good news 1958 (vol vii no 02) feb_w

7/28/2019 Good News 1958 (Vol VII No 02) Feb_w

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VOL. VII , NUMBER 2

International Magaztne ofTH E CHUR CH OF GOD

FEBRUARY, 1958

Let GOD Fight Your Battles!MANY are the afflictions of the righteous. But there is ONEWAY to solve everyone of your besetting problems!

by Herbert W. Armstrong

BRETHREN, the world you live intoday is a very troubled world.You not only have your ownpersn'flt1l probfems, hu t you also sufferfrom the deliberate OPPOSITION andANTAGONISM of the wor ld a round you.It is t ime you considered how to conquer these troubles-how to be FREEfrom them-how to let GOD fight yourbattles instead!

On e Lesson Not Yet Learned!First, understand this: I f the WORLDtoday is not happy-if world conditionsare in a chaotic state-if lives are emptyand purposeless, if minds are filled withfears and worries, bodies wracked withsickness and disease-THERE IS A REA-

SON! Condi tions are what we makethem.'Mortal HUMANS, groping in the darkness of confusion, have made conditionswhat they are. Humanity is REAPINGwhat it has SOWN! Only the direc t andall-powerful supernatural intervention ofALMIGHTY GOD can del iver this worldfrom all its troubles.

What the world doesn' t know is thatGod will not cause its present ways ofwrong living to bring any bumen Uropia.Rather, GOD ALMIGHTY WILL SOONHAVE TO STEP IN ANDRULE OVER THEWORLD-bringing it INTO THE WAYSof His just laws which alone can produce this happy TOMORROW!Brethren, WE,TOO, HAVE LESSONS TOLEARN. Even though stubborn and rebellious mankind brings upon the worldeven DARKER days in the immediatefuture, REMEMBER,-it's DARKEST just

before DAWN. Take hope in the SUREknowledge, that the new world of GOD'Smaking - and RULING - is VERY neartoday!But in the meantime, what about YOU,and your own private life and problems?Let us consider some of YOfJr own private, personal TROUBLES. I know that youhave them! And I want to tell you something-I want to tell you GOOD news.You are car rying a lot of worries, andfears, and troubles that you don't needto carry.'Life is simply filled with private, personal battles. We have to battle fearsand worries. Sometimes it seems we haveto battle PEOPLE who appear to beenemies--often it's a husband, a wife,or a mother-in-Iaw-and whether yourealize it or not, YOU also have to bat tleYOURSELF.'

I t is like having to fight a host ofENEMIES-all these TROUBLES, theseCIRCUMSTANCES, these adverse CONDI-TIONS, these TEMPTATIONS! But the reis a way you may FREE yourself fromthese troubles that confront you. Thereis a WAY OUT! You can be FREE fromfighting all of these enemies except justONE-your own self, and you can receive a lot of HELP, and KNOWLEDGE,and POWER in doing that!Here's where that help can be found!

Jesus Christ Is the DelivererThe Eternal Creator-RULER of theuniverse-the God who gives you thevery air you breathe-sent His own be

gotten SON, Jesus Christ, into this world1900 years ago to BRING YOU BRETHREN

THE WAY OF DELIVERANCE from allyour trials, your worries, your problems.WHY, then, do some of you not LISTENto the Way He taught us? And WHY do,so many people think of Him as a deadChrist hanging on a cross? GOD ALMIGHTY RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD!Jesus Chr ist is our LIVING Savior andHigh Priest, just as the Creator is aLIVING RULER OFALLTHE UNIVERSE!Do YOU REALIZE THATJESUS CHRIST,THE LIVING, RESURRECTED CHRIST, TOWHOM IS GIVEN ALL POWER, HAS A

PRESENT MISSION TO PERFORM? Doyou realize that His present mission isto FIGHT YOUR BATfLES FOR YOU-toDELIVER YOU-to FREE you from allyour fears, your TROUBLES, and even thecircumstances that beset you?Thousands of you would come to mefor help in your troubles if I had timeto see and talk to you-you'd come withhusband-and-wife-troubles, funeral troubles-every kind of trouble. Yes, you'dcome to me because I'm hfJman--oneyou can .fee-whose voice you hear. But,because I'm only human, I have not theability, the strength, nor the TIME torender such a personal ministry to somany brethren in different parts of theworld.Now think this over carefully, andANSWER THIS! WHY do you fight yourown battles, when HE-the LIVINGSavior-is living in ALL P OW ER to fightthem for you?He's REAL He's DIVINF. W HY dosome of you brethren go on worrying,when HE is right there in ALL THEPOWER OF THE DIVINE CREATOR to


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Page 2FREE you from all your worries?WHY? There is one of two reasons.Either you have not fully KNOWNof this great, all-encompassing DIVINESOURCE OF POWER which YOU can callon at will-you have not REALIZED whatALL-CONQUERING HELP you can haveor else you have through lack of faithor neglect, FAILED to CALL ON thatsupernatural HELP in your times of need!Brethren, CAN I open your eyes tosee that God is a God of LOVE-thatGod in all His supreme power willsabove all things for you to PROSPER, andBE IN HEALTH, and to find the way tothe HAPPY, FU LL , A BU ND AN T LIFE?That Jesus Christ is a LIVING SAVIOR,to whom you can go AT ALL TIMES-aSavior to save you f rom your presentevery-day fears and worries, adversecircumstances, troubles, sicknesses, andtrials, as well as to save you from eternalDEATH at the end?Notice what Scripture commands: "Solet us approach the throne of gracewith confidence, that we may receivemercy and find grace to help ti S in thohour of need" (Heb. 4: 16).God Is Interested in Your Life NOW!God's salvatiou is NOT somethingyou collect only after you die-IT IS APRACTICAL, COMMON -SE NSE , U SE FU Lsalvation which starts in your everydaylife RIGH!' HEHE AN D N OW !What needless pains some have beensuffering. What NEEDLESS fears andworries you may have been carryingaround. What WONDERFUL TIMESwhat HAPPINESS you may have cheated

yourself out of, just because you havenot REALIZED, and taken advantage ofthe very PRESENT and all-powerful HELPof your LIVING Savior!Actually what is happening is thatyOll may have found yourself faced withfoes far more powerful than you. Thesefoes may come in forms of troubles, ofunforeseen circumstances, of worries, ofsicknesses, or even of other persons.These foes NEED not make your life unhappy.

Old Testament IllustrationsDid you ever really think through thefull meaning of I Cor. 10: l l - tha t the

incidents in the lives of God's peopleof Old Testament times were writteninto the Bible for OUR LEARNING ANDHELP?I want now to turn to the experienceof a man who lived in that time. Thisman found that he could RELY on theAlmighty GOD. This man was facedwith a FAR more terrifying trouble thanhas ever beset you. He found the HAPPYSOLUTION, His experience will show youwhat YOU can do, this very day!Once you UNDERSTAND, you will haveto learn to TAKE GODATHISWORD-----TO

The GOOD NEWSCALL U PO N GOD IN PRAYER-YOU willhave to ASK GOD for wha t you needand you may have to learn how toPRAY.G OD A LM IG HT Y will actually inter-vene in your life, and help YOU, and fightYOUR batt les for you. Remember, Godis no respecter of persons. He will notdo more for one than another, He willdo as much for YOU, as for any personwho ever lived. He will do as much foryou-if you obey Him and rely on Him- a s for any ancient King of Israel orJudah!You may have a problem that completely overwhelms you. You may be atyour wit's end-you may not knowwhere to turn, or what to do! I t maybe a family problem, a personal problem,a financial problem, a problem of sickness or disease.But let me tell you now as God'sminister of a man who came upon asitua tion probably far more terri fy ingthan yours-one that would throwfright and terror into the stoutest heart.The solution this man used will solveYOUR problems-put an END to yourtroubles. The same God who heard anddelivered him will hear and deliver you-IF you will obey Him and trust Him.

