the acts of the apostles-第76部分

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in　longing　desire　to　do　acceptable　service　for　the　Master。　And　as　he
advances　in　the　Christian　pathway　he　becomes　〃strong　in　the　grace　that　is　in
Christ　Jesus。〃　This　grace　enables　him　to　be　a　faithful　witness　of　the　things
that　he　has　heard。　He　does　not　despise　or　neglect　the　knowledge　that　he　has
received　from　God；　but　commits　this　knowledge　to　faithful　men；　who　in　their
turn　teach　others。

In　this　his　last　letter　to　Timothy；　Paul　held　up　before　the　younger　worker　a
high　ideal；　pointing　out　the　duties　devolving　on　him　as　a　minister　of
Christ。　〃Study　to　show　thyself　approved　unto　God；〃　the　apostle　wrote；　〃a
workman　that　needeth　not　to　be　ashamed；　rightly　dividing　the　word　of　truth。〃
〃Flee　also　youthful　lusts：　but　follow　righteousness；　faith；　charity；　peace；
with　them　that　call　on　the　Lord　out　of　a　pure　heart。　But　foolish　and
unlearned　questions　avoid；　knowing　that　they　do　gender　strifes。　And　the
servant　of　the　Lord　must　not　strive；　but　be　gentle　unto　all　men；　apt　to
teach；　patient；　in　meekness　instructing　those　that　oppose

502

themselves；　if　God　peradventure　will　give　them　repentance　to　the
acknowledging　of　the　truth。〃

The　apostle　warned　Timothy　against　the　false　teachers　who　would　seek　to　gain
entrance　into　the　church。　〃This　know　also；〃　he　declared；　〃that　in　the　last
days　perilous　times　shall　come。　For　men　shall　be　lovers　of　their　own　selves；
covetous；　boasters；　proud；　blasphemers；　disobedient　to　parents；　unthankful；
unholy；　。　。　。　having　a　form　of　godliness；　but　denying　the　power　thereof：
from　such　turn　away。〃

〃Evil　men　and　seducers　shall　wax　worse　and　worse；〃　he　continued；　〃deceiving；
and　being　deceived。　But　continue　thou　in　the　things　which　thou　hast　learned
and　hast　been　assured　of；　knowing　of　whom　thou　hast　learned　them；　and　that
from　a　child　thou　hast　known　the　Holy　Scriptures；　which　are　able　to　make
thee　wise　unto　salvation。　。　。　。　All　Scripture　is　given　by　inspiration　of
God；　and　is　profitable　for　doctrine；　for　reproof；　for　correction；　for
instruction　in　righteousness：　that　the　man　of　God　may　be　perfect；　throughly
furnished　unto　all　good　works。〃　God　has　provided　abundant　means　for
successful　warfare　against　the　evil　that　is　in　the　world。　The　Bible　is　the
armory　where　we　may　equip　for　the　struggle。　Our　loins　must　be　girt　about
with　truth。　Our　breastplate　must　be　righteousness。　The　shield　of　faith　must
be　in　our　hand；　the　helmet　of　salvation　on　our　brow；　and　with　the　sword　of
the　Spirit；　which　is　the　word　of　God；　we　are　to　cut　our　way　through　the
obstructions　and　entanglements　of　sin。

Paul　knew　that　there　was　before　the　church　a　time　of　great　peril。　He　knew
that　faithful；　earnest　work　would

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have　to　be　done　by　those　left　in　charge　of　the　churches；　and　he　wrote　to
Timothy；　〃I　charge　thee　therefore　before　God；　and　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　who
shall　judge　the　quick　and　the　dead　at　His　appearing　and　His　kingdom；　Preach
the　word；　be　instant　in　season；　out　of　season；　reprove；　rebuke；　exhort　with
all　long…suffering　and　doctrine。〃

