The Ohio Independent Baptist, January 1964

' 'Word of Life By H r"Old W. Carpenter \ f t( ,.,. I ('()l llf ii <I ' ·" /l (lS/()/' 1-1 arc Id JJ ( , ,,., e11 tel' . 7 i11, 111,1- t,:rial a., . t t <>rt/1. is e,1><·c·1,1//,, 1111 ilc. d t (> l,elp ' ' l 1111g /111., - tia,1..,\ ,111,I <.>tlll' l'S Sc e/.. 111 f! ~r<"aler • f. i r it I I t1 / 11la t l I I' it., . T/1e {t~v 1v<J rcl fcJ1 ,r,,,l_,·. \ ' TIO he thought for con ideration. "The ... hr1..·t1an· n1bition. ,. I . Tl1t.~ fift/1 step 111 Cl,ri tia11it)' : l. Pa .. ing from HDeath' ' t1nto Hlife''. ( J hn 5: _-4-). a) The fifth letter in th \, rd. •· al, 1 ation." i the letter ·· ··. hall we allo\ thi letter to tand for the \\'Ord ' mbition. ·· The \\'Ord "ambition" carrie the n1 aning of ··attainment, a piration· ( a trong de ire for advancement). In the \'Vord of the apo tle Paul who \\'fOte, "I pre toward the mark (goal) for the prize (heaven - per– fect holine ) of the high (heavenly) calling of God in Chri t J e u ." (Phil . : 14) . In thi ver e Paul i declaring the "ambition" ( trong de ire) of hi heart. While awaiting thi reality Paul moved forth in heavenly direc– tion a he traveled mile after mile into convenient areas a well as the remote t area , to proclaim the Go pel of the Lord Je u Chri t. To Paul the Gospel proved to be the experi– mental power of which he wrote in Roman 1: 16, 'For I am not ashamed or the Go pel of Chri t: for it i the power of God unto "Salvation" to ever)'One that believetb, to the Jew fir t and also unto the Gentile." Paul' "Ambition ' for the Gospel was cour– ageou ly demon trated wherever he went. What Christ meant to him wa well worthwhile in making it (Him) known to other . P aul knew well that he wa not to live solely unto self ( confining the Go pel to hi own ( elf) immediate area: but that the Gospel wa given for circulatory pur– poses ( making it known to those who were lost withou t Chri t ). (Roman l 4 :7-8). Page 14, JANUARY, 1964 Class'' \.1t 0111, \\a, tl1c r{) \l'>L' I to l>c ()f e"Cl l t elf t O t 11 c I 0\ l . l1 lt l l llO\C w 11() 11,lll co111c to kr10\.\ itc., c pcr1111cntaf p 1\ er to c.,a\c. n1lt ~t fcc<.f t1por1 it to bee 111c tro11gcr 111 it. l ·vcry l1orn - • aga1 r1 per on L t1"'t1a1Jy an1bil1011c., abo11t on1ething he con iticr lo be good. King David macl e thi c.l cclara– ti, e tatn1ent abot1t the Word of o<l: ··o, ta te and see tha t the Lor<l ( ord) i good: ble ed i the n1an that tru tcth in Him. ( P alm 34: 8; John 1:1)~ (I Peter 2:2-3). Jeremiah had thi to ay about the Word: "Thy word were found, and I did eat them, and thy word wa unto me the joy and rejocing of mine heart: for I am called by they name ( Chri tian) . O Lord God of hot. ' ( J er. 15: 16). Without ambition for ( toward) some– thing it would be impos ible to have a heart that is filled with ' Joy' ' and ·Rejoicing" about (over) it. Am– bition park (ignites) the per on who i ambitious (filled with a trong de– ire for advancement) . Peter define 'ambition' with these words, "But grow in grace (God's righteou ne at Chri t' expense) and in the knowl– edge of our Lord and Saviou Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever .' Amen. ( (I Peter 3: 18). Feeding upon the Word of Goc.1 opens man's heart to greater profit and understanding of the Word. II Tim. 3 : 16-17. Righteous profit, right- eous teaching rigbteou reproof righteous correction, righteous instruc– tion, and the acceptance of s11ch, will keep and Christian ambitiou ly en– gaged in the Lord's bu ine . (John 8: 31). Continuation in Godly service is the source (stream) out of which flows spiritual progres and spiritual maturity. (Romans 2: 6-7 · Acts 2: 42· 13:43; 14:22· Roman 6:1-6~ 12:12~ Hebrews 13: 1) . You grow stron oer in faith by practicing faith . (Rom:n 10: 17). Jesu demon trated ,practical ambition in His announced mission a declared in Luke 19: 10. Jesu declared the key of spiritual succe when He said 'Wi t (don't you know) that I mu t be about my Father s bu iness? In the ministry of Jesus, we find Hin1 constantly occupied in doing the will of His heavenly Father. Jesu set the pattern for Chri tian service in the e words 'For the Son of man i a a man taking a far journey ( J e u i now in Heaven preparing a place for His own) who left His hou e and gave authority to His servants, and to every man his work (rendered erv- ice). t,ntl co111111an tlcll the 11orter 1L \Va tc h .", . f.. . t .,ttkc 19 : I J. ,11l)ition is kc11L alive tl1r~)t1gh s l t I tl} ( J t) h 11 5 :39: 11 ·1 ii, 1. :! : l 5 ) ; an (I ,crv1cc ( 111"i111 .... :2 1: .I hn 15: 16). 1 he a111l1ittot1'i ( ' hri stia11 keeps on. cl\ I7 : ~ 8. C.on t I n t 1 cti H P I~ pro– tl t1 cc, a Llriv1ng force that causes a hri ~tian to keep a1nbitiot1,ly en– gaged in the . erv1cc of the l.Jord. ( I Peter 1: 15- 17). (Concluded from pag e 4) H i bread and wine wac; not the I...ord'.s upper , but food and drink for hungry soldier . et any one ec the Su,pper here in type who wishe , but ]et hin1 not u e typology for proof! Let him rather put him elf back in the shoec; of Abraham and he will have no difficulty in under tanding why he voluntarily gave a tenth of the poil~ to hi benefactor and fellow prie t! Legali m i not a n1atter of dis– pen ation but of principle. The principle of law i compulsion: the princi,ple of grace i love. Paul was not again t voluntary circumci ion, a we ee in Timothy, nor against volun– tary tithing~ but Galatians shows he wa very much concerned about put- ting Chri tian under compul ion . Let s trust to the motivations of love in tead and say with Paul, "The love of hri t con traineth us." Failure i the path of least per– si tence. i • ~ I • • Couf son Shepherd, Director For 27 years we have been telling lsrael of her Messiah over 50 and more radio stations at home and abroad. Personal follow-up by our mi ssionaries has made this ministry very effective. Now in faith we are enlarging our missionary staff. Many of the 3 million Jews in the N.Y. area. and in other large cities are .. open to approach with the GospeL The time to reach them is very short. Will you take this expanded outreach on your heart, to pray and share? Send f or free copy of our informa– t ive quarterly, MESSAGE TO ISRAEL. MESSAGE TO ISRAEL, INC. Box 682, General Post Office New York 1, N. Y. THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST