Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-26
Readiua fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHA
(Original.

CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHA
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! (orgnail
THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST.
Paul. in his first epstle to Timothy, uses
the following words, "Without controversy
great is the mystery Of goodness" l Tim
Othy iii: 1G. Sometimes, no doubt, these
words are thought to teach that there is
something mysterious in that great change
which takes place in the sinner, by which
he is converted or becomes a godly person.
In other words, this passage is sometimes
quoted to prove that there is something IN
true piety which is a great mystery
thing which no one can understand, ana
consequently no one can explain. rms, no
doubt, is true. There is something ABOUT
natural life, both in its incipiency ana IN It's
development, which no human mlnd can
understand. The facts lie concealed from
human search. Such being the case, we
might expect to- find much in spiritual life
which is, "without controversy" dark and
mysteriOns. "The wind blOWeth where it
listeth :we hear the sound of it, but we cam
not tell whence it cometh and whittier 1t
poeth. SO. saws our Saviour, is every one that
| Is born of the Spirit" IT. is admitted that
regeneration, or the new birth, and its de-
velopment in the soul, is great mystery,
but it is not Of this that Paul speaking, IL
the passage quoted. Godliness, in that pas
sage, means the scheme of grace. This is
that godliness is defined by specifying in
what it consists. The first thing in which
that godliness of which theapostle is speak.
ing consists is 'God manifest in the flesh"
The thing which is, without controversy, a
great mystery, is Jesus Christ in his person
and his work. The most wonderful event
which ever took place in this world, or ever
will take place. was the death of Jesus
Christ. The Scriptures justify us in saying,
most confidently, that death and sin are IN
separately connected. Death follows sin as
a result follows cause. 1t makes no sort
of difference whether we can understand
either life or death, we are taught in the
Scriptures that the wages of sin is death,
and observation teaches us, most positively,
that sin is followed by pain and suffering,
by disease and death. The territorial limits
of death are those of sin. Wherever there
is sin there is DEATH and wherever there Is
no sin there is no death.
In the case of Jesus Christ, the Scriptures
teach that he was not only siness, that is
never did sin, but he was impeccable, that
is not capable, or not liable to sin. Yet not
withstanding the fact that death is the
wages of sin. and Jesus Christ never did sin,
he died-really died-not fguratively, but
actually died. Without controversy this is
a great mystery.
| There is no science, but the science which
is revealed in the Scriptures, that will ena-
BILE US to account, for the, death of Jesus
Christ. There we are taught that Jesus
| Christ died for sinners. Not simply for the
benefit of sinners, although that is true, but
| it will never account for the fact that he did
die. Jesus Christ died in the room, or in
| the stead, or in the place of sinners. lie
died not because he was sinner and paid
the penalty of sin by dying, but he died be-
placed himself, voluntarily, and with the
| full and free consent of his father, were sim
ners. He took upon him our sins, and with
his stripes we are healed. '.''
Viewed from a legal standpoint, the
death of Jesus Christ was murder. At his
trial nothing was proven which subjected
him to the death penalty. In fact, nothing
against him of any kind or character was
proven. Neither Pilot nor Herod found
anything worthy of death, or of punishment
in him. He lived life of obedience to the
Roman law. He had rendered to Caesar the
things which properly belonged to Caesar.
He had violated none of the commandments
of God. His whole life had been spent in
which had jurisdiction in the case, and
clearly, positively and emphatically acquit-
ted, or pronounced innocent Of each and all
the charges brought against him. This was
done by both Herod and PLATE. Here is
the decree of PLATE. aye have brought
this man unto me AS one that perverteth the
people; and behold l having examined him
before you, have found no fault in this man
touching the things whereofye accuse him
no, nor yet Herod for / sent you to him,
and 10, nothing worthy of death is done unto
him."
This is a statement of the facts made by a
Roman officer. Now hear his decree. IL
will, therefore, chastise him and release
him." Luke xiii {: II, l5. This was an un-
righteous decree, according to his own state
ment. If Jesus Christ had not been proven
guilty, he was innocent in the eyes Of the
law, and could not be chastised. Both Pi-
late and Herod admit his innocence. and
the decree, to have been in accordance with
the facts, should have been, 81 will release
him." This would have been legal, or in
accordance with law. Having, however,
decreed to chastise him and release him, he
dare not legally inficta more severe punish
ment than chastisement. He did scourge
him. This done, Jesus was, in accordance
with Roman law, and perhaps the law or
every CINlllLcu udtiOH VII NV. Nv
man shall be put twice in jeopardy for the
same crime,"'is maxim which has come
down to US from the Romans. But being
acquitted, Jesus was crucified. The scourg-
| ing of Jesus by PLATE was to satisfy the
Jews, and his suffering him to be crucitied
was deliberate act of murder, for which
PLATE, in all probability, would have been
called to account, had not the Romans look
ed upon the Jews with indifference, not to
say contempt.
Again, no event has ever taken place on
this earth which has had such salutary ef-
feet as the death of Jesus Christ. 1t has
revolutionized everything beneath the sun.
| 1t is the event of all events. From the time
that Adam sinnned in the Garden of Para
disc, up to the time that his death did occur,
every event of God pointed, and since it has
occurred, every event in the providence of
God points back oft, and through it to the
time when the once dead Jesus shall come
to Judge the world in Righteousness. Then
they that pierced him shall mourn.