WE understand that “Edification” is intended to be for the help and encouragement of those who have been not many years on the Christian pathway.
We feel sure that all into whose hands this New Magazine may be placed will wish it a hearty God-speed, and will seek to further its usefulness by passing it on to their fellow-believers.
We believe that one of the first questions that rises in the mind of a young Christian is: — “What shall I read? How may I learn more of those precious things of which, as yet, I know practically nothing?”
We remember hearing a servant of the Lord, happily still with us, giving an address many years ago, when we were young. He told his hearers that just after he decided for Christ he asked an older Christian: “What shall I read?” “Read the first eight chapters of the epistle to the Romans,” was the answer. He did so, and duly informed his friend of the fact, asking, “What next?” “Read them again,” came the reply. Once more he perused these chapters, hurried off to his adviser, reported progress, and repeated his request for further guidance. “Read these eight chapters eight times over,” counselled his friend. The preacher said he did so; and though now he is spending the evening of his days in retirement, he would tell us, if we were to ask him, that he has thanked God over and over again for that splendid start, and that to him Romans 1-8 are still unspeakably precious.
We should like to pass on this advice to our dear young Christian friends, and if our older readers would like to join our reading circle, we feel sure they will be more in love with this precious portion than ever before.
The subject of the Epistle, as the first verse indicates, is
THE GOSPEL.
As we read and re-read these chapters in the presence of God, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, we shall exclaim: “Why, it is simply glorious!” As we seek to scale its heights, sound its depths, and compass its breadth and length, we shall all be fully agreed that we may well speak of it as —
GOD’S GLORIOUS GOSPEL.
We propose to deal only with the first eighteen verses which are introductory to the Epistle, and which tells us what the gospel is.
(1). We have brought before us
THE SOURCE OF THE GOSPEL.
It is “The gospel of God” (1:1). Only in the heart of God could it have been conceived, and only by His mind of infinite wisdom could it have been planned. Think of it! It is so simple that a child can understand it, believe it, and be saved; it is so profound that the oldest, most mature saint is lost in the wondering contemplation of it.
Nor is that surprising. We consider what it is as the unfolding of the heart of God. We think of what it does. It takes men and women from the very gutter of sin (chapters 1, 2, 3), and not only fits them for heaven, but proposes to set them down conformed to the image of God’s Son (chapter 8).
(2). We learn who is
THE SUBJECT OF THE GOSPEL.
Perhaps we thought it was ourselves, but we would make a very poor subject. It is for sinners, but it is not about sinners. Nay! It is “Concerning His Son” (verse 3). See how He is presented. “Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Having accomplished redemption, He has been raised from among the dead and God has made Him “both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:3636Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)). “Made of the seed of David according to the flesh.” In Him, risen from the dead, every promise of God is established. “Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection front the dead” (verse 4). He demonstrated this in the days of His flesh when He called Lazarus out from the grave. It has been proved beyond all question by His own triumphant resurrection. If the Source of the gospel is divine, a divine Person forms its wonderful Subject.
(3). We would notice
THE SERVICE OF THE GOSPEL.
“For God is my Witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son” (verse 9). The beginning and end of Paul’s Christian life was the gospel. The preaching of it, by life and lip, was his one concern. We want to say just here that the service of the gospel is incumbent upon every true believer from the youngest to the oldest, and if there be those who are not engaging in it, they have missed God’s purpose for them in leaving them in this world.
It may not be public service either in the foreign field or in the homeland. It may be in the isolation of some little out-of-the-world hamlet, it may be in the drudgery of the kitchen, the comfort of the drawing-room, the daily round of the tradesman, the professional work, etc., etc., etc., it may be a word spoken in season with much fear and trembling, above all else, it should be the life that is spelled in six letters: ―CHRIST, but we cannot, we must not, we dare not seek to escape the service of the gospel.
(4). We see next: ―
THE SCOPE OF THE GOSPEL.
“I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also” (verses 14, 15). The scope was, and is, unlimited. Everybody must hear it.
We may not be able to go to distant lands, nor even to leave our own town or village, but we can tell it to, and live it before, our next-door neighbor, whilst laboring fervently and constantly in prayer for those who have the privilege, and the honor, of proclaiming it to larger numbers. Let us remember, “God so loved the WORLD,” therefore the scope of the gospel is worldwide.
(5). We are not surprised to learn of
THE SUPREMACY OF THE GOSPEL.
Nor do we wonder that, as the magnificence of it filled and thrilled the soul of the inspired Apostle, he should write:— “I am not ashamed of the gospel” (verse 16). Have we not got to challenge our hearts sometimes as to whether we are ashamed of it? Is there not occasionally a blush on our cheek, a catch in our voice, an apologetic tone if we speak of it? Or is it with us that we are so captivated by it, whence it comes, the message it brings, and what it does, that we are positively proud of it?
(6). We may well be, as we consider
THE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL.
“For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth” (verse 16). The power of the gospel is commensurate with “the exceeding greatness of His power ... which He wrought in. Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:19-2019And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:19‑20)). There is nothing that the power of God cannot effect, therefore, there is nothing that the gospel of God cannot accomplish. Go on, ye gospel preachers, and if left here during this year of grace, 1927, preach the gospel, assured of its infinite, almighty power.
(7). And with this we must close, we discover
THE SECRET OF THE GOSPEL.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed” (verse 17). Does some reader say: “I do not like that word, I should have expected the text to say the love of God.” Read Romans 1-8 clear friend, read it again, read it eight times over, and when you have finished, we think you will say, “Now I understand why the secret of the Gospel is the righteousness of God, and with a better apprehension of His righteousness, I have a deeper appreciation of His love.” It would require a paper of its own to deal with this grand secret and then we could only skim the surface. Perhaps if we stop here, the editor will allow us to take up the matter at some future date, God willing, when we all have had time to read these eight chapters eight times over. Meanwhile, let us lay aside the paper, betake ourselves to the Book, read Romans one to eight at a sitting and may God bless it to each one of us.
W. BRAMWELL DICK.