Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-03-20
Readiua fnr the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
lOriglnal.]
JESUS THE SAVIOUR.


Every intelligent and voluntary actor
result by his acts. His energies are exerted
for definite purpose. In order to accom-
plish this purpose, all his other plans are de-
Signed to be contributive. Thus it often
seems that an individual has several objects
in view. In fact, however, he can have
but one ultimate purpose, all other plans and
purposes being means designed to accom-
plish this. 1t does not follow that all per-
sons using the same means have the same
ultimate end in view. Sometimes this is
the case, but often it is not. We pass along
men are engaged in plowing the soil. An
imaginary line separates their possessions
Both are driving with energy, and both ap-
parently have the same ultimate end IN
view. Such however, iSnOt the case. The
one is eXerting every muscle Of his body,
and concentrating every faculty of his mind
that he may amass fortune. TO effect this
end he plans and economies Night and
day, his mind is fixed upon this prospective
is lust as diligent, but the object he expects
to accomplish is by no means the same.
The object this latter laborer desires to Sc
cure is not fortune, but a comfortable llv-
ing for himselfand family. From the Scrip
lures we learn that Jesus Christ, the Son OF
God, came into this world. All the circum-
stances attending his entrance into this world
are minutely stated. The son of God be-
comes the son Of man, and lives a life OF un-
paralleled obedience to the law of God, and
finally is put to death by crucifiXion. All
Jesus Christ had no end in view, no purpose
to accomplish, by all that he did and suffer-
ed, is to conclude, in the face of all the facts
in his history, that he was destitute OF ra-
| tionality. The general scope OF the Scrip
lures teaches us that the ultimate end or de-
sign of the mission of Jesus Christ into our
world was the glory of God. This was pro-
claimed at his birth, by multitude of the
heavenly host, praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest"
1t is clearly taught in the Scriptures that
the end or design for which Jesus Christ un-
dertook and prosecuted to a successful ter
mination, the mediatorial work, was the
glory of God. The immediate end Of his
| mission was the salvation of sinners. Hence
the name Jesus was, by divine premonlrion,
given to him, because he saves his people
from their SINS
The saving of sinners was the means
chosen by Jesus Christ, the mediator, to
show forth, in the highest degree, the glory
of God. 1t is in this immediate end of the
mediatOrial work that mankind are most
interested. Unfortunately it is not general
ly we'll understood. The purpose of Jesus
Christ, in the work performed by him as
mediator was, as already stated, to glOrify
God. Paul says it was ''that all might see
the economy of the mystery which was hid
in God, the caeator of all things, from the
beginning" Jesus Christ, as mediator, re-
vealed the glory of God not only to the hu-
man family, but to every intelligent crea-
ture in the universe. Hence, Paul says the
|
plished that all-notall men, but every crea-
ture-might see the wonderful display Of
In this mediatorial work of Jesus Christ
men are especially interested. The means
which Jesus Christ selected, in order to ac-
complish his purpose, was the saving Of sin
ners. Hence, Paul says, "He gave himself
for u.s." The immediate object designed to
be accomplished by his giving himself for
us, was that che might redeem us from all
iniquity and purify unto himself peculiar
people, jealous of good works."
This passage of Scripture gives us clear
notion of what Jesus Christ, as mediator,
did, and what was the immediate end or de-
sign in view. In both particulars there is
very little agreement between the teaching
of the inspired apostle and the notions en-
tertained by even the mass of profcssed
Christians. 10 the words "Gave himself
for u.s." the true meaning is seldom given.
"Gave himself for us" is often interpreted
to mean that he gave himself for our benefit.
This is true, but it is not the main truth of
our place. "He bore our sins in his own
body" "He was wounded for our trans
gression" The tenor of the Scriptures on
this point is that Jesus took our place. "He
undertook for u.s." His doing and dying
were vicarious. It is true, beyond all con-
troversy, that the mediatorial work of Jesus
Christ results in the greatest possible good
to those who accept it; but this is result
which flows from Christ's obeying and suf-
fering in their place.
Not only do we come to wrong cOnclu-
sion with regard to the relation which Jesus
Christ, as the mediator, sustains toward us,
but our conclusions are often as glaringly un-
scriptural with regard to the work which
Christ, the redeemer, performs in us. ASK
| the average professed Christian, what he eX
| poets Christ, the saviour of sinners, to effect
in his individual case, and he will promptly
reply, "save me from the tOrments of perdl-
| tiOn, and take me to heaven" 1t is true
that Jesus Christ saves his people from the
punishments due sin and reinstates them in
Gods fav0rand friendship, which is heaven.
This is a result. Paul does not say that
Jesus Christ gave himself for u.s. that he
might save us from perdition and take US to
heaven.
1t is not denied that Jesus Christ rescues
his people from the curse Of the law, which
| they have violated. This he most certainly
does, but escaping perdition and going to
heaven are the results of his redeeming
work for us and in us. Paul says he gave
himself for us. The object of this giving
was to redeem us from all iniquity. Our re-
dempton is of two kinds. We must be re-
deemed from the guilt of sin. In other
words we must be rescued from the liability
| to be punished for our sins. This Christ ef-
fected by being made sin for us-by suffer-
| ing in our legal place. We must, in addi-
| ton to this, be redeemed from the moral
| filth and pollution Of sin and be made pc
culiar people, Jealous of good works.
Christ, the saviour of sinners, undertakes
two-fold work. He undertakes to redeem
us from the curse Of violated law and from
the power and dominion of sin which reigns
in us.
| Our animal instincts prompt us to desire
good and fear evil. None of us desire to lie
down in everlasting burnngs, and we all
desire to be made happy. We are not how
ever, willing to give up our sins. We fear
the punishment Of sin, but we love sin. We
desire to be happy, but we are not desrons
of being made happy in the way in which
Jesus Christ proposes to make us happy.
Jesus Christ having redeemed us from the
guilt of sin by the sacrifice of himself, re-
deems us from all iniquity, by the regene-
rating and sanctifying influences Of his Holy
Spirit. This is saving us from our sins, but
we desire to be saved IN our sins. That fea-
ture of the salvation which is in Jesus
Christ that is particularly objectionable to
our carnal natures is, that it is salvation