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CHRIST IN ALL T H E S C R I P T U R ES
The book of Acts is the best guide-book to missionary enterprise. It tells us the true motive, the best plans, and the source of power. Guided by their risen Lord, the Early Church pursued a definite programme in its extension, always selecting some great radiating centre of population for its operation, whence the influence might spread to the surrounding district— Jerusalem, Samaria, Antioch, Cyprus, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome. Their methods were simple, straightforward, and successful. They went forth in dependence on the living God, with unquenchable zeal and undaunted courage. Their one aim was to bring men to a saving knowledge of Christ. He was their one theme and the Word of God their efficient weapon. Christ was always and everywhere the centre of their testimony, and the Holy Spirit their power for service (Moorehead). ROMANS THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
This Epistle, which Luther called " The perfect Gospel," and Coleridge " The most profound work in existence," stands first of all the Epistles as setting forth the great truths of man's fallen state, and of justification by faith in the person and work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. By birth a Hebrew, by citizenship a Roman, by culture a Greek, Paul was well fitted naturally to write i t ; but it was in the grace and apostleship received direct from Jesus Christ (i. 5) that he trusted alone for his qualification. " Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace," may be taken as the Gospel germ of the Epistle to the Romans. The clue to the Epistle is to be found in i. 16 : " l a m not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
He was not ashamed of the Gospel, for he had
proved its power. The Epistle naturally divides itself into three p a r t s : (1) Justification; (2) Sanctification; (3) Application of the foregoing to daily life, each of which are associated with one of the great Apostle's irresistible " THEREFORES." (1) Justification by faith for access. Rom. v. 1 : "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our