Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-03-14

like eternal life, 'the gift of Cod
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 if man had
acquired a full conception of his
natural state. he could hare devised
no way of escape. But God, who
not only knew just what we were,
but what We should become in sin,
devised way by which we might
avoid the loss of our souls Our
condition sinful, our need Savior.
Even if it had been the strange
fortune for some one to procure full
Information concerning our state and
requirements, it would have availed
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 and imnerfect no.
ton, and even if it should dawn up.
on us just what we are and need. all
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 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
tained at a 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 gilt IS
that not only could God give His Son
hut that He would It may be tnat
the reason Paul called attention to
the one who presented the Son or
Glory, was that we might not OBTAIN
the notion that it was an act inde.
nendent of the Lord Almighty, but
that the Father gave His Son 10 Duy
us back to T.-nse.f.
III. The Value the Apostle Attaches
to This Gift.
r-S fo~ uic nm.
speakable gift By which fau!
means that its full value is SO srea,
| that it cannot be either estlmateo
! or expressed.
| The gift of God Is unspeakabi!e
because of the source from wh1cn y
has come Before His incarnatloi
| He resided in heaven, where ne
| to-day. In different ways and at sev
| eral times He appeared to cnosei
ones during the old dispensatlon. pu
the centre from which He radlate.
was the. city of God. Coming iron
the New Jerusalem we prize Him IN
more. since we are striving to ente
the golden gate. Sometimes a gl1
which in itself is of but little value
becomes Of inestimable worth on
| account Of it's source. Without un
darval1tfng the intrinsic worth or IN
Lord Jesus Christ, We cannot put lee
that the very fact Of His coming 1roI
heaven makes Him more dear TO US.
| The value OF gift is controiIe
in part by its nature. Il ills COZ
structed out of material that Is pu
little worth, we esteem 1t less nignI
than we would II made out oI In
! gold.