Is Isaiah 48:16-17 About the Trinity?

Dr. Couch, is Isaiah 48:16-17 about the Trinity? ANSWER: Yes, indeed, it is! There is the call to listen to the voice speaking: "Come near to Me, listen to this: From the time I have not spoken in secret. From the time it took place I was there." Then the passage says: "And now the Lord God has sent Me, and His Spirit." Verse 17 adds: "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, 'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit …'" The Redeemer is the preincarnate Messiah, then there is the Spirit, and finally the Lord God who is speaking! Unger and Young point out that this is a Messianic and Trinity passage. "The type prefigures the antitype, the Servant of the Lord (42:1-4), who 'did not come alone but … his entire ministry was in the power of the Spirit, a definite Messianic concept.'" The idea is repeated in 41:14; 43:14; 49:7, 27; 54:5, 8. Christ is called the Holy One of God who would not undergo decay, as mentioned in Psalm 16:10. Peter repeats this in Acts 3:27; 13:35. I think we would be surprised at the number of times the Trinity is seen in both the OT and the NT. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

What Is Going On In Luke 16:8-9?

Dr. Couch, what is going on in Luke 16:8-9? ANSWER: This is a very tough passage of Scripture. Christ speaking about a steward and his master says: And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it falls, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. What throws us is the statement "mammon of unrighteousness." It seems Jesus is talking about profane riches, or simply money of the world. Though in itself money is not sinful, it is what the world uses in its dealings. The disciples had to use money to get things done, and even to bless people from time to time. Just like us today: we give donations and charity by using the world's money. We bless people with the funds of this government system. Our friends, those who are believers, who die and go before us to glory, will bless us when we arrive at our "eternal dwellings." They will do this because here on earth we used money to bless them. Money can be used for evil or for God's purposes. By reversing the thought in verse 11, I think the point is made clear. "If you have been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon [worldly riches], you will be entrusted with the true riches [the spiritual riches]." I hope this helps. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Where Do You Start The Antichrist In Daniel 11?

Dr. Couch, where do you start the antichrist in Daniel 11? Most seem to say that he is first mentioned in verse 36 and on. ANSWER: You sent me a very complicated question about where I think we begin seeing him in prophecy, in that chapter. The best scholars I know say the reference to him does indeed begin with verse 36. It must be remembered that whether one is looking for information in chapter 11 about Antiochus Epiphanes or the antichrist, most of what is said has to do with events that we know, or will know, little about in terms of details. So it is difficult to be dogmatic as to all that is going on in this chapter. In some ways, chapter 11 is one of the toughest chapters in the OT, because it gives to us extremely detailed information and prophecies. Christ, and then Paul, refers back to Daniel 9 and 11 when predicting the coming of the antichrist. And of course so does the apostle John in the book of Revelation. The Lord refers to the antichrist and the Abomination of Desolation "standing in the holy place spoken of through Daniel the prophet" (Matt. 24:15). Paul also speaks of him in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-on. Scofield Ministries produced Paul Benware's excellent commentary on Daniel. Those reading this really need this great volume. Dr. Benware handles with meaning detail, as much as can be known, the issues of Daniel 11. After going through all of the twists and turns on chapter 11, Benware concludes: "It seems best, therefore, to see 11:36-45 as referring to the coming Antichrist who will appear at the end of the ages and completely fulfill these predictions of Daniel. Dr. John Walvoord observed that 'many students of Scripture have recognized from antiquity that another king must be in view' and many of these (such as Jerome and Luther) identified him with the Antichrist of the New Testament. We are, therefore, in good company when we identify this king as the 'man of sin', 'the beast', 'the Antichrist'." Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Why Did Christ Heal And Do Miracles On The Sabbath?

Dr. Couch, why did Christ heal and do miracles so often on the Sabbath? ANSWER: One could argue that He was pushing the Jews to accept good works being done on the Sabbath as upon any other day. But the better answer would be that He was doing a good work on any day, even it happened to be on the Sabbath. No work was to be done on the Sabbath, and the Jews, in their distorted view of the Law, saw Him violating the Law of Moses. A good answer may be found in John 7:21-24. Christ had done a good work on the Sabbath. He said, "I did one deed [on the Sabbath] and you all marvel" (v. 21). He added, "On this account Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath?" (vv. 22-23). In other words, the Jews did not consider circumcising on the Sabbath was breaking the Law, but they did healing someone! Christ was showing their hypocrisy and their legalism, and too, He was showing how much they hated Him. So it may be that Christ was not trying to taunt the Jews, but He simply was not going to stop healing or doing a good work on the Sabbath. Whatever was needed to be done, He went forward and did it, and did not care what the Jews thought. This is seen also concerning the man with a withered hand (Luke 6:6-12). He said to the Jews, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?" (v. 9). The Jews responded and "were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus" (v. 11). The Jews had forgotten that "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" (v. 5) and He could do as He pleased on that day. In my commentary on Luke I wrote: The great sorrow of this story is how the leaders could ignore the great miracle that had just taken place before their very eyes. Their religiosity and animosity toward Christ was so great that they were blinded with hatred. This moral and emotional tragedy permeates the gospel stories. The Jews were so spiritually narrow-minded that they could not see the big picture, nor could they see who He was, the promised King of Israel, and the Son of God. I believe this explains why He continued to "work" on the Sabbath no matter what they said or thought! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Which Denominations Hold to Infant Baptism

Dr. Couch, which denominations hold to baptism of infants? And why do they do this? ANSWER:  Dr. Lacy Couch goes to a nursing home each week in order to teach the Bible to some older folks. It breaks her heart to have some of them say, "My 'holy' baptism as a child is what is saving me." She has gotten many away from that false belief and helped them understand that it is only by faith in Christ that saves. Not "holy" water baptism!    Mainly, Catholics, Episcopalians, and Lutherans believe water baptism as an infant is what saves, though each group has some difference in meaning and in interpretation. The Lutheran Augsburg Confession says: "We confess that Baptism is necessary for salvation, and that children are to be baptized, and that the baptism of children is not void, but necessary and efficacious to salvation."    Remember, that people believe certain doctrines though they cannot prove them by Scripture, instead they hold them by tradition. In other words, they hold to a belief because that is what they were taught, and what they were taught must be true, whether they can prove it by the Bible or not. Many people do not believe in critical thinking, that is by observation, observation, observation, as to what the text says!    "Tradition, tradition" they sang in Fiddler On The Roof!    Those who hold to infant baptism use Luke 18:16 ("Permit the children to come unto Me"); Acts 10:23-48 (Cornelius' household); Acts 16:25-34 (The jailer's household); Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3-6; Acts 2:38, 22:16.    Luke 18:16: This passage is easy! There is no way it can be talking about infants. Christ is referring to children who can walk, come up to Him, understand to a degree who He is! This in no way can support "infant baptism"! The main point has to do with their simple trusting and faith that then becomes an example to grownups. He added: "Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like (just as, with the same simplicity) a child shall not enter it at all." "Don't complicate the gospel--the simple way of faith in coming to Christ!"    Acts 10:23-48: The Roman officer invited Peter to come to his house "together [with] his relatives and close friends" to hear the truth. Those who hold to infant baptism imply that small little children were there who would get saved by water baptism (v. 47). But only those would be saved who "believed" in Christ and had "received forgiveness of sins," and who were "listening to the message" (vv. 43-44). You cannot apply this passage to infants and infant baptism! Those who (1) heard the gospel, (2) believed, (3) THEN received the Holy Spirit, and THEN (4) it was ordered that they be water baptized! (See vv. 47-48). IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to argue that water baptism has anything to do with getting saved from this passage. Water baptism is the sign of salvation that follows faith, and then the receiving of the Holy Spirit. They were already saved before they were dunked!    Acts 16:25-34: Paul and Silas went to the home of the jailer and spoke "to all who were in his household" (vv. 32-33). Those who hold to infant baptism say, "See, there must have been children here who were baptized." But the apostles said to the man, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household" (v. 31). They "spoke these words to the jailer" and they spoke these words to all who were in the house, implying that all in the house could understand these words! Infants could not do so! Then "immediately he was baptized, he and all his household" who had believed! (v. 33).    Galatians 3:27: This passage used by the groups mentioned above does not fit their argument either, because it has to do with spiritual baptism, "For you ARE ALL baptized INTO CHRIST [and thus] have clothed yourselves with Christ." This is referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit whereby He unites us with the spiritual body of Christ, as explained in 1 Corinthians 12:12-on. It is interesting that these groups do not mention this passage which reads: "For by one Spirit WE WERE ALL BAPTIZED into ONE BODY, … we were all made to drink of one Spirit." This spiritual work does not take place by the water baptism administered by the pastor at the baptismal font in the church!    Romans 6:2-6: This passage ties directly into the 1 Corinthians 12 passage. It is not about water baptism but about the Spirit's baptism that ties us to the spiritual body of Christ. Common sense makes this clear and obvious! Paul writes "we are BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST JESUS [and have] been [baptized] into His death" (Rom. 6:3). We were baptized into His death, raised from the death, united with Him in the likeness of His death, and will be resurrected in the likeness of His resurrection (vv. 4-5). And, we were "crucified" with Him in order to be release from slavery to sin. Are these spiritual works are actual works? That is, were we actually nailed to His cross, crucified, buried and resurrected in an actual sense or a spiritual sense? Are these spiritual works, done by the Holy Spirit, or actual physical happenings? If they are spiritual works then so is the baptismal event spoke of here. Water baptism does not save but the work of the Spirit, whereby He unites us to Christ, this saves us!     Acts 2:38; 22:16. We have already explained Acts 2:38 previously. However, Acts 22:16 reads:   "And now why are all of you (plural) delaying? With each one of you (singular) standing up, and with each one of you (singular) calling upon His name, let all of you (plural) be baptized, and let all of you yourselves (plural) wash away your sins."   By the individual action of standing up, or coming forward to call upon the Lord, the result is that as a group they all then are baptized collectively as a group, and the overall result is that they all, by these acts, wash away their sins. There is a long list of verbs, and all the action is working together. One cannot say that the baptism is alone bringing on the salvation. The commitment to Christ is the stepping forward, the standing up, followed by the calling upon His name in order to be saved. These are the acts that saved them. They knew that the water baptism did not save! Their heart and soul commitment is what saved them! The Jews were appointed to KNOW something (His will), to SEE someone (the Righteous One), and to HEAR something (the utterance from His mouth) (v. 14). These are symbolic and spiritual things, not physical. So with the baptism. The water baptism was symbolic of the washing away sins. The water baptism in itself did not save!    Don't cling to tradition! I think it's about forty times or more in the book of John that tells us we are saved only by faith, and not by works or by baptism.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

It is Over!

Dr. Couch, are we in the period of the apostasy? It is finished and done. Consider us there! We have entered into the period known in Scripture as the apostasy! The next great event will be the rapture of the church, the removing of believers out from under the wrath of God "that is on its way" (1 Thess. 1:10). "Jesus who delivers us out from the wrath that is on its way." Our new president has already made it clear he will open wide the doors for homosexuality, and for late term abortion. There is no stopping this or slowing it down. There will be an increase in raw socialism and government control through the so-called environmental movement. And that happens to be an effort to destroy our freedoms under the guise of environmental necessity. But what is worse, is that most of our Bible colleges and seminaries are becoming "socializing" schools, buying into the "changes" taking place in our culture. These things are not moving at a snails pace but at a tremendous and rapid shift. This is no longer the America we have known in the past. We have crossed the canyon, crossed the river, into another country. The younger generation does not see America as we once did. The past, with its imperfections and also its many blessings, is now gone! There is a rapid repudiation of our European and Reformed heritage. The younger crowd no longer wants or respects experience and wisdom. They worship freedom as their god and believe firmly in government control of their lives. And because they no longer have the Bible, the Word of God, as a governing factor, power and choice drives all decisions and changes that are coming down the pike! While believers have certain cultural and social responsibilities, our main concern should be spiritual. One of the "big" seminaries in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area has gone passionately "green." They have put out published articles making it a spiritual mandate if we believers in Christ do not join in on the green movement and the global warming issue. This is madness and foolishness! The shift has come that now places such social issues above our call to proclaim biblical truth to a spiritually blinded world. That you drive a hybrid car is more important than if you teach verse by verse, and with great passion, the Word of God in your church or Sunday school. Over night, the younger crowd, those around 35 and under, have fallen head-long for all the social and cultural "stuff" that fascinates the world. In a survey, they made it known that they see no big problems with abortion rights and homosexuals. We believers must now must join in with what the society thinks. Concerning the environment, we are not doing our spiritual duty if we do save the planet. It is only dispensationalists who have it straight. We know by the NT that the age of the church will self-destruct, just as all dispensations of the past failed. Proclaiming the gospel and helping believers grow spiritually by the Word is our most compelling responsibility. This does not mean we trash our environment. We respect the world that God has given us, but to make perfect our environment is not our mission. The environment is limited and it is going to fail. We are not first and foremost responsible for the planet, God is! And He tells us this is all going to burn up! The issue of human sin is the number one problem on the globe, not saving the planet! Christ said it plainly. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. 6:19-21). Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

What Verses Describe the State of Our Country

Dr. Couch, I appreciate your observations about where our nation is going. Where are some other verses that describe the state of our country?

ANSWER: Try Isaiah 57:20-21 and Jeremiah 17:5-11. America is a spiritually restless and destructive nation. I am now writing a book on where this is all going entitled: Satan, the Nations, and the End Times. If it is possible, we are seeing sin becoming more sinful! Television is a good thermometer to tell us what is happening to the people, especially the younger people, of our nation. Did you know that in some state universities they now have co-ed apartments. In other words, men and women can live together in the same room.

God has said "The wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet" (Isa. 57:20). "Its waters toss up refuse and mud." Because of this "There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked" (v. 21). Our nation only focuses on the material and the physical. The moral and the spiritual are ignored.

But even more pointedly, Jeremiah quotes the Lord as saying, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind" (17:5). That is what the people of our nation are doing. America trusts in America and not in God! Jeremiah adds, cursed is the man who "makes flesh his strength" (v. 5b). And, cursed is the man "whose heart turns away from the Lord" (v. 5c). This man is like a bush in the desert who "lives in stony waste in the wilderness" (v. 6). There is nothing but dryness and deadness around!

But there is a reminder: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust IS the Lord" (v. 7). That man is like "a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit" (v. 8).

Then the Lord warns: "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" (v. 9). We cannot understand even our own heart. We can be self deceived and not even know who we really are. God searches our heart and tests our minds (v. 10a). And He will reward according to our works.

The hope of Israel is the Lord. If they do not trust Him, as all people, there will be judgment. Those who forsake Him are "put to shame" (v. 13a). Those who turn away from Him will be "written down, because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, who is EVEN THE LORD!" (v. 13b).

In reference to the spiritual fall of America, the old scholar Lange said "Out of the virtues and vices of the family come the virtues and vices of nations."

Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch

The Sovereignty of God in the Book of Acts

Dr. Couch, I have been fascinated with so many verses on the sovereignty of God in the book of Acts. I didn't realize how prevalent that subject was throughout the Bible. ANSWER: My favorite verse on God's sovereignty in relation to our life, and even our death, is found in Acts 13:36. In fact, this is one of my theme verses in the NT. Paul said, "For David after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay." David died only after God was through with his ministry, not any sooner or later! God is in charge of our existence. Now He may give us medicine and doctors to keep us going, in this generation that we are living in, but even that is part of His plan. It is no accident that we are so blessed. We will still die when He says it is time! Another heart-stopper on God's sovereignty is 4:27-28. God gathered together all of the actors involved in the crucifixion of Christ to cause them "to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur." The word predestined means to "before encircle." God's plans were put into place eons in the past. He is now carrying out what He designed to happen. The verb "to occur" means "to come about, to happen, to become." God makes things happen; He is in charge! Even though human beings are active, and responsible, we are not the first cause of all things—God is! I heard recently about a pastor who was teaching the sovereignty of God from Romans 9. About four couples just "walked." They left the church! Their egos could not tolerate the doctrine of God's sovereignty! In my opinion, they left the church out of their ignorance and evil hearts. They did not want God to be God! And, they disrespected the pastor's authority and failed to try to understand what the Bible was teaching. Another passage about God's sovereignty and His working in our lives comes from James 5:13-16. James says we should not put weight on our own plans for next year, because we are just a vapor, "that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." He then adds, "What you ought to say is, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.'" If the Lord wills is the key! James implies that it is our arrogance that denies His sovereignty! He then states: "But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil" (v. 16). I have two sayings for my students: "Who do we think we are?" And, "Who is in charge?" The answers are obvious. We are nothing, and God is in control! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Do Unfaithful Believers Reign With Christ in the Millennium?

Dr. Couch, I heard someone say that if believers are not faithful, they will not reign with Christ in the millennium. They use 2 Timothy 2:11-13 for their reasoning. What do you say? ANSWER: Verses 11-13 stands complete like a poetic statement. Many believe this was a song or a doctrinal statement used by the early church that was sung or quoted in congregational meetings. The verse in question is 12 which says "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him." The "if" is a first class condition of the subjunctive and should better read "Since we shall endure…." It reads: "Since we are now abiding under (apomeno) (Him), we shall in the future be reigning together with (synbasileuo) Him." Paul is not assigning a moral judgment on this "abiding under." He has created parallel thoughts. Verses 11-12 all run together. "To have died with Him equals we are now abiding under Him with the result with will be reigning together with Him." "Abiding under" is the better way to translate "endure." As I have shown the word is actually upo=under, meno=abide. I do not doubt that we will all have different roles in our reigning, but to say that we will or will not reign with Him is not what the passage is about. As those who are saved, we now are abiding under Him! BUT NOW THE BIG SURPRISE, THE KICKER! The first meaning of upomeno is not "abiding under" but is better translated "to be under suffering." The great Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest agrees with me on this! This is the better thought in the passage. So the teacher you heard is all wrong in the way he is taking the passage! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

What is Presuppositional Apologetics?

Dr. Couch, what is presuppositional apologetics? ANSWER: This is what most Evangelicals would hold to. It presupposes the truth about Christianity as the starting point of apologetics. In apologetics one must present the Christian view first and foremost and no other argument is sufficient. It presupposes the truth of the Bible and of the gospel. Revelation and the revealed Word is the starting point. No other arguments will lead men to Christ. And yes, apologetics assumes the total depravity of man. So only the Word, applied to the heart and mind by the Holy Spirit will, have positive effect and conviction. Francis Schaeffer was said to promote "practical" presuppositional apologetics. Only living in a practical way the Word of God was the responsibility of the believer. The "livability" of the Word was a test for the falsity of non-Christian systems. By this the truth of Christianity was demonstrated to the world. While I certainly believe all that is mentioned above, I have found that good, strong doctrine and systematic theology is what is needed by students of Scripture to create solid teachers of the Scriptures. (This is why I majored in Systematic Theology in grad school.) I find a lot of younger men today are enamored by apologetics, but the problem is that it is an interesting study in itself but it does not create a strong understanding of the Word. Apologetics can become a study in philosophy but not really create exegetes. I have taken my share of graduate apologetic courses but when finished I said "So what?" I hope this helps. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

What is a Good Model for a Home Bible Study Class?

Dr. Couch, what is a good model for a home Bible study class? ANSWER: Many today use the psychological approach where everybody sits around and shares their ignorance. The leader is but a facilitator who just helps people think through issues. This is all dead wrong, and, the implication is that there is no absolute truth. Truth is simply where you find it, or, truth is simply what is true to you! We have moved away from the strong objective Bible teacher format. We must return to having strong, well-trained leaders who really know the Scriptures. However, it is getting very late in the evening. Darkness is rapidly closing in on the best of our churches. Good seminaries that taught the Word to dedicated teachers are disappearing. The night is soon coming! The biblical method of study is being lost. Good Bible study has to do with (1) observation, (2) interpretation, and (3) application. And this takes work and sweat! There is no short changing preparation by a Godly teacher. Anyone who leads a class should arm himself with outstanding spiritual tools. Good commentaries that can be trusted, etc. The way I was taught, heavy doses of Hebrew, Greek, systematic theology, church history, English Bible, is now going away. The schools I attended back in the "dark ages" of the 50s and 60s are no longer around. They have cut back on such disciplined training so that the men are unable to do solid work in the text. A good friend, who is attending one of the "big" seminaries in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, admits he cannot do in depth exegetical work. The skills are no longer being taught at that institution. The students are getting only about half of such studies as I received. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

What Happened in the Last Election?

Dr. Couch, what happened in the last election? Why did so many young people vote for the wrong party and wrong president?   ANSWER:  This was a shocker to all of us. But the answer comes from a survey of the younger minds in our population. Young people disregard experience. They think it is not necessary. They repudiate wisdom and experience, and particularly, biblical wisdom.    Some believe, and I agree, that Mike Huckabee was knocked out of the race because he implied that our nation should respond to the idea that "God said so" in the Bible. But the Bible does not carry the authority that it once did. Those who want to go back to the Scriptures are "outdated," and "out of touch" with our population, the younger crowd says. I was disappointed to read in the publication of Houston Baptist University's The City, that we don't need to argue from the Bible, we can just argue from the standpoint of social conservatism's view of common sense and people should then respond to what is right. The article entitled "A Political Road Not Taken," says: Rather than argue that abortion is contrary to God's law and that we need to bring the Constitution into conformity with God's law, social conservatives should argue that as a matter of scientific fact the child in a mother's womb is a whole, living human being, and that as a matter of moral truth the direct killing of any peaceable human being is gravely unjust. (p. 39)    This old and tired view was popular in the past: the law of reason is sufficient; we don't need the proclamation of the Scriptures to live by in our culture. "A rational person should automatically recognize that abortion is wrong! He has a seed of what is right within his soul!" This places the Word of God outside of the workings of culture. And it denies the doctrine of Total Depravity that says good is not innate within human beings. "There is a natural truth that everyone should agree to, and everyone should see!" But this is not so. The heart of man is depraved and will find a way to reject Scripture and spurn what is logical and what is right! The article went on: Amend the Constitution to be in accord with reason, that [sic] is what Huckabee should have said. While Huckabee mobilized many social conservatives to show up at the polls, he did not persuade anyone outside their world to join them. … To be successful, hearts and minds need to be changed. Minds are changed by rational appeals, by a winning argument, and by presenting the perspective of a faithful believer, … not just more preaching to the choir. (p. 43)    In other words we will find moral truth outside of the Bible and people will rally to that. This is dead wrong! And it is a view of the foolish who think we can win the war on rational grounds. We don't need the Scriptures to enlighten us! By this thinking, we've already lost the war! And that's where we are today. The apostasy has begun!    If the younger crowd rejects experience and spurns biblical truth, the nation is doomed. Dr. Bruce Waltke in his excellent commentary on Proverbs says in so many words: If biblical truth, wisdom, age, and authority are rejected, then a culture is in deep trouble. The moral fiber of a nation is rejected and the "society unravels and anarchy ensues" (I, 187).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch