8,000 Baptists, “I pledge you that wherever we go and whatever we do—whether it be institutional missions or educational missions or medical missions or pioneer mis sions, we shall always preach the Gospel! Our primary task, our main business, shall be to preach the Gospel. Evangelistic preaching shall be the cornerstone ol our work.” Many of the members of this class will witness through preaching. I charge you therefore, “Preach the Word.” A n E n l igh t en in g M in istry It is amazing to discover the conception which some people hold of the Gospel ministry. To them it is just a respectable profession, or a place to enjoy public esteem, or an opportunity for social service. What was Paul’s commission? “To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God” (Acts 26:18). Perhaps few of us realize the intensity of the dark ness in which the world gropes and stumbles and feels its way. It is moral darkness. It is spiritual darkness, and as men live and die in it, it becomes eternal dark ness. Isaiah said, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light” (9:2). Again, “In an accept able time have I answered thee, and in a day of salva tion have I helped thee . . . saying to them that are bound, Go forth, to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves” (49:8,9), And again, “For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people” (60.2). Paul, in Romans 13:12, urges Christians to “Cast off the works of darkness” and “put on the armor of light.” Probably one of the strongest statements in this connection is in Ephesians 6:12, "For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this dark ness.” Colossians 1:13 is a glorious reminder of the same truth, “Who delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love.” As you go to your appointed task, you will face ap palling darkness. You will face the darkness of ignor ance concerning all things spiritual; the darkness of superstition and fear; the darkness of delusion and error; the darkness of paganism and atheism; the dark ness of a complete and utter indifference in the pres ence of which you will feel completely helpless. And what is our task? To Open Their Byes Not with eloquence or oratory shall we be able to do do this; not with worldly wisdom or human reason; not with new techniques and methods. How then? By the living Word of God, by the plain, simple message of the Gospel of Christ. We must join Paul in saying, “I de termined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Where that message is preached, the scales of sin and unbelief fall from blinded eyes and the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ shines in. That They May Turn From Darkness to Light "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light be cause their deed were evil” (John 3:19). This is still as true as when it was written. Sin and unbelief, unregen erate human nature, cause men to love darkness and cling to it. Look back into your own past; consider your own case. Do you remember how you turned from the things of God and rebelled against every pleading voice? Men walk in sin because they enjoy it. “The pleasures of sin” appeal to them strongly. AUGUST, 1947
Dr. K. Owen White
What then is the purpose of our preaching, our per sonal witnessing, our teaching, our praying? “That they may turn from darkness to light.” We are to preach for decisions! We are to call for action! AWe are not com missioned to entertain. We are not called to tickle the ears of our hearers. We are not chiefly responsible to merit the approval of man. I do not ask That crowds may throng the temple, That standing room be priced; I only ask that as I twice the message They may see Christ. I do not ask For churchly pomp or pageant,
Or music such as wealth alone can buy; I only ask that as I voice the message He may be nigh! I do not ask That men may sound my praises, Or headlines spread my name abroad; I only pray that as I voice my message Hearts may find God! I do not ask For earthly place or laurel, Or of this world’s distinction any part; I only ask, when I have voiced the message, My Saviour’s heart!
O my fellow laborers, how deep is the darkness in which men and women now walk! Everywhere there is atheism, materialism, secularism, godlessness, blas phemy, drunkenness, divorce, immorality, dishonesty, de ceit, hatred, murder, suicide, a veritable flood-tide of the fruits of sin turned loose upon us! Add to this the spec tacle of delusion and error represented in the many false cults and the picture of pleasure-mad, cigarette-smoking, cocktail-drinking, theatre-going, card-playing, neglect ful, indifferent Christians and the picture is still incom- ete. Only a mighty, redemptive Gospel with power to regenerate and renew can cope with a world situation like that. Which leads me now to say that Page Eleven
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