I have no desire to offend. Nor do I feel that "political correctness" requires great scholarship to detect. This is a learned response which is today being set before all men as the standard of what is right. In truth it has become a system for destroying the standard which we older people have accepted all our lives. It is evident to us that it even marginalizes, and even makes the truth into a lie.

Those of us who began our public education in a school in the early nineteen hundreds were already settled on a standard of right and wrong which has stood the examination and the rejection of wicked men. I am speaking of the whole Bible.

Jesus endorsed passage after passage from the Old Testament, even speaking of the prophets giving His people God's Word.

I said that I have no desire to offend but when I detect that destructive philosophy of Bible Study, or of dealing with one's fellows, I am sure that the most deceptive of all so-called correctness has laid hold of that person. It has been facetiously named "political correctness." Bear with me a few moments while I try to explain that expression. As an honest voter I am aware of the attitude assumed by many in government who are not true servants of the people, but who utilize the office as a means of enriching or establishing themselves in society. This reputation has become a discouraging factor which causes many good people to ignore our system here in America. It is not that fact that this term is here used to describe. But it is the dishonest or corrupt element which is recognized and rejected by many honest people.

The same dishonest use of terms has come to describe a philosophy of life, a system of morals, that we say has come to reflect such a dishonest, corrupt, and self-promoting lifestyle. Words are not allowed a proper natural or real sense in everyday usage. Take the word "gun" as often used today. Taking the occasional reality that people get hurt, get killed, by use of guns, there has risen a doctrine of morality which says that a gun is evil. Some even have gone so far as to sue gun manufacturers and trying to get guns changed with a safety device which cannot be abused or misused. It is true, that guns have had a safety feature all the time, but if it is not properly used the gun may still be extremely dangerous. Is it not evident that it is not the gun which kills; it is the careless or untaught user who makes it dangerous. Some, afflicted with this definition of "gun" are ready to forbid the making or selling of a gun. One would then wonder if a knife, an axe, a sword, or even a stick or club would not be just as dangerous.

Guns are safe according to the person who owns or uses one. It is not the gun's fault when it kills a child or a neighbor or a friend. It is the one holding the gun. Yes, it may be deadly, but it is the handler who must be taught. A gun not loaded, or locked in a closet, or supervised by a responsible adult, is very safe and may even be a preserver of life and property. Many things in our lives are like this.

Think of sex, marriage, alcohol, medicine, an automobile, and many valuable things. Accompanying factors may modify the danger, or make for safety, in all these. As to morality in every facet of life, the Bible is the standard when we reduce it logically to the measure of right and wrong. Maybe one did not learn much Bible as such as he was growing up, but if he had Christian parents he was taught a standard of morality which needs to be remembered and applied in the use of any of those elements we mentioned in the beginning of this paragraph.

The Bible is a most valuable book. It is authored by God the Holy Spirit. It is the Truth, the whole truth in areas needed by men to describe spiritual life in this age and the age to come. When we say it is the whole truth we need to explain that there are areas which it does not cover. There is not a recipe for making biscuits, but there is a recipe for spiritual life. It covers all of the area of thought and action as moral truth.

Since God gave the Bible to some men and it has a message for all men, we must believe that He Who knows us perfectly and what we need, has given it so that we may receive it and come nearer to the standard of morality which governs its Giver. The philosophy of political correctness causes those who are not willing to follow the Bible standard in their everyday lives to look for an escape. Either it is to be "interpreted" or it has faults itself. Both ideas are efforts by human wisdom, dishonest human beings, to put on God the author a charge which is exceedingly serious.

When men seek to interpret the Bible so as to allow in their own lives what God has forbidden there is one factor left for them to consider. God is the judge and we must all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Homosexuality, As In Sodom

The writer of the aforementioned letter did not say that he was one who practiced immorality by Christian standards, but that is the conclusion which I, as a Christian, get. I do not accuse that person, for I do not know, since he did not admit it in the letter. But I have to label his error in the reading of the Bible.

He defended homosexuality by saying that Jesus never did mention it. The word is not used, but Jesus often referred to Sodom, which got its name because of the sin of homosexuality which brought the fires of God's judgment down on it. "But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed" (Lk. 17:29-30). A simple reading of the incident lets us know, unquestioningly, that homosexuality was a dominant feature of the practice of that wicked place.

