the acts of the apostles-第65章

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meet。

The　apostle's　desire　for　those　to　whom　he　addressed　his　letters　of　counsel
and　admonition　was　that　they　should　〃be　no　more　children；　tossed　to　and　fro；
and　carried　about　with　every　wind　of　doctrine；〃　but　that　they　should　all
come　into　〃the　unity　of　the　faith；　and　of　the　knowledge　of　the　Son　of　God；
unto　a　perfect　man；　unto　the　measure　of　the　stature　of　the　fullness　of
Christ。〃　He　entreated　those　who　were　followers　of　Jesus　in　heathen
communities　not　to　walk　〃as　other　Gentiles　walk；　in　the　vanity　of　their
mind；　having　the　understanding　darkened；　being　alienated　from　the　life　of
God　。　。　。　because　of　the　blindness　of　their　heart；〃　but　〃circumspectly；　not
as　fools；　but　as　wise；　redeeming　the　time。〃　Ephesians　4：14；　13；　17；　18；
5：15；　16。　He　encouraged　the　believers　to　look　forward　to　the　time　when
Christ；　who　〃loved　the　church；　and　gave　Himself　for　it；〃　would　〃present　it
to　Himself　a　glorious　church；　not　having　spot；　or　wrinkle；　or　any　such
thing〃　a　church　〃holy　and　without　blemish。〃　Ephesians　5：25；　27。

These　messages；　written　with　a　power　not　of　man　but　of　God；　contain　lessons
which　should　be　studied　by　all　and

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which　may　with　profit　be　often　repeated。　In　them　practical　godliness　is
outlined；　principles　are　laid　down　that　should　be　followed　in　every　church；
and　the　way　that　leads　to　life　eternal　is　made　plain。

In　his　letter　to　〃the　saints　and　faithful　brethren　in　Christ　which　are　at
Colosse；〃　written　while　he　was　a　prisoner　in　Rome；　Paul　makes　mention　of　his
joy　over　their　steadfastness　in　the　faith；　tidings　of　which　had　been　brought
him　by　Epaphras；　who；　the　apostle　wrote；　〃declared　unto　us　your　love　in　the
Spirit。　For　this　cause；〃　he　continued；　〃we　also；　since　the　day　we　heard　it；
do　not　cease　to　pray　for　you；　and　to　desire　that　ye　might　be　filled　with　the
knowledge　of　His　will　in　all　wisdom　and　spiritual　understanding；　that　ye
might　walk　worthy　of　the　Lord　unto　all　pleasing；　being　fruitful　in　every
good　work；　and　increasing　in　the　knowledge　of　God；　strengthened　with　all
might；　according　to　His　glorious　power；　unto　all　patience　and　long…suffering
with　joyfulness。〃

Thus　Paul　put　into　words　his　desire　for　the　Colossian　believers。　How　high
the　ideal　that　these　words　hold　before　the　follower　of　Christ！　They　show　the
wonderful　possibilities　of　the　Christian　life　and　make　it　plain　that　there
is　no　limit　to　the　blessings　that　the　children　of　God　may　receive。
Constantly　increasing　in　a　knowledge　of　God；　they　may　go　on　from　strength　to
strength；　from　height　to　height　in　Christian　experience；　until　by　〃His
glorious　power〃　they　are　made　〃meet　to　be　partakers　of　the　inheritance　of
the　saints　in　light。〃

The　apostle　exalted　Christ　before　his　brethren　as　the　One

472

by　whom　God　had　created　all　things　and　by　whom　He　had　wrought　out　their
redemption。　He　declared　that　the　hand　that　sustains　the　worlds　in　space；　and
holds　in　their　orderly　arrangements　and　tireless　activity　all　things
throughout　the　universe　of　God；　is　the　hand　that　was　nailed　to　the　cross　for
them。　〃By　Him　were　all　things　created；〃　Paul　wrote；　〃that　are　in　heaven；　and
that　are　in　earth；　visible　and　invisible；　whether　they　be　thrones；　or
dominions；　or　principalities；　or　powers：　all　things　were　created　by　Him；　and
for　Him：　and　He　is　before　all　things；　and　by　Him　all　things　consist。〃　〃And
you；　that　were　sometime　alienated　and　enemies　in　your　mind　by　wicked　works；
yet　now　hath　He　reconciled　in　the　body　of　His　flesh　through　death；　to
present　you　holy　and　unblamable　and　unreprovable　in　His　sight。〃

The　Son　of　God　stooped　to　uplift　the　fallen。　For　this　He　left　the　sinless
worlds　on　high；　the　ninety　and　nine　that　loved　Him；　and　came　to　this　earth
to　be　〃wounded　for　our　transgressions〃　and　〃bruised　for　our　iniquities。〃
Isaiah　53：5。　He　was　in　all　things　made　like　unto　His　brethren。　He　became
flesh；　even　as　we　are。　He　knew　what　it　meant　to　be　hungry　and　thirsty　and
weary。　He　was　sustained　by　food　and　refreshed　by　sleep。　He　was　a　stranger
and　a　sojourner　on　the　earthin　the　world；　but　not　of　the　world；　tempted
and　tried　as　men　and　women　of　today　are　tempted　and　tried；　yet　living　a　life
free　from　sin。　Tender；　compassionate；　sympathetic；　ever　considerate　of
others；　He　represented　the　character　of　God。　〃The　Word　was　made　flesh；　and
dwelt　among　us；　。　。　。　full　of　grace　and　truth。〃　John　1：14。

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Surrounded　by　the　practices　and　influences　of　heathenism；　the　Colossian
believers　were　in　danger　of　being　drawn　away　from　the　simplicity　of　the
gospel；　and　Paul；　in　warning　them　against　this；　pointed　them　to　Christ　as
the　only　safe　guide。　〃I　would　that　ye　knew；〃　he　wrote；　〃what　great　conflict
I　have　for　you；　and　for　them　at　Laodicea；　and　for　as　many　as　have　not　seen
my　face　in　the　flesh；　that　their　hearts　might　be　comforted；　being　knit
together　in　love；　and　unto　all　riches　of　the　full　assurance　of
understanding；　to　the　acknowledgment　of　the　mystery　of　God；　and　of　the
Father；　and　of　Christ；　in　whom　are　hid　all　the　treasures　of　wisdom　and
knowledge。

〃And　this　I　say；　lest　any　man　should　beguile　you　with　enticing　words。　。　。　。
As　ye　have　therefore　received　Christ　Jesus　the　Lord；　so　walk　yet　in　Him：
rooted　and　built　up　in　Him；　and　stablished　in　the　faith；　as　ye　have　been
taught；　abounding　therein　with　thanksgiving。　Beware　lest　any　man　spoil　you
through　philosophy　and　vain　deceit；　after　the　tradition　of　men；　after　the
rudiments　of　the　world；　and　not　after　Christ。　For　in　Him　dwelleth　all　the
fullness　of　the　Godhead　bodily。　And　ye　are　complete　in　Him；　which　is　the
head　of　all　principality　and　power。〃

Christ　had　foretold　that　deceivers　would　arise；　through　whose　influence
〃iniquity〃　should　〃abound；〃　and　〃the　love　of　many〃　should　〃wax　cold。〃
Matthew　24：12。　He　had　warned　the　disciples　that　the　church　would　be　in　more
danger　from　this　evil　than　from　the　persecution　of　her　enemies。　Again　and
again　Paul　warned　the　believers　against　these　false　teachers。　This　peril；
above　all　others；　they　must　guard

474

against；　for　by　receiving　false　teachers；　they　would　open　the　door　to　errors
by　which　the　enemy　would　dim　the　spiritual　perceptions　and　shake　the
confidence　of　those　newly　come　to　the　faith　of　the　gospel。　Christ　was　the
standard　by　which　they　were　to　test　the　doctrines　presented。　All　that　was
not　in　harmony　with　His　teachings　they　were　to　reject。　Christ　crucified　for
sin；　Christ　risen　from　the　dead；　Christ　ascended　on　highthis　was　the
science　of　salvation　that　they　were　to　learn　and　teach。

The　warnings　of　the　word　of　God　regarding　the　perils　surrounding　the
Christian　church　belong　to　us　today。　As　in　the　days　of　the　apostles　men
tried　by　tradition　and　philosophy　to　destroy　faith　in　the　Scriptures；　so
today；　by　the　pleasing　sentiments　of　higher　criticism；　evolution；
spiritualism；　theosophy；　and　pantheism；　the　enemy　of　righteousness　is
seeking　to　lead　souls　into　forbidden　paths。　To　many　the　Bible　is　as　a　lamp
without　oil；　because　they　have　turned　their　minds　into　channels　of
speculative　belief　that　bring　misunderstanding　and　confusion。　The　work　of
higher　criticism；　in　dissecting；　conjecturing；　reconstructing；　is　destroying
faith　in　the　Bible　as　a　divine　revelation。　It　is　robbing　God's　word　of　power
to　control；　uplift；　and　inspire　human　lives。　By　spiritualism；　multitudes　are
taught　to　believe　that　desire　is　the　highest　law；　that　license　is　liberty；
and　that　man　is　accountable　only　to　himself。

