Gold Nugget 292 - The Brightest of All Hopes

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      When the infidel rejoices over what seem to him tokens of the decrepitude of the Church of Christ; when the atheist foretells the destruction of all religion, and the approach of the millennium of animalism; Christ’s followers do not yield to fear.  They remember that their Divine Lord has promised that “the gates of Hades shall not prevail against” his Church.

      Its dead branches may be lopped off, and its living branches may be pruned; but life shall only be the more vigorous, and fruit the more abundant.  The gold may be cast into the furnace, and the dross be consumed; but the precious metal shall only be refined and purified, and shall shine with brighter luster, and be fitter for the Master’s use.

      Is there hope for humanity?  Is this race of man destined to deteriorate; is it doomed to remain for ever a prey to strife, to vice, to sin; or is it appointed to sure progress and to final happiness?  Questions these which have disturbed many a sensitive and philanthropic mind; clouded many a generous, disinterested life with sorrow and with gloom.  The pessimism which is a sort of fashion in some circles refused to take any comfort in looking forward to the future of mankind.  As the individual is of necessity unhappy, as life is of necessity a calamity, a disaster, and death the only alleviation, annihilation the only thing worth looking forward to; so for the race, composed of units thus unhappy, no destiny that is desirable can be in reserve.  Progress is an illusion, and the general happiness a baseless dream.

      The Spirit encouraged Hebrew prophets of old to anticipate a universal reign of righteousness, knowledge, and peace.  That Spirit directed evangelist and apostles to base, upon the incarnation and sacrifice of the Son of God, the broadest of all beliefs and the brightest of all hopes.  That Spirit has sustained the faith and inspired the energy of Christ’s people, amid the darkness of human ignorance, the din of human conflict, and the desolation of human despair.

      The omen of the birth of Christ and Christianity has not been falsified.  The progress of the truth has been slow, the hindrances have been many, the corruptions and distortions have been serious.  War, cruelty, slavery, vice, ignorance, brutality, are still scourging this human race.  But no candid observer can say that the religion of Christ has attacked these evils in vain.  And no Christian, convinced of the supernatural powers of his religion, can do other than bravely hope in the progress of enlightenment, the victory of righteousness, the reign of Christ.    

 

The Pulpit Commentary, Romans p. 438, Romans 15:13, (J. Radford Thomson)

 

Gold Nugget 292

The Brightest of All Hopes

 

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