The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-20
" Life for A Look"

The plan of salvation is remarkable
for its simplicity. 1t involves hidden
things into which men and angels desire
to look, but in itself is so plain that he
who runs may read, and, though he be a
child in knowledge, may understand.
God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosever
believeth on Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life" Mans part in
the plan of salvation is simply to be-
lieve. Christ emphasized this the apos-
ties repeated it" Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved"
This simplicity is feature of the plan
as it appears in prophecy. Look unto
me and be ye saved, all the ends of the
earth. " Looking, in this Messianic ex-
hortation, and believing, in Christ's ad-
dress to Nicodemus, are the same thing.
" AS Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of man
be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish" Whosoever
looketh to Him. as the bitten Jew looked
to the brazen serpent, shall live. Some
one has said, that as sin and death came
when our first mother saw or looked on
that which was forbidden, so life is by
looking at that upon which God bids us
fix our eyes.
This simple Gospel is not according to
mans wisdom. 1t is unlike anything
that man has devised or could devise.
The hearts instinct is to do or to suffer :;
to win heaven by active effort or endur-
ance. This instinct prompts to fasts,
penances, and plans for self-improvement.
The natural question is, What must
do to be saved ?" 1.-The answer is, sim
ply, Look" The bitten Hebrew could
do nothing else. To bind the poisoned
wound or apply snake charms or medicines
did no good No ordinary method
availed. He was simply to look. "And
it came to pass that if a serpent had Bit
ten any man, when he beheld the serpent
of Brass he lived.
So no human effort avails to save the
soul. Good resolutions, penances, and
meritorious work are well enough after
the crisis, but they do not meet it. The
poison of that old serpent-the DEVILS
beyond natural pharmacy. The divine
cure is the only cure. He who looks,
lives; and he who does not, dies.
The word "look" illustrates perfectly
the simplicity of salvation. Nothing is
easier than to look. The hand need not
be raised, nor the body turned. The
eyes may move when the head even is at
rest. So the eye of the soul. The thought
OF the heart may rest on Christ. 1t is
not necessary to seek any particular
place, to work up any special religious
excitement or to 60 through any parti-
cular programme of spiritual exercises
1t is simply look or believe Just where
and Just as one is. The Jew did not re-
quire any previous treatment to prepare
him for his look, nor does the sinner re-
quire any course of preparation. All
the fitness required is to feel his need.
The command is not prepare to look,
but look; not prepare to believe, but
believe.
Isaiah, with his exhoration, gave rea-
son: Look unto me-" for I am the
Lord, and beside me there is none else.
Christ is the Saviour, and there is no
other Saviour. His plan involves belief
without delay or preparation, and there
is no other plan.
1t is possible to strain the eyes and
stltten the neck looking beyond and
around the thing one should see. So one
may look beyond and around him who is
lifted up for his salvation. He may see
doctrines and systems and mysteries and
technical questions in which he has no
present interest. He may busy himself
with variety Of duties while neglectine
the one important command. A common
mistake Of persons seeking salvation is the
confusion of faith with that which comes
after it. They fear for the future, that
its crosses may be heavy that they may
not be consistent; that they must give
up certain pleasures or they are trou.
6led by the questions which separate
denominations.
The poisoned Hebrew had one first
duty. He was to look. After life was
given he had other duties, and his place
in his tribe and family. So the Christian
has first to believe in Christ as his Say
Jour. After that profession, consistency,
self denial, and host of duties, have
their place.-Herald and P'eSbyter.