January 1932
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
15
us through the village of Nanyoh and up to the place, on the lap of the mountain, where the Institute buildings gleamed clean and white. The caretaker and his wife wel comed us heartily, and soon comfortable quarters were ready for us. The air was exhilarating. The flowers and shrubbery were lovely beyond description. No wonder the Governor of Hunan, when he saw this spot, called it “a little bit of heaven” ! We looked over the grounds and peeped into the lecture hall, the dormitories, and the two residences farther up the hillside. Added to these, there is a dispensary and also a swimming pool. It is an ideal place for a Bible conference—up in the hills with God. G reat O pportunities Nanyoh is one of the five sacred mountains of China, and in the early fall, a constant stream of pilgrims, bent on worship and fulfilling vows, turns in that direction. We de cided to visit the large temple in the village. In the court yard, the atmosphere was heavy with incense. People were prostrating themselves, mumbling their prayers amid the popping of fire-crackers. Above all else, one could hear the dull but penetrating boom of the temple gongs. Here was heathen worship in full swing, with the collosal figure of the god Nanyoh overshadowing the scene. What a pitiful sight! How we longed that these misguided souls might have the light of Christ! Invigorated by the cool air, we walked up the hill to the conference buildings to spend the night. Ere the quiet ness o f sleep overtook us, we could catch the strains of the pilgrims’ song, as they journeyed homeward. They had worshiped, but their song was only a haunting cry born of an unfilled need. They did not know the meaning of the gracious words of Jesus: “ He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” HITHERTO— HENCEFORTH [Continued from page 9] have made their New Year’s resolutions only to find them selves powerless to perform. There is but one way of victory, and that is the way o f the cross. Our old man was crucified with Him, and as we claim the benefits of this crucifixion, it operates to deliver us from the power of the old self-life. Self has not ceased to be— far from it ! But if we maintain our identity with Christ in His crucifixion, we are delivered from its power. Our text says that it is “ destroyed” ; that is, literally “ rendered powerless.” It is a heartening thing, as we go forward into this year, to know that we may be victorious—and constantly so — in the power of the crucified One. Henceforth, we are not to serve sin. . L iving U nto G od Our second “ henceforth” is similar to the first: “ And that he died for all, that they which live should not hence forth live unto themselves, but unto him whieh died for them, and rose again” (2 Cor. 5 :15). Henceforth, we are to live unto God. Life may be lived in relation to the physical desires and pleasures, the lower nature—in which case, it is earthly, sensual. It may be lived in relation to the environment about us— in which case, it is worldly. It may be lived in relation to what is above us—Christ and the heavenly realm— in which case, it is spiritual. Some one has said, “ To know what is beneath me is >
power. To know what is around me is culture. To know what is above me is character.” To live to Christ is to have all ambition, hope, and pur pose dedicated unto and purged by Him. Henceforth, we are to know not the call of the natural human desires and purposes as the guiding principle of our lives, nor the power of the world as moulding us; but we are to know Him, and we are to live unto Him who died to everything of this sort and rose again in power. In so living unto Him, it is necessary for us to die to the world and to self that we may rise in the newness of His spiritual life and power. C atching M en Our third “ henceforth” is the logical outcome of these two: “ Henceforth thou shalt catch men” (Lk. 5 :10). The original is quite suggestive. Literally, it is “ thou shalt be faking men alive.” The only other use of this word for catching is in 2 Timothy 2 :26, where Satan is spoken of as having taken alive those who are under his power. As we follow Christ in crucifixion to self and the world, and as we live unto God, we are empowered to recapture from Satan those who are under his power. What a vast difference in the “ taking alive” which is done by Satan and that which Jesus promised the disciples they would be able to d o ! During this year, let us devote ourselves as never be fore to personal work. We are “ saved to serve,” and God is looking to us to make Him and His salvation known to men. The devout Bede called Andrew “ an introducer to Christ.” Every time he appears in the New Testament, it is in the act of bringing some one to Jesus. What a blessed habit! Henceforth you shall be bringing men to Christ. A C rown of R ighteousness Finally, “ henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4 :8 ). . Years ago, Dr. D. M. Stearns called attention to the fact that there are five crowns, any one of which, or all of which, may be bestowed upon any believer: 1. The “ crown of life,” the reward for suffering for Christ’s sake (Jas. 1:12; Rev. 2:14). 2. The “ incorruptible crown,” the reward for victory over the flesh (1 Cor. 9:24-27). 3. The “ crown of rejoicing,” the reward for soul winning (1 Tim. 2:19; 2 Cor. 5:19). 4. The “ crown of glory,” the reward for feeding the flock (1 Pet. 5 :4 ). 5. The “ crown of righteousness,” the reward for those who love the Lord’s appearing (2 Tim. 4 :8). It is one thing to believe in His coming, and even to expect it, but it is an altogether different thing to love it. Do we actually love to think of His coming ? Does it warm our hearts when we hear it spoken o f ? Does the thought of it lift our burdens? And can we say, with John, “ even so, come, Lord Jesus” ? I f this is true, we will not only “ com fort pne another with these words” ' (1 Thess. 4 :18 ), but we will be preparing ourselves to share the “ crown o f right eousness” laid up for all those who do love Him, and who are eagerly “waiting out” the time for His appearing. So the New Year speaks to us of victories and joys in the past— “ hitherto” ; and it speaks of triumphs for.us in the coming days— “ henceforth.” Henceforth—this -year—we shall not serve sin; we shall live unto G od ; we shall be catching men; and perhaps, who knows, we shall be sharing the crown of righteousness. “ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
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