The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1916-07-22

saved by adopting
certain theological propositions; GER
tain religious dogmas or teachings.
The weakness of this position is
quite easily seer by the majority and
they Immediately say that the theory
must e%ventuate in practice; there must
be a program of conduct, and that
program must be carried out in actual
life.
Saved by Program.
For such a program the moral law
of God is put to tribute. The ethics
of wise men of Old Testament times;
the best ethics of seekers after truth
of the first centuries; the ethics of the
Sermon on the Mount and of Jesus
himself and his apostles, are all put
to tribute, and a program of life is
presented, and if it can be carried
out, salvation will ensue perforce. This
belief is in the face of much teaching
of the Word of God that mans right
are as filthy rags. Yet,
with all this, there are thousands of
men and women today who are trust
ing some program of living to be their
passport to eternal salvation. But
sincere students of the principles and
the ethics of Jesus have found that
other teachings of Jesus take the foun-
dation from under this program.
Unique Religion.
The religion of Jesus Christ is
unique, being different from all other
religions in that those who are to re-
ceive its benefits are not to do so as
the result of their belief in it's prin-
ciples, nor an alignment of their lives
with its program of conduct. Neither
Buddha nor Confucius nor Mohammed
comes with such a claim. They give
the principles and the program, but
keep themselves in the background.
Not SO with Jesus Christ, and, strange
as it may seem, his religion is, in a
sense, the most egotistic of all the
religions that the race of man has ever
received. He makes most astounding
claims for himself: He Is equal with
the Father; he is the son of God; he
has all power given to him in heaven
and on earth; he can raise the dead;
he a lay down his life, but he can
take it up again; he can forgive sin;
he is worthy to receive all honor and
worship, both of men and of angels;
in short, he claims to be God. He
clearly teaches that salvation is not
in assent to, nor in belief in his prin-
ciples, o in following a program of
conduct that he gives, but in living
union with himself.
Personality of Jesus Christ.
We may note that in the text we
find that belief is referred to, but no
hint is given of principles, or a pro-
gram of living. The belief here, how
ever, Is not to be a mere intellectual
exercise, but a soul movement. This
teaching Is frequent: Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be
saved" "He that believeth on the Son
of God hath everlasting life;" Come
unto me all we that labor and are
heavy laden and l will give you rest"
Now all this teaches that religion is
no a matter of principles or program,
but of personal contact with Jesus
Christ. He is represented as the head
of the body, of which saved men are
the members. He is the chief part of
the great spiritual building known as
the church of God, of which his believ-
ers are parts. He is the vine in which
believers are the branches. 1t is in
innate, personal contact all the way
through. One has very properly said:
Much of the deafness that has come
to modern Christendom has resulted
from loose ideas of the personal ele-
ment in proclaiming the gospel; in
presenting a creed instead of Christ;
in presenting a plan of salvation rather
than a person who saves"
How to get this personal contact
with Jesus? Study Jesus, as he is
presented, especially in the gospels
and epistles of the New Testament, as
the Son of God. While no IN can say
Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy
Spirit, yet by following the Holy Spirit
in his teaching in the Scriptures. we
may believe that he will give light
upon light as man goes on honestly
and sincerely seeking to know truth at
this point.
Then let there be an utter and com
plete surrender of the soul to Jesus
Christ. When Saul of Tarsus cried:
What shall l do, Lord?" as he lay
PROSTATE on the earth by the gate of
Damascus, he made the great surren-
der which brought him to personal sal
walton, but as well to the adoption OF
principles that gave him a program OF
conduct pleasing to God.