"Son, Remember"

THE two significant words that stand at the head of this article were

spoken to a poor, lost soul in Hades. He had wasted his day. "Of all sad words

of tongue or pen. the saddest are these, 'It might have been'."

There are so many things we ought to remember. We ought to remember

that the first man was Adam. So many "smart" men in our day do not

remember that. They are "smart" beyond that which is written. "And the Lord

God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the

breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Gen. 2:7.) "And so it is written,

The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a

quickening spirit." (1 Cor. 15:45.) Yes, this is the beginning of the human

family. God made the first man. This is the only satisfactory explanation of the

origin of the species. Remember that.

We should remember that it was not good for man to be alone, so God

made him a helpmeet. (Gen. 2:18.) And it might be well to remember that God

did not make him two orthree wives, but one. That was God's original order. That is God's order. Let

us not forget that. More than one wife at a time are too many wives.

We should remember that this man and woman were placed in a perfect

environment. They had everything to make them happy. They were permitted

to eat of the fruit of the garden. There was no prohibition. They must not eat

of the fruit of that one tree. We should remember that God said that if they ate

of this they would die. Of course it is hardly possible for us to forget that more

than two hundred generations of the human family have gone down to their

graves because of sin. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,

and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."

(Rom. 5:12.)

Let us remember that our foreparents fell through the lust of the flesh, the

lust of the eye, and the pride of life. Yes, the fruit of that tree was pleasant to

the eyes, it was good food, and a tree to be desired to make one wise. (Gen.

3:6.) The devil knew how to work the woman and man for their fall. He has

lost none of his ingenuity. He is trying to drag us down to hell through the lust

of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Is it any wonder that a

loving and merciful Father continually warns his children of the danger? (1

John 2:15-17.)

But let us remember that our foreparents had no sooner fallen when God

began the preparation for redemption. "And I will put enmity between thee

and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head,

and thou shall bruise his heel." (Gen. 3:15.) After four thousand years of the

history of this old world had rolled into eternity, God sent this seed to this

sin-cursed earth. Yes, he came to bruise the head of Satan. He was

miraculously conceived and brought forth of a virgin. This was all in God's

plan. The devil would like even to discount this.

And no sooner had this Son come into the world than the devil tried to

get rid of him, and he is still trying it—and the sad thing is that he succeeds

in getting him out of the lives of somany. But God preserved the life of his Son. He was taken into Egypt, and

later God called his Son out of Egypt. And do not forget that this was all

according to prophecy, and remember that he was born in Bethlehem

according to prophecy. But when he was brought out of Egypt he dwelt in

Nazareth. Yes. the prophets had said that he would be called a Nazarene.

And remember that he was taught to work. He was brought up at the

carpenter's bench. Thus God's Son dignified honest toil. We can do the same.

Do not be afraid nor ashamed to work. Jesus called honest, humble

workingmen to be his apostles. Paul could make tents when it was necessary

for him to do that.

And do not forget where Jesus spent his time when he visited the big city

when he was a boy. He was found in the temple. He was sitting in the midst

of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. He thought his

parents should know where to look for him. He had to be about his Father's

business even at this early period in his life. So many of our children (and

older ones too!) are lost to the cause of Christ when they go to the big cities.

Now thousands are moving to our great industrial cities to make "big money."

Some make the money, but with all their making they forget Jesus. How sad!

But Jesus went back to Nazareth and was subject to his parents. Dear boys

and girls, remember this worthy example. He left us an example that we

should follow in his steps. And then when he was about thirty years of age he

traveled sixty or seventy miles to do something that most of the sectarian

preachers of our day treat lightly and as a nonessential. Yes, he traveled this

great distance to be immersed; and let us remember that he said he was thus

doing to fulfill all righteousness without submitting to this command of high

heaven?

And remember that immediately after his baptism he was driven into the

wilderness, and there he met the devil in open combat. And remember how he

did it. Jesus put the devil to rout by the word of God. That is the only way to

whip the devil.You cannot whip him with a carnal sword, but you can with the sword of

the Spirit. "Son, remember."

And do not forget that after his baptism he went about doing good. He

was busy healing the sick, cleansing the leper, casting out devils, raising the

dead, and preaching the gospel, telling people that the kingdom of heaven was

at hand. Yes. the kingdom of heaven was at hand in the days of Jesus. He

taught his disciples to pray for the coming of the kingdom. And let us

remember that about fifty days after the death of Christ the kingdom came

with power. Never again do we have the disciples looking forward to the

coming of the kingdom after its coming on the first Pentecost after the death,

burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. We hear them talking about

being in the kingdom from then on. (Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9.)

Let us remember that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Before going back to heaven he gave the law of salvation. This gospel of the

kingdom was to be preached to every creature under heaven. Then the ones

who would believe this gospel, repent of their sins, confess Christ, and be

baptized would be saved. Do not forget that this is the law that Christ gave.

(Matt. 28:18-20: Mark 16:15, 16; Luke 24:46, 47.) Remember, he gave this

law to his apostles, and we can turn and read of their acts in the book of Acts,

and there we learn how they understood this law. They preached the gospel

of Christ, thus making believers, and these believers were told to repent and

be baptized unto the remission of sins.

And remember this law is still in force and will be till time shall be no

more. Remember that obedience to the gospel makes Christians only and only

Christians; that to be anything but a Christian you have to do less or more

than obey the gospel of Christ. Why not be satisfied to be a Christian only?

Keep right on remembering Jesus, and then go home to heaven in the sweet

after while. Remember to live right and worship right, and Jesus will be

waiting at the end of the road to say: "Well done." Blessed consummation!