IN these days of careless indifference to the claims of Christ, we do well to take heed to ourselves and remind one another of the precious and important lessons to be learned from the Old Testament as well as the New, for “these things... are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:1111Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (1 Corinthians 10:11)).
Divers Seeds
Life in this world, though short, is very real, and each day we sow seeds which produce eternal results.
All sow, whether believers or unbelievers; and the solemn word in Galatians 6:66Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. (Galatians 6:6), “Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap;” applies to both classes.
Have you, my dear fellow-believer, fully considered the matter? Do you challenge your heart each day in the presence of the Lord, and inquire earnestly what the results will be? You surely sow by your
Words and Deeds,
Let us then seek to walk daily in the light of His presence where everything is now fully manifest, and then we shall have praise of God. “There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known” (Luke 12:22For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. (Luke 12:2)).
All we come in contact with are influenced by us for good or for evil; and we are often watched when we are little aware of it.
What momentous issues are at stake! We may obey the apostle’s word to Timothy, “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee” (1 Tim. 4:1616Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Timothy 4:16)); or, like Naomi, we may turn aside from the path of faith because of the difficulties of the way, and spend ten years in Moab (the world), during which time we are not only robbed of everything sweet so that the Lord has to bring us home empty, but being out of communion with Him we may really hinder souls on the way and cause them to turn back (Ruth 1:14,1514And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. 15And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. (Ruth 1:14‑15)),
“The Seed is the Word of God”
Are you a Sunday-school teacher? Then see that you give the dear children the sincere milk of the Word. Are you a tract distributor? Then distribute only those tracts which contain simple gospel truths making God’s way of salvation plain, and those sound in doctrine to help and encourage believers. Thousands given away today contain love stories half true and half fiction, under the plea that the gospel must be toned down to make it palatable to the natural man. This, we believe, is obnoxious to God and to every sober-minded Christian. “Sound speech which cannot be condemned” is what the Scripture demands (Titus 2:88Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. (Titus 2:8)).
Are you a preacher? Then “preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:22Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2 Timothy 4:2)). Tell of the joys of heaven and the horrors of hell, the blessing of the redeemed and distress of the damned. Remember that your hearers possess precious and never-dying souls, and that eternal issues are at stake. Let the love of Christ kindle in your heart a holy love for sinners so that you may plead with them earnestly and persuade men to flee from the wrath to come. Many preach that the sinner is only half lost and the saint only half saved. This is a mixture of “divers seeds,” and can but produce a harvest of disappointment and cause the hearers to “lie down in sorrow.”
How solid then the foundation. The value of the Person gives efficacy to the work. Who can estimate His worth? Who can sound the fathomless depths of Calvary? Who can measure the infinite value of His person, or the blessing bestowed upon the feeblest believer who trusts Him? Our salvation stands with the work of Christ and the Word of God — the one is unchangeable and the other unalterable.
“Therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
A. T. P.