King's Business - 1963-12

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by William L. Coleman

freedom, and the cruel thief from the Christian’s service. This strangling master of deceit and terror is the Chris­ tian’s haunting memory. In many it is unchecked and feared and yet harmful beyond our imaginations. What person has not had flashed upon his mental screen the memory of a sin which he committed long ago and yet, somehow, he cannot forget? Who has not visioned Vivid pictures of bygone habits only to have his appetites whetted afresh? Who has not had a careless or wild side of life brought to his attention only to arouse in him the desire to but briefly relive those foolish moments? It appears as though we learn too late, if we learn at all, that no man sins inexpensively. Though our pul­ pits may ring out with warnings and our Scriptures are replete with exhortations, yet we do not learn to fear the moment’s recklessness which will haunt us for years to come. God alone is capable of completely forgiving and forgetting sin.

W e s h o u l d t h i n k t w ic e before we laugh about ghosts, witches or walking corpses. Should we hear eerie voices echoing in the night, feel evil spirits beckon­ ing, or discover dreary shadows wooing us near, we dare not take it too lightly. Ghosts revived from the dead may be as real and concrete as anything we experience in life. They are not merely figments of our imaginations nor are they products of gastric indigestion; rather they can be tragic influences in the lives of earnest Christians. The real problem with these pesky invaders is that they are not easily identified. We have been conditioned to look for ghosts decked in flowing white sheets or wrapped tightly in bandages or even hairy faced and fangeid. Yet, more frightening, more fearsome and more destructive than all the-horrors which we have dreaded from childhood is a ghost without the form, color, move­ ments, habits, or reputations of the typical ghoul. Indeed, he is quite unassuming; he is neither ferocious, violent Or even animate. Rather he is the unseen capturer of the Christian’s mind, the ruthless crippler of the Christian’s

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THE KING'S BUSINESS

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