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THE KING ' S BUSINESS
Tim. 4:1-18 which Is well worth pon– dering by every believer. "I charge thee before God (the Sovereign who sltteth upon the circle of the heavens) and the Lord Jesus Christ (to whom has been committed all judgment) proclaim the Word (without apology, for It Is the word of a King and therefore has power, Eccl. 8:4)." Why should we apologize for pro– claiming a message from the King of kings and Lord of lords? We are not responsible for the nature of the mes– sage but only for delivering It. It will convict of sin. It will save souls. It gives life. It develops life. It builds up Christian character. Listen to Paul's shout of victory: "I have fought a good fight." He lived a life of continual conflict, of ceaseless sacrlftce, he had reached the end. He had been a warrior and had waged a valiant warfare. He had fought to the finish. He had finished bis course. He bad been faithful to the treasure com– mitted to him. Before him was a glo– rious reward-a crown of righteous– ness. That reward a waits not only Paul, but every one who follows In bis steps. PERTINENT QUESTIONS (1) How does faith come? (Rom. 10:17) ( 2) Did Paul have a personal vision of Christ? (1Cor.15:8) ( 3) What recorded evidence have we that Paul's message was genuine? (Acts 17:3, 4) ( 4) What two messages need to be applied to our Christian life? (Phil. 4:13, 19) ( 5) Should we expect to be free from persecution If we are loyal servants? (John 15 : 20) (6) What good advice Is given for every true worker for Christ? (2 Cor. 6:3-10)
(7) What confidence can we have In teaching the Word? (1 Pet. 2:2) ( 8) What do we most need as teachers? (1 Pet. 2:1, 2) ~ ~ We can not understand Scripture un– til we see the distinction between Is– rael, the chosen earthly nation, and the Church, the body of Christ. Paul Is but about us. We can not understand his epistles till we know his life and calling. His apostleship was wholly distinct from and Independent of that of the twelve. He did not get his au– thority In any sense from them. Even Peter was a student of Paul's Epistles, 2 Pet. 3:16. Saul of Tarsus was a conscientious legallst seeking to establish his own rlghteousness before God by bis own law-keeping. Before he was saved his chief business was his religion. He was "exceedingly zealous" for It, entirely wrapped up In It, passionately commit– ted to It, ready to fight for It, ready to die for It and even ready to commit murder for It. Acts 8: 1-3; 9: 1; 22 : 4, 5; 26: 10-11. He was Ignorant of the risen Christ and bis salvation and after his conversion be called himself a blasphemer, 1 Tim. 1: 13. Paul seemed almost passive In his conversion, God converting him In a high-handed way as an example of Israel's conversion. Every sinner Is saved as entirely by the grace of God as was Saul of Tarsus. He was saved by the prevenlent, un– merited overwhelming grace of God while on his way to kill Christians. This Is sovereign grace. There are only redeemed sinners In Heaven while there are many "good people" In hell who DEVOOJONAL COMMENT Dr. F. W. Farr the Apostle of the latter. His thir– teen epistles, Ro– mans to Phllemon, are not only for us
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