DO YOU HAVE A BALANCED MIND?

November, 1961 

The Plain Truth

Personal With the Editor

This is being written at sea. Mrs. Armstrong and I are returning to America on the world's fastest passenger liner, the S.S. United States. This morning I was reading a news item in yesterday's Paris edition of the New York "Herald Tribune." It provoked this little chat with our readers. 

This is our first morning out at sea on the present voyage.  Yesterday morning, in London, we left a group of friends waving, as our special boat train puffed out of Waterloo Station. At 1:00 p.m. we left another group of friends and relatives waving at Southampton docks, appearing to shrink smaller and smaller in the distance as this big liner slowly got underway. We docked at Le Havre, France, about 7:00 p.m., where I picked up the newspaper that stimulated this talk. The ship got underway again about 1:00 a.m. while we were asleep in our room.

Last evening after dinner, as we were docked at Le Havre, the chief steward of the Ballroom and Lounge on the Promenade deck came to our room to shake hands with us. He said he and his wife have been reading "The Plain Truth" for years, and their children have "The Bible Story" almost memorized. Their lives, he said, have been completely changed, and they are a most happy family. They live in New Jersey, and hear the "World Tomorrow" on our New York stations. It was an inspiring start for the ocean voyage!

The news item I was reading, which sent me to this typewriter, struck me as an instance of more or less common unbalance of attitude. It started a train of thought.  

I began to wonder about YOU who read "The Plain Truth." Do you THINK about the things you see, or read, or hear? And do you try to maintain BALANCE of mind? Do you avoid prejudicial extremes? You may not have thought much about these things -- but they are very important to you.

Back in my pre-conversion years I was, for some little time, the "Idea Man" on the editorial staff of America's largest trade journal. I was trained to look for ideas, and to adapt them to a particular problem or circumstance. It has, through the years, become a HABIT to apply a thought or idea to altogether different categories.

This news story from Washington, D.C., in "The Herald Tribune," concerned the Secretary of Defense, Mr. Robert S. McNamara. But to me, it concerned YOU!

The dispatch stated that the Secretary is popular almost everywhere except in the department heads, in the Pentagon.  President Kennedy, it stated, considers him the "most useful" cabinet officer. The news men have come to approve him. He is liked by Senators and Congressmen. His popularity rating is high with the public.

Then WHY the lack of enthusiasm among the Army, Navy, and Air Force top brass? Well that brings us to the point I want to make. It seems there is lack of well-rounded sense of BALANCE in the rival schools of military service. And this is typical today, in almost all professions and phases of life.

You may not have realized that there is keen rivalry between various branches of the armed forces. Many Air Force Generals, and some Navy Admirals, are advocates of the "over-kill" and "counter-force" tactics. Some Army and Marine Generals demand that the nation's safety be entrusted to the "mobility-flexibility" program of defense. Other high officers are "drop-the-bomb" advocates. Some want to rely almost wholly on the missile program. Others disagree with all this, and demand specialization only on supersonic bombers.

Each is a SPECIALIST. Each thinks his one specialty is the "cure-all" that will win all wars.

It is the same in most fields. This is an age of SPECIALIZATION.

Glance, momentarily, at other fields. In medicine, the day of the family doctor and general practitioner is about gone.  Those still in practice (that word "PRACTICE" is so truthful!) often call in heart specialists, kidney specialists, eye-ear-nose-throat specialists. For childbirth one goes to the obstetrician, and employs also the anesthetist, the pediatrician, and perhaps others.

Then look at the so-called "healing arts" as a whole.  Medical men believe ONLY in drugs and knives. The chiropractor tries to cure everything by manipulating the spine. The naturopath has faith only in diet, and none seems to have faith in God -- except a diminishing few.

In the field of law, there are corporation attorneys, divorce lawyers, criminal lawyers and a host of other specialists. In England there are the various solicitors, and the barristers.

Look at the field of religion. Not only do we have hundreds of differing and disagreeing religions, sects and denominations, but within Protestant denominations there are the modernists and the fundamentalists -- and even among the evangelicals -- and the conservatives. Among Jews there are the two broad divisions of orthodox and reformed, beside minor differences. And many of these, too, have their hobbies and pet doctrines on which they place most of the emphasis.

This trend toward specialization exerts a pull toward narrow-mindedness -- TOWARD MENTAL UNBALANCE. It is causing men to adopt as an approach to all problems and questions the narrow concept of a single fetish. Men, supposing themselves to be highly educated, are becoming lop-sided.

Now this news story about the Secretary of Defense is probably totally irrelevant to your own personal problems or interests. Yet, as a result of these many years of training in adapting ideas or applying principles to other circumstances, I saw an opportunity to explain to our readers two things: 1) the value of THINKING about what you read, observe or hear, and APPLYING the principle or the lesson to other problems or circumstances, and 2) the importance of over-all broad UNDERSTANDING -- OF BALANCE -- of soundness of mind.

It is literally true that most people, today, are unbalanced. They lack vision. Their view is narrow. They tend to see only ONE PHASE of a thing, and to go to one extreme or the other, in their thinking, their planning, and their actions.

In connection with this news story, I chanced on a magazine article about the Defense Secretary. Mrs. Armstrong had brought to our room a copy of the current week's "Saturday Evening Post," which she purchased at the ship's newsstand. In it, Contributing Editor Stewart Alsop reveals Mr. McNamara as a super-brilliant intellectual student-professor type; a former professor at Harvard Business School, a former "whiz-kid," forging his way finally in the Ford organization to become President of the Ford Motor Company, from which office he was appointed to his present job. He is painted as supremely self-confident, decisive, authoritive.

It seems no past Defense Secretary has been to bring a unified order out of the rival contentions of competing military services. But, after hearing the various views of Chief of Staff, the new Secretary is likely to start with three words: "I HAVE DECIDED ..."

It seems the Joint Chiefs of Staff have learned who is running the nation's defense program -- subject, I think, to the President's OK.

But the important thing, so far as Secretary McNamara is concerned, is whether he takes a limited, narrow, one-sided view, or whether he has the vision to take the WHOLE PICTURE -- to see ALL of the factors concerned, and in their true perspective and relative importance. And also whether he is able to view a major problem, wherein all of our lives may be at stake, free from prejudicial concepts. Does he have BALANCE -- sound mindedness -- wisdom?

President Kennedy has surrounded himself with a personal staff of "intellectuals" of the college-professor variety. I am not including Ambassador College professors when I say there is a tendency for college professors to be narrow and unbalanced. In education, as in other fields, we have "progressed" into the area of SPECIALIZATION. The average professor knows, according to currently accepted THEORIES, his own field. Outside of that he may know little.

Education, too, has evolved largely into the realm of speculation. The trend has been to arrive at a pet theory, which may be far from truth; and then, by inductive processes, to REASON and to search for supporting evidences to back up the theory.

Few classroom professors are practical men. Their thinking is limited to the narrow confines of class-room, and to books written by other human theorists. For the sake of all of us, it is hoped that these whiz-boys now occupying seats of vast power in Washington are not of this class.

But of immediate importance is the matter of how YOU view things.

Do YOU really think about what you read, or hear, or see? Do you try to avoid prejudice? Do you try to see the WHOLE picture?  Are you able to APPLY the principle involved to other circumstances?

Compare the viewing of any circumstance or problem to looking at a tree. First of all, many people get so close to the tree they cannot see the forest. The tree should be viewed in its true perspective and relation to all the other trees. One reason they cannot see other trees is that they do not even see but a part of a PART of a small branch, or tiny twig. They focus the whole attention on this tiny detail -- perhaps unimportant.

I began, years ago, to train myself to see first the entire forest -- then the tree; and then to take into the scope of vision the WHOLE tree; and to proceed, in more detail, from the roots and trunk to the major branches, then the smaller branches, and, finally the twigs and leaves. That way, when I finally set attention to examine the smaller details, they are comprehended in their true perspectives and relationships.

Now apply that principle to the circumstances of LIFE.

Correct View Important

First, take a view of the whole forest. This "forest" includes all that has to do with your existence here on Earth -- of the world, the entire universe -- of the PURPOSE of life -- its objective and potentiality.

