god the invisible king-第16部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


he　love　of　　men　or　the　love　of　knowledge　or　what　seemed　the　inherent　impulse　to　　the　work　itself；　or　for　money　or　honour　or　country　or　king；　they　　will　realise　they　are　doing　for　God　and　by　the　power　of　God。　　Self…　transformation　into　a　citizen　of　God's　kingdom　and　a　new　realisation　　of　all　earthly　politics　as　no　more　than　the　struggle　to　define　and　　achieve　the　kingdom　of　God　in　the　earth；　follow　on；　without　any　need　　for　a　fresh　spiritual　impulse；　from　the　moment　when　God　and　the　　believer　meet　and　clasp　one　another。　This　transfiguration　of　the　world　into　a　theocracy　may　seem　a　merely　　fantastic　idea　to　anyone　who　comes　to　it　freshly　without　such　　general　theological　preparation　as　the　preceding　pages　have　made。　　　But　to　anyone　who　has　been　at　the　pains　to　clear　his　mind　even　a　　little　from　the　obsession　of　existing　but　transitory　things；　it　　ceases　to　be　a　mere　suggestion　and　becomes　more　and　more　manifestly　　the　real　future　of　mankind。　　From　the　phase　of　〃so　things　should　　be；〃　the　mind　will　pass　very　rapidly　to　the　realisation　that　〃so　　things　will　be。〃　　Towards　this　the　directive　wills　among　men　have　　been　drifting　more　and　more　steadily　and　perceptibly　and　with　fewer　　eddyings　and　retardations；　for　many　centuries。　　The　purpose　of　　mankind　will　not　be　always　thus　confused　and　fragmentary。　　This　　dissemination　of　will…power　is　a　phase。　　The　age　of　the　warring　　tribes　and　kingdoms　and　empires　that　began　a　hundred　centuries　or　so　　ago；　draws　to　its　close。　　The　kingdom　of　God　on　earth　is　not　a　　metaphor；　not　a　mere　spiritual　state；　not　a　dream；　not　an　uncertain　　project；　it　is　the　thing　before　us；　it　is　the　close　and　inevitable　　destiny　of　mankind。　In　a　few　score　years　the　faith　of　the　true　God　will　be　spreading　　about　the　world。　　The　few　halting　confessions　of　God　that　one　hears　　here　and　there　to…day；　like　that　little　twittering　of　birds　which　　comes　before　the　dawn；　will　have　swollen　to　a　choral　unanimity。　　In　　but　a　few　centuries　the　whole　world　will　be　openly；　confessedly；　　preparing　for　the　kingdom。　　In　but　a　few　centuries　God　will　have　led　　us　out　of　the　dark　forest　of　these　present　wars　and　confusions　into　　the　open　brotherhood　of　his　rule。

