Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Glimpses of the Religious WorldRev. L. E. Kilpatrick, D. D.1031 E. Glenrosa AvenuePhoenix, Arizona 85014DR. MARTYN LLOYD-J ONES ON ROMANSDr. Lloyd-Jones,till his recent "retirement," wasminister at Westminster Chapel, London. He lectured— preached, he says — through the book ofRomans, to his congregation, commencing at chapter1, in October 1955 and ending with Romans 14:17in March 1968, more than 12 years. These wereFriday night meetings, during the winter monthsonly, October through May, but — and note thatthis was on Friday nights — they were attendedregularly by 1000 to 1200 persons, in a land whichBilly Graham and others have said, is at a lowerChristian and moral ebb than the U.S.A.Banner of Truth Trust is beginning the publicationof this series, starting with the messages onRomans 3:20, since they wish to get to the heart ofthe epistle and of the gospel immediately. (Romans1:1-3:20 is certainly important, showing the universaldepravity and need of the human race, butwe live in a generation that makes extended argumenton this score less needed. It is being preachedand demonstrated in song, in picture, in revolution.)Donald Grey Barnhouse, for many years the veryengaging preacher of Tenth Presbyterian Church ofPhiladelphia, also had a ten-volume series onRomans, but his work is marred by his dispensationaltheories.Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, in Banner of Truthmagazine, "People have often complained that thecommentaries 'are dry as dust.' There is surely somethingwrong if that is the case. Any kind of expositionof 'the glorious gospel of the blessed God' shouldnever produce such an impression. It is my opinionthat we have had far too many brief commentarieson and studies in the Scriptures. The greatest needtoday is a return to expository preaching. This iswhat happened in the time of the Reformation andthe Puritan Revival and the Evangelical Awakeningof the 18th Century. It is only as we return to thisthat we shall be able to show people the grandeurglory, and majesty of the Scriptures and theirmessage.""HIS LAND"4This film in magnificent color produced by theBilly Graham film agency, and with Cliff Barrowsproviding the theological narration, has the approvalof the Israeli government. Golda Meir said, after aprivate showing, "It makes our country even morebeautiful than it is." It is presented from an evangelicalChristian point of view, as the narrator calls attentionto the Old Testament prophecies which werefulfilled in Christ, and others which are presented asfinding fulfillment in the present independence andprosperity of modern Israel. (Some of those cited arein my judgment obviously not applicable, such asZeph. 3:9, where the "pure language" is supposedlythe modern speaking of the old "pure Hebrew" languagein Jerusalem today. L.K.)A somewhat unexpected joint sponsorship of theEvangelical Ministers Association and the NationalConference of Christians and Jews, presented thefilm in Phoenix, in a Southern Baptist Church, tomore than 1500. A local missionary to the Jewsand a Jewish rabbi shared the platform afterwardto answer questions. With such sponsorship therewere many Jews present. The philosophy of modernJudaism came through loud and clear, in my judgment,while the Christian message seemed not upto the technical excellence of the film, either in thequestions and answers or in the film sound track.The theological approach of the film is, of course,that of premillenialism.THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE FOR THE CAMPUSThe two leading campus Christian organizations,Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship and CampusCrusade, are holding and planning their inspirationaland training conferences, the I-V with "Urbana70" meeting at the University of Illinois campuswhere upwards of 7000 college students are expectedduring the Christmas holidays, and CampusCrusade with a great congress called "Explo 72",at which the leaders expect to train 100,000 youngpeople, at some 50 locations in the city of Dallas,at the close of the academic year in 1972 Theemphasis of the former is primarily missionary,while the latter is geared more to the popular "FourSpiritual Laws" type of personal encounter withSee page 9COVENANTER WITNESS