Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-02-28

God SO loved the world" "God
commendeth His love-" Christ said
to the Samaritan woman, IF thou
knewest the gift of God" Jesus Is
like eternal life, 'the gift of God"
God alone knew our condition and
need Many centuries have elapsed
since the fall of man. Each period
has revealed some new phase Of the
corrupt character of the unsaved
heart. Still we are unable to fully
appreciate the horrors of an un-
washed soul And even il man had
acquired a full conception of his
natural state, he could have devised
no way of escape. But God, who
not only knew just what we were,
but what we should become in sin,
devised q way by which we might
avoid the loss of our souls. Our
condition sinful, our need Savior
Even IL 1t had been the strange
fortune for some one to procure full
information concerning our state and
requirements, it would have awaited
nothing, for only God could have
sent His Son. 1t is one thing to
know what we need, and quite an
other to supply it. In the order OF
things it occurs that to our ears
comes the information that certain
thing is needed We would be only
too glad to furnish it if it were with
in our power so to do, but how often
it is not Our conception of our ac-
tual condition must ever remain the
same incomplete aud imperfect no.
ton, and even if it should dawn up
hat nd al
we could do would be to appeal to
Divine grace in prayer. We cannot
ascend to heaven and bring Christ
down. Only God would be willing
to make such a sacrifice for sinners.
If we were controlled entirely by HUI
man nature, we would let sinners live
and die sinners. What difference
does it make to us? we would say.
And if their redemption could be OBJ
tanned at nominal price, many
would be unwilling to give OF their
means to satisfy Divine Justice. Rare
are the instances in which even the
people OF God are willing to make
sacrifices or undergo hardships for
the Kingdoms sake. Are there any
who would be willing to allow a son
to become what Christ became? To
live and labor as He did? and to
close this life on the cross? Very
few, If any. Another thought in
connection with the heavenly gift IS
that not only could God give His Son
but that He would. 1t may be that
the reason Paul called attention to
the one who presented the Son OF
Glory, was that we might not obtain
the notion that it was an act indie
pendent of the Lord Almighty, but
that the Father gave His Son to buy
us back to Himself.
III. The Value the Apostle Attaches
to This Gift.
Thanks be to God for His un-
speakablo gift" BY which Paul
means that its full value is 50 great
that it cannot be either estimated
or expressed
The Gift of God is unspcakable
because of the source from which it
has come. Before His incarnation
He resided in heaven, where lie IS
to-day. In different ways and at sew
cval times He appeared TO chosen
ones during tho old dispCuSation, but
the centre from which He radiated
! was the city of God. Coming from
the New Jerusalem we prize Him the
! more, since we are striving to enter
| the golden gate. Sometimes glil
which in itself is of but little value,
| becomes of incstimablc worth on
account of its source. Without I'M
! dervaluing the intrinsic worth OF the
! Lord Jesus Christ, we cannot but Zee!
! that the very fact of His coming from
| heaven makes Him moro dear to rs.
The value of a gift is controlled
| in part by its nature. II 1t Is con-
! structed out of material that is bnt
| little worth. we esteem it less highly
| than we would if made out Of fine
| gold The nature Of the gift TO which
| Paul allrdes is divine. The body OF
, the Lord was human like our own,
! but IL was simply the vehicle OF His
| heavenly character in which lie tab
! ernacled during His short earthly
stay. The perfection of His person
! atty was a living demonstration OF
/ His divine nature.
The purpose for which n gift IS
intended has considerable to do with
its value. The Son OF God came to
us from the mansion in the skies for
! the sole purpose of teaching us what
we must do to be saved, and TO make
atonemcnt on the cross TO" Ms.
~. Pants Expression Of Gratitude.
"TilanEs."
He was thankful to God for THIS
| gift because it was by means Of the
! Lord Jesus Christ that he was saved
and made an apostle. At one time
he was lost but now Is saved. And
, the same effect was realized in the
experiences of others, Like Paul.
they were lost, but through Jesus
were saved. And we can join with
the apostle in the same praise, for
those who are saved, a"e saved be-
cause of the gift Of Jesus to be our
| Savior.