Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-02-05


New Testament records Is here
strongly emphasized. Their existence,
their malignity, their evil powers,
their relation to the devil, and yet
their subsection to our Lord, is all
clearly set before us. The devil had
SO taken possession of this man that
he could not speak, yet word from
Jesus, and the dumb spake. That he
should have such power caused the
people to wonder" ". la. His mir
acles were for one principal reason
John $500 Matthew tells us 12:23)
that in this case they asked the ques-
ton: rs this the Son of David" e. G.,
the promised Messiah? The record
does not, however, indicate that they
believed on him-were converted.
They knew what had been prophesied
about the Coming One lisa. 29:1S,
1928, AZ, yet they hesitated to come
out on his side. Into the midst OF
their controversy (y. is, Matt. 1924;
Mark 1920 the Scribes and Pharisees
projected themselves. They had
come down from Jerusalem seeking,
that they might accuse him John
1895, 36) 1t is ever thus that the
devil seeks to divert
Convincing Logic.
II. The Defense (vv. 1920 But
he, knowing their thoughts Evident
ly they dared not openly to make their
accusations. They would not accept
the natural and true explanation.
Jesus endured this contradiction and
these charges for us (Isa 1873, ~,
and must not his disciples expect
like treatment? Matt 1925. With
convincing logic Jesus reveals their
motive ". 16) and demonstrates the
untenable position and conclusion
which resulted from their own charge.
Satan is not fighting himself. A king
never sends an army against his own
soldiers, but against those of his en-
envy. Therefore, out of their own ac-
knowledgement that the devils were
cast out, he proves that the kingdom
Of God has come upon them. Such an
accusation (v. 15) was to Jesus an ev-
idence Of the depravity of their hearts.
3
he demanded from them ". 19) Evi-
IDENTIFY they, too, had had power over
demons, and it is easy to see the d.
lemma into which he led them. This
is not the only time that Jesus con-
victed men out of their own testi-
mony Matt 21:25).
Ill The Application (vv. 21-26).
With true teachers skill Jesus
drives home the truth brought out in
the preceding paragraph. Satan is
strong man, but he, Jesus, is strong
err. He has power to overcome and to
take from the strong man his armor
(defense), and his spoil, and to bind
him fast (v. 90; Mark 1927; Rev.
20:2). Those bound by chains of sin
are the spoil of Satan, and Jesus is
the only one powerful enough to-
break the power OF Cancelled sin
And set the prisoner free
Cleanse the palace"
With Christ there must be entire
possession; there can be no neutrality
(v. 23). We cannot belong to Christ
and be slave to Satan, to mammon,
to self, or even to others whom we
may love. The persistence of evil is
here indicated. Unclean spirits are
ever seeking a habitation. Therefore
it is not enough for a man to be
cleansed, his dwelling must be occu-
pied, and If the Holy Spirit does not
take possession, the evil one will. The
parable that follows (vv. 24-2R)
teaches this truth negatively In one
case Satan is dislodged by Christ, he
finds the palace" ". 22) imam to
be pre-occupied. In this case the pal
ace is empty Matt. 12:44). The abb
sence of a positive attachment, too, or
possession by, Jesus Christ, involves
hostility to him. This picture is that
of the reformed man, not of the re-
generated man. This latter has his
place pre-occupied, and the returning
spirit can find no place of abode. I'm
less, however, such be the case, the
latter end of that man is far worse
than his first state; witness the gold |
cured Incorporate men who return to
their cups e Pet 2:22); they return
pOSouoC tiSy nave no strong QeIenQ0r 4
to drive off the returning enemy.
This application and principle here
propounded may, and does, account
for most of the back-sliding after many |
of the so-called conversions, viz, that
the germ of character has not been
generated (John 3.7). 1t is by far
the most difficult proposition in
Christian work to reach one who is
thus gospel hardened.
~. The Illustration wv. 1886. In
his teaching, Jesus constantly use la
miliar objects as Illustrations. The
of placing candle under
a bushel measure rather than in it's
rightful place that 1t may conspicu-
ously perform it's proper function is at
once apparent. Jesus is the Light
John I'll; SID, so also is the
Christian. They are to be SO set be-
fore men that, seeing Christ reflected
In them, they will glorify the Father
GO u Il Al. =. !