Post by Admin on Jul 20, 2024 13:06:48 GMT -5
1 Excerpts Fron His Book....The Practice of Godliness
In the practice of godliness Abraham Kuiper writes :
Zerubbabel Was beset with troubles when the angel brought him the word of the Lord through the prophet, not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, say the Lord of hosts. how often we have heard these words applied to problems of today, as if they were a warning against human effort and kingdom work!
But they were not that indeed not -for the Lord encouraged Zerubbabel in the work of his hands. The Angel says, “the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house and his hands shall also finish it”.The spirit of the Lord using the hands of Zerubbabel would accomplish the work through physical might and power to match that of the enemy was lacking in the little band of zealous workers.
There are Christians who maintain that the godly life is a life of quiet submission of patient waiting, waiting upon the Lord till he perform his own work for the battle is the Lords and. Jehovah shall fight for you, they say. in the Old Testament times, it did occur that Jehovah bade his people stand and stand aside and wait when the drills before the Red Sea panic stricken at the sound of Pharaoh's arm towards men coming after them.
The Lord gave command, Do not fight !I will fight for you!And they stood still while the waves of the sea awaited his word of power. Why?
Why was Israel spared a bloody battle and permitted to walk safely and comfortably through the Red Sea.
Because the Lord was about to perform a miracle at which all the nations would stand amazed, making the bottom of the sea a pathway for Israel and a grave of farrow in all his host. In order that His power and greatness might shine forth with greater glory, The miracle must be wholly free from human meditation.
God works by one of two methods. - through man or without man, immediately or immediately.
When he chooses to work immediately, He commands man to stand aside , to be still and wait, to keep hands off .
But the era of such miraculous intervention is passed. Wonders such as of old God does not choose to perform now, though at the return of Jesus upon the clouds He will thus gloriously manifest his power.
In the meanwhile, he is working immediately through us. And it is ours to be up and doing: ours to work the work of the Lord ;ours to labor in the name of the Lord .amid troubles that beset us on every hand.
Let us be warned, however, that the mere human effort labor not inspired by the one in whose hand are all things is vain and abominable. The man may think that he labors in the name of the Lord, yet be busy in his own strength and for himself. It is important that we know.
The Christian life is not an easy life We like Zerubbabel. are beset by enemies. In general the powers that constantly oppose and threaten us are three: nature, man, and fallen angels.
Our troubles and miseries always come from one or the other of these three, and now. the question to be considered is this. What attitude would God have us take toward these three and their troubles they bring? First, let us consider what is involved. Nature is arrayed against us and practically all of its activities. Instead of living in paradise, we are in a restless world where there is little peace or harmony. immediately after the fall, God drove man out of paradise and told them that the world would henceforth be an entity against him. It would bring forth thorns and thistles where at once grew fruit and abundance for the picking. It would now yield the best, only if man labored heart. Women must bear children in pain, and at last the Earth would triumphantly reclaim man, the most beautiful creature of God's making must return to dust. Throughout history, men have found this pronouncement of God true as it is true today. What a world it is. Storms at sea of swallowed up untold numbers of victims. from the depths of Earth, ominous rumblings arise, and the Earth trembles on the volcanic pressure. Cloudburst, hail, frost, heat, flood and fire and wind- they all bring ruin and death.
Nature further fence its fury against man. The thousand plagues aimed at his very life. Pestilence creeps out of stagnant swamp and dense jungle. Invisible microbes and viruses enter out very blood and bones. Diseases rages among the cattle from which we obtain food. We must constantly be watchful against hordes of insects. Little creatures such as the field mouse decimate our crops and strong wild beasts of the forest prey upon human beings. Because of sin,nature has been so disrupted that it makes a dreadful picture. Nature also resists the birth of every child so that women everywhere moan and travail men by the millions are bowed down under the burden of toil for daily food. Then there is the inevitable final triumph of nature over every human being for his body shall decay, and the earth shall reclaim its own Beautiful nature! But how terrible is the destructive power which it wields against men!
Man' struggle with man is of a different kind. Among men there is love and hatred, and both bring suffering. Yes, love. brings joy and beauty and comfort, but it also brings sorrow.
For because of love, we share the sorrow of others and our sorrow also becomes theirs. Ask a mother she does not suffer just because she loves her child so dearly.
At the root of man's entity to man, however, lies hatred. Not that we need live in mortal fear, lest someone knock us down, rob us or kill us at a pure hatred. That seldom happens. The situation is much more complicated. It is this; We cannot each walk our little path alone. We must have contact with other people and social, civil, business or other activities And then two possibilities are usually present-either we step back and let the other fellow have top place or we keep the other fellow down and capture the booty ourselves.
The result is jealousy, envy, pride, disobedience, suspicion, deceit, falsehood a host of evils that are poisoned in a human heart.
To a man of noble character they give grief and pain. In the man of little soul they breed hatred and revenge.
Then there is the worst and deadliest of man's enemies.. The devil.
The worst because he has an ally within the heart of each one of us. Years may slip by before we notice what is going on, that we are being gradually dragged down to hell while we are blissfully unaware.
Evil grows and flourishes in our hearts until Christ comes to claim us . Then, when the evil must be cast out, the struggle begins. What a struggle it is. Temptation luring us with a terrible power. Satan holding on fiercely to his prey.
There are times when we cry out nagging that those who live deeply experience it.
Thus many very many live superficially and never experience much of a struggle.
They protest that such a view of life is too dismal and morbid.
There are some who try to whistle away their troubles and some who hide and embedded heart behind laughing lips.
But that does not change the facts. If you would know the true character of life, ask the man who seeks to know the truth and who has matured in the experiences of life. He will tell you that which eat which men of long ago affirmed life is at best a struggle years. Our years may number 70 or even by reason of strength. 80. But they are filled with labor and sorrow.
Finally this brings us face to face with an awful seriousness of life-trouble and sorrow has come upon us from God. He has willed it. He has deemed it necessary .
Therein we see God's righteousness, and also his Providence. For all God's attributes about the vari- colored rays emanating from the Divine being. Thus his Providence and his vindication of his righteousness go hand in hand.
Man sinned and a sinner could not remain in paradise. He did not belong there.
A ruined man is at home in a ruined world.
Since man took a strand of enmity against God, it is right that enemies should be arrayed against him. We must have enemies even deadly enemies And the Lord God loosed against man three enemies, nature, man and demons.
Thus we are daily the targets of evil forces that plot against the welfare and against our very lives. The Lord as willed itself.
Enemies are before us and behind us, visible and invisible, way laying, tripping, instigating, oppressing day and night. Whether the arrow is in the form of lightning from the sky, or an angry denunciation by a friend, or an evil suggestion within the heart, whispered by Satan. It is always intended for their ruin of the soul. We are the targets.
The evil may come in many attractive forms, but it is aimed at your soul's life. Evil will beset you and hand you will. surely choke you.
Did it not escape if you did not escape to the city of refuge?
Living by principle. we Christians, members of the body of Christ, live our mundane lives from day to day. We speak, we plan, we decide, we act.
But it is well to pause for a moment. And ask the question.
On what ground do we make our decisions and plan our actions?
Why do we choose to do thus and so rather than otherwise?
What guides us in our planning and doing?
The actual conditions today as we look about for an answer to that question are enough to make one weep for we find that leaders as well as layman with a few precious exceptions have completely forgotten that there is such a thing as principle .
That there is a rule by which to measure our everyday activities. Each does as it seems good in his own eyes. What we choose to do or not to do is no longer it seems a matter of must and must found that upon the eternal principles of God's word and will what we do is a matter of our own choosing for one will say this is the way he does it and it looks good to me another time he may say I made good by that course of action. I shall use the same method again or this is what he wants done and it is my business to please him.
Some say I just happened to feel like doing that, or it works best that way. We are sorely in need of a reminder that there is only one guiding principle for all Christian activity. For every choice and action and the life of a Christian the guiding principle asks what is the will of God concerning this.
Now in regard to the subject at hand we are beset by three evil forces the devil sinners and nature's destructions.
Let us say by fallen angels,fallen man,and fallen nature and the question arises what would God have us do about it?
Would he have us submit without struggle or self defense to the powers that threaten us?
What does he require that we shall defend ourselves?
Note the question is not may we defend ourselves that would lead to a weak and spineless Christianity springing from some such philosophy as this God is high above. We are below seeking to satisfy our own desires must try not to incur his displeasure, but for the most he will in loving kindness and loving kindness overlook our family or human frailties and our heiress. No, my reader. Our God is not that kind of God. He is the Lord of hosts His are the hosts of heaven and his creatures upon the Earth. He does whatsoever he wills. The Lord of Lords, the almighty has a will, a will that applies in every case and to every person.
How can we possibly conceive of a God who waits to see what shall happen?
Therefore, the reasoning in regard to our present problems is not what will God let us do?
Will he permit us to protect ourselves if we so wish?
Such would be to dishonor his name. Such a god would not be a God clothed in majesty. No, the question must be put thus, the God who, because of our sins, loosed against us, the three destructive powers that.
He intended that we should resist them and defend ourselves?
Or did He intend that we should be overwhelmed by these evils?
He who would live the godly life seeks to know the will of God exactly.
He asked no more and no less That applies in this matter also. It must and that the will of God may be that we cannot conclude from our own opinion or that our own whims and wishes. The question must be answered from the Lord's own revelation.
Has He revealed his will on this question? If so I'm sorry. Uh, it should be.
Has he revealed his will on this question?
If so, what is it?
How must we act over against the three powers arrayed against us?
The devil, sinners and natural disasters. The thorns and thistles, the Cain's, and the old serpent. The answer is not easy. It is complicated. Many sided. Let us begin where we can see our way most clearly and easily with the spiritual struggle. Satan brings upon us.
Man versus Nature
We have concluded that resistance to the onslaught of Satan is not merely permissible. It is commanded. We will now take up the next question, a slightly more complicated one.
What should our attitude be toward the troubles which come upon us from natural sources?
The sickness, the suffering, the destruction, the common daily reverses, as well as the great and sudden calamities?
Should we meekly accept them and surrender to their power over us?
Or is it God's will that we resist them in his name and defend ourselves against them for all?
Let us once again confess humbly in the valley that nothing can be fallen by chance, but by the direction of our most gracious and heavenly father, a confession which includes the everyday occurrences as well as the extraordinary confession. which asserts positively and unquestionably that everything is in God's hand and without his will, the powers of nature cannot so much as stir.
God is God.Let us ever keep him God and all our thoughts and considerations.
All the devotion, all the true piety of our confession is based upon the exalted concept that God is absolutely God. We dare to believe that he has counted us worthy to uphold the supreme teaching of his word.
Clearly that confession negates all possibility of separating daily common hardships from great calamities, as if the first came by chance and the latter only the latter were providentially or God sent.
Whatever threat or danger or destruction may come upon us from nature,
we must accept it as coming from God direct. towards us and inflicted upon us by him that cannot be any exception, not even the smallest.
Recall once more what happened immediately after the fall. The Lord told Adam and Eve plainly that nature would from then on be a fearful power and enemy, even an enemy unto death When God made man, he crowned him Lord of Creation, ruler of all nature, replenish the earth and subdue it with that injunction.
Man was given authority to discover Earth's hidden riches and use them and control them. He was given Dominion over all but how tragically different that becomes after the fall. Earth is now commanded to bring forth thorns and thistles for man to refuse him as fruits to make man wrestle for his daily bread and finally a man is worn and wary of the struggle to conquer him and return him to dust. Nature therefore the conqueror All of that is implied in God's word to Adam. Cursed is the ground for your sake and toil thou shall eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field and the sweat and the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread. Thou shalt return unto the ground, for out of it was thou taken, for thus thou art, and unto thus thou shalt return.
There is an added poignancy in his words to the woman. I will greatly multiply the pain and thy conception in pain. Thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
There are two truths employed in this curse upon the earth for man's sake.
The first is this, that neither man nor woman can escape suffering. It is unavoidable. Any attempt to build about ourselves in imaginary paradise from which all sorrow has been charmed away is self deception, and it is contrary to the will of God, for he has ordained that
Man shall suffer And the second is equally evident - man must not resign himself to his fate
He is rather called upon to be the more active. to struggle valiantly against the powers that would destroy him, man might be inclined to think, since I have to die someday and return to dust, it may as well be now.
Why should I struggle with these stones and thistles?
Why should I sew and labor for a harvest?
I shall simply let myself starve to death, but God commands him to work, to labor, to battle with nature, to rest from the earth, the food that it no longer gives willingly to nurture his life and prolong it. And the woman may not say I will escape the sorrow and pain. I will not bear children, though, nature will resist the coming of new life, making child birth difficult and painful. Woman is called to rest that new life from nature, be it with pain and agony.
The man and woman who bravely and courageously take up the struggle against the Earth, which would withhold its life giving food and against the womb which will withhold a new life, stirring within. They are comforted with the assurance of God's blessing, but the lazy man who refuses to labor and the weakling woman who refuses to accept her lot of suffering forfeit that blessing The struggle against nature then is not a struggle to escape pain and suffering.
What a banished suffering from one's life. But it is a struggle in holy faith, knowing that we cannot escape suffering, that it must be all lied and also knowing that through suffering the glory of God will shine more resplendently in the lives of men resisting nature's entity.
There is an almost unquenchable longing a man's being to avoid pain. We instinctively yearn to banish suffering from the Earth if possible. But that tendency of the human heart is central.
It is as if man thought himself worthy of all good and of sorrow and trouble were enough fence against his innocence. Consequently, suffering does not move man to prayer, but incites to anger to a fist shaking attitude of while conquer nature. I'll not let him ask me Then every new medical discovery is held as a new weapon against the supremacy of nature. And when at last man must admit that after all, death is inescapable, they hold up their proud heads, making a vain glory of death, a final wonderful blessed experience that they think is far more heroic than the Christians cry of rejoicing.
O death, whereas thy sting, O grave, whereas thy victory. by nature, man resents pain and trouble. It angers him. He protests that it is unfair, and he does all in his power to keep it out of his life.
And when it nevertheless enters, he is disillusioned. He becomes depressed and pessimistic. He may grit his teeth and bear it in a stoic silence.
Perhaps he tries to laugh it off,
or he feigns a certain satisfaction in endurance and in glorying in death.
To think so is to murmur against God. The word of God gives not the slightest ground for resentment against sickness and trouble.
And by God's grace, his people feel as strong aversion to that attitude. Oh, there may be moments when we, too, feel bitter because of the suffering that falls to out lot.
Which of us does not at times fail? But the Holy Spirit within us witnesses against the momentary protest, and we are displeased within ourselves because of it.
Suffering is not escapable. We cannot banish it from our lives. That is beyond the power of man. We build dikes,tunnels,and dams: we invent telegraph,and radio.
But this is not a conquering of nature, nor does man thereby prove how great he is. Let a little volcanic tremor shake the earth, and where O man is your vaunted strength?
Man's conquest of nature rather consists in this, that when nature strives to undermine our efforts, to crush our hopes, to plunge us into misery and suffering, to return man to dust. Then the Spirit of God within us spurs us on gives us courage, hope and true heroism.
He just not let us grow weary and faint and despairing.
He strengthens us and then through that very suffering, that we may show before men and angels and demons how unconquerable is the man whose faith is in God.
Have faith as a mustard seed, and you shall bid the mountains removed to the sea.
It is indeed intended God's will that man should wrestle against nature and in shall rest a living from nature.
In the many everyday little things, we are constantly doing just that- in weeding our garden, in clothing ourselves and averting death by means of food and drink and the general care of all bodies until God himself shall lay us in the dust in all.
In Old Testament days God taught His people many rules of clothing and cleanliness. Cleanliness is nothing less than another form of resistance to nature, a washing away of the soil and stain that tends to drag us to the earth and infect us with disease.
God himself commanded Noah to build the ark in preparation against the coming flood and the rest of the mankind was lost in the flood because they would not believe and therefore would not avail themselves of the means of escape.
The scriptures speak again and again of shelter in the time of storm and protection against the raging elements. The seeking with such shelter is not condemned instead. It is frequently mentioned as a symbol of man seeking safety with God against the burning summer sun we seek shade, and when the blighting winter frosts come we make ourselves comfortable in our homes and with fires and blankets.
Providing against future needs is as much a part of the struggle. And so are preventive measures.
The Israelites were bidden to fence their roofs and stairways lest anyone should fall. They dug pools on Zion's hills to preserve water for times of drought. And Jacobs and his sons to Egypt to buy corn from strangers in the time of famine.
Nowhere in scripture do we find passive submission commended or recommended. Rather, there is a stimulation to put forth all our strength to strive courageously against the destructive forces of nature to protect life, to seek safety, take preventative measures against trouble that is coming or averted if possible.
Noah provided food for himself and for the animals in the ark.
David defended himself in his flock against bare and lion heroically fighting both.
And in regard to sickness, the Bible teaches the same preventative and protective attitude.
One of the most dreadful diseases among Israel was leprosy. The Lord did not let this dreadful scourge reign unchecked among his people. He gave detailed commands for diagnosis, treatment, isolation and disinfection.
When Israel was still in the wilderness, there were already apothecaries who made healing ointments. There was even an apothecary's guild in Jerusalem.
Hezekiah was treated with figs at the command of God. Jesus himself said "those who are ill need a physician" which clearly indicates that the skill of the physician is a gift of God's mercy.
Luke, the evangelist physician, whose pen has given us the beautiful details of the mystery of Christ's birth, has hollowed the medical profession by appearing in the Book of God as one of his special servants.
It is without doubt, then, that the herbs, many of them even poisonous, were intended for man's use against sickness. This implies that it is our duty to fight the ravages of diseases. There can be no other conclusion than this.
God wills that we will struggle, struggle with the courage of faith and the strength of prayer against every natural force that threatens health and life.
Epidemics and plagues are not excluded. Famine, too, is a scourge of God, and with pestilence frequently and aftermath of war.
But Joseph was brought to Egypt under the gracious provision of God, to prepare corn for the famine years. Prevention and precaution are not excluded, but included in the struggle against the enmity of nature.
We may and must conclude that in general, the afflictions which come upon us from nature, as well as those which Satan brings upon us, have one purpose-They are sent in order that we shall defend ourselves and protect our dear ones in order that we thus struggle on with courage, with zeal, heroically, we may through it all revealed that depths and strength of our faith.
But the word of God condemns unconditionally all seeking of medical help, which excludes a seeking of the Lord, and all use of preventatives and cures, which disregards God, which fails to acknowledge him as the giver of both the remedy and the wisdom to apply it.
He who struggles against sickness and suffering without humbling himself a prayer and supplication before God brings upon himself the curse of God. Not only the curse of Eden, but a second curse comes upon the man who in foolish pride believes himself wise enough and strong enough and great enough to harness and subdue and control nature.
God's people have always protested against such godlessness, and they must continue to do so.
For the most meekly submissive Christian when he refuses medical aid because of true devotion to God, though he lacks understanding his narrow and his conceptions is nevertheless wiser and noble than the man who, deeming herself too learn it to believe in God, takes his medicine with the thought. I shall conquer this sickness!
No, we are not masters. We are creatures, wholly dependent, small, weak and helpless.
All that we do is sin, except to be done in faith .
In faith, I put a lightning rod on my house, and when it catches the lightning from God's storm cloud to lead it away harmlessly, I thank God that I am I am my dear ones have escaped the danger, but without faith I have no surety. I cannot trust the ferry to carry me safely across the river, for God can cause a disaster which plunges me and my dear ones into death.
It is the will of God that, trusting him, We protect our lives and the lives of our dear ones from all danger. He who fails to do what he can to rescue life is guilty of murder. He who neglects his own health and does not protect himself from their revenues which God provide us becomes guilty of suicide.
The points of difference must also be considered whether or not they concerned fundamental doctrine, where there is a difference of interpretation of a certain passage of scripture, and no fundamental doctrine is involved. This should be tolerance.
One may have his own opinion without denying another his for the Christian reader is free to accept that interpretation which he guided by the Holy Spirit dwelling within him deems to be the most nearly correct.
This is part of the liberty of the children of God, for we know only in part we prophecy in part because we see but dimly and through the variety of opinions, the meaning frequently becomes more clear and due time.
But if the interpretation is such that it is a contradiction of an article of faith, then it must be refuted for the truth of the gospel must be defended against all false doctrine.
Take, for example, Christ's statement in John 14 :28. My father is greater than I. Some interpret this as referring to his human nature. Others say Jesus spoke of his state of humiliation; Still others take it to mean that in becoming obedient to his Father as a mediator, Christ humbled himself.
Neither. of these three is in conflict with all confessions. But if the text should be interpreted to mean that Christ here disclaims divinity, then he denies his essential Oneness with the Father. Then we are faced with a doctrine that conflicts with the confession that Christ is true in eternal God. Such differences cannot be tolerated within the church.
Finally, in regard to the persons who are led away by false opinions and doctrines there are two kinds, those who are new or weak in the faith and those who are strong and who covertly or openly defend their ideas and strive to win other adherents.
The first must be dealt with gently and taught a fuller measure of truth that they may grow in faith. We must bear with those who are weak,
But toward those who believe and teach doctrine not in accordance with the word of God. We cannot be tolerant. We must defend the truth earnestly in order that it is possible that they may be one back or that they may at least be warned of their error. The full Council of God should be expounded to them simply and clearly tolerance and forbearance.
Then must indeed characterize us in our personal attitude and where minor differences are concerned and in our forbearance toward those who are new or weak in the faith.
But those who teach anything contrary to the word of God cannot remain in the Church of God.
Peace at any Price.
The Articles of Christian faith are like links of a chain. If one link is removed, the chain is broken. For instance, 1 cannot deny God's eternal election without taking away our assurance of salvation and undermining steadfastness of our hope. For then, man's salvation is left to his own hands. He must exercise his free will and chew. choose to be saved That in turn denies at least in part man's depravity. And if man is not totally depraved, Christ's atonement loses much of its value. In fact, we would finally arrive at the conclusion that we did not need Christ for salvation.
Moreover, there can be no real and lasting peace in the Church of God without full harmony of opinions and beliefs. If doctrines are so toned down and moderated that they were capable of more than one interpretation, those who differed in opinion would still argue, and each would do all he could to uphold and spread his own interpretation. For what a man consistently accepts us truth. He. desires others to believe also the false unity would not last.
You must indeed seek peace with all earnestness,
Bitterness, ill will, malice and love of dispute should never characterize a Christian and his defense of the truth.
Instead, there should be a sincere interest in the honor of God and in the well - being of our fellow men.
Paul says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. But when he says as much as life in you, he plainly implies that sometimes peace is impossible when peace is injurious to the truth. Peace must give way. Peace with God is of greater value than peace with men.
To desire peace at the expense of truth is hypocrisy and weakness -and highly displeasing to God.
Having then purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.
See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently walk worthy of the vocation where with you a call with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace .And the God of mercy and peace, the God of water and unity grant. that we may be of one mind and made together praise him in unity of faith now and eternally.
Satan knows that he can undermine the structure of the church by slyly removing just one fundamental doctrine at a time, and he frequently loosens a large foundation stone gradually, chiseling it away, bit by bit That is why tolerance for the sake of peace may be dangerous. There are those who plead for tolerance and order that others may be drawn to the fold, and thus the name of God may receive greater honor. ought we not, they say, join hands and thus unite, and now so sadly, divided christened them.
Can we not forget disputes?
Minimize all differences and thus increase our strength?
It ought indeed to be our purpose and desire.
But how shall we try to cure this by means of greater ill must we have peace at any price?
Shall we give in a little, tone down doctrines and forget differences?
Paul did not compromise with the Galatian adherence to the law by toning down his teaching a free grace. Quite the opposite. He reprimanded them for giving heed to false doctrine and sought to lead them back to the truth.
If the principles of our faith are man made, they should be discarded.
If they are from God, let no man tamper with them to tone them down, even though some points may seem to be but small, God has bidden us to be faithful in little things. And as forbidden that we subtract even one iota from his work. One step toward giving in,will lead to the next step and wil
How shall we justify ourselves if we permit even a little of the truth to be laid aside? Is that ours to do?
Moreover, there can be no real and lasting peace in the Church of God without full harmony of opinions and belief. If doctrines were so toned down and moderated that they were capable of more than one interpretation, those who differed in opinion would still argue, and each would do all he could to uphold and spread his own interpretation.
For what a man consistently accepts as truth. He desires others to believe also. The false unity would not last. We must indeed seek peace with all earnestness. Bitterness, ill will, malice and love of dispute should never characterize a Christian and his defense of the truth. Instead, this should be a sincere interest in the honor of God and in the well being of our fellow men.
Paul says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. But when he says as much as lieth in you, he plainly implies that sometimes peace is impossible. When peace is injurious to the truth, peace may have to give way. Peace with God is of great of value than peace with men to desire peace at the expense of truth is hypocrisy and weakness and highly displeasing to God. Having then purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeign love of the brethren. See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently walk worthy of the vocation wherewith your call with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and the god of mercy and peace, the god of order and unity, grant that we may be of one mind and may together praise him in unity of faith now and eternally.
The Imperfection of the Church
There is nothing among men that is, as it ought to be. Nothing has remained as God had made it. Everything is out of joint. Everywhere there is confusion, sin shook the very foundation of human life, and therefore the walls are cracked and bowed and skewed.
The Church of Christ does not stand apart, exempt for from all the disruption and wreckage of the sin cursed world.
Christ gathers his church within that world and its members are all sinners. Every one of them is imperfect. Yes, in principle, they are perfect through Jesus Christ. But by no means are they perfect in daily living and doing, even the holiest of Christians struggles till is dying day against the weakness and sinfulness of the heart.
Because the Church of Christ is a gathering of imperfect people. It is an imperfect church. The church is holy because Christ is its head. It has beauty because Christ adorns it. It has heavenly gifts and powers because it is mired in sin and the filth of sin clings to it.
Not only the lay members, but the leaders as well are sinful. All are men of like passions and the leaders because of their position must guard against the temptation to vain glory and spiritual pride. Why they serve through their office it does not exempt them from the grip of sin. They stumble even while they reach out a hand to help others.
They are shepherds, not because of their own virtues and qualifications. But because the Lord bids them, bring his word and guide the footsteps of his people.
If all the members of the church are imperfect, it follows that even the outward forms of the organization, the management, the activities and the usages cannot be but faulty.
How can the walls be strong when a stone is brittle and a cement is weak? Throughout all the centuries, God had to labor with his people. Was there ever a time in any age of history when the church was truly beautifully pure? Free from spot or blemish in the days of the apostles, things already began to go wrong. Their epistles are full of complaints and warnings against sins and false doctrines. We Christians of today ought to take this fact to heart.
Fully realizing that the imperfection of weakness of today's church is not at all unusual or unnatural.
Could we perhaps, by better cooperation with greater zeal, bring about a perfect and glorious church?
Whoever thinks so underates the extent of evil and human nature and deceives himself. Yet there are those who dream the dream and who. burn with eager desire to bring about its fulfillment.
They are deeply conscious of the great and holy calling of the church.
They are grieved by its failings, its shameful weakness, to cure the ills seems to them a hopeless task.
So the like minded band together and form a new church or a society where they may enjoy richer and pure spiritual fellowship of kindred hearts. And thus their dreams seem to come true. But it will not last.
They attained to their happy condition by separating the more pure from the less pure. But that is not a normal situation. Well, they seem to have excluded much evil from their small circle and to have escaped dangerous contamination. They soon find that evil came in with them. It is among them. The age old evil raises its horrid head, even among the most consecrated and separated. The dream of a perfect church on Earth is a vain dream.
Besides, such dream is in the church. There are also those who equally aware of the evils and equally grieved over them a wide awake and know from God's word or from history that a healthy church is a rarity and a pure church is an impossibility. They know that there is not one shred of prophecy which even hints at possible perfection of the Church of Christ. They realize that they have no right to expect such a church.
They would fight evil. Yes, but expect perfection, No. Sin is a Destroyer that creeps in everywhere. Therefore, we must expect an imperfect church. In fact that we church memories carry the sin of the world with us into the church.
Too often hiding it under a veil of spirituality. If the church was not the bride of his son, surely God would, in holy wrath, destroy not 1st all of the world, or rather first all of the wretched, sin ridden church we have. mentioned we have mentioned these two kinds of church members, those who dream of a perfect church and those who soberly face the fact of her inevitable imperfection. But let us not carry away the idea that there are two classes and always that these two classes are always clearly distinguishable. The dreamer has his moments of sober insight and the man who calmly accepts the fact of evil also dreams his dreams.
Where is the believer who does not have a specter of unbelief crouching within his heart?
Where is the man who, while he professes salvation by free grace, does not find himself secretly priding in good works.
Even the child of God, who believes in free will and despises the doctrine of particular grace, bowed humbly before his God and his in his inner chamber, confessing his utter health and unworthiness before his maker
But in this one man, this has the upper hand, and in another that .Our purpose is not to honor the one and upbraid the other. Rather, we would analyze and understand the holy things of God in order that we may come to the truth, that untruth may fall away, that thus, through the work of the Holy Spirit, God's name may receive the greater honor.
It is possible to have sinful ideals, ideals that reach out
The dream of a perfect church upon Earth is such an ideal. The imperfection of God's church upon Earth is a circumstance which you must accept and bear with patience if we fail to do that. it is because we fail to see the satanic depths of sin and fail to realize that the church is in its very essence, inseparable from the the sinfulness of man.
Fighting The Good Fight
Those who cherish the idea of a pure church on Earth frequently urge a special incentive. The imminent return of Christ, since he at the very is at the very door, they say, we must break away from this earthly life and go to meet him. We must indeed live in the consciousness that Jesus may come tomorrow, or may even appear upon the clouds tonight. The disciples themselves were ever aware of the nearness of his coming. For them, eternity did not lie at the end of time, but is now eternity is the very ground, the foundation upon which time rests. But we must not err it in striving to meet the Lord instead of patiently awaiting his coming. If the Lord is to come as a thief in the night, the church should go about its daily duties and quiet devotion until he suddenly appears. We are not to keep looking out the window or climbing to the house tops to gaze eagerly into the distance, while neglecting all work and giving our household duties, but scant attention. Indeed, we must watch.
We must so live that we are ready to welcome him at any moment, like a Christian family that having commended children to God's care for the night quietly goes to bed and goes to sleep and awakens in the morning to resume the daily task.
So the Church of Christ upon Earth must go quietly, prayerfully, with its common daily tasks until he comes in his own time to break off this round of daily duties. A deep and living faith in God's covenant and is the foundation of our quiet watch patient Waiting and working .
For included in God's covenant are also all the chosen who are yet to be brought into default, though they may be drunkards or thieves or self righteous rejectors of the truth.
They are destined to be saved, and it is through the ministration of the church that they must be brought to the light and taught in the truth .
This one confession that God is God ,and that He will bring his in His own makes us patient to bear with the imperfections of weaknesses of the church.
Since he has seen fit to place the cross upon us or place that cross upon us and also keeps us humble before him as we must confess our own guilt, the sin of the church is also my sin. Ah yay, even especially I am at fault.
Not one of us will then Blame the world or the indifference of fellow Christians for the evils of the church, saying I am a zealous laborer in the Lords Vineyard. I am not guilty of this coldness and indifference. I shall lead the way to perfection. That holier than thou attitude is sinful and abhorrent but keenly aware of his own sins and knowing full well that he has fanned the flames of sin, perhaps more than others. The true Christian fights against sin and more earnestly and zealously than before.
First, we must constantly without rest Every child of God is a soldier of Jesus Christ, called, as were the Levites of old, to war, the warfare of the Lord, and every office bearer must know that as he takes office, he enters into that warfare.
It is a warfare for God, against Satan. It is a participation in the war which God himself wages against Satan, and which God's holy Angels wage against Satan's Angelic hosts. The War of the world against the King of Glory, the War of the Spirit against the flesh. War within us and without war, which emanates from God and is directed against the might of Satan, the world. death, sin, deceit and the lust of the flesh there. it is a war of everyone who is anointed with the Holy Spirit.
We must fight with Christ ,for Christ, and under the leadership of Christ.
It is a war of which Paul testifies. I have fought the good fight. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me. A crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me in that day.
It is evident then that there can be no true zeal for the church without spiritual warfare against sin.
Zeal for the church, however pious it may appear to be, is an abominable hypocrisy if it goes hand in hand with neglect of spiritual warfare.
Against such enemies of God ,as lying uncleanness, self righteousness and cold heartedness, some. there who are pro pretend to be faithful watchmen upon Zion's walls, but harbor such sins in their own hearts or overlook them in their children, of fellow church members.
They are unfaithful for they allow the enemy free play within. They cry out against the danger of the wolf howling outside of the walls, while a pack of wolves is busily devouring the sheep within ,
That is not real devotion to the cause of Christ, nor does it reveal true faith.
The battle for the Lord must begin within ourselves. Only then it can kindle outward and sincerely wage with equal fervor against enemies all around.
Our impassioned battle cry must ever be friend or enemy.
All that is from the evil one is your enemy everywhere and in all forms in your flesh, in your thoughts, in your very virtues, in a disrupted social conditions in the schools lower as well as higher in your homes and your church of the Lord of your Lord .
Are you zealous for the church with great enthusiasm while neglecting the evils which creep into your home, your friendships, your social life? And worst of all, neglecting to fight your own personal spiritual battles? Then you are living a lie.
To war the warfare of the Lord and to keep the watch of the House of the Lord is to battle in every sphere, in every manner and all relationships, every moment, always in every way standing against Satan, always and everywhere and in everything on the side of God.
Many will be ashamed upon reading this, even as our own soul bows and shame at the writing for whom of us will dare say that with his own hands are clean and ready for battle.
But let us not dishearten, for we must feel ashamed. God's word brings upon us again and again a conviction of sin that burns as a fire into a very inmost being. Only let us take care that our principles remain founded upon the true foundation.
If we fight for the Church of God and neglect the evil within our own heart, however men may attempt to justify such an action we incur the judgment of God.
When we acknowledge that our own guilt acknowledge the justice of an accusation against our false seal, then pardon is assured us. And the Lord of our God will lead us on.
Each must ask himself, does my zeal for the church flow from my inner battle against sin and Satan?
He who truly takes up the fight against sin and Satan in his own heart and in his personal life must necessarily fight sin and Satan in the church also.
He who looks on unconcernedly on. untruth and sin grow rampant within the Church of the Lord is also weak, half -hearted and sickly in his own spiritual struggle.
The good fight must be fought in every sphere in the church and without wherever. the shadow of Satan falls, the soldier of the Lord is called to prompt action.
Obedience
The motives of all you do and strive to do may never be found in your desires but always an unconditionally in the Lord .
As long as your complaints about the church, and your efforts to improve the church are motivated by self ,because the imperfections annoy you or displease you, because the church falls short of your ideals, then you are on the wrong path.
Then, if your efforts fail, you will grumble because your needs are not filled and your rights are not honored. And eventually you will perhaps withdraw yourself as from something unworthy of your laborers.
But once you realize that not my honor, but the honor of God is the true motive for the battle against evil, then the beauty of simple obedience will become clear to you.
Then you will no longer say the church must change because I cannot endure this lack of concentration
But you will say I may not be idle, for I am in the service of my God, who commands me to battle incessantly and undauntedly against the desecration of his church.
Then too, it is no longer matters if there are no immediate results upon your efforts and protests against evil. That makes no difference at all.
For you realize that you have no right or claim to a model church.
You acknowledge yourself a humble sinner whose imperfections add to the corruption of the church.
Whether you live to see the church sink deeper into. the mire. Or if you see it lifted to higher planes makes no difference.
You are in duty bound to defend her against her enemies. All the days of your life with all of God's children. You obey. God bids you labor and his vineyard, and you do so with all the strength he gives you. He bids you not to sit with the scoffers and the ungolly and you separate yourselves from them.
He bid you resist the onslaught of evil upon his house and you resist them. When you have learned thus to obey the battle for the Lord goes without pause.
Yet calmly and steadily, it is a labor that looks not upon the results.
You are no longer striving for what you want ,or deem necessary.
You are not impatient, not worried with the complaining or unmanned by disappointment .
You simply obey.
You are not less zealous, but more: not less constant, but more persevering. And God, who is merciful, will crown your efforts in home and heart and church with his blessing. by nature, we crave freedom.
We say I shall be master of my fate, and I shall do as I please.
We chafe under rules and laws Hence we also protest that the church must not interfere with individual self expression. And by nature we are also inclined to slothfulness.
It is so much more pleasant to sit idle than to exert ourselves. We love our ease.
Imagine the activity, the upheavals, the changes, the disruptions that would ensue if all Christians obediently put into actual practice the will of Christ.
We admire the men of old who gave all and dad to risk their very lives But our admiration seldom produces willingness to part with our own earthly possessions.
The craving for freedom, plus the distaste for exertion and danger, Make it easy for us to accept the teaching. Sit still and see what the Lord will do.
But we should be up and doing And the word says whatsoever your hand finds to do,Do it with all your might. And all.who would live golly shall suffer persecution.
May he, before whom we humbly confess our own guilt and for whose name and honor we have striven also in the writing of these essays. Use our words to open the eyes of many to their calling as members of the Church of Jesus Christ.
In the practice of godliness Abraham Kuiper writes :
Zerubbabel Was beset with troubles when the angel brought him the word of the Lord through the prophet, not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, say the Lord of hosts. how often we have heard these words applied to problems of today, as if they were a warning against human effort and kingdom work!
But they were not that indeed not -for the Lord encouraged Zerubbabel in the work of his hands. The Angel says, “the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house and his hands shall also finish it”.The spirit of the Lord using the hands of Zerubbabel would accomplish the work through physical might and power to match that of the enemy was lacking in the little band of zealous workers.
There are Christians who maintain that the godly life is a life of quiet submission of patient waiting, waiting upon the Lord till he perform his own work for the battle is the Lords and. Jehovah shall fight for you, they say. in the Old Testament times, it did occur that Jehovah bade his people stand and stand aside and wait when the drills before the Red Sea panic stricken at the sound of Pharaoh's arm towards men coming after them.
The Lord gave command, Do not fight !I will fight for you!And they stood still while the waves of the sea awaited his word of power. Why?
Why was Israel spared a bloody battle and permitted to walk safely and comfortably through the Red Sea.
Because the Lord was about to perform a miracle at which all the nations would stand amazed, making the bottom of the sea a pathway for Israel and a grave of farrow in all his host. In order that His power and greatness might shine forth with greater glory, The miracle must be wholly free from human meditation.
God works by one of two methods. - through man or without man, immediately or immediately.
When he chooses to work immediately, He commands man to stand aside , to be still and wait, to keep hands off .
But the era of such miraculous intervention is passed. Wonders such as of old God does not choose to perform now, though at the return of Jesus upon the clouds He will thus gloriously manifest his power.
In the meanwhile, he is working immediately through us. And it is ours to be up and doing: ours to work the work of the Lord ;ours to labor in the name of the Lord .amid troubles that beset us on every hand.
Let us be warned, however, that the mere human effort labor not inspired by the one in whose hand are all things is vain and abominable. The man may think that he labors in the name of the Lord, yet be busy in his own strength and for himself. It is important that we know.
The Christian life is not an easy life We like Zerubbabel. are beset by enemies. In general the powers that constantly oppose and threaten us are three: nature, man, and fallen angels.
Our troubles and miseries always come from one or the other of these three, and now. the question to be considered is this. What attitude would God have us take toward these three and their troubles they bring? First, let us consider what is involved. Nature is arrayed against us and practically all of its activities. Instead of living in paradise, we are in a restless world where there is little peace or harmony. immediately after the fall, God drove man out of paradise and told them that the world would henceforth be an entity against him. It would bring forth thorns and thistles where at once grew fruit and abundance for the picking. It would now yield the best, only if man labored heart. Women must bear children in pain, and at last the Earth would triumphantly reclaim man, the most beautiful creature of God's making must return to dust. Throughout history, men have found this pronouncement of God true as it is true today. What a world it is. Storms at sea of swallowed up untold numbers of victims. from the depths of Earth, ominous rumblings arise, and the Earth trembles on the volcanic pressure. Cloudburst, hail, frost, heat, flood and fire and wind- they all bring ruin and death.
Nature further fence its fury against man. The thousand plagues aimed at his very life. Pestilence creeps out of stagnant swamp and dense jungle. Invisible microbes and viruses enter out very blood and bones. Diseases rages among the cattle from which we obtain food. We must constantly be watchful against hordes of insects. Little creatures such as the field mouse decimate our crops and strong wild beasts of the forest prey upon human beings. Because of sin,nature has been so disrupted that it makes a dreadful picture. Nature also resists the birth of every child so that women everywhere moan and travail men by the millions are bowed down under the burden of toil for daily food. Then there is the inevitable final triumph of nature over every human being for his body shall decay, and the earth shall reclaim its own Beautiful nature! But how terrible is the destructive power which it wields against men!
Man' struggle with man is of a different kind. Among men there is love and hatred, and both bring suffering. Yes, love. brings joy and beauty and comfort, but it also brings sorrow.
For because of love, we share the sorrow of others and our sorrow also becomes theirs. Ask a mother she does not suffer just because she loves her child so dearly.
At the root of man's entity to man, however, lies hatred. Not that we need live in mortal fear, lest someone knock us down, rob us or kill us at a pure hatred. That seldom happens. The situation is much more complicated. It is this; We cannot each walk our little path alone. We must have contact with other people and social, civil, business or other activities And then two possibilities are usually present-either we step back and let the other fellow have top place or we keep the other fellow down and capture the booty ourselves.
The result is jealousy, envy, pride, disobedience, suspicion, deceit, falsehood a host of evils that are poisoned in a human heart.
To a man of noble character they give grief and pain. In the man of little soul they breed hatred and revenge.
Then there is the worst and deadliest of man's enemies.. The devil.
The worst because he has an ally within the heart of each one of us. Years may slip by before we notice what is going on, that we are being gradually dragged down to hell while we are blissfully unaware.
Evil grows and flourishes in our hearts until Christ comes to claim us . Then, when the evil must be cast out, the struggle begins. What a struggle it is. Temptation luring us with a terrible power. Satan holding on fiercely to his prey.
There are times when we cry out nagging that those who live deeply experience it.
Thus many very many live superficially and never experience much of a struggle.
They protest that such a view of life is too dismal and morbid.
There are some who try to whistle away their troubles and some who hide and embedded heart behind laughing lips.
But that does not change the facts. If you would know the true character of life, ask the man who seeks to know the truth and who has matured in the experiences of life. He will tell you that which eat which men of long ago affirmed life is at best a struggle years. Our years may number 70 or even by reason of strength. 80. But they are filled with labor and sorrow.
Finally this brings us face to face with an awful seriousness of life-trouble and sorrow has come upon us from God. He has willed it. He has deemed it necessary .
Therein we see God's righteousness, and also his Providence. For all God's attributes about the vari- colored rays emanating from the Divine being. Thus his Providence and his vindication of his righteousness go hand in hand.
Man sinned and a sinner could not remain in paradise. He did not belong there.
A ruined man is at home in a ruined world.
Since man took a strand of enmity against God, it is right that enemies should be arrayed against him. We must have enemies even deadly enemies And the Lord God loosed against man three enemies, nature, man and demons.
Thus we are daily the targets of evil forces that plot against the welfare and against our very lives. The Lord as willed itself.
Enemies are before us and behind us, visible and invisible, way laying, tripping, instigating, oppressing day and night. Whether the arrow is in the form of lightning from the sky, or an angry denunciation by a friend, or an evil suggestion within the heart, whispered by Satan. It is always intended for their ruin of the soul. We are the targets.
The evil may come in many attractive forms, but it is aimed at your soul's life. Evil will beset you and hand you will. surely choke you.
Did it not escape if you did not escape to the city of refuge?
Living by principle. we Christians, members of the body of Christ, live our mundane lives from day to day. We speak, we plan, we decide, we act.
But it is well to pause for a moment. And ask the question.
On what ground do we make our decisions and plan our actions?
Why do we choose to do thus and so rather than otherwise?
What guides us in our planning and doing?
The actual conditions today as we look about for an answer to that question are enough to make one weep for we find that leaders as well as layman with a few precious exceptions have completely forgotten that there is such a thing as principle .
That there is a rule by which to measure our everyday activities. Each does as it seems good in his own eyes. What we choose to do or not to do is no longer it seems a matter of must and must found that upon the eternal principles of God's word and will what we do is a matter of our own choosing for one will say this is the way he does it and it looks good to me another time he may say I made good by that course of action. I shall use the same method again or this is what he wants done and it is my business to please him.
Some say I just happened to feel like doing that, or it works best that way. We are sorely in need of a reminder that there is only one guiding principle for all Christian activity. For every choice and action and the life of a Christian the guiding principle asks what is the will of God concerning this.
Now in regard to the subject at hand we are beset by three evil forces the devil sinners and nature's destructions.
Let us say by fallen angels,fallen man,and fallen nature and the question arises what would God have us do about it?
Would he have us submit without struggle or self defense to the powers that threaten us?
What does he require that we shall defend ourselves?
Note the question is not may we defend ourselves that would lead to a weak and spineless Christianity springing from some such philosophy as this God is high above. We are below seeking to satisfy our own desires must try not to incur his displeasure, but for the most he will in loving kindness and loving kindness overlook our family or human frailties and our heiress. No, my reader. Our God is not that kind of God. He is the Lord of hosts His are the hosts of heaven and his creatures upon the Earth. He does whatsoever he wills. The Lord of Lords, the almighty has a will, a will that applies in every case and to every person.
How can we possibly conceive of a God who waits to see what shall happen?
Therefore, the reasoning in regard to our present problems is not what will God let us do?
Will he permit us to protect ourselves if we so wish?
Such would be to dishonor his name. Such a god would not be a God clothed in majesty. No, the question must be put thus, the God who, because of our sins, loosed against us, the three destructive powers that.
He intended that we should resist them and defend ourselves?
Or did He intend that we should be overwhelmed by these evils?
He who would live the godly life seeks to know the will of God exactly.
He asked no more and no less That applies in this matter also. It must and that the will of God may be that we cannot conclude from our own opinion or that our own whims and wishes. The question must be answered from the Lord's own revelation.
Has He revealed his will on this question? If so I'm sorry. Uh, it should be.
Has he revealed his will on this question?
If so, what is it?
How must we act over against the three powers arrayed against us?
The devil, sinners and natural disasters. The thorns and thistles, the Cain's, and the old serpent. The answer is not easy. It is complicated. Many sided. Let us begin where we can see our way most clearly and easily with the spiritual struggle. Satan brings upon us.
Man versus Nature
We have concluded that resistance to the onslaught of Satan is not merely permissible. It is commanded. We will now take up the next question, a slightly more complicated one.
What should our attitude be toward the troubles which come upon us from natural sources?
The sickness, the suffering, the destruction, the common daily reverses, as well as the great and sudden calamities?
Should we meekly accept them and surrender to their power over us?
Or is it God's will that we resist them in his name and defend ourselves against them for all?
Let us once again confess humbly in the valley that nothing can be fallen by chance, but by the direction of our most gracious and heavenly father, a confession which includes the everyday occurrences as well as the extraordinary confession. which asserts positively and unquestionably that everything is in God's hand and without his will, the powers of nature cannot so much as stir.
God is God.Let us ever keep him God and all our thoughts and considerations.
All the devotion, all the true piety of our confession is based upon the exalted concept that God is absolutely God. We dare to believe that he has counted us worthy to uphold the supreme teaching of his word.
Clearly that confession negates all possibility of separating daily common hardships from great calamities, as if the first came by chance and the latter only the latter were providentially or God sent.
Whatever threat or danger or destruction may come upon us from nature,
we must accept it as coming from God direct. towards us and inflicted upon us by him that cannot be any exception, not even the smallest.
Recall once more what happened immediately after the fall. The Lord told Adam and Eve plainly that nature would from then on be a fearful power and enemy, even an enemy unto death When God made man, he crowned him Lord of Creation, ruler of all nature, replenish the earth and subdue it with that injunction.
Man was given authority to discover Earth's hidden riches and use them and control them. He was given Dominion over all but how tragically different that becomes after the fall. Earth is now commanded to bring forth thorns and thistles for man to refuse him as fruits to make man wrestle for his daily bread and finally a man is worn and wary of the struggle to conquer him and return him to dust. Nature therefore the conqueror All of that is implied in God's word to Adam. Cursed is the ground for your sake and toil thou shall eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field and the sweat and the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread. Thou shalt return unto the ground, for out of it was thou taken, for thus thou art, and unto thus thou shalt return.
There is an added poignancy in his words to the woman. I will greatly multiply the pain and thy conception in pain. Thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
There are two truths employed in this curse upon the earth for man's sake.
The first is this, that neither man nor woman can escape suffering. It is unavoidable. Any attempt to build about ourselves in imaginary paradise from which all sorrow has been charmed away is self deception, and it is contrary to the will of God, for he has ordained that
Man shall suffer And the second is equally evident - man must not resign himself to his fate
He is rather called upon to be the more active. to struggle valiantly against the powers that would destroy him, man might be inclined to think, since I have to die someday and return to dust, it may as well be now.
Why should I struggle with these stones and thistles?
Why should I sew and labor for a harvest?
I shall simply let myself starve to death, but God commands him to work, to labor, to battle with nature, to rest from the earth, the food that it no longer gives willingly to nurture his life and prolong it. And the woman may not say I will escape the sorrow and pain. I will not bear children, though, nature will resist the coming of new life, making child birth difficult and painful. Woman is called to rest that new life from nature, be it with pain and agony.
The man and woman who bravely and courageously take up the struggle against the Earth, which would withhold its life giving food and against the womb which will withhold a new life, stirring within. They are comforted with the assurance of God's blessing, but the lazy man who refuses to labor and the weakling woman who refuses to accept her lot of suffering forfeit that blessing The struggle against nature then is not a struggle to escape pain and suffering.
What a banished suffering from one's life. But it is a struggle in holy faith, knowing that we cannot escape suffering, that it must be all lied and also knowing that through suffering the glory of God will shine more resplendently in the lives of men resisting nature's entity.
There is an almost unquenchable longing a man's being to avoid pain. We instinctively yearn to banish suffering from the Earth if possible. But that tendency of the human heart is central.
It is as if man thought himself worthy of all good and of sorrow and trouble were enough fence against his innocence. Consequently, suffering does not move man to prayer, but incites to anger to a fist shaking attitude of while conquer nature. I'll not let him ask me Then every new medical discovery is held as a new weapon against the supremacy of nature. And when at last man must admit that after all, death is inescapable, they hold up their proud heads, making a vain glory of death, a final wonderful blessed experience that they think is far more heroic than the Christians cry of rejoicing.
O death, whereas thy sting, O grave, whereas thy victory. by nature, man resents pain and trouble. It angers him. He protests that it is unfair, and he does all in his power to keep it out of his life.
And when it nevertheless enters, he is disillusioned. He becomes depressed and pessimistic. He may grit his teeth and bear it in a stoic silence.
Perhaps he tries to laugh it off,
or he feigns a certain satisfaction in endurance and in glorying in death.
To think so is to murmur against God. The word of God gives not the slightest ground for resentment against sickness and trouble.
And by God's grace, his people feel as strong aversion to that attitude. Oh, there may be moments when we, too, feel bitter because of the suffering that falls to out lot.
Which of us does not at times fail? But the Holy Spirit within us witnesses against the momentary protest, and we are displeased within ourselves because of it.
Suffering is not escapable. We cannot banish it from our lives. That is beyond the power of man. We build dikes,tunnels,and dams: we invent telegraph,and radio.
But this is not a conquering of nature, nor does man thereby prove how great he is. Let a little volcanic tremor shake the earth, and where O man is your vaunted strength?
Man's conquest of nature rather consists in this, that when nature strives to undermine our efforts, to crush our hopes, to plunge us into misery and suffering, to return man to dust. Then the Spirit of God within us spurs us on gives us courage, hope and true heroism.
He just not let us grow weary and faint and despairing.
He strengthens us and then through that very suffering, that we may show before men and angels and demons how unconquerable is the man whose faith is in God.
Have faith as a mustard seed, and you shall bid the mountains removed to the sea.
It is indeed intended God's will that man should wrestle against nature and in shall rest a living from nature.
In the many everyday little things, we are constantly doing just that- in weeding our garden, in clothing ourselves and averting death by means of food and drink and the general care of all bodies until God himself shall lay us in the dust in all.
In Old Testament days God taught His people many rules of clothing and cleanliness. Cleanliness is nothing less than another form of resistance to nature, a washing away of the soil and stain that tends to drag us to the earth and infect us with disease.
God himself commanded Noah to build the ark in preparation against the coming flood and the rest of the mankind was lost in the flood because they would not believe and therefore would not avail themselves of the means of escape.
The scriptures speak again and again of shelter in the time of storm and protection against the raging elements. The seeking with such shelter is not condemned instead. It is frequently mentioned as a symbol of man seeking safety with God against the burning summer sun we seek shade, and when the blighting winter frosts come we make ourselves comfortable in our homes and with fires and blankets.
Providing against future needs is as much a part of the struggle. And so are preventive measures.
The Israelites were bidden to fence their roofs and stairways lest anyone should fall. They dug pools on Zion's hills to preserve water for times of drought. And Jacobs and his sons to Egypt to buy corn from strangers in the time of famine.
Nowhere in scripture do we find passive submission commended or recommended. Rather, there is a stimulation to put forth all our strength to strive courageously against the destructive forces of nature to protect life, to seek safety, take preventative measures against trouble that is coming or averted if possible.
Noah provided food for himself and for the animals in the ark.
David defended himself in his flock against bare and lion heroically fighting both.
And in regard to sickness, the Bible teaches the same preventative and protective attitude.
One of the most dreadful diseases among Israel was leprosy. The Lord did not let this dreadful scourge reign unchecked among his people. He gave detailed commands for diagnosis, treatment, isolation and disinfection.
When Israel was still in the wilderness, there were already apothecaries who made healing ointments. There was even an apothecary's guild in Jerusalem.
Hezekiah was treated with figs at the command of God. Jesus himself said "those who are ill need a physician" which clearly indicates that the skill of the physician is a gift of God's mercy.
Luke, the evangelist physician, whose pen has given us the beautiful details of the mystery of Christ's birth, has hollowed the medical profession by appearing in the Book of God as one of his special servants.
It is without doubt, then, that the herbs, many of them even poisonous, were intended for man's use against sickness. This implies that it is our duty to fight the ravages of diseases. There can be no other conclusion than this.
God wills that we will struggle, struggle with the courage of faith and the strength of prayer against every natural force that threatens health and life.
Epidemics and plagues are not excluded. Famine, too, is a scourge of God, and with pestilence frequently and aftermath of war.
But Joseph was brought to Egypt under the gracious provision of God, to prepare corn for the famine years. Prevention and precaution are not excluded, but included in the struggle against the enmity of nature.
We may and must conclude that in general, the afflictions which come upon us from nature, as well as those which Satan brings upon us, have one purpose-They are sent in order that we shall defend ourselves and protect our dear ones in order that we thus struggle on with courage, with zeal, heroically, we may through it all revealed that depths and strength of our faith.
But the word of God condemns unconditionally all seeking of medical help, which excludes a seeking of the Lord, and all use of preventatives and cures, which disregards God, which fails to acknowledge him as the giver of both the remedy and the wisdom to apply it.
He who struggles against sickness and suffering without humbling himself a prayer and supplication before God brings upon himself the curse of God. Not only the curse of Eden, but a second curse comes upon the man who in foolish pride believes himself wise enough and strong enough and great enough to harness and subdue and control nature.
God's people have always protested against such godlessness, and they must continue to do so.
For the most meekly submissive Christian when he refuses medical aid because of true devotion to God, though he lacks understanding his narrow and his conceptions is nevertheless wiser and noble than the man who, deeming herself too learn it to believe in God, takes his medicine with the thought. I shall conquer this sickness!
No, we are not masters. We are creatures, wholly dependent, small, weak and helpless.
All that we do is sin, except to be done in faith .
In faith, I put a lightning rod on my house, and when it catches the lightning from God's storm cloud to lead it away harmlessly, I thank God that I am I am my dear ones have escaped the danger, but without faith I have no surety. I cannot trust the ferry to carry me safely across the river, for God can cause a disaster which plunges me and my dear ones into death.
It is the will of God that, trusting him, We protect our lives and the lives of our dear ones from all danger. He who fails to do what he can to rescue life is guilty of murder. He who neglects his own health and does not protect himself from their revenues which God provide us becomes guilty of suicide.
The points of difference must also be considered whether or not they concerned fundamental doctrine, where there is a difference of interpretation of a certain passage of scripture, and no fundamental doctrine is involved. This should be tolerance.
One may have his own opinion without denying another his for the Christian reader is free to accept that interpretation which he guided by the Holy Spirit dwelling within him deems to be the most nearly correct.
This is part of the liberty of the children of God, for we know only in part we prophecy in part because we see but dimly and through the variety of opinions, the meaning frequently becomes more clear and due time.
But if the interpretation is such that it is a contradiction of an article of faith, then it must be refuted for the truth of the gospel must be defended against all false doctrine.
Take, for example, Christ's statement in John 14 :28. My father is greater than I. Some interpret this as referring to his human nature. Others say Jesus spoke of his state of humiliation; Still others take it to mean that in becoming obedient to his Father as a mediator, Christ humbled himself.
Neither. of these three is in conflict with all confessions. But if the text should be interpreted to mean that Christ here disclaims divinity, then he denies his essential Oneness with the Father. Then we are faced with a doctrine that conflicts with the confession that Christ is true in eternal God. Such differences cannot be tolerated within the church.
Finally, in regard to the persons who are led away by false opinions and doctrines there are two kinds, those who are new or weak in the faith and those who are strong and who covertly or openly defend their ideas and strive to win other adherents.
The first must be dealt with gently and taught a fuller measure of truth that they may grow in faith. We must bear with those who are weak,
But toward those who believe and teach doctrine not in accordance with the word of God. We cannot be tolerant. We must defend the truth earnestly in order that it is possible that they may be one back or that they may at least be warned of their error. The full Council of God should be expounded to them simply and clearly tolerance and forbearance.
Then must indeed characterize us in our personal attitude and where minor differences are concerned and in our forbearance toward those who are new or weak in the faith.
But those who teach anything contrary to the word of God cannot remain in the Church of God.
Peace at any Price.
The Articles of Christian faith are like links of a chain. If one link is removed, the chain is broken. For instance, 1 cannot deny God's eternal election without taking away our assurance of salvation and undermining steadfastness of our hope. For then, man's salvation is left to his own hands. He must exercise his free will and chew. choose to be saved That in turn denies at least in part man's depravity. And if man is not totally depraved, Christ's atonement loses much of its value. In fact, we would finally arrive at the conclusion that we did not need Christ for salvation.
Moreover, there can be no real and lasting peace in the Church of God without full harmony of opinions and beliefs. If doctrines are so toned down and moderated that they were capable of more than one interpretation, those who differed in opinion would still argue, and each would do all he could to uphold and spread his own interpretation. For what a man consistently accepts us truth. He. desires others to believe also the false unity would not last.
You must indeed seek peace with all earnestness,
Bitterness, ill will, malice and love of dispute should never characterize a Christian and his defense of the truth.
Instead, there should be a sincere interest in the honor of God and in the well - being of our fellow men.
Paul says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. But when he says as much as life in you, he plainly implies that sometimes peace is impossible when peace is injurious to the truth. Peace must give way. Peace with God is of greater value than peace with men.
To desire peace at the expense of truth is hypocrisy and weakness -and highly displeasing to God.
Having then purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.
See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently walk worthy of the vocation where with you a call with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace .And the God of mercy and peace, the God of water and unity grant. that we may be of one mind and made together praise him in unity of faith now and eternally.
Satan knows that he can undermine the structure of the church by slyly removing just one fundamental doctrine at a time, and he frequently loosens a large foundation stone gradually, chiseling it away, bit by bit That is why tolerance for the sake of peace may be dangerous. There are those who plead for tolerance and order that others may be drawn to the fold, and thus the name of God may receive greater honor. ought we not, they say, join hands and thus unite, and now so sadly, divided christened them.
Can we not forget disputes?
Minimize all differences and thus increase our strength?
It ought indeed to be our purpose and desire.
But how shall we try to cure this by means of greater ill must we have peace at any price?
Shall we give in a little, tone down doctrines and forget differences?
Paul did not compromise with the Galatian adherence to the law by toning down his teaching a free grace. Quite the opposite. He reprimanded them for giving heed to false doctrine and sought to lead them back to the truth.
If the principles of our faith are man made, they should be discarded.
If they are from God, let no man tamper with them to tone them down, even though some points may seem to be but small, God has bidden us to be faithful in little things. And as forbidden that we subtract even one iota from his work. One step toward giving in,will lead to the next step and wil
How shall we justify ourselves if we permit even a little of the truth to be laid aside? Is that ours to do?
Moreover, there can be no real and lasting peace in the Church of God without full harmony of opinions and belief. If doctrines were so toned down and moderated that they were capable of more than one interpretation, those who differed in opinion would still argue, and each would do all he could to uphold and spread his own interpretation.
For what a man consistently accepts as truth. He desires others to believe also. The false unity would not last. We must indeed seek peace with all earnestness. Bitterness, ill will, malice and love of dispute should never characterize a Christian and his defense of the truth. Instead, this should be a sincere interest in the honor of God and in the well being of our fellow men.
Paul says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. But when he says as much as lieth in you, he plainly implies that sometimes peace is impossible. When peace is injurious to the truth, peace may have to give way. Peace with God is of great of value than peace with men to desire peace at the expense of truth is hypocrisy and weakness and highly displeasing to God. Having then purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeign love of the brethren. See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently walk worthy of the vocation wherewith your call with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and the god of mercy and peace, the god of order and unity, grant that we may be of one mind and may together praise him in unity of faith now and eternally.
The Imperfection of the Church
There is nothing among men that is, as it ought to be. Nothing has remained as God had made it. Everything is out of joint. Everywhere there is confusion, sin shook the very foundation of human life, and therefore the walls are cracked and bowed and skewed.
The Church of Christ does not stand apart, exempt for from all the disruption and wreckage of the sin cursed world.
Christ gathers his church within that world and its members are all sinners. Every one of them is imperfect. Yes, in principle, they are perfect through Jesus Christ. But by no means are they perfect in daily living and doing, even the holiest of Christians struggles till is dying day against the weakness and sinfulness of the heart.
Because the Church of Christ is a gathering of imperfect people. It is an imperfect church. The church is holy because Christ is its head. It has beauty because Christ adorns it. It has heavenly gifts and powers because it is mired in sin and the filth of sin clings to it.
Not only the lay members, but the leaders as well are sinful. All are men of like passions and the leaders because of their position must guard against the temptation to vain glory and spiritual pride. Why they serve through their office it does not exempt them from the grip of sin. They stumble even while they reach out a hand to help others.
They are shepherds, not because of their own virtues and qualifications. But because the Lord bids them, bring his word and guide the footsteps of his people.
If all the members of the church are imperfect, it follows that even the outward forms of the organization, the management, the activities and the usages cannot be but faulty.
How can the walls be strong when a stone is brittle and a cement is weak? Throughout all the centuries, God had to labor with his people. Was there ever a time in any age of history when the church was truly beautifully pure? Free from spot or blemish in the days of the apostles, things already began to go wrong. Their epistles are full of complaints and warnings against sins and false doctrines. We Christians of today ought to take this fact to heart.
Fully realizing that the imperfection of weakness of today's church is not at all unusual or unnatural.
Could we perhaps, by better cooperation with greater zeal, bring about a perfect and glorious church?
Whoever thinks so underates the extent of evil and human nature and deceives himself. Yet there are those who dream the dream and who. burn with eager desire to bring about its fulfillment.
They are deeply conscious of the great and holy calling of the church.
They are grieved by its failings, its shameful weakness, to cure the ills seems to them a hopeless task.
So the like minded band together and form a new church or a society where they may enjoy richer and pure spiritual fellowship of kindred hearts. And thus their dreams seem to come true. But it will not last.
They attained to their happy condition by separating the more pure from the less pure. But that is not a normal situation. Well, they seem to have excluded much evil from their small circle and to have escaped dangerous contamination. They soon find that evil came in with them. It is among them. The age old evil raises its horrid head, even among the most consecrated and separated. The dream of a perfect church on Earth is a vain dream.
Besides, such dream is in the church. There are also those who equally aware of the evils and equally grieved over them a wide awake and know from God's word or from history that a healthy church is a rarity and a pure church is an impossibility. They know that there is not one shred of prophecy which even hints at possible perfection of the Church of Christ. They realize that they have no right to expect such a church.
They would fight evil. Yes, but expect perfection, No. Sin is a Destroyer that creeps in everywhere. Therefore, we must expect an imperfect church. In fact that we church memories carry the sin of the world with us into the church.
