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against all critics. And he attends all games he can, and wildly
CHEERS for his team during a game, yelling his throat hoarse trying
to encourage and cheer on his team, and whenever it scores a touch-
down, he leaps high in the air with shouts of joy!
But how about the "children of light?" The main work of all
the brethren in Christ is to carry out the Great Commission, "Go
ye into all the world and preach the Gospel." It is a trillion
times more important than football. True, only a small part of all
the disciples of Christ can have direct personal part in
proclaiming the true Gospel to all the world. So, how do they
react? Well, some are just as loyal as worldly college students to
their football team. Some are passively loyal in a lukewarm sort
of way. But SOME say, "Well, why should I have any interest in the
work, when I have no direct personal part in it?" They call it
"Brother Armstrong's work." They are just NOT INTERESTED in it.
They don't see how it concerns them in any way. If they hear it
criticized or condemned, or falsely accused, they actually AID AND
ABET THOSE THE DEVIL IS USING IN ACCUSING, by keeping silent. Do
they spring instantly to its defense against its critics? No, by
their very silence they indicate agreement with the critics and
thus encourage injury to God's work! They seem unable to see that
this is THEIR work, and that those of us having direct personal
part are merely their TEAM, representing THEM, and that we need to
be encouraged, cheered on, just as much as a college football team!
Surely the WORK OF GOD is more important---or ought to be---to a
Christian, than winning football games is to a college student!
Then WHY NOT SHOW THE SAME ENTHUSIASM, ZEAL, AND PATRIOTISM FOR THE
WORK OF GOD? It's a trillion times more important than football
games. And when another soul is brought to repentance and baptism
and conversion, OUGHT WE NOT TO LEAP WITH JOY?
"Breathes there a Christian with soul so DEAD that he never
to himself hath said, 'This is our OWN, our very OWN activity in
GOD'S WORK?'"---Don't you feel a surge of JOY and GLORY when OUR
TEAM wins another precious SOUL? Give all praise and thanksgiving
to GOD---but give enthusiastic encouragement---not football cheers,
but Christian GOOD CHEER---to those of us actively out on the
firing line, fighting adversity, the obstacles and opposition of
the devil and his critics, giving our ALL to win--DEFEND US when-
ever you hear this WORK OF GOD being criticized or opposed---SHOW
THE CRITICS YOU ARE ON OUR SIDE---GOD'S SIDE, and when the critics
see how unpopular their fault-finding and opposition of the work of
God is, perhaps they will cease it and BEGIN TO HELP! Let people
know you are FOR this work of God---100%. SHOW your loyalty!
That's one way you can help. And remember, constantly, PRAY FOR
THE WORK!
* * * * * *
With WHOM is Satan Most WROTH?
You are all familiar with the popular "Rapture Theory"---the
teaching, by most denominations, of the "Secret Coming" of Christ
to "snatch away His Bride." They teach that the Second Coming of
Christ is to be in "two phases"---the first phase of it "FOR His
saints," to take them to heaven for 3« or 7 years,---the second