The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-01-20
mar who Is known

asaa who Is known to us as Paul. the
Apostle.
The first preaching tour Paul under
took led him from Antioch, the chief
gospel center of that day, TO the Is
land Of Cyprus. and on to the prov
tnces OF Asia Minor. The journey
occupied about three years and the
varied experiences OF that time In
yolved much suffering and persecu-
ton. Converts were gathered out In
che places visited and churches
formed
Amid these varied experiences Paul
received one deep. lasting impression
which confirmed his point of view and
gave him settled convictions In re-
gard TO the method by which men
ana women were saved and blessed.
That impression Is TO he seen in his
report to the home church In Antioch
20 which he returned at the end OF his
Journey. According to Acts IA :27 the
CHURCH at Antioch was gathered to-
gether and Paul rehearsed all that
God had done during the missionary
Journey. and how He had opened "the
door of faith" unto the nations.
This door OF faith Is the only way
oy which airy one may enter into the
spiritual blessings Of the gospel and
the Kingdom OF God.
To this great truth the church Of
God needs to be called back today.
Salvation is a work of God into which
we enter by the door OF faith. Not
only so. but the walk of the saved is
dependent upon faith. The principle
on which the Christian life is com
menced Is the principle of its contlnu-
aDce. Salvation Is an act and a
process in which. from the human
point Of view, faith is the key to all
blessing and progress.
This truth is present in all OF the
writings Of the Apostle to the Gen
Hies. In his effort TO call some con-
verts back TO faith he declares In the
words of Galatians 2 30. IL live by
the faith of the Son of God" When
this same apostle drew near to the
end Of his earthly career he looked
back over the course he had covered
and said. II have fought good fight !;
l have kept the faith"
One of the hest definitions of faith
Is found In l Timothy 6:12, where
Paul writes to Timothy and urges him
to fight the good fight of faith" The
next two words define the activities
of faith. Ii consists I'm 'laying hold"
But there must be something To lay
hold of, and that something is the
truth OF God. Faith cOmeth by hear
ing and hearing by the word of God"
Faith is the door through which one
enters into Gods treasure house. but
such faith is dependent upon the
proclamation of Gods revealed truth.
II comes not through the discussion OF
current events or the expression OF
personal opinions.
This puts tremendous responsible
fly upon the preacher and teacher, for
II the word of God Is supplanted by
discussion of popular subjects faith
will not be formed or fostered. On
the other hand, the people who hear
the truth cannot "lay hold" of IL UNI
Tess their hands are empty. If the
hands are filed with selfish plans,
with pleasure-loving devices. and COW
etous desires. there will he no ability
20 lay hold Of Gods truth. The hui
man will must be subjected to the d.
vine will. When this is done an On
trance into the saving grace and pow
er OF God is effected. Through the
door of faith one passes from dark
ness to light and from the power OF
Satan unto God, and I'm the power of
faith one walks in the way of holl-
ness and eternal life. Relying upon
the Holy Spirit of God, victory is ss-
sured. for this is the victory that
overcometh the world, even your
faith"