The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-29
JESUS SAVES NOT MERELY
FROM ILLS OF THE FLESH.
His One Great Work, Says Doctor
j. G. Armstrong, Is to Save Men
From Their Sins.

The Reverend Doctor ]. c. Armstrong.
editor of the Central Baptist and supply
pastor of Third Baptist Church. preached
yesterday morning from the text Thou
shalt call his name Jesus. for he shall save
said: POI
THE name Jesus means savior. When
the name was given. very important COM
mentary was added. There might arise in
the days to come some doubt or difference
of opinion as TO which of cur intirmites
excited his pity and brought him to earth.
We have MANI and diversified wants. and
II could come about that would want
TO put Jesus at some small task far below
the one which he set before himself. But
this matter is made safe by the explanation
that he came TO save his people from their
sins.
1T would be great dishonor TO God
and great loss 10 the world ii we were
TO convert Jesus into n doctor and make
him devote himself to healing, diseases and
building establishments for the practice of
hygiene: or. II We Were to degrade his
work by making ii an undertaking of chari-
ty, large humanitarian scheme for MIN
istry to temporal want; or. if We Were 10
put Jesus to the task of managing social
reforms and carrying out plans of educa-
ton. 1t is a saving clause which was
added to the text and which compels US
TO leave Jesus at his chosen task of saving
men from their sins.
Let us picture him, then, rescuing man.
Let II be a man with body still diseased.
with mind not yet expanded by liberal
culture. a man with many limitations and
sorrows: but 1t must be man saved from
HIS sins. or the work of Christ is failure.
Jesus IL bearing him away from the thral-
dom of sin and death. Let us allow the
Savior TO go on with his chosen work.
THE specific character of Christ's mission
makes very important a correct view of
law which God has given us to prescribe.
first OF all. our relation to him and our con-
matter between a man and God No others
can settle the difficulty. 1t is not essen
TALLY a quarrel with conscience. or with
with society. Hence. no one but God can
punish sin or pronounce the conditions and
fact Of forgiveness. Whatever other dis
transgression. they are incidental and con-
sequentiel. No permanent cure OF sin can
be effected by superficial remedies. The
sallow complexion from exposure to bad
surroundings. Upon this character of sin
the necessity OF regeneration of the moral
The government Of God proceeds upon a
distinction which We make in family and
social and civil government. 1t is the moral
duct. We locate evil just where the law
and remedy Of God locates it. We do not
blame man for being two inches higher
We pity him IL he is born blind. or has a
misshapen body. or If he inherited disease
our sympathy and help go out to those
physical defects and shortcomings we have
no penitentiaries and no criminal courts
We deal In like manner with the mental
with larger brain than others. II is NOT a
crime for man to have less mental aeu-
men than his neiEhbor. Ignorance in gen
have the good will and confidence OF others.
But when It comes to the moral nature
ana to ethical action. a different set of
bending rigfdity we demand that every
man shall have correct moral standard ot
right and wrong, and We never excuse him
II he is rational from a strict adherence 10
the nght. He can he a cripple or an invalid
ne can be half-witted or uneducated: bit
ne cannot be moral delinquent. All these
courts and !afls and police and penalties
were provided to enforce the right and to
punish evil doors. Our views are in perfect
accord with the Bible in making sin the
place OF chief responsibility.
the bearing Of this on the much exploited
development theory. II the conscience. or
the moral nature. is the product Of environ
menI. ana no more then We are all astray
conduct. Universally men refuse to treat
the moral nature as a merely natural ard
ealutary development Of necessary steps IN
an upward progress: But I must not take
time to further Justify the distinction which
the Bible makes, and which all human phil
osorhy makes Every PENAL law writes
The plan of redemption proceeds upon
the theory that whatever is wrong in hu.
manity is wrong In the moral realm
Whatever IL done to save the lost Is to he
directed toward the ethical powers. Much
as mental training has done to reveal the
world, and to make It beautiful to us; much
as It mas done to minister to want and &c
progress. redemption is never going to be
effected from that side. Sin Is not ignor-
ance. The drunkard and the libertine know
better than they can be told that they are
on the way to SUFFERING And so Of almost
all the vices and crimes OF which men are
guilty. Jesus was a philosopher in directing
his ministry to the ethical. moral. emotional
sources in life There IS no condemnation ir
his word. for bodily inflrmities or for menta
limitations. but there are scathing denun-
Citations Of SIN and there are provisions Il
cleanse the soul from moral impurities. He
appeals 10 and promises repentance. faith
resolutions for good. hope and love. Here
hie gracious work begins. spreading later
20 all the faculties OF body and of mind
He addresses not the cultured and the edu
Gated alone or specially: he speaks to the
common heart. He lays hold upon ali tina
belongs to the inner. the essential life. H'
demands graces of the heart rather thar
acute exercises OF the brain. It is pool
business to turn Jesus into mere re
former. helper in works humanitarian am
benevolent After all these centuries he i
the only Savior OF sinners"