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Talbot’s 9 1 Glixestioxi mm Box
tions was such an act of mercy, not of hate. God has a concern for the human race as a whole. However, the liberals are wrong in their conclusion that the New Testament does not show equally severe judgment upon sin. One has only to read the Revelation and see what judgments God will allow to be poured upon this earth before He makes a full end of sin to under stand that He is a God of righteous ness and judgment as well as of love. His wrath against sin is as holy as His compassion for man. We need not look any farther than Calvary to learn the extent of God’s love; He so loved the world that He gave His Son for our redemption (John 3:16). But He is a righteous Saviour. Q. Please explain Jesus’ words, “/ never knew you” (Matt. 7:28). Is it possible that some of those ad dressed were formerly sincere Chris tians who were at this time in a backslidden condition? A. These words of our Lord’s were the outcome of the conditions re ferred to in the two preceding verses (vs. 21, 22), and show the futility of profession of Christ without faith in Him. We cannot believe that those for whom these words were meant could ever have been sincere Christians. One of the tests o f belonging to Christ is one’s endeavor to do the will of the Father, and according to Christ’s words, “ ye that work in iquity” (v. 23), those to whom He was speaking, were not performing the Father’s will. Their service was no doubt glamorous—prophecy, mira cles, “many wonderful works” all done in Christ’s name (v. 22 ); but it was not motivated by the Spirit of God, neither did it emanate as the expression of saving faith in Christ. The Lord knew the condition of their hearts and minds for He “ needed not BACKSLIDERS AND NON-BELIEVERS
that any should testify of man . . . he knew what was in man” (John 2:25). Again, from His words “ I . . . know my sheep, and am known of mine” (John 10:14), we learn that He knows all who belong to Him. Christ has promised, “ Him that com- eth to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). The person who estab lishes the right relationship between himself and the Lord may be con fident that it will be recognized by Him, and that it will be an everlast ing bond. ORIGIN OF THE RAINBOW Q. Does Genesis 9:18 give us the origin of the rainbow? A. Yes. Until the flood it had not rained upon the earth which up to that time had been watered by a mist (Gen. 2:5, 6). Perhaps those who had never seen storms would have been frightened by them. God pointed out the beautiful phenomena of the sun’s rays passing through the rain and shining upon the clouds and reassured His creation that He would not send another flood to de stroy the earth. Q. Explain the meaning of Deuter onomy 38:25: “ As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” I know that it was a promise to one of the sons of Jacob or tribes of Israel, but can we not apply it to ourselves and our lives? A. Certainly we may. I have done it hundreds of times in my life and found it to be true. Everything in God’s Word is for us but not all of it is about us; it was all written for our example and our admonition (I Cor. 10:11). We all have our own particular weaknesses but here is the contrast with God’s strength and ability. R e a d Philippians 4:13; Psalms 121:1 and 124:8; Hebrews 4:12. OUR WEAKNESS— GOD'S STRENGTH
CALLING FOR THE MINISTRY Q. A man told me the other day he wanted to he a minister. He is not a saved man at all and has no testi mony for Christ. Would God call stick a man? A. Of course not. He sends out only His own. But there are many minis ters in the pulpits of our lands who do not know the Lord. They have gone into the ministry as they would any other profession, such as the law or medicine. It is a great tragedy, for how can one lead anyone to the Lord if he does not know Him him self? It is the blind leading the blind. Personally, I think this is the reason for so much liberalism in the pulpits today. These men had no real faith in the foundation truths of the Word of God before they ever en tered the ministry. They are leading others into the darkness of their unbelief in the name of Christianity. JUDGMENT Q. Liberals make a good deal of the fact that Israel was told to destroy the Canaanites and other heathen. They claim this teaches that the Old Testament God was not the same as the God of the New. Why did the Lord deal so severely with those nations ? A. These nations had had their op portunity to receive the truth of God but they had turned their backs upon Him. Read Romans, chapter 1. They were idolators, corrupt in their lives. Their degradation was so great that their offspring would have been mor ons. The Lord was attempting to preserve His people from inter marrying and intermingling with them. When a part of the human body becomes so infected that it will only bring death to the person to allow it to remain, we apply surgery. The extermination of the depraved na
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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