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Greek Wore! Treasures For the student untaught in Greek. Bernard Ramm, A.B., B.D. 2 Corinthians 6:11: "Our heart is en larged." The original Greek word for “ enlarge” means exactly that in this verse, but frequently the force of the idiom is lost. To enlarge one’s heart is to make room for somebody else. A man with a small heart loves few people. A man with an enlarged heart has room for many people whom he may love. So Paul passionately writes to the Corinthian church to tell its members that there is room in his heart for all of them. 2 Corinthians 6:12: "Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels." The word “straitened” is here directly anti thetic to the “enlarged” of the pre vious verse. The word is literally “a narrow place” and, as employed here, refers to the ungenerous affection of the Corinthians. Paul says, in effect: “We are not narrow in our affections; we freely love you; but you are nar row in your own love; you have no affection apart from your own little group.’' There are frequently hard feelings and “narrowness” of affection among the saints in our own day and age. This ought not so to be. Our hearts should be ample to contain all of God’s people. 2 Corinthians 6:14: "Be ye not un equally yoked together with unbeliev ers." T h e expression “unequally yoked” is an interesting one. Literally translated, it is “ other yoked.” Now the Greeks had two words for “other,” one of which, alios, meant “another of the same kind,” and the other, hetefos, “ another of a different kind. The “other” here referred to is heteros. Hence, it does not mean to be “un equally yoked” but to be “ strangely yoked.” The Christian ox and the un believing donkey (“the stranger” ) should not be found under the same yoke. 2 Corinthians 6:15: "And what con cord hath Christ with Belial?" The word “concord” is almost letter for letter our word “symphony.” A sym phony is the sounding together in harmony and agreement of various musical instruments. Concording is “chording with,” and, by derivation, the word “cord” in concord is the word “heart.” Hence,,“to concord” is to agree with the heart. To have a symphony, then, is to have agreement of sounds; when used of persons, and not musical instruments, it indicates agreement of heart and mind. The devil only pro duces discord. If we would have a life of concord with Christ—a life without discords—we must not give place to the devil, or his works, or his methods.
they observe the great inequality in our own society. The Word of God would correct this if it were loved and followed. 2. LEADERSHIP IN BUSINESS. Ro mans 12:11. Those who have power and influ ence, unless they are guided by the Word of God, will seek to crush their weaker rivals and to obtain a mo nopoly in their business. This will never make for success in our nation. In our dealings with foreign countries, we should not yield to the desire to grasp oil fields, mines, fishing.jights. We must g u a r d against selfishness and doing injustice to our neighbors in making agreements. These become a source of irritation and result in war. The Word of God practiced by labor and management would bring indus trial peace which would furnish a fine example to all of our neighbors. It would reduce the price we pay for crime control and would result in un used penitentiaries and silent courts. 3. LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION. 2 Timothy 2:15. While the Word of God was extolled, the Gospel accepted, and the family altar raised in the home, our educa tional processes grew amazingly fast and were very efficient. Our young people went to secondary schools and colleges to learn. They were under godly influences while obtaining their education. They became famous in medicine, law, engineering, science, and they were cultured as well as in formed. Now a multitude of sinful pleasures are offered instead. Dances, drinking parties, and similar activi ties predominate in the social life of the school, while the teaching of the false hypothesis of evolution pollutes, the minds of the students. Let us turn back to God and to His Word, if we wish enlightened minds and righteous lives. 4. LEADERSHIP IN GOVERNMENT. Romans 5:17. Our form of government is undoubt edly the most equitable and the most efficient in the world. It has proved to be that through the years. If it is breaking down at the present time, it is because God and Christ and the Bible have been omitted from its pro gram. Under our form of government, schools have flourished, the resources of science have been greatly aug mented, and benevolent enterprises have been maintained. Courts of equity and justice have been estab lished everywhere, and God has given His smile of approval. Our govern ment has been a model for others, and .has silenced critics because it has been a success. Only as we continue to govern by the principles of Scrip ture, shall we maintain this place of leadership.
4. LIGHT FOR MINISTRY, 1 Co rinthians 2:2. When Christ is preached in His love liness and fullness, those who listen and believe become g o d l y citizens, good neighbors, holy men and women of God. When other t h i n g s are preached, sermons g i v e n in Latin, book reviews, and substitutes for the Word of God, then the listeners re main in spiritual darkness, loving the things of the world and engaging in the host of crimes which are send ing our country down the hill. Preach ing C h r i s t produces Christlikeness. When He is disregarded, sin rises and human nature with all of its evil ten dencies is revealed. While Germany permitted the preaching of the Gos pel, she flourished; w h e n she sup pressed its preaching, she became worse than wild beasts. JUNE 30, 1946 O U R C O U N T R Y ’S R E S P O N S IB IL IT Y IN W O R LD L E A D E R S H IP M icah 4:1-5; M atthew 28:19, 20. T HE LORD has only one world leader —that is Christ Jesus. He has au thorized only one nation to be the head of all the nations—that is the nation of Israel. Our country o n c e was in a fair way to becoming a lead er in this world for good and for right eousness, but that day has passed. In the days of Washington, .Lincoln, Mc Kinley, Theodore Roosevelt, the Lord was honored by our leaders. The Sec retary of State was not ashamed to own the claims of God, the claims of Christ Jesus, and the claims of the Word of God. Now our Secretary of State was foremost in refusing to per mit the name of God or His Word to be mentioned in our national agree ments. Labor unions have rejected every principle of Scripture; manage ment makes no place in its plans for the Word of God. We cannot be lead ers for good under these conditions. For Those Who Have Topics 1. LEADERSHIP IN RIGHTEOUS NESS. T Timothy 4:12. We claim to be a Christian country, therefore we should prove it to the other nations. Labor should show a Christian spirit in dealing with man agement instead of resorting to riot and destruction of life and property. Management should be led by right principles in dealing w i t h its em ployees i n s t e a d of demanding as much as possible and giving as little as possible. The courts should punish the guilty and release the innocent no matter who is involved. Equity should be exercised without bribery in p u b l i c matters. Public servants should not misuse public funds. Our so-called Christianity b e c o m e s the laughingstock of other countries when
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