VOL. XIII AUGUST 1940 NO.
8 The Meek Will He Teach His
Way By Thy Words Acquitted; by
Thy Words Condemned Has Judgment Day Begun?"God hath appointed a day in
the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained,
whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He path raised Him from the
dead." - Acts 17:31. BEFORE WE attempt any answer to the
question "Has judgment day begun?" we wish to offer a few remarks on the general
subject of Judgment Day. A very vague and indefinite idea
prevails in regard to the day of judgment. The view generally held is that Christ will
come to earth seated upon a great white throne, and that He will summon saint and sinner
in rank and file before Him, to be judged, amidst great convulsions of
nature-earthquakes, opening graves, rending rocks, and falling mountains; that the
trembling sinners will be brought from the depths of everlasting woe to hear their sins
rehearsed, only to be returned to an eternal and merciless doom; and that the saints will
be brought from heaven to witness the misery and despair of the condemned, to hear again
the decision in their own case, and to return. The entire time supposed to be assigned
to this stupendous work of judging billions is a twenty-four hour day. This is a very crude conception, and is
entirely out of harmony with the inspired Word of God. Let us look at a more Scriptural as
well as a more reasonable view of the work and the result of the great Judgment Day which,
according to our text, God hath appointed. The term "judgment" signifies
more than merely the rendering of a verdict. It includes the idea of a trial, as well as a
decision based upon that trial. And this is true not only of the English word judgment but
also of the Greek word which it translates. The term "day," both in the
Scriptures and in common usage, though most frequently used to represent a period of
twelve or twenty-four hours, really specifies any definite or special period of time.
Thus, for instance, we speak of Noah's day, Luther's day, Washington's day; and thus in
the Bible the entire time of creation is called a day, where we read of "the day that
Jehovah God made the earth and the heavens" (Gen. 2:4) -- a long, definite period.
Then we read of "the day of temptation in the wilderness"-forty years (Heb. 3:8, 9); also of the "day of Christ,"
the "day of judgment," and "His day"; terms applicable to the
Millennial Age, in which Messiah will reign over, rule, and judge the world in
righteousness, granting trial as well as rendering sentence. Those who will carefully
consult a complete concordance of the Bible with reference to the day of
judgment, and note the kind and amount of work to be accomplished within that period, will
soon see the absurdity of the common view of a twelve or twenty-four hour day, and the
necessity for giving to the term "day" its wider significance. The Scriptures make mention of a number
of judgment days. Two of these relate to the human race as a whole. Between these two,
several others are stated as taking place. The first of the world's two judgment
days was at the beginning, in the garden of Eden, when the whole human race was judged
representatively in Adam, its head. Some have -been disposed to resent this judgment,
insisting that Adam misrepresented rather than represented them, but God, whose wisdom
is infinite, states the contrary to be true. The World's Second Judgment DayBut according to our text, God has
appointed a day in the which He "will" judge the world. How can this be? Has God
changed His mind? Has He concluded that His decision in the trial of the first man and the
general sentence were unjust, too severe, that He now concludes to judge the world
individually? No; were such the case, we should have no better guarantee of a just
decision in the future trial than in the past. It is not that God considers His decision
in the first judgment unjust but that He has provided a redemption from the penalty of the
first judgment in order that He may grant another judgment-trial, under more favorable
conditions, to the entire race; all having then had experience with sin and its results. Who Will Be the Judge?We are further informed that when God
gives the world this individual trial, it will be under Christ as Judge, whom God will
thus honor because of His obedience even unto death for our redemption. God has highly
exalted Him, even to the divine nature, that He may be a Prince and a Savior (Acts 5:31), that
He may be able to recover from death and grant judgment (including trial) to all whom He
purchased with His own precious blood. Since it is the plain declaration of Scripture
that "God has committed all judgment unto the Son," and has given Him "all
power in heaven and in earth," there is nothing to dread, but on the contrary, there
is great cause for rejoicing on the part of all, in looking forward to Judgment Day. The
character of the Judge is a sufficient guarantee that the judgment will be just and
merciful, with due consideration for the infirmities of all, until the willing and
obedient are brought back to the original perfection lost in Eden. With this conclusion all the prophetic declarations agree. It is
written: "With righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with
equity." - Psa. 98:9. By What Law Will the World Be Judged?This coming judgment will be on exactly
the same principles as the first. The same law of obedience will be presented, with the
same reward of life and the same penalty of death. And as the first trial had a beginning,
progressed, and culminated in a verdict and sentence, so also will the second; and the
sentence will be life to the righteous and death to the unrighteous. The second trial will
be more favorable than the first because of the experience gained under the results of
the first trial. Unlike the first trial, the second trial will be one in which every man
will stand the test for himself alone and not for another. None will then die because of
Adam's sin . or because of inherited imperfections. It shall no more be said, "The
fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children's teeth are set on edge; but he that
eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge." "The soul that sinneth,
it [and not its children] shall die." - Ezek. 18:4; Jer. 31:29, 30. Under the reign of Christ, mankind will
be gradually educated, trained, disciplined, until they reach perfection. And when they
have reached perfection, perfect harmony with God will be required, and any who then fall
short of perfect obedience will be cut off, being judged unworthy of life. God had a right
to demand perfect obedience of Adam, since he was created perfect; and He will demand the
same of all men when the great. work of restoring them is complete. None will be
permitted to have everlasting life who then in the slightest degree fall short of
perfection. To fall short of perfection, then, will be to sin willfully against full
light and perfect ability. We do not wish to be understood as
ignoring the present responsibility of the world, which every man has, according to the
measure of light enjoyed, whether it be much or little, whether it be the light of nature
or of revelation. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and
the good," and "God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret
thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.". (Prov. 15:3; Eccl. 12:14.) The
good and evil deeds of the present time will receive a just recompense of reward either
now or hereafter. Judgment of the NationsBetween the world's two judgment days
discussed foregoing, a period of about six thousand years intervenes. During this long
period, God has been selecting two special classes from among men, and specially trying,
testing, disciplining, and 'training them to be His honored instruments during the
second of the world's judgment days. These two classes are respectively
designated by St. Paul as the "house of sons" and the "house of
servants" (Heb. 3:5, 6), the former being composed of those overcomers tried and
found faithful during the Christian dispensation (the Gospel Age), and the latter being
composed of the faithful overcomers who lived before the Christian dispensation. Those
who successfully pass the trial for either of these special classes will not come into
judgment (including trial) with the world but will enter upon their reward when the world
is coming into its second judgment day. They will be God's agents in the blessing of the
world; in giving to men the instruction and training necessary for their final testing and
judgment. "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?" - l Cor.
6:2. The world's second judgment day is
immediately preceded by a judgment of the nations, as such. They are to be judged
politically, ecclesiastically, and socially. Many Scriptures make this clear. However,
while noting these, it is important to bear in mind the difference between national
judgment and individual judgment. While the nation is composed of individuals, and
individuals are largely responsible for the courses of nations, and must and do suffer
greatly in the calamities which befall them; nevertheless the judgment of the world, as
individuals, will be distinct from its judgment as nations. The day of individual judgment
for the world will be the Millennial Age, as previously noted. Then, under the
favorable conditions of the New Covenant, and granted a clear knowledge of the truth and
every possible assistance and incentive to righteousness, all men individually, and not
collectively as nations, will be on trial, or judgment, for eternal life. The judgment of the nations which
precedes this individual trial is a judgment of men in their collective capacities. The
civil institutions of the world, social, political, religious, have had a long lease of
power. And now, as the "Times of the Gentiles" come to a close, they must render
up their accounts. And the Lord's judgment, expressed beforehand by the prophets, is that
not one of them will be found worthy of a renewal of that lease or a continuance of life.
The decree is that the dominion shall be taken from them and that He whose right it is
shall take the Kingdom, and the nations shall be given to Him for an inheritance. - Ezek.
21:27; Dan. 7:27; Psa. 2:8; Rev. 2:26, 27. Let us listen to a few passages from
the pen of other prophets which bear directly on this subject. "Come near, ye
nations, to hear, and hearken, ye people . . . for the indignation of the Lord is upon all
nations, and His fury upon all their
armies." (Isa. 34:1, 2.) Again: "The Lord . .' . is an everlasting King; at His
wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide His
indignation." (Jer. 10:10.) "A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth;
for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold,
evil shall go 'forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind [that is, intense and
complicated trouble and commotion] shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And
the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other
end of the earth." - Jer. 25:31-33. In calling attention to this subject,
it is not our intention to arouse a mere sensation or to seek to gratify idle curiosity.
