the acts of the apostles-第53节

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but　as　they　reached　forth　the　hand　to　secure　it；　another；　an　instant　before
them；　might　grasp　the　coveted　treasure。

Such　is　not　the　case　in　the　Christian　warfare。　Not　one　who　complies　with　the
conditions　will　be　disappointed　at　the　end　of　the　race。　Not　one　who　is
earnest　and　persevering　will　fail　of　success。　The　race　is　not　to　the　swift；
nor　the　battle　to　the　strong。　The　weakest　saint；　as　well　as　the　strongest；
may　wear　the　crown　of　immortal　glory。　All　may　win　who；　through　the　power　of
divine　grace；　bring　their　lives　into　conformity　to　the　will　of　Christ。　The
practice；　in　the　details　of　life；　of　the　principles　laid　down　in　God's　word；
is　too　often　looked　upon　as　unimportanta　matter　too　trivial　to　demand
attention。　But　in　view　of　the　issue　at　stake；　nothing　is　small　that　will
help　or　hinder。　Every　act　casts　its　weight　into　the　scale　that　determines
life's　victory　or　defeat。　And　the　reward　given　to　those　who　win

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will　be　in　proportion　to　the　energy　and　earnestness　with　which　they　have
striven。

The　apostle　compared　himself　to　a　man　running　in　a　race；　straining　every
nerve　to　win　the　prize。　〃I　therefore　so　run；〃　he　says；　〃not　as　uncertainly；
so　fight　I；　not　as　one　that　beateth　the　air：　but　I　keep　under　my　body；　and
bring　it　into　subjection：　lest　that　by　any　means；　when　I　have　preached　to
others；　I　myself　should　be　a　castaway。〃　That　he　might　not　run　uncertainly　or
at　random　in　the　Christian　race；　Paul　subjected　himself　to　severe　training。
The　words；　〃I　keep　under　my　body；〃　literally　mean　to　beat　back　by　severe
discipline　the　desires；　impulses；　and　passions。

Paul　feared　lest；　having　preached　to　others；　he　himself　should　be　a
castaway。　He　realized　that　if　he　did　not　carry　out　in　his　life　the
principles　he　believed　and　preached；　his　labors　in　behalf　of　others　would
avail　him　nothing。　His　conversation；　his　influence；　his　refusal　to　yield　to
self…gratification；　must　show　that　his　religion　was　not　a　profession　merely；
but　a　daily；　living　connection　with　God。　One　goal　he　kept　ever　before　him；
and　strove　earnestly　to　reach　〃the　righteousness　which　is　of　God　by
faith。〃　Philippians　3：9。

Paul　knew　that　his　warfare　against　evil　would　not　end　so　long　as　life　should
last。　Ever　he　realized　the　need　of　putting　a　strict　guard　upon　himself；　that
earthly　desires　might　not　overcome　spiritual　zeal。　With　all　his　power　he
continued　to　strive　against　natural　inclinations。　Ever　he　kept　before　him
the　ideal　to　be　attained；　and　this　ideal　he　strove　to　reach　by　willing
obedience　to　the　law　of　God。　His

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words；　his　practices；　his　passionsall　were　brought　under　the　control　of
the　Spirit　of　God。

It　was　this　singlehearted　purpose　to　win　the　race　for　eternal　life　that　Paul
longed　to　see　revealed　in　the　lives　of　the　Corinthian　believers。　He　knew
that　in　order　to　reach　Christ's　ideal　for　them；　they　had　before　them　a　life
struggle　from　which　there　would　be　no　release。　He　entreated　them　to　strive
lawfully；　day　by　day　seeking　for　piety　and　moral　excellence。　He　pleaded　with
them　to　lay　aside　every　weight　and　to　press　forward　to　the　goal　of
perfection　in　Christ。

Paul　pointed　the　Corinthians　to　the　experience　of　ancient　Israel；　to　the
blessings　that　rewarded　their　obedience；　and　to　the　judgments　that　followed
their　transgressions。　He　reminded　them　of　the　miraculous　way　in　which　the
Hebrews　were　led　from　Egypt　under　the　protection　of　the　cloud　by　day　and　the
pillar　of　fire　by　night。　Thus　they　were　safely　conducted　through　the　Red
Sea；　while　the　Egyptians；　essaying　to　cross　in　like　manner；　were　all
drowned。　By　these　acts　God　had　acknowledged　Israel　as　His　church。　They　〃did
all　eat　the　same　spiritual　meat；　and　did　all　drink　the　same　spiritual　drink：
for　they　drank　of　that　spiritual　Rock　that　followed　them：　and　that　Rock　was
Christ。〃　The　Hebrews；　in　all　their　travels；　had　Christ　as　a　leader。　The
smitten　rock　typified　Christ；　who　was　to　be　wounded　for　men's
transgressions；　that　the　stream　of　salvation　might　flow　to　all。

Notwithstanding　the　favor　that　God　showed　to　the　Hebrews；　yet　because　of
their　lust　for　the　luxuries　left　behind　in　Egypt；　and　because　of　their　sin
and　rebellion；　the

