Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-02-15

Character is determined by what
a man is in his heart, not by the
profession Of his lips. This is emf
nently true in spiritual matters, for
we know that it is not by much
testifying. hymn singing, or even
by church attendance that a man
proves himself to be a Christian.
The question is. Is his heart right
with God? It is also true in his
relation to his country. Patriotism
is not a matter Of speech-making
and fag-waving. but an inward de-
votion to the good of the nation.
Most assuredly it is also true that
being good neighbor is not some
thing accomplished by smooth talk
or the shedding Of few tears; it
is matter Of that right attitude
toward our neighbor, whether he
be the man next door or in China.
which results in a sacriticial effort
to serve and help him.
I. A Right Attitude Toward God
wv. 81. 1880.
No man will make any real prog
ress in the direction Of being either
good citizen or q good neighbor
until he has right attitude toward
God.
The questions which were asked
Of our Lord, and which brought forth
such precious teaching from Him.
were not asked in good will nor
with a desire to glorify God. but
rather to entrap OF snare the Lord
and thus give occasion for denounc-
ing Him. Had the Pharisees, Sad
ducees. and Herodians (the ritual
lists, the rationalists. and politicians
Of our Lords day. really known God
and Jesus Christ, His Son. their
problems Of patriotism and neigh
borliness would have been solved in
the light of His Word and. what il
perhaps even more important, in
His spirit.
Is not the crying need Of our world
today, gone mad as it has with mis-
directed and perverted patriotic fer.
vor and forgetting all responsible
ties of good neighborliness. that il
should hear and heed the gospel Of
the Lord Jesus Christ?
ii. A Right Attitude Toward Gov
eminent wv. 1920.
The subtle hypocrisy Of the ques-
ton in verse II lay in the fact that
these leaders were not interested in
knowing the truth. but only wanted
to make Jesus out either to be dis
loyal to His own people because He
advocated paying tribute, or q
traitor to Caesar because He adj
vised rebellion against taxation.
They coated their clever bait with
unctuous fattery, a device which is
still common among those who
would mislead Gods people. OBJ
serve that even though they did not
believe what they said, they did
speak the truth about the Lord Jesus
". 16).
His answer is complete, final, and
unanswerable. He has that kind Of
an answer to every honest ques-
ton OF man. In this case He clearly
states that one who lives under an
established government. enjoying its
protection, using its money in trade,
and so forth. is to be loyal to every
proper obligation to that govern
ment. God and the things Of God
must come first, but a right atti-
tude toward God win reveal itself
in a proper attitude toward govern
ment.
Why does not some nation realize
that the answer to destructive polit-
ical and social theories is-win the
destructive agitator to living faith
in Christ and he will become your
strongest force for God and coun-
try. The real answer to commu-
nism (and every other anti-Ameri-
canism) is Christ.
III. A Right Attitude Toward Our
Ne1ghb0r (vv. 34-40).
We have. talked a good deal Of
late about being good neighbors, and
certainly everyone should do every
thing possible to encourage the good
neighbor policy in his own commu-
nifty and throughout the earth. But
why does not the good neighbor pol
icy work? Read the parallel pas
sage in Luke and you will see how
man tries to dodge his responsible
ity. See Luke 1929 and observe
the answer of Jesus In Luke 10:
30-37.
A good neighbor is not one who
is seeking some kind Of "You favor
me and III favor you'' arrangement.
He does not see the barriers of race.
creed. or color. He is ready to help
anyone. anywhere, at any cost. Il
is recognized that only the man who
loves God with all his heart win be
able thus to love his neighbor az
himself.
The world does not so much need
treatises on neighborliness as the
winning of men and women to faitt
In the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus
to whole-hearted love for God
which win inevitably express itself
in a love for his neighbor. When
this comes to pass. we shall have
true neighborliness in the world
Let US send the gospel to all ma
tons, that they may become Hrst
OF all good Christians, then good cit
lzens' and good ncighbors.