November, 1942
THE K I NG ’S BUS I NES S
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notice carefully, as suggested by this opening clause quoted above, that all exhortations to holy living must be based on the great doctrinal truths of our salvation. In fact, three whole chapters of the Book of Colossians are devoted to these great truths be fore the writer begins his exhortations to the good life. This is the abso lute rule in all of Paul’s epistles: first, revelation; t h e n , exhortation. First, doctrine; then, duty. And this order is never reversed. The trouble in many pulpits today is that preach ers are trying to get their people to live saintly lives w h e n they have never been taught as to the ground on which they become saints. People will never live resurrection lives until they know that they are risen with Christ. The truth of what God has made us in His Son is the only com pelling motive able to make us live as we should live. 2. "Set y ou r affection on things above" (v. 2). The American Revision translates ‘‘Set your mind/' which is doubtless m o r e accurate. What we call “affections” or emotions are hard to direct. But we can set our minds In whatever direction that we will. And we find that once we have done this, our “affection” generally follows. Christian faith is not merely a thing of the emotions, devoid of intellectual
content. It demands and employs the highest exercise of the mind. 3. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth" (v. 5). There was a time, three hundred years ago, when the English word “mortify” properly represented the Greek verb, but today its meaning has changed greatly. To be mortified, in popular modern speech,* means to be embar rassed. Originally it meant to put to death, which is exactly what it means in our passage. We are tn put to death our sinful members, not merely put them to embarrassment. This is stern business, often painful to, the flesh. 4. "Forbearing one another, and for giving one another" (v. 13). Some one has said very beautifully that to “for bear” when we are injured means that we will not retaliate; but to “for give” means that we will not even think about retaliating. Sometimes we are asked whether there is not some limitation beyond which we are not required to go in such matters. Yes, there is a limit, given in the latter part of verse 13, “Even as Christ for gave you, so also do ye.” You need not go any further than that. But if we go that far, most of our problems will be solved. It Is a vastly higher standard than the so-called Golden Rule.
Golden Text Illustration 1 C orinthians 12:27
Many years ago a Christian mer chant in Liverpool became financially involved, through no fault of his own, and had to come td a settlement with his creditors. He gave up everything, and with his wife and children, went to live in a small house. He came to church regularly twice each Sunday, and with him all his family. As the years passed,, his business grew and prospered, and in due time he called his creditors together, paid his debts with interest, and stepped forth a free man. His creditors made him a valu able presentation of silver in recog nition of his splendid fight and his sterling and honorable character. That man told me he could not have held out in the dark days that fell upon him and his, but for the courage which came to him through the services of the church, and the ministry of the Word and sacraments. He trusted in God and he was not confounded.—T. J. Madden in One Thousand Evangelistic Illustrations. When to Church I Go A cts 2:37-47; 4:13; C olossians 3:1-17 MEMORY VERSE: "In the midst of
Student Body and Faculty of BIOLA "PRAISE GOD - - - From Whom All Blessings Flow" In light of present world conditions, we praise Him for the Fall Semester Student Body which marks the third largest enroll ment in the history of the school. Within the consecrated and faithful faculty a greater number of teachers are giving full time than in other years. These men and women are sacrificial in spirit, highly trained} widely experi enced, and academically prepared. Due to increasing transportation difficulties, it has seemed expedient to take BIOLA EVEN ING SCHOOL to three out lying communities an evening each week, meeting in Long Beach, Pasadena, and Santa Ana, as well as Los Angeles. Under the Lord’s blessing, the Evening School has increased five times over last year’s enrollment.
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"Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.“'' • Psa. 48:1
■■ wW h e re P r a y e r Focu ses • . . P ow e r F a l ls 9 mm 558 South Hope Street Los Angeles, California THE BIBLE INSTITUTE of LOS ANGELES
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