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judgments　of　God　came　upon　them。　The　apostle　enjoined　the　Corinthian
believers　to　heed　the　lesson　contained　in　Israel's　experience。　〃Now　these
things　were　our　examples；〃　he　declared；　〃to　the　intent　we　should　not　lust
after　evil　things；　as　they　also　lusted。〃　He　showed　how　love　of　ease　and
pleasure　had　prepared　the　way　for　sins　that　called　forth　the　signal
vengeance　of　God。　It　was　when　the　children　of　Israel　sat　down　to　eat　and
drink；　and　rose　up　to　play；　that　they　threw　off　the　fear　of　God；　which　they
had　felt　as　they　listened　to　the　giving　of　the　law；　and；　making　a　golden
calf　to　represent　God；　they　worshiped　it。　And　it　was　after　enjoying　a
luxurious　feast　connected　with　the　worship　of　Baalpeor；　that　many　of　the
Hebrews　fell　through　licentiousness。　The　anger　of　God　was　aroused；　and　at
His　command　〃three　and　twenty　thousand〃　were　slain　by　the　plague　in　one　day。

The　apostle　adjured　the　Corinthians；　〃Let　him　that　thinketh　he　standeth　take
heed　lest　he　fall。〃　Should　they　become　boastful　and　self…confident；
neglecting　to　watch　and　pray；　they　would　fall　into　grievous　sin；　calling
down　upon　themselves　the　wrath　of　God。　Yet　Paul　would　not　have　them　yield　to
despondency　or　discouragement。　He　gave　them　the　assurance：　〃God　is　faithful；
who　will　not　suffer　you　to　be　tempted　above　that　ye　are　able；　but　will　with
the　temptation　also　make　a　way　of　escape；　that　ye　may　be　able　to　bear　it。〃

Paul　urged　his　brethren　to　ask　themselves　what　influence　their　words　and
deeds　would　have　upon　others　and　to　do　nothing；　however　innocent　in　itself；
that　would　seem　to

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sanction　idolatry　or　offend　the　scruples　of　those　who　might　be　weak　in　the
faith。　〃Whether　therefore　ye　eat；　or　drink；　or　whatsoever　ye　do；　do　all　to
the　glory　of　God。　Give　none　offense；　neither　to　the　Jews；　nor　to　the
Gentiles；　nor　to　the　church　of　God。〃

The　apostle's　words　of　warning　to　the　Corinthian　church　are　applicable　to
all　time　and　are　especially　adapted　to　our　day。　By　idolatry　he　meant　not
only　the　worship　of　idols；　but　self…serving；　love　of　ease；　the　gratification
of　appetite　and　passion。　A　mere　profession　of　faith　in　Christ；　a　boastful
knowledge　of　the　truth；　does　not　make　a　man　a　Christian。　A　religion　that
seeks　only　to　gratify　the　eye；　the　ear；　and　the　taste；　or　that　sanctions
self…indulgence；　is　not　the　religion　of　Christ。

By　a　comparison　of　the　church　with　the　human　body；　the　apostle　aptly
illustrated　the　close　and　harmonious　relationship　that　should　exist　among
all　members　of　the　church　of　Christ。　〃By　one　Spirit；〃　he　wrote；　〃are　well
all　baptized　into　one　body；　whether　we　be　Jews　or　Gentiles；　whether　we　be
bond　or　free；　and　have　been　all　made　to　drink　into　one　Spirit。　For　the　body
is　not　one　member；　but　many。　If　the　foot　shall　say；　Because　I　am　not　the
hand；　I　am　not　of　the　body；　is　it　therefore　not　of　the　body？　And　if　the　ear
shall　say；　Because　I　am　not　the　eye；　I　am　not　of　the　body；　is　it　therefore
not　of　the　body？　If　the　whole　body　were　an　eye；　where　were　the　hearing？　If
the　whole　were　hearing；　where　were　the　smelling？　But　now　hath　God　set　the
members　every　one　of　them　in　the　body；　as　it　hath　pleased　Him。　And　if　they
were　all　one　member；　where　were　the　body？

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But　now　are　they　many　members；　yet　but　one　body。　And　the　eye　cannot　say　unto
the　hand；　I　have　no　need　of　thee：　nor　again　the　head　to　the　feet；　I　have　no
need　of　you。　。　。　。　God　hath　tempered　the　body　together；　having　given　more
abundant　honor　to　that　part　which　lacked：　that　there　should　be　no　schism　in
the　body；　but　that　the　members　should　have　the　same　care　one　for　another。
And　whether　one　member　suffer；　all　the　members　suffer　with　it；　or　one　member
be　honored；　all　the　members　rejoice　with　it。　Now　ye　are　the　body　of　Christ；
and　members　in　particular。〃

And　then；　in　words　which　from　that　day　to　this　have　been　to　men　and　women　a
source　of　inspiration　and　encouragement；　Paul　set　forth　the　importance　of
that　love　which　should　be　cherished　by　the　followers　of　Christ：　〃Though　I
speak　with　the　tongues　of　men　and　of　angels；　and　have　not　charity；　I　am
become　as　sounding　brass；　or　a　tinkling　cymbal。　And　though　I　have　the　gift
of　prophecy；　and　understand　all　mysteries；　and　all　knowledge；　and　though　I
have　all　faith；　so　that　I　could　remove　mountains；　and　have　not　charity；　I　am
nothing。　And　though　I　bestow　all　my　goods　to　feed　the　poor；　and　though　I
give　my　body　to　be　burned；　and　have　not　charity；　it　profiteth　me　nothing。〃

No　matter　how　high　the　profession；　he　whose　heart　is　not　filled　with　love
for　God　and　his　fellow　men　is　not　a　true　disciple　of　Christ。　Though　he
should　possess　great　faith　and　have　power　even　to　work　miracles；　yet　without
love　his　faith　would　be　worthless。　He　might　display　great　liberality；　but
should　he；　from　some　other　motive　than

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genuine　love；　bestow　all　his　goods　to　feed　the　poor；　the　a