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The Sword O f The Spirit T here is a vast amount o f theological confusion in the minds of many Christian people across this land and throughout the world. Much of the confusion is caused by ignorance of the W ord o f God. The Bible Institute of Los Angeles is dedicated to the task of giving its students thorough training in the W ord and in the things of the Spirit. Our Bible is the W ord o f God. It does not m erely contain the W ord of God — it is the W ord of God. The careful thinker w ill realize the vast difference between these two concepts, and yet how often we hear people very piously give expression to the idea, in effect, that the H oly Bible contains the W ord of God. W hen we pick up the Bible and read from its pages, we are to realize that we are holding in our hands the hallowed W ord o f God, and if our hearts are right, as we read we can hear H im speaking exactly the message that He would have us to receive. It is not for us to try to judge the Bible, instead we are to allow the Bible to judge us. Should Christians Criticize? S ome o f the greatest problems that arise in churches today stem from otherwise good Christian people who have allowed the attitude of carping criticism to creep into their thinking and into their speech. In all too many instances the critical attitude seems to be developed to a far greater extent than one’s spiritual development. Of course the Church of Jesus Christ is not a perfect place down here upon the earth. Nowhere in Scripture is the visible Church spoken of as an art gallery for the purpose of displaying perfect Christians; rather it is referred to as a schoolhouse fo r the purpose o f training and developing imperfect Chris tians. But it is not reasonable that Christians should always be going around finding fault with their fellow-saints. There are some very practical questions which we as Christians should ask ourselves at rather frequent intervals when we are inclined to become critical of the life and work of another person in our church. 1. Am I critical because m y own desires are being hampered, or because I honestly feel the particular principle involved in the actions of another is wrong? 2. Is m y criticism carefully thought through, or have I formed a snap judgment based upon on ly partial knowledge? 3. Have I become critical due to hearing on ly one side of the story, or have I heard and considered all sides? 4. Is it m y business to criticize someone else, or is it the Lord’s business to criticize and correct that person? 5. Am I judging others on outside appearances alone, or do I really know their innermost motives? 6. Am I critical toward things that are really none o f m y business? It should be remembered that if we hold to this sort of attitude, we are making other people’s business our own ; this is spoken of in Scripture as being busybodies. First Peter 4:15 : “ But let none of you suffer as a murderer . . . thief . . . evildoer, oy as a busybody in other men’s matters.” Again, Second Thessalonians 3:11 : “ For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.” Yet again, First Thessalonians 4:11 : “ Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you .” Actually there is so much work for each one o f us to do in the Church of Jesus Christ, that if we conscientiously do that which we see needs to be done we will not have time to become busybodies criticizing and inter fering with the work of others in the Lord’s service.
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Directing lives into channels of use fulness is the purpose of education at San Francisco Baptist College. Fpr complete catalog write: 121 Haight St. * San Francisco 2, Calif. SAN FRANCISCO BAPTIST COLLEGE ^ steno-cierk Pleasant, permanent, diversified work in Los Angeles. Evangelical Christian. y write: W. E. Boice 6912 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood 28, California
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