The Pastors' Corner

Christian creationists live in a very hostile world.  The theory of Darwinian evolution has captured the academic world, the media world, the entertainment world, and to a large extent popular culture.  It has even affected the Christian church.  Students (elementary, high school, and college) who profess faith in Jesus Christ are under special assault from an educational system wholly given over to a worldview alien to their own.  Is God the Creator of all things or is He not?  There are those who claim there is a middle way by trying to construct a compromise called theistic evolution (“God is big enough to use chance through time,” i.e., evolution).  A young Christian or, for that matter, any believer who is not well grounded in the Scriptural truth of God as the Creator of all things must beware.  There can be the temptation of abandoning confidence in the Bible and worshiping a lesser God.  This need not be.  The following are some guard rails for living as a creationist (that God created the universe ex nihilo, out of nothing, in six literal days, supernaturally, suddenly, and with the superficial appearance of history.  This is my interpretation of the biblical data, recognizing that there are “old earth” creationists.) in a world given over to Darwinian evolution.

Know God.  There is a danger of pursuing knowledge about God and His wonderful creation and yet not getting to know God.  “Let now a wise man boast in his wisdom…but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me” (Jer. 9:23-24).  The Creator has made us to have a relationship with Him.  God doesn’t need us to defend Him against the onslaughts of evolution.  The truth is, “He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them” (Psa. 2:4).  Since the Lord is not frightened, neither do His people need to be.  Speak up for the truth about the Creator and His creation and love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

Know what the Bible teaches about origins.  Give yourself to personal study and become informed regarding biblical creationism.  Study Genesis, read books by scientists who are creationists.  The Institute for Creation Research, Answers in Genesis, John Whitcomb’s ministries and others offer excellent resources for studies in creation issues.  Attend conferences sponsored by biblical creationists where you can develop an information network and hear well-trained theologians and scientists committed to the biblical account of creation.

Stay closely involved with a strong Bible believing, Bible teaching church.  What does your church believe about creation?  Does it take the first eleven chapters of Genesis seriously?  Sadly, there are pastors and churches which refuse to take a strong biblical stand on the subject of creation versus evolution. When young people are searching for answers to the questions evolutionists raise about biblical creationism, they need a truth-rich environment in their local church.  Students, when you go off to college find a church that teaches the Word of God.  You need protection, encouragement, and the support of fellow believers.

Don’t be intimidated by the dogmatism and bluster of evolutionists.  They would have you to think that true science and belief in evolution are one and the same.  This is not true.  There are biologists, for instance, who for various reasons have to publicly align themselves with the “party line.”  The reality is that some biologists have their doubts about Darwinism but are under tremendous peer pressure to defend evolution.  This is not to say that there are no evolutionist bullies.  Many are persuaded by their educational experience and ignorance of biblical creationism.  In the classroom they have the upper hand.  The best advice is to listen and learn but don’t believe everything you are being told.  Ask questions in a respectful way.  Don’t try to embarrass a teacher in front of the class.  There are teachers and academics, though firm believers in Darwinism, who are courteous and open to discussion.  Even then you will hear such assertions as “most scientists believe” or “many theologians and pastors agree that belief in evolution and God are not incompatible.”  It seems to have been forgotten that science is not conducted on the basis of consensus (“Scientific truth is never determined by majority vote.” Dr. Henry Morris).  Also, there are dozens of fully credentialed biologists in the Creation Research Society and other creationist organizations.

Beware of certain vocabulary traps fostered by evolutionists.  One of those is the use of the word “evolution” as a synonym for change.  The two concepts are not the same.  For example, it may be said that a certain kind of business has “evolved” through the years to become something else.  This is a misuse of the word evolved.  Did the business become a kangaroo or an ape?  Another term that has caused some confusion is “microevolution” (adaptations and variations within a species, e.g. adaptation of insects to pesticides).  The fact is that creationists believe in what is called horizontal variations (e.g. the different beaks on the Galapagos Island finches).  The creationist believes that such changes, adaptations, are not a proof of evolution but evidence of an infinitely wise Creator’s forethought.   Macroevolution is the belief (note the verb here) in the transmutation of reptiles into birds and mammals, or of apes into men, or other “upward changes” (Henry Morris, “Willful Ignorance”). Macroevolution is a myth devoid of any scientific proof.

This does not exhaust the evolutionist traps that are set for unwary creationists.  The Book of Proverbs warns seekers after God’s wisdom to beware of remaining or becoming “simple” or “naïve” (“The naïve believes everything, but the prudent man considers his steps.” Prov. 14:15).  Christian creationists, know what you believe and why.  Is your God big enough?  Are you strengthening yourself in what the Bible teaches about God’s stupendous work of creation (“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Psa. 19:1).  It has been said that “a man who is empty-headed will end up wrong-headed.”  A word to the wise is sufficient.

Dr. Howard E. Dial
Berachah Bible Church

The recent earthquake in Haiti is a disaster of incalculable magnitude. Haiti, a nation only a few hundred miles from the coast of Florida, is in another struggle for survival. Life in Haiti is not easy. It lacks many of the institutional structures that provide for the basic well-being of the population. A devastating earthquake has rocked the island nation which is already the poorest in the western hemisphere.

History is littered with natural disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires, floods, drought, and hurricanes plague the human condition. We live in a world under the curse of sin and death. When Adam and Eve rebelled against their Creator, the planet on which we live became a hostile environment. Thankfully, nature did not become totally ruined but it is broken badly enough to make us yearn for a better world. Even creation itself is said to be one great symphony of sighs waiting for its redemption (Rom. 8:22). God has not abandoned a fallen sinful human race. There is hope.

How can hope be transferred to the broken and bleeding people of Haiti? It starts with immediate expressions of compassion. The parable of the Good Samaritan tells us that we are to love our neighbor and our neighbor is the person we encounter who is in need (Lk. 10:25-37). We love our neighbor when we show mercy. The Haitians need our mercy. There are multiple ways we can direct our mercy. Find a reputable mission agency which has a history in Haiti of day-in and day-out Christ exalting ministries that is making a difference. Give your money to these missionaries and ministries. We can pray for Haiti. Pray that a good and stable government will rise to lead the island nation. Pray that the Christian community in Haiti will show Christ’s love through its gospel witness and mercy ministries.

One thing Haiti doesn’t need is more U.S. aid without accountability. There are many who, wanting to feel better about themselves, think that American tax dollars thrown at a problem is the solution. True compassion does not ignore truth and real long term solutions. Nation building, which is what is needed in Haiti, requires a foundation of character strength, liberty, a strong work ethic, a government that works for the good of the people, justice, entrepreneurial capitalism, and a high view of God. This is not to say that Haiti lacks these qualities. They must be more widespread. Here is a report received recently from Haiti.

But let me change to something more encouraging. Even though a food delivery had been promised, and about 5000 people waited patiently until 4 pm, no food arrived today. So the people do not get fed. What do they do? They hold an outdoor praise session! They have been singing songs of praise for about two hours now. Hungry, tired, suffering people praising the Lord. I wish you could hear it – songs that say: ‘I am not afraid because I have Jesus in my heart.’ Or ‘Thank you, thank you Lord because I know you.’ The songs were upbeat, joyful. Some people were dancing, arms raised in the air to God. I am so humbled.

Cynics may scoff at this and say much more is needed than prayer and singing. The truth is that such resilience in a time of calamity is the stuff from which a better future is made.

Was the earthquake in Haiti an act of God’s judgment? This question in one form or another always seems to enter the public conversation about natural disasters. Some think that we are better off, as one Opinion columnist in the AJC has stated, “When God and Satan are given a holiday from the news cycle.” Attempts at immediate explanations for earthquakes, hurricanes, and other such eruptions in nature are fraught with hazards. Jesus’ disciples tried to get Him to explain why a tower fell over and killed eighteen people. He “dodged” the question and went to the important issue, namely, that disasters are warnings to everyone. We assume that God owes us a good turn of events when the truth is, we all deserve death because we are sinners. The message of God in all calamities is that we all need to repent. If the Haitians are suffering because of generations of Voodoo, then why isn’t America experiencing catastrophes for having slaughtered millions of innocent babies in the wombs of their mothers? It is best to leave those questions with God. In the meantime, we must pray that Haitians and Americans will abandon their idols and turn to God’s salvation in Jesus Christ.

Abortion is a critical moral issue in our time. Previous generations have had to overcome the evils of slavery and segregation. The culture of death with abortion as its centerpiece is an evil that must be exposed, resisted, and defeated. On January 22, 1973 the United States Supreme Court found the right to abortion on demand in the Constitution. It was an appalling decision which has led to an average of 1.6 million abortions annually.

Abortion is the extraction or expulsion of the immature human fetus from the mother’s womb prior to natural birth. The pro-life movement has called attention to fundamental moral issues that are involved in the protection of innocent human life in the womb. First, every human life is sacred. Its value is absolute. Secondly, the deliberate killing of an innocent human being is wrong. Thirdly, the fetus is a complete person possessing a soul from the moment of conception. Fourthly, the purpose of law is to protect human life. After all is said and done, abortion is about God.

God has made it very clear that the developing fetus is already human life (Jer. 1:4; Psa. 139:13-16; Ex. 21:22-24; Lk. 1:24; 2:1). The embryo is a human life and must be accorded the same rights as life outside the womb. It has been noted that “at eight weeks all the organs are present- brain functioning, heart pumping, liver making blood cells, kidney cleaning the fluids, fingerprints formed, etc. Yet almost all abortions happen later than this date.”

Fetal life is defenseless and will be vindicated by God (Psa. 10:17-18; 146:9; 68:5; Deut. 10:18; Amos 1:13; Prov. 6:16-18; Jas. 1:27). God was committed to the care and protection of the fatherless in Israel. He promised blessings upon those who shared His care for orphans. This responsibility has been committed to the church as well. In ancient Israel children who had no father were to be protected. The motherless were also objects of God’s compassion (Ezek. 16:4-6). A nation that legitimizes, through its legal system, the destruction of innocent human life is in for hard times. God holds that nation responsible for its moral failure. Woe be to a nation that declares war on the defenseless (children in the womb, child abuse, pedophilia). The judgment of God fell upon Ammon for ripping open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their borders (Amos 1:3). It has been said that “societies that have nothing sacred, especially not human life, die.”

The arguments that are used to justify the destruction of fetal life are morally and ethically flawed.

“A woman alone has the right to choose what is done to and in her body.” Other versions of this argument are articulated in terms of “reproductive freedom” or “a free society should not invade the privacy of a woman’s body.” In response, let it be said that that so-called “freedom of choice” can never justify freedom to take innocent lives at will. What about the rights of others? What about the rights of the innocent fetus the mother has chosen to conceive? Who gives the unborn child a choice? Who is his or her advocate? It was Lewis B. Smedes, the Christian ethicist, who said, “a free society does not allow people to follow their consciences if their consciences lead them to kill an innocent human being.”

