VOL.
LX. March/April 1977 No. 2
HOW WE MAY GROW UP INTO CHRIST
Let the Lower Lights Be Burning! Remembering Christ"This do
in remembrance of me." - Luke 22:19 WITH
solemn joy, in smaller and larger groups (perhaps alone) we shall gather on the
evening of Friday, April 1, to observe -- in obedience to Him who did
institute and command it -- the Lord's Supper. The days of the years of our
pilgrimage have been many and hard, but again we draw nigh to the hallowed
place in our Christian experience, once again to keep the Feast. "This is
my body which is broken for you; eat ye all, of it. 'This is my blood which is
shed for you; drink ye all, of it." How precious the familiar words.
Heaven's treasury was exhausted that this table might be set; blessed is he
that partaketh thereof. The sufficient emblems a crumb of bread, a sip of wine:
and oh! how we sing!
As
regards the Memorial proper, its institution, significance, and its cluster of
associated events, both typical and antitypical, we shall not enter into them
particularly now. Concerning these glorious truths we have all been well
informed. Our meditation will be devotional rather than expository. We would
linger instead upon the words of our text: "This Do in Remembrance of Me."In
remembrance of Thee? O Savior, we will indeed commemorate thy costly
redemptive sacrifice. Yea, Lord, we will further remember all thy benefits
toward us. For we remember the riches of thy prehuman existence, the glory
which was thine with the Father before the world was. Thou, the firstborn of
all creation, the beginning of the creation of God, wast by him as one brought
up with him, daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. For he possessed
thee in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. Thou wast set up
from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. All things were
made by thee, and without thee was not anything made that was made. When the
foundations of the earth were laid, thou didst hear the morning stars sing
together and all the sons of God shout for joy. Yea,
Lord, we do remember that in the fullness of time, thou, in -obedience to thy
Father, didst lay aside thy glory, and wast born of a woman -- wast made flesh.
Thou, so rich -- becamest poor for our
sakes! We remember the circumstances of thy birth -- that thou wast laid in a
manger because there was no room for thee in the inn! Thou earnest into the
world made by thee, but the world knew thee not. Thou didst make thyself of no
reputation and didst take upon, thee the form of a servant. Did they not call
thee the Carpenter's son -- thou, the architect of the universe? Yea, the
foxes had dens, and the birds, nests, but thou hadst no place to lay thy head!
Thou camest to thine own, but thine own received thee not. Despised, rejected,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief! Of the people there was none with
thee. How oft wouldst thou, in thy great love, have gathered them as a hen doth
her chicks, but they would not! For thou hadst compassion on the multitude, for
they were like sleep without a shepherd. O Savior, we do remember all this and
more. We
remember how thou wentest about doing good, and manifesting thy glory. The
blind received their sight, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf
heard, the dead were raised, the multitudes were fed, and to the poor the
Gospel was preached. Bartimeus, Jairus, the widow of Nain, Martha, Mary,
Lazarus and many others -- all did partake of thy wonderful grace. Did ever man
speak as thou, didst speak? Did not all bear, witness and wonder at the
gracious words which proceeded forth out of thy mouth? Words of spirit and
life, words which the Father did give unto thee, wonderful words of life! We
remember Lord, as the last hour drew near, how thou didst steadfastly set thy
face to go to Jerusalem. The cup, which the Father had given thee, thou
wouldst' drink to the full!
The
shadows lengthened. With desire thou didst desire to eat the last Passover with
them, thy little ones, before thy suffering. Thou, when thy soul was full of
sublime purpose, in pained silence didst hear their words of selfish strife,
wounding thy spirit. (O Master! forgive us for all the many times since then
that we have wounded thee.) Sublime was thy example of humble servitude, as
kneeling before each one thou didst wash their feet. Unmindful of thyself, thy
solicitude was all for them, whom thou wouldst not leave as orphans. Having
loved thine own, thou didst love them to the end. For them, thou didst pray to
the Father, and -- O blessed thought! -- not only for them but for us also who
have believed on thee through their word! We
remember, dear Lord, as the awful hour of thy deepest humiliation arrived, that
thou in agony of spirit didst seek the garden spot. O that we could have
watched with thee one hour!
Dear
Lord, we must follow thee in our meditation for we remember thy betrayal. We
remember the traitorous kiss, the armed band, the fleeing disciples. To face
the powers of darkness thou wast left alone, and yet not alone, for the Father
was with thee. But from this hour he did not save thee, for, for this cause
camest thou unto this hour. Thou wast bound as a criminal and led before men of
evil. Do we remember what followed? O Savior! can we forget thy burden, of
suffering and the scenes of indignity and horror? How men smote thee -- mocked
thee -- spat upon thee --scourged thee
and then -- O shameful ignominy -- condemned thee to be crucified!
We
remember, precious Lord, though we little understand, the night thou didst
pass through when by the grace of God thou didst taste death for every man. Thou
hast once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that thou mightest bring
us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit. Thou
hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received
gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell
among them. We remember, dear Lord, that we Gentiles in time past were aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and. without God in the world. But now in thee, we who were far
off are made nigh by thy blood, and through thee we have access by one spirit
unto the Father. We are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens
with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation
of the Apostles and Prophets, thou thyself being the chief corner stone; in
whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the
Lord, an habitation of God through the spirit. We
remember that through thy poverty, we who were dead in trespasses and sins,
have been made rich. We have received forgiveness of sins, peace, life, sonship, joy, love, the hope of immortality. Thou hast become unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and deliverance. We are heirs of God and
joint-heirs with thee; if so be that we suffer with thee, that we may be also
glorified together -- to be kings and priests for a thousand years, to bless
all the families of earth. Dear Lord, our cup runneth over; our hearts o'erflow with gratitude! Our souls do magnify the Lord, and our spirits rejoice in God our Savior. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Gladly, dear Master, do we gather about thy table to commemorate thee; to bless the cup, and to break the bread, the communion of thy blood and thy body. And so will we keep the Feast until that rapturous day when we shall drink the new cup with thee in the Kingdom of God. - W.
J. Siekman The Resurrection
"But what things were
gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all
things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung,
that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of
his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable
unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the
dead." - Phil. 3:7-11. THE
EVENT forecast by the word "RESURRECTION" is of the greatest possible significance to the
dying and dead of mankind, for only through the operation of God's power
manifested in the resurrection of the dead is there any hope for life or future
existence. The outworking of all God's purposes with respect to this earth and
its inhabitants would fail utterly if there were no resurrection of the dead.
All that Jesus suffered and died to accomplish would be in vain apart from a
resurrection of the dead. No other event is fraught with greater significance;
and we can not imagine anything that would demand a greater display of divine
power and wisdom. When
we consider these facts, plainly set forth in the Word, particularly by the
Apostle Paul in his great dissertation on the subject in the fifteenth chapter
of his first epistle to the Corinthian Church, is it not strange that so
little, comparatively speaking, is said about this great hope in the pulpits of most churches? And would we
not expect it to be a universal topic at funerals? On the contrary, if the most
of them are like those we have heard, it is conspicuous by its absence. Why is
this? What is the reason for so general an avoidance of the subject? The answer
must of necessity be, lack of belief -- unbelief. How much that
word explains in the lives of nearly all men, including those who manifest a
"form of godliness" but lack the evidence of its power in their
lives. Speaking in the spirit of prophecy, Jesus said: "When the Son of
Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" - Luke 18:8. There
are perhaps several reasons for a lack of faith in the Bible teaching of a resurrection of the dead, but the root
of the matter takes us back to the Garden of Eden when, in tempting Mother Eve
to disobey God, Satan lied to her, and induced her to believe that she would
not surely die, as God had said In
striving for an understanding of truth, just as in sailing for a desired port,
one cannot start on a wrong course and maintain it with any expectation of
coming out right in the end. The penalty of death was pronounced against Adam,
against the man, the soul, the sentient being, not merely against his body;
and, when man dies, the Bible says, "His breath goeth forth, he returneth
to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish" (Psalm 146:4), his
thinking ends. This is in full accord with the whole tenor of Scripture on the
subject. The wise man in Ecclesiastes 9:5 says, "The living know that they
shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward,
for the memory of them is forgotten." Again through Ezekiel, the Prophet,
God says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezek. 18:20.) And
when Jesus died to redeem man, the record is that "He poured out his soul
unto death." (Isa. 53:12.) Therefore the thing that needs to be
resurrected (restored) is man himself, and Paul tells us that in doing this God
will supply a body: "Thou sowest not that body that shall be, . . . but
God giveth it
[the
resurrected being] a body
even as it hath pleased him." - 1 Cor. 15:37, 38. The
fifteenth chapter of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, in which this
statement is found, was written to counteract the teachings of the Sadducees,
and to set the brethren at Corinth straight on this matter of the resurrection.
"Now
if Christ be preached that he hath been raised from the dead, how say some
among you," says Paul, "that there is no resurrection of the
dead?" Then follows an argument that is unanswerable except we believe
that the dead are actually dead, and that our only hope of future life is that
we shall be resurrected from the dead. "But if there is no resurrection
of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised." Here Paul recognizes the
fact that not only was Christ once actually dead, but also that his resurrection
is proof that there will be a resurrection of all who will accept it on his
terms. "And if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain,
your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God,"
says Paul, "because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he
raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised." Paul's argument
shows that either we must believe in a possible resurrection of all, or else give up all thought of future
life. "For if Christ hash not been raised, your faith is vain [useless];
ye are yet in your sins." In such an event, Christ is still dead, and a
dead Christ could not appear in the presence of God for us, therefore there
would have been no atonement made for our sins; they would still be held
against us. And he further says, "Then they also that have fallen asleep
in Christ have perished." In
the fifteenth verse of this chapter, Paul tells us that GOD raised Christ from the dead. Many believe that he was alive while in
the tomb, and that when he was ready, as hymnology expresses it, "He burst
the bonds of death and hell" and arose through the exercise of his own
power. But Christ was dead; he bad no power to raise himself, and such a
thought is wholly contrary to Scripture. Thirteen times in the New Testament do
we read that he was raised by the Father. Then too, Paul's statement that
Christ was "the first-fruits of them that are asleep," is in full
agreement with his previous statement in Acts 26:23 where he tells us that
Christ was the first to experience a resurrection. Evidently, if this be true,
the raising of Lazarus and of the daughter of Jairus was not resurrection, but
only an awakening, a restoring to the small measure of life they had possessed
when the death that was working in them finally triumphed. That this is true, is borne
out by the fact that totally different words in the Greek are used to describe
the two events. ANASTASISAnastasis, the Greek word for resurrection, signifies, according to Strong, Young, and- other lexicographers, "a restanding," "a standing or rising up," "a making to stand or rise up; restoration." Such a restanding is permanent: death no more has power to affect one who has experienced such a resurrection; whereas Lazarus, and those who like him had experienced awakening (egeiro) eventually died, and will need to experience the anastasis in order to live eternally. Evidently, resurrection does not mean simply an awakening from sleep (death), but a full raising up to the perfection of life and being. The words of Jesus (John 5:28, 29) set forth this same thought; for whereas all hear his voice and come forth, some to experience an immediate resurrection, others who have done evil, to experience a drawn out process of resurrection through the judgments of the Lord. And so through Isaiah it is prophesied, "Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; . . . For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." - Isa. 26:8, 9. PRESENT EXPERIENCE IN RESURRECTIONIt
is evident that our text speaks of two resurrections, or perhaps we should
say, two phases of the resurrection. "That I may know him and the power
of his resurrection (anastasis), and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the
[out] resurrection [exanastasis] of the dead." This exanastasis is the
phase which we have been considering: that part of the resurrection that will
take place with the true Church when they are raised from the grave to the
divine plane of existence with their Lord.
But the phase mentioned in verse ten, has to do rather with the transformation
of character that is now being worked out in us-the raising from dead works to
walk in newness of life. This,
from many standpoints, is the most important phase of our resurrection: for
the measure of our worthiness to occupy a place in the glorified temple, will
be determined by the way we react to the fashioning power of God's Holy Spirit,
working in us both to will and to do his good pleasure. It
is here and now that God-likeness must be attained: that that "holiness
without which no man shall see the Lord" must be perfected in us; that we
who were once dead in trespasses and sins, wherein we walked according to the
course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and a reprobate
mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, have been
quickened by God; who, in his great love and mercy, manifested toward us even
when we were dead in sins, has saved us through faith, and has raised us up
together with Christ, and made us to sit together in heavenly places. (Eph.
2:1-10.) And so Paul says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek
those things which are above." - Col. 3:1. PARTAKERS OF HIS SUFFERINGSAnother
point that is emphasized in our text that should be well considered, is the necessity for sharing in
our Lord's suffering and death if we hope to share in his resurrection to
glory, honor, and immortality. The Bible gives a number of pictures that show
the various aspects of the close relationship or oneness which we have with
our Lord: master and servants, captain and soldiers, high priest and
under-priests, shepherd and sheep, vine and branches, bridegroom and bride,
head and body; these all have their particular lesson for us. In speaking of
the last one, Paul shows (1 Cor. 12:12) that the Christ, Head and Body, is just
as truly an organism as is the human body, and that though the members are
many, yet being many they constitute but one body; and if one suffers, then all
suffer, and all share in the one death. The
kind of suffering and death that the Head endured, must of necessity be the
experience of all who become a part of the Christ; and so in this portion of
his letter to the Philippians, Paul cites his own attitude of utter disregard
for the things that he had once counted gain, in order that he might "know
Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death; if by any means he might attain
unto the exanastasis of the dead." The
world is full of suffering and death due to wicked works and inheritance; but
Christ had no sin: his suffering and death was sacrificial -- he "died
unto sin" as a sacrifice for atonement, not as a penalty for his own wrong
doing. And so when speaking of the suffering and death of the Body members,
the Scriptures are careful to point out that we share in his suffering
and death, not in that which comes to man because of his own or Father Adam's
wrongdoing. Therefore we read in Romans, chapter six, verses three to eleven,
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death? . . . For if we have been planted together in the
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his
resurrection. . . . For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he
liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
through Jesus Christ our Lord." Let
us then clearly recognize the
true significance of our suffering and death, and the reality of the
resurrection process through which we are being perfected as new creatures in
Christ, and so give glory to God by being faithful in our covenant of
sacrifice. -
John T. Read. HOW WE MAY GROW UP INTO CHRIST"Speaking the Truth in love, ... grow up into Him in all things, IN PROPORTION as any who
seek to know God are led to see His true character, they have confidence in
Him. After such have come to the point of full consecration to the Lord, they
receive the begetting of the Holy Spirit, and become of the Church class, the
sanctified in Christ Jesus, the set apart ones - set apart by the Holy Spirit.
Of these the Apostle Paul says, "God hath not given us the spirit of
fear." The New Creature must repel every attack of servile fear - which
belongs to the flesh, the fallen condition. The new mind must triumph over this
natural tendency, must cultivate trust in the Lord. No man could do more than
take away our earthly life. No man can take away our future life. "Fear
not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather
fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body." So the child of God
is to be very courageous knowing that no one can do him harm, knowing that God
will not permit anything to come to him that will not be for his good. The
enlightened child of God would have no fear, or dread, of eternal torment. He
would still have proper fear such as a husband would have toward a wife, or a
wife toward a husband - a fear of displeasing or disappointing, and thus losing
the esteem and confidence of the companion. In respect to all the
brethren we should have such fear. We should have a filial fear toward God, but
not with the thought that He would harm us or torment us or do us violence of
any kind, but fear lest we should lose our fellowship with Him. So, then,
whatever fear we have of a slavish kind is not from God. Such fear brings a
snare. But love, inspired by a true knowledge of God and begotten of His
Spirit, delivers us also from the fear of man, in proportion as this love
abounds in us. God has given us the spirit of
love, the spirit of a sound mind, the spirit of power. The Christian knows that
"all things work together for good to them that love God." This is to
him a source of power, of strength. Circumstances and conditions which would
quite overwhelm others, he may expect to have. This spirit is not only a spirit
of power, but a spirit of love - a spirit of kindness and gentleness. It is a
spirit that loves to do good, to do right, to be helpful. And so the Christian
with this spirit of love and of a sound mind becomes more and more Godlike.
This enables him to have more and more compassion for those who are out of the
way. And as God sent His Son, and as the Son came and provided the blessing of
life for all at such a great cost to Himself so all who have His spirit will
strive to bless others. EVIDENCES OF A SOUND MINDThe fall of Adam has worked
ruin to mankind, so that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot
there are none sound. (Isa 1:5,6.) None are sound of mind or body. All are out
of the way. "There is none righteous; no, not one." (Rom 3:10.) But
in proportion as we receive the Spirit of the Lord, and in proportion as that
Spirit of the Lord works in us and develops us and influences all the conduct
of life, in that same proportion we receive the spirit of a sound mind. This soundness of mind will
teach us how better to use our bodies. A person of unsound mind may either eat
too much or eat what does not agree with him. In proportion as we have a sound
mind, it influences what we eat, what we drink, and everything we do; it helps
to regulate and control everything in life for us. It gives us broad views of
all the affairs of life. It gives us more generous views of mankind. We
recognize that mankind are under the curse, and we have a feeling of compassion
for them. We have much advantage every way, because God has opened the eyes of
our understanding. This spirit of a sound mind
makes us more helpful. We know better how to deal with each other as brethren.
We know better how to deal with our children, with our neighbors, with the
butcher, with the ice man and with every one else. The Truth does not come to
many of those who are naturally soundest of mind, and it takes time for the
Truth to bring in a measure of soundness. But we notice that when one receives
the Truth in the love of it, it has a healing effect on his mind. He will begin
to think more correctly and to act more wisely. Then he will desire to
proclaim the Truth. The Truth is to be spoken humbly, but fearlessly. The
Christian is not at liberty to speak contrary to the Truth. If he is a
professed minister of the Gospel, when the Truth reaches him, he is not at
liberty to continue to preach error just because the congregation appointing
him might not desire the Truth. A worldling in that pulpit would have no qualms
of conscience. He would say, "I am giving these people the very things
they want. They are paying my salary." That would be his attitude because
he had not received the spirit of the Truth. One who had received the
spirit of the Truth would say, "I now see that some of the things I have
been preaching for years are injurious, dishonoring to God misrepresenting His
character, and more or less turning people away from the Truth. I have been
teaching error the very opposite of what I wish to do; I cannot longer dispense
these errors. I am not the ambassador of this denomination; I am the ambassador
of God. I am not the servant of this denomination; I am the servant of God of
the Truth. If I should preach error, that which would be contrary to the Truth,
I would be guilty before God. I must stop immediately." Such a person would lose his
standing - honor amongst men, favor, influence, etc. But all this is not to be
considered. St. Paul says that these things are all but as loss and dross, are
but vile refuse, if we can only win a place in the Kingdom. Then we shall have
won the "pearl of great price." So, then, the speaking of the Truth
is essential to the Christian. In his own heart, of course, he must have it
enshrined. When he has received the Truth into his heart he will esteem it a
blessed privilege to speak it. Our tongue is the most
powerful member of our body. Its influence is the greatest of all - the most
far-reaching. It may be an influence for good or for injury. The Apostle says
that with the same tongue we may praise God and injure men. To speak the Truth,
to confess Christ before men, either publicly or privately, is a great
privilege. But in order to be a servant pleasing to the Lord we must speak the
Truth in love and without fear. In this connection the
Apostle calls attention to the fact that we are not to expect to be mature in
these respects at the beginning of our Christian way. When we first enter the
family of God, less might reasonably be expected of us than after we had been
in the family for some time. We as dear children of God are to grow in the
likeness of our dear Elder Brother, our Pattern, our Head. We are to "grow
up into Him in all things." We are to recognize that He is the Head of the
Church. And if we are to be members of that Body in glory, we must be developed.
We are to mature in the fruits of the Holy Spirit, that we may be qualified and
prepared to share in future that glorious Kingdom which is to bless the world. "EXPRESSION DEEPENS IMPRESSION"We are to exercise our
function of ambassadorship - we are to "show forth the praises of Him who
hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light." And in telling
this Message courageously and lovingly we should grow in grace and in
knowledge. We are to proclaim the Truth, and at the same time to grow and develop
in character. Why attain a growth of character? Because it will make us more
like God. "God is love." He has other qualities; but this quality of
love is the especially predominating the overruling quality of His character.
God’s Justice operates in conjunction with His Love, and His Wisdom would not
attempt to carry out any plans that Love would not approve. And so as we grow, the
quality of love should be more and more manifest. The Truth is to be spoken in
love. This is one of the things we should attain earliest. We are to curb, to
bridle, our tongues. We are to see that our words are loving, kind, gentle.
Speaking the Truth in love, we shall not only be accomplishing more for others
but the lesson will also thus be more impressed upon our own minds. It has been
well said that "expression deepens impression." Whoever appreciates
and speaks forth these things of God in love will receive a blessing in his own
heart and mind. In helping others he will be helping himself. "He that
watereth shall be watered also himself." NATURAL QUALITIES THAT NEED RESTRAINTWe see a difficulty in this
respect in some of the stronger characters that come into Christ. There are
characters that have less combativeness naturally, who would not be inclined to
bring force to bear upon others in connection with their ambassadorship. If
their Message did not seem to be favorably received, they would be likely to
feel, "They do not like this, so I will not talk on this subject."
But those who have more combativeness are liable to manifest the force of their
disposition in the way they present the Truth. They might be too forceful they
might place the matter before others as an obligation. But we are to remember that
consecration is not now a compulsory matter. It is an invitation. By and by
force will be needed. The ones who are now sought are merely those who have the
ear to hear; and such need only to have the word of counsel. If any use too
great force in presenting the Message, the Great King would not be so well
served, and hence would not be so well pleased. Others may have great
approbativeness. They might have pride and wish to show off in the way of
language or in their skill in handling the Sword of the Spirit. They might give
out the Message with the idea of rousing in others the thought, "See how
much he knows; he is a wonderful digger in the Bible." This seems to be a
temptation to many. They seem to like to be in the lime-light just as others
like to keep out of the lime-light. The one might have to force himself in order
to go and speak the Truth in public as an ambassador; while the other would
have to curb himself somewhat in this respect. The only way for the latter to
do is to learn to speak the Truth in humility, in love - the love of the Truth,
the love of the brethren. It is God’s Plan, we have nothing whereof to boast.
We are always to present His Plan in meekness, gentleness, brotherly-kindness,
love. The Apostle Paul urges that
we "consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." The
word provoke here means to stimulate to call forth. Love is not easily called
forth to anger. It is longsuffering. We might say, strictly speaking, that it
is not the quality of love that would be moved to anger. Yet righteous anger is
not incompatible with love. God is the highest representation we have of love
-- "God is Love." Yet the Scriptures assure us that God is angry with
the wicked every day. His anger is righteous indignation against sin. Looking to God as the Great
Example, we see that His love was manifested toward His creatures in the
beginning. It was love for humanity that provided the Garden of Eden with all
its blessings and its perfect life just as for the angels His love provided for
all their blessings. But when sin came in, Love stepped back; in other words,
Justice was the special attribute of God then manifested. Yet it was for the
good of mankind that there should be this punishment for sin. Even here God’s
Love persisted, though man had by sin become an opponent of God - an enemy of
God; and Love was provoked to anger. The Lord said through the
Prophet, "Why have they provoked Me to anger?" (Jer 8:19.) Many
Scriptures speak of God’s anger. The anger of God has been against sin. It has
been resting upon the world for six thousand years. But the Love of God has not
been violated by this; therefore Love can be provoked to anger. "Love is not easily
provoked." It required the act of intentional disobedience on the part of
Father Adam to provoke God to anger. It was not because Mother Eve was deceived
that the sentence came upon the world. The anger of God came upon the world,
and the sentence of death was pronounced, because of Father Adam’s sin which
was committed with full knowledge. During these six thousand years of sin God’s
Love has been in abeyance so to speak, provoked to the point of withholding its
manifestation. But all the while God’s
character has not changed. He did not cause the diabolical conditions which
prevailed in the Dark Ages. Love would never sanction sin. "The wages of
sin is death." And everything that goes with death is a part of that
penalty, that sentence. But God has permitted these conditions for man’s
ultimate good. This love of God, held in abeyance, has bided its time to
manifest itself to our race. In due time God sent forth
His Son to be man’s Redeemer. He came and gave His life a willing sacrifice for
human sin. In due time the call went forth to gather the Church. And this
Church is being gathered - during this Gospel Age. In due time the Church will
be exalted in Kingdom glory. In due time that Kingdom will lift up from sin and
degradation all those of mankind who are willing to accept life on God’s terms. CULTIVATION OF LOVE ESPECIALLY NEEDFULHow earnestly we need to
watch and pray, that we may indeed be fitted for our great future work! There
is a danger that love will not be sufficiently strong in us for by reason of
the fall sin and selfishness have come to be preponderating influences. These
principles, having the ascendency, and operating for six thousand years have
made man very lacking in love, sympathy, brotherly-kindness and long-suffering.
Now there is a greater natural tendency toward anger, malice, strife, hatred,
than toward love. Consequently, when God accepts us into His family He tells us
that one of the first requirements is love. Love must grow in our hearts and
minds; it must permeate all our thoughts, words and actions. The Apostle in speaking of
love as respects the Church assures us that if we would be pleasing to the Lord
we must develop this grace richly. Those who possess this quality in goodly
measure will not be easily provoked to anger. Those who possess little love
will be easily angered. The love which the Lord appreciates is long-suffering.
This does not mean that there would not be proper occasions for anger in God’s
people. There should be a feeling of righteous indignation when we see
injustice. Why? Because injustice is wrong. God is angry with injustice; and so
God’s people should have no sympathy with injustice in any form. If the Lord’s people do not
cultivate the quality of justice they will get into that attitude where they
will not appreciate justice at all. While knowing what is right and what is
wrong, and while appreciating justice, we are to cultivate the quality of love.
None can say that his own estimate of justice is altogether right and the other
man’s is entirely wrong. None can say, "I do not need to cultivate this
quality, but my brother needs it." But each should think, "Here is a
brother - perhaps he labors under greater disadvantages than I have to strive
against. He is a brother of mine according to the spirit. He seems to me to be
doing wrong, but I sympathize with him because he probably does not see that it
is wrong. On the other hand, it is possible that I may be wrong myself." LET US HAVE SYMPATHY FOR ALL MENGod has no sympathy with
sin. But He has so much sympathy for the sinner that He has provided His Son to
uplift the sinners, and has set apart a thousand years for the work of uplift.
We note injustice. We ought to note it. But it is not for us to flay, to
inflict the punishments. It is for us to leave the punishments to the Almighty.
We are, therefore, to "judge nothing before the time." We see wrongs
committed. We say, "I know that to be a crime; but it is not for me to
settle with the criminal. God knows to what extent he is responsible; I do not.
It is my duty to look at him from the standpoint of sympathy. It is my duty to
pray for him and to assist him all in my power - out of his wrong views into
right views. But even in this I am to be wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove.
I may know that such conduct is wrong, but I cannot know as to the individual -
how wrong he may be." So love looks out and sees
that the whole world is in much difficulty through the fall. And love says,
"Be gentle toward all - be meek. I am ever to remember that we are in a
world of sin, pain, sickness, death." From this viewpoint love will not be
easily provoked, but will think kindly and sympathetically of others. So, dear
brethren, let us grow up into our glorious Head in all things, until, made
perfect and complete, we are "presented faultless before the presence of
His glory, with exceeding joy." - Jude 24.
- Reprints, Nov. 1, 1916, page R5977. Christian Soldiership"Endure hardness as a
good soldier of Jesus Christ." - 2 Timothy 2:3 WE
ARE pleased to credit the following article to a secular journal -- the Atlanta Constitution. The
service of Christ resembles no other so much as that of a soldier. There are
few life-callings among men that demand such absolute self-surrender from the
recruit as that of the soldier. In
the decision to be a soldier one subordinates all other considerations -- those
of self-will, family supremacy and the varied opportunities of the free-man. It
is to go under a vow of complete, unquestioning obedience to the orders of
superiors. It is to abandon home for the camp, to forego the right of first
serving the interests of father and mother, wife and children, business or
friends. It means the entire suppression of every selfish interest for the advancement
of the supreme cause one has contracted voluntarily to serve, to follow and for
which, if need be, to die. It
seems hard to some minds to compare the service of Christ with that of a good
soldier. Nine-tenths of those who call themselves Christians refuse to give
their service that significance, and mutiny outright when called upon to act
upon that principle. The weakness of the church universal as the leader of
morals and life culture in the world is due to the fact that most Christian men
and women serve Christ as independent camp followers. They are unattached, or
uncommanded, or disobedient to the duty of discipline, and do as they please
rather than as they are obligated by the commands and principles of Christ. Goethe
said that "earnestness is eternity" and the spirit of God is the
spirit of earnestness. He who is informed and inflamed by that spirit will be
filled to overflowing with zeal, courage, daring, fortitude and the faith of
conquest. In the fervor and forcefulness of these feelings he will serve his
Master, as the soldiers of Alexander followed unquestioning where he led; as
the soldiers of Leonidas, who died rather than retreat; as the soldiers of
Napoleon, who believed him invincible always; and as the soldiers of Lee, who
felt that he could not lead them wrongly or to defeat. If
Christ possessed in this world today an army of men and women one-hundredth
part the figures of official Christendom, who would follow him -- who would
labor, fight and endure as do the soldiers of our American armies-he could not
long be kept from his worldwide conquest. But
he has few real soldiers in his service. Most of his followers are pensioners,
pleading always that he will do something for them -- ease their pains,
disperse their enemies, smooth their paths, increase their fortunes and bed
them in places of plenty and comfort. They are a hungry and a helpless host. One
would expect naturally to find in the pulpits stalwart captains of the army of
our Lord. And yet how few are they who do not look more closely to their hire
than to their opportunities to for hardness? They are eager for rich and easy
pastorates, they dwell in luxuries and preach as those who make pleasant music on a lute. Transfer them to
posts of poverty, scant rations, hard service among the poor and the sick, and
they become broken-hearted over their lot as soldiers! The
true soldier does not debate his cause. He is rightly supposed to have settled
upon its justice and righteousness before he enlisted to serve it. Thereafter
he avouches it and defies contradiction of it. He is ready to spend all and be
all spent in its defense. He does not fight for the rations that are doled to
him, but for the great principles and great purposes of the cause to which he
is committed .... No
man should deceive himself in a matter so plain and serious as the service of
Christ. If he doesn't mean to abandon himself to the commands and demands of
his Master, he ought to be honest enough not to offer a hypocritical profession
and a treacherous or abortive promise of service. The causes of Christ on earth
need men who are strong in will, courageous of heart and hardened to selfsacrifice,
sufferings and the perils of conflict and death. None other can do the work
that is needed to pull down the strongholds of sin, rout the enemies of
righteousness and set forward in hostile territories the standards of the
kingdom of Christ. It
is glorious to serve Christ in honesty
and in fullness of fidelity. There is an ineffable joy in being on the right
side, in knowing that one's service is toward victory and that beyond the field
of blood and the valley of shadows is an abundant entrance into the joys and
peace of the triumphant King of kings. For that hope none should shrink from
the harness of battle, none quail before the rage of the enemy, and none
tremble before the certainty of hunger, thirst, nakedness, wounds or death! -
Reprints R3162, R3163
Covenant People
"I will make a compact
of peace with them, a lasting compact; I will settle them and multiply them and
set my sanctuary among them for all time; my dwelling-place shall be with them.
I will be their God, and they shall be my people; and when my sanctuary remains
among them for ever, the nations shall learn that I am the Eternal who sets
Israel apart." - Ezekiel 37:26-28. EVENTS of the passing days
and hours portend the long-promised Messianic Kingdom. The Gospel Age is
ending. Israel's dispersion has turned into homecoming. Partial blindness has
obscured God's favor to Israel for nearly two thousand years, but now, his
recorded word is being fulfilled: "Before they call I will answer." The summary removal of the
crown and diadem from Zedekiah put an end forever to the mankings in Israel.
God ordained that David's throne should be occupied by the Lion of the tribe of
Judah, not a mere man but the promised Messiah. The human kings of Israel were
not of God's purpose, but permitted of him at Israel's insubordinate request.
Doubtless the desire for a human king was prompted by the tinseled pageantry,
pomp and show of neighboring Gentile nations. Israel was specifically warned
that in their request they were rejecting God as their king, which would add
to their sorrow and distress. Perhaps this permission to Israel, like the seven
times of Gentile dominion, was to demonstrate finally, the futility of heady
ineptitude and insufficiency of human ability. The wisdom of God is far above
the feeble might of men, and soon all will realize that Moses spoke the truth
when he said: "Every soul which will not hear that Prophet shall be
destroyed." - Acts 3:22-26. The first covenant people, in
point of time, was natural Israel. That covenant was described in Scripture as
a marriage with God. Israel broke the covenant, but God did not put her away
permanently. (See Isa. 50:1 and Jer. 31:31-34.) Gentiles, as the name implies, have never had a
covenant with God. All who come into the favor of God must become Israelites.
(Rom. 9:4; Micah. 4:22.) The
promised blessing of all the families of the earth greatly concerned natural
Israel; they looked forward to the privilege of becoming the "blesser
nation" under the Law. Human imperfection made it impossible to keep the
Law inviolate, although repeatedly, year after year, they were permitted to
make the attempt, but the blood of bulls and goats could never bring
perfection. -Hebrews 10:4. Israel failed her covenant,
failed to see "the new and living way" when Jesus, a Jew, offered
himself. They rejected him then, but thanks to God it did not affect his status
as their prophet, priest, and king, with the power of life in his hands. Jesus
came unto his own, he did not come to the Gentiles, and obviously he does not
return to the Gentiles. He said, "I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel." The Lord was not contradicting
the angel who announced to the shepherds on the Judean hills that the birth of
Jesus was "good news of great joy to all people." The simple fact is:
there is a due time for the Gentiles, they cannot be recipients of God's favor
and blessing as a nation until they come into the Kingdom for which we have
long prayed, "Thy kingdom come." Provision was made in
Israel's covenant for the adoption of strangers into their midst with full
privilege and fellowship; picturing the fact that all mankind are to be
incorporated into the Kingdom of the Messiah. The word "gentile"
means outsider. The "tabernacle of David" is of the chosen people; it
has fallen down, but God will set it up again with the Messiah upon the throne
and "it will be the desire of all nations." In the sight of God there
is no Gentile Christian Church, nor Jewish Christian Church, simply Church-the
Body of Christ. One arrangement for all, "One God and one mediator between
God and men." Every subject of the Kingdom who gets eternal life will
become an Israelite -- a prince with God. Israel's return to the
homeland is evidence, prima facie, that the
preparation of the earthly phase of the "stone" kingdom is in advanced
process. Gentile dominion must give way, in fact it is breaking up. Jeremiah 25:31-38 very concisely puts the matter: "A noise shall come even
to the ends of the earth; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the nations; he
will enter into judgment with all flesh; as for the wicked, he will give them
to the sword, saith Jehovah. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts. Behold, evil shall go
forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be raised up from the
uttermost parts of the earth. And the slain of Jehovah shall be at that day
from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not
be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the face of
the ground. Wail, ye shepherds, and cry; and
wallow in ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and
of your dispersions are fully come, and ye shall fall like a goodly vessel. And
the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to
escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and the wailing of the principal
of the flock! for Jehovah layeth waste their pasture." In parlance of the sacred Scriptures, Israel was "a
lovely spreading olive tree," of
God's planting. (Jer. 11:16, 17, Moffatt.) Paul calls the Gentiles a
"wild olive," thus indicating they were outside covenant relationship
with God. The Lord never changes his Plan. The covenant made with Abraham was
bound with an oath. The faithfulness of God is sure, despite human
unfaithfulness; and for this Divine characteristic we are all thankful. Israel
has been a people of much sorrow, dispossessed of prophet, priest, and king as
well as of the tabernacle equipment necessary for the atonement day; but now,
from every quarter of the globe, speaking languages strange one to the other,
they come with one thought, one aim-the peace and safety of home. This
home-returning people furnish a spectacle never before seen, on such a scale.
Truly astounding! Enough to make the heart of a Christian pulsate with joy! Outstanding
evidence of the Kingdom's proximity! Does it not seem miraculous that such
strides can be made with such odds, in the very midst of rapidly declining
world powers? For every slipping step of the kingdoms of this world, Israel
forges forward a firm and steady pace. Without money, sick, hungry, and scantily
clothed, Israel is returning; the lame, the halt, the blind, find sanctuary,
food and clothing; rationed it is true, yet far more than they received in the
DP camps of Europe. The Eternal promised, "Though I make a full end of all
nations, whither I have scattered thee, I will not make a full end of
thee." Israel's return is
providential. Isaiah says (Isa. 40:10, Moffatt): "Here is the
Eternal coming in power, maintaining mightily his cause!" God gives a
commission to some of his servants to help returning Israel. The same Prophet
says: "Console my people, console them -- 'tis the voice of your God --
speak to Jerusalem tenderly, proclaim to her that her hard days are ended, her
guilt paid off, that she has received from the Eternal's hand full punishment
for all her sins. Hark! there is one calling, 'Clear the way for the Eternal
through the waste, level a highroad for our God across the desert: every valley
must be filled up, every mountain and hill lowered, rough places smoothed, and
ridges turned into a plain and the Eternal's glory shall be revealed before
the eyes of all; such are the orders of the Eternal. Up to the high hills, O
herald of happiness to Zion! Raise your voice loudly, O herald of happiness to
Jerusalem, raise it fearlessly, and tell the towns of Judah, "Here is your
God! Here is the Eternal coming in power, maintaining mightily his cause! Here
he is bringing what he has won, bringing what he has gained! For he feeds his
flock like a shepherd, and gathers them in his arms, he is carrying the lambs
in his bosom, and leading the ewes gently."'" Jeremiah has this to say
(Jer. 31:7-9, Moffatt): "Shout aloud on the hilltops, ring out
your praises, cry, 'The Eternal has saved his people, the remnant of Israel!' I
am bringing them from the north-land, gathering them from the ends of the
earth; blind and lame among them, women with child and women in travail-they
come back, a great company. They went away in tears, I lead them back consoled.