The fact tha t this man was an ancientking makes no difference. God is norespecter of persons-He will do asmuch for YOU. God is the SAME todayand tomorrow as He was yesterday. Thisman was King Hezekiah of the ancientKingdom of JUDAH. He was an ordinaryhuman mortal, the same as YOU today.

God Intervenes fo r a Man!The vast armies of Assyria weremarching westward and southward toinvade Judah, The Jews were greatlyoutnumbered. They had no army orpower to stand up against such a powerful foe. They were HELPLESS. Theyfaced certain defeat-just as YOU mayfeel HELPLESS in the face of yourtroubles today.I f some of you bre thren try to solveyour problem, or overcome your badhabits, or resist sin in nothing morethan your OWN power and strength,you, too, will find yourself outnumbered,overpowered, and doomed to defeat!

You must learn, as this ancient kingdid, that GOD stands ready and wi llingto fight your battles for you. Read hisexperience in II Chron. 32: 1-22, fromthe Moffatt translation: "I t was af terthis, after all this loyal service, that Sancherib king of Assyria invaded Judah,besieging the fortified towns and meaning to seize them. When Hezekiah sawthat Sancherib had come determined toattack Jerusalem, he and his noblesand his chiefs agreed to stop the waterof the fountains outside the town . . ."Then, appoint ing officers over the

February, 1958citizens, he ga the red them in the openspace at the gate of the city, and encouraged them. 'Be firm; he said, 'bebrave, be nor daunted nor dismayed forthe king of Assyria or for all his host;we have with us One greater than allhe has; he has a mortal force, but wehave with us the Eternal our God, tohelp us and to fight our battles.' "Continuing, "His officers said evenworse things against God the Eternal andhis servant Hezekiah. (Sancnerib alsowrote letters, insul ting the Eternal theGod of Israel and attacking him thus:'As the gods of the nations elsewhere inthe world have failed to save their folkfrom me, so shall Hezekiah's God failto save his folk.') The officers shoutedaloud in Hebrew to rhe citizens of Jerusalem on the walls, to terrify them andscare them, that they might capture thecity. They talked about the God of Jerusalem as one of the gods of the nationson earth, mere handmade idols!"Now notice what the king of Judahdid. "King Hezekiah and the prophetIsaiah the son of Amoz PRAYED overthis and cried to heaven." They PRAYEDfor help. They did not know HOW Godwould intervene, But they knew Goclwould ACT!Here 's wha t happened: "Then theEternal sent an angel who swept off allthe gallant fighters, the leaders, and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria,till he had to go home in disgrace. He[later} went into the temple of his god,and there his own offspring murdered

him with the ir swords. So the Eternalrescued Hezekiah and the citizens ofJerusalem from Sancherib the king ofAssyria as well as from all other foes,protecting them on every side."That experience was written into thevery WORD OF GOD for your learning,and to SHOW YOU BRETHREN THE WAYTODAY!Perhaps YOU are faced with a foemore powerful than you. It may besome TEMPTATION. I t may be some circumstance or condition, or trouble. Someserious WORRY. Then let me ask you,"WHAT ARE YOU RELYING ON,to withstand the seige of this trouble-to deliver you from it?"

Rely on God and His PowerWhat do some of you do, brethren,when some fear, worry, trouble , comesup against you? Do you not first PEARAND WORRY, and then either try to RUNFROM this trouble, or else try to meetit in your own power and strengthwith your uwn thinking and planning,and doing?Do YOU ever search your own heartand life to see if it is YOUR fault? Inalmost every in-law or marital trouble,for example, both are at fault.(Please continue on page 11 )


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1nWhat Will YOUR JOB Bethe Kingdom?

You may be surprised about what the Book of Revelation revealsconcerning your responsibility during the millennium!by Herman L. Hoeh

Therese Goell PhotoAbove are th e ruins of th e Altar of Zeus in Pergamos. J oh n w ro te th e thirdletter in th e Book of Revelation to this once-flourishing city.

Two MONTHS ago, while Mr. Armstrong was away from Pasadena,he called me by phone. Duringpan of the conver sa tion he asked me:"Have you ever considered what theresponsibility of this Church is to be

when the Kingdom of God rules thi sworld? We're the only Church in centuries that has been used to restore thetruth and the pattern of God's Government. No r since apostol ic days," he continued, "has there been a HEADQUAR-TERS Church until now. And thisCburch - our Church - is promisedin Revelat ion 3: 12 a responsibility ATHEADQUARTERS-in Jerusalem-in theGovernment of God. Because we haverestored the TRUTH we are also to bemade spiritual 'pi llars' in the Kingdom-in the administration of God's rule atHeadquarters."Why don't you do further research,"said Mr. Armstrong to me, "t o find whyeach church epoch in Revelat ion 2 and3 is given a different promise--eithera small or a great reward?"What the Churches Are PromisedLet us all open our Bibles now tothese very chapters in Revelation.In these two chapters is condensed almost 2000 years of history! Here arelisted the five past epochs of the Churchof God , together with the vital description of our Church today, and that ofthe not- fa r-di st an t Laodi cean periodcli:naxing this age.Notice that at the end of each of theseven stages in the hi story of God'sChurch there is a definite promise forthe Church which carries on God's WORK

during tha t par ticula r period. You willfind these seven promises recorded inRev. 2:7, 10 and 11, 17,26 to 28; 3: 4and 5, 12, 21.Notice first that the only ones whohave a right to these promises are OVER-COMERS-those who, through the powerof the Spirit of God, overcome themselves, overcome the world about them,and overcome the wicked spirits whocont ro l the p resent world. Overcomingis the fundament al requirement of allChristians, bu t we cannot do it by ourselves alone. We need the added helpof the Almighty. We must first be wil ling to resist-and actually to resist-thedegrading pull of our human nature.

Then whenever we need the added helpof God to resist our foes, He will givethat added power and del iver us Out ofour trials and temptations.It is time we remember that we willnever gain eternal life unless we do someovercoming. Each one of us must be aconqueror of ohsracles-s-a conqueror ofhuman nature-if we are ever to receiveany of the p romises g iven here in Revelation 2 and 3.Notice, however, that to those whoare overcomers in each Church epochthere are DIFFERENT PROMISES granted!That is, those who overcome are NOTALL CALLED TO PERFORM THE SAMEFUNCTION IN THE KINGDOM. SomeChurches are promised a special duty.Consider the example of the OldTestament. God created the office of

"king" over the nat ion Israel. God firstselected Saul for that office. The peopleapproved him. Had he been a conquerorof his human nature, he could havequalified to exercise that same office inthe Kingdom. Bur Saul failed!Then God chose David-a man whomthe people would not have chosen. Davidqualified. He admitted his sins andfinally overcame them. He will occupythe office of king over Israel in themillennium (Ezekiel 37: 24 ) .But notice! Once David qualified for

that office, no others can ever occupy it!When Jesus cal led the apostles, Hedid not call them to the same office as

David. He called them to occupy officesunder David. Here are Jesus' own wordsto the apostles: "Ye are t hey which havecontinued with me in my temptations.And I appoin t unto you a kingdum, asmy Father hath appointed unto me;that ye may eat and drink at my tablein my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke22:28-30) .In Matthew 19:28 Jesus is quoted assaying to the apostles, "Ye also shall situpon twelve thrones, judging the twelvetribes of Israel." Of the f our te en whoaccompani ed Jesus, t he re were twe lvewho were ultimately chosen to rule overthe twelve tribes. (See Acts 1: 15-26.)

