in Him the Saviour. Some people actually join the church and seem to follow Christ, but only because they expect to profit by such an act (John 6:26). Some people join the church because it seems to be the decent thing to do. One religious leader of our pres ent day recently stated that the church has become “ simply a re spectable part of bur culture, not the bearer of dynamic power.” People want a standing with the re spectable people of the community so they join a church, usually the church in their area where no sepa ration from the world is demanded and where religion can take a small but comfortable part in their lives. Some people join the church be cause they feel that by doing so they are guaranteed a place in Heaven. The superstition, given birth in the Middle Ages, that a man had to be a member of the church in order to be saved, did not die with the com ing of the Modem Era. There are still many who entertain this false view. They join the church on some Easter Sunday and are never seen back again until the next Easter, if then. One of the best examples in the Bible of a man who wanted to be identified with Christ, but who lacked the true Christian exper ience is that in Acts 8:9-24. Study this passage noting that Simon went through all the motions of believing (w . 12, 13), but that he had an ulterior motive and lacked the true saving experience (cf. w . 18-24). There is a Real Faith That Proves It is refreshing to leave the ac count of a man like Simon in Acts 8, and to meet men like those re corded in Luke 5. Here were four men who believed in Christ with all their hearts, and who knew that He could do for them the very thing they wanted more than anything else in the world, namely the heal ing of their friend. From this incident we see that true faith is active faith. Because these men believed something they put their faith to work. It is sig nificant that it is said of the Phari sees and doctors that were “ sitting by” (v. 17). But of the four men who were helping the palsied man to Christ it is said that they “ brought [him] in a bed” and “ they sought means to bring him in” to Jesus. True faith is saving faith (v. 20). When our Lord saw the faith of these four men, and recognized the faith in the man who had been CONTINUED itself as Such Luke 5:17-26
WINONA LAKE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY UNIQUE: GREAT TEACHERS, COURSESI, TIME, CREDITS, STUDENTS REGULAR SESSIONS, FLYING SEMINARS TO PALESTINE Am erica ’ « M o s t Unique Summer Sem inary June 17-July 25 July 25-Sept. 1 Founded by Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, 1920. Dr. J. A. Huffman, President Write for copy 1953 Prospectus, Winona Lake, Indiana
Dr. Louis T. Talbot Presents a New Sound-Color 16 mm. Film "JUNGLE INDIANS" Filmed in Peru
See . . . • BEAUTIFUL PERU • BIRD ISLANDS • INDIANS • GOSPEL PLANE • HEAD BINDING • MISSIONARY JUNGLE CAMP
Write Now for This and Other Films Please Book Films at Least a Month in Advance
HOW TO OBTAIN THESE FILMS They are available to any group on a free-will offering basis; that is, each time the film is shown an offering is to be taken for the work of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles in training young folks for world-wide Christian service.
FILM DEPARTMENT BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES 558 S. Hope Street, Los Angeles, California Please send the 16 mm. sound-color films: □ Siam For showing (date) ...... ........................................ □ I Saw Borneo ..............:............................. .—...----------... □ I Saw Petra .................................................. -— ------------- □ India's Sorrow ............................................................................... □ Jungle Indians ............................................................................... Your Name ........................................................- .......................- .............. Church........................................ ........ ............................................................. Address ......... - ............................................................................................... C it y ............................................... -......................................-_______ State
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