The　follower　of　Christ　will　meet　with　the　〃enticing　words〃　against　which　the
apostle　warned　the　Colossian　believers。　He　will　meet　with　spiritualistic
interpretations　of

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the　Scriptures；　but　he　is　not　to　accept　them。　His　voice　is　to　be　heard　in
clear　affirmation　of　the　eternal　truths　of　the　Scriptures。　Keeping　his　eyes
fixed　on　Christ；　he　is　to　move　steadily　forward　in　the　path　marked　out；
discarding　all　ideas　that　are　not　in　harmony　with　His　teaching。　The　truth　of
God　is　to　be　the　subject　for　his　contemplation　and　meditation。　He　is　to
regard　the　Bible　as　the　voice　of　God　speaking　directly　to　him。　Thus　he　will
find　the　wisdom　which　is　divine。

The　knowledge　of　God　as　revealed　in　Christ　is　the　knowledge　that　all　who　are
saved　must　have。　This　is　the　knowledge　that　works　transformation　of
character。　Received　into　the　life；　it　will　re…create　the　soul　in　the　image
of　Christ。　This　is　the　knowledge　that　God　invites　His　children　to　receive；
beside　which　all　else　is　vanity　and　nothingness。

In　every　generation　and　in　every　land　the　true　foundation　for　character
building　has　been　the　samethe　principles　contained　in　the　word　of　God。　The
only　safe　and　sure　rule　is　to　do　what　God　says。　〃The　statutes　of　the　Lord
are　right；〃　and　〃he　that　doeth　these　things　shall　never　be　moved。〃　Psalms
19：8；　15：5。　It　was　with　the　word　of　God　that　the　apostles　met　the　false
theories　of　their　day；　saying；　〃Other　foundation　can　no　man　lay　than　that　is
laid。〃　1　Corinthians　3：11。

At　the　time　of　their　conversion　and　baptism　the　Colossian　believers　pledged
themselves　to　put　away　beliefs　and　practices　that　had　hitherto　been　a　part
of　their　lives；　and　to　be　true　to　their　allegiance　to　Christ。　In　his　letter；
Paul　reminded　them　of　this；　and　entreated　them　not　to　forget　that　in　order

476

to　keep　their　pledge　they　must　put　forth　constant　effort　against　the　evils
that　would　seek　for　mastery　over　them。　〃If　ye　then　be　risen　with　Christ；〃　he
said；　〃seek　those　things　which　are　above；　where　Christ　sitteth　on　the　right
hand　of　God。　Set　your　affection　on　things　above；　not　on　things　on　the　earth。
For　ye　are　dead；　and　your　life　is　hid　with　Christ　in　God。〃

〃If　any　man　be　in　Christ；　he　is　a　new　creature：　old　things　are　passed　away；
behold；　all　things　are　become　new。〃　2　Corinthians　5：17。　Through　the　power　of
Christ；　men　and　women　have　broken　the　chains　of　sinful　habit。　They　have
renounced　selfishness。　The　profane　have　become　reverent；　the　drunken　sober；
the　profligate　pure。　Souls　that　have　borne　the　likeness　of　Satan　have　become
transformed　into　the　image　of　God。　This　change　is　in　itself　the　miracle　of
miracles。　A　change　wrought　by　the　Word；　it　is　one　of　the　deepest　mysteries
of　the　Word。　We　cannot　understand　it；　we　can　only　believe；　as　declared　by
the　Scriptures；　it　is　〃Christ　in　you；　the　hope　of　glory。〃

When　the　Spirit　of　God　controls　mind　and　heart；　the　converted　soul　breaks
forth　into　a　new　song；　for　he　realizes　that　in　his　experience　the　promise　of
God　has　been　fulfilled；　that　his　transgression　has　been　forgiven；　his　sin
covered。　He　has　exercised　repentance　toward　God　for　the　violation　of　the
divine　law；　and　faith　toward　Christ；　who　died　for　man's　justification。
〃Being　justified　by　faith；〃　he　has　〃peace　with　God　through　our　Lord　Jesus
Christ。〃　Romans　5：1。

But　because　this　experience　is　his；　the　Christian　is　not

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therefore　to　fold　his　hands；　content　with　that　which　has　been　accomplished
for　him。　He　who　has　determined　to　enter　the　spiritual　kingdom　will　find　that
all　the　powers　and　passions　of　unregenerate　n