Other Offices Yet t o Be Filled!These offices const itute only the nucleus of God's Government. Upon thefoundation of the apostles and prophets,Jesus has built Hi s Church (Ephesians2: 20 ). The apost les and the prophetsare therefore in superior authority tothe Church built on them.That Church has existed these nearly20 centuries . During these centuries

God purposed to divide the Church into(Please continue on next page)


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Page 4 Th e GOOD NEWS February, 1958

Address communications to the Editor,Box Ill, Pasadena, California.Copyright, February, 1958By the Radio Church of God

Heart to Heart Talkwith the Editor

International magazine ofTHE CHURCH OF GOD

ministering to its membersscattered abroad

What WillYOUR JOBBe in the Kingdom?(Continued from page 3)

seven epochs-t-or periods of time. EachChurch has its work to perform. Jesussays of each Church "1 know thy works."Some perform their work better thanothers. They overcome more. They aretherefore able to handle greater respons ibil it ies in the Kingdom of Godand are deserving of greater blessings.All who overcome are to inher it theKingdom of God-they will constitutethe Kingdom. Hut they will not all occupy the same pos it ion in the Kingdom.Jesus Christ does not occupy the sameposition as the Father. Yet both of themhave eternally constituted the Kingdomof God.The "saints shall judge the world"( I Corinthians 6: 2), but some will bequali fied to judge greater matters thanothers. "We shall reign on the earth"(Revelation 5:10), but we shall not allre ign over the same ter ri to ry or people .We shall all be priests-Peter callsus even now "a royal priesthood" (IPeter 2:9) - b u t some will m in ister ingreater capacity than others. It all de-pends on how we over come- how westrive against the attractions of theworld and the pull of human nature.When Christ comes to judge us, Hewill "give reward unto the . . . small andgreat" (Rev. 11:18). Some of us aresmaller than others in God's sight. Somehave not yielded themselves in conformity to the law of God as much as

others. Some have not worked as hardon rooting out human nature as others- they have not let God's law governtheir lives to the same degree as others.Remember what Jesus said to the disciples?-"Whosoever the re fore shallbreak one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shallbe called th e least in the Kingdom ofheaven: but whosoever shall do andteach them, the same shall be calledgreat in the Kingdom of heaven"(Matthew S:19).In the history of the Church of God,some periods have been characte rizedby great zeal, great works, great knowledge of God's law. Other periods havebeen characterized with flagging zeal,incomplete or diminishing works, a partial neglect of God 's law.In the Kingdom or Family of Godthere will be individuals of differentdegree. But for each individual therewill be a responsibil ity, a job. No t thesame job, of course!-for we are notall called to the same office. But everyoffice is needed. An entire CIVILIZATION must be built on earth-built thistime God's way and not man's way. Itwill take l iteral ly mil1ions of dif ferent

the SUPREME CREATOR-RuLER whoalone KNOWS what is right for us andhas power to give it); and it is love,second, to FELLOW MAN, expressed inpeaceableness, co-operation, service. It isa way that travels the very OPPOSITEDIRECTION from greed, vanity, hate,s tr ife, or war.This great SPIRIWAL LAW is a PRINCIPLE-a WAY OF LIFE-it is an ATTITUDE OF MIND AND HEART. I t is thecorrect way to think, and to LIVE. I t isnot merely moral principle-it is divinely-set-in-motion SPIRITUAL LAW, and itoperates automatically and inexorably!

BU I since man by nature does notknow W H A T LOVE IS, God had todefine this principle of LOVE by TENDISTINCT POINTS-the TEN COMMANDMENTS.The apostle John explained it this way:"For this is the LOVE of GOD, that wekeep His commandments: and Hi s commandments are not grievous ( I John5:3) ."Love," wrote Paul, "is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. 13; 10). Sinceno one can fulfill the law if he is breaking it, then love must be the KEEPINGof the 10 points of the law! He whobreaks anyone is guilty of all (James2: 10), and is the re fo re NOT loving hisneighbor.The Creator also made man a FREE

MORAL AGENT-and for a purpose/FREE TO DECIDE WHICH WAY OF LIFEHE WOULD FOLLOW! Ever since Adamin the Garden of Eden, man, somehow,has bel ieved that the law of God iswrong and that man is sufficient untohimself. Man has followed the ways ofvani ty and of GREED ever since."Why, PRIDE," man reasons, "and thedes ire to GET, to accumulate , to HAVE,is the impel ling mot ive that stimulatesEFFORT, produces incentive for endeavor,spurs man on toward PROGRESS. COMPETITION," men believe, "is the very

LIFE of trade, commerce and business. I tspurs men on, leads to greater product ion, makes for PROGRESS!" That is theph ilosophy of this world! That is theopposite of LOVE. That is the oppositeof the TEN COMMANDMENTS!AND THAT VERY PHILOSOPHY OFLIFE, PUT TO6,000 YEARS OF PRACTICE,IS THE ONE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL OURHUMAN WOES!That philosophy means that man has

REBELLED :18ainst the rule and the lawof God! God rules by His LAW OF LOVE- the TEN COMMANDMENTS. But God,for a great PURPOSE, made man a freemora l agent. MAN CHOSE TO REJECTTHE RULE AND THE LAW OF GOD, andinstead has tried to govern HIMSELF andhis fellows. THAT IS MAN'S GREAT MISTAKE! What man needs is to return toobedience to the Law of God whichalong can res tore order out of chaos!

NUMBER 2OL. VIIHerbert W. ArmstrongPublisher and EditorHerman L. HoehExecutive EditorRoderick C. MeredithGarner Ted ArmstrongAssociate Editors

You are probably often asked howthe Ten Commandments could be alaw of LOVE.Here is a way of explaining whatlove means-an explanation which mostoutsiders probably never heard before!When the Eternal RULER of theuniverse first placed man on this plan

et earth, all was perfect harmony andbeauty. There was PEACE. There wasPLENTY. There was BEAUTY. There wasevery need and faci li ty for HAPPINESS.In order to make POSSIBLE for mancontinued peaceful, happy, prosperousand joyful existence, the Ete rnal Goddesigned that all things operate according to fixed, inexorable LAWS. We havethe laws of physics and the laws ofchemistry.Then, of necessity, there is the great ,fundamental, invisible SPIRITUAL LAWwhich regulates man's relationship withhis CREATOR, and man's relationshipwith fellow MAN. The purpose of thi sinexorable SPIRITUAL law, like all ofGod's laws is to make possible man'sHAPPINESS-to b ring man PEACE andJOY-to make life REALLY worth living!When this spiritual law is broken,then varying kinds of unhappiness, fearand worry, s tr ife and war, come in varying degrees AS THE PENALTY.That great over-all SPIRITUAL law isjust simply LOVEI I t is LOVE in continual action. It is love manifest andexpressed! I t is love, first to God the

CREATOR, in reverence, adoration, gratitude and OBEDIENCE-(because He is


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F. K. Doerner PhotoAncient Smyrna-with modern Izmir in th e background. Here you se e recently excavated arches which once supported a public court. Christians in thiscity were among th e most faithful . Polycarp an d Polycrates came f rom here.

February, 1958jobs to create civilization as it ought tobe. YOUR JOB will be what you willfind the most pleasure in doing. We donot all get the same pleasure out of thesame thing. That is why God has notcalled us all to the same office.Notice, now, what this Church ispromised-and this includes you if youcontinue as an overcomer and resistt empta tion and end up as vic tor in yourtrials.

What This Church Is Promised!Open your Bible to Revelat ion 3: 1012. Here is what i t says: "Because thou[ th is Church} hast kept the word ofMy patience"-we have patiently keptGod's word in a gainsaying world-c-"I,'responds Jesus, "also will keep thee fromthe hour of temptation, which shallcome upon all the world, to try themthat dwell upon the earth."I f we hold fast to the end, noticewhat the rewa rd of this Church will bein the Kingdom of God: "Him that overcometh [this includes anyone, not justthe ministry} will I make a pillar [or

main suppor t} in the temple of my God,and he shall go no more out: and I willwrite upon him the name of my God,and the name of the city of my God,New Jerusalem: and . . . my new name."In Galat ians 2:9 you will read thatJames and Peter and John seemed to be"pillars' in the early Church. They wereleaders! That responsibility is what Godpromises to us in God's Church today.We can qualify-not for David's office,not for the apostles' offices-but to be

The GOOD NEWS

spiritual pillars or leaders-the mainsupports in the "Church" [symbolicallycalled "temple" in Rev. 3: 1 2} for alleternity. A pillar is the main support ina temple!Notice, too, that Scripture reads "Heshall go out no more." Weare never tobe removed from that reward and responsibility. Think of that! We are tobe at headquarters-setting policies-

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teaching those who need to come toheadquarters for decisions. (CompareActs 15 with this.)Never has a Church had to "restoreall things" as has this Church. Mr. Arm

strong found tha t the truth had almostdied from the earth during the Sardisepoch of the Church. And it is not yetall restored. But we have been willingto grow in the revealed knowledge of

Sardis-the city whose Christians were spiritually dead. Today ev en the city is dead! Left, th e r emains o f a paganTemple viewed from t he eas t. Right, the all-but-vanished remains of a Roman Theatre located b elow the citadel.

Ahmet Doenmez Photos


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Page 6Gocl ~ n c l ro keep whar has been revealed.Yes, we are becoming fit-if we develop ourselves now-to be pillars inthe Kingdom of God. Not every pillaris the same size or serves the same purpose, of course; and not all of us willbe exactly alike either.But more than that, this Church-thePhiladelphia era-is to have the nameof the capital city of the universe-theheadquarters of the world. That is wherewe are to be centered. The pillars of theChurch ought always to be at headquarters so that all may appeal to it for decisions. All of you are being tra ined forthis job now-even if it is only bylearning to pray for the work at headquarrers and by sending to headquartersyour tithes for the conduct of the workof this Church. Never since apostolicdays has the work of God been conduct-

ed from one centralized location as it istoday. Always through the past centuries it has been a scattered work.Moreover, we are to have the nameof God the Father and of the Son. Godalways places His name where He is.He will be dwelling in the New Jerusalem. So will we! That is why we willhave His name!Maybe your responsibility in this ageseems small. Maybe others seem somuch more impor tant than you do now.Let us not feel inferior-nor "let us . . .be desirous of vain glory, provoking oneanother, envying one another" (Galatians 5:26).

Just Around the Corner!Time is very short! In probably lessthan 23 years you will be in anotherworld-the world tomorrow-and thepresent will have gone forever. Thosewho seem to be great now will have togive account of themselves as much asthose who seem to be small. Let us all

The GOOD NEWS

be comparing ourselves to Christ-andnot one another-seeking to do our jobthe very best that lies within us. I wouldrather do my part in the work of God

February, 1958

Three views of the ruins of the cityof Ephesus to which the first letterin the Book of Revelation is ad dressed. Life here since New Testament t imes ha s completely changed.Above are the remains of the Libraryof Celsus. To the left, t he main streetfrom the library to the Theatre . Below, th e R oman T he atre in Ephesus.This dead city was once the teemingcenter of life in New Testament Asiawhen Paul preached there.

Theresa Goell Photos

well than have the job of the greatestman on earth and fail it!-Wouldn'tyou?"He that is faithful in that which


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February, 1958is least," Jesus said, "is also faithful inmuch" (Luke 16: 10).So let us all hold fast to the responsi-bility given us and do it the very bestwe can. We are all to be judged accord-ing to what we have. Many who seemto be small now will become great spirit-ual pillars tomorrow-and for all eter-nity. And some who seem to be greatertoday may not appear to be so greattomorrow. God is no respecter of per-sons.Now compare the goal of this Churchwi th tha t of the "Church of Thyatira"the persecuted Church of the MiddleAges.

A Different Promise AltogetherThat Church was a great body. Jesussays of it: "I know thy works, andcharity, and service, and faith, and thypatience, and thy last works are morethan the first" (Rev. 2:19) .What a contrast to our Church. Jesussaid we today "have little strength"(Rev. 3:8) . Never has the Church beensmaller than today-yet we have thegreatest door ever opened to any Church.But in the Middle Ages the Church of

God was a powerful Church-its lastworks were even greater than ItS first.It grew. It overcame. True, there werecertain serious faults allowed from timeto time. The symbolic "fezebel"-another picture of the fallen woman ofRev. 17-was sometimes allowed toteach in the local assemblies. Andjezebel's children-those who came M itof her in protest-were there, too. Inother words, the false teachers weresometimes fellowshipped, instead ofbeing excommunicated!Those who overcame the teaching ofthe false ministers who crept into thelocal churches achieved a great reward."And he that overcometh and keepethmy works unto the end, to him will Igive power over the nations: and heshall rule t hem with a rod of iron; asthe vessels of a potter shall they bebroken to shivers: even as I receivedof my Father," says Jesus. "And I willgive him the morning star" (Rev.2:26-28).Those in that Church age are not torule over Israel, but over the nationsetbnos in Greek , meaning "nations" or"tribes." In the millennium the tribesof Israel will inherit the Gentiles(Psalm 2:8). Unde r David and thetwelve apostles will be those in thatChurch who will exercise dominionover the great Genti le families-Russia,China, Germany, the Latin Americancountries, African tribes-just as todayGenti le nat ions such as Pakis tan, Indiaand Ceylon recognize the author ity ofthe House of David ruling today inLondon, England in the person ofQueen Elizabeth II.

The GOOD NEWSThat Church will not have the sameresponsibility as we will have. Theywill be in authority ou t in the field. Theyare not to be at headquarters as weshall be. I f there are ma jor problemsamong the nations under their authority,the case will come to us for decisionas in the example recorded in Acts 15.Those who constitute that Church

will shine in glory with the radianceof "the morning star" (Rev. 2:28). Thebrightest heavenly body next to the sunand moon-as we view the heavens.The Church in Laodicea

You ought all to be familiar with thegraphic description of the lukewarmnessof the work which will c limax this age.It is not this work-it is the work ofanother body of believers. They will beheirs to the riches of spiritual under-standing which God is revealing throughthis Church-but they will become spir-itually smug. Nothing good can be saidabout them. Though they may havebeen begotten, they have not allowedChrist to live His life through them.Jesus pic tures himself as having stoodat the door of their hearts knocking.They are not promised deliverancefrom the coming time of trouble andreligious persecution-whereas we arepromised deliverance. I f they becomezealous and repent, if they "love nottheir lives unto death," then they willreceive a good responsibili ty. But theyhave first a great period of trial andtest to meet. Jesus will send the punish-men t on them because He loves them.I f they change their ways, He will notfiguratively spue them Out of His mouthas one who spues out nauseating luke-warm water.To them Jesus says: "To him thatovercometh will I grant to sit with Mein my throne, even as I also overcame,and am set down wi th my Father in Histhrone" (Rev. 3:21). Not ice that theyare not called spiritual "pillars"; neitherdo they bave their own thrones as dothose of the Church of Thyatira. Theyare only qualified through much tribu-lat ion to sit with Christ on His throneassisting Him directly in the personaladministration of His office.Here you see yet a different responsi-

bility in the Kingdom of God!Now contrast these overcomers withthose of the other Church epochs. Notice the rewards of the remainingChurches.What Is Their Responsibility?

Consider the Sardis era uf the Churchof God. Jesus said of that Church-theone which immedia tely preceded thispresent Philadelphia era-"thou hasr aname that thou livest," but thou "artDEAD" (Rev. 3:1). Their works havenot been perfected. Their ministry

Page 7

F. K. Doerner PhotoPergamos-where "Satan's Seat" ofGovernment in the province of Asiawas located! Above is th e pavedway to the citadel.failed to proclaim the gospel as it oughtto have been preached.Only a few individuals-"a fewnames"-were overcomers in that era.As a Church they have no special re-spousibility. Only a few individuals with-in the Church will walk wi th Christ inwhite-a symbol of righteousness (Rev.19:8). God merely promises each ofthem that He "will not blot out hisname out of the book of life, but Iwill confess his name before my Father,and before his angels" (Rev 3: 5 ) .There is no responsibility-no defi-nite office ment ioned here-only apromise of eternal life. Even the over-comers of that era barely escape withtheir lives. Indeed, sometimes the right-eous scarcely are saved (I Peter 4: 18).But remember that the saints shall ruleor judge the world-and that includesthese individuals of the Sardis era. They,as individuals in that Church, will havetheir offices (mentioned elsewhere inthe Scripture), but as an organizedChurch they receive no joint responsi-bility!The same thing is true of the otherChurch eras.In the Church era typified by thePergamos Church, there were no smallnumber who accepted erroneous doc-trines of the "Nicolaitans."

Who Were the Nicolaitans?The doctrines of this body of hereticshas never ceased to puzzle Church his-torians. They have always imagined thatthe Nicolaitans had to be a small sectwhich separated from the great worldlybody of profess ing Christians. I t hasnever occurred to the scholars tha t the


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Theresa Goell PhotoRuins of some of the anc ient buildings of Pergamos. It is difficult today torealize that these desolate sites were once teeming with Christ ians . Asi.aMinor in New Tes tament t imes was th e outstanding center of Christianity,influenced though it was by Paganism.

Page HNicolaitans miBhr he rhar great body ofprofessing Christians which has departed from the true Church of God!What does the word "Nicolaitan"mean?It has nothing to do with the deaconNicolas (Acts 6:5), as some have assumed. The original Greek word "Nicolaitan" means one who is "a followerof Nicolas." Who was that Nicolas of

whom they were followers? God revealsthat He hates the doctrine of t ha t man(Rev. 2: 15).But what does the name "Nicolas"come from? It comes from two Greekwords-nikoJ and laos. N ikos means"conqueror" or "destroyer" and laosmeans "people." The original Nicolaswas the conqueror or destroye r of thepeople! That was merely the Greekword for Nimrod-the original archrebel who conquered the people andfounded man-made civilization withintwo centuries after the f:lood! And is ita strange t hing tha t even today the followers of the Nicolaitans s ti ll ha llowthe name of "St. Nico la s" on December 25?Yes, Santa Claus-just a shortenedform of Nicolas, th e Greek name forNimrod-is Nimrod deified. I t is h e -and nor Jesus Christ-whom the professing Christians serve to this day, andwhom they honor at Christmas! Andthere were individua ls in the Churchof God in those days who tolerated suchpractices and even indulged in them!Is it any wonder tha t no special responsibility was given to that Church?Notice the promise: "To him that over-

The GOOD NEWS

cometh will I give to eat of the hiddenmanna" ( see John 6:48-63), "and willgive him a white stone, and in thestone a new name wri tten , which noman knoweth saverh he that receivethit" (Rev. 2: 17).Here is no promise of a special office

- such as the one to which we are called- b u t only a promise of eternal l if e toindividuals.The white stone (Rev. 2: 17 ) was thetessera of ancient times, "well known in

February, 1958

Asia Minor as a passport to heathen banquets. To each guest invited to theidol feasts, a SLOne wa s given with thename of the person written on it; andspecimens . . . are to be now seen amongthe Greek antiquities of the BritishMuseum" (The Messages to the SevenChurches of Asia Minor, by AndrewTait, p. 252).The promise to that epoch symbolizedby the Church in Pergamos is a promise(Please continue on page 12)

Laodicea' s ruins . In New Testament t imes this city was l at ion hover s ov er t he area now. To th e left is a part cfexceedingly wealthy-a condition reflected in the charac- the Roman Stadium. To th e right, a f ew remains of th ete r of the Christ ians in apostolic times. Nothing bu t deso- Roman City. Ahmet Doenmez Photos


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Are You PERSECUTED?If you are, it's possible you're BRINGING IT ON YOURSELFI

Check up, and be sure!

"you SAY it's got HAM in it?Why, lady, don't you know hogmeat's UNCLEAN?" exclaimedthe zealous bel iever, order ing a meal ina restaurant.Could this be you?Some of the brethren, not yet MATUREin the faith, but zealously wanting tolet their l ight shine, begin to vociferously proclaim to everyone that certainmeats or packaged foods are an "abomination" to God!Many of you may rememberMr. Arm

strong had to rebuke some members ofGod's Church sharply at the Feast ofTabernacles two years ago about openlycondemning the eating habits of worldlypeople.Since tha t time, there have been letters from some of the brethren indicating the problem has not been en ti relyovercome!

God's Church Persecuted"But God's Church is a PERSECUTEDChurch!" reason some, and then pro

ceed to BRING PERSECUTION ON THEM-SELVEs-and discredit upon the work ofGod!You're all familiar with some of there ligious sects of this confused world of"churchianity" that deliberately bring

persecution on themselves by staunchlyrefusing to come under the civil authority. God' s own children are not to bepersecuted for this reason.Persecuted we may be. BUT LET ITALWAYS BE UNJUSTLY! "For this ist hankwor thy , if a man for consciencetoward God endure grief, sufferingWRONGFULLY" ( I Pet. 2:19).Study that verse. God reveals it is athankworthy thing if you are persecutedfor "conscience toward God!" Thatmeans suffering-NOT for being a "fanatic" or for actively inter fer ing in thelives of others-but suffering for livingin perfect obedience to God!Some in the Church have been suffer-ing persecution-AND HAVE JUSTLY

DESERVED EVERY BIT OF IT!Perhaps the stern real izat ion of thisprinciple will finally AWAKEN some (i fany have ears to hear, let him hear) sotha t they no longer bring discredit, scornand abuse upon themselves-ancl thevery work of God."For what glory is it, if, when ye bebuffeted for yOut faults, ye shall take itpatiently?" ( I Pet. 2: 20). How many ofus have completely maste red Out ownemotions so thoroughly that we TAKE

by Garner Ted ArmstrongCoRHECTION PATIENTLY for our ownfattlts?Far too few!But God requires MORE than this."But if, when ve do WELL, and sufferfor it, ye take it patiently, THIS is acceptable with God. For even hereuntowere ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, tha tye should follow His steps!" (I Pet.2: 20-21). Have you ever reflected seriously on the merit of Christ's sufferings?

One outstanding proof of His godlycharacter and perfection is that He neverdeserved the suffering, never brought iton Himself!Being a "Light"Perhaps many, in eagerness to be at rue " ligh t" to the world, make the mistake of becoming a g la ring SPOTLIGHT!

