Catoctin clarion., 1916-04-13

eternal life, when the text says that
the free gift of God Is eternal life.
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. 1t does say
that "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 1t gives, and when 1t talks
about eternal death It does not mean
the humiliation Of the soul. 1t Is .
truth that whatever exists always ex-
lists, 80 the scientists tell US, and the
Bible says that the human soul lives
forever. Well. what Is eternal life
then, and what Is eternal death? Per-
haps we might say that eternal life
means being born Of God. having the
life Of God. 1t is not our natural life
prolonged into endless duration. II
is the divine life impaired to US, the
very life OF God himself communi-
Gated to q human soul. To put 1t In
another way, we might say that etern-
al life Is right existence. while eternal
death Is wrong existence, or, to put
1t 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. Our
text says that he offers us this life
through Jesus Christ our Lord, that
is, Christ is the medium through
whom eternal life comes. What
wonderful thing It is to know that God
has planned to give the human race,
dead in trespasses and in sins, eternal
life through his son. What is involved
in that 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 all our sins will be
forgiven US on condition of our simple
acceptance by faith Of his Son, and the
one who thus receives his Son, we are
told, is born, mot of blood, nor Of the
will Of the flesh, nor Of the will OF
man, but of God" I have met many
people who were striving to get etern-
al life. I have even met Christians
who have had the idea that eternal life
becomes theirs, not through faith, but
by works Of Righteousness which they
do.
| shall never forget preaching in a
little church in the Catskills, and talk.
ing about the way Of salvation. when q
brother arose and controverted what
said about the simple way Of having
eternal life through the acceptance by
faith 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
theologians who were crossing a
stream. One of the theologians was
arguing that salvation was by works,
and the other that salvation was by
faith, when the oarsman. 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 he replied, Don't you see,
, that oar with which am rowing Is
works, and don't get anywhere and
then he took the other oar and 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
er shore we must row with both oars. :
That was good story, but poor II
lustration, for, while 1t sounds very
plausible, the trouble is It is not
scriptural. The Bible tells us that II
Is mot by works Of righteousness that
we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved u.s." Change the illus
tration and have 1t true to the Scrip
lures. Jesus Christ Is the oarsman
and Is rowing the boat of salvation
from earth to heaven, and If we would
reach the other shore what we must
do Is by simple faith to get on board
go down to the ferry slip in New
York. Now, II wish to go across te
the other side, what must do is tc
step upon the ferry boat. The mo
ment l do that have trusted myself
to the ferry, and 1t is for the ferry
now, by its own power, to take me
over This crudely illustrates Christ't
work of salvation for us. We commit
ourselves to him, and he, by his owr
power and work saves us.
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