“What right do the pro-lifers have to impose their particular view of morality on others? It is said that you can’t legislate morality in a pluralistic society.” The issue is really whose morality will be reflected in our law and public policy. John S. Feinberg and Paul D. Feinberg (Ethics for a Brave New World) effectively sully this popular argument by pointing out that “the issue…is not whether a morality should be imposed, but whether the one being imposed is the correct one. We are not embarrassed to impose a morality on society that requires us not to kill another human being on whim. Why, if abortion is wrong, should we be afraid to impose on society a ban against it?”

Answering the flimsy and morally vacuous arguments of the pro-abortion movement is not enough, however. There are measurable and meaningful things that we can do to challenge and correct the culture of death in which we live. In the first place, we who are pro-life are to live in such a way as to be a purifying influence on the moral corruption in our society (Matt. 5:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:11-17). We are to take responsibility for our own lives to live God’s way (“abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul”). Our lives are to be placed on display for all to see the presence of God. Love one another. Be kind. Show compassion. Keep ourselves morally pure. Don’t go to bed with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Tell the truth. Secondly, we are to live in submission to divinely ordained cultural institutions (the state, one’s employer, family). This is to be done for the Lord’s sake. The world is suspicious of Christians. Our teaching unsettles the unbeliever. Any charges of treason (being un-American, anarchists, rebels, etc.) are best dispelled by godly living.

Thirdly, we are to identify, resist, and denounce the evils that exist in our fallen world (Eph. 5:11, “And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.”). Pro-life Christians have a right and responsibility to speak out against the evils of our age. The evils of racism, adultery, pornography, illegal drugs, abortion, etc. must have the light of truth cast upon them. The moral evil of abortion on demand ought to be challenged by the persuasion of a greater power, namely changed attitudes and values. Finally, we are to be a merciful community by providing assistance to those who are crying in the darkness. Love for God and others translated into good deeds can speak volumes to a watching world. The unsaved can’t understand the language of truth but they can observe lives that practice the truth. Unwed mothers considering abortion need loving counsel and prayer. Saving unborn children is a cause with God’s stamp of approval.

Dr. Howard E. Dial

The teaching of Scripture is not always easy to grasp. It is true that the Bible is a clear book (the perspicuity of Scripture), but at the same time we are encountering the mind of God and that is a humbling experience. In the context of the pardoning of sin and God’s grace it is said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isa. 55:8). There is no revealed truth that challenges our thoughts more than the truth of unconditional election. Unconditional election is that sovereign act of God (His decision only) in eternity past whereby He chose all believers to salvation with all its accompanying blessings and obligations (Eph. 1:4-7; Jn. 15:16; 17:2; Rom. 9:18).

The wonder of the distinguishing grace of God bestowed on some sinners and not others is not based on any condition man must meet before God chooses to save him. This election occurred before the foundation of the world, is unmerited, and finds its ground, cause, and guarantee in Jesus Christ. A host of objections and questions have been presented in response to the truth of unconditional election.

Is not the election of believers based on foreseen faith as the product of “prevenient grace” (divine grace turning the heart toward God) and is not, therefore, unconditional? This is probably the most common explanation given to why some are saved and others are not. On the surface it seems plausible, namely, that God knows who will believe and elects individuals only because He foresees their faith. But there are serious flaws with this view of election. It misinterprets the word “foreknowledge” to mean just “to know beforehand.” On closer examination when foreknowledge is used with reference to people, it means God’s special favor. Further, if it is true that God elects on the basis of foreseen faith, then God elects on the basis of human belief. Man is placed at the center rather than God’s sovereignty. It should also be emphasized that so-called foreseen faith still makes salvation and damnation certain. The problem is with certainty and free will, not with election and free will (Acts 2:23). It was “foreknown” (if you believe in foreseen faith), foreordained (if you believe in unconditional election), but in either case certain that the soldiers would not break Christ’s legs; that He would be buried with the rich, etc. It was certain from the foundation of the world, yet all involved did as they chose to do. Those who believe in foreseen faith as the basis of election to salvation are still left with the determination that some are not going to be saved. In the words of Augustine, “God does not choose us because we believe, but that we may believe.”

“Is not election based on one’s acceptance of Christ?” This is closely akin to the foreseen faith view but goes on to say that Christ only was elected in eternity past and the believer is elected when he receives Christ as Savior. The theological defect here is that it ignores the plain statements that individual believers were chosen before the foundation of the world. God does not choose on the basis of human choice which is a violation of the grace principle. God’s freedom and sovereignty cannot be placed in the service of a human decision.

“Is not election to service for Christ only?” This view says that the believer is not elected to salvation but rather has been chosen to be “conformed to the image of Christ.” A question remains, however. How can one possibly distinguish between salvation and the obligation for service? This view evades the issue.

“Is God not unfair in electing some and not others?” This question assumes God has to be fair. If it is justice that we want, we are all in trouble. If salvation is based on justice who would be saved? No one.

“Why doesn’t God elect everyone to salvation?” We don’t know. This is locked away in the infinite mind of God. The number of the elect may very well be larger than imagined. Those who die while still in the womb and infants, if covered by the atoning work of Christ as some believe, would take their place among the elect of God. For all others it can be said that whoever desires to be saved can be.

