spiritual blessings” as the Apostle gives them to us in Ephesians, first chapter. Then get down on your knees and thank God that all these are yours through no merit of your own, but entirely through sovereign grace. The Real Christian Is Energetic The passage in Ecclesiastes 9:10 is of great importance to the Christian. True, this verse is found in the Old Testament, and in a book that treats of the vanity of life. But the Spirit of God never changes permanent prin ciples even though His revelation in creases in fulness from Genesis to Rev elation. In the above text the inspired writer urges God’s people to activity. He says, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” The same truth is presented by Paul in Romans 12:11. Do you not agree that some Christians are lazy? They are doing nothing for the glory of God and for the extension of the cause of Christ. Such Christians need to study these kindred passages like First Corinthians 15:58. The Christian ought to be energetic because time is running out; he ought to serve the Lord with zeal because of love for Christ; he ought to busy him self about the Master’s business out of jealousy_for the Name and the fame of Jesus Christ. The Real Christian Is Enthusiastic Ecclesiastes 9:10 suggests this truth. Doing something with all our might means doing it with great enthusiasm. There is joy in serving Jesus. The more a believer comes into fellowship with Christ, the more joyously will he serve Him. There is something wonderfully contagious about the Son of God. He was the most enthusiastic of all men, and for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame (Heb. 12:2). Christ was not reluctant to serve us. Shall we, then, be slow in our service for Him? Let us serve with zeal, with warmth of spirit, on fire for Him who died for us. The Real Christian Is Farsighted By this we mean that he will live in the light of eternity. He will consider his way in order that he might spend his time here profitably. The writer of Ecclesiastes 9:10 had this thought in mind in the last part of the verse. Study it carefully. Remember, dear Christian, that your opportunity to live for Christ and to serve Him is limited. We have not long to stay here. Life at its longest is very brief. If you are going to do anything for the Lord, you had better be up and at it. Study such Scriptures as the following in this con nection: 1 Cor. 15:58; Rom. 13:11-14; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:10. Christian, let us live in the light of eternity!
Christ not in part of his life, and not once in a while, but in every part of his life and in everything he says! Paul says, “ Whatsoever ye do.” It is easy to be inconsistent. It is difficult to be all of one piece in our Christian lives. To strike a happy me dium, and to walk in the middle of the road, to maintain a balance, and to keep a steady equilibrium in our lives is in deed a wonderful accomplishment. But it is what the Saviour expects. What we are and say and do ought to coincide. We ought to talk and walk like Christians if we are really Chris tian. Someone has well said, “What you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you say.” If we nurture our Christian character and water it by study and by prayer, and if we work to be consistent in our lives and lips according to the Word of God, surely He will help us to honor Him by all we do and say. The Real Christian Is Grateful Paul was a happy Christian because he was grateful to God for every bless ing. His joy in Christ is manifest in his word to the Colossians in 3:17 “ giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” We take so many things for granted and are not therefore truly grateful. How long has it been since you thanked God from your heart for the food you eat, the clothes you wear, for your home, for your health, for your loved ones and friends, for your work, for your church? Thanksgiving springs from gratitude. How grateful the Christian ought to be for Christ and His Cross! If God had done nothing more for us than to pro vide redemption this would have been sufficient to draw from every saved soul eternal praise. But God has not only given us salvation through faith in Christ, He has also included every priceless possession in Him (Rom. 8:32; Eph. 1:3). List some of the “ all
Sep. 28, 1952 MAKING THE BEST OF SECOND CHOICES Col. 3:17; Eccles. 9:10a
Perhaps a better topic for this lesson would be “ The Marks of a Real Chris tian.” The Scriptures which form the basis of this study teach that when a man really lives for Christ, at least six things will be true of his life. The Real Christian Is Loyal This is what is meant by the words “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17). A man is called a Chris tian, not because he lives in a so-called Christian nation, or in a Christian home, or because he attends a Christian church. A man is a Christian because he is personally identified with Christ, and because that identity shapes him more and more into the Christ-like image. The term Christian was first used of a group of believers in one of the most wicked cities in the Roman empire (Acts 11:26). Why did the pagan mul titude in this city call the followers of Christ Christians? We think because they really tried to live like Christ and because they were ceaselessly talking about Him. Are these things true of us? The only impression most people have of Christ is the impression made by professing Christians. The only Life of Christ most people read is the Life of Christ in you. Because of this Paul commands God’s people to keep Him in mind in every part of their lives. Are you loyal to Christ in what you do and what you say? (Gal. 2:20). The Real Christian is Conscientious The Holy Spirit through Paul states that the Christian is to bear witness to
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