October, 1937
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
372
Around the K ing's Table
By PAUL W . ROOD
cent ever attend church. Among the 13,- 000,000 Negroes in America, 7,000,000 are unchurched. There are 250,000 unchurched men, women, and children of all races in Pittsburgh; 400,000 in Cleveland; 300,000 in St. Louis; 250,000 in Seattle; 425,000 in San Francisco; 1,000,000 in Los Angeles, and 4,000,000 in New York. The unchurched of New York City are equal to the combined population of Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. These figures stagger us and reveal the need of evangelism in our country. Our blessed Lord visited the cities and villages of Galilee, and “ when he saw the multi tudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scat tered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36). A vision of conditions in our land should create a similar compassion in our hearts. If the compassionate Christ dwells within us, we will be “moved with compassion.” It was as He looked in pity on the needy throngs that the Lord Jesus said to His disciples: “ The harvest truly is plenteous.” In another connection, also using the figure of the harvest field, He said to them: “ Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35). Our Lord wanted His dis ciples to have a vision of the field and a recognition of the urgency of their task. We are living in the harvest time, and the harvest is plenteous and ready for reaping. We must go out into the field and do our reaping now. The work of harvest cannot be postponed. Delay is disastrous. Har vesters of eternal souls have a great respon sibility, and they must take their labor seriously. The task is stupendous and the oppor tunities are many, “ but the laborers are few.” Many Christians are characterized by carelessness and lethargy. The Lord needs workers, but there are many shirkers. Many are playing when they should be praying. Many are resting when they should be wrestling. Our Lord offered a unique solution to the problem. His plan was contrary to human wisdom. He said that the prob lem could be solved through prayer. Today there is a great harvest ready to be reaped, but there is' a woeful lack of laborers. Therefore, in the light of Christ’s com mand, give yourself to prayer. Christ is the Lord of the harvest. He desires and needs the cooperation of His disciples. As we pray, laborers will be called, equipped, and sent forth. Let us pray that laborers will be raised up to evangelize unevange lized America!
A Philadelphia Christian A PHILADELPHIA Christian is just the opposite of a Laodicean church member. Sharply contrasted in the latter portion of Revelation 3 are two groups—“the church in Philadelphia” and “the church of the Laodiceans”—the one company receiving the approval of the Lord, and the other being rebuked and warned by Him. A Laodicean rejects the faith once for all delivered to the saints and is consequently an apostate. A Laodicean is unspiritual. He is neither cold nor hot and is conse quently lukewarm. He has no convictions that affect his conscience. He lacks en thusiasm, and he is merely neutraL A Laodicean is self-satisfied and proud. He is self-deceived and knows not that he is “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:17). A Lao dicean rejects Christ. The Lord is stand ing outside knocking at his heart’s door. A Philadelphia Christian is a real Chris tian. He has possession as well as pro fession. There is so much unreality and insincerity in our day that we need to emphasize the necessity for reality and sin cerity of personal Christian experience. Some day each one of us must leave this world and meet God. Nothing will avail in that day except a genuine experience of Christ’s saving power. Confirmation, baptism, reformation, and church member ship will not suffice. We must know ex perimentally the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ, “ the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” A Philadelphia Christian is loyal to Christ. “ Thou . . . hast not denied my name" is the Lord’s commendation of the Philadelphia church (Rev. 3:8). Peter was disloyal and denied his Lord. But a modernist not only denies but also betrays his Lord. A real Christian will confess Christ before men. It is impossible to be a true follower of the Lord without this open confession of Him. A genuine Chris tian will endeavor always to love Christ devotedly and to follow Him consistently. He will seek to glorify Christ in word and deed. A Philadelphia Christian will be faithful to the Word of God. “ Thou hast . . . kept my word” (v. 8). He is doctrinally sound. He believes the Bible record from cover to cover, and he contends earnest ly for the faith. He accepts the Bible as God’s inerrant Word and as the only rule for faith and practice. He searches the Scriptures and studies the Word of Truth. He is a Bible Christian. A Philadelphia Christian is victorious in life. God has much in store for "him that
9 A MINISTER walking on the highway ob served a poor man breaking stones. The man was kneeling so that he might work more ef fectually. In passing by and greeting him, the minister said, "Ah, John, I wish I could break the stony hearts of my hearers as easily as you are breaking those stones." "Perhaps, Pastor," he said, "you do not work on your knees." overcometh” (v. 12). The Philadelphia Christian recognizes the opportunity for victory through the indwelling Christ, and he surrenders himself to the Lordship of Christ. The name “Philadelphia” means “brotherly love,” and a Philadelphia Chris- tion has the love of God shed abroad in his heart, with the result that he can love his brethren. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, he separates himself from all known evil, and he lives in unbroken fellowship with the Lord. A Philadelphia Christian is zealous in service. The Lord says to him: “ I have set before thee an open door ” (v. 8). The Philadelphia Christian enters through the open door of opportunity and gives him self to the work of evangelism. We have been warned rightly that we must evangel ize or fossilize. We are called to witness for Christ and to win souls for the Lord. He wants not only our souls for eternal joy but also our service through the passing days. Souls are perishing, time is fleeting, and we must pray, weep, and yearn for those who know not Christ. A Philadelphia Christian is looking for the return of the Lord. The glorified Christ is saying to him: "Behold, 1 come quickly” (v. 11). Christ is coming, and the Scripturally instructed and spiritually minded Christian is living and working in the light of the “blessed hope.” As he retires at night, he says, “This might be the night when Christ will return.” And when he awakens in the morning, he says, “This might be the day when the Lord will come.” God grant that every reader of T he K ing ’ s B usiness may be loyal to Christ, faithful to the Word, victorious in life, zealous in service, and looking for the second coming of Christ. Unevangelized America C. F. Wimberly in a recent article point ed out some appalling facts as to the religious conditions in America. Only eight per cent of the people of our nation attend services on Sunday morning, and but two per cent on Sunday evening. About forty per cent of the American people are on church registers, but only twenty-nine per
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