Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear people.

Once again, Becki and I were able to do our little exercise routine on our own place—while being a bit frustrated with the performance of the dogs. Dandy wins the highest marks for prompting the frustration—being so utterly consumed with jealousy and greed—who can’t stand to see Hondo with a ball or have one thrown for him. Dandy will do his best at running after Hondo’s balls even with the consequence of loosing his own ball—or running off with his own ball still in his mouth—then finding it impossible to pick up and hoard both balls. But it’s really not too far different from what some of our government leaders seem to be doing.

We watched a movie last night featuring a Polish woman named Irena Sendler. To her amazing credit was the rescue of over 2500 Jewish children from extermination by the Nazis. What a story! But I’m reminded that human atrocities are not over with yet on planet earth. That fact should help us establish where our own priorities should lie.

Have a blessed day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Sanctified? Holy? Aren’t those kind of obsolete words and unreachable ideals in our advanced world of science, sophistication, and superiority? The fact of the matter is that there is nothing very advanced in our modern world insofar as spiritual health and morality are concerned. The same old NATURAL SIN NATURE that has messed up human lives in the historical past is still messing up lives today. Not much change there. But here’s the Biblical GOOD NEWS to which I hope you agree: Sanctification and holiness are not only available and achievable through Christ in this modern world, they are essential.

Think of it—there was a time when our European and American mainline colleges and universities actually proclaimed Biblical truth—that man, by nature is a hopeless sinner and Christ is a Mighty Savior. But that very SIN NATURE of which we speak has prevailed within those institutions by means of arrogant anti-God educators so as to render a Gospel of Christ orientation as something repulsive and absurd—on a par with fiction or mythology. Those caught up in this secular worldview mindset never seem to notice that all their education, science, and sophistication has really done nothing to address their own emptiness and purposelessness, or appease the gnawing pang of sin’s guilt, or render lasting happiness. It is this very me-centered ideology that does dirty to other people—then self-destructs because all that questing never really satisfies. Paul sure hits the nail on the head when he states, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved (spiritually enlightened and energized), it is the power of God” (v. 18).

Sin is dirty. God’s Word, properly applied, is cleansing (Ephesians 5:25-27). If A HEART AFTER GOD is the essential attitude and motivation, then holiness is the is the essential result. (Hebrews 12:14)