How To Master The English Bible Part 4

[Sidenote: Some Practical Hints]

Of course it is almost vital to the best results of expository preaching that the people bring their Bibles to Church, and use them more or less in following their minister. Frequently it is desirable for them to read the text aloud with him responsively, or in unison.

A little gentle coaxing at first, preceded by private prayer, will get them to do both these things, bring their Bibles and read the text, while afterwards they will delight to do them. It will cause church-going and sermon-hearing to become a new and living experience to them. Young and old will like it, and sinners as well as saints.

But another almost necessity is to select a subject and treat it in such a way as to obviate as far as possible the turning over of the leaves or pages of the Bible during the progress of the exposition.

The best plan is to limit the exposition, where you can, to the page or two just before the reader's eye. But if turning must be done, let it be on the principle of Edward Everett Hale's "Ten Times Ten" or "Lend-a-Hand" Society, _i.e._ forward and not backward. It is especially confusing and wearisome to a congregation to be turning pages backward, and then forward, and then backward again, and will not be relished as an innovation. Row with the tide.

In the outline now to follow there are leaves to turn, for it covers a whole epistle. And yet with a single (and perhaps unnecessary) exception, there is progress in each division. The hearers are stimulated by the thought of getting on, and that there is an end in sight. It might be styled:

_The Character of the New Born._

What kind of persons are those who are born again? We have only to turn to the First Epistle of John for the answer. Mark the words "born of him," or "born of G.o.d," which we have again and again in the epistle. We get seven characteristics of those who are begotten of G.o.d:

1. The people who are born of G.o.d are righteous. "Every one that doeth righteousness is born of him" (2:29). If I am not doing righteously, what evidence have I that I am born of Him?

2. Those born of G.o.d are an unsinning people. "Whosoever is born of G.o.d doth not commit sin" (2:9). Sin is not the habit of life of the one who has been born again. The trend of his life is not in the old paths of sin.

3. Those who are born of G.o.d are an abiding people. "His seed abideth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of G.o.d" (3:9).

4. Those who are born of G.o.d are a loving people. "Every one that loveth is born of G.o.d" (4:7).

5. They are a believing people. "He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of G.o.d" (5:1). It is not merely that they say that Christ is Christ, but they know Him experimentally as the Christ in power.

6. Those who are born of G.o.d are an overcoming people. "Whatsoever is born of G.o.d overcometh the world" (5:4). The evidence, therefore, of being born of G.o.d is victory over the world.

7. Those born of G.o.d are a preserved people. "Whosoever is born of G.o.d sinneth not, but he that was begotten of G.o.d keepeth him" (5:18, R.V.).

Those who have been born of G.o.d are kept by the power of G.o.d. These are the people who const.i.tute the church of G.o.d, and they answer to everything that is said of those who are found faithful, and who escape the things that are coming on the world.

The author lingers over the closing word, for he is enamoured of the theme and loath to leave it. No typewriting machine has ground out these pages for the press; the subject has been too sacred for other than his own pen. He covets the love of it for every fellow-member of the body of Christ. He sees the regeneration of the Church in the general adoption of the plan. He sees the sanctification of the ministry. He sees a mighty quickening in the pews. He sees the worldwide revival for which a thousand hearts are praying. He sees the unmasking of a Christianised rationalism, and the utter rout of a rationalised Christianism. He sees the first thing in the world getting the first place in the world. He sees the solution of a score of civic problems. He sees the protection of vested rights against lawlessness, and the labourer receiving the due reward of his hire.

He sees the oppressed set free; no longer

"Condemned by night, enchained by day, Drowned in the depths of grim despair; While running brooks sing roundelay, And G.o.d's green fields are ev'rywhere."

He sees the missionary treasuries repleted. He sees the hastening of the day when this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached as a witness to all nations, [1] and when He who is our life shall appear, and we also shall appear together with Him in glory. [2]

O brethren of the ministry and the laity, get back to the Bible! Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. [3] Let us preach the preaching that G.o.d bids us. [4] Diminish not a word. [5]

Let us be as His mouthpieces, nothing more, nothing less, taking forth the precious from the vile, [6] for who knoweth if He will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him? [7]

[1] Matt. 24:14.

[2] Col. 3:4.

[3] Col. 3:16.

[4] Jonah 3:2.

[5] Jer. 26:2.

[6] Jer. 15:19.

[7] Joel 2:14.