The log cabin Democrat., 1916-05-24

AA-.rwy,I eral such viola- tions would be i called sins. When we are studying man as sinner be- fore God, should we have in mind indi- vidual sins, or something back of them that we may call sin?
 Reform Not Sufficient. This inquiry is quite important from the fact that we hear great deal about the sins of men. and little about their sin. The pastor or evangelist very frequently urges men to get right with God, and in doing so he often cries: Quit your meanness;" Get on the water wagon;" Stay at home of nights" Stop your gossiping," etc. The result of such exhortation is in very many cases prompt obedience to the exhortation of the preacher and the life is greatly improved. What has taken place? Practically nothing more thap reform, and there is no guaranty that it will be permanent.
 But are these individual transgres. sions of law all that is in the mind of the Spirit, speaking in the Bible? In many places in the word of God sin is spoken of in such connection that the individual transgression can hardly be in mind. Tn sin did my mother conceive me-" God be merciful to me sinner;" There is sin (the par ticle is not in the originaD not unto death" T an a sinful man, o Lord;" 70 wretched man that am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death." In none of these, and many more might be cited. is there any ref. erence to particular sins; the clear in- timation is that there is something back of the individual sin: a state, or condition, or tendency that is properly called sin.
 Shining the Law of Life.
 When it is said The soul that sin meth it shall die," we are not to un- derstand that a single sin is in mind, any more than when we consider the words He that is born of God sinneth not" In the latter case it Is not a
 
 particular sin, as may be easily learned from an intelligent study of the original language. In the American Revised Version that text is trans. lated "Doeth not sin" That is an ap- proach to the correct idea, but a bet. ter expression would be Does not practice sin." That is, sin is not the rule of the mans life The soul that sinneth it shall die," does not mean that man who commits a single sin, or indeed many of them, necessarily dies on that account, although he will suffer penalty, but it means that the man whose law of life is shining, will die.
 Paul doubtless had sins which trou- bled him, but he saw something back Of those particular sins and cried out Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" We can hardly think Of using extravagant language in that connection if he had only in mind re- lief from some particular transgres- sion; but if he saw that his whole na- ture was changed, he could very req sonably cry out T thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord"
 As long as man only has his eye on his individual transgressions and thinks of freeing himself from their evil effects, he is only getting the merest part of the blessing of saliva. tion through Jesus Christ. His pray. CT for pardon is good, but would be much better if he could pray Create Tn me clean heart, o God" He is then getting at the root of the matter Tor he readily sees that if the fountain IS pure the stream will be pure.
 A New Heart Needed.
 Regeneration Is fairly we'll present. ed by both ministers and evangellsts but it needs more emphasis than it. is receiving, and if proper distinction could be made between sin and sins. there would be more thought of the need of the new heart and there would be no satisfaction nor rest until that is secured
 God is as able to make tho fountain or ilfe pure as to pardon the indiviL. uai sins. While pure life is pleasing to him, it is not that which he asks man to give to him. rather his heart. Son. give me thine heart" One of the sweetest promises that we have in the Bible, is in the Old Testament and has an application here: "A new heart also will l give thee and a new spirit will l put within thee; and will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and l will give you heart of flesh" God is most honored as we seek for the widest and the deep est blessings that the plan of redemp- ton through Jesus Christ offer