There can be no worthier object of mental application than the eternal God and His relation to eternity and time. We must never forget that theological research has its boundary. It is limited to “thus saith the Lord.” The word reveals the eternal God and His purpose for the elect. Satan wants to deceive, but deception is difficult where the light of Biblical research is made, proclaimed, and received. Hence, the more knowledge one has on a given subject, the less likely his deception.

    The man of God who devotes fifty or more years to the study of Holy Scripture is no fanatic. There is no better way to demonstrate the deception by Satan than to contrast Biblical research with scientific research. For example, a physician might spend five to ten thousand hours in his laboratory before he discovers some wonder drug like the Salk vaccine. Is he called a fanatic for his enthusiasm? No, he is praised. However, a man of God who spends a hundred thousand or more hours in an in-depth study of the word of God is considered an extremist. He is criticized for not giving more time to unprofitable programs. Churches today are filled with such critics who have more concern for time than for eternity. They do not know that the greater knowledge believers have of eternal verities the better equipped they are to redeem the time.