Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-07
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REV. SAMUEL w. GRAFFLIN.

THE CHRISTIANS EMANCIPATION"
Scripture BASIS: Romans sic: Romans. 60
and G.22. IS
- HERE is no bondage like spirituasl
III bondage No slave like the slaye
OF SIN. .
Softer than silk are iron chains
Compared TO those, that bind the soul
This is so true that moralist and iiber-
tine. ascetic and gourmand. all unite to
tell, in their confessions of the chatting
chains of appetite; the hateful shackles
of sin. 1t was TO rectify this universal
condition OF depravity, to break the
chains from the souls OF men. that Jesus
came. He came to set us free, to pur-
chase us liberty. with His own coined
blood. and in answer to our faith in Him
to give us the sense of spiritual emanci-
patton unknown to men through any
other source.
Three scriptures are given us. scriptures
that bear upon the logic, scope and pos
/ sibility of The Christians Emancipa-
| tion,' and of these we have three things
| to say:
| 1. The Logic of Christian Liberty
Nothing could he more unreasonable
| than the thought OF a great king who
ruled. not over free men, but over slaves.
That Jesus Christ the Son of God, should
so rule. is beyond conception. Indeed,
the keynote of much OF His preaching
was spiritual freedom. and He SAYS
| John S:34-36), Whosoever committeth
| sin is the servant of sin. If the
Son therefore make you free We shall
| be free indeed" This liberty is not n
| freedom from temptation. for even the
Master was tempted. nor is it freedom
| from the errors of human Judgment: but
il is an absolute freedom from the love
| OF SIN and, because of this, from the do
mlnion OF sin. The free are the only
ones who can be liable to captivity but
only so when they approach too closely
! the enemys country or forswear their
| allegiance to their king. LOYALTY to be
genuine, must be born of love. not fear;
| or devotion, not self-seeking. Thus. hav-
ing been made free, through the atone-
ment OF Christ and faith in Him. our
loving loyalty insures US His protection
! against any temptation which His grace
! VIII not enable us to overcome Refor,
We leave this division we should reme,n-
Der that much which passes for human
weakness in this world is nothing more
or less than disloyalty to God and
rlShf and our own better natures i'm
that We long for that which is unworthy
or vile, knowing il to he SUCH and thus
| invite disaster where il need not be- The
only person whom Jesus told us to re-
member was Lots wife, who lost her
| life. not because liberty was unattatn-
able. but because she did not want H.
When Jesus Christ becomes King of our
| lives. We lose the heart of a slave and
become 1reemen in Him. loving Him
and loving the liberty wherewith He
hath made us free
| = The Crucifixion of Self and Sin
Jesus was crucified. once for all.
ana pore our sins. in His own body.
on the tree: there the debt was paid and
| the mystery Of our redemption accom-
plished; but He did not cruelty our sins
there NO; We cruelty our own sins when
lxr-0
we nan them TO His cross and by faith
accept the sacrifice which paid our debt
ana made us free. Jesus said: IF any
man will come after Me- let him denv
himself and take up his cross daily and
follow Me. AS We do this, We find our
selves companions of the cross and real
lie that the cross, which He commanded
US to bear. is for the daily crucifixion OF
SELF and sin: and hence what seemed a
| burden Is that which lifts life's irksone
load and gives us the sense of perfect
| liberty not ObtaiHable elsewhere
o. emancipation Through Christ-When
mankind was in chains. save to the law.
Of death. God i'm His mercy
saw and loved this maynard child OF
time. He sent His prophets to proclaim
the truth; He gave them laws to guide
| their minds Alright: He wrought for them
\ the fabric of mighty system of wor-
ship, and when all this had failed. be-
| cause that man was human not divine.
God sent His Son to die upon the cross.
| that He. both human and divine. might
do what neither love. por law. nor tenn
pie service, nor prophetic cry had done.
and give to this poor slave Of his own
| l.esh the liberty to live a godly life We
have only but to assert our right.
through Jesus Christ, who paid our NOR
| al debt. to perfect liberty and perfect
love. Then are We free indeed. whom,
He makes free and all the chains which
| bind the slaves of sin are broken from
! US and We know the JOY Of gody free
dom on the soil of God.
Three things are necessary to Christian
emancipation: To long for liberty to
trust for liberty In Him who alone can
| make us free. and daily to cruelty those
base and worldly things whose federation
would threaten our God-given freedom