For Whom Did Christ Die? Part 1

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Doctrines of Grace (Calvinism)
Atonement, The

• Limited Atonement -ST #31
  Sam E. Waldron

The Moral Law of God -Part 10

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Audio Links
Law of God
Dispensationalism
New Covenant Theology

• The Moral Law of God -Part 10
  Albert N. Martin

Some Food for Apologetical Thought

“God is thus the principle of definition, of law, and of all things. He is the premise of all thinking, and the necessary presupposition for every sphere of thought. It is blasphemy therefore to attempt to "prove" God; God is the necessary presupposition of all proof. To ground any sphere of thought, life, or action, or any sphere of being, on anything other than the triune God is thus blasphemy. Education without God as its premise, law which does not presuppose God and rest on His law, a civil order which does not derive all authority from God, or a family whose foundation is not God's word, is blasphemous.”

-R.J. Rushdoony from The Institutes of Biblical Law

Now That's a Mouth Full

The local library in our area started having a chess night a couple times a month when people can get together at the library and play a few games of chess. Our boys love to play chess and they're tired of getting beat by dad all the time so we have been going fairly regularly and it has been lots of fun.

This last time I took my four year old daughter along and she naturally became bored with the whole chess thing after a little bit, so I took her out to walk around in the library for a while. As we entered the toddlers play area I noticed a 4 foot tall stuffed Barney flopped over in a chair in the corner and before I knew it my sweet little daughter was running over to see him. I don't think we have ever even watched Barney so I had no idea what she was doing.

Much to the horror of all the on-looking toddlers my little girl ran right up to him, stuck her head right in his big mouth and started hollering (quietly of course, she does have some manners) "Ahhhhh, he's chewing my head!"

I don't know, maybe we need to do a little more work on the whole "meek and quiet spirit" thing (1 Peter 3:4). One things for sure though, I think Barney bit off more than he could chew with this one.

Alarm to the Unconverted!

New at Polemos
Puritans, The
Audio Links

1. Alarm to the Unconverted! part 1
   Joseph Alleine • Alleine's Alarm • 90 min.
   Grace Audio Treasures

2. Alarm to the Unconverted! part 2
   Joseph Alleine • Alleine's Alarm • 88 min.
   Grace Audio Treasures

3. Alarm to the Unconverted! part 3
   Joseph Alleine • Alleine's Alarm • 90 min.
   Grace Audio Treasures

4. Alarm to the Unconverted! part 4
   Joseph Alleine • Alleine's Alarm • 87 min.
   Grace Audio Treasures

5. Alarm to the Unconverted! part 5
   Joseph Alleine • Alleine's Alarm • 53 min.
   Grace Audio Treasures

If sinners will be damned...

"If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms around their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for." - C.H. Spurgeon.

Guerilla Apologetics

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Evangelism

While I must confess that I don't really appreciate some of Ray Comfort's evangelism tactics, you gotta love anyone with such a heart for evangelism!

My children and I just finished watching the "Guerrilla Apologetics for the Glory of God" DVD put out by Vision Forum and it was awesome! A must hear message for anyone who longs to lead others to Christ, something that is certainly true of any true Christian.

Guerilla Apologetics for the Glory of God DVD
By Ray Comfort / The Vision Forum, Inc

" Evangelism today uses modern techniques that are often contrary to Scripture. While such outreach may lead to many "decisions", true conversions don't always follow in the same numbers. Ray Comfort has seen the power of evangelizing as Jesus did-by emphasizing that all believers have broken God's laws, are enemies of God, that God's judgment is directly tied to lawbreaking, and as sinners, they're desperately in need of repentance. Discover what Guerilla Apologetics are really all about! 1 DVD, 1 hr. 20 minutes."

