1250 Gospel mocked a t its power to elevate and reclaim the vicious. Celsus said, “Those who invite to th e mysteries say, Let him approach who is free from all stain and has lived an up righ t life. These Christians say, ‘Whoever is fool ish, w retched and a sinner, him will the kingdom of God receive’.” Again he says, “ I t is manifest to every one th a t it lies in no man’s power to produce an entire change in person to whom sin has become a second natu re, even by punishm ent, to say nothing of mercy.” Ju lian the Apostate though t Jesus an unworthy leader because He promised to help the fallen and invited the heavy- laden to .come to Him for rest. The cultured classes of th e ancient world though t th a t a religion th a t noticed poor folks and m iserable slaves was w orthy only of th e ir supreme contempt. I Cor. 1:26-28. SATURDAY, December 10. II Jo h n 1- 13. Christian correspondence. May we no t learn from th is exquisite and tim ely le tte r of P aul to his friend Philemon to bring Christ into our cor respondence? Let us subsidize the postmen of Uncle Sam to spread the Gospel. If we can not bring ourselves to speak directly to friends and ac quaintances about th e ir religious duties and sp iritu al dangers, then surely in the quietness of our homes we may pray for wisdom and sit down to w rite them tender, loving le tte rs of warning and entreaty. Many a one has been strengthened in th e hou r of trial, com forted in sorrow and some have been led to Christ by such opportune white winged messages th a t come fluttering to th eir side in some moment of de cision or of need. The least th a t any one can do,' is to have a t hand a supply of tracts and leaflets suited to all con ditions and slip one in to every missive th a t goes out, w ith a silent prayer for blessing. Then th e benediction w ith which P aul concludes his le tte r will not only go w ith th e departing le tte r but abide sweetly in th e soul of the sender, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be 10 . The highest motive to a holy life. It is a historical fact as well as an ethical principle th a t g ratitu d e for sovereign grace has ever been tjie most w ith your spirit. Amen.” SUNDAY, December 11. Luke 19:1-
T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S powerful motive to a life of holiness. Jesus said, “To whom much is forgiven, th e same loveth much.” The fu tu re good behaviour of Onesimus would be guaranteed by the mercy and pardon th a t he received, while his g ratitu d e to Philemon would conserve his good re so lutions and make him give expression to his thankfulness in many ways th a t would have been impossible in th e old life of slavery and sin. When we are introduced into th e Divine fam ily and made p artak ers of the Divine natu re, it is for us to bring our state approxim ate ly up to our standing and to live a life day by day th a t corresponds to such an exalted and sublime position. Rom 8:3, 4. MONDAY, December 12. n Tim. 4:1- 8. The crown of righteousness There are seven crowns in th e New Testament, four for the believer and th ree for Christ. A crown is the sym bol of reward. While we are saved by grace we are crowned on the basis of fidelity and service. It is a worthy am bition for every believer to win and wear as many crowns as possible for th e glory of God and th e honor of His name. Among them all the crown of righteousness seems th e easiest to win because the only condition stated is th a t of loving H is appearing. However it is not so easy as it looks. It is no t a question of accepting the tru th about th e second coming of Christ. No one who believes th e Bible a t all can help believing th at. One may believe it and be indifferent to it or even believe it and be afraid of it. To believe it and love it demands a personal and sp irit ual ad ju stm en t to it, involving an u t te r separation from th e world and every practice th a t is inconsistent w ith it. I John 3:3. TUESDAY, December 13. II Tim. 4 ; 9-22. P au l’s la st words The second epistle to Timothy is the swan song of th e g reat Apostle of the Gentiles. I t was w ritten a t Rome du r ing his imprisonm ent and shortly before his martyrdom . It ds a message from his dungeon while awaiting the foot steps of his executioner. He sends his “ child in th e fa ith ” fath erly instruc tions and ea’rn est exhortations which are invested w ith g rea t significance on account of his impending departure. The
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