The World’s Plight John 3:18
Your vote speaks of the fact that you believe in the right of free speech. America stands today for the right of every man to express his religious and political views freely without danger of punitive action. This freedom can be preserved only by the diligent protection of it at the ballot box. Because your vote is important, you should avail yourself of your privileges and accept the full responsibility -o f citizenship in a free country. Make your vote count for Christ.
This Scripture tells us that all men are condemned already, that is, by virtue of the fact that they do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, they are con demned right now. All unbelievers are living moment by moment under the condemnation of God, but many do not realize this. They live under the delusion that somehow everything will work out all right for them. They glibly say, “ I will take my chances with the next man.” The fact of the matter is the unbeliever’s “ chances” are already gone. The question is not whether he may or may not be condemned at the judgment; he is “ condemned already.’’ O, that men would awaken to this dreadful fact and fly to Christ now while it is still the day of salvation! The World’s Condemnation John 3:19-21 The tragic fact that has brought man into his awful state of condemnation is that “light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light” (John 3:19). God has gone the limit in revealing to mankind his sin, in warning him of its consequences, in making a way of escape from its guilt and power, and in wooing him to Christ. But all is to no avail as far as the majority of responsible men are concerned. Now that Christ has come into the world to live among men as “the Light of the world” (John 8:12), man is with out excuse (Acts 17:30,31). A man’s great sin, greater than any other, is that he refuses to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the “unpardonable sin” and the only sin which will send a man to hell. There is hope for every sinner, no matter what he has done, but there can be no hope for the man who will not receive the Son of God as his own personal Saviour. Such refusal on the part of the world to heed God’s Son is evidence of man’s total depravity. By this we mean man’s total inability to understand spiritual things, to appreciate God’s diagnosis of his spiritual sickness, and to avail him self of the divine remedy. The world crucified Christ and is crucifying Him still. There is no room in the world for the Saviour because men, in their sinful state, love darkness rather than light (John 3:19). Were it not for God’s sovereign grace and electing love no sinner would ever be saved (Eph. 2:1-10). If the Holy Spirit has worked in your heart and opened your blinded eyes, and if He has led you to Calvary to trust in the crucified Saviour, how grateful you should be! The World’s Need Acts 16:6-10 In the light of the teaching of John 3:18-21, the world’s need is for a steady witness of the gospel, providing the Holy Spirit with an opportunity to per form His miracle of regeneration in the
Nov. 9, 1952 THIS IS AFRICA Acts 16:6-10; John 3:18-21
Although these Scriptures do not refer directly to Africa, they include a broad principle that does apply to Africa and to every nation under Heaven. They teach us four things: the world’s hope; the world’s plight; the world’s condemnation, and the world’s need. The World’s Hope John 3:18 The verses which immediately precede this statement deal with the blessed doc trine of the love of God (3:16). The fact that God is love gives the world hope. God’s love is universal. We are told that He loves the world. This means that He loves every man, woman and child in the world. There is room in His great heart for every creature. Some people seem to think of God as the tyrant of the universe, who finds great satisfaction in the damnation of every soul. Nothing could be farther from the truth. God is love (1 John 4 :8). Let us be careful, however, to observe that God’s love in no wise overshadows His holiness and His justice. Love is always holy. Love does not sacrifice principle; it enforces it. The wonderful thing is that love found a way to justify sinners and yet still maintain the personal righteousness of God (Rom. 3:21-31). The world’s hope rests in the grace of God. God’s grace as well as His love is seen in the sending of His Son into the world to die for sinners. Grace is love in action. God sent His Son knowing that Jesus’ incarnation would culminate in His cross (v. 17). The world’s hope rests in the availa bility of salvation. God could have de manded personal righteousness of every man without being in any way obligated to provide that righteousness. Had God made such a demand no man could ever be saved, because “there is none right eous, no not one” (Rom. 3:10-18). But the glory of the gospel is that God Him self provides what His justice demands! And all He leaves the guilty sinner to do in order to be justified from all his sins is to believe! (John 3:18a). This any man can do. Thus salvation becomes available to all.
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W om en’ s Christian Medical C ollege Ludhiana, India Training: young Indian Women to become doctors, nurses, dispensers, mid-wives The new Government of India is demanding an upgrading of this medical college by 1952. If this is not done it will mean that this sound, evangelical work of over fifty years will be curtailed. We need funds. AT ONCE for equip ment, scholarships, our Surgeon’s salary. Miss Lucy Powel, Scc.-Treas. R3, Norristown, Pa.
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