August 1925
TH E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
363
There is NO SEPARATION for believers. (Rom. 8:38, 39; John 17: 24). We are already hidden w ith Christ (Col. 3 :3 ) ; when He appears, we shall also appear w ith Him (Col. 3 :4 ). A splendid Bible illu stration of the “ safety, certainty and enjoyment” of th e believer is found in Exodus 12: 1-13 which tells th e story of th e Pass- over. The sprinkled blood assured safety. God’s eye was upon th e blood and the death angel passed over. We must always remember th a t Satan is never restfu l and th a t the unsaved are always subject to his power. But th e power of God is g reater th a n his and therefore we must depend upon th e Word of God and th e Spirit of God. Have a compassionate h e a rt; recog nize th e ir sad condition; deal kindly w ith them ; they are restless, unhappy; they know no peace. Our Lord Jesus had compassion upon us, and we should manifest love towards others. Sound the depths of th e ir difficulties (Gal. 6 :1 ): Remember how the Lord dealt w ith th e fallen woman a t the well of Sa m aria (John 4). We must resto re the fallen in the sp irit of meekness. So many are igno ran t of the Word of God and of the purpose of the cross. This class is the most hopeful of all. God g ran t th a t th is large class of unsaved may have our touch while our Lord tarries. (2) “Some snatch from th e bu rn ing.” - No doubt this class includes those who, th rough sin, have sunk into the depths of degradation. Already the fires of hell itself are burning in th e ir bosoms. They are contentious, b itter in spirit,— bu t Christ died for them . Contact w ith them m ust be cautious, but definiteness m ust be ex ercised. When you see a house on fire you do no ring th e bell and suggest th a t it would be wise for them to leave the house. You cry, “Fire! T. C. H orton
# “ Th e re is there for e n o w n o c o n d e m n a tio n to them w h ic h a re in C hri st Jesns, w h o walk no t a f t e r the f l e s h b ut a f t e r th e S p irit.» » (John 5 :2 4 ): “ V e r i l y , ve ri ly , I say unto y o u , H e t h a t h ea r e th m y w o r d , an d be li ev et h o n h im t h a t s en t m e , H A T I I e ve rla sti ng l i f e , an d sh a ll n ot c o m e into c o n d e m n a t i o n , but I S P A S S E D fr o m dea th un to life .»»
Those w ithin th e blood-sheltered house fed upon the roasted lamb and were filled and satisfied. So every believer is safe and secure who is sheltered under the blood of Christ (1 John 5 :1 3 ): “ T h e s e th in g s I h a ve w r it te n un t h a t b e l i e v e o n the n a m e o f th e G o d , t h a t Y E M A Y K N O W t h a t e te rn al life .»» Therefore (Col. 1 :12 -14 ): “ Le t us ha ve c o n f i d e n c e , giving unto th e F a th e r , w h o h a th m a d e to b e in he rit o rs w ith th e s ai n ts i o f Jude ^ y * fear of contam ination through con tact. W hat dangers confront us! See the admonition of P aul (1 Cor. 15: 3 3 ): “ B e not .d e c e i v e d ; e v i l c o m m u n c or r up t g o o d m a n n e r s .» » . (Rev. 3 :4 ): “ T h o u h a s t a fe w n a m e s e v e n in w h ic h h a ve n ot d e f i l e d t h e i r ga a n d th ey sha ll wal k w ith m e in fo r th ey a re w o r th y .» » These sinners must be confronted w ith th e terro rs of the law. When men defile themselves and seek to defile others, we m ust save our garm ents; we must seek to avoid any fellowship which will compromise our position; we must pray to be kep t from evil (1 Tim. 1 :2 0 ): “O f w h o m is H y m e n e u s an d A de r; ’ w h o m I h a v e d e l i v e re d unto t h a t th ey m a y le ar n n ot to b l a s p ( I I ) T e Comm itment of th e Saints to an All-Wise God, vs. 24, 25. “ N o w unto h im t h a t is a b le to y o u fr o m fallin g, an d to p re s en fa u ltl es s b e fo re th e pr es e nc e o glo ry w ith e x c e e d i n g j o y , “ T o the o n l y w i s e G o d o u r S a v i g lor y an d ma jesty, d o m i n i o n an d b o t h n o w an d e v e r . A m en .» » Jud e has given by th e Holy Spirit the needed counsel concerning the relation of believers to others and warned them w ith reference to the peril of association w ith evil-doers. He now gives the doxology in which he commends them to the keeping of an All-Wise, Gracious God and Sav iour. He alone is able to keep us from falling. Dangers confront us. Deity alone can preserve us. We must be strong in the Lord and in the power of his m ight ( Phil. 1 :6 ): “ B e i n g c o n f i d e n t o f th is very t h a t h e w h ic h h a th b e g u n .a g o o in y o u wi ll pe rfo rm i t u n ti l the Jes us C h ri st .” (Eph. 3 ;2 0 ) : , “N o w unto h im t h a t is a b le t e x c e e d i n g abund antly a b o v e all t a s k . or th in k , ac co rd in g to the t h a t worketb in u s .”
