The Washington herald., 1915-01-11

may be necessary in providing for their
families, etc. But with these Christians
any overplus above lifes necessities rep
resentBso much opportunity for serving
/ the Lord and His Cause: and In so doing
they are laying up treasure In Heaven
/ a future reward.
Christian Stewardship and Citizen
ship.
This does not signify that thew nusk
I'VE from hand to mouth" nor that II
they nave possessions, they must riot
ously distribute these to others. On the
contrary they are to seek in all things
10 have the mind of the Lord-to do Ged's
Will Gods mind is a sound mind: and
these Christians, in seeking tn do Cod.
will, are said to have ''the spirit M =
sound mind" This dictates that they
should live wisely. economically. in all
life's affairs
Everything that comes to these Chris
tlans, or that they possess by nature Is
considered thing OF God, because I'm
| becoming Christs followers, they made
fuL conservation of their wilIs-their
alto God. Hence from that moment
forward they are stewards Of their time,
their talent, their influence, their prep.
erty' their all. According to their use OF
this stewardship will be the Masters
commendation of them, as represented i'm
the parable. Whether many talents are
possessed or few, the commendation is
TO those who have been faithful in their
use, not for self-aggrandizement or show
or worldly accumulations Of treasure but
Tor assisting others and themselves to
know and to do the Divine will.
Christians are to lend, hoping for
nothing In return" and not as the world;
merely be willing to do good and lend
10 those who would do as much or moro
IN return. Christians are thus to Illus
trate the fact that they have been be-
gotten Of God, that they have His Holy
Spirit snds disposition. and that II is
shining o. more and more in word and
conduct they grow in character-like-
ness to the Lord Jesus
christians are not to go to war. Their
hight Is not with carnal weapons, but
with the Sword Of the Spirit, which is
the Word OF God"-the most powerful
weapon known. This does not signify
that they may not put bolts upon their
doors to prevent robbery, nor that they
may not call for police protection, for
this they pay for in taxation and are
entitled to according to the laws Of the
world. They may not claim Of their
own nation anything more than an alien
might claim. Indeed, Christians are
styled aliens, strangers, so far as the
present government of the world is con-
cerned. Their citizenship, according to
the Bible, is the Heavenly one, into which
they will fully enter when they shall
have shared the Chief Resurrection.
No Christian Nations.
The Bible knows nothing Of Christian
nations or of a Christian world. The
Bible puts the Christian as separate and
distinct from the world and from all na-
tions. Christians are a people by them
selves, in the same sense that the Jews
are. ''Ye are a Royal Priesthood, a holy
nation, a peculiar people"-a people for
a purpose q Peter 2:9D The term
Christian nations comes from a serious
dOctrinal error which cTept into the
Church about 800 A. d. At that time Pope
Leo III began to recognize as Christian
nations all nations which recognized his
Pontifcate. The custom is still in vogue
amongst both Protestants and Catholics;
but it is wholly wrong.
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. CO.
The Christian compelled to enter the
army or the navy might properly request
service as a noncombatant in the Quar-
termaster's Department or in the Hos
pital Department; but II required to kill.
he is to obey God rather than man, and
not kill. He may comply with his order
to the extent of going into the trenches
and being shot at, but no further.
II is urged that such a view of Chris
tianity would wreck our present civiliZa-
ton? We reply that nothing in the Bible
implies that our civilization is Christian
or that the Lord ever expected II to
be Christian. Gods time for saving the
N.,..
come. The present Is merely the time
for calling, finding. testing and deliver
ing the Elect These, when glOrifed, will
constitute Messiah's Kingdom, and with
Him will be empowered fully with spirit
ual control for the government OF the
entire world. Then will come the time
for the enlightenment, uplift and blessing
of the whole world Of mankind-the nom
elect.
What are today styled Christian ma
tions'' are in the Bible styled Kingdoms
of this world" and their complete disin-
tegration in Scripturally outlined as in
cidental to the establishment OF Gods
glorious Kingdom under Messiah, for
which We pray, Thy Kingdom come
Some may wonder how II ever came
10 pass that all the people OF civilized
ands are enumerated as Christians-ex-
,ept Jews and professed infidels. Stat
SliNH lNAA 10 AALl All AAAo AAAA0eAN@AAN1 "a
italy are Christians; that more than
q per cent OF the population Of Great
Britain, France Germany. Belgium, etc,
ire Christians; and that the total num-
Der Of Christians thus reckoned is near
y 5O0OOO, ,OO0 Surely It is time that intelli-
rent people realize that some great mis-
AXE has been made and that more than
9 per cent OF these Christians make no
,retense OF being followers OF Jesus.
Here and there, obscured to the world,
rave been true followers Of the Lord
Tesus Christ In every denomination. They
lave been out Of accord generally with
he great leaders OF the church systems,
IS well as with the worlds political lead
rs The world does not yet appreciate
hat the Church OF Christ Is composed
xclusfvely OF those who have made q
ovenant with the Lord through faith In
he precious blood. who have been be-
,otten Of the Holy Spirit and who are
eekinE to walk In the footsteps Of Jesus