When you view this "forest," if you really see it all without blindness or prejudice, you have to see, first of all, its First Cause -- its Creator -- God, because this "forest" is God's CREATION. It is He who makes it GROW. Next you have to comprehend that God not only created -- He is, by the very FACT of being Creator, also Supreme RULER over all the forces, powers, and circumstances that exist.

The "trees," in this case, may represent all the stars and planets, and the people and nations of the Earth. The Bible sometimes views nations, symbolically, as trees. And God is pictured as the ROOT from which the LIFE proceeds. Israel is the olive tree, in Romans 11, and the Gentile nations are wild olive trees. People are the branches.

So YOU are a branch, or a twig. The main branch of the tree, in Ezekiel 17, is the king or human ruler. The topmost twigs are his children -- the princes and princesses, the latter being "tender" twigs.

Jesus spoke similarly when He compared us to branches of a vine -- perhaps referring to a grape vine. He Himself, is the main Vine -- comparable to the trunk of the tree. What we produce by being alive -- IF anything -- is the "fruit." If we cut off from the Vine, Christ, we cannot produce anything worthwhile, just as a branch severed from the grape vine cannot produce grapes.

Other Scriptures show that all have sinned -- transgressed against God's RULE -- and thus they are CUT OFF from God. In Romans 11, even all natural born Israelites have been cut off of their natural olive tree by sin. But, by real repentance from the heart, and faith in Christ and His sacrifice testified by baptism, we may be RECONCILED to God -- the branch is connected to the main Vine, and the ROOT (GOD), and then the life-giving, fruit-producing "sap" flows through the branch.

In other word, God PROMISES, under these circumstances of reconciliation, our justification of sins that are past, and that into us shall FLOW His GIFT of His HOLY SPIRIT.

Now look at this world, its professions, its sciences, educators, business men and politicians. They, too, have followed the course of rivalry -- of competition and strife -- of vanity and greed. In other words, they have transgressed against God's Law. THEY ARE CUT OFF from the living God! Many of them do not believe that He exists. To the rest of them He is unreal. They are totally unacquainted with Him. Thus they are cut off from His all-important revelation of vital, essential, basic KNOWLEDGE.  This is the knowledge of the PURPOSE of life -- of potential human destiny -- of THE WAY to PEACE, to universal prosperity, to happiness, and the full, abundant life, as well as life eternal.

They may see a forest. They may realize THE FOREST is in existence. But they do not know HOW it CAME, or what imparts life and motion and growth. They may see the trees, but not the roots.  So, they specialize. They climb out onto their favorite little branch or twig. They become very learned in their specialized knowledge of every insignificant detail of this limited area.

But when you see the ROOTS of the trees of the forest -- you see God. And to those who get to know God, comes the realization that the most necessary knowledge -- can be acquired ONLY by God's special revelation to mankind. God has given this in the Holy Bible. But the natural mind, without God's Spirit, CANNOT UNDERSTAND the bible. To most scientists, and world leaders, and even to many leading ministers of religion, it is largely myth and legend. Their "specializing" minds are closed to its truths.

As a major example, the brilliant former whiz-kid, the outstanding, self-assured, intellectual new Secretary of Defense DOES NOT KNOW that wars are not won by armaments or military strategy. He does not know, as the truly enlightened mind may know from what is revealed in the 33rd Psalm, that The Eternal looks down from heaven, beholding all mankind -- that He who designed and created human minds notes all that people and nations do -- that He brings to NOTHING what NATIONS plan -- that He, ALONE, determines the outcomes of wars -- that He rescues the individual or nation that relies on Him from defeat or destruction.

If you have listened for any length of time to "The World Tomorrow" or read "The Plain Truth," you may have noticed that in presenting any subject we try to keep to the TRUNK of the Tree first, always mindful of the Root -- and then proceed from there to the major branches, then the minor branches, and, finally, the twigs. But I do try to present the little twigs in their true perspective and relationship to the whole tree and the ROOT.

