The Bible - God's Word - Walter Martin

JUNE 30, 1962

In the 2nd Psalm, God asks this question: "Why Do the Heathen Rage?" and then answers it. He tells who the heathen are, why they rage, and His reaction and the consequences of their rage. God also gives instruction, warning, and an invitation. Webster says

"A heathen is one who does not believe in The God of The Bible." This definition fits in with what God says:

"People (who) imagine a vain thing -- kings of the earth -- and the rulers -- (who) take counsel against the Lord, and His Annointed, to Break The Bands, cast away The Cords," and restraints The Almighty has thrown across our paths to hold us back from damning ourselves, children and posterity in time and eternity. In other words, their rage is against The Truth of The Bible, God's Moral Law and His Ten Commandments.

In telling of God's reaction to this rage and rebellion, there is a good picture and description of the world today, its present and recent experiences, as God has spoken in His Wrath, vexing in His sore displeasure, pouring contempt upon kings and rulers, bringing the princes of the earth to do nothing, and making the judges of the earth as vanity. Elijah, the prophet who was taken to heaven without dying, said to King Ahab:

"I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of God." Said Christ: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."

Many modern prophets don't believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Probably Herod will have a better chance of heaven than they, for he believed in the resurrection of the dead: He had killed John the Baptist against his own will in order to keep a rash vow -- many of these modern prophets don't hesitate to break a solemn vow they took at ordination -- yet when Christ's fame began to spread abroad, Herod said: "It is John the Baptist, he is risen from the dead." Herod believed in the resurrection after a very short period of Christ's fame, yet many of our modern prophets that are "highly esteemed among men" don't believe after nearly two thousand years of His fame of wonder working and power in the lives of men, women, children and nations of every kindred, tribe and tongue! It was just before Christ told of the man in the torments of hell fire that He said:

That which is highly esteemed in the sight of men is abomination in the sight of God!"

Doesn't that make you tremble? It does this party!

"A heathen is one who does not believe in The God of The Bible."

In the April 11th issue of The Presbyterian Journal there was a letter from a minister reader in which he quoted another minister as saying to him: "I would not walk across the street to speak to the God of The Old Testament!" Whose minister is this man? Christ identified Himself as being "One" with The God of The Old Testament! "O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance; Thy holy temple have they defiled." Psalm 79:

1. According to recent published reports in news and church papers, at a recent meeting of The Assembly of one of the great Protestant Denominations, over 350 of the delegates took the position that parts of the Bible were unreliable, and it was not The Infallible Word of God, and only about 70 held to the historical position of the founders and developers of genuine Protestantism, and the great world-wide denominations that have so blessed the world and laid the foundations from which have sprung modern civilization and the wonders of science.

"Genuine Protestantism does not consist only of the doctrines of Justification by Faith and The Supreme Authority of The Scriptures, for it implies, as its name indicates, an energetic protest, formulated in the name of these doctrines, against ecclesiastical abuse of every kind.

"If Modernism was a separate movement in itself, built its own churches, launched its own institutions, projected its own denominations, then we could look at it as just another of the many sects that appear on the surface of history. But Modernism itself builds nothing; it is a parasite that grows on institutions already built. The physician tells us that a given virus can multiply and cause disease only when it is within cells. This is a picture of historical Modernism. It grows on the work, the heritage, the sacrifice of the orthodox. The humble disciples of Christ make the converts, evangelize the fields, build the churches launch institutions, erect the denominations -- then Modernism destroys the life from within."

Don't know who the author of the above quote is, but he sure "hit the nail on the head" and this is a faithful witness. Probably the Modernists should not be classed as parasites, usurpers, or hypocrites, if they accept membership in the Unitarian-Universalist Church of The Larger Fellowship. But no, doubtless they consider themselves too important personages for that small crowd, too inflated with self, pride and presumption to disappear from the view of mankind in that little bunch, and so as parasites they have wormed themselves way up to some of the top positions, if not in the majority, often of the great Protestant Denominations "While men slept."

Is it not time we genuine Protestants woke up?! If we do not, we are in danger of sleeping the sleep of eternal death, where forever and forever there is no rest day or night! Rev. 14:11. Maybe we can wake up by meditating on the 1st Psalm, and rating ourselves as to whether we in reality belong to The Godly, or ungodly class. Here we have a word picture given us by God of both classes. Consider, and decide from which frame you look out. The picture of the Godly Man has to do with His Walk, His Stand, and His Seat, and these are all determined by that in which "He delights." "His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night." A little while spent while the sun is shining with your Bible, and a little while spent with your Bible after it sets, might fix that up.

This picture further shows the Godly Man to be very fruitful, like a tree planted by the river -- it takes time to grow fruit. The picture of the ungodly man is quickly drawn with just a few words: "He is not so," as the Godly Man, he is chaff driven away by the wind, and he shall not be able to "stand" in the judgment. Which picture "frame" are you looking out of? Rate yourself! We would make a suggestion if you have no delight in The Law of The Lord and are concerned about it, pray and ask God to fulfill His promise and give you a New Heart wherein are written The Commandments of God by the Holy Spirit. If you are sincere, and continue in sincerity in God's good time you will be enabled to rejoice and sing: "I know the Lord has laid His Hands on Me!"