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they are living under the giant shad–
ow of the H-bomb. Destruction could
come any day, any time, any hour.
And you and 1 would be no more.
Yes, we have more education and
knowledge today. But that merely in–
creases our capacity ·to kili and de–
stroy one another.
Noted American columnist Sidney
J. Harris summed it up in these
words: "The problem is this: that in–
tellectual knowledge is additive,
while moral knowledge is not. What
this means is that each generation
knows more than the last,
but acts no
better..
. .
!'Moral knowledge does not seem
to increase from generation to gener–
ation. Al! we learn from the past is to
commit the same mistakes in greater
volume and with more conse–
quences."
With the advent of modern super–
weapons, this scandalous lack of
moral and spiritual values in modern
knowledge assumes truly frightening
proportions. At this point in human
history, we cannot afford to keep
making the same mistakes over and
over. The result- as world leaders
admit- may well be world suicide!
Yet in spite of having to live with
the ever-growing threat of cosmocide
for almost a generation, modern edu–
cation, science, and philosophy have
come up with virtually nothing to al–
leviate this dangerous situation. That
is truly catastrophic.
Flnd the Cause
Is there a way that can bring an end
to all war-an end to mount ing
crime, violence, broken homes, teen–
age pregnancies, babies born l:Hind
because of venereal diseases , mount–
ing drug abuse and deep personal
frustrations nearly everywhere?
It sounds like quite an order. But
the genuine solution to these prob–
lems is as absolute as it is practica!.
Many international, national , civic
and prívate "dó-good" organizations
are busily trying to find solutions to
the above problems. They are com–
posed of sincere men and women. Of–
ten they do a certain amount of
good- in a very limited way and for
a limited time-within an overall
framework which never changes. For
they are only treating a few of the
The
PLAIN TRUTH March 1979
symptoms: war, crime, violence, bro–
ken homes, etc. They are not get–
ting at the real cause of these tragic
ills.
There is a cause for every effect.
So to truly solve the above problems,
we need to find their causes.
Far beneath the immediate provo–
cations, there is a single basic cause or
underlying reason for mankind's basic
ills, as listed above. Oneway of putting
it would be to say that "human na–
ture" is the culprit. And that is true.
But let's get specific. In what way does
"human nature" cause war, crime and
other problems? And is there an oppo–
site way that would genuinely ensure
peace and happiness?
A "Law of Liberty"?
To most people, certainly including
many in the field of religion, "law"
has a foreboding, depressing conno–
tation. Most businesses and organi–
zations publish guidelines or sorne
type of suggested behavioral code.
And the government only uses the
term "law" when a serious rule in–
volving a penalty for disobedience is
invorved.
So, as a society, we tend to have
this negative feeling about law. It
should not be so. For the great Crea–
tor, the God of your Bible, has re–
vealed a way of life based on law. Jt is
a way that most professing Chris–
tians have heard practically nothing
about.
Yet it is, in fact, the way that is
going to solve the world's major prob–
lems within the normal life span of
most of you reading this article!
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, was
asked, "Master, which is the great
commandment in the law?"
He answered: "Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with al! thy heart, and
with al! thy soul, and with al! thy
mind. This is the first and great com–
mandment. And the second is like
unto it, Thou shalt !ove thy neigh–
bour as thyself. On these two com–
mandments hang al! the law and the
prophets" (Matt. 22:36-40).
Notice! All other laws of God hang
on or are outgrowths and magnifica–
tions of these two great spiritual prin–
cipies. There are ten commandments
in God's great spirituallaw. The first
four tell us how to !ove and honor-
God; the last six tell us how to !ove
our neighbor.
Man needs these laws today more
than ever before. Mankind is literally
sick from its ignorance and neglect
and consequent disobedience of these
rules fror11our Creator.
Again, Jesus was asked: "Good
Master, what goo.d thing shall 1 do,
that 1 may have eterna! life?"
He answered: "Why callest thou
me good? There is none good but
one, that is, God: but if thou wilt en–
ter into life, keep the command–
ments. He saith unto him, Which?
Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder,
Thou shalt not commi t adultery,
Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not
bear false witness, Honour thy father
and thy mother: and, Thou shalt !ove
thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt.
19:16-19).
Notice that Jesus, in answering,
named sorne of the Ten Command–
ments- particularly, in this case,
those telling man how to love his
neighbor. For the religious leaders of
that day had become overly strict
with respect to the first four com–
mandments. But they were weak and
lax in regard to the last six.
Whenever Jesus spoke of the law
of God-<>r "the commandments"–
He was always referring to that great
spiritual law, the Decalogue, or Ten
Commandments. He carne to "mag–
nify" and expound this law to its fu.ll
spiritual intent (lsa. 42:21 ).
The living Christ inspired James
to write: "For whosoever shall keep
the whole law, and yet offend in one
point, he is guilty of all. For he that
said, Do not commit adultery, said
also, Do not kili. Now if thou commit
no adultery, yet if thou kili, thou art
become a transgressor of the law. So
speak ye, and so do, as they that shall
be judged by the law of liberty"
(James 2:10-12). There are points to
the Ten Commandments.
lf
you
break even one, you have broken the
whole law.
Note also that it is called the
law
of liberty.
How can a law bring liber–
ty? Let's understand.
How lt Actually Works
For simplicity's sake, let's examine a
few of the last six of the Ten Com–
mandments. These tell us how to !ove
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