to ourselves. Such a philosophy is no better than that of the world if it is the basic reason we serve the Saviour. He has redeemed us by grace, through faith, apart from works. He keeps us saved by grace, through faith, apart from works. He is going to take us to heaven by grace, through faith, apart from works. He says, “ My child, give me thine heart.” Some day, when we see Him face to face, and we begin to realize something of His infinite grace, we will receive these promised rewards, only to cast them at his feet, ex claiming, “ Thou art worthy . . . to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Rev. 5:9, 12). Human philosophy always tends to elevate mankind. It delights in giving him the supreme place in his own thinking so that he may exclaim, “ I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” While this may seem an heroic attitude to assume, there has never been a more damnable notion. It is a satanic lie put forth by the enemy of God. Thousands of years of history bear eloquent testimony that the best man has to offer has never been sufficient to furnish him peace of mind. Thank God there is another way, one which has never failed! The world’s one and only hope in its quest for God is the way of faith. It is the only means whereby a man may be restored to fellowship with the Almighty God. Here is the assurance of peace and joy. This way is one of humiliation, as man must realize that there is nothing good in him whatsoever, apart from the im puted righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. When man was first created, God told Adam and Eve that they might eat of the fruit of every tree of the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The day that they ate of the fruit of that tree, the Lord warned them they would surely die. Every thing was perfect in so far as their environment was concerned. This was a perfection of innocence. Scrip ture tells us the results as our first parents failed mis erably in the Garden of Eden. All mankind has likewise failed. God left man in a large measure to his own con science. After all, he had the knowledge of good and evil. But society simply degenerated to such a low moral and spiritual level that God could only see that every imagination of man’s heart was evil continually. It should be pointed out that where the Gospel has not been received individually, man is still a monumental failure as far as his righteousness and morality are concerned. The pre-Noahic civilization was destroyed. God saw to it that only eight were saved. Then rules and regu lations were given. Punishment was included in this era of human government. Again, looking down, God saw nothing but confusion. In this noble quest to usurp the Lord’s place, man built a huge tower. This was to be a monument of man’s own achievement. An infinitely holy God came down to see what puny little man was doing and how he had again proven to be a consum mate failure. Now the Lord left off dealing with all of humanity as such and started out once again with an individual. What tremendous promises were made to Abraham! This remarkable man was called “ the friend of God” be cause of his high and noble character. Abraham was willing to yield his all to the Lord. As great as Abraham
was in the sight of God, his descendants soon forgot the covenants. An entire race of people, even in the face of the unmistakable provisions of God Himself, failed shamefully. While they did not deserve it, as none of us do, the Lord gave them another opportunity. How matchless and infinite is His grace! They were given the perfect righteous law so that they might be able to know exactly what was expected of them. Yet, after more than 1500 years of knowing exactly what to do to merit their Creator’s favor, they cried out for the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here was the only perfect One who ever walked this earth taken and slain as a common criminal. But once again God over ruled in the affairs of men. Out of the wrath of men the Lord brought honor and glory to Himself. In the person of the Saviour, He graciously made provision whereby all who put their faith in Him might be saved. This is all of grace, not of works lest any man should boast. Even as God predicted in His Holy Word, prophecy is being fulfilled today before our very eyes. Mankind has failed wretchedly and continually in the midst of the infinite grace of Christ. There is yet another way by which God is going to allow the human race to discover for itself what a monumental failure it is. The day is coming when the Lord Himself shall sit upon the throne to rule the world. Righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. There will be a thousand years of peace on an earth governed by the Lord Himself. This will be a glorious time when, as believers, we shall reign with Him, and we shall be with Him forever and ever. “ Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” May our testimony in the quest for God be that of the unknown poet who appropriately penned these mov ing lines: / had walked life’s way with an easy tread, I had followed where comfort and pleasure led. With station and rank and wealth fo r my goal, Much thought fo r my body, but none fo r my soul, / had entered to win in life’s mad race, When I met the Master face to face. I had built my castles and reared them high, Till their domes had touched the blue o f the sky. 1 had sworn to rule with an iron mace, Till I met the Master face to face. I met Him and knew Him, and blushed to see That His eyes full of sorrow were fixed on m e; And 1 faltered and fell at His fee t that day, And my castles melted and vanished away. Melted and vanished, and in their place, Naught did I see but the Master’s face. And I cried aloud, ‘‘Oh, make me meet To follow the steps of Thy wounded fe e t!" Until one day in a quiet place I met the Master face to face.
My thought is now fo r the souls o f men, I have lost my life to find it again. E ’er since one day in a quiet place I met my Master face to face.
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TH E KING'S BUSINESS
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