The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-01-19


mand merely. but only after the law,
justly Or unjustly, had so decreed.
Similarly with respect to the compul-
sorry walking OF a mile: the Christian
is not to submit himself to every whlm
of everybody; but, seeking to do the
will Of God. he is to go about his own
business. unless the opposition to him
amount to a compelling. And this COM
| pelling. under ordinary circumstances,
would mean a legal compelling; for
the protection of the laws of the land
in which he lives may be sought to
protect his rights and liberties, as St
Paul appealed to governors and kings.
Christians Live For the Future.
Christians are to love their enemies
in the same sense that God loves the
world-sympathetically. They are not
to love their enemies in the sense OF
affectionate love and tenderness, such
as they bestow upon their families,
friends and lovable persons. Their
love for their enemies. as defined by
Jesus. should be such as would lead
them to feed their bitterest enemy il
he were hungry, to clothe him if be
| were naked. They should not pray
| against their enemies, but for their
enemies in the sense of wishing, desir-
ing, for them enlightenment and true
wisdom. which would turn them from
being enemies and eyil-doers, to make
! of them followers of Jesus or, at least,
well-doers.
Christians are not to lay up for them
selves treasures on earth; for they
have renounced the earth and all hopes
| Of a future life upon earth. Their
walk in the footsteps Of Jesus signifies
that as He cast aside earthly ambi-
tons, hopes and aims, so would they.
taking instead the Heavenly ambitions,
hopes and aims. In other words, they
der them from the ordinary pursuits of
life to the extent that may be neces-
sary In providing things honest in the
sight of all men"-in providing for
their families, etc. But, with these
Christians, any overplus above life's
AC(CooAl4Co tLRACGtAbo 81 ~ ORlOA-
tunity for serving the Lord and His
Cause; and in so doing, these are lay
ing up treasure In Heaven-a future
reward.
This does not signify that they must
live from hand to mouth" nor that,
If they have possessions, they must
~riotously distribute these to others. On
the contrary, they are to seek in all
things to have the mind Of the Lord
to do Gods viii. Gods mind is a
sound mind; and these Christians, in
seeking to do Gods will, are said to
have 'the spirit of a sound mind"
This dictates that they should live
wisely and economically.
Christian Stewardship and Citizenship,
To these Christians, everything that
comes to them or that they possess by
nature is considered a thing Of God,
because in becoming followers of
Christ, they made a full conservation
of their wills-their alto God Hence
from that moment forward, these
Christians are stewards of Gods mer-
cies-stewards of their time, their tai
ents, their influence, their property,
their all. According to the way they
use their stewardship, investing their
talents to the Masters praise, will be
His commentator of them, as repre-
scented in the parable. Whether many
talents are possessed or few, the com
mendation is to those who have done
well, have been good and faithful in
the use Of their talents, not for self
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT or show. or worldly
accommodations of treasure, but faithful
in the service of God, showing forth
Gods praises in the assisting of Others
and themselves to the knowing and do
ing of the Divine will.
Christians are to "lend. hoping fol
nothing in return" and not, as the
world. merely to be willing to do good
and to lend to those who would do as
much or more in return. Christians
are thus to illustrate the fact that they
are children of the Highest, that they
have been begotten of God, that they
have His Holy Spirit and disposition
anu that IL ID Snlulu6 Jul lAOlG ou1
more in their words and conduct as
they grow in the character likeness Of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christians are not to go to war
Their fight is not to be with carna
weapons, but with 1.-THE Sword of the
Spirit, which Is the Word of God
They have the most powerful weapon
known in the world for their warfare
This does not signify that they may
not put bolts and bars upon their doors
to prevent robbery. 1t does not signify
that they may not call for police pro
lection; for this is a thing they pay fol
in taxation and are entitled to accord
ing to the laws of the world. They
may not claim of their nation any
thing that an alien might not claim
but they may claim all that an alieI
may claim. Indeed. Christians are
styled aliens, strangers. foreigners, Sc
far as the present government of the
world is concerned. Their citizenship
according to the Bible, is the Heavenly
one, which they will fully enter into
when they shall have shared the CHEZ
Resurrection.
No Christian Nations.
The Bible knows nothing of Chris
tan nations or of a Christian world
The Bible puts the Christian as sep
srate and distinct from the world ant
from all nations. Christians are a ma
ton, or people, by themselves, In the
same N that the Jews are a nation
or people, by themselves. "Ye are &
Royal Priesthood, a holy nation. a pc
culiar people"-a people for a purpose
q Peter 2:9.) The term Christian ma
ton comes from a serious doctrinal er
ror which crept into the Church about
800 A. D. At that time Pope Leo III
began to recognize as Christian nations
all the nations which recognized bis
Pontiicate. The custom has prevailed
and is still in vogue amongst Protest
ants and Catholics; but it is wholly
unscriptural.
A Christian conscripted to the army
or the navy would be subject to the
powers that be" and obeying the Mas
ter's words would go, as in Matthew
5:41: "WhOsoever shall compel thee tC
oou Tha ChriSfian oonnnalIad 70 onto,