Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-04-26

So - count is closed
" Is it not wise to
matter little carefully?
Our thoughts are presented from
the evangelical standpoint as to the
nature, manifestation, and outcome Oh
sin The widely prevalent modern
though erroneous, view Of sin makes
it rather an advantage than disad-
vantage. Adams fall being upward
rather than downward.
One of the first suggestions is that
sin is selfperpetuating 1t is com
mon saying that one sin leads to an
other-that sin follows sin somewhat
automatically. Sin, however, is not
to be considered as consisting chiefly
in outward transaction, but in the
motive that is behind it. When a man
dies his personality with its stamped
character continues, and reason would
say that his course of action with re-
spect to the moral law is to continue.
Professor Denney says: The very
conception of human freedom involves
the possibility Of its permanent mis-
use, or what our Lord himself calls
eternal sim
The punishment of sin is not today
held up before the transgressor, but
rather the sin itself. Is not the sin
really the great evil? 1t may be said
that if a man can cease from sin out
wardly in this life, sin may not be-
come permanent But this ceasine
from sin is by almighty power alone.
and this power is denied after death.
If it is further said that man by the
mere force of his own will can cease
from sin, we reply that the ceaSing is
only in the outward manifestation,
| and not in the real shining, which be
longs to the motive.
Meager light is thrown on the activ
ity of the wicked after death. but we
know the scripture teaches that men
who die in sin go to dwell with the
devil and his angels. What is the en-
ployment of the devil? Does any one
who believes in a personal devil be
iieve that he does not continue to sin :
Is he not intensely active, the instiga
tor of all the cruelty, oppression, wars
abominations- lies and wretchedness
in the universe? II so, what about
those whom scripture calls his chill
dren2 Jesus said they do the deeds
of their father, and are they any less
children after death than before?
There is no evidence that after
death there IS a cessation from sin Il
we consider the employment or expe
riences of the inhabitants of the Other
world. AS to heaven. about which we
know much more than about hell. we
learn the employment of the right
eous. There is no intimation of sin
ming, there is consequently no gospe
preaching, mission work social regen
Grafton, or anything of that kind. bui
the inhabitants of heaven are engaged
r. he Of inir
him in his glorious majesty. and doint
his behests whatever they may be- II
the text we read that he that i:
righteous is to do righteousness still
and he that is holy. is to be made
more holy. Some one might say, 81
the conditions in this life have ten
dency to perpetuate themselves. will
not Christians who show imperfectioI
by SHINING, continue to show thef
imperfection in heaven in the same
way?" We might admit that If we
did not have the direct teaching o
scripture that there is no sin in heav
en-, nothing that defiles. that work.
abomination or makes a lie. From
analogy we would conclude from th
employment of the inhabitants
heaven. the employment of the wicked
will be unrighteous or sinful.
The teaching of scripture. though
not abundant. seems to be clear. Jesu
said Mark 1923. A. R. W that if
man sin against the Holy Grost b,
shall be guilty of an eternal sin Thi
certainly teaches that there is at leas
one eternal sin. a sin that continue
in action forever. Revelation 22:1
seems to leave the matter beyond dis
pute. and it is well to observe tina
this teaching comes at the very clos
of the Bible He that is unrighteou
let him do unrighteousness sti1l, ant
he that is filthy. let him be mad,
filthy still The marginal readin;
suggests the phrase yet more 70
the word still In each case. Here
certainly. the employment of til.
wicked is clearly presented
What a sad fate. doomed to eterna
SHINING, The only escape is to havs
the motive to sin removed by the in
dwelling life of Christ Then tn.
habit of doing righteousness will es
tablish the character that does right
eousness, and the future Is safe.