“Doesn’t election discourage evangelism?” The truth of unconditional election is taught in the Scriptures to have just the opposite effect (Rom. 9-11; Jn. 10:27). Our responsibility is to carry the gospel to all men everywhere (2 Tim. 2:10). God has ordained our proclamation of the gospel as the means of bringing the elect to salvation. This is a great encouragement in evangelism. By God’s grace we will always be successful in our witness. God does the preparing of hearts. We are to be obedient and witness.

“Doesn’t election violate human freedom?” It does not. The Bible teaches that divine sovereignty and human responsibility are compatible. It has been pointed out by many theologians that men make choices according to their own desires. We do what we want to do and are held responsible for our decisions. Man’s choices are not coerced but are real ones. Erwin Lutzer has identified a core issue in saying, “Not only are we born with a sin nature, but we are also under condemnation. We are therefore held accountable for sins we did not personally commit.”

“Doesn’t unconditional election make God the author of sin?” No, it does not. The Bible distinguishes between what God does and what God permits. God has designed a plan that includes evil. We will have to face this fact as difficult as it may be. It was essential to gain the desired goal, namely, the glorification of God in all His attributes. We know that God hates sin (Psa. 5:5). The responsibility of committing sin is always placed on man and acknowledged by man. We must praise God that by His grace and in His infinite wisdom He has chosen to save some from the vast sea of sinful and rebellious humanity.

“Does it do any good to pray if God has elected some to be saved?” Yes, we must pray. For, like evangelism, prayer is ordained by God as a means of accomplishing His purposes. It is consistent with the plan and wisdom of God that we pray for the unsaved (Rom. 10:1). God uses the prayers of the righteous to bring the elect to salvation.

“Does unconditional election mean that some of my loved ones may not have been chosen to salvation?” The only way we can know who the elect and non-elect are is who puts their trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. To try to venture into the mind of God about who are the non-elect is not open to us. We must remember that those who desire to be saved can be. We are responsible, as Christians, to pray for and share the gospel with our loved ones.

“How can divine election be reconciled with human responsibility?” The Bible presents both truths and offers no final reconciliation for us now. We do not know how this seeming paradox fits together, but God knows. So we are wise to leave it in God’s hands (“The secret things belong to the Lord, our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.” Deut. 29:29).

“How can I be sure that I am one of the elect?” Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16; Acts 16:31). If you die without Christ’s righteousness credited to you, there is nothing left but eternal damnation. Today, God is setting the way of eternal life before you. What will you do? If you belong to Jesus Christ, praise God for His grace.

Dr. Howard E. Dial

Running around barefoot in the summer time was one of the perks of childhood. How wonderful it was to kick off those hot shoes and feel the cool green grass under your feet. But barefoot season did not start out that way. Tender feet were met with stones, sticks, briars, and hot streets. After a while the discomfort gave way to calloused feet. By the end of summer we could fly around the yard, streets, and woods with natural “soles” on our feet. This didn’t stop nails and stubbed toes but it did offer some pain relief.

The Bible warns of the danger of developing a hard heart. In Exodus it is said ten times that Pharaoh hardened his heart. Ten other times it is reported that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. This presents something of a theological conundrum. Which happened first? We will hold that question for the moment. There is the matter of what it means to harden one’s heart. This is no small matter. To harden one’s heart toward God is to become unreceptive and insensitive to God and His word. When an unsaved person hardens his heart toward God there is a callousness of soul which resists the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. This hardening process, if not reversed, leads to eternal damnation. There is nothing more serious than this (Rom. 9:22; 11:7).

Hardening the heart is a metaphorical expression describing an insensitive, unresponsive, stubborn rejection of God’s Word. It is a will set in cement in response to God’s revelation.

Hardening the heart is possible in response to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers can harden their heart (e.g. Pharaoh, Ex. 7:13, 14, 22; Acts 19:9). Hard hearts will look for ways to reject, discredit, malign, and even stop the gospel message from being preached.

Hardened hearts can be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit in the new birth (Eph. 4:17-20). The apostle Paul is a classic example of how a hard heart toward the gospel developed by religious zeal can be reversed (Acts 9:1-19; 1 Tim. 1:13). Though a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church of Jesus Christ, Paul was shown mercy. The “foremost” of sinners was transformed into an ambassador of the gospel of reconciliation. No spiritual case is too hard for God. Remember this, dear Christian, as you pray for the unsaved.

Hardening the heart is possible among God’s people. The Hebrew Christians are warned of this danger (Heb. 3:8, 13, 15; 4:7). When the believer refuses to obey God and complains because of trials, watch out! When God’s promises are dismissed and trampled under one’s feet there will be a price to pay. God will lovingly chasten His children to call the disobedient to repentance (Heb. 12).

Hardening the heart operates along a defined pattern. There is an opportunity to respond to the revelation of God (i.e. to obey Him). Resistance to revering Him and disobeying Him results in increasing insensitivity. The hardened heart develops and eventually encounters the judgment of God. For the non-Christian this means a self-produced incapability of belief in Christ. The loving witness of family members, pain and suffering, repeated opportunities to hear the gospel are all like a drop of water on a brick. The awful consequences of rejecting Jesus Christ are mocked. What a terrible thought.

Hardening the heart is possible on a national scale. How dark is the day when great numbers of people in a nation or any people group hear the gospel and reject it and become openly hostile to believers in Jesus Christ. Jesus looked out over the city of Jerusalem with great emotion and lamented the spiritual hardness that characterized the nation of Israel (Matt. 23:37). It was this hardness of heart that brought the apostle Paul to exclaim, “I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh…” (Rom. 9:3). This self-induced blindness that afflicted the nation of Israel was in itself the judgment of God for unbelief (Isa. 6:10; Matt. 13:14, 15; Mk. 4:12; Lk. 8:10; Jn. 12:40; Acts 28:26; Rom. 11:8).

Hardening the heart takes a heavy toll upon the divine institution of marriage (Matt. 19:8). God permitted Moses to write certificates of divorce in Israel because of its spiritual obtuseness. There was no command to divorce. Marriage was designed by God to be lifelong and monogamous. Hard hearts become unreceptive and disobedient to God and His Word. Marriages suffer as a result.

We come back to Pharaoh. It is said that God hardened His heart. How does this fit into the theology of hard hearts? Some are quick to say that Pharaoh hardened his heart before God hardened his heart. However, Paul says God hardens “whom he wants to harden” (Rom. 9:18) and in the Exodus account there are two predictions that God will harden Pharaoh (4:21; 7:3). This prediction preceded Pharaoh’s hardening his own heart. Are we left hanging on the horns of a dilemma? Not really. Two observations are necessary. Pharaoh was fully responsible for his actions. He had been living with the gospel at his doorstep in Egypt since he was a child. Israel’s worshipful presence as a witness nation was an opportunity for idol worshiping Egyptians to put their trust in the salvation of the one true God. Pharaoh sinned because he chose to sin. He resisted God and hardened his heart. God hardened the heart of Pharaoh as an act of judgment against a sinner who was already in rebellion against God.

If you have been patient enough to read to this point, you should be sobered by the gravity of hardening one’s heart against God. Sinful human beings are responsible for their ultimate condemnation. We can never excuse ourselves from God’s righteous judgment with the plea that God has not been fair. Have you heard the gospel and yet have not put your trust in Christ for eternal life? That kind of push-back comes with grave consequences. With what hearing you may have left, hear this, “But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Rom. 2:5). Hard hearts get hard treatment.

Dr. Howard E. Dial

Enduring is possible and impossible. Non-Christians can endure through difficult situations in the pursuit of personal happiness. This does not bring God glory and honor. This does not take away from admirable behavior. God’s image in fallen man is not completely eclipsed. However, those who are God’s people through faith in Jesus Christ have a call to endure life’s hardships for the sake of the gospel. William Carey, “the father of modern missions,” is one of those who exemplifies what it means to spend and be spent for the exaltation of Jesus Christ.

William Carey was born in a small village in England in 1761. His father was a poor weaver and school master. William became a cobbler and shoemaker at the age of fourteen. It has been said that this “impoverished English shoemaker was an unlikely candidate for greatness.” In his teen years he taught himself Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, and Danish. He could read the Bible in six languages. Carey married at the age of twenty to Dorothy Plackett. While pastoring two relatively small congregations, he developed a philosophy of missions that would change the Christian world. It was not easy. The Christian culture of England in the 1700s was antagonistic to missionary effort in reaching the unsaved. By God’s grace Carey endured opposition from fellow Christians, the British government, and his wife to sail for India with the precious gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” These words from a memorable sermon delivered by Carey in 1792, capture the passion for God’s fame that kept him enduring through a hazardous five month voyage at sea, fevers, cobras, crocodile infested rivers, a hostile Hindu population, and hundreds of other hardships and hazards to impact India for Jesus Christ. Within four decades of Carey’s arrival in India, thirteen new missionary societies were formed in Britain. Missionaries, inspired by his example, sailed from Europe and America to distant lands. The Bible was translated into over forty-four languages and dialects. Christian schools were established, and hundreds of Hindus were won to Jesus Christ.

William Carey endured because of a strong biblical theology. He was a Calvinist, holding to the belief of the sufficiency of God’s Word, that man is a sinner unable to save himself, God’s predestinating love, and the irresistible work of the Holy Spirit to bring lost sinners to salvation in Jesus Christ. It was Carey’s driving impulse that the greatest need of men and women was God’s forgiveness in Christ. His own words testify to this; “It must undoubtedly strike every considerate mind what a vast proportion of the sons of Adam there are who yet remain in the most deplorable state of heathen darkness . . . utterly destitute of the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, or of any means of attaining it.”

Life in India was hard. The tropical climate, malaria, the East India Trading Company, and the collapse of major banking institutions in Calcutta all conspired to stop William Carey’s zeal for the gospel. But he did not give up. He endured for the sake of Christ. Then there was the fire of March 11, 1812. For years Carey had labored in the arduous task of translation. He had mastered the Bengali language and Sanskrit, the queen of India’s languages and dialects. Printing presses and fonts of Hebrew, Greek, Persian, Arabic, Nagari, Telegu and other vernaculars worked together to disseminate the gospel through the printed page. The cause was not known, but a fire broke out in the print shop and burned for three days. The loss was incalculable. Valuable manuscripts, years of hard work, and Carey’s magnum opus of his linguistic life, the dictionary of Sanskrit and its Indian cognates, all went up in flames. Carey’s thoughts the day after the awful blaze are a testimony to how endurance thrives. In a letter to his nephew he wrote, “This is a heavy blow, as it will stop our printing the Scriptures for a long time. Twelve months’ hard labour will not reinstate us; not to mention loss of property, MSS., etc, which we shall scarcely ever surmount. I wish to ‘be still, and know that the Lord is God,’ and to bow to His will in everything. He will no doubt bring good out of this evil, and make it promote His interests; but, at present, the providence is exceeding dark.”

