VOL. XXVIII JANUARY 1945
NO. 1 The Main Use of the Christian Armor "The Desire of All Nations Shall Come" The Best of Years Ahead
Our Year Text for 1945"Seek ye first the Kingdom of
God, and His righteousness; LESSONS OF
unspeakable and eternal worth have been learned in past years, not because we were such
good pupils but because we had the "Good Teacher." Many undertutors have
cooperated, and the curriculum has been separated into many heads, but there has been one
underlying purpose in all the instruction that we might share His righteousness and His
Kingdom. In point of time the righteousness must come first, but as regards value, each is
of worth so lofty as to make comparison folly. We enter a new year, under the guidance of
this same Teacher, confident that it can be our best. But what are the requirements? How
can we best accomplish this? A diligent heeding of our Master's faithful admonition in
this text, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness," is
necessary if we are to make this the best year of our Christian experience, and we should
-make no mistake as to what it means to "seek first the Kingdom of God and His
righteousness." In the
Beatitudes Jesus has told us that the Christian's blessedness does not consist in nor
depend upon the abundance of earthly things, though in moderation they are as necessary
to him as to the Gentile world. In one simple paragraph, the context of our text (ver.
9-32), Jesus covers the entire difficult question as to the Christian's duty regarding
these necessities.* ---------------------------------------------- * See
Scripture Studies, Vol. VI, Chapter XI-V, especially pages F572, F573. "Your
Father knoweth what things ye have need of," therefore avoid the pitfalls of greed an
C. anxiety that lie close at hand-just outside the narrow path. Wealth beyond the dreams
of the most avaricious of misers is within the grasp of one who lays up treasure in
heaven; but, as Jesus points out sin verse nineteen, this prospect is for those who do not
lay up treasure on earth. For the Oriental this included raiment, precious stones and
metals, which moth and rust might, attack. Each can easily test for himself where his
treasure is, for "there will his heart be also." Except by the grace of God
neither rich nor poor are safe on either score; for the richest can be overanxious, and
the poorest greedy of gain. It is foolish to set one's heart on perishable
earthly treasure, however desirable it may be for present use. It is pernicious to fix one's gaze on earth's trifles,
thus darkening the vision of the more distant but eternal things. "How great is that
darkness!" It is
fatal to do so, for
"no man can serve two masters." Two things so far removed from each other cannot
at the same time hold one's attention. "Without faith it is impossible to please God," and
there-is no, faith when self instead of God is trusted to decide what things are needful
or to provide them. Trusting His grace does not imply slothfulness or negligence. It is
ours to sow, relying on God to give the increase. Our common expression, "freedom
from care," tells of the slavery of anxiety, and hints at the peace that may reign in
the heart whose treasure is all in heaven with our loving Father as its guardian.
"Therefore," He says to us, "Be not anxious -for your life, what
ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body what ye shall put on." LESSONS FROM NATUREThe
tenderness of the Master's tone as He utters the gentle reproof of this passage is
indicated by the illustrations He uses, the delicate wild lily of the Nazarene hillsides
and the defenseless fowl of the air. Dr. Thomson, in "The Land and the Book,"
describes the Huleh lily which he (believes to be the one our Lord referred to. "This
Huleh lily is very large, and the three inner petals meet above, and form a gorgeous
canopy, such as art never approached, as d; king never sat under, even in his utmost
glory. And when I met this incomparable flower, in all its loveliness, among the oak
woods around the northern base of Tabor and on the hills of Nazareth, where our Lord spent
His youth, I felt assured that it was this to which He referred.... Nothing can be in
higher contrast than the luxuriant, velvety softness of this lily, and the crabbed,
tangled hedge of thorns about it." Could any illustration more aptly have described
the "all glorious" Bride amid her present surroundings? -and of the thousands of
instances when, unknown to us, the hand that nurtures the wild flowers has protected us
from life's thorns? His eye is quick to note the roots of evil, and, while we wonder that
He should have permitted us to The placed where we are, knows that a
little to this side the thorns would have choked out all growth, but that over there in
.that attractive, clear spot we would soon have been the food of some roving animal. If
the year ahead should have more of thorns, let us remember that He can regulate their
growth as readily as He can clothe the lily, and that therefore "no trial will
overtake us greater than we are able [in His strength] to bear." The lily's
dangers are the withering south wind and the scythe of the mower. We might use them as
pictures of the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. At first touch of
the desolating breath of the south wind, an agreeable warming is felt, but the end comes
quickly and the loveliest of lilies is left faded, parched, and dead. The other picture
speaks of the futility of sacrificing spiritual hopes to fire the oven that bakes our
bread. The whole
passage in which these illustrations are found is a lesson on prayer. Jesus has just instructed His disciples to look to
their heavenly Father for even their daily bread, without doubt meaning both the physical
and the spiritual. He had just assured them that our Father knows the things we need, so
there is no excuse for an anxious brow as we pray this petition, worrying for
fear the loaves will be neither large enough nor good enough. He does indicate that
"the morrow," representative of the Father's overruling providence, "shall
provide for the things of itself." (John J.
Owen's Commentary so translates this clause.) The promise
of our Year's Text is-not an encouragement to sloth, for "He that provideth not for
his own is worse than an unbeliever." The word "provide," to look into
the future, according to its etymology, is a literal translation of the Greek word Paul
uses in this text, 1 Tim. 5:8. This means taking thought for the future, but not anxious
thought. The larger responsibility which Weymouth's translation and foot-note place on the Christian seems to be correct:
"If a man makes no provision for those dependent on him [literally "his
own," including his own slaves. So Cyprian required Christian masters to tend their
sick slaves in time of pestilence], and especially for his own family, he has disowned the
faith and is behaving worse than an unbeliever. There is no hint of anxious thought here;
but of careful estimating as to how much ground must be plowed and properly fertilized
that there may be an ample supply of nourishing food for all, careful selecting of seed
that the food may be of the best, a judicious
estimating as to the proper amount to store for coming needs not tearing down old barns
and building new that: our neighbors may envy-and the
grinding, the heating and watching of the oven; all these fall to our lot. When the bread,
brown and tempting, comes to the table, we give Him thanks that He, not our effort, has answered the
petition, "Give us this day our daily bread." How prone, nevertheless, is the
flesh rather to think of its hours of planning and of the callouses on its hands. "Behold
the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns;
and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?"
