| Highlights of Dawn | December 1966 |
This Frustrated World
AS WE approach the end of another year the world finds itself in the same chaotic and distressed condition which prevailed at the beginning of the year. None of the problems which then faced the nations have been solved, white the acuteness of many, of them has increased, and new problems have arisen. The war in South Viet Nam continues to escalate; there are now more than 300,000 American soldiers in that stricken country, struggling to prevent the soldiers of North Viet Nam from completely overwhelming the South Vietnamese army; and the end is not in sight. The Asian conference in Manila made little or no change in this outlook.
It is not strange that a little country like North Viet Nam continues to stand out against such overpowering odds, for in reality the powerful communist countries of Russia and China are supporting the North Vietnamese government in its effort to spread communism into South Viet Nam. Russia and China openly announce that they are supplying ‘war material to their little communist neighbor, and in September Russia let it be known that she is supplying men to train North Vietnamese fighting personnel. It will be remembered by some that that America’s first involvement in military affairs in South Viet Nam was to supply experts to advise and train the South Vietnamese soldiers.
So in reality what is happening in the, Far East is not a small scale war between the North and South Vietnamese governments and people, but a struggle between mighty powers, some of which are determined to block a further takeover of small countries by the communist’s, while the great communist’s countries are equally determined to continue the spread of their doctrines and control. There seems little likelihood that any of the great powers involved will back down from their, position, and this means that the world might be facing the greatest carnage it has ever known.
The uncertainty of the future is affecting the normal course of the world in many ways. On the one side, increasing billions of dollars are being poured into the war effort by America alone. This tends to stimulate the economy of the country; but at the same time the cost of living continues to rise, and the government is threatening to impose additional taxes to prevent further inflation. The uncertainty as to just where all this will lead is reflected in the stock market, which in September suffered billions of dollars loss in values, although some of that has been regained. The world’s outlook for the months and years ahead is not promising.
A Gloomy Sermon
The problems arising from the Viet Nam war are but a part of those which confront the world in these closing weeks of 1966. The annual report which U Thant, Secretary General of the United Nations, delivered to the General Assembly in September was referred to in an editorial appearing in the Washington Daily News as “the gloomiest sermon preached last Sunday” (September 18). The Daily News commented on U Thant’s “sermon” in part as follows: “He began by saying, with profound understatement, that ‘tile international political situation has not improved,’ and he went on to tick off a catalogue of mankind’s leading woes: the war in Viet Nam, the conventional arms race, the nuclear arms race, aboveground nuclear tests by France and Communist China, underground nuclear tests by the United States and Russia, and the frightful threat of nuclear proliferation.
“And more: the unfinished business of de-colonialization, Rhodesia, apartheid in South Africa and Southwest Africa, the conflicts in Cyprus, the Middle East and along the India-Pakistan border, the ‘poverty, disease, ignorance and lack of opportunity’ that grips two-thirds of the world’s people.
“And the unresolved problems with the UN itself: financial debts, disagreements on peace-keeping operations, and lack of ‘universality,’ meaning that Red China, embracing one-fourth or one-fifth of the world’s population, is not. a member.
“All these wretched conflicts and miserable problems were laid out by the man who is burdened with all of them. U Thant is right, and we felt the same contrition the Sunday worshipper feels when the preacher is shouting fire and brimstone.”
Religion Failing Also
The general breakdown of religious authority and leadership in this chaotic world has continued throughout the year. The “death of God” philosophy has continued to gain momentum. While this is an extreme position, still in lesser degrees the traditional concepts of God, which have long held the people in awe, are no longer revered as they once were. The Ecumenical Council, called by the late Pope John for the purpose of making the Catholic Church more acceptable to the modern world, opened the door for a breath of free thinking among Catholic priests, bishops, and cardinals. In September, 1,200 top theologians of the Catholic Church met to “curb serious dissensions over modern church teachings. Pope Paul VI warned that the Roman Catholic Church was going through a grave hour.” A published report of this conclave reads in part:
“In a letter to the theologians, the pope called for ‘unity in important things’ and asked them not to stray from traditional; sacred church teachings in their interpretation of doctrines. Rifts between progressive and conservative elements within the church burst into the open at the recent Vatican Council and, have widened since.”
Another of the problems facing both the Catholic and, Protestant Churches is the difficulty they, are experiencing in recruiting young men for the ministry. Every major religious body has seen a serious decline in seminary enrolment over the last decade. The number of young people entering the religious services is not keeping pace with the needs and the demands of the exploding population: As one newspaper reported it, “Many young people have gone to where the action is.” This report continues:
“They are caught up in the exotic, fascinating field of science, of space technology, of advanced mathematics to operate and develop the new computers. The cry of money and prestige is out for those who are prepared to handle the new space centers and experimental laboratories, and the growing scientific teams of business, industry and. education.”—David Poling
Pike’s Unbelief
Bishop James A. Pike, of the Episcopal Church, who upon his own request is now facing a trial for heresy, openly expresses his unbelief in most of the cardinal doctrines of the church. He outlines his difficulties by a series of questions which express some of the points of his unbelief. He asks: “If it does not seem that there ever was going to be, or is going to be a Second Coming. If there was not a special incarnation, and no virgin birth; If there was no ascension into heaven, no descent into hell—then, what can a man believe?”
