TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I NE S S
200
E D I T O R I A L L Y
Mother’ s Day
What Confess Means
Convert Them
S PEAKING from a monetary stand point only7 the last war was by far the costliest in all history. The billions and billions of dollars which w'-re spent are absolutely incompre hensible to the average person, whose monthly pay check never gets out of the hundreds. But the United States government had to learn the mean ing of these billions and was obliged to assume the unprecedented task of raising these funds in connection with the performance of the war. Con sequently, our Treasury Department embarked on the g r e a t e s t selling campaign of all times. The radio, the press, movie stars, orators, employers and multitudes of other persons and means were pressed into service, with the result that the campaign was successful, and today the American people possess vast and hitherto un heard of wealth in war bonds. These bonds represent great power—power for good or power for evil. It is en tirely possible that America may be gin a buying spree and literally spend itself into national destruction. It is also possible that these war bonds, if converted, could contribute to the salvation of the world. We do not appeal now to the un saved bond owner. We do not believe that God desires gifts from him. But we dp appeal to the child of God. The Christian people of this land possess many war bonds, the aggregate of which is a great sum. Why not con vert these war bonds into peace bonds? Why not take them from their h i d i n g places, from safe-deposit boxes, and put them to work in the cause of world-wide evangelism? Why not present them freely to those great mission enterprises which are loyal to the Word of God; to those mis sionaries who have the vision of a lost and dying world? Why not? Too often money is wrongly con ceived to be the root of all evil. But every Bible student knows that it is not money which is this root, but the inordinate love and desire for money which opens the door to all forms of sin. Why, money, being soundly con verted, can become a root of all good! Especially is this true when it is given from a sincere heart, and followed with persevering prayer. So with our war bonds. Let them be converted and become messengers of peace and God’s good will. Wo i j i d it pay? Such a conversion migjfr ¿e s u 11 in the changing of the ■p of the world, and to the would
rpHE REMEDY for sin in the life of a -*■Christian is given in 1 John 1:9—a verse familiar to all believers. Sinners are never told to confess their sins in order to be saved. What they are told to do is to repent and to believe oh a Saviour who has fully paid for sin all there is to pay. Likewise, Christians, having once believed, are never asked to believe again. But when sin comes into the life, they are commanded to confess it unto God, and to know thereby the joy of forgiveness and cleansing. The word “confess” is not insignificant; rather it has a depth of meaning. Basically, it contains the idea: “ to be of one mind,” or, .“to speak the same language.” In othef words, when we confess our sins, we are of one mind with God in His opinion of sin. We are to hate sin with the same vehemence with which God hates it. We are to take our stand with Him in not only abhorring it, but in completely turning away from it. This is the meaning of "confessing sin.” Far from being a light matter, it is used by God as a means of our growth in godliness as well as our cleansing. He would have us under stand that on this basis alone we may be restored to and kept in fellowship with Him. ★ ★ God Will Give Too \ GENUINE emergency exists in the war-ravaged countries of Europe. Starvation is imminent in many areas. Famine has always followed war. The American people are being asked to give of their abundance to alleviate to a degree, at least, the hunger of these multitudes. Christian and charitable organizations of this country are responding in a magnifi cent way, and both food and clothing are being rapidly dispatched beyond the seas. This is certainly what God would have our land to do in this crisis. Not only do we have His ap proval for this action, but we have as well His promise of abundant blessing upon our already greatly favored land. It is well known that America en joyed unusually rich harvests during the war years, else the war could not have been won. This abundance did not corné by chance, but was given by God Himself. If, during this new emergency, we open our hearts and our larders, and give unselfishly, our fields again will wave with golden grain and our barns will be filled to
/''VNCE more the month including Mother's Day is here, and those of us who know what it is to have a godly mother are delighted to again acknowledge our debt to her. The term “mother” is a very sacred one and does not seem to fit certain mod ern types. It has always been God’s plan that motherhood and godliness should go together. Happy is the boy or girl born in a home where the mother knows the power of prayer, and the value of the Scriptures! There is no more effective combination for righteousness than the Heavenly Father and a godly mother. Many panaceas are offered as a remedy for the troubles of today, but God’s prescription for the unrighteous ness of any age is strong young peo ple of high principle and noble pur pose coming forth from Christian homes to live honest, righteous and useful lives. Thank God for our mothers! May He give America more like them! i^VUT of a number of years’ experience ^ and observation of the circum- stances of the conversion of young people, we have developed a healthy respect for the powerful influence ex ercised by summer Bible conferences. There is something about being out in the open, away from home and daily companions, which seems to di rect the attention -of young people into channels of serious thought. In addition, most conference leaders are true to the Word of God and familiar with the Scriptures. A daily “ dose” of three or four hours of interesting Bible teaching invariably produces gratify ing results. Many conferences with which the writer is acquainted have opened with the Christian delegates numbering about one-half of the group, and have closed in seven days with every young person present surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. Pastors, Sunday school teachers, and youth leaders do well to urge the young people under their care to set aside other things and by all means plan a week at a good sum mer Bible conference. The results are indeed beneficial to the Church be cause of the quickened spiritual life of the young people. Who can tejl how far-reaching may be the result of even ★ ★ Conferences
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