Nor can we hope to produce in the minds and hearts of men such a condition of repentance
as would work a change in the present social, political, and religious order of society,
and thus avert the calamity. All the powerful causes which produce the trouble have been
long at work; and no human power is able to arrest their operation and progress toward
their certain end. No hand but the hand of the Lord could stay the progress of the present
current of events, and His hand will not do so until the bitter experiences of this
conflict shall have sealed their instruction upon the hearts of men. Our only object,
therefore, in mentioning the subject at all, is to forewarn, forearm, comfort,
encourage, and strengthen the "household of faith," so that they may not be
dismayed but be enabled to look beyond the severest measures of divine disciplining in the
chastening experiences of the world and see by faith the glorious outcome in the precious
fruits of righteousness and enduring peace. Has the Judgment Day of the Nations Begun?As we look about us and note the
conditions in the world today, it is difficult to escape the conclusion, especially when
these conditions are considered in connection with time prophecies, that the nations
have already entered their judgment day, that they are even now being weighed in the
balances and found wanting. Indeed, for years it has been seen that the gathering of the
nations and assembling of the kingdoms, preparatory to pouring upon them His
indignation, "even all His fierce anger," as yet another prophet (Zephaniah 3:8,
9) graphically describes it, has been in process. Modern discovery and invention have made
the remotest ends of the earth neighbors to each other. Travel, mailing facilities, the
telegraph, the telephone, and the radio have brought all the world into a community of
thought and action hitherto unknown. Truly, the nations are "assembled" in a
manner not expected, yet in the only manner in which they could be assembled, namely, in
common interest and activity; but alas, not in brotherly love, for selfishness marks every
step of this progress. The spirit of enterprise, of which selfishness is the motive
power, has prompted the construction of the railways, the steamships, the telegraphs,
the cables, the airplanes, the telephones, the radios; selfishness regulates commerce
and international relationships, and every other energy and enterprise except the
preaching of the Gospel and the establishment of benevolent institutions; and even in
these it is to be feared that much that is done is inspired by motives other than pure
love for God and humanity. Selfishness has gathered the nations and has been steadily
preparing them for the predicted, and now fast approaching, retribution which is so
graphically described by the prophet as the "fire of God's jealousy," or anger,
which is about to consume utterly the present social order. Yet this is speaking only from
the human standpoint. From the standpoint of the prophet this gathering of the nations is
ascribed, not to man's own efforts, but to God. Both standpoints are true; for while man
is permitted the exercise of his free agency, God, by His overruling providence, is
shaping human affairs for the accomplishment of His own wise purposes. And therefore,
while men and their works and ways are the agents and agencies, God is the great Commander
who now gathers the nations and assembles the kingdoms from one end of the earth to the
other, preparatory to the transfer of earth's dominion to Him "whose right it
is" -- Immanuel. The prophet tells us why the Lord thus
gathers the nations, saying, "That I may pour upon them Mine indignation, even all
My fierce anger." This message would bring us sorrow and anguish only, were it not
for the assurance that the results shall work good to the world, overthrowing the reign of
selfishness and establishing, through Christ's Millennial Kingdom, the reign of
righteousness referred to in the words of the prophet: "Then will I turn unto the
people a pure language [their communications ,with each other shall no longer be selfish
but pure, truthful, and loving, to the intent] that they may all call upon the name of the
Lord, to serve Him with one consent." Closing ThoughtsWe see the deepening clouds of trouble.
We hear the thunder-tones of judgment that "call the earth from the rising of the sun
unto the going down thereof" (Psa. 50:1) -- from the east to the west. We see the
lightning flashes of truth and righteousness, and observe how the whole earth is now in
the shaking process which will eventuate in the complete overthrow of all existing
institutions, systems, and governments. Present events indeed speak in trumpet-tones.
Even as these words are being set up in type, a military expert (note-not a preacher but
an army general) ends his radio newsbroadcast with a quotation from the Bible: "A
sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction." (Jer. 50:22.) How shall we
regard these things? Surely, dear reader, it will be with thoughtful and reverent hearts!
In this eventful period everything that can be shaken will be shaken, that only the
unshakable things of truth and righteousness may remain. (Heb. 12:25-29.) Every one called
to a share in the coming Kingdom must be a lover of righteousness, one who will
courageously and loyally exercise an influence which is always favorable to righteousness,
justice, mercy, and peace. All others will be shaken out. In the end only the true will
remain. "Seeing that we look for these things [let us] be diligent, that we may be
found of Him in [inward] peace, without spot, and blameless," as the apostle exhorts.
- 2 Pet. 3:14. When our Lord was here in the flesh,
the destruction of Jerusalem and the utter ruin of Palestine were close at hand. In those
days our Savior forewarned His disciples against laying up treasures for themselves on
earth. His counsel and advice to them was to lay up their treasures in heaven, and in the
end they would find them there. The Lord's true people of today occupy a similar position.
The great, symbolic-burning day is near. Christendom is about to be destroyed. In this
great symbolic conflagration the possessions of earth will be valueless. The opportunities
for laying up treasures in heaven will soon be overpast. Let us, therefore, brethren,
heed the Master's words, dedicating, or rededicating, as the case may be, our all of
earthly life and fortune upon His altar and seek to employ time, talent, and ability in
the service of Him who hath called us from darkness to light; of Him who will at last
welcome the faithful to the place that He has gone to prepare, in the Father's house of
many mansions; for there we shall find the heavenly treasures that can never fade, never
tarnish, never rust, and the glory and luster of which will abide throughout all time.
Amen. In the belief that the
subject considered in the foregoing article is timely, we are having it printed in
separate pamphlet form, slightly abridged, for distribution to all who may seem to have a
"hearing ear." Readers and Class Secretaries are invited to order freely as many
copies as can be judiciously used. In ordering, please specify the number desired. The Meek Will He Teach His Way"Ponder the path of thy feet, and
let all thy ways be established." - Prov. 4:26. WITH what frequency the Scriptures
remind us of the importance of noting well the paths in which we may walk. What striking
contrasts are made as between the paths of the wicked and of the righteous. How clearly
portrayed are the ultimate endings of the path leading to destruction, and of the way to
life and happiness. With what reiterations the inspired Word identifies for us the
character of pseudo lights never wanting around the way of our feet, and the
characteristics of the true light which is to lighten the path of the just unto the
perfect day. And with what emphasis the Scriptures teach that only the pure in heart are
permitted to walk with God. Many, therefore, are the reasons why
the admonition. of our text should be heeded. We need only remember that it is written,
"There is a way that seemeth right unto
a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov. 14:12), to see that there
is a special need to ponder carefully the path of our feet. And with the ever-present
danger of Satan's power to make his darkness appear as heavenly light, what alertness of
spiritual discernment is constantly needed by every child of God. A proper conception of
the imperative need of divine guidance in the matter of our walk will, more than
anything else, produce the habitual practice of pondering with soberness the paths we
tread. Moreover, this recognized need of carefulness in watching our steps also will lead
us, more than anything else, to seek for the aid essential to ordering our steps aright.
It will make the prayer of the Psalmist ours also: "Order my steps in Thy Word: and
let not iniquity have dominion over me." (Psa. 119:133.) And like him we will
recognize that the power of the Word to thus constitute our guide will necessarily
require more than a mere knowledge thereof. Like him we must be able to say, "Thy
Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not
sin against Thee." (Psa. 119:11.) When the Word of God dwells richly in the heart,
then it is that its force and blessedness combine to keep the feet in the paths of
righteousness. Much depends on the attitude of the
heart toward the revealed will of God as to how little or much the need of guidance is
recognized. To the devout and fervent heart God's commandments are never grievous but
delightful. To the lukewarm and self-centered those same requirements will be burdensome,
and largely joyless. Similarly, the degree of godly fear or reverence one possesses will
determine the measure of ability to ponder the path of the feet. The one who treads softly
before the Lord, remembering that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom," will assuredly find the needed guidance, repeatedly promised him in the
Word. But the one who fails in a proper reverence toward God and His Word, will find
himself the easy victim of a most serious deception. This seems we'll illustrated in Psalm
18:25, 26, which reads: "With the merciful Thou wilt show Thyself merciful; with an
upright man Thou wilt show Thyself upright; with the pure Thou wilt show Thyself pure; and
with the froward Thou wilt show Thyself froward." Is this not suggestive of the
principle of finding just what we look for? Is it not intended to remind us that even the
Word of God can become to us the accepted guide in a froward course we have a preference
to pursue? Admittedly, the Bible can be made to support just what we want it to teach;
therefore, who but those who approach that Word in a spirit of humble reverence may really
expect to find it a light unto their feet? As Israel's table eventually became "a
snare and a stumbling-block" to them, though that table was of God's own providing,
so in like manner His Word can become to us the very opposite of God's intention, if so be
that any "hardness of heart" represents our approach thereto. "The Ground Whereon Thou Standest is Holy Ground"It requires no special study to grasp
the important principle set forth in the text reminding us that "the fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom." In the nature of things, that wisdom is one of
those blessings our wise and holy God reserves for such as revere Him. It would be
wholly inconsistent with His character to bestow such favors on the irreverent, and on
those who have no love for His law. It follows, then, that wherever there is a fuller
vision of God enjoyed and a pathway truly illuminated by His Word, the one knowing
this experience has learned to walk humbly before the Lord. And the most important
discovery made by the humbled student of the sacred Word is the discovery of his own
ignorance, his own nothingness, and thus his unworthiness of the great privilege of being
taken into that "secret of the Lord" which the Word tells us He chooses to make
known to those who reverence Him. To illustrate how this nearness to God
produces the consciousness of unworthiness and thereby prepares the heart for His
revelations, we call to mind just a few such examples. Moses testified to the effect upon
himself when God spoke directly to him in the Mount. Job confesses himself as humbled
into dust and ashes when God spoke to him. Isaiah similarly cried out in a painful
realization of his uncleanness when he beheld the Lord high and lifted up. Daniel fell
at the angel's feet as dead; and John likewise. Peter catches for a brief moment the
unveiled glory of his Lord, and contrary to his habitual rushing in where angels might
fear to tread, he entreats, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man." Whenever He
whose dwelling is in the "light which no man can approach unto" has chosen to
come near to man, inevitably the results are the same as that experienced by Peter.
The consciousness of inherent unworthiness is immediately realized. But this is all designed for the
greater good of God's beloved servants. Is this not the deep meaning of the admonition
given us by the Apostle in his words, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty
hand of God that He may exalt you in due time"? In the present as well as pertaining
to the future, the principle holds good, "He that humbleth himself, shall be exalted." "The meek will He
guide in judgment; and the meek will He teach His way." To all such the promise is
sure to be fulfilled "What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall He instruct in
the way that He shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease: and his seed shall inherit the
land. The counsel of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and. He will show them His
covenant." - Psa. 25:12-14. Deeply significant were those words
spoken to Moses from the midst of the burning bush, "Put off thy shoes from off thy
feet, for the place whereof thou standest is holy ground." (Exod. 3:5.) It was
hallowed ground because the great "I Am that I Am" was present there. Moses was
standing alone before a striking and wonderfully important revelation of God and within
the range of His clearly heard spoken word. He was there in the very presence of the
supernatural and sublime. A holy place indeed! In subsequent days Moses was again alone
with God. Called up into Mount Sinai apart from the camp to be shut in where "the
radiance of the Eternal rested on the mountain of Sinai.; for six days the cloud covered
it, . . . and Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights. . . . Now when
Moses was come down from the mountain of Sinai with the two tablets of the law in his
hands, Moses did not know, as he went down the mountain, that his face was in a glow after
speaking to God." - Exod. 24:16, 18; 34:29, Moffatt's Translation. The Apostle refers to this experience
of Moses in 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 and employs it to show the greater grandeur of that which
we may behold. Again we make use of Moffatt's
Translation: "Now if the administration of death which is engraved in letters of
stone, was invested with glory-so much so, that the children of Israel could not gaze on
the face of Moses on account of the dazzling glory that was fading from his face; surely
the administration of the Spirit must be invested
with still greater glory. If there was glory in the administration that condemned, then
the administration that acquits abounds far more in glory (indeed, in view of the
transcendent glory, what was glorious has no
glory at all); if what failed had its glory, then what lasts will be invested with far
greater glory." How suggestive this is of the relatively greater effect God's
revealed glory should have upon those under this later administration of the Spirit than
the effect experienced by Moses long ago. If the glory of God was thus transmitted to
Moses while receiving a law which would be found to be unto death, then how great should
be the effect produced on those of this. age who have been privileged to receive the
impress of the divine character, as it is revealed in the gospel of abounding grace? Who
can deny that God expects this transcendent glory to be revealed in our daily life? By the direct call of God, Moses had
gone up into this unusually close intimacy with Him. During those momentous days and
nights an administration which in its outworking would leave the sincere subjects under
it crying out, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this
death," was being unfolded, and yet, the countenance of Moses was having stamped on
it the unquestionable evidence of his being in the presence of God. Surely, then, there
should be desired, yea, confidently expected, similar results by those who are now living
under the administration of acquittal. If on the holy ground where Moses stood, such
results accrued to him, oh, how holy, then, is the place whereon we walk in grace! where
"the light of the glory of God as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ" may be
stamped upon us in all its unfading reflections.
If listening to God's voice as it set forth a law of works beyond frail flesh to perform,
could cause the face of His servant to glow with a radiance too dazzling for human eyes to
gaze upon, then how great should be the radiant transformations stamped on those who
ponder a revelation gloriously revealing the effulgence of the God of all grace. If
writing a law of condemnation on tables of stone simultaneously wrote a supernatural glory
on the face of Moses, then how blessedly real and permanent should be the growing impress
on our characters as the Spirit of God transforms us into the living epistles of Christ.
If the atmosphere of the mount that burned with fire left its glowing radiance on the face
of a natural man, how immeasurably greater can
the glory of God's imparted character be on those who as spiritual men are in holy aspirations saying,
"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in
the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to
behold the beauty of the Lord, and .to inquire in His temple." - Psa. 127:4. Lo, these many years we have said to
the Lord, "When on Thine own image in me Thou hast smiled, O! I shall be satisfied
then." Satisfied we shall surely be' then, and only then will our Lord be satisfied
with the work of His grace in us. May we ever remember the holy ground on which we tread,
and earnestly entreat the Lord that no earthborn cloud may arise to obscure the vision
of His face and thereby remove from us that "open face" by which we may now
receive and gloriously reflect His likeness in us. Letting the Word Dwell Richly Within the HeartIn far-off, remote times, long
"before the foundation of the world," when we were chosen in Christ, the
ultimate. purpose in the Father's heart was "that we should be holy and without blame
before Him in love" and thus be "to the praise of the glory of His grace,
wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." (Eph. 1:4, 6.) Looking forward to
so great an end, what holy ground it is on which we stand "and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God." Then how great the need of pondering well the paths of our feet.
With what undivided attention we should meditate on the eternal issues which are now
determining how much or little of the divine impress we are daily receiving. His Word
makes plain the fact that "out of the heart are the issues of life." This means,
in its practical outworking, that the power of Christ must be operating in the heart, the likeness of Christ must be daily more and more stamped on the
character, and the love of Christ constantly reflected in the daily walk. This is the
significance of that profound statement of 2 Corinthians 3:18: - "We all with
unveiled face receiving and reflecting the glory of the Lord, into the same
image are being transformed, from glory into
glory." (Rotherham.) Is it so with us? Are we, through a close intimacy with God,
thus receiving and reflecting His glory? He expects it of us; we must expect it of ourselves. Many are the steps we take in the walk
we hope will eventually lead us into the heavenly terminus. Alas! many of these are
wayward steps. Too many of them are careless steps. How often we have failed to make
straight paths for our feet and found ourselves suddenly awakened to the sad fact that
there has not been enough careful pondering over the way our feet have been treading.
Alas, how many of our steps have been of a retracing kind, getting our feet back again
into the upward way after being lured into some by-path. And, saddest of all, there have
been those regrettable, measurably willful, disloyal, disobedient steps. We knew better
at the time; yet failed. These were steps a wily adversary helped us to justify, and in
disregard of conscience we persisted until in mercy the rod of correction saved us from
disaster. All these steps serve to teach us the need of the admonition of our opening
text. With what thankfulness we praise our loving God that His mercy endureth so
marvelously. And this He will continue to do for us as we ponder the path of our feet, to
the end that all our ways may be fixed and established -- established in the paths of
faithful obedience to His Word, in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake, and in
the paths of love wherein we increasingly receive and reflect the life of Christ. There are progressive steps in the path
of the Christian. There are those first steps, initial steps suggestive of the beginnings
of the journey toward the, heavenly goal. Later on there are the more definite, assured,
and steady steps of the matured, advancing Christian, a more perfect keeping step with
Jesus, "walking as He walked." And with this advancement in understanding of the
really essential requirements of the true, spiritual walk, there will be given a richer
measure of peace and quietness of spirit. With the ability, God given, to discern between
such things as "meats and drinks as ordinances and "peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit" as the real facts of the life that pleases God, will assuredly come the happy
realization that the steps have been graciously kept by divine love in the right way.
This is the established walk our text and context indicates will be the path trod by
those who ponder the steps their feet should take. In an effort to get the full import of
our text and its context, it will be helpful to turn to Moffatt's Translation for a
somewhat elaborated and very pleasing reading. It reads, from verse. twenty-three to the
end of the chapter: "Guard above all things, guard your inner self, for so you live
and prosper; bar out all talk of evil,. and banish wayward words; let your eyes look
straight ahead, gaze right in front of you; keep a clear path before you, and ever make
your footing firm; never turn to right or left, draw back from a wrong step." How
wonderfully complete is this inspired advice. Two statements are worthy of special notice:
first, "Guard your inner self"; second, "and ever make your footing
firm." Only let the inner self be guarded with uncommon care and the feet placed
firmly on the solid rock of inspired doctrine,
reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness; and an established 'character-likeness
to Christ must result. Well may we pray with the Psalmist "Let my heart be sound in Thy statutes; that I be not ashamed. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto
my path. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart." (Psa.
119:80, 105, 111.) "The Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever," is the
unchanged and unchangeable place for our feet. And therein the sum total of all the will
of God as it pertains to our present life is contained in the nutshell text, "For
this is the will of God, even your sanctification." - l Thess. 4:3. The End of the Way is NearAnd think of where we walk today. Our
first steps were taken long ago. Intervening days and years have been multiplying the
steps behind us. Now the signs along the way in our present stage of the journey all point
to the fact that we are in the time when the last steps are being taken by heaven-bound
pilgrims. Day by day these signs become eloquent. So eloquent are they, that feet in
danger of growing weary because of the unexpected length of the waiting time, are being
wonderfully quickened again. And, as one by one these indications that the journey's end
is near are carefully considered, there is not only a renewed impetus of joy experienced
but there is also an increasing realization of the solemn nature of the Apostle's very
timely question "Seeing that all these things are thus to be dissolved, what manner
of persons ought ye all the while to be, in holy ways of behavior and acts of godliness,
expecting and hastening the presence of the day of God." And how timely is another of
Peter's admonitions: "But the end of all things bath drawn near: Be of sound mind,
therefore, and be sober for prayers; before all things keeping fervent your love among
yourselves." - 2 Pet. 3:11, 12; 1 Pet. 4:7, 8, Rotherham. The fundamental laws of God never
change. Whether men have stood before the bar of God's judgment in the past ages, or in
the present higher order of administration, or when they stand before that bar in an
age to come; there could never be any deviation from the principles laid down in the ever
forceful statement, "And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Mic. 6:8.) Solemn
indeed are the reminders given again and again in the Word wherein this rule, in
principle, applies to each testing hour and points. unmistakably to the fact that
probation has its limits, beyond which the sentence is passed beyond repeal. "He that
is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he
which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that
is holy, let him be holy still.... Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to
give to every man according as his work shall be." - Rev. 22:11, 12. With what care we need to ponder the
path of our feet now, lest they be out of the way of these divine requirements. Some day
the door will close behind the completed Church. Some hour not far distant the word will
go forth, "The marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife hath made herself
ready." Yes! ere long there will be surprises. Devout and loving souls will know the
ecstasy of "a sweet and glad surprise," "in a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye." But to -how many will come the surprise suggested in the fateful words,
