Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-01-31

s3ssM @ who begin the
- day with & sin.
cere purpose to
live as Christ would have them live,
| but who come to the close of the day
confessing how far short they have
come Of being what Christ wanted
them to be.
And the criticism of the world, and
the curse OF the church is, that in
those of US who have named the name
of Christ practice comes so far short
of confession. and that many OF us
who make pious professions by the
very negligence of our living cruelty
the Son of God afresh and put him to
an open shame. Mr. Drummond spoke
truthfully when he said that what the
church needs is not more of US, but
a better brand of us.
There is a better way to live. There
is "a Christian life possible to each
one of US which is higher and hoier
and more victorious than any expert
ence We have had hitherto. The per-
lection of Christian character is the
perfection of faith in Jesus Christ
the faith that takes him to be ali and
in all. Just as by a simple act of
faith we received the gift OF saliva
ton from the crucitied Christ We are
to receive from the risen Christ the
grace which we need to live a con-
sistent Christian life.
May we not explain our failure to
become what We hoped to be, and
what Christ wants us to be, because
we do not understand the difference
between the appreciation OF Christ
and the appropriation OF Christ? The
Christian church does not lack in ap-
probation sermons, prayers, hymns
and testimonies swelling the praise OF
Jesus; but lack of appropriation is
shown in indifference to the claims OF
Christ and the demands Of a holy
life, in spiritual unrest when Christ
has said, Peace | leave with you,
and in frequent failure at the same
point in my life. These are evidences
of our neglect to take Christ as the
complement of our daily need, OF our
neglect to clothe ourselves With
Christ, of our lack of appropriation.
AS one read the New Testament
three things are made clear:
|. Gods purpose, which is to make
us like Jesus Christ, although he uses
various methods by which this end Is
attained. Sometimes the means used
do not seem pleasant to us, but when
We realize his high purpose, We shall
be satisfied
H. Christ's promise. AS we begin
to understand Gods purpose We ask
who is sufficient for these things; but
in the presence Of every high call OF
God, of every holy purpose, OF every
unattained ideal, Christ stands and
says. My grace is sufficient for you
And we may count him faithful who
promised,
Ill. An adequate power When We
accept Christ by faith the holy spirit
comes into US to perfect the purpose
Of God and to make the promise OF
Christ actual in our Christian expert
ence. 1t is the realization OF the pur
nose. the faith il Christs promise,
and surrender to the spirit that con
stitute the elements OF that taith
which is the perfection OF CHRISTIAN
character. So our lack OF deeper
Christian experience, OF power IN
praver. and of usefulness IN service
does not consist in the smaliness Oh
Gods purpose nor the weakness OF
Christ's promise, nor the lack OF an
adequate power-our failure Is De-
cause we do not appropriate all OF
Cod there is for us in Christ Jesus
We are reminded of Martin Luther
who said that the entire secret Oh the
Christian life lies in the use oil tne
nossessive pronouns; that 1t Is great
thing to know that Jesus is SAVIOR
but a far greater thing to know tha'
{ he is nv Savior, In fact the entire
philosophy of the New Testament
with relation to the Christian Is tha'
he shall put off the old man anu
shall put on the new
Therefore, just as by faith ask
Christ to be my savior let me no"
take him for my need of humility
nnritv strength, wisdom, sanctlhca,
tion righteousness, redemption All
I need in thee to find.
/
.crace there is my every debt to pay
Did 70 wash my every sin away;
power to keep me day by day.
For me, for me-
Take Christ, appropriate him, Gu
ter upon the full possession ana ap,
nrooriation of your great inheritance