When this publication first began on July 9, 1995 (in Denton, Texas), the purpose for it was stated in the very first issue (which will be cited shortly). In 2003, the brethren in Texas were kind enough to discontinue publishing with that title in case the editor wanted to continue using it, which has been done since the move to Winter Park. Regardless of the location, however, the purpose for the publication remains the same.
It was initially pointed out the word perspective has several definitions, the one most applicable for this publication (from Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary) is, according to “2b”: the “capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance.” In this instance, it would be to view things from what the Bible teaches. We are not interested in the wisdom of men. Many things in this world are distorted; how often do we see things as they really are? Thus, our goal is to present various matters in the light of truth. Below is a portion of that original article.
Satan continually attempts to deceive all of us; we must guard against worldly wisdom and philosophy, lest it taint our thinking. God’s people must test every doctrine by the Word of God (1 Thess. 5:21-22)….
Satan is also causing harm within the church: there are those attempting to lead us away from the truths of the Bible. Some are subtly slipping away while others are moving in quantum leaps. It is important to have the proper spiritual perspective on these matters, also.
Our goal in publishing Spiritual Perspectives is to provide a viewpoint on all matters that takes God and His will into account. Many of us watch news on television from a solely secular outlook; perhaps we read the daily newspaper or listen to Talk Radio. None of these takes into account what the Bible teaches. The Word of God must be at the basis of our thinking as well as our actions. God cannot be divorced from daily living. Jesus must always be at the center of our life; He must be the motivation for why we do what we do.
Basically, our purpose here will be to inform and to encourage…. Jesus said: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye My disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). It is through the study of and a continuance in the words of our Lord and Savior that we can have true spiritual perspectives. May we be diligent in our study of the Bible, swift to practice what we learn, incisive in our evaluation of the day’s events, and steadfast in our loyalty to God.