Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-06-07

while. It is faith that was we'll rep
resented in tha1. crowd that followed
Christ, or that threw garments. or
palms in His way On that first Palm
Sunday long ago.
1t is believed by many that there
were many in the multitude who did
Him honor that day. but who before
the week. ended were crying with an
other crowd: away with Hint Cru
city Him! Cruelty Himv' Their faith
was futile because it led to no confes-
sion, nor conservation.
There IS much faith in Christ that is
like that to-day. It is spasmodic, hys-
terical, ephemeral. It leads people to
church at Easter time, or at Christmas.
who rarely If ever are seen there at any
other time Of the whole year. It may
be that such lave come to church
more to show their new found faith in
Christ, but we will not bring that ac-
cusatiOn against them We will give
them credit for a little faith, even if it
does not last except but for one or two
days Of the year.
Then there is a great deal of this.
kind Of faith out in the world that new
er gets into the churches even Cor once,
or twice year. It is negative, pas
slve faith. It has nothing against
Christ, but it leads to nothing for Him.
There are lots Of people who will tell
you, if you asked them, that they be-
lieve in Christ, and yet they are doing
nothing for His cause Or kingdom.
They never have confessed Him pub
icly. They never have enlisted in His
service.
Now faith Of this kind is good as far
as it goes, bu it doesn't so far enough.
It is better than unbeIief and opposi-
ton. suppose, but it is sometimes
harder . deal with. md to get any
thing out Of, thai are these, l have
thought Our faith, if it is real, and
if it amounts to anything, must lead us
to confession, and TO co2secra ton, to
service and to sacrifice. ~
1t is of the great duty and privilege
of confessing Christ that I would speak
especially this morning. We see in the
text that there were many in Christ's
time who believed on Him, but who did
not confess their belief, nor show their
allegiance. There are very many such
to-day, believe, and it is to those and
of those that would speak. Why is it
that there are SO many timid Chris
tians, and hesitatiDg haif-heartsd
Christians in the world? Why is it
that there are SO many men of good
morals, and Of good WILL and perhaps
of Christian characters. who are unat.
tached to any of our churches, and
who, although they believe i'll Christ,
have never confessed Him IN that way,
at least.
Again we find the answer in the text.
Nevertheless even Of the rulers many
believed on Him; but because of the
Pharisees they did net confess it, lest
they should be put out Of the syna-
gogue; for they loved the glory Of men
more than the glory of God"
The first reason is, false fears. These
timid believers did not confess Christ
for fear Of being put out of the syna-
gogue. The Pharisees had issued de-
cree that if any member Of their syna-
gogues should so much as confess that
he knew Jesus he would be excomnu-
nicated from the synagogue. They
were afraid of this threat or decree,
and so they did not confess Christ.
They did not have faith enough to
make them bold and fearless OF to lead
them to do their duty whatever might
be the consequences. They took couA-
sci of their fears. and so they failed in
their duty. 1t meant much to them to
lose their place in the synagogue. They
knew that It really meant more to
them to confess Christ even if they did
lost their place in the synagogue. They
did not know that. They did not know
that as we know it to-day. We blame
them, but in blaming them we condemn
ourselves, and the people Of this day
who do not confess Chris.
There are very many to-day who be-
lieve in Christ with more or less faith
who do not make any public confession
or profession Of their faith. What him
ders them? Many things, nc doubt.
but among those Hdny things this
"a false fear, the fear of giving
up or losing some coveted position or
pleasure. Let me illustrate what l
mean. There was family at one time
attending this church quite regularly.
I asked them several times it they
would not like to make a public profes-
sion Of their faith and join our cnurcn.
They always objected. and gave me
some weak excuse, but finally they
gave me the real reason. they sald: