502
August 1927
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
t-------------------------------------------------- * OUR MAIL BAG t, --------- ---------------------------------------- 4 Binding and Loosing To M rs . W. C. P. The binding and loosing (Mt. 16:19) had reference to the authority of the apostles to settle questions arising in the early church, such as ceremonies and Old Testament laws apt to be brought by the Jews into the early church. You will note that they did not bind persons, but things (whatsoever, not whosoever—-see Jn. 20: 22-23). In the days before there was any New Testament to guide the Church, there would be many points of doctrine and practice which would come into dis pute. Among the Jewish rabbis, to bind meant to forbid or declare forbidden, and to loose meant to allow or declare al lowed. We understand therefore, by this passage, that the apostles were authorized to teach and guide their fellow Chris-' tians, showing what rites and ceremonies were superseded and how debatable ques tions should be settled in the new com munity. The Roman Catholic c h u r c h claims these powers for their popes and priests, but the fact of the matter is, that the passage had to do only with those who laid the foundations of the church, and the power to bind and loose was sim ply the function of directing the judg ment and practice of the newborn church. Noted your question on Mt. 5 :34-48. This passage has reference to the Jewish practice of Swearing in conversation as a witness to the truth of almost every state ment they made. Jesus recommends such veracity, honesty and sincerity in speech (verse 37) that men may be trusted upon their bare word, without any oaths to confirm. The consideration of God's name should deter us from the common use of oaths in our conversation, for He is not a common witness to be called in upon all trivial occasions. This prohibi tion against swearing does not deal with taking an oath in the law court. During His trial by the high priest, our Lord did not resent being put on oath. On rare and solemn occasions we may corroborate our word, but this is very different from the frequent, flippant use of extravagances of speech. —o— The Snake In Eden To A. C. S. * You ask where we get the idea that the serpent was originally an upright crea ture. There is nothing but tradition for this idea. Is it essential to the under standing of the Scripture? Rev. 20:2 tells us plainly that the, serpent was none other than the devil personally, the same one who tempted the second Adam (Mt. 4). Many believe that a literal snake is not necessary to the story but was a symbol ical way of picturing the subtlety of the enemy of mankind. If Satan did mani fest himself in the guise of a literal snake, the story does’ not say so. It sim ply speaks of the 1serpent, and when the New Testament tells us that the serpent means the devil, it seems to us that is sufficient. Furthermore, the word “ser pent” used in Genesis 3 means “shining one " and this identifies Satan as an angel Swear Not To E. A. D.
of light (see Ezek. 28:17; 2 Cor. 11:14). Genesis tells us that he was more “subtle” than any beast of the field, but the words ’’beast o f the field” are literally “creature o f the land,” so that in fact Satan is not compared here to beasts of the field, but to all creatures in the world, including man and woman. There are altogether too many fanciful ideas that have sprung up around the Genesis account, and if some of thesfe were left out fewer people would be objecting to the Bible teachings. There are many ideas, such as the upright serpent idea, that have no Scriptural sup port whatever. ■ ■—o— Some men are like mirrors, which, hav ing no light themselves, reflect what is before them for the moment.
and a pure heart ; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity.” Psa. 24:3-4. The last phrase is rendered by Arius Mon- tanus, “He that hath not received his soul in vain.” How many there are who receive their souls in vain, making no more use of them than the swine! — o — • A dear old saint who had seen much trouble, and was in dire need, was asked if she ever felt like murmuring. She re plied, “When I do, I just ask the Lord to put me in1the easy chair, and keep me quiet.” The visitor, seeing no easy chair about, asked what she meant. “My easy chair,” she said, “is Romans 8 :28.” —o— Dr. Panton says: “The Ark is a double symbol of the passage of Christ through judgment, and of our passage through judgment in Him. It is most remarkable that the Ark was in the shape of a coffin, six times as long as it was broad, and ten times as long as it was high; and the Ark delivered its contents on the very day our Lord rose from the dead—the seventeenth day of the seventh month. He who sent the flood, suffered the flood, and emerged from the flood, carrying all the saved with Him. And Noah came forth from the Ark, on to the new world, in the first year of his seventh century: he emerged on the Sabbath Rest of a finished and perfect work. —o— “Who hath bewitched you?” (Gal. 3:1 ). The word means “to subject a person to an occult influence,” There is witchery in the very air today. Thousands wor ship mere humbug, having been brought under occult influences. — o— One rendering of 2 Cor. 4:6 is: “God . . . hath Himself shined in our hearts that we might be illuminated.” Isn’t this what the. Church and the world needs— illuminated Christians? Christians with some shine in their lives, because they are right with God, their reflectors clean. ' —o— / Justified by grace—the source (Rom. 3 :24) ; by the blood—the cause (Rom. 5: 9) ; by faith—the principle (Rom. 5:1 ). — o — “Into thy hand I commit my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth” (Psalm 31:5). An exchange says, “The full force of these words is not us ually noted. They are commonly quoted as if they referred to dying. Indeed, Jesus, when He was dying, used almost these exaet words, and thousands of be lievers since have done the same. But as originally written, the committal was for life, and not for death. The writer of the Psalm was facing the experiences of hu man struggle and danger, and put his life into the hands of his Redeemer.” —o—• “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground” (Gen. 4:10). The original gives it “bloods” (plural). Would this include Abel’s own blood and the blood of his lamb? “The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy.” Dr. Campbell Morgan says the word here does not signify high ecstasy, such as might be experienced on special occa sions, but cheerfulness. Nothing but love, the first mentioned grace, can keep one cheerful.
I f I Were th e Devil T F I were the devil, I would speak highly of Jesus Christ. I would admit in certain circles that His blood cleanseth from all sin, and that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Then I would confuse the issue and bewilder the serious part of mankind by inducing one bunch of preachers to preach it straight and live it crooked and another bunch to live it straight and preach it crooked. I would e mp l o y irresponsible parties, easily s w e r v e d by appetites, tempers, ambitions or covetous desires, and induce them to wax eloquent upon the subject of holiness, as when one of old, indorsing Paul’s p a r t y , said, “These men are the servants of the most high God;”?:then I would pick men bearing all the marks of saintliness, who could be induced to put the standard so high that no human could rise to it. I would encourage them to imagine themselves ex empt from the ordinary behests and limitations of human na ture;, to suppose themselves in possession of lofty feelings and exalted relations which were not real. Thfis would I make it hard for the middle-of-the-road messenger of full salvation, and hinder the work of God.— From “The Way o f Faith.”
B I B L E B R I E F S * — —------------------------------------ 4 In Psa. 19, verses 7, 8 and 9 are com posed of 10 words each in the Hebrew. These treat of the commandments, which are called “the ten words” (Ex. 24:28). — o — Three things in John 5:24: l. A new possession—“everlasting life.” 2. A new provision—“shall not come into judg ment.” 3. A new position—“passed from death’ unto life.” —o— “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? . . . He that hath clean hands,
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