But to business!

1. Australiana. You find now three articles which include substantial things on Australia, not least aborigines: These are in the newly published work, Things Old and New - Love with Mercy has Acted. For this, see Chs.  7,  9,  10.

Owing to questions received, there has been quite an extension in the area of

2.. SECTS. This was noted earlier, but is continuing.

Thus Things Old and New... (TOAN) has now Chs. 2 and 5 with some reference in 7, in this field, especially but by no means exclusively, the JW heresies. Also relevant acutely, is TOAN Appendix. Further Joyful Jottings 14 near the commencement deals with one of the delusions in this field. TOAN 2 has been extended on various phases, in order to increase the simplicity and directness. TOAN 3 deals with a SPACE variant!

The background to the phenomenon in general is also considered, and can be read in conjunction with Tender Times for Timely Truths Ch.  8 and Acme, Alpha and Omega: Jesus Christ
Ch.  9 in expanding heights of survey, among other contributors to the fulfilment of Matthew 24:24 and the many allied predictions. It is so easy, too easy... to say, Ho Hum! this is the way the poor old world is, and to forget that this would be like saying when the death rattle comes ina pneumonia case, Ah well! this is an interesting new development! ... instead of seeing the whole diagnosis, in terms of prognosis, and the fulfilment of PATTERN and PROGRAM for the disease, with a view to intervention where possible, hygiene to prevent further trouble, and assistance in the individual case.

Sometimes it HELPS for the 'patient' to realise that his/hers is a DISEASE of the spirit and an INVASION of the mind by age-old spiritual forces, for these can come with often little but words of introduction to change the look of their ancient, haggard and subversive faces! Often, as with Hitler, BOLDNESS substitutes for truth, and a careless spirit can be deceived and let them in (literally as forbidden in II John, or spiritually, when a forbidden dealing with exposed and foolish matters can be liking taking 'pot' - seems perhaps to some, satisfactory at first, but then it deludes). Don't toy with cancerous tissue; it needs to be removed. Treat it as it is, and when you translate this into practice, so long as your OBJECT is kept firmly in mind, in the love of Christ, your ACTION will illustrate it.

It is interesting how the BODY can be tricked as well as the mind, if you will, so that what first of all may seem fascinating or even helpful, then exacts its TOLL, and a drug DEPENDENCE can arrive, with its own problems, and even problematic cures, like methadone, which can bring their own drug dependence 'problems'. The advice of God ? KEEP OUT AND KEEP THEM OUT (Romans 16:17, II John, Isaiah 8:20, I Timothy 6, II Thessalonians 2:15, 3:6, Titus 3:10 and so on).

This applies not only to the body, where misuse after all arises from a spiritual error in the first place, but to the spiritual things directly. For the positive side in spiritual farsightedness and relish, see II Corinthians 4:17-18; and for what covers the negative with some vigour, Jude, Numbers 16 and II Corinthians 6:14 (cf. Scoop of the Universe 43). If you are interested in this in detail, see The Kingdom of Heaven ... Ch. 7.

As with many physical and mental diseases, so with diseases of the spirit: penalties can relate rather closely, and sometimes almost ironically, to the nature of the breach of divinely given order. Thus AIDS physically can relate to that sub-set on whom it came by their own anti-biblical fault, as a sort of comment on failure to keep out SPIRITUAL infection, so that now there is the same VISITED on the trespasser, in PHYSICAL vulnerablility. II Corinthians 6:14 with I Cor. 5:11 are to be wedded with Titus 3:10 in this area, and the spiritual rebellions met with rebuttal and care personally or as you are enabled, with the word of God and its directions, just given, borne carefully in mind. To false callers, whose position has long been rebutted by many, you may elect simply to provide them with appropriate tracts. These are, in effect, enemy spies presenting themselves at your door, in wartime (cf. Ephesians 6); and there licences are from unholy quarters as Paul makes so clear.

The abhorrence of the Lord of the misjoining of spiritual things, rebellion and reality,  is not less than in the case of the physical laxities, a fact illustrated dramatically in Numbers 16. Indeed, the one is often used as a symbol of the other (Scoop 43, End-Note 1). In fact, the repugnance to the spiritual folly seems if anything far greater - Matthew 21:31! Certainly, those here mentioned, harlots entering the kingdom before some of the 'religious' people - these had repented; but the others COULD not repent: their hearts seemed seared with self-assured unspirituality, clad in plastic purity (cf. Luke 11:53, I Timothy 4:2, II Thessalonians 2:8-10).

The simple word of David in Psalm 111:10,  in all these matters ? "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." He adds: "A good understanding have those who do His commandments. " Solomon in Proverbs 1:7 presents this: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." "Go," he says, "from the presence of a foolish man when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge" - 14:7. The 'fear' of the Lord is that deep and earnest respect, shining with devotion, alert in faithfulness, which hates the very idea of departing from the way of the beauty of holiness, like letting cockroaches proliferate in your house. In that case, a building is defiled, and becomes harder and harder to clean; but in THIS ONE, the building is your own soul.

