obedient children, we are still His offspring. Nothing can change that relationship. Q. Aurora, Colo. — “Will you please explain John 20:28 and Matthew 18:18.” A. These passages are related for they speak of remitting and retain ing, and binding and loosing of sins. This is not the type of normal lan guage used today. Therefore, we must go back to the day in which our Lord Jesus was speaking in ad dressing these faithful Israelites. The binding represented duty and obligation. Here we see the authori ty we are given to declare that if one receives Jesus Christ as Saviour, he is thereby loosed of his sins. Like wise, if he rejects the Lord, he will be bound eternally. We are merely making a descriptive declaration as to the power of the Gospel which alone can transform mankind. IN MY NEED I needed one to go a mile with me Down the long road. I asked His company, And lo, He went that mile, and then went twain Out through the darkness and the bitter rain. The night was cold—He loaned me His great cloak And another garment also, and He spoke Kind, heartening words that strange ly cheered and blest My weary heart. He made me stop and rest Before the steepest climb. The thunder crashed, And through the darkness the forked lightning flashed. And lo, I saw His face—'twas like the One We know on earth as God's beloved Son, So like Him, that I felt instinctively That it was Christ who walked the road with me. —Grace Noll Crowell
bearing on hair styles, particularly men’s. We should keep in mind, first of all, the age in which the apostle Paul was caused to write these ex hortations. A woman with short hair in those days was one of shame and ill-repute. Short hair is still a form of punishment such as we see in houses of correction for women. To day, however, in different social levels, styles of short hair do not have the same mark of looseness. Cosmetics used to designate a wom an of a certain type. The same is not true now. It still does seem correct for women to wear hats to church but hair was the “covering,” not hats, in Paul’s day. While it is not mandatory, it does appear decorous. The scripture in question concerns a situation in Corinth which displayed a lack of submissiveness to authori ty. As we see the world running riot in rebellion and revolution, we as Christians ought to be the first to set the proper pace, showing that we are under the authority and sub mission of the Word of God. Hair does not mark the degree of spirit uality. The real crux of the matter is in the heart and its relationship to the Lord. Q. Portland, Ore. — “John 8:7 tells us that we must be born again. Our Sunday school teacher says this can happen only once. Some of us don’t agree with him. What is your opin ion?” A. Definitely your teacher is correct. Spiritual birth happens only once, even as does physical birth. Justifica tion is a completed transaction, al though sanctification may come in stages. You cannot become unborn spiritually any more than you can in the physical realm. The new birth is regeneration, it isn’t making over the old nature. The new man doesn’t die, even though the individual may sin. As children of God we are dealt with by the Lord. If we become dis
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