FAITH and VICTORY Dec., 193S for the Same Bookkeeper Who Records Our Names at of the Churcn— Tne Purity, Oneness, the Same Care, Birth, Erases Them When We Sin
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AND VICTORY THIS IS THE V IC T O R Y THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH. - x HAVE F A IT H A PAPER IN GCHD foci* jyLX* Ch r is t ia n s Volume 14. No. 1 Published Monthly . Guthrie, Oklahoma U. S. A. 25c Per Year Dec., 1938. himself for God’s glory. Oh, the beauty of this T w o Houses peaceful harmony—each member working under di vine guidance without any friction. “In whom ye Our bodies are just houses, also are builded together for an habitation of God And guests abide within— through the Spirit.” Eph. 2:22. We’re either housing Christ, the Lord, This text clearly proves that the body of Christ Or entertaining sin. is composed of those in whom the God of heaven dwells through His Spirit. Can this be said of the Since that first Christmas Evening man made churches ? — surely not. The Church of The Lord has just been able God is different in all respects. First, the members To find two types of houses here— of Christ’s body all have the same care for each oth The “Inn” and lowly “Stable.” er so that when one member suffers, all the members The keeper of the “Inn” invites suffer with it. Can you say the different denomina And welcomes guests galore; tions have the same care for each other ?— surely not! And tho’ his rooms seem occupied, The different officers placed by Jesus himself in His He oft makes room for more. body function under the leadership of the Spirit of God; hence, pastors, evangelists, prophets, teachers, But Jesus knocks for entrance— etc. all work as the Spirit leads, and each one being Ah, watch him then assume led by the Spirit of God never clash or get out of A psuedo-apologetic air, order so long as they obey the Spirit’s demands; but Then plead, “I have no room.” each is held responsible for the duties of his place or calling. Jesus, being the head (Col. 1:18), issues Christ seeks room in the “Stable.” orders through His Holy Spirit to each officer in His And tho’ it is quite bare body; and each obeying, working in the position in Of furnishings and cozy rooms, which he is placed, represents the handiwork of God— He finds a welcome there. His Church. Thank God, for lowly “ Stables” Its Class Book Not ruled by human pride, Every church has a class book in which its mem Where there’s room in a sin-cursed world bers’ names are enrolled. The Church of God also For Jesus to abide! has a class book in which its members’ names are — Geneva Bailey. enrolled, but it is different from the man made ------------- o------------- church class book. As soon as a child is born (saved) its name is recorded on the family register— “And The Church Of God the Lord shall count when he writeth up the people, Its Organism that this man was born there.” Psa. 87:5-6. “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the “But now hath God set the members everyone spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice be of them in the body as it pleased him.” 1 Cor. 12:18. cause your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20. God never makes mistakes. When He places one How wonderful, to have our names recorded in heav in His body, He places it where it can best work for en’s Book, and to know it is written there! Many Him. Since He is doing the placing, there can not be have their names written on earthly class books friction because each member is tempered together. without any knowledge of salvation; but no name One may be a preacher, another a teacher, and anoth is written in God’s class book, and no member is er a deacon or what ever God calls him to do. God added to the Church of God without a spiritual places him in that position with grace to conduct birth.. Sin removes our names from heaven’s book. Page Two FAITH AND VICTORY Dec., 193S for the same Bookkeeper who records our names at of the Churcn— tne purity, oneness, the same care, birth, erases them when we sin. We are kept in His tenderness, and trueness to each other—character name (St. Jno. 17:11-12). Just one family, one istics which truly make it without spot and blame name, all names are kept on the same class book. less? John, on the Isle of Patmos, caught a glimpse This cannot be said of Babylon (confusion) with its of the pure Church and compared it to the Bride, the multiplicity of churches, class books kept by carnal Lamb’s Wife. (Rev. 21:9-10) and in verse 10 it is man here on the earth as recorded by Jer. 17:13. shown as a great city “The holy Jerusalem descend There will be some books opened at the great ing out of heaven from God.” Notice John was car Judgment Bar of God, and each one there will be ried away in the spirit to a great high mountain be judged according to the Books. And another Book fore he could see it in all its transparent glory and will be opened (the Class Book) which is called the beauty—out of every quagmire, no miasmatic air Book of Life where all the saved have their names en on the mountain. “In the last days it shall come to rolled and will receive their reward accordingly. pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord Rev. 20:12-13. shall be established in the top of the mountains, and Let us compare the Church that Jesus built with it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall any other, then we can readily see the difference. flow into it.” Micah 4:1. —E. M. Zinn. The church that Jesus built contains all who are ------------ oOo------------ saved, all who have entered at the door, all the Holy Spirit filled, all who are going together in perfect Eternal Security harmony, all who ,by the grace of God, are living free from sin. Jesus’ blood cleanses from sin when There is a teaching in the world today that if we enter through Him (the d oor); but when men take a soul is once saved or “born again” it can never be members into their churches, many sinners are ad lost. It is hard for me to understand how intelligent mitted. All agree that there are good and bad in all people can believe such a theory, much less to believe churches. I will admit God has a few in the different that the Bible teaches such a thing. churches that are really saved, but God is calling Consider the Hebrews whom God had called His people out of those cages. (Rev. 18:1-4. 2 Cor. as a chosen people, and read the commandments and 6:17). Every really saved soul will gladly flee as instructions which God gave them, and you will find soon as he hears the call: “ Come out of her.” If he that they were to have life and be in favor with God keeps a clear vision of the beautiful Church that on the condition that they continue to obey Him and Jesus built, he will never go back into bondage again. do His commandments. Otherwise, they would be cut It is the privilege of each member in the body of off. We read in Joshua 24:20, “If ye forsake the Christ, or His Church to see eye to eye and be per Lord, and serve strange Gods, then He will turn and fectly joined together in the same mind and in the do you hurt, and consume you, after that He hath same judgment, all speaking the same thing; accord done you good.” In 2 Chronicles 15:2, the Prophet ing to Paul’s advice to the Corinthian Brethren. (1 said, “ If ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if Cor. 1:10.) you forsake him, he will forsake you.” God never The wise man said, “Who is she that looketh forsakes man first; but when man forsakes God, He forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the will forsake him. sun, and terrible as an army with banners” Song of I have heard well-meaning preachers say, “The Sol. 6:10. Solomon saw the vision of the pure church Lord is married to the backslider.” This is a sad in its pristine glory— “My dove, my undefiled is but mistake as a backslider is one who is in sin and dead one. She is the only one of her mother.” When you look at a company of Spirit filled saints, you in trespasses and sin. The Lord’s wife is not a dead see the visible Church here on earth, part of the wife; but every member in His body has life from family having crossed over, and part here on earth heaven in his soul. Peter calls us “lively stones.” waiting for the coming of Jesus to take the remain They use the scripture in Jeremiah 3:14 where the ing part of the family home to their mansions in Prophet says, “Turn, backsliding children, saith the glory. (St. Jno. 14:3.) Lord, for I am married unto you.” Notice, he says, When Jesus comes in the clouds, it will be to “ Backsliding.” One can be backsliding and not be catch up his pure church; and not to set up some backslidden.