November 1932
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his goodness” (Rom. 11:17-25). Now, to sinful men, God’s “ goodness” is known only in the goodness of His grace, made possible to those who receive it through Christ’s finished work. When men shall once depart from this “ faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3 ), they break the connection between themselves and the current of God’s power to save them, or to save others through them. The result is inevitable. Judgment is due. The age will close. The curtain will fall, only to rise again, and quickly, revealing a scene of world-wide glory and blessedness—the “ rod out of the stem of Jesse” upon the throne of David, reigning in righteousness “ from sea to sea . . . the whole earth filled with his glory.” Verily, “all nations shall call him blessed” (Psa. 72:17). Again, we read: “ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to se ducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy” (1 Tim. 4:1, 2 ). “ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be . . . lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but deny ing the power thereof: . . . these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Tim. 3:1-8). “ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3, 4 ). “ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift de struction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways” (2 Pet. 2:1, 2 ). Therefore: “ We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, . . . as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [literally, an apostasy] first” (2 Thess. 2 : 1 ,2 ). No man can mistake the import of these scriptures. These are but a few among many. The parables of our Lord in Matthew 13 all confirm the fact of coming apos tasy that shall close our age, very especially the parable of the wheat and the tares, where, to quote another, “ the supineness of the servants affords opportunity to the enemy to sow tares where good seed had already been sown.” The tares will be removed only by the age-closing judgments. Ecclesiastical Corruption Paves the W ay for Political Revolt against the Lord Jesus Christ It is true that the age will end by a world-wide revolt o f the nations “ against the Lord, and against his anointed” (Psa. 2 :2 ) ; but bear in mind that it is ecclesiastical cor ruption that is to pave the way to the political revolt against the Christ. Russia is but the first fruits! Ecclesias tics rather than politicians must bear the blame in the day o f judgment for the awful blasphemies against and the utter rejection of the Christ in Russia at this hour! Were it not for the inward corruption of her faith and life, the church would not need fear any outside foe. “ Frank,” said the famous pastor o f Calvary Baptist Church, New York (the late Dr. John R. Straton), on his deathbed, “ I am through, and I want to sound this note
of warning—my departure is at hand—but Frank, I want to tell you it is. not the powers outside, but the power of wickedness, the worldliness on the inside, that has broken my heart and life— it is the burdens and conflicts on the inside that have caused my anguish of soul.” And as it was with this servant, so it is with the Master. The recent General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States said, in a resolution: As in the days o f old, God has been speaking to us through the tragic events of the war, the abuse of unpre cedented prosperity, and now through the suffering and disillusionment of these days of depression; and yet we have not returned to God. Apostasy in doctrine, then apostasy in life— it is world wide. The world has marched into the holy sanctuary, bag and baggage. It stopped not for one moment at the laver. Pagan doctrines, ungodly amusements, Sabbath desecra tion, easy divorce, birth control, and what not! Protes tantism has all but deserted the unshaken verities of the moral and spiritual universe o f God. No Luther is in sight. No Luther? Then— the Christ o f God! No Real Evidence of Any Great Revival The almost total lack of any evidence of a great revival, turning men and women back to God in real repentance, is the portent that causes us to tremble for the world. The world is suffering what might well be accepted as divine judgments. Yet men and women in no great numbers think upon God. They pursue their evil ways. Indifference to God and His Word seems to increase. Empty pews grow emptier. Small prayer meetings grow smaller. Beggarly offerings grow more beggarly. Many church doors are actually closing through the utter indifference of those who should keep them open. And it must be admitted that in not a few cases there is precious little loss through the clos ing of church doors. Some one tells the story of a man, far back in a gallery at a church service, who kept calling out, “ Louder!” “ Louder!” “ Louder!” Finally, a man in the front pew, right under the preacher’s nose, arose and asked, “What’s the trouble with you back there ?” “ I can’t hear,” was the reply. “ Then,” said the man in the front pew, “ thank God and sit down!” Probably good advice! Only last Monday, America’s best-known humorist gave his bit of daily wit to the newspapers. Trying to be funny, he was far from funny—heart-breaking, rather! He said: After finishing listening to the World Series, I figured on account of it being Sunday I could leave it turned on and not have to listen to some politician, but what do I get? Four preachers all at different places. What was they do ing, saying the sinner? No. Two of ’em was saving the Republicans and the other two was saving the Demo crats. The old sinner won’t get much consideration till after November 8. Yours, Will Rogers. Ah, even an unregenerate world sees and rebukes the shepherds o f the flock for their folly! Oh, that we might have the assurance, Mr. Rogers, that “ after November 8,” “ the old sinner” might get some “ con sideration” once again, and hear the old-time gospel of the grace of God—grace made possible to him through the work o f Christ on Calvary! “ For the preaching of the cross . . . is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1 :18) unto salva tion. Well, the patient God may wait yet until “after No vember 8.” But very, very soon, Protestantism must make her decision: Back to the cross with its salvation, or for ward to the Throne with its judgment! Which shall it be?
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