Lucifer was once an honored angel, a cherub. He was perfect in beauty, full of wisdom, and was admitted to the holy mountain of God, where he walked in the midst of the stones of fire. He was in Eden, the garden of God, of which the one on earth was evidently a copy. His ways were perfect, and God gave him the work of "covering," and also anointed him.

But Lucifer was not satisfied. He was envious of God. he became lifted up because of his beauty; he corrupted his wisdom because of his brightness, and decided upon a course which he hoped would make him equal to God. He went so far that he said, "I am a God, I sit in the seat of God."

ENVY　

DISCONTENT　

Some might hesitate to call discontent sin. Yet few sin have a more sinister nature and are the cause of more misery. Discontent gives a distorted view of life and events, sours the disposition, and causes irritation and evil thoughts. It finds its sole consolation in having others share its misery and gloomy outlook. It is a stranger to love, and is antithetical to faith and hope. Like misery, it loves company; in fact, misery and discontent are nearly synonymous.

Discontent is mostly a state of mind. A person may be entirely satisfied with his lot; he may not be in want in any way; but suddenly he discovers that someone else has what he has not, and immediately he becomes dissatisfied. As he broods over the matter he becomes convinced that he has been ill treated, that someone is against him, and after a while the situation becomes intolerable to him and he feels that he can stand it no longer. He is convinced that he is right and that in taking steps to rectify the alleged injustice he is merely doing his little share in establishing justice in the earth. Had he the gift to see himself as others see him, he would know that his motives are not as pure as he would have them appear, that envy and jealousy play a large part in his feelings, that evil thoughts and evil words and works have resulted, and that a residue of bitterness remains that is not from God.

Christ considered the matter of discontent of such importance that He devoted a parable to it. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And when he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

"So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny! Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own! Is thine eye evil, because I am good! So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen." Matthew 20:1-16.

Some who read this parable are puzzled as to its meaning. They are doubtful that the householder did right. Should not men who work long hours have more pay than those who work only a short time! They are inclined to believe that the men had just cause for complaint. Such fail to get the lesson which Christ was attempting to teach.

The householder had agreed with the men who were hired early in the day that they should have a penny each. A mutually satisfactory arrangement had been reached, and the men were presumably satisfied, as a penny was the usual pay in those times for a day's work. They labored all day without complaint, expecting to get their penny when the day was done. They would doubtless have been satisfied with their bargain had it not happened that those who had labored only a short time were paid off first and given a penny for their work. When the first laborers saw this they expected to get more; and when they did not they began to murmur. The householder took them aside and told them that he had done them no harm. They had agreed to work for a penny; they had received a penny, and they-should be satisfied. "Is thine eye evil," the householder says, "because I am good?"

The lesson here is not that all men should have the same pay whether they work much or little. Christ's other teachings make it very plain that a man is worthy of his hire, and that the reward is to be proportionate to the effort put forth. The lesson is rather that a man is to abide by the bargain he has made, and not whine; and that it is none of his concern if others are treated better than he, or get more pay.

This is not an easy lesson to learn. Much of our discontent arises, not from any injustice done as such, but because we have discovered that others have more than we, or we think they are treated better. Immediately our complaints begin.　　　 After the resurrection Jesus had a talk with Peter, and then asked him to follow Him. Peter did so, but noticed that John followed also. Peter did not like this, and said as much to Jesus. The rebuke which Peter received, he did not forget soon; nor should we. "Jesus saith unto Him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee! follow thou me." John 21:22.

"What is that to thee?" In other words, is that any of your affair? How often we choose to make that out business with which we have nothing to do! It would be well if we could learn to attend to our own affairs, and let others' alone. We would be better off; and so would they.

Once some soldiers came to John the Baptist and asked him what they should do. He answered, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages." Luke 3:14. The soldiers did not get a large wage. They therefore used other means, at times unlawful, to increase their income. John's advice was that they do violence to no man and accuse none falsely, hut be content with their wages.

"Godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Tim. 6:6. Discontentment is a great loss. It is hard—shall we say impossible—to be discontented and he a Christian. Discontent leads to gloominess, darkness, discouragement. It leads to jealousy, evil thoughts, and murmurings. It has its roots in covetousness and evil surmisings. It is weariness to the bones, and saps the vitality of Christian experience. It is the first step in a long list of evils that may lead a man far from where he intended to go in the first place.

On the other hand, how beautiful is contentment! A contented soul is thankful, whereas a discontented soul is unthankful and has forgotten the many mercies of the Lord. We all need　 to encourage the virtue of thankfulness. We should he neither unthankful nor unholy, both of which the discontented person is likely to be.

DIVINE DISCONTENT　

PRIDE　

Pride is one of the subtlest of sins. By many it is looked upon with indulgence, and it is tolerated in the church. Some influential church members are afflicted with it, and consider it a badge of distinction. The Pharisees of old were proud of their pride. So are the Pharisees of today.

Pride is a sin most offensive to God and hard to eradicate from the life. It was one of the causes of the downfall of Lucifer, and it has lost none of its potency. It poisons every good word and work, and makes of no effect deeds of mercy which might otherwise be commendable. It is closely related to hypocrisy, and often cannot be differentiated from it.

Pride is inordinate self-esteem, conceit, egotism, haughtiness, vanity, arrogance, disdain, lordliness. It is defined as the high esteem one has for oneself because of some fancied or real superiority of person, possession, or achievements, and is ordinarily accompanied by a desire for public notice, approval, or praise. The excessive desire for public notice led the Pharisees of old to stand on the street corners to be seen of men, pretending to pray. The same desire to be noticed leads some preachers to perform antics in the pulpit, and politicians to "play to the gallery,　 and it is even appealed to in raising money for otherwise worthy purposes.

PRIDE – THE PARABLE　

PRIDE THE LESSON　　

Christ's disciples were not exempt from the desire to have a high place. The Gospels mention several occasions on which there was dispute as to who should be the greatest. One such occurrence is recorded in Mark 9:33-35: "He came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way! But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." Jesus had His own way of dealing with such as wished to "show off." Note this incident. Once when Jesus had fed the five thousand in the wilderness, He sent the disciples away in the boat, and He went up into the mountain to pray. While He was praying a storm arose, and the twelve had a hard time rowing. Toward morning Jesus came walking to them on the water. The disciples were troubled, and thought Him to be a spirit. Jesus soon calmed them, and came near the boat. Peter conceived a scheme and cried out, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." Matthew 14:28.

There was no need for this. He could just as well have waited for the Lord to come to the boat, but for some reason he decided that he would like to walk on the water. And Jesus humored him. He could have told Peter to stay in the boat. But Jesus permitted him to come, and Peter started out valiantly. We suppose that it was with some hesitancy that he first put his foot on the water; but the water bore him up and Peter walked toward Jesus. It must have been a proud and triumphant Peter who thus was permitted to go to his Lord across the surging billows.

Years ago we read a comment on this in a little volume written by a devout Christian. It gave an almost humorous slant to this incident. As Peter walked toward Jesus he was thinking of the men back in the boat, and yielded to the very human temptation to look around to see whether they were watching him and admiring the ease with which he could walk on the billows. Had he come back without any mishap, the other disciples would never have heard the last of Peter's exploit. He would continually have talked of the time when he walked on the water—at least until he was thoroughly converted. He would triumphantly have asked the others whether they could do the same.

But in turning to look at the men in the boat Peter had to take his eyes off Jesus. Immediately he sank down. When Peter was helped back into the boat he was a wet and chastened Peter. Apparently he never mentioned the incident again He had learned his lesson. May it not have been for this purpose that Jesus let him walk on the water! May it not be for the same reason that certain things happen to us! Peter is not the only one who needs a lesson of this kind. Too many of us are willing to be admired.

We should not forget that pride was one of the sin that caused the fall of Lucifer. It was the beginning of which the end was rebellion. We need to watch every step we take, lest pride come into the heart.

"Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished." Proverbs 16:5. "Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" Proverbs 16:18. "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted" Luke 14:11. We are counseled, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." 1 Peter 5:6. God "shall save the humble person" Job 22:29. With these texts in mind let all serve God with humility, and esteem others better than themselves. This is true Christianity.

SELFISHNESS　

Most people like to have their own way. It is an almost universal trait. Yet all should know that it is not given to anyone to have his way most or even much of the time. It is one of the laws of life that this is not to be.

What child is there who does not plan to do just as he pleases when he grows up! While children are small they are compelled by their elders to do many things that they do not like to do. They promise themselves that when they grow up things will be different. They are not going to be ordered around all their lives. They feel that their parents, older brothers and sisters, teachers—everybody—have conspired to make life miserable for them. They are wishing for the time to come when they will be independent of all these. Then they will do as they please.

But alas, they soon find out that the time never comes when they can have their own way. They might finish school and have no more teachers to annoy them; they may establish their own home to get away from parental discipline; they may establish their own business, so as to be independent. But all is of no avail. They still cannot have their own way. Life does not permit them.

Kings do not have their own way. Presidents do not. Even dictators have their difficulties. Only God, says one, has His own way. But God does not have His own way. Probably He has His way less often than anyone else. Sin has come in. Men resist God. He does not have His way with us. In very few lives, in fact, does He rule. No, God does not have His way. If He did, sin and death would be no more, and many things on this earth would be different.

It is one of the "given" things of life that we are not to have our own way. Yet all are struggling to have it. Nations, statesmen, individuals—all are engaged in a futile struggle for supremacy, all trying to get their way, when a little reflection should make it clear that they are attempting the impossible, for there are too many conflicting interests. We might as well learn to adjust ourselves to the inevitable, and we would be much happier for it.

Life is a matter of adjustment. We are here on earth to learn to adjust ourselves. He who learns it well learns to live. He who refuses to adjust himself thereby proclaims himself unfit to associate with others. If we are to live together in peace and harmony in this world or in the world to come, we must learn to get along with others and give them due respect. Only thus is a harmonious and successful life possible. This is one of the chief lessons of life, and only as and when we learn it are we ready for the life to come.

　GOD RUNS A RISK　

From a merely human viewpoint it seems that God is running a terrific risk in attempting to save humanity. How can He be sure that if He takes a million or two million people to heaven, or a billion or two, they will live together in harmony and peace! Men are not doing it here. Christians are not doing it. There is constant struggle and strife, and the future does not hold out hope for anything better. If God gives men eternal life, so that they will never die, will they not have a longer time to hatch out their evil plans, and will not this make matters worse!

But, says one, will not all the people who are saved be good people! If so, there will be no danger of any kind, and God rum no risk. This is just the problem. How can God be sure that all the people He selects will stay good! How can He be sure that throughout the long eternity sin will never again occur! This is a vital question, for no one has any inclination to repeat the history of this earth with all its sorrow and misery. When sin is ended we want it to be ended forever.

We are likely to think that this is God's problem, not ours. And this is true. But we are vitally interested in it, nevertheless, for if a rebellion should ever start again in heaven or on earth, we would suffer with the rest. For this reason we are, ,should be, greatly interested in the kind of people who are to be saved. If God permits any to get to heaven who are not fit, all will suffer. Although we cannot be as interested as God is, we should be vitally concerned, for we have much at stake.

It is evident that if any are saved who have the least taint of sin, there is danger of the infection's spreading. Sin is like leprosy or cancer. If the least bit of diseased tissue is left in the body, the danger of recurrence is ever present. The only safety is to have all offending matter removed. Even then there must be great carefulness.

Selfishness is one of the deep roots of sin. There are many degrees of it, and its complete eradication is not easy. In its milder forms it appears quite innocent, and some are inclined to believe that it should not be entirely rooted out. They seem to think that a certain amount of selfishness is necessary for existence, and that if it is not carried to extreme, it serves a good purpose. It may be well to explore this subject.　

THE GREAT COMMANDMENT　

When Jesus was asked which was the great commandment in the law, He answered: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40.

Christ in these words sets forth the law of His kingdom. We are not only to love God; we are to love our fellow men, and we are to love them as ourselves. God is no respecter of persons. His gifts are for all alike. It would not conform with His nature to favor some and neglect others. There must be absolute impartiality. This is the law, and the only law that will ensure peace and happiness.

This law of love destroys all selfishness. If all loved their neighbors, there would be no need unsupplied, for the good Lord has provided for the wants of all His creatures, and it is only when some take more than their share, and hoard it, or fail to distribute it, that want occurs.

The law of the kingdom is the law of love. Love never fails. It thinks no evil, it reports no evil. On the other hand, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise—and is a situation conceivable in which these are entirely absent—it will think of these things. Love will share. It will do more. It will. give all. This is what God did. This is what Christ did. God withheld nothing. Christ withheld nothing. And if God "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things!" Romans 8:32. God could do no more. When He gave His Son He gave all.

Unselfishness is the law of heaven. And unselfishness means more than sharing with others for the sake of a future reward, or for the purpose of being seen of men, or even with the hope of getting recompense at some later time from the person befriended. Note the following rather hard doctrine, as some would call it: "Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Luke 14:12-14.

Feasts of this kind are not very popular or common. Although we understand that the gospel does not forbid the calling together of friends and neighbors for social occasions—rather we believe that Christ encouraged this and Himself attended such gatherings—we are convinced that the scripture quoted has its application. We believe that it is not enough, not a fulfillment of this command, merely to contribute a sum of money to provide a feast for the more unfortunate once or twice a year. The gospel is more personal than that. It requires individual service. Even the Old Testament demanded personal application of religion. "Is not this the fast that I have chosen! to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke! Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house! when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh!" Isaiah 58:6, 7.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN　

SELFISHNESS IS THE ESSENCE OF SIN　

It would be hard to conceive of less thought of self and of more thought for others than is revealed in this parable. The fact that the man was a Samaritan is important for the reason that he had every ground for believing that the wounded man, being a Jew, hated Samaritans and would have nothing to do with them. (John 4:9.) Despite this the Samaritan did all that he could for the Jew. He did for an enemy all that he would or could do for a friend. We have no record that the Samaritan received any thanks for what he did.

Selfishness is self-love. It puts self before others. As such it is the very opposite of Christianity. Theologians generally hold that sin in its essential nature is selfishness. If love of God is Christianity, love of self must be anti-Christianity. Selfishness is the very essence of sin.

We believe that it can be shown that selfishness is one of the chief roots in all sin, perhaps the chief one. An examination of the Ten Commandments reveals that the transgression of them is rooted in selfishness. It is the one underlying principle that explains all violation of law. It is clearer in some violations than in others, but it is an essential principle in all. There is no such thing as disinterested sin. A man may be possessed of an evil spirit, and he may also be possessed of himself; and all men are thus possessed to a greater or a lesser degree.

If we understood better the heinous nature of selfishness, we would shun its first manifestation. Selfishness is a state of the heart and is not always shown in outward acts. In fact, it is possible for a person to do what outwardly appears to be a generous deed, but inwardly be contaminated with the worst kind of selfishness.

The man who contributes money or services to a political campaign and expects to be reimbursed in some way, is not generous. The man who serves God or contributes to His cause for the purpose of being saved is not actuated by pure motives. The man who does right because it pays, or who is honest because it is the best policy, has yet something to learn of Christian ethics. In fact, as we survey fields of Christian activity we wonder how much is done without ulterior motives, and whether selfishness is not connected with many of our apparently generous endeavors.

We must be careful, however, lest our reasoning bring us to the conclusion that all men are actuated by unworthy motives, and we are thus led to take the same position which Satan took when he accused Job of serving God for selfish advantage. There are many who worship God out of a pure heart, who are honest and sincere, and whose motives are unquestioned. This we not only admit but are glad to state. It is well for all of us, however, to adjudge out own motives, lest we mix selfishness with the pure gold of obedience. God wants us to serve Him because it is right, not for selfish advantage. Those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

　COVETOUSNESS　

COVETOUSNESS – A PARABLE　

To impress upon men the wickedness of covetousness, Christ spoke this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, "What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits! And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided! So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:16-21.

The rich man did not murder anyone; he did not reproach the name of God; he did not violate the Sabbath. He merely decided to build bigger barns in which to store his abundant harvest. Judged by any human standard of conduct, he was not a wicked man. He would not have been judged by a jury of his fellow citizens as having done anything reprehensible. They would have thought him a prudent man who provided for the future. He was one of the "substantial" citizens. Why should any complaint be lodged against him! He was erecting good buildings and deserved commendation for his enterprise.

Apparently it did not occur to the rich man that he was his brother's keeper. It did not enter his mind to share with those who did not have much of this world's goods. He had no conception of his responsibility to others. He thought only of self.

The rich man did not consider that the abundance of his harvest presented an opportunity to help others. To him it only presented a problem of how to take care of the abundance. "What shall I do," he said, "because I have no room where to bestow my fruits!" His dilemma could easily have been solved had he considered himself a steward instead of the owner. God had given him the harvest, but he felt no obligation to his fellow men. He did not want to share with others what God had given him. He was intent on enjoying himself for years to come. He would take his ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

Then came the summons. "This night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided!" Had he shared with others, had he given to the poor, he would have been rich toward God, and would have had a treasure in heaven. Now he had nothing. He had not been wise. He was a fool.

Christ knew the evil of covetousness. He had seen it develop in Lucifer until it culminated in a desire to be like God and a readiness to do anything to reach the coveted goal. Beware of covetousness, He warned. It may seem innocent, but its end is death.　　

PHARISAIC COVETOUSNESS　

The Pharisees made a great show of their religion. For pretense they made long prayers, and were willing to compass sea and land to make one proselyte. They loved the uppermost seats at the feasts, and were very punctilious about ceremonial observances. At the same time they devoured widow's houses, omitted the weightier matters of the law, and "within" were "full of extortion and excess." Matthew 23:25. It was to them especially that these words were addressed: "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Luke 16:13-15.

The Pharisees heard these things and derided the Master. Were they not serving God! The whole nation could testify to that fact. They were very religious. Some of them fasted twice in the week, all of them made long prayers, and they were careful about their Temple attendance. The fact that they did these things to be seen of men did not seem to disturb them. They might take some advantage of widows, but when Christ said that they were full of extortion and excess, He was going too far. And when He added that "that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God," they could but deride Him. They felt that they were not only highly esteemed among men but also highly esteemed of God, that it was Christ who needed to revise His estimate of values, not they.

Thus is covetousness deceitful. The Pharisees were not wicked men in the ordinary sense. They were highly religious, and probably not bad morally. They attended church, and did many commendable things. But when Christ saw the covetousness which possessed them He could not fail to warn them that this one trait nullified all the good they could otherwise do. It was as poison that contaminated every otherwise worthy endeavor.

This lust for power and place has invaded the church. Men and armies have fought to uphold one or the other side in a religious controversy. Men have vied with one another for the highest spiritual honors till we find those who are willing to be worshiped, who even sit in the temple of God, showing themselves that they are God. Strife for the high place was common among the disciples of Christ's day. He rebuked them for this. He does the same today.　

Covetousness among individuals is not confined to misers and Pharisees. Many others are affected by it in a smaller or larger degree. Few are willing to admit that they have any responsibility beyond their immediate relatives or neighborhood. To be self-centered, to think mostly or only of self, is a common human trait. Of this we are to beware.

Covetousness leads to stealing, to dishonesty of all kinds, to defalcations, to marital difficulties. There are few fields, indeed, into which covetousness does not enter. It is a sin that affects church members and worldlings alike. And as it is one of the "respectable" sin, it is the more dangerous. It contributed much to Lucifer's fall. It is still a vital factor in many other falls.

COVETOUSNESS – THE CONCLUSION DRAWN