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January 1929
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
earthly duties. It is not, as some would charge, wandering off to the skies and dismissing all obligations toward those about us. In the midst of earthly duties, we are to be conversant with heavenly things.
to give expression, “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The hymns of the church are crystal lizations of the deepest experiences and ripest thoughts of God’s people. Their melodies,, when sung “with grace” (divine favor) and “from the heart,” promote the intercourse of the soul with God. Gospel songs, furthermore, are concentrated sermons which can be sung into the hearts of others. Musical messages have haunted the souls of hundreds of sinners until they have come to Christ.
J anuary 12, 1929
MORTIFICATION Text: Col. 3:4-5 We have seen that since our new life is Christ’s life, and since He is in heaven in the bosom of God, our life, as to its divine security, is “hid with Qhrist in God." Since this is true, “when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory.” The hidden life which had its birth in our Saviour’s death will have its consummation in His second coming. We are hot always to be hidden. In the day of His appearing, we shall come forth in full and glorious manifesta tion (2 Thess. 1 :7-10). In view of these glorious truths, it is time to meet another “therefore.” “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth.” Positionally we have already died in Christ. Practically, we are to make that fact a factor in our lives. This is no mere victory of will power. It is taking sides with God against the motions of sin, in order that the Holy Spirit may have the opportunity to fight the battle for us. Text: Col. 3:15 In the oldest manuscripts, the exhortation: “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts,” reads: “Let the peace of Christ rule.” It was He who made peace by the blood of His cross and who left peace as a sacred legacy to all believers. The word “LET” suggests that this divine tranquility of soul will take possession of us if we will but get self out of the way, and per mit. The word “rule” is one borrowed from the practice of the Greeks in their games. The umpire held the prize in hand as the contest proceeded, that it might exercise a peculiar kind of rule over the athletes. The very sight of it inspired them to put their best into the game. Let us look at the “peace of Christ” and permit its ruling influence to be exercised in our hearts in the power of the Spirit. Text: Col. 3:16 If the Christian philosophy of the first part of this chapter seems too deep, so that we cannot get hold of the principle of the victorious life, we strike bed rock when we get to verse 16. “Let the word o f Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” Who of us cannot keep his soul full of the word of Christ? Do that and the rest will follow. The “word of Christ” certainly means the words He spoke while upon earth. It means much more. It means the Word which reveals Christ, for He is the all-pervading theme of the Scriptures. His Word must “dwell" in us. We must let it make a house out of us. It must be an everyday and an intimate guest. We must take time to get acquainted. It is to dwell in us “richly ”— plentifully—and it is to dwell in us “in all wisdom,” which implies that we are to appropriate it and act upon it continually. J anuary 13, 1929i PEACE J anuary 14, 1929 INDWELLING
J anuary 16, 1929
WHATSOEVERS
Text: Col. 3:17
We have in this chapter two powerful tests, that we may apply to any question as to what is or is not proper for a Chris tian to do. In the, first place—Is it one of the “things above” ? (V. 2.) Then, can it be done “in the name of Christ” and for His glory? (V. 17.) “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” We have another “what soever" in v. 23, for that which we do “in Jesus' name,” we can do “heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men.” To do and say all “in Jesus’ name” does not mean a parading of piety, an intruding of religious notions irrespective of the fitness of things, but the recognizing of Christ in everything, so that we may say:— “Once it was my working, His, it hence shall be; Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses, me.” ate J anuary 17, 1929 SUBORDINATION Text: Col. 3:18-19 The source and pattern of society is the family, which if it is to be a regenerative force, must be regulated according to the divine plan. Wives are to “submit themselves unto their own husbands as it is fit in the Lord” (v. 18). This implies no in feriority, for in Christ “there is neither male nor female. We are all one in Him” (Gal. 3:28). But there cannot be order anywhere without headship, and headship involves submission. This divine order for the family is patterned after the headship of Christ over the Church (Eph. 5:22-23). Christ is equal with the Father yet submissive to the Father. The Church is one with Christ yet submissive to her Head. The husband is head of the wife in the same sense that Christ is Head of the Church. “He is the Saviour [protector and provider] of the Body." To exer cise headship after the pattern of Christ is not to rule as a tyrant and dictator, but through love, which expresses itself in every attention, in helpfulness, confidence, and fellowship. After just three verses of salutation in his Galatian Epistle, Paul comes directly to the heart of his theme—Christ our Deliverer, the Provider of a salvation that keeps one from the tendencies of “this present evil age." “He gave Himself for our sins that He might pluck us out of this age of the evil one.” Not only are we saved as a matter of heavenly bookkeeping (Lk. 10:20), but Christ’s power is capable of delivering us from the power of darkness (Col. 1:13). He breaks the power of sin over us as well as paying our penalty. “It was the sight of Thy dear cross First weaned my soul from earthly things, And taught me to esteem as dross The mirth of fools, the pomp of kings.” If we know not a salvation that keeps us from this present evil age, it is doubtful if we are partakers of the inheritance pro vided by Christ. J a n u a r y 18, 1929 DELIVERANCE Text: Gal. 1:1-4
“O Word of God incarnate, O wisdom from on high, O truth unchanged, unchanging, O light of our dark sky; We praise thee for the radiance That from the hallowed page, A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age.” Si» J anuary 15, 1929
SINGING Text: Col. 3:16 The first part of the verse does not give us the whole secret of the overcoming life. He who draws his inspiration from the Word of Christ is sure to have music in his soul. To this he is
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