"And they that were ready went in, and the
door was shut." Oh, which of these surprises will be our own! The answer is clear
and plain: They who are just, clean, and righteous,
they who have put on Christ, shall enter in
triumph through those "pearly gates." Shall you? Shall I? - Contributed. Quit You Like Men, Be Strong"God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but
of power and love TODAY the faith and consecration of
every thinking Christian is being tested as never before. Christians in all
denominations indeed, right-thinking men and women outside the church as well as
inside-today stand aghast in a world shocked by the presence and triumph of evil as it has
never been seen before, and faith is reeling under the blow. It is hard to have faith in
the eternal verities, faith in the ultimate triumph of right over wrong, faith in a God
who doeth all things well, faith in a Prince of Peace, when evil marches, and brute force
causes millions to suffer, when innocent nations are crushed beneath the heel of an
oppressor who knows no law save that of the brute and the jungle. It is hard to keep our
faith when we see the sweetest things in life the higher things, the better things-go
down into dust before a military machine. It is hard to keep our faith when we see
civilization, after years of patient and painful building, torn to shreds by forces which
know no law, have no respect for human personality, and have no love for man or God; and
the forces of evil sweeping like a fire across the world, and all those influences which
make for peace and brotherly love, all the hopes and dreams of those who have lived most
nearly as Christ would have us live, "blacked out." It is hard to see small
nation after small nation fall before the victory crazed forces of iniquity, brutality,
and treachery, hard to see the Jews shamefully persecuted. It is hard to keep our faith,
nay, our faith is shaken to its very foundations, when we see the beautiful tulip-beds of
Holland watered with the blood of its peaceful people. It is hard to keep our faith when
we see our own nation so concerned about saving its body and standing in such great danger
of losing its soul. Yet, if we are to remain Christian and
practice the Christian virtues, we must retain our faith, and not only retain it but
strengthen it, exercise it, and nurture it as never before. As one writer recently wrote:
"My prayer is that God will give us all an unshaken faith in His power, and in His
purpose, as we face this dark hour of the world's great agony." Surely this is a
prayer in which readers of this journal may properly join, instructed as they are in
God's purpose to "bless all the families of the earth." Then, too, as day by day we approach
the throne of grace and express our heartfelt thanks to our heavenly Father that our own
country has not yet become engulfed in this present madness, we surely cannot do so
without remembering that people next door to us are at war, and countries overseas to
which our people are kin. Can we be thankful for ourselves without thinking of their
plight? Can we be thankful for ourselves without being sympathetic towards them? Not
less gratefully, therefore, but more humbly than hitherto must we daily seek our
Father's face, for it is not because we are better than other peoples that we have thus
far escaped the evil thing that has befallen them. If we were to be judged by our
maintenance of law and order, if we were to be judged by the energy and wisdom with
which we have sought to find the answer to the depression problems, such as unemployment
and agriculture, or by our adherence to the most elementary principles of morality, or
by the staunchness of our loyalty to the basic principles of Christian democracy during
these past years of national testing; we should find our rating, as a noted radio speaker
recently observed, "inferior to that of some other peoples." But there are
certain elements in our national history, not created by us but by others for us, by which
we are now upheld. We of today are utterly without ground for boasting. We may not exult
because, for the present, we are exempt from terrors that distress our fellowmen we are
not better than they; our deserving is not higher than theirs. There, but for the grace of
God, goes the United States! Having that in mind and knowing it to be true, we shall
surely be assisted in removing far from us any of the spirit of the man who, in the
parable, thanked God that he was not as other men were. We shall be thankful, deeply
thankful, for our own highly favored lot; but it will be a thankfulness characterized by a
genuine humility and with a clearer recognition of the duty devolving upon us of doing all
the good we can, to all men, as we have opportunity, and in the realization that
opportunities will press upon us, rather than having to be sought, if, in the spirit of
Christ, we are prepared to sacrifice time, money, health, or whatever we may have, for
their service. Be Strong in the LordFor the strengthening of our faith and
the stimulation of our courage and zeal, let us consider the text which appears at the
head of this article, and the circumstances under which it came to be written. It is part
of a letter written to Timothy by St. Paul while he was in the Roman prison, not long
before his death as a martyr for his Lord. The time in which St. Paul wrote was
one of great danger. Persecution was in the air, and the furious hatred which was raging
against the Christians was so severe that very few were remaining stedfast. Timothy, while
heartily supporting the Apostle in his labors, did not possess the qualities of
leadership with which St. Paul was so well equipped, but was of a timid, retiring
disposition, a brother whose meekness might, under pressure, degenerate into weakness.
This is not expressly stated in the Scriptures, concerning Timothy, but there are
unmistakable allusions to this trait in his character-. For example, in 1 Corinthians
16:10, 11, the Apostle admonishes the church at Corinth: "Now if Timotheus come, see
that he may be with you- without fear; for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.
Let no man therefore despise him, but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto
me; for I look for him with the brethren." We could hardly imagine the Apostle
writing in this strain about a man possessed of John the Baptist's make-up or that of the
Apostle Peter. These very differences would only serve
to bind the two men closer together in the Lord. The strong Apostle would find a special
joy and comfort in the devotion to him of the less strong, while the younger and weaker
man, Timothy, would be at his best, and experience his chief happiness, in the presence of
his talented yet most humanly tender leader. It is not difficult, too, to visualize
the dismay which must have chilled the heart of Timothy as he saw his beloved leader torn
from him by the police or soldiers and carried out and away for martyrdom-a dismay which,
it would seem from verse four, had reduced Timothy to tears. With the Gospel apparently
destined to be suppressed; with its most capable defender shut up in prison and soon to
-be martyred; with the brethren scattering on every side; with a keen realization that he
himself was personally powerless to stem the tide; and with a disposition which would'
naturally incline him to shrink from making the attempt, the outlook must have seemed,
as indeed it was in fact, very dark for Timothy. To him, in such a plight, came this
letter from Paul, and we can well understand the effect it would have, overflowing with
comfort, as it is, for Timothy's sorrow and arousing him to renewed hope and courage to
press forward in the strength of his own living Lord and Savior, the Anointed Jesus.
"Wherefore," he says (verse 6), "I put thee in remembrance that thou
stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not
given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not- thou
therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner; but be thou a
partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel, according to the power of God." None of us can afford to ignore this
word of Paul's to Timothy: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our
Lord." On the contrary it may be seen from our Lord's own words that the
maintenance of a clear and constant witness to Him and His truth is vital to our spiritual
life and health. "Whosoever shall have been ashamed of Me and My teachings, of him
the Son of Man shall be ashamed when He comes in His own and the Father's glory." -
Luke 9:26, Weymouth. Our Twofold WitnessThe proof that we are unashamed of
Christ and His teachings will be manifested in two ways; first, by our lives, and second,
by our "word of mouth" witness. In the Philippian letter the Apostle suggests
this twofold proof in the following exhortation: "Do all things without
murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God,
without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as
lights in the world, holding forth the word of life." - Phil. 2:14-16. Throughout the New Testament the
Apostles stress, above all things, the supreme importance of holiness, at all costs, in
the common, everyday life. But they take it for granted that the spirit of
loving-kindness, derived from Christ, will not be allowed to degenerate into a mere
amiability which makes itself pleasant to every one and forgets the solemn fact that the
consecrated ones are servants of a Master, whom the world knows not, the messengers of a
King, against whom it is in revolt. The truth and beauty of a life possessed by Christ was
to be the basis of the Christian's witnessing activities. But the witness was to be
articulate, not merely implied; he was to hold out the "word" of life; he was to
seize occasion to give a reason of the hope that was in him, although remembering always
to do so in meekness and fear. In benign and gracious conduct he was to be as a
luminary moving calm and bright in the dark hemisphere of the world. But he was to be
a voice as well as a star. He was not only to shine; he was also to speak. And if this was
to be true of all Christians, it was to be especially true of Timothy, who, aroused to a
holy courage by this last letter from St. Paul, is to carry on the good fight after he
himself shall have laid down his life as a martyr in the cause of Christ. The power to let our light shine by
living holy Christian lives and to tell forth, on all suitable occasions, the glorious
Gospel, will be given us by God. When our witness is performed, not as a mere duty,
difficult to avoid-still less when it is done under fear of penalty of dire punishment
if omitted-but when it is performed because of a flame of love burning within, it will
be characterized, first of all, by an absence of fear. God hath not given unto us a spirit
of cowardice or timidity or fearfulness; on the contrary, the spirit He gives is one of
power, of courage, of strength. However, if that were all, if the
spirit God hath given unto us were one of power merely, it might not work to our highest
good. We recall that of this very church, Ephesus, in which Timothy was serving as Pastor,
there came a time later, when they displayed great strength and courage but still did not
meet the Lord's approval. "I know thy works," said our risen Lord to the angel
of the church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:2), "and thy toil, and thy patience, and that thou
canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and are not,
and didst find them false, and thou hadst patience, and didst bear for My name's sake, and
hast not grown weary." Such a record took a liberal supply of the spirit of power, of
courage, of strength, to make it true. And yet, with all that to their credit, this church
failed to secure, the Master's approval. For He goes on to say: "I have this against
thee, that thou didst leave thy first love." "God hath not given unto us the
spirit of fear [or cowardice] but of power"-that is true and important, and it was
very necessary that Paul should reassure Timothy of it just at this critical time in his
life. But the spirit God hath given us is also one of love, which must be blended with the
power, the courage, the strength, and harmonized with the spirit of a sound mind. Some
translators use the word "self-control" or "self-discipline"
instead of the word "sound mind." God hath not given us a spirit of fearfulness,
but of power, of love, and of self-mastery. In his own strength Timothy would have
been unable to stand against the tests which confronted him in his day. In our own
strength we cannot hope to fight the good fight of faith in our day, either. But just as
we have every reason to believe that in the power of God Timothy came off more than a
conqueror against the powers which assailed him, so may we confidently rely on the same
mighty One who strengthened him, to make us daily overcomers and eventually to give us
final victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. We Worship Thee
By Thy Words Acquitted;
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