This is not what Christ intended! "Letyour light so sbine before men (not upon, or within them), that they may seeYOUR GOOD WORKS!" Do you see? TheLIGHT reveals your Christian life, yourgood deeds-it does not become a hugesearchlight playing upon lard in piecrust, preservatives in bread, or myriadother insignificant trivialitiesIt is right to abstain from pork, otherunclean meats, and to attempt to eat the

most wholesome, natural foods. But it isnot ~ i g h t to make such a "show" of itthat every trip to a restaurant becomes ascene! Too often, God's people leave theimpression in public places, especiallyrestaurants, that they are "rel igious fanatics" and "crackpots" because of alack of wisdom in how to conduct themselves.To really be a light you should beorderly, pleasantly courteous, quiet andreserved in your conduct. Do not scowlin disgust when you read of uncleanfoods on the menu-you know automatically they'll be there before you

enter the public place! Why make adisplay? I f you are unsure as to the content of certain dishes-ask the waitressin a pleasant manner, and SMILE! I fthe dish does contain some uncleanthing, simply thank her, and order something else!

I ci te these examples for a very greatreason. During their t ravels to and fromthe festivals, some have left a literalwake of malcontent and hurt feelings.Because of diligently wanting to abstainfrom wrong foods, but lacking the wis-dom as to how to go about it, many havebeen successful, not in being a light to

the wor ld, but a s tumbling block! "I fit be possible, as much as Iierh IN YOU,live peaceably with all men!" (Rom.12:]7).

Unconverted MatesPerhaps the word "unconverted" hasbecome distasteful, and a "bad" wordto many.WHY?"For God so loved the WORLD (cosmos, order ly arrangement, or society)that He gave His only begotten Son, thatwhosoever believeth in Him should notperish, but have everlasting life" (John3:16). Notice! God LOVES this carnalminded, unconverted world! Christ cameto save sinners-the UNconverted! Didyou ever read the verse right after John3: 16? "For God sent not His Son into

the wor ld to CONDEMN the world; butthat the world through Him might beSAVED!"Let's get our balance. Too often, terrible p roblems are created within thehome between a converted and an unconverted mate, simply because the convened one does not understand this vitalprinciple!Do you condemn your wife, or yourhusband, if unconverted? Do you openlyshow your disgtlSt for the habits andpract ices of the world whatever chanceyou get? Brethren , some have actuallygone into grocery Stores, and, read ingthe labels on packaged foods, thrownthem down in disgust before thei r unconver ted mates, loudly denounc ing toanyone nearby the ingredients containedin the package! This is NOT the way ofa Christian! I t brings family strife, andreproach, not peace and harmony!

I do not mean to imply we are tocompromise with the world! No r do Iintend to imply tha t you should neglectthe careful checking of the foods youbuy-but it is the MANNER IN WHICHIT IS DONE that is important.Be a mild-mannered, pat ient , lovingand kind "LIGHT" to your unconvertedmate-not a harsh, scowling, belligerent,"self-righreous" religious crackpot!

To Your Children, TooLetters have reported instances ofchildren, copying their parems, enteringthe homes of unconverted people, orelse entering public places, and vocallycondemning the customs, dress or foodthey see there!Perhaps your discussion at home ofthe harmful foods that are processed and


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Your questions answered in these columns! Your opportunity to havediscussed those problems pertaining directly to members of God's Church.

f2!Jestion ~ o x

Page 1()packaged for sale is profitable-but youshould also add, and make sure yourchildren understand-it is not your dutyto CONDEMN the practices of the storeowner or other customers for selling orbuying them. It is only your duty tomake sure YOU do not practice thesethings.Train your children in these things!Some of the young teen-agers, andeven younger children, have been highlycritical of others-to the point of rudeness and absurdity! Why? Where dothey get it? At home!Unless you are actively pract icingthese principles of Christian living, andteaching them to your children as well,you cannot be the l ight Christ intended

-and your influence as an agent toCALL OTHERS into the truth will be lost!Untold suffering has already beencaused by a lack of judgment in thesethings. Wives-DO NOTwheedle, argue,threaten, cajole, whine, or a ttempt tocoerce your unconverted husbands intoliving as a Christian! You live as aChristian-setting him the right example in MEEKNESS AND HUMILITYwithout a sharp tongue.Husbands-DO NOT "lord it over"your unconverted wives, forcing theminto things they do not understand. Showby your kind and loving example, andby your pat ient TEACHING, the kind ofa life Christ lived-and show them it'sthe BEST life, the fruitful, abundant,HAPPY life!Parent s-SELL your children on thegood things of godliness! Do NOT approach everything with a negative at

titude-show the POSITIVE att itude ofLOVE and COMPASSION for the world,without endorsing or condoning itsways! Explain to them tha t you eat different things and live differently thanother people because you have come torealize that this is the r ight way to live;that you are not doing them solely forthe sake of being different.A Rule to Follow

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to tryyou, as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice, inasmuchas ye be partakers of Christ's sufferings;that, when His glury shall be revealed,ye may be glad also with exceeding joy"(I Pet. 4:12-13).No, it should not be considered a"rare" or strange th ing if you are beingPERSECUTED--for righteousness' Jake!"I f ye be reproached for the name ofChrist, happy are ye but let none ofyou suffer as a murderer, or as a thief,or as an evildoer, ORAS A BUSYBODY INOTHER MEN'S MATTERS!" ( I Pet. 4: 1415 ) .

Why is it, brethren, that some actually take delight in FINDING SIN? Why

The GOOD NEWSshould it be a source of joy to discoverevil? Perhaps it is to cover up one's ownsins that a person so eagerly looks forthe sins of others! But never forget thatevery Christian, unless he has the LOVEof God, is NOTHING!And the LOVE of God will NEVER

Should You VACCINATE YourDogs for Rabies?This question is vital to many of yousince local authorities sometimes demandtha t your dogs be vaccinated. Shouldyou submit to this ordinance of man?In the future, we know that there willbe an epidemic of rabies among dogs as

well as OTHER animals including cats,rats, bats, faxes, squirrels, etc. However,we have God's promise that He canprotect us from these dangers-if wedo our part. God promises, "NEITHERSHALT THOU BE AFRAID OF THF.BEASTS OFTHE EARTH. For thou shaltbe in league with the stones of the field:and the BEASTS of the field shall be atpeace with thee" (Job 5:22-23).Because God promises to protect usfrom rabid animals if we are OBEYINGHIS COMMANDMENTS, does this meanthat we should not under any circum-stances vaccinate our dogs for rabies?We find God's answer to our questionin I Peter 2: 13. We are commanded:"Submit yourselves to EVERY ordinanceof man for the Lord's sake." Since thecommand of men to have our dogs vaccinated may not directly conflict with thehigher command of God, it is not wrongto vaccinate them for rabies IF we arecompelled to do so.l f the law does nut require us to vaccinate our dogs, it is not necessary to doso. Rather, we should ask God to protectthem from rabies and do our PMt byfeeding and caring for them properly.SINCE GODHASN'T DIRECTLY PROMISEDTHAT OUR DOGS WILL NOT CONTACTRABIES, we should be very cautious during a rabies epidemic and keep our dogsaway from rabid animals. God expectsus to use our heads and protect ourselves.We can rely on His Div ine protectionwhen we have first done all within ourpower to protect ourselves.

Is I tWrong to Wear Clothing ofMixed Fabrics?The physical law found in Deut. 22: 11and Lev. 19: 19 against wearing a garmem of wool and linen mixed is stillbinding. This command is a PHYSICAL,not a SPIRITUAL, MATTER.

February, 1958lead you to searchingly inspect each evildeed of carnal-minded worldly people,being gratified that you have discoveredtheir sins! Don't gloat when you seesomeone eating pork! "Love . . . rejoicesNOT in iniquity, but rejoices in thetruth!" ( I Cor. 13:4-6).

It is just as binding as the laws ofGod against racial intermarriage.Although the Scripture mentions byname only wool and linen, this principleapplies to other fabrics: linen and woolare named specifically because they werethe main materials the Israelites had forcloth-making. Wool does not absorb perspiration readily, as does linen. Woolalso retains body heat, That' s why youdon't want to wear it in summer.The command pertains to garmentsin which two materials are woven together to make one piece of cloth. Itdoes not pertain to decorations on agarment.One authority states tha t when twomaterials are woven together a cheapened qual ity is often the result. Apparently this is one reason for God's command, He wants us to own and use thebest quality within our means.When one buys a garment of mixed

material he receives inferior quality.This const itutes a waste of money andalso detracts from personal appearance.It is not necessary to throwawaymixed materials that you already have.(Some people would have nothing leftto wear if they did.) To do so wouldbe qui te rash. Just be careful to selectapproved material the next time youpurchase clothing.Any extra garments of mixed fabricsmay be given to worldly charities. N 0-lice example in Deut. 14:21. The sameprinciple would apply in this matter!It is not wrong to wear one garmentof linen and another of wool at the same

time. Neither is it wrong to wear awool coat with a rayon lining; the rayonlining is not woven with the wool andwill not cheapen the wool of thecoat. The same applies to cotton pocketsin trousers that are made of wool orother materials, also probably to the purerayon or nylon baud rhar is sewedaround the neck of same T-shirts. Oneshould not buy socks with nylon reinforced heel and toe because in suchsocks the two materials are interwoven.You are likely to more frequently encounter the problem of mixed fabrics in


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February, 1958socks, suits, sweaters, sport shirts, andblankets. (There is no difficulty in selecting dress shirts, underwear, hats, orscarfs because they are usually made ofone material.)The quest ion may arise whether it iswrong to buy mater ia ls that are a mixture of wool and angora, or cashmereand wool. There is absolutely nothingwrong with this type of mixture. Bothare na tu ral and are animal products ofgood quality. However, combinations ofsilk and cotton are not proper. They areof two different kinds.

The question of synthetics and natural fibers is another facet of this question.Synthetics of some types are not thebest for body health and comfort. Nylon,especially, is not conducive to comfortin some of its uses. Dress shirts, socks,and blouses of nylon greatly hinder thehealth giving circulation of air, hold inbody heat, and reduce body comfort.A good health test to use when buying synthetic material or a ready-madegarment is to hold the material up, holdyour hand about six or eight inchesfrom the material and blow through it.If you can feel the air you can be prettysure that air is going to come throughand circulate around your body whenyou have such material on.Usually a synthetic material tha t iswoven very tigh t is not good, but onethat is woven more luusely might tend tobe much bet ter . This is where each in-dividual must use his or her own judg-ment about whether or not the materialis suited for him. Some people knowwhat type of material their body issuited for-some can not even wear anytype of synthetic.

Next, is it good to wear a fabric thatis a mixture of natural and syntheticfibers?Synthetics differ markedly from wuul.Synthetics are chemically treated vege-table products-usually cellulose. Wool,by contrast is an animal product. Thephysical law in Deuteronomy regardingwool and l inen would apply here. Mixtures of wool and synthetics are notgood.BUT,since many synthetics are chemically processed vegetable products, COt-ton and synthetic combinations constitute another quest ion entirely. Theproblem is similar to that of racialintermarriage. Marriage among nationalities differs in degree (and is not absolurely wrong), bur intermarr iage between distinct races differs in kind andis absolutely wrong.Bemberg rayon, for example, is madeof cellulose from cotton linters. Rayonmay be made from chemically treatedwood pulpar cotton. On the other hand,orion is derived from such basic rawmaterials as coal, air, water, petroleum,limestone and natural gases.

The GOOD NEWSIn purchasing garments of a syntheticand natural blend, you might notice thatbefore too long the synthetic-beingmuch stronger than the natural fiberwill tear the natural fibers of the fabric.This is not always the case, but it doeshappen in some instances. The rule insuch blends or mixtures is this: if thecharacteristics of the synthetic do not

differ ml1lrkedly from the natural cotton(or linen) , then the combinat ion is notprohibited. If-AS IS OFTEN THE CASE- they do differ markedly in st rength,washability, absorption, etc., then theyshould not be used.Combinat ions of one synthetic withanother are to be judged on the samebasis. If the characteristics are similar,it would not be wrong to purchase them.REMEMBER, THIS ISA PHYSICAL LAW-NOT A SPIRITUAL LAW. ONLYIF YOULUST AFTER WHAT GOD SAYS YOUSHOULD NOT HAVE, DOES IT RFCOME ASPIRITUAL SIN.Let us not go to extremesin this matter. No t all combinations arewrong.Keep in mind that the genuine articleis always of better quali ty than the artificial.You can usually find a natural fabricwithout to O much trouble. You mayhave to pay a little more, but don't youthink that it is worth it?

Let GOD FightYour Battles(Continued from page 2)

Did you never realize that the veryCREATOR who caused you to be bornwho gives you the life you have-whocalled you into His Church-is able andanxious to fight all these battles for youjust as He did Hezekiah's-s-if you willonly turn to Him, and ask Him for wisdom and guidance, RELY on Him, andTRUST Him with the result?

Two Recent ExamplesI know of a young lady who, when in

her middle twenties, had a problem thatwas MOST SERIOUS in her life. Threetimes this girl had been disappointed inlove. She had at last been tempted tomarry a man she had no right to marry.She brought her problem to me, as God'srepresentative. I found she was lookingONLY AT PHYSICAL APPEARANCES. Shereasoned that, so far as she could see,if she obeyed God and refused to marrythis man, she might never be married.I counseled her to OBEY GOD--to stoplooking at the material circumstancesand using human reason to disobey God.I counseled her to do, first of all, WHATGOD INSTRUCTS IN THEBIBLE, and thento TRUST HIM for the outcome.But that girl did not RELY ONGOD-she relied on her human reason. Sheobeyed impulse and temptation, and mar-

Page 11ried [he man. He left her to commitadultery with another woman on theirvery wedding night . Her life becamemiserable, terribly unhappy.Then at another time, another similarcase was brought to me. THIS youngwoman rejected the temptation-sheobeyed God, and RFLIED ON THEETERNAL to work out circumstancesshe trusted HIM with the result. Herfai th was t ried and tested. God did notanswer ATONCE-but in due lime, justthe RIGHT man came into her life, theyfell in love, they were married and GODHAS BLESSED THEIR MARRIAGE WITHSUPREME HAPPINESS.The Experience of King Jehoshaphat

Now I want to bring you one morecase history-a REMARKABLE experiencethat will show you the way out of allyour difficulties and troubles.Brethren, if you will let GODhave HISway in your life, then you will havebegun to learn how to let Him fightyour battles, solve your problems, anddeliver you from JO many troubles youare suffering.Now, notice the experience wri tt enfor OUR learning and help, today:"I t was after this that the Moabitesand Ammonites, with some of theMeunim, made war on Jehoshaphat.Word came to jehoshaphar t hat a hugehost was moving against him fromEdam, over the Dead Sea, and that' theywere already at Hazazon-tamar (or Engedi). ]ehoshaphat was afraid."Is fear your usual reaction, too? Butobserve what the king of Judah did.

"He resolved to have recourse to theEternal, and proclaimed a fast all overJudah. So Judah assembled to seek helpfrom the Eternal; people came fromevery town in Judah to worship theEternal" (I I Chron. 20:1-4).Jehoshaphat did exactly what Godwants you to do today, when faced withany tempta tion or trouble-HE TOOKIT TO GOD IN PRAYER AND FASTING!And as he continued to ask God forhelp, he said (verses 6-12), "0 Eternal,the God of our fathers, an nor thouGod in heaven, and ruler of all realmson the earth? Such power and might isthine that no one can resist thee. a ourGod, didst not thou evict the natives ofthis land before thy people Israel, givingthe land to the offspring of Abrahamthy friend, for all time? And they settledin it. They have built a sanctuary in itto thine honour, thinking that if evilbefell them, the sword in judgment , orpestilence, or famine, they would standin front of this temple and before thee(for in this temple is thy presence) andcry to thee in their distress, till thoudidsr hear and save them. Now here arethe Ammonites and Moabites and folkfrom mount Seir, whom thou didst not


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Page 12

allow Israel to invade, when Israel cameout of the land of Egypt-no, Israelturned away from them, and did notdestroy them!"There was no reason for these neighbors to be enemies. Sometimes your ownneighbors become your enemies, roo,don't they?But notice what the king said to God:"Look how they reward us, coming toeject us from thy very own countrywhich thou has given us to be ours. 0our God, wilt thou not deal with them?Weare helpless against this mighty hostthat is a ttacking us; we know not whatto do, but we look co thee."

God Answers PrayerNow I want you to notice!-Jehoshaphar cried out for God to come co theiraid. Here is God's answer (verses 14

17) :". . . Jehaziel . . . was inspi red by thespirit of the Eternal in the midst of thegathering to cry, 'Listen, all ye men ofJudah, ye cit izens of Jerusalem, and you,o king Jehoshaphat; th e Eternal's mes-sage to you is this: FEAR NOT, falter notbefore this vast army; it is for God notfor you, to fight them. March downagainst them tomorrow; they are coming up by the ascent of Haziz, and youwill come upon them at the end of theravine in front of the desert of Jeruel.You will not need to do any fighting;take up your position, stand still, andwatch the victory of the Eternal, who ison your side, 0 Judah and Jerusalem.Fear not, falter not. Move out againstthem to-morrow, for the Eternal is onyour side.'''And notice that Jehoshaphat obeyedafter God instructed him. Verses 20-24declare: "Next morning they rose andmoved into the open country roundTekoa. As they advanced, Jehoshaphatstood and said, 'Listen, men of Judahand citizens of Jerusalem! Take holdof the Eternal your God and you willkeep hold of life; ho ld by his prophe ts ,and you will prosper .'"Af te r this counsel to the nations, heappointed the Eternal's singers to praisehim in sacred vestments , marching infront of the army and chanting, 'Givethanks to the Eternal, for his kindnessnever fails.'"As they began to sing and praisehim, the Eternal set men in ambushagainst the Ammonites , and Moabi tes,and the folk from mount Seir, who hadattacked Judah, and they were routed.The Ammonit es and the Moabitesturned on th e natives of Mount Scir,determined to wipe them out."They turned against one another!That is how God answered Jehoshaphat...And then, after destroying the nat ivesof mount Seir, they all helped to killone another. So when the men of Judah

The GOOD NEWSreached their post of attack looking overthe open country, they saw the hostwere so many corpses stretched upon theground; not a man had escaped."Jehoshaphar did nor merely leave thistrouble with God and then do nothingabout it himself. First, he prayed, andasked for wisdom, guidance, and HELP.Then he OlD WHAT GOD SAID. He hadto do HIS PART-but the BATTLE WASGOD'S, and Jehoshaphat did not try tofight GOD'S battle. He merely did hisown part. But he BELIEVED God, andRELIED on God.The point I want you brethren toREMEMBER is t ha t YOUR battles are notreally yours, bu t GOD'S. If you look to

Him, He makes them HIS batt les, andHE fights them for you. How FUTILE,for you to try to fight GOD'S battles forHIM.God says: "Many are the afflictionsof the righteous: bu t the Lord delivereth

him out of them all" (Psalm 34: 19).In the new Testament we read, "ByGRACE are ye saved, through FAITH."Yes, bu t the FAITH that saves us is aliving faith that is practical-it WORKS-it really RELIES on God! SO PUT ITTO PRACTICE!God does not promise us an EASYtime during this life in this world. ButHe DOES promise to fight our battles forus- to deliver us from EVERY troubleand affliction. WILL YOU LET HIM DOIT, AND LEARN HOWHAPPY YOUR LIFEMAY BECOME? GOD HELP YOU TOUNDERSTAND!

WhatWillYOUR JOBBe in the KingdolIl?(Continued from page 8)

to attend the "marriage supper" ofJesus Christ. The overcomers will bein the Kingdom of God, but they didnot qualify for any special function.The same is true for the Churchesof Ephesus and of Smyrna. The faithful

poor of Smyrna are p romised a "crownof life" (Rev. 2: 10), and that they"shall not be hurt of the second death"(verse 11). The Church of Ephesus isg iven the promise : "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the treeof life, which is in the paradise ofGod" (ve rse 7).In none of these cases are there anyparticu lar offices to which that Churchage was being called. Only the promiseof e ternal life in the Kingdom of God isdirectly extended. But that does not meanthey will have no responsibility! No,indeed! They may not have been calledto be pillars in the Kingdom of God;they may not have been called to ruleover whole nations; they will not be inthe place of the apostles and of David,or in the place of the prophet s teaching

February, 1958the world. But there is a place for them- a n office which Jesus men tioned inHis parable in Luke 19: 11-27.Who Will Rule Over the Cities in th eMillennium?The great parable of Luke 19 is dual.

The ten servants represent the ten tribesof Israel-the citizens represen t theHouse of Judah. In accordance withwhat the tr ibes of Israel have done during these past centuries , so will they begiven power over the Gent il e 'citiesjust as some of them now exercise power over primitive people.But the prophecy is DUAL. Christiansare also now the bondservants of JesusChrist. Some overcome more than others- some develop their spi ri tual abili tymore than others. Some are to be givenrule over many cities during the millennium in the Kingdom of God. Otherswill have qualified to rule over only afew cities--or perhaps only over one!Who are those who rule over thesecities? Certainly not the prophets or theapostles--or the Churches of Phi ladel phia or Thyatira or Laodicea. The answer seems very pla in . The responsibility to guide and control the development of civilization in every city onear th will be vested in those Chr istiansin general who have not been called toother duties. Here, then, is the responsibility-the office-open to thosewho overcome in the Churches ofEphesus, Smyrna, Pergamos and Sardis.Some of the individuals in thoseChurches may have grown immenselythey may even exercise immense authority over many mighty cities, whereassome in the other Churches-Thyatira,for example-may rule over only minornations or tribes. Some in those Churches may do greater works over g iant metropolitan areas than will some in ourChurch who will be small pillars in theHeadquarters of the world. That depends on YOU! That depends on whetheryou willingly let God make you into Hisimage, or whether you tend to resistHis corrections!God will not make of you what youare not wil ling to become!What wonderful truth about the

Government of God which lies h iddenwithin these seven small letters!What wonderful promises are open to

us-undreamed of powers to remakethe world and to be happy doing it!And to t hink tha t God extends to thisChurch as a body the posit ions of"PILLARS" in His Work.No t everyone cal led to be an apostlewas an overcomer-Judas departedfrom the faith. And not everyone ofyou will succeed. But God's promisestands firm. We CAN-i f we overcomeourselveS-STAND TOGETHER AS PILLARS IN THE FAMILY OF GOD.

good news 1958 (vol vii no 02) feb_w

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