Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-07-12

oF bears witness and
the Word of God fully confirms the
witness Of conscience, philosophy and
experience. that man is a sinner.
The Nature Of Sin.
It was a very simple thing which
nan did, There was nothing evil In
the tree Of which he did eat. for God
had declared that this tree. together
with all others in the garden, was very
good. 1t was just one step that ne
took, but 1t was like a step over a
precipice. It needed no second step.
A very simple thing, but in eating ne
doubts Gods love, for he had been as
sured Of Gods love, he would have
been assured that the commands or
God were for his highest good. But
doubling Gods love, he acts apart
from God. choosing his own way rath-
er than Gods, and SO becomes n SIN
ner. His own way was not necessarily
an evil way. as man calls evil. but 1t
was not Gods, and therefore sin came
in. Secondly, in eating he doubts
Gods word. This is necessarily the
second step, for he who doubts Gods
love will doubt Gods word. and doubt
ing Gods word, he acts contrary to
God and becomes criminal. Sin Is not
merely the disease Of which some SEN
timentalists speak, but sin is a crime,
carrying a penalty which must be met.
Thirdly, in eating, he disputes Gods
authority. And SC he acts in spite OF
God, and thereby becomes a rebel and
enemy. This, then, is the nature OF
sin. 1t makes the n whom 1t touches
to be not only a sinner but a criminal,
guilty before the bar of Gods Justice,
and an enemy against Gods govern
ment. The sinner, then, is n who
would overthrow God and place him
self on the throne of the universe.
The Results Of Sin.
The first result of sin Is shame,
which Is seen when they strive to hide
their nakedness with the aprons of
fg-leaves. These aprons speak of
their attempt to clothe themselves with
a righteousness which will make them
comfortable in the presence Of each
other, a self-righteousness adopted to
hide their shame.
This Is followed by separation from
God, for when God comes upon the
scene, they hide themselves among the
trees Of the garden.
1t is to be noted that the separation
is formed by man and not by God.
These are the first results Of sin:
shame, self-righteousness, separation
from God.
Gods Treatment Of the Sinner.
First, he seeks him. In seeking,
God reveals hissown love for man and
also the character Of man. for when
he finds him he says: II heard thy
voice and was afraid because I was
naked" But this is a lie, for man
was naked before and unafraid. He
is afraid only when God comes on the
scene, and that because he is q sinner
and a criminal and the enemy Of God.
The seeking Of God proves man to be
morally wrong, for he Is a coward. at
| tempting to hide behind a woman.
| He is shown to be mentally wrong for
he tries to lie to the God; he knows
he is lying. It shows him to be spir.
itually blasphemous, accusing God OF
his sin, implying that If God had never
| given him the woman he would never
have sinned.
Provision Of God for Sin.
This provision is found in the TWEEN
ty.frst verse, and 1t will be noted that
| this provision is made by God; NOT
| by God and man. 1t is, therefore, oil
Of grace. Further, It Is made by sac
riHce-the shedding Of blood, for with
out the shedding Of blood there Is nc
remission" and those who do not look
for salvation by blood, look not for the
salvation spoken Of in the Scriptures
| for the crimson mark Of the blood Of
the Lamb of God is seen on every page
Of Holy Writ.
Lastly. this provision is made
through q substitute. and the covering
of the substitute covers the sinner
This, then, is the provision that God
has made for the sinner and his sin
He takes the sin away by the precious
blood Of his own sacrifice, the Lamb
of God, so that the believer an say
HE hath made him to be sin for III
who knew no sin, that we might b
made the righteousness Of God In him.