"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they
spin: yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these. But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which
today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of
little faith? Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we
drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles
seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye
first His Kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you." PUTTING FIRST THINGS FIRSTThere are
the same primary and secondary meanings in the English word "first," and the
Greek word which it represents. With this in mind our Master's instruction is to begin the
day with the Kingdom and make it the principal thing throughout the day. If the day starts
with the world and the flesh, and they are uppermost throughout the day, the life can but
be fleshly. The fact that in our day there are more things to attract our attention, and
more things supposedly necessary to life than ever before, is offset by tests that more
clearly than ever before reveal our true state. Present conditions make very apparent
whether the Kingdom of heaven is being made ours, for it is not only righteousness, but
also "peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 14:17.) Righteousness -is as
elusive, and there is as much danger today as at any time in the past that we will seek our
righteousness instead of His righteousness and be very content with ourselves, so that
that point is as difficult to guard now as when our Lord spoke these words. But 'how do
our "peace and joy stand the test of "His day"? We who have prayed with the spirit and the
understanding that the Kingdom might come, find going on all about us a work of
destruction, preparatory to its full establishment-a work that we have been telling
others about, of tearing down the old that the new may be put in its place. Is peace still
garrisoning our hearts now that the day of darkness has engulfed our loved ones? Have
we proved that the Kingdom of heaven is not just righteousness, but also peace and joy in
the Holy Spirit"? -- not the world's peace born of conceit, nor their short-lived
joy, but the peace and joy of which "there shall be no end." That is a Kingdom
it will be impossible to keep "shut up in our bones," when once we
truly know its peace and joy reigning in our hearts-even though every one of our loved
ones is threatened or already reached by the bloody hands of war. We must not forget the
promise that our Bridegroom's coming is to be over the clouds (see the Greek of Matt.
24:30, 45) that mark His presence, in the sense of being over them. for direction and
control. Clouds over our own dwelling can mean no harm, but eternal good, if He is over
them. This lesson
tells us that in all our endeavors we should
remember our entire dependence upon Godthat our
life is to be one of cooperation
with God. We must
therefore ask His direction before we undertake to decide what we are to do or not to do.
Realizing our insufficiency we should ever be in a state of mind that would seek with
meekness and simplicity to know our heavenly Father's will. We should have no choice of our own that is at variance
with His. The choice should be left with Him. This is the one condition on which we can
cooperate with God. There must be a willing submission to divine guidance without the
least resistance or bias of mind -- in the attitude of sincere waiting upon God that we
may learn not only what He would have us do, but the time and manner of doing it. The
language of our hearts must ever be, "My soul, wait thou only upon God." This is very important. God
is pleased to be present with and cooperate with such a soul. HE IN US AND WE IN HIMIt is a
partnership where we must realize that not only the capital, but all the personal
operative power is from one Source. Man works, it is true; but man's work without God's
working as the basis of it is of no avail. Man's strength is in God. Hence there must be
no undue anxiety, no excited eagerness, "no methods and plans of action originated and prosecuted on
worldly principles; which necessarily imply some distrust of the skill and resources of
the great Being who has thus condescended to work by means of
human instrumentality. We must move when God moves; stop when He stops; act when He acts.
Any assumption on our part of superior wisdom or strengthany disposition to move in
anticipation of His movement, or in any way to forestall the divine intima tions-would be
getting not only out of the position of dependence and nothingness, but out of line of
cooperation. This means meekness and simplicity of heart, entire self-renunciation. The highest
honor and the highest power of man is, having put away all hindrances, to wait upon God in simple
faith. Man never acts to higher and nobler purpose than when, in the realization of his
own insufficiency, he places himself in full submission and lets God work in him. In this
attitude he is as the "lily of the field," which receives the morning dew, the
summer shower, and the daily sunshine, appropriates each to itself, and without
self-effort becomes beautifully "arrayed" as "even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed." This
does not mean inactivity or idleness, but, he .is like the scholar who is impressed
with a sense of his own inferiority and ignorance, and is willing to sit patiently and
humbly at the feet of his distinguished teacher that he may grow in knowledge. His mind is
receptive, but not inert. He is in the attitude of listening, but not idle. We are to
consider every moment as consecrated to God, and moment by moment to cooperate with Him,
in all events of whatever character -- thus "seeking first the Kingdom of God."
We have consecrated ourselves to God for all time, and each separate duty and experience
gives us the opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves. The present moment, therefore, is in
a special sense the important moment-the moment which we cannot safely pass without having
the divine blessing upon it. How thankful we should be to be permitted thus to enter
into partnership with God and to become co-workers with Him. How the thought of our life
being united with the life and activity of God elevates and sanctifies every moment, every ex perience, every
duty! Let us
diligently, first and primarily, seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and it
will then be possible to "take joyfully the spoiling of the most loved of our good
things; and this, whatever its experiences otherwise, will be a joyful new year. Let us
pray for one and all of the Lord's people that we may have that kind of a Happy New Year! - P. E. Thomson. Another Year
- Frances Ridley Havergal. Love the Principal Thing"Now abide faith, hope and love; THE VALUE of
resolution or decision of character is generally acknowledged. All proper instruction aims
to have the youth of our land accept some high ideal, some high standard of character and
course in life, and to seek to attain that ideal.. Those who are without purpose, aim,
ideality in life are the shiftless and unhappy; and the success of each life in respect to
its happiness or failure and in respect to the happiness or misery it will bring to others
in contact with it, will be in accordance
with the character of the ideal accepted. Moreover, the
active, energetic, rushing people who have ideals, and are striving to attain them,
frequently with advancing years experience a change of sentiment. Often they find that
their ideals have proven unsatisfactory. Indeed, there is no doubt about it that this is the
experience of the majority of the wisest people of the world. Hence by common consent the
beginning of a New Year is considered a favorable time, not only for the youth of the land
to make new resolutions and to start energetically to pursue an ideal, but also for those
who have failed of their ideals in the past, through weakness and difficulties, to take
a fresh start of resolution and determination. Additionally this is admittedly a favorable
time for discarding ideals which have proven unsatisfactory, and for the seeking and
acceptance of higher, nobler, better ones. Furthermore, it is a favorable time for putting
into effect good resolutions. Those who fail to make such resolutions make very little
progress in character-building. What we have
been considering is applicable to all mankind, but to the true Christian these things are
still more important than to the world, because the aim and the hope set before him in the
Scriptures are so much higher and so much more valuable
than that recognized by the world in general. And here we must differentiate between the
nominal Christian and the true one. The name Christian has become synonymous with
civilization in general usage, but not so in Biblical usage; and our standpoint must be
that of the Scriptures. The true Christian, then, according to 'the Bible, 'is one who
has recognized himself as a sinner by nature, "a child of wrath even as
others," and who desires to flee from his sins and imperfections
and to attain unto righteousness and eternal life. He has seen in divine providence that our Lord Jesus
is the Way, the Truth and the Life, by whom alone he may return to Divine fellowship and
'love and to the gift of God, eternal life. The true Christian is one who has accepted
Christ as his Redeemer, and who, while striving for righteousness and in opposition to
sin within and without, is not deceived into thinking that he can do perfectly; but
realizing the imperfections of his very best endeavors, he relies upon the merit of the
great Redemption-sacrifice of Christ to make up for his unwilling blemishes. Because of
his faith in the precious blood he is reckoned a member of the "Household of
Faith," and is styled one of the "brethren." But a
Christian, in the still higher sense that the Scriptures set forth, is one who goes beyond
such faith, such righteous endeavors, and hearkens to the words of the Apostle, "I
beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies
living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto. God, and your reasonable, service."
