W W W W  World Wide Web Witness Inc.  Home Page   Contents Page for Volume  What is New

It is time we looked directly at some of the real data concerning man, as found in the Bible so often demonstrated to be the true utterance of Almighty God, and the only one written, authorised for mankind.

The Bible is at pains to indicate, amongst many topics, those ‘WITHOUT’. Now in Revelation 22:15, we find these words: "But without are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie."

The 'without' is really 'outside' in this case, but was rendered that way in the old epoch of English, when the AV was translated from the Greek. It does, for all that, have a point of importance for us. Those OUTSIDE are indeed WITHOUT. They lack, in their exclusion, what is necessary for life. They are like patients who can live only with intensive care, when they have refused that section of the Hospital, point-blank! They are without... Christ, without hope, or formal agreement, without place, nest; and if this is their end, all quest is doomed in advance, since they have contributed in advance their well-devised refusal.

It is poignant that the refusniks are to become refuse as you see in Mark 9. What exalts itself will be humbled, what ignores the truth CANNOT in the end live a lie, since lies do not work.

In the picture, the tableau in Revelation noted, we see the physical exclusion based on spiritual exclusion attendant on rejection. What IS it that rejects ? The will, as expression of the spirit, and the heart, as its core and centrepiece of understanding and desire, yearning and aspiration. It is the life which rejects. What is it that MAKES the heart reject what it needs, the life abundant found just nowhere except in the Lord ? and why does it so disregard its Maker, who on His own testimony, acts to restore ONLY as Redeemer, and that ONLY in the one who paid, Jesus Christ!

You don't redeem without redemption and He paid it all for all who receive Him. Would it redeem itself ? Pay with what, in soiled coinage (cf. Psalm 49)! Would it be redeemed by some other sinner ? but he pays for his own sins! Some other God ? but there is none (Ephesians 4:6, Isaiah 45). Some other procedure ? but what satisfies justice except grace, and what has grace to give except purity! The Gospel is as alone as an only child (Galatians 1:6-9), and Christ as the SOLE UNITY HEAD (Ephesians 1:10).

There are many who would invent their way to God, or their fortifications against Him, by their idle imaginations, which, in the place of God, serve merely as idols (cf. Barbs, Arrows and Balms, Appendix IV).

There is in fact a spiritual SYNDROME in the 20th century, carrying its harrowing horrors into the last times of our new millenium. This is not the same as simple sin; but it is one of its lairs, production units, like the lair of the leaders of a resistance movement. This is not ALL that resists, but here the leaders often hold conference. It is like an ANTI-HOSPITAL, where germs germinate in the minds of man. It is one spearhead for the anti-God violations and violence which spreads like mould in bread, as autonomy, independence and various pretences and pretensions set up their wares for consumption.

This overall movement has many phases and facets, but one of the master plans may be noted. Indeed it may become part of the artillery of acronyms. These are VERTICAL ACRONYMS. We shall commence by contrasting two cases, one in two units, and then the other.
 

Take the word HOLINESS...

HOLD (John 15:7)
ONLY (Isaiah 45:18-25, 44:24-26, 43:13,10) the
LORD (Ephesians 4:4, II Corinthians 7:1)
IN HEART (Romans 10:9) as
NECESSARY (Acts 4:11-12)
EVERLASTING (Ephesians 3:21, John 8:58)
SOLE (Acts 4:11-12, Isaiah 43:10)
SAVIOUR (Acts 4:11-12, 17:24-31, Galatians 1:6-10, 3:12-13).

Take, once again, the word SCIENCE
(not science falsely so-called as in I Timothy 6:20), and as depicted in SMR pp. 140ff., That Magnificent Rock (TMR)  Chs. 1, 8, in Spiritual Refreshings for the Digital Millenium Ch.13, at INTERFACE of the Epilogue, or Benevolent Brightness or Brothy Bane 82, or indeed in Stepping out for Christ Ch.2 or Wake Up World! Your Creator is Coming... Chs. 4- 5, or Repent or Perish 7.

This is really, this realm of science, as detailed in SMR and TMR, an amazing verification of creation and truth, and only literary contraptions without logic, working towards spirits cluttered with eyes that do not see (Ephesians 2:1-10, 4:17-19) prevent many from seeing the reality of it all, in logical system. On analysis, however, as shown in enormous detail, this is the case!

SUPERNATURALISM (I Timothy 6:15-16, Romans 11:33, II Timothy 1:9)
CREATIONISM (Colossians 1; Isaiah 45, 51)
INTELLIGENCE (Proverbs 8)
EMPIRICISM (Acts 4:19-20, John 20:25ff, Matthew 28:8-9, Luke 24:38-43., John 21:9-14)
NECESSITY (Romans 1:17ff.)
CAUSALITY Isaiah 45:18, 48:12-16, 41:21-24)
ENTERPRISE (Isaiah 42:19-20, Proverbs 8:22-31).

Yet there is an antonym to this: science falsely so-called, with its whole philosophic paraphernalia of confused philosophic struts (Repent or Perish 7, SMR pp. 422E-T, S1-S34, Ch.3) represents a snare, and hence we have another vertical acronym.

SECULARISM (Daniel 6:4-7)
NATURALISM (Romans 1:19ff., Jeremiah 2:27, 10:11)
AGNOSTICISM (Malachi 2:17, Psalm 73:11)
RATIONALISM (Acts 17:16ff., Isaiah 36:18ff., 48:5-8)
EXISTENTIALISM (Jeremiah 23:9-11,25ff.).

This might be seen as a sort of modern, syncretic, synthetic religion which one might perhaps call: HUMFUN NATEX EVIRRAT, while we are in acronymic vein. It could be shortened to HUMFUN and comes as follows: Humanistic fundamentalism, naturalism, existentialism, evolutionism and irrationalism. Rationalism without logical base is in fact irrationalism in subsance, if rationalistic in name (cf. SMR Ch.3, Barbs, Arrows and Balms 7, Appendix IV). It is the smell of cheese without the article. The fundamentalism of course is the trend so amply demonstrated in Lead us not into Educational Temptation!from the actual case examined, where the secularist, humanist CREED is certainly extracted (Ch.11). President Clinton’s ETHICAL mandate appeared in much this sort of vein, as noted in Ch. 2 above, and the general trend is seen clearly in SMR Ch.4, pp. 375ff., constantly in TV and often in journalism.

A somewhat similar excursion back of these phenomena, is found in TMR Ch.8.

This is BLIND fundamentalism, since it is not the inspiration of God which induces the awe and the worship, the necessity and the authority, these moral directives and agnostic utterances, these dictatorial coups of mind and swellings of spirit: it is not this, but the worship of man, his inventions or intentions, without reason and contrary to it, as exhibited in such places as the above references cited.

You get this sort of thing from Kant to Comte, from Rousseau to Hegel, from Hitler to the officious opinings of this day. You get it with hilarious contrasts, as when the famed Rousseau, whose writings affected millions and surging schools of philosophy for centuries, spoke of man being born free, but everywhere in chains, and sought LIBERTY for this delicious race from oppression, from society and contemptible conditioning. And what did he then write (Schaff Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge Vol.X, p. 105), that the dissenters from his proposed universal religion were to be punishable with death!

In other words, freeing man from man, Rousseau immediately puts him back into servitude - and this really in essence, sums up such schemes: an unreasoning welter of assurance, baselessness, contraries and inefficiency (cf. II Corinthians 10:12). Alas, poor man, this creation, for he is better at loving magic than at being a magician! According as their philosophies vacuously start (many of which now pass ludicrously as science because some scientists fall for them), so they vainly finish.  Awry at that outset, unable to go, they are an exhibit for mental intoxication, and many drown in their own shallow lagoons while so drunk. And HOW they preach!

In all seriousness, it is hard to conceive that the preachers of Christ preach more often than do the preachers of HUMFUN, in their religious zeal and missionary quest. It is difficult to hear any Nature program without it, and constantly it is assumed in education, as if the irrationalism so often displayed to be its source in this site, were some sort of mandate! It is not AS IF it were a religion self-confessed. Reason and Christian revelation alike to one side, HUMFUN probes for its place.

In fact, in Lead us Not into Educational Temptation! the creed is exposed in one particular case which has close resemblance to many others! As in South Australia (TMR Ch.8), in the ways shown in each case in detail, there was this move to suppress options, indoctrinate instead of educate, thrust in the jack-boots of intemperance where there was the arbour prepared for truth, and RULE. Whatever the intention, this is part of the effective RESULT in South Australia! In the case for States which, as with these two in Australia, have substantial Christian past in their legislative dealings, one is reminded of Hosea speaking to renegade Israel in his own day (5:11):

"Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment,
Because he willingly walked by human precept."

Not only is this past contribution divorced, it is replaced with an exuberance of irrational warlike folly which, had not philosophy's history shown it so often in so many ways before, would have left many incredulous, had they cared to inspect it!

But let us revert to the case relating to those who find

• the God of order, truth and the institutor of our temporal causation, by His own power,
• the eternal Sufficient One, God Almighty,
• who has provided from past creation this universe in its present, contemporary format,
• still exercising the  power by which He both made and maintains the universe,
• even as it grows old

(in some ways, like someone looking after his elderly cat; but in this case, the cat has a conscience which it mauls)...

and let us ponder
 
 

• the AROUSING of creation into life, and the VISITATION of the creation BY the ETERNAL LIFE which is with the Father, Jesus Christ answer all things (cf. SMR Chs.5, Ch.6) and leave no troubles for reason, indeed as we have often shown, it REQUIRES that the Bible be the word of God, which so speaks.

Indeed, we could add, in this expository mode,

LOVE CHRIST JESUS:

LOOK
ONLY to the
VICTORY of the
ETERNAL

and

COME
HOME to the
REDEEMER
IN
SURRENDER and
TRUST

with

JOY in (Isaiah 51:11)
EVERLASTING (John 19:27-28, Hebrews 9:12ff.)
SALVATION with (Titus 3:5-7, Ephesians 2:8)
UNRIVALLED (Deuteronomy 32:15-18-30-31, Psalm 62:1-3)
STRENGTH (Isaiah 26:4, Ephesians 1:19, 3:16))
 

Enough of didactic vertical acronyms - but they may help consider the pith of the faith.
Let us now return to the WITH and the WITHOUT SITUATION!

This is what we find for the overall profile of the lost, a composite construction:

WITHOUT …

Without holiness - Hebrews 12:14
Without faith - Hebrews 11:6
Without Me - John 15:5
(without CHRIST)
Without Hope Ephesians 2:12
Without Covenant Ephesians 2:12
Without God Ephesians 2:12
Without Life I John 5:12
Without Peace - Isaiah 59:8
Without quietness - Isaiah 59:8
Without wisdom - Job 12:13ff., 28:12-28
Without natural affection - II Timothy 3:3, Romans 1:31
Without love - II Timothy 3:3
Without self-control II Timothy 3:3
Without truth - I Timothy 6:4
Without gratitude - II Timothy 3:2
Without rest - - II Timothy 4:3
Without water - II Peter 2:17
Without liberty - II Peter 2:19

This which follows,  on the other hand, is what we find where the light and life of Christ comes to the place in the human heart, which of necessity needs it (Acts 4:11-12), and to which the Lord looks with such undisguised love (Colossians 1:19ff., I Timothy 2:1-3).
 

WITH, IN and FOR

I am WITH you - Matthew 28:20
Riches and honour are WITH ME, enduring riches and righteousness - Proverbs 8:18
IN the Holy Spirit and in much assurance - I Thessalonians 1:5
WITH fulness of joy - I Peter 4:13
Christ IN you, the hope of glory - Colossians 1:27
If God be FOR us - Romans 8:31
IN Christ - John 15:7
Walk IN wisdom - Colossians 4:5
Yet now has He reconciled IN the body of His flesh through death - Colossians 1:22
Praying IN the Spirit - Ephesians 6:18
IN Him, we have obtained an inheritance - Ephesians 1:11
IN Him you trusted - Ephesians 1:13
to sit together IN heavenly places IN Christ Jesus - Ephesians 2:6
Now IN Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of  Christ - Ephesians 2:13
glory, except IN the cross - Galatians 6:14
to reveal His Son IN me - Galatians 1:16
leads us IN triumph in Christ - II Corinthians 2:14

This, again in verification, is precisely what one finds as one works in and for the Lord Jesus Christ.
God is ONE and as ONE has come in the EXPRESSIVE DEFINITION which is His living WORD, with Him as eternal life from eternity (I John 1:1-4). There is no other God. There is no other definitive expression. There is no other evidentially attested record, let alone any combination of living and written word. The redemption is applied by the Spirit, but the word of God expresses it. He is found through the Spirit, but it is HE who is found.

There is here to be found precisely what is said, when you are IN and WITH Christ. Conversely, the world is an eloquent, if, by the very nature of sin, not an elegant, testimony to what is working without Him.

So often do we hear of haves and have-nots, and in this instance, if you set on Christ your heart’s desire, you have it, the desire of the nations (Romans 10:9, Haggai 2:7), the living truth which neither changes nor ever grows old, the word of the Maker which is always right for the equipment He made. YOU, you are that created equipment. Place it in good hands. They may have been somewhat roughened by the work of preparing the way, on the Cross, but for all that, they are good hands. What they made, they are willing to redeem, not by the ways of of HUMFUN but in ways wonderful, by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that everlasting Gospel (cf. Barbs, Arrows and Balms 17, TMR Chs. 2- 3).

His ways are grace and truth and peace, fulfilling aptly and amply the desire for devotion and the delight for consecration to what is wonderful (cf. Zephaniah 3:5, 13-17, Zechariah 12:10, 13:1, Romans 4:25-5:11, 12:1ff., showing something of His intimate splendour).   It is good to know the Lord; there is simply nobody comparable to Him, in power, purity and performance, in love, kindness and faithfulness. If you are His, serve Him with joy, serve Him Himself, and not some idolatrous concoction of philosophy or servitude of society. He is the eternal original of our origin, and the redeemer from our plight. There is no other. What reason attests, His word abundantly confirms (Isaiah 40:26ff., 43:10-11, 44:1-5, 24-25, 45:9-12, 17-19, 21-23, 51:6, Ephesians 4:1-6).