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While visiting or living in Los Angeles, plan to stay at BIOLA HOTEL. Clean, com fortable, convenient. Reason able rates by day-week-month or permanent. Dining Room. Next to the Church of the Open Door, to the Central L.A. Public Library, and the hub of the Greater Los An geles Freeway Network. Oper ated as a public service by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. write or telephone for reservations 536 So. Hope Street Los Angeles, Calif. 90017 MAdison 7-9941 Harold F. Churchill, Mgr. Biola Hotel
A RECENT HOTEL PATRON WRITES: Having resided at Biola for several years, may I express my appreciation for the consideration that has always been accorded me. Their every effort is put forth to make their guests stay com fortable and pleasant. I have traveled from the Northern to the Southern borders of the United States and from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts several times, and I know of no other place where so much is offered at so little expenditure; with nice surroundings convenient location, and security. I don't think it can be equaled. Mrs. James B. Kenton R O O M R E S E R V A T I O N N o t e : Please fill in as much information as possible Name ............................................. Arrival Date .................. Address .................... .................... Day of Week ................. City ............................ . ................. Time of Day ...............— Accommodations Desired With Bath ..............Without Bath Amount enclosed as confirmation of reservation $............... Number of Guests................Adults ................. Children . Plan to Stay: Day(s) ................ Week ................ Month , Desire Information Concerning Permanent Residence ......... Signed ..................................... D a te ............ Phone......
RATES FROM NOVEMBER 1963
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T h . e K l L i n g f » B u e i n e e s
A PUBLICATION OF THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, INCORPORATED
REMEMBER NOW THY CREATOR IN THE DAYS OF THY YOUTH — Ecclesiastes 12.1
Louis T. Talbot, Chancellor o S. H. Sutherland, President • Ray A. Myers, Board Chairman MARCH , in the year of our Lord Vol. 56, No. 3 Nineteen Hundred and Sixty-five Established 1910 Dedicated to the spiritual development of the Christian home UnHek A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR — Samuel H. Sutherland .......... 6 DR. TALBOT'S QUESTION BOX — Louis T. Talbot ................... 28 TALK ING IT OVER — Clyde M. Narramore ..................... ...... 30 PERSONAL EVANGELISM — Benjamin Weiss ............................ 31 BOOK REVIEWS — Arnold D. Ehlert ......................................... 32 SCIENCE A N D THE BIBLE — Bolton Davidheiser ..................... 34 WORLD NEW SGRAMS — James O. Henry .............................. 35 CULTS CRITIQUE — Betty Bruechert ....................................... 38 UNDER THE PARSONAGE ROOF — Althea S. Miller ................. 39 JUNIOR K ING 'S BUSINESS — Martha S. Hooker ..................... 40 Faritm A N D SOME PROPHETS — Vance Havner ................................. 8 THE LAKE OF FIRE — M. R. DeHaan .................................. 10 W H A T HAPPENED TO INSTRUCTION? — Herbert Henry Ehrenstein 12 A N IM ISM : FROM CANN IBA L S TO CHR IST IAN S — Dick Hillis .... 14 HANDS W ITH LOVE ............................................................. 16 I VOTED LAST SUNDAY ....................................................... 18 CHRIST'S COM ING PREDICTED — Charles L. Feinberg .............. 21 ARE YOU SEARCH ING FOR PEACE — Jerry Kindall ................... 24 Coltimi! PEOPLE IN THE NEWS ........................................................... 4 PRESENTING THE MESSAGE .................................................. 29
There is no book of guidance, no textbook for the young, that can equal the Great Textbook of the Ages — the Book that gives us rules for living that will never be superseded, that will never pass away. There are no Bibles made with more care and skill than the Bibles made in Cambridge, where the printing of Bibles has been a responsibility of fine craftsmen since the sixteenth century.
— All Rights Reserved —
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION — "The King's Business" is published monthly. U.S., Its possessions, and Canada, $3.00 one year; $1.50 six months, 30 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Foreign subscription 75 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please send both old and new addresses. REMITTANCES — Should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to 'The King's Business/'
ADVERTISING — for Information address the Advertising Manager, The King's Business, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California. MANUSCRIPTS — "The King's Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Second-class postage paid at Los An geles, California. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, California. ADDRESS: The King's Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, California.
AT ALL BOOKSTORES
MARCH, 1965
S
Peopleto theNew
75 Y E A R S REACHING OUR SAMARIA In 1890, Dr C. I. Scofield called on Chris tians to pray, give, and go
to Central America . . . They did! And this we continue to do by God's help.
Lt. General William K. .Harrison (re tired) was recently elected Chair man of the Board of Incorporate Members of Dallas Theological Semi nary and Graduate School of The ology. Dr. Richard H. Seume, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Rich mond, Virginia, was elected Chair man of the subordinate Board of Regents. General Harrison previous ly served as chairman of the Board of Regents. He was the commanding officer of the United Nations forces who signed the document ending the Korean conflict.
the Seventh Inter-Varsity Mission ary Convention held recently at the University of Illinois. “ The basic message of the Bible is clear and we dare not confuse it,” declared Dr. Kantzer. “God wishes to save all men and that is why He sent His Son, Jesus. . . .” Motivation for mis sionary service in terms of the need of all men to know Jesus Christ was explained by four speakers at the Convention. Dr. Kantzer’s remarks emphasizing the judgment of God were expanded by Dr. Eugene Nida, translations secretary of the Ameri can Bible Society. Others who spoke were Donald Hoke, a missionary of TEAM and president of Japan Chris tian College and Paul Little, staff member for Inter-Varsity. Dr. Howard W. Ferrin has been select ed as first chancellor of Barrington College, Rhode Island. Mr. Charles E. Hummel has been called as the new president. The double inauguration has been scheduled for the fall con vocation of the school this year. Mr. Francis R. Steele, home secretary for the North Africa Mission, has revealed that a new effort is being made to reach the Arabic speaking people in the establishment of a ra dio school of the Bible beamed specif ically to them. The eventual target is the entire Muslim world. Mr. John Jesberg and Mr. Joseph M. Copeland, representing the Pocket Tes tament League of Englewood, New Jersey, are pictured below present ing a personalized copy of the Pocket
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Dr. and Mrs. V. E. Cory (center and third from right) are pictured be low with members of the Scripture Press staff and consultants during their two and one-half day confer ence held in Wheaton, Illinois. The group spent the major share of the time examining nation-wide Chris tian education trends and exchanged ideas relating to the total education program of the local church. Gary S. Bawden is the director of Public Relations for the newly incor porated organization, The American Evangelistic Association, whose pur pose is the co-ordinating of the work of evangelists across America. Since" 1963 the evangelical and interde nominational organization has been extending its work throughout the United States by stationing its evan gelists in major regions and by form ing state evangelism committees. Mr. Evon Hedley, chairman of the Christian Stewardship Council, is sued an invitation to leaders of evan gelical organizations to the groups’ third annual meeting, March 24 and 26 in San Diego, Calif. The purpose of the gathering is “ to consider ways and means of improving the financial operation of Christian causes.” Mr. Rod Sargent of the Navigators is vice chairman. Dr. Kenneth Kantzer, dean of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deer field, Illinois, was among speakers at
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Testament to General Lyman L. Lemnit- *er. Supreme Allied Commander at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Nato’s principal Eu r o p e a n International Military Headquarters. Rev. Sam Wolgemuth recently was elected the new president of Youth (continued on page 19)
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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1 / Teachers’ Manuals are complete . . . easy to understand and to follow. Program for each day completely outlined . . . down to the last detail. Course can be adapted easily to one-, two-, or three-week school. ’ Handcraft projects in handy packets . . . de signed to save teachers’ time. . . help em phasize lesson aims. I / Î Handy planning and ordering guide gives instant panoramic view of the entire course and simplifies ordering. 1 / New VBS Leaders’ Handbook with 20 charts and checklists, helps prevent costly mistakes . . . guides leaders through every phase of VBS preparation and programming. 1/ Full-color filmstrip “Proclaiming Christ our Peace” challenges teachers with the unique evangelistic opportunities of VBS . . . facili tates the recruitment of helpers.
Vacation Bible School is the evangelistic opportunity of the year. It results in more decisions for Christ than almost any other church effort... providing you have the right tools for the job. Don’t make your final selection until you’ve seen the advantages and timeliness of the 1965 Scripture Press Course "Proclaiming Christ our Peace.”
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B R A I L L E BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, TRACTS Evangelistic— Devotional FREE to the Blind (as the Lord provides) "That those who see not may see" Write: Christian Fellowship for the Blind International, Inc. Mail Address: 1864 W. 92 St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90047
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BY DR. SAMUEL H. SUTHERLAND P r PRESIDENT, THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, INC.
