Graham guardian., 1916-01-28

(faalSl& k0asllLb This exhortation
the Pastor said. is
addressed not u the world, but to
Christians. as are all the Apostolic
writings. He then paraphrased his
text, In order to bring out more clear,
~ st. Pauls thought: Awake to q
proper appreciation Of justice; do not
Su against justice In your own lives;
for some have not knowledge 0f
God respecting justice. the principles
Of righteousness: and this is to your
shame" According to the Bible. he
asserted the Church Of Christ will be
kings, priests and Judges during the
incoming Age; therefore all who hope
to share this work should qualify them.
selves for 1t.
We may be very sure that God will
not give responsible positions to any
who are not trained for their work.
1t is for this reason that for 1900 years
past He has been calling out His
Church and insructing them through
the words Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
the Apostles and the Prophets. Know.
ing that our bodies are imperfect
through the Adamic fall, the Father is
not testing us according TO the body,
but according to the spirit. the mind.
1t is the new mind that becomes the
New Creature. We accept Gods will
instead of our own will. and His plans,
purposes and arrangements instead of
our own. Thus God is dealing with
US as His children according to this
new relationship. and through Christ's
merit we are acceptable In His sight.
Justice First, Then Love.
The speaker then demonstrated that
justice is the very foundation of all
proper character. and that love Is the
superstructure. The first lesson for all
TO learn Is that Of justice. We must
learn to recognize what Is right, whas
Is just. and then to practise It. Right
eousness Is merely justice. The Law
given to the Israelites was designed b
show them what justice means. To
violate any one Of the Ten Command.
ments would be to practise injustice.
Gods Law to Israel amounted to this:
Thou shalt love thy peighbor as thy
self" To do justice to your neighbor
as you wish that neighbor to do jus
tice to you Is the epitome Of the Law
the Golden Rule.
During the Law Dispensation a spe-
cial Covenant was made with Israel
None others have ever been under that
Law Covenant But In His statement
Of His Law to Spiritual Israel. God
has ''magnified the Law"-has made
It's requirements clearer and has shown
how far reaching they are. None ques.
tion the propriety Of dealing justly by
every one In the world. The principle
Of justice enters into every matter. II
must be recognized In our dealings
with our own family as well as with
other people. If all could get this
thought Of the Golden Rule thoroughly
impressed upon the mind, it would rev.
olutionize the whole world.
Ought to ss Doing Coed instead.
.
If this principle were remembered
and followed. the people Of Europe
would not be shooting one another and
making great bombs with which to de-
stroy each other. They would be do
ing good toward each other. just as
they would wish others to do to them.
But men are not living up to this
standard Of Righteousness. OF justice
The general excuse Is. 1T would never
do for US to grant to Others what we
would expect for ourselves; for they
would take advantage Of us" This Is
not the fear Of God, but the fear Of
man, God says that we are to prac-
tise justice toward one another.
Christians who fear what men and
nations may do are living according to
the flesh, living like the unbelieving
world. Shall we who have come Into
relationship with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ say that we fear 20
trust this principle OF justice In our
lives? Shall we say that we dare not
carry It ont In every thought, word and
action?
Practical Applications.
The Pastor cited many instances
wherein the principle OF justice would
be applied advautageously In the daily
affairs of life. He reminded his audi.
ence that God has not said that we are
to observe the Golden Rule when 9th.
ers observe II toward us. and ignore II
when others fail to observe 1t. We are
to practise 1t on every occasion, re-
gardless Of what others may do. Then
all things shall work together for our
everlasting good; for we shall be In
line With God and His requirements.
He HIS power to overrule In our lives.
The very least that a Christian must
do is to be just to others: and to do so
will bring us n blessing
.