DALE RATZLAFF | Pastor and Founder, Life Assurance Ministries (1936–2024)
Republished and edited from Proclamation!, November/December 2008
Question: Why do you keep repeating your understanding of the gospel?
Answer: In this world of good and evil there is a vitally important principle that often flies unseen on our radar screen. Like smart bombs from a stealth bomber, this devastating principle may produce obvious results, but we may not notice its source. This deadly reality affects all of life.
To illustrate, recently I rototilled our garden area, and Carolyn planted beets, peas and transplanted a row of little broccoli plants. Three days later she informed me that the beets were up. I went out to look at them the next day, and I could not find any. They were all gone. The same thing happened with the peas. The broccoli plants, though, were doing well. A day or two later, however, the quail came and started eating them. Carolyn read in a garden book that a special organic garlic spray would keep the birds from eating the plants. We ordered it and sprayed the broccoli as per instructions. We found too late that crickets love newly sprouted beets and peas—and quail really enjoy garlic-flavored broccoli. We were faced with either declaring war on the bugs and birds or letting the garden idea go for this fall.
Students used to be taught to be honest and not cheat on tests. Over time, however, cheating has increased dramatically. According to Google, 83% of college students in China cheat on examinations. More than 75% of college students in the USA admitted to cheating. What will happen to society as these cheating students become the CEOs of large corporations, political leaders, and, dare we say, church leaders? Sadly, just look around!
The law of entropy says that in the physical universe things left to themselves will become less organized and more random—everything over time unravels toward disorganization and sameness.
Without persistent, intentional defense and declaration of the gospel, subtle invaders from all sides will chip away peoples’ awareness of the simple, distinctive truth that the Lord Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection eternally secured the salvation of all those who believe.
Without persistent, intentional defense and declaration of the gospel, subtle invaders from all sides will chip away peoples’ awareness of the simple, distinctive truth that the Lord Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection eternally secured the salvation of all those who believe.
As I write this our pastor is teaching contextually through the book of Judges where the cycle of spiritual entropy is repeated seven times. Israel enjoyed God’s blessings. Over time, however, they would forget God, start to worship idols, and God would strengthen their enemies who then would enslave Israel. After some time of enslavement, Israel, in repentance, would cry out to God. God would then raise up a judge who would take God at His word and help Israel defeat its enemies—and again there would be a period of time during which Israel would worship the true God and enjoy peace in the land. This cycle is repeated over and over again—in Judges, in Israel, in the history of the church, and in the church’s understanding of the gospel.
In this issue of Proclamation! I have endeavored to peer into the depth of God’s grace as set forth in what I believe to be the most profound gospel parable in all of Scripture. I was planning to outline several ways the simple gospel is compromised. After some thought, however, I decided to focus simply on the gospel itself and let it do the convicting. Often truth can be best defended by its clear presentation. The parable given by Jesus in Luke 15 is a case in point. I pray that you, too, will be blessed by its study. †
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