Thursday, 14 August 2008 00:00 Written by William Rice Hall

Behind the scenes of local, national, and world events there is a movement of history which can only be orchestrated by the Lord God Himself. We follow the developments in the media of fire and flood, disasters of nature, and all too often, the inhumanity of humankind against humankind.

At the same time, albeit with less media coverage, there are the examples of honor, courage, generosity, sensitivity and service of countless individuals in giving of themselves to help others in what appears to be an endless clash of values --- in short, the clash of good versus evil, and the clash of evil versus good.

This confrontation between good and evil is complex beyond comprehension. In the degree we can understand pieces and aspects of this momentous and gargantuan conflict, we can begin to grasp outlines and images of what things are right and what things are wrong in civilizations and within ourselves.

While many explanations of the origin and manifestation of evil in the world have been suggested by various philosophies and theologies, the major clues to help explain these inhumanities and tragedies of life in the experience of the human race are found in the Bible. It is our conviction at FTS that the answers we need and the answers the whole human race needs are revealed by God in his Word --- the Bible.

In the public ministry of Jesus there came a day when Jesus took three of his apostles (Peter, James, and John) to a mountainous area away from the crowds and other disciples to share a very personal and private event. At this time (as recorded in Matthew 17:1-9) Jesus "was transfigured" before the three apostles. There was a great light. Jesus' face "shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light." At the height of this very special event "a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

Three key words here are: "Listen to him." This was, then, and is, today, God the Father Almighty exhorting Peter, James, and John, and through this inner circle of apostles, exhorting us, in 2008, first and foremost, to listen to Jesus for our instructions in life, service, and ministry. This is not only in understanding the conflict between good and evil, but also in understanding to the best of our ability the real meaning and significance of life itself.

As strange as it may seem, many Christian groups, churches, denominations, schools and seminaries are not heeding the exhortation of God the Father for us to listen to Jesus. Most seminaries, in my view, are more focused on other things, such as, for examples: Did the ancient Hebrews borrow their stories of creation and the flood from the myths of neighboring nations? Or, Had the Hebrew language developed sufficiently in the time of Moses for Moses to have written the first books of the Bible in Hebrew? Or, even, did Moses, or Abraham, or David really live at all? This continuing and prevailing downward trend towards unbelief within Christian circles is clearly and boldly reflected in the title, but not the contents, of a recent book by Wilkins and Moreland, Jesus Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents the Historical Jesus.

This was not the approach of FTS when it was founded in 1937, and it is not its approach in 2008. The need today is to educate men and women preparing for life and service to "listen to Jesus" based on the Bible. The need today is for a "high view" of the Bible, and a "high view" of Jesus. In fact, the need today for the whole world is to grasp the "highest view" possible of whom Jesus really was and is. I most enthusiastically recommend the recent work of Bowman and Komoszewski, Putting Jesus in his Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ (Kregel, 2007), to wake up and put starch in the back of Christians through realizing and comprehending at a deeper level from the Scriptures who Jesus really is.

The one standing behind and orchestrating "the Movement of History," the clash of good and evil, the full manifestation of evil in this age, and the final triumph of everlasting righteousness in a new heaven and a new earth, is Jesus. In his second coming Jesus will establish righteousness on earth. You and I have the incredible opportunity and challenge to play a dramatic role in this movement of history and this triumph of righteousness over evil orchestrated by Jesus, who is Lord, Savior, and God.

FTS invites Christians who approve this approach to biblical and theological studies to join with us in supporting this ministry, in recruiting students, and in recognizing that the Bible, rightly interpreted, is the only authority in matters of faith and practice.