Scripture: "For we also were sometimes foolish, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another."—TIT. iii. 3.
What a dark picture of the state of human nature and of human society! Whence comes such a sad condition of things, worse even than we see among animals? The answer is: "From Adam's Fall." Just think how Cain, the first child born on earth, born of man whom God had created, shed the blood of his brother Abel. Yes, the first child born on earth was the murderer of his own brother, and came under the power of the devil, who "was a murderer from the beginning." "God saw that the wicked¬ness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." No wonder that He destroyed mankind by a flood. Yet soon after the flood there were signs that man was still under the power of sin.
No wonder that man's love of his own people, implanted in his heart by nature, soon changed to hatred of other peoples. Love of country became the fruitful source of race-hatred, war, and bloodshed. Note how, here in South Africa, God has placed the two races side by side, as in a school, to see if our Christianity will enable us to overcome race-hatred, and in the power of Christ's love, prove that "in the new creature there is neither Greek nor Jew, barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free, but are all one in Christ Jesus."
What an opening there is for the Church of Christ and her ministers to preach and proclaim the love of God, and to prove its might to change race-hatred into brotherly love! God has abundant power to bring this to pass.
What a call to every Christian to pray for himself and his brethren, that we may not make the Word of God of none effect by our unbelief!
O God, make known to us Thy love in heavenly power, and let it take full possession of our lives!
