January 1928
25
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
Could Wish H im self Accursed (To M rs . M. C. S.) (Rom. 9:3)
:: H e a r t t o H e a r t ::
Paul’s statement that he “coiild [lit. “was on the way to” ] wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh,” has been well charac terized as “a spark from the fire of Christ’s substitutionary love.” It is Christian patriotism of the most intense kind. He would gladly endure the extremest suffering-ijSS/ he could do any good by it. However, he was a redeemed soul, and was not his own to wish (1 Cor. 16:19-20). How much of this kind of love for the lost have we ever felt?
JOHN 5:24—A TREASURE OF TRUTH B y K. L. B.
The first great treasure in this familiar passage is a NEW POSSESSION. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent me H A TH EVERLA ST ING LIFE.” Everyone—saved or unsaved—has eternal existence, but those who believe God’s record of His Son, become partakers of the eternal life of God, or spiritual life which contains within itself everlasting blessedness in heaven. This blessed life, let us remember, is known only to those who know God through Jesus Christ. “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (Jn. 17:3). “This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 Tn. 5:11- 12 ) . • Taking God’s Word at its face value, all who have received Christ as a personal Savior, are the present possessors of eternal life. Yet our joy is not in what we possess, but in what we know we possess.' “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 Jn. 1 :4). A man died in poverty a few years ago, and soon after his death, coal was discovered on his land, and millions of dollars have been made by the heirs of his little piece of property. He had not possessed his possessions. Those who have accepted Christ are rich, yet many of them act like paupers, having no assurance. Why should we not take God at His Word ? He says: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye H A VE eternal life” (1 Jn. 5:13). A N ew P rovision Our passage next informs us of a New Provision for the believer—“and shall not come into the judgment” (R. V.). Romans 8:1 reads to the same effect: “There is therefore now NO JUDGMENT to them who are in Christ Jesus.” Judicially our sins were judged at Calvary’s cross. Jesus “¿ore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2 :24). If we were judged in the Person of Christ, having accepted Him as our Substitute, then we never can be called before the judgment bar of God to answer for them. A minister, while crossing the Bay of Biscay, became greatly alarmed as he beheld what he thought was an approaching hurricane. Tremblingly, he addressed him self to one of the sailors: “Do you think she will be able to go through it?” he asked. “Through what?” inquired the man. “That awful hurricane that is coming down upon us.” The old sailor smiled and said: “That storm will never touch us. It has passed us already.” So, in regard to the believer, judgment as to the penalty of our sins is past. We were tried, condemned
Bap tism In to th e Body To P. B. S.
You say that a pastor in your community interpreted the “baptism” spoken of in 1 Cor. 12:13 as water baptism, and, therefore, essential to being united to the Body of Christ. It seems clear that it is “by the Spirit that we are bap tized-into one body.” The rite of water baptism is per formed by the minister, not the Holy Spirit. The bap tism here spoken of is that which brings us into union with the Body of Christ (the True Church). All those born of the Spirit of God “have been made to drink into one Spirit,” and are thus brought into the fellowship of the Body.-: In Jn. 7 :37-39; Jesus says , “I f any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink . . . This spake He of the Spirit .which they that believe on Him should receive.” We are, therefore, made to drink of the one Spirit when we truly believe on Jesus. At Pentecost the great baptism of 'the Spirit took place (Mt. 3:11; Acts 1:5). The word is not used except of the initial outpourings. Henceforth, as each, by faith, is united to Christ, he participates in that baptism. There is a fulness of the Spirit, which does not usually come to the new convert, so in point of time becomes a second ex perience when the believer fully surrenders to God. This, however, should not be confused with “baptism into the one body.” The Power o f Christ’s Doctrine T HE sayings of Christ are certified by their effects, especially in the higher spheres of human thought and feeling. Since the beginning of the Christian era, how large a portion of the literature of the world has been devoted to the exposition and illustration of His words, or directly or indirectly has grown out of them! How little is there in the sayings of other men that the world cherishes as life-words! How many volumes have been made simply by commenting on the words of Christ! The power of Christ’s doctrine has been equally apparent upon human society. A new society, altogether peculiar, whose foundation is faith in Christ Himself, whose bond is love to Him and His, whose aim is moral perfection, has come into existence through His word, and today exists over half the globe. The Church of Christ, founded, without political purpose or physical power, upon a word, an idea, and expanding through the ages with an undying spiritual life, witnesses that never man spake like this man. Moreover, His words have penetrated civil society, have infused into government the idea of justice, have redressed social wrongs, have harmonized legislation, and lifted the masses to a higher plane of thought and hope. —Joseph P. Thompson
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