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T HE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
bility. John 1 :9 ; 3:19 furnishes us with a commentary: “ T h at w a s the true L ig h t, w hich ligh tcth e very man that- eometh into the world. And this is the condemnation, that ligh t is come into the w orld and men loved darkness rath er than lig h t, because their deeds w ere evil.” L ight is come into th e world and men m ust answer for th eir use and abuse of God’s revelation. God has given them every opportunity (Rom. 1:18-32) and made it impossible for any to have ex cuse. (Rom. 1 :2 0 ). As man is created in th e image of God (Gen. 1:26 ) how foolish of men to thank th a t an image of wood or gold could suffice for th e worship of God. P a u l , showed them th a t God was a Spirit and could only be worshipped in sp irit and in tru th (John 4 :2 4 ). In other days God overlooked th e ignor ance of men, bu t now, P aul saysc “He commands all men everywhere to re pent.” There is g reat m isunderstanding w ith reference to the meaning of th e word “ rep en t.” The word means “ to have a change of m ind.” Used in th e Scrip tu ra l sense, if means to have a change of mind w ith reference to sin, to self and to God. F aith in Christ necessi tates a change of m ind and a ttitu d e to ward God. So all men everywhere, in all dispensations, must, of necessity, have a change of m ind if they are to be saved. 3. The Universality of the Judgment (a) An Appointed Day. P au l tells them th a t the tim e is set. God works according to schedule. When th e hQur arrived, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. When th e clock struck the appointed time, He was crucified on Calvary. There is an hour for His coming again to th is earth , and an hour for th e judg ment. (k e b . 9 :27 ) - „1 ^ 'pA (b) An Accredited Judge. The F ath e r h ath comm itted all judgm ent unto th e Son. (John 5 :22 ) and h ath given Him au tho rity to execute judg m ent because He is th e Son of Man.
Paul was conciliatory and commenda tory in his opening words: “Xperceive th a t you are most reverential,” or, as Rotherham has it, “How unusually rev eren t of th e demons you are .” There was tact in his approach. He did not make an ^attack upon th e ir gods hu t took occasion, to use th eir worship of them as a basis for his address. P au l’s sermon had th ree heads: 1. The Unity of God. 2. The Unity of th e Race. 3. The Universality of Judg ment. 1. The Unity of God. P au l assumes th e existence of God. He does not a r gue the point a t all. I t is so presented by th e Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:T: “In the beginning—God.” He then proceeds to show th e unity of God. He is one God, th e Creator and P reserver of all things. He is Lord of heaven and earth. Heaven is His throne and earth His footstool. He dwells in 'ineffable light. Hand-made temples could not contain Him. 2. The Unity of th e Race. It is one in origin, Num. 16:22: ‘¿And th ey fell on their faces, and said, O God, the God of the sp irits o f a ll flesh, sh all one m an sin, and w ilt thou be w roth w ith all the congregatio n ?” All men are His offspring,— not chil dren of God in th e Bible sense, for God’s children are born into th e fam ily of God by faith in Jesus Christ (John 1:12) “ B u t as m any a s received him , to them g a v e he pow er to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” - (John 3:3) “ E x ce p t a man be born again , he cannot see the kingdom o f God.” (Gal. 3:26 ) “ F o r ye are a ll the children o f God by fa ith in C h rist Je su s.” b u t descendants from one common stock,— one in nature. (Rom. 3 :9 , 22, 23) ' “ W h a t then? are w e better than th ey? No, in no w ise. F o r w e h ave before proved, both Je w s and Gentiles, th a t.th e y are all under sin. * * * fo r there is no d if feren ce: fo r all have sinned and come short of the g lo ry of God.” Springing from a common parentage, inheriting the same tendencies, men are one in character, and one in responsi
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