RIGHTS OR RESPONSIBILITIES? S u r e l y t h o u g h t f u l individuals everywhere are becoming more and more alarmed at the breakdown o f patriotic, civic and, above all, religious standards in this day o f unbridled liberty and license. We see this condition escalating with frightening fre quency in every facet o f American life. The horrifying increase in immorality, the utterly demoralizing increase in the publica tion o f obscene and suggestive literature, the apparently limitless extent to which the moving-picture industry has degenerated, (at least if billboard signs, newspaper ads and the marquees o f moving-picture houses can be used as criteria), the lewdness and licentiousness which are to be observed almost wherever one turns, the damnable effects o f drinking which occupy so much o f the space in our daily papers — drinking which takes place not only in the bars and saloons but in otherwise respectable social gather ings and even in the homes o f so many o f our citizens. We read also ugly rumors o f revolting types o f immorality, bribery and skullduggery that go on in the highest governmental circles. Just enough comes to the surface by way o f public information to make one very suspicious as to the full extent o f actual condi tions. Then there is the comparatively recent rise o f the so-called civil rights movement with its mass demonstrations, picketing, protest riots o f one kind and another as well as other irresponsible acts o f violence. Now in recent weeks we have been hearing o f extensive activities on the part o f rabble-rousers and demonstra tors in the interest o f so-called free speech on the campuses of some o f our outstanding universities and institutions o f higher learning. All o f these are bad enough in themselves, but unfor tunately they are only symptoms o f a sick condition which exists generally. It is the underlying cause o f that condition which we believe constitutes the greatest concern among those who are en deavoring to think through on these vital problems. Basically, it is a question o f individual and group rights versus individual and group responsibilities. The one is selfish; the other is unselfish. The one thinks only o f his own interests; the other considers the welfare o f his fellows. The one seeks to satisfy his own selfish desires; the other makes his personal desires subservient to the
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
well-being o f the society in which he lives. We as a people have none but ourselves to blame for the situation. The late President Kennedy, in his inaugural address, challenged us as citizens o f this great Commonwealth in the words: "Let no one ask what his country can do for him, but let him ask what he can do for his country.” Unfortunately this noble purpose was lost in the mad effort o f everyone’s trying to get what he thought were his rights rather than in fulfilling his responsibility. This cynical attitude continues to be fostered and promulgated. We are rushing at such a headlong speed in our effort to obtain individual rights and privileges that the very thought o f any responsibility we may have toward others is ignored completely. It is our conviction that this condition exists because our great Protestant denomina tions have long since ceased to emphasize the moral and righteous responsibility on the part o f the individual, first toward God and then toward his fellowmen and, instead, have been preaching the doctrines o f individual rights and privileges as the supreme goal o f every person. It is indeed a sorry situation when the highest- paid executive o f one o f the great denominations deliberately puts himself into a position o f being arrested and jailed in defense o f so-called individual rights. The degrading spectacle o f angry mobs jeering and even physically restraining police officers from doing their duty and fulfilling their sworn obligation to society in dispersing rabble-rousers and irresponsible obstructionists in vari ous governmental hearings on subversive activities in our coun try; the apparent effort that is now beginning to take form in the alarming attempt to "get” the Director o f our Federal Bureau o f Investigation, Mr. J. Edgar Hoover; the attempt to downgrade the influence o f this great stronghold o f historic Americanism: all point to a most frightening condition which exists in our land today. We believe this stems from two lines o f thought which had their beginnings, at least so far as the popular presentation was concerned, about forty years ago. One was in the area o f educa tion, the other in the area o f theology. Around 1930, the philos ophy o f a well-known educator by the name o f John Dewey began to be increasingly popular. Regardless o f the academic terminology which he employed, the net result o f his educational philosophy led to the elimination in large measure o f corporal punishment in schools, the breakdown o f discipline, the propaga tion o f the idea that the child was to be given individual freedom to express himself as he so desired, allowed to take his place in the society o f adults, encouraged to develop his personality by assert ing his rights wherever he might find himself. Although it might be argued successfully that there were certain facets o f Dewey’s educational program which were worthwhile, certainly this part o f his highly imaginative thought processes has completely gone to seed and today we are reaping the devastating results o f a whole generation which has lost irreparably any concept o f per sonal and group responsibility toward society as a whole. (continued on page 36)
M IN IS T R Y of M ERCY With the gifts of Christian friends, God has en abled us to minister to the desperate needs of our Hebrew Christian brethren around the world.
Bibles, food, medicines and re lief sustain those witnessing for Christ in Israel and elsewhere. Will you share in this minis try? Write:
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MARCH, 1965
V 3\re>\p>V\ e T S
the Queen and Savonarola a scourge to the nobles of Florence. The prophet is no favorite in king’s palaces. Our Lord said that wearers of soft raiment are in king’s palaces but prophets are not garbed in snappy sackcloth. They are not wined and dined by the Ahabs and Herods of their day. Their inter views have been held more often in prison. Of course times have changed and John the Baptist’s head is no longer brought in on a charger. There are new ways of decapitating proph ets with more finesse! The prophet is angry with a godless age. He is not a cheery optimist putting a pollyanna touch on every situation. He is dis concerting to all Amaziahs who want to maintain the status quo in Bethel. I have tried to imagine how the Bethel Daily News might have edi torialized : “ It is regrettable that our fair city has been embarrassed by the sensa tional rabble-rousing of an unknown and uncouth revivalist from our neighbor kingdom of Judah. This disturber of the peace and calamity howler came unsponsored and with out credentials or invitation from the local clergy. His appearance and style painfully confirm that he is no regularly ordained minister but a vine-dresser and fruit-gatherer ob sessed with the notion that he is a spokesman for Jehovah. He assumes the right to sit in judgment on our city and nation and accuse our peo ple of sordid sins, even descending to call the women of our social circles “ kine of Bashan” and ridiculing our religious services. Our city is proud of her culture and religion. There is evil enough in Judah to occupy this prophet’s time and he might well clean up his own bailiwick first. We hope our city will soon settle again in her peaceful ways and orderly habits unmolested by trouble-makers from Tekoa.”