It is true that Jesus spoke often of Sodom and Gomorrah. Of the six times it is mentioned by name in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, five of them show a kindness and a tenderness toward that place. This does not mitigate the heinousness of its sin, but each place magnifies the mercy of God. There is no sin which He cannot or will not forgive when men repent. But Sodom did not repent and the God who knows the hearts of Sodomites far better than we do, indicated it would be better in His judgment for Sodom, than for one of the cities of Judea which rejected the Lord Jesus Christ. That, my friends, is the greatest sin that comes to our attention: rejecting the Christ whom God sent to suffer for us and bring about repentance in men. The writer whose letter we are discussing seemingly trusted Christ and makes much of being filled with the Spirit, implying that his life was led by the Spirit. One of the errors of all of us is in not being as familiar with God's grace and love as we ought to be. God knew the hearts of men in Sodom and brought judgment commensurate with their sin.

I know by experience that as we grow older our sense of the heinousness of sin will grow as we become more familiar with God's standard in the Bible. I know, also, that we are granted light as we grow that enables us to recognize sin which we might never have known otherwise. 1 Jn. 1:5 "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

How dare one claim to know God, to love God, to believe Him, yet believe that His not naming a sin by name means he is not against that sin? The mind of God is such a sweeping comprehension of righteousness until He knows all things. He speaks of right and wrong, good and bad, holiness and wickedness. We are convinced that He does adequately deal with both sides of all things that we must believe, that His standard of morality is revealed adequately for all men.

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

It should be very obvious to the Bible reader that God's chief characteristic is "judgment." As a Christian His chief quality is love, or mercy, or forgiveness. But even to us it is obvious that we who are men of faith, who live by His grace, must all stand before that judgment. 2 Cor. 5:10: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Yes, not only alien sinners, but saved people. Why? Because we have not ceased from sin. We do not always treat our brethren right. We are not always just, or kind, or sweet tempered. Yes, we know we are supposed to be. God requires it of us, but our natures have not been taken away. Since the first sin mankind has continued to allow his old nature to lead him astray. God supplies grace sufficient that we could say "no." when temptation assails us, but our will power is still our own, so we allow the feelings of sin to work on us.

From the day we first trust Christ we are supposed to believe Him. As we do, and if we do, God will supply us grace to overcome that temptation, but we have not attained that state of development which is possible.

Saved, Being Saved

The simplest word sometimes seems to become mixed up in our thinking. When you or I were still lost, under conviction, we heard the preacher speak of salvation. Maybe he had one idea in mind, and maybe we were not following him well, but at that time we thought of salvation as a "point in time" matter. When we did trust the Lord this idea was set firmly in our consciences as accomplished at a point in time. (I speak of those of us who attended Baptist services and a few others who had not yet learned to think of a continuing work of salvation.) This idea is found hundreds of times in the Bible. A few passages should settle our minds completely that it was not a finished matter in that moment. Rom. 13:11: "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Rom. 13:11-14).

The expression "that knowing the time" should not be missed for us to appreciate what is being said. Back up a few verses and observe the pattern of life being described. In Rom. 12:1 Paul addresses these as brethren. The verse that says "nearer than when ye first believed," clearly indicates he was speaking to believers. So the whole passage is to saved people, instructed in love for one another (12:9-10). Then those expressions about their putting on the Lord Jesus Christ together, with their making no provision for the flesh, is language clearly indicating that these are saved people who needed instruction in obedience before their Lord. Yes, it is high time to awake out of sleep. How many church members today seem to be asleep. And how few show evidence that they wear the Christ as a garment ("put on" Christ). All such expressions are designed to explain the need for them to draw closer to the Lord, listen to His voice, and act in ways that He prescribes. Alien sinners could never perform such living. It belongs to those who have experienced the initial experience of His grace in deliverance from self and sin and the world. Yes, it is high time for them to get busy, wake up, and begin to follow the Lord. "Works for salvation"? No, but it is a man's part to listen, believe, obey, pray, grow up, mature and be more and more like Him. Christ's forgiving them, showing them the pattern they are to seek in their lives, and granting them strength, even giving a desire to develop into being saints, is what makes this all possible.

Many elements of this operation are coming to pass, now and its being high time suggests that it soon becomes "too late" to sleep and sit idly by and miss God's full salvation. It does not have to mean the salvation of the body, at the resurrection, though, of course, that is nearer than when we first believed, and could become so late one might not get such a glorified body.

That first "free gift" salvation did not come to one who did not stop "kicking against the pricks" of the convicting Spirit and freely admit that Jesus is the only Savior. This "human part" in the experience is our responsibility and without our being willing to repent, and believe, it will not happen.

I fear that our preaching the "full salvation" has been so careless until many have assumed they had no responsibility to repent, to believe, to obey, to follow, to love, etc. We have been careless avoiding saying that these things which are our responsibility have not been properly emphasized, lest they convey the idea that a man does not have any responsibility beyond the accepting of the "free gift." Well, it is all free, and it is all a gift, something which we cannot deserve and cannot do alone. But it is a continuing experience because one is not born full grown. I was not, nor were you, physically, and we were not spiritually full grown either. So now, "grow up into Him." Eph. 4:15: "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ."

Wake up, speak the truth, loving the brethren, speaking out to those who do not know Him, witnessing as we are able to say what happened to us and what Christ is doing in and through us. Such will honor the Christ and He will bless your heart. Do you excuse yourself on the grounds that you do not know the Bible very well, and would not know what to say? To be a witness we must have had an experience, or seen a happening, or felt a power at work in us. Then you can tell it. Do you suppose God will excuse us for failing to tell others of such a transforming experience? Oh, you did not feel such power, were not conscious of such an experience? Then what makes you believe God has saved you?

This is something which is a part of our dailey thinking, deep down in our hearts. You can review it again and again. Is it so long ago that you do not recall feeling God's love, power, even His peace which flooded your soul at the time. It may mean you are primed for some repenting of neglect, repentance of unthankfulness, repentance for ignoring the Holy Spirit who came and nudged you time and again. If you did not have the peace, did not surrender your heart to Him, you may truly now need to repent.

Satan's Work in Blinding

For me to attempt to explain all of the feelings which may have complicated your emotional state and the confusion which has disturbed you. Allow me to say now that it is not for me to guess. It is my sincere conviction that God does not leave any of his people alone long at a time. When I read Ezekiel, or one of the other prophets, it does seem that God has had all He will take of the ignoring, the presumption, the harsh forgetfulness. The fathers in Israel were "let alone" many times. This either means they had never truly admitted their sin, or they had not admitted it and confessed in repentance and faith so that God could step in an bless their hearts. He knows how far everyone has gone and where we stand at this moment. We do know that there comes a day when mercy is no longer available . It happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. It appears it may have happened to Bethsaida and Chorazin (Mt. 11:21; Lk. 10:13. It had not happened when Jesus mentioned it, but Tyre and Sidon had already gone too far. We dare not "short change" God's mercy. The judgment scene in Mt. 25:31-46 surely tells me in no uncertain terms that there is a limit to what God will put up with. Some of those actually thought they were ready for Him to come and do His will, acting surprised at His expressing the error for which they had failed (vv. 44-46), So, also, they who had done what He expected were surprised that their response had satisfied Him. They had not been thinking selfishly of themselves, but had looked to Him in His compassion to be the kind of Savior they needed (vv. 37-40).

Open your Bible and read these verses (Mt. 25:31-46. It is a prophetic description of the judgment, the immediate operation of the King (Jesus) when He returns in power and glory to rule the world in righteousness.

The lot of those righteous is dealt with first. This judgment does not ask people if they ever had an experience of grace, as Baptists often ask, designed to learn if one has trusted Jesus as Savior. It goes beyond this and relates the standard by which all people shall be judged. Is it diffficult to tell that the standard is how we have consciously looked to and honored the Christ. The individual motions of our response are described in the simplest terms. Have we qualified to inherit the kingdom in which He shall rule the whole earth in righteousness? Note, He does not ask to find out if we are qualified. He has already divided (separated) the sheep from the goats. The sheep are those who did qualify to have a part, so have been set on His right hand. The goats did not, so have been set on His left hand. God does not have to inquire as to our state of heart. He knows us through and through. So He does not ask to learn our heart-state, but to tell us who has met the standard. The simple, everyday language of hunger, thirst, acceptance for ministry to Him, in these normal conditions, need for food, drink, illness, (including strangers, not just those next door), company (as social visits, need of clothing, confinement to prison), all were occasion for visiting the Lord (vv. 35-36). To these the righteous had not remembered their Lord being in such need. His explanation was that when they saw such needs among the sheep, the righteous, and ministered to them, He took it as ministry to Himself.

The second element is to search the goats for the same standards. It should be obvious that it is not to determine whether they had trusted Jesus as Savior. Many alien sinners, by which we mean those who have not trusted Jesus, will be in this judgment, for "all nations" are brought before Him in judgment. In fact, since the sheep had met the requirements there are none there who had failed to trust Him in the initial faith. But both those who had once trusted, maybe genuinely, and those who had not, were set on his left hand because they were not qualified by attention to His needs. It may be because many had trusted Him once, even confessing Him as Savior, that some in this state object to being told to depart (v. 44): "Mt 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."

This should be no surprise to us. We profess to believe that God knows all about us, and if we see him displeased with us, we look at a one-time confession as though that were all He requires. Just how He handles us who have made a profession, and who believe in "once saved always saved," we cannot accept on the basis of our narrow explanation of what it takes to be saved (delivered from sin and into the kingdom). His use of the word "salvation" is larger than most of us think. It means delivered from sin and includes "into the kingdom," but that phrase is not what we had thought being saved included.

Is it not about time, in fact, "high time that we awake out of sleep" (Rom. 13:11), since the word salvation reaches far enough to embrace the saving of the soul in addition to the saving of our spirits. Yes, "soul" includes our thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Hence, we say, the life. A saved spirit is a great blessing, but the saving of the life makes for a testimony to the glory of the Lord. Jesus said it thus: Heb 10:5: "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me."

A few months ago we studied in Sunday School from the Book of Hebrews. It is no longer a mere figure, a reminder of sins, but it was a perfect sacrifice which satisfied the Father by the paymnent of the full price for all of our sins. How much better is the reality of Christ's offering than the pictures of that offering seen in bulls and goats. Of all people Missionary Baptists ought to be able to recognize this difference. The words of the prophets are wonderful in their photographic accuracy and instruction of the value of future provision in Christ, but now that we have the reality it is far better and we ought to have no further need of the pictures.

God reminds us of His provision of a perfect sacrifice through the historical record, the Law of Moses. Now that the sacrifice has been made the pictures serve only like photos of our children after they are grown and have children of their own. The memories are precious and we preserve them to our own comfort.

God Speaks

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering" (Ex. 25:1-2).

This issue of The Reminder has referred often to God's talking to us to let us know when we are in need, or need to listen to His voice. In the above passage, at least through Ex. 25:10, we have the pattern which gives us clues as to how to "hear" God speak. Sometime, I feel it may be good that I use more time and space explaining the technique which God uses to make Himself known to all men, specially to His chosen people.

First, this technique requires that "every man," of "the children of Isreal" "bring an offering" "willingly with his heart." The "heart" is a clue here. God wants to hear from every man, not just words but sincerely, out of his heart. Then God has Moses explain that each man's bringing the offering he must be mindful of what "old preachers" used to call "types and shadows." He does not use the word "types," but says "gold and silver and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins and shittem wood."

These literal items are so carelessly named until it takes the heart to examine and learn that there is a meaning (type) and special sense of each item. Also, valuable items, as "oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, ..." How or why can these named items and colors and rich substances possibly make sense? It is by that language which we call types. God will make clear what each item signifies. Our talking, or offering to him, must conform to the patterns preserved in these items, plus the others listed. Read on through the description of furniture for the tabernacle. Surely you have heard some preacher talk of the significance of the tabernacle. See the wording of Ex. 25:16. God explained these things for Moses. In this he gave a special significance to gold, to silver, to brass, to certain woods. The substituting of distinctive items, taking meanings which can be demonstrated as showing the characteristics to be used, must be learned from God as we allow him to give us the meaning.

As we read on through the book of Exodus we certainly learn, if we are careful, how God will hear our heart's yearnings and, in turn, will reveal his mercy, His grace, His righteousness, all of the beauties of sweet concourse or communication with God.

I do not remember trying to explain why there are so many figures of speech, language, in the Bible, but here you see it. And I hope you noticed that it requires a genuinely honest heart and one open to the Lord. I have often said, you must listen. Well, I feel sure you have here the evidence that it takes a genuine simplicity to let God's heart show through to yours. In addition, it will take a patient waiting on Him to make Himself known to your heart, but He will, and soon enough too. It now appears that just a slight further explanation of God's speaking to men would be helpful.

The similitude of substances is what we call figurative language. The use of ideas expressed through similitudes is learned. Relationships, and a whole series of meanings are employed to express ideas which might easily be misconstrued with everyday language. Once these types are established in memory they come back readily, but our advantage is that a record is inspired and we can go back and review as necessary. Direct communication is always available, but the written language gives a stable point of contact. q

The Reminder,

March 2006

March 7, 2006. We are not as efficient as formerly. Age does affect our thinking in areas of habit, use of the fingers, and even the mind. But the computer seems determined to use certain forms.

We are sure that one does not ever get too old to learn. Studying together the Word of God is a delight and I am encouraged during every Bible class. We have a few brethren who come to be with us and these are also an encouragement in their discernment. They bless an old pastor and we thank God for this encouragement. Having a good preacher brother in the membership, Bro. George Fletcher, also is encouraging to this pastor. He is not as old as I am, but has experience and I feel blessed to counsel with him. Also, there are several brethren who feel free to discuss the Scriptures in class. This is also a real encouragement. If I were much younger this might seem threatening, but not so now. I am glad for these brethren to be there and contribute to our discussion, as well as the teacher of our adult Bible Class who is very efficient.

This reminds me of the elements that make a church acceptable to people. When we know the word, and when we realize that Jesus established His church to "take out ... a people for His name (Acts. 15:14)," this purely Baptist doctrine makes us happy to realize that Jesus promised to be with us to the finish of the days (of this age), (Mt. 28:20). I am careful to say that this promise concerning the church is a Baptist doctrine, for I am not familiar with any other people who believe this concerning his body, the church. Many who profess to believe that the church is local, not universal, believe the doctrine that Christ is the answer, which is true but fail to realize that they have circumvented the church, and many who are Baptists do not realize that their position misses the reality of the church. Many, maybe all, of the original disciples who accompanied Jesus during His teaching and His promise to send "another comforter," fail to recognize that the coming of the comforter is a promise to His church, not to everybody who has been saved. Those apostles, were saved before Jesus called them, but they were not a part of the church. If we can get a position which all others believe, we feel we are avoiding the politically incorrect doctrine of what it means to be in Christ, that is, in His church. All Christian religions, which include Catholcism and Protestantism, and independency, want to believe they are genuine disciples but they reject the local church as that people whom Christ established "to take out of the Gentiles a people for His name."

I do not want to irritate any man nor declare him in error by avoiding the local church, but the New Testament, the Covenant which has superceded the law covenant, is for some reason rejected by most people. They have learned certain doctrines which they want to believe, and maybe think they understand them, but they have overlooked the Book of Acts. The scholars have decided to call that book "the Acts of the Apostles." Maybe it should be "the practices of the church," but the epistles to individual churches are always restricted to one local body. In order to accept a universal church, one has to shut his mind to many ideas concerning unity, fellowship, security, obedience, the marriage of the Lamb and the Bride of Christ, and what it means to save one's spiritual life.

When one still feels that the Bible is too difficult for most people, the problem is likely an unwillingness to believe in the heart just what is taught in the New Testament). Derogatory names are used against those who teach an inspired covenant and kingdom truth designed to dismiss the doctrines, the body of Christ, the church. Terms that Protestants have created and Baptists in great measure have accepted relative to the covenant and kingdom. One must be willing to avoid these omissions and accept the language of the New Testament.

The Scriptures are difficult because of the Old English, perhaps, not becausse the subject matter is too difficult. Anything is difficult when it is new to us, but the Word of God should soon begin to make real good sense. A talk with its author may be difficult for one who is not familiar with the Bible. Even a computer may seem difficult compared with a typewriter but it will become familiar with usage.

Understanding A Computer

Using an automobile for years, or any machine, makes one feel he understands it very well. But when my computer began to do things which I had not asked for, then got worse, doing the usual things, I was very disturbed. I spoke to a number of other computer users and none of them recognized such performances. But this Monday morning when I began to look for my e-mail and then went to my word processor it acts very civilized and has not "gone to sleep" or "frozen up," as it did yesterday. It would not even search for Scritpure, a regular concordance function. But today it is very civilized. No, I have no assurance that it will not go to sleep again. By that term I mean that neither the keyboard nor the mouse would function. Usually, when this condition would arise all I had to do was close the program and restart it normally. Some computer user out there may say this means that I do not have enough memory in my machine. So I thought, but it has more memory than any machine I have ever had, and I am opening far less programs than formerly, all at the same time. But if it happens again I will go to the manufacturer with my complaint. It worked just fine until a week after it reminded me that my warranty had expired. Makes one wonder if there is some sort of dishonesty which is causing the problem. I suppose this could be put into a machine, but I have no proof. After all, the calendar has only progressed by one day further since it would not function at all, and now it funcitions perfectly.

Thank You