The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-08-14

turies of trial and constant and re-
peated failure. The prodigal son
could not bring any of the filthy rags
of the far country back to his faith
er's house. Notice how he is stripped
of his own covering and is provided
with suitable clothing sut of the
fathers storehouse. Man cannot
come back to God wearing the livery
Of the world, but he must be stripped
and be clothed upon with the right
eousness which is of God through
Christ. Because the father of the
prodigal was faithful father he
must needs remove all marks of the
far country from the repentant boy.
Because God is a faithful Father He
must needs remove every sin-stain Of
the world before the sons in the far
country can be taken back again as
sons and given place in the Fathers
House. ssThe soul that sinneth it
shall diet" were the words of God as
He placed man in the garden He had
prepared in all its beauty for him.
All, how the moaning of the trees
must have sent shivering through the
spaces of the garden to the hearts
of that guilty pair these words of the
righteous God, and how out on the
thorn-covered ground outside the
garden must have begun to be real
lied the meaning of this awful judg-
ment for sin as the father and moth
er for the first time saw death in the
body as they gazed in anguish upon
the face of their dead boy, killed by
the hand of his brother. and that
hand Eerved to the deed by the sin of
his parents! "The soul that sim
meth 1t shall die!" That judgment
of a righteous God cannot be altered.
1t never has been altered and never
will be altered. But God, mot will
ing that any should perish" hath
provided way of escape through the
Heaven-sent substitute. The sinless
One became sin for us and bore the
guilt of the world in His body on the
tree and died for us that we might
be free from the guilt and conse-
quences Of sin. Herein is manifested
the perfect Righteousness of God,
and the Spirit of God, having con-
victed the soul of sin, leads that soul
out into the light which sees Christ
as its Saviour and the way back to
the Fathers House and true sonship
with God.
Sons of God! Oh, friend, it will
take the years Of eternity to fully
tell the riches and glory summed up
in that relationship. Behold, what
manner of love the Father hath be-
slowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God: therefore the
world knoweth us not, because it
knew Him not. Beloved, now are we
the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be: but we
know that, when He shall appear, we
shall be like Him; for we shall see
Him as He is" The world hath moth
ing to offer which can compare with
this matchless provision which God
has made for man in finding his way
back to Him, and the glory and bless
ing of that sonship is not future
hope beyond the grave, but present
reality, "for," our text goes ON to
declare, Eye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear"
Fear of what? Fear of sin and Satan.
Who else is there to fear but Satan?
For "the whole world lieth in the wick
ed one," and because your adversary,
the devil, as roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may de-
vour.' Yes, and again he comes as an
angel of light and would lead astray
the very elect if it were possible.
Perfect Deliverance.-But don't sup
pose for moment that the devil has
everything his own way, for the sons
of God shave not received the spirit Of
bondage again to fear" Satan has no
longer any claim on you and can no
longer touch you If you, as a son Of
God, take refuge in the One who has
completely overcome him. The Spirit,
leading you as son of God, brings you
out into the light of His completed
work in the soul, as you realize the
meaning Of the third part of His mis-
sion in the world, that of Convincing
of judgment, because the prince of this
world is judged"
Poor Christian on his way to the
celestial city, seeing the lions in the
path ahead, was filed with fear and
dread and hesitated to pass that point
until, as he drew nearer, he found that
the lions were chained. Blessed be God.
He has not left His sons to be torn by
unclaimed lions of the devils breed
ing. They are chained here and now,
and can't touch US if we stay in the
narrow path and keep our eyes on
Jesus, our conquering Saviour. Dur
ing the millennial age the devil is to be
chained from the world, but praise
God, ever since the complete undoing
of Satan in Gethsemane and on Cal
vary, Satan has been chained from the
sons Of God, and he can't touch them
unless they backslide into the far
country and fail to claim complete de-
liverance. The Spirit bears in upon
our ssouls the truth that the prince
| of this world has been judged, and
| that the sons of God are free, and as
we turn our faces towards the HoLae.
land and see our Saviour's face we
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