1937 Bible Studies - page 3

1

EDITORIAL.

There is a profundity of truth in the statement of the Apostle Paul to Timothy: " Let him that nameth the Name of the LORD depart from unrighteousness. " It involves an understanding of the relationship between faith and works, doing and teaching, preaching and living.  It is not sufficient that men should know of the righteous-ness of God, nor the righteousness which is of faith, but they must know the truth expressed by John, " He that doeth righteousness is righteous. "

It would be quite accurate to say that we never exhaust the possibilities associated with the subject of righteousness, for it covers the life that now is and that which is to come. It covers the personal relationships of men with God in the truths of the Gospel, and their relations with one another.

Men in the days of Enosh began to call upon the Name of the LORD, but it is clear that in general there was not any understanding of the principle formulated by Paul, a principle which is called the firm foundation of God, and which found exemplification in the day of Abel.  For we have no record of anything that Abel ever said, yet he had witness borne to him that he was righteous because of that which he did, " and through it he being dead yet speaketh " (Hebrews 11. 4).  In the studies which lie before us we shall be called upon to note very clearly that words alone will never suffice for the preacher, and that " faith apart from works is dead. "

If a man is to preach, a necessary qualification is that given in Romans 10. 15: " How shall they preach, except they be sent ? "

It cannot be too clearly realised that the work of preaching is in every sense a co-operative work, one that is done according to divine predestination, according to the will of God and the preparation of the Holy Spirit.  There is no work that men can do which is diverse from that done by the Father and the Son in its mode and operation. The Spirit is always in the forefront; as in Genesis 1. 2, so always in Genesis 6. 3, and in John 16. 8.  Men may be called to preach, but there has always been preparation. A world of men convicted in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, by the Spirit, is ripe for the reaping activities of men called for the work.

The Apostle Paul realised this very clearly when he said, " Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. " The realisation of this saves one from despondency as the fruits of the labour seem small.

The response to the activities of Noah seems pitiably small, but it was as true then as later that it is " God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe, " and it will always be found that effective preaching is associated with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

A. T. D.

NOTES ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

H e b r e w s 1. 1-14.

God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the p r o p h e t s by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at

the end of these days spoken unto us in His Son.

God is the speaker in both the Old and New Covenants: the channel of communication of old was the prophets--He spoke " in the prophets, " but now He speaks " in Son, " that is, in one who is Son.

The absence of the definite article " more emphatically and definitely