The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-05-08


dren of Israel, who, having been delivered
from Egypt, for their lack OF faith were de-
stroyed IN the wilderness. lie reminds
them OF Sodom and Gomorrha; OF Cain.
of Ba,aam and of Core. in order that they
may be persuaded of the high va.ne which
God se;s upon adherence and obedience 10
the faith which He has gwen 10 men: Tor
the point OF the whole epist,e lies in the
contrast between those who thus neglected
their privilege and duties as children of
God-who, knowing the right. vet pursued
evll-who processing love TO God practi-
cally ignored Him IN their lives. and those
who not only IN outward profession, hut
IN inward service, sought 10 live as be-
came the children OF faith; Building up
themselves on their most holy faith. pray
ING IN the Holy Ghost. and thus keeping
themselves IN the love of God. looking for
the mercy Of our Lord Jesus Christ unto
eternal life OF the number Of these he
prays. may be those 10 whom he writes
hoping that they will see the present mis-
ery and the sure future punishment asso.
ciated with the course of wekedness and
neglect of faith. and on the other hand,
blessedness now and hereafter of those
who are not only in name. but In deed and
in truth, the children of God. and IN order
that those who read. and that all OF every
time who hear this eplstle may know how
10 avoid the dangers against which he
ice for God and for the right he gives
them these two verses explaining the prln.
ciples and the method OF progress OF the
servant of God, giving 10 them what has
been called The Law of Christian Safe
tv." that they should keep themselves in
the love of God, and explaining how that
may be done.
To this end he insists. first. upon the ne.
cessity Of establishing a true spiritual life
"a Hot
self on your most holy faith As in the
beginning of the epist.e so here, the faith.
the teaching the revelation of God ~ given
as the foundation upon which alone true
religious life is 10 be built There is no es.
tablishng OF spiritual growth upon mere
ly ethical foundation; there is no erecting
a fabric of true religious character upoa
the teachings of men. and as for the church
itself Jesus Christ must needs be the true
corner stone, so of all religious ideas, the
revelation OF God must furnish the base
A the foundation of a building Is essential
not only TO the solldity OF that which is
erected upon IL, but also furnishes the lines
and dimensions according 10 which 1t is to
be built. so unless there is at the basis or
foundation OF all religious life some revela-
tion or some truth broad enough for an
ideal and strong enough TO sustain the
whole building, there can be no security
and no assurance that the character will
stand. He who seeks 10 direct his course
in life according To the teachings of mems
wisdom. or the dictates of human con.
science uninstructed by God. is sure TO find
his character like unto a ship; tossed about
by the waves and driven by contrary gales,
for human judgment and human ideas of
right and wrong are as valuable as are the
winds of heaven There must he an ultl-
mate and universal standard OF right ac-
cording TO which we may direct our moral
lives, or we can never be sure that we are
not going wrong Such an ultimate and
satisfactory standard must be given by
one whose knowledge Is infinite as COM
pared with that of man, and such stand.
ard has been given IN the revelation OF
God II is therefore not unreasonable nor
unnecessary that the Bible should insist
upon this revelation as being the founda-
ton upon which we are TO build our char
acters Nor can we fail TO notice the use
of the word building here, as applying
to our relation 10 the revelation Of God.
Day by day and year by year the Christian
is erecting a structure either of righteous
ness or of unrighteousness. According to
the general desire and tenor OF the life is
the general character of the building On
the whole, every man Is moving onward
either toward holiness or toward wicked.
ness, either advancing or retrograding IN
his moral nature. As long as we live in
this world we shall continue IN state OF
change We never shall lay down our ar
NOR nor have our work finished until we
cease TO draw the breath of life. IL is nat
ural 10 believe that some, after many years
of careful labor in the erection OF true
Christian characters, have suddenly turned
and in a short time DESTROYED the result
of years Of effort; there is danger TO every
one lest by failing TO continually build up
his character in righteousness. IN the true
faith he should be taking away from .hat
which he has already builded. There is no
period Of rest. there is no goal attained,
there il no definite eternal reward until
we reach that other world. building ia
the word used. OF our daily Christian lives.
Let us see TO IL that every stone placed IN
the building of our characters rs one
formed upon the model of the life and
deeds Of Jesus Christ, and Is strength to
the whole edifice.
The second duty insisted upon by Jude,
II the Christian would keep himself guard
ed from the dangers which beset him, is
expressed by the words praying in the
Holy Ghost" Now we are well aware that
there is no prayer except IN the Holy
Spirit: that u 20 say. no PRAYER except
such as is in harmony with the Spirit OF
God, and so sincere that that SPIRIT viii
Join TO u his utterance and intcrcesslons,
with groanings which can not he uttered,
and he must needs be persuaded that the
Holy Spirit which descended at Pentecost
is still active in the church. II needs no
enormous faith. no long experience TO pray
in the Holy Ghost, bat IL requires SINGER
ity. a meaning and a feeling IN the prayer,
and a determination that the expression
Of the desire made in the prayer shall be
followed bv fitting action.
The third and fourth conditions requisite
20 growth in spiritual life referred 20 IN
the text, while not less important than
those already discussed, need only 10 be
mentioned, for their necessity " clearly
apparent: Keep yourselves IN the love OF
God, looking for the mercy OF our Lord
Jesus Christ unto eternal life living IN
such a way that Gods love 10 us shall both
grow and be continually more apparent,
and a stronger factor IN our spiritual life
Is something emnentiv necessary, II we
would live az His children. Were u not
for the supreme and infinite love OF God
we should have no hope either for this
word or for the world 20 come, and the
more deeply we appreciate that love. aud
the more strongly we cling 20 II, the more
confident may we be of our own future,
and the more will we be led 90 give unto
Him in return that love which He seeks
from ~ And not less certain - u that
only through the expectation oi the mercy
OF our Lord Jesus Christ can we have hope
unto eternal life. as u ~ the only hope
which can sustain us IN the time Of our
weakness. of our sin. Of our despair. Ac-
cording as our confidence IN the truth Of
the Gospel grows. and our assurance Of the
love which Christ has for each OF US shall
be our ability 20 stand IN the evil DAYS Of
this life and to Dersevere IN our pursuit