Editorial

June is the month of graduations and weddings. Each marks the beginning of a new way of life for those involved. Graduates, brides and grooms are all embarking with starry eyes and lofty dreams on the sea of life. What these young people lack in experience they make up in hope and enthusiasm.

Paul told Timothy to “let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Young people who are examples in these areas should certainly not be despised just because of their age. It is also important for the youngsters to respect their elders. Paul instructs Timothy to “rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father.” God commanded the children of Israel saying “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God.”

Wasn’t it Mark Twain who left home as a young man thinking his father knew very little and returned later to discover how much his father had learned in such a few short years? Young people need to remember that many Junes have come and gone since their elders graduated and married and the trials and experiences of these years have taught valuable lessons that can’t be learned in school. Those just starting out can benefit from those who have experienced the rough seas of life. “The face of the old man” can also be encouraged and enthused by the vigor and spirit of the youth.

There is no war between the young and the old. Each age has its advantages and trials. Each can help the other, and neither will despise the other if all of us are an example in love.

Young people today face conditions that were unheard of in their parents youth, yet human nature has not changed. Paul’s advice to Timothy to “flee youthful lusts” has a stronger message today than ever before because sin has become sophisticated. Paul warned Timothy that perilous times would come and they are now here! Men, and Paul does not confine it to young men, shall be lovers of their own selves, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Today pleasure has become the god of the world. Pleasure itself is not a sin, but unfortunately most sins are pleasant to the natural man. Moses as a young man chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Even pleasures which are not sinful become sin when we love them more than we love God. True pleasure, the really worth while pleasures are found in the Lord as David exclaimed, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

To the young people of all ages we want to re-emphasize Paul’s advice to Timothy who sought pleasure in the things of the Lord by giving attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, meditating upon these things which have lasting profit for as Paul says, in doing this we will both save ourselves and those that hear us.

We may be graduating, setting up housekeeping or thinking of retiring, it doesn’t matter who we are, where we are, or how old we are, let us hear the con­clusion of the whole matter: “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” If we are wise enough to do this then we shall have pleasures for evermore.

The U.S. has just re-elected its president and by the time this goes to press his inauguration will be a thing of the past.

Living in the world, it is easy to be caught up in the affairs of it if we are not careful. We need to follow the example of just Lot, who was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. Peter tells us that Lot “dwelling among them in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.”

Paul says that we wrestle against the “rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Wickedness in high places is no less true today than it was in Paul’s day and age and this is one of the reasons that we as soldiers of Christ cannot get involved even in the slightest degree with the affairs of this world.

Our candidate did not run in this last election. When he comes to rule the world with a rod of iron, he will not need to campaign for he is coming to take by force the kingdoms of this world. Right now he has members of his party quietly working to prepare a people for him who will be members of his ruling party when he comes. It seems inconceivable doesn’t it, that these faithful members of Christ’s party could be involved in any way with another political party which is to be overthrown by Christ at his coming. It is impossible to be in the service of two countries at once. If we are a soldier for Christ then we cannot serve or help choose any other commander in chief. If we seek a heavenly country, then we must be “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” as were the faithful of old who died in faith.

Paul tells us “now then we are ambassadors for Christ.” We know that an ambas­sador in a foreign country is very careful to obey the laws of that country in which he is residing but he wouldn’t for one minute get involved in their internal political affairs. He must remain aloof and yet obey the laws of whatever party is in power, at all times remembering that he is a representative of his own country and that he does not belong to the country in which he is residing. We do not belong to this world. Jesus said, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

Joshua told his people, “If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Instead of mentioning the Amorites as Joshua did, we can substitute the Republican and Democratic parties. Amos asks the question, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed ?” Can a brother or sister of Christ walk to­gether with the world? Christ’s platform cannot be found in the political arenas of today. We must say with Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

All those who look for Jesus who has “redeemed us to God by his own blood out of every kindred, and tongue and people and nation” and is coming to make us “unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” will refuse to get involved with the kingdoms of this world.

Paul asks, “What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness ? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel ? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.”

Truly the most high is ruling in the kingdoms of men and He appointeth over it whomsoever He will, but He certainly does not need our vote to help Him nor do we even know who He wants to set up and remove. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”

Under the glass on our desk is a little sign which reads, “We can’t solve our own problems . . . but we will gladly advise you on yours.”

At first glance this statement appears to be inconsistent, but upon further thought it isn’t quite so ridiculous. Many people have failed to follow what was very good advice simply because they refused to accept it from the person who was trying to help them. It takes wisdom to listen to those giving good advice when we know that the person telling us couldn’t do as well themselves. We are wise if we listen anyway.

Jesus himself told us “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All there­fore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.”

Just because the person advising us has faults is no reason for us to refuse to listen. Sometimes we get advice from those like the Pharisees who were hypocrites. Even then we should follow Christ’s admonition. Sometimes we may get advice from someone who knows how to do a thing but doesn’t do it because of their own recognized limitations. An example immediately comes to mind of a track coach who once tutored us. He could tell us how to run, the right form, step, how to breathe, etc. and we all listened, even though we could easily outrun him. We did not discount his advice just because we could run faster than he could.

In life we have often heard good advice thrown to one side because the person receiving it could already perform better than the person giving the sound counsel. In the matter of public speaking, many times we do not see ourselves as others see us, and perhaps a kind brother or sister who couldn’t begin to speak can give us helpful hints, that if followed, would improve our talks. To refuse this advice is only showing our own folly.

Solomon told us “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”

We can learn from others. We show what kind of person we really are by the way we react to criticism. If we are wise, we will give it careful thought even if it comes from our enemies because there is often more than a grain of truth in the harshest criticism.

There is another side to this coin. The side dealing with the giving of advice. As the little sign indicates, we should be willing to try to help others even if we haven’t solved all of our own problems. If we wait until we are perfect before we begin to turn our attention to assisting others then we would never begin.

If we love one another as ourselves, then we are truly interested in them and anxious to help them if we can. We mustn’t use our own inadequacies as an excuse for ignoring the needs of others. It is important that we are truly helping, not meddling. God looks upon our heart and knows when we really want to be of service or are just being nosy. Let us be sure that we are sincere in our desire to help. None of us are without sin, so we can’t throw stones, but let us always be ready to give a helping hand or a kind word of advice even if we haven’t solved all of our own problems.