That the apostle Paul understood and taught a literal, personal return of his Lord is beyond dispute. In fact, even the rationalistic commentators admit that the apostles believed in the second advent of the Christ - with all its glorious consequences. They believed His coming would be visible and with great glory. It was the one great object of their hope and desire.
    Christians are described as "waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ", (I Cor. 1:7); as "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ", (Tit. 2:13); and as those who are earnestly "desiring the coming of the day of God", (2 Pet. 3:12). To those who look for Him He will "appear the second time, without sin unto salvation", (Heb. 9:28).
    Great prominence is given to the doctrine of our Lord's second coming in all the apostolic writings. "Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come", (I Cor. 4:5). "Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's

    There is perhaps no other thing for which the Lord's true churches, in this generation, have such cause for shame as the extent to which the shibboleth of party is heard within the camp of the faithful. A narrow-minded bigotry and high-minded exclusiveness are constantly rearing their "untempered walls" within the very temple of the Lord! Schism, division and offences are such inevitable results as totally unfit for the people of God to move forward, with unity of heart, purpose and loyalty, for the glory of our sovereign Lord!
    How different "the mind of Christ!" Sent "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel", He was never heard disowning or denouncing "other sheep" which were not of that fold! "Them also will I bring" was an assertion constantly illustrated by His attitude and actions. To illustrate: The woman of Samaria manifested such an attitude as far too prevalent among those professing themselves to be the Lord's servants today -- an ardent, partisan zeal for her own sect. Living in open sin, she was, nevertheless,

alert to all the nice distinctions between Jew and Samaritan -- between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Zion.
    "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria?" (Jn. 4:9) Our Lord did not reciprocate her sectarian attitude, but met it with a kindly rebuke. He would allow no such narrow-minded exclusiveness to prevent the interchange of kindly conversation with a stranger. Thus, His reply: "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water" -- such water as springs up into everlasting life, (Jn. 4:10, 14).
    How sad it is to note that, while the enemy is "coming in like a flood" - when Roman idolatry, communism, secular humanism, cultism, charismaticism and a multitude of kindred "isms" are linked in a formidable confederacy - the

soldiers of Christ are handicapped by soiled standards and mutilated by internal feuding!
    Uniformity is not essential - or even desirable; but UNITY is ESSENTIAL if we would please our Lord or serve Him acceptably. As New Testament churches, as pastors, missionaries, evangelists and teachers; we may not all have a uniformity of emphasis - nor would such even be appropriate in such diversity of locale, social order, or even stages of spiritual development as we face. But, there must be, if we would honor our Lord, a loving unity of heart, mind, purpose, desire, loyalty and goal! How may one possibly read First Corinthians 13, with the slightest degree of spiritual perception, and still proceed on a stubbornly charred course of "envy, strife and division?"
    Fuller communion with our Lord will guarantee sweeter communion with our brethren! If we insist on maintaining an arsenal of arrows, let us make certain that they are dipped in the healing "balm of Gilead"; there will then be fewer wounds within the church of Christ!
    Nor is it enough that we merely learn to "tolerate" one another! Oh! Wretched word!! TOLERATE one for whom Christ died? Tolerate one whom the Saviour carries on His breast? Tolerate a temple of the living God? The people of God ought to be ashamed to use such a terrible word with regard to each other! Rather, we should endeavor to establish and maintain a unity of spirit, in the bonds of peace!

    Apostate, Old Testament, Israel is likened to a mass or lump of dough, which has been mixed and kneaded by the baker, and upon which the baker waits for the yeast to do its work. Such is the spiritual state, generally speaking, of the Lord's covenant people today just as it was in the days of Hosea.
    The figure of the leaven is repeatedly used throughout the Scriptures - both Old Testament and New. It always suggests evil - specifically, INTERNAL corruption. Leaven works from within - setting up a process of physical decay and corruption whereby the dough is caused to rise. Likewise, spiritual leaven sets up a process of corruption within the confines of the divine covenantal community until the whole is permeated and corrupted.
    The God of all covenant mercy and grace, however, has provided a means of preservation whereby the covenant people may preserve themselves. The churches of Christ are commanded to "purge out the old leaven" through the exercise of ecclesiastical discipline. This is the only means of deliverance from the leaven of internal spiritual corruption; yet, so few churches seem willing to avail themselves of it!     My brethren, EVERY command of God has some practical benefit and purpose - some pragmatic reason,

if you please. Let all true churches of Christ, those which are scriptural in origin and sound in practice, beware! "A LITTLE leaven leaveneth the WHOLE lump!" (I Cor. 5:6).
(Edited from Gary Smith, in THE WATCHMAN)


It matters not if cherished friends
On whom I leaned in vain
Have wounded me by word and deed
And left me with great pain.
What matters is, CAN I FORGIVE,
Again and yet again?
It's not, Have they been true? but,
     Lord,
Have I been true to them?

'Twill matter not when evening
   comes,
How rough the road I've trod.
If only I have walked with Him,
And led some soul to God.
For when I wake to be like Him,
Who saved me by His grace,
Earth's pain will vanish when I
   catch
One glimpse of His dear face.


    In our haste to get the last issue of THE CLARION HERALD on the press, we neglected to share the good news that Brother Perry Goebel had united with Landmark church and followed the Lord in Christian baptism. We heartily welcome Brother Perry into our membership, and pray that we may be a blessing and encouragement to him. E.G.

at His coming", (I Cor. 15:23). "Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour", (Phil. 3:20). "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory", (Col. 3:4). The Thessalonian saints are said to have turned to God from idols, "to wait for His Son from heaven", (I Thes. 1:10). And Paul yearned that they might be found "Unblameable in holiness . . . at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints". (1 Thes. 3:13). The saints who "are alive, and remain

unto the coming of the Lord shall be caught up .. in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord", (I Thes. 4:15-17).
    In his second letter to this same church, Paul assures them that they will have rest "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven", (2 Thes. 1:7). He corrects the false idea that the Lord's coming is imminent - seeing first "a great falling away". Timothy is urged to "Keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ", (I Tim. 6:14). And Paul himself looked forward to the day wherein the Lord, the righteous judge, would give him a "crown of righteousness" - as unto all those who "love His appearing", (2 Tim. 4:8).
    The hope of Christ's return never left Paul and his brethren. It was the comfort and inspiration of their days. Is it of ours? Do we really walk in a consciousness that His appearing is drawing near?
    In Paul's churches, as in his own life, the prospect of Christ's coming was a motive to holy and sober vigilance, (I Thes. 5:1-11). So, it ought to be in ours!
    God holds us responsible not only for what we know, but for what we have the opportunity to know.
    Prayer was never designed as a means to get the Lord to overrule our laziness.
    You may whitewash yourself, but only God can wash you white.