b JAN
1972
B f o f f c BROADCASTER FEBRUARY 1972
FEBRUARY 1972
VOLUME 2
NUMBER 2
JANUARY RADIO FEATURES
President. . .
Biola Hour Host. . .
J. RICHARD CHASE
DON RANSOM
Managing Editor. . . EVELYN GIBSON
C O N T E N T S
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J . R ich a rd C h a s e
N e a r E a s t and F a r E a s t . C h a r le s L . Fe in b e rg
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M ichael G riffith
* P an e l D is c u s s io n s * T h e N ew H um an ity Jo h n W hittle * C o n flic t o f th e A g e s
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L lo yd T . A n d e rso n
* U n fo rg e ttab le C h a r a c t e r s . L lo yd T . A n d e rso n
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* Israel and P ro p h e c y
C h a r le s L . Fe in b e rg
* B io la H o u r R a d io M e s s a g e s
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NOTE: Lloyd T. Anderson’s messages for December in this issue of the Biola Broadcaster.
Cover Photograph by Kirk Potter
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BLE CONFERENCE TOURS
APRIL 13-M A Y 4
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A B IBLE CONFERENCE TOUR TO: • Rome
• Athens • Corinth
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* Egypt (Lupar and Valley of The Kings) • Lebanon (Beirut, Baalbek) | ■ - • Israel (8 full days) • Turkey (Smyrna, Ephesus, Pergamun) Tour Bible Teacher: Dr. Sjamuel H, Sutherland ; Tour Escort: Dr. Israel Ca'rnYoha ‘ ***
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COST: $1098. from New York
*$1298. from Weist Coast
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What is love? It seems to mean just about anything we want it to mean. It’s a decoration for a valentine, a religious symbol, the theme for bump er-stickers, a middle-class value, and the word to use for any passing whim (I’d love to go there!). To different people it will mean different things. Love can be a four letter synonym for LUST or, at best, SELF ; it can also speak of personal sacrifice. The Bible helps us understand love. Not because there is something special wrapped up in the Greek words that are used, but because love is defined and described in both the gospels and epistles. The two basic Greek verbs translated love in the New Testament are phileo and agapao. They both probably meant about the same thing to the man in the street of that day as our word love means to us today. In classical Greek, both could and did mean everything from mere contentment to deep affection. Agapao was not superior in any special way to phileo, save this — it was relatively free from the physical concept of love; it was, above all, quite distinct from the well-known classical Greek word eros (from which we get erotic). But the New Testament writers could not use their Greek words for love without much the same problem we have today. If love can mean affection, delight, satisfaction, or fondness, what does it mean when the Bible speaks of love? First, the Bible defines and describes love. The Greek word is not the key to the meaning nearly as much as the dynamic definitions that are Page 4
J. RICHARD CHASE
given the word by these writers who were moved by the Spirit of God. What is love? Paul tells us in I Corinthians 13. John 15:13 and Romans 13:10, among many other passages, also aid in understanding this word. We cannot make Biblical love mean anything we want it to mean. God’s word has taken the time to define the concept. It is fixed and sure. Love is not only a Biblically defined word, it is a quality of character. Love is not just a word that describes feeling; it characterizes a way of life. The Christian is to possess the personal quality of Biblical love. Paul counsels us in Galatians 5:16 to “walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” After describing the natural life of man, he tells us what the spiritual nature of man is characterized by “ . . . love, joy, peace, longsuffering.. . . ” (Galatians 5:22 and 23) Love is neither an option nor a vague term that can mean anything we want it to mean. It is a quality of life that must prevail despite the circumstances. Would you say that a man was honest if he admitted that he regularly cheated when no one was watching. Honesty, if it is a qual ity of character, operates even when the circumstances are there for cheating. A generous person is one who shares despite limited re sources. The fruit of the spirit — or qualities of Christian character — prevail despite the circumstances. Love is to be a constant demonstration that we are far more concerned about Jesus Christ and others than we are about ourself. Page 5
Near East And Far East:
and that of "The "Holy City" by Metropolitan Opera singer Jerome Hines, a giant in stature, voice, and poise but one of Cod's humble ser vants with a vibrant testimony. Second, there was unmistakable variety of life style. Among the al most 1500 attendants from 32 na tions were Arab believers, Israeli Christians, representatives from the African republics, and a large con tingent from Japan among others. Unity in faith did not preclude cul tural differences, already evident in the opening prayers in Arabic, He brew, and English. Third, there was distinct diversity in interpretation. While loyalty to the Word was un questionably manifest, it was clear that some approached the study of the prophetic Scriptures from one hermeneutical principle, while others proceeded on the basis of another interpretive canon. Though
The events of the historic Jeru salem Conference on Biblical Prophecy, in which the writer was a participant, have doubtless left an indelible impression upon the conferees who attended the ses sions from June 15-18, 1971. Ob viously, these reactions will vary in form, content, and intensity from individual to individual. But surely all will agree on certain essential characteristics of those days. First, there was unity in the historic Christian faith. There was unques tioned loyalty to the Word of Cod on the part of all participants. The authority, unquestioned and su preme, was the infallible Bible. There was a refreshing bond of fel lowship during and between ses sions. Long to be remembered will be the rendition of “ Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory" by the in imitable and gracious Anita Bryant,
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Impressions Of A Summer’s Ministry
by Charles Lee Feinberg, Th.D., Ph.D.
this may have been somewhat dis concerting to the unitiated, it was to be expected from the roster of speakers and the wide scope of scholarship and approach they rep resented. From the keynote address to the last message each speaker voiced his honest convictions rela tive to the undying Scriptures, and each was respected for his posi tion. In symposia the audience had opportunity to react to the major address by questions and observa tions. As far as this writer knows, no unhappy incidents occurred during any of the sessions. An incomparable climax to the meetings of the conference came with the final gathering, the re membrance of our Lord Jesus Christ in His death and coming again in the Lord's Supper. Dignity, simplic ity, warmth, and unity marked the hour. The communion cups and
Norm Wright, Professor of Christian Education, teaching a class at Talbot Seminary. trays were of olive wood made by Arab Christians. These brethren al so baked the communion bread, large circular cakes, served by the speakers to the attending minis ters, who in turn waited upon the hundreds of congregated Chris tians. Here was visible confirma tion of the unity of faith that char acterized the commitment of the whole conference. of Talbot Seminary, to speak in Tokyo and environs to a confer ence of Japanese Christians known as The Fellowship of Christian Brethren. It came to light that this fellowship of churches with humble pastors had begun intensive prayer some 40 years ago (about the time of the conversion of Dr. Fuchs and the writer) for the conversion of the lost in Israel. Because they joined their prayers with belief in the imminent return of the Lord Jesus, they were singled out for much criticism. But these men were In August (2-12) it was the writ er's privilege with Dr. Daniel Fuchs of the American Board of Missions to the Jews and honorary alumnus
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morning and evening, lasted for two and one half hours each. Be sides the messages and their im mediate interpretation into beauti ful Japanese by a scholar and theo logian, there were times of prayer and joyous hymns. Never before had we heard the Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah (“ The Hope"), sung in Japanese translation. The constant reminder given the visi tors was that, although there had been diligent and constant prayer for some forty years for the sal vation of Israel, these Japanese brethren had never seen a Hebrew believer. The reception accorded them can only be compared to the experience in Acts 14:8-16 (with the allowance that pagan were not here involved). The potential of Japan in the Far East, whether politically, economi cally, scientifically, or culturally, makes it the gateway for that dense ly populated area of the globe. But the possibilities for the gospel are limitless, and the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ will well hang her head in shame if she bypasses, lightly regards, or ignores this glor ious opportunity of the century. With the aid of the New Japanese Bible, published by Lockman Foun dation and Word of Life Press (TEAM), and messengers of God with the knowledge of the truth and aflame with zeal for souls, taught and motivated by the Holy Spirit, the fruit is incalculable and inevitable. May Cod grant that Tal bot Seminary shall train men and women of God to enter into this open door while it is still called day. Will you covenant with Cod to pray to this end? Dr. Feinberg is Dean of Talbot Seminary Page 9
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accustomed to scorn and worse, for a number of them had been imprisoned by the Japanese em peror during WW II because they believed and taught that they were yet to be ruled by King Jesus. To preach to these earnest souls on the evangelization of the lost sheep of the house of Israel and then to witness them in prayer on their faces before God for the salvation of Israel and their own homeland of Japan, was an experience of a lifetime and one that shall last through this life. The sessions,
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know areas where there is no wit ness and no churches at all. There is another meaning to this word which has a medical conno tation. The thought denotes the correct articulating of limbs and joints in the body. It carries the idea of resetting that which has been broken and dislocated. Such can bring a restoration of harmony and efficient functioning. This word should have a place in our prayers for churches around the j world. We find the term recurring in Scripture. Galatians 6:1 tells us, "If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore suqh an once." The idea means to mend him or to return him to his proper place in the Body. There are all sorts of bodies. Not much can be achieved by the life less form on a slab in a morgue. There are too many churches like that. They are limp and lifeless. It is our responsibility to see that the Body is in perfect condition. It is like the body of an athlete. He must keep in proper shape. The writer to the Hebrews offers this classic prayer, "May He equip you in every good thing to do His good w ill." This is the word for completeness once again. How complete are you? Most of the New Testament letters were writ ten to very imperfect churches. Some were doctrinally unsound and the people spiritually unstable. Paul, James, John and Peter were all concerned about the fact that the people needed to be perfected in Christ. This is not to teach sin less perfection but rather sanctifi cation. Some groups of so-called Christians are out of joint with each other. Other churches are crippled and lame with false teaching and
Michael Griffith is the General Director of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship. Equipment of the Saints Have you ever considered how wonderful it is that as believers we are all a part of the Lord's body, each with a different gift of minis try (Ephesians 4:11-13)? As a mis sionary, my desire is to see the building up of the Church. In this portion of Scripture we see the "equipment" of the saints for the work of service. As believers we are to be equipped to minister for the glory of Cod. Behind that word is the idea of putting things in or der. It means to prepare and per fect a thing for its full purpose. It is the idea of fulfilling the reason for which something was made. We find this expressed in Mark 1:19. "And when He had gone a little further thence, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets." They were "equipping" the nets; getting them ready for use. The disciples were told by the Lord, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." If the net is not repaired, some fish may be lost. How is your life? Are there some holes that need to be taken care of? Are there some quarrels which must be untangled? Has your equipment been readied for the Lord's service? The disciples had more at stake than the catching of fish. They were to grow spiritually, to multi ply, to increase, to propogate and to plant other churches as the Lord might lead. In foreign service this is crucial. We need those who are willing to plant churches. There are many places where thousands of people have never had a Chris tian witness. In central Thailand, I
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ispiritual coldness. There is a great |need for "equipping" of the saints. )Existing congregations, now far [away from the Lord, need to be [brought back to Him. The final meaning of the word has the suggestion of the "furnish ing of a guest chamber." Suppose that Christ decided to come to your house. Are there some things in jyour mind you would have to hide? Would you be ashamed of some of those concepts and ideas? Could He be given the key to every se cret chamber of your thoughts? The Bible is interested in the holiness of individuals as well as in the holi ness and sanctification of the entire congregations. How many churches do you know of which are working for the sanctification of their entire society? They are really interested that the whole group together may grow in holiness and grace. This is what really concerns the Apostle in his letter. We should desire to be a glorious church, with out spot or wrinkle or any such thing. This is the work for which we need prophets, apostles, evan gelists, pastors and teachers. Let us desire that the church may be thor oughly equipped in every area of need for service. Laboring for a Glorious Church In Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, he declares his desire that God may present to Himself "a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing" (5:27). One of the biggest underlying problems is dis satisfaction with the church. We see it full of difficulties and incon sistencies. Unbelievers are con stantly accusing Christians of being hypocrites. While they may be at tracted to the Lord, those who claim to be saved are so hard to
take. Young people today seem desperately dissatisfied with the church as an institution. What is the answer to these accusations? Old Testament prophets were, in a sense, "angry young men." They were distressed about the people of God who failed to be what God intended for them. We know that one day the church will be glorious, even though it may seem far from it now. John's com ments in Revelation about the churches of Asia shows their im perfections. One lost its first love, another embraced false teaching, while a different one became luke warm. No wonder he looks for ward to "a new heaven and a new earth" where he envisions a future glorified church in the presence of the Lord. It is far too easy to be a critical spectator and fail to examine our own heart's needs before the Lord. The basic fact is that if there is anything wrong with the church, it is our fault. We are all a part of it. Paul urged the Philippians to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." The word "sal vation" does not mean deliverance from sin and death. He was talking about salvation in this present life, or physical restoration. It is no good piously stating, "Well, just leave it to the Lord." Remember, "it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleas ure." Every man who has believed is to be presented mature in Christ. Without question, one of the big gest wrinkles is ourselves. As mis sionaries we sometimes bring with us to the field various ideas which have been inherited. Some who go out have an institutionalized idea of the church. Others consider it Page 13
to be a well-run, heavily promoted organization. The fact remains that only the Scripture can establish the proper pattern. Too often we are desperately influenced by our own background. Our purpose as missionaries should not be simply what we have grown up with in our own native land. The church is not an intellectual circle. It is not a type of lecturing association where people sit pas sively as religious professional teachers proclaim their respective philosophies. Christianity, after all, is not just another kind of religion. It is far more than a mere specta tor sport. Religion is man's vain attempt by his own works to reach Cod. Christianity is Cod reaching down to man through His Son to bring eternal salvation. To be effective witnesses for the Lord requires a total commitment to the Saviour. It cannot be simply a weekly ritual performance. Too often in our individual lives, as well as our churches, we have no sense of purpose, permanence or goals in life. We just go through the mo tions of singing hymns, passing the plate, listening to a sermonette and then filing out only to return a week later to repeat the practice. The body of Christ truly has a tremendous purpose. It has to be a glorious Church "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing." We must not stop short with an inter mediate goal. We are to live sacri- ficially so that in every area of our daily existence Christ may be seen reflected in us. So often we lose the Scriptural idea that together we are supposed to grow and be conformed to the image of God's Looking across campus toward the Music Building (r).
Son. Together we are to be a col ony of heaven on earth. That was the thing for which Paul labored. The original meant to "wear your self out for this purpose." When I was a biology student we did an experiment with house flies. We would melt a blob of wax and put it on the back of a fly. Then a little wire was stuck in the wax to hold the fly in place. It could be lifted up and the wings would automatically go. It tried its best to get away, all to no avail. Finally, in sheer exhaustion those wings would drop off. That is what the word implies. Paul said he wanted to labor to the very point of exhaustion. Let me ask you, are you really concerned to see your
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church growing for the glory of God? Will you dedicate your life in your own congregation for such a high, holy and honorable pur pose? The Responsible Church Which Sent Barnabas There are some excellent pat terns for church growth given to us in the Bible. In Acts 11:22 we read, "The news about them (the people who had turned to Christ in Antioch) reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch." Here were people who were aware of a need somewhere else. Barnabas' real name was Joseph and he was a Levite. The very name meant,
"the son of encouragement." Such was his character. He went to the people in Antioch and shared with them the grace of God. He encour aged the people to remain true to the Lord. We need more people around who are like that! We take note that the Lord Himself is re ferred to as the "God of all en couragement" (comfort). Barnabas, in a specific way, reflected one of the vital facets of God's character. If you had such a nickname, what would it be? Which particular and glorious facet of God's character would you reflect? What type of contribution would you make on the lives of others? One of the big problems we have today is howto secure missionaries
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as missionaries. Give the cream, not the dregs. If there is somebody in your congregation whom you would really miss then that is the kind of person we want as an am bassador for Christ on the field. In the call of Silas, as well as others in the New Testament, we are impressed with the fact that they were being used already where they were. We in mission ary societies want those who are already successful in their service for Christ. A primary requisite is in finding someone who has been used to lead others to the Lord in their own culture. After all, if they have been unable to do much for Christ in their own environment, how are they going to be able to do anything when all the condi tions are strange for them? Will you as a church pray, "Lord, what contribution can we make? Whom can we send?" The Holy Spirit will guide you. Then, stand behind the individual with your prayers. You can be sure that the fiery darts of the enemy will soon assail. We want missionaries who have their home churches right behind them. To be sure, it is very wonderful when there are churches looking for missionaries to support. But it is even more wonderful when there are churches who pro duce their own "home grown" ser vants of the Lord. You can be involved through your prayers in evangelizing any and every continent in the world. You can be participating in this manner in the building up of the body of Christ around the globe. While you may never go out your self, you can still make a lasting contribution for all eternity. We need more missionaries like Bar-
like Barnabas. Here, the church in Jerusalem, knowing of the need somewhere else, sent their best representatives. They knew that those who are young in the faith need encouragement. How long has it been since you brought strength and comfort to the heart of another? Do you know what I think is one of the greatest tragedies in North America today as far as our spir itual lives is concerned? So often the connection between mission ary societies and the church seems to be primarily financial and taken up with the raising of support. This can be tragic! It is far from this New Testament idea of a congre gation's responsibility. What do we do today if we want missionaries or money for the foreign field? Too often we have a special meeting and make emotional appeals so that people are almost "badgered" into giving. We ask for decisions on the spur of the moment and there is confusion in lives. Such a system is not taught in the New Testament. We are told by the Holy Spirit, who is the Author of Scripture, that Barnabas "was sent." It does not say that he volunteered, or that he may have even felt personally called, although I am sure that he did. The emphasis is upon the sending by the church. Other mis sionary workers, such as Silas and Timothy with Paul, were chosen. This volunteer system is not the one which was used. How one longs that we might have the sense of corporate responsibility once again in the church. The congrega tion should look for the best to send. Do you have a Barnabas in your assembly? Send your very best
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ies. Consider Paul's evaluation, "the God to whom I belong and whom I serve" is able to care for me. All that he needed was a re minder that he belonged to the Lord. This was not the first time he had been shipwrecked. There were others as well (II Corinthians 11:25). These had happened to him before the incident recorded in Acts. He, like many of our missionaries to day, had gotten used to danger. I think of those ambassadors of the cross in Laos, Thailand, Cambo dia, the Philippines and, of course, Viet Nam. Sometimes when people think about being a missionary, they imagine all the dreadful things that could happen such as dying from cholera, being eaten by pih- ranas, frozen to death in the Arctic, or killed by the ruthless bandits of Asia. All of these things could not happen to you. They are mutually exclusive ways of finishing life. In this way, we begin to realize that, in fact, we have only to go one place, and when we get to the un known it is not unknown any more. For this reason, we see mission aries in these situations working wonderfully and in encouraging ways. I think of the day when I went out through floods in Central Thai land. It was quite frightening at times riding on the back of a mo tor bike, going over bridges where the water of the rivers had risen so high that it was a couple of feet above the bridge deck itself. Water would swirl up over our legs and threaten to pull us under. We drove to a little church and found a woman missionary already there. She was a leprosy nurse whose clothing was mud-spattered. Here were all her patients seeking help Page 17
nabas, and more churches like the one at Jerusalem. This was a con gregation that really felt involved with its missionaries. I trust there are some Barnabases in your con gregation and that together you will find the Lord's will in sending them out to join us in other parts of the world where Christians and churches are so few. What a tre mendous ministry and opportunity awaits us. The God to Whom I Belong How challenging are the testi monies of the Lord's servants re corded in the Bible. Paul was in a storm at sea and facing shipwreck as he affirmed his faith in "The God to whom I belong and whom I serve" (Acts 27::23). Although he is in grave peril he is not afraid. In order to fulfill His purposes God often brings His servants into places of danger. Earlier in his ministry Paul and Silas were seized by the mob, stripped, beaten and cast in to prison where their feet were fastened in the stocks. Yet, they sang and, as a result, God brought an earthquake. Keep in mind that the Lord is not primarily interested in our comfort. We may be put into dangerous sit uations that ultimately may bring blessing to others. In recent visits to some of our stations in Asia, I have found ambassadors of the cross who live daily in grave dan ger. The whole world is a revolu tionary situation and resembles a powder keg ready to be set off. Why would anyone want to go to places like these? It is obviously the love of Christ which constrains them and God has put them there. How challenged we should be with the attitude of the missionar
courages us. We need to pray for missionaries who are in dangerous situations that they may be encour aged and know of the Lord's pres ence. Can you echo Paul's words about belonging to and serving Cod? Some people just belong to their belongings. Some just des perately want to belong to them selves and do whatever they per sonally desire. They want to be the captain of their own fate. The trouble is they do not really know where the ship is going. Can you confess afresh just now that you belong to God and that you want to serve Him? And then, will you pray for the missionaries out there just now? They may find themselves on ships being wrecked. Whatever their situations, pray that they may know the Cod who is standing by them to meet their ev ery need. In this way you can mul tiply your efforts for the cause of Christ around the world.
from this one ray of potential hope. There was no fear on her part. She had seen too many dangers al ready, and the Lord had brought her through victoriously. Paul encouraged the others on the ship to keep up their strength. He promised, "There will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship." An angel of the Lord had told him not to be afraid. When Paul was in Corinth, the Lord came and stood by him and said, "Do not be afraid any longer" (Acts 18:19). When Paul got to Rome, he avowed that the Lord "stood by me and strengthened me." Keep in mind that the Apostle was a per fectly normal man who had per fectly normal reactions. What we see is the result of a life fully trust ing Christ. You know, we missionaries are not clothed in emotional asbestos; we are just ordinary people. The Lord Himself strengthens and en
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PANEL Discussions
Dr. Charles L. Feinberg
Dr. J. Richard Chase
Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland
A. Some have the erroneous idea that from the time of the Church's birth at Pentecost until Martin Lu ther in 1517 it was all one homo geneous group. It is true that one prominent church had spread in many areas. Read history and find the various groups which were in existence before the Reformation. We here at Biola College and Tal bot Seminary do not feel that anti- denominationalism is a mark of spirituality. The opposite could eas ily be true. Most of the names we find today did occur following the Reformation in later centuries. This would have been after the begin ning of the 16th Century A.D. Q. San lose, Calif. "Is Jesus only a Spirit-being now?" A. No, very definitely He is not! Our Lord has His resurrection body Page 19
Q. Redwood City, Calif. "The Bible speaks of God as being jealous of our love and worship. If God is per fect and free from sin, how could He be jealous?" A. Originally the word "jealous" did not mean spiteful, embittered or reeking in vengeance. Cod right fully demands our love. We are to give Him that which properly be longs to Him. The Lord desires to be Cod of all or not God at all. This is what the "jealous" really means. We cannot think of man's sinful propensities, such as hatred, envy and jealousy as being attri butes ascribed to Cod. They are not the same things at all. Q. Porterville, Calif. " Where did all of the churches get their names and the various denominations or iginate?"
which is likened unto what believ ers will receive at the Rapture. Af ter rising from the grave our Lord was seen and felt by people. They could talk with Him and yet His glorified body was not subjected to the laws of time or space. We believe that Christ is up in heaven now, seated at the right hand of the Father. Q. Seattle, Wash. " What does the new birth mean? Someone asked me the question and I do not know exactly how to answer it." A. John Wesley was once asked, "Why do you always preach that man must be born again?" He re plied, "For the simple reason that you must be born again." This question is basic, You know what birth means in the physical realm. A new individual has come into the world. On the simple basis of that physical life a person can have a physical existence as long as God allows it. In order to be alive to spiritual things one must also have a spiritual birth. When God created Adam and Eve He did so that they might be without sin. They were innocent until they disobeyed. (Do not be too hard on them for we probably would have done the same thing only quicker.) Because of this they entered into spiritual death (Ephesians 2:1). Only one thing can change death and that is life. To be alive spiritually requires that we be born of the Spirit. This means that we believe what the Word of God says about our being sinners. We realize we cannot do anything to make ourselves right eous before God. Yet, Jesus Christ paid the full price for us. We ac cept Him as our Saviour—Sacrifice. We stake our eternal salvation on what He has done for us. When by Page 21
faith we do this then in that mo ment we are born again of the Spirit of God. To be born into this world physically we did not have anything to do with it. To be born into God's family means we do not have anything to do with it either, since it is all of Christ. In practice it means that the old desires are gone. There will be a new set of values and outlook on life. And why not, for there is a new destin ation which will be for all eternity. You now have a new Guidebook and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 5:17). John 3:1-18 clearly shows this teaching and purpose for the new birth in Christ. Q. Redondo Beach, Calif. "Some one quoted Romans 8:28 and said in her case it had not worked. She confessed that she had 24 years of hell because of her marital prob lems." A. It is true that Romans 8:28 is one of the hardest verses in the Bible. It needs to be believed and put into practice in our daily lives. If Paul had only said, "We know that some things work together for good." Or even, "we know that most things work together for good." That little word "all" is most emphatic. We must needs go through suffering, pain, agony of soul, and various bitter experiences of life. How can these things work together for our good? Speaking out of a heart of deepest sympathy where marriage problems are so rampant, somehow, when this life is finished, it will be revealed to you that even in these trials things were working together for good. You see, it is impossible for us to observe the finished product. We
are not able to look at things from God's vantage point or perspective. Q. Santa Cruz, Calif. "When Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Egypt un til Herod died, where did they stay? Did they just travel around ?" A. No one knows where the three were at that time. Scripture makes no mention of it. Generally, it would be assumed that, because of the age of the Child, they more than likely remained in one place. Q. Fresno, Calif. "It is a very dis turbing issue to think that possibly Satanism is being taught on some of our high school and college cam puses. What can be done about it?" A. It seems quite evident that such is taking place in institutions edu cating our young people. This is based on reports from school lead ers. Youth today have found that sex, drugs and rebellion have not made it. Many of these youths are going still further and experiment ing with Satan himself. The occult, witchcraft, voodoo, and devil wor ship are spreading in epidemic pro portions. It is hard to believe, much less to understand, but young peo ple are committing their lives to Satan just as a Christian turns over his life to Jesus Christ. All of this simply indicates, we believe, that the stage is being set for the re turn of our Saviour. The world may soon see the emergence of the an ti-Christ, the devil's master coun terfeit. Prophetic portions of the New Testament tell us that in the end times there will be a prolifer ation of evil spirit activity. People have tried everything until their minds and hearts are empty and dissatisfied. All they have left is a vacuum and this they have as a
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i void to be filled by Satan himself. The devil is blinding men and wo men of every age, seemingly as never before. Scripture describes them with the words, "professing themselves to be wise, they be come fools." There is only one safe guard and that is to cleave to the | Word of God. One who does this \ will not be an easy prey for any I devilish devices. Q. Fresno, Calif. "The place and the passage, 'Verily I say unto thee, today thou shalt be with me in par adise' bothers me. Should it not I read, 'Verily I say unto thee today, shalt thou be with me in paradise?' My further reasoning for this is that Jesus did not return to the Father that day." A. You are obviously confused as to where paradise actually is. It is referred to as the abode of the righteous dead. Jesus did not as cend to the Father the day He was crucified. He went to Paradise, or Abraham's bosom. It was the por tion of hades which contained the souls of the righteous. This should not be confused at that time with heaven. When Christ went to the right hand of the Father He took the souls of the righteous with Him, and literally emptied that part of hades known as Paradise (Ephesi ans 4:8). Christ's statement to the believing thief was an exclamation of promise and assurance. Do not make a question out of it at all. To day when a believer dies his soul goes to be with Christ in heaven ("absent from the body, present with the Lord." Q. Salina, Kans. "How do you in terpret Isaiah 2:2-4? Do you be lieve the conditions described in
these verses will take place before the coming of Christ? If not, when will they transpire?" A. This is often quoted, even by those who do not hold to prophet ic teaching. Isaiah is writing in the eight century B.C. under the inspir ation of the Holy Spirit. He reminds Israel of their sins and that the city someday will become right eous with the truth of Cod. The Lord's spokesman denounces their iniquity and looks on to a time when all of earth's ills will be righted. This will be experienced in the kingdom age when Christ rules during what is known as the Millennium. That follows the seven year period of the earth's Great Tribulation. "The last days" here refer to Israel. Keep in mind that the last days for Israel are separate from the last days of the Church which many properly consider these times to be. In that glorious period all nations shall be blessed. Righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Men will "beat their swords into plow shares and their spears into prun- inghooks." They will not only cease to battle each other, they will also not even know how to practice war. Such things could not possibly take place before the Rapture or the Tribulation. Only when this globe has the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ bodily and visibly can such conditions be brought about. Q. Oroville, Calif. "Do you believe that it is against Cod's will for one to be cremated?" A. There is nothing given specifi cally in the Bible, however, because of the value Scripture places on the body, it certainly does not seem to be the norm. From all indications Page 23
will live throughout all eternity. When a man accepts the Saviour; it is not that the old nature has been made over or patched up. The old Adamic spirit is dead and is never revived. Cod creates liter ally a new being. He will also be given a resurrection body likened unto our Lord's glorious body. Q. Sherwood, Ore. "In Genesis 49, it appears that Levi and Joseph were not included in the 12 tribes of Israel. Yet, in Revelation 7 they are. Why is this?" A. Levi is repeatedly indicated as receiving no inheritance among the twelve tribes. Joseph had his divided between Manasseh and Ephraim. There is an interesting comment on this in I Chronicles 5:1. Reuben, the firstborn, had de filed his father's bed. This is why his birthright was given to Joseph's sons. For this reason the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. Judah prevailed above brethren. The birthright went to Joseph's two sons who were in cluded. The families of Levi had 48 cities, four in everyone of the 12 tribes. Cod wanted them to be giv en completely to His service. Q. Watsonville, Calif. "/ have won dered about that famous picture of Christ with the sheep all around Him. If you know the one I mean there is one black sheep in the group. What is the meaning?" A. For one reason, in almost every .flock of sheep there is one or more black animals. The wool of the black one is just as valuable, if not more so than in the white. "A black sheep" traditionally refers to one who has gone astray. It may be that the artist was portraying himself, or some individual who, at one time,
burial is Cod's method (Deuteron omy 34:6). When Moses died the Lord buried him. The body could have been disposed of in a num ber of ways. Jesus Christ was bur ied for three days and three nights before He rose again. There is a certain dignity adhering to the body of loved ones. This points to the fact that the body eventually is going to be changed. We have not been called upon to hasten the process of nature. After the stoning at the martyr dom of Stephen we read that "De vout men carried Stephen to his burial" (Acts 8:2). Even when judg ment fell on Ananias and Sapphira the Bible tells us that they were buried. If you read those cases in the Bible where there was crema tion it was because of a great num ber dying at one time. The basic reason here seems to be for sani tation. Generally speaking, the nor mative way of putting away a body of an individual, saved or unsaved, is by burial. Q. Pomona, Calif. " What is the dif ference between a person's soul and his spirit?" A. This opens up the whole ques tion of the doctrine of trichotomy. Many good theologians hold to the idea that man is made up of body and soul or spirit. They identify soul and spirit as one in this way. The trichotomist, however, differ entiates between the two. This lat ter view would seem to be the proper observation from Scripture. The body is the physical being. The soul represents the animal nature of man. The spirit, unregenerated, is dead in trespasses and sin. The spirit of a Christian has been made alive through faith in Christ and he becomes a new creation. The spirit
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take life except in a case of pre scribed capital punishment or in the course of war. There are those who hold to the belief of euthan asia which represents what is known as "mercy killing." While such may seem beneficial for all in volved, especially in terminal cases of illness, yet no man has the right to make that decision of causing another person's death. Who can know at that instance the Lord's will for any particular individual? This is true, too, of the Lord's will for those who minister to the one who is sick. There may be lessons they must learn from the experi ence, too. In such dire times of af fliction, we would do well to pause and consider what the Lord is try ing to say to us. In God's own time and way He will take care of the one who is sick as to the termina tion of physical lire. Q. Seattle, Wash. "When the ark was on its way of Jerusalem it was jolted by the oxen (II Samuel 6:6- 8) and could have crashed on the rough road. Why was it an error for Uzzah to reach out and steady the Ark? Why was he struck dead for evidently seeking to protect it?" A. It is interesting to see others in Scripture whom God struck dead. There were Nadab and Abihu in Levitcus 10, as well as Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts. The background for this is that the ark was on its way to Jerusalem. Keep in mind that it is not enough to do what you think is God's will. It must be that we obey God no matter what the extenuating or ex ternal conditions may be. Uzzah's purposes may have been well in- tentioned but when it comes to that which is holy, things must be Page 25
had strayed from the fold. It could carry this or some other possible spiritual connotation. Q. Arroyo Grande, Calif. " When the Lord comes for His own, will all the little ones, below the age of accountability, be taken to be with Him? Will the Lord take babies of the heathen as well as of Christians when He comes? How can Chris tians love the Lord's returning when they do not know what will become of their little ones?" A. The consensus of testimony in the Bible indicates that little ones, who have not been able to make a proper response below the age of accountability, would not be ex cluded. They will be taken to be with the Lord. Every invitation and message in the Bible is for an intel ligent, knowledgeable acceptance. If a child is born mentally defec tive, or with some other problem, he cannot make a decision. He is not saved because of his innocence but because the blood of Christ avails (Matthew 18:10). A child of a saved person is in a much more privileged position than one from heathen parentage. But our family background does not save a person. The Lord will take babies of all na tions and from every tribe. Q. Yakima, Wash. " I fee l very strongly against prolonging life fol lowing a severe stroke, heart at tack or some other dread illness. There are many drugs and mechan ical means now employed by med ical science to keep an individual alive. All of these seem contrary to the laws of nature." A. The Bible teaches that "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord." It is never man's prerogative to
done in the right way. You see, sincerity is never sufficient. The first problem here is that the ark of Cod was being carried on a cart. Numbers 4:1-15 tells explicit ly that it was always to be borne by hand. We seem so prone to for get that it is extremely important to do things in Cod's way. The Lord has not asked us to improve on His commands. Blessing can only come, even with the best in tentions, if our service follows the course prescribed by God. Yes, you must do God's work in God's way. This event should have caused all those who heard of it, as well as us today, to know that to trans gress God's laws may bring dire results! Q. Phoenix, Ariz. "In James 4:3 we read, 'Ye ask, and receive not, be cause ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.' Is it true that we can trust Christ to provide for our needs but not our wants? Our debts are not the re sult of unwise spending and I do so warry about them. We would like to give more to the Lord's work but these bills would go unpaid if we did ." A. Another verse of precious prom ise is Philippians 4:19. It goes right along with the passage you have quoted. The answer is not to be by our desires but according to our needs. First of all, you are to be commended if your debts are not the results of any unwise spending. Unfortunately today that is not al ways the situation. The Lord does provide for our needs. We can trust Him to supply, generally through employment that we might take care of the debts. We are certainly not to worry, as you have indicated.
This is a sin and displeasing to the Saviour. It is true that you have a first responsibility to wise debts. If there are debts you have assumed unwisely you should get out of those obligations as quickly as pos sible. God does not expect you to neglect the payment of your bills to give to Him. You should start first by giving Him at least a tenth. Many are the consistent and prov en testimonies of those who have given their tithe only to discover that the Lord has made the nine- tenths go further than before. Prove God for yourself. This is where faith comes in. Ask Him to provide ways by which your stewardship may not only be consistent but also in creased, in accordance with His will. Q. Pasadena, Calif. "When the In terpreter's Bible came out evangel icals warned against it. Do they ac cept it any more today? How do you feel about the new Bible com mentary that appears in this edi tion?" A. The reason conservative theo logians were against the Interpret er's Bible is because those who did the editorial work were not doc- trinally sound or of an evangelical persuasion. They were writing for the modernists or liberal wing of the church. In no sense could they be considered orthodox or funda mental. While evangelicals cannot endorse it, it is used in some circles as a comparative study. It should all be handled with discretion, in cluding the Bible dictionary. While the latter contains much factual material it can only be considered with a great deal of caution and awareness.
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my neighbor who is also the ob ject of God's accepting love. A friend of mine was at a conference and greatly blessed by a man who had spoken. When he encountered the speaker the next day he shook him by the hand and said, "Sir, I do thank God for you." The fellow was not embarrassed but looked up brightly, "You know, I thank God for myself." While that may sound unusual it should be the normal experience of our hearts. Can you look in the mirror and thank God for yourself because He has redeemed you? It is important to realize that this self is a container and manifestor of the divine. Most of the theology impregnating our hymns, sermons, Bible studies and prayers empha sizes the great truth of justifica tion. Yet this is only half of the word God spoke through Christ to humanity. Paul says (Colossians 1:27) that it is a mystery which has been hidden from generations but is revealed to us. This has been committed to us as ministers of the Gospel. Basically, the heart of the Gospel is not the cross, the blood of the Saviour, or the second coming of the Messiah. It is the fact Page 27
by John Whittle
John Whittle is the western representative with World Wide Evangelization Crusade. As we consider our lives, we have to realize that there is a gospel according to every one of us. Each of us is an original. We can be thankful for this wonderful variety God has given. One humanity seeks to function on its own while the other recognizes that it cannot. The Lord's acceptance of us, the unacceptable, forms the first trans forming experience for the individ ual. It envelopes him in the sense of well-being which is almost in- expressable. It is my experience that I had to learn to accept myself because I am accepted by God. Often I fool ishly tried to combine self-rejec tion with Christ-acceptance. Such will always work havoc in anyone's life. Remember the prodigal son and how he was swept up into a storm of unconditional acceptance by his father? He was not allowed to finish his well-prepared address of repentance. Accepting myself, though unac ceptable, enables me also to accept
Biola Soccer team with Coach Ed Norman on the left.
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That young fellow had gotten Chris tianity in its proper perspective. He had seen that life was really Christ living in him. He was only to be the outward manifestation of His redeemed creation. When the Lord comes into a person, He does so to live His life through them. Sometimes I think we miss this great truth by trying to make salva tion complicated. Christ resides in us so that in the ordinary situations and circumstances of life we can be victorious. He must be the ma jor fact and not the secondary. He is not there as a point of refer ence or a silent partner, but the One who, in all things, has the su premacy. C. T. Studd was the founder of the World-Wide Evangelization Crusade. He regarded the essence of his ministry as being a mission ary. He had been in China, then an independent missionary in In dia for another 10 years, and fin ally, when he was really an invalid, he went to the heart of Africa to the Belgian Congo. The mission he founded is now operating in about 40 different lands with over 1000 missionaries. His testimony was, "From hence forth I live and I die out here in the Congo for one thing and one thing only. I want to see Jesus Christ running about in black bodies." That is a quaint way of putting it, and yet it reveals a complete dedication of heart. Jesus Christ must live His life through us. When Pentecost came for the apostles it meant that which had been outside of themselves had now become the internal factor of their daily existence. Cod had truly come to live in them. There are some startling state ments the Saviour made, "The Son can do nothing of Himself." Christ Page 29
that the Almighty, through His Holy Spirit, comes to live in His re deemed humanity. It is not God for man, but God in man. One of the key phrases of the New Testa ment is "in you." So often our services are started by some well-meaning person who intones, "Lord, wilt Thou be with us during this service?" This im plies that there is some question. For all who have accepted Him by faith, He is always with us. Paul, in his personal testimony to the Gala tians speaks of his conversion as God revealing His Son in me as being the primary purpose. The Lord's life was lived out through Paul's humanity. It was God's work ing, not Paul's working for God. In Galatians 2:20, Paul gives a striking testimony of his life in Christ. While he is alone, yet that life is completely wrapped up in the indwelling presence by the Sav iour. This verse shows true eman cipation and freedom to live. Paul says "It is not I living, but another One living in me; and I am the means of His love being shed abroad. To the Apostle, Christ was the major factor. Some years ago here in Los An geles I went to a large youth gath ering with my teenage son. I sat there hardly expecting anything profound. I had to be humbled and soon was. There were a number of young people who gave their tes timonies. One of the lads was in troduced as the president of his high school student body. When he came to say what was on his heart he explained, "I want to cor rect a mistake about my position. The real fact is that Jesus Christ is the President of the student body counsel. I simply have the great privilege of being His assistant."
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