King's Business - 1919-07

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THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S

distin ct lines, namely— infidelity, heresy and fanaticism . The infidel has already come, and in many cases has found his way behind the pulpit. He has induced thousands to reje ct the au tho rity of th e Bible. The heretics also are w ith us in numbers never before known. H undreds of strange doctrines are exploited, each bolstered up w ith scattered passages from th e Bible. Each of these manages cleverly to shroud th e very h ea rt of th e Gospel, if not to openly, abhor the doctrine of th e Cross and scorn those who “ hang th e ir souls on such a barbarous tragedy as the crucifixion.” On top of these two classes of delusions, we are also w itness­ ing an increasing number of fanatics who push thousands beyond the bounds of common sense or Bible au tho rity , all unaw are th a t in th e ir extrem ism they are being used of th e devil as much as th e infidel or heretic. The infidel appeals to th e worldly m inded; th e heretic gets th e inquisitive- minded ones; th e fanatic captures th e emotional ones. J. Hudson B allard points ou t th a t Scripture defines th ree leading character­ istics of la tte r day delusions. (1) G reat power. 2 Tim. 3 :8 ; Mt. 24:24, 7:22, 23; 2 Thes. 2:9. The devil oils the tongues of his servants, charges them w ith Satanic magnetism and gives them power over the m inds of whole bodies of men. (2 ) G reat deception. Rev. 13 :14 ; 2 Thes. 2 :10 ; Mt. 24:24. Satan is a prince of deceivers and in these days he is calling fo rth all the depths of treacherou s cun­ ning th a t are in him . Some of his servants carry Bibles under th e ir arm s, have 'i a t th e ir tongues’ end and apparen tly quote it w ith reverence. They have the rig h t b ait for every case. (3) G reat success, th e n a tu ra l resu lt of g reat power and g reat deception. Mt. 24:11; 2 Thes. 2 :3 ; 1 Tim. 5-: 1; 2 Tim. 3 :3 ; 2 P et. 2:

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