Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1912-01-18

and even satan himself But he
all the things which 1t has pleased
the father from the beginning thus 10
reconcile. The definite article in the
Greek suggests this as the thought.
which is made clear by the other
teachings OF the Bible on the same
subject. Among those things which II
pleased the father to reconcile to him
self are the believers on Jesus Christ.
and It Is Of their reconciliation espe-
cially that Paul here speaks
l. First he shows our need OF
reconciliation. BY telling us that We
we're sometime alieaa,ed and enemies
In our mind by wicked works
Sometime" covers the whole period
Of u lives from physical birth TO
our new birth by the holy spirit. All
that time the natural man is allenated
from God And not only slienated.
but hostile TO God. an enemy. as the
text says
What Are Wicked Wcrks1
This enmity need not show itself
necessarily in giving way to the lower
and baser appetites OF the body.
There are cultivated men and women
who are able TO control these appe
tites. but who are at the same time
enemies to God in their mind e.
In their modes OF thought and feeling.
which are contrary to his revealed
will And this enmity must IN the
very nature OF the case. show itself IN
wicked works" All works indeed.
however moral IN the eyes OF men.
are wicked works in Gods sight IL
wrought outside OF Christ. pecaus
they are part Of that system Of world.
illness and sin which is inlmical TO
him.
H. Second. he shows the source OF
reconciliation. which is God him
self Yet now hath h. leconeiled US
The very one from whom we were
alienated and against whom We were
enemies is the q who r~ecouciles Us
II Who Nigh; the vantage ees, have
took
Found out the remedy"
This is race. especially when We
understand that IL does not mean mi.
marily that We became r~econcfled IN
God. but that God became reeonclled
10 US This he did By taking that sin
out Of the way which was the barrier
TO his reconciliation
Ill This leads Paul to speak in the
third place o. the means OF opr
reconciliation which was the work n,
Christ for US on the cross pc our sub
stitute Saviour. In the body of his
hesh through death" Why saw tho
body OF his fesh?" Why not say his
body" without adding flesh" Re.
cause there was n heretical sect IN
h a day which denied the materlality
OF Christs body They believed in a
spiritual. but not a material. mediator.
ship.
But Christ had a rea body and real
flesh and real blood which he orered
In Precipitation for our sin. be passas
through real suffering and died a rsaI
death Such is the teaching Of his
verse.
~. And this brings US TO IN. f,,-,s
point. which is the result n, on.
reconciliation, presented holy and
without blemisa and ~uncharces IN
Gods sight" This Is true immad,,,a'
ly OF every believer the mona,, :.
accepts Christ ~ faith as his "a ytonr
Oh. II everybody in this s~ip-curse, 49,,
s~in-wearied world only knew ana no
heved that II they would only papse
in the rush OF things and listen -
It for a single moment
or course. II does O man 81.
this Is experienced by the believer ~
instant he so believes. but thai, :, ~
comes true Of him in a judicial 60.
before God in that instant.
The Battle Of Concord erIs,.
AT the battle OF Concord bridge =,
the beginning of the revolution ~
John Buttrick gave the comuans ="
hre It was to British subjects he 49,
II. but II was obeyed BY Auare.e
cluzens- In other words. In tha, II.
slant their condition became cbansad
though the experience OF thar chann.
was a thing OF growth. So the ~.
a man takes Christ as his sa,,aaN
he stands before God free from ,ha
guilt OF sin. without blem,sh .
without charge. And this is grace,
The final point in the lesson is -.
PROOF OF our reconciliation. which -
mat We continue in the faith. roo,ad
and grounded and not moved awav
from the hope OF the gospel" Pan, r.
speaking not to the false teacher who
went out Of the church. but to me
true believer who stayed in Those
who are true to the faith delivered
once for all to the saints" have the
witness in themselves tina, tbav ~