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The Acts of the Apostles
point where he had left it, giving spiritual light and knowledge in due
season, as the church was able to bear it.
When the apostle took up his work in Corinth, he realized that
he must introduce most carefully the great truths he wished to teach.
He knew that among his hearers would be proud believers in human
theories, and exponents of false systems of worship, who were groping
with blind eyes, hoping to find in the book of nature theories that would
contradict the reality of the spiritual and immortal life as revealed in
the Scriptures. He also knew that critics would endeavor to controvert
the Christian interpretation of the revealed word, and that skeptics
would treat the gospel of Christ with scoffing and derision.
As he endeavored to lead souls to the foot of the cross, Paul did
not venture to rebuke, directly, those who were licentious, or to show
how heinous was their sin in the sight of a holy God. Rather he set
before them the true object of life and tried to impress upon their
minds the lessons of the divine Teacher, which, if received, would
lift them from worldliness and sin to purity and righteousness. He
dwelt especially upon practical godliness and the holiness to which
those must attain who shall be accounted worthy of a place in God’s
kingdom. He longed to see the light of the gospel of Christ piercing
the darkness of their minds, that they might see how offensive in the
sight of God were their immoral practices. Therefore the burden of
his teaching among them was Christ and Him crucified. He sought to
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show them that their most earnest study and their greatest joy must be
the wonderful truth of salvation through repentance toward God and
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The philosopher turns aside from the light of salvation, because it
puts his proud theories to shame; the worldling refuses to receive it,
because it would separate him from his earthly idols. Paul saw that the
character of Christ must be understood before men could love Him or
view the cross with the eye of faith. Here must begin that study which
shall be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity.
In the light of the cross alone can the true value of the human soul be
estimated.
The refining influence of the grace of God changes the natural
disposition of man. Heaven would not be desirable to the carnal-
minded; their natural, unsanctified hearts would feel no attraction
toward that pure and holy place, and if it were possible for them to