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THE K I N G ’ S BUS INES S
Believers are saints because they are bom of God and therefore in His fam ily. They may be unknown to one another individually, and scattered far and wide over the earth, but “the foundation of God standeth sure, hav ing this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his” (2 Tim. 2:19). Each is upon the heart of God, each is the spe cial object of His care, and each is held in His mighty hand, and so se curely held that not one of "them is lost” (Isa. 49:15, 16; John 17:12). The world, the flesh, and the devil vainly try to separate the saints from their Lord, but all their attempts are foredoomed to failure. Believers can rely confidently upon the word spoken by Jesus Christ, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they fol low me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish^ neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27, 28). In the face of all failures within and fightings without, every believer can say with full assurance, “I am per suaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come . . . shall be able to sepa rate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38, 39.) The Future of the Lost Alas, among the things that shall never change is the future state of W HY Walk around Half-Dead when We Can Bury You for Sixty Dollars?” was the ar once displayed over an undertaker’s establishment. However, many people who have physical life are unwittingly doing this very thing—walking, though dead. They are alive physically, but are dead spiritually. God’s Word speaks of un believers as being “ dead in trespasses and sins.” The spirit’ of every unre generate person is dead until it is quickened by7 the Holy Spirit The moment a person accepts Christ, he passes from death unto life. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath- everlasting life,, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). The tragedy is that there are men and women all about us who think they are enjoying life, when in
the lost. This word “forever” is fre quently used in Scripture with the meaning of endlessness. In the Book of The Revelation alone it is used twelve times; eight times of God and Christ, once of the saints, and three times of the lost (Rev. 1:6, 18; 4:9, 10; 5:14; 10:6; 11:15; 14:11; 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:5). Even though there were no other references in Scripture con cerning the future of the lost, these twelve occurrences would be amply sufficient to reveal that as long as God endures, as long as Christ en dures, as long as the saints endure, the future of the lost will endure. Perhaps there is no more dreadful fact than that the future condition of the lost will be endless. Today salvation is available to every person upon earth, without exception. To the question, “What must I do to be saved?” the answer is, “Believe on the. Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:30, 31). In . the light of all these eternal things, the Christian may be" serene in all disturbing experiences, know ing that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, -worketh for us far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17, 18). truth they are spiritually lifeless, and utterly dead to the living God! Death for the Christian God’s desire for us is that we should be no longer dead in our sins, but alive unto Him, reckoning ourselves to be dead to sin. Here is' the message to believers: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1-3). Now, “likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive-unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11). To realize the force of this paradox, let us consider the meaning of the word . “dead,” as it pertains to the physical nature. There is no response whatever in a dead body. It is deaf to every plea, and is motionless. These same facts regarding the “ dead” are [Continued on Page 12]
YOUR HOM E IN 1945 [ Continued from Page 5].
hered to. It means the fusing of. the soul with God through the truths of its sacred pages, and the lighting of a spiritual flame within the heart that no winds'of doubt or adversity can ever put out. The Lord has said plainly, “There fore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul. . .. . And ye shall teach them to your chil dren, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou risest up” (Deut. 11:18, 19). Companion of the open Bible in the home altar set-up, is the daily devo tion of prayer. Praying people are be lieving people, and believing people are happy people—all in keeping with Christ’s promise “that my joy might be in you and that your joy might be made full.” The Chrisf-ceritered home is the home in which jealousy, selfishness, disloyalty, and hatred cannot‘enter to wreak their havoc of divorce. It is in teresting to note, by the way, that the survey by a University of Chicago so ciologist shows that courtships origi nating in church circles,, and mar riages performed with religious rite«, far outlast any other types. Reinforc ing this statement is the word of a Jewish divorce judge, who has fold me repeatedly that marriages sanctified by religion are the most desirable of all, and that if he had his way; every wedding ceremony would be performed at the altar of a church. Therefore, if any young people enter ing the marriage relationship and set ting up a home during 1945, wish their future life to be founded upon a "rock,” they should have it hallowed by the presence of God both in the courtship, in the ceremony of mar riage, and finally in the establishment of the home. Let a new home be opened with prayer, and it likely will be a home that will endure until, the final separation brought on by death. Homes already facing disaster may be made safe if the doors are opened to Christ, who said, “Behold J stand at the door and knock.” Homes started and maintained on such a basis carry a guaranty of success. The family altar, in my judgment of many years, both as a newspaperman and as a minister, alone guarantees the altar of freedom. Christianity is the greatest guarantor of the democ racy we love. And if we would keep the fjres burning upon the altars of freedom, we must keep the spiritual fires burning in our homes and in our hearts. By this renewed and constant devotion to God, and by daily fellow ship with Him, we make brighter not only the prospects of our country, but also make happier our firesides in the years to come.
W ho Is Dead? By C. E. A R N O LD Kenmore, N. Y. I
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