Licking Valley courier., 1917-09-20
Occasional Christians.

Occasional Christians.
Some weeks ago | promised a
series of lay sermons to church
members concerning their lack of
conception as to the temporal du-
ties of Christians. | had plan
ned to useI some rather strong
language in calling attention to
the church members sins of
omission, but | have changed my
mind, and, as is stated in the ad-
vertiSements of a nationally adj
vertised product, there's a rea-
son."
A few Sundays ago while go
down the street | heard a
sSiticising certain church
10 and saying that he was
GOOD as they were. AS Ipass-
inpoluntarily took stock
critics known habits ito
ee whahin he was as goodFa
,ven a stumbling church mem
er. He had the reputation of
Peg a libertine, a drunkard, "a
anbler, and and used tobacco
two ways, and was profane
And obscene in his conversation.
II have been told that he is good
for his financial undertakings.
Now, did this man, who knew
his own life better than any one
else, really believe that he was
as good-was as favorably re-
garded by the Great Judge-as
the weakest church member who
kept his face turned toward the
Cross even when stumbling and
falling? Or was it merely his J
blatant effort to defend his i'm
moral life before the public and
appease his own guilty conscience?
To cry out "hypocrite" at the
other fellow don't help you any
seven though it be true that the
other fellow is a hypocrite. God
judges each of US by our own
acts, and we can not divert His
condemnation by pointing out
the shortcomings of our neigh
bofs. End, listen, friends, God
will have a different standard of
judgment to that of modern bus
ness. You can't pay your way
into heaven.
But church members, in many
instances, do need be told Of the
shortcomings of their daily life,
not in harsh criticism but in love
and brotherly kindness. When
We get to the point in our Christ
ian life that we can regulate oui
every act by the thought: will
God approve?" instead of What
will men say?" we will then find
that the shaping of our own life
leaves little desire to find fault
with our neighbor. Neither do
we reach that stage by consider
ing the sins of others. We must
look down into our own souls un-
til we realize the blackness OF
our own sins sufficiently to cause
US to want to get away from
them. No one is ever convert
ed to Christ and His cause while
in the belief that he is ''as good
as theaverage church member"
However,, members of the
church ow' it to their profession
to live so tht they will not be
stumbling bNcks in the way OF
sinners. AID Christians do
When there ispothing in the life
of the church Nember that dis.
tingushes it froN the life of the
sinner it means hat the church
member has stopEd short of be.
ing a Christian. |
And being ChrisAns Just oc.
casionally is anothettrouble.
The occasional ChrStian is the
bane of the church. THE man
who has his GIBBS and hws in his
religious life. The manwho lets
every business transactio inter-
fere with his Christian luties.
There are those who dothese
things well-meaning peole -
and delude themselves withthe
hope that they are living a Chst-
ian life.
- - Il
Occasional Christians are thos
who get very warm at times ana