The Ohio Independent Baptist, June 1964

ord of Life Class' ' By Harold W. C.arpcr1ter i\ f 1tcrit1/ <Jiil/ il<·d l1.'' f><1Sl<>r ll ,1r<>lfl JI ( 41r/Jt>11ter. ''/' /1i 111<1- t<·ria/ , '< JC rtl,. ,, <'\/>l 1 <' if1/I\' < <>111/Jilt I 1< /it /11 \ (Jiii(!! ( /111., ti,111 , . a11d c 1/1er., '< e~111,(! ,t.: tec11e1 •ff irit11<1l 111,111,rit.'. I .. J/ A 1' I () \ l1e thutll"ht fL r c n~iJeration, C' ..~f}1~ <..~l1ri"t1an·~ Inspira ti n." I. he ~'e\ cnth ~ tep in hri tianit) : I. Pa sing fr 111 '"DE TH" unto ·· IFF .. (1 hn 5 :24. a) The eventh l tter in the \\ ord. ·· alvation,~· i the letter .. I... hall \\ e alIo, thi letter to tand for the \\ ord ··1 SPIRA– TIO. :· In the la t 1 ion ( le - on \ 1 1.) \\ e con idered the purpo e– ft1l \'alue f being a ..witne ,, unto the clain1 of Chri t - how Chri t bore con tant "te timony' ' again t \\ orldline ( the world y tern) etc. In thi tudy we v,:ant you to see that the real thru t ( booster, a at– ellite pace-age term) to proper ef– fecti, ·e \\ itne ing mu t be the re- ult of ··in piration." According to Web ter· dictionary, thi word car– rie ev"eral meaning uch a , act or tate of being intellectually or emotionally in pired. a upernatural influence which qualifie men to re– cei,:e and communicate divine truth an in piring influence etc. In recog– nition of the rea onableness of the e definition , I would much rather up– port a much tronger criptural defini– tion, a . ··01 I .. E I FLUE CE,' The former definition eem to put a manly touch to thi word •'in pira– tion;· but \.v hen adding the words ' 'Di– " ine influence," it makes this word a Divine living part of every in– di\ idual who i born of God through the reception of Je us Chri t (John 1 : 12. 13). Each person receiving Jesus Chri t a hi Savior , receive at the ame time the virtue and qualitie that qualify the person for Chr1 t1an ervice. _..o person not born of God ( not born again John 3: 3, 5-7 ; I Cor. 2: 14) can ever know the reality or experience of "Divine inspiration. When one i born again he instant– aneou l} become the recipient of JUNE, 1964 PAGE 12 "Divine power·· and "Divine nature, ' ' 0L1t of which flow ' 'Divine in pira– tion. ·· (Act 1: ; II Peter l: 3-4; Job 32: . ) It i ithi impartation poken of in ( II Peter 1: 3-4). that n1ove the Chri tian in the direction of a truth-telling cru ade of which the apo tle Paul peak in (Ephe - ian 4:24-25). Truth-telling (truth– witne ing) can never come from the li,p of one who e heart ha never been fil]ed with "Divine in piration.' Scriptural proofs The in pired Ohri tian can only be tru t for ward to greater height of piritual attainment, both doc– trinally and practically, as he abide by the doctrinal and practical rules of God a stipulated on His word. There are many cripural ,proof of thi fact but one of the mo t basic evidences of this factor i to be found in the Book of Romans. Chapters 12 to 16 of Romans re t t1pon the foundation of chapter 1 to 8. The practical ection ( chap– ter 12 to 16) grow out of the doctrinal section (chapter 1 to 8). Roman i divided by three there– fores: (I) the therefore of ''justifi– cation ,, (Roman 5: 1) · (2) the therefore of ' 'sanctification," (Ro– mans 8: 1,4 · ( 3) the therefore of "service," (Romans 12: 1). The Chri tian who i fi lled with the ' 'DIVINE INSPIRATION" which has been imparted unto him (II Peter 1: 3-4), and who i yielded unto the effectivene s of it "in-working' and it "out-working' ' (Phil ippian 2 : 12; Eph e ian 6 :5) i one (Chr i - tian) who is carrying out the po1i– cie and the command a et forth in the Word of God (John 8: 31; John J 4: 15,; I John 2:3,4.) It i "I SPIRATIO ' that keep the "Enthu ia m" of a Chri tian ali ve! When ' 'in piration' begin to <.lcgc.:;11crntt:, thar1 "· ntht1si~, 1,1, IJcgi 11s to r lt1c tt1alc anLI s<) 11 tl1c ligl1t lf < l ll C• s " I cs t i 111{) n y.. 1 c g i Tl s I f I j c kc r'. anll tl1 .. I lc1n1c of '\r,as ·ic.,,n' to\ artl s11irilt1nl thi11gs gl'l)\V · <.li111n1cr anll <.lin1n1cr ( I I l1ro11 . 7: I · , fatt . 1: I>) . . hall we ever allow the Wor<.I cf ( ,o, I to lJ c ur v cry sou r cc of " I - f>f R ·1·10 ,. anti HDI VI E IN- ~ 1... TNC I~" lo <.lo H is will, what – ever it n1ay f)c, rcgardlc~~ of the cost or naltarc of crv1cc. ( Ro1T1ans f>: 13 ; 12: 1-3; 11 im. 3:16-17). What My Absence Did • • • It made some q ue tion the rea Ii ty of my alvation. It made ome think th at I wa a pretender. It made many think that I regarded my piritual welfare and that of others a a matter of mall concern. I t weakened the effect of the church • erv1ce. I t made it harder for the pa tor 10 preach. I t di couraged the brethren and robbed them of a ble ing. It cau ed other to ren1ain away from church It made it harder for me to meet the temptation, of the devil. It gave the devil more power over lo t oul . I t encouraged the habit of non-church • going. What My Presence Did . . . I t caused ,people to have confidence in me. I t made other know that I regard their piritual welfare and mine of i mportanee. It had a good effect on the serivce. Jit made my friend feel more wel– come. It encouraged the brethren and helped the pa tor in hi work. It gave other courage to come to Chri t. It made my life tronger for another week. It removed tumbling block from the sinner' path. It pJea ed God and I wa happy. A bu ine firm had a plaque on the wall which read, ' 'The weete t word in the human language are: ~En– clo ed plea e find check'." However the Chri tian ha weeter word , '·In my heart enclo ed find Chri t. ' Can you ay that? THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST