EUROPE A N D THE END T IMES Q. Is it not a plain fact that the European countries are already lining up, seemingly in readiness for the Antichrist, the tribulation period, and the battle of Armageddon? A. We can see how easily a con federacy of nations could be formed by the peoples occupying the territory of the old Roman Empire. Once many ridiculed the prophetic Word of God, saying that such a thing was impossiT ble, but what student of history today would be so bold as to say that any alignment of nations is impossible? The return of the Jew to the land of Palestine is the most startling sign today, which makes all other events significant. The prophets foretold that Israel would return to her own land —not all of the nation, but part of the people; and that they would go back in unbelief. Another remarkable circumstance in world events is the situation in the East. The ‘"kings of the east,” literally, “ the kings that come from the sun rising” (Rev. 16:12), will play a sig nificant part in world events in the last days. During the last half-cen tury the Orient has been compared to a waking giant being roused from a long slumber. The time will come when East and West and North and South will meet on the plains of Megiddo, for the last great war. Palestine is the geographical and poli tical center of the world, and has al ways been so in the mind of God. “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the peoplfi according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deut. 32:8). Increased lawlessness in the earth and apostasy in professing Christen dom are two other striking “ signs of the times.” Yet we must be careful not to set dates; for our Lord express ly told us not to do that. He did give us these “ signs” whereby we might know that His coming draweth nigh, that we might be ready for His coming. 2«
WORLDLINESS Q. Is there any Scripture which cov ers the whole subject of worldliness so far as a Christian is concerned? A. Yes, there are many verses which explain the principle upon which a Christian is to conduct himself, so far as relation to the world is concerned. Take, for instance, I Corinthians 10:31 . . . “Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Ask yourself about any worldly pursuit or pleasure you are considering: “Can I do this for the glory of God? Can I pray about it and ask God’s blessing upon it?” I John 2:15 is very clear: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” One’s heart does not have room for both: for the Lord and for the world. John explains why these two loves are incompatible: “ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world” (v. 16). It was in these three areas that Adam and Eve were tempted and fell; read Genesis 3:6. Our Lord Jesus Christ was also tested in this identical way: (Matthew 4 ); but being God, He could not be tempted with evil (James 1:13). As the impeccable Son of God, there was nothing in Him to which Satan could make an appeal. His nature was sinless and the tempta tion of Satan only emphasized more completely His holiness and power. The same Lord Jesus Christ can keep us from falling (Jude 20). ANOTHER CHANCE? Q. Is there any Scripture at all for “another chance” after death for sal vation? A. Absolutely not. We read in He brews 9:27: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment” and over and over again the Lord warns: “Today . . .” (Heb. 3, 4) and II Corinthians 6:2: “Behold NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.”
SHOULD I GO TO CHURCH? Q. As I have grown old in Christian circles, I have become more disap pointed and disillusioned with church es and with the people in them. Do you think I could just refrain from attending, witness to others, and have my own Bible reading and prayer, and still not be doing wrong? A, Well, you would be disobeying the direct commandment of the Lord in Hebrews 10:24-25 which reads: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” The perceptive statement that “No man is an island” was never more applicable than to a Christian. We need each other. We need to provoke each other — not to anger — but to doing right because we are doing right. We need to provoke each other to love — not to hate and with drawal from each other. We need to exhort each other, and that good old- fashioned word does not mean to preach at each other, but to persuade with affection. When you are disap pointed in the lives of other Chris tians, just ask the Holy Spirit to en able you to examine your own life. Be sure there is nothing there that can harm other Christians: bitterness, unforgiveness, pr i de , unk indne ss which are sins of the spirit of which more people are guilty than of the sins of the flesh. The church is im perfect because it is made up of im perfect people like ourselves but the Lord is ever working with us and in us in order that His ambition for His church may one day be realized: “Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the wash ing of water by the word. “That he might present it to him self a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and with out blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27). THE KING 'S BUSINESS
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