The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-12-01


Christ to have the right and the power
to communicate to them "sonship" OK
God. Disciples of Him who walked among
them as their Redeemer. And when they
had given Him that simple confidence and
proved it openly by obedience to His com.
mand of public confession or His claim,
glad and willing to be known as His fol-
lowers and co-workers, at that moment
were they given the right to be the chill
dren of God. Then were they born not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, but of God. The gen.
uneness OF their faith and sonship was
ton in Christ was equipment for service
to others. They did not doubt the d.
vine personality Of Christ, but they fol-
lowed Him. Your child loves and rejoices
in you when he obeys you. Christ the
great captain of Righteousness is as king
men to follow Him. If .ye know these
things, happy are ye if ye do them; This
means more than mere intellectual assent
to the doctrines and teachings. OF Christ:
for this may remain only profession and
not pass into feeling and action.
You recall the searching words OF Christ
speaking to the intellectual failures Of the
Pharisees, in Matthew XIV: 8: This peo-
ple honoreth Me with their lips. but their
heart is far from Me. But in vain they do
worship Me, teaching for doctrine the
commandments of men," And again,
when He was speaking to this same aris-
tocracy of the intellect and sticklers for
the strict letter of the law. He said: "And
why call We me Lord. Lord! and do not
the things which / saw" Manifestly.
then, Christ was eager that men should
give honest, hearty assent to His claims
Of discipleship. He then promised poten-
tial freedom, personal liberty. But the
mere exercise OF faith was not enough.
Christianity is something larger and tincr
than evea the genuine exercise OF faith
in the person and work Of Chris.
Faith unfolds itself in many forms OF
Christian experience and activity, all OF
which are. embraced in "repentaSce;
growth and service" When st. Paul
wrote to that little band OF men at Ephe-
personal Christ. he bade them grow up
in all things into Him, who is the head
even Christ" But lest there may hc some
among us this morning who, in thinking
this whole matter over. do mot find 1T so
difficult to believe this Divine Son of
God but who 90 not quite appreciate the
relation of a man to his sin. TO his fail
ures, his deliberate acts of wrong and evil,
is it necessary to repent! And what IL
repentance? -"Except We repent" cried !
Joan the Baptist Manifestly it is neces-
sary. And what is it? 1T is deep
change OF the entire thinking, feeling and
willing man; and involves as its e.ements
enlightenment, contrition and confession,
prayer for pardon and peace, counting the
cost and endeavo- after new obedience.
Look at these for moment. E1lighten-
ment! This is the work of the Holy
Ghost. 1t was not until the prodigal son
came to himself that he started on that
wondrous pathway to lifelong blessing:
Enlightenment as to his own folly and
sin and consciousness that fathers love
awaited his return. My brother, il some
things are uncertain. pray for enlighten-
ment and He who in the same chapter
proclaimed Himself 10 be the light of
men will reveal the path to contrition
and confession. ~ have sinned against
heaven and in Thy sight" was a life CIV;
that faith in the Fathers love was sorry
and ashamed for its past ingratitude. In
that heart cry for pardon was the sours
receiving Christ, and because He received,
he had the-right to be son OF God. Man
repented and God by His divine act re.
generated.
There are Others here to-day who viii
admit the truth Of much that l say. but
in whom and about whom there are OBJ
stac,es which YOU have not the courage
and the determined patience to overcome:
Some of these obstacles are the power OF
sin in the soul, for. like St. Paul of old.
YOU find law that when Won do good
evil is present." false pride in ones
own personality ard achievement, for
there are not few of US, with Il thank
Thee that I am not as other men are
tendencies; the environment OF worldly
interests and friendships, and the iasin-
cerity OF many processing Christians. An;
bow many of US does this latter include.
Nevertheless, not few are enabled to
rise above these obstacles and become soma
OF God.
Again I ask the initial question of this
message. can | do az please? Or must
I do as another pleases! And i believe
an honest study of the New Testament
viii show us that the only freedom which
is comprehensive is the freedom and Eb-
erty which God gives to our who:e nature
when we have accented or received His :
Son Jesus Christ to be our Rcdeemer and
Master. May you this day. my earnest,
seeking friends. find the Christ whose
sacriicial love, represented in this atoning
blood. and receiving Him by faith: be
called children of God, and if children, y
then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ, ii 80 be that we suffer with
Him. that we may be also giorihed to-
0ether