Salvation is an ACCOMPLISHED fact. We WERE saved (Rom. 8 :2 4 ). We ARE saved (1 Cor. 1 :1 8 ). We HAVE BEEN saved (Eph. 5 :8 ). Ou t l i n e OUTLINE OF THE BOOK (1 ) The Called and Sanctified are Saluted, vs. 1, 2. (2 ) The Called are Charged to Con tend fo r th e F aith , v. 3. (3 ) The Called are C a u t i o n e d Against th e Creeping Critics, v. 4. (4) The C ertain Judgm en t of th e Apostates, vs. 5-7. (5) The Corrupting Influence of the F ilth y 'D ream ers, vs. 8-10. (6) The Comm itment of th e Cor rup ters to E te rn a l Doom, vs. 12, 13. (7 ) The Coming of th e Lord to Exe cute Judgm ent, vs. 14-16. (8) The Caution Against- Mockers, vs. 17-19. (9) The Counsel to th e Saints to Build Up in F aith , vs. 20, 21. (10) The Classification of Those De serving Rebuke, vs. 22, 23. (11) The Comm itment of th e Saints to an All-Wise God, vs. 24, 25. LESSON EIGHT
Stud iles in
the Book
“ B ret hr en , if a m a n b e ov ert ake n in a f a u lt , ye w h ic h a re sp ir itu a l, res to re s u c h an o n e in th e s p i r it o f m e e k n e ss ; c o n s i d e r i n g ? thys elf , le s t thou a l s o b e te m p te d .» » (Jas. 5:19, 20 ): “ Breth ren , i f any o f y o u d o e r r fr o m the t r u t h , an d o n e co nv ert hi m ; L e t h im k n ow t h a t h e w h ic h co nverteth th e sin ner fr o m th e e r r o r o f h i s w a y sha ll s a v e a s o ul fr o m deat h, an d sh al l hi d e a mu l ti t u d e o f sin s.» »
The closing verses of th is epistle require a brief explanation as th ere is some slight difference in the rendi tion of vs. 22 and 23 by different tran slato rs, and we are giving th ree different renderings which will aid in understanding the significance of th eir application to personal workers. (10) The Classification of Those Deserving Rebuke, vs. 22, 23. K ing Jam es Version “ A n d o f s o m e h a v e c o m p a s s i o n , mak ing a d i f f e r e n c e ; “ A n d othe rs sa ve w ith fear , pulling th em ou t o f th e f i r e ; h a ti n g e v e n th e g ar m e n t spot ted b y th e f l e s h . ” Revised Version “ A n d o n s o m e h a ve m e r c y , w h o a re i n dou b t; a n d s o m e s a v e , sna tchin g t h e m o ut of th e f i r e ; an d o n s o m e h a v e m e r c y w ith f e a r ; h a ti n g e v e n the g arm ent s pot te d b y th e f l e s h .” W eymouth Version “S o m e w h e n th ey a rg u e wi th y o n , y o n must en d e av o r to c o n v i n c e ; others y o n m ust t r y to s a v e , as br ands p l u c k e d from th e f l a m e s ; an d o n oth ers l o o k w - ith p ity m i n g l e d wit h f e a r ; w h il e y o u h a te ev ery tr a ce o f th e ir si n .”
F ire !” Sinners need to be faced w ith th e facts of eternal punishm ent and of the danger of w aiting to be saved “ as by fire” (Amos 4 :1 1 ): “ I h a v e ov er thr ow n s o m e of y o n , a s G o d overthrew S o d o m an d G o m o r r a h , an d y e we re a s a fi re b ra n d pl u c k e d ou t o f th e burning; yet h a v e y e not ret ur n ed unto m e , s al th the L o r d . ” (1 Cor. 3 :1 5 ): “ I f any m an ’s w ork sha ll b e b u r n e d , h e shall su ff er lo ss ; b ut h e h im se l f sh all b e s a v e d , y et s o as b y A r e .” (1 P eter 4 :1 8 ): “ A n d if th e rig hte ou s scarc ely b e s a v e d , w he re shall th e u n g o dl y an d th e si nn er ap pe ar? ”
To God be all the praise! H allelu jah! Let us all always give to Him th e praise and honor and glory which is His due. Give it now as we will give it for ver when w ith Him and like Him we shall reign w ith Him forever (Rom. 1 1 :3 3 ):
The th ree classes named in these two verses are defined as (1) those v;ho need oqr compassion; (2 ) those who are to be snatched as brands from th e burning; and (3) those who are to be trea ted w ith mercy and fear. (1) “On some have compassion.” There is a g reat difference in unsaved people. Personal w orkers need wis dom. Not many Christians a r e engaged in personal soul-saving work, b u t those who are need to know the Word of God, need h earts of love and th e fulness of the Holy Spirit.
“O the de pt h o f the rich es bo th w i s d o m an d kn o w le d g e o f G o d ! h searc hab le a re his judgm en ts, an wa ys p as t f i n d i n g o u t ! (1 Tim. 1 :1 7 ): . I " " < « th e k in g eter nal , im m i n v i s i b l e , the o n l y w i s e G o d , b e ana gl ory fore ver an d ev er . A m e (This concludes these “ O u 1 1 i n e Studies in th e Book of Ju d e,” which will be followed next month by some brief “D isp en sation al.S tudies.” )
(3) The th ird class consists of those who are to be treated w ith “mercy and fea r.” W ith mercy, because th a t is Christ-like, and w ith
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