XXXIX

THE NATURAL MAN. HOW HE CAN AND MUST BE SAVED BY HUMAN AGENCY IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST

These amazing truths concerning the lost and wretched condition of the natural man everywhere about us, in our immediate neighborhoods, in the inner circles of our friends and in our homes; and how he can and must be saved, if saved at all, by his fellow man in the name of Jesus Christ, should stir our hearts with the deepest compassion for him and incite us to immediate, continuous and untiring efforts in leading him to Jesus Christ for personal salvation and entrance into the glorious and everlasting Kingdom of God. Thus all the innumerable and infinite needs of his soul would be eventually and abundantly supplied by the provisions of the Creator, God, forever. As previously stated, the provisions of the Lord God for all the needs of the soul of Man (the natural Man) are as real as are the needs themselves. They are all available; but, only through Jesus Christ, are perfectly adapted and all-satisfying to the innumerable needs of the soul, infinite in quantity and are delightful and glorious beyond expression in their application and use throughout eternity.

Since the above statements are unquestionably true and since every natural man saved by faith in Jesus Christ will just as certainly become a partaker of all of these provisions of the Creator, God, for all the needs of

his soul forever without limit, it is worth all the earthly life of the best of men to be the means of leading the poorest possible specimen of the natural Man to Jesus Christ for life eternal and a sure entrance into the everlasting and glorious Kingdom of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world in obedience to the will of God to live, labor and die for the natural Man, to make it possible for him to have all the needs of his soul completely supplied by the provisions of God, the Creator.

9. "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10:9-10).

A. All True Christians Commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to Do This Most Blessed and Needful Work for Their Fellowmen. In His prayer to His Father, Jesus said:

18. "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world" (John 17: 18).

Accordingly, it is not only our very great privilege to do all we can for the salvation of our fellow men; but it is our bounden duty to do so to the best of our ability under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, it is expressly stated by the Lord in His holy Word that according to our faithfulness or unfaithfulness as watchmen unto our fellow men in this allimportant matter, He will deal with us.

17. "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto

the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

18. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

19. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul" (Ezek. 3:17-19).

All true Christians therefore must pray, study and plan with the help of the Holy Spirit to do this essential work, which they are sent by the Master Himself to do, in the best possible way, according to the time and means at their disposal.

All true Christians, however, have not the time and ability to lead many of their fellow men to Jesus Christ for salvation, to anchor them in the Christian faith and to qualify them to do like work for others. But few men, if any, can accomplish this very essential work for a large number of men in large meetings in a short time as it ought to be done.

The Lord Jesus Christ concentrated His efforts upon twelve chosen men for the space of three years to prepare them for this blessed work and then commanded them to wait for the enduement of the Holy Spirit before they would be qualified to accomplish it as it ought to be done.

But all true Christians, as individuals, have each the time, and with careful preparation, the ability, under the direction and help of the Holy Spirit, to lead one of their fellow men to Jesus Christ, anchor him in the Christian. faith and qualify him to do the same for another.

This would necessitate much and intense prayer, much and careful study of the Word of God, also much and close reliance upon the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish all that is possible and that ought to be done.

Of such workers Jesus Christ in his last words on earth said, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Of course, much needed information, inspiration and other help for such service could be gotten from Christlike ministers of the Gospel and from consecrated laymen of greater experience than themselves.

B. To Accomplish the Best Possible Results Every True Christian should Voluntarily Concentrate His Best Efforts upon One Person Only at a time, at Least One Hour a Week for a Whole Year if Necessary. In a word, every true Christian should not only continue in true spiritual work of a general character to the best of his ability, but he should voluntarily concentrate his best efforts upon one person only at a time, to whom the Lord would direct him, at least one hour a week for a whole year if necessary, or for a definite and sufficient period of time agreed upon by both of them, which could be lengthened or shortened if necessary.

Such a service for our neighbor would be a practical and definite expression or fulfillment of our blessed Lord's commandment:

37. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38. This is the first and great commandment.

39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt. 22: 37-39).

This is beyond all others the most effective and speedy method to save the great multitude of natural lost men, though it would require a whole year for each person. It would be the most effective method because it would afford ample time

1. To find out by close personal contact, and by oft repeated interviews the true character of the person thus served, and his willingness to become a Christian, as well as his peculiar doubts and hindrances, and would enable the worker to adapt his service accordingly.

2. For prayer, study, instruction, and fellowship.

3. To introduce him into church life, special Christian work, and into the best personal Christian relationships. It would be the most speedy because the largest number of workers could each do a complete work for one person and render him, so to speak, a finished product.

If all true Christians would, as they could, each perform such a service for another of their fellow men yearly, they would not only duplicate themselves every year, but, by their praying, studying God's Word and helpful serving in the name of Jesus Christ, they would attain to a much higher and more advanced plane of Christian experience and activity.

Any true Christian who would thus devote as much as one hour a week for a whole year to one of his fellow men in leading him to Jesus Christ for personal salvation, in building him up in the Christian faith and life, and in preparing him to do like service for others, would gain a more practical knowledge and experience for such a