871
October 1943
Scandinavians t h e i r smorgasbord. Foods of each country are unique to that land. Thus It is with the food’ of the colony of heaven.: Our Lord said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not'that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven, For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven . . . I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger” (John 6:32-35). Is this your food, my Christian friend? Are you feasting on Christ as revealed in His Word? We become strong or w e a k depending upon whether we choose the heavenly diet. Many Christians feed entirely on the newspaper, the current magazine, the popular book, and are weak and un christian in their actions. Do you sub sist on the husks that even the swine would refuse? Do you reiish the leeks and the onions and the garlic of Egypt? Or do you partake of heaven’s food? We can be strong for God only when we are nourished' by the Word. Family Life to be Manifested Fourth, a colony was to manifest the family life of the native land. We Christians, wherever we may be in the world, are to prove that we are a colony of heaven—our family life showing others what heaven is like. The domestic life of the world is no torious. People just don’t get along these days, it seems. Christians are to be different. God has placed us where we are in order to show in our home relationship—in its love and consideration, in its order and peace— just vvhat the calm of heaven is like; how we may have days of heaven upon the earth. What does God expect our homes to be? Listen to His Word in Colos- sians 3:18-21. There is much for Us to learn here, much before which we must hang our heads in shame. Our homes are to be so heaven-like that when God speaks of heaven as home, all will understand what He is talk ing about [Continued on Page 397]
with testimony to His saving grace. Paul enjoins us: “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:3-6). In 1 Peter 3:15 and 16,. we read: “Be ready always to giye an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that Is in you, with meek ness and fear: Having a good con science; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” Our language is to be used for the glory of the One who sent us as His colonists into this world, even the Lord. Jesus Christ. What do we really talk about? Now, think! We converse about the weather and the war, and almost everything else except Christ. Too often unseemly gossip passes our lips. God intends that we shqll speak gracious words, pure words, which will hinder evil from triumphing in the lives of others. Apparel to.be Worn Then, second, a colony was to show the kind of clothing typical of the country from which the colonists had come. Our clothing should exemplify the fact that we are a colony of heaven. There are some people who think that one’s piety is to be evidenced by wearing 1898 styles. This practice does not indicate great sanctity, as some mistakenly think. It simply calls at tention to one’s self, which is the very thing the Bible declares that Chris tians should avoid. On the other hand, a Christian should carefully shun im modest and ultra-fashionable clothing. Moderation is the New Testament principle for the Christian’s dress, and extremes in either direction are in jurious to one’s testimony for Christ. The poet’s advice is well taken here: “Be not the first by whom the new is tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.” Christians should seek to look well, for the Lord’s'sake. Neatness, cleanli ness, and- sweet naturalness constitute acceptable dressj in any company whose opinions are worthy to be con sidered. But, primarily, Christians should seek that adornment of “the hidden man of the heart. . which is in the sight of God of g r e a t price” (1 Pet. 3:4). What kind of clothing should we wear as members of a colony of heaven? Peter tells Us, "Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility” fl Pet. 5:5). Humility: What a fitting garment that is! Food to be Chosen Third, a colony was to partake of the food typical of the homeland. Every country has its distinctive foods. The English like their tea, the
"Brothers, be comrades In imitating me, and study those whose life and wa l k is according to the pattern I have set you. For there are many, as I used often to tell you and am now telling you even with tears, who live and walk as the enemies of the cross of Christ: their end is destruction, their belly is their god, their glory is in their shame, and their minds are set on earthly things. But our common wealth is in heaven; and it is from heaven also that we are anxiously awaiting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus, Christ: who shall change the fashion of the.body of our abasement into the fashion of the likeness of his glorious body, by the energy with which he is able even to subject all things to himself. Stand fast then, brothers, dearly loved and longed for, my joy and my crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved" (Phil. 3:17-21; 4:1, Cen tenary Version). would’ live as Romans lived. The pur pose, of course, was to demonstrate what the homeland was like, and to make the people of the conquered territory want to be Romans. They were to exemplify the Romans in their language, their clothing, their food, their family life, and their loyalty to the Emperor. These things which made one a Roman were to be worked out in practical life before the people of the conquered territory. Paul could have chosen no illustra tion more apt than to speak of “a colony of heaven” to the Philippians, for at Philippi was a Roman colony. Paul was saying in effect: “Just as Rome demonstrates what Romans are like by that Roman colony known to you at Philippi, so yoü are a colony of heaven to demonstrate to all the Philippians what heaven is like.” What a tremendous responsibility he therefore placed upon them and upon us, for what he said to the Philippians is »true of every group of believers wherever t h e y may be throughout the whole world! We are a colony of heaven. We are to exhibit heaven’s langilage, its clothing, its food, its family life, its loyalty to the Ruler, His will is done perfectly in heaven. Oh, that His will might be done on earth as perfectly through us! Let us look at these things one by one. A Language to be Spoken First of all, a colony was to demon strate the language of the homeland. We Christians are to use the lan guage of heaven. It is recorded of our Lord Jesus Christ that “never man spake like this man.” We, as "new creatures in Christ Jesus,” are to speak differently from t h o s e who do not receive Him. Our lips should be filled
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs