351
July 1929
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
put me in the easy chair, and keep me quiet.” The visitor,, seeing no easy chair about, asked what she meant. “My easy chair,” she said, “is Romans 8 :28: ‘All things work together for good to them that love God.’ ”-r-Record of Christian Work. “Said the Robin to the Sparrow, ‘I should really like to know Why these anxious human beings Rush about and worry so?’ “Said the Sparrow to the Robin, ‘Friend, I think that it must be That they have no heavenly Father Such as cares for you and me.’ ” When I was in England a lady told me a sweet story illustrative of what it is to have Christ between us and everything else. She said she was awakened by a very strange noise of pecking, or some thing of the kind, and when she got up she saw a butterfly flying backward and forward inside the window-pane in great fright, and outside a sparrow pecking and trying to get in. The butterfly was as safe as if it had been three miles away, because of the glass between it and the sparrow. So it is with Christians who are abiding in Christ. His presence is be tween them and every danger. I do not believe that Satan understands about this mighty and invisible power that protects us, or else he would not waste his efforts by trying to get us. He must be like the sparrow—he does not see it; and Chris tians are like the butterfly—they do not see i t ; and so they are frightened, and flutter backward, and forward in terror; but all the while Satan cannot touch the soul that has the Lord Jesus Christ be tween itself and. him. A sparrow Had built its nest in a freight car which had been ordered to the shops for repair; and when the car was in order and started again into service, a nest of young sparrows seemed about to be rob bed of a mother’s care. But, though the car traveled several hundred miles, the mother-bird would not desert her young. The sympathy of the trainmen was touched, and they notified the division superintendent, who ordered the car out of commission until the little birds were able to care for themselves. If a great railroad system can be ordered so as to protect helpless sparrows, is it hard to believe that the great Superintendent of the universe orders all things for th? good of His children ?—Christian Ob server. “Is thy path lonely? Fear it not, for He Who marks the sparrow’s fall is guard ing thee, And not a star shines o’er thy head by night But He hath known that it will reach thy sight. And not a joy can beautify thy lot But tells thee still that thou art unfor- got; Nay, not a grief can darken, or surprise, Swell in thy heart, or dim with tears thine eyes, But it is sent in mercy or in love To bid thy helplessness seek strength . above.” “He knows, He loves, He cares; Nothing this truth can dim; He gives the very best to those Who leave the choice with Him.”
9 Biola Question Box 9 • Rev. W. H . P ik e 9
Psa. 88:1; Phil. 4:6. You will find in these passages added light upon the an swer to this question. 7. The Bible tells us—one body, one faith, one baptism (Eph. 4:5). Then why do some want two baptisms? The person who asked this is probably thinking of water baptism. But the pas sage has reference undoubtedly to the baptism of the Spirit. When one believes on Christ he is baptized by the Spirit irito His death and into His resurrection and into His body, the Church. This is the work of the Spirit of God. Water bap tism is only a symbol of this work (1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 1:5; 11:15, 16; Gal. 3:27). 8. Is water baptism necessary to salva tion? There are some denominations that say yes; but we say no. Baptism is the outward symbol of the faith that links up to Christ. I know of one young man who was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit and preached for two years and led a large number to Christ before he was baptized with water. It is important to follow the command of Christ in obe dience, but it is not necessary to salvation. 9. Can a person live the Christian life in his own strength? N o ! How are you going to cope with the world, the flesh, and the devil? But God does not expect us to live the Chris tian life alone. He has prepared the way so that our salvation is perfectly safe and secure at both ends. Christ is at God’s right hand making intercession for those who trust Him, on the ground of His shed blood. If Satan accuses Christians at God’s throne, Christ is the Christian’s High Priest and also his Lawyer, or Ad vocate, there. But if the devil suggests evil about God or doubt about His Word or character, the Holy Spirit is our Ad vocate down here. Notice these Scrip tures : 1 Pet. 1:5, “kept by the power of God”; l jno. 4:1-4; Phil. 1:4; Rom. 8:31- 39; Jno. 17:6-17. A Prayer ■ I thank thee, dear Lord, that Thou hast graciously protected me through .this night and brought me into the life of this day. Help me to pass the coming day, dear Lord, as may be well-pleasing in Thy sight. Give me humility, good judg ment, patience, courage and happiness of heart. Watch over me from the rising even unto the setting of the sun, and contin ually open Thine ears to my prayers as they rise to Thee during this day. May Thy Holy Spirit enlighten my mind, guide my feet and give peace to my heart, and may Thy angels guard me from all harm. May I walk without stumbling according to Thy command ments. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen .—John S. Bunting.
1. Was Hilkiah, Jeremiah’s father, the same priest that is found in 2 Chron. 34:9? Probably not, although they both lived at about the same time. 1 Chron. 6:13 tells us who his son was ,—“Hilkiah be gat Azariah.” This Hilkiah was the son of Shallum and the great-grandfather of Ezra. He found the lost book of the law in Josiah’s time. But Jeremiah’s father was a priest of Anathoth (Jer. 1:1) in the' land of Benjamin, about 3 miles northeast of Jerusalem now known as Anata. 2 Can a woman smoke cigarettes and be a Christian? Mr. Moody’s answer is probably the best for all those professing Christians who have unclean habits. “Yes,” said Mr. Moody, “she can be a Christian, but a dirty one.” And that is just as true of a preacher who uses tobacco. But always remember it is not what a person does that makes him a Christian; it is what Christ did on Calvary’s . cross in making atonement for sin. Those who profess to love Him ought to represent Him by liv ing clean lives. Loving Jesus Christ makes one a Christian. Unclean habits soil the life and mar the representation of Christ in the life. 3. Why are the first five books of the Bible called the Pentateuch? The Greek word pentateuchos means five, and probably those who translated the Old Testament into Greek, which is called the Septuagint, adopted this five fold division. The Hebrews called them the Book of Moses, the Book of the Law. 4. The Bible teaches us as servants to obey our Masters. What should a Christian employee do when his non- Christian employer tells him to do things which are unchristianlike, such as t e l l i n g falsehoods for business reasons? Have a frank talk with his employer and rebuke him and if the employer in sists upon this method of business, then refuse to work for him. But you say he cannot afford to lose his position. Never theless, where this line of procedure has been followed, in every case that has come to my attention the Christian employee has secured a better position with more pay. God cares for His own. 5. What was Paul’s thorn in the flesh? We are not told. Many think it was his eyes because he said in writing to the Galatians, “Ye see with how great or large letters I have written unto you" (Gal. 6:11.; 2 Cor. 12:8-10). 6. How often should a Christian pray? Daniel prayed three times a day. The Psalmist said he would call upon God at morning, noon, and evening (Dan. 6:10; Psa. 55 :17). But Jesus said pray without fainting and Paul said pray without ceas ing. In other words, live in the atmos phere of prayer at all times. Never get out of it. Look up Psa. 119:146, 147; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12; Psa. 119:164;
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