So many people become confused, mixed up, unbalanced, by closely scrutinizing a small branch or tiny twig, but failing to see the tree. Religiously, many make a hobby of a few isolated doctrines or religious ideas. And, failing to see their place in the whole tree, they draw false conclusions and come to believe fables. The IMPORTANT matters they utterly overlook.

Perhaps it is largely BECAUSE God has caused us of "The World Tomorrow" and "The Plain Truth" staff to keep pretty close at all times to the basic fundamentals that He has enabled us to be His instrument thru whom He has made His TRUTH clear and PLAIN to thousands of our readers and radio listeners. Thus God has given many of YOU a clear and balanced UNDERSTANDING.

Speaking of the education and the science of this world, the Apostle Paul was inspired by God to write to Timothy:

"Warn certain individuals against teaching novelties and studying myths and terminable genealogies; such studies bear upon SPECULATIONS, rather that on the divine order, which belongs to FAITH. Whereas the aim of the Christian discipline is the LOVE that springs from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith. Certain individuals have failed here by turning to empty arguments ... they have no idea either of the meaning of the words they use or of the themes on which they harp." (I Tim. 1:3-7 Moffatt translation).

In studying any one verse or chapter in the Bible, always be sure to understand it IN ITS SETTING -- its true relationship to the whole chapter -- the whole Book -- the whole Bible.

Just one example of that: Often you hear quoted the 8th and 9th verses of the second chapter of Ephesians: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."

They fail to read the 10th verse, which completely reverses the meaning.

Stopping, as they do, with verse 9, they use this PARTIAL passage to teach that "there are no works," as they express it, to salvation -- that is, it is not necessary TO OBEY GOD.

Verse 9, when you read it in its setting, does not teach that "there are no works" -- but rather that the "works" do not EARN salvation -- that salvation comes by grace through faith, and that even this faith is supplied by God. Verse 9 is not doing away with works -- it is merely showing what good works DO NOT DO -- they do not EARN salvation. God is not required to PAY us salvation, as a debt.

Why cannot good works earn salvation? The answer is in verse 10: "For we are His workmanship, CREATED in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS, which GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM." Good works -- righteousness -- cannot EARN salvation, which we thereupon have a right to DEMAND of God -- for the simple reason that WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP. We are the clay. He is the Master Potter. We are the work of His hands.

The keeping of God's Law is righteousness -- good works. But it is a SPIRITUAL law, and only love that fulfills it is the LOVE of GOD, which God GIVES us by His Holy Spirit. So, as our own faith cannot save us -- but rather the faith of God GIVES us, so our own righteousness, says God, are as filthy rags to Him. Paul said the Jews were going about trying to establish THEIR OWN righteousness, ignorant of the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. This is His righteousness -- not ours. It comes by His LOVE, given us by His Spirit, fulfilling His Law.

But of course we have to submit -- we have to make the decision -- we have to SEEK His Spirit and His Righteousness.

In Christ we become a NEW CREATION -- a creation of holy, spiritual character -- and God is the Creator of this new character -- this new PERSON living by His Law. We are thus HIS workmanship -- His creation. And we are created UNTO "good works" -- that is, UNTO obedience, and divine RIGHTEOUSNESS produced by God's Spirit in us, BY CHRIST LIVING IN US. God has ordained that we should walk in these good works -- that is, in God's own righteousness, GIVEN as HIS GIFT.

This, then, is the true MEANING of Ephesians 2:8-10, when considered in the true relationship to the whole chapter, to the whole Book, and to the whole Bible.

The religious teachers who see only the little TWIG of verses 8 and 9 ALONE, drawing their own false conclusion from them out of their own reason and their own spirit of rebellion against their Maker, assuredly fail to see the whole tree and the ROOT of it -- and the whole forest.

In the news dispatch which started me on this train of thought, I saw the NARROWNESS of many military specialists. They limit their vision to their one pet branch of the service.  Apparently the new "boss" over the services does see the whole tree of the military organization with all its departments -- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, etc. But does even he see the ROOT of the TREE? Is he not in total ignorance of the relationship of the Living Creator God to it all?

I saw in the news story this PRINCIPLE. In this little PERSONAL chat with you readers, I have permitted myself to ramble a little, but I hope it has been helpful.