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double judgment. The result was a marked increase of power. Hypocrites were afraid to join the church but be lievers multiplied and Peter gained such fame that his very shadow was esteemed and coveted. Judgment is thus seen to work salvation and to be a part of mercy. Isaiah 26:9. It has been well said that the church is not a religious club nor a mère association for moral culture. It is not a human creation at all. It is the habitation of God through the Spirit and any failure to recognize and reverence it as such is to expose oneself to the possibility of judgment. WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28. Prov. 6:16-23. Satan’s Second Attempt Against the Gospel. After the failure to bring the work of the Gospel to naught by violence, ' • Satan attempted to destroy the work by dividing the heart of professed be lievers. This fails because judgment falls. Satan pursues the same method with the church that he followed in the case of Israel. When violent measures proved ineffectual, he has recourse to subtlety and seduction. Rev. 2:14. Sometimes this is more successful. There is no novelty in any of his efforts. They all are characterized by the same monotonous repetition, through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. A counterfeit bank note proves that there is a genuine one in circulation somewhere. It also testifies to the value of the genüine. Men do not counter feit common brown paper. There is no counterfeit infidelity. It is not worth counterfeiting. At a certain time in the history Of the church a pious ecclesiastic said “ Alas! there are no more hypo crites.” His meaning was that there was no longer any piety, nothing worth THURSDAY, Jan. 29. Psalm 15. The Lesson of the Counterfeit.
of the church. The generous gift of Barnabas and its consequent praise, seems to have incited Ananias to an imitation of it. He coveted the honor which was bestowed on those who gave all, but his love of money kept him from paying the cost of that honor. He and his wife sold their property but kept hack part of the proceeds. Peter charges him with his sin, declaring that he has lied not to the church but to the Holy Spirit who dwells in it. The church is thus seen to be God’s dwelling place and worthy of the same reverence as the tabernacle and temple. Therefore the judgment that fell on Nadab and Abihu, Lev. 10:1-2, came upon Ananias and Sapphira also. Eccles. 5:1. The narrative concerning Ananias shows that he spoke no word. It is not enough to say however that he acted a lie. He simply took advantage of a common understanding and wanted more credit than properly belonged to him. Those who gave to the church up to this time had been moved to give all, and it had come to be considered that when a man brought an offering he gave his entire property. It was conceded that he was under no obliga tion to give all or indeed any of his substance but he must not claim a repu tation which he did not deserve. It is a common understanding today that when a man attends church and observes its ordinances, he is a good man. Hypo crisy still avails itself of this presump tion. TUESDAY, Jan. 27. Acts 5:12-16. The Result of Judgment. Three times in this brief narrative it is said that curse came on church and community. They were obliged to ad mit that God was in this miraculous MONDAY, Jan. 26. Psalm 51. The Sin of Ananias.
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