Biblical Research Studies Group-The New Testament, A Divine Revelation of The God of Israel

(Continued-Chapter XXI)

V. THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THE FINAL WORD IN THE ANALYSIS
OF THE HUMAN HEART, IN ETHICS, AND IN SPIRITUAL TEACHING

The Old Testament sets forth great and wonderful spiritual truths, but it is left for the New Testament to analyze man's spiritual condition and needs. To illustrate this point it is well to note that the Old Testament constantly speaks of sin, transgression, and iniquity; but it does not trace these evils to the fountain head as does the New Testament (see Rom. 6,7), which analyzes the motives that actuate the heart. It reveals man to himself as no other book does. It is a mirror into which man may look and see himself as God sees him. It probes to the very depths of his soul and discovers to him his real self.

In ethics it is the final word. The highest ideal by which man may be guided in his relation to his fellowman is expressed in the Golden Rule.* "All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt. 7:12).

In spiritual teaching the New Testament is the acme of perfection. It affirms that man's first duty is to seek God and His kingdom. Man's helpless condition is met by the assistance of the Holy Spirit of God. He has access to a throne of grace to which he may come at all times, obtain forgiveness of sins through the shed blood of Christ and strength and power that will enable him to live a life which will glorify and honor God. Thus the highest possible conception of spiritual life and fellowship with God is set forth. Since such mighty volumes of ethical and spiritual truths pour forth from its pages, one may illustrate the importance of that fact by the following illustration: When Columbus sailed up the Orinoco River, he declared that he had not discovered an island, but a continent; for, he said, such a river can drain only a continent. Since such mighty volumes of spiritual truths flow forth from the New Testament one cannot but exclaim that it came from God.

VI. THE RELIGION OF CHRIST, AS SET FORTH IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT, PRODUCES THE HIGHEST TYPE OF CHARACTER

Many great and noble men have lived in the world during the past. Upon an examination of the innermost lives and souls of these great men, it will be discovered that those who have bowed the knee in recognition and worship of Jesus Christ as God manifest in the flesh, Whose shed blood cleanses from all sin, and who have accepted the New Testament as the revelation of God have scaled the highest heights of morality and spirituality. The teachings of the New Testament inspire and inculcate the finer graces and characteristics of the soul; they also produce those heroic qualities which enable men to face the stern realities of life, dealing with every man on the highest principles of righteousness and justice. These statements being true, as can be proved in innumerable instances, the New Testament is evidently not from man but from God.¹

VII. THE NEW TESTAMENT HAS MET
AND SATISFIED THE NEEDS OF MILLIONS

God created man with his various faculties and likewise made those things which will satisfy the yearnings of the same. For instance, He gave men eyes and has created scenes which satisfy this faculty. He gave men the sense of smell and created that which satisfies that sense. The same is true of all of their sense organs.

When He created man He gave him a soul which yearns after God. Millions of souls have sought rest and satisfaction in other things but finally have turned to the New Testament and to the Christ Who produced it and have found satisfaction, peace, and joy for their weary souls. They have lived in the world and have shed forth the fragrance of a holy life and, when the summons came to pass into the Great Beyond, they have met the inevitable hour in the triumph of a living faith, being fully assured that they will meet their God and Saviour Who died for them, together with their saved loved ones on the eternal shore.

From the seven different considerations presented in this chapter it becomes apparent to the truth seeker that the New Testament is of the warp and woof of the Old Testament. If one accepts the "Ten Commandments," as was stated in Chapter II, he must in order to be logical, accept the entire Torah; if he accepts the Torah he must accept the entire Tenach (O.T.); if he accepts the Tenach, he must, to be consistent, accept the New Testament as the authoritative revelation from God.

The sixty-six books constituting the Old and New Testaments are a divine revelation,² i.e., they constitute messages which God gave through His inspired prophets and apostles to man. They are the Word of God in a special and unique sense in which no other book can claim to be, namely, the Spirit of God spoke God's message through them for man's good and salvation (see II Tim. 3:16,17; II Pet. 1:21).

Footnotes:

* Attempts have been made to prove that Jesus was simply quoting from some great sage in making the statement. The attempt is only in vain. It is true that Confucius stated the negative side of the Golden Rule but that is far inferior to the statement of Jesus. Those apocryphal and apocalyptical books where statements which approximate this one appear are later than the statement of Jesus, and are echoes of His statement.

¹ The fact that the lives of many Christians do not approximate the ideal set forth in the New Testament does not discredit the religion of Christ. The failure is with men and not with Him and His teachings.

² The young student may be bewildered by the fact that scholarly men often arrive at conclusions concerning the Scripture which are diametrically opposed. The scholarship of each may be unquestioned; the reasoning of each may be flawless, and yet different conclusions are reached. If an engineer survey a certain plot of ground and make his calculations according to his observations, though every step in the process may be flawless, his conclusion is erroneous unless he first locate the monument and from it make his measurements. If the assumptions of a logician, philosopher, or theologian upon which he bases his arguments be incorrect his conclusions likewise will be incorrect.

Any philosophy or theology whose basic principles are antagonistic to revealed religion and miracles and which place the religion of the Bible upon a naturalistic basis is false. Beware of the same!

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