It seems that thls ia the genius of thenew hirth. Whcn old thmgs pass away <strong>and</strong> all things become new. the witness of the Spirit need not he lurther confirmed with evidcncu upon ev~dcncr. l.ord rhunk You/~r YOW ~'iltz~,.,, r o r ~ i , Iwur~! Sunday "If. . . not from Gad . . .could do nothing" (verse 33). Ihc creature has some Innate capacity lor underst<strong>and</strong>ing the mark5 ofhls cre;itor. It is hy hith we underst<strong>and</strong> that the world5 were framed hy the Ward of God. lhere is that stamp upon the acts ot God which makes it presumptuous <strong>and</strong> ultimately hlasphcm,,us to attrihutc thcm to any other power. In his Rcuelation John predicts that Ant~christ will dccrivc men with signs <strong>and</strong> wonders. I'crformcd with the specilic rnotiw 01 deceit. thcysasily produce reaults among thmu disposed to he drcei\cd. Although the acts of (iod arc so pure. so delihcratc, so unqualilicd, yet hclief is not assured: unbelief may he evidence, not of conlus~on or misunderstmdine. hut nfthc initlation of the processes of rrhrllion. Onc cannot cxcuse cilher the Pharisees a!- the worshipers of Antlchr~st on the ground\ I ignorance or inadequate ev~drncc. Nor can we heexcuscd (Romans I :20). l.onl. I um,rr,r so, I did nor know.! Monday "I)o you hclirve in theSon r,t Man'?(verse 35). H;i\,ing been thoroughlyci,nfoundrd by thc himpls logic of pure deliverance. the I'hansees resort to the mly i-ecoursc left to the hankrupt personal castlg;~tlon. It is not ahsolutcl! ccrtaln what the unpression "put him out" means in it\ dire implicat~on\, hut it wasdangerr,us. rclgiously <strong>and</strong> s~c~illy spraklng. not toagree with the prestlplous leaders ol 1sr;icl. I hc lime always comes to declare me's intcnllon conccming Christ. It may he for you. 11s it ~ 2 1 s for th~s man. ;I costly thing. I he good news in tlii\\to~y~s th;it when h~s encmlcs put him out. ('hrist tw,k him in. I l h is ~ not thc pl;icctoan;~l),cthc moment ofhrs canvcrsicln thxl twk place when hc fully comprchendcd the ~dentttl 01 Chriht. I lherc was no hacrier 10 Iaith because therc was no denial of truth. /.ord .s17,1m tne ill? .srq>,\ 01 ilz"~ um,nd 10 God! Tuesday "Who is tic . . . that I may helleve . . . ?" (rerse 36). I h not makc the mistake ol conhsing thcopen door offaith with thcgullihilit) ol unbridled joy. You may say this fellow was so emotionally charged he was open to anything. hat so! One step of faith opens the way forthcncxt step. Onecannut climb the hills of light if the first step into light from darkness does not instill open1ie;irtcd acceptance of further light. Whcn ('hr~rt names Hmscll a new stcp 01 faith ih required. 'This man is not cmotlonall) overeager; he is gratefully wrpnnslvr. Christ who was trusted in the physical miracle can bc trusted as ;I God- en1 person lversc 33). ;i spiritual light- giber. Ilie step from one to the otI1c.r is natural, logical <strong>and</strong> right. Faith docs not repudiate reason: it lor- tilies it. I-aith docs not invite gullibility: it tastcn <strong>and</strong> cncouragcs intelligent response. Finding out who Jeaus is in- creases thc grnund 01' faith. Lord hdp r ~ so c ,,n 11, pw/l nrrd in langwlge 1h;lt excuses him flom b, ,151c : mal-;,I rcsponslhilit\. I he Pharisees were purveyors ol a C'hristlrss approach to an angry God hccausr thcir conccpt ofthc Messi;h W;I\ of a kingdom without renenlance. They coold not ccme in hecxosethey would not admit thcv wcre outside. Hihlicelly spzakiilg. it ii impossible to undcrcstimatr irnc'h need. one's blindness, in dealing with (;MI Chrtst c;imc to save sinners. Seeing onesclf;~~ chic1 of sinners is merely an admission ol fact. 1-ord. oui 01 mr duvI~m~,5,~, I c
Scripture the Guide for Counseling 7hr (hiirrun ('ov~lrchr:~ Moniral, by .lay E. Adams. Bakur. 475 pagcs. $7.95. I his bolumc is :I sequel to the author's former hook. C
- Page 2 and 3: THE ALLIANCE h JOIRNAI. OF (:HRISTI
- Page 4 and 5: Running from rough winds of circums
- Page 6 and 7: The storybook corner is an importan
- Page 8 and 9: scrvicc training will be accepted b
- Page 10 and 11: gestible system 1 philosuphy and me
- Page 12 and 13: Youth Conference in Yasothon, THAIL
- Page 14 and 15: They The president of Alliance Men,
- Page 16 and 17: 7hi.s ,f~/ri,i~-ti~~nrh ~w~ri,ye/i,
- Page 18 and 19: Eugene Kelly, campa~gn coordinator
- Page 20 and 21: AN OPEN LETTE
- Page 24: T H E China of the twenties demande
- Page 28 and 29: daughter. Angelti, lor their second
- Page 30 and 31: C'hurrhes Uedirrtrd lirt~hrr~r,~~.
- Page 32: f salvation through imist, Muslim,
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