Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-29
FINAL PERSEVERANCE.
By Rev. |. R. Christie, Of Spur
geon Memorial Baptist Church.
Extracts From Sermon Preached Sunday
Morning in Which the Doctrine of Final
Perseverance is Set Forth-rext, John
10. e7, 20, go.

Below Is reproduced a portion Of the
sermon delivered Sunday morning by
Rev. L. r. Christie, the pastor of the
Brambleton ward
In order to silence all objections and
disDel all doubt respecting Jesus per-
feet work of REDEMPTION, I use the
strong words quoted in the text which
in no way admit of a double meaning.
With divine consciousness of His own
great purpose and work, He gives this
unmistakable assurance of the eternal
security of the saved. In rider to give
simplicity and force to the great truth
He was uttering, He used popular
comparison-not possible to be misun-
derstood by eastern shepherds-that of
the shepherd and his sheep.
Jesus. the shepherd. BY one who
belongs 10 the fold OF Christ. no further
warrant of security and certain saliva
ton should be needed than to know
mat Jesus is our shepherd. To these
He had referred to Himself as the
Good Shepherd and as touching His
care and solicitude had ventured to say
that the Good Shepherd layeth down
HIS lie Tor the sheep. Ones eyes open
to sublime and glorious channel of
truth when he remembers the simple
duties oil the shepherd; to provide pas
turage and protect from danger But
IN order to define those who are real
snarers IN these peculiar and blessed
privileges. He proceeds 10 say. INV
sheep hear MY voice and they follow
Me- a traveller in the East has OBJ
served that under such discipline and
control have they their flocks that the
shepherds voice is instantly heard and
his command obeyed; while n stranger
Is entirely unnoticed. Jesus alluslon
was unqueStionably to this fact. as he
referred to the characteristic of His
followers to hear His voice. There are
those who having ears hear not" and
such cannot be counted among those
VINO happily share in His provision and
protectorate.
1t is neither the privilege nor the
nature of the sheep to question the wis
oom or His words or His ways. To
question would be doubling; to refuse
would be treason. Only such as have
these new and confiding natures i'm
Parted are referred to as His Sheen
and only these are promised suste,
nance anu safety. Such are these who
Know. and such as have this exDeri-
ence may know for themselves vhathor
tney belong to this fold, and whether
Ihey are the recipients of His bounti
ful provision.
eternal life" The cry of every hnnoar
soul is for life. Made n living souI
Chrlst gives what we are best suited
Dy creation and recreation to receive
breao may appease hunger. water may
quench thirst; gold may satisfy nm.
t',' ana pleasure nourish passion.
nut only life will satisfy the longings
of the soul. The Psalmlst havinp
tasted and seen that the Lord was
good beautifully describes His ahun.
dant provision in the twenty-third
l!salm. THE Lord is my Shepherd. I
shal, not want etc. Recognizing that
mans soul Is immortal he nourishes
II Win HE eternal-not 4 mere strug-
gle alter righteousness but an absolute
gift OF life everlasting. The ONLY CON
ditions suggested in order to receive
eternal life is that they are His. Such
as are fortunate enough to enjoy this
divine distinction are privileged not
Only TO have abundant provision but a
divine protectorate.
The first assurance of their nerfec,
security is that they shall never per
ish." Evidently this rfers to spiritual
life as opposed to spiritual death
Every material has in it the clements
oil death. Left alone, every man and
creeping thing, every plant and shrub
must die. So every natural man has
III his soul the elements OF spiritual
destruction. There has been enough
poison injected into the moral nature
OF man to produce destruction. If there
was no divine remedy to utterly des-
troy the poison
But such as belong to the fold of
Christ shall not die The seed of sin
which remains in them shall not des-
troy the seed of life which is by grace
important to those united with Christ"
The Fathers will. If there be any
question about His own power in the
minds of His hearers. Jesus answers
them that He and the Father are OF one
mind regarding the security of the