THE KING’S BUSINESS'
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them as to Himself and in His own name. The charge of the Judge against the “ cursed” is not of unrighteous or wicked deeds (although they are probably respon sible for the conditions), but of neglect; not that they did what they ought not, but that they left undone what they ought to have done. Ungodly and worldly men are not aware that in the wrong they do, and the good they neglect, they wrong Christ, and neg lect Him; for were He here poor and op posite to the world as once He was, they would treat Him as they treat others now. They will be surprised but not subdued wbfen they learn the truth about it. An eternal sentence is pronounced, most fitting in either case. The justified inherit the kingdom, the spirit of which has al ready established it in their breasts and con duct. The condemned go to “their own place” for which they have prepared them selves, though God prepared it only for the Devil and his demons. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting tire, prepared for the devil and his angels: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment : but the righteous into life eternal. R eview .—J esus the J udge oe M en . J ohn 3:14-21. that thou hast, that no one take thy crown .— throughout; though not conspicuous in les sons 3d and 11th, a little thought can detect it if we bear in mind that judgeship in Scripture, is fundamentally allied to king- ship (or rule,—2 Sam. 7:15; 8:6). In crit icism, reproof, punishment, sovereign decis ion, bestowment of mercy and exclusion from privilege, Jesus is seen as the Royal Judge.
the fire shall try every man’s work.”
V . G eneral R eflections on th e L esson T ext . The form of judgment here belongs to this particular judgment. The principles are general. Faith is the root of ministry and ministry the test of faith. The Judge will not be the unresisting Jesus of the humiliation, but the King of Glory, on His judgment throne. There will be a separation of the wicked from the just, and the real character ex posed. The test will be the works, the fruit that reveals the man. They are of the kind least noted among men—humble ministries to the poor and persecuted whom the world neg lects, or despises, to the confessors of Jesus, as the context shows. They are such as show that the doers, since their charity stoops so low, would minister to any ; would receive and succor Jesus himself in disguise and distress. The Judge, who, glorious as He is, still stoops to find His “brethren” among the outcasts, accepts such ministries as done to Himself, as indeed they would have been. True Christian charity is spontaneous and unselfish without thought of reward, and all unwittingly ministers, in its ministries, to Christ Himself. If we would minister to Christ and make sure of His approval, let us not fail to do similar works as we have opportunity, do G olden T ext . — I come quickly: hold fast Rev. 3:11. The facts and teachings of the quarter’s course may be recalled to mind through the eye by the accompanying acrostic; the twelve letters R-e-v-i-e-w L-e-s-s-o-n indi cating the main thought of each lesson severally. The theme of the quarter, “ Jesus the Judge of Men,” runs like a scarlet thread LESSON XIII.— September 27.—
R eading L esson O nly :
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