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The Acts of the Apostles
soul in the image of Christ. This is the knowledge that God invites His
children to receive, beside which all else is vanity and nothingness.
In every generation and in every land the true foundation for char-
acter building has been the same—the principles contained in the word
of God. The only safe and sure rule is to do what God says. “The
statutes of the Lord are right,” and “he that doeth these things shall
never be moved.”
Psalms 19:8
;
15:5
. It was with the word of God
that the apostles met the false theories of their day, saying, “Other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid.”
1 Corinthians 3:11
.
At the time of their conversion and baptism the Colossian believers
pledged themselves to put away beliefs and practices that had hitherto
been a part of their lives, and to be true to their allegiance to Christ. In
his letter, Paul reminded them of this, and entreated them not to forget
that in order to keep their pledge they must put forth constant effort
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against the evils that would seek for mastery over them. “If ye then be
risen with Christ,” he said, “seek those things which are above, where
Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid
with Christ in God.”
“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
.
Through the power of Christ, men and women have broken the chains
of sinful habit. They have renounced selfishness. The profane have
become reverent, the drunken sober, the profligate pure. Souls that
have borne the likeness of Satan have become transformed into the
image of God. This change is in itself the miracle of miracles. A
change wrought by the Word, it is one of the deepest mysteries of the
Word. We cannot understand it; we can only believe, as declared by
the Scriptures, it is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
When the Spirit of God controls mind and heart, the converted
soul breaks forth into a new song; for he realizes that in his experience
the promise of God has been fulfilled, that his transgression has been
forgiven, his sin covered. He has exercised repentance toward God for
the violation of the divine law, and faith toward Christ, who died for
man’s justification. “Being justified by faith,” he has “peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:1
.
But because this experience is his, the Christian is not therefore
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to fold his hands, content with that which has been accomplished for