The Harrison times., 1917-08-04

al
;$: sSsSSSSsssse m e disease.
sss There is N b
similarity between
this and sin. For instance; there are
many so-called remedies for leprosy
but none can be found to really stop
it's spread. The sinner too has many
remedies for his sin but nothing that
men can do can arrest its progress.
Again, leprosy becomes painful and
distressing Sin acts the same way.
Hence we are told that the wicked
are like the troubled sea when it can
not rest, whose waters cast up mire
and dirt There is no peace saith my
God to the wicked" Sin begins quiet
ly but ends, like leprosy, with bitter
pain and distress Again, leprosy Is
fatal to the one afflicted. 1t might
we'll be called living death. 1t is
thus with sin. Many are today we'll
and sound of body, but sorely afflicted
by sin. AS far as their souls are con-
cerned they are in a living death, The
difference between the leper and the
sinner is that the former gets rid OF
his trouble at death, but the latter
must take his pain and distress with
him. But salvation means the saving
from sin to perfect health Man alone
can find no cure for his sin but Christ
can and has. 1t is found in his own
blood which "cleanseth US from all
sim"
In the second place salvation means
a saving from punishment; for sin is
a crime as well as a disease. Saliva:
tion brings to the sinner full and
free pardon for every crime against
the law of God; such pardon that
every trace Of the evil committed is
wiped from the sinners record. With.
out such salvation the punishment for
each sin must fall upon the sinner.
And the punishment Of sin is an awful
thing; described as being torment and
anguish and that eternal. But in this
common salvation there is found relief
from all the guilt, and pardon for ev.
cry crime Let the sinner forsake
his way and the unrighteous man his
thoughts and let him return unto the
Lord and he will have mercy upon him
and to our God for he will abundantly
pardon"
In the third place salvation means
the saving from death which is the re-
suit Of the disease and the reward OF
the crime. It means the exchanging
Of eternal death for eternal life. THE
wages of sin is death, but the gift OF
God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord If any should en-
quire how this health instead Of sick
ness, this pardon instead OF guilt, and
this life instead of death can be OBJ.
tanned, the apostle answers, Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved"
2. Common.-The common" saliva
tion suggests its wideness and means
that it is shared by all alike. God Is
no respecter Of persons and when he
provided the common salvation he pro-
vided it to be shared by all alike
Whether white or black, moral or inn.
moral, learned or illiterate, cultured
or vulgar, all share alike in this com
mon" salvation. Again, this word
means that the salvation Is a univer'
sal thing. It is provided for every
member Of the human race. This Is
what the apostle means when he says
"whosoever will call upon the name OF
the Lord shall be saved And, the
last chapter Of the Bible says, Who
soever will, let him take Of the water
Of life freely" The common saliva
ton means that which Is needed by
all, provided for all, brought to all and
offered to all, including the reader OF
these lines
8. The.-This word speaks OF the
narrowness as common speaks OF
the wideness. It is not "a salvation,
but the" 1t is not provided by man,
nor can it be. 1t is just here that sim
ners 60 wrong and think they can
| evolve some scheme whereby they
can cure themselves Of the disease
and do enough good deeds to counter
balance the evil and so avoid the pun
ishment due to sin But II we would
have the salvation that saves from the
disease of sin, and the pardon that
covers the crime of sin, we must come
to the Lord, with whom salvation Is
to be found. God so loved the world
that he gave his only begotten son
that whosoever belieyeth on him
should not perish but have everlasting
life And when the Son came 10 be
the Savior of men "he gave himself
for us, that he might redeem Us from
all iniquity.' He took the sin and all
its consequences, the crime and all
It's punishment, and gives to all who
will receive II "the common saliva
ton" In their place.