THE K I N G ’ S B U S I NE S S
1005
Faith in God” ; this is “ progress” ; this is “ advanced thought”— and so the race is left, its “ grave without a Resurrec tion” , its “Universe without a God” , its Son without a Savior. Thoughtful men understand well that the objective point of all these infidel attacks is, the Cross and the Crucified. Shall we give up the Blood and its cleansing and peace-giving power at the behest of boasting unbelief? Shall we cease to preach Christ and Him crucified because now, as of old, He is a stum bling block to the Jew, a foolishness to the natural man? RESTATING THE FAITH Underneath the call for a “restatement of Christianity in terms of modern thought",there must be something more than simply a desire for clear expres sion. Has language utterly failed? Are the revised versions already out of date? Have we really so lost the understanding of terms that people of our generation are like the heathen who lack words for God and all holy things? We cannot be lieve this, although a critic of our day has said that a certain class of men would entirely lose the art of reading were it not for the sporting page of our newspapers. It seems rather that the “restatement of Christianity” which is desired is one which is not merely a de parture from words but from the Word. The “modern mind” has not so much a quarrel with terms as with teaching. The course of the “restater” always ap pears to be one of evasion or elision with respect to certain portions of Scripture which have to do with sin and man’s fall en condition, the deity of Christ and the essential shedding of His blood for the redemption of mankind. Some, in their restatement of Christianity, apparently consider the Bible, which has given them all they know of salvation, a mere scaf folding which, now that they are built up in the Christian faith, can safely be torn
down. Their faith they think will stand without it. But surely, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Our need is not less dependence upon the Bible but more, not so much an interest in human aspirations as in God- given “inspiration,” not a groping after truth in uncertain places but the accept ance of its distinct expression in the Holy Scriptures, not a restatement of doctrines but a reinstatement. We need to put back what is being taken away, to bring to distinctness again unfocused views; above all, to see that Christ is the whole of Christianity, and proclaim Him as God and Savior instead of talking of “the in-, fluences of Jesus,” “quickening social and national conscience,” “the world enter prise of Christianity,” and other verbal earthborn clouds that arise to hide Him from His servants’ eyes. God, who states the Truth to us through His Holy Spirit throughout the Scriptures, is both infin ite and definite; man who would restate the truth, shifts words and shows him self only finite and indefinite.— China’s Millions. WHiE IT EAST? The following story was related by a brother at a revival meeting in Glasgow. “An evangelist who was conducting a series of meetings in the North of Scot land, one night, when going home, was accosted by a man, who sneeringly said, “Mr. C------, you are creating a great deal of stir and commotion in this village. But will it last?” “Well,” said the evan gelist, “ some time ago I was passing a certain house. There was a great deal of joy, gladness, and excitement in that house, because an important event had taken place—a son had been born into the family. A few months later I was pass ing the same house again, but there was no particular enthusiasm, everything had quieted down. But the boy,” added "he, “was there all the same,”
(See Outside Back Cover)
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker