The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-26
A KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST.
DIR. Erdman's Initial Sermon to the
Congregation of the Tabernacle.
Rev. John BaItzIys Thanksgiving Services
at the First English Lutheran Church
Causes for Gratitude.
DIR. ERDMAN's DISCOURSE.
The Tabernacle Congregation Addressed
the Importance of Knowledge of


y
the Third Presbyterian Church. TO a very large
congregation. The hearers of the reverend gen
tleman were favorably impressed with his gifts
as preacher. In his manner of speaking he is
moderate, without any apparent effort at re-
straint; bur, in "warming with his subject in
the application that the expression is used, his
manner becomes more impassioned, not, how
ever, exhortative. He is very emotional and in
the more sympathetic passages of his discourse.
the nature of the "tender, tremulous Christian"
is shown in tho tone of the voice and expression
of the eye. He speaks extemporaneously, occa-
sionally using notes, ana crowds many words into
the space of d minute. In charaeterizing him,
he is what reporter would call ga hard man to
report"
The text of the discourse yesterday morning
was, Eye have not so learned Christ" ETC. Ephe-
slams x. 2024.
In prefaelng his remarks, DR.. Erdmau said:
have been told that the missionaries of the
United Presbyterian Church in Egypt put these
four questions to their converts: "What do you
know of Christ; what have you experienced of
Christi what will you do for Christ;
what will you give to ChrstP The
difference between the people OF God and the
world is the difference between knowing and
not knowing the true God and Jesus Christ
whom He has sent. The Bible traces the mis-
cradle condition and gross wickedness of the
heather world and mans sins and iniquity
everywhere to their willful ignorance OF God.
God is not in all their faults. The fearful YER
diet on the condition of the heather world is
"without God and without hope in the world"
The historian, GibbOn, assigning cause of
the downfall of the Roman empire says: "All
religions were deemed equally true by the vul-
gar, all equally false by the philosopher all
equally Indifferent by the statesman" Among
the refined Greeks, and. as actually taught by
her wisest and best men, thieving pro-
nounced dishOnerable oply when the thief had
not cunning enough 10 escape detection. Lying
was tine art, and recommended as better than
telling hurtful truth. The Greek ansuage had
no word for holiness in its highest sense. OF
five words approximatiug the idea the Holy
Spirit selected the one least in use, and, there
fore, least corrupted and recoined 1t for Bible
usage.
According TO the teaching of Scripture in our
text Gods remedy and deliverance for all evil.
roof, branch and fruit, is Chrst-a life ia
Him and through Him. Therefore, we find
Paul, and IL is a mark of all genuine Christian
ity, referring every thing-every duty and moral
Obgation-to Christ and relationship with
Him. (See EphesiaDs iv, 25-32l
There we see everything connected with
Christ Jesus. $50 We have learned Christ" The
difference between Jesus and all other religious
teachers-a difference that gives him place
unique and pre.eminenu among all-is that
while they ask us to believe certain things they
spoke and taught He requires that we believe on
Him. Hence the difference between the Chris |
tian and the disciples of every other teacher is
that lie, the Christian, sustaius a certain vital
N,SO
Jes should cease to be, or it could be proved
that such "A person never existed, even though |
the teachings attributed to him remained, all
would be useless and vain, so far the great |
design or the gospel is concerned. We have then |
these several truths:
First-ChrIst Jesus himself ia the sum and sub |
stance of all true saving knowledge. That is the
first thing, I'VE learn Christi" Eye heard Him. |
and were taught by or, rather, in Him, as truth
Is in Jesus"
Second-Sueh learning or knowledge is only in |
certain vital relationship with Christ. that is
in union with him. tSee chapter iv, 21.)
Third-Such union with Christ cannot be with |
out anew nature in man. (Ephesans iv, -24) |
Our first and chief point is that Christ Jesus |
is the sum and substance of all true knowledge |
the object of faith is the personal Christ |
Christianity is not merely system of truths |
about God, nor merely system of morality de- |
ducihle from these. 1t is the revelation |
of God in the person of his son; |
union with Christ and through faith in Him as |
the redeemer. So Christ presents Himself as |
the object OF faith. He that cometh to Me shall |
never hunger He that believeth and he that /
beiieveth on Me snail never thirst" He offers |
himself us the bread of life and the water of |
life. and as the light OF the world.
When the old prophet sent his servant with |
his staff, to Law IL upon the face of the dead |
child it was all in vain. He must needs go HIM |
self, and stretch himself upon the dead budy of |
the child in order to bring life back. So in like |
manner, no putting forth of power ON the part |
of God, or the, sending of an angel
of humanity, but God himself in the person of |
HIS son came and took upon Him our nature in |
glad tIdings of great joy, for there is born unto
you this day in the city OF David savior which |
is Christ, che Lord"
The need of this knowledge of and vital con-
nection with the personal Christ is manifest |
when we consider that He is the embodiment of |
all truth. 1T want to rest any one thing can |
arrive at its full significance till view it
in connection with Christ. Take for example |
man. Where shall we learn the truth ab1ut
mani Shall we look for it in Adam any son of |
AdamQ Shall we find it among the Jewish peo .
pie or in the gentle worlu2 No; it ia only in |
ntg nhnAin lf.,f.,
faith showing to the world the example of one |
who came to do all Gods will, that we find the |
life which manis TO lead on earth. And to know
The depth of sin and degradation TO which man
has fallen, WE must look upon Christ bearing |
the sins OF His people on the cross OF Calvary. |
Again, If Look up and think of God, where |
shall find Him and the truth about Hint In |
creation1 CREATION is ruin. We cannot "rise
from nature up to natures Cod" Shall We look !
for Him in the history of providence This,
too, is an, enigma. Only in Christ Jesus can we
see the full truth, for IN Him ''dwells the full
IL the revelation OF COD to man.
Do We wish to know concerning
mans future state. his highest and true destiny,
wemust look up and see Christ, the glorifed |
man, at the right hand OF the majesty on high.
AS we have said, all such knowledge of Christ |
aud of God through Him, can be found only |
in vital union with Christ. We are taught sin |
Him." we exhorted to live and walk in
Christ Just as the air we breathe, the climate in
which we live, the circumstances of daily life |
modify and mould our feelings. thoughts and |
purposes. so walking in Christ and living in Him,
anu no III us, Will uHcOuSClOu6ly lHOulu Uue |
spiritual man. All this implies the need ora |
new nature. "Be renewed in the spirit of |
your mind and put on the new man,
which, after God. is created in |
righteousness and true holiness" Many man
reads the fourth chapter of Ephesians back
ward. The practical duties emphasized by the |
APOSTLE do not make the Christian and man of |
God. but the fruits of removed and sancti- |
fled nature. Morality of life and good works !
can never purchase salvation, but spring from
"a character inspired by and ensphered in |
Christ "Jesus came TO call not the righteous,
but the sinners TO repentence" The merely |
moral man, however admirable his characters |
may be in the eyes of the world, has no place in |
the purpose of God for redemption. Where |
will the mere moralist go after |
this litef Heaven is no place for |
hlm, because heaven VIII be flied with |