The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-10-13

D
men have come to see, to accept. to
believe in the good news about God
and his mercy, and they have gone
out into the world to bring to pass
these great reforms which l have
mentioned. But the book itself has
but one idea, in many forms, and
that one idea is expressed in the
words, The Gospel of God"
But L pass on to look at that
other expression IN the text
Through the prophets, IN the Holy
! Scriptures" This book which con
tains but one idea, has many parts.
| And each part was written or
spoken by a different man. We have
mere many men of different charac-
/ ters, different ideas, different social
conditions, and yet but one mind.
Sometimes we have been puzzled by
this. Sometimes we have asked our
selves, Did God intend for all of
these books to go together?" How
cen we know that we have the right
ones? And this has sometimes
proved to be a real difficulty. But
think that the difficulty can be over
come. Just as the book is a book
OF one idea, it is also a book Of one
God. Notice those words, (which
he promised afore." Here we have
statement of the inspiration of the
Bible. Paul declares that God told
oh Il;
prophets. 1t was the same God who
had spoken with him. The same
God who spoke to Isaiah, Micah,
Ezekiel, Joseph, Moses and host OF
others.
And thus behind th' many paris
stands the one Cod revealing him
self at different times. and in diff
ferent ways, but ever the same. yes
terday, today and forever
O my friends, if you are ever puz-
Aled, look for the one God in the
Book. See him as he guided the
father of the faithful, as he walked
with Enoch, with Noah, With Moses.
with Joshua. Hear him as he
speaks to Samuel, to Isaiah, o
Nehemiah, and then let all of your
doubts vanish before the thought
that he il the same God all through
it, that he is the same one which
Paul met, and which you met.
But | must pass TO that other as
sertion of the text, Concerning his
Son" The Bible is not ouly the
book Of the one idea, OF the one God.
but it is the Good of a great unity.
One might expect that book CON
tanning over sixty others, and
though spoken by one God, and with
one great idea, would in measure
be somewhat loosely put together.
And this, in a measure, is true. But
there is one great fact winch gives
unity to it all And thus il becomes
the book OF great fact. For, after
all, what was the message that God
wanted TO speak to men. True. it
was the good news concerning him
self, which / have in general way
touched upon. But was it nothing
corning his Son.
And l realize, my friends, that we
have not time tonight to enter
elaborately nto discussion Of the
ealborateIy into discussion of the
cerning his Son. Yet / think that
in its great outlines, we may follow
it. This Book contains the story of
how Gods Son became incarnate. II
tells ds how, though on an equality
with God, he divested himself OF his
, glory, and came to earth, taking mp.
on himself the form of a servant
, and was made in the likeness of sin.
} full man. In other words, II is the
story OF how Christ touched our hu.
, manity. And whenever we hear tha,
beautiful benedictioR: "Grace
, mercy and peace" we should re.
member that 1t Is but another way
OF saying: God, In HIS Son came
from heaven to earth, aud became >
; man for me-"
But further than this. The Bible
= Is the Book which tells us how, after
; becoming a man, Jesus was demon.
strated to be the Son OF God. with
power. May ask you have you re
, ceived your idea OF God2 IL hardIy
, comes from abstract argument con
: cerning his being, but rather II
) come from the fact that, during his
; earthly life, Jesus was demonstrated
} to be the Son OF God, with power.