven without Him, for Hell would be Heav en with Him, and Heaven would be Hell without Him.” As His coming was promised in Scripture, so His coming again is equally emphasized in no uncertain terms. He Himself declared, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” His Name shall be called, “WONDERFUL.” What does the name Wonderful mean to you? If Christ is real in your life, then how is it that you have been so successful in ruling Him out of every conversation and manner of life? If we feared God only as much, or a fraction as much as we fear others and what others might say about us, great things would be done for the Lord. When our lives come to the place of testing and dif ficulty, when we meet with frustra tions, how do they affect us ? Are we really different from those who have no hope? Or do we throw up our hands in defeat? There is victory in the wonderful name of Christ this joyous season, and it can be the per sonal possession of every believer through faith and trust. Chapter Three T he second name of Christ in Isaiah 9 :6 is “Counsellor.” Some translators have rendered the phrase, “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,” suggesting that He is truly wonderful in all aspects of His counselling ministry. Certainly this is a very true picture.
Joyce Landorf (center) receives a special plaque (with gold microphone replica attached) at the occasion of havingcompleted her 1000th broadcast of the popular program "Here's Joyce" released in Southern California over KBBI. Making the presenta tion is Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland (right), president of Biola, with Mr. Donald W. Ranson, general manager of KBBI, looking on.
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When you come to Him with your problems, He can guide and direct you aright. Furthermore, He was Himself tempted in all points as we are tempted, yet He was without sin. He can be touched, therefore, with the feelings of our infirmities and is qualified as no other to be our Coun sellor. There are certain things about our lives we would not even want to share with friends. Someone has said that a friend is one who knows all about you, yet loves you just the same. How true this is of the Lord Jesus Christ! As a Wonderful Counsellor, He knows all about us, and yet the Bible says that He has loved us with an ever lasting love. Lonely is the man who walks this earth without a counsel lor, a wife, a friend, a loved one with whom He can share all the problems of daily life. Maybe you feel that this is the reason for the emptiness in your existence which you may be experiencing. The Lord Jesus Christ wants to be your Coun sellor and to guide and direct you daily through His loving, infinite wisdom and grace. In Him, the Bible says of the Lord, “are hidden all of the treasures of wisdom and knowl edge.”
I heard one time about a psychia trist who was sent to a certain in stitution on assignment. He was a rather odd fellow, and when he got ready to leave, one of the patients paid him this dubious compliment: “You know, we like you more than any of the other doctors we have had here.” The psychiatrist at first was pleased, until he asked the reason. The mental patient replied, “We like you so well because you seem like one of us.” This illustrates the fact that, on this earth, at best human coun sellors are far from perfect. We are in.an-age of jangled nerves, frazzled feelings, tattered tempers, and in turmoil; we can be calmed only by tranquilizers and drugs. What a com mentary on our so-called advanced society! Think of all the counselling services which are available. You can get advice for your business, for your home, for your garden, for your va cation, and certainly for your domes tic difficulties. I heard of a woman who was telling all of her troubles to her milkman. He had had five wives and it occurred to her that he must be a man of vast experience! At best, human counsellors are far from perfect, for they may have a certain amount of knowledge, but none is possessed with all wisdom. That is why- one of the names of our wonderful Lord is Counsellor. He who is all wisdom wants us to come to Him with all of our prob lems; He wants us to burden Him with what burdens us. He is our all knowing God and Saviour. He, and He alone, can see the end even from the beginning. One of the things a psychiatrist will ask of you is that you tell him everything about yourself. His abili ty to help you in your difficulty is by virtue of the fact that you have bared your soul, as it were, and have let him see the innermost workings of your heart and your emotional con cerns. In the case of the Lord, He already knows everything about you.
Mr. Paul Schwepker (right), treasurerand vice presi dent of Biota, chats with Mr. Al Sanders (center), vice presidentof Public Relations, and Mr. Bill Ehtnann, director of Publicity and Promotion.
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There is something else to consider about the name “Counsellor.” The counsel of the Lord can be trusted. I wonder if you remember the Bible story of King Rehoboam? It was said that he would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord, but rather that he sought counsel from the young men in his court. Because of this he lost five-sixths of his entire kingdom, 10 of the 12 tribes were gone, and his empire shattered. Again, further back, the first king of Israel, Saul, would not seek after the counsel of the Lord. His end was swift destruc tion, for he had turned to wizards and diviners. Through, his folly, he died instead of ruling in peace. I knew a woman in our home town who was so bent on following the signs of the moon that she would plant her crops by the moon, she would invest by the moon, and she would deter mine every course of life by the moon. The end of her life was em- bitterment; her husband had left her and she herself was broken in spirit. How much better to take counsel in the Creator rather than in the crea ture. The wisdom of Christ is far above principalities and powers. Answer truthfully, and ponder a moment in your heart: Have you ever sought God’s counsel on your knees and gone wrong? Haven’t the difficulties come when you have failed to take God into consideration, when you haven’t asked for His guidance, or when you have known the leading He has given, and yet failed to heed it? His counsel can be trusted, for He knows all. He knows the end even from the begin ning. There’s another reason why I par ticularly like this name of the Lord: Counsellor, and that is because He gives definite counsel. I dislike wishy-
washy advisers who are afraid to be positive. In the wisdom of the Bible, we read the words, “As ointment is for perfume, so is hearty counsel.” When the Lord is guiding, you will have a perfect peace and serenity that can never be noted in any other sphere of activity. Even as I speak to you, a matter of great concern and consequence faces my life. Humanly speaking, I need guidance, and thanks be unto God, He will marvelously give it, I know, for He has flooded my soul with a trusting peace and con fidence. I wouldn’t give anything this world has to offer in exchange for such peace of heart and mind. You need the counsel of the Lord. If you are a backslider, God has giv en you good advice. In speaking to one of the churches of Revelation, He declares, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich.” How many men to day are concerned about making great capital gains, but they have missed the point of true richness in gaining eternal life. The Lord Jesus speaks to the man who has never re ceived Christ as Saviour, and in sim ple words says, “Come unto me,” “learn of me,” “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,” “Believe on me.” His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor. He alone has the power to carry out His divine counsel for your life, no matter your age, from the young child to the teenager, to the young married couple, to the one in the sunset years. Is He your Sav iour and your Counsellor today? Chapter Four I am not opposed to religious art as such, but frankly, I don’t care for the pictures which are ordinarily painted of the Lord Jesus Christ. I would rather think of Him as He is portrayed in the Scriptural pictures which are given in the Word of God. So often the world sees these human interpretations and thinks of Christ
Worry is a burden no Christian was ever meant to bear.
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Queen, though she was quite ugly, had been told all of her lifetime how beautiful she was. There was no such thing as a mirror in her area, so she was oblivious to the truth. Finally, a trader one day exchanged goods with her and presented her a mirror. As she glanced into the looking glass, she saw for the first time what she really looked like. Smashing the handmirror to the floor, she ordered the trader banished from her kingdom on the threat of death if he should ever at tempt to return! Men and women are like that. They don’t want to be told that they are sinners. They don’t want to believe that their righteous nesses, the best that they are able to do, are but filthy rags in the sight of God. But just because they will not believe what the mirror of God’s law tells them, however, doesn’t mean that they are anything but guilty, lost, condemned, and hell-bound sin ners. The mirror doesn’t change the appearance; it only reveals the ugli ness of sin. The Lord Jesus Christ alone has the power to make us new creatures in Him. And He can do it because He is all-powerful, His name is The Mighty God. What was true of Him in the long ago, is just as true today, for Jesus Christ is the same yester day, today, and forever. Paul pointed out the danger of thinking anything less, in these words to the church at Corinth, “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain . . . ye are yet in your sins” (I Cor. 15:14, 17). But thank God, the Saviour was mighty in con quering even the chains of death. He did what no other had ever done or ever will do, in that He rose trium phant and lives on high forevermore. God’s name is simply El, meaning the Strong One. It suggests that “He A contented man is one who enjoys the scenery even along a detour. 15
as a bearded, weak, effeminate in dividual who one day, in the long ago, roamed the Judean hillsides. The Bi ble tells us, however, that the Babe who was born in Bethlehem’s manger had the rightful name given as “The mighty God” (Isa. 9:6). Only the very Son of God could say, “All pow er is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” This statement was borne out in the miraculous deeds which He performed throughout His short span of life on earth. How many men today are looking for power! That is one reason that the word failure could be so readily written across the face of peace con ferences, summit meetings, and ef forts of the United Nations itself. Men strive to gain financial, social, political, and military power for their own selfish gain. No matter the ex tent of their success, all is brought to nought, for at death their empires crumble into shambles. There is a way, however, to have power. When the Lord Jesus was here on this earth, He gave the prom ise, “Ye shall receive power.” This promise was based upon the condi tion that those who followed Him would also obey Him. And all who had received Christ as the only true Sin-bearer did receive the miracu lous, supernatural power of the in dwelling Holy Spirit of God. Now, we can say without hesitation when problems and difficulties come, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Think of that mi raculous power which all believers possess today! Our Lord, the One whom we love and seek to serve, is Omnipotent, all-powerful. Webster says th a t omnipotent means “possessed with power beyond human understanding, extraordinary power.” No wonder the Lord gave Christ the r ig h tf u l name, “The Mighty God.” Men don’t like to think of some one who is possessed with more abili ty than themselves. An A frican
can.” What problems are besetting you today? What times of difficulties will you pass through this coming week? No matter the trial or testing, God can! He who bore our sins in His own body, waits to respond to the inner longings and desires of your very soul. Seven statements in the New Tes tament set forth the absolute deity of Jesus Christ, the Mighty God. In each verse He is designated “God.” 1.) “And they shall call his name, Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt. 1:23). 2.) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). 3.) And Thomas .. •. said unto Him, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus accepted t h a t unequivocally. 4.) “Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Phil. 2:6). 5.) “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). The Greek states it even more clearly, “The great God and Saviour of us, Jesus Christ.” 6.) “But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever” (Heb. 1:8). 7.) “This is the true God and the eternal life” (I John 5:20). How wonderfully pre cious these statements are! Truly He is everything His name implies, “THE MIGHTY GOD!” Chapter Five I T was about this time of the year that a teacher in a public school asked the children in her room to write down the first thing that came into their minds when they thought of Christmas. The results of the ex periment were rather interesting; unfortunately probably not unusual. She reported that most of the chil dren put down the word, “toy.” Oth ers, however, put down words such as gifts, mistletoe, holly, tree, pres- 16
ents, candles, and so forth. But what was even more amazing and certainly tragic, was the fact that not one of them put down the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! How tragic! In a coun try which is supposedly Christian, a nation which stamps the name of God upon all coins, a land where we cele brate Christmas, even our children have forgotten the real meaning be hind this season of the year. As we come to the majestic and descriptive phrase of the Lord, Ever lasting Father, we realize that He is the ancient of days. From eternity past to eternity future, He has been and is, and always will be. There was never a time when Christ did not exist. Although at the cross He di vested Himself of glory, He was still God, incarnate in the flesh! In the picture which John, under the in spiration of the Holy Spirit, paints in his Patmos vision, he declares of the Saviour that His head and His heirs are as wool, as white as snow. This symbolizes the fact that He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending. The hymn writer phrases it, “Crown Him the Lord of years, the potentate of time, creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime.” Now if it is true, and it is, that God always was the Father, there follows an important realization. It was not until into our home there came a child, that I could properly be called a father. So if God was and is al ways the Father, it follows that He must have always had a Son. John again reminds us about Christ, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God,” and now listen; “and the Word WAS God.” Through out His life upon this earth, the Lord Jesus never hesitated to give testi mony to the fact that He was very God of very God. Listen to these sim ple and succinct statements: “I and the Father are one” ; “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” If a man, discontented with this life and its miserable frustrations at
and pointing to them recited, “Three in one and one in three, and the one in the middle died for me.” What a testimony that is for our Everlast ing Father, the Lord Jesus Christ who came to suffer death that He might give to us eternal life. The term Everlasting Father, or Father of Eternity, means some thing else. It suggests that He is the One who knows who will be in eter nity. He created it. Eternal ages, the Trinity, life after death, all these may puzzle us, but there is no ques tion with Him. There are no tomor rows with God, for He is already there. I like what Dr. G. Campbell Morgan had to say on this subject: “One of the joys of the contempla tion of the hereafter is that God is infinite in wisdom and power, and my own consciousness of eternal existence becomes bearable as I re member that there can be no monot ony with God, always new ages, al ways new creations, always new manifestations of One Eternal, In comprehensible Being Whom I call God, embodied through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s the mes sage of the Christmas season. Chapter Six W hat is it that this world desires most of all as we come to Christ mas? Regardless of political affilia tion, I am sure each of us would like to see lasting peace achieved through out the world. If there is anything this earth is sick of, it is war, and the even more nerve-shattering tense ness of the threat of war. The Bible, however, gives no indication, and records of history bear out the fact, that there will be true and lasting peace upon this earth, until the Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace re turns to rule and to reign. The name given to the Lord in prophetical writ ing some 750 years before He entered the stream of humanity was, “The Prince of Peace.” 17
every turn, would know something of the life to come and the One who makes it all possible, he has only to come to know as personal Saviour from sin, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is in fact and form, The Everlasting Father. Some have translated this name of Christ so as to mean that His name shall be called the Father of eternity. Do you have a loved one who has passed through this veil of tears ? Would you know the One with whom there are no tomorrows (for He is already there) ? Then see God face to face for He is the Father of Eter nity. To see Him face to face is to see the Son, the Lord Jesus. The word Father is usually asso ciated with, the first person of the Trinity, but here it is a name ascribed to the Lord Jesus Christ. It means “the Possessor,” “the Au thor,” “the Originator” of eternity. He is from everlasting to everlasting. The Lord Jesus was ever on an equality with God. There are some cults and isms today which will try to tell you that Christ was a won derful person, perhaps that He even possessed powers beyond others, but the Bible clearly gives us to under stand that He was co-equal, co-exist ent, co-eternal, with God. Listen to the words of Paul, under the inspira tion of the Holy Spirit, “Who being in the form ’of God,” speaking of Christ, “thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.” Here we see that the Eternal Father and the Eternal Son were on an equality, for they were one in essence, a subject which our finite minds cannot begin to comprehend. Because we are not able to fathom the spiritual depths of the mystery of the Trinity, however, doesn’t mean that we should cease talking about it. I like the definition which the boy gave when he was asked for a testimony preceding his joining the church. Not knowing any thing else, he held up three fingers
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