September 1926
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
530
We should test all our own motives: “ Am I to go, or not to go?” "To give, or not to give?” “ To serve, or not to serve?” that we may in all things maintain the honor, and integrity of our Lord. (In October, “ The Demonstration of the Truth,” vs. 7-14.)
Constant testing is needed. It Is all good for us (James 1 :2 -4 ): “ My brethren, count It nil Joy when ye fa ll Into divers tem ptations (testin g s) | “ K n ow in g th is, that the tryin g o f your fa ith w ork eth patience. “ But let patience have her perfect w ork , that ye m ay be perfect and entire, w an ting nothing.”
another* and the blood o f Jeans Christ* H is Son, eleanseth ns from all sin ." (Matt. 16:23). It we are not in fellowship with Jesus Christ, and are therefore "walk ing in darkness ” we are subject to the power— the awful power— of the devil, for we are upon his ground. The first thing to do is to "confess our sins” (1 John 1 :9 ) that we may be cleansed and restored. Then, says Paul, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). Teachers are to be tested (2 Pet. 2 :1 ). There are many false prophets (v. 1). These can all be detected by a simple, practical test which every believer can make for himself (vs. 2, 3). Jesus was subjected to tests, and furnished proof that His claims were true. In the eighth chapter of the Gospel of John, in His controversy witn the Jewish leaders, He asserted that His character was faultless (John 8:45, 46). In John 14:10, 11, He appealed to His works. In Luke 24:27, He appealed to prophecy. In John 8:17, He appealed to the testimony of two witnesses. In John 2:19, He appealed .to the fact of His resurrection. In Acts 1:4, He appealed to the tes timony of the gift of the Spirit. In John 10:30-33, His testimony as to His Godhead resulted in his death. The earthly life of Jesus was char acterized by service, humility, obedi ence, suffering. This is distasteful to Satan, and it is distasteful to the world. Keep this in mind (v. 17): «A a he Is, no are w e In this world.” (John 15 :19 ): “ I f ye were o f the world, the world would love Its own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out o f the world, therefore, the world huteth you.” The sweetest Christian experience is associated with three words,— Separa tion, sacrifice, suffering. The Spirit of Christ seeks to serve. The spirit of evil seeks to rule. The Holy Spirit identifies us with Christ, who denied self, who suffered (Luke 22 :27 ): “ I am am ong you as one that serveth.” (2 Tim. 2 :12 ): “ I f w e suffer, w e shall also reign w ith him .” This is the path hateful to Satan, to false teachers, to worldly teachers. They all seek to exalt man. They tell us what God ought to do. They sit in judgment on God’s Word, instead of being judged by it (John 12:48): “ He that rejecteth me, and recelveth not m y w ords, hath one that Judgeth him i the word that I have spoken, the sam e shall Judge him In the last day.” But the Spirit of God is greater than the spirit of evil (v. 4 ): “ Greater Is he that Is In you than he that Is In the w orld.” Jesus had victory and so may we (1 John 5 :5 ): “ W h o Is he that overeometh the world, but he that belleveth that Jesus Is the Son o f God T" .
FAITH S DEADLIEST ENEMY (Continued from page 512)
Why do they not talk of repainting “ the lilies of the field,” or of adding a touch to the “ bow in the cloud” ? You cannot change perfection without making it imperfect. You cannot al ter a straight line without making it crooked. Are they getting out a new kind of affection that binds together husband and wife? It is a matter of record that “ fif teen percent of the freshmen of the colleges of this country have discarded the Christian religion"— that is, have had their faith killed outright. Now if “ there are five wounded to one killed,” the freshmen “ casualties” would reach the appalling figure of seventy-five percent. As skeptical ideas continue to be poured into Jun iors and seniors, the faith of nearly half the graduates is slain on the field of battle, and the faith of the re mainder wounded. ¿He. & inexplainable. His c h a l l e n g e Is “ WHOSOEVER WILL” (Rev. 22:17). Christ has power to be ever present throughout this age of grace (Matt. 28:20). He had power over minds (Mark 2: 7 ); knew all men (John 2 :24 ); all things (John 16:30). Power over nature (John 2:1-12). Power over the elements (Matt. 8: 23-27). Power over famine (Matt. 14:16). Power over disease (Matt. 8). Power over death (John 11). Power over demons (Luke 4). Power over hell and the grave (1 Cor. 15). Power over principalities, might and dominion (Eph. I t 21). All power in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18). And is OMNIPOTENT (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 19:6). Christ’s coming to earth again to judge, reign, and manifest His glory is proof of His absolute Deity (Matt. 25; John 5:22; 2 Tim. 2:12; 4 :2 ; Rev. 19). THE DEITY OF CHRIST (Continued from page 514)
many did not have another Luther to lead them against this bottomless pit heresy and apostasy! It might have averted a tragedy that has staggered the world. And what a greater pity it will be if "the Spirit of the Lord” does not come "mightily” upon the great evangelical bodies of America until they will arise and rend this "beast of the Jungle” as did Samson with the lion that roared upon him. “ Stop, Thief!” Was it the soil of America only for which “ our immortal sires” fought? "He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but cllmbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” What right have we to allow these "thieves and robbers’* to carry off the intangible inheritance of our children bequeathed to them by the Pilgrims, the Huguenots, the Quakers and other worthies, and never un sheathe "the sword of the Spirit"? A Faith-Wrecking Theory “ There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” What parent would commit his child to the care of a guide, when that guide was so fool ish as to believe that the right way home was to lead that child straight to the den of a Bengal tiger? Think of “ sixty percent of the teaching force of this country having bowed the knee to modern skepti cism.” Think o f more than half of our 25,000,000 students being directly or indirectly taught that the Bible is out of harmony with the theory of evolu tion and must therefore be altered to fit this theory; that this will put much of “ The Old Time Religion” on the scrap heap; that a new code of morals and up-to-date Ideals will soon be forthcoming; that even the New Tes tament is behind the times, etc. Why do not these unregenerate in structors teach our students that they need a new kind of air to breathe? a new kind of water to drink? a new kind of sunshine to invigorate? Are these ready for the scrap heap? They were good enough for Methuselah but are out of date for us! Is that it"?
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker