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MAY 1943
Led by the success of the first sum mer’s meetings, Rayburn launched in to a full-time program to reach high- school youth. Clubs were requested in numerous towns,, and openings gained to high-school assemblies. During the first year, Campaign leaders presented the gospel before 75,000 high-school students. They b e l i e v e that high- school young people constitute one of the most neglected mission fields in America, and yet remarkably open te the witness of qualified and conse crated young leaders.
They answered their own question by enlarging the park pavilion to seat 1,000 and staging a two-weeks’ cam paign in which they saw many of their fellow students saved. Young people, themselves, spread the gOspel on the radio, on the street corners, and from house to house. In D a l l a s and Houston crowded tents were the scene of many con versions and dedications. And from each of these Campaigns grew more weekly neighborhood dubs.
radiantly, “ I’ve been the happiest girl in the world for the past twenty-four hours. I was saved in that prayer meeting.” Attendance grew until one night 170 persons sat on the rug and stair way, eager for a simple gospel mes sage. Meanwhile other clubs were pro gressing in Dallas, Houston, and else where. When school closed, the Gaines ville students asked, “Why can’t we do some missionary work right hère in our own town?”
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of God. But He has done, more: “IF any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” For the Christian who sins, there is available the mercy seat; that is the meaning of the word “propitiation” in 1 John 2:2. Connect this truth with -that of 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The sinning saint will be saved, but he must give an account of himself to God. He may, by following afar off, deprive himself of both joy and of rewards for service; but this he need not do, for there iSLat hand the means of instant cleansing and restitution. Of Israel, God said: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely” (Hos. 14:4); He will do the same for any backslider. QUE. : What does it mean to be o f one mind and one body? If you will read Romans 12, you will find a great deal about the church illustrated by the human body. Even as the human body has many mem bers, so also has the. church. The members of our body must work in perfect harmony. Likewise in the body of Christ, there must be unity of ac tion under the direction of one Head, which is Christ. When there is “one mind,” that is, willingness to serve the Lord, there will be also “ one body,” that is, unity in the body of Christ. We must be able to pray, in the beautiful words of Elizabeth Prentiss: “More love to Thee, O Christ! More love to Thee; Hear Thou the prayer I make On bended knee; This is my earnest plea, More love, O Christ, to Thee.”
ally, as perfected forever. He has what we call the imputed righteous ness of God. It is that righteousness of which Paul speaks when he voiced his desire to “be found in him, not having mine ow n righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the right eousness which, is of God by faith” (Phil. 3:9). This is not a righteous ness that is achieved; it has nothing to do with acquired personal good ness. . The moment we’are saved we stand “complete in him,” Christ Jesus. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (Rom. 6:1).' The answer is, “God forbid” (v. 2). God has made provision for a victorious Christian life. Sin is not to have dominion over us. We are to reckon ourselves dead to sin (v. 11). We are not to yield our members as instruments of unright eousness, but to yield ourselves, con sciously and continually, unto God (v. 13). As this is done, our practice will conform to our position. Now let us think of this situation: Here is a believer. He possesses the imputed righteousness of God as a gift from Him. He has at hand the means of grace which the Lord has provided. But he does not avail him self of them. He sins. What happens? He does not lose his salvation, for if he is truly a child of God (John 1:12), he cannot cease to be a child, though he may become an unhappy, ineffec tual, chastened child. Toward all who come to Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ,*: God the Father main tains a father’s relationship forever. We read in 1 John 2:1: “Little chil dren, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.” In other words, He has provided the means for victo rious Christian living .for every child
QUE.: What is meant in Ephe sians 6:12 by “ spiritual wicked ness” ? How can any wickedness be “ spiritual” ? The apostle is not using the word “spiritual” to mean something to be desired, pertaining to the Holy Spirit; but rather to describe the power of Satan and his hosts. The devil is a fallen angel (cf. Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:12-19). And as such, he is a spirit being. Man is “flesh and blood,” and therefore unequally matched against his adversary, Satan, who is far more powerful than he. As human beings, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood [other human beings], but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wicked ness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). If we were left to struggle with Sa tan in our own strength, we would in evitably fight a losing battle. But thanks be to God, He has given us His own all-powerful, indwelling Holy Spirit. “We are more than conquer ors through him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37). The host of spirit beings in the army of Satan and under the direc tion of Satan, is what Paul has in mind in Ephesians 6:12. Hence the exhortation to “put on the whole ar mor of God.” QUE.: Please give me some simple and convincing word con cerning the intercessory work of our Lord on behalf o f backsliders. First, let us get clearly in mind that one cannot “ backslide” who has not first been saved. Then, in.the second place, let us remember that when g person is born again, that is, when his sins are covered by the atoning blood of Christ, that person stands, position
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