The Martyrdom of Hugh Latimer

The Martyrdom of Hugh Latimer
As recorded in Foxe's Book of Martyrs

"The place of death was on the northside of the town, opposite Baliol College. Dr. Ridley was dressed in a black gown furred, and Mr. Latimer had a long shroud on, hanging down to his feet. Dr. Ridley, as he passed Bocardo, looked up to see Dr. Cranmer, but the latter was then engaged in disputation with a friar. When they came to the stake, Mr. Ridley embraced Latimer fervently, and bid him: "Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it." He then knelt by the stake, and after earnestly praying together, they had a short private conversation. Dr. Smith then preached a short sermon against the martyrs, who would have answered him, but were prevented by Dr. Marshal, the vice-chancellor. Dr. Ridley then took off his gown and tippet, and gave them to his brother-in-law, Mr. Shipside. He gave away also many trifles to his weeping friends, and the populace were anxious to get even a fragment of his garments. Mr. Latimer gave nothing, and from the poverty of his garb, was soon stripped to his shroud, and stood venerable and erect, fearless of death.

Dr. Ridley being unclothed to his shirt, the smith placed an iron chain about their waists, and Dr. Ridley bid him fasten it securely; his brother having tied a bag of gunpowder about his neck, gave some also to Mr. Latimer.

Dr. Ridley then requested of Lord Williams, of Fame, to advocate with the queen the cause of some poor men to whom he had, when bishop, granted leases, but which the present bishop refused to confirm. A lighted fagot was now laid at Dr. Ridley's feet, which caused Mr. Latimer to say: "Be of good cheer, Ridley; and play the man. We shall this day, by God's grace, light up such a candle in England, as I trust, will never be put out."

When Dr. Ridley saw the fire flaming up towards him, he cried with a wonderful loud voice, "Lord, Lord, receive my spirit." Master Latimer, crying as vehemently on the other side, "O Father of heaven, receive my soul!" received the flame as it were embracing of it. After that he had stroked his face with his hands, and as it were, bathed them a little in the fire, he soon died (as it appeareth) with very little pain or none.

Well! dead they are, and the reward of this world they have already. What reward remaineth for them in heaven, the day of the Lord's glory, when he cometh with His saints, shall declare."

Both Ways Barack

Mother and Father Government

• U.S. government: We know parenting better than you
  Proposals would give Washington unprecedented control over kids
  By Chelsea Schilling
  

The True Meaning of Beauty

• The True Meaning of Beauty: A Pastoral Letter to Fruitful Vines
  Dougs Blog
  

The Conversion of Hugh Latimer

I ran across this fascinating story of the conversion of Hugh Latimer while reading The History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century by Merle d' Aubigne . Latimer was a vehement and brilliant defender of the Catholic Church who was out to stop the spread of the Reformation in England when he ran into Bilney, a teacher who had who had embraced the true gospel of Jesus Christ and the doctrines of the Reformation. Bilney went to hear Latimer's lectures against Philip Melancthon (Martin Luther's right hand man) and launched upon one of the most interesting evangelistic endeavors ever recorded. Here it is as recorded in d' Aubigne's History.

"Bilney easily detected Latimer’s sophisms, but at the same time loved his person and conceived the design of winning him to the gospel. But how would he manage it? The prejudiced Latimer would not even listen to the evangelical Bilney. Bilney reflected, prayed and at last planned a very candid and very strange plot, which led to one of the most astonishing conversions recorded in history.

He went to the college where Latimer resided. “For the love of God,” he said to Latimer, “be pleased to hear my confession.” The heretic (so Latimer thought) asked to make confession to the Catholic. What a singular fact! My discourse against Melancthon has no doubt converted him, said Latimer to himself. Had not Bilney once been among the number of most pious zealots?…..If he turns back (to Catholicism) all will turn back with him and the reaction will be complete at Cambridge. The ardent Latimer eagerly yielded to Bilney’s request, and Bilney, kneeling before Latimer, related to him with touching simplicity the anguish he had once felt in his soul, the efforts he had made to remove it; there unprofitableness as long as he determined to follow the precepts of the church, and lastly, the peace he had felt when he believed that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. He described to Latimer the spirit of adoption he had received, and the happiness he experienced in being able now to call God his Father….

Latimer, who expected to receive a confession, listened without mistrust. His heart was opened, and the voice of the pious Bilney penetrated it without obstacle. From time to time Latimer would have chased away the thoughts which came crowding into his bosom; but Bilney continued. His language, at once so simple and so lively, entered like a two-edged sword. Bilney was not without assistance in his work. A new and strange witness – the Holy Ghost – was speaking in Latimer’s soul. He learned from God to know God: he received a new heart.

At length grace prevailed: Bilney rose up, but Latimer remained seated, absorbed in thought. The strong Latimer contended in vain against the words of the feeble Bilney. Like Saul on his way to Damascus, he was conquered, and his conversion, like the Apostle’s was instantaneous. He stammered out a few words; Bilney drew near him with love, and God scattered the darkness which still obscured his mind. He saw Jesus Christ as the only Savior given to man: he contemplated and adored him. “I learned more by this confession,” he said afterward, “then by much reading and in many years before….I now tasted the word of God, and forsook the doctors of the school and all their fooleries…”

It was not Bilney, but Latimer who received absolution. Latimer viewed with horror the obstinate war he had waged against God; he wept bitterly; but Bilney consoled him. “Brother”, Bilney said, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” These two men, then locked in their solitary chamber at Cambridge, were one day to mount the scaffold for that divine Master whose Spirit was teaching them."

Reformation in England 2
By Merle D'Aubigne / Banner Of Truth

"..if you would train your children rightly" -Part 3

J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) From The Duties of Parents

3. Train your children with an abiding persuasion on your mind that much depends upon you.

Grace is the strongest of all principles. See what a revolution grace effects when it comes into the heart of an old sinner, — how it overturns the strongholds of Satan, — how it casts down mountains, fills up valleys, — makes crooked things straight, — and new creates the whole man. Truly nothing is impossible to grace. Nature, too, is very strong. See how it struggles against the things of the kingdom of God, — how it fights against every attempt to be more holy, — how it keeps up an unceasing warfare within us to the last hour of life. Nature indeed is strong.

But after nature and grace, undoubtedly, there is nothing more powerful than education. Early habits (if I may so speak) are everything with us, under God. We are made what we are by training. Our character takes the form of that mould into which our first years are cast.

We depend, in a vast measure, on those who bring us up. We get from them a colour, a taste, a bias which cling to us more or less all our lives. We catch the language of our nurses and mothers, and learn to speak it almost insensibly, and unquestionably we catch something of their manners, ways, and mind at the same time. Time only will show, I suspect, how much we all owe to early impressions, and how many things in us may be traced up to seeds sown in the days of our very infancy, by those who were about us. A very learned Englishman, Mr. Locke, has gone so far as to say: "That of all the men we meet with, nine parts out of ten are what they are, good or bad, useful or not, according to their education."

And all this is one of God’s merciful arrangements. He gives your children a mind that will receive impressions like moist clay. He gives them a disposition at the starting-point of life to believe what you tell them, and to take for granted what you advise them, and to trust your word rather than a stranger’s. He gives you, in short, a golden opportunity of doing them good. See that the opportunity be not neglected, and thrown away. Once let slip, it is gone for ever. Beware of that miserable delusion into which some have fallen, — that parents can do nothing for their children, that you must leave them alone, wait for grace, and sit still. These persons have wishes for their children in Balaam’s fashion, — they would like them to die the death of the righteous man, but they do nothing to make them live his life. They desire much, and have nothing. And the devil rejoices to see such reasoning, just as he always does over anything which seems to excuse indolence, or to encourage neglect of means.

I know that you cannot convert your child. I know well that they who are born again are born, not of the will of man, but of God. But I know also that God says expressly, "Train up a child in the way he should go," and that He never laid a command on man which He would not give man grace to perform. And I know, too, that our duty is not to stand still and dispute, but to go forward and obey. It is just in the going forward that God will meet us. The path of obedience is the way in which He gives the blessing. We have only to do as the servants were commanded at the marriage feast in Cana, to fill the water-pots with water, and we may safely leave it to the Lord to turn that water into wine.

