While some continue their harangue against the use of the word "religion" to express the Christian faith, the Bible, nevertheless, uses the word in this way. The people of God are a religious lot, and James here reveals the essence of true religion.

All religions are not equal. It is fatal to men’s souls to argue that one religion is as good as another, so long as a person lives a good life. The fact that all religions are not equal is clearly evidenced by God’s curse upon the worshippers of Baal, Ashtoreth, Moloch, etc. God judges all people who worship false gods, as well as all them who worship Him falsely. This is as true today as yesterday because He has said, "I am the LORD: I change not." (Mal. 3:6a)

Christianity is exclusive because it is divinely revealed. It is so exclusive that Christians are forbidden to marry non-Christians. It is exclusive because of all the religions of the world, only Christianity answers the problem of sin. Christianity is therefore exclusive because of all the religions of the world it is the only one that can satisfy the soul of man. Of all the religions of the world, Christianity is the only religion divinely revealed.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) So, Jesus declared, "And this life eternal, that they might know thee the 0nly true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (Jn. 17:3) They who believe that "one religion is as good as another so long as a person lives a good life" do not have eternal life. They are not converted. They have never been saved.

Christianity is therefore evangelistic. Our Lord Jesus Christ commands us to make disciples of all nations. We must not vex or oppress non-Christians, but we are commanded to teach and to preach the Gospel to them.

Other religions serve as a matter of convenience, and can be turned off an on, and regulated to certain spheres of life. But Christianity cannot be so regulated. It is not a religion of convenience. It cannot be kept within the house of worship. It is the religion that must be applied to every sphere of life, whether it be politics, economics, education, business.

Our Lord said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, L0, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matt. 28:19,20) The reason Christianity is evangelistic is because one religion is not as good as any other. If this were true, then these words by our Lord become meaningless.

Christianity is therefore prophetic. Christians are compelled to condemn those practices in their society that are contrary to the Law of God. Let there be no mistake: no one is a Christian who condones the perversions and aberrations of the natural man, such as homosexuality.

Text: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vein deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Col. 2:8)

"I go mourning all the day long; I lie down and weep at night. See my affliction! See my affliction!" (Elijah, In the oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn) Throughout our land History is being taught that is Intellectually perverse. It is not fit to be called "scholarship."

Modem historians are falling over themselves in the race to accept the revisionism of teachers who have sworn no allegiance to truth, but who are dedicated to its overthrow. Although they have no zeal for accuracy, these peddlers are fully accredited by a godless system of education. If this were simply a battle over traditions, we could not care less, but this is a battle for truth. What is so distressing is that even Christian educators have lapped up the vomit of these dogs. No doubt they have thought it was scholarly to do so.

The children of the Wicked One are busy rewriting our heritage, and since their father is known as the "Father of lies," they are not too low down to stoop to using lies in order to malign the character of men more noble than themselves. If God was not the Lord of History, we would charge these purveyors of poison with treason, but we must also charge them with blasphemy.

Shame on Christians who think so little of Truth that they have failed to guard it! Truth ought to be more precious to us than our very lives. There was a day when people were willing to be tortured and to die rather than to deny truth, but the disciples of these heretics teach in many of our Christian schools.

One such heresy that is receiving wide acceptance is that 19th century writers embellished, or "whitewashed" our nation’s history, so as to make it more Christian than in fact it was. In the first place, 19^th century historians were nearer the past than any now living will ever be.

Secondly, to charge 19^th century historians with embellishing, or "whitewashing" the truth is to charge them with lying. Why are so many Christian teachers so fuzzyheaded? It is because they have received their education in godless state colleges and universities from profane, anti-Christian instructors. This writer has no pity for any education that the Devil himself approves.

Have Christians reached such abysmal ignorance that they think unholy education that is accredited is better than an education received from God-fearing Instructors? Have Christians become so arrogant that they have convinced themselves they can "stand in the way of sinners" and remain uncorrupted? "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." (Ps. 1:1b; I Cor. 15:33)

1, 1741 -Connecticut. At Norwich, Samuel Kirkland is born. As a graduate of Princeton, he will become a Congregational missionary to the Six Nations. He will persuade the Oneidas and Tuscaroras to remain neutral during the Revolutionary War.

