"And many sleep" (1 Cor. 11:30).

Because of their evil ways and lack of self-judgment the Corinthian saints had made it necessary for the Lord to judge them. For this cause therefore many of them were weak and sickly and others had died. No discipline is generally so effective as that which affects the health and comfort of our bodies.

But, some ask, are not saints who depart from the body present with the Lord ? And is it not bliss for a child of God to be with Christ ? How then can it be discipline to be cut off from this life ?

In answer to this let us remember that we who believe are not only the redeemed of Jesus Christ but also His servants and soldiers. As His redeemed we possess His unchanging love. Our redemption is the fruit of His work-not ours. As His servants it is not so:we seek His approval by serving Him according to His revealed mind. We want to hear, each for ourselves, those wonderful words, '' Well done, thou good and faithful servant:thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:enter thou into the joy of thy Lord " (Matt. 25:21).

Would it not be a great loss to lose this? And as the joys of redemption will eternally be the joys of all the redeemed, will not the loss of the Lord's approval for service be also an eternal loss? Will not the burnt-up work of the bad builder, as told in i Cor. 3:15, be an eternal loss even as the salvation of his person is an eternal joy? Is it not therefore a sore judgment of the Lord to be cut off in the midst of the path of service ?

Again, a great battle is going on. Every soldier is doing his part toward the victorious and glorious end. In the midst of it all here are some who disobey orders; they refuse obedience; they endanger the conflict; the chief orders them off the field of battle and sends them home in shame. Is there not a difference as soldiers between their end and the end of their fellows who fought in obedience to the last ?

Though they were sent home, to the comfort of their families, would any true soldier envy their end, though any and every one of them might wish the war was over and they might go home, too ? Thus, would there not be an everlasting difference as soldiers of Jesus Christ between Paul who could say, "I have fought the good fight," and Demas who had forsaken him in the midst of the fight out of love of this present world ?

We know but in part here, and we may not always be able to understand clearly how this or that is to be accomplished, but we may rest assured that God's wisdom and power will never be at a loss to make good and true in the fullest way every word of His mouth. May we then believe and obey.