The Ohio Independent Baptist, January 1973

DR. OR LAWLOR ticiple in truct u that true believers continue to hear the Word of God, both when it is taught and proclaimed in our presence, and as we read it and THE TRIPLE FILE OF THE MINISTRY tudy it for ourselves, when the Holy Spirit speaks and lays it directly to our hear ts. We keep on hearing it, not merely as we hear a variety of sounds and voices during the ordinary course of a day, but as unforgettable, which enters our ears and passes on through to our minds and hearts, being indeli– bly impressed there. It means true in– ward hearing, which perceives, com– prehends, and believes. Do we con– stantly and consistently hear the Word of God like this? Or, is our hearing largely whimsical and sentimental, and influenced by our personal prejudices and private interpretations? Our hear– ing the Word of God must be constant and continuous, and the kind of con– stant hearing which treasures up in the hear t that Word so crucial and essen– tial for our well-being. Let us keep hearing it, not over-laying it with hu– man wisdom and personal opinion. but receiving it as it stands written– so vital for our every-day living, and to our approval and acceptance b) God. Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it.'' The Lord had publicly given stern an ~ er to the malicious blasphemy and lander uttered by the Pharisees and cribes against Him behind His back. The nature of His answer, the courage, authority. and masterfulness of His word and the effects of His amazing reply to the carping religious leaders and their scribes, so impressed the people standing about that a woman in the crowd admiringly exclaimed aloud and declared a blessing upon the mother of the Saviour, "Blessed is the womb that bore thee. . . .'' (Luke I :27). The woman was unknowingly fulfilling the prophecy record in Luke 1: 46-48, where the record of Mary's words is found: "... for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed .. , With true womanly feel– ing and a kind of sacred envy, the wo– man expressed her desire to be in the place of the Lord's mother, in having such a son as He. It is undoubtedly true that many women have shared her desire and thought. In all prob.. ability, she apprehended no more than Christ's words, His wonderful speaking and teaching-his true hu– man personality-since she declared His mother blessed for having borne and bred such a Son. The Lord's response to the woman's pronouncement is itself in the form of a beatitude. His opening words are both confirmatory and corrective: "Yea, rather...." (1r1enoun). He af– firms the \Von1an's declaration as right– ly referring to Mary, His mother. To be physically related to Him, particu– larly as His mother, is indeed a high honor and prerogative-greater even than this woman dreamed, since she did not know the mystery of His mir– aculous conception and virgin birth. The Lord, in no way, rebukes the woman, or says her words are wrong. Bt1t His beatitude goes far beyond and 14 JANUARY, 1973 rises vastly higher than the woman's, for His concerns those who bear a true spiritual relat ionshi p to Him "Blessed are they who keep hearing the Word of God, and are guarding it." Such a beat itude as this is par ticu– larly significant and meaningful in our day, when the One who gave it, and His Word, are being ridiculed and re– jected. The beatitude conveys to us a pronouncement of blessedness and a predication of duty. Both are impor– tant for us . Here is teacl1ing recorded by Luke, from the Lord's own lips, so vital and essential for our good that Christ delivered it in the form of a declaration of the highest blessedness. Those who are blessed by the pos– session of a life-relationship to the Lord-and who are obviously the ob– jects of this pronouncement of blessed– ness-are characterized by two present participles, both governed by one definite article: HThe ones hearing... . and guarding'' ( hoi akouontes. ... kai pl1i1/assontes). The fi rst present par- The second participle expresses the necessity fo r believers to ever be keep· ing the Word of God . The "keeping, (phitlassontes) of the Word of God i~ partly the test of true hearing on out part, and partl y its consequence anc fruit-which must never be wanting. F irst the liearing must be truly exer· cised-but then, also, the actual fruit. bearing after receiving the seed. Tht doing wi ll follow the genuine hearing Luke 8: 15 sta tes: "But on the goo, ground are they who, in an honest anc good heart, having heard the word . keep it and bring forth fruit with pa tience." But "keep," and 'observe,' (Continued on page 18) THE CLEVELAND HEBREW MISSION ,. 0. lox 11056, Clevel1nd, Oh'° 44111 Founded 1904 • FUNDAMENTAL - BAPTISTIC - EVANGELISTIC Evangelizing the "kinsmen" of our Lord in Cleveland, Ohio Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil OFFICERS :- Mr. George B. Dunn, Pres1de11t Rev . Roy Clark. Vice President Rev. Gerald V. Sme l e r, Superintenden t Rev . A. Paul Ti dba ll, Asst . Supt. Mr. Earl Helfrick, Sec'y .-Treas. REFERENCES:- Dr J ohn G . Ba lvo. Cleve la nd. Ohio Dr . Pau l Van Gorde r, Atl ant a, Ga. Dr. Vaughn pru nge r, outh Bend, Ind. Rev. Lloyd Merri , Fl int , Mich. Dr. Robe rt Ketcham, C hicago, Ill. Dr. Ral ph to ll , Lanca ter, Pa. Dr . Melv in V. Efaw. Hunt ingto n, W. Va . Dr . Frank C. Torrey, Boca Ra ton, Fl a. Dr. Kenneth Ma tell e r, Haddon Ht ., N.J. Write fot YOUf' ,.IE copy of ' 'The Tru~tet for l1rNI" ov, qu1rterly 1Mge1lne devoted to the work of Jewl1h evenQelilffl. THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIS' •