Christians and emotions

The Christian and His Emotions

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”–1 Corinthians 10:13

God has not promised
Skies always blue;
Flower-strewn pathways
All your life through.

Being a Christian does not mean freedom from conflicts. Trials are a part of the development of Christian character. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 5:3, 4, “we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.”

Trials, for the Christian, not only develop character; they also give a depth of sympathetic understanding with others likewise afflicted. This sympathy not only enables the Christian to be helpful to others in the present life but, even more importantly, gives him the compassion to deal with the human race when they are raised from the grave in the promised resurrection of all.

In this regard, their experiences are like those of Christ Jesus, their Lord and Master. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15, 16).

The spiritual mind must learn how to deal with STRESS. The hectic pace of life, especially in a technological age, creates great pressures. Some seek escape in the drug culture, others succumb to deep depressions. These stresses contribute to high divorce rates and the increasing violence so evident in today’s society. The Christian must learn now to channel these pressures productively, learning that the only final solution is full and complete trust in God, his goodness, and his personal watch care over his children.

Only too frequently stress gives way to ANGER. Anger is born of frustration in not achieving one’s own goals and is thus a form of self-love. The Christian needs to learn now to control his temper and modify his own desires with a consideration of the needs and desires of others. There is a righteous anger when the principles of righteousness are violated. But even this PERFECT HATRED (Psalm 139:22) needs to be expressed in a productive manner.

Another stress in the Christian life is to CONFORM. Peer pressure, parental pressure, and the entire framework of society emphasizes the necessity to conform. The Bible emphasizes to the contrary, “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The trials of life are not easy to endure. They are often accompanied by sorrow. Yet, each trial for the Christian is ordered and overruled by a kind and loving God who ADDETH NO SORROW (Proverbs 10:22) to the experience. Each difficulty is accompanied with grace sufficient to endure and secure the lesson intended. The Apostle Paul expressed it well when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Perhaps there is no greater trial to bear than that of death–whether it be in our own family, a close friend, or those who succumb to the tragedies of which we read in the daily press. The GRIEVING process is universal. Handling of this sorrow has troubled even the best of psychologists. The Bible does not promise immunity from the sorrows of grief, but it does say that he should “sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). It is the hopes of the resurrection which ameliorates the sadness of the death experience–a positive assurance that our loved ones shall live again.

Tragedies and death often raise the question, even to the sincere Christian, WHY DOES GOD PERMIT EVIL? If life is viewed in the narrow context of current existence, there is no logical answer to this question. It is only by taking the broader and more far-reaching view of God’s Kingdom that we can begin to appreciate the answer to this troubling inquiry. If man’s current experiences of some 80 years, more or less, can be compared with an eternity of life in a perfect earth, the answer begins to emerge. It is only when man has learned both the results of a life under sin and evil with its consequences of sorrow, sickness, and death and the results of a life lived in obedience to God’s righteous principles with its consequences of joy, health, and life, that he can make the willing intelligent choice to obey and live.

The answer, easy to express but difficult to attain, is to live a life filled with inner PEACE–not the externals of peace, but the interior peace of mind which enables the Christian to rise above the trials and tribulations of present life. Such peace is not obtained by one’s own endeavors. Such bring only frustration. It is arrived at by a full and complete trust in God that all of life’s affairs will work out an ultimate good. True peace is not man’s ultimate attainment, but Peace is the gift of God.

The Temptation of Christ

“He Was Tempted in All Points Like as We
Are, Yet Without Sin”
–Heb. 4:15–

It will be noticed that this statement is not that our Lord was tempted in all points like as the world is tempted, but like as we, his followers, are tempted. He was not tempted along the lines of depraved appetites for sinful things, received by heredity, from an earthly parentage; but being holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, he was tempted along the same lines as his followers of this Gospel age–who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit; and who are judged not according to the infirmities of their flesh, but according to the spirit of their minds–according to their new wills, new hearts. Rom. 8:4; 2 Cor. 5:16; John 8:15

This is seen very clearly in connection with our Lord’s temptations in the wilderness, which immediately followed his consecration and baptism at Jordan. Matt. 4:1-11

(1) The first was Satan’s suggestion that he use the divine power which he had just received at Jordan, in ministering to his own wants, converting the stones into bread. This was not a temptation in any degree traceable to heredity or imperfection. Our Lord had been forty days without food, studying the divine plan, seeking to determine, under the enlightening influence of the holy Spirit, just received, what would be his proper course in life, to fulfil the great mission upon which he had come into the world, viz., the world’s redemption. The suggestion that he use the spiritual power conferred upon him, and which he realized was in his possession, to minister to the necessities of his flesh, would, at first thought, seem reasonable; but our Lord at once discerned that such a use of his spiritual gift would be wrong, would be a misuse of it, a use for which it was not intended, and hence he rejected the suggestion, saying, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” The Lord’s “brethren” sometimes have similar temptations of the Adversary, suggestions to use spiritual gifts for the furtherance of temporal interests. Suggestions of this kind are insidious, and are the channels through which God’s consecrated people not infrequently are led astray by the Adversary to greater and greater misuse of divine blessings.

(2) The Adversary suggested to our Lord fakir methods of introducing his mission to the people–that he leap from a pinnacle of the temple into the valley below in the sight of the multitude; so that their seeing him survive uninjured would be a proof to them of his superhuman power, which would lead them at once to accept him as the Messiah, and to cooperate with him in the work before him. But our Lord saw at once that such methods were wholly out of harmony with the divine arrangement, and even the misapplication of a scripture by the Adversary (apparently in favor of the wrong) did not swerve him from the principles of righteousness. He immediately replied to the effect that such a procedure on his part would be a tempting of divine providence, wholly unwarranted, and hence not to be considered for a moment. Where duty called or danger the Master did not hesitate, but realized the Father’s ability to keep every interest; but true confidence in God does not involve a reckless exposure to danger, without divine command, and merely for a show, and in a spirit of braggadocio.

The Lord’s brethren have temptations along this line also, and need to remember this lesson and example set before them by the Captain of our Salvation. We are not to rush unbidden into dangers, and esteem ourselves thus valiant soldiers of the cross. “Daredevil deeds” may not seem out of place to the children of the devil, but they are wholly improper in the children of God. The latter have a warfare which requires still greater courage. They are called upon to perform services which the world does not applaud, nor even appreciate, but often persecutes. They are called upon to endure ignominy, and the scoffs of the world; yea, and to have the uncircumcised of heart “say all manner of evil” against them falsely for Christ’s sake. In this respect the followers of the Captain of our Salvation pass along the same road, and walk in the footsteps of their Captain. And it requires greater courage to ignore the shame and ignominy of the world, in the disesteemed service of God, than to perform some great and wonderful feat, that would cause the natural man to wonder and admire.

One of the chief battles of those who walk this narrow way is against self-will; to bring their wills into fullest subjection to the Heavenly Father’s will, and to keep them there; to rule their own hearts, crushing out the rising ambitions which are natural even to a perfect manhood; quenching these kindling fires, and presenting their bodies and all earthly interests living sacrifices in the service of the Lord and his cause. These were the trials in which our Captain gained his victory and its laurels, and these also are the trials of his “brethren.” “Greater is he that ruleth his own spirit [bringing it into full subordination to the will of God] than he that taketh a city:” greater also is such than he who, with a false conception of faith, would leap from the pinnacle of a temple, or do some other foolhardy thing. True faith in God consists not in blind credulity and extravagant assumptions respecting his providential care: it consists, on the contrary, of a quiet confidence in all the exceeding great and precious promises which God has made, a confidence which enables the faithful to resist the various efforts of the world, the flesh and the devil, to distract his attention, and which follows carefully the lines of faith and obedience marked out for us in the divine Word.

(3) The third temptation of our Lord was to offer earthly dominion and speedy success in the establishment of his kingdom, without suffering and death, without the cross, upon condition of a compromise with the Adversary. The Adversary claimed, and his claim was not disputed, that he held control of the world, and that by his cooperation the Kingdom of Righteousness, which our Lord had come to institute, could be quickly established. Satan’s intimation was that he had become weary of leading the world into sin, blindness, superstition, ignorance, and that he therefore had a sympathy with our Lord’s mission, which was to help the poor, fallen race. What he wanted to retain, however, was a leading or controlling influence in the world; and hence the price of his turning the world over to a righteous course, the price of his cooperation with the Lord Jesus in a restitutionary blessing of the world, was, that the latter should recognize him, Satan, as the ruler of the world, in its reconstructed condition–that thus our Lord should do homage to him.

We are to remember that Satan’s rebellion against the divine rule was instigated by ambition to be himself a monarch– “as the Most High.” (Isa. 14:14) We recall that this was the primary motive of his successful attack upon our first parents in Eden–that he might alienate or separate them from God, and thus enslave them to himself. We can readily suppose that he would prefer to be monarch of happier subjects than the “groaning creation:” he would prefer subjects possessed of everlasting life. It would appear that even yet he does not recognize the fact that everlasting life and true happiness are impossible except in harmony with Divine law. Satan was therefore willing to become a reformer in all particulars except one–his ambition must be gratified–he must be no less the ruler amongst men; and was he not already “the Prince of this world”–and so acknowledged in Holy Writ? (John 14:30; 12:31; 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4) Not that he had any divine commission to be “the prince of this world,” but that by getting possession of mankind, through ignorance, and through misrepresentation of the false as the true, of darkness as the light, of wrong as the right, he had so confused, bewildered, blinded the world that he easily held the position of master or “god of this world, who now worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience” –the vast majority.

The peculiar temptation of Satan’s suggestion therefore was, that it seemed to offer a new solution of the question of the recovery of man out of his condition of sin. And more than this, it seemed to imply at least a partial repentance on the part of Satan, and the possibility of his recovery to a course of righteousness, provided he could be guaranteed the continued success of his ambition to be a ruler over subjects more happy and more prosperous than it was possible for them to be while kept under his delusions and enslaved by sin, which was the only way in which he could retain man’s loyalty: because in proportion as mankind rejects sin and appreciates holiness, in that proportion it becomes desirous to serve and to worship God.

Our Lord Jesus did not long hesitate. He had absolute confidence that the Father’s wisdom had adopted the best and only adequate plan. Therefore he not only did not confer with flesh and blood, but neither would he bargain with the Adversary for cooperation in the work of the world’s uplift.

Here also we see one of the special besetments of the Adversary against the Lord’s “brethren.” He succeeded in tempting the nominal Church, early in her career, to abandon the way of the cross, the narrow way of separateness from the world, and to enter into a league with the civil power, and thus gradually to become influential in the world’s politics. By cooperation with “the princes of this world,” fostered and aided by the Adversary secretly, she sought to establish the reign of Christ on earth, through a representative, a pope, for whom it was claimed that he was Christ’s vicegerent. We have seen what baneful influences resulted: how this counterfeit Kingdom of Christ became really a kingdom of the devil, for his work it did. We have seen the result in the “dark ages,” and that the Lord denominates the system “Antichrist.”

And although the Reformation started in boldly, we find that the Adversary again presented the same temptation before the Reformers, and we see that they resisted it only in part, that they were willing to compromise the truth for the sake of the protection and aid of “the kingdoms of this world,” and in the hope that the kingdoms of this world would in some manner become the Kingdom of our Lord. But we see that the combination of the Church and the world influence, as represented in Protestantism, while less baneful in its results than Papacy’s combination, is nevertheless very injurious, and a great hindrance to all who come under its influence. We see that the constant conflict of the “brethren” is to overcome this temptation of the Adversary, and to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free–not of the world, but separate from it.

Moreover, we find that although the same temptation comes to all the “brethren,” it comes in slightly modified form from time to time, and that the great Adversary very cunningly, in every instance, attempts to do with us as with the Lord, viz., to present himself as a leader along the lines of reform which he advocates–appearing to be in hearty sympathy with the work of blessing the world. His latest temptation along this line comes in the form of the suggested “social uplift,” which he is successfully bringing before the minds of many of the “brethren.” He suggests now, that however necessary it once was to walk the “narrow way,” the way of the cross, it is no longer necessary so to do; but that now we have reached the place where the whole matter may be easily and quickly accomplished, and the world in general lifted up to a high plane of social, intellectual, moral and religious standing. But the plans which he suggests always involve combination with him: in the present instance it is the suggestion that all who would be co-workers in the social uplift shall join in social and political movements, which shall bring about the desired end. And he has become so bold and so confident of the support of the majority that he no longer pretends to favor reform along the line of individual conversion from sin and salvation from condemnation, and reconciliation with the Father, through a personal faith in and consecration to the Lord Jesus Christ: his proposition is a social uplift, which shall ignore individual responsibilities and sins, and merely regard social conditions and make society outwardly “clean.” He would have us disregard the Lord’s teaching, to the effect that only those who come unto the Father through him are “sons of God,” and his “brethren:” instead, he would have us believe that all men are brethren, and that God is the Father of all humanity, that none are “children of wrath,” and that it is criminally unchristian and uncharitable to believe our Lord’s words that some are of their “father, the devil.” He would thus, without always so saying in specific terms, have us ignore and deny man’s fall into sin, and ignore and deny the ransom from sin, and all the work of atonement; under the specious, deceptive watchword, “the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man,” and the Golden Rule.

This temptation of the Adversary before the “brethren” today is deceiving many, and probably will yet deceive all except “the very elect.” (Matt. 24:24) These very elect “brethren,” are those who follow closely in the Master’s footsteps, and who, instead of hearkening to the Adversary’s suggestions, hearken to the Word of the Lord. These very elect “brethren,” instead of leaning to their own understandings, and to Satan’s sophistries, have faith in the superior wisdom of Jehovah and his divine plan of the ages. Hence these are all “taught of God,” and know thereby that the work of the present age is the selection of the “brethren” of Christ, and their testing, and finally their glorification with the Lord in the Kingdom, as the seed of Abraham, to bless the world; and that in the next age will come God’s “due time” for the world’s uplift, mental, moral and physical. Hence the very elect cannot be deceived by any of the specious arguments or sophistries of their wily foe. Moreover, the “brethren” are not ignorant of his devices, for they were forewarned along this line, and they are looking unto Jesus, who not only is the Author of their faith, through the sacrifice of himself, but also is to be the finisher of it, when he shall grant them a part in the first resurrection, and make them partakers of his excellent glory and divine nature.

Such are the points of temptation to the “brethren,” and such were the points of temptation to their Captain. He was “tempted in all points like as we are” tempted; and he knows how to succor those who are tempted, and who are willing to receive the succor which he gives, in the way in which he gives it–through the teachings of his Word and its exceeding great and precious promises. The weaknesses which come to us through heredity were no part of our Lord’s temptation. He did not have a drunkard’s appetite; he did not have a murderer’s passion, nor a thief’s avarice; he was holy, harmless, separate from sinners. Nor do his “brethren” have these besetments, as their temptations. Those who have become his “brethren” through faith, and consecration, and begetting of the holy Spirit of adoption, have lost the disposition which seeks to do injury to others, and have received instead the new mind, the mind of Christ, the spirit of Christ, the spirit of a sound mind, the holy Spirit– the spirit of love; which seeks first of all the Father’s will, and secondly, seeks to do good unto all men, as it has opportunity, especially to the household of faith. Gal. 6:10

And though there remains in the flesh of these “new creatures,” possessed of the new mind or new will, a weakness of heredity, a tendency toward passion or strife, so that they may need continually to keep on guard against these, and may occasionally be overtaken in a fault, contrary to their wills, nevertheless these unintentional weaknesses are not counted unto them as sins, nor as the acts of the “new creature,” but merely as defects which belong to the old nature, which, so long as the new nature opposes them, are reckoned as covered by the merit of the ransom–the great sin-offering made by the Captain of our Salvation. It is the “new creature” alone that is being tried, tested, fitted, polished and prepared for joint-heirship with Christ in his Kingdom, and not the body of flesh, which, of such, is reckoned dead.

Do We All Worship the same God?

Do We All Worship
The Same God?

Chapter 1

Our Multi-Religious Culture

A Cultural Revolution is creeping across our country. We are in a fundamentally different religious environment from what our grandparents or even our parents encountered. No longer can we think and speak in terms of a Christian society. The United States is fast becoming a multi-religious culture. The world we live in has changed.

One reason is immigration. In 1998 there were about 22.5 million foreign-born people in America. While America has always been a nation of immigrants, today more than ever, they come from culturally non-Christian nations, and they bring with them the religions of the world. Our nation is becoming less and less a religiously homogeneous country. Islam will replace Judaism as America’s second-largest religion in about 10 years; already 3 to 5 million Buddhists live in America; and Hindu temples dot the landscapes not only of Chicago and New York, but also of Aurora, Illinois, and Springfield, Virginia. While mosques of Islam share the religious scene in many cities. Their minarets in Dearborn, Michigan, sound throughout the city calling Muslims to prayer five times a day.

These non-Christians live in your neighborhood. They actively support your school’s PTA. You see them at children’s sports leagues, piano recitals, the workplace, market and parks. They are often very friendly folk—morally upright, hard working and community-minded. Their children often excel academically and are among the most respectful and successful students in our schools. As professionals—doctors, researchers, educators and merchants—they do much to elevate our standard of living. We enjoy their company and their contributions to the society we live in.

Through this interaction we discover that people of other religious faiths are very much like us. In fact, Bible-believing Christians often find they have greater unanimity on moral issues with these non-Christian associates than with those of a liberal Christian orientation. The question naturally arises—do we all worship the same God? Are these various religions just different roads to the same God or are their adherents, and the vast non-Christian majority of earth’s people, in jeopardy of being eternally lost? Just what do some of our new associates and neighbors believe?

Chapter 2

The Test of Prophecy

Contrary to popular Christian thought, the Christian religion is not a majority world religion. Less than one third of the world’s population is rated as Christian. Actually, this is an overrating. Islam is the largest and fastest growing world religion. Each world religion has its “Holy Scripture” describing its God or Gods. How do we know which is right? Each of these “Bibles” contains a system of faith by which the believer supposedly establishes a relationship with his God(s).

The God of the Judeo-Christian Bible is quite exclusive. He declares (Isaiah 44:6), “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no other God.” And the Judeo-Christian God can prove it. Although the Judeo-Christian Bible is also a system of faith, it contains a built-in touchstone to prove its God is the only true God. In fact, the Judeo-Christian God in Isaiah 43:9-12; 44:11-20, challenges all the other claims to deity and identifies all other gods for what they are—the creation and imagination of the people who worship them.

What is this challenge of the One who claims to be the only true God? Listen to Isaiah 46:9,10:

“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning
And from ancient times which have not been done,
Saying, My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.”

Also, Isaiah 48:3,5:

“I declared the former things long ago
and they went forth from My mouth,
and I proclaimed them.
Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
Therefore I declared them to you long ago,
before they took place I proclaimed them to you.
Lest you should say, “My idol has done them,
and my graven image
and my molten image have commanded them.”

What an awesome challenge! Only an omnipotent and omniscient God, the Creator and Architect of man’s destiny, could foretell the events of human history. Where does this God make His prophetic declaration? In His written Word—the Judeo-Christian Bible. Outside of a few vague statements, no other bible of world religions contains prophecy. Over a third of our Bible is prophetic. The test is simple—if the words of the prophecies come to pass, then the Bible is the inspired Word of the Creator and Ruler of the universe.

Hundreds of Prophecies Fulfilled

Fulfilled prophecies indeed prove our God is the one and only God. Hundreds of events prophesied in the Judeo-Christian Bible have already happened. Before Jesus entered this world, over three hundred prophecies in the Old Testament spelled out the events and circumstances that would detail his life.

Over 700 years before his birth the prophet Micah foretold the actual town where Jesus would be born—Micah 5:2:

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.

About 1,000 years before the death of Jesus, David foretold his triumphant resurrection—Psalm 16:10:

“…you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.”

In between these two events, especially the three and a half years of Jesus’ ministry, are the dynamics of the greatest life ever lived. Over 300 prophecies focus in on the extraordinary events of his life:

· Born of a virgin
—Isaiah 7:4 (fulfilled—Matthew 1:18, 24, 25)

· The seed of Abraham
—Genesis 22:18(fulfilled—Luke 3:34)

· A teacher of parables
—Psalm 78:2 (fulfilled—Matthew 13:34)

· Betrayed by a friend
—Psalm 41:9 (fulfilled—Matthew 10:4)

· Silent before his accusers
—Psalm 35:11 (fulfilled—Matthew 27:12)

· Wounded and bruised
—Isaiah 53:5 fulfilled—Matthew 27:26)

· Smitten and spit upon
—Isaiah 50:6 (fulfilled—Matthew 26:67)

· Crucified with thieves
—Isaiah 53:12 (fulfilled—Matthew 27:3

· Hated without a cause
—Psalm 69:4 (fulfilled—John 15:25)

· People shook their heads
—Psalm 109:25 (fulfilled—Matthew 27:39)

· Garments parted and lots cast
—Psalm 22:18 (fulfilled—John 19:23, 24)

· To suffer thirst
—Psalm 22:15 (fulfilled—John 19:2

· Offered gall and vinegar
—Psalm 69:21 (fulfilled—Matthew 27:34)

· Side was pierced
—Zechariah 12:10 (fulfilled—John 19:34)

· Committed himself to God
—Psalm 31:5 (fulfilled—Luke 23:46)

· Bones not broken
—Psalm 34:20 (fulfilled—John 19:33)

· Buried in a rich man’s tomb
—Isaiah 53:9 (fulfilled—Matthew 27:57-60)

· There was darkness over the land
—Amos 8:9 (fulfilled—Matthew 27:45).

This is only a partial list of some 300 prophecies fulfilled in Jesus’ life on earth. How could all of these prophecies be so accurate? The Apostle Peter informs us that the writers of the Old Testament spoke as they were moved by the Spirit or power of God.

The Old Testament abounds with other prophecies. God through His prophets precisely described the future of many ancient cities and people. Ezekiel 26:1-14 contains a remarkable prediction concerning the city of Tyre, the commercial hub of the world for centuries.

Tyre

The metropolis of Tyre occupied the coast while some of its people lived on an island a half mile out into the sea. Seven main points stand out in this prophecy of Ezekiel. Many nations would attack Tyre (26:3). Nebuchadnezzar would destroy the mainland metropolis (26:8). The debris of the city would be cast into the water (26:12). The dirt or dust of Tyre would be scraped down to the bare rock then thrown into the sea (26:4,12). Fishermen would spread their nets over the site (26:5). Tyre would never be built again (26:14).

The incredible happened! As predicted, Nebuchadnezzar captured the mainland city in fulfillment of verses 7-11. But many of the people escaped to the island city.¹ Without a navy, Nebuchadnezzar left. Over 200 hundred years passed and Alexander the Great called on the Phoenician cities to surrender. Tyre refused and found itself in siege by Alexander. He demolished the old mainland city and with the debris, built a causeway 200 feet wide out to the island city of Tyre. To complete the causeway, Alexander’s army literally scraped the dirt off the old city down to bare rock to smooth out the causeway surface. Finally, he erected towers and war engines and conquered the island fortress of Tyre. What a remarkable fulfillment of verses 4 and 12.²

After eighteen years, Tyre recovered rapidly. From 314 BC to AD 1291, Tyre in fulfillment of verse 3 was sacked and restored numerous times by many nations until its final destruction in 1291. In fulfillment of verse 14, never again was there an attempt to rebuild the Tyre of old. Since then, even today, Tyre is the “place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea.”³ The six predictions from God’s word concerning Tyre in Ezekiel 26 have been remarkably fulfilled.

Sidon

The prophet Ezekiel also prophesied (28: 22, 23) concerning Tyre’s sister city Sidon. The prophecy against Sidon is very different from that concerning Tyre. It was foretold that Tyre would be destroyed, made bare like a rock and built no more. The prediction against Sidon was that blood would be in her streets, her wounded should fall in the midst of her and the sword was to be on her every side. But there was no doom of extinction pronounced against her as was the case with Tyre. George Davis observed that “not once but many times blood has been in her (Sidon’s) streets, her wounded have fallen in the midst of her and the sword has been ‘upon her every side.’” The city was demolished time after time and had always been rebuilt and is still in existence today.⁴

Israel

The fate of many other cities and nations, such as Babylon and Nineveh, are detailed in the Old Testament. The most striking are the numerous prophecies relating to Israel’s final restoration that are being dramatized on the current stage of history. The rebirth of the state of Israel in 1948 was a miracle of history (Ezek.37:1-11; Luke 21:29,30). Never before has a nation been destroyed, its people dispersed to the ends of the earth, and then nearly two thousand years later, regathered to their homeland and reestablished as a nation. The Scriptures speak of this final re-gathering with a permanency. Israel “shall not be plucked up” or “pulled up” “any more forever” (Jeremiah 31: 38-40; Amos 9: 14,15). The latter rain would once again fall in the land, then both the early and latter rains would increase in precipitation (Joel 2: 21-24). “The land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden” (Ezekiel 36: 35). “They shall plant grapevines upon the mountains of Samaria” (Jeremiah 31: 4,5). The Bible Jerusalem would be liberated by Israel in a war with the Arabs (Zechariah 12: 2,5,6). Prophecies concerning Israel’s final restoration are myriad. Prophecies being fulfilled by the Jewish people are the strongest proof that the Judeo-Christian Bible is inspired by the only true and living God (Isaiah 44: 6-9).

New Testament

There are numerous prophecies in the New Testament. We will just mention several contained in The Lord’s Great Prophecy. Jesus predicted that the magnificent edifice, Herod’s Temple, would be completely destroyed (Luke 21: 5,6). History well documents this destruction in AD 70 by the armies of Rome.

Then, in Luke 21: 20, 21, Jesus made a remarkable prediction concerning Jerusalem’s destruction and the church on the scene at that time. Actually, these verses had a literal fulfillment at that time and have a symbolic fulfillment at the second advent.

“And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains.” —Luke 21: 20, 21.

After Vespasian with his Roman legions overthrew all the fortified places in Israel except the capital,⁵ he began the siege of Jerusalem.6 Then a strange thing happened. Political instability broke out in Rome at the death of the Emperor. Vespasian withdrew his armies and rushed back to Rome. The Christians in Jerusalem recalled Jesus words recorded in Luke 21: 20, 21, and fled to the mountains of Petra to hide. Titus, son of the new Emperor Vespasian, returned and destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70.⁷ History records that the Christians escaped this carnage.

In Luke 21:22-24, Jesus predicted the fate of the Jewish People during and after the destruction of Jerusalem:

For these be the days of vengeance,
that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
But woe unto them that are with child,and to them that give suck, in those days!
for there shall be great distress in the land,
and wrath upon this people.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword,
and shall be led away captive into all nations:
and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles,
until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

The days of vengeance covered the period of the destruction of the Jewish nation by the armies of Rome. This began the dispersion of the Jewish People and the treading down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles for over nineteen-hundred years, as history confirms. Josephus recorded that 97, 000 were taken captive in Jerusalem, while 1,100,000 were killed during four years that ravaged the whole nation of Israel.⁸

The God of Prophecy

The Judeo-Christian God, the only true God, the Creator and Ruler of the universe, knew His human race would devise gods that were the figment of their own imaginations (Romans 1: 21-23; Isaiah 44: 8-20). The Judeo-Christian God, the God of prophecy, challenges the false gods of the various cultures to declare the end from the beginning —Isaiah 46; 9,10:

For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning
And from ancient times which have not been done,
Saying, My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.

The gods of the other world religions cannot meet this challenge of prophecy. They are silent—dumb. Why? They do not exist! The Judeo-Christian Bible contains hundreds of prophecies that have been fulfilled. Indeed, over one-third of our Bible is prophetic. No other purported Bible of the other world religions contains a system of prophecy. Only the Judeo-Christian Bible contains this prophetic proof that it is the inspired Word of God. Indeed, the God of Judaism and the God of Christianity are one and the same God—the God of prophecy, the only true and living God.

Chapter 3

The God of Science

Science is a systematic knowledge of the physical or material universe gained by observable facts. The sacred writings of all world religions basically contain a system of faith. Yet each do make statements within the province of science that provides a uniquely valid test to prove their authenticity. If their scientific observations are in reality superstitions reflective of the culture in which they were written, these so called sacred books are disqualified as the inspired Scripture of God. If, indeed, the scientific observations of any of these purported Holy Scripture agree with the facts of science today, then that Bible is the inspired Word of a true and living God. Why? The Creator and God of the universe is the God of science—the author of the scientific laws that govern His universe. Only the God of science could cause scientific facts to be recorded in a book—the Bible—hundreds or thousands of years before scientists discover them.

Only the Judeo-Christian Bible contains scientific facts that anticipated scientific discovery by hundreds and in some cases several thousand years. The following are examples of remarkable scientific observations found in the Judeo-Christian Bible.

What Holds the Earth Up?

Three thousand years ago the Hindu scriptures recorded the earth was resting on the backs of several huge elephants. The elephants were resting on the back of a very large turtle that was swimming in a sea. Greek mythology claims that the god Atlas was holding the earth on his shoulders. But our Bible says in Job 26:7—”[God] hangeth the earth on nothing.” What a remarkable statement of fact. The earth is suspended in space. Nothing is holding it up. Job wrote about the same time the Hindu Scripture was written. How did Job know this scientific fact? Only God could have revealed this to Job. The Old Testament prophets wrote as they were moved by the holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). The Judeo-Christian Bible is the inspired Word of God.

For thousands of years people believed the earth was flat. If one went too far, he would fall over the edge. This was taught in both Hindu and Buddhist scripture. In the 1500s, the first ship sailed around the world. This proved the earth was round. But the round earth was recorded in the Judeo-Christian Bible long before man discovered it in the 1500s.

The prophet Isaiah (40:2) spoke of the “circle of the earth.” Solomon wrote, “He [God] set a compass [circle] upon the face of the deep.” Proverbs 8:27. In our century, Arabs spoke of infidels being pushed over the edge into space. About 3,000 years ago, our Bible said the earth was round. This was not discovered until 500 years ago. Indeed, the Judeo-Christian Bible is the inspired Word of God.

Sun, Moon and Stars—Who? What?

Ancient people were afraid of the sun, moon and stars. They thought they were alive—that they were gods. But over 5,000 years ago, the Judeo-Christian Bible in the first chapter of Genesis pointed out that the sun, moon and stars were created by God. Remember, our God states that He is the one and only God. This proves the sun, moon and stars that He created are not gods.

Eclipses are an example of what people feared. An eclipse happens when the sun’s light is blocked by the earth or moon. The moon is bright because it reflects the sun’s light. But when the earth blocks that light, the moon looks like it is disappearing. Also, when the moon comes between the earth and the sun, it looks like the sun is disappearing.

This was frightening to people long ago. Some thought eclipses happened when the moon was mad at the earth and turned its face away. The Chinese believed that an eclipse was caused by a demon or some huge animal that ate the sun and then would give them up again. God told Jeremiah (10:2 KJ): “Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.” God went on to reassure Jeremiah that the universe is under God’s control.

Later scientists learned that heavenly bodies were not alive and that man need not fear them. Thousands of years before scientists discovered that the planetary bodies were inanimate, the Judeo-Christian Bible contained this scientific fact.

The Bottom of the Ocean

Until modern times people thought the ocean floor was sandy like the desert and saucer shaped—deepest in the middle. This was even true of the pre-1900 geologists. But in the 1900s oceanographers found the sea had many deep valleys or canyons. The deepest canyons were called trenches. The Marianas Trench in the Pacific is so deep that if Mt. Everest (29,000 feet high) was dropped into it, the peak would still be a mile below the water’s surface. There are also underwater mountains. The Atlantic Ocean contains an undersea range of mountains 10,000 miles long.

In addition, 3,000 years ago the Judeo-Christian Bible spoke of the valleys and mountains of the sea. In Psalm 18:15 (NIV) David wrote of God being the creator of “the valleys of the sea.” God asked Job (38:16 NIV): “Have you walked in the recesses [valleys] of the sea?” The prophet Jonah was thrown off a ship and spoke of falling to the bottom of the mountains in the sea (Jonah 2:6).

The Judeo-Christian Bible spoke of the valleys and mountains of the sea thousands of years before scientists discovered them. Indeed our Bible is the inspired Word of God.

The Paths of the Sea

In the 1800s, Matthew Maury, an officer in the United States Navy believed his Bible. As a Christian he loved to read the Bible. One day Maury was reading about the dominion man was given over the animals in Psalm 8. He was amazed that verse 8 spoke of the fish and all creatures that swim in the “paths of the sea.” “Paths of the sea”— how could this be? He never knew there was such a thing. He was determined to find them. Maury discovered that the oceans have many paths or currents, which were like rivers flowing through the sea. Maury wrote the first book on oceanography and became known as “the pathfinder of the seas”—”The father of modern navigation.”

Maury received his idea about ocean currents from reading Psalm 8:8 which was written about 3,000 years ago by King David. David wrote as he was moved by the Spirit of God and probably never actually saw an ocean.

Incidentally, Psalm 8:8 also spoke of fish in the “paths of the seas.” All fishing boats make a good catch in the currents or paths of the sea. They have learned this is where the fish swim.

Lightning, Thunder and Rain

In ancient times, most religious scripture taught that lightning bolts were missiles thrown in anger by their gods.⁹ In China, Taoist scripture regarded the rainbow as a deadly rain dragon.¹⁰ In Confucius scripture, the goddess of lightning, Tien Mu, flashed light on intended victims to enable Lei Kung, the god of thunder to launch his deadly bolts accurately.¹¹

Since rain is so necessary to life, ancient people pondered what caused it. Some tried to stab holes in the clouds with spears. The Vedas (Hindu scripture) advised to tie a frog with its mouth open to the right tree and say the right words and rain would fall.

Our Bible also talks about rain, lightning and storms. But it contains none of these superstitious ideas found in the other so- called scriptures. The Judeo-Christian Bible taught that earth’s weather followed rules and cycles. Genesis 8:22. “While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

Job stated (28:26): “God made decrees [rules] for the rain. And He set a way for the lightning of the thunder:” Centuries later, scientists began to discern the “rules for the rain” that Job talked about. Rainfall is part of a process called the water cycle. Here’s how the cycle works. The sun evaporates water from the ocean. That water vapor rises and becomes clouds. This water in the clouds falls back to earth as rain, collects in streams and rivers and makes its way back to the ocean. That process repeats itself again and again.

About 300 years ago, Galileo discovered this cycle. But amazingly the Scriptures described this cycle centuries before. The prophet Amos (9:6) wrote that God “calls for the water of the sea. He pours them out on the land.” How did Amos know this? He wrote as he was moved by the Spirit of God.

Actually, scientists are just beginning to fully understand God’s “decrees or rules for the rain.” Since 68 BC it was thought that somehow thunder triggered the rainfall. Now scientists are beginning to realize that as stated in Job 28:26, it is lightning that triggers the rain to fall. Job knew this 3,000 years ago. Certainly his writings were inspired of God (2 Peter 1:21).

Pleiades, Orion and Arcturus

Remember the story of Job? Job was extremely wealthy—enjoying a wonderful family. Then tragedy struck. He lost his wealth. His children were killed and his wife deserted him. Then Job lay in excruciating pain, covered with sores from head to toe. All this was too much for Job. He accused the Lord of being unjust. God didn’t answer Job’s accusation directly. He merely raised questions concerning the wonders of His creation. Three of these questions found in Job 38:31, 32, illustrate the dynamic logic conveyed in God’s questions.

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades,or loose the bands of Orion?
Canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

Orion

“Canst thou …loose the bands of Orion?” Garrett P. Serviss, the noted astronomer, wrote about the bands of Orion¹² in his book Curiosities of the Sky.

At the present time this band consists of an almost perfect straight line, a row of second-magnitude stars about equally spaced and of the most striking beauty. In the course of time, however, the two right-hand stars, Mintaka and Alnilam, will approach each other and form a naked-eye double; but the third, Alnitak, will drift away eastward so that the band will no longer exist.

In other words, one star is traveling in a certain direction at a certain speed, a second one is traveling in a different direction at a second speed, and the third one is going in a third direction and at a still different speed. Actually every star in Orion is traveling its own course, independent of all the others. Thus, these stars that we see forming one of the bands of Orion are like three ships out on the high seas that happen to be in line at the present moment, but in the future will be separated by thousands of miles of ocean. In fact, all these stars that at the present time constitute the constellation of Orion are bound for different ports, and all are journeying to different corners of the universe, so that the bands are being dissolved.

The Pleiades

“Canst thou bind the sweet influence of the Pleiades…?” Notice the amazing astronomical contrast with the Pleiades. The seven stars of the Pleiades are in reality a grouping of 250 suns. Photographs now reveal that 250 blazing suns in this group are all traveling together in one common direction. Concerning this cluster, Isabel Lewis of the United States Naval Observatory tells us:¹³

Astronomers have identified 250 stars as actual members of this group, all sharing in a common motion and drifting through space in the same direction.

Elsewhere Lewis speaks of them as “journeying onward together through the immensity of space.”

From Lick Observatory came this statement of Dr. Robert J. Trumpler:¹⁴

Over 25,000 individual measures of the Pleiades stars are now available, and their study led to the important discovery that the whole cluster is moving in a southeasterly direction. The Pleiades stars may thus be compared to a swarm of birds, flying together to a distant goal. This leaves no doubt that the Pleiades are not a temporary or accidental agglomeration of stars, but a system in which the stars are bound together by a close kinship.

Dr. Trumpler said that all this led to an important discovery. Without any reference whatsoever to the Book of Job, he announced to the world that these discoveries prove that the stars in the Pleiades are all bound together and are flying together like a flock of birds as they journey to their distant goal. That is exactly what God said. “Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades?” In other words, Canst thou keep them bound together so that they remain as a family of suns?

INCREDIBLE! God’s laws of cosmology are loosing or dissolving the constellation Orion. Sometime in the far distant future, Orion will be no more. Conversely, wonder of wonders—every last one of the 250 blazing suns in the Pleiades are ordained of God to orbit together in their symmetrical beauty throughout eternity.

Arcturus

“Canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?” Garrett P. Serviss wrote:¹⁵

Arcturus, one of the greatest suns in the universe, is a runaway whose speed of flight is 257 miles per second. Arcturus, we have every reason to believe, possesses thousands of times the mass of our sun. Think of it! Our sun is traveling only 12 ½ miles a second, but Arcturus is traveling 257 miles a second. Think then of the prodigious momentum this motion implies.

A further observation of Arcturus by Serviss reveals:¹⁶

It could be turned into a new course by a close approach to a great sun, but it could only be stopped by collision head on with a body of enormous mass. Barring such accidents, it must, as far as we can see, keep on until it has traversed our stellar system, whence it may escape and pass out into space beyond to join perhaps one of those other island universes of which we have spoken.

Charles Burckhalter, of the Chabot Observatory, added an interesting note regarding this great sun:¹⁷

This high velocity places Arcturus in that very small class of stars that apparently are a law unto themselves. He is an outsider, a visitor, a stranger within the gates; to speak plainly, Arcturus is a runaway. Newton gives the velocity of a star under control as not more than 25 miles a second, and Arcturus is going 257 miles a second. Therefore, combined attraction of all the stars we know cannot stop him or even turn him in his path.

When Mr. Burckhalter had his attention called to this text in the book of Job, he studied it in the light of modern discovery and made a statement that has attracted worldwide attention:¹⁸

The study of the Book of Job and its comparison with the latest scientific discoveries has brought me to the matured conviction that the Bible is an inspired book and was written by the One who made the stars.

The wonders of God’s universe never cease to amaze us. Arcturus and his sons are individual runaway suns that seem to be out of orbit in our galaxy. Traveling at such incredible speeds, why don’t they crash with other suns or planets? Where are they headed? Only God knows. Indeed they are not runaways. They will not crash. Why? God is guiding them.

The Lesson of The Pleiades,
Orion, and Arcturus

Few have suffered the multiple tragedies of Job. How could God reach through the enormity of Job’s self-pity? (Job thought God just didn’t care.) In these three questions (Job 38:31, 32) God is in reality saying:

Job, you think I am not concerned about your suffering. Well, let Me ask you these questions. Can you loose the bands of Orion? No, you cannot. But My Divine power will. Some day Orion will no longer exist. Job, can you bind the 250 stars of the Pleiades together in their symmetry of beauty and not have a single one drift off? Only I have this power and wisdom. Can you prevent the runaways—Arcturus and his sons—from colliding as they go dashing out of the Milky Way? No, only My Divine power and wisdom can.

Job, if I am caring for the details of the universe, do you doubt that I not only care for the details of your life, but I have the ability to solve your problems? Trust that there is a good reason I am permitting these tragedies. Remember, Job, I work from the perspective of your eternal welfare.

What an awesome way God chose to tell Job that He was in full control of human affairs, including Job’s life!

The Lesson of Job for Us

Some write off the history of Job as Old Testament folklore. Whoever heard of God talking to a man! These are hand-me-down tales! However, the account of Job cannot be gainsaid. Whatever the method of communication used by God, the astonishing facts cannot be refuted. These scientific facts recorded in the book of Job concerning the Pleiades, Orion and Arcturus anticipated scientific discovery by nearly 3,000 years. Scientists only discovered these startling facts in the Twentieth Century, yet they were recorded in the book of Job nearly 3000 years ago. What an awesome confirmation of the Bible! Who can doubt the Bible is the inspired word of God? Yes, the book of Job has a powerful, exclusive lesson for modern man. Twentieth Century science has proven God’s Word, the Bible, is true.

