to heaven. That way is only made pos sible by trusting Christ as Saviour. Following this, there must be the as pect of serving Christ with the proper motive. It should be the testimony that, “the love of Christ constraineth me.” Rewards are sometimes called crowns in Scripture, such as the mar tyr’s crown or the soul winner’s crown. As a believer, serve the Lord with a heart cleansed and devoted to Christ. Make certain it is out of pure love for the Lord that you labor faith fully for Him. Q . Long Beach, Calif. — “Romans 7:19 tells us that Paul was not able to do everything he felt he should. My pas tor said we should not be discouraged because we can’t always do right. Yet, is this the Christian’s end here on earth: being frustrated because we are overcome by things we do and think?” A. Your pastor is correct in that we should not allow ourselves to be so discouraged and frustrated that we cannot be useful to the Lord. Until we are finally taken to be with the Lord, there will be that continuing struggle to which Scripture refers, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Gal. 5:17). This doesn’t mean, however, that the old nature has to get the upper hand all the time. The Bible assures us, “Greater is he (the Holy Spirit) that is in you, than he (Satan) that is in the world” (I John 4:4). Notice Paul’s testimony at the conclusion of Romans 7 as to who could deliver him from such bondage and frustration, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (vs. 25). The finished work of Christ on Calvary’s cross avails not only for the covering of our sins, but also our continuing sinful nature, to give us victory and newness of life. No one has to remain frustrated or continue to be discouraged. We are to be conformed more and more to the image of Christ.
Biola School of Missionary Medicine students, Arlene Larch (loff) of Garden Grove and Carolyn Sanders of Atlanta, Georgia, in the anatomy lab. Some people are only concerned about achieving sinless perfection. Such is not possible in this life. This is the entire point of I John 1:5-2:2. God tells us, however, that we are to pursue holiness, without which no man shall see God. Do you realize that you have the resources of our Lord to overcome temptation and frustration? Perhaps three of the hardest chapters in all the Bible are Romans 6, 7 and 8. Not that they are difficult in exposi tion and teaching, but we see so little of their truth put into daily practice by believers. If we followed them, as the Lord intended that we should, sin would not have dominion over us. Re member, Christ died on the cross that we might not only have freedom from sin but also that we might not be en slaved to a continuous “round” of sin ning. Q . Flagstaff, Ariz. — “Was the John who wrote the book of John, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd epistles of John, and Revela tion, the same one who baptized Jesus and who was later beheaded?” A. No, these were two different men. The author of the books of the Bible was a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, often referred to as “the be loved apostle. ” The other was John the Baptist who preceded the minis try of our Lord as he testified, “Be- 27
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