Bo​az Baptist Chronicles

When I was a young Christian, I remember Lester Roloff preaching that he only read the Bible. He boasted how he got rid of all his other Christian books and only kept the Bible. While I think that what he did was a good idea, I also believe that, unless God leads someone to go that route, it is fine to keep up with the world around them.

Someone aptly said, unless you study History, you are condemned to repeat it. Embellishing that thought a little; unless you know about your surroundings, you have nothing to compare (it) to.  Without a history book or newspaper, who would know our place in prophecy?

It seems that God used experienced men of the world (I did not say “worldly men”—there is a difference—I John 2:15, James 4:4, John 15:9), who were learned in many things, to do his bidding. Once confronted with the holiness of God, there was no question to the choosing. These men knew the difference.  And, once under conviction, they obviously deferred the things of the world to God, the moment they had yielded to His Spirit.

“…Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.” Acts 7:22

“As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom…” Daniel 1:17; 2:14

Paul quoted unsaved poets. “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:28

Even Jesus knew about the things of this world (after all, He created it—Colossians 1:16). “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is , and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed ? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:24-33

No one is suggesting, by this article, that we Christians rid ourselves of the word of God for a newspaper, history book or study guide. What is suggested, though, is those things, of themselves, are utilitarian and not sin or sinful.

Pastor Bob