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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
III. G aining S piritual V alues (M ark 8:34-38)
For the Children H onoring O ur G od E xodus 20:7; L uke 18:10-14; M atthew 6:9; M ark 7:6 MEMOR Y VERSE : “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matt. 6:9). We have been learning about some of the ways in which Christian boys and girls can worship and serve God. Today we will talk about some ways of honoring Him, which prove that we love Him with all of our hearts. God’s Word says, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Ex. 20:7). Christian boys and girls will never use God’s name light ly, nor speak of it irreverently. In stead, they will remember that it is holy, for the Lord Jesus told His dis ciples to say, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed [holy] be thy name” (Matt. 6:9). Our love for our God can be shown to others by the reverence with which at all times we speak- His name. Another way in which we may honor God is by being humble, never boasting of our own goodness or tal ents. The Lord Jesus told His disciples about two men who went up into the temple to pray. One was a religious man; the other was a sinner. The re ligious man stood and prayed, thank ing God that he was not a sinner like the other man who prayed in the tem ple. The sinner (publican) knew that he was a sinner, but he was sorry for his sin. God’s Word says, “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote [beat] upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). Jesus said that the sinner, because of his humility, was pleasing to God. The religious man honored God with his lips, but his heart did not truly love Him. The heart of the sinner loved God and asked for forgiveness. Sometimes we as Christians speak to others about how much we love the Lord Jesus, but the things that we do and the things that w.e say tell our friends that we are lying. We love Him with our lips, but not with our hearts. Ask God to help you to honor Him with your heart as well as with your lips.
She L o v ed Her Mot her Dea r l y , But . . . 66T AM so glad my mother died before the war,” writes a He brew Christian sister from Po land, daughter of a missionary. “We had to go through such a dreadfully hard and cruel time— our experiences were horrible nightmares which words cannot describe. Dear friend, my little boy and I really have nobody left —my husband was murdered, and my sister and her husband were killed, too. I am sure you will understand and help us.” Mail from the Eastern Euro pean countries is reaching us regularly now—each letter in it self a testimony to untold and unbelievable tragedy. Many of the survivors are Hebrew Chris tians. The Lord has in a re markable way kept alive a good ly remnant of His people. They were cruelly afflicted because they were Jews, and also because they are believers in the Lord. These brethren look across the ocean to us to help them in this time of dire need. Have they survived in vain9 We cannot remain deaf to their pleading. We ask you in His Name to help us to assist them materiallj and rehabilitate them spiritually. This is the Christian’s privilege, opportunity, and duty. —o— The Friends of Israel Missionary & Relief Society, Inc. Rev. Victor Buksbazen, B.D., Gen. Sec’y. 728-K Witherspoon Building Philadelphia 7, Pa. Treasurer for Canada: REV. P. S. DOBSON, M.A., D.D. Principal, Alma College, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada —0— Our quarterly bulletin, ISRAEL MY GLORY, sent to all contrib utors and also on request.
. Jesus pointed the way to true spir itual values (v. 34). That path was self-denial, or choosing Christ instead of self; self-renunciation, or the vol untary assumption of the Cross; and self-abnegation^ or taking Another, even the Lord Jesus, as leader of the life and work. There is a reason for such teaching (vs. 35, 36). It is only as Christ’s plan is followed that life will be conserved. To gain the spiritual value one must act wisely, that is, sell his life for more than earthly values. To sell one’s life for mere material recom pense is to be a fool, even though the whole world were thereby gained. In order to evaluate the worth of spir itual riches, one must make a proper comparison between their permanency and that of material things. Points and Problems 1. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Ex. 20:7). Not only by means of vulgar profan ity may the Lord’s name be taken in vain. The Hebrew word used here sug gests the idea of frivolity or empti ness. Thus the idea in the text is that the Lord’s name is never to be used in a light, frivolous, meaningless man ner. It is not to be used in making an empty profession. That is hypocrisy and sin. It is not to be repeated in meaningless forms and ceremonies. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king dom of heaven” (Matt. 7:21). It is not to be employed in careless conversa tion. God’s name contains the fullest meaning of any name in the world, for His name represents Himself. »2. “Swear not atj all” (Matt 5:34). This statement is very plain. It is also very exclusive. In its broad sweep, it excludes oath taking of every kind. The simple reading of the words will allow no other meaning. The prohibi tion is complete. It is repeated by James in his Epistle: .“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, nei ther by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath” (5:12). Even the civil law of the land recog nizes the plain meaning of this pro hibition and allows for the simple af firmation of truth in place of the oath. The reasons for not swearing are: (1) It is plain disobedience to Scripture. (2) It is foreign to the new nature of the believer in whom the truth abides. (3) It destroys liberty for right action under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. (4) It is an appeal to superstition. (5) Some oaths have penalties attached to them of such character that no Christian should have any part in them.
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