6 THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL
law of God. The above scripture uses the-law as a glass
for each one to look in and behold what manner of man
he is. He says if he continues doing as the law directs
and does not become a forgetful hearer, then he shall
be blessed in his deeds.
“For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold
ring, in goodly appearel, and there come in also a poor man in
vile raiment;
“And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the
poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
“Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges
of evil thoughts?
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor
of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he
hath promised to them that love him?
“But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress
you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
“Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye
are called?
“If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.
“But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are
convinced of the law as transgressors.
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in
one point, he is guilty of all.
“For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not
kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art
become a transgressor of the law.
“So speak ye, and se do, as they that shall be judged by the
law of liberty.”—Verses 8-12.
James draws the line very close when he says if
we offend in one point we are guilty of all. That is, we
have broken the law, and it is a truth that if one is
placed in all respects the same he would break them all
as he had broken the one under his present circum-
stances. Man does not love one commandment more
than another. Let the circumstances be the same and
he will prove that to be true. He uses two as a com-
parison, the same comparison can be used with any of
the ten, the Sabbath not excepted.
“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shew-
ed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath
faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
“And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye
warmed and filled: notwithstanding ye gave them not those things
which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:
shew me thy faith without thy works, and 1 will shew thee my
faith by my works.
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the
devils also believe, and tremble.
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works
is dead?”
“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not
by faith only.”—Verses 14-20, 24.
James makes religion a practical question, the same
as his brother John. Namely, the test whether a man
has the genuine is whether he obeys the law or not.
Many today talk of faith but not much of works. It
is true that a man is saved by faith, but a faith that
does not work obedience to the law is no faith at all.
It is worthless. Paul says we may speak with the
tongues of angels and men, we may give our bodies to
be burned, we may have all faith, but if we do not have
charity (love) enough to keep the commandments of
God then we are but as a sounding brass or a tinkling
cymbal. Nothing but show. “For as the body without
the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
Let the readers remember, as they read this, that works
is obedience to the commandments of God.
John, when banished on the Isle of Patmos, received
“his vision which is contained in the book of Revelation
on “the Lord’s day.” The day he had always been
taught to observe with all other saints from the begin-
ning. Rev. 1:10. In tracing down the world’s history
till he reached the Remnant people of God. He says,
“Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that
keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
4:12. He also says of the other class, “they were wroth
with the Remnant of her seed who keep the command-
ments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
12:17. In the last chapter of the book he says, in verse
14, “Blessed are they that do his commandments that
they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter
in through the gates of -the city.”
I conclude, from this testimony of these two boys,
they had been well trained by their father, Zebedee, to
honor God and obey him. I also conclude that Christ
knew where to look for men who would be true and
loyal to God by obedience. Paul knew where to look for
a young man to take his place. The boy Timothy was
chosen. He had been taught the scriptures from his
youth by his mother and grandmother. This further
teaches me that God, when he wants a man to work for
him, he does not go to the wild, rough element to find
some one who can tell how bad they had been and boast of
the wonderful change which had been wrought in them.
Paul was a persecutor, but he done it ignorantly through .
denominational prejudice, which he had imbibed, but he
had been taught much scripture and was an honest man
at heart, who desired to do right. Let these lessons of
obedience be impressed on parents who are raising men
and women in the world. Teach them how they must
obey. It is the first principle to teach children who will
make useful people in the world. This obedience is
taught in love and duty to both God and man. God pity
those who will in any way discourage obedience to all
of God’s laws just as they are written. It breaks down
all respect to God and for his word. Shame and dis-
grace to the man or people who will say it was a yoke
of bondage, not good authority to us, ete.
A person can be, and millions are, deceived, which
we must admit, by those who come and find the door
shut and say, “Lord, Lord, we have prophesied in thy
name,” and so on, but the Lord says, “I never knew
you.” They are deceived by various ways by impress-
ions received, by certain feelings coming over them in
meeting, by professing to be followers of God and as-
sociations with those who profess, by supposed visions,
in brief by every device of Satan but those who have the
witness within them that reveals their overcoming of
evil in their own nature, such as covetousness, soon
angry, lust of the eye, pride, foolishness, falsehood,
stealing, Sabbath breaking, and every other disobedience
when they were of the world. We say all such never
need have any fears of being lost, for they have the
witness within themselves. Let others say what they
will, they know the tree by the fruit it bears.
Christ in the Flesh.
“In the beginning was the word and the word was
with God and the word was God. The same was in the
beginning.” “The word became flesh and dwelt among
us.” The prophet says, “I did take thy word and did
eat it.” The priests ate the unleavened bread which
was a symbol of the pure word of God. They also ate
the flesh of the burnt sacrifice without the blood or fat.
Both a symbol of Christ’s flesh and body. Thus as we
eat the word of God we eat his flesh, and just as literal
food sustains the natural body, so does the word sustain
the spiritual life and body; and just in that manner
Christ dwells in our flesh and makes his abode in us.
John says, “If we abide in him and his word abides
in us we ask what we will.” There are many who are
dwarfed professed followers of Christ who are starved
and perished for lack of knowledge of his word. There
are equally many poor shepherds who starve the flock
of God. They know nothing themselves and how can
they feed the flock of God? They cannot, hence, turn
to fables and things to entertain. This is the true con-
dition of our day. It is also true that a large number
exists who have no appetite for good food, but ask and
want only that which will give them no spiritual life.
Sad, sad is the present condition, when preachers preach
for hire and the people love to have it so.