The bishop answers this question by saying that his faith is based upon what he himself observes and reads about. “You look at the data,” he said. “There is only one breadth, the secular. There is no supernatural. If something is true it is natural. If it is not natural, it is not true.”
The presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Rt. Rev. John F. Hines, was asked if he felt that a man of such radical theological views as those held by Bishop Pike ought to leave the church. He replied, “Someone with Bishop Pike’s questioning mind is an asset to the life of the church. This can be damaging if it goes beyond certain limits. But I think the church would prefer to risk that damage rather than expel from its ranks a man whose search for truth leads him to radical views.”
Not all Protestant denominations are as liberal as the Episcopalians. The Catholic Church is the one important exception, and, even here the traditions which were once held so sacred are being questioned and, by many of its clergy, discarded. One of the great points of controversy in the Catholic Church is the one which is centered around the relative importance of tradition and the teachings of the Bible, the inspired Word of God. This should be a healthy controversy. All professed Christians should learn to distinguish between tradition and the Bible, and should discard theories and teachings which are not clearly set forth in the Word of God.
What Can a Man Believe?
Bishop Pike raised a good question: “What CAN a man believe?” The time was when the churches as a whole believed that God wanted them to convert the world to Christianity before the return of Christ. The effort to do this has failed miserably, and failed to such an extent; that the denominations are seeking to get closer together for mutual support against the assaults of a materialistic and largely atheistic world. They realize their impotency in dealing with the problems which face both the church and the world, and each year finds them less and less able to accomplish what they, once believed the Lord wanted them to do.
So, in addition to Bishop Pike, those who are unacquainted with the pure teachings of the Word of God also have good reason to ask, “What can a man believe?” The Bible alone holds the answer to this question, and it is a clear and satisfactory answer to those who, in simple faith based upon reason, can accept the testimony of the Word of God. Bishop Pike spoke about the second coming of Christ. The Bible foretold also the first coming of Christ, the Messiah. The Bible and secular history both record the fact that Christ did indeed come, in the person of Jesus. This we can believe!
The Bible also indicates that the purpose of Jesus’ first visit to earth was to give his life in sacrifice for the sins of the world, that all mankind might in God’s due time receive an opportunity to believe on him and be restored to perfection of life. This great work is to be accomplished during Christ’s second visit to earth. This is the precious truth set forth by the Apostle Peter in Acts 3:19-21. We quote:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”
Here we have one of the most important facts of divine revelation brought into focus for us, not by human deduction, or philosophy, but by the teachings of one of Jesus’ inspired apostles. He has told us what it was that God caused all his prophets to write about, and he places the fulfillment of what they promised as following the second coming of Christ. Indeed, he makes it plain that it is for the accomplishment of this divine purpose that the plan of God calls for the second advent of Christ.
And what is that purpose? Peter describes it as the “restitution of all things.” Peter had just been instrumental in healing a man who had been lame from the time of his birth, and he is explaining to those who witnessed this miracle that during Christ’s second visit there will be a general restoration, or restitution. This great fact, he reveals, was spoken by the mouth of all God’s holy prophets. Surely those who believe the testimony of the Bible will have no difficulty in accepting and rejoicing in that which was foretold by all God’s holy prophets. How could any truth be more firmly established? This we can believe!
It is interesting to note the testimony of some of the prophets. In Isaiah 35:6,8,10 features of “the times of restitution” are brought to our attention. Here, for example, Isaiah tells us that “then shall the lame man leap as an hart.” We are informed that the lame man restored to soundness of limb by Peter did leap and run. Isaiah also says that “an highway shall be there,” and that “it shall be called The way of holiness.” From the time of Adam’s fall into sin and death mankind has been traveling over what Jesus described as a “broad” road which leads to “destruction.” The promised “highway” is the return road from death. It will be over this road that “the ransomed of the Lord shall return … with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads.”
Paul explains that Jesus gave himself “a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (I Tim. 2:3-6) All, therefore, are included in Isaiah’s statement about “the ransomed of the Lord,” and it will be when they return from death that the great truth concerning the atoning blood of Christ will be testified, or made, known, to them.
Under Kingdom Laws
The blessings of “restitution” will be dispensed to the people during the time of Christ’s rulership, or kingdom. The mistaken idea that Christ’s kingdom was established at Pentecost was conceived back in the Dark Ages. For centuries the general belief was that the church-state kingdoms of Europe constituted Christ’s kingdom, or Christendom, as it was called. Everybody now knows that this was a false conception, but the erroneous idea still prevails that the Lord wants his people to devote themselves to the establishment of his kingdom of peace in the earth at the present time. Since nothing worthwhile is being accomplished in the way of establishing peace, this viewpoint becomes’ another point of confusion, and often of doubt, in the minds of many.
In the plan of God the establishment of Christ’s kingdom was to take place at his second advent, not at his first advent. When that kingdom is fully set up, it will be the channel of restitution blessings to all mankind. Living and reigning with Christ in that kingdom will be his faithful followers of the present age. (Rev. 20:4,6) These are the ones for whom Jesus went away to prepare a place. (John 14:3) These are called to a “heavenly calling.” (Heb. 3:1) They are promised an inheritance which is reserved in heaven for them.—I Pet. 1,3,4
These know that the confusion in the world today is but evidence of the breakdown of a social order which is soon to be replaced by the kingdom of Christ. They are not discouraged by what is taking place in the world, for they rejoice to know that Christ’s kingdom, the remedy, for all earth’s ills, is near.