Other Sacred Books
and the Physical Sciences

The Hindu scriptures, the Vedas and Uparushads, consider that “all the objects and phenomena of nature which man is surrounded, are animate and divine.”¹⁹ This includes the sun, moon, earth, clouds, rain, rivers, seas and rocks as being alive. Writers of the Buddhist canon also ascribe life to numerous non-living objects— sun, moon, lightning, rainbows, mountains, etc. The Taoist and Confucian writings of China contain similar errors.

The Koran, the scripture of Islam, written 1,500 years after the Hindu scripture, does not contain many of the ancient superstitions. Yet its observations of the universe are seriously flawed. The Koran speaks of seven literal heavens which are solid.²⁰ These heavens contain lamps or stars whose main purpose is to be “darted at the devils.”²¹ Mohammed wrote that “the sun sets in a sea of black mud.”²²

Which Bible is Inspired
by a Living God?

The Judeo-Christian Scripture made scientific observations that were confirmed centuries later by modern science, while the sacred scripture of other world religions merely reflected the scientific superstitions of their culture. How could the Judeo-Christian Scripture anticipate scientific discovery by 3,000 years? The Judeo-Christian Bible was written by men who were inspired by the Creator and God of the Universe—the God of science. Only the Judeo-Christian Bible is the Divine Revelation provided by our infinite Creator to direct us in the path to eternity.

Chapter 4

Our Attitude

What should our attitude be towards our associates who belong to non-Christian religions? Our attitude should be the same as God’s attitude. In John 3:16 we read:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

God not only loved the world—all humankind, but He “so loved” them that He gave his only begotten son to die for them that they might obtain eternal life.

All non-Christian religions believe eternal life is obtained by noble works decreed in their respective scriptures. But the conclusions of the previous two chapters have invalidated the claims of the non-Judeo-Christian scriptures to represent the only true and living God.

Christian Scripture, the New Testament, clearly states the terms of salvation. The door to salvation from Adamic condemnation and death, pronounced back in Eden, is faith in Jesus’ sacrifice. Thus we read in I Corinthians 15:22—”As in Adam all die (we were all born with inherited sin) even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” “The wages of sin is death: The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord.” Romans 6:23

Apostle Peter speaking of Jesus said in Acts 4:12, “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” No matter how noble our works, we are at best “unprofitable servants.” Only faith that Jesus died for our sins will save us from Adamic death. This is confirmed by Paul’s words (Romans 5:18):

“Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation: even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

Our non-Christian associates might react—This sounds narrow-minded. Think of all the non-Christians who have never accepted or have never even heard the name of Jesus as the only way to salvation. Over the past centuries it numbers into the billions. Does this mean that these billions are lost? This is indeed a valid question which deserves an answer.

God So Loved

Remember God so loved humankind. Just how comprehensive is God’s love? The Apostle Paul answers this question in I Timothy 2:3-6 (KJV):

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

Notice verse 4—”[God] will have all men to be saved [from Adamic death] and come to a knowledge of the Truth [which is the basis of eternal salvation]. Verse 6 tells why. “[Jesus] gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time[s] [Greek plural].” Eternal salvation is the result of first believing the knowledge of the Truth of God’s Word. Note verse 4 is not explaining eternal salvation. In verse 4 knowledge follows being saved. Paul is dealing with a salvation that precedes knowledge—not based upon knowledge. Verse 4 is defining a salvation that all men will experience that is not eternal. How can that be?

Any deliverance involves two stages. Deliverance from something and deliverance to something. A fitting example of this is Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. When they miraculously crossed through the Red Sea, their deliverance was only partial. It was not until they, by the province and power of God, traversed the wilderness and crossed the River Jordan into Canaan that their deliverance was completed. Another example is that during the Holocaust many Jews were able to escape from the country they lived in, board ships for Palestine only to have those ships intercepted and returned to Europe. They died in the Holocaust. They were not delivered. Only those whose ships were not intercepted were delivered from the death camps.

There are two aspects of salvation. First, all are delivered from Adamic death—”As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Then all men will come to a knowledge of the Truth. Their eternal salvation is conditional to their faith in this Truth. Obviously most of our non-Christian friends have not even received this knowledge of the Christ centered way of salvation. Most have died without receiving this knowledge. And this is just the point of the plural “times” in verse 6 of I Timothy 2—”Jesus gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due times.” (Look it up in any New Testament Greek lexicon)

In Due Time[s]

What “times” are meant, when God will make his ransom for all manifest? We turn to the Book of Acts for clarification.

“Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David [typical of Christ’s Kingdom], which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up,’ so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things.” –Acts 15:14-17 (NRSV)

In other words, God first calls out His Church (a people for His name) during our Christian era. After that, during Christ’s reign over earth at the Second Coming, “all other peoples” the masses of the human family who have not yet accepted Christ, will seek the Lord—even those “over whom my name has [previously] been called.”

The due time for the Church of Christ (a little flock) is now during the Christian Age. The due time for the remainder of humankind is future. Further, Acts 15:14-17 reveals the purpose of the call of the Church and setting up Christ’s Kingdom is to enable “all other peoples” to seek after the Lord. This is why the Church reigns with Christ in his Kingdom. (Rev. 20:4,6). Remember 2 Corinthians 6:2—”Behold now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation.” This is a flagrant mistranslation by translators who seem to take satisfaction in their erroneous premise of salvation for only a few. Refer to Nestle and Marshall’s or any other Interlinear Greek-English New Testament.

Look in the Greek-English interlinear column and see that the Greek text reads, “a day of salvation,” not “the day of salvation.”

Actually the Apostle Paul is here quoting from Isaiah 49:8 which clearly reads, “an acceptable time” and “a day of salvation.” There is no basis for the gross mistranslation, “the day of salvation.” This agrees with Paul’s due time(s) in I Timothy 2:4. Now is “a” day of salvation for the calling of the Church of Christ. Christ’s Kingdom will be the due time “that all other peoples may seek the Lord” (Acts 15:17).

One thing is clear throughout the Bible—God has not been attempting to convert the world since Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Scriptures speak of God now dealing with only a few for a specific purpose. Christ’s followers are spoken of as a little flock. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). God is only calling a few at this time. A representative of every type of the human race is being called into the church of Christ. The Greek word for Church is ecclesia, which literally means “called out ones.” These called out ones, the little flock, will share with Christ when he establishes his Kingdom for the blessing of all mankind. Thus Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:2, “Know you not that the saints shall judge the world?” The Revelator discloses that the followers of Jesus will live and reign with him during his Kingdom, during the time that the benefits of Jesus’ death are bestowed upon the world of mankind (Rev. 20:4).

Jesus’ words in Mark 4:12 show that God is not presently interested in converting even the majority of mankind. “Unto you it is given to know the mystery [secret] of the Kingdom of God, but unto them that are without all these things are done in parables: that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” This scripture might seem strange to some, but it gives us an insight into what God has been doing between the death of Jesus and the return of Jesus to set up his Kingdom upon the earth.

Have you ever wondered why the Christian Bible is difficult to understand? By divine intent it has been written in parables, dark sayings and symbols so that it would not be easily understood. Why? So that the majority would not bother and consequently would not be converted. During the Christian Age, the Lord is only converting a few, a “little flock,” “who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, honor and immortality” (Romans 2:7). These are elsewhere symbolically referred to as the bride of Christ. After Christ returns, these believers will be united with him and then the conversion of the world will begin. Revelation 22:17 prophesied of that time: “And the Sprit [the returned Christ] and the bride [the true church] say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

All Shall Come From the Graves

Since the vast majority of the human race went down into their graves without hearing or understanding the “ransom for all,” the Kingdom will require the raising of the dead. This is just what Jesus tells us in John 5:28 (RVS): “Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth; they that have done good to a resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment.” Note again the same pattern of sequence we have seen in other scriptures. All will be raised from the dead. First, “they that have done good.” This refers to the true church. During Christ’s return they will be raised to spiritual life and united with their heavenly Lord. Then will follow the resurrection of the “evil class”—all the remainder of men who have not yet had a full chance to learn righteousness.

They will come forth to a “resurrection of judgment.” The King James Bible, translated in AD 1611, grossly mistranslated the word “judgment” with the word “damnation.” The American Revised Version in 1881 correctly used the word “judgment,” and no translation since has used the word “damnation.” The Greek word in the text is krisis and it actually denotes “a crucial testing time.” This Greek word is the source of our English word “crisis,” and it has the same meaning. A doctor might say, “The patient will reach his crisis tomorrow morning.” This does not mean that the patient will die tomorrow morning. Rather, the crisis of an illness is that period when the patient will take a turn for the better or for the worse.

The “crisis” or trial time for the church is in this present life, but the “crisis” or trial time of the remainder of mankind will be at the resurrection in the Kingdom. Billions of mankind, before and after Jesus’ earthly ministry, died without receiving the light of Jesus. Yet John 1:9 states that Jesus is the light that “lights every man that comes into the world.” A further Scriptural confirmation that, for most, truth enlightenment will require an awakening from the dead. The world has yet come to this momentous experience.

Why the Church is First Called

Why is the true Church first selected to share with Christ in the Kingdom work of blessing mankind? There are a number of reasons given in the Scriptures.

One reason can be illustrated by the noble work of Alcoholics Anonymous. An essential step of AA therapy is to assign a former alcoholic to each alcoholic that comes for help. The victim being controlled by alcohol will not readily accept help or advice from just anyone. How could anyone know his agony, his depression, his desperation if he has not shared the same experience? But the alcoholic will accept help from a former alcoholic because he knows that this person can understand his agony. And this former alcoholic stands ready at any time to come to his side, to plead with him. It requires a former alcoholic to rehabilitate an alcoholic.

When mankind comes forth from the grave in God’s Kingdom, they will be informed that they have been purchased with the precious blood of His Son and they will be made aware of the fact that they are now under the reign of Jesus Christ and his Church (I Cor. 6:2). What confidence they will have knowing that the Church understands and will enter into their problems! Why? Because the Church were once sinners, as well. This plan of rehabilitation will work. The majority will gladly receive the instruction, the disciplining, the nurturing necessary to pass their trial for eternal life.

Do Good Unto All Men

Again, what should our attitude be toward all who are not Christians? The Scriptures leave us no choice: We are told to “do good unto all men.” Gal. 6:10 We are also to “love our enemies,” (Matt.5:44) and Paul tells us to “owe no man anything but love.” Romans 13:8 Why do we have these admonitions? We are to love like God loves. Although the world is at enmity with God, they are his creation. At worst, they are children that have gone astray whom God is chastening in order to effect a positive change of heart. Remember your childhood? Did you stop loving your brother or sister while they were being corrected by your parents. The present lifetime is a time for all mankind to learn this one basic lesson and that is the exceeding sinfulness of sin and its bitter consequences. Most will learn this bitter lesson and have responsive hearts when they come forth from the grave and are given a knowledge of the truth.

We love our non-Christians friends. We rejoice and trust we will be a part of the Church which will give to all families of the earth the message of Revelation 22:17. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

Yes, the time is coming when all the peoples of the earth will know, love and worship the same God. The Apostle John prophetically captured the overflowing joy and praise in their hearts at that time (Rev. 5:13).

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, …heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Appendix A

Non-Christian Religions

The following is an overview of the beliefs of the major non-Christian religions.

Hinduism

One of the world’s oldest religions, Hinduism developed in India between 1800-1000 BC. Hinduism contains many sects. Hinduism is both a religion and a way of life. It is described in the Vedas—considered the world’s most ancient scriptures, about 1000BC.—and the Bhagavad-Gita, an 18-chapter poem.

Hindus believe that all things are part of God, that souls are reincarnated at death, and that our lives are influenced by karma, i.e., good and bad actions in this life determine one’s status in the next. The goal is nirvana, release from the cycle of reincarnation to become one with God.

Although the ancient Hindus numbered their gods at 330 million, the principal gods of modern Hinduism are Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Sustainer, and Shiva the Destroyer, who is also the god of procreation. Notice, the Hindus have their trinity.

The ten main beliefs are:

Brahman is the “Absolute,” present in everything.

Individuals create their own destinies.

Souls evolve through reincarnation.

One’s place is fixed in a caste or level of society.

Nirvana can be achieved through meditation.

A guru helps guide a person toward total realization of God.

Personal discipline and observance of many rites and rituals are essential.

New Hindus receive names that may change more than once in their lifetime as a result of spiritual events.

All life is sacred.

No particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others.

Buddhism

Buddhism arose in India about 500 BC. Siddartha Gautama found that his Hindu beliefs did not adequately explain the suffering and pain he observed in the world. Through religious contemplation, Gautama became Buddha, “the enlightened one,” and taught others his discoveries.

Pure Buddhism is more philosophy than religion, a godless pietism. Other forms of Buddhism revere Buddha as a deity and speak of salvation through faith in him. Buddhism is a journey to an enlightened state of being. People do this by accepting the Four Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path.

The founder, Siddartha Gautama (Buddha) lived from about 562-480 BC. Other major teachers include Nichiren AD 1222-1282 in Japan and the Dalai Lama, currently living in exile from Tibet in Dharmasala, India.

The Four Noble Truths:

Life is filled with misery and suffering.

This misery and suffering is caused by our selfish desires.

Misery and suffering can be eliminated by getting rid of selfish desires.

These desires are eliminated by following the Eightfold Path.

Eightfold Path:

Right views
Right thought
Right speech
Right conduct
Right vocation
Right effort
Right alertness
Right meditation

Confucianism

Confucianism, the philosophical system founded on the teaching of Confucius (551-479 BC) dominated Chinese sociopolitical life for most of Chinese history and largely influenced the cultures of Korea, Japan and Indochina.

Confucius joined a growing class of impoverished descendants of aristocrats who made their careers by acquiring knowledge of feudal ritual and taking positions of influence serving the rulers of the fragmented states of ancient China. At age 30, however, when his short-lived official career floundered, he turned to teaching others. The book known as the Analects, which records all that Confucius said, was compiled by his students after his death. The Analects became the basis of the Chinese social lifestyle and the fundamental religious p