THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S 229 To His own He says, “ Where I am there ye shall be also” (John 14:3); to those outside, “ But the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 8:12). We find, also, these same characteristics in the life of John, the beloved disciple. He writes, by the Holy Spirit, “ Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God.” And he also writes, “ Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is anti-Christ that denieth the Father and the Son” (1 Jn. 2:22). And, again, “ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God” (I John 4:7). Contrast with this II John 10,11: “ If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God-speed: For he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker -of his evil deeds.” Hear his loving words in III John 4: “ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth” ; and his scathing words in vs. 9, 10: “ „Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words.” Listen to Stephen, dying the martyr’s death: “ Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7 :60); but he had also said, before they vented their wrath upon him (Acts 7:51), “ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost;, as your fathers did, so do ye.” Paul also exemplifies the lion and lamb aspects of a Christian character. Contrast his utterances in Col. 3:15,16: “ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” And I Cor. 5:5,13: “ To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the fiesh****therefore put away from yourselves that wicked person.” Again, contrast Bom. 9:3: “ For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” ; with I Cor. 16:22: “ If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.” Jude, the brother of James, speaking by the authority of the Holy Spirit, to the saints, says: “ Keep-yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” But, speaking of false teachers, he says, “ Baging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” In every instance you have the wonderful contrast between loyalty to the truth and love for souls, and fearful denunciation of the enemies of Hie truth. We must cultivate the spirit of our Master in our relation to men, both in the church and out of the church, but we must also avoid the sentimental ity that would assume a pious position not warranted by the Word of God, nor by the character of God. Truth it in love, but TBUTH it, and you will commend to all the well-rounded character of God,-the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit. T. C. H.
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