God Hath Spoken - free ebook by Harris J. (Harris Jeremiah) Dark

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God Hath Spoken

Harris J. (Harris Jeremiah) Dark

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God Hath Spoken

God Hath Spoken

By HARRIS DARK Published by GEORGE W. DEHOFF PUBLISHING COMPANY MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE Copyright, 1947, by Harris Dark. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Each author has his own individual literary style and critics of literature can identify the work of an author by the construction and diction of his writing. The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible and he has a literary style peculiar to himself, which distinguishes his work from that of all human authors. There are certain literary

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I God Hath SPOKEN

I God Hath SPOKEN

It’s a wonderful thing that God hath spoken. Just try to imagine what condition this world would be in if God had never spoken. What if he had not spoken to Adam, to Noah, to Moses, or to any of our forefathers down through the centuries? As a clue to the conditions which would prevail if God had not spoken, consider the places on earth today where the Bible is unknown; where its influence has had only a very remote and indirect effect. In such places we find backwardness, ignorance, disease, da

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II GOD Hath Spoken

II GOD Hath Spoken

Every word in our principal clause is significant. Not only is it important that God hath spoken , but it is important that God hath spoken—that God is the one who has done the speaking. Just think what that means! The great God of this universe, creator of heaven and earth and everything therein—God, who sprinkled the heavens with teeming millions of bright sparkling worlds, which we behold by night, and made these bodies of ours that are so wonderfully and fearfully constructed—God, who has al

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III God HATH Spoken

III God HATH Spoken

But the other word in our text is also important—the word “hath.” It is present perfect tense. It means that God has already spoken. Our text does not say that God is continuing to speak but that God hath spoken, indicating that at the time this fact was recorded God’s revelation to the world through Christ had already been made. It had not all been put in written form, but the gospel had already been revealed. It was already in existence among men. The apostles had already been preaching for a

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IV Study the Bible

IV Study the Bible

Now I want to draw a few conclusions from this great fact. In view of the fact that God has spoken, let us consider how we ought to study his word. Just think—it’s a message from God, a message from Heaven! It applies to you, personally and individually, just as much as it would if he were to speak to you this morning in audible tones and address you by name. Suppose, for example, he should call you by name and say, “Now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on

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V God’s Word Is Final

V God’s Word Is Final

Furthermore, friends, we ought to regard it as final and complete and as the standard of truth, the standard by which all of our religious questions are to be decided. This conclusion is fundamental and very important. It needs to be emphasized. If you talk to the people of this world and see how many different human standards they are relying upon, you can see the importance of settling all religious questions by the divine standard, the word that God hath spoken through Christ. I want to use a

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VI Will You Obey His Word?

VI Will You Obey His Word?

I hope you are impressed with the fact which God hath spoken. Are you willing to hear that word? Friends, the word that God has spoken tells us that we must believe, in order to be saved. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to God” (Heb. 11:6). Faith is the very foundation of Christianity, so much so the Bible says, “The just shall

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I A Problem in Application

I A Problem in Application

These Scriptures show very plainly that one must neither add to nor subtract from the word of God . This fundamental principle is taught in both the New Testament and the Old Testament. However, some have difficulty in applying this teaching to many questions arising today. Because of this difficulty we find people who object to such things as a baptistry in the church building, Sunday morning Bible classes, individual cups, song books, collection baskets, etc. These objections arise from a misu

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II Examples

II Examples

1. The best way I know to make these distinctions clear is by giving a number of examples. God told Noah to build an ark. He specified the kind of wood that should be used. He told Noah to use gopher wood. That authorized gopher wood and eliminated every other possible kind of wood. Since God specified that gopher wood should be used, it would have been wrong for Noah to have used any other sort of wood. It would have been a sin for him to have used cedar wood, or oak, or any other kind which mi

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III The Principle Applied

III The Principle Applied

1. Some one may say that according to this principle of interpretation instrumental music may be justified. Let us see if this is true. If God’s word had merely told us to make music, that would have been generic as far as the type of music is concerned. But it so happens that God did not leave this commandment in such a general form. He specified the type of music we shall use in worshiping him. Ephesians 5:19 says, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and ma

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IV Important Conclusions

IV Important Conclusions

1. There are certain important conclusions which should be drawn from what has already been said. First, in a sphere where God has made specifications we must heed them. We must not ignore them. We must not change them. What he specifies must be done. In executing a command we must heed these specifications. To do otherwise would be an act of disobedience to God Almighty. 2. Second, where God has made no specifications we should not make any and try to bind them on others. To do so would be to a

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I The Issue Defined

I The Issue Defined

1. In order to study intelligently the subject of intolerance we need to understand definitely the meaning of the term. The words “tolerance,” “intolerance,” “tolerate,” and so on, have several different meanings. If we aren’t careful, one person will be thinking of one meaning of a term and another of a different meaning. If you look these words up in your dictionary, you will see several definitions. In order that we may understand each other, then, I want to cite two or three of them. 2. One

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II Some Necessary Distinctions

