Ads for “gold” coins tend to catch my eye. My father persuaded me to buy my first gold coin when I was about ten. It was a $20 gold coin that cost me just under $50. He also taught me to look at the edges of dimes and quarters to see if they were silver or “slugs” introduced in 1965. I have always followed the price of precious metals.
So, when I see an ad for a $20 gold (1 oz.) coin advertised at a 1964 price of gold, I know it is fake. What intrigues me is how I can study the ad and not find any indication that the “coin” promised is a worthless replica. The teaser is promoting a fraud.
God also offers us a promise that seems too good to be true, but His are not teases, and He is no con-man.
The future He describes is one that is more than we can imagine.
The eternal life He offers to mortals who cannot even understand the concept of a timeless eternity is a promise that would seem too incredible if it was not bought with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Christian must do more than not deny the promises of God, or not doubt them. He must live in terms of their certainty. The promises of God must form the core of our worldview and direct all of our faith and activity. We act in terms of the certainty of what we profess.
When nineteenth century missionary Adoniram Judson was imprisoned for this faith in Burma, a mocker asked him how his prospects were. “As bright as the promises of God,” he answered.
We live in trying times, but we serve God because we believe He reigns and that the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord. We are not commanded to produce this change in history, only to live and act in faithfulness to the certainty that He will accomplish it.
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- Mark R. Rushdoony
Mark R. Rushdoony graduated from Los Angeles Baptist College (now The Master’s College) with a B.A. in history in 1975 and was ordained to the ministry in 1995.
He taught junior and senior high classes in history, Bible, civics and economics at a Christian school in Virginia for three years before joining the staff of Chalcedon in 1978. He was the Director of Chalcedon Christian School for 14 years while teaching full time. He also helped tutor all of his children through high school.
In 1998, he became the President of Chalcedon and Ross House Books, and, more recently another publishing arm, Storehouse Press. Chalcedon and its subsidiaries publish many titles plus CDs, mp3s, and an extensive online archive at www.chalcedon.edu. His biography of his father will be published later this year (2024).
He has written scores of articles for Chalcedon’s publications, both the Chalcedon Report and Faith for all of Life. He was a contributing author to The Great Christian Revolution (1991). He has spoken at numerous conferences and churches in the U.S. and abroad.
Mark Rushdoony has lived in Vallecito, California, since 1978. His wife, Darlene, and he have been married since 1976. His youngest son still resides with him. He has three married children and nine grandchildren.