Essential Baptist Principles™ Selected Article Series

4/1/2006

BUT A NEW CREATURE

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Jeremiah 13:23

Solomon the king and preacher said, "Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions (Ecclesiastes 7:29)." Herein is a marvelous thought! Solomon with all his God given wisdom only found from experience that men have sought out many inventions. God Himself taught Solomon that He made man upright. Solomon couldn’t have come to that knowledge any other way.

What inventions have men brought into this world? Take a look around! How far has man come from God’s garden in Eden? Man was given authority over every moving creature. Now he has found a way to work iron and make cages to restrain creatures for observation. Man was given the word of God. Now man has seminaries to have men teach other men their notions of godliness according to their traditions. The Lord gave the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night. Our Lord said, "If those ordinances depart from before me then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever" (see Jeremiah 31:35 and 36). Now man has invented electricity and the incandescent bulb so that there is light when it ought to be evening. Despite this illumination men by nature are darkness (see Eph, 5:8). Man is described as darkness, not just in the dark! They walk in the light of their fire, and in the sparks that they have kindled (see Isaiah. 50:11). These are just some examples, not to mention the lucre driven pursuits to prolong life by the artful apothecary. How far has man come? How has he advanced? Man despite all his witty inventions has fallen far from his position of goodness wherein God created him. Now consider the fact that good is not enough for heaven and immortal glory. That requires holiness!

Today the Ethiopians are bleaching their hair blond and bleaching their skin too. Try as they may they are still Ethiopians. Do we not see the sons of Shem and the sons of Japheth emulating the Ethiopians? Do they not mimic their speech becoming unintelligible to those brought up understanding and speaking the English language? So the Ethiopians are trying to act Caucasian and the Caucasians are trying to act like the Ethiopians. This is the result of Adam multiplied.

Unless I am deceived, Adam multiplied is the target group of the Fundamental Evangelists. What right–minded person could think such creatures could do something requiring goodness?  As soon as one can change his skin, (not just bleach it) then that one will be able to do good of his own power. I have yet to see a man change his skin or a leopard change his spots. God does something far greater! God does a work on the inner man. That work cannot be accomplished by the evangelist or man; but the Spirit. By the Spirit Christ dwells in the heart by faith; and one can be rooted and grounded in love. Then and only then will one be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. These are they that shall give their Father glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end (see Ephesians 3:16-21). 7/20/2005 Elder M. Hoogasian