The Daddy Fan Club Gang

As I returned home from work yesterday I was treated to three of my children running out to meet me hollering "We're the daddy fan club!" They looked so cute and happy I just had to take a picture of them.

Where Have All The Men Gone?

As Ive been looking at various Christian news websites Ive been noticing more and more reports of controversies concerning women ministers, gay ministers and even lesbian ministers. As far as I'm concerned theres no point in even discussing homosexual ministers, its only rank unbelievers in the church that would even be debating something so wicked and unbiblical. But the idea of women in the ministry seems to be creeping in to even the more "conservative" churches and ministries on a large scale lately.

My wife and I were visiting a small, fairly conservative church (so I thought anyhow) not to long ago when the pastor dismissed Paul's prohibition of women teachers as something historically peculiar to the Corinthian church as the women there were being boisterous and unruly. Another church we visited several times had women leading all the music and congregational singing. I have been to countless Christian functions where women have lead the men in prayer. My children attended a function at another church in which they had women youth group leaders and nearly every church I have ever attended has had women running the Sunday school program or doing most of the teaching in it.

When it comes to homeschooling it is usually initiated by the mother, I cant even count how many times men have told me "Yeah, we homeschool. My wife wanted to try it." How many men are there who are teaching their children anything at all, let alone the basic truths of Scripture?

Where have all the men gone? Why aren't men leading these things? Isn't the Bible clear that men are supposed to be the leaders, both spiritually and otherwise?

When God created the human race He made man (Adam) first, gave him a calling and then gave him a wife to share in and help him in that calling (Gen. 2), Adam was to be lovingly leading his wife and family in the commission God had given him. When Paul prohibits women from teaching or exercising authority over men he brings it back to creation: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." -1 Tim. 2:11-15
This is no cultural or historically peculiar thing, it was woven into the very fabric of our creation.

Other passages, such as 1 Cor. 14:34-35 and Titus 2:3-5 are clear; men are to be leaders. But it seems that men have dis-engaged themselves from this God given role. But what would happen if the President or Congress disengaged themselves from their roles? (I know, we might be better off if some of them did so, but thats beside the point) Or how about the police force or military? Utter chaos would ensue, wouldn't it?

Isn't this exactly what we are seeing in our churches, families and society today? Men have disengaged themselves from their God given role of biblical leadership for years and now we are reaping the consequences; chaos in our churches and families that has now worked its way into almost every facet of society. And since men will not lead like men aught to be leading others are stepping up to the plate.

The Accomplishments of Barack Obama

Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman

New at Pol'-e-store
Biographical

Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman
By John Muether / P & R Publishing

This work contributes to an understanding of Van Til and his apologetic insights by placing him within the context of twentieth century developments in North American Reformed theology, including the formation of Westminster Seminary and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the rise of neo-evangelicalism, and American reception of Karl Barth.

Cut, Carve and Wound

New at Polemos
Some Good Quotes
Suffering and Affliction

"You will not get to steal quietly into heaven, into Christ's company, without a conflict and a cross. I find crosses to be Christ's carved work that he marks out for us and that with crosses he portraits us to his own image, cutting away pieces of our ill and corruption. Lord cut - Lord carve - Lord wound - Lord do anything that may perfect thy Father's image in us and make us ready for glory."
-Samuel Rutherford

"It is the Lord's kindness that he will take the scum off us in the fire. Who know how needful winnowing is to us and what dross we have before we enter the kingdom of God? So narrow is the entry to heaven that our knots, lumps of pride, self-love, idol-love, and world-love must be hammered off us, that we may stoop low and creep through into that narrow entry."
-Samuel Rutherford

"O, what I owe to the file, the hammer, and the furnace of the Lord Jesus! I know that he is no idle husbandman - he purposes a crop."
-Samuel Rutherford

Patriarchy and Theocracy

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Audio Links
Fatherhood/Manhood/Patriarchy

• Patriarchy and Theocracy
  Kevin Swanson • Nasty Words or Great Ideas?
  

