The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-11-06

~ called forth sharp
- --S - rebuke from the
Master, and which
doubtless cost Peter many sleepless
night He was rash and impulsive.
always saying the wrong thing. Even
after he had been with the Master for
| three whole years. he was guilty OF
falsehood and profanity. Yet Peter.
by the grace of God, overcame his
bad record. and so gained the victory
over his besetting sins that later his
testimony is Kept by the power OF
God through faith unto salvation
There was Mark. the backslider.
who. not discouraged by his signal
failure. made fresh start and became
so steadfast and reliable that the Holy
Spirit selected him 10 write history
OF the Masters life. Today millions
of people are prayerfully studying the
Gospel OF Mark. and are thanking God
for IL. Little did he expect such
career after deserving Paul and Barna.
has at Pamphylia, but God knows how
10 use even a backslider 10 his glory.
III. Remember that Christ did not
come TO select here and there n per-
feet man and thus make up church:
he came 10 seek and TO save the lost.
He is not looking for righteous men
at all. but for sinners. He came ex-
pressly 10 lead such 10 repentance.
and the encouragement which he Of
fers is that he bore the penalty OF
their sins on the cross and whosoever
will may be saved. The strange thing
about the Gospel is that it reveals
Gods love for those who have made
bad record, and his desire to blot It
out and give them n chance TO make n
new record.
Notice the great variety OF ways in
which God describes the putting away
OF the believers sins. In Isaiah 3S:17
we read. Thou hast cast all my sins
behind thy back" But" someone
says, God might turn around and all
my sins would be in full sight" Sure
enough. And so we read in Micah
7:19. Thou wilt cast all their sins
into the depths OF the sea" That is
better. but they might wash ashore?
1912, "As far as the east Is from
the west so far hath he removed our
transgressions from US"
Now, why should you so persistent
ly remember what God so graciously
forgets? Why should you keep in the
foreground what God is willing TO put
behind his back? Just throw that bad
record in with the rest of your sins
and have them all disposed OF at once.
and then you can have the sweet con.
sciousness that though you may re-
member your sins, God has entirely
forgotten them. Remember also that
the longer you wait the worse your
record will be.
III. While your bad record will hin.
der you somewhat, II also will help
you. II will tend 10 keep you humble
for one thing. and that will be no
small gain. II will enable you TO
sympathize with others who have
made a bad record, and 10 encourage
them TO hope for better things. In.
deed, your bad record in one sense
will become your strongest weapon OF
warfare.
". Consider also that II you have
particularly bad record your con-
version will be a greater triumph OF
grace than II YOU were only an ordi.
nary sinner. Jesus Christ claims that
he can save the worst OF sinners and
so change them by the power OF his
grace that he Will actually be proud
OF them in heaven. lie is searching
the world for hard cases on which 10 |
demonstrate his power
V. And may II not be that in heaven |
those who have been the greatest sin |
ners will be the loudest praisers OF |
the Redeemer's name? When the
Pharisee criticized Jesus for allowing |
the outcast woman to weep at his |
feet the master said, Simon. have
somewhat TO say unto thee. A certain |
man had two debtors, the one owed
FIVE hundred pence and the other fifty |
When they could not pay he forgave
them both. Which OF them therefore
will love him most?" Simon an
swered, He. suppose. TO whom he
forgave the most" Jesus replied.
Thou hast rightly judged" and then
ne drew a contrast between the proud.
host and the sinful. sor.
rowing woman who was weeping out
her penitence and bathing his feet
with her tears. Even so our theme
In heaven will not be the good deeds
we have wrought on earth. but the
grace that redeemed US.
and the greater the sins from which
we have been redeemed, the greater
triumph Of grace shall we have TO
proclaim.