FINDING THE TRUTH
The Bible continues to be the Christian’s
standard for measuring right and wrong, truth and error. Yet, THE TRUTH-the
promise by promise outline of God’s plan for humanity, stretching into
eternity-has not come easy for followers of the Master.
Anyone who has earnestly sought the deeper
understanding of the Scriptures merely by reading page after page, and chapter
after chapter, can attest to the difficulties of finding THE TRUTH by such a
study. How varied have been the impressions gleaned by even its most ardent
students! History is well marked by the
heated controversies of those men of valor, and who, finding a truth, dedicated
a lifetime to proving and setting it forth.
Who has not heard ...
... of Luther’s stand on Justification by faith, leading to his
bitter denunciation of the error of indulgences?
... of John Weseley’s belief that special favor of the Lord comes
to all men simply by their acceptance
of the blood of Jesus, thus opposing the predestination belief of Calvin, who
limited the grace of God to but a chose few ?
... of William Miller’s revitalization of hope in the promise of
our Lord’s return?
... of others who went on to prove that the Bible taught that the
dead are dead and "know not anything" and that eternal torment is not
the penalty of sin?
The Bible has contained, truth by truth,
God’s plan of salvation. But through all the efforts of past saints since the
days of the apostles, THE TRUTH, as a complete outline of our Heavenly Father’s
drama of the ages, remained obscure until the time clock of the universe
struck. Then the secret of topical and chronological study of the Bible was
revealed in a writing called, "The DIVINE PLAN of the AGES."
Indeed, GOD HAS A PLAN! By prophecy and
promise this plan is woven into his Word not chapter by chapter, but rather, as
the Prophet Isaiah related, "precept upon precept; line by line; ... here
a little, and there a little." -#Isa 28:10
Man sinned. Death, cessation of life,
followed. Angels tried to solve earth’s dilemma, but the Flood of Noah’s day
erased the tragedy of their vain efforts. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob came on the
scene and, with them, the promise of a coming kingdom! But it did not come in
their day!
The Jewish nation and the Law followed,
with special favors leading unto Christ. And with the First Advent of our Lord,
God’s great plan of salvation continued to unfold. Here was the perfect life
needed to erase the sin of perfect Adam before the blessings of the promised
kingdom could flow to humanity. Jesus’ life given, man was guaranteed a return
"from the land of the enemy" —death.
But 1900 years have come and gone, and
still there has been no resurrection of the dead. Why the long delay?
Another part of God’s plan was being
carried out. A special heavenly call was sent forth, selecting out of the world
(both Jew and Gentile) a bride for Christ—calling out one here and one there.
The qualifications are strict and the candidates are few, as the Master
proclaimed, "Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, ... and few
there be that find it." —#Mt
7:14
There faithful few (still being called
from amongst men) who sacrifice their lives as Jesus did, will be privileged with
him on high to lead the rest of humanity out of their graves and out of
despair, up a highway called "holiness" to a perfect life on earth,
in answer to our mutual prayer: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in
earth, as it is in heaven." —#Mt 6:10
Then, together, in that kingdom, will all
men find and know THE TRUTH.
TRACE MAN’S HISTORY THROUGH THE PAST
PRESENT and FUTURE
IN
THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES