Earlier text: ENDING OF HUMAN DREAMSINSTRUCTION TO BELIEVERS.
By Ellen G. White
The first chapter of Colossians is a decided address to every believer. The Holy Spirit indited this instruction for the help of those who should afterward compose the church, as well as for those to whom Paul addressed his letter. The apostle writes:— “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth; as ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow-servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.” “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.” This scripture speaks of the vital union which should exist between Christ and His disciples. Constantly we are to strive to obtain this union. The religion which consists merely of profession is but a pretense. Those whose union with Christ ends with the writing of their names on the church roll are not channels of light. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be ‘partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who hath delivered ‘us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the king-‘dom of His dear Son.” The great object for which Christ came to our world was to demonstrate the falsity of Satan’s claim to the sovereignty of the world, and to reassert the original and supreme ownership of God. As the Restorer and Lifegiver, Christ placed Himself in the enemy’s pathway, disputing his right to the souls and bodies of men and women. He planted His cross midway between heaven and earth, that He might wrestle with and overcome the powers of darkness. He gave His life for the life of sinners, and Satan, the prince of the world, was cast out. “We have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins; who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him, and for Him; and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. . . . It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight; if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven.” We have been taught by God concerning the great plan of redemption. This should be to us a matter of earnest thanksgiving. God’s promises will never fail if we constantly watch unto prayer. Having learned the excellent way, we are to be sanctified, body, soul, and spirit. We are to be purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word. It is the privilege of every one to be grounded and settled in the faith. No one who exercises that faith which works by love and purifies the soul will be moved away from the hope of the Gospel. Cherishing goodness in the heart is a work which many have strangely neglected. Those whose hearts are sanctified and cleansed will follow no sharp practises. But evil passions fill the heart that is actuated by selfishness. Selfishness leads to oppression, and as acts of oppression are repeated, the mind is corrupted, and fails to make correct decisions. “In no case will Christ serve with unfair, unfaithful dealing. “You, ‘that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked ‘works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through ‘death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His ‘sight.” God calls for intelligent Christians, for men and women who are filled with the knowledge of His will. He calls for men and women who by their good works show that the truth has brought about a change in their lives. God’s servants should daily gain more knowledge of Him, and this knowledge should give spirituality to the understanding. The Lord is pleased when those connected with Him are filled with a knowledge of His will. Daily they should grow in grace and in spiritual understanding, strengthened with might according to His glorious power. They are to increase in spiritual efficiency, that they may give strength to those for whom they labor. God does not ask men and women to enter His service with their natural traits of character, to make a failure before the heavenly universe and before the world. He does not ask a man who is unconverted to attempt to serve Him. Christ invites all to come to Him; but when they come, they are to lay aside their sins. All their vices and follies, all their pride and worldliness, are to be laid at His cross. This He requires because He loves them, and desires to save them, not in their sins, but from their sins. The hard, cruel spirit which judges and condemns has left the trace of the enemy upon the work. But mercy is to come in and lay her broad impress upon every plan. The world is to see principles different from those which have hitherto been presented. God does not call upon any man to manufacture tests and crosses for His people. He presents His requirements before them, and gives them the invitation, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I ‘will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I ‘am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ‘For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Wear My yoke, and in your daily experience you will find the rest which comes only to the obedient. The truth is to be believed and practised, because it is the Word of the living God. The brightest beams of light from the