The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-10-22
WHAT Is IT TO BE a CHRISTIAN

SUHun
- -''
Text John If: Is. If We love me keen NV command
ments.'
,UL. :;,,, ,,,..-..s M
"hal 10 IL u Do u IuIiStiah we NAYS Two an
tagonistic answers. The Unitarian says, "Live
rightlyr' The Orthodox answer is believe on
the Lord Jesrs Chr;s,u Ro,I, ,,,,,,,,, 80 I,,if
aus" eio "io man
Tuths' Ana some one mas SAID that, "a half-truth
is the most dangerous of lies Certainly here i'll
this important matter a half truth ia a farreacb
I'M, l,noor Fr - ;,,I,os o.or,,i,,, l., "a, ,,,,;,,
Ing u'iHei' ior II in'oi'es e'eIhi'y Ill us speoious
falslty.
Take this first half.truth "To be a christian is
to live ripbtIv,n Here weak and shallow goIf.
WYNN 't4N 9ti't4O" 'Sii
culture and the common moralities of life, are
substituted for true suul-ubedience Man is made
his own saviour Now all ovnorio,oo ;o;,s 18th
,bo ,,o,r o,,I;,i.
e 0iedi' eAPhcIt "oIus Vi Cnrlsl anu teaches that
it is not enough for man to live out his nature
That a CHANCE of untpra ia readed A ,ic;ors
-, :; - H. -, - -,
Ose 10 hone te Detter tempered because the KICK
ing straps prevent his dashing the carriage to
atoms. So a man is none the better really because
tbe restraints of cnstou and sociatv and rrov;-
u 'u'''', anu sOoio'S' anu Piofi-
dence, may prevent his following that course
which he would prefer. Human nature behind the
haze ,r law .s,,d -, ,i,s, ,,,,,, r,,r;. :; -.
- -, -'
'i'e es' "'u' uli"'el! cIeature' UNLOCK the door'
we should soon see what 1t would do and be. Nero
restraints are of small yaIue Hovever mucb tbev
regulate the outer life. thew do not chance the
character. They never make a man a Christian
10 do that n change of nature is needed This n
nan cannot work in himself however carefnIlv
and rightly he NAV live So TO answer the innnnrt
ant question What is it to be a Christian Ys Inv
saying, Live rightly ~ is a fatal half-truth.
But the orthodox answer Relieve ON the Jor,I
Jesus CbTistl' is almost AS bad and gIarIng half
truth Here too often a sharp distinction is made
between Salvation and Character-between accep-
lance with God and rirhtness of life, "Wbaf Ci5d
L n.
II is is a most fatal divorce.
If any one will Law aside theories and read the
plain teachings of Christ il seems imDossible 10
fall into either of these mistakes
Nowhere is n chance of nature made 8, am,
platic aR in the Leacbinps of Christ "Ye mnst he
born agaipln is His message Nowhere either is
pure noble character, made the evidence of that
change SO emDhntically as in the teachinvs NJ
Christ Take the beatitudes; Whom does Christ
pronounce 'fblesse ~ Why the man WIN is Inerci
| full and meek and humble and pure in heart and
who gives himself tD peacemakino and natieniiy
endures persecution Christ made Goodness in ali
its forms tho transcendeniIv im6ortant tbinr
This new spiritual life which He came To give men
had for its sole object the PRODUCING in men nnrity
truth and Iowa
When we tench. as is too often taue,bt innIiedIv
if not directly that men are restored In tba DIVINE
favor bv a process distinct from chance of cbarac
ter: that Salvation is one lhiny and riobt living
or righteousness another that escsne f-o1,
punishment throupb belief in Christ ia the first
| thing and Goodness a secondary MATTER No are
| a lone way from the pIain simnle tnarbino ~
| Cbriet Tbnro ;s no Selection yS;Ibcrt az "
Seneratn9 mower of tbe HOW Shirt Ne 1rv ;s
There any Salvation that does moi work tbrongb
Character God saves mon Inv nhanoing tbe1n
| from sin TO Holiness If there was any other saI
walton IL womb NOT he worth HAVING An yann;na
| RELIGION aims at MAKING men morally batfer IL
| II fails 10 do This IL is ,yorthIessi
These thourhts clear tho yyay for a true ansvar
to the question "what is it to be Christian ~
| NV text answers in one word =: Obedience y;
| notice first that obedience leads To- the Cross
IL is the only road alone which any man can Walt
and find deiyerance from sin and neace with cod
saw 10 every ono not n CbriaIia,i Ibora l. ,,,t :,
single duty laid down in the bible ut what is Tou1
| duty ms mnch as mine 10 obey n is vonr dnfy 20
| love God and your felov-men: II is yonr dufy IN
live an honest good life it Is yonr duty to do Good
as we'll as be good. An these dnfies resi- m, Won
| Thsy have rested ON Won from fine time fbat yon
were old enough TO know GOOD from evil That
Won have 80 Inc neoIected fbann ia n oreat s;,,
Evory da,- Won ,,,,t;n,,o -, ,aaiact a., -, III
| YOUR rejection of Christ Now what onCbt Won
| 10 do I What is the way TO Christi Tor Won ?
| Is it TO wait for A revival Is II IN vail for
convictinn of sin 2'' GREAT mental distress 4
| Great many Christians wouId Tell Won an B1t
ths Bible nowhere tells MS that il is necessary for
A sinner TO 90 tbrouch n ed process Of 90
many davs of conviction and 90 rnanv Of inoniry
and 81 mans, nr,,srs and inst a. T,ncb read1no ~
| the Rbe and corversafion with Christian Teonla
There is mo- hint of aII that II, the Bible Jesns
| commands Won IL Won yvonId he frna from sin 10
ranerf aud tr1s, b;r, a,15 foIio-v bis taacLi1o,s
In other words az; No., Inn - Won saw. I can;si';
| Is il n cg,'f or a mini, The vsrv moment won
are WILLING Ia obev He ,,;yas Won eirenetb 10 oje
In onr serintr1re lesson IIbrisi conr5snfe tIt
/ moor Iniserahia creatnra NJ Ratbesda yvbo hsJ
been Iying beInIess for ~ vearS to 1sstanf nm -
| What. on those veal and 1ritberad legs5 Yesi
For he conId have mo others 10 stand ont And tba
| nnonenf he obeys. or ,,,aies tho attarn-i 10 he
a now ,oIrer eb5os tbrob ,ba ,s,,es and NM
| clos. Tbe man il not iifteI mn He r;ses nj, him
| self and ON his own les INT Jesns fnrniebos
| tbe strength. The man wanted to Get mn He
| made a resolute effort fo oIev
| And a snpernatnrai T,ovSer csu,e uDon him
| restored him and enabled him In 3, Tsiojcinr,
| u;s.t - Ill ,s,i - -: y - DS...ts !.