Love has its own measures and wisdom, and desire is no more the whole criterion than it is in other battles. TO change the image, fire bugs (arsonists) do not need a chat, but a change of life, and fast. YOU need WISDOM with LOVE to MAKE RESULTS become co-ordinate with the love.

I have heard one person act as if "fear of the the Lord" meant a craven fear which was to be a substitute for spiritual understanding, depth of counsel and so on. It is strange how perverse the human spirit can be! It is clear as you study the Psalms that the LOVE of David for the Lord is intense, dedicated, devoted, rapt, emotional, holy, devout. Yet the fear of the Lord, says he, is CLEAN, enduring for ever (Psalm 19:9). It is! Fear of a volcano as you stand on the rim is NOT unintelligent, but sensible. It has its features and to breach these is merely oblivion of mind, if not rebellion or self-exaltation of spirit: it becomes a daring with what you cannot control (your creation, your being), a fearlessness to have it spoiled because the thing ... appeals! In some cases, a person may misconceive it a DUTY to be so degrading to the value of what God has made!

With God, the fear is clean, beautiful, lovely. Note II Corinthians 7:1ff. - "perfecting holiness in the fear of God". Have you ever noticed how easy it is (relatively) to teach when the students REALISE that foolishness is neither progressive nor impressive nor a participant in a payload, indeed that their ruses and guile are seen through as a window! That is FAR from all there is to teaching; but it is a BRAKE to be applied to prevent invasion and incursion of folly which can take the bit between its teeth and by a series of steps, defile what is lovely, destroy progress and deny righteousness. LOVE rejoices in the truth; but it is still there. Hygiene in a hospital is NOT an alternative to tender, loving care, but an expression of it. EACH must be there, each in its own integrity.

Why all this in a BULLETIN! it is because so many seem to ignore the strictures on heresy and either have fellowship with those deluded or what amounts to it. Heresy is quite different from simple unbelief. It is like someone in an Army who is there by uniform, but who preaches revolution against the country concerned. It is treachery, folly, division and that against the LORD! Hence the fellowship is not forwarded! You will notice how Christ dealt with it in Matthew 23 and 22:15ff., and how the Lord dealt with it in Numbers 16. Kinship to corruption is akin to rebellion itself!

Indeed, such fellowship is forbidden by the word of the Lord as noted above. As to heresy, you rebut it from the word of God or have your pastor or an elder or one so gifted do so (Titus 1:9, I Cor. 12), pray for the victim (but not, unless there be repentance, together WITH the person - II Cor. 6:14, I Cor. 5:11, Romans 16:17), and if he/she seeks help, it is well. You DO NOT however disobey that word, "AVOID THEM" (Romans 16:17). The twisted teaching must be abandoned for that.

IF you do however fail to obey God in this, there is, you may be sure, a motive. The LOVE of GOD is one which KEEPS His commandments! (John 14:21-23). Do not therefore dabble in forbidden food! By all means, as in Jude seek to rescue (22-23), as you might someone from a fire; but do not linger in the flames! If the person is not yet teaching the folly, make a difference, and you may deliver that one from death.

It is like radioactivity: a stupid thing if you want a sound physiology, and a thing you may snatch someone from by helicopter, but not a thing to treat lightly. In a sense, it is not 'fair' - that is, it swallows up courage and defiles its strength.

There is NO course so wise as KEEPING the directions, whether for commando raids or for health. THAT in the end, does best. The directions ? the word of God written in His book (Isaiah 8:20). Alas when you come to spiritual things, amateur 'mechanics' can quickly qualify for presumption (Psalm 19:13, Matthew 28:20), and where the Lord is concerned, especially, that is not a good thing to have. ALL authority is given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:20).
 

3.  Bible Study

This is being extended in the references available from the hyperlink on the Home Page.
This site is primarily Christian Apologetics, but so very much needs to be understood, and the word of God needs continual attention, since it is so rich and demanding where laziness or indifference or malaise enter in, like an athletic course. The best way is to KEEP FIT by constant application. The BIBLE VERSES option for the 23 volumes continues also to be extended and is available as before. In the case of SMR there is no change, since that work is in principle complete.

JOEL in conjunction with ISAIAH 28-29 has been expanded on this fascinating predictive theme: see Teacher of Righteousness in Barbs, Arrows and Balms 23.

Study on WATER TO BURN, in John 7:37-38 and 4:14 in conjunction with the Old Testament prophecy CITED BY CHRIST, is given in Things Old and New ... Ch. 6.
 

4. QUERIES for interest or expansion of Bible knowledge

Please remember that we continue to be interested in helping with any difficulties you may find in understanding, especially but not only if it is challenging you or your faith in any way. A good basis is in the end central to Apologetics. You must seek to understand more and more of this magnificent thing, the word of God. It FORCES you to be prayerful, assiduous, to abide, for its contours and mounts, its hills and valleys are so inter-related that like athletics, it repays the continual work which does not slack; and which does not substitute MERE labour for understanding. If you want something to be looked at for such purposes, call here.

5. A Swift Survey of Many things - ecclesiastical and political, cultural and seditious, with ample correlation with parallel articles, is given in the light of the power, wonder and prevailing work of God in Things Old and New... Epilogue.