The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-03-23

III At many who eX'
3lA a "a pect to compen.
safe Cod for
eternal life, when the text says that
the free gift Of God is eternal life
Eternal life-what is e.? II Is the
opposite of eternal death Not eternal
death does not mean nonexi.tence any
more than eternal life means con.
tinued existence. Gods word teaches
that the soul never dies. In the sense
OF going out 6f existence. Il does say
that "The soul that sinneth. II shall
die" but we must interpret the words
Of the Bible by the Bible. The Bible,
you know. is not only a book THAI
gives us the truth, but It defines the
truth that II gives. and when II talks
about eternal death It does not mean
the annihilation OF the soul II Is
truth that whatever exists always ex.
lists 50 the scientists tell us, and the
Bible says that the human soul hyes
forever. Well. what is eternal life
then. and what is eternal death? Per.
haps we might say thai eternal life
means being born OF God, ravlng the
life OF God. II is not our natural life
prolonged into endless duration. It
Is the divine life impaired to us. the
very life of God himself communI.
Gated TO human soul. To put Il In
another way. we might say thai otern.
al life is right existence. while eternal
death is wrong existence. or. to put
II in still another way, eternal life is
living in the presence OF God. while
eternal death is having the wrath
OF God abiding on one.
Now. Gods gift is eternal life. OR
text says that be offers us this life
through Jesur Christ our Lord. that
Is. Christ is the medium through
whom eternal life comes. What a
wonderful thing II is to know that God
has planned C give the human race.
dead in tresrasses and in sins. eternal
life through his Jon What Is involved
In tNat truth? A great deal, my
friends.
First OF all. that on the cross Christ
died FOR our sins
Secondly. that there upon the cross
God laid upon Christ all our sins.
Thirdly. that al; our sins win he
forgiven us on condition Of our simn'e
accordance by faith OF his Son. and the
one WHO thus receives his Son. we are
told. ia born, mot Of blood. nor Of the
will Of the flesh nor OF the VIII Of
man. but OF God" have met many
peon'e who were striving to ret etern.
al lie. have even met Christians
who have had the 'dea that eternal lie
hecomes theirs. not through faith. but
bv works OF righteousness which they
do.
shall never forget preaching IN
little church in the Catslills. and talk.
ing about the wav OF salvation. when a
brother arose and cortroverted what
I said about the s'mrle way OF having
cto-nal life throrrh the accordance by
faith OF Jesus Christ ms ones Savior
Another brother. thinking he would
rour oil on the water. which was very
trorh'ors Just then. told about two
{ eologians who were crossing a
stream. One OF the theologlans was
nrruing thrt salvation was by works
and the other that salvation was bv
faith, when the oarsman, listening IN
the argument. began to row with ono
oar. and the boat went round ana
round. when they said. "What are yon
doing?" and he renlied, Don't you see.
that oar with which I an rowing is
works and don't ret anywhere" and |
then he took the other oar aud rowed |
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. |
pr shore we must row with both oars"
That was good story. but poor Il
Iustrpt'on for. while II sounds very |
the tro~b'e is II Is not |
scrintural The Bible tells us that Il
Is mot by works Of righteousness that
we have done. but according to his
mercy he saved US" Change the Illus
ration and have II true TO the Scrip
ures. Jesus Christ is the oarsman
md is rowing the boat OF salvation
rom earth 20 heaven. and II we would
each the other shore what we must
10 is by simple faith to get on board,
60 down to the ferry slip in New
York Now II wish to go across TO
he other side. what ! must do is TO
itep upon the ferry boat The mo-
sent do that have trusted myself
@ the ferry. and Il is for the ferry
low by its own power, to take me
'ver. This crude'y illustrates Christ's
work. of salvation for us. We commit
ourselves to him. and he. by his own
'ower and work saves u.s. "The gift
Il God is eternal life through Jesus
,hrist our Lord"