.July 1926
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
380
But—our fellowship is with the Father and ^ ith His Son, Jesus Christ. We can have no fellowship with those who deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ. Could you have fellowship with any one who would attack the character of your mother, your daughter, your sis ter, your wife ? No, never! But shall we, then, be more loyal to those who are bound to us by earthly ties than to Him who died that we might live ? We must be clean-cut for Christ! The greatest foes of our Lord are not the deluded sinners, but the pro cessing Christians who are not out and out for Him. r*ut on your armor! Hold fast the Word of God! Be clean-cut for Christ! THE LAW OF LIBERTY Here are two words standing in strange contrast to each other, “ law” and “ liberty.” Law means “ authority,” “ rule,” “ obedience, “ punishment.” Most people hate the word “ law” when its applica tion is to themselves, but are very much in favor of it when applied to others. We are firmly convinced that the law should be obeyed—by others, and are quick to demand the penalty for its violation by other people. In the city where we live there are thousands of ordinances, many carrying with them severe penalties, and new ones are enacted almost every week. Every household has its laws, but try and tell your neighbor what laws he should make for his home and see what he will say. Hear him: “ This is my home—my castle.' I run it to suit myself. You look after your own affairs.” _ But some people seem to think that God has no right to make whatever laws He pleases for HSs own world; though we have no objection to them so long as they minister to our health and happiness. I f we have crops growing and there comes a drouth we wonder why God does not look after our interests. We believe absolutely in “ speed laws” for the other man’s auto mobile, but think we are fully competent to decide for ourselves what the law should be in our own case. In fact, we ard quite sure that if we had the authority we could compile a system of laws which would be per fectly agreeable to all concerned and which would work wonders. But on the basis that, having created the universe and all things therein, including man, He had the right to formulate the laws which should govern, and know ing that most men would not have time for a long “ law course,” He put His rules into a simple, definite, compact form which we know as the “ Ten Command ments. ’ ’ Did you ever stop to think why it is that these laws of God with their “ Thou shalt” and “ Thou shalt not” are so distasteful to men? Why should the creatures of God rebel against His decrees? Has He not the right to say how the people who live in His world shall behave themselves? Well, any way, whether we like it or not, God exer cises the same authority and demands the same obed ience to His authority as does any sensible man in his own home. The Ten Commandments are the pattern which God has given us of the perfect man; and be cause no man that ever lived (except Jesus Christ) ever has or ever could keep the Ten Commandments, they are called “ the law of sin and death” by Paul in
CLEAN CUT FOR CHRIST We should be “ clean-cut” for Christ, as He is for us. Our Lord could say a great deal in short, crisp sentences. Hear Him say: “ He that is not for Me is against Me.” “ Suppose ye that I am come to bring peace on the earthT I tell you, Nay; but, rather, division.” The angels announced in their message, “ Peace on earth to men of good will,” i. e., “ men willing to accept the authority of Jesus Christ.” We can have peace by believing in Him who is the Prince of Peace, but there is no peace for the poor, old, sinful world. No, never until He comes, sceptre in hand, to rule and reign. _ . * What is involved in being “ clean-cut for Christ T A saved sinner,—saved by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and definite public acknowledgment of Him as both Saviour and Lord; a member of His Body—the Bride of Christ; affiliated with other be lievers in faith and practice; believing the Bible from “ cover to cover” ; not ashamed to confess Him before the world; recognizing the obligation imposed upon every member of His Body to serve Him whenever and wherever He calls; recognition of the fact that he is not his own but is bought with a price, and is thus a bond slave of Jesus Christ; in the world but not of it; an heir of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ, possess ing rights and titles which money could not buy and which can never be taken away; having a conscious ness of his high and holy calling, feeling the responsi bility and seeking to make known to others the truth concerning Christ, His calling, His Commission, His crucifixion, His conquest of death and the grave, His coming again in power to reign, and His commission to go into this sin-sick, Satan-ridden world to show others the way out of bondage into the glorious liberty of the children of God. . There is no soft, sickly sentimentality about the religion
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker