THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S Christ. He was' most highly honored with_ a special revelation of Jesus Christ while with murderous heart he sought to stifle the church by slaying the Christians. He was honored by be ing lifted to the third heaven. Yet Paul gives us the key to his Christian character when he tells us th a t he was “made all things to all men that he might by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:22). And at the close of his life he testifies (2 Tim. 4:7, 8): ‘<1 have fought a good fight, I have fin ished m y co arse, I have k e p t th e fa ith . H en cefo rth th e re is laid up fo r m e a crow n of rig h te o u sn e ss, w hich th e Lord, th e rig h te o u s judge, sh a ll giv e m e a t th a t day a n d n o t to m e only, b u t u n to a ll them also th a t love h is ap p earin g .’9 James tells us the same thing in James 1:12, and so does Peter in 1 Pet. 5:4, and our Lord Himself urges us to the sacrificial life in Rev. 2:10: " F e a r none of th o se th in g s w hich th o u sh a lt su ite r; behold, th e devil sh a ll c a st som e o f you in to p riso n th a t ye m ay be trie d ; an d y e sh a ll have trib u la tio n te n day s; be th o u fa ith fu l u n to d e ath , a n d I w ill giv e th ee a erow n of life,” . If we are to be in Paul’s class we must be like-minded. Put the right estimate on eternal things. Set your face like a flint. Keep your body in subjection to your soul and your soul in subjection to the Holy Spirit so th a t you will not fail of the great reward. (3) THE BLIGHT OR BLESSING OP THE BODY, Gal. 5:7, 8. God’s laws are immutable. When He works miracles He introduces a new law; but when He says “Sow and you reap” He means it, and we know how inevitable and unchangeable that law is. This law is true with reference to the body, soul and spirit, of which we have been speaking. It is true in Chris tian life, in social life, in business life, in educational life; a law blessed in results and also fearful in results. The Bible, from beginning to end, is a continuous illustration of sowing and reaping, commencing with Adam and Eve whose sowing to the flesh has pro duced a harvest world-wide and age- abiding. This law is seen in the his-
360 not our own. We belong to God and should therefore yield ourselves to God. (Rom. 6:13). (2) THE BODY- BROUGHT INTO BONDAGE by the Spirit’s Con trol, 9:24-27. In this ninth chapter Paul presents the claims of Christ upon himself per sonally in a remarkable manner. He sets forth his obligation to preach the Gospel (v. 16), to seek the conversion of men (vs. 19-23), and closes with the verses of our lesson in which is mani fest his deep desire for Christ’s approval of iis life in the flesh. This desire is focused in the words “But I keep my body under and bring it into subjec tion” (v. 27). He buffets his body. Here we have the picture of an arena— of a man with every muscle strained, plunging forward* to cross the tape line ahead of his competitors and holding out his hand for the laurel-leaf crown. As you read the words and see the run ner, your blood flows a little swifter and your heart beats faster. What are these men running for? A few leaves which fade in a few days. What do they do in preparation for the race? Spend ten months of deprivation, of severe discipline of the body, and then, ten minutes tells the tale. Paul is seeking, by the Holy Spirit, to fire the hearts of believers with zeal for the reward tfiat awaits them. Chris tian life is a race. There are self-de nials, self-sacrifices. There may be the loss of friends and of earthly store. There may be a prison and an execu tioner’s block. But what of these? There is the goal and the Lord Jesus Christ waiting to hand to the victor the crown. Crowns are for those who win them. Salvation is a gift,—a free gift,—but rewards are for those who earn them by their faithful service. They will be awarded a t the judgment seat of Christ. (1 Uor. 3:13-15). Paul was an apostle beloved of
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