"AND SOME, PROPHETS”
b y (D a . V a r n a d ic w m A
Pastors, teachers and evangelists abound. But New Testament proph ets are scarce. Some contend that the breed is extinct. Barclay says: “ The settled ministry began to re sent the intrusion of these wander ing prophets who often disturbed their congregations. The settled min istry always tends to resent the itinerant evangelist. The inevitable result was that bit by bit the proph ets faded out and the settled minis try was supreme.” We are inclined to believe that the real reason for the prophet shortage lies in another direction. There are certain require ments and few will pay the price. Besides, material inducements are lacking and earthly rewards are rare. The prophet is a "square," an odd number in a standardized, collec tivized, regimented society. He is a solitary individual who walks alone, a poor mixer and not popular at clubs and luncheons. Amos was not chum my with Jeroboam II, nor did he hobnob with Amaziah at Bethel. When John the Baptist appeared be fore a king he gave Herod a reproof which cost the rugged prophet his head. Elijah was the bane of Ahab’s existence. John Knox was a thorn to
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scribes, is the object of the vicious and venomous hatred of all Jezebels. Little religious clerks complain be cause they cannot control him. His contemporaries stone him and the next generation builds monuments to his memory. Bishop Kilgo once wrote: “The fine opportunists who know the gen tle arts of getting on with perfect adjustment do not understand a mqn in whom righteousness has its im perial sway. To them he is of a hard head, a stubborn will, an autocratic soul. So the man of righteousness must make up his mind to be mis understood and to be happy amid it all. He must have fellowships out side the circle of present movements and endure as one who sees the in visible.” The prophet has his compensa tions. For him there is the joy of hours in solitude with his Bible. For him is the satisfaction of walking into the pulpit free to speak his message without regard for praise or blame. He is accountable to no board or committee and he does not take the teeth out of his sermon in the study and “ gum it” in the pulpit to please any human sponsor. Mor- decai Ham said of Paul: “ He was a strategist who thought out his strat egy on the field of war, not in some Jerusalem war office where parch ment and sealing wax were more plentiful than experience and fore sight.” The prophet thinks out his strategy in the solitudes far from the petty bickerings of church poli tics. His policy is not determined by swivel-chair experts. He is not the product of any assembly line and, like Paul, he confers not with flesh and blood but works out his theology in the desert. He is accused of living in an ivory tower far from the front line of battle. As a matter of fact, the front line is too close to the con flict to see the whole field in proper
perspective. One cannot see the for est for the trees. The prophet is a man apart who views the whole pano rama. He is not identified with any clique or clan nor does he champion any one little school of thought. He belongs to none that he may minister to all. He is not the elected delegate of any religious party but speaks for and to the whole commonwealth, the “ holy nation” of the people of God. He speaks for the Almighty both to church and state and is a watchman on the wall, not a “ dumb dog that cannot bark.” Is it too much to hope that there may yet arise in the sunset of this age one more prophet of the Lord be sides? Or, are we too far gone to look for another Amos in our Bethel today? Could there yet be a lad who will hide in the woods with his Bible until it becomes a fire in his bones, wait on the Lord until he is anointed from above and then appear not with the speech of today’s schools of the prophets but the language of the courts of God? We can still pray that however unthinkable such a calling may seem to the average seminarian some hardy soul will see to it that the prophet shall not perish from the earth.
