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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
December 1926
God as would inspire love. God was dwelling with Israel, revealing Himself as a gracious God, but this command was designed to reveal to Israel His holiness and their sinfulness, and their need of a blood sacrifice as an atone ment for their sins. The demand is for the love of the whole being of man—a supreme love—- such as a Supreme Being deserves— the love of the heart, soul and might— whole-hearted — undivided affection— with willing obedience of the mind. It must be deep-seated (Eph. 3:17-19). God must be first in the mind and have first place in the affections. God, revealed in Jesus Christ, makes possible to those who, by faith in Him, have His own nature, the fulfilling of this command (John 1:12): “ B a t as m a a y a s re ce iv e d him , t o them g a v e h e p ow e r to b ecom e th e so n s o f God, even t o them th a t b e lie v e o a h ls nam e.” The Word of God must have first place in our hearts, for it is through the Word that He is made known to us. The Word should be hid in our hearts (Psa. 119:11). This will keep us from backsliding and apostasy and will help us to joyfully do Hls will (Psa. 40:8). It will make us indif ferent to the reproach of men (Isa. 51: 7): “ H eark en a u to m e, y e th a t k a o w rig h teou sn ess, th e p e o p le In w h o e e h eart Is m y la w i fe a r y e n o t th e rep roa ch o f men, n e ith e r be y e a fra id o f th eir re v fl- In gs.” The Word of God is a family Book. It teaches parents how to live (Deut. 6:1, 2), and how to train their chil dren. No Christian parent should de pend upon preacher or teacher, no mat ter how true such may be to the Word of God, to be the sole instructor of their children in religious things. The first obligation is upon tbe parent (Eph. 6:4): “ And, y e fa th e rs, p r o v o k e n o t y e a r ch ild ren to w ra th , b a t b rin g them u p la th e n u rtu re and a dm on ition o f th e L ord .” Paul calls attention to a notable in stance of family teaching in 2 Tim. 1: 5, and in the 21st and 25th verses of our chapter special instruction is given in what to say. The Bible is the children’s picture , book, and no book has such a hold upon the heart and mind of the little ones. Parents are here directed to "talk Bible” to tbe children; to talk about the things of God; to give them good, sound doctrines as they grow up, so that they may be rooted and grounded in the truth. Parents should not only have family prayers, but should have the children repeat verses of Scripture until they are as familiar with them as with the alphabet. Supposing t h e following verses were taught to all of the chil dren.’ Rom. 8:10; 8:23; John 3:16; 1:12; 8:36; 5:24; Rom. 8:1-4; 8:38, 39; John 20:31, and these simple pas sages dwelt upon until their full force and meaning were inwrought into their souls, they would be able to meet the silly, sentimental theories of the school teachers with wisdom’s words and put them to flight, and would be prepared to deal with unsaved people of any age. The Word of God should be a theme of conversation in the home (Mai. H:
lng, but we can not love without giv ing. When we truly and uncondition ally give ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, He will come into our lives and change us, and so fill our hearts with His that we will not be ask ing what Christ requires of us, but we will be busy doing our„utmost for Him. We will not only try to win the lost ones all about us to Him, but un consciously win m a n y by our lives, if the Christ life is shining out through us. We will have a big vision of what our attitude should be toward others. Are you growing more like Him each day? (See footnote on golden text in Scofield Bible). m 3:2, and in 2 Pet. 3:16 he links the Old Testament a n d Paul’s epistles. John also claims to speak for God (1 John 4:5).. God preserved the Jews as the de pository of the Scriptures, and through them preserved the testimonies of the Old Testament, although these very Scriptures testified against