Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-20

purpose of the conversion of the
world, all Of which had been prede-
termined, being known of God from
the beginning of the world!
In other words, James set forth
as the program of God O the
evangelization of the world for the
purpose of gathering out the church
as the bride of Christ; CD after this,
thu restoration of the Jews, for CD
the purpose of worldwide CONVEX
sion A most remarkable pronounce
ment, which could not have been
made by an unaided human mind!
And a program which the church IS
only beginning now to appreciate as
Gods plan-alas, that many earnest
Christians, are wasting time ana
money and effort in fruitless world
mending because they have not yet
realized what is Gods program!
Upon the basis of this program.
James said, t'Wherefore my decision
a. That we let God work His will
among the Gentiles without our in
terfering.
"2. That we simply urge them to
he nure in life, and conslderate
enough to remember that If they 90
certain things they have liberty 70
do, they will offend some OF US VINO
have been raised differently.
Inc r6dSOIldDleLGSS VI ILLS ucClSlOu
appealed to the whole church, in
GLIDING the apostles and elders. Ger
tainly they had no right to Interfere
with Gods manifest plans, as re-
vealed by their prophets and by
PauPs experience.
1t is remarkable that it was nee
essary to urge them to be pure in
life, but it is easy to appreciate the
necessity for it when we know that
no heather religion had any concep-
tior of morality, but that the vilest
practices constituted an important
part of religious worship.
The last part of their request was
surely reasonable. If the Jews OBJ
jected by reason of national laws and
customs to the eating of certain
meats and to certain forms of death
for food animals, it was the least
that Gentle Christians could do to
refrain from exercising their liberties
in these matters if by doing so they
would offend their Jewish brethren.
And today every real Christian will
act in the same way; If meat makes
my brother stumble. surely [ will
eat no meat while the world standeth
I will not cause my weaker brother
for whom Christ died to stumble be-
cause I insist on doing something
which offends him even though 1
have perfect right to do it.
The Deputation and the Disagreement
in writing and sent by deputation
to Antioch. Judas Barnabas and
Silas were chosen to go back with
Paul and Barnabas, being selected
because they were men of standing in
the Jerusalem church, and men whose
presence would add weight to the
decree.
A great victory had been won, and
to Paul and Barnabas, we of America
are debtors today, because they
fought for freedom from ritualism,
an@ for the liberty of faith. And no
welded was attributable to the fact
that the brethren at Jerusalem real
lied that they had hazarded their
lives for the Lord Jesus. Salvation
is free. but it cost somebody a great
price; 1t cost Paul and Barnabas
great price; it cost Paul and Barnd-
as great sacrifices; it cost God His
Son, and it cost Jesus His life blood
But you may have it as gift.
When the DEGREES had been deliv-
cred Judas Barnabas returned to
Jerusalem; but Silas decided to stay.
He had been gripped by the person
ality of Paul and wanted to be with
him. Here in Antioch for quite a
while longer they continued teaching
and preaching the word of the Lord.
campaign was on to reach Antioch's
100000 people: for associated with
Paul and Barnasas were many 9TH
ers also" (V:35)
When it was over Paul proposed
to Barnabas that they visit the breth-
rem in every city where they had
preached, to see how they were do
ing. Barnabas agreed. but he and
Paul disagreed very sharply on one
point, Barnabas wanted to take his
nephew, John Mark, and Paul in
sited that he would not have a man
who had left them at a critical time
before. Which one was right? Well,
, as usual. both. Subsequent events
proved that Barnabas was right in
giving John Mark a second chance.
He was the writer of the second Cos
pei, and even Paul admitted that he
was profitable helper (Col. 40, 2
Tim. AID And certainly Paul was
right in insisting on the utmost 10y
atty as a necessity in a worker in
the vineyard of the Lord. I am rath-
err of the opinion that it was Paul's
firmness as much as Barnabas' SYM
pathy that made a man out of Mark.
SO they parted, Barnabas and Mark
going to Cyprus. and Paul and Silas
going through the Tourian pass and
coming to Derbe and Lystra. At
Lystra they were Joined by Timothy,
who had been converted on PauPs
first visit there But to show that
Paul was willing to be all things to
all men that by all means he might
save SOln6, lie lldu IlllIOIHy CllCuIl"
cised, for his mother was a Jewess,
and according to the law the nation
atty of a man was determined by
his mother. His father being a Greek,
the rite had been neglected.; but in
order to win the Jews Paul made
this Jewish youth conform to the ma
tional custom. However, in every
city he went they delivered the de-
crees VA, establishing the liberty
of the sons of God, and resulting in
great prosperity to the churches ev-
erywhere.
Teaching Points
1. Stick up for a principle. but
yield anything not essential.
.. Learn the program of God, con-
form your ti1e and work to it.
5. If you and many others also"
work together, your city can be evan
gelized.
4. Paul was a great Christian. but
he was only human. Because he had
fuss with Barnabas is no excuse
for you. There is only one you can
afford to follow fully-Jesus, the
Christ.
A knM Ronnrd Got