On the Treadmill at Grandmas House

Success to Sectarianism

"....I glory in that which at the present day is so much spoken against—sectarianism, for "sectarianism" is the cant phrase which our enemies use for all firm religious belief. I find it applied to all sorts of Christians; no matter what views he may hold, if a man be but earnest, he is a sectarian at once. Success to sectarianism, let it live and flourish. When that is done with, farewell to the power of godliness. When we cease, each of us, to maintain our own views of truth, and to maintain those views firmly and strenuously, then truth shall fly out of hand, and error alone shall reign: this, indeed, is the object of our foes: under the cover of attacking sects, they attack true religion, and would drive it, if they could, from off the face of the earth."

C. H. SPURGEON from "Gods Will and Mans Will"

God's Master Fencer

New at Polemos
Some Good Quotes
Suffering and Affliction

"There is no sweeter fellowship with Christ than to bring our wounds and our sores to him."
-Samuel Rutherford

"There is as much in our Lord's pantry as will satisfy all his children and as much wine in his cellar as will quench all their thirst. Hunger on, for there is meat in hungering for Christ; go never from him, but seek him who is yet pleased with the importunity of hungry souls until he fills you; if he delays, yet do not go away, even if you faint at his feet."
-Samuel Rutherford

"I find it most true that the greatest temptation outside of hell is to live without temptations; if water stands, it rots; faith is the better for the sharp winter storm in its face and grace withers without adversity. The devil is but God's master fencer to teach us to handle our weapons."
-Samuel Rutherford

Catching the Family Vision

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Audio Links
Fatherhood/Manhood/Patriarchy
Children
Parenting/Grand parenting

• Why Visionary Fathers are a Rarity
  Kevin Swanson • Constructing a Family Vision
• Visionary Families that Leave a Legacy
  Kevin Swanson • A Two-Hundred Year Vision

Some Providential Encouragement

I was on a 2 day trip out of town and 5 hours away from home. I was sitting in my room on the third floor of the Holiday Inn reading something on the internet when the internet suddenly went down. So I grabbed my papers and went downstairs to the business room computers to see if they were still able to get online.

While I was sitting there messing with the computers another gentleman from the first floor (Dr Bob Griffin) came into the room for the same reason. We got to talking and came to find out that he was a Reformed Baptist pastor who had also started a Family Integrated Church a couple of years ago in Casper Wyoming. Talk about some providential encouragement! What a joy it was to spend some time talking to someone with a like minded vision and a few more years of experience than myself.

The Lord certainly knows how and when to encourage His children. That alone made the 5 hour trip seem worthwhile.

The Fountain of...

"Marriage was made....by God himself, to be the fountain....of all other sorts and kinds of life in the commonwealth and in the Church."
-William Perkins

One Return of Christ

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Eschatology
Dispensationalism
Audio Links

• The Day of the Lord #3 -One Return of Christ
  Albert N. Martin
  

Alyssa's First Bag of Pop Rocks

Its Good to be Home Again!

Between long hours working out of state and working on a Reformed Baptist Family Integrated church plant here in Kansas City (Mars Hill Reformed Baptist Church) it’s been very difficult to find the time to do all the things that I really need to do let alone blog. I just got home from another out of state trip and while I hate being gone from home this job was kind of interesting. Heres a few of the pictures that I got for the kids.

At this particular job I was working in some hangers where they kept some of the F-16 fighters between flights. They promised they wouldn't shoot me as long as I didn't try to take a picture inside the cockpit or up the air intake.

There were bombs and missiles sitting around here and there

And even some bomb ashtrays (a little military humor I guess).

But nothing beats being at home!

Such as families are....

"Such as families are, such as last the church and commonwealth must be"
- James Fitch (Puritan)

Sugar Packets!

Asa and Alyssa with their sugar packets!

