the acts of the apostles-第35节

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taught　him　how　to　do　successful　work。　Both　Paul　and　Silas；　in　all　their
association　with　Timothy；　sought　to　deepen　the　impression　that　had　already
been　made　upon　his　mind；　of　the　sacred；　serious　nature　of　the　work　of　the
gospel　minister。

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In　his　work；　Timothy　constantly　sought　Paul's　advice　and　instruction。　He　did
not　move　from　impulse；　but　exercised　consideration　and　calm　thought；
inquiring　at　every　step；　Is　this　the　way　of　the　Lord？　The　Holy　Spirit　found
in　him　one　who　could　be　molded　and　fashioned　as　a　temple　for　the　indwelling
of　the　divine　Presence。

As　the　lessons　of　the　Bible　are　wrought　into　the　daily　life；　they　have　a
deep　and　lasting　influence　upon　the　character。　These　lessons　Timothy　learned
and　practiced。　He　had　no　specially　brilliant　talents；　but　his　work　was
valuable　because　he　used　his　God…given　abilities　in　the　Master's　service。
His　knowledge　of　experimental　piety　distinguished　him　from　other　believers
and　gave　him　influence。

Those　who　labor　for　souls　must　attain　to　a　deeper；　fuller；　clearer　knowledge
of　God　than　can　be　gained　by　ordinary　effort。　They　must　throw　all　their
energies　into　the　work　of　the　Master。　They　are　engaged　in　a　high　and　holy
calling；　and　if　they　gain　souls　for　their　hire　they　must　lay　firm　hold　upon
God；　daily　receiving　grace　and　power　from　the　Source　of　all　blessing。　〃For
the　grace　of　God　that　bringeth　salvation　hath　appeared　to　all　men；　teaching
us　that；　denying　ungodliness　and　worldly　lusts；　we　should　live　soberly；
righteously；　and　godly；　in　this　present　world；　looking　for　that　blessed
hope；　and　the　glorious　appearing　of　the　great　God　and　our　Saviour　Jesus
Christ；　who　gave　Himself　for　us；　that　He　might　redeem　us　from　all　iniquity；
and　purify　unto　Himself　a　peculiar　people；　zealous　of　good　works。〃　Titus
2：11…14。

Before　pressing　forward　into　new　territory；　Paul　and　his　companions　visited
the　churches　that　had　been

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established　in　Pisidia　and　the　regions　round　about。　〃As　they　went　through
the　cities；　they　delivered　them　the　decrees　for　to　keep；　that　were　ordained
of　the　apostles　and　elders　which　were　at　Jerusalem。　And　so　were　the　churches
established　in　the　faith；　and　increased　in　number　daily。〃

The　apostle　Paul　felt　a　deep　responsibility　for　those　converted　under　his
labors。　Above　all　things；　he　longed　that　they　should　be　faithful；　〃that　I
may　rejoice　in　the　day　of　Christ；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　have　not　run　in　vain；
neither　labored　in　vain。〃　Philippians　2：16。　He　trembled　for　the　result　of
his　ministry。　He　felt　that　even　his　own　salvation　might　be　imperiled　if　he
should　fail　of　fulfilling　his　duty　and　the　church　should　fail　of
co…operating　with　him　in　the　work　of　saving　souls。　He　knew　that　preaching
alone　would　not　suffice　to　educate　the　believers　to　hold　forth　the　word　of
life。　He　knew　that　line　upon　line；　precept　upon　precept；　here　a　little　and
there　a　little；　they　must　be　taught　to　advance　in　the　work　of　Christ。

It　is　a　universal　principle　that　whenever　one　refuses　to　use　his　God…given
powers；　these　powers　decay　and　perish。　Truth　that　is　not　lived；　that　is　not
imparted；　loses　its　life…giving　power；　its　healing　virtue。　Hence　the
apostle's　fear　that　he　might　fail　of　presenting　every　man　perfect　in　Christ。
Paul's　hope　of　heaven　grew　dim　when　he　contemplated　any　failure　on　his　part
that　would　result　in　giving　the　church　the　mold　of　the　human　instead　of　the
divine。　His　knowledge；　his　eloquence；　his　miracles；　his　view　of　eternal
scenes　when　caught　up　to　the　third　heavenall　would　be　unavailing　if
through　unfaithfulness　in　his　work　those　for　whom　he

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labored　should　fail　of　the　grace　of　God。　And　so；　by　word　of　mouth　and　by
letter；　he　pleaded　with　those　who　had　accepted　Christ；　to　pursue　a　course
that　would　enable　them　to　be　〃blameless　and　harmless；　the　sons　of　God；
without　rebuke；　in　the　midst　of　a　crooked　and　perverse　nation；　。　。　。　as
lights　in　the　world；　holding　forth　the　word　of　life。〃　Philippians　2：15；　16。

Every　true　minister　feels　a　heavy　responsibility　for　the　spiritual
advancement　of　the　believers　entrusted　to　his　care；　a　longing　desire　that
they　shall　be　laborers　together　with　God。　He　realizes　that　upon　the　faithful
performance　of　his　God…given　work　depends　in　a　large　degree　the　well…being
of　the　church。　Earnestly　and　untiringly　he　seeks　to　inspire　the　believers
with　a　desire　to　win　souls　for　Christ；　remembering　that　every　addition　to
the　church　should　be　one　more　agency　for　the　carrying　out　of　the　plan　of
redemption。

Having　visited　the　churches　in　Pisidia　and　the　neighboring　region；　Paul　and
Silas；　with　Timothy；　pressed　on　into　〃Phrygia　and　the　region　of　Galatia；〃
where　with　mighty　power　they　proclaimed　the　glad　tidings　of　salvation。　The
Galatians　were　given　up　to　the　worship　of　idols；　but；　as　the　apostles
preached　to　them；　they　rejoiced　in　the　message　that　promised　freedom　from
the　thralldom　of　sin。　Paul　and　his　fellow　workers　proclaimed　the　doctrine　of
righteousness　by　faith　in　the　atoning　sacrifice　of　Christ。　They　presented
Christ　as　the　one　who；　seeing　the　helpless　condition　of　the　fallen　race；
came　to　redeem　men　and　women　by　living　a　life　of　obedience　to　God's　law　and
by　paying　the　penalty　of　disobedience。　And　in　the　light　of　the　cross　many
who　had

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never　before　known　of　the　true　God；　began　to　comprehend　the　greatness　of　the
Father's　love。

Thus　the　Galatians　were　taught　the　fundamental　truths　concerning　〃God　the
Father〃　and　〃our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　who　gave　Himself　for　our　sins；　that　He
might　deliver　us　from　this　present　evil　world；　according　to　the　will　of　God
and　our　Father。〃　〃By　the　hearing　of　faith〃　they　received　the　Spirit　of　God
and　became　〃the　children　of　God　by　faith　in　Christ。〃　Galatians　1：3；　4；　3：2；
26。

Paul's　manner　of　life　while　among　the　Galatians　was　such　that　he　could
afterward　say；　〃I　beseech　you；　be　as　I　am。〃　Galatians　4：12。　His　lips　had
been　touched　with　a　live　coal　from　off　the　altar；　and　he　was　enabled　to　rise
above　bodily　infirmities　and　to　present　Jesus　as　the　sinner's　only　hope。
Those　who　heard　him　knew　that　he　had　been　with　Jesus。　Endued　with　power　from
on　high；　he　was　able　to　compare　spiritual　things　with　spiritual　and　to　tear
down　the　strongholds　of　Satan。　Hearts　were　broken　by　his　presentation　of　the
love　of　God；　as　revealed　in　the　sacrifice　of　His　only…begotten　Son；　and　many
were　led　to　inquire；　What　must　I　do　to　be　saved？

This　method　of　presenting　the　gospel　characterized　the　labors　of　the　apostle
throughout　his　ministry　among　the　Gentiles。　Always　he　kept　before　them　the
cross　of　Calvary。　〃We　preach　not　ourselves；〃　he　declared　in　the　later　years
of　his　experience；　〃but　Christ　Jesus　the　Lord；　and　ourselves　your　servants
for　Jesus'　sake。　For　God；　who　commanded　the　light　to　shine　out　of　darkness；
hath　shined　in　our　hearts；　to　give

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the　light　of　the　knowledge　of　the　glory　of　God　in　the　face　of　Jesus　Christ。〃
2　Corinthians　4：5；　6。

The　consecrated　messengers　who　in　the　early　days　of　Christianity　carried　to
a　perishing　world　the　glad　tidings　of　salvation；　allowed　no　thought　of
self…exaltation　to　mar　their　presentation　of　Christ　and　Him　crucified。　They
coveted　neither　authority　nor　pre…eminence。　Hiding　self　in　the　Saviour；　they
exalted　the　great　plan　of　salvation；　and　the　life　of　Christ；　the　Author　and
Finisher　of　this　plan。　Christ；　the　same　yesterday；　today；　and　forever；　was
the　burden　of　their　teaching。

If　those　who　today　are　teaching　the　word　of　God；　would　uplift　the　cross　of
Christ　higher　and　still　higher；　their　ministry　would　be　far　more　successful。
If　sinners　can　be　led　to　give　one　earnest　look　at　the　cross；　if　they　can
obtain　a　full　view　of　the　crucified　Saviour；　they　will　realize　the　depth　of
God's　compassion　and　the　sinfulness　of　sin。

Christ's　death　proves　God's　great　love　for　man。　It　is　our　pledge　of
salvation。　To　remove　the　cross　from　the　Christian　would　be　like　blotting　the
sun　from　the　sky。　The　cross　brings　us　near　to　God；　reconciling　us　to　Him。
With　the　relenting　compassion　of　a　father's　love；　Jehovah　looks　upon　the
suffering　that　His　Son　endured　in　order　to　save　the　race　from　eternal　death；
and　accepts　us　in　the　Beloved。

Without　the　cross；　man　could　have　no　union　with　the　Father。　On　it　depends
our　every　hope。　From　it　shines　the　light　of　the　Saviour's　love；　and　when　at
the　foot　of　the　cross　the　sinner　looks　up　to　the　One　who　died　to　save　him；
he

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may　rejoice　with　fullness　of　joy；　for　his　sins　are　pardoned。　Kneeling　in
faith　at　the　cross；　he　has　reached　the　highest　place　to　which　man　can
attain。

Through　the　cross　we　learn　that　the　heavenly　Father　loves　us　with　a　love
that　is　infinite。　Can　we　wonder　that　Paul　exclaimed；　〃God　forbid　that　I
should　glory；　save　in　the　cross　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ〃？　Galatians　6：14。
It　is　our　privilege　also　to　glory　in　the　cross；　our　privilege　to　give
ourselves　wholly　to　Him　who　gave　Himself　for　us。　Then；　with　the　light　that
streams　from　Calvary　shining　in　our　faces；　we　may　go　forth　to　reveal　this
light　to　those　in　darkness。