This　solemn　charge　to　one　so　zealous　and　faithful　as　was　Timothy　is　a　strong
testimony　to　the　importance　and　responsibility　of　the　work　of　the　gospel
minister。　Summoning　Timothy　before　the　bar　of　God；　Paul　bids　him　preach　the
word；　not　the　sayings　and　customs　of　men；　to　be　ready　to　witness　for　God
whenever　opportunity　should　present　itselfbefore　large　congregations　and
private　circles；　by　the　way　and　at　the　fireside；　to　friends　and　to　enemies；
whether　in　safety　or　exposed　to　hardship　and　peril；　reproach　and　loss。

Fearing　that　Timothy's　mild；　yielding　disposition　might　lead　him　to　shun　an
essential　part　of　his　work；　Paul　exhorted　him　to　be　faithful　in　reproving
sin　and　even　to　rebuke　with　sharpness　those　who　were　guilty　of　gross　evils。
Yet　he　was　to　do　this　〃with　all　long…suffering　and　doctrine。〃　He　was　to
reveal　the　patience　and　love　of　Christ；　explaining　and　enforcing　his
reproofs　by　the　truths　of　the　word。

To　hate　and　reprove　sin；　and　at　the　same　time　to　show　pity　and　tenderness
for　the　sinner；　is　a　difficult　attainment。　The　more　earnest　our　own　efforts
to　attain　to　holiness　of　heart　and　life；　the　more　acute　will　be　our
perception　of　sin　and　the　more　decided　our　disapproval　of　any　deviation　from
the　right。　We　must　guard　against　undue　severity　toward

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the　wrongdoer；　but　we　must　also　be　careful　not　to　lose　sight　of　the
exceeding　sinfulness　of　sin。　There　is　need　of　showing　Christlike　patience
and　love　for　the　erring　one；　but　there　is　also　danger　of　showing　so　great
toleration　for　his　error　that　he　will　look　upon　himself　as　undeserving　of
reproof；　and　will　reject　it　as　uncalled　for　and　unjust。

Ministers　of　the　gospel　sometimes　do　great　harm　by　allowing　their
forbearance　toward　the　erring　to　degenerate　into　toleration　of　sins　and　even
participation　in　them。　Thus　they　are　led　to　excuse　and　palliate　that　which
God　condemns；　and　after　a　time　they　become　so　blinded　as　to　commend　the　very
ones　whom　God　commands　them　to　reprove。　He　who　has　blunted　his　spiritual
perceptions　by　sinful　leniency　toward　those　whom　God　condemns；　will　erelong
commit　a　greater　sin　by　severity　and　harshness　toward　those　whom　God
approves。

By　the　pride　of　human　wisdom；　by　contempt　for　the　influence　of　the　Holy
Spirit；　and　by　disrelish　for　the　truths　of　God's　word；　many　who　profess　to
be　Christians；　and　who　feel　competent　to　teach　others；　will　be　led　to　turn
away　from　the　requirements　of　God。　Paul　declared　to　Timothy；　〃The　time　will
come　when　they　will　not　endure　sound　doctrine；　but　after　their　own　lusts
shall　they　heap　to　themselves　teachers；　having　itching　ears；　and　they　shall
turn　away　their　ears　from　the　truth；　and　shall　be　turned　unto　fables。〃

The　apostle　does　not　here　refer　to　the　openly　irreligious；　but　to　the
professing　Christians　who　make　inclination　their　guide；　and　thus　become
enslaved　by　self。　Such　are　willing　to　listen　to　those　doctrines　only　that　do
not　rebuke　their　sins

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or　condemn　their　pleasure…loving　course。　They　are　offended　by　the　plain
words　of　the　faithful　servants　of　Christ　and　choose　teachers　who　praise　and
flatter　them。　And　among　professing　ministers　there　are　those　who　preach　the
opinions　of　men　instead　of　the　word　of　God。　Unfaithful　to　their　trust；　they
lead　astray　those　who　look　to　them　for　spiritual　guidance。

In　the　precepts　of　His　holy　law；　God　has　given　a　perfect　rule　of　life；　and
He　has　declared　that　until　the　close　of　time　this　law；　unchanged　in　a　single
jot　or　tittle；　is　to　maintain　its　claim　upon　human　beings。　Christ　came　to
magnify　the　law　and　make　it　honorable。　He　showed　that　it　is　based　upon　the
broad　foundation　of　love　to　God　and　love　to　man；　and　that　obedience　to　its
precepts　comprises　the　whole　duty　of　man。　In　His　own　life　He　gave　an　example
of　obedience　to　the　law　of　God。　In　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount　He　showed　how　its
requirements　extend　beyond　the　outward　acts　and　take　cognizance　of　the
thoughts　and　intents　of　the　heart。

The　law；　obeyed；　leads　men　to　deny　〃ungodliness　and　worldly　lusts；〃　and　to
〃live　soberly；　righteously；　and　godly；　in　this　present　world。〃　Titus　2：12。
But　the　enemy　of　all　righteousness　has　taken　the　world　captive　and　has　led
men　and　women　to　disobey　the　law。　As　Paul　foresaw；　multitudes　have　turned
from　the　plain；　searching　truths　of　God's　word　and　have　chosen　teachers　who
present　to　them　the　fables　they　desire。　Many　among　both　ministers　and　people
are　trampling　under　their　feet　the　commandments　of　God。　Thus　the　Creator　of
the　world　is　insulted；　and　Satan　laughs　in　triumph　at　the　success　of　his
devices。

506


With　the　growing　contempt　for　God's　law　there　is　an　increasing　distaste　for
religion；　an　increase　of　pride；　love　of　pleasure；　disobedience　to　parents；
and　self…indulgence；　and　thoughtful　minds　everywhere　are　anxiously
inquiring；　What　can　be　done　to　correct　these　alarming　evils？　The　answer　is
found　in　Paul's　exhortation　to　Timothy；　〃Preach　the　word。〃　In　the　Bible　are
found　the　only　safe　principles　of　action。　It　is　a　transcript　of　the　will　of
God；　an　expression　of　divine　wisdom。　It　opens　to　man's　understanding　the
great　problems　of　life；　and　to　all　who　heed　its　precepts　it　will　prove　an
unerring　guide；　keeping　them　from　wasting　their　lives　in　misdirected　effort。

God　has　made　known　His　will；　and　it　is　folly　for　man　to　question　that　which
has　gone　out　of　His　lips。　After　Infinite　Wisdom　has　spoken；　there　can　be　no
doubtful　questions　for　man　to　settle；　no　wavering　possibilities　for　him　to
adjust。　All　that　is　required　of　him　is　a　frank；　earnest　concurrence　in　the
expressed　will　of　God。　Obedience　is　the　highest　dictate　of　reason　as　well　as
of　conscience。

Paul　continued　his　charge：　〃Watch　thou　in　all　things；　endure　afflictions；　do
the　work　of　an　evangelist；　make　full　proof　of　thy　ministry。〃　Paul　was　about
to　finish　his　course；　and　he　desired　Timothy　to　take　his　place；　guarding　the
church　from　the　fables　and　heresies　by　which　the　enemy；　in　various　ways；
would　endeavor　to　lead　them　from　the　simplicity　of　the　gospel。　He　admonished
him　to　shun　all　temporal　pursuits　and　entanglements　that　would　prevent　him
from　giving　himself　wholly　to　his　work　for　God；　to　endure　with　cheerfulness
the　opposition；　reproach；　and　persecution

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to　which　his　faithfulness　would　expose　him；　to　make　full　proof　of　his
ministry　by　employing　every　means　within　his　reach　of　doing　good　to　those
for　whom　Christ　died。

Paul's　life　was　an　exemplification　of　the　truths　he　taught；　and　herein　lay
his　power。　His　heart　was　filled　with　a　deep；　abiding　sense　of　his
responsibility；　and　he　labored　in　close　communion　with　Him　who　is　the
fountain　of　justice；　mercy；　and　truth。　He　clung　to　the　cross　of　Christ　as
his　only　guarantee　of　success。　The　love　of　the　Saviour　was　the　undying
motive　that　upheld　him　in　his　conflicts　with　self　and　in　his　struggles
against　evil　as　in　the　service　of　Christ　he　pressed　forward　against　the
unfriendliness　of　the　world　and　the　opposition　of　his　enemies。

What　the　church　needs　in　these　days　of　peril　is　an　army