II Some Necessary Distinctions

1. In order to answer this question, I am persuaded that we will have to make a distinction between belief and opinion, and a distinction between things that are essential and things which are not essential. (In making this statement I am aware that the study of such a distinction may itself involve a debate, but I am not opposed to debates.) In other words, saying that a man should be tolerant is something like saying he ought to “be in favor of.” Well, in favor of what? Before you can say a ma

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III Examples of Sinful Intolerance

III Examples of Sinful Intolerance

1. My brethren and I should be the first to preach against the use of unfair methods in opposing those who are thought to be in error. We have suffered more at the hands of such intolerance than we have ever caused others to suffer. In a certain town the members of a denomination threatened to boycott one of their own group if he sold a building lot to members of the church of Christ who were establishing a congregation there, and thus caused him to back out on a trade he had already made. Such

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IV Intolerance in Schools

IV Intolerance in Schools

1. While I am talking about the advantage which is sometimes taken of people in school, I want to read something from Harry Emerson Fosdick. He is a man that I wouldn’t ordinarily quote or refer to. He is a liberal. There are a thousand things on which I disagree with him, but he has said something in a recent article which I think is worth passing on. I might not even agree with everything in this quotation, but you’ll see the point. He says: “I am a liberal; I am not pleading for sectarianism

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V Righteous Intolerance

V Righteous Intolerance

1. Now, I want to give you some Scriptures to show that we ought to oppose, that we are obligated to oppose, what we believe to be wrong. 1 Timothy 5:20 says, “Them that sin reprove in the sight of all, that others may also be in fear.” That is active opposition, isn’t it? According to Webster, that is intolerance, but it is the sort of intolerance which the Bible demands. Paul said in Galatians, chapter 2 and verse 11, that he withstood Peter to the face, because he was to be blamed. The apostl

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VI Standard of Authority Necessary

VI Standard of Authority Necessary

Before these things which I have been advocating can be successfully applied we must first of all have a common standard. It was brought out in the panel discussion last Tuesday night that the three men on the panel each had a different standard. Assumedly, the Protestant speaker accepted the entire Bible as the inspired word of God. The Jew did not. He did not accept the New Testament or the Christ of the New Testament; he accepted only the Old Testament. The Catholic speaker plainly stated tha

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VII Impractical “Tolerance”

VII Impractical “Tolerance”

During the few remaining minutes I want to talk about a different sort of intolerance—or rather a different sort of so-called tolerance—the kind that is being advocated generally by such meetings as we had last Tuesday night, and by a great many folk whom I meet from day to day. This particular type of tolerance simply means that we ought to agree with everybody on everything and oppose nobody on anything. That is what it amounts to. Its advocates pretend to endorse everything and everybody and

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VIII The Basis of Unity

VIII The Basis of Unity

In the forum last Tuesday night it was said that we ought to leave off all doctrinal differences and just love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Let’s put that to the test. What does it mean to love your neighbor? Do you love your neighbor as you do yourself when you see him on his way to hell and don’t try to stop him? Suppose you are thoroughly convinced that your neighbor is following a doctrine that will take him to hell, and you don’t try to stop him, just throw your arm around him and ca

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I Majority Frequently Wrong

I Majority Frequently Wrong

Those who make this assumption underestimate the capacity of mankind for making mistakes! In the days of Noah only eight people on the earth were right. All the others were wrong. You who put your confidence in the majority would have said, “Noah, you’re wrong. It will never rain as you predict. There are only eight people in your little group; all the rest in the world, including many highly educated and brilliant men, are against you. The majority must be right; therefore, you are wrong.” I im

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II The Bible Demands Unity

II The Bible Demands Unity

In all sincerity then, where did so many denominations come from? Did they come from the Bible? No. The Bible reveals only one church. Jesus Christ said, “Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). Note that he didn’t say “churches.” The Bible teaches that God’s children should be united. Just before he died on the cross Jesus prayed that the unity which existed between Him and the Father might also exist among all believers. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which sh

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III A Partial Answer

III A Partial Answer

In our search for the origin of denominational divisions, with all their attendant evils, we must look in some other direction. Let me appeal to you as an individual. How did you come to be what you are religiously? Where did you get your conception of Christianity? From reading the Bible, or from some other source? Did you form your church connection because of conviction resulting from prayerful, diligent, and faithful Bible study? Or did you merely follow the example of your parents, the soci

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IV Early Apostasy and Roman Catholicism

IV Early Apostasy and Roman Catholicism

In order to answer these questions let us begin at the other end of the line, at Pentecost, and come down toward the present to see what we can find. Since Jesus built only one church, at least one hundred and ninety-nine of the approximately two hundred now in existence had to get started somewhere else, at some other time, and in some other way. In the church that Jesus built, each congregation is entirely independent of every other congregation. The Bible teaches congregational autonomy, whic

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V The Reformation and Protestantism

V The Reformation and Protestantism

“Well, that explains,” you say, “just one denomination, but where did all the others come from?” We shall try to show you the connection between the Roman Catholic Church and many of the other denominations. For a period of seven hundred years, the Roman Catholics held sway over a vast majority of people who called themselves Christians. I believe that all down through the ages there were some folk who rebelled against the Roman “Pope”; and I am of the opinion, although I could not prove it, tha

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VI The Restoration Movement

VI The Restoration Movement

But to pursue our historical survey a little further, at the beginning of the nineteenth century with three hundred years of Protestant denominational history before them, various religious leaders were awakened to the evils of creeds, and a “back to the Bible” movement was begun. In America the work of these men became known as the Restoration Movement. It was their purpose to go back to Pentecost, to begin at Jerusalem, as a surveyor begins at the established corner, mark out the lines reveale

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VII The Need of Constant Vigilance

VII The Need of Constant Vigilance

Hence, my brethren, we need to be watching today, lest we become slack and allow error to creep into our midst and become established among us. Remember that human nature is just the same now that it has always been. The same sort of indifferent attitude and drifting which resulted in the Roman Catholic Church and which resulted in the establishment of other denominations in the world, will make a denomination out of us if we are not always on the guard. Eternal vigilance is the price of being r

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VIII Extra-Biblical Standards

VIII Extra-Biblical Standards

There is one fact which I want to emphasize further. In every case of denominationalism some authority other than the Bible has been recognized. Otherwise denominations could not come into existence, and denominations could not continue to exist. The extra-Biblical authority might be the man whom they call the Pope at Rome. It might be your preacher in some denomination which you look up to as being the final authority. It might be the creed of the denomination to which you belong. It might be t

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Which Church Is Right?

Which Church Is Right?

By actual count there are 217 people present for this Sunday evening worship. We are glad you are here. Your presence is a distinct encouragement. It helps. We can have better work by your being here than we could if you were not here. We have some visitors and you are very welcome. May you enjoy with us all the blessings that are to be had here and help us make these services even better! At the close of the lesson we shall sing “Come to Jesus,” for the purpose of encouraging you to accept the

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I One Church in Bible

I One Church in Bible

On the board tonight I have an outline of the lesson and the Scriptures which shall be used. I would like for you who are interested to write these Scriptures down, that you may give them further study. Search the Scriptures, as the noble people of Berea did, to see whether these things are true. There are many Scriptures which show that there is only one church in the Bible. Here are a few of them listed under No. 1. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, referring to the confession that Peter had just

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II The Church That Follows the Bible Is Right

II The Church That Follows the Bible Is Right

Suppose you were to undertake to examine all the creeds of Christendom, and eliminate them one by one to see which church is right. That would take a very long time. You might even die with old age before you had finished the task. I believe there is a much shorter and more practical approach to the solution of the question. Just go directly to the Bible and see what it says and follow its teaching; then you will naturally be right. If I were going to answer my question tonight in just one brief

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III Conditions of Membership

III Conditions of Membership

Let us see what the Bible actually teaches concerning the doctrine and practice of the church. Then we shall know which is right so far as these items are concerned. I want to say now, and repeat many times as we go along, that a church may be right on one point and wrong on another. A church may follow the Bible on one point and not follow it on another, and a church is right to the extent that it follows the Bible. It’s wrong to the extent that it fails to do so. No church is all right until i

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IV Worship

IV Worship

Let us look next at the acts of worship. There’s no place in the Bible which says in so many words, “Here are the acts ye shall perform as worship to Jehovah”; but there are certain acts commanded, which are, by their very nature, acts of worship. Therefore, God does state for us the acts which the members of His church shall perform in worship unto Him. First, they should pray . Acts 2:42 states that the church at Jerusalem continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, and in

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V Christian Living

V Christian Living

A church is responsible for its teaching in respect to how its members should live. It cannot force the members to do according to its teaching and we must distinguish between the conduct of the church as a whole and the behavior of individual members. If the church teaches the truth and attempts to persuade its members to obey it, and properly disciplines them when they disobey, the church as a whole cannot be held accountable for their misbehavior. Concerning Christian living the Bible says, “

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VI The Name

VI The Name

We come now to the name. You know, there are a lot of churches right here in Nashville tonight which simply cannot find their names in the Bible. They could look from now till the end of the world and they couldn’t find the names they wear in the Bible to save their lives! That, to me, is an astonishing fact. It looks as if anybody ought to know that the Bible cannot guide you into a church which isn’t even mentioned in the Bible. A road map cannot direct you to a town which is not shown on the

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VII Organization

VII Organization

Just one more item or two and then we’re through. Number 7 here refers to the organization of the church. According to the Bible every local congregation is entirely independent under God to manage its own affairs, with its elders overseeing its work. Acts 14:23: “When they had ordained them elders in every church and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” Acts 20:28 says, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Ho

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VIII Charity and Missionary Work

VIII Charity and Missionary Work

And then, finally, the Bible teaches that God’s church should be active in beneficent and missionary work. It is the duty of the church to feed the poor and to preach the gospel unto the entire world. I have a long list of Scriptures here which authorize this statement (Acts 11:27-30; 12:25; 24:17; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; Acts 11:19-21; 11:22-26; 13:1-4; etc.). Even though a church may be right in every other way, including Christian living, including the name, and including the organization, if it doesn

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IX Conclusions

IX Conclusions

What practical application shall we make? Simply take your Bible and follow out this plan, study it for yourself, see that this is what the Bible teaches, and then identify yourself with the congregation which does the same. You say, “Maybe I cannot find one that follows the Bible plan.” I believe you can in this town, but I’ll admit there are some towns where you can’t. Then what would you do? The answer is very simple—just start one! That’s one of the easiest things in the world to do. Study y

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I Points of Agreement

I Points of Agreement

I believe we can say that most of those who claim to be followers of Christ are agreed upon the following points: If we agree upon these five points, then, we also agree that there is a plan of salvation, for these points imply such a plan. It may be that we can get closer together upon the items of this plan than you have thought we could. We will all agree that faith is the very foundation of the plan (John 3:16). All accept the fact that repentance is essential (Acts 17:30). Everyone agrees t

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II The Sufficiency of the Plan

II The Sufficiency of the Plan

The above is a brief outline, then, of points upon which there is very general agreement. Let me ask you, dear friend, if you can think of anything essential to salvation which is not covered, at least in a general way, in this outline. If one follows the plan presented here, do you not agree that he will be saved in heaven at last? Can you think of anything else which is needed to insure one’s eternal salvation? I believe you cannot. Upon the sufficiency of this plan I am sure we are agreed. Th

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III More Points of Agreement

III More Points of Agreement

But while we are in this agreeing business, let us take it even further. In this country there is a large religious community known as the Baptist Church. This group includes many fine people. Many of them are honest, intelligent, cultured, refined, and good citizens. They have taken their denominational title from their emphasis upon immersion as being the only scriptural baptism, in contrast to those who accept something else. I agree with the Baptists that immersion is baptism and that nothin

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IV Some Important Conclusions

IV Some Important Conclusions

One can believe all truth and obey every commandment of God without belonging to any denomination. Can you think of an exception to this statement? Can you think of any truth which you cannot believe or any commandment that you cannot obey without joining a denomination? I don’t believe you can. Can you think of any truth which you cannot accept or any commandment which you cannot obey while being just a Christian? Isn’t it sufficient to be just a Christian? Isn’t it wrong to be something differ

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I A Great Supper

I A Great Supper

I am not going to speak this morning upon new year’s resolutions. But I shall say something which I believe will help you in carrying out the resolution that has just been mentioned. For our text we go to the fourteenth chapter of Luke, and begin reading with verse 15. “And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his

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II Three Slackers

II Three Slackers

According to the social customs which are said to have prevailed at that time and in the light of this text, it appears that the men in this story had already received and accepted the original invitation to attend this great supper. The servant was sent to tell those who were bidden that supper was now served. In spite of their social obligation to attend, they began to make excuse. 1. The nature of their excuses is not very commendable. The first one said he had bought a piece of land and he w

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III Common Excuses

III Common Excuses

This morning we want to discuss the excuses outsiders offer for not obeying the gospel. [2] If you start out to do some personal work and to lead people to the Lord individually, and that is the most effective way to lead them, you’ll find them making excuses. There are twelve or fifteen excuses which will probably cover 95 per cent of the cases. If you become familiar with these, and know how to answer them, you’ll be able to handle most of the objections you meet. I have heard all these excuse

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IV The Best Resolution

IV The Best Resolution

The best resolution that you can make today, if you haven’t already made it, is the resolution to quit doing wrong and to begin doing right. It is preceded by faith; it is followed by baptism. The resolution to do right will naturally lead to baptism, for that is a part of doing right. Won’t you say at the beginning of this new year, “I’m going to resolve now that from this day henceforth I will live for God”? If that be your resolution, come forward and make it known while we stand and sing. It

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I A Word of Encouragement

I A Word of Encouragement

But suppose one errs from the truth after having obeyed these commandments. That would make him an erring child of God. The case of such an one deserves our consideration. Is there a plan of salvation for one who errs from the truth after having been baptized into Christ—into the family of God? If so, what are the conditions of his salvation? On this topic there seems to be some confusion and misunderstanding. Occasionally we meet someone who thinks that there is no way for him to be saved, if h

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II God’s Willingness To Forgive

II God’s Willingness To Forgive

That an erring child of God may be saved is clearly taught by James 5:19-20, “Brethren, if any one of you do err from the truth and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.” That’s a clear-cut reference unto an erring child of God, for this statement is addressed unto the brethren. It teaches that if a brother errs from the straight and narrow way, there is a chance for him to be re

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III Unwillingness To Repent

III Unwillingness To Repent

The characters mentioned in the first part of the sixth chapter of Hebrews were lost not because they were incapable of being saved, but because they were unwilling to repent. Of them we read, beginning with verse 4; “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing th

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IV Simon the Sorcerer

IV Simon the Sorcerer

In the eighth chapter of Acts we have another example of an erring child of God. His name was Simon and he was a sorcerer by profession. Of him verse 13 says, “Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” Jesus said, Mark 16:16: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Simon believed and was baptized, therefore, Simon was saved. Simon was a child of God because he had believed and

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V The Prodigal Son

V The Prodigal Son

The story of the prodigal son very beautifully and accurately illustrates the plan we are discussing. The prodigal son does not represent an alien sinner. He was a son. He represents an erring child. He went away from home contrary to his father’s will, and he wasted his father’s goods in riotous living. He was a wayward child. He was a disobedient son of his father; and finally, when he had tasted the bitter dregs of sin, he resolved to go back home. The Bible says that he came to himself. He r

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VI The Church’s Duty

VI The Church’s Duty

In conclusion it might be well to mention the duty of the church in reference to an erring child of God. It is the duty of the church and of all its spiritually-minded members to warn those who are living in error, to rebuke them, to reprove them and to exhort them with all long suffering and teaching, to admonish them to do these three things which are required of them in order to be forgiven by the Lord. When we do so, we shall in no wise lose our reward. I close then by calling attention once

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I Purpose and Occasion

I Purpose and Occasion

It is my purpose this morning to label and expose the false doctrine of the Seventh Day Adventists with respect to the sabbath. In view of the current meeting at the War Memorial Auditorium, this lesson is certainly timely. I’m taking no advantage of those whose teaching I examine, for my purpose has been duly advertised in the daily press, and they are invited to be here. The overflow crowd present this morning indicates a lively interest in this topic. I wish I had the opportunity to speak to

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II Three Dispensations

II Three Dispensations

The Bible reveals unto us three distinct dispensations or periods of time. On the board I have a little diagram to represent those three dispensations. (See p. 144 .) The first lasted from Adam to Moses; the second continued from Moses until the death of Christ on the cross; the third began at the cross and will continue until our Lord comes again. During the first period, the family was the unit of worship. In divers manners and various portions God communicated with the heads of the families,

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III The Adventist Claim

III The Adventist Claim

The advocates of the seventh day sabbath make a very broad claim. They claim that the command to remember the sabbath day and keep it holy (the fourth commandment of the Decalogue given at Sinai) has been binding on all people throughout all ages and will continue to be in force as long as time shall last. In other words, they claim that it has been binding throughout each of the dispensations already mentioned. With the diagram ( p. 144 ) to keep these three periods before our minds, let us exa

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IV No Sabbath for Man During First 2,500 Years

IV No Sabbath for Man During First 2,500 Years

First of all, I emphatically deny that God commanded anyone to keep the sabbath before the children of Israel were led out of Egypt. According to the Seventh Day Adventists, the “fourth commandment” was in force at least 2,500 years before it was made known. This could not be. Moses wrote the book of Genesis. He probably wrote it after the law was given at Sinai. It covers almost the entire patriarchal period. In this book the word “sabbath” is not found at all! Genesis 2:2 says that God rested

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V Never Applied To the Gentiles

V Never Applied To the Gentiles

Coming now to the second part of the diagram ( p. 144 ), I emphatically deny that there is any place in the Bible to show that God ever commanded the Gentile nations to keep the sabbath day, even during the Mosaic dispensation. Seventh Day Adventists are obligated to furnish the text which says that he did so, but they cannot furnish it. In fact, there are plenty of Scriptures to show that this ceremonial institution was not in force among the Gentiles. Speaking of the sabbath, God said, “It is

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VI Sabbath Commandments Not in The Law of Christ

VI Sabbath Commandments Not in The Law of Christ

Coming now to the last section in the diagram (on page 144 ), I emphatically deny that there is any verse of Scripture which states that God ever commanded anybody to keep the sabbath day since Jesus died on the cross. No one can find such a text in the Bible. I’m not unaware of some attempts made along that line by Seventh Day Sabbatarians. For instance, they refer to Matthew 24:20, where Jesus told his disciples to pray that, when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed (in A.D. 70), they might no

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VII The Christian’s Day of Worship

VII The Christian’s Day of Worship

Christians are taught to worship on the first day of the week. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come” (1 Cor. 16:1, 2). The last phrase in this quotation shows that Paul did not refer to merely laying aside some money at home but rather to putting money into a common treasury. This defi

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VIII The Will of Christ

VIII The Will of Christ

Christians are living under the reign of Christ. They are expected to obey the word that God hath spoken unto us by his Son (Heb. 1:2). This word is called the will, or testament, of Christ. As in the case of human wills, it became of force when he died on the cross. “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth” (Heb. 6:16, 17). The will of Chri

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IX Conclusion

IX Conclusion

Beloved, you have seen that the commandment to remember the sabbath day and keep it holy is confined to the law God gave to the Jews through Moses in the wilderness. It is not named in the history of God’s people during the 2,500 years prior to that time. It is peculiar to the law of Moses. It is not found at any other place in the Bible. It was not in force during the patriarchal dispensation. Even during the Mosaic age, or dispensation, it never applied to the Gentiles. It is not binding durin

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I Review

I Review

The main points in the lesson last Lord’s day were as follows: 1. Bible history is divided into three periods: the Patriarchal Dispensation; the Mosaic Dispensation; and the Christian Dispensation. 2. There was no sabbath during the first period which lasted from Adam to Moses. 3. The sabbath commandment never applied to the Gentiles—not even during the Mosaic dispensation. 4. The sabbath commandment was confined to the law of Moses which was abolished when Christ died on the cross. 5. Christian

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II “The Two Laws”

II “The Two Laws”

In my hand I hold a copy of one of the so-called Bible lessons distributed by the Seventh Day Adventists. The title of this pamphlet is “The Two Laws.” That title implies that God has never given but two laws. That is a mistake. God has given different laws to different people at different times, as the occasion and his eternal purpose required. His law to Adam before the fall was different from his law to Adam after the fall. His law to Cain was not the same as his law to Noah. His law to Abram

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III “Ceremonial” and “Moral” Laws

III “Ceremonial” and “Moral” Laws

At this point I want to read to you the leading sentence in this Adventist pamphlet we are reviewing: “The New Testament Scriptures clearly present two different divisions of the Old Testament laws: the moral law as summed up in the Ten Commandments, which is binding on Christians as a rule of life and conduct; the ceremonial law of typical ordinances, which was abolished at the cross and from which Christians are entirely free.” I want you to carefully note what that quotation says. It says tha

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IV The Sinaitic Law a Unit

IV The Sinaitic Law a Unit

The Bible speaks of the law which God gave to the Jews in the wilderness in the singular, as one law, not two laws. Such expressions as “the book of the law of Moses,” “the law,” “the book of the law,” and “the law of God” are used interchangeably in the Bible to designate all of the Jewish law (See Nehemiah 8:1, 2, 3, 8). They are never used to distinguish one part of it from another part. “The law of Moses” and “the law of the Lord” are used interchangeably in Luke 2:21-24. All of it is called

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V The Law of Christ

V The Law of Christ

The fact that the law of Moses in its entirety, including even the Ten Commandments, has been taken out of the way does not mean that Christians are without restraint, guidance and law. God hath “spoken unto us by his son” (Heb. 1:1-2). This word that God hath spoken unto us through Christ is called “the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2) or the testament of Christ (Heb. 9:13-17). It is the law of love (Rom. 13:8-10). The law of Christ, which has been applicable to all the world since his death, contains

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VI Summary

VI Summary

Summarizing what was said last Lord’s day and what has been said today, I am earnestly requesting the Seventh Day Adventists to furnish the following Bible texts which are essential to the support of their theory: 1. The text that commanded any one to keep the sabbath during the period from Adam to Moses. 2. The text that commanded the Gentile nations to observe Saturday as a day of rest, even during the Mosaic dispensation. 3. The text in the new covenant, or will of Christ, that commands Chris

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I Wisdom in the Lord’s Plan

I Wisdom in the Lord’s Plan

We should not be disturbed by the fact that there are certain decisions which we have to make according to our own best judgment. I believe there is a very good reason why God made this arrangement. Simply because the detailed instructions that would fit one place might not be suitable at another. For instance, you had to decide how big to make this house in which you worship. Suppose God had specified that a house of worship should be 50 × 40 feet. That might be a suitable building for one comm

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II Responsibilities of Leadership in the Local Church

II Responsibilities of Leadership in the Local Church

1. Autonomy of the local church. As some of you know, I was requested last fall to teach a series of lessons at Grace Avenue on the subject of church leadership. When I contemplated the task I wondered what I would say, but before it was over I was wondering how I would find time to say what was to be said. Of course, church leadership means leadership in the local congregation because that is the only capacity in which the church can scripturally function. Congregational autonomy needs to be em

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III Difference in Success and Failure

III Difference in Success and Failure

It needs to be emphasized that the difference between success and failure very often consists not of any one great big item but of a great many details or small factors working together. Not one big thing but many little things working together very often makes the difference between success and failure—in every phase of life except the church. In the church they make the difference between outstanding success and just mediocre success. It is very difficult for the church to fail completely. As

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IV Point of Diminishing Returns

IV Point of Diminishing Returns

I want to raise one more question and then we’ll have to close. We hear people speaking in the business world about “the point of diminishing returns.” Maybe I should tell you what that means or give you a simple illustration. Suppose you drive out on a muddy road like Brother Estevez was talking about this afternoon and get your car real dirty and come home to wash it. You turn on the hose pipe and go over it one time, and it doesn’t look like the same car. The first going over makes a big diff

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INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

To set in order the work of the local church it is well to consider the objectives or results desired. Below is a list of scriptural congregational objectives and some of the activities that will help to reach the objectives. We are very glad to have visitors with us today. I will not undertake to name those who are present from other places, lest I omit one. But we want all of you to realize that you have a very hearty welcome. We’re always glad to have you worship with us. I was very glad inde

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I Preaching on Lord’s Days

I Preaching on Lord’s Days

Our problem is to get the truth unto these people. What means and what methods shall we use in carrying out this charge which God has given us? One method we use is that of preaching on the Lord’s day; Sunday sermons serve an evangelistic purpose to some extent. Some of the lessons are designed for the purpose of reaching those who are on the outside, and, of course, when that is the case, a special effort should be made to get the outsiders here to hear the lessons. These regular Lord’s day mee

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II Protracted Meetings

II Protracted Meetings

Most congregations supplement their Lord’s day preaching then by what is called protracted meetings, or revival meetings. Such meetings accomplish much good, and they should be executed with a definite purpose in mind. Some definite purpose should characterize every activity of the church. When we hold another protracted meeting, we want to think of it as a means of helping us carry out the God-given charge to preach the gospel unto the people in East Nashville. As long as there is one soul with

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III Advertising

III Advertising

You will agree with me that if we should depend entirely upon Lord’s day preaching and upon protracted meetings, we would never reach all the unsaved even in our own community. God has not prescribed that our efforts shall be confined unto these methods. He has given us a general charge to preach the gospel to all the world. He expects us to use some intelligence and some good judgment in carrying out this command. And, friends, he expects us to use every means which is at our disposal in order

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IV Radio and Press

IV Radio and Press

Another means which might be used to carry out this charge is radio preaching. Of course, there has been much of this done already in the city of Nashville, but there are many other places where it has not been done, and where it should be used as one of the methods of carrying out the commandment to preach the gospel to the whole world. Wherever the radio is used every possible effort should be made to form personal contact with those who become interested. I know a number of congregations that

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V Distributing Tracts

V Distributing Tracts

But even after we have done all these things there will still be some people who are not yet reached. The church here has been engaged in publishing and distributing tracts. This is another means which we can use to reach our neighbors. I wish we had some system of regularly placing tracts, appropriate tracts, in every home in this community. We can help to preach the gospel to the world by carrying tracts in person to those who live in our neighborhood, and by placing tracts in public places—th

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VI Personal Evangelism

VI Personal Evangelism

In addition to all these methods, personal evangelism should be greatly emphasized. Here is perhaps the greatest weakness in the method of the churches of Christ today. On this point, we are allowing some advocates of error to run circles around us. Here is a great unworked field which, when properly worked, will bring results of which we have not yet dreamed. The Bible does not command people to come to our public meetings. If we can reach them by these public meetings, that’s fine. If we can p

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VII The Case of Mary Doe

VII The Case of Mary Doe

The thing I’m trying to impress upon your minds is that we have not been using all the means or methods which God has placed at our disposal. Let me make the point just as concrete and effective as possible by using a definite example. (Maybe it’s indefinite in some respects.) Suppose that we have a young lady brought up here in our own community, maybe not living more than two or three blocks from our church building. We will call her Mary Doe. What are the chances that she will learn the truth

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VIII House To House Calls

VIII House To House Calls

And, finally, my friends, it might be possible that before we could reach Mary Doe and the several thousand people whom she represents, we would have to start down the street and go from house to house and call upon every home. It could be possible that Mary would not be thrown with any member of the church, even in her association at school. Do you believe we can claim to have fully and completely met our responsibility, in preaching the gospel to the people of East Nashville, until we have gon

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IX Prayer

IX Prayer

I would like to climax all of this by saying that prayer should be used in our effort to carry out the great commission. If you have faithfully and diligently engaged in all of these activities mentioned, and any others of like nature that could be mentioned, then you can consistently pray to God to help you in accomplishing your purpose. That’s the reason I put prayer at the end of the list. For prayer should not be used without being accompanied by every possible effort on our part. Neither of

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I Use of Outline

I Use of Outline

I would like for you to take this outline home with you and study it with two or three questions in mind. First, what can you do to help advance the work of the church? Look over this list of activities and write into this outline any others which, in your judgment, would be scriptural in nature and help to make the work of the church more effective. These objectives are Scriptural, therefore, we want to do everything in our power to reach them. In order for the church to attain these objectives

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II Sending Messages

II Sending Messages

I want to say a few things tonight under Item No. 2 of our evangelistic program. God tells us to go into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature. We discussed some methods this morning that might be used in carrying out that responsibility in our own neighborhood. Now, the question arises, “What can we do about preaching in communities that are too far away to receive any direct benefit from our local program of services and personal work?” One method which we have been using rec

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III Sending Money

III Sending Money

A third way in which we can help to attain this objective of preaching the gospel to the entire world is by sending financial support to missionary fields and to preachers working in those fields. In that respect the church at Chapel Avenue has been very active and no doubt will continue to be. In fact, we have just about gone as far as we can go with the present means at our disposal, and I think it would not be out of order to tell you that in the business meeting this evening another man was

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IV A Three-Cornered Affair

IV A Three-Cornered Affair

Now arranging a program of missionary work is a three-cornered affair. There is first of all the missionary field in which the work is to be done, and next, there is the preacher who is to do the preaching and third the church to do the financing. By some means or other these three must be brought to an agreement upon a plan of procedure. That means that somebody must take the initiative in getting the work started. Sometimes a few members who live in the missionary field take the initiative, an

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V Practical Suggestions

V Practical Suggestions

Now these are just scattering thoughts and remarks on what we can do and, therefore, what we ought to do to attain the God given objective of preaching the gospel unto the whole world. I advise you again that this list of activities is not exhaustive but suggestive. The same kind of treatment given this particular objective could be applied to the others in this outline as well. We don’t have time to do so tonight, but I want you to study it for yourself and consider how you, individually and pe

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I New Testament Authority

I New Testament Authority

You know, as well as I, that in every instance we must go to the New Testament for our guidance in matters religious. Our people have been thoroughly taught, but not too thoroughly, that we are no longer bound by the laws given to Moses and Noah, but by the law of Christ. In studying the subject of giving, therefore, we must go to the New Testament. In First Corinthians 16:2 we read: “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there b

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II Individual Responsibility

II Individual Responsibility

Each individual must answer for himself this question: “How much is liberal?” The Old Testament required a certain percentage; the New Testament requires liberality. How much is liberal? What does the Bible mean when it says, “give liberally?” Liberality would not mean the same amount in every case. Some must give more than others. This story was published some years ago in the Gospel Advocate : There was a certain rich man in a congregation who had as much money as all the other members. When m

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III Abram

III Abram

Although the New Testament does not, and I can not, tell you definitely how much is liberal in the sight of God, we can get some light on the question by studying what God has required of his people in other dispensations. In the 14th chapter of Genesis there is an account of four kings who went to war against five other kings. The four kings won the war and among the captives was Lot, the kinsman of Abram. “And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants,

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IV Jacob

IV Jacob

Turning on over to the 28th chapter of Genesis we find another interesting story that throws some light on our question. Jacob had taken Esau’s blessing. Esau was angry. Jacob was afraid Esau would kill him. For refuge he went to Padanaram. On the way he spent the night at Bethel, and slept in the open, with a rock for a pillow. I don’t know why he chose such a hard pillow. People do some strange things. I have heard that in days gone by the Oriental people slept with their feet, instead of thei

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V Jews

V Jews

Now, back to the Old Testament. You know the Jews were required to give a tenth of their income and even more. Some Bible students say the requirement was ²/₁₀ all the time and ³/₁₀ every third year. That is not entirely clear to me, but we do know that they had to give a tenth and in addition to that, they had to make daily, weekly, monthly and annual sacrifices. So at the very least, they gave more than a tenth, and you know that the Jews were a prosperous people. For some reason God tells us

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VI Blessings

VI Blessings

Some people don’t give away enough and that is the reason they don’t have enough left to pay their bills. If you are having trouble making “tongue and buckle meet,” and don’t have the necessities of life, I suggest that you start giving more to the Lord’s work. Then you will have more left to live on. This may not sound like good arithmetic; but it is good Bible teaching. “He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” “The libera

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I The Will of Christ

I The Will of Christ

As many of you well know, the New Testament teaches that the law of Moses is not binding on Christians today, but that we should follow the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. This means that the Ten Commandments, as such, are not today binding, but the principles involved in the Ten Commandments are binding in so far as they have been included in the law of Christ. Frequently, when I make such a statement someone replies, “Do you mean that we may do as we please? Do you mean that it’s all righ

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II The Works of the Flesh

II The Works of the Flesh

Let us look at the works of the flesh first. The Bible plainly says that those who follow the works of the flesh shall not enter the kingdom of God. If you find yourself guilty of one or more of these works of the flesh, then remember that you are on the outside, that you will remain on the outside until you repent and obey God. People who follow the works of the flesh simply cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. 1. Adultery and Fornication. The first four in the list are adultery, fornication, un

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III The Fruits of the Spirit

III The Fruits of the Spirit

In contrast with the works of the flesh let us look at the fruits of the Spirit. They are the fruits which will be produced in the life of one who is following in the Spirit. They are the characteristics which will adorn the life of one who obeys God. I want you to notice how attractive these are. I want you to see how beautiful this list is. 1. Love. Love for God, for your brother, for your neighbor, and even love for your enemy is a fruit of the Spirit. 2. Joy. God expects his people to be joy

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I The Danger of Falling

I The Danger of Falling

It’s not our purpose to speak at this time on the topic, “What Must I Do to Be Saved?” but rather upon one which is equally important, “What Must I Do to Keep Saved?” This very question implies not only the possibility, but even the danger, of one’s falling from grace. If it were not possible for one who has once been in a saved condition to fall out of it into an unsaved condition, then our topic would be entirely out of place. Furthermore, a big part of the New Testament would be of no value.

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II The Power to Stand

II The Power to Stand

Please do not get the impression, however, that you have to fall from grace. You don’t have to do it! You can stand if you will. If you will stand, God will give you the power to stand. If you submit your life unto Him for safekeeping and maintain the right attitude toward Him, and the right sort of service for Him, then He will keep that which has been committed unto Him. You don’t have to fall from grace. Anybody can be saved who wants to. If you don’t go to heaven, it will be because you didn

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III Three Rules

III Three Rules

From this point on I shall assume that I am speaking to people who do want to go to heaven. On this assumption I can give you three little rules to follow, which will insure your success. I do not mean that the mere formality of doing these three things will make you safe for heaven. There is not necessarily any virtue in the mere routine suggested. But granting that you want to go to heaven, if you will follow these three simple rules, they will enable you to do what you want to do. The beauty

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