Under the Parsonage Roof by Althea S. Miller N o, I’m sick of playing baby. I’m sick of being a little nine year old girl. I WON’T pretend to be a baby. I want to play teenager. That’s what I want to be. I’ll be a teenager some day so I might as well learn to act like one now.” “Mama, Althea won’t play nicely. She wants to play teenager and she doesn’t know how. Make her play right.” Ardyth’s brown eyes were filled with tears of frustration and exasperation. Mother’s first impulse was to an nounce that Althea could not possibly play at being a teenager. Suddenly she thought: “Why not? She some times pretends to be a little girl or a baby when the children play ‘mother and children.’ She is in neither cate gory, but succeeds quite well in her pretense. Yes, go ahead and pretend you are a teenager.” As Mother’s three youngest resumed their play, she was interested in how each one assumed his role. At times Althea imitated her teenage sisters very well, especially when it came to “laying down the law” to those younger. At other times her words, attitudes, and behaviour were com pletely nine-year-old. It was not long until the little miss remembered and acted, with full ability, her age. Mother smiled and fell to musing on how much like a nine year old are many people within the organized church. Play the baby or act my own spiritual age? Not I! I want to be what I’m actually not on the inside. I’ll work like a beaver to impress others with my deep spirituality. I’ll play second fiddle to none. As Althea could not long go on pre tending to be what she was not ac cording to age or preparation, neither can the deluded ones who live by pre tense in the church go on. Before Althea can act like a teenager she will have to be one. A few more years and a bit more maturity coupled with subtle but sure changes in personality will put her where she thinks she wants to be now. One cannot live righteously, as God counts righteousness, without an ac companying righteous nature. God’s righteousness is imputed when a per son accepts Christ as his Saviour and is bom again. One cannot be a par taker of the new nature as a result of good works and studied effort. Wishing to be a teenager, however fervent the wish may be, will not suddenly transport the nine year old
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to that desired status. Time, working with nature, will work the change. Wishing to be God’s child and hoping that one is ready for heaven will never make it so. But God, in Christ, can and will work the change. “ . . . God . . . in Christ, reconciling the w o r l d un t o Himself . . .” (2 Cor. 5:19). Would you have the nature of a child of God? Then be bom again by personal faith in the blood of Christ shed for the remission of sin. Then the change will be at once, decisive, for all time and eternity. Wishing will not make it so. D I S T R I B U T E The Scriptures without note or com ment, regularly A T NO COST TO YOU. Today, write for free sample and informa tion to: THE AMERICAN BIBLE CLUB DAYTON K, VIRGINIA
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"GREAT WORDS OF THE GOSPEL j j by Gerald B . Stanton, Th.B. Professor of Systematic Theoloyy, Talbot Theoloyical Seminary
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ANOTHER NEW Correspondence Course LEARN TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL WITH NEW DEPTH AND ACCURACY Twelve stimulating studies on the basic doctrines of Salvation, including: JUSTIFICATION SANCTIFICATION REDEMPTION REPENTANCE SECURITY GRACE FAITH C L I P A N D M A I L C O U P O N T O D A Y
Blr LE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, Inc. C O R R E S P O N D E N C E S C H O O L 558-K-5 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Calif. [H Enroll me in "G reat W ords of the Gospel." Find enclosed $2.50 for text, study questions and certificate. [""I Send me free new brochure of all courses offered. NAM E______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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