Lord’s Vineyard
193
When the Israelites entered Canaan, they did not fulfill God’s
purpose by taking possession of the whole land. After making a
partial conquest, they settled down to enjoy the fruit of their victories.
In their unbelief and love of ease, they congregated in the portions
already conquered instead of pushing forward to occupy new territory.
Thus they began to depart from God. By their failure to carry out His
purpose, they made it impossible for Him to fulfill to them His promise
of blessing. Is not the church of today doing the same thing? With the
whole world before them in need of the gospel, professed Christians
congregate where they themselves can enjoy gospel privileges. They
do not feel the necessity of occupying new territory, carrying the
message of salvation into regions beyond. They refuse to fulfill Christ’s
commission, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature.”
Mark 16:15
. Are they less guilty than was the Jewish church?
The professed followers of Christ are on trial before the heavenly
universe; but the coldness of their zeal and the feebleness of their
efforts in God’s service mark them as unfaithful. If what they are doing
were the best they could do, condemnation would not rest upon them;
but were their hearts enlisted in the work, they could do much more.
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They know and the world knows that they have to a great degree lost the
spirit of self-denial and cross bearing. Many there are against whose
names will be found written in the books of heaven, Not producers, but
consumers. By many who bear Christ’s name, His glory is obscured,
His beauty veiled, His honor withheld.
There are many whose names are on the church books, but who
are not under Christ’s rule. They are not heeding His instruction or
doing His work. Therefore they are under the control of the enemy.
They are doing no positive good; therefore they are doing incalculable
harm. Because their influence is not a savor of life unto life, it is a
savor of death unto death.
The Lord says, “Shall I not visit for these things?”
Jeremiah 5:9
.
Because they failed of fulfilling God’s purpose, the children of Israel
were set aside, and God’s call was extended to other peoples. If these
too prove unfaithful, will they not in like manner be rejected?
In the parable of the vineyard it was the husbandmen whom Christ
pronounced guilty. It was they who had refused to return to their
Lord the fruit of his ground. In the Jewish nation it was the priests
and teachers who, by misleading the people, had robbed God of the