(Rom. 12:1.) This sacrifice 'that the Apostle speaks of is a matter that few even of the
Household of Faith understand experimentally. It means much more than to strive against
sin. It means a voluntary surrender of the will, and hence of all that we possess, to the
service of God and His Message of Grace. It means such a complete revolution that those
who take this step are called in the Scriptures "New Creatures in Christ Jesus,"
"members in particular of the Body of Christ." Such are the
"begotten again" ones, styled by the Apostle a "Royal Priesthood," a
"holy nation," a "peculiar people." These enter into covenant
relationship with God, by which they surrender all their rights and privileges as men
that they may have the higher riches and greater privileges as spirit beings. These
greater privileges will be fully entered upon at their resurrection change, but are
reckonedly entered into from the time of their covenant. Of such the Apostle says,
"Old things have passed away, all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17.) The
worldly aims and ambitions which once they held as their ideals have been exchanged for
new ideals, Heavenly hopes, Heavenly ambitions. If once they looked upon Caesar, Napoleon
or Alexander the Great, as their ideals for courage, or if once they regarded Socrates or
Plato or Confucius or Shakespeare as their literary ideals, or if they. looked, upon a
Carnegie, a Rothschild, a Rockefeller or Croesus as their financial ideals, these things
have changed. They have new standards, new ideals, and new representatives of these. Not
that they have lost an appreciation of wealth or honor or power or literature, but that
they have gained a new standpoint of appreciation. THINGS ONCE LOVED NOW DESPISEDSo lofty are
the new ideals of these "new creatures in Christ Jesus" that their former
standards are great ly depreciated. When they now think of greatness, of victories and
of power, they think not of Caesar, but of Jesus -- His greater victory and high
exaltation to the power, glory, honor and immortality -- of the Heavenly Kingdom, which
soon is to establish itself and rule over the world of mankind-not for selfish objects,
but to the intent that all the families of the earth maybe blessed. Taking this higher
ideal, and hearing the promises of the Lord through the Scriptures, these new creatures
now aspire to be "heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ their Lord." (Rom.
8:17.) And they have the assurance of attaining a share in His glory, honor and
immortality if they are but faithful-even unto death. (Rev. 2:10.) Instead of losing their
appreciation of riches they get the higher appreciation, hearing the Word of the Lord,
"All things are yours ... for ye are Christ's and Christ is God's." (1 Cor.
3:21-23.) They aspire then in harmony with the divine invitation, not only to the
possession of all power but to all riches-not for selfish uses, but -that they may
lavish divine favors and blessings during the Millennial Age upon the whole world of
mankind, which then will enter the blessed epoch of Restitution-"Times of Restitution
of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world
began." - Acts 3:19-21. Nor does
their love for knowledge abate one whit, but rather increases, though it takes a different
turn and relies for guidance upon divine revelation rather than upon human guesswork,
speculation and philosophy. Content to admit ignorance of many things, these have an
assurance that by and by they shall know even as they are known-perfectly; and that in the
present time, by following the counsels of the divine Word, they are really wise toward
God, however foolish they may appear to the worldly wise. They are content to believe that
the outcome will show that God is true, and will prove many so-called wise men to have been in error
in many of their guesses respecting Truth. - Rom. 3:3, 4. Still
confining ourselves to the true Christian class addressed in the Scriptures, we find that
because of difference of mental structure and varying experiences, some are inclined to
put one feature of living grace in advance of another, so that there is some perplexity and
difference of opinion. One tells us that his highest conception of a consecrated life is
represented by activity in the service of others in preaching or mission work. Others
tell us that their highest conception of privilege as new creatures is in providing
things honest and in doing benevolent works, helping the poor with an open hand. Others
tell us that their highest conception of the duty of the new creature is the study of the
Word of God, that they may understand the Divine Plan and teach it to others. As a matter of fact, all of these are good
purposes, and under certain circumstances proper enough; but none of these recognize
what the Scriptures point out to be the very highest of Christian ideality. GIFTS OF THE SPIRITConsidering
our text in connection with its context, we perceive that the Apostle has been discussing
the miraculous gifts enjoyed by the early Church -- granted to them of the Lord with, a view to their instruction and
establishment. The Apostle discusses the various gifts that were then granted to
believers. One would rise in meeting possessed of power to speak in an unknown tongue; which he had never studied. Another was
gifted with ability to interpret or translate the message of the unknown tongue into the vernacular of the congregation.
