FACE TO FACE WITH GOD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 190, 28 August 1937, Page 14

FACE TO FACE WITH GOD

An arresting sermoil On the mission of the Chureh was preached in London by Dr. G, Campbell Morgan, The following excerpts are taken therefrom: What is the oue thing the Ghurch of God is called upon to do? Siinply tliis, to keep the world face to face with God. 1 pause there, resolutely and defmitely, ahd I quoto again — because the best illuetrhtioii of great truths is. alWhys from Biblical sources-— one classic passage in the New Testament, a passage full of poetlc and rhythmic beauty, and yet revealing the oue thing I um laboui'ing to poriray, Peter, to whom Jesus first disclosed the secrct of tho ChurGli at Caesai'ea Pliilippi— =but- to whom ihe Spirit of God did uot eomtilit the stewai'dship of the interpretation of the Chureh^ ior that waa c&mmitted to PaUl-^Peter in the iii'st of his letters gives a description of the Church which for poetic beauty and scieutific accuracy is not to be matched in all the New Testament: "¥e are an elect race, a royai priesthood, a holy natioq, a people for God's own possession, that ye may"— all those phrases are deacriptive. but however they describe the Church, the passage is going to show tliat the Chureh is what she is— • 1 that, y© may show forth the excellenee of Him Who called you out of dai'liiiess into His inarveilous light." The Church exists as tho iusti'ument of Lllumiuation, tlie vehicle of Visiou, the maiiifestatiou of— what? Godl The Church '& one business is to keep the World face to face Vvith God, Tui1 11 that rouud aua look at the world lo-duy. What is Ihe matter with the world: "Bomethiag is rotten in, the siate" of the whole worl'd. I will not waste your time describing it. You will lind all the descriptions in the tiewspapers— so far as -they are truthFul. But oue thing is truo—llie World has iost its vision of God, Aud the business of the Church, whetlier ttational or internatioual, raeial, economic, or political, is to keep tho world face to face with God. That means face to l'ace with His moral staudards aud with Ilis redeeming grace.