A CENTURY OF CHANGE
by Dr. Elmer W . Engstrom
by Dr. Elmer W . Engstrom
O URS IS A SCIENTIFIC AGE. We have made more progress in science and technology during the past century than in all centuries of history. This is coming upon us with great suddenness, mostly before we are able to cope with the results that follow. It is as though the progress o f the human mind has become too great to be controlled by the human spirit. And for this there is a paradox, for the results may be used for the good of mankind, or they with equal efficacy be used to destroy. After expanding through cen turies of human exploration, our world has suddenly contracted to the size of a small island. We cov er in less than an hour’s time a distance that our grandparents could not travel in a week. Events that occur thousands of miles away are being brought instantly to our eyes and ears. In today’s new scale of time and distance, Latin America is just across the street; India, the Congo, and Ja pan are our next-door neighbors. This shrinking of our planet has entirely altered the course of hu man affairs. The agents of change, science and technology, have raised the living standard and the material aspirations of all men. Yet, in this century of change, God rules in the affairs of men. The Bible says, He doeth accord ing to his will in the army of
heaven, and among the inhabi tants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?1 We either be lieve this or we do not. One can not have a neutral position con cerning God and His require ments for us. It is difficult for one trained in the sciences to understand how God can dip His hand into the af fairs o f men and thus determine the course o f history. However, if one has an understanding of sci ence and at the same time a full belief in the Scriptures, this is just what one is required to ac cept. To apprehend the providen tial acts of our Lord, one must first be a member of the family of the household of God. Other wise everything is just a matter o f good luck or bad luck. When we consider the condi tions existing throughout the world, it may seem that all is be yond the control of men particu larly as to long-term solutions. However, we need to realize that God is not baffled or uncertain. He is Lord and knows each step from the beginning into eternity. What has happened, what is now happening, and what will happen in the future is so because He wills it in order to fulfill His plan. I grew up in a Christian fam ily. My decision for Christ came during my last year in elementary school. Then I got on a spiritual
plateau where I went neither up nor down for a long time. I be came busy with the responsibili ties and economy of life. Then about twelve years ago my wife and I had a very marked renewal. It came about through an indi rect process when we began to think that our 19-year-old son needed guidance in his life. My wife and I, in addition to having a home in New Jersey, have a small place in California. Our son went to school in Santa Barbara, and after having been there a short time, he found the Lord in an environment that was totally unexpected by us at the time. In a way, this was a com plete answer to our longings and prayers. His experience was so vivid that he taught us that we were in spiritual need and should be doing something about it. So we simply asked the Lord to help us and refreshment came to our lives. Now it is our joy to serve Him. I believe that the power o f God is complete; that the authority of God is absolute and final; that God is just; and that God is lov ing because He has provided a way through Jesus Christ so that we, by commitment to Him, may meet God’s requirements. The Bible says, God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.2 Further, I believe that God THE KING'S BUSINESS
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