The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-10-03


Rev. j. w. Schillinger of the Eman'
uel Evangelical Lutheran church gave
q convincing and interesting sermon
Sunday morning on the theme, THE
Power to Forgive Sins" He said:
"The Christian religion Is religion
of the forgiveness of sins. In TINS
respect 1t differs from all other re-
ligions. All other religions teach
that man must atone for his own
sins by works and sacrifices. the
Christian religion teached that God
out of pure peace, forgives men their
sins, for the sake of the merits ot
Jesus Christ. Hence We Will TO-DAY
speak of The Power to Forgive sins
We will first consider to whom the
rover to forgive sins belongs. we
must agree with the scribes In our
text that God only has the power to
forgive sins. Every sin Is essen
tally n sin against God, transgres-
sion of Gods law. God only has the
power to forgive It, True indeed, inc
Christian church has the ofice 10
forgive sins in Gods name ana pS
Gods command. But on ones own
authority to forgive sins, as Jesus
does I'm our text, Is power wnlch
belongs to God only.
'Christ in our text claims the pow
or to forgive sins Hence he must
give us some evidence that he Is true
God. The scribes call him BIAS
phcmer, because he assumes divine
power. In their blindness and hard
ness of heart, they will not believe
| the many signs the Lord had already
given them In our text he gives
| further proofs of His divine sonship
He reads the hearts of His enemies.
He heals the man hopelessly sick with
the palsy. lie thereby proves that
He Is the true Son of God ana true
Cod and that He has power to for
give sins.
'In the second place we VIII con-
slider, who needs the benefit OF the
forgiveness of sins. Those who nave
| experienced the bitterness OF SIN
need IL. This poor sick man In our
| text had worse disease than palsy
viz; the disease of sin. His sins wor-
| ried him worse than his bodily dls-
| ease No words to him could be
more precious than these: Son, be OF
| good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee''
| We all have the disease OF sin, IN
this mans bodily condition we should
see picture of our spiritual condl-
tion bv nature We all were dead
in trcspasses and sins.
"Men feel more keenly the need oil
forgiveness OF sins, when they eN-
pcricnce the results of sim This man
disease was result of sin. All our
pain and sorrow Is q result OF SIN.
The Wages of sin is DEATH and all
pain and suffering Is embraced In tha'
word, death. Yet all sunerings are
blessings In disguise; as they drive
us to Christ that we may find for
giveness of sins in Him.
"Finally we consider, what are the
necessary conditions for the forgive
ness of sins.
"The first necessary condition IL
faith This man In our text receiVe'
forgiveness of sins only because o
his faith. Jesus always makes hh
blessings depend on the faith OF TN
recipients. We can receive forgive
ness only II we have faith.
"It must be faith which Will owe
come all obstacles, In order to come
10 Jesus. Such was the faith OF th'
men In our text. that II induced then
even TO break open the roof of tn
, house, etc. 1t was faith to remove
mountains Many obstacles try L
hinder US in our coming to Jesus. =
strong faith viii overcome them all
"a second condition Is obedience
to the Lords commands. This con
dltion does not precede but follow
. forgiveness. 1t Is rather condition
for retaining the forgiveness whic'
the Lord has given us. The Lor'
commanded the man In our tex
Arise. take up thy bed. and go unit
thine house He obeyed forthwith
The Lord commands US: arise fron
the couch of sin, and walk in path
! Of righteousness. Let US make hast
to obey. lest we lose the forgiveness
which the Lord has given us"
/, Sunday was the lfieth annivel
gary of the systenla teal missionar