thank Him fo r Himself and His great love to them and to tell Him how much they love Him. We often hear those who are not Christians speak o f worshiping God in nature, in beautiful pictures, etc. But those who do not have God as their Fa ther cannot worship Him. True worship must come through Christ, the Saviour. Christians who worship well will also work well for their Lord. Their work will be easier and more fruitful because they are better acquainted with the One with whom they work. Has God found in you the worshiper whom He seeks? G od ’ s F ellow W orkers H ave a N ew R esponsibility ( 6 : 1 - 10 ) God has a right to expect something different from His ambassadors than from the ordinary children o f this world. An outward expression o f the inward work o f grace ought to be witnessed. Thé teacher should note that Paul is mainly concerned with ministers o f the Gospel in this section but what he has to say ap plies very well to other believers as well. A careful survey o f these verses will make it evident what sort o f persons we ought to be in all our living. We should be careful recipients o f the grace o f God, (v. 1) not like the Galatians who soon turned from the true Gospel unto some thing else (Gal. 1 : 6) ; stepping-stones and not stumbling-blocks in our daily witness (v. 3) ; those who by their testi mony are good advertisements fo r the truth o f God (w . 4-10). It has been said often that a product is its own best ad vertisement. So it is in' the realm of the Gospel. Those who have been trans formed by the power o f the Gospel are t h e b e s t possible witnesses for that power. Paul just about exhausts himself in showing the ways in which the be liever ought to demonstrate the nature of the life within him. Such a one may be unknown and ignored (v. 9) by the world. He is dead to it and yet he is pos sessed o f true life. There are many para doxes in his experience. He is not what he often appears to be in the eyes o f the world (v. 10). To the world he may ap pear to be very poor but how different is the reality. In Christ both the present and the future are in the truest sense the believer’s possession (1 Cor. 3:21-23). Helps for the Children How W e W ork W ith G od (H ebrews 11:8,9, 23-25,27) M e m o r y V e r s e : “ We are labourers to gether with God” (1 Cor. 3 :9 ). The Christian life is a thrilling adven ture, fo r the Christian works and walks with God, the Creator o f the universe, God who knows the end from the begin ning, God with whom nothing is impos sible !
ship God. Jesus told the woman that “ God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” The place was not nearly so im portant in God’s sight as was the heart o f the worshiper! The New Testament teaches that the only thing which God the Father is look ing for is for someone to worship Him. He needs workers, but He seeks wor shipers! Some, Christians are too busy serving God to stop and worship Him. Only those who take time to worship God can really know Him. Some Chris tians pray, but only to ask for some thing. God’s heart is rejoiced when His children take time to adore Him: to Pointers on the Lesson A good verse, with which to begin the consideration o f this week’s lesson is the memory verse assigned— 1 Corinthians 3 :9 : “ For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” What honor is thus be stowed upon the believer! God and re deemed man are thus linked together in the work of the Gospel. Together they till the same field. Together they build the same building. Passing from this in troductory verse, we come quickly to the main portion of Scripture selected for the lesson: God’s fellow workers. In harmony with this title, we may divide the Scripture as follows: G od ’ s F ellow W orkers H ave a N ew T itle (2 COR. 5 :2 0 ) They are “ ambassadors.” Ambassadors .are those who represent their native country in a foreign land. They speak with authority. They serve their coun try. All of this is pertinent to the child o f God. He represents God in a foreign land. He speaks with the authority of God because he has in his heart God’s own message. His business is to serve even as Christ served when among men. The amazing thing about the message of this verse is that it tells us that when the “ ambassador for Christ” speaks it is “ as though God did” speak. This ought to give confidence to every child o f God as he goes forth with the Word o f God in hand and heart. It should give him holy boldness. G od ’ s F ellow W orkers H ave a N ew S tanding (5 :2 1 ) They are “ made the righteousness of God.” Before, they stood in Adam with a sinful nature. Now they stand in Christ with a new nature. Before, they were guilty before God, anticipating cer tain judgment. Now they are guiltless in His sight, looking forward to transfor mation into the perfect likeness o f His Son at His coming. And all of this re sulted from Christ’s bearing our judg ment for us at Calvary. We are now “ in Him.” DECEMBER , 1947
A fruitful ministry of evangelism and Scripture distribution supported by free-will offerings. Send for free Quarterly with news of work in U. S. and China to: National Headquarters PocketTestament League 156 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 10, N .Y . OUR MISSIONARIES ARE BUSY TODAY — in North and South India among Hindus and Muslims in organized churches and pioneer fields True to the W ord -— True to the Lord Pray for the work— Give as God directs. Free literature and information available on request CEYLON AND INDIA GENERAL MISSION 128 South Lombard Avenue Oak Park, Illinois 'esson ^ b y ^ * R A .T O R R E Y 1 9 4 Insist on the ORIGINAL. Forty- eight Years’ Supremacy. Never equalled. Condensed Thought. Digest and Text of Lesson. Full Exposition.'Other features. Flexible Binding, 50c Postpaid F. H. Revell Co.. 158 Fifth Ave., N. Y. 10, N. L ITH U A N IA CALLS Hear the soul-hungry cry of 5,0000,000 Lithuanians scattered over the world— dispossessed .dissatisfied, without Christ and the Word of God. Less than. 1% profess Christ as Saviour! Since 1928 we have preached Christ by word of mouth and printed page in three continents. Write for the Bible Witness— FREE. Your prayers and help requested. Lithuanian Missionary Ass’n ., Inc. P. O. BOX 488-K, CHICAGO 9«, ILLINOIS Interdenominational— A Work of Faith
JANUARY 25, 1948 GOD 'S FELLOW WORKERS 2 COR. 5 :2 0 -6 :1 0
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