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Editorial | Frustration
We have been saved in Christ. We are re-
deemed. For these metaphors to have any
meaning, we are to believe that if the Lord
comes now, we shall by grace certainly be
saved. And that means we live every moment
in that peace with God, that deep gratitude
for His saving grace. So when we trip over the
carelessly abandoned toy, get delayed in
traffic, have a computer blip, drop our phone
and smash the screen… we go through those
experiences under the umbrella awareness
that far more importantly, we are at peace
with God. I am saved, by grace. Someone loves
me, more than I shall ever know. And loves me
at that very moment of petty crisis, all the
same. His arms are around you as the phone
screen smashes; the love of God can be shed
abroad in our hearts at that moment, by the
work of the Spirit within us (Rom. 5:5); if we
are truly open to it. I have “hope”, and elpis
means a definite expectation; it does notmean
merely a hoping for the best. All this really
does make a practical difference, it has as it
were, cash value right now. It’s not just a hope
for the future, as we face death or struggle
with illness. It means that in the here and now
of daily living, moment by moment, we are
enveloped in His saving love and grace. “There-
fore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by
whom also we have access by faith into this
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of
the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory
in tribulations also…” (Rom. 5:1-3).
| Duncan Heaster
The Bible ~ Inspired and Infallible
O
f the countless books that have ever been
produced, and which are being added to
daily, only the Bible can justify its claim to be
inspired. Other books may set forth such a
claim, but an examination of the evidence will
reveal that their claims cannot be vindicated.
It would be incredible if God, having made
man “in His image and after His likeness”
(Gen. 1:26), should have abandoned man
to his own resources. Instead, God inspired
some forty-four of His servants to reveal His
purpose, and to point the way to what is
required of man. This, the Bible does.
The Bible does even more. It tells of Jesus
Christ who died for man’s offences, rose again
for his justification, and ascended into heaven
to provide mediation for his glorification
(Rom. 4:25). Moreover, he has promised to
return to establish his kingdom upon the
earth: “For the wages of sin is death; but the
gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
All Scripture is equally inspired, and is united
together. Thus the Lord declared: “The scrip-
ture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Thus,
also, Paul wrote:
The Bible, consisting of 39 books in the Old
Testament and 27 books in the New Testa-
ment, or 66 in all, was written over a period
of 1,600 years, in different lands, by men of
varied occupations and backgrounds. Each
book is complete in itself, proving an amazing
harmony. They are so interwoven one with the
other, as to provide unbreakable evidence
of inspiration. It would be quite beyond the
ability of man to produce a book so different
in its parts and yet so united in its teaching.
“Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.”
Psalm 119:18
~ continued ...
“All scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness; that
the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all
good works”
2 Timothy 3:16-17