The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-05-16

| confession OF need, and assuring MIN
of the possibility 'of healing. Thus
the Great Physician constantly deals
with souls, to convince sinners of their
need Of healing and to teach Chris
tians that theer are still defects in
their own lives. In the one case fail
ure of faith prevents healing; in the
other, lack OF submission prevents
Wilderness.
| The study of the impotent man Is
interesting from every point of view;
and the place at which the healing oc-
Cured Is northumberland mean
4 ing house of mercy. The waters Of the
pool had certain curative properties,
but the man of the story was in such
plight that he had no friends to put
/ him into the pool when the water was
troubled 1t requires no strength of
| the imagination to suppose that his
| reply to Jesus not only was full Of
pathos.- but also full of great long
| ing, for notice the quick response and
! the great result: Jesus saith unto
him rise, take UP thy bed, and walk.
And Immediately the man was made
whole, and took up his bed and
walked"
The main point Of the story is in v.
"a: Verify, verify, | say unto you, he
that heareth my word, and believeth
on him that sent me, hath everlasting
| life, and shall not come into condem-
nation; but is passed from death unto
life" This is really the gospel in a
sentence, for the supreme purpose of
Jesus was. to give life and to heal US
from all infirmities.
We need not describe eternal life;
but 1t is desirable, glorious and neces-
sary. You cannot take sin-sick,
ruined soul out Of this world and in
habit heaven with 1t in the next. You
cannot. There is no such thing after
death as a spiritual revolution. God
would have to shut you in The glo-
ries of heaven wouldA mean nothing
to you, the songs Of heaven would
be torture to you, and heaven itself
perpetual torment So, because eter-
nal life Is so desirable and is the free
gift of God, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, the question is pertinent, wilt
thou be made whole?'
The conditions upon which you are
made whole, of passing from death
unto life, are knowledge, repentance,
belief, obedience They are SO easy
that We make them hard and miss the
blessing because we do not accept
them in their simplicity. Eternal life
In such case is not a gift that we
cannot have but that we will not have.
Let us never forget two outstanding
things about sin: l. It deiIes. Sin is
not manly, and ever since the day
when the devil beguiled Adam and
Eve the trail of the serpent has
wound its way through human nature
and through human history, leaving
defilement in its wake. 2. Sin de-
stroys This is an oldfashioned doc
trine but as true as 1t is old In spite
OF all that men may say, or hope, or
do, the wages Of sin is death There
fore, again the question is pertinent
Wilt thou be made whole?
This old-time story is parable and
a promise, for Jesus Christ still waits
to be gracious.
Every place of need may be a Be
thesda, and just where you are Jesus
stands opposite your need saying,
wilt thou be made whole?" BY ev-
cry possible way he is pleading, 20
Israel, thou has destroyed myself, but
in me is thy help" Thousands OF
people of every age and cline have
found relief, healing and salvation just
as the man at the pool found 1t that
day by simple trust.
wilt thou be made wholeg That
Is the question. How often Jesus has
had to say, 'Ye will not come unto
me that We might have life" What a
tragedy when soul turns away from
him and goes out into darkness, de-
spair and death
Let the story teach us three things:
The. need of prompt response to
Christ's words, no thought of failure
in the future, and continuous use of
the strength which Christ gives. Seek
We the Lord while he may be found;
call We upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way and
the unrighteous- man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the Lord and
he will have mercy upon him; and to
our God for he win abundantly par.
don"
THE Great Physician now is near.
The sympathizing Jesus"
Man Of Sorrows, what a name
For the Son of God who came ~
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Ifall I,tSo IL