FROM THE CHURCH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 67, 10 July 1950, Page 3

FROM THE CHURCH

Whakatane St. John’s Methodist “UNCONSCIOUS LOSS”

Speaking last night in the St. John’s Methodist Church, the Rev. Wm. C. Jenkin said that Samson enjoyed a singular privilege, accorded only to one other person in the Old Testament. His birth was foretold to his parents by an angel. He was dedicated to God; and set apart as a Nazarite, thus there grew up the belief that he was consecrated to God and there was a definite, divinely appointed work for him. Consecration is never a mere separating from something; it is also a separating to something, a shutting up of a man to God.

Samson failed to maintain the secret of his God given strength. His yielding meant an immediate loss of power. The great thing about the Divine ordination of Samson’s life was just that obedience to God had beemmade to hinge upon a detail. The detail in itself is nothing but the principle is everything. Samson as consecrated is a type of every —it refers to the Christian who has lost touch with God, the backslider. This is a term not popular today but it means a falling from Grace. Backsliding may be unconscious. “Samson wist not that the Lord had departed from him.”

Often it is only when some crisis arises in a man’s life that he becomes aware that his moral strength has departed from him. Two things tell what a man is . . . one, what he wants; and the other, what he does. Actions are the true test of a man.

Now, God choses and anoints men for special work. He does not give the same gifts to all men, nor does He give them in the same measure. The greater the gift then the greater failure if we lose the opportunity. Gifts are also varied, take for example, the Gift of Prayer. If we steadily make use of this capacity, small as it may be, God will bless our efforts. The Christian realises his loss only when the moment of need comes. If a man need direction or communion he desires to hear one speak who can tell of the reality of these things in his own heart life. Therefore it is necessary for every professing Christian to make religion the most distinctive thing in his life, having been transformed by the renewing of his mind in Jesus Christ our Lord.