The message thus came through two persons; and the company of the Lord's people, not then
having the Bibles and helps which we now possess and enjoy and use profitably, were drawn
together by these operations of the Lord's Holy Spirit for their instruction. Others had
gifts of healing or of knowledge or of oratory. The Apostle
found the brethren of that time inclined to think of these gifts of the Spirit too
highly, attaching too much importance to them. Some of them seemed to take pride
especially in the gift of tongues. The Apostle assured them that he spoke in more tongues
than any of them that he had more of the various, gifts than any of
them; but that he did not esteem these his highest treasures nor the most noble marks of
his being the servant of the King of kings. He says in
substance, It is proper
enough for you to esteem these gifts and to seek to use them and to desire the most
useful' of them. He tells them that the gift of prophecy or public speaking would be the
most useful of all gifts, because its opportunity for influencing others would be the
greatest. Hence he advised them that amongst the gifts they would choose this rather than
the unknown tongue. Pointing, out that all the gifts of God are good, he declares that God
has set some in the Church, first Apostles; secondarily prophets, orators; thirdly,
teachers; after that miracles; then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversity of
tongues. He thus ranks. the gift of tongues, which they thought so much of, as the very
last of alt the gifts, and says, "Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with
tongues? Do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show unto you a more excellent way" -- something
better than any of these gifts. FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT SUPERIOR TO GIFTSThe fruits of
the Spirit are those developments which come to us as new creatures in Christ, gradually
growing daily, yearly. The fruits of the Spirit are manifest, namely, Faith, Hope,
Meekness, Patience, Gentleness, Long-Suffering, Brotherly-Kindness, Love. These are gifts
in one sense of the word, but fruits in another. As the fruit of the tree is the gift to
its owner and caretaker, so is the fruitage of the new nature. These fruits of the
Spirit represent a development of character under divine
guidance and by divine assistance, and are therefore far superior to those miraculous
gifts of the early Church which indicated no special character development but were merely
to be witnesses and encouragements. Seeking to
discourage a too great appreciation of the gifts in the early Church, and to encourage are
appreciation of the higher things, the Apostle contrasts the two, saying that the gifts
would pass away but that the developed fruits would remain, prophecies would cease, the
gift of tongues would cease, knowledge would vanish away as greater knowledge would come,
but faith and hope and love, these three would abide, would continue. And it has been so;
miraculous gifts imparted through the laying on of the hands of the Apostles necessarily
ceased when the last of the Apostles had died and when those died who had received these
special gifts through them. But all down through the Gospel Age, for centuries, faith has
persisted, hope has persisted, love has persisted, and these three we still have; and
whoever has these three -- with what they include -- is rich in grace beyond all
comparison with those who had the gifts of the Spirit at the beginning of this Gospel Age. FAITH, HOPE, LOVEWe yield to
no one in our appreciation of the value :of faith-a correct faith, faith in
God, faith, in the precious blood, faith in the Bible as the Word of God, faith
in the exceeding great and precious promises. We realize that without such a faith we
could never be conquerors, overcomers, but, would succumb either to the wiles of the
Adversary or to the spirit of the world or to the weakness of our own flesh. The proper
faith is an anchor to our souls, sure and steadfast, entering in within the veil and
holding us serene in all the storms and difficulties of the journey to the Heavenly
Kingdom. Hope also is
a necessary element of Christian character; it is built upon our faith. Without faith we
cannot have hope. Hope is faith in activity; it is the anchor- within the veil. Faith is
the cable by which we are firmly to it. Who does nott see the importance of holding
fast, being well anchored in the hopes and promises given us by our Lord directly and
through the Apostles and Prophets. Ah! we must hold both to our faith and hope -- nothing
can persuade us: that these are unimportant, trivial. As the Apostle declares, these
have abode throughout the Age. But when he
speaks of love the Apostle declares that it is the greatest of all. Why? we ask. Indeed
many would be inclined to suppose that love would be much less important than any other
quality. They speak of rugged, rude faith and hope and of rugged characters whose lives
represent little of love. Where shall we set our standards, our ideals as new creatures?
What shall we strive for most particularly? The Apostle's declaration is that love is the
greatest of these great qualities; but his advice is very contrary to the sentiment of the
world. It tells us that if we have love we cannot be successful, that the quality would
interfere with us whatever ourr ideals might be. From the world's standpoint love would
hinder a politician from crushing down others that he might rise to prominence himself;
love would hinder the merchant from crushing his competitors that he might amass the
larger fortune. Large love for others they tell us, would lead us to esteem others better
than ourselves, and mean that we would be hindered in the great race that is going on
amongst men for riches and honor and power. Shall we heed to the world's advice or shall
we follow the divinely inspired testimony of the Apostle? The two standpoints are totally
different. The new creatures cannot follow the advice of the world; to do so would be to
renounce and deny all the new ideals we have accepted, and toward which we have been
laboring. If as new creatures we would gain the great prize of our calling in Christ
Jesus, we must hearken to Him that speaketh from Heaven; we must hearken to the words of
the Lord through the Apostles and Prophets; we must note our Master's testimony, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one
another"; "Herein shall all men know that ye are My disciples if ye have love
one for another." (John 13:34, 35.) His further message through the Apostle is,
"Love is the fulfilling of the Law," and again, in our text, "Love is the
principal thing," the greatest thing in the world. The new
creature must attain this character of love; for all of his hopes depend upon his
attaining this character-likeness of his Lord. Otherwise he will not be fit for the
Kingdom or be granted a place in the elect Little Flock, which is to inherit it and to be
used of the Lord during the Millennium for the blessing and uplifting of the world in
general out of sin, degradation and death. Love is the principal thing, then; for whatever
knowledge we might gain, whatever talents we might possess, whatever faith, whatever hope,
none of these could bring us to the Kingdom. They can all merely assist us in developing
this love-character which is the Kingdom test-the fulfilling of the Law. Nor do we mean
that the perfection of love-character can be manifest in our fallen flesh. Its weakness,
its kinks, its peculiarities are hindrances so that the Apostle declares, "We cannot
do the things that we would." (Gal. 5:17.) But our hearts must be up to this love
standard; we must will lovingly. In our hearts we must love the Lord supremely, we must
love the brethren, we must love -our neighbors, we must love our enemies; and if we so do,
the effect will be that somuch as lieth in us this love will be manifested to others in
our words, in our looks, in our tones, in our actions. Whatever imperfection there is in
the matter must not be of the heart but merely of the flesh, and such imperfection
because of heredity is -counted a part of what our Lord redeemed us from and the merit
of His sacrifice is counted as covering all those unwilling blemishes so that the love of
our hearts carried out in our lives to the extent of our ability is counted of the Lord as
perfect love-perfection of character. Such are counted copies of God's dear Son, who was
in turn a copy of the Father, an image of God-"the express image of His glorious
person." - Heb. 1:3. WHAT IS LOVE?
We answer
that love is perfection of character "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God" -
is fully in accord with God, and hence in the condition pleasing to the Father, the
condition the Father is pleased to recognize and bless with eternal life. According. to
His covenant with those who have become the followers of Jesus, He is pledged to give them
upon demonstration of this character, glory, honor and immortality in association with
their Redeemer. - Matt. 5:48. Let us take
the analysis of love that is given by the Apostle. One of its elements is meekness. There
is a difference between meekness and weakness; Moses was a meek man but a very strong
character. He was humble-minded, not boastful, not proud or haughty. So with the new
creatures who have this quality of meekness, from the divine standpoint. Gentleness is
another element of love. It does not signify weakness or fear. The Christian man is,
therefore, the true gentleman, the Christian woman the true gentlewoman -- the highest
ideals of these. The world may feign a gentleness which it -does not really possess, but the gentleness of, the
Christian is a part of his character of love. It is because he thinks lovingly,
considerately, of others that he is gentle towards all, seeking to walk with soft tread that he may not
disturb others, to touch not rudely, but gently that he may
avoid the giving of pain to others, to speak not rudely or harshly, but kindly and gently
that he may not wound others. Patience is
another element of love and a part of the true Christian -character. True, we often see
great patience in merchants, clerks, etc., exercised merely for policy's saker for fear a
good customer might be offended and dollars be missed. But the Christian's patience is of
an unselfish kind; for it is a part of love, a part of his disposition. In proportion as he has sympathy and kindness, love, he
is disposed to wait, to assist with patience those who at first fail to come up to his
ideals. He remembers his own trials and difficulties along these lines; and his broad,
sympathetic love enables him to exercise much patience with those who are out of the way
and who have not yet seen and have not yet learned to overcome difficulties and
hindrances. Brotherly
kindness is another element of love. It is the kindness that ought always to prevail
amongst true brethren, but in the Christian this kindness so appropriate to a brother is to be such a heart condition that it will be applied to all men. In this he is
copying the Lord, who is kind to the unthankful, the ungrateful. All these qualities the
Apostle sums up in the one word, Love, because love,
includes every kind of
gentleness and kindness imaginable--and love must be the basis of such conduct in order
that it may have value in God's sight. "WITHOUT LOVE I AM NOTHING"Emphasizing
the importance of love in the forepart of the chapter front which our text is taken, the
Apostle declares that if 'he could speak all the languages known amongst men and the
angelic tongue as well, and it he used these talents in preaching, if his preaching were
not inspired by love, it would be nothing -- God would esteem it no more, than the sound
proceeding from cymbals or any brass instrument. God has not glory, honor and immortality
for brass horns and brass cymbals; and if a man should preach the whole Truth in all its
grandeur, yet without the spirit of love he would be, nevertheless, as unfit for
divine favor and a share in the Kingdom as the brass horn would be. No place in the
Kingdom would be found for such. What a lesson for us all as we attempt to sound forth the
praises of Him who bath called us from darkness to light! How necessary it is that we
shall speak the Truth in the love of it, with hearts full of devotion and appreciation! Taking
another illustration, the Apostle suggests that if he had mountain-moving faith, if his
knowledge of divine mysteries and all other mysteries were very great, superior to those
of all other men, and even if in his zeal for man or for God he should become a martyr
and permit his body to be burned, yet, notwithstanding all this, if the primary influence
in these matters were not love, all the sacrifice, all the self-denials, all the labors,
even the burning, would profit nothing. Ah, dear friends, when we come to get 'the divine
standpoint of things we find indeed that it is very high; and yet our judgment assures us
that it is right, that it is just, that it is proper, that God should thus set the
standard of love as the only standard by which we shall ultimately be measured. But
whoever thinks to have this perfect love for God and for man and make no manifestations of
it is equally mistaken. Wherever love is in the heart words, works, thoughts and looks
will testify to it, so that he who loves much will serve much. If we love the Lord we shall delight in, His
service regardless of failures, regardless of fame, regardless of any earthly
consideration; yea, even though the service of the Lord should cause us the loss of human
approbation, fellowship, etc. The language of love is well expressed in our dear
Redeemer's words, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God; Thy Law is written in My
heart." (Psa. 40:8.) Hence every true Christian may link the two words love and
service, and be sure that his love will manifest itself in zeal. Similarly, love of the
brethren will mean a desire to serve the brethren; love of the home and family will mean
a desire to do good to them; love of our
neighbor will signify a desire to do for his interests according to our knowledge and
limitations. THE RESTRAINTS OF LOVEThe Apostle
points out some of the restraints of love. It cannot be quick, irascible; for "Love
suffereth long and is kind." He who is loving cannot be envious of others, nor
covetous of the blessings and favors they are enjoying; for "Love envieth not. He who
is loving cannot be boastful and proud; for "Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed
up.".He who is controlled by the spirit of love will not be ungracious, unkind, rude; for "Love doth not behave itself unseemly."
seemly." He who is full of the spirit of love will not be selfish, grasping,
neglectful of the interests of others; for "Love seeketh not her own" merely.
The truly loving one will not be quickly angered; will not be easily offended; for
"Love is not easily provoked." The one controlled by the spirit of love will
not be imagining unkindness and rudeness nor seeking to interpret the
words or conduct of others unkindly; for "Love thinketh no evil." He who has
the spirit of love will have no satisfaction in the adversities coming upon those who
are even his enemies; for "Love rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the
truth." He who has the spirit of love regulating his heart, his words, his thoughts,
his actions, the Apostle declares will be ready to "bear all things" and ready
to believe everything that is favorable and all that is possible of good, and will be
disposed to hope always for the best outcome in respect to all with whom he may have to
do. He will be ready also to "endure all things," to submit to many unkindnesses
and to credit these largely to weakness or poor judgment or fallen nature. "LOVE NEVER FAILETH"Faith will
fail in the sense of ceasing when the present time of limitations of knowledge has passed;
for then, instead of faith, we shall have sight. Hope will then also reach. a glorious
consummation; for instead of the hope for the things God has promised us we shall then
have them. But "love never faileth," will never cease. Whoever then attains this
glorious character of love has a thing of beauty and a joy forever. It will beautify his
own character, make him lovely in the sight of his Lord and be the quality that will bring
him the Master's words, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the
joy of thy Lord; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over
many things." Thou hast faithfully developed My spirit of love in the little things
of life. I can therefore now give you greater things to do in My service in glory, in the
blessing of others. This character of love, essential to Divine favor, will be essential
to the eternal life and eternal happiness of the individual. For God to give eternal life
to any others than those who have the perfection of this His own character would be to
permit an element in Heaven which sooner or later would be in danger of working mischief and bringing
in works of selfishness, sin and injury. This love
standard of character, which is now being developed in the saints in the few short years
of the present trial time, must be developed also in the world of mankind in all who will ever attain to eternal life
during the Millennial Age.. One difference is that they will have a thousand years for
the development of such character while we of the present time have a much shorter
period in which to make. our calling and election sure by such character development. But
then, if our trial is briefer and therefore more rigorous, it also has attached to it
the still greater reward of a share in the Divine nature -- glory, honor, immortality. Let
us, then, dear friends, resolve for this year that we will strive for the principal
thing; that the love of God may more and more be shed abroad in our hearts and that we may
come more and more into heart-likeness to Him and so far as possible exemplify this
character in our outward words, deeds and looks. Thus we shall attain the highest ideals,
God's ideal, and the greatest blessing -- God's blessing.
- Pastor Russell's Sermons, pages SM272-SM285. Divine Faith and Human Reason"Faith is the substance of
things hoped for." - Heb. 11:1. "In this awful and stupendous
manner, at which Reason stands aghast, and Faith herself is half confounded, was the grace
of God to man at length manifested" -- Richard Hurd. A STUDY OF
the movement of faith and free, unbridled human thought picture the alternate action of
travail in childbirth. Both the pain and the reaction from pain are progressive. They seem
to represent the forward and backward action of two opposite movements like the swing of a
pendulum in marking the progress of time; like the inhaling and exhaling of breath in
the progress of life, or the advance and retreat of ocean tides. So uniform is this action
that it indicates a natural law under divine supervision. The triumph
of the early Christian Church over Paganism was phenomenal. Then followed the rise of free
thought based on human conceit, which marked the "Dark Ages of the Gospel period.
This was followed by a return to primitive faith that characterized the Reformation. This
in turn was submerged by a wave of infidelity which engulfed Europe in the seventeenth
and early eighteenth centuries when the works of Pascal, Butler, Grotius, Lardner and
others were most popular. A great revival of spiritual life followed this and swept over
the English speaking world of both hemispheres with increasing force. The latter part of
the eighteenth century marked the founding of great Bible Societies, various Missionary
Movements and individual moral and spiritual enlightenment. Then came the reactionary
movement of the nineteenth century in favor of science, so called, of unlimited
Evolution," of Higher (?) Criticism. Many openly embraced Materialism, Pantheism,
Agnosticism, Atheism, Naturalism, and Spiritism, all contradicting, and castigating the
theories and principles advanced by the others. Surely, the terra firma (so called)
sciences of human origin are all crumbling beneath our feet. In God's
dealing with His creatures, He respects the power He has given, man ;to do his own
thinking. "God never demands of man a -course of action out of harmony with his
reason, at the sacrifice of his judgment, and in opposition to his will; but in every case
He satisfies reason, appeals to the judgment, and leaves the decision subject to a free
will, enlightened by an understanding of the inevitable final results in. either case. He
sets before us inducements or rewards to righteousness, and punishments for
unrighteousness, but He does not compel either course. With dig. nity and patience He
awaits a sufficient time for our enlightened decision, and then carries out His own
purpose with reference to us, in the event of that decision. "In
accordance with this principle, is the invitation of the Prophet Isaiah (Isa. 55:1) --
'Ho, every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters' (truth) Water is unwelcome except to
the thirsty, and food produces loathing if forced upon one who is not hungry; so truth is
obnoxious to those who prefer error. Therefore, God only gives His good things where
they are desired, and never compels acceptance of His favors. But blessed is the man that
hungereth and thirsteth, for his soul shall be satisfied through the divine bounty."
- R650. Thus it is
that those who are filled with human pessimism and materialism have cast their dark cloud
over human consciousness in proclaiming the gospel of despair. In their selfish conceit
they have hindered those who are honestly seeking for the refreshing waters of truth.
These hungry ones have asked for bread and have been given a stone. Human intelligence
is finding this highly unsatisfactory. It is costly. It is resulting in the destruction of civil order, of common morality, and of
spiritual integrity. We must now awaken, like the sleepy virgins, to more faith if we are
to realize our hope of a spiritual birth. We must prove our faith by the works of faith. "Note
the case of Abraham, the 'father of the faithful.' It is written that' he believed God,
and that his faith was counted to him for righteousness. But how much faith is required
and to what extent is it involved in works? St. James points out that God placed a
crucial test upon Abraham's faith, which would have proven it inefficient, if it had not
developed to the quickening stage of works of obedience. It was years after the promise
had been made, and Isaac, the seed of promise, was grown to young manhood, when God
commanded that he should be sacrificed upon the altar-thus prefiguring how The Christ, the
Seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:29), must all have the testing of faith to the point of obedience,
even unto death-sacrificial death. "Then,
fearful that he had given an example of so lofty a faith and obedience as would discourage
us, St. James picks out and holds up before us another illustration of faith and
works-that of Rahab the harlot. She had faith in God, but it would not have availed her
if it had not developed to the degree of activity and helpful service, risking her own
interests temporarily for the assistance of the spies. Manifestly she would never have
had such works without faith, -and it is the faith that is specially pleasing to the Lord.
But the faith would not have been pleasing to the Lord, had it not led up to works in
accord. Thus we see how works have to do with our justifica. tion, in conjunction with our
faith, which is the foundation of our works." - R3478. At present
the world is going through the "Valley of the shadow of death"' (Psa. 23), not only in the field of physical
conflict, but religious leaders have also thrown us into confusion. Our spiritual leaders
seem to be blind. Their minds seem to be clouded with erroneous, preconceived ideas. They
cannot see the dark valley opening .out and a beautiful horizon and a perfect day coming
to dawn before them. We are at a
low in human history, but it is time the sleeping virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) should hear the cry: "Behold the
Bridegroom. They must replenish their lamps of faith with the works of faith in the
promises of God. We must progress, but let us walk by faith in the promises of our God and
not by our own material sight. (2 Cor. 5:7.) It is, thus and only thus
human thought can be awakened to a realization of divine faith and the blessed reward it
brings. The travail is nearly over and the birth of a new world is due. The pendulum of
time will swing again. - C. G. Reynolds. The Main Use of the Christian Armor"Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having
done all, to stand."
- Eph. 6:13. What a
strange conclusion to so martial a war-cry! The soldier is generally told to put on his
armor for the sake of the battle; here it is for the sake of the camp. To the common view
the arduous thing in a Christian's life is the hour of conflict; to Paul it is the hour
after conflict. If you or I had written this 'verse we should have put it thus: "Take
unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand awaiting the foe, and
finally to withstand when the foe has come." But Paul reverses the process. To him the
withstanding is the less difficult of the two. The,, greatest danger he sees
for the Christian soldier is just at the point where he has "done all." And is
not Paul right in his perception! Is not the arduous bit of a Christian's life rather the
camp than the field! When a man feels he is surrounded by a great cloud of
witnesses, it is comparatively easy to lay aside every weight. But when there is no
outward battle, no visible foe, no possible wreath for the victor, when the field is his
own heart and the enemy his own wish and the spectator his own conscience, when there is
no human voice to cry "Well done!" and no public opinion to say "He has
fought a good fight!" - that is the time when he needs the Christian armor. Lord, arm me
for the silence! Often in my hour of trial I am brave when duty has to be done and weak
when it is over. In the first fire of my bereavement I have to rise up from before my
dead. There are letters to be written; there are sad offices to be performed; there are
friends to be bidden to the funeral. And I go through them calmly; I feel as if something
supported me; men say, "How bravely he bears it!" But when the letters are
finished, and the funeral over, and the friends gone, then comes the misery, the despair.