I guide them to streams of water, by smooth roads where they cannot stumble
[airplane]; for to Israel I am a father, and Ephraim is my first-born
son." Surely what God has so
copiously caused to be recorded concerning natural Israel and his covenant
with her, demands the most careful study by those who have made a covenant with
him by sacrifice. Israel has been blind to the fact that Elijah illustrates the
Church, particularly in this end of the Gospel Age, and it would seem that
others have overlooked the full picture. God is not mocked, he set Israel up as
a lovely spreading olive tree. Paul says: "Some of its branches were
broken off," and branches from the wild olive were grafted into the root
and stem of the same lovely spreading olive tree. As a nation, Israel proved unfit
to become joint-heirs with Jesus Christ as the seed of Abraham. The High
Calling of God was to go out only to believers in Christ Jesus regardless of
nation, race, color, or sex. The lovely spreading olive tree-the true seed of
Abraham, is now seen as Christ Jesus and his Church or Bride. "And if ye
be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the
promise." This, a great mystery hidden from ages and generations and now
made manifest, is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." The Apostle Paul could hardly
convince the Jews that Gentiles were to share Divine favor with Israelites,
because they had so long possessed the exclusive favor of God. Peter was the
first to be apprized of this unusual procedure, the first to see that the door
of the High Calling was
opened to all believers in Christ Jesus. In his first letter, 1 Peter 2:9, he
says: "But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should show forth the praises of him who bath called you out of darkness into
his marvelous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the
people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." God's purposes were not to be
thwarted by failure of the human element; he simply resorted to the expedient
of grafting -- a well known process of horticulture. The wild olive tree was
not of God's planting, but there was nothing to hinder him from using some of
its branches. The covenant of sacrifice or by sacrifice was initiated by
our Lord and will continue until the Church is complete; the grafting process
began with Cornelius, the Gentile centurion. The Church, the second covenant
people, first in order of rank, in God's arrangement are to be rulers over the
first. This seeming strange act of God was illustrated long ago in the two sons
of Isaac. Esau, the elder, served Jacob the younger; their parents, Isaac and
Rebecca, were told before the twins were born, that the elder would serve the
younger. The question of inheritance, a touchy subject, put enmity between the
brothers; in the end, the brothers were reconciled. Likewise between the two
covenant peoples there has been a wide breach; they also will be reconciled. The Royal objective in
calling the second holy nation is joint-heirship with Christ in his Kingdom. In Romans
eleven it is disclosed that grafting was necessary to obtain the foreordained
number (144,000) which, as illustrated in the figure of the "tame olive
tree," is God's arrangement for the fruition of his promise to Abraham.
The Apostle handles this touchy subject of inheritance with finality,
disclosing the fact that there were some who contended that the Gentiles had
supplanted Israel. He set them right in this. Disparaging the spirit of
boasting, he reminded his Gentile brothers that only through becoming
Israelites could they partake of the fatness of the root and stem of the tree.
The tree had not been uprooted; only some of its branches were broken off. He
showed, furthermore, that the natural branches were not necessarily permanently
removed: "For if you have been
cut away from the wild olive, which is naturally wild, and grafted contrary to
nature, upon a garden olive, how much more will the natural branches be grafted
into the proper olive? To prevent you from being self-conceited, brothers, I
would like you to understand this secret, it is only a partial insensibility
that has come over Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles be come in.
This done all Israel shall be saved." - Romans 11:24-26, Moffatt. Israel will grow in favor
with God as she aligns herself with God's program. The present government in
Israel is a human effort to become a member of the galaxy of nations. We can
but marvel at the progress they are making in view of the fact that their
program is apparently somewhat counter to God's. Israel will soon discover that
treaties with the kingdoms of this world will only add to her difficulties and
embarrass her leaders. Safety lies in complete acquiescence in the Divine
program, as they endeavor to do what they can for themselves. The only reliable
source of information available to them, at the present time, is the word of
Moses, the Prophets, Jesus and his Apostles. Their statesmen and wise men of
old, will return from the grave and will be charged by Divine mandate with
ordering the affairs of Israel under the rule of the Messiah. God warns against reposing
trust in a league of nations (Isa. 30:15, 16, 18-21, Moffatt): "The Lord, the Eternal,
Israel's Majesty, he had declared, 'Your safety lies in ceasing to make
leagues, your strength is quiet faith.' But this you would not have, you
answered, 'No, we must have a cavalry to make a charge!' . . . So the Eternal
longs to favor you, and moves to show you pity; for the Eternal is a loyal God;
happy are all who long for him! No more tears for you, 0 folk of Zion in
Jerusalem! For he will show you favor when you sigh, and answer you as soon as
he hears your cry. Though scant and scarce may be your bread and water from the
Lord, yet he your Teacher never leaves you now; you see your Teacher for
yourselves, and when you swerve to right or left, you hear a voice behind you
whispering, 'This is the way, walk here.'" Zechariah also prophesies: "They shall look at Him
whom they stabbed and lament for him bitterly, as a man laments for his only
son; bitter shall be their grief for him, as bitter as a man's grief for his
first-born child."-Zech. 12:10. The Bible from Moses to John
was written by Israelites for Israel. The Church is no exception, for they
become Israelites indeed. No true Christian can have racial prejudice, and
they must love even their enemies. More dependence upon the Bible and less upon
leaders, around whom there is a tendency to build a fence, keeping outsiders
out and insiders in. Jeremiah says: "I am against prophets who pick up my
words each from his fellow." - Jer. 23:30. The privilege of prayer is to
the household of faith. How can one say: "Our Father" if he is
outside God's family? Israel once had access to God through the Aaronic
priesthood, with the ephod, the ark of the covenant, and the furnishment of
the tabernacle, but now they have no priest, no ephod with its jewels by which
the "yes and no" answers came. Israel can have no atonement until
Messiah. The tabernacle of David is Israel's contact with heaven, but even
before it is set up, the Lord takes cognizance: He says: "Before they
call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear." Material is being gathered
for the setting up of the tabernacle. The present government of Israel, we
might say, is an interim government of their own device. When the Lord takes
over, he will repair the breaches and establish a kingdom, not a democracy as
they boast at present. "They shall then call Jerusalem, 'the throne of the
Eternal,' and all nations shall gather to it, living no longer by the
stubbornness of their evil minds. In those days the house of Judah shall join
the house of Israel, and they shall come out of the north-land together to the
land that I gave as a heritage to your fathers." - Jer. 3:17, 18, Moffatt. Israel knows her destiny is
directed by a power beyond her own, and it is perplexing, because she also
knows that her restoration and blessing shall be at the hand of the Messiah.
Open your eyes 0 Israel! Look up! He is from above and with all power, no
longer a sacrificing priest but your King. For your fathers' sakes He
will extend the arm of power in your behalf; yes, it is already extended! It
would be well to remember the words of Moses that God would bless those who bless
Israel and curse those who curse Israel. The spirit of good will, and
fellowship between the two covenant-people should be after the order of Elijah
and Elisha. "The law shall go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem." Amen. - C. H. Meadors Among Those Mentioned
"Love
vaunteth not itself." - 1 Cor. 13:4. MANY
PEOPLE go through life without "making the first page." And that is
often to their credit. Unhappily, the conspicuous place in the headlines is
not always given for merit. Too frequently, it is awarded those whose deeds are
shameful. And yet that fact is not wholly without its consoling implications.
