The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1904-08-13


heart. Each is poem OF beauty and
som to such one means more than
It does to the one who sees a blossom
and nothing more. And this illus
trates our point In reference to saliva
tion. All who nave by faith accepted
Christ as Saviour recognize the flower
of salvation. They rejoice In Its pos
session. but to many 1t never un-
folds its hidden beauties and fullness
of meaning. There is no eye or heart
for anything but the escape which is
made from the death penalty for sin.
Salvation means one thing. and one
thing only: The bare saving of the
soul In the dark hour OF death. But
to others 1t unfolds its charm and
beauty all along the pathway of life
A ND yet not all, for Peter speaks OF
n the redeemed soul being kept by the
power Of God through faith unto sal
walton ready to be revealed in the last
time" "a salvation to be revealed"
Surely then the fullness Of salvation.
To those who have come in repentance
to the feet of Jesus and been cleansed
from all sin in the precious blood which
was shed on Calvary. John, the be-
loved disciple, says: Beloved, now are
we the sons of God" And that relation
ship means everything for this life. 1t
brings safety, 1t brings peace and JOY,
it brings satisfaction and worthy aims
and ambitions, and the only true and
abiding success which man can ever
know. Beloved. now are we the sons
of God" Think OF 1t! Salvation
through Jesus Christ brings you and me
into that relationship. And surely as
sons we may here and now enjoy the
fullness of salvation. But listen! There
is something more the APOSTLE has to
say: But it doth not yet appear what
we shall be-" Can 1t be that the realiza-
ton of the fullness of salvation here
cannot give us all that is included in
that gift? Yes, for take the saint who
has realized the most of that wondrous
salvation in his life and heart. and still
John says: Beloved, 1t doth not yet
appear what we shall be-" Why?
Listen: For we know that when He
shall appear, we shall be like Him for
we shall see Him as He is" That is what
the fullness of salvation will mean. Per-
feet likeness to Christ. Changed COM
pletely from the falling and imperfect
man struggling along through the vary
ing stages of present salvation to the
complete salvation to be revealed in the
last time"
WI HAT then is the relation of the one
w to the other. Why should we
struggle and strive In this present life
that the salvation of Christ may per-
meate our every impulse and desire and
being, If in the end we are to realize the
fullness of salvation at one splendid
revelation of Christ? Let us see. Our
text plainly tells us that the ultimate
triumph of our faith will be the saliva
ton of our souls. There can be no pos
sible misunderstanding Of Scripture on
this point True faith in Jesus Christ
will most surely land the soul in Heaven
And the soul, as John intimates, will BIZ
changed into the likeness Of Jesus
| Christ But we must not suppose tina
we shall all be alike In that we will los'
our individuality. We shall be like Hisl
in purity, because made pure in Hi
precious blood, and we shall be like Hin
in oneness with the Fathers will ant
purpose. Where now sin holds dominion
over us, where now we are indineren
and rebellious to the Fathers will, WI
shall then be changed and freed foreve
from sins dominion and see with cleai
vision how sweet and perfect and goot
the will Of God is. In this respect W.
shall all be like Christ The saint who
has attained the spiritual heights and
the saint who has been saved 30 as by
fire." will receive "the end Of thell
| faith, even the salvation Of their souls.
but to one the salvation will mean bare
ly getting into Heaven, and to the other
It will mean the glorious and full mani
festation Of the spiritual graces which
have been developed in this life. Think
/ you that the soul that has barely gained
| Heaven will realize that salvation In the
same degree and fufness with the saint
who had begun in this life to know what
that salvation meant in its victory ovel
sin and the formation Of the Christ-like
character? 1t will be great Joy and
peace to be in Heaven, but how much
greater will be the capacity to enjoy thai
place II in this life we begin to realize the
fullness of salvation.
n UR text speaks of faith; faith bring
| " ing the soul ultimately to safe
anchorage In Heaven. Faith Is the chan
mel through which all blessing flowi
from God to the human life and soul
without faith 1t Is impossible to please
Him, for he that cometh unto God mus
believe that He is and that He Is re
warder of them that diligently seel
Him" Salvation IL faiths blossom
Give faith deep root; keep It wateret
with the word of truth; enrich the sol
1 with a surrendered will and mellow 1
with the harrow Of resolute purpose; lie
the storm OF adversely test its depth ant
strength of root, and let the scorchlnI
heat Of the midday sun Of temptation
beat upon It until all the sap Of the hid
den power Of God 10 drawn UP into II
s..alk and stem and leaf. and then thu
flower OF the fullness Of salvation will
begin to unfold. And the end Of you
faith will be the salvation ofyour soul