King's Business - 1969-07/08

T he A postle P aul had his pedigree (Phil. 3:5, 6). So do I. I am o f the lineage of Paul, Origen, Tertullian, and Augustine in the early church. I am the spiritual descendant of WyclifFe, Huss, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Knox, Raikes, Wilberforce and Jonathan Edwards. My forebearers were o f the company of believ­ ers who could not be silenced by intimidation or persecution. I belong to the group of believers des­ ignated by the Apostle Paul as “ the Church,” and, therefore, I stand upon the promise of Jesus Christ Himself — that the gates o f hell shall not prevail against it. I have no time for those who, under the charade o f contemporaneity, spend their time mod­ ernizing the historic Christian faith, for I stand without apology for the faith that was delivered unto the saints o f old. I am Tired of Deliberate Attempts To Camouflage The Message of The Gospel Jesus’ last words to His disciples were, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). The Gospel ( euangellion) or “Good News” was defined by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15:3, 4: “ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scrip­

tures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” I am tired of efforts to reduce the Gospel to social change, for external change without inward transformation is like a new coat of paint on a building that is rotten at the core. I am tired of social efforts that equate evan­ gelism with PROTEST and a social gospel that denies the fundamental truths of Scripture and doctrines which have been held by Christians of all backgrounds through the centuries. The Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John pic­ tures Christ as the Saviour of the world — not as a revolutionary who was against the inequalities o f His day. I am Tired of Marginal Christianity I am tired of the attitude, “What’s in it for me?” that considers faith “a gimmick” and prayer “ string pulling” ; that considers Christianity a mental and psychological catharsis. I am tired of “brinkmanship,” an attitude that says, “ How far can I go and still be a Christian?” I am perplexed by the number of Christians who major in minimal standards yet feel God “ owes them something.” Where are the David Livingstones who made their life motto, “ I will put no value on anything

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