Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-03-29

- - - safe God for
eternal life, when the text says that
the free gift of God is eternal hfe
Eternal life-what is it? 1t is the
opposite of eternal death. Not eternal
death does not mean nonexistence any
more than eternal life means con-
tinued existence. Gods word teaches
that the soul never dies, in the sense
of going out of existence. It does say
that 1.-THE soul that sinneth, 1t shall
die," but we must interpret the words
of the Bible by the Bible. The Bible.
you know, is not only q book that
gives us the truth, but 1t defines the
truth that it gives, and when 1t talks
about eternal death 1t does not mean
the annihilation of the soul. It Is
truth that whatever exists always ex'
lists, so the scientists tell Us, and the
Bible says that the human soul lives
forever. Well. what is eternal life
then, and what 10 eternal death? Per
haps we might say that eternal life
means being born OF God, having the
life Of God. II is not our natural life
prolonged into endless duration. 1t
is the divine life impaired to Us. the
very life of Go6 himself communi-
Gated 10 q human soul. To put 1t In
another way. we might say that etern.
nj life Is right existence. while eternal
death fs wrong existence. or. to put
Il in still another way. eternal life Ii
living In the presence Of God. while
eternal death 10 having the wrath
OF God abiding. ON one.
Now, Coda gift 10 eternal Efes Our
I text, says that be offers Us this life
en- sgh sSaus Christ our Lotd. thst
4 a, Christ 10 the medium through
whom eternal life comes. What 0
wonderful thing It 10 to know that God
has planned TO give the human rece.
dead In trespasses and In sins, eternal
life through his sen What's is involved
IN that TRUTH A great DEAL my
friends.
First OF all. that ON tho cross Christ
died for our sins.
Secondly. that there upon the cross
God laid upon Christ all our sins.
Thirdly, that oil our sins will be
forgiven us on condition of our simple
acceptancepby faith OF his Son, and the
enc who thus receives his Son. We are
told, is born. ''not or blood. nor Of the
viii of the flesh. nor OF the will OF
man, but Of Cod" hsys met many
people who were striving to got etern.
ol life. I have even met Christians
who have had The idea that eternai life
becomes theirs. not through faith, but
By works Of righteousness which they
do.
I shall never forget preaching IN Q
little church in the Catskills, and talk
Aing about the way OF salvation. when q
brother arose and controverted what
ssid about the simple way Of having
eternal life through the acceptance by
iaith Of Jesus Christ as ones Savior.
Another brother. thinking he would
pour oil on the water, which was very
troublous Just then, told about two
,sheoiogians who were crossing o
stream. One Of the theologians was
arguing that salvation was by works.
and tho other that salvation was by
faith, when the oarsmsn. listening to
the argument. began to row with one
oar, and the boat went round and
round. when they said. What are you
doing?" and no replied. Don't you sec,
that oar with which Am rowing fs
works. and don't get anywhere" and
then he took the other oar and rowec
with that. and went round and round
In the other direction. and he said,
'~That oar. you see. is faith. and when
row alone with that we do not get
across the stream. TO reach the 9TH
er shore we must row with both oars"
That was o good story. but poor H.
iustration, for. while II sounds very
plausible. tho trouble ts II is not
scriptural. The Bible tells us that II
CD "pos By ,rerka OF righteousness that
we have done, but according to his
anercy he saved u.s." Change the Illus.
Grafton and have II true to the Scrip
lures. Jesus Christ IL the oarsman,
and is rowing the boat Of salvation
from earth to heaven, and II we would
reach the oshsr shore what we must
DO is BY simple faith TO get On hoard
I 20 down to the ferry clip In New
York. Now. if wish TO go across 70
the other side. what must 90 10 TO
step upon the ferry boat. The mo
sneut do that I have trusted myself
10 the ferry, and 1t is for the ferry
now, by its own power, to take me
over. This crudeIy illustrates Christ's
work o. salvation for US. We commit
ourselves to him. and he. by his owr
power and work saves US.