Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-02-09
Sunday ReaaiHs,
Comiag TO Jesus
EDIrED BY nNV. +. l.. LJNHFN,

uent says tnaI ministers are CONSTANT
ly eXh0rting their hearers to "come
to Jesus" but that they do not ex-
plain what it is to "come," etc.
No doubt, some preachers do take
too much for granted as to the meas
ure of knowledge possessed by their
hearers in regard to these simplest
truths of the gospel, and also that
there is q kind of mental perversity |
in every unbeIiever that seems to
hinder the ordinary exercise of COM
mon sense in understanding spiritual
truths. We are often remined Of the
profound truth of that saying of Paul
"The natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God, neither
can he know them, for they are
spiritually discerned." Very intelli-
gent people stumble over the simplest
spiritual truths, who would have no
difficulty in understanding the same
statement if it appertained to any
natural Gas they sometimes say or
practical matter-for instance, they
have no difficulty whatever in under
standing what is meant by having
faith in man with whom they are
called upon to have dealings; but if
they are asked to have faith in Jesus
Christ, they look dazed and say:
"But that is just what | do not under
stand. What do you mean by having
faith in Christ ?" The whole Difficult.
ty in our mind lies in not dealing
with Jesus Christ as person, or, in
other words, in making Christianity
a theoretical and not personal mat
ter.
Now, coming to Christ, or to Jesus
isa very simple matter, if only one
will divest himself of assumed diff
culties. "How can l come 10 him If
do not know where he is, or cannot
geo him." This is to assume bodi.
ly coming and not a mental and spir-
itual coming, which is the matter in
question. We will try to illustrate
the matter oy familiar scriptural say
ings and incidents.
/. To come to Christ is to believe
that he is. The author of the Epistlt
to the Hebrews says that "he thai
cometh to God must believe that h,
is rewarder of them that diligently
seek him." Now, in order to CONF
to Jesus we must believe that he is
One cannot come to anothe
if he docs not believe that San
other" has existence. The passag
in Hebrews says of God, "that he is
rewarder of them that diligently seel
him." Now, corners to Jesus mus
lso believe not only that he is, bu
that he is able and willing to saw
them; and this faith, of course, mus
be an intelligent persuasion based o
the word of God, which everywher
testifes to this blessed truth.
.. To come to Jesus is to make OF
petition known to him that is, it
to "order it," or bring it before hil
as Jairus did who sought him out
behalf of his child, or as the bin
beggars did, or the Centurion did fC
his servant. (See Mark v. %; Mat
Xxx. 80; Luke vii. A. Of course,
all these cases there was physic
coming; but it is hardly necessary
SAY that the movement Of the Doc
is only the outward manifestation
the movement of the mind and hear
To fall down at his feet dny1Uhere al
make their petition known unto hi
is the privilege Of sinners.
3. To come to Jesus is to abandt
ones self to his grace, as the leper d
who came to him and fell down al
besought him, saying: "If thou wi
thou canst make me clean". mark
Now, here was a kind of abandO
ment of faith. This leper cast hi
self on Christ in such way that !
petition was instantly answered. Y
are reminded of Jacob who said,
will not let thee go unless thou blC
me-" This was coming in carne
with a purpose to get that for viii
Christ came to give US. There was
blind outcry here, but such petit
that the Lord answered, and at on
1. To come to Jesus is to recei
him heartily as both Savior a
Lord. "As many as received hi
to them gave he power to become t
sons of God" John i. 12). Not Fl
persons mistake coming to Jesus
mean a seeking after gifts and {
periences entirely apart from 10.
surrender of self to him. {
Lord said, take my yoke upon "
and learn of me-" Matt. XII Ma
4 A.,