Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

have stolen their thousands serve as jurors, plead at the bar, or even encumber the judicial bench.
Many serious people believe our public is now ruled by thieves who have stolen princely fortunes
and risen to the dignity of mammon kings. “Thou that sayest not to commit adultery, doest thou
commit adultery?” Aside from the consideration of the actual sin, in millions of cases secretly
committed, when we hear Jesus say, “He that looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath already
committed adultery in his heart,” what a multitude are guilty of this dark crime! “Man looks on the
outside, but God looketh on the heart.” Glory to God for sanctification, whose consuming fires alone
can exterminate heart adultery! Awful revelations and terrible ordeals await the guilty in the
Judgment Day. “Thou that abominatest idolatry, doest thou rob temples?” Rome was full of costly
heathen temples, adorned with gold, silver, and precious stones. The Jews were so avaricious,
doubtless this accusation is not without foundation, especially if we consider the probability of their
defrauding the heathens out of the offerings due their gods.
23. “Who boastest in the law, and through the transgression of the law dishonorest God.” I have
that all round me till I turn heart-sick, e.g., people claiming to be paragon saints, boasting over their
legal obedience in outward ordinances and churchisms, loudly condemning others, and at the same
time showing by their unspiritual, carnal and frequently even profligate lives, their own utter
ignorance of God and His salvation.
24. “For the name of God is blasphemed on account of you among the heathens, as has been
written.” The unworthy lives of professors have always been the greatest impediment to religion,
not only among the heathens, but in Christian lands. This arises from the fact that carnal people can
not see spirituality (1 Corinthians 2:14, 15). Satan is always showing his counterfeits and passing
them for true saints. In Asia and Africa all people dressed in European and American costumes are
recognized as Christians; even those who are there to sell whisky, and perpetrate the blackest crimes.
The heathens find them worse rascals than themselves and are utterly disgusted with the name
“Christian,” regarding it as synonymous with the crimes they see the people whom they call
“Christians” commit. Years ago a Hindu priest that got hold of a New Testament, and was perfectly
charmed with the character of Jesus Christ. As he read on he found He had gone away from Mt.
Olivet up to heaven. So he concluded that he could never reach Him. Then he fell on the plan of
finding some of His disciples, and receiving light and help from them. Upon inquiry, he was
introduced to a number of English merchants in Bombay as disciples of Christ. When he found them
bigger rascals than the heathens, he turned away with disgust, giving up the Christian altogether and
serving the Hindu gods more faithfully than ever. Finally Bishop Taylor arrived there about twenty
five years ago; preached four years, and built up the South India Conference. This priest happened
to attend his meetings. Among many at the altar, seeking earnestly, he discovered these identical
English merchants who had been introduced to him as disciples of Christ, and with whom he had
become so disgusted. Then he said to himself, “I will watch and give them another chance; perhaps
there was a mistake in the matter some way.” He saw them weep and mourn and seek long and
earnestly at the altar. Then they rose with bright faces, testifying that they had found Jesus Christ and
He had saved them. Then he said to himself, “Now I will watch them and give them another chance.”
This time he found them all right, exemplifying the same beautiful characters he had read about in
the New Testament. Consequently he sought and found the Lord Jesus Christ, became a witness to
His wonderful salvation, turned preacher, and is now standing at the front of Immanuel’s army in
India.