The prophet uses colorful lan guage which shocks all resters-at- ease in Zion. He is not afraid to employ pulpit weapons long since ruled out by nice little books on “ How to Preach.” He fits into no conventional grooves, is not a link on any chain, is on nobody’s payroll, rides nobody’s bandwagon, is under no sponsorship but God’s. He is not an expert at the art of almost saying something, talking out of both sides of his mouth. His theology is not trimmed or slanted so as to give no offense .to a godless generation. No financial provisions have been made for prophets. “ Priests retire but prophets never.” They end as they began, with the brook and the ravens. No ecclesiastical set-up will endorse the prophet. He is respected and feared but not welcome in the inner circles. While four hundred false prophets bid Ahab and Jehosha- phat go up against Ramoth-gilead, God’s man is always “ a prophet of the Lord BESIDES” and Joseph Parker says “ The world hates the four-hundred-and-first prophet.” Such a man is oft beset with subtle doubts and fears and poignant lone liness. After all, he is human and the unseen powers which control this dark world hate him. He tops the list of Satan’s most wanted men and every demon is offered a prize to de stroy him. He is a disturber of the peace, a Daniel who keeps Darius awake all night, a John the Baptist who spoils for Herod the pleasures of a king’s palace. He turns the light on entrenched evil and shows up the hypocrisy of formal religion. Nobody realized how bad things were at Bethel until Amos came to town. No body saw anything wrong with Pharasaism until Jesus exposed it as a sepulchre full of dead men’s bones. The’ prophet is without honor in his own country, is scorned by the
MARCH, 1965
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false prophet ARE.” After a thousand years they are still there, alive. We cannot, therefore, teach that hell is annihilation. It is not in any sense a burning out of existence. So far then, we have two groups in the lake of fire. At the beginning of the thousand years, the beast and the false prophet are cast into hell. One thousand years later Satan is also cast into the same place with them, and then soon to be joined by all his wicked followers, the unsaved and the lost. In the last verse of this same chapter we read: “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. 19:15 While the Bible has a great deal to say concerning the subject of hell, there are some things which our Lord has not seen fit to reveal to us at this time, and on which the Bible is either silent or only gives the faint est suggestions. We do not know, for instance, when hell was created, nor where it is located. As to its origin, we can safely say, however, that it was not a part of God’s original creative act. In Genesis 1:1 we have the account of the original creation. Before the first verse of Genesis 1:1 there was nothing, of course, except God. God all alone in that perfect holy, family love-life of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In this beginningless life of the great eter nal “ I Am,” God planned a creation to be called into being at a time that He Himself in sovereign wisdom should choose. In the plan of this original creation de scribed in Genesis 1 :1, hell was not included. That must have been a subsequent provision. In Genesis 1:1 we read, for instance: “ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Gen. 1:1 Now will you please notice very carefully that this was the beginning of the creation—not the beginning of the existence of God. In John 1:1 we are distinctly
“And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had re ceived the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brim stone.” Rev. 19:20 I N t h i s t e r r i b l e , a w e s o m e v e r s e we have the record of the first occupants ever to be thrown into hell. These two men, the beast and the false prophet, are the first individuals ever to be cast into the lake of fire. Hell today is completely empty, totally devoid of all occupants. The lost are in hades according to the Word of God. The fallen angels are in the special place called “ tartarus” in 2nd Peter 2:4. After the tribulation period and at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory to this earth, these two men, the beast and the false prophet, will be cast into this place called the lake of fire. Here they remain for a period of one thousand years, and then a millennium later they are joined by their master, Satan and the Devil. We have the record of this casting of Satan into hell in Revelation 20:7: “ And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. .......... and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Rev. 20:7, 9, 10 This is an important passage which must not be overlooked. For one thousand years these two men, the beast and the false prophet, are in the lake of fire, but they are not destroyed. After one thousand years when Satan joins them we read definitely, “ And the Devil was cast into the lake of fire where the beast and the
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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when He says in Matthew 25:41 of the judgment of the wicked in the words we quoted before: “ Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever lasting fire, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS.” Matt. 25:41 What a tremendous solemn revelation! The fires of everlasting hell were never meant for mankind. They were never meant for you, my poor sinner friend. Hell was prepared for the Devil and his angels. God never made man for hell, nor did He make hell for man. If man goes there, it will be only because he chooses to do so by refusing to receive God’s wonderful gift of love and salvation. You will never be able to blame God for sending you into the everlasting fires. There are only two destinies then, heaven and hell. There are only two masters, Christ and the Devil. And you, my friend, as well as I, can only serve one of these. It must be one or the other. Jesus said: “No man can serve two masters.” And if you serve Christ here below, it is wholly just and fitting and right that you should spend eternity in bliss in heaven with the One whom you loved and served here below. But if you choose to serve the Devil, and refuse to receive the Lord Jesus Christ, let me ask you honestly and sincerely, isn’t it right and just and proper, con sistent and wholly fitting that you should spend eternity with your master, whom you have chosen to serve, even the Devil, in the place of torment prepared for the Devil and his angels? It is your own choice, my friend. You can blame no one else. Certainly there can be no argu ment here. When this place of torment was prepared we, of course, do not know, but we do know that it was made necessary by sin, and particularly the sin of the angels, and prepared as the place of eternal punishment for the Devil, his angels, and all who choose to follow him, rather than be saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. Ah, my precious friend, as we contemplate these thoughts, why not take Jesus Christ as your Saviour? How awful to be the companion of the Devil throughout eternity in the place o f outer darkness! But it is not only darkness, but it is called “ outer darkness.” We may translate it as “ uttermost dark ness.” A place so far removed from God and probably from the universe as we see it today, that not a single ray of light will ever penetrate. To grope in stygian darkness without one ray of hope, banished from God forever, in the place of which Jesus says: “ There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 25:51 Why do I say these things? Why do I preach on hell? If a doctor knew you had a terrible disease, but also knew an absolute remedy, he would be a devil if he didn’t warn you and suggest the remedy. If I knew a bridge was out down the track, and I didn’t try to flag down the train, I would be a murderer. If I saw your house on fire, and you were asleep in the house, and I did not try to awaken you, what kind of a brute would I be? Well, my friend, what would you think of me, a preacher of the gospel called to warn men and women of the coming judgment, if I did not warn you. I f I for fear of being unpopular or of being criticized should fail to cry out to you, “ Flee from the wrath to come,” there are no words to describe my despicable condition. And so here is the remedy. Right where you are you can be saved from sin, and judgment, and the fear of hell forever. Here it is. Simply acknowledge that you are a sinner, believe God’s Word, and then accept His promise of salvation.
told that in the beginning when God created the uni verse, “ the heavens and the earth,” He already was. The Creator is un-created. And so John tells us: “ In the beginning WAS the Word, and the Word WAS with God, and the Word WAS God.” John 1:1 The verb translated “was” is a Greek verb used only of the existence of God. It denotes existence without reference to any beginning at all. In the following verse in John 1 we read this concerning the creation: “ All things were made by him; and without him WAS not anything made that WAS made.” John 1:8 In this verse again the verb “was” occurs three times, twice as “was” and once as “were,” but in this instance it is quite another word which denotes exis tence from a beginning. It literally means to “ become.” What a wonderful evidence of divine inspiration! When John uses a verb with reference to God, he uses the word “was” which means to exist without any begin ning, but immediately when he begins to speak about the creation, he changes the word and uses another which means “ to become” or to “ exist from a begin ning.” In the beginning, then, God created the heavens and the earth. The word in your Bible is heaven (sin gular) but in the Hebrew text it is plural, “heavens.” The word is shamayim, the ending im being the plural ending, just as the letter “ s” denotes plurality in our English language. The reference is, of course, to more than one heaven. The Bible distinguishes at least three heavens, the lower heaven (auronos) ; the middle heaven (mesoranios), and the upper heaven ( eporanios). The lower is the atmospheric heaven of air and of clouds and of vapor enveloping the earth. The mid-heaven is the planetary, astronomical, starry heaven, and beyond this is the third or the upper heaven, also called in Scripture, “ the heaven of heavens.” When God created the heavens and the earth, it in cluded at least the two lower of these heavens, and we believe the atmospheric heaven and the planetary heav en were created at this time, and possibly the third heaven. Remember the word is in the plural shamayim, the heavens. But strange and yet not so strange, there is no mention of hell in this original creation. The Bible does not say: “ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and hell.” No, hell is significantly omitted. Of course, God being omniscient knew that sin would come, and a hell would become necessary later on, but before sin entered, there was no hell prepared by God. Hell was a later provision. The question then arises, “When did God prepare this lake of fire?” To this we cannot give a positive, definite an ar, but it must have been after the fall of the -ngels ?rom the book of Job we learn that the angels (called morning stars) were present at the original creation of the earth. There is much evidence that the original earth, millions upon millions of years ago, was the habitation of these created angels. And then Lucifer, the archangel, and the leader of the an gelic hosts, rebelled against Almighty God with a host of lesser angelic beings, and as a result was cast both out of the earth, and out of heaven, and banished to the upper atmosphere. Some wicked angels are in the place called “ tartarus” today. (2 Peter 2:4). Now because o f the sin of these fallen angels, to gether with that of Satan, God prepared a place to which they will be consigned in everlasting damnation, to be tormented day and night forever and ever. This is plain from a statement of our blessed Lord Himself,
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MARCH, 1965
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WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO
INSTRUCTION?
E v e r y s o o f t e n , a Bible teacher receives a serious letter from a clear-thinking Christian who has done some real soul-searching with regard to his (or her) relationship to the church. Just recently, such a letter came to my attention containing a severe indictment of today’s Christendom, yet voiced in a constructively- critical manner. The writer, who will remain anony mous, asks some pointed questions which we believe all thinking Christians would do well to ask—and to which we might all seek some answers. Our correspondent says “ the church in recent years has been so busy reinterpreting the Bible to make it applicable to modern man that we’ve almost eradicated its simple message. We have become an ‘ intellectual’ church. We hold study groups on Robinson’s Honest to God and similar works which suggest ‘demythologizing’ the Bible. Perhaps this may be necessary in our chang ing world. But, where does it end?”
b y (Hsüibojd *Mr. Ehrenstein is Director of Biblical Studies for the Evangelical Foundation, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., and teacher o f three weekly Bible classes in New York, Philadelphia and Washington. THE KING'S BUSINESS to discuss the relationship with God they’re supposed to have and share with others. “ I’ve listened as these re putedly ‘underprivileged’ people enter into our discus sions courteously and I discover that they are the ones who really know Him. It is plainly evident that God was there before we arrived. As we return complacently to our respective comfortable homes, I feel guilty and sick. For I am enriched by these whom we consider to be ‘without knowledge of God’ far more than through association with our own Christian church folk.” She recognizes that the church has a holy obligation to minister in social areas as well as in spiritual areas. Yet, “ it seems to me that the church is in danger of being a social welfare agency rather than a body of people coming together to worship God and seek out His desires for us — which brings us back to instruction,” she declares. Though the authoritarian approach has been re placed by the “ Let’s sit down and discuss” method, this is not really filling the gap. The seminar may take the place of the pulpit in theory, but it does not work out so well in practice. “Many of us are not yet ready for ‘post-graduate study’ ” says our friend. “We must first get through the elementary years. Isn’t this one of the purposes of the church—to teach? I believe many min isters are wrong in assuming we laymen know as much as they think we do. Most of my church-going friends are equally as ignorant as I ; only I am naive enough to own up to it. “■I was fifty years old, for example, before I realized the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. And it was only at an instruction session on the Eucharist that the sacra ment was made plain.” Why, therefore; is there not more “ instruction”—teaching—from our pulpits ? Th is is a disturbing letter—principally because what this faithful Christian woman says is so true. There is a great void in the church’s adult teaching program. The instruction in basic doctrine, Christian living, ethics, historical and prophetic truth leaves much to be desired. It is high time that our churches realize the bankruptcy of the “ everyone-says-what-is-right-in-his- own-eyes” approach and return to the sacred authority of God’s Holy Word as proclaimed and taught in the power of the Holy Spirit. For the Word is forever set tled in Heaven (Ps. 119:89) and it is the only medium God has promised to bless. The writer goes on to tell that there was a great uneasiness present in her particular study group when this book was discussed. All sorts of questions were raised surreptitiously and whispered—not voiced aloud —as to whether any of the Scriptures can still be be lieved. Then she conies to the crux of the church’s prob lem : “What has happened to good, old-fashioned instruc tion?” Many questions concerning the Christian faith and the Bible continue to rise, she insists. Yet, when they are asked in church, o f church officials, the only response is: “Well, what do you think about it?” This is tantamount to saying, “Your view is as good as the next person’s.” But, is it? Today, the authoritative voice—the “ Thus saith the Lord!”— is fading noticeably. In its place is the discussion group with everyone airing his personal viewpoint. Our correspondent says, “Group dynamics has its place, admittedly. But I’m not some youngster needing a stimulus to think. I’ve already thought, and am now seeking clarification in my thinking.” Nor is she alone. In an ever-increasing measure, the church is being filled with muddle-brained knowledge about vital Christian truth, simply because opinions of laymen, untrained in the specialities of theology, are being ac cepted as Gospel truth. This is not intended to be a criticism of lay opinion alone, of course. For tragically enough, much of the thinking spawned in our contemporary theological seminaries has a deceptive note to it. The priesthood of all believers-—a biblical doctrine—surely affords the lay man a right to speak his mind on matters Christian and biblical. And, many times, the thoughtful lay person in the church is far more stable than a theologically-con fused clergy. But, our correspondent points out that, while “no one has all the answers, my minister does have one advan tage. He has years of intensive instruction in the area of biblical and theological thought. So, I seek out his knowledge and expect more than the trite, ‘Well, what do you think?’ The people of Jesus’ day sought out His help. They asked Him questions too!” She then in love levels the accusing finger at the visitation program of her particular church. Representa tives of the church call on “underprivileged” people in the community to “ bring God to them.” She confesses to shame at the puerile attempts of untaught church people f ■ I ■ MARCH, 1965 13 ¡\ Vs '\vr\ \*S> y v A nimism is belief in spirit be ings. These beings can be the spirits o f ancestors as well as snirits which have no human ori gin. Many o f the primitive people rounded with a hundred million o f these superstitious people. The' animists live in great fear of the evil spirits. They believe the spirits reside in every object . . . the trees, the streams, the stones, the wood o f their houses and the dirt floors unon which they sleep. They sac rifice much o f t h e i r m e a g e r wealth to placate and appease the spirits. Although some believe in a “ great spirit” who is the creator and sustainer o f t h e universe, they do not worship him because he is only good and has no power to harm them. In many places the animists foster grotesque and hideous practices. In some areas wives are buried with their dead chieftains and twin babies are murdered. Among some o f the tribes, cannibalism, human sacrifices, and head-hunt ing are condoned. Few men have witnessed a cannibal feast, but Christian and M i s s i o n a r y Alliance pioneer missionary Tom Bozeman, watched this depraved act and gives us an eye-witness