|
is liable to bodily suffering, like all other men, but the remembrance of the presence
of Christ, who Himself bore sorrow and suffering (Isa. liii. 3-5), and has promised to
abide with His servants all the days (Matt. xxviii. 20), enables him to endure patiently
whatever God permits to befall him. He looks forward to a better home beyond the grave (2
Cor. v. 1-9; Phil. i. 23), and still more to a joyful resurrection when Christ Jesus shall
come again and put down all enemies under His own glorious feet (John v. 21-29; vi. 40; I
Cor. xv; Phil. Iii. 21).
In the world to come true Christians will know God as He is; they will behold His glory
and abide in Christ's presence (Matt. v. 8; I Cor. ii. 9; xiii. 12; Rev. xxii. 3, 4). They
will then possess perfect purity and freedom from all sin, they will inherit a joy and a
happiness that eye hath not seen nor ear heard, they will ever dwell in the light of God's
favour and blessing. The thought of these things and of God's mercy in saving sinners and
bringing them to holiness and eternal happiness leads us to join with the Apostle of the
Gentiles in praising God, and saying, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom
and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgements, and His ways past tracing
out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? or who hath
first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of Him, and through
Him, and unto Him, are all things. To Him be the glory for ever. Amen" (Rom. xi.
33-36).
We have described a Christian as he ought to be, as he would be, if he obeyed the
precepts of the Gospel. Our Muslim brothers often contrast with this description the lives
of many of the Europeans with whom they meet, and then say that Christianity produces
characters as wicked, as selfish, as worldly, as licentious, as any other religion. But if
they will thoughtfully consider for a moment, they will see that this is hardly a correct
statement. In the first place, many Europeans
|
|
|
make no pretence whatever of being Christians. To consider that the words
"Christian" and
"European" have the same meaning is a great mistake. Secondly, many who
profess to be Christians are such outwardly only, not in heart. But Christianity must
reign in the heart before it can transform and ennoble the life. The saying "The1
outward is the superscription of the inward" is not by any means true, or there would
be no such thing as hypocrisy. Wiser far is what the Persian poet says:—
"Regard2 we the conduct and character, then,
Not by look and by word, but by deed, know we men."
The true Christian is known by his conduct, by his obedience to the law of Christ. If
we find a man who disobeys Christ's commands, how can we say that the religion which with
his lips he professes is responsible for his evil deeds? An Afghan Ghazi who, when a Jihad
is proclaimed, rushes valiantly against the enemy and fights till he is slain, surrounded
by a ring of dead foes, exemplifies the religion of Islam from one point of view, just as
a Christian medical missionary, who risks and perhaps lays down his life in striving to
heal those of a different race and religion who are dying of plague or cholera, shows what
a Christian's duty is. Each is acting according to the precepts of his own religion. But
were the Ghazi to act like the medical missionary, striving not to kill, but to heal in
the Jihad, all would say that he was not a true Muslim, not a true follower of the
"Prophet with the Sword". The tree is known by its fruits. If a man calling
himself a Christian act dishonestly or wickedly, even those who are not Christians
themselves justly say that he cannot be a Christian. They therefore bear testimony to the
nobility and holiness inculcated by the Christian faith. Hence it is that the Apostle
says: "He that
|
|