The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-08-04

but for one whe
- is the controlling
presence in the universe.
2. He 'leadeth" me. ''T0 lead"
means TO guide or to conduct as by
4 tlaP hand: and il lis blessed that God
allows us to think of him us occupying
such an attitude towards US. q have
called thee in righteousness" said he,
sand win hold thine hand, and viii
keep thee" 'fTo lead" means 'f0 go
before" as when shepherd leads his
sheer 10 pasture. And by his incar-
nation in the person Of Jesus Christ,
God has actually gone before Us in the
flesh in suffering and glory, '4eaving
us an example that we should follow
his steps.
To lead means 10 persuade, as
when one is driven by necessity TO do
d certain thing And here again we
see the analogy TO spiritual truth. at
was good for me TO be afflicted" says
the psalmisI. before / was If
flicted ] went astray, but now have
/ KEPT thy law"
80 lead" means TO draw, to allure,
as when ones desires and affections
are stirred il 4 given direction. and
he then willingly and ardently pur-
sues il, As il is written, 1.-THE good
ness Of GOD leadeth thee TO repent
4anee, and again, I'VE love him be
cause he first loved US" II is thus
4 thar he leadeth us.
a Personal interest.
81 He leadefh tine" We have
dwell upon the importance of the first
pisfoun, but the second is like unto
1t Indeed without the second the
tirs would lose much Of its value. 1t
lis ne thing to know that q personal
esS1ed in Us, hat even bet
4af HIfuW that he is Interested II Us
personally David says, of AL beings
4 III the universe, he leaaeth me, and his
/ own history must hive convinced him
Of TINS beyond q doubt But he said
/ it no more confidently than We can
1 say it If we are the Lords. Stunned
by The world, we may be; ready 10
cover ourselves with dust and ashes
al the sight Of our own shortcomings,
hut still there is one 10 whom We are
as dear as his own life's blood and
whose arms are clasped around US
as though there were NOT another be
fng in the world
4 He leadeth me in the paths Of
Righteousness. Righteousness is the
qualifying word Of the sentence so
far rs its application to man is con-
cerned Vine are these that he leads?
They who are in the paths OF right
eDusness The unrighteous therefore
he does not lead. But the righteous
from the Gospel point Of view are not
the externally moral people merely,
| but those who have submitted them
selves unto the righteousness of God,
the righteousness which is by faith.
They are found il the paths Of right
eousness, because they arg found in
Christ. But being found, they are
now led therein. This leading is
equivalent to their growth in grace,
their development in Christ. Hence
/ the Significance of that proposition
in" He leadeth me in the paths OF
righteousness. Not ''into" them but
sin" them. He leads us into them
in the first place, since without his
regenerating grace we would never
hive been found in them.
Leading While in the Way.
But ii is different thing TO be LED
sim them after we have been led
''intO" them. The paths of righteous.
ness would themselves become paths
Of error 10 us, if God were TO with.
draw his personal leadership. He
must not only make Us Christians
but he must keep US Christians, if we
are to remain so. And the importance
of this continued leadership is EN-.
4jhasized by the word paths" Not
0aes but many Sometimes they are
paths Of bodily affection, of peril. be.
reavemeIIt poverty, strong temptation
mental darkness, desert0n, opposi.
4 ton, doubt. but in all these paths he
4 leadeth me. by his word, by his prov.
iaenre, by his spirit, and by the ex.
4 ananie Of his own life in the flesh
For Ills Names Sake.
5. He leadefh ne in the paths o,
1 righteousness '.for his Names sake
4 1t is wonderful how many and how
great things God has done for US and
PROMISES to do for us in his Name.
sake. This is a humbling truth. since
/ Il takes from us all thought of per
sonal right or merit l., the matter. Blu
/ Il Is also mn inspiring truth. For Il
1 God Lends us in the paths of righteous
ness for his Names sake, the honor O
Ills Name is involved in his leadin;
us to the very end, and up to tn
! throne Of glory.