The Zbcpberb Psalm
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
August 6. 1964 * Paul—Preacher of Perfection —Page 2 * Recent Developments at Andrews University —Page 16 "The Lord is my shepherd; "I am the good shepherd." I shall not want." I shall not want rest. "He Thou shalt not want rest. "Come unto me, all ye that maketh me to lie down in green labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." pastures." I shall not want drink. "He Thou shalt not want drink. "If any man thirst, let leadeth me beside the still him come unto me, and drink." waters." I shall not want forgiveness. Thou shalt not want forgiveness. "The Son of man "He restoreth my soul." hath power on earth to forgive sins." I shall not want guidance. Thou shalt not want guidance. "I am the way, the "He leadeth me in the paths of truth, and the life." righteousness for his name's HAROL.I. COPPING, ,:,itTIST sake." I shall not want companionship. "Yea, though I walk Thou shalt not want companionship. "Lo, I am with through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear you alway." no evil: for thou art with me." I shall not want comfort. "Thy rod and thy staff they Thou shalt not want comfort. "The Father . comfort me." shall give you another Comforter." I shall not want food. "Thou preparest a table before Thou shalt not want food. "I am the bread of life: me in the presence of mine enemies." he that cometh to me shall never hunger." I shall not want joy. "Thou anointest my head with Thou shalt not want joy. "That my joy might remain oil." in you, and that your joy might be full." I shall not want anything. "My cup runneth over." Thou shalt not want any- thing. "That whatsoever ye NEWTONIAN ILLUSTRATED PRESS shall ask of the Father in my SERVICE name, he may give it you." I shall not want anything in this life. "Surely goodness Thou shalt not want any- and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." thing in this life. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." I shall not want anything in eternity. "And I will dwell Thou shalt not want any- in the house of the Lord for ever." thing in eternity. "I go to prepare a place for you. And . I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." The Zbcpberb psalm Vol. 141 No. 32 By Ernest E. Wheeler Departmental Secretary Colorado Conference ILIGENTLY carrying out his commission from Christ, the D apostle Paul traveled from place to place preaching with single- ness of purpose. His sole purpose, he said, was "that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col. 1:28). Paul felt a pastoral concern for the mechanics of church organization, and he saw to it that capable men Preacher were appointed to look after these af- fairs in order that he might the more effectively devote his time and energy to preaching perfection to imperfect of persons. As he preached he practiced, reinforcing precept by example, in order that he might "present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." Perfection Paul was well aware of the standard of perfection Jesus set forth in the epilogue to the first section of His sermon on the mount—"Be ye there- fore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). That is why he set out to "pre- suffering in their behalf the very he sets forth his first premise: "There- sent every man perfect in Christ death to which His holy law had con- fo e by the deeds of the law there Jesus." He did not set up a vacillating demned them. No wonder, in the sh 11 no flesh be justified in his sight: human standard of perfection, nor midst of his presentation of the gos- fo by the law is the knowledge of did he approve of human methods pel, Paul exclaimed, "0 wretched man si " (verse 20). Then, in verse 23, he for pursuing that lofty ideal. that I am! who shall deliver me from dr yes the point home as he exclaims, As we follow Paul's preaching of the body of this death?" "F r all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." From this he perfection we discover that he origi- Paul's Gospel of Perfection nated the method of leading his con- le ds them on to the logical conclu- gregation to the foot of Mount Sinai, Paul wrote his epistle to the Ro- sion "that a man is justified by faith having them listen to the stentorian mans because his desire to appear be- without the deeds of the law" (verse tones of the Creator promulgating an fore them personally and to preach his 28). all-encompassing, far-reaching, and message of perfection in Christ Jesus s the congregation turns away to impossible standard for human be- had been frustrated. He stated plainly th other mount in search of salva- ings to reach in their frailty and weak- that his purpose in writing to them tio Paul stretches a cord across the ness. Then Paul would lead his hear- was "to preach the gospel to you that va ley, from one mountaintop to the ers through the valley of despair to are at Rome also" (Rom. 1:15). He of er, and upon it displays a banner another mountain, direct their at- prefaced his letter with the declara- th t forever links the two mountains tention to an uplifted cross and to tion that has been the foundation of to ether in the one purpose of making the One hanging there—the very One all perfection preaching ever since— ev ry man "perfect in Christ Jesus." who had spoken those commands "The just shall live by faith" (verse T at banner reads, "Do we then make from the other mountain. He pointed 17). void the law through faith? God for- them to the Creator of the universe, As Paul warms to his subject we yea, we establish the law" (verse find him speaking to his congrega- 31). tion at the foot of Mount Sinai. "As s Paul's congregation gathers in- it is written," he tells them, "There is qu ringly on the slopes of Calvary, in none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. th9 shadow of the cross, he opens to 3:10). After elaborating that point, them the words of Scripture that "DO WE THEN MAKE V ID THE LAW THROUGI REVIEW AND HERALD, August 6, 1964 testify to Jesus. "What saith the scrip- heavily on the imputed righteousness ture?" he asks. "Abraham believed le to ZtOtid of Christ alone and feel it unnecessary God, and it was counted unto him for to strive to utilize the power of God in righteousness" (Rom. 4:3). He has By LEROY IRVING SHINN gaining the victory over besetting sins, already told them that "the righteous- There's no other friend like Jesus— in order that more and more right- ness of God . is by faith of Jesus Truest friend man ever knew; eousness may be imparted to do right Christ unto all and upon all them that Whom to know is life eternal and less and less need be imputed to believe" (Rom. 3:22). His key words For He died for me and you! cover past sins. Paul realized that are "righteousness" and "believe." In some would claim complete cleans- Paul's thinking, righteousness and What a boundless, soothing peace ing from sin, and from this point on perfection are interchangeable terms. Rests securely o'er the soul, they would claim absolute and per- Paul was not alone in so thinking. When one rests secure in Jesus, manent righteousness through the John wrote, "He that doeth righteous- Though the angry billows roll! blood of Christ irrespective of their ness is righteous, even as he is right- Some strive hard for worldly honor, future way of life. In Romans 3:25 the eous" (1 John 3:7), and this is a re- Seeking wealth and earthly fame; apostle clarifies this point by declar- statement of Jesus' declaration, using Some select the dazzling broad way ing that Christ's righteousness is "for the interchangeable term of "right- Leading downward to its shame! the remission of sins that are past." eous" for "perfect." So Paul says, in God's Word makes no provision for effect, that perfection is obtained We would serve Thee, 0 our Saviour; future sins, except to promise power through believing God, and he illus- Be our light through darkest night; from above to gain the victory over trates his point by recounting the Be our shield from all temptations— sin itself. This power comes through experience of Abraham and the re- Guide our erring steps aright! accepting Christ and believing in His sult of that experience—imputed power to make us to become sons of righteousness. God. "As many as received him, to In Paul's thinking, the "righteous- you had not sinned."—Steps to them gave he power to become the ness of God," or being "perfect in Christ, p. 62. Paul would have uttered sons of God, even to them that believe Christ Jesus," represents an exchange a resounding Amen had he had op- on his name" (John 1:12). Here is of experiences between Christ and the portunity to read this statement.