Editorial:

There is a close relationship between the thought of unity and peace. One of the articles in this month's issue deals with the matter of keeping "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Unity means concord, and so also does peace. Peace (Hebrew shalom) signifies that which is whole or entire, as when one has a healthy body. Joseph asked his brethren, "Is your father well? " ("in health," shalom) (Genesis 43.27); What is true of the buman body, with its many parts and functions all acting in harmony producing a state of human well~being or peace, is also true when a community or nation is living in concord unaffected by internal or external trouble. Peace was the salutat' ion of the Hebrew people. "Peace be both unto thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast" (~ Samue] 25.6). The opposite of peace is trouble, disease, pain, war, strife, discord, and so forth. Peace is a bond or a uniting bond, whereas trouble, strife and war are disruptive and destroying, from which all kinds of evils and corruptions arise.

Such evils are only too manifest in the world at large, as the Epistle to the Ephesians s owe.

contribution this month on the h

Those who are alienated from the life of God, from whom springs all life and loveliness plunge oftentimes into the gravest of sins. Thus it is within the s'ame chapter we have the comely walk of the saints of God, "with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love," and the former walk of these same persons when they were yet unregenerate, "I say therefore .

that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk." What passion of lust is described by the word~" to work all uncleanuess with greediness"

The article "Faith that saves" shows how the Christian man is to act in the present in the light of the future. Why should future and eternal reward be wantonly cast away for the questionable present gain where values are ever changing? Shortly, when we stand on the brink of eternity, the value of all worldly things will have passed from us for ever. Gold will have become as dross, and precious stones as pieces of broken glass.

Then the contribution from our fellow-worker in far-off Burma deals with the flesh The flesh in Burma is the flesh in Britain. Culture and education do not change this corrupt nature in which all mankind are born. "In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing" (Romans 7 18) wrote Paul the apostle, at one time a cultured and educated Pha'risee. Saul the Pharisee, perchance, would not have agreed with Paul the apostle. Four hands were lifted in Exodus 17 -Amelek's to smite, and Joshua's to fight, Moses' to intercede, and God's in the word of the oath. Was the last the Hand upon the throne? J.M.

unknown | Jul 1950
Editorial: