Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-29
THE SAVING POWER.
Not Enough That We Simply Refuse
to Do That Which is Wrong;
NOR YET THAT WE CONFESS TO SIN.
Turning to Right Life Must be Accompa-
MED by Divine Pardon.
TIE SACRIFICE UPON TIE CROSS
WRITTEN FOR THE p1sPArcHI

Wnat Is IL Wnlcn saves men? We all
want to know that. We all need to know
that. 1t is the question of questions. How
can we be saved from sin-from sin past,
from its guilt, from its penalty; from sin
future, from the love of it, from the power
of it-how can we be delivered from the
guilt and from the love of sin?
G) II We could prove ourselves innocent
of sin. we would be delivered from the guilt
of it; we would be acquitted. Some people
try to do that. They do not attempt, of
course. to make themselves out as altogether
perfect. They have some faults They have
brief catalogue of amiahle failings, which
lean decidedly 'to virtues side" But they
say, 81 don't do anything very bad. Idon't
do anybody any HARM" There are good
many such people, and there are several
things which ought to be said to them. These
needful truths all begin with the word
"not."
Not to do good things is sin. In the par
able OF the rich man and Lazarus. in the
parable of the Good Samaritan, in our
| Lords picture of the Last Judgment that is
the sin. The men who passed by on the
other side, the rich man who let the beggar
| on his doorstep starve; the people who saw
| their brethren have need, and failed to ex-
tend to them a compassionate and helping
hand-these stand on the wrong side, when
the race is parted right and left, before the
Judge. To be unhelpful is to be unchrist-
like. 1t is to be in sin. Among the mani
fold opportunities which crowd our lives,
and the daily chances there are to put money
and time, and kind words, and helping
hands where they will do the most good,
who will affirm that he who neglects them
is innocent of sin? The sin of omission
shadows even the saints.
THE OTHER NoTs.
(2) Not to love and serve God is sin.
Some people think that they are doing their
duty when they keep five of the command
ments. They honor their parents, do not
kill anybody, nor commit adultery, nor
steal (except perhaps in commercial way),
nor bear false witness Except occasionally
for the sake of piquancy of conversation),
nor covet Every much). But there are ten
commandments. And the other five are
both first and greatest. Christ said: "Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart" No amount of love and well-doing
toward our brother men can makeup for vio-
latiou or neglect of that. Whoever is not
serving God, seeking to know His will and
to learn His truths, rendering Him rever-
ence and alteration, putting His service first
is in sin.
(3) Not to be conscious of sin is itself evil
dence Of sin. The holiest people have always
been conscious of their sins. You cannot see
the disorder OF a closed room. But open the
shutters, let the light in, and soon the dust
is visible. Whoever is not conscious OF
sin must have low idea of righteous
ness. And that itself is a grief and an
offense in the sight of God. Not to have a
high ideal OF sin. "Wide is the gate and
broad is the way that leadeth to distruc-
tion." You can walk in the way without
any trouble, without thinking. "ADd many
there be which go in thereat" because
strait is the gate and narrow is the way
that leadeth unto life." You will have to
mind your steps if you walk that
road. "And few there be that find it."
Whoever has a low ideal, whoever has a
good opinion of himself, and is not trying
very hard after any better way of living,
and is not conscious of sin,-which road do
you think he is walking in? "1f we say
that we have no sin. we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in u.s." No; we may
not think to escape the guilt of sin by plead
ing innocent.
THOSE CONSCIOUS OF SIN.
I.-But suppose we are conscious of sin.
We plead guilty. May we rot be delivered
from the guilt ofsin, if we repent and amend
our lives2
How many hard questions would be an
swered if we could set a ''yes" to thatl How
many heavy volumes of theology that would
send out to the dust pilel The mysterious
the miraculous, the supernatural in religion
how it would be minimized! Why, it
would make Christianity as simple and as
reasonable as arithmetic. What shall we do |
to be saved? Repent and re orm every one |
of you; initiate the Master, follow His steps;
abhor that which is evil, cling to that which |
is good-and live forevermorel
Many believe that. Many more would |
like to believe it. 1t is an attractive doc |
trine. And the best thing about it is that it |
is true-as far as it goes. Without re-
pentance, without an endeavor to put away
the bad with sorrow, and to seek with earn
estness after the better, no man can be saved.
What is it to be saved-to be saved from
what? From sin; from the guilt and from
the love of sin. It is plain that no man
can be saved from sin who does not try to
put sin away. But suppose a man could
put sin away, would he then be saved?
From the power of sin, he would. But the
guilt of sin, the'stain of the past, the pen
atty OF sln-would he be saved from that?
THREE IMPORTANT FACTS.
ID We turn to human law. Is the con-
vict pardoned who repents and tries to re-
form? No; he has to bear his sentence.
(2) We turn to the universal legislation
of nature. Will repentance and amendment
save from penalty the man who has broken
natures law? Let man unnerve himself
With strong drink, and then sign a pledge,
will nature pardon the past and make him
we'll?
90 We turn to the instructive belief of
the race. In all lands and all times, men
have erected altars and offered sacrifices.
and had faith in prayers and sacraments.
Never have men been content with their
own endeavors after goodness; never have
they trusted in the power of sorrow to wipe
put the past; never have they been satisfied
70 regard salvation as simply a matter be
.ween the will and the soul. The thought
IF God has entered in, always. Somehow,
God must be reconciled. Gods pardon
must be somehow gained before the guilt of
,in can 60 away. Men have never been
and are not satisfied to-day, with
INV endeavors of their own. Reformation
ind amendment are not enough to save man.
III.-But pardon saves. God can pardon
is, and so save us. Why not be delivered
rom the guilt Of sin by being pardoned.
Let us think OF that.
ID Suppose that our heavenly Father
n His infinite love for us, His children.
we're pleased to forgive freely and at once
III our offenses against Him. Suppose that
Ifter each sin we had but to kneel down,
md holding up our offending hands to
leaven, ask to be forgiven, and the guilt of
lin would 60 away.
THE IMPORTANT CONDITIONS.
That is true now, but under certain in