The Christian in the world! - The very core of the plan of God. The Christian - Divinities' creation to exhibit the wisdom of Heaven before the denizens of doubt, disbelief and darkness. The Christian - God's new creation, on which rests His final hope for accomplishing His purposes and receiving the homage that is His due.

God's first work in the garden miserably failed Him. The antediluvian fared even worse. The postdiluvian was likewise a terrible disappointment.

God then made choice of a people to wear His name and justify the hope and confidence placed in them. But when they, "being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own.... did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10: 3), then He had another failure on His hands.

But because God so loved the world He thought within Himself: "I will send my son unto them, surely they will reverence my son" (Matt. 21:37). In him will I make my final effort to create a being worthy to stand before the world as my trusted servant and honorable representative to win the world for me (Matt. 28:19, 20). I will demonstrate to the world the value I place upon this new creation by spending Heaven's greatest treasure to purchase him - the precious blood of my only begotten son (Jno. 3:16). To gain the love, trust and service of my new creation I will withhold from him nothing. I will grant to him now in this time a hundredfold and in the world to come eternal fife (Mark 10: 30). Above all I will adopt him into my family and he shall be unto me as sons and daughters. My only begotten son shall call him 'brother'" (Gal. 4:5; 2 Cor. 6:18; Heb. 2:11).

And here he stands, the Christian, God's crowning creation, His last hope for conquering the world.

But look at the world! Over three-fourths of its land area is under atheistic communist rule. God has been banned from the public schools and evolution is taught as fact. Statistic makers tell us that 1 out of 6 young women exchanging marriage vows is pregnant. Last year in Harris County, of which Houston is the county seat, 1out of every 1.26 marriages ended in divorce. Alcohol, drugs, pornography and hippyism is so common among all classes of such a permissive society that not even an eyebrow is lifted at such. High government officials are under indictment for wrong-doing while rebellion and anarchy seem the order of the day. Wars and rumors of wars are the foremost news stories.

Can we truthfully say the Christian is succeeding where his counterpart of, by-gone days has failed? Nay, verily!!

Brethren, I'm on a low limb. If someone can see a bright spot on the horizon, will you please write an article pointing it out? I am not speaking about my personal feelings. I'm an optimist and my faith is not weak. I am talking about the "here and now" situation, the Christian in today's world. Is there any hope that he will succeed or has he already succeeded? Is he accomplishing God's will upon earth or is he failing to get the job done?

These are serious questions and are asked in all seriousness. Can you answer them?

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 23, pp. 9-10
April 13, 1972