The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-06-03

ID. d., at Bolton, 8. c., April Is, 1886,
and Published by Request of the Con-
gregation.
Reported by James D. Campbclt.]
Text-Philippians, II, 1918: "Work out
your own salvation with fear and trem-
bling. For it is God which workcth in you
both to will and to do of His good pleas
ure.'
There are many paradoxes; that is,
apparent contradictions in the Word OF
God, just as there are many paradoxes
in Christian experience.
Of great many persons it is true,
that instead of recognizing that the con-
tradiction is simply an apparent one, and
that there is, after all, a harmony, some
see one side of truth, and others see the
other; and because each one is holding
to his own side, they sometimes become
opposed to one another, and hence some
of the most striking and painful contro'
versies which have arisen in the Chris
tian world.
Like the story that is told of two
knights in ancient narrative: They met
each other, and looking upon the same
shield, one said that the shield was gold
the other, coming from the opposite
direction, said "No, it is silver" And
so they quarreled in regard to whether
the shield was gold or silver, and fought
and each having mortally wounded the
other, as both fell down before it each so
fell that he saw the side from which his
antagonist came. He that had come up
from the side that presented the golden
appearance fell far enough on the other
side to see that it looked like silver ;
while the one that came up on the side
that presented the silvery appearance, so
fell that he saw that the shield on the
other side looked like gold. What then ?
They were both right and they were both
wrong. In truth, the shield was both
gold and silver, and if each had had just
little patience and little kindness,
and had thought that there was possibly
the blending Of two things into one, the
difficulty and strife so painful might have
been avoided. And no doubt, my
brethren, that has been true in the Chris.
tian world. There have been discussions
that have gone on through the ages
discussions about great principles of doc.
trine-and when these discussions have
ended, neither party has thoroughly con-
vinced the other; and what is the reason
The probability is that neither one has
given the whole truth, aud each one has
looked simply at one side of it and has
emphasized that, while the other has
emphasized the other side and has held
to that; when, in truth, if there had
been little more patience aud little
more earnestness, they might have come
upon common ground and found that
the apparently opposite truths neverthe'
less reached up and blended into one
and became harmonious and united.
Brethren, the Bible as you find it is q
very vexatious book to people that love
to make systems. It says some things
sometimes that knock their systems all
to pieces. In making systems of theol.
ogy, we must treat the words of the Bible
just as, for purposes of science, we treat
the facts that we find in the world about
us. What would you think of man
who presents a theory on some subjects
and tries to make all the facts in the uni
verse 6t his theory, instead of gathering
together all the facts and deducing from
those facts his theories? We would say
that man is foolish. So we must take
the words of the Bible-the declaration
of Gods blessed Book-in order to SCI
truths in their proper proportion ane
relations; and if we can't see clea
around the whole subject at one view, le
us see each side as it is presented ant
hold on to it and believe that perhaps
besides the truth presented to our view
there may be on the opposite side some
truths as great as that which we GRASP
and hold.
|
Let me illustrate what mean. Yor
ask me do T believe in the doctrine o
Predestination; that is, that God ha
from eternity chosen some men to eterna
life, and that He has predestinated them
to be confirmed to the image of His Son
You ask me if I believe that? I say
"Certainly, uuquestionably; with all m.
heart, and with all my soul, I believe it.
Why? Because Gods Word says so. 1
says just that very thing, and it is no
worth while to undertake to explain
away those strong, simple and straight
forward statements. To do so is no
right; it is not sensible; it is not homes.
Very well.
Now, you ask me do I believe that
man is responsible for his own belief, TO
his carrying on the work of his salvation
in conformity to Gods will. ] say
"Yes, unquestionably do. Certainly
believe that" Why? Because the Bi
BILE says so because the Bible puts bott
those things down, and just as truly as i
says that we are predestined to be con
formed to the image of Gods Son, 81
truly does it say, "ye are not willing tt
come unto me that ye may have life
thus showing mans responsibility TO
not being saved. As certainly as it says
According as He hath chosen us ii
Christ be fore the foundation of the world
not because it was foreseen that we woult
be holy or would believe, but that 40
should be holy and without blame before
Him, il ove," it declares also: Gas
| live, saith the Lord, have no pleasure
in the death of him that dieth. Turf
ye, turn ye; for why will ye die ?"
One man stands up and says he be
lieves in predestination. Well; dom
Won helieve in mans free agency? VIII