GREAT is the indebtedness of the Christian world to the apostle Paul for the wealth of spiritual teachings handed down in his letters to individuals and to the several churches with which he was closely associated during the years of his public ministry. He taught men to hold fast, without wavering, the profession of their faith; encouraged each to work out his own salvation, being ever mindful that it was God working in him "both to will and to do of his good pleasure." He urged the necessity of obedience to the eternal rule of right. He taught that men must not only strive to do the right thing, but to do it in the right way.
In this age, when success is judged according to material standards of achievement, men are frequently more concerned about results than they are about how they are to be attained. Some would even feel justified in doing evil if they thought good would result. So fully persuaded are they that their sense of right should triumph, that they feel justified in resorting to methods which will hardly measure up to the standard of the golden rule, so that today it might be said, "The kingdom of heaven suffcreth violence, and the violent take it by force," or at least attempt so to do.
In one of his letters to Timothy, Paul wrote, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith," and elsewhere he frequently alludes to the Olympian games. In the text quoted he refers to the wrestling and running contests, and the lesson he teaches is the necessity of employing only right means and methods. There were certain rules to be observed by all who took part in these contests, and the least violation of the rules was not tolerated. If perchance one should come off victorious, but in so doing had violated some rule of the game, he was not crowned, because he did not "strive lawfully." Not only did he fail to win the prize, but there was also the mortification of having resorted to wrong methods when he could not defeat his opponent by fair means.
