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Thc a ncient concept of letting
pcople s tag na te in cages fo r
yea rs, even for life, is, because of
its nea r to ta l i neffective ness,
cruel a nd unusual punishment.
T ha t a ny society continues to
hold to the concept is an admis–
sion tha t it can come up with no
genuine solution for dea ling with
people who have brokeo the law.
The " Heart" of the
Problem
T hc lega l a nd pena l code given to
a ncient Israel was the best possi–
ble system for an unconver ted ,
physica l na tion. But it was only a
step in the r ight direction.
The old covenant civil code
coul d no t cha nge the huma n
hea r t. And tha t is really where
the cr ime problem is centered . As
J esus sa id, " For
out of the heart
proceed evil thoughts, murders,
adulteries, fornications, thefts,
fa lse wit ness, bl a s phemi es"
(Ma tthew 15: 19).
In order to do away entirely
with c rime, the huma n hea r t
must be cha nged . Jesus ta ught
how such a cha nge is possible. He
s howed th a t it can be do ne
through the power of God 's Holy
Spir it. Bu t a ncient Is ra el was
neve r promised the Holy Spiri t–
whic h is why they needed a civil
code to pun ish those bent on
crime .
T ha t's what conversion is a ll
a bout. The huma n heart must be
cha nged- conve rted- so th a t
there is no longer even a desire to
do wrong . Hat red must be re–
placed with love. Lust and greed
must be replaced with tbe desire
to give and share. Then criminal–
ity wi ll be abol ished . (Why not
wr ite for our free booklet
J us t
What Do You M ean- Conver–
sion?
It
explains wha t true con–
version is.)
The a postle Paul referred to
the civil adminis tra tion under t.he
old covenant as the " ministration
of death" (II Corinthians 3:7)
a nd the "minist rat ion of condem–
nat ion" (verse 9) . In other words,
the purpose of that administra–
t ion was to condemn lawbreakers
to a ppropriate physica l punish–
ment , often capita l, to s top crime
a nd lawlessness. It was a n effec-
June/ July 1980
t ive system designed to serve its
objectives well. But it did not
lcad to a cha nge of hea r t, to
conversion a nd salvation.
True Chris tia ns a re under a
new administra tion . We have the
" ministration of the spirit" (verse
8) , the " minis tra t ion o f r igh–
teousness" (verse 9). Thc purpose
of this N ew T estame nt adminis–
tra tion is to eliminate through
the inner power of the Holy Spir–
it the desire to do evil. It involves
the building of righteous cha rac–
ter. T rue Christians now, through
the power of the Holy Spirit ,
keep God ' s laws according to
their full meaning a nd intent.
And when we slip and s tumble–
sin- we can be forgiven through
the blood of J esus Chr ist who
pa id the pena lty of death for sin.
God's government in His Churcb
today admioisters " the new testa–
ment; not of the letter , but of the
spiri t : for the letter killeth, but
the spirit giveth life" (verse 6) .
The World Tomorrow
J
n the world tomorrow there will
be no prisons for humans. And
there will be no crime problem
either . God 's supreme law of
love-of giving instead of get–
ting- wi ll be enforced wor ld–
wide. From J erusalem, the head–
qua r ters of His Government, J e–
sus wi ll teach a l! na tions His
ways, " for the law sha ll go forth
of Z ion a nd the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem" (Micah 4: 2) .
God 's Holy S pirit will be made
availa ble to everyone so that t rue
conversion can take pla ce. In–
stead o f a cl imate of d ishonesty,
crime, a nd fear of crime as exists
today, there wi ll be a universal
c limate of r ighteousness, trus t
and secu ri ty.
lsaia h foreto ld that wonderful
time soon to come when " the
Spirit is poured upon us from
high.... And the effect of righ–
teousness will be peace, a nd the
result of righteousness, quietness
a nd t rust for ever. My people wi ll
a bide in a peaceful habitation, in
secure dwell ings, and in quiet
resting places" ( Isaia h 32:15, 17-
18, Revised Standard Version) .
Wha t a wond e rfu l wo rld .
Wouldn't you like to be there? o
TAKEATEST.
WHAT IS
"CONVERSION"?
A. an lntense emotion
B. joining a church or organizati on
C. suddenl y becoming " saved"
D. an intellectual commi tment
E. livi ng a perfect lite
ANSWER:
None of the above. Conversion
beglns when one receives God' s
Holy Splrit (Romans 8:9). But it is
also a process
ot
development and
growth.
Conversl on ls a muc h
misunderstood subject-even
among professlng Christians. We
offer a booklet that makes p lain
numerous scrlptures about the Go d–
ordalned purpose of conversion.
Repentanc e, baptlsm, sin, death,
and the hereafter are covered in
detall . Request your free copy
today.
" For as many as are led
by the Spirlt of God, they
are t he sons of God"
(Rom. 8 : 14) .
Uoe t he reply eoupon or wrlt e to:
THE PLAIN
TRUTH,
P..adena, Cali fornia 111109. There'o no
eharge or obttgatton.
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