It is the departure from the normal course of life which makes news and wins
publicity; and the reason great prominence is given to acts which shock and
horrify (or, to use the language of the President, "shock and anger")
is precisely that these are the unusual happenings. For
every cruelty and betrayal which figures in display type, there are a thousand
acts of kindness and fidelity we never hear about. Smiles are less dramatic
than tears. We may pass a hundred smiling children on the street, and beyond
the fact that their cheerful faces will warm our hearts and gladden the day,
our attention will not be held by them. But a crying child will halt us, will
gather about him a crowd of curious sympathizers. We should not allow the more
compelling interest of crime and scandal and pain and grief to make us think
that these things are typical of life. There
are, of course, deeds of love and fidelity and unselfish heroism which rise
into the high light of thrilling drama, and some of these find their way to the
first page and hearten us all with their proof of human worth; but the number
that attains this advertisement is far less than the number of which we never
learn, unless, by chance of some sort, we happen on them. This is because, as
St. Paul tells us: "Love is not boastful. It does not put on airs. It is
not rude. It does not insist on its rights. It does not become [improperly]
angry." Love goes quietly and patiently about its work. But hatred and
malice and envy and passion are strident, bold, violent. They violate the
amenities; they break the rules of social relationship; they transgress the
laws. The man who is living according to the principle of love is not sought by
the police; but the policeman is on the trail of the evil-doer, and wherever
the policeman goes, there goes the reporter. Now
while it is comforting to bear all this in mind, it is no less an occasion for
regret that we do not hear more about the people who are doing the little kind
things and brave things. We have not made enough of their importance, for they
are, in truth, the saving element in the world's life. They should at least be
among those mentioned when we are recounting the splendid deeds and great
names which honor mankind. One of the beautiful things about St. Paul, who in
such self-effacing fashion lived the life of love, is the fact that he found
occasion. often to mention those men and women of his acquaintance concerning
whom he could speak some words of praise. For
more than a thousand years these names have lived, and millions of persons have
read them. They are among the immortally commemorated, not for any great,
news-making achievements but for quiet, kindly, faithful service, which too frequently
goes unrecognized. It is perhaps encouraging for some of us who are .
inconspicuous to know that according to that standard of values by which St.
Paul measured life-the standard he learned from Jesus--these people are
"among those mentioned." There
is, for example, Ampliatus. We know little about him except that he lived in
Rome, and, probably, was a Roman by race., But St. Paul calls him "my dear
Christian friend." That phrase suggests much. This was a man who had impressed
himself upon the great Apostle by his sympathy, his consideration, his ,
kindness. His name is on the roll of honor for no outstanding deed but for a
friendly attitude toward a man who was in sore need of friends at times. And
there are "Tryphena and Tryphosa," manifestly sisters, possibly twin
sisters. Paul mentions them because they were "hard workers for the Lord's
cause." Not brilliant workers, but hard workers. There are many
"Tryphenas and Tryphosas" in the world today. They are keeping our
ecclesias going, doing the drudgery of religious service, and they deserve a
place among those mentioned. And there was the mother of Rufus. Her name is not
given. St. Paul calls her son an "eminent Christian," but he says of
the mother, "She has been a mother to me." And all the mothering
hearts, whether they have -eminent sons by whom they may be identified,
deserve a place on the roll. Gains is more than once referred to. St. Paul
names him as his host, and the "host of the whole church." Gaius was
a hospitable man. His door was open. 'There was welcome in his house for any
follower of the Master. Thus he wins, unsought, his honorable mention. In
Philippi lived Euodias and Syntyche. They were a human pair, sisters in faith
if not by blood. But they did not always pull together. St. Paul writes:
"I appeal to Euodias and I appeal to Syntyche to agree together, as
Christians; and I beg you, my true comrade, to help them, for they toiled at my
side in spreading the good news." Faithful workers, both of them, zealous
in spreading the good news, and this fact overshadows the minor discord which
interfered with their teamwork. St. Paul's "true comrade" could do a
bit of quiet, worth while service by helping them to agree as Christians. There
are plenty of chances today to qualify as "true comrades" of the
great Apostle by a like service. There
are not many Pauls, but there are multitudes of such people as St. Paul
delighted to mention in his letters. They may never make the first page, but
they are doing something better, vastly better -- they are making life
endurable for the rest of, us; they are weaving beauty and love and hope and
joy into the fabric of our days; they are the players of the chamber music,
which, when we are weary of the flaunting flags and the blare of the brass band
on the crowded streets, steals into our souls with its softer harmonies. They
are help and comfort and peace. They live by the unseen realities, and in their
presence the faith in God and goodness strengthens. - 1 Cor. 13:4, 5 Rom. 16:8,
12, 13, 23; Phil. 4:2. - The Herald Let the Lower Lights Be Burning!
- P. P. Bliss Notice of Annual MeetingAll
should be aware of the fact that the affairs of our Institute are in the hands
of seven brethren who are elected from its membership to serve for a period of
one year or until their successors are elected. Our
Annual Meeting this year is scheduled to be held (D.V.) Saturday, June 4, at
10:00 a.m., in Agawam, Mass., 218 Shoemaker Lane. Membership
in the Pastoral Bible Institute is, and always has been, open to any
consecrated brother or sister who "is in full harmony with the purpose,
spirit, and policy of the Institute," and who intends to support it
"in all reasonable ways as he or she shall deem to be the Lord's
will." As
stated in its charter, the purpose for which the Institute was formed is
"the dissemination of Bible truths in various languages by means of the
publication of tracts, pamphlets, papers, and other religious documents, and by
the use of all other lawful means which its Board of Directors, duly
constituted, shall deem expedient for the furtherance of the purposes
stated." The
membership fee is five dollars ($5.00) which should accompany the application.
If an applicant lacks the membership fee, but is otherwise acceptable, the fee
will be paid out of a special fund provided for that purpose. In
order to participate in the election of directors at the next annual meeting,
anyone, not already a member, who desires to apply for membership should do so
promptly as, according to our bylaws, "the registration of such
membership must be made twenty days prior to the election." Members
of the Pastoral Bible Institute are hereby reminded of the privilege which is theirs
of nominating in the pages of this journal the brethren they wish to elect as
directors for the fiscal year 1977-78. The
brethren whose terms of service will expire are: F. A. Essler, A. Gonczewski,
J. C. Jordan, J. T. Read, P. L. Read, W. J. Siekman, and J. B. Webster. The brethren here named are pleased to report that a spirit of Christian love and harmony exists in their midst; and they have every reason to believe that the Lord has seen fit to bless their association in this ministry. They realize, however, that those carrying on any work may fail to see opportunities for improvement and expansion apparent to others not charged with such responsibilities, and that for this reason changes in office sometimes have beneficial effects. They therefore urge upon all members of our Institute that they make this a special occasion for prayer, that our Father's will may be expressed in the vote of the members. If after prayerful meditation any are led of the Lord to nominate brethren, and will forward the names and addresses of such brethren so as to reach this office on or before April 10, 1977, such names will be published in the May June issue of the Herald, that all members may have an opportunity of voting for them. Entered Into Rest
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