6。　WHAT　IS　MY　PLACE　IN　THE　KINGDOM？

This　conception　of　the　general　life　of　mankind　as　a　transformation　　at　thousands　of　points　of　the　confused；　egotistical；　proprietary；　　partisan；　nationalist；　life…wasting　chaos　of　human　life　to…day　into　　the　coherent　development　of　the　world　kingdom　of　God；　provides　the　　form　into　which　everyone　who　comes　to　the　knowledge　of　God　will　　naturally　seek　to　fit　his　every　thought　and　activity。　　The　material　　greeds；　the　avarice；　fear；　rivalries；　and　ignoble　ambitions　of　a　　disordered　world　will　be　challenged　and　examined　under　one　general　　question：　〃What　am　I　in　the　kingdom　of　God？〃　It　has　already　been　suggested　that　there　is　a　great　and　growing　　number　of　occupations　that　belong　already　to　God's　kingdom；　　research；　teaching；　creative　art；　creative　administration；　　cultivation；　construction；　maintenance；　and　the　honest　satisfaction　　of　honest　practical　human　needs。　　For　such　people　conversion　to　the　　intimacy　of　God　means　at　most　a　change　in　the　spirit　of　their　work；　　a　refreshed　energy；　a　clearer　understanding；　a　new　zeal；　a　completer　　disregard　of　gains　and　praises　and　promotion。　　Pay；　honours；　and　the　　like　cease　to　be　the　inducement　of　effort。　　Service；　and　service　　alone；　is　the　criterion　that　the　quickened　conscience　will　　recognise。　Most　of　such　people　will　find　themselves　in　positions　in　which　　service　is　mingled　with　activities　of　a　baser　sort；　in　which　service　　is　a　little　warped　and　deflected　by　old　traditions　and　usage；　by　　mercenary　and　commercial　considerations；　by　some　inherent　or　special　　degradation　of　purpose。　　The　spirit　of　God　will　not　let　the　believer　　rest　until　his　life　is　readjusted　and　as　far　as　possible　freed　from　　the　waste　of　these　base　diversions。　　For　example　a　scientific　　investigator；　lit　and　inspired　by　great　inquiries；　may　be　hampered　　by　the　conditions　of　his　professorship　or　research　fellowship；　which　　exact　an　appearance　of　〃practical〃　results。　　Or　he　may　be　obliged　to　　lecture　or　conduct　classes。　　He　may　be　able　to　give　but　half　his　　possible　gift　to　the　work　of　his　real　aptitude；　and　that　at　a　　sacrifice　of　money　and　reputation　among　short…sighted　but　　influential　contemporaries。　　Well；　if　he　is　by　nature　an　　investigator　he　will　know　that　the　research　is　what　God　needs　of　　him。　　He　cannot　continue　it　at　all　if　he　leaves　his　position；　and　so　　he　must　needs　waste　something　of　his　gift　to　save　the　rest。　　But　　should　a　poorer　or　a　humbler　post　offer　him　better　opportunity；　　there　lies　his　work　for　God。　　There　one　has　a　very　common　and　simple　　type　of　the　problems　that　will　arise　in　the　lives　of　men　when　they　　are　lit　by　sudden　realisation　of　the　immediacy　of　God。　Akin　to　that　case　is　the　perplexity　of　any　successful　physician　　between　the　increase　of　knowledge　and　the　public　welfare　on　the　one　　hand；　and　the　lucrative　possibilities　of　his　practice　among　wealthy　　people　on　the　other。　　He　belongs　to　a　profession　that　is　crippled　by　　a　mediaeval　code；　a　profession　which　was　blind　to　the　common　　interest　of　the　Public　Health　and　regarded　its　members　merely　as　　skilled　practitioners　employed　to　〃cure〃　individual　ailments。　　Very　　slowly　and　tortuously　do　the　methods　of　the　profession　adapt　　themselves　to　the　modern　conception　of　an　army　of　devoted　men　　working　as　a　whole　under　God　for　the　health　of　mankind　as　a　whole；　　broadening　out　from　the　frowsy　den　of　the　〃leech；〃　with　its　　crocodile　and　bottles　and　hieroglyphic　prescriptions；　to　a　skilled　　and　illuminating　co…operation　with　those　who　deal　with　the　food　and　　housing　and　economic　life　of　the　community。　And　again　quite　parallel　with　these　personal　problems　is　the　trouble　　of　the　artist　between　the　market　and　vulgar　fame　on　the　one　hand　and　　his　divine　impulse　on　the　other。　The　presence　of　God　will　be　a　continual　light　and　help　in　every　　decision　that　must　be　made　by　men　and　women　in　these　more　or　less　　vitiated；　but　still　fundamentally　useful　and　righteous；　positions。　The　trouble　becomes　more　marked　and　more　difficult　in　the　case　of　a　　man　who　is　a　manufacturer　or　a　trader；　the　financier　of　business　　enterprise　or　the　proprietor　of　great　estates。　　The　world　is　in　need　　of　manufactures　and　that　goods　should　be　distributed；　land　must　be　　administered　and　new　economic　possibilities　developed。　　The　drift　of　　things　is　in　the　direction　of　state　ownership　and　control；　but　in　a　　great　number　of　cases　the　state　is　not　ripe　for　such　undertakings；　　it　commands　neither　sufficient　integrity　nor　sufficient　ability；　and　　the　proprietor　of　factory；　store；　credit　or　land；　must　continue　in　　possession；　holding　as　a　trustee　for　God　and；　so　far　as　lies　in　his　　power；　preparing　for　his　supersession　by　some　more　public　　administration。　　Modern　religion　admits　of　no　facile　flights　from　　responsibility。　　It　permits　no　headlong　resort　to　the　wilderness　and　　sterile　virtue。　　It　counts　the　recluse　who　fasts　among　scorpions　in　　a　cave　as　no　better　than　a　deserter　in　hiding。　　It　unhesitatingly　　forbids　any　rich　young　man　to　sell　all　that　he　has　and　give　to　the　　poor。　　Himself　and　all　that　he　has　must　be　alike　dedicated　to　God。　The　plain　duty　that　will　be　understood　by　the　proprietor　of　land　and　　of　every　sort　of　general　need　and　service；　so　soon　as　he　becomes　　aware　of　God；　is　so　to　administer　his　possessions　as　to　achieve　the　　maximum　of　possible　efficiency；　the　most　generous　output；　and　the　　least　private　profit。　　He　may　set　aside　a　salary　for　his　　maintenance；　the　rest　he　must　deal　with　like　a　zealous　public　　official。　　And　if　he　perceives　that　the　affair　could　be　better　　administered　by　other　hands　than　his　own；　then　it　is　his　business　to　　get　it　into　those　hands　with　the　smallest　delay　and　the　least　profit　　to　himself。　。　。　。　The　rights　and　wrongs　of　human　equity　are　very　different　from　right　　and　wrong　in　the　sight　of　God。　　In　the　sight　of　God　no　landlord　has　　a　RIGHT　to　his　rent；　no　usurer　has　a　RIGHT　to　his　interest。　　A　man　　is　not　justified　in　drawing　the　profits　from　an　advantageous　　agreement　nor　free　to　spend　the　profits　of　a　speculation　as　he　will。　　　God　takes　no　heed　of　savings　nor　of　abstinence。　　He　recognises　no　　right　to　the　〃rewards　of　abstinence；〃　no　right　to　any　rewards。　　　Those　profits　and　comforts　and　consolations　are　the　inducements　that　　dangle　before　the　eyes　of　the　spiritually　blind。　　Wealth　is　an　　embarrassment　to　the　religious；　for　God　calls　them　to　account　for　　it。　　The　servant　of　God　has　no　business　with　wealth　or　power　except　　to　use　them　immediately　in　the　service　of　God。　　Finding　these　things　　in　his　hands　he　is　bound　to　administer　them　in　the　service　of　God。　The　tendency　of　modern　religion　goes　far　beyond　the　alleged　　communism　of　the　early　Christians；　and　far　beyond　the　tithes　of　the　　scribes　and　Pharisees。　　God　takes　all。　　He　takes　you；　blood　and　　bones　and　house　and　acres；　he　takes　skill　and　influence　and　　expectations。　　For　all　the　rest　of　your　life　you　are　nothing　but　　God's　agent。　　If　you　are　not　prepared　for　so　complete　a　surrender；　　then　you　are　infinitely　remote　from　God。　　You　must　go　your　way。　　　Here　you　are　merely　a　curious　interloper。　　Perhaps　you　have　been　　desiring　God　as　an　experience；　or　covetmg　him　as　a　possession。　　You　　have　not　begun　to　understand。　　This　that　we　are　discussing　in　this　　book　is　as　yet　nothing　for　you。

7。　ADJUSTING　LIFE

This　picturing　of　a　human　world　more　to　the　mind　of　God　than　this　　present　world　and　the　discovery　and　realisation　of　one's　own　place　　and　work　in　and　for　that　kingdom　of　God；　is　the　natural　next　phase　　in　the　development　of　the　believer。　　He　will　set　about　revising　and　　adjusting　his　scheme　of　life；　his　ways　of　living；　his　habits　and　his　　relationships　in　the　light　of　his　new　convictions。　Most　men　and　women　who　come　to　God　will　have　already　a　certain　　righteousness　in　their　lives；　these　things　happen　like　a　thunderclap　　only　in　strange　exceptional　cases；　and　the　same　movements　of　the　　mind　that　have　brought　them　to　God　will　already　have　brought　their　　lives　into　a　certain　rightness　of　direction　and　conduct。　　Yet　　occasionally　there　will　be　someone　to　whom　the　self…examination　that　　follows　conversion　will　reveal　an　e