ff as God's Word. In our idiom we would say "the real Word" where the
Hebrew has "Word of truth," or "true Word."

"In the power of God."

17. Peter speaks also of this power, in the verse before mentioned:
"If any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God
supplieth." And Paul elsewhere declares (Col 1, 29): "Whereunto I
labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me
mightily"; and again (Rom 15, 18): "For I will not dare to speak of
any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the
obedience of the Gentiles." Christians should have the assurance that
they are the kingdom of God, and that in whatever they do, especially
in undertakings of a spiritual character, which have the salvation of
souls as aim, they beware of everything not absolutely known as true,
so that the work be not theirs but God's.

In God's kingdom God alone is to speak, reign and act. Christ says (Mt
5, 16): "Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see
your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven"--may glorify
him as the worker, and not yourselves. Seductive spirits, however,
come cavorting in their own power, throw the pictures out of the
churches and establish rules of their own, without caring whether it
is done in the power of God. The consequence is that their work is
neither permanent nor fruitful.

THE ARMOR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

"By the armor of righteousness."

18. This armor Paul more fully describes in Ephesians and in
Thessalonians. Sufficient explanation of it has been given in the
lesson for Advent. There is the "shield of faith," the "helmet of
salvation," the shoes of "the preparation of the Gospel of peace," and
so on. Paul includes them all under the term "armor of righteousness,"
and, in his epistle to the Ephesians, under the phrase "armor of God,"
to teach Christians to eschew and to forsake carnal, worldly weapons
for these. He would have them know themselves a spiritual people,
spiritually warring against the spiritual enemies enumerated here and
pointed out on the right hand and on the left.

19. On the left hand he places dishonor and evil report, in that we
appear to men as deceivers, unknown, in conflict with death,
chastened, sorrowful, poor and needy. Scorn is hurled in our faces and
the reputation accorded us is that of deceivers. The Christian must
not only be unknown, friendless and a stranger, but men will also be
ashamed of him--even h