111
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
March 1931
The Spirit of God knows the dangers along the way and is ever ready to act as a guide. Thus He liberates us from anxiety and sets us free from undue concern as well as from the power of sin within and the glitter and glare of the world without. The ministry of the Spirit to the Christian believer is not only constant but manifold. It has but one objective; namely, the fulfillment of God’s gracious purpose in redemption. “What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Here is grace abounding; here are the mercies of God. Guilt is re moved ; righteousness is imputed; life is imparted; and power is provided. Where, then, is there any room for condemnation? “There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” _ Listen, now, to the tender yet tremendous appeal which follows the unfolding of redemption truth. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable un to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” What shall the answer be? What is your answer NOW? reefs of death, spitting their sprays defiantly into the faces of continents. Volcanoes break loose and pour the molten stream of horrible death upon serene meadows and sleeping populations. We see the grim specters of famine passing among cringing peoples, leaving the bleach ed bones of the starved on the Steppes of Siberia and the sands of Arabia. Pestilence puts its leprous hand on the heart of a great nation. Tears and shrouds follow in its train. The whole creation, groaning and travailing in pain, waits for deliverance from the bondage of cor ruption.” . , Man is looking forward to the time when thorn, weed, and thistle shall no longer cumber the earth to the detriment of rose, wheat, and corn; when the navies of the world shall plow the seas, not in search of the enemy but in search of commerce; when the wild beasts of the jungle shall play in the front yard of civilization—domes ticated ; when the bite of the rattlesnake shall be as harm less as the gentle caress of the butterfly; when all shall know Him, from the greatest to the least; when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the seas cover the channels of the deep; when the wilderness shall blossom as the rose; when every automobile, every wheel of industry, every bit of statuary, every masterpiece, every thing in science and in business, every kitchen utensil, as well as every sacred vessel of the sanctuary, shall bear the inscription: “Holiness unto the Lord” ;, when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” Therefore, looking hopefully forward to bright pros pect, we concentrate in the present, doing in Christ’s name with all our might that which our hand doth find to do. The church of God will reign with Christ over all the earth, one day. May He reign in our hearts now. Thy Kingdom Come (Continued-from page 103)
P ower I s P rovided The work of the Holy Spirit is introduced in close proximity to the words of our text: “There is, there fore, now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.’ The Spirit of God is the Great Emancipator in the realm of the soul. That which our Lord died and rose again to secure, the Spirit of God leads the believer into and makes real in his experience. He liberates the soul from the dominion of sin through the knowledge of the truth and through yieldedness to it. “God be thanked,” says the apostle, “that though ye were once the servants of sin, ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine unto which ye were delivered. Being made free from the service of sin, ye became the servants of righteous ness.” This is the divine purpose in our redemption. When the word of promise was given to- Israel in Egypt, it included deliverance from both burden and bondage. “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage.” Will the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ do less than this in our spiritual redemption? Verily, no; but rather will He do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. By His gracious provision, not only is guilt removed, righteousness imputed, and life im parted, but power is provided so that, all condemnation being put away, we may walk in newness of life and serve in newness of spirit. The law of sin and death is always in operation. An other and a greater power must operate within us in order that we may enter into spiritual liberty and the enjoyment of that favorable verdict which God has pronounced in the words of our text: “There is, there fore, now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” This could never be, if the burden of guilt alone were lifted from the conscience but the bondage of sin allowed to remain in the life. The removal of guilt is unspeakably precious, the imputation of a divine right eousness is marvelously restful, the impartation of a new life is inspiring; but no one of these, nor all of them to gether, can operate in such a way as to set us free from the law of sin and death. God alone can do that, and our God undertakes that very thing. Let us never for get what is written in another scripture: “It is God that worketh in you”—none other and none less. That word “worketh” carries with it the idea of energy and ef fectiveness. It speaks of ultimate triumph. Patiently, faithfully, constantly, God the Holy Ghost abides with us, correcting, comforting, quickening, strengthening, in or der that the full purpose of the Father might be realized in our Christian experience. As Rebecca was led through the wilderness in safety, so -is the Christian believer led along his pilgrim way by the Holy Spirit of God. Well may we sing or say:
“Holy Spirit, faithful Guide, Ever near the Christian’s side, Gently lead us by the hand, Pilgrims in a foreign land.”
This may not embody all the truth pertaining to our Christian dispensation; nevertheless, it is an avenue through which the soul may express its desire for light and wise direction at any time of crisis.
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