Those who endure for the sake of the gospel drink deeply from the cup of “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Oh, how our world does need those who persevere through hard times with joyful zeal for the glory of God. “God, grant us the tenacity to live in such a way that when we have finished our course and fought the fight of the faith that it will be said of us that we loved Jesus Christ more than life itself.”

William Carey died on June 9, 1834 at the age of 72. The inscription on his tombstone read, “William Carey, born August 17, 1761: Died – ‘A wretched, poor and helpless worm, on Thy kind arms I fall.’”

Dr. Howard E. Dial

A cross country race reveals the importance of endurance. On a recent beautiful fall afternoon I witnessed a gathering of scores of high school cross country teams competing for team championships. The horn sounded and they charged over a grassy field to complete a challenging 5K (3.1 miles) course. The leader of the pack ran an amazing race. He averaged about five minutes per mile and finished over four hundred yards ahead of his nearest competitor.

There is a word in the Greek that describes the Christian life as one of “enduring” a race. The word for endurance in the Greek language is hupomone (literally, remain under). “It is facing pressures and trials that call for a steadfast commitment to doing right and maintaining a godly life” (Lawrence O. Richards, Expository Dictionary of Bible Words). In its noun form it is used over thirty two times in the New Testament. Endurance is the Spirit-enabled power to wait and work through afflictions in a biblical way. We need staying power through hardships. Why? Good things happen as we keep on living joyfully and resiliently in the midst of difficulties. Even a well-trained runner deals with discomfort and pain as she keeps her eye on the finish line. The Christian puts his eye on the fulfillment of the promises of God. Jesus Christ is coming. He will bring rewards with Him for those who have been faithful in running the race.

Some confuse the idea of endurance with the possibility of losing their salvation. The Christian’s security in Christ is not determined by winning the battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil. There are those who think that the believer must “persevere” in Christ to ensure their final salvation. This is partly due to a misunderstanding of Matthew 24:13 (“But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”). This passage teaches the welcomed deliverance of persecuted Christians who survive the tribulation period. Nowhere does the Bible teach that the Christian must keep on believing in order to keep their salvation. The evidence is overwhelming that those who belong to Christ are secure in Him (Rom. 8:35-39).

Disciplining oneself for godliness produces spiritual endurance (1 Tim. 4:8). However, we need suffering in order to produce endurance (Rom. 5:3; Jas. 1:3). Our endurance commends us to others as servants of God (2 Cor. 6:4). Runners are inspired by champion runners. The Christian has a champion “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). Therefore, as we run with endurance the race that is set before us, we fix our eyes on Jesus. The example of Jesus should motivate us to finish well in the Christian life.

How is your spiritual endurance? Has illness, financial pressures, a disappointment reduced your pace in the Christian life? Have you dropped back and ceased to run effectively? The Hebrew Christians had a history of having “endured a great conflict of sufferings” (Heb. 10:32). They were encouraged to persist in running hard after God through a new set of sufferings. Dear Christian friend, don’t give in to the temptation to become angry and withdraw from the fellowship of believers. There are mysteries associated with affliction. Running well is made possible when we entrust our souls “to a faithful Creator in doing what is right” (1 Pet. 4:19). Our God is trustworthy. Let us run with endurance.

Dr. Howard E. Dial

The great inheritance of every Christian is eternal life with the living God and with His Son, Jesus Christ. This inheritance has been made possible through the atoning work of Christ, which satisfied God’s wrath toward our sins and enabled God to impute to us, through faith, the very righteousness of Christ. While we are still awaiting the full experience of this inheritance, we rest assured that it will come to pass because of the truth of God’s Word. When the final stage of our salvation arrives, we will dwell forever in intimate fellowship with our Creator and Redeemer in an environment that is completely free from the curse of sin.

The book of the Bible that gives us the most detail about the eternal state is the Book of Revelation. Unfortunately, many Christians shy away from this book, believing that is too puzzling or mystical to be understood. Even John Calvin refused to write a commentary on Revelation! But such an attitude contradicts a grand promise contained in Revelation itself: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Rev 1:3). God did not make these things known through the apostle John to confuse us, but instead to inform us concerning the things to come and to motivate us to anticipate our future inheritance through godly living in the present.

The lack of systematic study and teaching of this important book has led to misconceptions about what the eternal state will be like. Many assume that all distinctions between peoples will be eliminated, and that all believers will forever be in heaven, praising God with the angels. A careful examination of Rev 21:22-27 can provide at least a partial corrective to this problem. But first some contextual background is necessary.

After seeing a vision of the glorified Christ in chapter 1, John is commissioned to write messages to 7 historical churches in Asia Minor. These churches are experiencing various degrees of persecution. Chapters 2 and 3 contain the letters to these churches, the major thrust of which is to remain faithful to Christ and to the apostolic teaching they have received concerning Him, until Christ returns. In each case, a promise is made to those who are faithful and who overcome the opposition they are experiencing.

In chapters 4 and 5, John receives and records two visions. The first vision in chapter 4 focuses on God the Father and His throne room in heaven. In God’s hand is a seven-sealed scroll. The second vision is of Jesus as the Lamb of God, who was the only one found worthy to take the scroll from the Father and break its seals. These seals will bring judgment upon an unbelieving world, and the visions of chapters 4 and 5 show clearly that these judgments originate from God the Father and God the Son in heaven.

