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The Clarion Herald
THE RENT VEIL

    "The veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom", (Matt. 27:51).

    Among many strange events connected with the crucifixion of our Lord was the veil of the temple, in Jerusalem which was torn from top to bottom.
    The Holy Place in the temple was separated from the Holy of Hollies (the Most Holy place) by a curtain "of blue, and purpose, and scarlet, and fine twined linen" adorned with figures of Cherubim, (Ex. 26:31; 2 Chron. 3:14). This veil symbolized the fact that "the way into the Holiest of all, was not yet made manifest", (Heb. 9:8).
    By the death of Jesus Christ the way has now been opened whereby unworthy sinners may approach God. There is now FREE ACCESS into His holy presence. This fact is signified by the tearing of the veil.
    By the shed blood of the Son of God we may now have "boldness to enter into the holiest" by a new and living way which He has consecrated for us through the veil of His own flesh, (Heb. 6:19-20; 10:19-20; Eph. 2:14-15).
    Let us joyfully avail ourselves of this wonderful privilege!
OUR GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS PRAYER!

THE MIND OF CHRIST ... ENDURANCE OF CONTRADICTION

    "For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, (Heb. 12:3).
    What a marvelous demonstration of endurance! Perfect truth in the midst of error; perfect love in the midst of ingratitude and coldness; perfect rectitude in the midst of perjury, violence, fraud; perfect constancy in the midst of rudeness and desertion; perfect innocence confronting every debased form of depravity and guilt; perfect patience, encountering every species of gross provocation - "oppressed and afflicted, He opened not His mouth!"
    "Let this mind be in you , which was also in Christ Jesus!" The greatest test of an earthly soldier's courage is patient endurance! The most noble trait of the spiritual soldier is the same. "Having done all to stand" .. "He endured, as seeing Him who is invisible!"
    Beware of the angry recrimination, the hasty outburst of temper. Amidst unkind insinuations - when motives are misrepresented, and reputation assailed; when good deeds are ridiculed, kind intentions coldly thwarted and repulsed,



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The Clarion Herald The Clarion Herald

chilling reserve manifested where you expected nothing but friendship - what a triumph over natural impulse to manifest a spirit of meek endurance! - like a rainbow, radiant with the hues of heaven, resting peacefully amidst the storms of derision and the floods of ungodly men.
    What an opportunity for magnifying the all-sustaining grace of God! "Blessed is the man that endureth" ... "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved."
    If faithful to God, we must expect to encounter contradiction in the same form that Jesus did - "the contradiction of SINNERS." It has been said, "There is no cross of nails and wood erected now for the Christian, but there is one of words and looks which is never taken down". If believers are set as lights in the earth, lamps in the city of destruction, we know that "he that doeth evil hateth the light". Thus, we must

 
not marvel if the world hate us!
    Perhaps YOU have grown weary and faint because you have been exposed to ridicule and scorn as a result of your fidelity to God. Or, you may be encountering coldness and the estrangement of those who are very dear to you; they cannot sympathize with the holiness of your walk, or the loftiness of your goals. Then "consider HIM that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, LEST ye be weary and faint in your minds!" What is YOUR contradiction, as compared to His? Your cross will soon be lifted.
    There is no "seat of the scorner" in the kingdom of God. That will be a place of peace - where no jarring note disturbs its blissful harmony! Look forward to the great day of triumph - the day of your dear Lord's appearing, when motives and aims (now misunderstood), will be vindicated, wrongs redressed and all insults and injuries wiped away. Meanwhile, "rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer shame for His name!"
    Arm yourself with a mind like His!

Your harps, ye trembling saints,
Down from the willows take,
Loud to the praise of love divine
Bid every string awake.
Though in a foreign land,
We are not far from home;
And nearer to our house above
We every moment come.
His grace will to the end
Stronger and brighter shine;
Nor present things,
Nor things to come,
Shall quench the spark divine.



DIFFICULTIES IN THE MARRIAGE
RELATIONSHIP
(I Corinthians 7:10-24)
Vs. 10-11: DIVINE COMMANDMENTS

    And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

    1. The command of the Lord is that the wife not, despise her marriage vows in departing from her husband.
    2. If she does depart, she must remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband.
    3. And the husband is forbidden, of the Lord, to divorce (put away) his wife.

Vs. 12-17: APOSTOLIC GUIDANCE -
UNDER DIVINE ILLUMINATION

    But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, 0 wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, 0 man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the churches.

    1. If a Christian man has an unbelieving wife who is content to live with him - even though he has become a Christian - he must not "put her away"; rather, he must walk before her as a Christian husband should, (vs. 12).

    2. The same is true of a woman who is saved (after she is married) but whose husband, though unbelieving, is still willing to live with her, (vs. 13).

    3. Though there is room for honest differences of opinion on the exact meaning of Paul's reference to "sanctification", uncleanness", and "holiness" (vs. 14), it is quite clear that a special "mercy" rests upon the household in which even a single marriage-partner is devoted to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

    4. Should, however, the unbelieving partner insist on breaking up the marriage (when the other becomes a Christian), the Christian is no longer bound; he (or she) may re-marry - only, it must be to a Christian partner, (vs. 15).

    5. But God has called for peace in every marriage relationship (vs. 15b); the Christian must be patient and kind - conscious of the possibility of becoming the very instrument through which God may bring salvation to his marriage-partner, (vs. 16).

    6. A general principle is set forth in verse 17: each one is to faithfully and patiently abide in the position wherein the grace of God reached him - bearing faithful witness to God's grace RIGHT THERE- until such time as God sees fit to change his situation, (see vs.



20).
Vs. 18-24: THE PRINCIPLE ILLUSTRATED

    Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? Care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman; likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

    1. Whether called in "circumcision" or "uncircumcision", one must not attempt to change his own
standing; these things are NOTHING: the important thing is "the commandment of God", (vs. 18-19).
    2. If one is saved while a slave he must not rebel against his master; yet, if he is offered the opportunity to go free, he should accept it joyfully.
      a. The Christian slave finds great freedom in Christ - though he must render service to an earthly master.
      b. And the one who is free, in the sense of being under bondage to no man, is enslave to Christ.
    3. Since each of us are bought with a price (the precious blood of Jesus), we must render every act of service as unto Him.
    4. So, every man, wherein he is called (to salvation), is to abide therein - conscious of the constant companionship of God (vs. 24). His presence is our sufficiency!

VISITING BRETHREN A BLESSING

    Since the first of April Landmark Church has been privileged to have two visiting brethren in our mid-week services. On April 4, Chaplain George Garner, of Ft. Hood, Texas, thrilled our hearts with a very practical message. And, on April 11, we were challenged by a splendid message by Bro. James A. McCoy from Pearl City, Hawaii. Our Brethren are ALWAYS a blessing!
-- E.G.

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