The Tupelo journal., 1904-10-14
THE old illustration of the card of

faith by their works.
THE old illustration of the card OF
i two colors is familiar to all, and
exactly illustrates this point. The dis
pute as to its color appeared ridiculous
and unnecessary when it became known
that both disputants were right, for n
side of the card was blue and the other
was red. One had seen one side and
the other had seen the reverse side. 1t
was the same card, but looked at from
different viewpoints it appeared differ
ent. So is it with the doctrine of saliva
ton by faith and salvation by works.
They are the two sides to the one great
fact of salvation through Christ Jesus.
They are inseparably linked. They are
the Gospel twins. The famous SiameSe
twins which were exhibited through
the country years ago were not more
closely joined together than are these
two conditions of salvation. The mat
ter, | believe, was seriously discussed at
one time by scientific men, of separating
the Siamese twins by surgical operation.
but it was finally decided that it would
prove fatal to both the children. And
any effort to separate the Gospel twins
must prove disastrous. The faith Of the
heart must go hand in hand with the
confession of the mouth. The two pro-
vide the evidence which every soul
needs to test the reality of Salvation.
The double proposition which Paul lays
down in u text offers a subject for
very serious consideration for every one
who claims to have a saving faith in
Jesus Christ. The question arises at
once: Are there Christians so-called
with but half an experience? What is
really involved in the term Salvation?
What is faith of the heart? and what is
confession of the mouth?
T EFT us try to give the soul answer
l. to these stirring and important
queries. And first of all is it possible
for one to have a partial, an incomplete
Christian experience? Nicodemus,
the member of the Sanhedrin, who came
to Jesus by night and to whom Jesus
spoke some of the sweetest and pro-
foundest truths recorded in any of the
Gospels, is a striking example OF this.
From the moment of that midnight on
ference, Nicodemus believed Jesus was
the Christ the Son of God. But he locked
the secret in his heart. He never
breathed it to colleague or friend. And
50 through the rest OF Jesus eyentful
ministry he continued with half an ex-
perience. And not until the tragedy Of
Calvary was enacted and Jesus life
blood had been shed for the sins of the
world, did he come out in open confess
sion of his faith and enjoy the full ex-
~perience Of Salvation. As he went to
plate and begged the body of Jesus, as
he wrapped it in the grave cloths that
the rich Joseph provided, as he fol-
lowed the bruised and tortured and life
less body to the tomb, he made the con-
fession that all along had been needful.
And how many there are who, believing
that Jesus is the Christ and secretly are
following Him, are nevertheless robbed
Of that Joy of-.he consciousness of Sal
walton which comes from the open coz
fession of the inward conviction. The
so-called secret Christian cannot know
or experience the meaning Of Salvation.
There may be recognition of all the
claims of Jesus. there may be effort at
secret allegiance and discipleship. but
the soul is robbed of half the joy ann
blessing which come from vital union
with Christ.
CALvATION, then, involves more
= than belief Of the heart. The latter
must be supplemented by the confession
Of the mouth. To connect up the dyna-