Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-02-21
CHRISTIAN ENpEAvOR.
Topic For the Week Beginning Feb. "a.
Comment by Rev. s. III. Doyle.

Comment by Rev. =. III. Doyle.
ToPlc.-To what has Christ opened your
eyes2-Acts tx, I'll, lT-2l.
The topical references record Tile his
tory Of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus,
who was subsequently called Paul the
Apostle. One feature Of Christ's appear
ance to Saul was that be was stricken
blind, in which state he remained for
three days, until God sent Ananias to
him, through whose good Offices, under
the blessing Of God, there fell from his
eyes as it had been scabs, and he re-
ceived sight forthwith, f" but not only
physical but also spiritual sight. The
conversion Of Saul may be taken al d
model, representing To what Christ
opens our eyes when we are converted.
1. Christ opens our eyes to a proper
conception Of ourselves. Paul's first mis-
take was that he did not see himself as
God saw him. He was a Pharisee of
the strictest kind and had the idea that
in prosecuting Christians be was doing
Gods Will He did not see the error in
his heart and life. But Christ opened
his eyes to see that and the conscious
ness Of his personal guilt before God
never left him. One Of the first steps in
conversion is the consciousness Of our
personal guilt, and therefore our need
of a Saviour We must be convicted of
sin before We will turn from it to God.
This was the case with David when Ma
than pointed out his sin. He saw it and
cried to God in sorrow and repentance.
The repentant thief On the cross illus
trates the same fact. He saw his personal
guilt I'VE indeed justly, for we suffer
the due reward Of our deeds. " It IL the
same in all cases.
2. Christ opens our eyes to a proper
conception Of Himself as the Messiah.
This was another error in SAUL charac-
ter. Raised as Jew and as q Pharisee
he was taught to reject Christ as the
Messiah. He himself said it was through
ignorance that he had prosecuted God s
people-througb ignorance because he
did not believe Id Christ as the Messiah
But when the scales fell from his spirit
ual sight be also saw Christ az indeed
the Son Of God and was ready to confess
Him as such, for be cried, 'Lord, what
wilt Thou have me to do?'' The thief On
the cross had the same experience. He
was led to see his own guilt and also the
true character of Christ. eve indeed
justly" he said, confessing his own
guilt, but this man" (that is, Christi
''hath done nothing amiss = Christ
opens our eyes not only to see ourselves,
but Himself. And when we see Him in
the beauty and loveliness Of His charac-
ter we cannot but admire Him and de-
sire to be like Him
3. Christ opens our eyes to the duties
resulting from proper vision Of our
selves and Himself. When Paul received
his sight, Immediately he arose, was
baptized and ever afterward did the will
of God. To see ourselves Alright and
Christ Alright is not all of Christianity.
Conversion is more than turning from
evil 1t is also turning to good. We
must cease to do evil but we must also
learn Ia do we'll Conversion ta Christ
results in Christian duties. Christ opens
our eyes to these duties, and, like saul
Of Tarsus, we should not hesitate to do
them. Faith and works are both neces-
sary to salvation.
Bible Readings iii, ell; Ps.
xix, s; cxix, l8i Prov. Xxx, u; Isa.
XIV, 4. 8; xiii, 6, Z; Jer. V, 21, p;
Math xiii, 1916; Luke /, 1919; xiv,
1882, 45-48; John ix, Ill; Acts XVI,
1918; II Cor. iv. 8. A; Eph j, 1918;
Rev. iii, z.