threshold of heaven are thrown on the pathway in which God requires His people to walk. When sinners accept Christ as their personal Saviour, they realize the greatness of God’s gift to them, and praise and thanksgiving flow to the divine Giver. The recovery of souls from sin is to be a revenue of goodness to men and of glory to God. But how many offer praise and thanksgiving to God? How many, by thanking the Giver, show that they appreciate their blessings? How many give thanks to the Father, “which hath made us ‘meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light”? We have redemption through His blood. He has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His Son. The heavenly angels are constantly engaged in serving us, bringing to us the most wonderful opportunities and blessings. Why, then, should we be so slow to express our thanksgiving? Whoso offereth praise glorifieth God. A fragrant atmosphere surrounds the believing, thankful soul who offers grateful praise to his heavenly Father. Let all appreciate the blessings of the Lord. We reflect bright beams of light when in the home and in the church we express our appreciation of the Lord’s goodness. “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, but now is made manifest to His saints; to whom God would ‘make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among ‘the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; whom we ‘preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom; ‘that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; whereunto I ‘also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me ‘mightily.” Through His human instrumentalities God desires to demonstrate the power of His grace. By His saints He would make known among the Gentiles the riches of His plan of redemption. In all wisdom people are to be warned and taught. Those who are seeking to win souls to Christ must be guarded in every action, lest they make a wrong impression on those for whom they are working. The Lord will give success to those who in spiritual and temporal lines will deal faithfully with human minds. Let those who work for Christ put on Christ. Then there will be a continual advancement in knowledge and understanding, an advancement that will make an impression on the world. Those who are daily learning of Christ will become so meek and lowly that Christ can lead them. He will go before them as their righteousness. As they follow in His footsteps, fulfilling His requirements, many will take knowledge of them that they have been with Christ. Their lives are conformed to the truth, and as they reveal the Saviour’s character in their lives, they are doing the work that He did. As they behold Christ, they are changed from glory to glory, from character to character. Such believers will move the world. True Repentance
By Thornton
TRUE repentance consists in the heart being broken for sin and broken from sin.—Thornton. The Sufficiency of My Merit
The sufficiency of my merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient.—Augustine. “EXCEPT a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.”—Bible. The following is from a paper the owner of which styles it an “American Paper for American People,” the New York Evening Journal of July 29:— Sunday Is Useful, Not Merely Religious.
We learn from the Pittsburg Post that the Jewish merchants of Pittsburg have organized to secure modification of the Sunday law. They ask permission to continue mercantile pursuits on Sunday, alleging that they observe Saturday as their Sabbath, and should not be bound to observe a day of rest set apart by those of another religion. Their argument is logical, from a religious standpoint. The Constitution of the United States recognizes no religion whatever. It recognizes the existence of God, and forbids any law which shall establish, select, or prefer any particular religion. Therefore, believers in the Jewish religion are justified abstractly in protesting against a custom which compels them to observe the first instead of the last day of the week as a day of rest. But the question involved in the observance of Sunday is not merely a religious question. It is chiefly a useful question. Sunday is a necessity, physically as well as mentally. One day in the week all men and all animals should rest, and enjoy themselves. This is absolutely necessary to health, and to normal development. Some one day in the week must be chosen, and all men must abide by that day—not for religious reasons, but for practical reasons. Business would be in a state of utter confusion, and many would suffer, if the adherents of different religions were to select different days for their day of rest. On this matter of Sabbath observance, as in all others, the majority should rule. The majority in the United States at present believe Sunday the best day for resting, and the minority in this, as in all other matters of practical welfare, should abide by the decision of the majority. We believe that the Jewish people of Pittsburg are unwise, as they will certainly be unsuccessful, in their attempt to overrule the majority in a purely secular, utilitarian matter. What lofty assumption is here manifest! And what pitiful ignorance of the most fundamental rights of men! The argument is logical, we are told, from a religious standpoint, and it is also from a constitutional standpoint, because no religion is recognized by that instrument. Every man is therefore left free in his religious views and practises, so long as he does not contravene the equal rights of his fellows. “Justified abstractly in protesting”! “Justified ‘abstractly’ in living their religion! What is a religion good for, if not concrete?” Admitting that men and animals should have one day in the week, why Sunday? How does that particular day become “absolutely necessary”? Well, this paper finds but one reply,—“The majority should rule.” A religious right is conceded; a constitutional right is conceded; but the majority, simply because it suits their convenience, may trample on the dearest rights of man,—the rights of conscience. It was majority rule that put to death Jesus Christ. At first His persecutors “feared the people;” but finally the people became prejudiced through the false charge that Jesus was a Sabbath-breaker, because He did not keep the Sabbath in the traditional way, and the majority put Him to death. The majority stoned Stephen, and persecuted Paul, and crucified Peter, and burned men at the stake, and drove out from native lands Huguenots, and Puritans, and Roger Williams. It was forever to forestall all that in the future, that the fathers of this republic sought to guard, in the fundamental law, the equal rights of each and all. But tyranny, ignorant of true liberty, seeks to crush out all these rights by the subterfuge of expediency and practicability and health. It was Caiaphas who said, “It is expedient that ‘one man should die for the people;” and Jesus, the Innocent, died. It is “necessary to health and normal development” that men shall eat proper food, work proper hours, sleep sufficient time, wear proper clothing, abstain from all hurtful indulgences, and live free from worry. Therefore, according to the New York Journal, the “majority” should decide all these things, and whatever the tastes of the minority, those who compose it should acquiesce. “A purely secular, utilitarian matter”! It is nothing of the kind. The Sabbath is in its very nature religious, and only religious. Its observance is as truly commanded of God as “Thou shalt not kill.” God’s “law is spiritual.” Its observance meets man’s spiritual needs. Unbelief may not recognize this. It did not see it in Christ Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. But the Spirit, the life of God, is in all His institutions and laws; and loyal faith can never reduce them to low utilitarian, secular levels. We are not alarmed for the truly loyal. Even the grave can not hold him any more than it did Christ Jesus. We would that such men as the editor quoted above could see the fearful responsibility they are taking upon themselves in assuming to sit in judgment on what God has so clearly set forth and defined. Let them know that right, tho it go down to the grave, is ever in the ultimate majority, for it is with God. Yet God will not coerce the minority. The above from the New York Journal is one of the many straws which show that the American winds of liberty have changed, and that human rights are no longer sacred. JACOB AT BETHEL.
By W. N. G.
MANY times in the history of this sinful world it has appeared from a human standpoint that the cause of God in the earth would surely fail. But these very emergencies have been occasions when God would demonstrate to His discouraged children that “what He had promised, He was able also to perform.” Rom. 4:21. And this is why the Scriptures were written; “for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Ch. 15:4. So, however discouraging may be the outlook to us at times, however frail may be the human instruments upon whom the destiny of the cause seems to depend for the time, to whatever extent the seeming pillars may weaken, or even fall, we may always know that the structure is based on the promises of God, and therefore can not fail. The trying circumstances, the apparently insurmountable obstacles that confront the children of God, have always been His opportunities for showing the immutability of His Word, and the power of His everlasting Arm. And these emergencies have ever been characterized by manifestations of His love and care for those who put their trust in Him. In the days of Noah it seemed as if the effort to redeem the earth from sin and its consequences was about to fail. Notwithstanding the piety of the patriarchs, their offspring had married and mingled with the world until the “salt” had well-nigh “lost its savor.” Apostasy was rife, “and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Gen. 6:5. But this awful condition was the Lord’s opportunity to do a great work through one man whom He found to be righteous even in that wicked generation. A few centuries passed, and the world was again given up to idolatry. But just when it seemed that all was lost, God called one man to come out from his country, from