JUNE RADIO MESSAGE THE START OF FAITH T here are some vital teachings in the Word of God concerning how a Christian is to live for the Saviour day by day. I fear there are too many people who don’t really know what it means to live for God. Of course, life begins with Christ. Once it starts, however, how we need to know how to set our course so that glory may come to the Lord through our faithfulness and f r u i t f u l n e s s . There is a vast difference between the religious systems devised by men and the way of life which is revealed by God. First, it is the “way of peace” de scribed for us in Romans 3:17. It is also the “way of tru th” as we read in II Peter 2:2. It is called the way of righteousness” in II Peter 2:21, and the “way of God” in Acts 18:25-26. These are the only ways God has pro vided and approved. The Lord points out that there is a way which seems right unto men but the ends thereof are the ways of death. Yet, people still seek other ways such as morality, respectability, reli gion, heredity, “churchianity,” “do ing the best I know how,” good works, pennence, reformation and new theolo gy. We could list many others in addi tion which men try to use in order to find eternal life. Yet, God gave us a revelation of Himself. What a con demnation that light is come into the world, but that men love darkness rather than light. All that God has for any human being is revealed in His Word. Abounding confusion is the result of substituting the varied and conflicting opinions of fallible man. The start of spiritual life is based upon such verses as John 1:12, 13. He who inhabited the infinite and eter nal glory came down to this planet, robed in the garment of human flesh. He came in this manner to give lost mankind an intelligible and realistic revelation ■of God. It was a mission of ineffable love as He sought to re
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deem the lost and fallen children of Adam. One would think, in view of such a beneficent act, that the world would have given its royal Visitor an enthusiastic welcome. Such was far from the case as this verse clearly re veals. Thank God there was a small group of those who did believe on HE HAS GONE BEFORE "The road is too rough/' I said, "Dear Lord, there are stones that hurt me so." And He said, "Dear child, I under stand, I walked there long ago." "But there's a cool, green path," I said, "Let me walk there for a time." "No, child," He gently answered me, "The green road does not climb." "M y burden," I said, "is far too great, How can I bear it so?" "M y child," said He, "I remember its weight, I carried M y cross, you know." "But," I said, " I wish there were friends with me, Who would make my way their own." "Oh yes," He said, "Gethsemane was hard to face alone." And so I climbed the stony path, Contented at last to know That where my Master had not gone, I would not need to go. And strangely then I found new friends, The burden grew less So as I remembered long ago, He went that way before. Him, who received Him, and who wel comed Him. They opened their hearts and gave Him His rightful place. In this act of becoming God's children they enter upon His new way of life. This only is possible by a heavenly birth. 26
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