preliminary to the ministry of our Lord? (Matt. 3:2.) 2. W h y did John command repentance on the part of the people? (v. 2.) 3. D o you think there is need for this same message to be preached today? List some of the reasons for your answer. Think of some of the present sins of America, of church members, of the churches. 4. W h o came to John to be baptized of him according to v. 7? 5. W h y did John address them as he did? (v. 7.) 6. What did he order these people to do? (v. 8.) 7. What great mistake were these re ligious leaders making? (v. 9a.) 8. H ow do people today make the same spiritual error? 9. What does John mean b y his state ment in v. 10? 10. H ow does John indicate the tem porary and inferior character of his m in istry as compared with that of the Lord Jesus? (v. 11.) 11. W hen was this prediction of John fulfilled? (Acts 2.) 12. What is to be the destiny of be lievers, of unbelievers and of hypocrites? (v. 12.) 13. Galatians and Romans were Luther’s favorite books of the Bible. The reason for this is that these hooks emphasize the great doctrine of justification b y faith alone without works on the part of the believer. Is this doctrine really taught in the Bible? (cp. Rom. 1:16,17; 3:21-31; 4 :3 ,5 ; 5:1 ; Gal. 2:16, etc.) 14. Notice, too, that the N ew Testa ment expects and demands holiness on the part of those who really exercise saving faith. Justification always produces sanctification; saving faith is always work ing faith—not unto salvation, but because of salvation. The believer is h oly because he is saved: not in order to be saved (Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 John 2 :6 ). Nov. 7, 1954 Tyndale, the Translator Luke 1:1-4; Rev. 1:9-11 DAILY READINGS Nov. 1 — The Word Read Publicly Josh. 8:32-35 Nov. 2 — The Book of the Law Read to All Neh. 8:1-8 Nov. 3 — Receptions of the. Word Luke 8:1 1-15 Nov. 4 — Power of the Word Heb. 4:12-16 Nov. 5 — The Gospel for All Rom. 1:14-16 Nov. 6 — Every M an in His Tongue Acts 2:1-8 THE HEART OF THE LESSON The chief responsibility of every be liever and of the church is to bear w it ness to Jesus Christ in the power of the H oly Spirit (Acts 1:8 ). This is the mean ing of the hook of Acts. This book traces how the early Church obeyed the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). Every Christian ought to study the book of Acts periodically for the inspiration and encouragement to witness that it imparts. As one reads Acts he notes that
THE BEST IN DEVOTIONAL READING! Written by DR. V. RAYMOND EDMAN — HIS NEWEST BOOK The Delights of Life Again, Dr. Edman has written another fine devotional book with verses, poems, and meditations for the blessing of the reader. Each chapter begins with a “ delight” of Christian living and pre sents a challenging and inspiring mes sage to the reader. A companion vol ume to “ Disciplines of Life.” — 264 pages, cloth. $2.00 Other Devotional books by this Author: In Quietness and Confidence A pocket-sized devdtional treasury con taining choice selections of Scripture verses and spiritual gems by outstand ing Christians. — 64 pages, plastic binding. 60g Storms and Starlight Every reader w ill finish this book with a deeper love for Christ. It presents lessons from everyday life and com monplace folk. They are from the kind of circumstance of which we frequently find ourselves — solitude, storm, sar casm, solace, silliness, solvency — to mention only a very few. — 240 pages, cloth. $2.50 The Disciplines of Life Dr. Edman’s chapel talks at Wheaton College. Christians everywhere have profited in great measure b y the many editions of this compilation of the sim ple straight-forward messages. This book presents 31 “ disciplines” of life, beginning with “ D ” , each preceded with appropriate verse. •—• 254 pages, cloth. $2.00 Available at your favorite religious bookstore or write to: m n -J^Campen P r eóó 208 E. Willow Street, Wheaton, III.
Helps for Christian Endeavor and Other Young People's Groups By Chester J. Padgett, D.D. Assistant Professor of English Bible Talbot Theological Seminary Oct. 31, 1954 Luther, the Reformer Matt. 3:7-12 DAILY READINGS Oct. 25 — The Church Built on Confession of Christ Matt. 16:13-18 Oct. 26 — The Holy Church Oct. 27 — Reconciled to Christ Oct. 28 — Saying and Doing Oct. 29 — Sons of God Oct. 30 — Justified By Faith Eph. 5:22-27 Col. 1:18-22 Luke 6:46-49 1 John 3:1-3 Rom. 5:1-6 HEART OF THE LESSON On Oct. 31, 1517, a young monk named Martin Luther initiated the greatest re ligious movement since the day of the Apostles. Young Luther had come into the possession of a Bible and through study of this blessed Book had come to see how far the church of his day had departed from the truth of God both in doctrine and in purity. The H oly Spirit moved him to speak out against the abuses of the church and in doing so he set the spark that ignited the hearts of m il lions of his countrymen to rebel against the tyranny of the Roman Catholic Church and to work for the reform of the church. The church refused to he reformed and the result was the formation of the great Lutheran Church. W ith the simultaneous leadership of other great Christians such as John Calvin, Ulrich Zw ingli, Philip Melanchthon and John Knox the Protes tant Church was b om as the extension in history of the Church of Christ and the Apostles. It -is fitting that on this day we should commemorate this tremendous movement that has brought the light of God’s W ord to millions. STUDY QUESTIONS 1. W e are going to study the text sug gested for the lesson and then we shall examine several other Scriptures in con nection with the doctrine of the Reforma tion. What was the central message of John the Baptist as he came preaching
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