the evil influences of his kindred and social surroundings. God knew Abraham, that he would prove faithful, and command his children after him; therefore He took him away where he might wield a greater influence for good. He gave to Abraham a great promise of extensive possessions and an innumerable seed. But there came a time when this “father of the faithful” must pass through a trial of faith that would prove an example to all succeeding generations. So when the only son, through whom the promises were to be continued, had attained an age of young manhood, Abraham was commanded to offer him as a burnt-offering. Here was a seeming end to all of Abraham’s hopes, to all prospect of the fulfillment of the promises. To all human logic the requirement was equivalent to a giving up of the divine purpose altogether. As far as human reason can fathom the situation, the Lord hung the whole plan of salvation on the thread of Abraham’s faith. Did He risk anything in so doing?—No; for He knew Abraham, and underneath his frail humanity had placed the power of the Holy Spirit. Now comes Jacob to Bethel. In Jacob the promises had been vested. Apparently all depended upon Jacob. What was Jacob? and how came he to that “certain place”? Naturally avaricious, cunning, crafty; the younger of twins, yet a usurper of the prerogative of the elder. Fleeing from the wrath of a brother whom he had defrauded, he was now an exile because of his extortionate and deceptive dealings with that irate brother. Had the cause of God come to this in the person of its representative? Surely the horoscope was ominous, and the adversary of souls must have chuckled at the prospect of Jacob’s complete overthrow. But isolation from home and friends, and two days of lonesome, wearisome travel, had given Jacob time for reflection upon his past life and unjust dealings. Tired and discouraged, tho penitent, he lay down upon the ground in that lonely place, with a stone for his pillow, and went to sleep. “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” Gen. 28:12. Think of it; that bed of despondency and that pillow of stone connected by a ladder with heaven! Not only that, but there is opened a line of direct communication by means of heavenly messengers. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Heb. 1:14. “And, behold, the Lord stood above it,” and gave the comforting assurance, “I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac.” Gen. 28:13. And just when all seemed to be lost, the great promises to Jacob’s fathers are repeated to him: “The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Verses 13, 14. But all this might seem yet a great way off to Jacob. A hundred and fifty years before, the same promise had been made to Abraham, and now all that was visible of it was a poor despondent tramp, fleeing for refuge to the land and to the people which Abraham had been directed to leave. However, the Lord does not leave him without present comfort and assurance. So he gives the weary traveler this further word: “Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” Verse 15. So just where the human agent would fail, there God is always ready to pick up the apparently waning cause, and demonstrate that His Word “endureth forever.” When Jacob awoke, He realized that the appearance of the Lord was more than a dream, and that he had surely enjoyed communion with heaven. He said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. . . . This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” Verses 16, 17. Jacob was greatly encouraged by this visitation. His physical energy was revived, and his faith was renewed; and he did what he could in the way of leaving a memorial of the occasion. He named the place Bethel (house of God), and took the stone he had used for a pillow and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. What was the meaning of this ladder that appeared to Jacob just when all seemed to be lost?—It was a type of Christ, through whom the lowliest sinner may be restored by faith to communion with God. It is the privilege of the humblest penitent to realize that “being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Rom. 5:1, 2. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Verse 6. The lesson of Jacob at Bethel should ever be an assurance to the people of God that, however few their number, however weak each one may feel in7 himself, however dark the clouds of unbelief in the world, however bitter the persecutions of the enemy, however weary the journey may seem, the place in which they meet their worst discouragements is the foot of the ladder, Christ Jesus, which connects them with heaven, and communication is kept open night and day by the continuous passage hither and thither of His ministering angels. There is absolutely no legitimate pretext for discouragement; for the work is the Lord’s, and He whose resources are boundless supplies the power and the wisdom. The visible workers are human, and of themselves can do nothing, but they have the assurance that “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phil. 2:13. W. N. G. A PERTINENT QUESTION.
By S.
The Literary Digest headed one of its articles recently with the pertinent question, “Does Christianity Need Restoration to the New Testament Model?” and quoted in its discussion of the subject, an article from the Christian Commonwealth, of London. That such a question could be asked, shows that much which now passes for Christianity finds no warrant in the Word. The wonder is that any one should ever presume to advocate that Christianity consists of principles which Christ did not institute; but the world is awake to the fact that much is now called Christianity which has only the authority of man behind it. Therefore the question arises, Is there need of a return to that which Christ Himself instituted? The question as quoted is somewhat misleading; for true Christianity does not need a restoration to the New Testament model. Where Christianity departs from the New Testament model, it ceases to be Christianity; but whatever professes to be Christian, and is unlike the model which Christ left, certainly needs a restoration to that model. There is no Christianity outside of Christ; there is nothing Christian that is unlike Christ; nothing Christian that Christ did not establish. Realizing this truth, the inconsistency of clinging to human forms and ceremonies as part of the saving Gospel of Christ is clearly apparent. Christ’s own testimony on this question should settle it at once and for all time. In showing the inconsistency of some of the forms and ceremonies of the Pharisees, Christ said, “Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” Matt. 15:13. Paul, as if in answer to this very question, declares: “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” I Cor. 3:11-13. Christ Himself, in the following language, shows the impossibility of human ceremonies accomplishing anything in His work: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:5, 6. Thus does Inspiration answer the question, declaring that God will uproot every institution which He has not established; that there is but one true foundation, and the fires of God’s great testing-day will consume all that is not builded thereon; that the one who does not abide in Christ bears no fruit for Him, and is cast forth as a branch to be burned. And he who is following and teaching others to follow human ceremonies and human institutions, is not perfectly abiding in Christ, is not building a perfect structure upon the true foundation, and his work, instead of abiding to eternity in the garden of God, will be uprooted and consumed with all things that displease and dishonor Him. The Christian Commonwealth, in commenting on this question, and advocating a return to the New Testament model, falls into the common error of attempting to support one of those “plants” which the Creator did not plant. It says:— The memory ordinance of the New Testament is the Lord’s supper. In the realm of God’s grace in which all Christians are to grow, divine wisdom has placed this ordinance at regular weekly intervals. In Acts 20:7 it is written, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them.” Beyond seven days no Christian need go without being reminded of the fact that Jesus “died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” And on the first day of every week—the resurrection day—every disciple who desires to honor his Lord will do so, if possible, by regarding the day and the ordinance. Note what is assumed in this short quotation: First, that the Lord’s supper is an ordinance that must be celebrated weekly; and secondly, that these weekly celebrations must occur upon the first day of the week; and thirdly, that the first day of the week is the day to be regarded by Christians if they would honor God. It is this kind of interpretation which is responsible for much of the variance now existing between professed Christians and the Word of God, making a return to first principles necessary. There is nothing in the text or in the context which proves that the meal there partaken of was the Lord’s supper; nothing in text or context to show that this meal was an ordinance to be repeated each succeeding first day of the week; nothing to show that they were keeping Sunday as a Sabbath in commemoration of the Lord’s resurrection; and yet all this the Commonwealth infers, assumes, and teaches from this text. The Lord’s supper was an ordinance which was to be celebrated “often.” “As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” I Cor. 11:26. “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.” Acts 2:46. Thus the evidence, instead of showing a weekly observance of that ordinance on the part of the early disciples, would rather indicate its daily celebration by them. It was an ordinance which they could celebrate as frequently as they desired—“as often as ye eat this ‘bread,’ etc.” So, even if the disciples were celebrating the ordinance of the Lord’s supper at the time mentioned in Acts 20:7, it can not in any way be said to teach its weekly celebration, nor that its celebration must fall on Sunday, nor that Sunday, the first day of the week, is the day men must observe in order to honor God. In fact, the Sunday-sabbath is one of those “plants” which “My heavenly Father hath not planted,” one of those plants which “shall be rooted up.” The work of God in the earth is a work of restoration to the divine pattern. Wherever the observance of God’s ordinances has been neglected, or wherever His institutions have been trodden under foot, there is the need for restoration; and whatever day men may set up in the place of God’s holy Sabbath here in the earth, those who enter “through the gates into the city” will keep there the only Sabbath ever recognized by Jehovah. See Isa. 58:12-14; 66:23. The Sabbath of the Lord is one of those plants which the Father planted, and which shall endure throughout all eternity. The majority of professed Christians are not keeping it. In this thing, then, there is need of a restoration, a turning again, to that institution which the Lord Himself has established. s. ARE THE POOR TO BLAME FOR THEIR POVERTY?
By T.
It is often stated that the poor are themselves to blame for their poverty. But can we say that this is always the case? Take, for instance, the child born in some of the attics or cellars of our city tenement-houses. This little one is brought into the world amid all the stifling surroundings of poverty. Poverty of the worst type is the heritage of generation upon generation. He knows of nothing but poverty, and with none to cause him to look higher, how can he ever rise above such a condition? There are also poor people who are made such through misfortune, or who have brought themselves into that condition because of their lack of ability to manage. All these classes need help. Indeed, every person who is suffering because of poverty, except those who are lazy, need to be helped. And this poverty class are the very ones that the rich, better than any others, can help. If the wealthy man will learn the meekness and the gentleness of Christ, he can approach the poor in such a way as to help them in every way. The poor do not need to have money given to them. That would be more than likely to make them worse off than ever before. But they need to be put in shape to stand up like men and women, to make money for themselves. And if this help be given to them, they in turn may become channels of blessing to help others. Thus the beneficent stream may be made ever broader and deeper. For the wealthy successfully to do a work of this kind in helping the poor, they must give personal attention to it. They can not delegate such work to some society,—no, not even to a church. The societies and the church have a work to do, but they can not do the personal work in helping the poor; that must be done by the wealthy as individuals. And if wealthy men and women can be induced to take up this work, the joy that will come to them in it can not be described. It will be that inexpressible joy that results from making some one else more comfortable, and consequently more happy. The ability and energy that have enabled the wealthy man to amass his fortune are the very elements that are needed to be used in helping and developing the dormant talents of the poor. The rich man may give some of his money to help the poor, and then content himself with the thought that he has done his duty. But his money is not needed any more in that work than his talents. The Lord is not calling for the rich man's money. He wants the man with his money. He wants these men of talent in money-making and money-saving to come with Him into His vineyard to relieve distressing want, and to educate men and women away from poverty. FAITH AND OBEDIENCE.
By W. N. G.
ONE of our exchanges has the following:— The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ. Now that faith is come, we are no longer under the tutor. It is too late to dig up any old institution from the wilderness of Sinai for any practical purpose in this Christian age.—Exchange. The law was whose tutor?—Our tutor, to bring us to Christ; the tutor of every one who ever came to Christ. No one ever came to Christ by any other tutor. No one ever could be persuaded to come to Christ without knowing that he is a sinner; and “by ‘the law is the knowledge of sin.’” If any one imagines that he has come to Christ in another way, he is deceived, and has not come to Christ at all. When did faith come? In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews we read of the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and of the prophets. All these men, representatives of all ages of the race, were as verily brought to Christ as are those of to-day. They were no more under the tutor (the law) after they exercised faith in Christ than are those of our own time. It was just as true before the advent of Christ as afterward, that there was no condemnation to them which were in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. No one ever was under the condemnation of the law as long as he walked after the Spirit. The faith of Jesus Christ is always harmony with the law. It is the carnal mind that is “not subject to the law of ‘God, neither indeed can be.’” Rom. 8:7. “Do ‘we then make void the law through faith? God ‘forbid; yea, we establish the law.’” Ch. 3:31. The law of God is not an “institution from the ‘wilderness of Sinai.’” The Word tells us that “where no law is, there is no transgression” (Ch. 4:15); that “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4); that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23); and that “death reigned from Adam ‘to Moses’” (Ch. 5:14). To “fear God, and keep ‘His commandments’ always was and always will be ‘the whole duty of man.’” Eccl. 12:13. “All ‘Thy commandments are righteousness.’” Ps. 119:172. This was the righteousness of Christ, by which He abode in the Father’s love. John 15:10. This was the righteousness which He came to manifest unto the world. Ps. 40:7, 8. And only the righteousness of Christ will stand the test of the judgment, a righteousness which sinful man can attain only through faith in Jesus Christ. But too many professors of faith are prone to put faith in contrast with obedience. But true faith is obedience; it is the obedience that proves the power of the faith. “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, ‘offered up Isaac.’” Heb. 11:17. He could not have obeyed God, had it not been for his faith. So it is only by the power of the Spirit of Christ, through faith, that men are enabled to keep the commandments of God. W. N. G.