25, 1635 -Canada. In Quebec, Samuel de Champlain dies from a stroke. He is the true founder of New France, and was made governor of all French holdings in the New World. He is buried in Quebec, one of the cities he has founded. Under Henry of Navarre, he fought on the side of the Huguenots, and it has been with his assistance that a company of French Protestants has settled in Acadia.

26, 1776 -New Jersey. George Washington marches into Trenton at the head of an army that has neither shoes, nor stockings, nor blankets, almost naked, and dying from cold and hunger. In the battle that lasted only 35 minutes, and in which the Americans have lost not a single man (although half of Stirling’s men have been disabled by reason of exposure to the cold for 40 hours, and two men have frozen to death), the British have sustained 78 wounded, and the entire command of 946 men has been taken prisoner. Seventeen Hessians have been killed, while 130 have surrendered. Another 162 have escaped. This is the turning point in the War for Independence." In Pennsylvania, Lutherans will rejoice, "…The Lord of Hosts heard the cries of the distressed, and sent His angel for their deliverance." (Bancroft)

26, 1778 -Massachusetts. This fall, British soldiers gained control of Martha’s Vineyard at which time they took the people’s arms, in addition to 300 cattle, 1000 sheep, and most of their harvest. Today a cold snow causes the death of 17 men in a sloop, and 75 more in a brig near Plymouth. But in the providence of God, the intense cold has driven a vast number of bass into a creek and will supply them during the winter. In a matter of days, a British vessel will be cast upon the west part of the Island and will provide a large supply of rice. Witnessing the acts of God’s goodness, 4 people will suddenly be made aware of their sin and of their soul’s danger. They will be converted in the spring of 1780. "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." (Rom. 2:4)

27, 1571 -Germany. Johannes Kepler, the "Father of Modern Optics," is born in Weilderstadt. At an early age, he will be converted and will become a devout Lutheran, and will write a Bible course for his children.

He will confess, "Since astronomers are priests of the Highest God in regard to the Book of Nature, it befits us to be thoughtful not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God." And again, he will pen, "Let also my name perish, if only the name of God the Father...is thereby elevated." And again, "I thank thee, my creator and Lord, that thou hast given me this joy in thy creation, this delight in the works of thy hands. I have shown the excellency of thy work unto men, so far as my finite mind was able to comprehend thine infinity! If I have said aught unworthy of thee, or aught in which I have sought my own glory, graciously forgive it."

30, 1691 -England. Robert Boyle, the "Father of Modern Chemistry," will die today. The Royal Society of London has repeatedly invited him to be its President, but he has each time refused because of his Christian convictions against taking an oath. He has been an active member, however, of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. He dies in London and is buried at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

A Notable Quotable: "Why does God open one man’s eyes and not another’s? Paul forbiddeth to ask why (Romans 9) because it is too deep for man’s capacity. God, we see, is honored thereby.... But the Popish can suffer God to have no secret hid to himself ...they go and set up Free-Will with the heathen philosophers, and say that a man’s Free-Will is the cause why God chooseth one and not another, contrary unto all the Scriptures. Faith cometh not of our Free-Will, but is the gift of God." -William Tyndale, "Father of the English Bible."

"Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, ‘I will speak thus;’ behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." (Asaph, in Psalm 73:12-17)

In this day when an oppressive economy runs roughshod over us all, how can we educate our children or buy a home without strapping ourselves with debt for the next 30 years? Students from abroad are well fixed financially in only a matter of a few years. This is how they do it.

Several students will move into a home. They will share expenses in order to buy it. When it is paid for, they will move into another home and do the same thing.

In McGuffey’s Third Reader there is a story of "The Seven Sticks." It seems a man had 7 sons who were always quarreling. Some evil men were plotting that after the death of their father, they would seize the inheritance of his sons.

One day, the elderly man called his sons together and laid before them a bundle of 7 sticks tied together. He then offered one hundred dollars to any one of them who could break the sticks. All admitted it could not be done. The father disagreed, whereupon he untied the bundle and broke each stick individually. He then taught them that so long as his sons were united, and resolved to help one another, they could not be broken.

In our home, each member of the family helps the rest. For two years, Timothy paid for Catherine’s summer work on her Master’s degree. Last year, John helped. We, in turn, have helped the boys with their college expenses for the next year. John and Anna and Timothy have helped each other financially.

We reject as unscriptural the philosophy that says, "Make it on your own, kid!" "Sink or swim!" In this day of families drifting apart, we believe it is Scriptural to help one another.