them. So, also, He used the Roman and Greek Catholic churches to preserve the New Testament, although it testified against them. (1) THE FAMILY BOOK, Deut. 6: 4-9. “These words • • • thou shalt teach • • • unto thy children,” vs. 6, 7. . “Hear, O Israel!” A summons from Jehovah to Israel to listen to a great fundamental truth concerning God and man’s relation to Him. The message is world-wide and age- abiding in its scope. First,—concern ing God (for that is the main issue always)—Who is He? He is One. There is but One. Israel’s danger is the ever-threatening danger—the dan ger of many gods. He is One, but One in Three, or Three in One. The title here is “Elohim” in the Hebrew and is plural in form. Herein lies the fundamental truth concerning the unity and trinity of the Godhead. He is the Eternal, Self-ex isting, Ever-existing God, and the com mand is “hear!”—Give ear to the great, eternal fact—“There is One God” (Deut. 4:35, 36; 6:4). God is a Jealous God. He will not share His glory with another (Isa. 42:8). There was none before Him, neither shall there be any to succeed Him (Isa. 44:6; and the Lord Jesus calls Him “the only true God” (John 17:3): «A n d th is Is I lfs etern a l, th a t th ey m ig h t k n o w th ee th e o n ly tra e G ed, aad je s a s C h rist w h om th ou h a st sea t.” Having stdted the fact concerning the oneness of God, we are then told what relation we should have to Him. God demands that He be loved, and our Lord reiterates this as the first and great commandment (Matt. 22: 37). This seems a hard demand of men, and necessitates such a knowledge of
will ever see is the Christ In those who profess to be Christians; t h e l o w standard of Christian living does not appeal to them. The following inci dent from Arnold’s S. S. Commentary is to the point. A Chinaman was asked if he had heard the Gospel. He replied, “No, but I have seen it. I knew a man who used to be a terror to the neighborhood. If offended he would shout and curse at you for two days and nights. He was dangerous as a wild beast, a bad opium smoker. But when the religion of Jesus took hold of him he was changed. He w a s gentle, moral, and he left off opium smoking.” We can give without lov- M Golden Text: "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psa. 119:105. Lesson Text: Deut. 6:4-9; 2 Tim. 3:14-17. Devotional Reading: Psalm 119: 9-16. Additional Material for Teachers: Psalm 19:7-14; Luke 24:44-47; John 6:39, 40. S EARCHING TT'INDING EEKING JP OLLOWING Approved of God.—8 Tim. 8:15 Lesson Outline: (1) The Family Book, Deut. 6:4-9. (2) The Foundation of Faith, 2 Tim. 3:14-17. Introduction : The Word of God claims for Itself inspiration (Psa. 119:89, 160; 138:2). In the Old Testament over nine hun dred times it says “The Lord said” or t h e equivalent,— LESSON 560 times in the Pen- EXPOSITION tateuch’and 200 times T. C. Horton in the h i s t o r l c a l books. Our Lord held the Old Testament in His hands and set His seal to its verity (Luke 24: 27): “ And beginning: a t M on el and a ll the proph ets, he exp ou n d ed a n to th em In a ll the S crip tu re» th e th in g » co n ce rn la g h im self.” (Luke 24:44.) The apostles also set their seal to the inspiration of Scripture- (Acts 1: 16; 4:25; 3:18, 21; 1 Thess. 2:13, and so Paul writes in Heb. 1:1, 2): “ God. w h o a t su n d ry tim es and la g iv e rs m anners sp a k e In tim e p a st unto th e fa th e rs b y th e p roph ets, «H a th la th ese la st d a ys s p o k o n u n to n s b y h ls Son, w h om h e b a th a p p oin ted h eir o f a ll th in gs, b y w h om a lso h e m ade th e w o rld s.” Paul claimed to be the mouthpiece of God (1 Cor. 2:13; 14:87), and this was in accord with the promise of the Lord Jesus in John 16:18 that they should be guided into all truth, and that the Holy Spirit should teach them all things (John 14>26). Then, again, Peter unites both the prophets, our Lord Jesus and the apostles in 2 Pet.
JANUARY 1«, 1927 THE CHRISTIAN’S USE OF THE BIBLE DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9; 2 TIMOTHY Jit4-17
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