The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-10-11
Gods Riches and Curs.

Paul tells US that God is rich i1
mercy. He also tells US about thd
riches Of Gods grace and Of His good
ness and wisdom and knowledge.
We talk about the riches Of those
who own houses and lands and stockd
and bonds and money. And we say q
man is worth SO much, meaning thai
his possessions are worth that amount
The man himself does not enter intd
the computation at all. And we arS
very apt to value ourselves as well I'd
other people on the amount Of ou1
property, If we have any.
Over in New Jersey they used td
have saying that some people werd
property poor" meaning that :theJ
owned real estate which was making
them poorer every year. They had 4
pay taxes on it, and perhaps interest
on a mortgage as well, and the propl
erty could not be sold or rented. Many
man is property poor" who does moi
know it. His property yields him large
returns as far as money goes, but u
impoverishes him by absorbing his III :
and dwarfing his nature.
If it is true that Gods riches, th4
possessions on which He sets great
store, are His mercy, grace, goodness
wisdom and knowledge, is, it not self
evident proposition that these are th4
riches which are really worth covehng
God owns all the worlds. Heaven aDq
earth and all things, seen and unseenI
belong to Him. But We are not toIq
that these things make Him rich oi
even add to His riches. He possessed
irresistible power, but even that Is n01
spoken Of as part of His riches. GOD
riches are in Himself. in His. own .chaf
acter. And His goodness and selfisacl
rifcing kindness, His holiness and 10Y
atty to lofty ideals constitute the ric5ef
Of His character.
why? Because these are the quail
ties which make Him Joy to Hif1
self, the qualities which expand Hi1
being and enrich His life, filling
with sense of completeness and saua
faction.
Trne riches consist in being, not q
having. They are q treasure thar CAP
not be destroyed by moth or rust
stolen by thieves.
Such riches are not increased
yrasping and holding, but by g1Vm
an9 spending. OF them it may be san
win special emphasis, There is tina
giSeth and yet increaseth, and there
that withholdeth more than 1t mee1
and it tendeth to poverty"
But there is one element IN Loo
riches which is in sense OUTSIDE ~
Himself. We read of "the riches<!o
the glory Of His Inheritance in tn
saints" God will be greatly enricnel
and glorifed by the perfected maj
hood and womanhood Of the redeemed
hut. only because the perfection
their characters is really an expanslo
If His own being in them, the deVe
ming in them Of His own life. II.
the accomplishment of His loving p0
nose. into the working out of which y
has thrown His whole being ana
achieve which He has given His heart
blood.
AS the pious mother feels her oW
life to be enlarged and enriched Wne
she sees the spiritual growth and "a
good works Of her grown up son,
God will find, an expansion, enlargl
ment. enrichment Of His own life
the glorious beauty Of those WI
through beholding and rejecting ~
glory have been changed little by htt
into His image; until at last ne
able to see His nature perfectly
produced in them.
And we, too,' may have a share
the same riches; nay, we must nave
share, for only so can we be like o'
Master. The image Of. God in US
not a negative but positive thing;
Is not sinlessness, but holiness. it
sanctifcation, which means, consecf
tion-the devotion Of oneself to the Sc
vice of God and man. :,
"As Thou didst send Me into
world even so sent I them into T
world" Jesus said. "And for ting
sakes I sanctify (consecrate) Myse
that they themselves also may be san
tiled in truth."-Sabbath Reading. =