Question: Please tell me how I can have peace.
Answer: What you want, dear friend, is to look off, entirely from yourself your feelings, your exercises, your repentance, yea, and your faith in a word, from all that has to do with yourself, and rest in a divine work a work finished on the cross and accepted on the throne. God is satisfied with Christ. Are you? Do you want something more than Christ? Do you want to throw into the scale something of your own to make Christ of full weight? This is the question. The true secret of rest and peace is to be satisfied with Christ. As long as you are occupied with yourself, you will be unhappy.
“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.” (Col. 1:2020And, 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. (Colossians 1:20)).
Question: Should Christian parents cut their girls’ hair? Answer “Yes” or “No”, and give Scripture.
Answer: Your question cannot be answered by “Yes” or “No,” as there are qualifying circumstances. You no doubt have in mind the verses in 1 Corinthians 11:6-156For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. 7For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. 8For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. 11Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. 13Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. (1 Corinthians 11:6‑15), For a woman subject to the Word, these verses ought to be sufficient to deter her from cutting her hair. But as to children, the parent would be in individual exercise before the Lord as to how far the principal in the above Scriptures would apply. Some might feel clear before the Lord to keep their girls’ hair cut shorter until such time as they approach young womanhood. Others with like exercise might not feel clear to do so.
“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”
“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Rom. 14:5-195One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 14I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 16Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (Romans 14:5‑19)).
Question: How may I know whether I am following the leading of the Holy Spirit, or simply following my own inclinations?
Answer: It is greatly to be feared that very many mistake their own inclinations for the moving of the Spirit of God a terrible mistake! It needs much brokenness, self-emptiness, and singleness of eye to discern and follow the precious leadings of the Holy Spirit. As a general rule, we should say that where the glory of Christ is the exclusive object of any act to which we feel led, we may conclude that it is the Spirit that moves us. The Lord is so gracious that we can fully count upon Him to guide, and keep, and use us, where the heart is simple.
Answer: The expression in Hebrews 9:2828So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28) does not at all apply to the world; but only to believers. It is never said in Scripture that Christ bore the sins of the world “He put away sin.” “The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)). “He is the propitiation for the whole world.” (1 John 2:22And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)). But the moment you speak of sins, it becomes a question of persons, and then we have to do with the counsels of God, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the soul, producing repentance and faith. If Christ bore the sins of the whole world, then the whole world must be saved apart from all question of repentance and faith. In a word, this would involve the heresy of universal redemption.
We must carefully distinguish between universal purchase and universal redemption. The former is a most weighty truth; the latter is a fatal heresy. Christ has bought the whole world, and every man, woman, and child therein. Hence the Apostle Peter speaks of false teachers, “bringing damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them.” He does not say, “that redeemed them.” But this is a wide and a weighty subject, and cannot be gone into here. Chapter 16 of “Notes on Leviticus” by C. H. M. may help you.