"Oh boy!"

I was preparing to go out of town for a few days when my four year old daughter (Alyssa) came to me and asked if I was going to bring her a surprise back from Oklahoma, I usually bring the kids some sort of souvenir back when I work out of town. But before I could answer her my wife, who was also in the room, jokingly said "Yeah, he's going to bring you a sugar packet from Mc Donalds." At this Alyssa's little eyes lit up and she gasped with delight "Really?" she asked all tense with excitement.

"Uhhhh... sure" I said "I'll bring you two of them."

"Oh boy!" she exclaimed as she ran off down the hallway.

Every day now as I have been in Oklahoma I have talked to Alyssa on the phone and she has reminded me to make sure and get her sugar packets. So here I am, getting ready to leave Oklahoma with a pocket full of sugar packets (a couple for each of the kids). I cant wait to see what shes going to do with them.

"..if you would train your children rightly" Part 2

J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) From The Duties of Parents

Secondly, Train your child with all tenderness, affection, and patience.

I do not mean that you are to spoil him, but I do mean that you should let him see that you love him.

Love should be the golden thread that runs through all your actions in dealing with the child. Kindness, gentleness, tolerance, patience, sympathy, a willingness to enter into childish troubles, a readiness to take part in childish joys—these are the cords by which a child may be led most easily—these are the clues you must follow if you would find the way to his heart.

Most persons, even among grown-up people, are more easily led than they are to be pushed. There is that in all of our minds which rises up against compulsion; we straighten up our backs and stiffen our necks at the very thought of a forced obedience. We are like young horses in the hand of a trainer: handle them kindly, and they will learn quickly, and in time you may guide them with a piece of thread; but treat them and use them roughly and violently, and it will be many months before you get mastery over them—if at all.

Now children's minds are cast in much the same mold as our own. Sternness and severity of manner causes them to be unresponsive and to back away. It shuts up their hearts, and you will wear yourself out trying to find the door. But only let them see that you have an affectionate feeling towards them—that you really desire to make them happy, and do them good—that if you punish them, it is intended for their good, and that, like the pelican, you would give your heart's blood to nourish their souls; let them see this, and they will soon be yours to mold and shape. But they must be wooed with kindness, if you ever hope to win their attention.

And surely reason itself might teach us this lesson. Children are weak and tender creatures, and, as such, they need patient and considerate treatment. We must handle them delicately, like frail objects, lest by rough handling we do more harm than good. They are like young plants, and need gentle watering—often, only a little at a time.

We must not expect everything at once. We must remember what children are, and teach them as they are able to bear. Their minds are like a lump of metal—not to be forged and made useful all at once, but only after a succession of little blows of the forger’s hammer. Their ability to understand what we are teaching them is like the small opening of a wine bottle: we must pour in the wine of knowledge gradually, or else most of it will be spilled and lost. Our rule must be, "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, a little here and a little there." The hard stone used to sharpen knives does its work slowly, but frequent rubbing will bring it to a fine edge. Truly there is a need of patience in this training of a child, for without it nothing can be done.

Nothing will compensate for the absence of this tenderness and love. A minister may speak the truth as it is in Jesus, clearly and with all authority; but if he does not speak it in love, few souls will be won. Likewise, you must set before your children their responsibilities to God—you can command, threaten, punish, and try to reason with them—but if love is missing in the way you treat them, then your labor will be all in vain.

Love is the one great secret of successful training. Anger and harshness may frighten them, but they will not persuade the child that you are right; and if he often sees you angry and harsh, you will soon cease to have his respect. A father who speaks to his son as Saul did to Jonathan, saying. "You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don't I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you?" [1 Samuel 20:30], that father who speaks like this cannot expect to retain his influence over that son's mind.

Try hard to maintain your child's affections. It is a dangerous thing to make your children afraid of you. Anything is almost better than the coldness and bitterness that will come between you and your children, because they are afraid of you. Fear puts an end to openness between the parent and child—fear leads to concealment—fear sows the seed of hypocrisy, and leads to many lies. There is a great deal of truth in the Apostle's words to the Colossians: "Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. [Colossians 3:21] Do not ignore his advice.

