The Tupelo journal., 1903-12-11

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simple and yet
@~ profound. Paul
was sent to preach the Gospel; not in
wisdom of words, lest the cross OF
| Christ should be made void" And 1t
is this simple old story of he cross
which we want TO proclaim that there
by perhaps some may be delivered from
their folly and come to see and know
in the cross the power of God. To those
who have experienced salvation ana
thus have come to know Gods merci-
full provision for mankind in His plan
of redemption, it seems strange mat
there should be those who fail to UNI
derstand God or realize their need OF
redemption. And yet such there are.
1t is a condition and not a theory which
we meet. On every hand there are
found those who for reasons which are
manifold do not come to a knowledge
of the truth. Skepticism and unbelief
distort the cross and make Gods mar
velous plan of salvation appear unreal
and foolish. The finite mind of man
tries TO reason out and understand the
infinite God; he exercises his W wis
dom and evolves his own theories as to
God and His methods with Per-
ishing in the very presence of the cross
because unbelief will not give a true
vision of the souls need and of the
cruciied Lord, even as many persisted
in the wilderness because they would
not turn their eyes TO the braZen serpent
which Moses held up, a type of the
Christ.
ENEN as the braZen serpent marked
l. the line of separation between the
dead and the living, so the cross of
Christ marks the division of humanity
to-day, between the perishing and the
being saved. This division was strik-
ingly set forth upon the very day of the
c~rucifixion, when between the two
thieves the Christ was placed. To one
thief the cross of Christ meant the
power of God which was able to deliver
his soul from a worse death than that
into which his body was sinking, and the
Saviour's promise anne to cheer his
heart in the terrible hour: This day
shalt thou be with Me in paradise"
But to the other thief came no such re-
assuring message, for his heart of IN
belief shut out the true vision Of the
cross of Christ and made it appear as
foolishness unto him. And the line Of
separation which existed between these
two sinners has continued down to this
day. The cross of Christ continues to
those who are perishing, foolishness,
but unto those being saved it is still the
power of God unto salvation. 1t is the
difference between light and darkness;
life and death. On one side the eternal
blessing of God and His Christ is being
shed forth and on the other is found the
deep shadow of His judgment. To those
standing in the light of the glory of that
cross the power of God is known and
ow are, there the cross appears as fool
ishness. While the soul is carrying the
burden of sin the power of the cross is
not felt, but when the burden of sin
rolls into the grave at it's foot, then the
soul knows what God has wrought
through that cross for him. 1t is no
longer ~foolishness, but power and wis
dom Divine.
THE cross of Christ is the power and
L wisdom of God because of its ne
cessity. The sin of the world could not
be atoned for in any other way, for
without the shedding Of blood is no re-
mission" Jesus declared of Himself
that 'as Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness, so must the Son of Man
be lifted up, that whatsoever believeth
in Him should not perish but have eter-
nal life" Gods justice demanded the
punishment of sin. Gods mercy pro-
vided a sacrifice for sin. The cross re-
veals the power of God. The one su-
preme thought of God through the ages
was the redemption of man, and His
mighty power and resources were exert
ed in and through mar to the accom-
plishment of this great salvation" The
cross reveals the wisdom of God. He
planned from the foundation of the
world for the redemption of man. And
how marvelousiy He has wrought out
His plans through the ages. Only the
infinite wisdom of a great God could
bring them to successful elimination.
The cross of Christ reveals the love of
God. That wonderful sixteenth verse
IF tho third chantpr of JOhn dooloroo
that God so loved" His love was SO
UNNECESSARILY great that the best gift He
| could offer was none too good for Him
to give. and so He gave His only be-
gotten Son. Some one has said that
if there is any bright side to human sin
it is that it serves as a background on
which God can paint with rainbow
brightness the colors of His grace and
love; it is that 1t serves to bring out
beauties in the Divine character which
possibly we could not know if we had
not rebelled against Him. Oh, the love
of God which passeth all understanding,
THE cross came as the elimination
/ of Jesus lite. 1t was that for
which lie was born. 1t was the fruitior
of His victory owe sin. HE was in
all points tempted as we are, vet with
our sim" At His TRANSPORTATION He
was ready, as far as He Himself was
concerned, TO return to Heaven. He
had won Heaven by a sinless life. But
in His conversation with Moses and
Elias He talked of His coming de-