Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

'us."church."evil."undone."windows and toy shops; not one that allows themto think that liquor parties and hangovers are alla part of the season ! I want them to have a Christmas that will reveal the Christ of Christmas to them,the only Savior for their souls ! And I know that theywill never find Him in the kind of Christmas whichmany of you parents, and teachers, and businessmen,and advertisers, and entertainers are giving them.That's why we preachers are saying these thingsevery year. It shouldn't be necessary, but you aremaking it necessary. And we will stop saying themonly when you stop your desecration of our Lord'sholy birthday. We are trying to preach His Gospelin this season, but you are making it extremely difficult. In fact, you are making it almost impossible tointerest little children in the truth about Christmas.If they miss Him in this celebration, it will be ourfault.And stop to consider what they and you aremissing. For this is the season in which men may seethe greatness of God in a little Child, who is Emmanuel, God with us ! A Child without a mother inheaven and without a father on earth; Lord of allflesh, and then born of it; Master of the sun, andthen dwelling under it ; Maker of the earth, and thenliving upon it; robed in heavenly garments, butwrapped in swaddling clothes ; the Word of God, butnow a speechless Babe ; Creator of the world becoming a creature; Ruler of the world becoming a subject; Omnipotence laid in a manger and later nailedto a Cross ; King of kings born in a stable and latercrowned with thorns; the sinless One living withsinners and dying for them! God with us, for us,and in us !Such is the miracle and the mystery of the Incarnation ! We may see it and believe it, though wecannot comprehend it. With learned wisemen andhumble shepherds we may kneel before a tiny Babewho is the mighty God. And He will save us fromour sins, without becoming a sinner, though He became like us in every other respect. We may loveHim because He first loved us. We may serve Himbecause He first served us. And at last we may go toHis heaven because He first came to our earth. Godwith us, and we with God, forever !Or, to put it in the significant words of ourConfession of Faith: "We confess, therefore, thatGod has fulfilled the promise which He made to thefathers by the mouth of His holy prophets, when Hesent into the world, at the time appointed by Him,His own only-begotten and eternal Son, who tookupon Him the form of a servant and became likeunto man, really assuming the true human naturewith all its infirmities, sin excepted ; being conceivedin the womb of the blessed virgin Mary by the powerof the Holy Spirit without the means of man; anddid not only assume human nature as to the body,but also a true human soul, that He might be a realman. For since the soul was lost as well as the body,it was necessary that He should take both uponHim, to save both. Therefore we confess . . . that intruth He is our Emmanuel, that is to say, GodwithLet that be our Christmas faith. And let usteach it to our children. And let us put it in the center of our celebration. If we do, it will mean a radicalchange in this season. It may be bad for the cause358of business and sinful pleasure. And it may explodethe fictions and fancies of children. But it will giveus Christmas instead of "Xmas." And that willcertainly be good for us, and for our children, andfor our world. For there is nothing we need moreurgently in this day and age than to have God withus. And that is what Christmas is for !Christ, by highest heaven adored,Christ, the Everlasting Lord!Late in time behold Him come,Offspring of the Virgin's womb.Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;Hail th' Incarnate Deity,Pleased as man with men to dwell,Jesus, our Emmanuel.Tither's Corner"COME ON, COVENANTERS, LET'S BETITHERS"By Charles R. CunninghamWe are not fooling any one but ourselves whenwe do not give the Lord His share. Some say "I can'tafford to give the tenth to the How canthese people afford not to give a tenth of their income to the church? After all, it all belongs to theLord."The love of money is the root of all Theremedy for covetousness is Christian stewardship.The principles of stewardship are designed more forthe raising of men than for the raising of money.Practicing the principle of tithing will do more for usthan the money we give can do for the Kingdom.Christian living includes Tithing. The Phariseeshad come to feel that if they paid tithes, they haddone their whole duty. Christ reproved them fortheir narrow view by saying, "These ought ye tohave done and not to leave the other Thatis, you should tithe your income, but you ought notto neglect other important matters of the law. TheBible states plainly that the tithe is and always hasbeen a permanent principle in the worship of God.The obligation, extent and blessing of tithe-paying are summed up in Malachi 3 :8 "Will a man robGod? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein"have we robbed thee ? In tithes and offeringsI am very thankful for the way the Lord hasprospered me and I am also thankful to be one of themany that knows that it pays to tithe. We find thatour money goes farther now than it did when wedidn't tithe. Going all out for Christ and tithingmakes a happy family.By their fruits ye shall know them. We shouldbe honest with God in every way. There are manyways to honor God such as, Remember the Sabbathday and keep it Holy, pay at least a tenth of his increase, attend both morning and evening Sabbathservices, see that our children attend these services,take our families to the Wednesday evening prayermeetings, search the scriptures, pray without ceasing, etc. If we are Christ-centered and tithe regularly, I am sure our Covenanter Church will grow.First Beaver FallsCOVENANTER WITNESS