Save me, O Lord! save me from my own companionship! Protect me from the solitude of my
heart; arm me against myself! I have been strong in the hour of outward battle because I
heard the voices of human sympathy; let me hear the voice of a greater sympathy for the
watch of, the night! I was able to withstand in the day because there was work to be done;
help me in the shadows when no, man can work! Teach me that. the heart has a duty greater
than the hand! Teach me that I am. not a perfect soldier when I can only fight! Teach me
that the courage which' can endure is nobler than they courage which can strike! Teach me
the heroism of Gethsemane ! Thou hast girded me with the sword for the tumult; clothe me
with the breastplate for the silence! My armor shall be complete only when I have done
all and still shall stand. - George Matheson The Red Sea
- Martha Snell Nicholson. "The Desire of All Nations Shall Come""Thy Kingdom come." -- Matt. 6:10. SOME OF our
readers may recall that a few years ago we published a little tract captioned "The
World of Tomorrow." This tract had been suggested by the remarkable exhibit which
was displayed at the New York World's Fair in 1939-1940. Those of us
who were privileged to visit that Fair well remember seeing embodied in structural
picturization "The World of Tomorrow" as this striking exhibit was called. We
beheld the anticipated advancement of human achievement in multifarious forms. Our
minds, after first being satiated with the sight of man's present accomplishments, were
directed to the future, and by the aid of the thrilling spectacle which art and science
and $150,000,000 had combined to produce, we endeavored to visualize an age that shall far
transcend the present one. As our powers of imagination were brought into play we were led
to wonder if there is to be any limit to the progress and development which encompassed us
on every hand. But then the
question arose: What of man himself? Will his ethical progress keep step with discovery
and invention? Will he have the same social, political, and economic problems that he has
today? And will they seem as impossible of solution then as now? Will unemployment
continue to be a menace to human happiness? Will crime increase, or will it be stamped
out? Are wars to cease, or is permanent peace never to be established? Will disease
disappear, will death itself be abolished, or is the joy of living always to be marred by
pain and disaster, sin and sorrow, ruined prospects, shattered hopes -- the grave forever
triumphant? Such questions as these cannot but present themselves to every thinking mind. The Age of TomorrowIn seeking
satisfactory solutions to these admittedly baffling questions, it has been well observed
that we shall be greatly assisted in our search if we note first of all that the
"World of Tomorrow" will be the "Age of Tomorrow." Since the
Scriptures declare that "the earth abideth for ever" (Eccl. 1:4), we look for
no dissolution of this planet. Three "worlds" or "ages" are mentioned
in the Bible, each in connection with this self-same earth, which continues throughout all
three. Each of these three "worlds" or "ages" is referred to as a
separate "heavens and earth." (2 Pet. 3:4-14.) Here the word "heavens"
symbolizes the higher or spiritual controlling powers, and "earth" symbolizes
human government and social arrangements. It is sufficient to note here that the second of
these "worlds" or "ages" or "heavens and earth," namely, the
one in which we live today;' "this' present evil world" (Gal. 1:4), is about to
pass away. (2 Pet. 3:7.) It is to be destroyed, not with literal fire, but with the
symbolic fire of judgment. (Zeph. 1:18.) The present order or arrangement of government
and society, not that of the physical sky and earth, will pass away. The present
"heavens" must give place to the "new heavens" -- Christ's spiritual
control. The present "earth" (human society as now organized) must
(symbolically) melt and be dissolved. It will be succeeded by "a new earth,"
that is, society reorganized in harmony with earth's new Prince -- Christ. Righteousness,
peace, and love will rule, among men when present arrangements have given place to
the" new and better Kingdom, the basis, of which will be the strictest justice. In harmony
with this symbolic use of the words "world" and "fire" many will
recall the graphic description of affairs by Woodrow Wilson just before the United States
entered the World War. "The whole world's on fire," said he, "and happy
shall we be if a spark does not set us on fire also." ArmageddonBefore
Woodrow Wilson came into office another president, Theodore Roosevelt, had used a word
which today is well known, but which, when he uttered it, sounded strange and unfamiliar
to the reporters -- a word which sent them searching not their dictionaries only, but
their Bibles. It was the word "Armageddon." Armageddon
was the name given to the plain of Esdraelon, the scene of many battles recorded in the
Old Testament; and hence the prophetic scene of the great battle between truth and error,
right and wrong, love and hatred, with which this present "world" or
"age" is to close. (Rev. 16:16.) The Battle of Armageddon, which even in
Theodore Roosevelt's time seemed imminent, and to which the World War undoubtedly led, is
fast approaching -- if indeed it is not already waging. Wise men of the world recognize
this. For years they have seen the elements of this social conflagration in preparation.
Selfishness, increase of knowledge, concentration of wealth, wrong ambition, fear and
despair are the ingredients whose friction has set the angry, passions of the world
aflame, causing its various social "elements" to melt in the "fervent
heat." (2 Pet. 3:10.) Notwithstanding the multiplication of temporal blessings, the
satisfied contentment which was measurably enjoyed' by all a century ago, is rarely to
be found today. All are dissatisfied. As another has well observed "All
are selfishly and increasingly grasping for 'rights' or bemoaning 'wrongs.' True, there
are wrongs, grievous wrongs, which should be righted, and rights that should be enjoyed
and respected; Nit the tendency' of our time, with its increase of knowledge and
independence, is to look only at the side of questions closest to self-interest, and to
fail to appreciate the opposite side. The effect foretold by the Prophets will be
ultimately to set every man's hand against his neighbor, which will be the immediate cause
of the great final catastrophe. God's Word and providence and the lessons of the past
are forgotten under the strong convictions of personal rights, etc., which hinder people
of every class from choosing the wiser, moderate course, which they cannot even see
because selfishness blinds them to everything out of accord with their own prejudices.
