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t T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
June 1926
He tempted Eve, he tempted Christ, he tempted Peter, all along the same line,;—to doubt God and His goodness. (6 ) He is a liar (John 8 :44 ): “When he apeaketh a lie, he apeaketk of hla own; for he la a liar and the (other o f It.” He lied to Eve in the beginning. He is the father and author of every lie. • (6 ) He is a murderer— a man- killer (John 8 :44 ): “ He waa a murderer from the begin ning. and abode not In the truth, because there la no trutk In klm.” He hated Abel because he was good and tempted Cain to kill him. Hatred is murder (3 :16 ), and Satan hates God; he hates the Christ spirit, he hate# Christians. Jesus was mani fested to destroy the works of the devil (v. 8). He overcame him, and He gives power to the saints to over come also (6:4, 6; Rev. 3:21; 12:11). Put on the armour of God, de scribed in Eph. 6:11-18, and you will always be victorious in your conflict with Satan. Meet the deceiver with the helmet of salvation; the accuser, with the breastplate of righteousness; the hinderer, with Gospel shoes; the tempter, with the sword; the liar, with the girdle of truth. Remember that Jesus is our Salvation (Heb. 6 :9 ); our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1 :30 ); the Word of God (Rev. 19 :13 ); our Truth (John 14 ;6 ); our Sun and Shield (Psa. 84:11). (In July, “ Our Peculiar Obligation,” va. 11-18.) This yearly independent and evan gelical gathering of the Lord’s peo ple for rest, refreshment, prayer fel lowship and Bible teaching, at Para dise, eighteen miles from Chico, lin the foothill country of the Sierras, in Northern California, will be held from June 27 to July 11. A beautiful natural park of ten acres of timberland has been opened up, the usual conveniences of an auto camp provided, and the meetings will be held in a tent in the open woods. A season of refreshment of soul and blessing of the Spirit is anticipated. Tent camps will be provided for those who engage them and meals will be served on the grounds. Those who wish to arrange for their own living accommodations may do so as is usual in any auto camp. All camp ing assignments and the full privileges of the grounds are without charge, and the cost of meals and tent camps are met with free will offerings. So far as is known, there is no other similar gathering in Northern California. Among the teachers this year will be Dr. I. R. Dean, of Toron to; J. A. Youngberg of San Diego, and Charles J. Waehlte. A cordial invitation is extended to all who love the Lord and His Word. For full particulars address Fred F. Schell, Paradise, Calif. PARADISE ENCAMPMENT AND BIBLE CONFERENCE
The Book of Job is not only the old est, but the most mysterious bqok in the Bible; containing the noblest poetry, the most splendid imagery, the deepest problems. Its theme is: “ How can the aflllctlon of saints be reconciled with the moral goodness and government of God?” It is, in fact, kn outline of man’s history: (1) The perfect man untried (Adam and Eve before the fall). (2 ) M an tempted and tried (Sinning and suf fering after the fall). (3 ) Man seeking human help (Worldly wisdom, moral ity, legality, philosophy,— all unavail ing). (4 ) A Mediator needed (Turn ing to God and receiving His help). (5 ) Man humbled before God (Peni tent at God’s voice). (6 ) Believing God. (7) God reveals Himself (Re stores possessions). Job is a real character, not a myth. All the circumstances related are nat ural,— family, friends, country, prop erty. Notice the three pictures: (1 ) Happy family. Happy with God and with each other. Job loved and trusted. A Powerful chief. (2 ) In one day, all changed. One disaster follows another in quick suc cession. Children gone; property gone; afflicted. (3 ) The prince of darkness (Satan) appearing in the presence of God with the question: “ Does Job serve God for naught? Cut off hiS blessings and see how soon he will desert you.” Satan’s argument is that allegiance to God is based on visible and material blessings, and that goodness cannot exist without hope of reward. Not only is a personal devil found in the oldest book in the Bible, but in Revelation— the last book in the Bible. Take Satan out of that book and see what you have left. Here you get the final act in the drama. The B i b l e delineates the character of Satan, corresponding to fact. That is, we find in the natural order of events the very marks of Satan’s work. (1 ) He is set forth as a deceiver (1 Tim. 2 :13 ): “ Anti Adam waa not deceived. Bat tbe woman belnsr deceived waa In tbe trana- greKilon*” Satan deceived Eve. Men are de ceived about God, about truth, about eternity, heaven, hell. (2) He is set forth as an accuser (Rev. 12 :10 ): «For the accuser of oar brethren la cast down, which accnaed them before our God day and night.” He accused Job. He accuses us. But Jesus is our Advocate (1 John 2: 1). If there were no accuser, there would be no need of an Advocate. (3) He is called a “ blnderer” (1 Thess. 2 :18 ): “Wherefore we would have come to yon, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered an.” He hindered so great a man as Paul. He hinders God’s work. He inter rupts and interferes with the service which we seek to render. (4 ) He is a tempter (Luke 4:12, 13): “ And Jenna answering said nnto him. It la aald. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
The definition of “ Sin” is "missing a mark” ; of “ transgression,”— “ cross ing a line.” The inherent sin of the human heart is selfishness, or wilfulness; a deter mination to have our own way; set ting the 'w ill up against Ood’s will. Righteousness is “ rightness.” "Peel ing” is not righteousness; “ knowl edge” is not righteousness; “ moral ity” is not righteousness; “ ceremon ials” are not righteousness. But right eousness is the state of being “ right with God,” for righteousness is the character of God. The children of God have the character of God and are consequently "righteous.” Righteousness is a state, and finds expression in doing; it is manifested in action. These verses cannot be taken as teaching that we have no sinful na ture (1:8-10; 2:1, 2 ): " I f we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth Is not In us. * * * “ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.” The children of God are born of God, and have His nature, His charac ter. The habit of their life is to do right. The sinner goes on to love sin. The saint hates sin, and loves right eousness. The fruit of the old life is murder (3 :1 3 ): "W h o so hateth his trother Is a mur derer.” The fruit of the new life is— holi ness (Rom. 6 :22 ): “ But now being m ad . (r e . from .In, and become aervant. o f God, ye b a v . yonr fruit unto bollneaa, and the end e v .rla .tln g life.*' So the effect of righteousness is seen in the love of disciples one for another, thus manifesting a practical, righteous life. In the degree that we “ abide in Christ” it is impossible for us to sin. If aiman habitually lives in the prac tice of sin, he proclaims himself a sin ner, not knowing Christ (v. 8 ): "F o r this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works o f the devil.” Col. Robert G. Ingersoll once gave a lecture on the devil in which he made a bold Scriptural argument that if you abandon a personal devil you have to give up the Bible. His argu ment was that Christianity is based upon the fact of a personal devil. He was logical and right. Satan appears in the beginning of the Book and is found all through. If the Scriptures are to be believed, you must believe in a personal devil. In this respect the infidel is clearer than the Modernist, who has abandoned the doctrine of a personal devil, and of a literal hell. Let us look at some of the Script ural proofs of the personality of Satan. In Genesis we find that man was given dominion over all creation (Gen. 1: 26-28). This dominion man, through disobedience, lost. He became the slave and subject of Satan (Rom. 6". 16 ): “Know y . not that to whom y . yield youraelvea aervant. to obey, hla aervant. y . are to whom y . obey I whether o f aln unto death, or o f obedience nnto rlgh t- eouaneaa.” (Luke 13:16).
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