"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1) SALVATION through faith in CHRIST as personal Saviour is the only way into the Christian life. We enter that way or we do not enter at all. Therefore, there could be no more suitable subject with which to begin our study of the Christian life. The obvious corollary of that fact is that we must be eager and diligent about facing men squarely with their need of CHRIST, and necessity of making a decision for Him. If anyone has read this far who is not a Christian we urge an immediate turning to CHRIST in repentance and faith. Then you, too, may have the joy of living for CHRIST and of winning others to Him. Men and women are making decisions for CHRIST in these days. On the street - in the Church - in Sunday School - at college - in evangelistic meetings - in young people's conferences - everywhere they are turning to Him. The numbers may not be great in each place, but together they make up the great host of the newborn of the kingdom of GOD. For a number of years the writer has had the privilege of sharing in a young people's conference or retreat. It was planned as a training and inspirational gathering for church young peoples' leaders. But the invitation is always given to those who might be present who had never made a definite decision for CHRIST. With evident sincerity and determination a dozen or more young people in a recent conference made an out-and-out decision to follow CHRIST and then and there made an open confession of their faith. Many others indicated their purpose of giving their lives in service for Him if He should so lead. This, we are glad to say happens year after year. After more than twenty-eight years without a city-wide evangelistic campaign a group of ministers and Christian business men in Chicago arranged for such a gathering, and while the attendance was not as large as had been expected, the decisions totaled more than those in the last previous campaign which was a great and successful meeting conducted by Billy Sunday on Chicago's lake front many years ago. There was in this recent campaign for souls an evident spirit of conviction and a desire to find the Lord and His grace. This was true of many older people - a significant fact. The world is getting further and further from GOD, that seems to be self-evident, but there are those even now who are ready to seek Him, if they are faced with the privilege of power and the challenge of the Gospel. The point we must always bear in mind is that many young men and women, yes, and older men and women as well, are waiting for an opportunity to make a confession of CHRIST if we make it possible and present Him in all His winsome attractiveness. We feel that our series of studies begins right - with a study of the personal, spiritual life, then the family life, and finally the Church. The order is a natural one, for Christian faith is primarily personal, never simply a matter of family connection or church membership. However, salvation quickly shows its reality in the divinely established relationships of the home and then moves out into the wider fellowship of service in the church. The family comes before the church both in natural order and in importance. Let us ever keep that in mind. One of the important developments of recent years has been that family life has lost so much of its finest meaning. Parents have tried to shift the responsibilities for the training and guidance of their children to the public schools and to the Sunday Schools. Many of these important institutions are doing their best to help boys and girls, but they cannot replace the home. The home must come first in the rearing of a child in the fear and admonition of the Lord - yes, we would place it even before the church.
