September, 1934
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
330
thanks will be offered unto God the Father in Christ Jesus. The remembrance that God is controlling all things and that all things do work together for our good will fill the heart with thankfulness—whatever may be the difficulties. Third, there will be submission manifested one toward an other. This submission will banish count less bickerings and strifes. Harmony will prevail, and a true testimony will be borne by the saints to the world at large. The Gentiles have no true standard of life, but all is vanity and evil. The true standard is found in that “new man” which we are to be putting on day by day while putting off the “old man” with its corrup tion. This new life will lead J o the adop tion o f the standard by which our Lord ordered His earthly life, that is, the will of God His Father. For us, the pathway to this experience is full surrender to the Spirit of God, thankfulness for all the providences of God, and submission to the will o f God—a yielding which will be re vealed in our submission one to another. Points and Problems The first few verses of this lesson con tain a dreadful picture of the moral and spiritual degradation of the unsaved world. Notice the expressions with which the Holy Spirit paints their condition. 1. Their mind is characterized by the word “vanity." The Greek term means “uselessness” ; that is, the unsaved mind may be very active, but all its activities are without any final purpose which can stand the test o f eternity. To see the mean ing o f the word “vanity,” read the book of Ecclesiastes. 2. Their understanding is “darkened." This condition came from shutting God out. ' “They did not like to retain God in their knowledge” is Paul’s description in Romans 1 :28. Where God is, there is light, for “ God is light, and in him is no dark ness at all” (1 John 1 :5). The unregener ate mind, with all its high intellectuality, is a realm o f midnight gloom. 3. They are “alienated from the life of God.” The English word “alien” is very familiar. The alien has no vital relation to the country in which he may be living. He does not “belong.” But the Greek word goes further. To be “ alienated” from the life o f God means not only to be cut off from the life o f God, but it also means to be “given to others.” The soul must either' be given to God, or else it is given to the powers o f darkness. 4. They are often “past feeling.” The Greek word means “to put away pain.” The soul which is closest to God feels the great est pain from sin. But to the unsaved world the Christian’s concern about sin seems morbid and ridiculous. It is true that men can get rid of the “pain of sin,” but the cost is fearful—they must get rid o f God. For where God is, sin is a painful thing. To be comfortable in the presence of sin is the very harbinger o f doom. Golden Text Illustration One o f the most interesting stories about Ulysses tells of his adventures with Circe, the daughter of the sun. Hawthorne tells o f it with charming interest in his Tangle- wood Tales. Ulysses with his sailors was sailing home after the battle of Troy. One day, after a voyage full o f disastrous mis haps, they came in sight of a small island fringed ’round about with inviting green foliage. He anchored his tempest-beaten bark in a quiet cove of the island, and began a tour o f inspection. He climbed into a tree, and in the very center of the island he saw a palace embowered with trees. He
constant watchfulness must be exercised lest it gain the upper hand. Second, anger must cease. The expression “be ye angry, and sin not” means to be angry in the sense that our Lord was angry because of wrongs done to others (Mk. 3 :5 ). The exhortation to “let not the sun go down upon your wrath” refers to the anger aroused by wrongs done to us. Third, no place is to be given to the devil, no vantage point yielded to him by which he might gain a foothold in our lives. III. L ife lik e C h rist (5:15-21). Life like Christ will be characterized by wisdom (vs. 15-17)—the wisdom revealed by grasping (or buying up) opportunities, because o f the evil days in which we live. To do this will require an understanding of what the will o f the Lord is. W e can have no understanding of that will except as we abide in Christ and resort to the W ord of Christ for our teaching. The power for such a life will be found in being “filled with the Spirit” (v. 18). To be filled with the Spirit means to be dominated and controlled by Him, as the 'one filled with wine is dominated and controlled by it. The filling o f the Spirit is necessary, if any acceptable service is fo be rendered to God, because the Spirit is the only One through whom the will of the Lord may be known or done. In the power of the Spirit, our Lord Jesus per formed His work in the days o f His flesh. Apart from the Spirit, any effort will prove to be only wood, hay, or stubble, what ever the apparent results may be. Nothing can be wrought for God in the enefgy of the flesh, and to whatever degree the flesh appears, the Holy Spirit is grieved and quenched. The result o f such a standard of life will be threefold (vs. 19-21). First, there will be a singing heart, irrespective of outward conditions. The melody may not be heard by others, but it will be heard by God, and it will delight His heart. Second, there will be a thankful heart. Giving thanks always for all things is the normal ex perience o f one who lives with Christ. The
danger in which all who hear and reject the gospel are constantly living. It is life without Christ. II. L ife w it h C h rist (4:20-27). The Christian has a life diametrically op posed to that of the Gentiles, or the na tural man. This new life is the life that is Christ. Hence the exhortation, literally,' is to “be putting off” the former manner o f life (v. 22), to “be renewed in the spirit o f your mind” (v. 23), and to “be putting on” the pew man (v. 24). The “old man,” or what the Christian was by nature, is to be put off, as one would cast off an outer garment. This action is a continuous process; it is never accomplish ed through one great act o f renunciation; it is a daily exercise. As the “old man” re veals itself, is to be “put off,” because it “waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit” (v. 22, R. V .). Everything about the old nature is deceitful, and it is never more dangerous and deceiving than when it ap pears to be clothed in garments of religion. The “new man” is that which is “created in righteousness and true holiness” (v. 24). This expression does not describe the orig inal condition of Adam before the fall, which was a state o f innocency, but it refers to a creation in righteousness and holiness o f truth. This is the “man” the Christian is to “be putting on” as a daily practice. That is, Christ and His mind are to be the true obj ective for the Christian. Thus, by the daily renewing o f the mind in the power o f the Holy Spirit through the Word, the Christian is brought into fel lowship with Christ Himself, and Christ’s life becomes the Christian’s standard. To maintain such a fellowship, certain changes must be observed. Three of these matters are mentioned in our lesson (vs. 25-27).. First, lying must be stopped. It is natural to lie, because the old nature is built upon and thrives on deceit. It is controlled by Satan, who has been a liar from the beginning. We shall never be done with the old nature until the Lord comes, or we fall asleep in H im ; therefore
“LIGHT ON THE HILLS” By DR. ARTHUR I. BROWN Noted Scientist and Physician, and Eminent Bible Teacher Author of “ WHAT OF THE NIGHT”
Here’s the book thousands have been waiting for. It tersely answers many such momentous questions as: When may we expect Christ to come again? Are we on the verge of a terrible war? Will the next war end in the Battle of Armageddon? Will Germany join with Russia? Why has Russia 20,000,000 soldiers? What about Communism in a national Church organization? What does the return of the Jews to Palestine mean? What of the population, rainfall, and the fruit and chemical productions in Palestine ? What is the probable line-up of all the nations in the coming Leagues? Does the rise of many dictators.mean anything? Why is Mussolini interested in Palestine? What of crime, insan ity, murder, suicide and accidental death in the U. S.? How many millions have died of famine in^Russia since the war? What actual signs have appeared in celestial bodies? AN AMAZING, ALARMING BOOK. Price 50 c e n ts postpaid.
OTHER NEW BOOKS “ The Coming Dictator and Is Jesus Coming Back,” By W . E. Biederwolf. True to history Scripture, and the present day outlook. Price 25 cents “ God’s Man and Satan’s Man in Final Conflict.” By R. I. Humberd. Foreword by Dr. Louis S. Bauman. * Price 25 cents “ Realities Concerning Christian Experience.” By H. H. Savage, D. D.f Five marvelous sermons by a Prince among Preachers. Price 25 cents All four books $1 .00 postpaid in U. S. Other Countries $1.10 postpaid FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH PUBLISHERS Hoytvllle, Ohio Dr. Arthur I. Brown
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker