Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-05-31

growth and devei-
Dpment as to demand counsel and
direction. Growth In knowledge and
growth in grace are associated In the
closing words Of Peters second epistle.
God has united these two and they
cannot be put asunder.
The word search" suggests care
tul investigation 1t Is possible 10
search the Scripture and yet fail to
obtain that for which the Scripture
was given. Our Lord charged the
Jews Of his own day with this very
thing. They made minute and care
iul study Of the Scripture but with
4 prejudiced mind and perverse viii.
AS indicated In the words OF Christ,
Ye will not come unto Me-"
How then shall we search the Scrip
ture In order TO obtain lasting good?
What are the essential requisites for
It's reading and study? Scripture IT.
self gives the simplest and best an
swer.
The first essential is spiritual ilIuml-
nation. In Corinthians ola we
read. 1.-THE natural man receiveth
not the things OF the Spirit Of God
for they are foolishness unto him;
neither can he know them because
they are spiritually discerned.' From
| this point Of view the Bible Is unlike
any other book It deals with re-
vealed things; the things Of God"
The things of man may be known
and explained by any other man but
not so with the things Of God. God
Is not an explanation He is revela-
don. "The things Of Cod have been
revealed to us by His Spirit, but the
natural man recelveth not the things
Of the Spirit. They are foolIshness
to him, neither can he know them
Who Is this natural man2 He Is
the man born once. He has had
natural birth and possesses natural
| life. This hfe lis self-centered and not
God-centered. Until that man Ii born
/ anew, or from above, he cannot see
or know the things Of God. In the
! natural man the Spirit Of God does
! not dwell but when man n born
| from above and receives that life
which the Bible describes as divine
and eternal, then the Spirit Of God
| finds dwelling place within, and the
/ man is referred to as spiritual
rather than natural" The first es-
sential. then, in profitable Bible read
ing and study is spiritual illumina-
ton. 1t is serious mistake to sup
pose or assume that the Bible can be
understood by mere intellectual ef-
fort. A book containing the revealed
| things Of God and given by the Spirit
Of God cannot be properly understood
without the aid Of that same Spirit.
The second essential Ia fruitful
Bible reading and study Is mental
concentration. This is second to spir-
itual illumination-not IN Importance
/ but in order The first five verses Of
| the second chapter of Proverbs illus
trate and enforce this principle I'm
Outstanding and the knowledge Of God
are In these verses conditioned on
diIigent effort IF thou seek as men
seek for silver and search as for hid
treasure, then shalt thou understand
the fear Of the Lord and find the
/ knowledge OF God" There Is no
royal road to this knowledge. All
profitable Bible study invoices men
tai grasp Of its truths. Salvation il
free but the truth costs. BUY the
truth and sell 1t not" This Is q Scrip
ture appeal. In order to purchase one
must pay the price and the price here
demanded is intelligent effort; appli-
/ cation Of mind concentration Of all
our powers This is entirely compact
/ Ible with the deepest spirituality.
The third essential is found in Joshua
1:8, "Thou shalt mediate therein"
Meditation has been defined as atten-
ton with intention. The intention OF
man of God in giving attention to
! Bible study is explained In Psalms
| 11D.11, "Thy Word have / hid in my
heart that might not sin against
1 Thee" and again in jeremiah Is lie,
"Thy words were found, and did
eat them; and Thy word was unto
me the Joy and rejoicing Of mine
heart" Defense against the encroach-
ments OF sin and provision for con-
slant Joy and rejoicing these are the
detectives Of the man Of God In his
meditation upon the Word OF God.