Each class fails to consider with impartiality the welfare and rights of others. The
golden rule is generally ignored; and the lack of wisdom as well as the injustice of this
course will soon be made manifest to all classes (rich
and poor, male and female, educated and ignorant), for all classes will suffer terribly in
this trouble. This
outlook, which statesmen are at their wits end to avert, would occasion us only sorrow and
anguish were it not for the assurance of the Scriptures that the results shall work good
to the people, overthrowing the reign of selfishness, and establishing, through Christ's
Mediatorial Kingdom, the, reign of righteousness. Yes, after the destructive forces of
this titanic struggle shall have spent themselves, "nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isa. 2:4), and the white
banner of peace shall float over all the lands of earth. Mankind will have learned the
titter futility of seeking to live apart from God, and in their extremity will call upon
Him to save them. When in such contrition. and humility of heart they do turn to Him --
they will find Him waiting to be gracious. He will put His wondrous laws of truth and
justice, of righteousness and love, in their minds; He will write them, not again on hard
tables of stone, but in the softened tablets of their hearts; He will be to them their
God, and they shall be to Him His people. No more will it be necessary for a few
enlightened ones to instruct the others in regard to the gracious character and purposes
of God, for all shall know Him from the least to the greatest. - Heb. 8:10, 11. The "Lost Horizon" to be FoundIn time,
man's social and economic problems will all be solved. The only aristocracy recognized
will be that of character, and each will be assisted to develop into the
character-likeness of the Master. The "Lost Horizon," as envisioned in the
book of that title, and as portrayed in the motion picture based thereon, will have been
found. The spirit of brotherly-kindness, which in that artistic work was shown to be so
conducive to longevity, peace, and unfailing youth, will displace all opposing
influences, and prove to be more effective than the author dreamed. In the genial
atmosphere then prevailing, crime, bribery, corruption -- selfishness in all its many
forms -- will be unknown; for they could no more live amidst the conditions which will
then, obtain than ice could live in a burning sun, or darkness coexist with noon. No more Disease--Death itself AbolishedIn regard to
health, the future Age is radiant with promise. But disease and pain being the natural
concomitant of death, we must go back to the beginning of earth's troubles if we would
fully comprehend what is involved in their elimination. Our first parent, because of
willful transgression of God's law, was cut off from the source of life. In Eden was the
Tree of Life, to which, but for his disobedience, lie would have had continual access,
and lived forever. (Gen. 2:16; 3:22-24.) Expelled, with his life, from this perfect
home, he was compelled to live in the unfinished earth, and so the sentence his Creator
had passed upon him, "Dying thou shall die," went gradually into effect. (Gen.
2:17, margin.) Within the thousand-year day in which he 'ate of the tree of knowledge of
good and evil," Adam died -- nine hundred and thirty years old. It would
have been entirely just of God to have inflicted the death penalty suddenly, as by a
lightning stroke or some other speedy method, instead of permitting it to take effect
gradually, as He did, by the exhaustion of Adam's vitality through conflict with the
unfavorable conditions (of climate, sterility of soil, storms, thorns, weeds, etc.) of the
unprepared earth. And this, indeed, He doubtless would have done, and none of Adam's race
would have been permitted to come into existence at all had He not had it in His heart to
grant Adam (and the unborn race in him) a further opportunity, under still more favorable
conditions, of choosing righteousness and life. Because of this gracious purpose, He saw
that by allowing the death penalty to take gradual effect, Adam would receive a valuable
lesson on the exceeding sinfulness of sin and its baneful results; such a lesson,
indeed, as would never need to be repeated. There is a depth of meaning in the Creator's
words as He sent forth His fairly tried and justly condemned creatures amongst thorns and
briars; to labor, and pain, and sorrow, and disease; and to subjection to the casualties
and calamities of nature's unfinished work. He said, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake" (Gen. 3:17-19); that is, the earth in
general is in its present imperfect condition for your profit and experience; even
though you may not esteem it so. The children
of the condemned pair inherited their fall, imperfections, and weaknesses, and shared
likewise in the death sentence imposed upon them, and as convict laborers, so to speak,
have not only been learning what sin is, and its undesirable results, but by their labor
and skill have for six thousand years been preparing the earth and bringing it as a whole
to the full perfection designed -- illustrated in the specially prepared Garden of Eden --
getting it ready, although they little realize it, for their everlasting habitation, if,
when the offer is presented to them under the favorable conditions of Messiah's Kingdom,
they shall choose righteousness and life. Nor will
this offer be made to those only who have not actually entered the tomb. No! In order to
give Adam and all his family this favorable opportunity above described, there is to be
an awakening of all the dead, as we read: "There shall be a resurrection of the,
dead, both of the just and unjust"; in harmony also with the Master's words,
"All that are in the graves shall hear His voice [the voice of the Son of God], and
shall come forth," (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29.) We thank God for the wideness of His
mercy, "like the wideness of the sea"-that God is no respecter of persons,
that every member of the race, condemned through Adam's disobedience, redeemed from that
condemnation by the death of Jesus, shall have a full opportunity of coming to a knowledge
of the truth and of using that knowledge for his own recovery from sin, sickness,
sorrow, pain, and death -- the ultimate attainment of human perfection and everlasting
life in Paradise -- the restored earth. - 1 Tim. 2:4; Acts 3:21. Many earnest
men and women who give evidence of exercising faith in Christ as their Savior, have
difficulty in joining us in these, our hopes for the world. The destiny of the Church of
the Gospel Age, in which they think they have their part, figures so largely in their
anticipations, that they seem almost to forget that the Father sent the Son to be the
Savior of the world, and to lose sight of the blessed prospect that, not only is
the present Church to be saved out of the ruined world, to become the Eve of the Second
Adam, but that the ruined earth itself is yet to be renewed, and to become the happy home
of saved nations, who participate in the results of redemption. Writing as
far back as 1886 on this important result of the ransom sacrifice of Christ an able writer
has observed: "The
narrowness which sees nothing but the salvation of the Church of this dispensation is born
of hit man selfishness, and not of Divine Love; it is founded not on the teaching of
Scripture but on tradition and prejudice. The Bible plainly teaches that while the
peculiar glories of the Church are hers, and hers alone; that while the special privileges
of the natural seed of Abraham belong to Israel, and to Israel only: that there is yet a
blessed future awaiting mankind also under the gracious government of Immanuel-, that one
of the effects of the completed work of Christ will be to place the saved nations of the
eternal Kingdom in a restored paradise, completely delivered from the Tempter, and so
established in righteousness, that the Holy One can take up His abode among them forever.
'He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with
them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for
the former things are passed away.' "The
salvation of the Church of this dispensation is not the whole result of the death of
Christ. There is to be in addition the establishment of a Kingdom of God, in which His
will shall be as fully done by men on earth as it is now done by angels in heaven. The
consummation, for which we daily pray, is destined to come at last; and holy and happy
service, without a flaw, and without an interruption, is yet to be rendered to God, not
merely by the glorified saints of the new Jerusalem, but by redeemed nations on the earth
who walk for ever in the light of the celestial city." At the close
of the Book of Revelation St. John tells us that he saw, in vision, the new heavens and
the new earth, the "World" or "Age" of Tomorrow, that "desire of
all nations" which,- in the foregoing paragraphs, we have been
considering. In the last two chapters of his vision, there is unfolded, in wondrous
symbol, the things he saw concerning that happy future Age. Many years ago the author last
quoted took the thoughts expressed in these two chapters by St. John and wove them into
a poem, which we submit below as a fitting conclusion to this meditation. May we suggest
that the reader open his Bible at the 21st chapter of the Book of Revelation, and mark how
faithfully the inspiring verses of the poem interpret the words of Holy Writ: "THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH"
- P. L. Read. |
