Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Glimpses of the Religious WorldRev. L. E. Kilpatrick, D. D.1031 E. Glenrosa AvenuePhoenix, Arizona 85014"NEW PANTHEISM""Now we risk becoming enamoured with the noblecause of ecology. Do we expect to fill the relentless void withsophisticated pantheism?"The only way to break this self-defeating chain is toput God in His place, above all of His creation, above man,above the universe, and certainly above machines. WhenGod is in place, all the rest can be seen in proper perspective."—Eternity magazineHIS MAGAZINE TO 1100 YOUTHThe Christian Reformed Church Minister ofEvangelism, the Rev. Wesley Smedes, said he wantedsomething combining "real Christ-centered depth withbright contemporaneity," and something "not afraid of theissues" to place in the hands of their college-age memberson secular college and university campuses.WORDS OF REVOLUTION BY TOM SKINNERA speed reader could have a ball for 10 or 15 minutes(I'm not one), with this book, but should be careful not tomiss such sentences as, "If you think you're going to smashthe system, you're mistaken," or "Any civil rights,perspective will fail," for he does sometimes seem to give agood deal of sympathy and encouragement to black militants.He uses the word charisma in connection with John F.Kennedy and his brother, Robert, and Martin Luther King,then says that the ' 'Jesus I discovered (was) — charismatic,disciplined, tough, radical — because he lived his life in totaldependency on the Father . .. (He was) not afraid to buck theestablishment . . . He had a kind of aura about Him thatshook me."Skinner's sermons — and that's what this book is —bear a resemblance to Billy Graham's, simple, incisive,Arminian, but you don't question that he's a preacher calledof God.Personally, I dislike describing Jesus Christ as a"revolutionary," or a "radical," unless one gives thosewords a context that will show unmistakably that He was theopposite of the present day popular conception of themovements so designated.Then, perhaps we can understand and forgive Mr.Skinner for having missed seeing good in "the greatAmerican dream," seeing rather, only the "immorality,hypocrisy and mythology.""OBSERVE TO DO"Ken Anderson in Christian Digest tells of thediscovery he made of the words above, which transformedfor him the regular chore of Bible reading and study."I thought of the many Christians I knew who readthe Scriptures faithfully. I thought of my own searching, andI'm sure, at least in a sense, the meaning of those words hadbeen operative in my pursuit. But now I no longer stood atthe door, fumbling for my key in the darkness; I held the keyin my hand: observe to do!"I am not to read the Bible simply to substantiate myviews on a given doctrine, important though doctrine maybe to the Christian's world-life view. I am not to read it as adaily exercise, a kind of spiritual calisthenics. I am to readthe Bible looking for instructions on how to live as well ashow to believe."Obedience made the Bible come alive for me. I wasno longer just reading it; I was listening and responding toit."THE BOOK OF PSALMSTHE BOOK OF PSALMS was the inspired Prayerand Praise Book of Israel. It is a Book of Devotion for theChurch of God in all ages. Perhaps Paul had this in mindwhen he wrote, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms andhymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody inyour heart to the Lord." Eph. 5:19.The Psalter makes known God in His Divine attributesof majesty and mercy, wisdom and power. Christ isthere in His divinity and humanity, humiliation andexaltation.The inner life of the godly man is here revealed.Christians in all ages have felt a kindred spirit with all thehopes and fears, the perplexities and encouragements, thegrievous falls and pardoning mercies of a forgiving God hererecorded.The Churchman 's MagaziA CCO UNTA BILITYHugh Latimer, the martyr bishop, writing to one ofhis fellow Reformers, said: "You may feel it a great matterof discouragement that you are a pastor over a very smallflock while many of your colleagues administer to largecongregations; but take it from me, you will not count it asmall congregation in the day when you stand before thejudgment seat of Christ. It will be large enough then.''How solemn a thing it is to realise our accountabilitybefore God. "It is required in stewards, that a man be foundfaithful." (I Cor. 4:2).4 COVENANTER WITNESS