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Fundamentals of Christian Education
He himself is the great center of our life, “The words that I speak unto
you,” He said, “they are spirit, and they are life.”
Having Christ in the heart, we have an eye single to the glory of
God. We should strive to comprehend what it means to be in complete
union with Christ, who is the propitiation for our sins, and for the sins
of the whole world, our substitute and surety before the Lord God of
heaven. Our life should be bound up in the life of Christ, we should
draw constantly from Him, partaking of Him, the living bread that
came down from heaven, drawing from a fountain ever fresh, ever
giving forth its abundant treasures. When this is in truth the experience
of the Christian, there is seen in his life a freshness, a simplicity, a
humility, meekness, and lowliness of heart, that show all with whom
he associates that he has been with Jesus, and learned of Him.
This experience gives every teacher the very qualifications that will
make him a representative of Christ Jesus. The methods of Christ’s
teaching will, if followed, give a force and directness to his communi-
cations and to his prayers. His witness for Christ will not be a narrow,
tame, lifeless testimony, but will be like ploughing up the field, quick-
ening the conscience, opening the heart, and preparing it for the seeds
of truth.
None who deal with the youth should be iron-hearted, but affec-
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tionate, tender, pitiful, courteous, winning, and companionable; yet
they should know that reproofs must be given, and that even rebuke
may have to be spoken to cut off some evildoing. Encourage the youth
to glorify God by giving expression to their gratitude to the Lord for
all His mercies. Let their thanks be spoken often in the heart and with
the voice, and let self-denial and self-sacrifice be shown. If those who
claim to be Christ’s disciples will eat His flesh and drink His blood,
which is His word, they will have eternal life. “And I will raise him
up at the last day,” Christ says. “For My flesh is meat indeed, and My
blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood,
dwelleth in Me, and I in him.”
“As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he
that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.” How many have experienced
this? How many realize the true meaning of these words? Will we
individually seek to understand the word of God, and practice it? This
word, believed, is to every truly converted soul, the free gift of grace.
It cannot be bought with money. We should continually realize that