Playground or Battlefield?

Here's a somewhat lengthy quote from a little A.W. Tozer article that is well worth taking some time to think about. I was re-reading this this the other day while doing a little studying and thought I had to post it for those who may never have heard of it. The article is entitled "This World: Playground or Battlefield?

"It is strange how a fact may remain fixed, while our interpretation of the fact changes with the generations and the years. One such fact is the world in which we live. It is here and has been here through the centuries. It is a stable fact, quite unchanged by the passage of time, but how different is modern man's view of it from the view our fathers held! Here we see plainly how great is the power of interpretation. The world is for all of us not only what it is – it is what we believe it to be. And a tremendous load of woe or weal rides on the soundness of our interpretation.

Going back no further than the times of the founding and early development of our country, we are able to see the wide gulf between our modern attitudes and those of our fathers. In the early days, when Christianity exercised a dominant influence over American thinking, men conceived the world to be a battleground. Our fathers believed in sin and the devil and hell as constituting one force, and they believed in God and righteousness and heaven as the other. By their very nature, these forces were opposed to each other forever in deep, grave, irreconcilable hostility. Man, our fathers held, had to choose sides – he could not be neutral. For him it must be life or death, heaven or hell, and if he choose to come out on God's side, he could expect open war with God's enemies. The fight would be real and deadly and would last as long as life continued here below. Men looked forward to heaven as a return from the wars, a laying down of the sword to enjoy in peace the home prepared for them.

Sermons and songs in those days often had a martial quality about them, or perhaps a trace of homesickness. The Christian soldier thought of home and rest and reunion, and his voice grew plaintive as he sang of battle ended and victory won. But whether he was charging into enemy guns or dreaming of war's end and the Father's welcome home, he never forgot what kind of world he lived in – it was a battleground, and many were wounded and slain.

That view is unquestionably scriptural. Allowing for the figures and metaphors with which the Scriptures abound, it is still a solid Bible doctrine that tremendous spiritual forces are present in the world. Man, because of his spiritual nature, is caught in the middle. The evil powers are bent upon destroying him, while Christ is present to save him through the power of the gospel. To obtain deliverance he must come out on God's side in faith and obedience. That in brief is what our fathers thought, and that, we believe, is what the Bible teaches.

How different today. The fact remains the same, but the interpretation has changed completely. Men think of the world not as a battleground, but as a playground. We are not here to fight; we are here to frolic. We are not in a foreign land; we are at home. We are not getting ready to live, but we are already living, and the best we can do is rid ourselves of our inhibitions and our frustrations and live this life to the full. his, we believe, is a fair summary of the religious philosophy of modern man, openly professed by millions and tacitly held by many more millions who live out that philosophy without having given it verbal expression.

This changed attitude toward the world has had and is having its effect upon Christians, even gospel Christians who profess the faith of the Bible. By a curious juggling of the figures, they manage to add up the column wrong and yet claim to have the right answer. It sounds fantastic, but it is true.

The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of fundamentalist Christians. They might hedge around the question if they were asked bluntly to declare their position, but their conduct gives them away. They are facing both ways, enjoying Christ "and the world, gleefully telling everyone that accepting Jesus does not require them to give up their fun – Christianity is just the jolliest thing imaginable. The "worship" growing out of such a view of life is as far off center as the view itself – a sort of sanctified nightclub without the champagne and the dressed-up drunks.

This whole thing has grown to be so serious that it is now the bound duty of all Christians to reexamine their spiritual philosophy in the light of the Bible. Having discovered the scriptural way, they must follow it, even if to do so, they must separate themselves from much that they had accepted as real, but which now in the light of truth is seen to be false.

A right view of God and the world to come requires that we have a right view of the world in which we live and of our relationship to it. So much depends upon this that we cannot afford to be careless about it."