The description of these judgments begins in chapter 6 and continues through chapter 20. Through a series of seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls, God’s wrath is poured out on the earth. This is the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy (Dan 9:24-27), a 7 year period of tribulation for those who dwell upon the earth. It will begin like “birth pangs,” growing in intensity until, at its end, there will be “a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall” (Matt 24:21). The church will have been taken out of the world prior to the beginning of these judgments (Rev 3:10). Though people will be saved during this period, particularly through the witness of the 144,000 sealed Israelites (Rev 7:1-8), most of the world will worship the false christ (Rev 13:5-8).

At the end of this period of tribulation, Christ will return in power and glory with His saints and destroy the armies of the world that have massed together against Him (Rev 19:11-21). Satan will be bound so that he might no longer deceive the nations, and Christ and those who have followed Him will rule and reign on the earth for 1000 years (Rev 20:1-6). This earthly rule by Christ will be headquartered in the holy city of Jerusalem. It will fulfill all those Old Testament prophecies that were not fulfilled at His first coming, and will be in accordance with the covenant that God made with David in 2 Samuel 7. At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will be released for a short period of time, and will once again deceive the nations. He will gather an army as large as the sands of the seashore for one final assault against Christ in the holy city, but this revolt will be quickly put down by fire from heaven (Rev 20:7-9). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever, and the unrighteous dead will be resurrected and judged at the Great White Throne (Rev 20:10-14). Anyone’s name which is not written in the Book of Life will also be cast into the lake of fire and will remain there forever (Rev 20:15).

Revelation 21 begins the description of the eternal state. It is the description of a redeemed creation, a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth will have passed away (21:1). Rather than men dwelling with God in heaven, God will dwell on this new earth in intimate fellowship with men, just as He did with Adam and Eve in the garden before the fall (21:3). This new earth will have no sea to separate the nations that inhabit it (21:1). It will be free from the curse of sin and its consequences of death, mourning, crying, and pain (21:4).

At the center of this new earth will be the New Jerusalem, which John saw coming down from heaven, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband (21:2). Though there are a number of beautiful cities in the world today, none can come close to the beauty of this one! Her brilliance will be like a precious stone (21:11). The material of the city’s walls will be jasper, and the city itself will be of pure gold (21:18). Each one of the city’s twelve foundation stones will be constructed of every kind of precious stone (21:19-20), and each of its twelve gates will be made from a single pearl (21:21). The streets of the city will be like transparent gold (21:21). Such will be the dwelling place of God and His people on the new earth!

Now we are ready to examine Revelation 21:22-27 and consider the role of the New Jerusalem in the new earth. John writes, “I saw no temple in her” (21:22). In the first creation, the city of Jerusalem was the holy city precisely because it had a temple. After Solomon built the first temple, God filled it with His glory (1 Kings 8:10-11). The temple represented God’s special dwelling place upon the earth, and the special place of worship for His people, the nation of Israel. It was to the temple in Jerusalem that the people brought their offerings and sacrifices, and it was here that the priests mediated between God and the people. This was the place for worship of the one true God as regulated by His law, the God who had revea
led Himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

But in the New Jerusalem, the physical structure of a temple will no longer be necessary. Instead, God Himself, both the Father and the Son, will be the city’s temple. Priests and temple regulations will no longer be needed, because God Himself will dwell among men in intimate, unmediated fellowship. This is possible because of the completion of God’s plan of redemption, and the restoration of fellowship between God and man.

Also unnecessary in the New Jerusalem will be the light provided by the sun and the moon. Instead, the glory of God and of the Lamb will illumine the city (Rev 21:23). Again, it is the immediate presence of God, and the glory that accompanies that presence, that renders the sun and the moon unnecessary in this new creation.

God’s presence in the New Jerusalem (which is on the new earth) will have further impact beyond the borders of this city: “And the nations shall walk by her light; and the kings of the earth bring their glory into her” (21:24). The illumination provided by God’s glory will be sufficient to provide light, not only for the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem, but also for all the nations in the new creation. A legitimate question here is, “Who are these nations?” Earlier in the book of Revelation, the nations have been a rebellious people who trampled the Holy City (11:2, 18) and who became drunk with the wine of Babylon (18:3, 23). These nations were destroyed at the coming of Christ (19:15, 17-21), and are among those who are raised and judged at the Great White Throne (20:12-13). The same character and destiny fits the description of kings and nations even earlier in Revelation (e.g., Rev 6:15-17). It is difficult to understand how nations of this character would participate in the future glory of the New Jerusalem.

Some have tried to resolve this problem by saying that these are the nations that exist under Christ’s earthly rule in Revelation 20, who come to Jerusalem in fulfillment of OT prophecy (Psa 72:10-11; Isa 60:3, 11; 66:12), and who later join Satan in his last rebellion. But these prophecies and their fulfillment speak of the Jerusalem that exists in this creation, not the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21.

A better solution is to understand these nations as believing peoples who are living at the end of the millennium and who do not join Satan’s rebellion. Though they do not die and are not resurrected, they undergo some sort of transformation that equips them for life in the eternal state. Perhaps the transformation restores them to a state similar to Adam and Eve before the fall, a state in which they will live forever, just as Adam and Eve would have lived forever if they had not sinned. It is these people that will make up the nations, and it is evidently over these nations that the resurrected saints of God will reign forever (Rev 22:5).

Not only will nations continue into the eternal state, but so also will kings to lead those nations. The gates of the New Jerusalem will never be closed, and the kings of the nations will “bring their glory” into the city (Rev 21:25-26), that is, they will pay tribute from the treasures of their respective lands by bringing these treasures into the New Jerusalem. Earlier in Revelation, the city of Babylon was the center of the world during the reign of the false christ, and Babylon ruled over all the kings of the earth (17:18). After Babylon’s destruction, Christ will reign from the Jerusalem of the present earth, and the kings of the nations will bring their glory into that city in fulfillment of OT prophecy (Isa 60:11). In the new earth, the New Jerusalem, the ultimate city of God, will be the center of the world, and the kings of the earth will bring tribute to her.

Finally, in contrast to those people and things which come into the city are those which cannot: “nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying shall ever come into it” (Rev 21:27). Such people will be outside the city, tormented in the lake of fire forever. The New Jerusalem is reserved for those whose names remain written in the Lamb’s book of life, and they will enjoy fellowship with their Creator and Redeemer forever. Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!

Frank Pass

“Falter – to move unsteadily; stumble; totter.” That is the way the dictionary defines a term that most often is used in relation to people (e.g. the soldiers faltered for a moment as their captain fell.). However, it is an appropriate description of an economy that keeps stumbling. Some are calling our present economy the great recession. That may be right. It has been said that a recession is when your neighbor loses his job, and a depression is when you lose your job. No doubt, that is an oversimplification. The fact remains, however, that things are not going well. Banks are failing. Unemployment is approaching 10% nationally. Businesses are struggling to turn a profit. Mortgage foreclosures keep mounting. Commercial loans are difficult to get. The list could go on. One must be careful about making the claim that God is saying a specific thing through some current event (e.g. “it is the end of the world.”). Another extreme is the benign assessment that this is just a part of the overall economy cycle through which we must pass, a self-correcting nuisance that must be endured. I would like to offer what I believe to be a biblical analysis of our current crisis.

A faltering economy is a divine reminder that we live in a fallen world. Sin has polluted the stream of economic history because men and women are sinful by nature. The brightest among us cannot forestall human folly bound up in financial systems. The problem is not some fatal flaw in our free enterprise system but in the hearts of those who function within it.

A faltering economy lifts the roof off waste, fraud, and greed. Hard times have a way of flushing out bad habits and bad people. We hear a lot about conserving, “greening,” and cost controls. It is easy to spend other people’s money, too easy. Communities are finding out that careful oversight of how taxes are spent and necessary belt-tightening is the way government should be run all the time. It is astounding how many Ponzi schemes and con artists are being smoked out by the state of our current economy. People are asking unscrupulous investors for their money. The crooks are found out and prosecuted. That’s a good thing.

A faltering economy is the opportunity to learn the value of living within our means. As government must learn how to cut back on spending, so do individuals. When our income is cut or lost altogether, it’s amazing how creative we can become in cutting fat from budgets. Being forced to reassess our spending habits is a profitable course of action. Americans are notorious “wasters.” Christians should lead the way in wise buying and conservation of our resources.

A faltering economy can be an excuse for government to take away freedoms and acquire more power over its citizenry. Our founding fathers cast a suspicious eye toward centralized government. So should we. Watch out when government starts declaring emergencies, restricting freedom and not giving it back. Socialism (government owning and operating industries) makes promises it cannot provide. When a people lose their moral fiber more laws are created to fill the gap. There are those who are waiting in the wings to accommodate the fearful and insecure by imposing their will upon them.

A faltering economy stirs up human insecurities, fear, and worry. Within each of us is a God-shaped vacuum. We were made for a relationship to our Maker. When that relationship does not exist, self-made gods rush in to rule the life. These lesser gods are impotent in the face of pain and suffering. When times are lean, jobs are scarce, and income is uncertain, fears haunt those without a confidence in God. Is anxiety over the economy robbing you of your joy in Christ?

A faltering economy can ignite anger toward government and political leaders. Deficit spending, higher taxes, and joblessness are not small matters. Such conditions can lower the threshold for anger and bitterness. The Bible tells us to be angry and sin not (Eph. 4:26). Righteous anger over unrighteousness must not be allowed to become sinful anger.

A faltering economy can be the cover for the ascendency of demagogues and power seekers. There are those who are more than willing to take advantage of a crisis and use it for their own selfish purposes. Refuse to be manipulated by those politicians who stir up the populace by appealing to their emotions and prejudices in order to get money and power for themselves. Class warfare is a favorite weapon in the arsenal of those whose only concern is achieving and maintaining political power. Nothing is gained and much is lost when one economic class is pitted against another (e.g. taxing the rich to give to the poor).

A faltering economy is the breeding ground for get-rich-quick schemes, swindlers, and scam artists. Be on the lookout for those who want your money up front before they resurface your driveway or reroof your house. Get references. Simply because a contractor or salesperson claims to be a Christian is not a good enough reason to let them do the work. Smooth talkers with great financial investment plans must be checked and doubled checked. If the monthly financial report on your investment is coming only by email, your investment may be in serious trouble.

A faltering economy reminds Christian pilgrims that this world’s commercial utopian dreams, promises of boundless prosperity are doomed to ultimate failure. Revelation 18 describes the collapse of the world’s stock market in the Day of the Lord. Prior to Christ’s return to earth the economies of this planet will go up in smoke. This is not a call to take one’s money out of the bank and hide it under a mattress. It is rather a needed sober outlook on where this world is headed. Judgment will fall on the religious, socioeconomic system that has refused to worship Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Dr. Howard E. Dial