T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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th e ir Messiah. The heathen converts at Antioch knew nothing about Moses. They had renounced th e ir idols. The new name indicates a new body. SATURDAY, July 5. John 17:15-21. Christian Unity for World Conquest. The most ancient symbol of a Chris tian in early C hristian a rt is a fish. It has scales to keep the w ater out and fins to propel it th rough th a t element in which it lives. Christ keeps His redeemed people in th e world, giving them grace to keep th e world ou t and power to carry them th rough it. Spir itu al unity is always possible and desir able. Organic unity is n eith er desir able nor possible. There was organic unity in P re-reform ation days during th e one thousand years of the Dark Ages. Spiritual life was never a t a lower ebb th a n during th is time. The only basis for sp iritu al un ity is love and loyalty to Christ. Credal differences are inevitable and irreconcilable. The tru e unity of th e Church is found, not in a consensus of intellectual opinions as in a political party, b u t in affection ate obedience to a person as in a fam ily. The word church is used in the New T estam ent in two senses. W ith th e definite article it is used to include th e en tire company of the regenerate. W ith th e indefinite article it is used to designate an organized local assembly of Christians. One m ight be a mem ber of th e church and not be a member of a church. One m ight belong to a church and not belong to th e church. The mere fact of having one’s name upon the reg ister of a local church is not recognized as a sp iritual asset in the day of judgm ent. Matt. 7:22, 23. To manifest the Christian temper, to m aintain the Christian attitud e, to ex emplify th e teachings of th e New Testa ment, makes for unity and m ightily impresses a gainsaying world w ith the tru th of Christianity. SUNDAY, July 6. Rev. 19:6-16. The Glorified Church. The n ineteenth chapter of Revela tion describes th e second coming of Christ. It is th e fulfillment of th e Old T estam ent prophecies of a victorious ea rth ru ler who shall in augu rate a golden age. Isaiah 63:1-6. To th is focal point all beams of prophetic light converge. There is b u t one Hebrew word in the Apocalypse. I t is the word H allelujah and occurs for th e first
th ing s th a t are scarcely noticeable at th e tim e b u t which are most helpful and blessed in th e ir perform ance? P aul sends his g ratefu l greetings to certain ones in Rom. 16 whom he characterizes as his helpers in Christ Jesus. No other distinction is necessary to confer a blessed and lasting fame. W h at a privilege to have served the great Apostle of th e Gentiles in th e hum blest capacity! In helping him, one helped his Master. “O th e skies th a t we may brighten, O th e w rongs th a t we may Tighten, O th e loads th a t we may lighten, helping ju s t a little .” FRIDAY, July 4. Acts 11:19-26. The Church Extending to the Gentiles. Antioch became a new religious cen ter, w ith a new character, new leaders and even gives a new name to th e fol lowers of Jesus. Antioch was cosmo politan and on th e highway to the west. Babylon was too far east. A lexandria was too Jew ish and was th e center of speculative philosophy. Jerusalem was under th e Rabbinical yoke and never sent ou t any m issionaries, although a few had been forced ou t by persecu tion. The Holy Spirit spreads the tru th h u t uses th e best qualified men and nations. Germany was P ro te sta n t cen tu rie s before America b u t America bears a far more prom inent p art in modern missions. The difference in sp irit and political organization sug gests th e reason. A free church in a free sta te is b etter fitted to attend to th e world’s needs. Sovereign grace is best proclaimed by sovereign men. The Jerusalem exiles offered th e Gospel to none b u t Jews. Some of th e ir number, however, were Hellenists, i. e. Jews belonging in Cypress and Cyrene. These were more liberal and aggressive. When they came to Antioch, they preached the Gospel to th e Greeks, vs. 20. The word “ Grecians” meaning H ellenists is a tex tu al erro r. The best versions have Greeks, i. e. heathen. Christianity for the first tim e breaks th e Jew ish shell. God greatly blesses the work and B arnabas is sent to tak e charge of it. When it grows beyond his power to manage it, he sends for Saul of Tarsus. Luke calls th is company of converted heathen a church. The word is not applied to the Sam aritans nor to the household of Cornelius. H ere th e word C hristian is born, not of derision and opprobrium , b u t given because of the teaching. In Jerusalem th e disciples w ere Jews who had accepted Jesus as
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