Alone with God and Me

In 1853, America said to Japan: “Oh, do not live in seclusion. Open your doors, and I will introduce you to the world.” So Japan followed America’s advice. In 1920, the same America, in conjunction with her Anglo-Saxon neighbours, Canada and Australia, says to the same Japan: “Oh, do not come to our shores. I dislike,you; 1 am afraid of you. Keep Yourselves to your country. You are a menace to the peace of the world.” A strange inconsistency, but not strange, for selfishness always behaves in this way. Moral, in prophet Jeremiah’s words:

Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and wiil not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, suth the LoRD. (Jer. Ix, 4-6).

Through deceit, these so-called Christian nations refuse to know the Losp. It is their apostasy from their fathers’ God that makes them to deceive their fathers’ friend and brother.

Japanese Christianity is not a Christianity peculiar to Japanese. It is Christianity received by Japanese directly from God without ‘any foreign intermediary; no more, no less. In this sense, there is German Christianity, English Christianity, Scotch Christianity, American Christianity, etc; and in this sense, there will be, and already is, Japanese Christianity. “There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him understanding.” The spirit of Japan inspired by the Almighty is Japanese Christianity. It is free, independent, original and productive, as true Christianity always is,

CuristIANITy is essentially the religion of the Cross. It is not simply the religion of Christ, but the religion of Christ crucified. It teaches us not that we are to be crucified like him, but that He was crucified for us. ‘The Cross is not merely a symbol of Christianity; it is its centre, the corner-stone upon which its whole structure rests. Sins forgiven and annihilated on the Cross, blessings promised and bestowed on the condition. of believing acceptance of what happened upon the Cross:—indeed, no Cross, no Christianity. When, as at present, many things pass for Christianity, which are not Christianity,—such for instance as Social Service, thiea1 Evangelism and International Thinking,—it is very desirable that we should call Christianity by a new name. I propose Crucifixianity as such; and when it too shall have been abused and vulgarized by new theologians, I will coin another.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ! Truly so! A servant; not afriend, not a brother. not evena disciple; but a servant, a slave-servant, one whose will is not his own, but his master’s. Of Jesus Christ; not of men, nor of groups of men: not of kings, nor of bishops: not of churches, nor of governments: not of society nor of humanity; but of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Lord of man. His business is not social service, nor church-service, nor government-service, but solely and entirely Christ-service. ‘Paul, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ; therefore an independent, courageous, humble and kindly man; a man, who without serving men and society, did most to uplift, purify, and renovate the world. Qh, may I be like him, and be truly a servant of Jesus Christ! (Romans i. 1.)

God loveth Germany as He loveth all other nations. God hath saved the world through Germany many a time in the past; and He will yet do the same through the same people in the future. The nation which gave so many great and good men to the world, will yet give greater and better. That Germany failed in world-politics, and was defeated in world-war, is a mighty assurance that she will succeed and be victorious in her own appointed sphere of action, Germany will rule the air, as France rules the land, and England, the sea; the air, as Luther ruled the spirit, and Kant, the mind. We look to new, Spirit-led Germany for a new beginning in moral uplifting of the world. A greater and mightier Luther will yet come out of Germany. May God bless Germany!

CArvrNrsM is a system of Christian belief and thinking based upon the Biblical teaching of the sovereignty of God. It is severely logical, strictly just, and intensely merciful. It is the grace of Jesus grafted upon the law of Moses, the sweet Galilee implanted upon the burning Sinai. Calvinism is productive of great men and nations. Cromwell, Milton, Rembrandt, the Pilgrim Fathers, and an innumerable host of holy and strong men and women were Calvinists. And England at its best, and America at its purest were Calvinistic nations; and in proportion as they departed from the strict Calvinistic standard, have they sunk deeper and deeper into sin and corruption. The world’s hope, I believe, lies in revival of Calvinism, with such modifications in its forms as the changing circumstances may require.

Is Christianity practicable? Is it possible to love our enemies, or to turn our left cheeks when they smite us on the right? It is nof possible, and it 7s possible. It is not possible if we are to practise it by ourselves, and it is possible if God is to practise it for ourselves. “Apart from Me ye can do nothing,” said Christ; and “I can do all things through Him that strengtheneth me,” said Paul. Christianity without Christ is an impossibility; with Him it is a perfect possibility, as experienced by all His saints: Modern men, considering Christianity as an ethical system, find many things in it which are impracticable. But Christianity is not an ethical system, but a gospel, and it furnishes its believers with all the strength necessary to fulfill all its demands. Let us hear no more from modern theologians on this point. 0

Forgiveness is the greatest of Christian virtues. It is the entire forgetting of the past, and building up anew of hfe upon the basis of the good will of the Loving Father. Forgiveness is both active and passive. Entirely to forgive is possible as a result of being entirely forgiven. ‘Even as Christ forgave you, so.also do ye.” (Col. ii: 13). He blotted out all our sins on the Cross, and gave us the spirit of forgiveness to blot out all the sins which others have committed against us. orgiveness is a heavenly gift, and the greatest of all gifts. It is the beginning of all good things. Friendship, peace of mind, cessation of war, and universal brotherhood, are possible as sure results of Christian forgiveness. Great is forgiveness!

The life is work, says the Occidental; the life is rest, says the Oriental. The life is action, says the West: the life is being, says the Hast. “ Hurry, be quick, and make yourself and the world happy, and that in the shortest possible time,’ says the representative West. “You are happy already, if you but know yourself. Believe, and all will be well,” says the representative Kast. The West is Martha, and the East is Mary, and the Lord saith to the active, restless, propagandizing West: ‘‘Thou art anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful, for Mary (the East) hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’— Luke x: 41, 42. |

The first great truth is that God is not a Force but Love, a Loving Father. The whole universe wears a different aspect when viewed with faith in the Fatherhood of God.

The second great truth is that Jesus Christ is not a man, not even the greatest man, but God Himself. Peace that passeth all understandings is ours when we come to believe in the Deity of Jesus.

The third great truth is that the Holy Spirit is not an influence, but a person. Faith becomes real, and trne freedom is won, only when we realize the Personality of the Holy Spirit.

Christ now dwelling in heaven, on the right hand of the Father, leaves me not desclate. He dwells in me by His Spirit, and leads me, and teaches me, and comforts me, as when He was with His disciples in the days of His flesh. The Christian is strong, not because of his incomparable faith, but because of the Strong Son of God, -the Immortal Love, who dwells in him, and works through him. Iam more than a conqueror through Him that loves me, 2 e. through the Spirit of Christ who is with me. Christ within me is a present reality, and makes the Christian religion to me, not merely a thing of past, or of future, but a working power, NOW and HERE.

It is written: “By ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Again: ‘Be ye holy; for I am holy.” Is it possible for weak, imperfect men to meet so preat demands? It is not possible. Not possible by their own efforts; possible by the power of the Almighty Father. “Be ye perfect” means “Submit yourselves to be perfected by Him.” He is able (8varu). God by sending the Holy Spirit in Christ CAN recreate us, and fashion us to the image of His Son. What is called Christian Morality is not to be considered apart from God and His Christ; as it is also written: “Apart from Me, ye can do nothing j) and: “ With God all things are possible.”

There must be an ideal, and there must be a power to realize that ideal. The Christian’s ideal is Christ, and his power is the Holy Spirit. The Christian looks intently at Christ, but looking alone does not make him a son of God. The Spirit works within him, and makes him to appropriate to himself the beauty. of holiness he is looking at. As was said by St. Paul: ‘“ We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to. glory, even as by the Lord, the Spirit.’’—II Cor. ii:18. The model before us, and the spirit of the model to conform us thereto,— how perfect is the Gospel! No vain dreaming; no mere yearning; the goal, and the way, and the power to reach that goal provided at the same time |

Gop Is. Oh blessed thought! God the Loving Father, who is Love Itself, IS—He exists, He rules, He takes care of the world, mankind, my country, my home, and me,—what more need I know? Peace everlasting should be mine. The world is in turmoil, nations arming themselves to the teeth, diplomats sitting in a council to bring about a universal peace, toiling hard to attain the end,—the future all unknown, dark, terrible: indeed, darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people, as was foretold by a prophet. (Isa. lx: 2). But Gop Is,—that settles the question. All is right. We can rest and sleep in peace; as Jesus the Almighty Power incarnate slept at the stern of the ship which carried. His disciples over the furious waves of the sea.

RgrreroON is personal, not general, It is not ‘‘we”, but “I”, not plural, but singular,—first person, singular. It is not mankind or humanity, but I myself.“ dZy God, My God, why - hast- Thou forsaken Me?” was Jesus’ own religion. ‘“O wretched man that 7am! Who shal! deliver me out of the body of this death?” was Paul’s religion. Theologians seeking after general {ruth of religion, never find it. God is found only in one’s inmost soul; and a man who cannot make himself an object-lesson in religion, can never be its preacher. Modern Christianity is tasteless and powerless, chiefly because it is general and social, and not personal and individual. Is there anything more useless under heaven than the “expert” in religion?

“ He that believeth on the Son has eternal life.” He: an indefinite “he,” any son of Adam, a publican or a sinner, any one. Believeth: accepts Him on His words, as the believer's substitute before God. The Son: the only begotten Son of the Father’s love, the Lord Jesus Christ. Hath: possess; has in entire and complete possession; and that now (the present tense), just now, without waiting for the glorious fulure, in the daily continuous experience of the believing life. Eternal life: supersensuous, supernatural, never-dying death-conquering life. Very simple, very deep and very true. That any one, by simply believing on the Crucified Son of God, can have in entire possession, now in this life, a life that is life indeed, even the life of God,—oh, how gloriously and thankfully true, as proved by the unerring experience of multitudes of believers called from among all the nations of the world!