The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1913-08-01

How can God reckon one righteous
who is not righteous? This Is 1alr
question and we must face 1t. sup
pose a merchant in small town had
fallen into debt He Is not good
buyer, he Is not accurate In his &C
counts, and he Is shiftless. Suppose
a rich uncle who has made a fortune
in the same business, and has retired
should pay him a visit. After few
days he says to his nephew: John. l
hear bad reports about you; people
say that you are sadly in debt and
that your credit is poor. l have had
a good year, and believe l will help
you. If you will foot up all your debts
l will give you a check for the whole
amount"
John accepts his offer and pays on
his creditors. AS they go out OF his
store they say to one another: I'VE
are fortunate in getting our money
this time, but we will not trust him
again. He Is the same shiftless John,
and he will soon be as badly In debt
as ever" Now what has his uncle &C
complished for John? He has pe1d
his debts, but he has not restored his
credit.
Suppose, on the other hand that the
uncle had said: John, have been
out of business a few years and find
that I am getting rusty. like this
town and I have about decided to go
into partnership with you" John Is
delighted, of course. The uncle says:
'T will put in all my capital and ex-
perience, but l shall insist upon be-
ing manager of the business. You can
be the silent partner and work under
my direction. And John, think you
had better take down that sign over
the door, for your name does not COM
mand the highest respect in this town.
Suppose you put up my name instead,
& Co. think 1t will look better. and
you can be the company"
John gladly complies with the condi-
tions, and the business opens under
| new auspices. John goes out to buy
goods, and what does he find? In.
stead of refusing to trust him, every
merchant in town is glad to give him
credit. because his rich uncle has be.
| come identified with the business. In
the one case the uncle paid his debts.
but did not restore his credit. In the
other case he restored his credit BY
going into partnership with him.
Gods law says that the soul which
sinneth shall die. When Jesus took
our place on the cross ind died for
our sins. that paid our debt, but 1t did
not restore our credit, 1t lid not make
us righteous. Had there been no
resurrection of Jesus we could not
have been justified, thouGh 1t is con-
ceivable that we might hive been for
given. But when Jesus rose from the
dead and identified himself with us by
faith, coming into our heart and TAX
ing possession of our life, then he not
only paid our debts. but he restored
our credit. He made 1t possible for
God to declare us righteous. since we
have gone into partnership with
righteous Saviour, who has not only
kept the law perfectly himself, but
who is able to help US to keep 1t. He
is the managing partner, and we sim
ply obey his orders. We have even
taken down the old sign. and now we
bear his name-Christian.
Martin Luther said: IF any one
knocks at the door Of my heart and
injuries IL Martin Luther lives here
l should reply. Martin Luther is dead
and Jesus Christ lives here" Paul
had the same idea, for he said: 81
live, yet not l, but Christ liveth IN
me-" For We are dead and your life
is hid with Christ in God"
When a woman marries she loses
her name and identity, but she takes
the name Of her husband and shares
his rank. If he Ia duke she be
comes a duchess. II he is a prince
she becomes a princess. Even 80, the
believer who surrenders his life tt
the Lord Jesus loses his Identity ane
his sins. but shares with him his name
his character and his rank. God calls
him Christian, because he Is the bride
of. Christ, his only begotten son. Cox
can Justly declare him righteous be
cause he Is forever united to One whit
ia righteous, and who Is able to max,
him like himself.
jesus llNSu uolJ iIiC LII oh'
body he Is surely able to do 1t in an
other, If that body is yielded to hi
control. God then can properly an
Justly reckon the believer righteou
because of his union with the right
eous Saviour who has atoned for hi
past sins by his death on the cross
and who guarantees his present an
future conduct because that life ha
been committed to his keeping
II, as he says, he is able to save un
TO the uttermost," liable to keep u
from falling dude pa, and If h
guarantees to present us before tn
presence Of Gods glory absolutel
faultless, surely God can safel
reckon us as righteous. The groun
of our justification then is not wha
we are, but whose we are. not our ow
good works, or our desire to be RICH
eous, but our union with the Lor
Jesus, who was delivered for our o
fences. and was raised for our just