Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1912 — What A Christian is Saved For—To Serve [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

What A Christian is Saved For— To Serve

By Rev. H. W. Pope, Superintendent of Men, Moody Bible Institute, Chicago

TEXT—I am debtor.—Romans 1:14.

In his letter to the church at Rome Paul says: “I am debt o r both to the Greeks and Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise.” When and where did Paul discover that he was in debt to the very verge ot bankruptcy? Not in the theological school at Jerusalem. More likely Jt was on the way

to Damascus. When God drew aside the veil which hides the earthly from the heavenly, and gave him a glimpse of the risen and glorified Jesus, he learned more theology in one moment than in all the years he had spent at the feet of Gamaliel. That little revelation of Jesus wrought a revolution in Saul. That is what revelations are for. As soon as he became acquainted with Jesus he felt that every one else ought to know him. That priceless knowledge was a sacred trust, and he was a debtor to every one who knew him not. j Revelation Work* a Revolution. Something of the same kind occur# at every true conversion! We realize -that our relation to this world has changed almost as much as our relation to God. This is a lost world, and while we are still in it, we are no longer of it. We belong to the lifesaving service, and it is our business to-help seek and save the lost. And; so as we go through lif© we no longer ask, “How much can we get out of this world’’’ but rather, “How much' can we put into it?” And with Jesus Christ to draw upon, every one of us has more to give to the world than the world wide world has to give to us. “I’m a child of the king, I’m a child of the king.” The obligation to serve our day and generation is a threefold one. It arises from’ the commands of the Lord Jesus. No one can read the New Testament without noticing that he expects every one of his followers to become h soul-winner. He taught the world thirty years by example and three years by precept. Then, at the close of Ms earthly career he uttered one command, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” That command remains in force to this day. One sinner thinks that he is not very bad, another is afraid that he cannot hold out,'- while others have doctrinal difficulties of various kinds. /And what is worse still, most of them are not quite ready to-do-their, duty when they see it without more or less persuasion. The changed religious conditions require it, Formerly it was customary for people to attend church. Indeed, one was hardly counted respectable unless he did. That day has gone by. The world no longer comes to the church for the Gospel. The majority of the people today do not attend church. One reason for this is the strenuous life which many lead. They work so hard through the week that they consume seven days’ strength in six days’ time. When Sunday comes they are so exhausted that they think they cannot attend church. In many churches also the Gospel Is po longer preached, but only a Cheap substitute for IL Could Jesus Enter the Average Church? It is said that a poor man once, applied for admission to a wealthy church. The committee soon saw that he would add nothin® to their financial strength or social standing; and recommended that he wait a while. To their surprise he soon appeared again. At a i QSS what to say, one of them suggested that he talk with the Lord about the matter. The man meekly consented and went away. In a few weeks he appeared before the committee again. They were now at their wits’ end, but, determined to contest every step of the way, they Inquired, “Brother, did you talk with the Lord about this matter?” 1 did.” “And what did hd fifty’” “He told me not to get discouraged, but to be as patient as I cotM. He said he had been trying to get into this church himself ever since it was organized, but that he had not succpded yet.” This story may seem a Tittle exaggerated, but it is to be feared that there are not a few churches where such an interview might occur. For these and other reasons a large part of every community practically ignores the church. This being the case, there 1* onlyone alternative; the church must carry the Gospel to the world, for the Gospel they must have. But who is to do it? The laymen and women. They know the people, thpy meet them In the shops, and stores, and on the street They know their needs and disposition as a, minister cannot This is th* New, Testament idea, To every man hto work.” '