King's Business - 1952-04

tory. No doubt or fear filled His heart as He faced the future. His Father had things well in hand. No attempt on the part of man could frustrate the divine plan. His confidence was later reassured by many infallible proofs which were witnessed by hundreds of surprised fol­ lowers in His post-resurrection ministry. He had risen as He said. It is a radi­ ant fact. “ Ye shall live also,” presents a radiant faith. The promise of resurrection life was not kept to Himself. He shared it with His followers through a radiant faith. Through a faith in the crucified and risen Saviour His disciples of the first century and believers of the twentieth century may have the same assurance of life after death as was manifested in Christ. It is with this reassurance that the Christian today can face the future with­ out fear or doubt. His is the Radiant Fact—“ I live.” Ours is the Radiant Faiths—“ Ye shall live also.” —John L. Mitchell, Th D. Favorite Bible Passages o f 25 Famous Americans A RECENT week in February was designated as Brotherhood Week in which it was suggested that people everywhere stress the fundamental re­ ligious idea that persuasion and good will, rather than force, make for better and happier living. As a contribution to this week, Collier’s presented a two- page spread of the favorite Bible pas­ sages of 25 famous Americans includ­ ing our President, our Vice President, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Bernard Bar­ uch, General Eisenhower and others prominent in national life. It is exceedingly interesting to note the Bible passages which these people, high both in ability and natural wisdom, present as their favorites. A revealing cross-section of the attitude of the American people is seen in the verses which they have chosen. Of the 25 pas­ sages, ten were from the Old Testa­ ment, and 15 from the New. Of the 15 New Testament quotations, five were from the Sermon on the Mount and one from a related passage in Mark. Two choices were from the 13th chapter of First Corinthians and only two from any of the 14 epistles of Paul. It n »l~o significant that of the 25 choices the name of Christ is mentioned but once and while a number chose verses containing the teachings of Christ, in no instance was there any reference to the death of Christ. If we read our Bible aright, the great­ est truth appearing on its pages is that while men and women are sinners and hopelessly condemned before the bar of God’s justice, still there is an unbeliev­ ably wonderful salvation available to those who by simple faith place their

the honored dead are there. Whether you go beyond the Rio Grande, or into the heart of the moun­ tains of Peru, to the summit of the Andes, or the hills of India or China; as the odor of incense reaches your nos­ trils, you realize that these people are worshiping amongst the tombs! But the leaders of these false cults enjoy a fat profit by keeping these people ignorant. How wonderful when the true mis­ sionaries of the Cross, representatives of the Church of the Living God, can bold­ ly face the world, and proclaim the most wonderful message ever given man, viz., “He is not here, he is risen.” It has been, and is, the imperishable faith of the Church throughout the Christian era, that our Lord, having risen as the first-fruits from the dead, entered as our forerunner in mansions of greater glory prepared for Him, and likewise for us all. Let us continue to proclaim the only message of eternal hope: “ Because I live, ye shall live also.” This is the certain faith of the be­ liever. This is the great hope of Easter morning. — Rev. Ral-ph C. Scoville A Radiant Fact and a Radiant Faith T HE resurrection of Jesus Christ was not an unexpected accident. It His devout followers, but to Him and His Father it was part of a necessary plan. Christ anticipated this great event on several occasions in the presence of His disciples. One of these was in the Upper Room when taking His disciples into His confidence, He said: “ Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19). “ Because I live,” presents a radiant fact. The resurrection of Christ has been called the most corroborated fact of his­

If A THOUSAND necessary facts may precede the conjunction, “if,” but ignore the one conditional item follow­ ing it and all is lost. “And IF Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). That such a person as Jesus Christ once lived upon the earth is a settled question. That He died is, of course, not only a natural assumption but also a recorded fact. So far we are not on controversial ground. But with the third Scriptural recorded item, “ He rose again,” we face opposition from many quarters. To the naturalist this cannot be. To the liberal- ist it serves no purpose. The irreproach­ able character of Jesus with His match­ less teachings are more or less accepted. Some may go farther and believe in the Deity of Christ, and even accept the doctrinal statement that “ Christ died for our sins,” both of which are essen­ tial and necessary for salvation, yet, they are made null and void without the resurrection. We can make it stronger still. With perfect faith in all that the Scriptures have to say about the person and work of Christ, such faith is vain and worthless without the resurrection. More, personal faith must believe in and appropriate the account of the resurrec­ tion or the sin question remains unset­ tled. “Ye are yet in your sins” and in that state there is no hope. Our liberal- ists had best take heed for they are not only without hope themselves but are leading others to reject the essential item that supports all other facts in the plan of salvation. —Frank E. Lindgren, D.D. He Is Not Here L UKE 24:6 gives us the first Easter Message, “He is not here.” Earth’s most famous shrines of pilgrimage are spots esteemed sacred because they en­ tomb the ashes of those whom count­ less mortals have reverenced, loved, crowned and worshiped. Why? Because

might have been an amazing surprise to

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