The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 579

:

THE GREATEST OF THESE why should we

care for the will?

still

the inheritance can not be

when

the inheritance

is

the will

lost,

As proof and is

is

539

earnest that

very precious to us

delivered into our hands

paper, and only the inheritance

LOVE

IS

it

;

but

mere waste

is

of value.

Even Drs. Beets and Van Oosterzee, altho they choose to walk in paths somewhat different from those of the fathers, fully concede this point, as their beautiful comments on the last verse of i Cor. Dr. Beets writes

plainly show.

xiii.

"

Without apparent cause, at the end of a digression upon the excel-

lency of love, the apostle mentions faith and hope before love. It is evident that, while thinking of the latter, he can not overlook the former.

May we

not infer from this that faith and hope are just as essential to the

A

Christian as love?

The

of terms.

Christian without love

apostle says

He

' :

!

It is

indeed a contradiction

that hath not love

is

nothing.

'

How

Ah, what deception, what hypocrisy, what horrible sin to disguise a life without love, a loveless heart under the Christian name But what do you think of a Christian without hope? Is not What Life and immortality this just as absurd and just as offensive? brought to light by Jesus Christ He the Resurrection and the Life, having His Evangel the glad tidings of the forgiveness the words of eternal life and still it of sin, of reconciliation to God, of an opened heaven of bliss is thought possible that amid present suffering and sorrow a Christian can live without the delightful prospect and expectation of such a glorious future! Without hope! Is this not a fatal feature in the apostle's sad could he be a Christian?

!

!

;

;

;

picture of the blind heathen?

Is

it

not the same as to be without Christ?

man can know this hope, and no one who knows Christ can be without it. " And again, can one be a Christian without faith in God, who so loved without God?

Surely without Christ no

the world that

He gave His

'

on

Him

Christ

only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth

should not perish, but have everlasting

who has

believe also in

said,

Me

'

?

'

life

'

?

without faith in

Let not your heart be troubled ye believe in God, without faith in that faithful and true word of the ;

divine promise which centers in the fact that Jesus Christ has come into the world to save sinners? a Christian without faith— I do not say power of faith

by which he can remove mountains, but without

the evidence of things not seen? tian,

what

is

your Christianity?

Reader,

What

if

faith

which

is

perhaps you are such a Chris-

profit is

it

to

you?

With what

with what conscience, with what purpose do you persist in claiming the name of a Christian? A Christian without faith is one without hope

right,

;

and as such he is a mortal, a sinner without comfort in life and death. " Perhaps some one will answer Even as such my Christianity may be a g^eat deal to me, and serve me the highest and best purpose, if it '

:

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