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A Monstrous Mistake
k That both the Church and the world labors under a false impression con- cerning the work of the Church, is illustrated in a recent incident. A minister > accompanying a layman stopped at a summer resort. At the close of a meal the layman distributed some literature. One of the Christian women present remarked, " I knew he must be a minister; he had such a good f a e e ." The minister, in talking with some of the laboring men at the same place, was met • . with the remark, ' ' You must be a preacher.'' Both the Christian and the world- ling had the same idea, viz: if one does any personal Christian work he must be a minister. The prevailing opinion in both the Church and world is, that this V kind of service is relegated to a class of men known as preachers. It is not necessary to seek the cause for the error; it is sufficient to con- Hfc fess that the fact exists. It is of far greater moment that we seek for the truth concerning the believer's position with reference to the work to be done rn in the world. The New Testament is a unit in its teaching relating to tha obligation of the Christian to give the message of salvation to every creature. m Every one of the four gospels, and every epistle, bears abundant proof of the fact. It would be difficult indeed to find any scriptural warrant for the pre- vailing notion that God's Word has been committed to any special class of men. The call of Christ to a sinner is a call of service; to follow Him is to become a fisher of men. No one can be a true follower who is not a real fisher. The evangelistic spirit springs from the very heart of God. "God so loved . that He gave," J no. 3:16. The life of Christ is evangelistic. He came to seek and to save the lost, Luke 19:10. The Holy Spirit is the great Mis- sioner. He it is who testifies of Jesus, Jno. 15:26. The early church, domi- nated by the Holy Spirit, received from Him the evangelistic impulse and power which characterized its splendid life. That church was evangelistic from A- center to circumference; no other idea prevailed in its midst. Those that were scattered by persecution went everywhere praching the Word. The early church is ideal in its manifestation of the real purpose of God for the un- evangelized world. The Church of God has wandered far afield from God's clearly defined command "Go ye into all the world"; far from the example and exhortation of Christ, and has departed from the leading of the Holy Spirit who empowered for witness bearing unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The Church has lost its first love, and in proportion as it has for- gotten the nature of its call it has become formal and barren. ' How shall we find our way back to the primitive path of the early church, which was so resplendent in its glorious work of salvation? The Scriptures of i God must be our guide. Here we find that: 1st. Christ died for the whole world 1 Jno. 2:2. 2nd. That the gospel was designed for the whole world, John * I 3-17 ' 3rd. That to the whole Church has been committed the task of giving the gospel to every creature, Luke 24:47, John 17:18. 4th. That every member of the Church is responsible for doing their best to obey the command of their T o w n generation. 5th. That dependence for results must be solely and wholly upon the supernatural power of the Word of God and its author, the Holy Spirit. r 6th That the need is not new methods, but a new measure of power from the Spirit who is the ordained leader of the Church. 7th. That no one believer K should wait for the whole Church to be aroused, but should assume his and her • own place of responsibility and commence to do his and her own part. $ 8th. We are to remember that this work is a divine enterprise, inaugurated by Almighty God, that it is the greatest work in the world, and that nothing can hinder His purposes through us if we are but faithful. Any command can be revolutionized as soon as the believers in that com- mandment assume the responsibility imposed upon them and commence to do the bidding of the Lord. Any Church will be revived and refreshed as soon as the leaders prayerfully and faithfully accept the truth of the individual re- sponsibility of each member to do the work rommitten to them by their ascended Lord It is a satanic lie that God has called and endowed any class of men to this most blessed of all service. The call is to all believers in every age. and what is more, it has pleased God to use in the largest measure the weakest and humblest instrument. Let the Church get back to the Book and take its orders from headquarters.
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