account. My reason fo r relating it is simply to help strip away any illusions you might have as to the spiritual state o f the animist. Mr. Boseman was working in New Guinea among a fierce, nak ed, fuzzy-haired p e o p l e called Dani. This tribe considered farm ing and warfare their main occu pations. To them immorality was a virtue. They were the kind o f people who rejoiced in unmention able crimes. A lie was a trait o f strong character and the eating o f human brains and flesh desirable. At the close o f a battle between the Dani warriors and some other tribesmen, one o f the warriors shouted over his shoulder to the missionary, “ I forg o t to tell you that we captured the body o f our foe. Tomorrow will be a victory o f A frica , A s i a , S o u t h America Oceania are ani- mists. It is estimated that in our world we are sur- FROMCANNIBALS - TO CHRISTIANS! by Dr. Dick Hillis, General Director Overseas Crusades, Inc. THE KING'S BUSINESS 14 dance and we will eat our victim. Be sure and come.” When Missionary Bozeman ar rived on the spot, he found sev eral hundred people g a t h e r e d around the body o f the victim. A t th e a p p o i n t e d t i m e , w om e n formed a circle around the dead man and began to sing and shout. He gives the details o f this ap palling incident: “ The singing became l o u d e r and the dancing increased in tem po. When it reached a high cres cendo, the women moved away quickly from the body and sev eral w a r r i o r s rushed in. With their knives, axes a n d s h a r p rocks, they began to cut, first on the ca lf o f the leg and then on the buttocks and after that the arms. As soon as one succeeded in cutting off a piece he pushed the others aside to make his way to the fire they had built near by. I f others thought one had too large a portion, they compelled him to divide with them. In their struggle over the pieces o f human flesh, they were like vicious dogs. Some o f the flesh was roasted over the fire at the scene. Other parts were wrapped in grass and taken back to the village to be roasted and eaten that night. “ Chills ran up and down my spine as I heard the sickening thuds made by axes and stone knives with which they were dis membering the unfortunate vic tim. Although I had turned away to shut out the sight, I could not resist the impulse to look again. They were cuting off the head and dividing the parts among them— the eyes, the ears, and the tongue* Then they began swinging their axes with all their might to cut the back open. My stomach could take no more. I was sick physical ly but still more sick at heart from t h i s horrifying spectacle. Men created in the image o f God were behaving like savage beasts. I groaned within me.” There you have it — cannibal ism — a part o f animism. But what happens when the Gospel comes to such people? Recently hundreds o f these same people have turned to God from idols. I quote freely from Dr. Louis King o f the Christian and Mis sionary Alliance: "In the islands of New Guinea a spiritual flame is spreading rapidly through the min istry of converted tribesmen. “ Several thousand o f the fo r mer cannibalistic Dani tribe have turned to God from idols and have burned their fetishes. The Gospel has come to them with overpower ing effect and has captured their hearts and brought control to the lives o f these people. “ Their commitment to Christ has resulted in almost unbeliev able deliverance from sin and an immediate and insatiable desire to know God’s Word and to obey it. The feared devil charms are gone. Murder has been brought to an end, and w itchcraft too. In an impressive ceremony converts publicly broke and burned their implements o f war, even though they were surrounded by enemy tribes still engrossed in the evils o f murder, war and revenge. “ Their i n e x p r e s s i b l y v i l e courtship songs are now tabu. The stealing an d r a i d i n g fo r which they were noted fa r and wide are abolished. The smoking o f tobacco, which had. a strong hold on the people, has ceased. To day if one smokes he is looked upon as a stranger and an out sider. Child marriages and forn i cation are being overcome by the law o f the Gospel. There is a genuine fear o f not doing right and thus losing the presence and favor o f God. “ New converts have a com mendable zeal fo r God’s Word. They memorize, retell, teach and apply God’s holy Word. Their zeal fo r righteousness and the Bible is coupled with fervency in w it nessing. They are vibrant and en thusiastic, literally bursting with missionary zeal that would put to shame the. average American church. As a result the Gospel is accurately known in the farthest villages. " A chapter of church history is being en acted in New Guinea's hinterland. “ This calls fo r rejoicing and praise to God. Not only is the Holy Spirit bringing thousands o f fierce savages into the fold o f the Good Shepherd and making them His lambs, but also He is rapidly form ing t h em i n t o v i g o r o u s churches.” This is not an isolated case o f the working o f God among ani- mists. There was a time not too many years ago when it was worth your head to venture into Formosa’s high mountains. Today these mountains echo with the praises o f God ringing from over 300 churches. Whole villages have turned f r o m t h e i r witchcraft, their superstition, t h e i r fear, their black magic an d wicked practices. They now love the same Lord -whom we love, sing the same hymns we sing, and preach the same Gospel we preach. Light has dispelled darkness. Anything we do to help young people go to good schools where they can be trained fo r mission ary service and anything we do to send forth these young people to the regions beyond is abundantly worthwhile. The Gospel must go forward. The people must hear. \ . . and how shall they hear with out a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? . . .” (Romans 10:14, 15). ( Permission to quote Mr. Bozeman and Dr. King was given by the Christian and Missionary Alliance.) (This article is a chapter from the ex citing informative book entitled IN HALE THE INCENSE by Dr. Dick Hillis.) 1$ MARCH, 1965
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