The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-01
flesh, / live by the faith of the Son Of
God, who loved me, and gave himself
for me.'-Galatians ii. 20.

God becoming a man, the o OF God
becoming the Son of man. 1t is a
great mystery and yet a great truth.
John the Baptist the forerunner came
for a witness to bear witness of the
Light" He was to tell of that mighty
Messenger of Heaven, God ~incarnated.
who as the true Light should be a
Light TO mankind. for no man born Of
Adam should be SO deprived that in
some way. in some sense he should not
derive light from Christ, for we are
told in John i, 8, that He "lighteth
every man that cometh into the
world" He is the great and only
| Light-bearer. the only true light"
He was God and He was man, and
was in the world then-nearly nine
teen hundred years ago, but as John
| says. the world knew him not" The
world today knows but little of Christ,
cares but little for Christ and thinks it
can get along without Christ. If this
life were all the world might turn its
back with something OF independence
and safety upon the one Saviour and
| upon His gracious offers of salvation,
Of a home in heaven forever. 1t is in
deed very strange that mankind turns
from such a friend and loves darkness
rather than light. That the curse of
unbelief should continue to raven and
destroy after SO much light, and the
| many gracious fayors and offers, is a
marvel indeed, one of the greatest of
| all strange things. There were during
| Christ's brief ministry on earth a few
| that came to Him in love, seeking the
| ineffable Light, but the great multi
| tude "received him not" 1t is SO now.
| Where there is one sincere, earnest,
God honoring, God serving, humble,
loving, faithful disciple there are a
hundred perhaps who reject Him, and
sin against Him, and live worldly
lives, and all because of unbelief," as
we learn from Hebrews iii, 10. We are
told in Johns first chapter that las
many as received Him, to them gave
even to them that believe on His
name" What a great and wondrous
thing it is for a fallen, lost, ruined man
to be SO changed, so wrought upon so
transformed as to become lifted up,
saved, blessed, veritably "a son of
God" n of His family, the son of the
Ruler Of the universe, the leader of all
worlds, the mighty Saviour. How is
' man to become a son Of God, the heir
: Of the ages, a child of the mighty in
/ heritance? He gave the believers
/ power to become the sons of God"
| But how. His grace was sufficient.
| They became his sons not by inheri-
| lance, for they were aliens and
enemies, but by almighty grace and
love they became SO through the work
of the Holy Spirit. They repented of
| their sins, believed in the merits of the
atonemeht of the Son of God, were born
| of the Holy Spirit unto the Kingdom of
Righteousness and thus. were made
sons of Cod through Divine power.
In 18th verse, we learn that the sons.
of God" are not BORN of blood, nor of
TRULY born of God" and by the new
birth or regeneration unto righteous
ness, all of which is the gift of God
through Christ Jesus the Son of God.
| our blessed Redeemer. "Hnd the Word
was made flesh, and dweIt among u.s."
| Christ came in the form Of a servant,
in. fashion as a man, on this very earth
in. which we live, and by faith His peo-
| pie now as the apostle John said of
himself and his companions, behold
His glory" by faith 1.-The glory as of the.
| only begotten of the Father, full Of
grace and power" 1t is only the eye
| Of faith that eve beholds the crucifie3
One and beholds the glory and grace
| and power of the only 5egotten Son of
| the Father How blessed the world
1 G1A1u " LiCh "oulo NC IL u
would seek that grace and truth that
| reside in Christ and are shed upon all
| genuine and faithful believers. If we
| love Him we shall know Him. The
more we owe Him tire better we shall
know Him and the more we shall be
like Him. Salvation is of God, and
through grace and power alone comes
/ by and from the Saviour of sinners.
But as many as received Him, to
them gave He power to become the
| son of God" There is no salvation
! out of Christ. Il am the Way, and the
/ Truth, and the Life" So he declared
of Himself. Believe the truth and the
truth shall make you free.
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