The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-06-11

II lS the HfSt
part Of the Bible they translate into
heather tongues or teach 10 heather
people. and We may believe that IL
has won more souls 10 Jesus Christ
than any other c,llocation Of inspired
words that can be- named Its theme
is human salvation. and II tells us OF
Gods great Christmas gift to the
world
] As a revelation OF salvation. IL
speaks first of the source OF it--"God
so loved the world % There would
have been no salvation without that
love What God saw In us TO love.
while We were yet sinners and rebels
In his sirht passes human under.
standing but doubtless II was what
We might become In Christ through
his grace, and not what We actually
were that moved that love. AZ all
events We must not give currency TO
the thosght 81 some that IL vas the
sacrifice Of Christ that made God love
US. This Is TO caricature his grace.
because the very opposite s. true, as
We see in the next place
The text shows the ground Of our
salvation which IL the work of Christ
For God so loved the world that
he gave his only b,Eotten son" Gave
him, that e., as sacrifice aDd a sub
stitute for as IN vain did God love
us except a. his wisdom aud grace
should provide some way FOR the put
ting away OF our guilt consistent with
his own character OF holiness. Justice
and truth This way he found In the
Offering OF his son, who was wound
ed for our transRressions. and
bruised for our lniQuities. aud with
whose stripes We are healed Osaiah
$3.50. God thus can be just nj the
same time that h. Is the iustihcr Of
him who belieyeth on Jesus" tRomans
3:2G).
3 We have, further the means OF
our salvation that whosoever be-
lieveth on him should not perish To
believe Is TO exercise faith. but faith
Is more than mere knowledge or as
sent, II is absolute trust or reliance
say. and as you 40 to bed you read
a notice that a life-preseryer Is un-
der your berth on over your head
That is knowledge. but not faith You
are Informed that II belted around
your body II will keep you ahoat in
water which you admit But that is
assent and not faith. In the middle
OF the night when the collision oc-
ours, and the vessel Is sinking. and
you belt the life-preserver around you.
and plunge into the sea. that is faith.
You then trust yourself TO the life
preserver. putting your reliance upon
II absolutely and only. Have you yet
done this with reference to Jesus
Christ and your salvation?
L. We see the need OF salvation
that whosoever believeth on him
should not perish" To perish" does
not mean to become "annihilated"
simply. or 20 out of existence. II that
were all. then we had as much pun
ishment for sin before we we're born.
or before we ever sinned at all, be-
cause we were not then In existence
indeed. but In separation from God
and all that that implies OF conscious
loss and disappointment and misery.
and suffering. Christ gives us a pic
ture of the perishing In the story OF
the rich man and Lazaraus, Luke
l6:19-3i, which you are urged TO read
again In order that you may be moved
10 lay hold OF him ere II In too late
3 We see the blessing OF salvation
In the words, but have eternal life"
This agrees with the teaching IN an
other place. The wages OF sin is
death; but the gift OF God IL eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord"
(Romans 6:23D. Here life" means
not merely a continuation OF exist.
ence, but that existence carried on
In the favor OF God. In the joy OF his
presence. In the freedom OF his serv-
Ice. and as a sharer In an inherit
ance which includes all things. The
good things of this life are only q
shadow of the reality beyond