II Cor. 12:9). God rev e a ls His strength in our weakness. Paul learned to rejoice in trials. Without them, he would not have known what God could do. They made him better by throwing him back on faith. 5. Tribulation teaches the Chris tian to set his affections on things above not on things on this earth (Col. 3:12). It makes real the fact that “here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come . . . a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 13: 14; 11:10). We should not become too comfortable in this p a s sin g world. IS A CASTAWAY LOST? Q. In I Corinthians 9:27 we read: “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to oth ers, I myself should be a castaway.” Just what is a “castaway” — an un saved person? A. You cannot understand this verse without reading the entire chapter. The illustration is that of the Greek games. Only freeborn citizens could contend in the Olympic races; only born-again believers can run in the Christian race. Salvation is not the goal; it is the starting-place. The judgment seat of Christ is the goal. The word wh ich is translated “castaway” in Greek means "disap proved.” The prize went to the victor in the Olympics so a crown awaits the believer who is not disapproved so fa r as his service is concerned, at the judgment seat of Christ where awards for faithful service are giv en. Salvation is not a reward; it is a free gift (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation is not being discussed in this pas sage but the work we do for Christ after we are His. Q. Should we remain in a liberal church in the hope that we may in fluence leaders and m em bers to change their attitude toward the basic truths of the Word of God? A. If you can change these attitudes, there would be some reason to re main but as a rule, this is impossible where a denomination is committed to a liberal theology. If a pastor, backed up by the membership, con tinues to deny Christ, the Christian is conscience-bound to seek fellow ship elsewhere. REMAINING IN LIBERAL CHURCHES
Dr. Talbot’s QUEST ION BOX
THE SCAPEGOAT Q. I have heard you explain the meaning of the scapegoat in the 16th chapter of Leviticus and would ap preciate your going over this again. A. The scapegoat was a type of Christ, as were all the animal sacri fices of the Mosaic ceremonial law. There were two goats and both were for a sin offering, symbolic of our Saviour-Sinbearer, the Lord Jesus Christ. The two goats vividly por trayed the two aspects of the redemp tive work of Christ on Calvary: the first representing His dying for sin and the second, laden with sins and driven into the wilderness, the won derful effect of the death of Christ in taking away our sins, putting them out of the sight of God, and remem bering them against us no more! Twoi birds were used in the same way for the cleansing of the leper, one typi fying the actual death, the other, the carrying away of sin on its wings. Also this second goat represented the risen, living Christ and so was as well a type of the resurrection. A, I do not believe there is any such thing. Christ died for all. “He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9). “Whosoever WILL, let him take the water of life free ly” (Rev. 22:17). He is the “Sav iour of the world” (John 4 :42 ); “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (I John 4 :14); “And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2 :2). So we may freely preach “whosoever will, may come” and He will not turn away anyone who will receive Him. LIMITED ATONEMENT? Q. What do you think of the theory of a “limite.d atonement?” THE BELIEVER'S PURSUIT Q. What is the meaning of Hebrews 12 :U ? A. This verse reads: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” If a man is truly regenerated, he will follow after holiness. That is, he will pursue it. If, however, he follows after sin, and pursues sin and uncleanness, this is evidence that he is a hypocrite, no matter how loud his profession may be.
WHY DOES THE CHRISTIAN SUFFER?
Q. I have seen some of the most spiritual people I ever knew under going terrible trials and physical suffering. Is there any answer in God’s Word to this which sometimes seem so unjust? A. Of course some of our suffering is chastening but apparently that is not what is troubling this reader but those trials and troubles which come to the children of God as a part of life in this world. Romans 8:28 in dicates there is no injustice in this. Here are some things that such ex periences bring into our lives: 1. “Tribulation worketh patience” (Rom. 5:3, cf. 1:3). Trials may em bitter those who do not love the Lord, but they burn up the dross in the Christian, as he yields to his all wise Father. Job’s testimony is help ful: 23:10; 13:15. 2. Sometimes God permits one of His servants to be an example to an ungodly world of the sufficiency of God’s grace. Job was one of these; his faith did not waver. 3. God uses us to comfort others in times of bereavement and sorrow because we ourselves have gone through the same experience (II Cor. 1 :3, 4). I t is training school for those who would serve others in dis tress. 4. Trials enable us to prove for ourselves the sufficiency of God’s grace. Paul knew this (Phil. 3:10;
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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