Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-11-09

taken n close scrutiny Of the motives lying
behind their words or their deeds-yea, the mo-
tive or intention lying hidden in their own
minds. The reason for this lsxity, the reason
for tteir failure TO follow up with the search
light and to bring every thought into cap
tivity to TIE will Of God in Christ Is that they
have not yet attained to a surriciency OF love
for righteousness and sufficiency OF hatred
for l:Quity. The reason for conditions OF things
may he that they are babes II christ VINO
have In the past fed merely upon the mix OIL
the. Word and not upon the strong meat and are,
therefore, weak In the faith and weak every
way along the lines Of Christian character DC
velopment. What they need is more love for the
Lord and a greater appreciation of HIS WORD,
which will lead to more earnest study OF the
same. 80 -. >,
psalm 1I9:l30) As the Word or the Lord
dwells richly and abounds, ii edueates us re-
specting Gods wiz and It's standards and; II
purposes we will endure His tests and ultl-
mately stand approved as our Lords Joint-heirs
KEEP FROM PREsUMPTUOUs SINS.
One OF the great character tests imposed upon
the church is humility. 1t is not sufficient that
we love right and hate wrong and search Tor
perfection we might be presumptuous and, II So
be unfit for the proposed exaltauon. Satan,
when n holy angel called Lucifer, the morning
star, was perfect; but the sin of presumption
crept into Dis heart and tlighted everything.
So satan strove to tempt our Lord, who was
perfect, to commit presumptuous sin, through
which he would have made shipwreck OF MS
career He wished him TO presume upon GODS
goodness and abundant care, net by starting a
rival empire, as satan himself had attempted TO
do. but to presume, nevertheless, upon Divine
goodness to the extent Of jeopnrdizlng his life
by Tearing from the pinnacle Of the temple ana
trusting that God would suspend the laws OF na-
ture and work miracle for his protection when
ne such miracle was necessary, because no euch
hazard had been d>manded.
Applying this matter of presumptuous sin to
the church of our day, find some who appear
10 be the Lords people presuming upon His
goodness and mercy and love by jumping from
financial and other pinnacles and trusting for
miraculous protection from disaster. This to
our understanding, is a presumptuOus sin. Some
times we see presumptuOus conduct amongst
elders and others in the Body of Christ, much
after the manner Of Moses transgression, when
presumptuOusly he smOte the rock, while God
had merely hidden him to speak to the rock.
For pastors and elders Of the church to assume
and to exercise an mscriptural lordship over the
church would appear to to be presumptu'
Gus sin-a presuming to take place and author
ity not bestowed by the Lord. On the contrary,
sometimes a congregation of the Lords people
may be presumptuous in neglecting the scriptural
direction TO take heed to those who have the
rule over them and watch for their SOULS as
those who must give account. In how many
ways might we be presumptuOus and ignore the
Lord. His supervision over the church, and His
message to us in His World
Our text declares, Then shall l be innocent
of the great transgression' innocent of any.
thing which would prove me unworthy Of eternal
life and worthy of everlasting death-'the sec
ond death"