Too often hiding it under a veil of spirituality. If the church was not the bride of his son, surely God would, in holy wrath, destroy not 1st all of the world, or rather first all of the wretched, sin ridden church we have. mentioned we have mentioned these two kinds of church members, those who dream of a perfect church and those who soberly face the fact of her inevitable imperfection. But let us not carry away the idea that there are two classes and always that these two classes are always clearly distinguishable. The dreamer has his moments of sober insight and the man who calmly accepts the fact of evil also dreams his dreams.
Where is the believer who does not have a specter of unbelief crouching within his heart?
Where is the man who, while he professes salvation by free grace, does not find himself secretly priding in good works.
Even the child of God, who believes in free will and despises the doctrine of particular grace, bowed humbly before his God and his in his inner chamber, confessing his utter health and unworthiness before his maker
But in this one man, this has the upper hand, and in another that .Our purpose is not to honor the one and upbraid the other. Rather, we would analyze and understand the holy things of God in order that we may come to the truth, that untruth may fall away, that thus, through the work of the Holy Spirit, God's name may receive the greater honor.
It is possible to have sinful ideals, ideals that reach out
The dream of a perfect church upon Earth is such an ideal. The imperfection of God's church upon Earth is a circumstance which you must accept and bear with patience if we fail to do that. it is because we fail to see the satanic depths of sin and fail to realize that the church is in its very essence, inseparable from the the sinfulness of man.
Fighting The Good Fight
Those who cherish the idea of a pure church on Earth frequently urge a special incentive. The imminent return of Christ, since he at the very is at the very door, they say, we must break away from this earthly life and go to meet him. We must indeed live in the consciousness that Jesus may come tomorrow, or may even appear upon the clouds tonight. The disciples themselves were ever aware of the nearness of his coming. For them, eternity did not lie at the end of time, but is now eternity is the very ground, the foundation upon which time rests. But we must not err it in striving to meet the Lord instead of patiently awaiting his coming. If the Lord is to come as a thief in the night, the church should go about its daily duties and quiet devotion until he suddenly appears. We are not to keep looking out the window or climbing to the house tops to gaze eagerly into the distance, while neglecting all work and giving our household duties, but scant attention. Indeed, we must watch.
We must so live that we are ready to welcome him at any moment, like a Christian family that having commended children to God's care for the night quietly goes to bed and goes to sleep and awakens in the morning to resume the daily task.
So the Church of Christ upon Earth must go quietly, prayerfully, with its common daily tasks until he comes in his own time to break off this round of daily duties. A deep and living faith in God's covenant and is the foundation of our quiet watch patient Waiting and working .
For included in God's covenant are also all the chosen who are yet to be brought into default, though they may be drunkards or thieves or self righteous rejectors of the truth.
They are destined to be saved, and it is through the ministration of the church that they must be brought to the light and taught in the truth .
This one confession that God is God ,and that He will bring his in His own makes us patient to bear with the imperfections of weaknesses of the church.
Since he has seen fit to place the cross upon us or place that cross upon us and also keeps us humble before him as we must confess our own guilt, the sin of the church is also my sin. Ah yay, even especially I am at fault.
Not one of us will then Blame the world or the indifference of fellow Christians for the evils of the church, saying I am a zealous laborer in the Lords Vineyard. I am not guilty of this coldness and indifference. I shall lead the way to perfection. That holier than thou attitude is sinful and abhorrent but keenly aware of his own sins and knowing full well that he has fanned the flames of sin, perhaps more than others. The true Christian fights against sin and more earnestly and zealously than before.
First, we must constantly without rest Every child of God is a soldier of Jesus Christ, called, as were the Levites of old, to war, the warfare of the Lord, and every office bearer must know that as he takes office, he enters into that warfare.
It is a warfare for God, against Satan. It is a participation in the war which God himself wages against Satan, and which God's holy Angels wage against Satan's Angelic hosts. The War of the world against the King of Glory, the War of the Spirit against the flesh. War within us and without war, which emanates from God and is directed against the might of Satan, the world. death, sin, deceit and the lust of the flesh there. it is a war of everyone who is anointed with the Holy Spirit.
We must fight with Christ ,for Christ, and under the leadership of Christ.
It is a war of which Paul testifies. I have fought the good fight. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me. A crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me in that day.
It is evident then that there can be no true zeal for the church without spiritual warfare against sin.
Zeal for the church, however pious it may appear to be, is an abominable hypocrisy if it goes hand in hand with neglect of spiritual warfare.
Against such enemies of God ,as lying uncleanness, self righteousness and cold heartedness, some. there who are pro pretend to be faithful watchmen upon Zion's walls, but harbor such sins in their own hearts or overlook them in their children, of fellow church members.
They are unfaithful for they allow the enemy free play within. They cry out against the danger of the wolf howling outside of the walls, while a pack of wolves is busily devouring the sheep within ,
That is not real devotion to the cause of Christ, nor does it reveal true faith.
The battle for the Lord must begin within ourselves. Only then it can kindle outward and sincerely wage with equal fervor against enemies all around.
Our impassioned battle cry must ever be friend or enemy.
All that is from the evil one is your enemy everywhere and in all forms in your flesh, in your thoughts, in your very virtues, in a disrupted social conditions in the schools lower as well as higher in your homes and your church of the Lord of your Lord .
Are you zealous for the church with great enthusiasm while neglecting the evils which creep into your home, your friendships, your social life? And worst of all, neglecting to fight your own personal spiritual battles? Then you are living a lie.
To war the warfare of the Lord and to keep the watch of the House of the Lord is to battle in every sphere, in every manner and all relationships, every moment, always in every way standing against Satan, always and everywhere and in everything on the side of God.
Many will be ashamed upon reading this, even as our own soul bows and shame at the writing for whom of us will dare say that with his own hands are clean and ready for battle.
But let us not dishearten, for we must feel ashamed. God's word brings upon us again and again a conviction of sin that burns as a fire into a very inmost being. Only let us take care that our principles remain founded upon the true foundation.
If we fight for the Church of God and neglect the evil within our own heart, however men may attempt to justify such an action we incur the judgment of God.
When we acknowledge that our own guilt acknowledge the justice of an accusation against our false seal, then pardon is assured us. And the Lord of our God will lead us on.
Each must ask himself, does my zeal for the church flow from my inner battle against sin and Satan?
He who truly takes up the fight against sin and Satan in his own heart and in his personal life must necessarily fight sin and Satan in the church also.
He who looks on unconcernedly on. untruth and sin grow rampant within the Church of the Lord is also weak, half -hearted and sickly in his own spiritual struggle.
The good fight must be fought in every sphere in the church and without wherever. the shadow of Satan falls, the soldier of the Lord is called to prompt action.
Obedience
The motives of all you do and strive to do may never be found in your desires but always an unconditionally in the Lord .
As long as your complaints about the church, and your efforts to improve the church are motivated by self ,because the imperfections annoy you or displease you, because the church falls short of your ideals, then you are on the wrong path.
Then, if your efforts fail, you will grumble because your needs are not filled and your rights are not honored. And eventually you will perhaps withdraw yourself as from something unworthy of your laborers.
But once you realize that not my honor, but the honor of God is the true motive for the battle against evil, then the beauty of simple obedience will become clear to you.
Then you will no longer say the church must change because I cannot endure this lack of concentration
But you will say I may not be idle, for I am in the service of my God, who commands me to battle incessantly and undauntedly against the desecration of his church.
Then too, it is no longer matters if there are no immediate results upon your efforts and protests against evil. That makes no difference at all.
For you realize that you have no right or claim to a model church.
You acknowledge yourself a humble sinner whose imperfections add to the corruption of the church.
Whether you live to see the church sink deeper into. the mire. Or if you see it lifted to higher planes makes no difference.
You are in duty bound to defend her against her enemies. All the days of your life with all of God's children. You obey. God bids you labor and his vineyard, and you do so with all the strength he gives you. He bids you not to sit with the scoffers and the ungolly and you separate yourselves from them.
He bid you resist the onslaught of evil upon his house and you resist them. When you have learned thus to obey the battle for the Lord goes without pause.
Yet calmly and steadily, it is a labor that looks not upon the results.
You are no longer striving for what you want ,or deem necessary.
You are not impatient, not worried with the complaining or unmanned by disappointment .
You simply obey.
You are not less zealous, but more: not less constant, but more persevering. And God, who is merciful, will crown your efforts in home and heart and church with his blessing. by nature, we crave freedom.
We say I shall be master of my fate, and I shall do as I please.
We chafe under rules and laws Hence we also protest that the church must not interfere with individual self expression. And by nature we are also inclined to slothfulness.
It is so much more pleasant to sit idle than to exert ourselves. We love our ease.
Imagine the activity, the upheavals, the changes, the disruptions that would ensue if all Christians obediently put into actual practice the will of Christ.
We admire the men of old who gave all and dad to risk their very lives But our admiration seldom produces willingness to part with our own earthly possessions.
The craving for freedom, plus the distaste for exertion and danger, Make it easy for us to accept the teaching. Sit still and see what the Lord will do.
But we should be up and doing And the word says whatsoever your hand finds to do,Do it with all your might. And all.who would live golly shall suffer persecution.
May he, before whom we humbly confess our own guilt and for whose name and honor we have striven also in the writing of these essays. Use our words to open the eyes of many to their calling as members of the Church of Jesus Christ.