CHAPLAIN’S PAGE – ‘FOR THE ELECT’S SAKE’
Throughout the centuries mankind has pondered the meaning of life. Those of all cultures and creeds have wondered why we are here. This, without doubt, is the most fundamental question ever asked. After thousands of years of history and increase of knowledge, the answer, outside of Christianity, still eludes him. The religious books of many of the world’s religions, written by learned men, contain their own thoughts on the meaning of life. Many of their writings have noble thoughts and aspirations. Some teach hatred against those who are opposed to their beliefs.
All this wealth of information which is readily available can be confusing for a seeker after truth. No doubt many have given up the quest in confusion! Some may have dipped into the Bible and waded through long and tiresome genealogies, and given up in despair.
Let it be said, it is not a good approach to open a Bible with closed eyes and stick a pin in whatever page happens to open. What most people fail to realise, including many Christians, is that there is a theme running throughout the Scriptures; a plan, a master plan for this human race. This book differs in one major respect from all other religious writings. What is this major difference, this essential something which lifts it way above all other writings? It is that every writer was inspired by the Holy Spirit to set down all that they had been shown.
To prove that this is the case is not possible in a short article. To be satisfied that the Bible is inspired requires painstaking study over a considerable period of time. This quest for knowledge should always be preceded by a prayer asking the Holy Spirit for guidance. The most common objection that people bring up is that the Bible is full of contradictions. Your chaplain first heard this while serving in the RAF in I946. I believed what I was told and thereafter carefully avoided any contact with churches or religious people. Looking back, what I should have done was to have checked to see if what I had been told was correct or not, but I didn’t.
It was several years before the search began in earnest. So began a thrilling journey which continues to this day. The hoary old myths about contradictions were dispelled long ago, how so? By carefully and prayerfully looking at each apparent example. It soon became obvious that the problems arose in many cases by taking the events and lifting them out of context. Some have trouble because the actual meaning of a word many not be clear. As an example, we read in James chapter I and verse 13,
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.
Some will remind us that God, in Christ, was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Matthew chapter 4 makes it very clear, for verse 1 says,
Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
The Ferrar Fenton Translation renders the verse, Jesus then went up into the desert, under the influence of the spirit, to be tried by the agency of the devil.
Temptation is to be tried. Jesus would have been tempted only if He had succumbed to Satan. Thank God that He didn’t. Note that Christ thwarted Satan by quoting Scripture at him where He said, it is written (verse 10.) Satan endeavoured to tempt Christ, but failed. There is certainly no contradiction in those two texts. Other apparent contradictions can always be satisfactorily explained by careful reading and cross referencing various texts.
Attacking the authority of Scripture is nothing new, for men of learning have made it their prime target throughout the centuries. It is noteworthy that they seldom, if ever, turn their attention to cast doubts upon the holy books of other faiths. Could it be that Satan, who knows full well the truth of the Bible, doesn’t need to worry about the others? This is a serious thought worthy of consideration.
Not only is God’s precious word under attack, but also four other areas in the nation’s daily life which are essential for our continuance.
1) The Royal Throne of David.
2) The Established Church.
3) The family.
4) This present generation.
In these four areas Satan is taking over the nation. We are no longer the nation that we were fifty years ago. Each of these areas must be on our daily prayer list.
Only recently we have seen a renewed attack upon our Royal House by those who have no regard for history. The dangers to our church continue apace. Over a hundred years ago the Bishop of Liverpool, J.C. Ryle, wrote books and articles warning of the coming apostasy. Needless to say all his warnings were ignored. In like manner all of Churchill’s warnings in the I930s of the re-arming of Germany were also ignored. We are a half-baked, stubborn people; when will we wake up? Only the Lord knows the answer!
But wake up we surely will. It will come in the form of national repentance. At this present time we can hardly imagine that such a thing could come about, but it will. As surely as day follows night, the people, men, women, children and babies, will go into the House of the Lord, and repent. Joel chapter two is quite specific. It will be the time of the day of the Lord, it will be very great and terrible; who can abide it? Zion here represents the seat of Israel’s Government. Note that the call does not come from the church because even the priests and ministers weep before the porch and the altar.
When that great day arrives it will be because of some event of great magnitude. Even the most hard hearted of men and women will be terrified,
And except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew C24:22)
