King's Business - 1922-07

T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S He has appointed, failing not -to do so, since He is coming again. One of the tragic featufes of modern church life is the utter indifference of multitudes of members to the claims of the Lord’s Supper. Is there any other keepsake ' in the world that we would treat with such callous neglect as we do this ordi­ nance? The slightest excuse will suf­ fice to draw many away from the table after service is over. Certain ones used to absent themselves from the commun­ ion service, because, as they said, I preached -such long sermons that they could not wait for the ordinance,- go home for dinner, and be back in time for Sunday school. I know very well that if these people had hurried their dinner as much as they tried to hurry their preacher, they could have done all. The little inconvenience was too big a sacrifice, so the Lord’s keepsake was neglected. How little love! How grieved the Lord must be to regard such carelessness in His people. Beloved, let us recognize the sacredness and worth of this ordinance as a love token, and so let us be diligent, to “ show the Lord’s death till He come.” If we, In this symbolic way, show the Lord’s death, we obligate ourselves to put into practice what we have shown in symbol. We preach Christ crucified: not only we who are given over to the ministry of the Word, but all who name the name of Christ; for God “ hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given -to us (whom He has reconciled) the ministry of reconciliation.” If we proclaim Christ crucified for the salvation of men, pro­ fessing ourselves to be followers of Christ, we must manifest that same spirit of sacrifice which brought Christ to the Cross; for it is in that spirit of sacrifice that the world will see the truth and reality of the death of Christ. Only such as will declare himself "crucified with Christ,” has any

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right to preach Christ crucified, for only such will have power in his declaration. We are asked to “ show the Lord’s death till He come.” We have only “ till He come” to do so: then let us make good account of the time, that we may faith­ fully represent the work of atonement. In measure as we truly show forth His death “ till He come” shall we share the glory of His resurrection “ at His com­ ing.” UNWARRANTED MARRIAGES There are not many churches that have taken an open stand on the mar­ riage question by unanimously passing resolutions, but there is one, the Hunt­ ington Park Baptist, Los Angeles (Rev. Milton Pish, Pastor) that has gone on record as follows: “ The lustfulness of this age is trag­ ically expressed in the flagrant abuse of the marriage relation. We plead for children who have a right to be born into homes that God sanctions. As Christian workers we are the more eager to testify against unwarranted marriages in that a pure Christian fam­ ily life is God’s clearest interpretation of the Gospel of the Crucified. "Christians should enter into wedlock only with Christians, for it stands written, ‘Be not unequally yoked to­ gether with unbelievers.’ “ We clearly see that Christ permits remarriage after divorce only to the husband or wife whose unfaithful part­ ner has been guilty of illicit relations. All | other remarriages, whether per­ mitted or forbidden by earthly courts, Christ condemns and forbids as adul­ tery. We call attention to the finality of Christ’s word and the Holy Spirit’s emphasis as recorded in Matt. 5:32; 19:3-5; Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:10-11. V e prayerfully warn and admonish Christians not to remarry in defiance of the Lord, and so fall into adultery.”

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