The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-28

ing with apostacy. and not ordinary
SIM We understand the divine teach
ing to be this: II a man has been
taught as to the Christian religion. has
accepted it as true, as OF God, and pro-
fessed to believe into salvation through
the Divine Offering In Christ Jesus,
'the way, and the truth. and the life''
and then turns back, rejects the Atone
ment,g gives up all faith in Christianity,
spurns it as untrue. as a deception. that
to such a great sinner-such a gross
apostate, there is no escape whatever
from his sins, but he must die the death
and take up his bed in hell. And why?
Because there remaineth no more sac
rifice for sin. Punishment is sure to fol-
low transgression. Their being no other
Savior. there being no other plan Of re-
covering mercy from sin, condemna-
ton, and eternal death the apostate
must die in his sin and be forever lost.
The man who sins "wilfully''-mark the
word used by the divine penman-he
must be punished. He
Christianity after having received it,
and henceforth, forever, in time and
eternity, he must have "a certain look
ing for of judgment and fiery indigna-
ton which shall devour'' ~eternally.
Old Burkitt, pious and wise, say that
the apostle does not mean by sin will
fully every wilful sim" He means,
he says, shining "obstinately, malici-
ously, and with despite" When a man
thus sins from design, with cool effront-
cry, with obstinate defiance of God, re-
jecting all, defaming God and His
Christ, threading under foot the Son of
Cod" in the strong, striking language
Of the Scriptures, he has no other re-
fuge from the storm, his fate is fixed,
his doom is deserved and righteous for
there remaineth no more sacrifice for
|sin"-there is not to be another atone
ment-which means to cover-and so
punishment of the most fiery sort is
certain, is inevitable, is righteous.
To turn your back on Christ after hav-
ing %professed to have found him as your
personal Redeemer, m to deride and
despise His claims as the Son Of God,
the only Savior, and to take side with
His enemies is open, avowed apostacy,
and from that there is no recovery, and
from it's penalties there is no escape.
The wrath of roc must abide with all
such. God intimates Enthusiastically not
only that such will be severely dealt
with, even with frey Indignation"
but that ever while abiding in the flesh
in this mundane sphere they will be
wretched and miserable as they will
have dreadful f~Orebodings Of coming
death and the wrath beyond. The way
to escape failure, wrath, indignation,
punishment beyond the grave is to be
attentive to all Christian duties here.
To be faithful in the midst Of the faith
less; to work out your own salvation
to put our fervent trust in Jesus
Christ, the author and finisher of your
faith, to be consecrated and pious and
deligent in seeking after holiness.
S~teadfastness in faith ardent serving,
perseverance in we'll doing, living un-
spotted from the world not being in
anything conformed to it's low stand
ard, provoking one another unto o
and to good works, having an y sim
gle to the glory Of God-doing these
things you shall keep the faith and at
last enter in and be forever with your
crucified and risen Lord.