Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-31
Golden Text: "As you would that
men should do to you, do We also to
them likewise" Luke 6:31.

them likewise" Luke 6:31.
One of the characteristics of Chris
tianity is it's practicalness. A book
of the scripture may be most onystl-
cal and philosophical, but it is for
purpose-to lay the foundation Tor
a most practical application of 1T to
life. This is particularly true OF the
epistles. and especially of this one to
the Romans. The first eleven CHAP
ters are doctrinal and argumentatlNe'
The soundest logic is used; PROPOSE
tion laid down, reason, and conclu-
sions stated. until in the concluding
verses of the eleventh chapter PauI
breaks out into an exclamation, On
the depth of the riches both OF the
wisdom and knowledge OF COO! eye.
But that is not the CONCLUSION. ne
has simnly laid a wonderful founda-
lion on which to base his appeal ior
a life that is practical In every ue
tail TT is part of that appeal that
we are to study today.
The Mercies of GOD
beseech you, therefore, py Cie
mercies of God, thaS ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice-is PauLs
onnea1 Thcrefore"-why there
fore9" Read the last verse OF the
aIaTart1, CHAPTER. For of Him, ana
through Him and to Him are ~
things God the source, COO lllS
means and continuance, Goa the enc
tha t'a11 thipgs'' which has God as us
or;pin. it's means of sustenance' ana
re Ultimate goal. give it back 70 HIN
as a living sacrifice, for this is your
rational worship. .o, ~ lc.oa
Pnt what are the mercies or G9u
| oe Which paul is speaking here Well
we shall note just a few OF tn ntoa
froy,o his earlier chapters. In 5:L4
i,o sunos 11n-all have sinned but al
who believe are pustified freely og
| His grace and have peace WIFI 0o'
through Jesus Christ e.;+L
In SO we learn that through faltn
&C Gift also we may be kept safe
! in His life. o.,,,,,cod that
Gin shaU not have dominion over W:
| because He has broken the power vi
SiT II : and 8 we learn that although
IF ourselves we fight a losing oattle'
vet we may have q victory that - ~, 90
| coronIete that Gin all these thinss
arn more than conquerors through
Him that loved US. o that even
Tn 9. 10 and II we see tndC been
4,,r ~ His chosen people have neen
e el q side through lack of falth, yt VIZ
nonon+ shall be saved ana realtII0
| 40 ,,ronises, because OIL his MAJ W.
| Gus grace. 4.eoa+ion resto-
ration. and all, emlnatlns II ont rit0-
uri+hor+ one iota of human m III,
| Wi.ii ~ these mercies "of Goa SUI
Snion+ reason for our making sll1
~ Him of all that we have! Wouiu
not This be nothing else thah o"'
| ra tional worship? zs4
|
| Christians--and us American o Ua
tno-to present our bodies to Noe';
Tho+ is to make gift to God OF
~, bodies What does God want win
| orr bodies? Is it not the spirit re
| desires? Yes. but how can we khoW
| that He has our spirits IL the ooo'
is not His also? oo,,st If
1 which the spirit expresses itself. Ano
| Cod wants the whole life that all
may be His and used TOR his gloI y.
r. must be voluntary. God will not
| force His children to make TINS giLC
| If their bodies. But when we reallZe
all He has done and is. it is not
an unreasonable request of HIS thot
we make a gift of our bodies to Him
| that we may find out by experience
! the splendor Of the will OF Coo 40
Won think? Here it is-we take from
Him into our hands forgiveness
|
| fication. and then we give 1t all PACK
into His hand for safekeeplng ana
| His use in working out His perfect
| will.
The body includes all the faculties:
Can you speak, teach, sing PAM
signs, letter, advertise. make
money? Have you the faculty Of
comforting other folks in trouble? DO
they want you when they are in dis
tress? Then give it all to God. what
ever it may be, because He has given
so much to you. And when you nave
given it, you will learn by expert
ence that His will is the most splen-
did thing with which you have ever
had anything to do.
Not Conformed, But Transformed
Just here is where many fail. Dedi-
cation is more than surrender. A
surrendered life may be a defeated
life; but a dedicated life is more. 1t
is inwardly passive. 1t takes what
God offers; it waits; it receives; it
reckons; it realizes. But outwardly it
is active. it expresses toward others
what God is expressing in it.
This does not occur all at once. 1t
is a process rather than a crisis.
The crisis occurs when you definite
ly make the gift. And day by day
the process of transformation goes
on as the mind is renewed.
These verbs are passive verbs
be not conformed, but be trans
formed. That is. it is done b.. an
other agent than yourself.
1t is very easy to be conform ed
all you have to do is to drift with
the crowd-ah! but this age is evil.
it is God-opposed; and the mercies
of God are SO marvellous that we
should look with adherence at any
thing that will oppose them.
To be transformed is harder-but
it is not impossible for that is
Gods part. I can not renew my