Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-23


things are lovely, whatsoever things are
Of good report; if there be any virtue,
and If there be any praise, think on these
things" Phil. 4:S.
The church which was established at
Thilippi, the first Christian church of
Europe, was one of the most remarkable
churches in the first century. If We can
judge by his letters. it had a warmer
place in Paurs affections than almost
any other church that he visited or
Established. And the reason for this is
probably patent, for in his letter to
them, which was one of the last that
The wrote, ne refers to the fact that time
and again rney had sent to him things
that he needed and had shared with
him, not only III the grace which God
$50 freely gave them, but also in tenn
lporal things.
We do not know of course, how large
g church it was. out some of its mem
bers were Lydia. the rich widow of
Thytira, the converted demoniac slave
girl, the jailor and his family and
Household, Eudoia and Syntyche, both
OF whom were wheel horses when it
came to work; Clement, and Epaphro-
ditas, who risked his life in order to
bring the last gift which was made to
Paul all the way from Macedonia to
Rome. If the others were anything
like these we can we'll imagine that
it was good strong church
Luke also had some part IN its MAX
ing, for by a change of the pronouns
from I'VE" to they" and back to they
from "we," we know that Paul left
him in Philippi on his second mission
airy journey and he stayed there until
Paul came back to Philippi on his third
| mis- CinOprN iO1lrDny- There he little
Iquestion but that Luke had a good Zeal
to Go with the shaping of the policies
of the Philippian church and of en-
couraging them at least to send gifts
to Paul now and then as he knew very
Intimately what PauTs needs were
THE THREE DAYS.
| There are. however. here and there, little
references ard suggestions which enable US TO
I get mental picture of the spiritual life or
these Philippian Christians. In the opening
paragraph Of his letter to them, Paul gives
i us an inkling of one of them. He tells them
how they are a constant source of joy to MIN,
that every time he thinks Of them he thanks
God for them, and that he was confident
that He who had begun good work in them
would keep 1t CT until the day of Jesus christ
1t is perfectly natural for him to feel tiS
way since they have constantly been in his
mimi and he in theirs; both in his bonds AMI
his defense and confirmation of the gospel,
and calls God the witness that he loves them
lamost with the affection of Christ Jesus him
self
| II YOU vin think over these words Of Paul
carefully. I think you will note the three days.
the first day. the present now. and the day
of Tcsus Christ. The first was their spiritual
birthday: from then until the present day they
had never Stacked mp in their efforts TO spread
the goseTl They Gid not take a squirt am
then stop. but they continued In their work
from, their spiritual birthday until the day OF
that writing. And PalY was confident that lhlS
Christian service and growth would continue
IbecanSc God was the author or II, anu lie VINO
had begun the good work would keep 1t up
tbo dov Of Christ What is tho day
of Tesls Christi IN verse 10 he Uses inns
depression again, "Unto the day OF Jesus
Christ" II you will study these messages
carefully in connection with many others in
the scripture you will find that the day on
Christ is the end of the present age II Is me
end Of our opportunity. II Is the day OF reck-
oninG: the day in which all Of our hopes have
been conferred The day when our lNord nun
self shall return AMI make perfect in our lives
in reality that which IIo has already purchased
for us in all OF its fullness. Our nolles VIII
he changed in moment In the tWhklRg re, "t
an eve. and made like unto the body or his
glory We shall receive the redemption of our
bodies and shall he promoted and rewarded
according to tho way in which we nave useo
our opportunities In His service
| has your life been like tho Philippians,
source IF Joy to your spiritual parents, SO
that they thank God for you every time they
think Of you because You have been growing
in grace and increasing in Christian service
What has been Your life from the first dav.
vonr spiritual birthday until now? What shall
II no from now until the dav of Jesus CHRIST
THREE FRUITS.
Then Paul in the wealth of his thanksgiving
land affection broke cut in one Of those Won.
derfuI urovcrs of his in which he expressed
his desire his earnest longing for what he
wanted God to give TO his spiritual chlldrrh
in Philirni: AMI if you boil it all down, he
inst w1nteI them to have more anil moro OF
the love of Christ. Tie loved them, he had san,'
with the love Of Christ, the same kind of ar
lection that Christ had for them and he
wanted them to have more ana more 81 t!s s
affection, that love. He praVey that ther IIe
might abound yet more and more in khoWiehEe
and in all discernment: that the three fruits
of such love might develop in tholr lives.
whsI are those . three t fr oIe Excellent that
they might be sincere and void of otfcnse untll
the day of Jesus Christ, and that they mlent
tho glory and praise of Cod all Of them coming
through Jesus Christ.
Us to approve the things that are excellent. LIZ,
r. v translation is interesting. Ihat theN
might distinguish the things that dlilef' an
Motifs new translation puts II inns WAY
'tTbpt they might think more Of the Things una
! arc vital" All, Just here IS where SO many
| christians fail. They 20 not give their ap
ornrsi only 10 things which are excellent but
approve also many things which are simply good
not the best and also unfortunately, many
! the things that differ. They do not think more
of these things that are vital, but of so many
other things which mean nothing whatever
Take for example, the way in which th'
Sabbath is used, or the question Oh anuse
ments, such good thing as charity Tor ~
MANY things that are done under the name OF
the church where merely evidences of seiflsh
ness a love Of ease, disposition to avoid sac
rifice on the part of its members, as for IN
stance, money making schemes instead or CIV
ing May God give us grace that love may
abound more and more in our hearts ana We
may be able to distinguish the things tha'
differ.
IN The second fruit of this love is that We
shall be sincere or transparent, and void OF OF
Tense or without harm. Only love can maxi
our lives blameless. Not faultless, mnd YOU
but blameless. Paul wanted the philippians 81
TO love that no one could charge them with
having been a stumbling block in their way
when the receiving time came at the day OF
Christ. Is your life blameless: Is II transpar
ent? Are you sure that it is causing no harr
to any one else? Only love can prompt you Il
continue IL il is, or to change If II is not.
(cl And the third fruit is being filled
with Righteousness. That is an every day pro-
cess: righteousness does not come all at once
! There is always more. There Is never fuu
righteousness until we shall he like Christ when
we see Him as He is, on the day of Christ
These are the three fruits of love which ram
prayed the Philippians might have in greater
abundance. We have passed the two days. The
first day and the ''now." Shall we not have
through Christ the three fruits of love in more
abundant measure between the now and th-
third day, the day of Christ?
Revival at COrneIia