The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-18

fellowship with God, the apostle guards
against a very serious error into which
some might fail. 1t would be possible FOR
one to say that he is not sinner vcrse
-. thus contradicting the testimony Of
UNIVERSAL humanity Uamcs iii, y. The
consequences of such denial would be Sc
riuus in the extreme in three ways. First
1t would be, If uttered honestly. mark
of self-deception, and he Is in a pjtiable
plight who cOnvinCcs himself that all is
well. when everything is wrong. Osa. V,
2O). Second, 1t would show lamentaEle ig-
noranCe of the truth of God psalm xix,
y. that mirror I'm which men see their
faults OHeb. iv, 12), that sword that cuts
to the quick and lays bare the secrets of
the heart. Third Werse l0l. IL would
make God liar. who all through His
word has approached man as a sinner
giving an account of the original trans
gression (Gen. ill. 81, and sending minis
ters to proclaim His dspledsure and offer
His pardon, prov j. 2D. a seif-deceived,
ignorant blasphemcr is he who declares
that he has no sin.
CONFESSIONAL is plain that the man
who denies his snfulncss viii never find
God and enjoy His favor. The first step,
therefore to a removal of sin, as "a re-
quste to fellowship. is an open and COM
plete acknowledgment. lIumbling though
1t Is, confession Is essential, II mark of
repentance and faith. psalm NXxii, ~.
Moreover II is ell that the sinner can
do-he has no power to change Il fact, no
power to blot out the record of that fact.
one is written in his own constitution,
the other in the Book of God. Rev Xxx,
| 10. But what man cannot do, God will
do when confession is made lie will
forgive (verse %. that is. remove the rec
ord from His book. and at the same time
! He will cleanse or wash the sinner. re-
moving the stains ana the guilt made by
sin. psalm Ii, p. This does not mean
that the atonement is unimpurtant. Its
necessity having been stated in verse
seven need not be repeated in verse nine
but it may be assumed as the understood
condition or mCde of pardon and cleans
| ing (Eph. /, -, so frequently declared i'm
other places. CHeh. iN, IA. This verse
! supplements the seventh. by expanding
the process of deIiverancc from sin.
! ADVOCATE.-Now comes Il question
! that has annoyed ana caused no little
! controversy in the church. Suppose a
| man has confessed, been forgiven and re-
| Ceived into favor and fellowship with his
! Heavenly Father. is lie then utterly
! faultlcss? dob tx, 20). Is he free from
| all liability to sin? The apostle answers:
! Such an one must determine so far as
| in him lies not to sin CrorSe y, for in that
| case ne comes again unuef condemnation.
| (ROm. vi, p. But, if through weakness
or ignorance, he is overtakcn in a fault
/ tGal. vi y, let him not despair. For al
| Christians who have more or less of sim
| fulncss remaining, there is an Advoca te,
! who represents them and ntCrcedes for
! them Ctieb. vii 25), a mediator between
God and man. O Tim. ill., 81. Jesus Christ
| who by His righteousness is well quail
fled for this high office. 1t is this per-
petual service for men, the precise ma
| ture of which cannot be defined, that con-
| stitutes Il good ground of confidence. a
reason for renewing the struggle against