Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-22
Jesus Saves From Sin
sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. TOMKINS.
Texts st. John viii. IL. 1887. $3.50.

REV. FLOYD w. TOMKINS.
Text, st. John Will. IL. 1887. $3.50.
There is no salvation from sin save
through jesus Christ, Who cane into
the world to make 1t possible for men
to be FREQ from sins yoke. "He died
that we might be forgiven. He died
TO make US good" Christ's salvation Is
threefold. He saves us from the stain
OF sin, for we are washed clean in His
precious blood. And He saves us from
yielding to sin. giving us grace and
strength TO resist temptation. No
human power can do these things for
us. No effort OF the will can bring us
victory. Only as we look to Jesus
christ can we find salvation and pace.
All this is gloriously declared by
christ Himself in the Gospels. and 1t Is
proved TO be true by the experiences OF
hundreds OF thousands of men and wo-
men who have come to Him in faith
and prayer and found Joy and release.
AZ is no theory, but a fact. The power
OF COO has saved men who were lost.
pound In the chains of passion and
ueep In the misery and despair Of de-
graoatlon. Go 20 any rescue mission and
near tho testimonies of saved men.
was IN Il mission last night, and as
listened 10 men who thanked God for
tneir rescue tel, anew the joy which
christianity brings. Such men The
Hadiey brothers and Jerry McAu!ey.
VINO were saved and then spent their
lives In leading others to Christ prove
the loving power of God. And all of
US. no matter how good we may think
ourselves to be. need the same cleans
ing, the same power. the same saliva
ton.
VICTORY OVER INTERFERENCE
COMES ONLY THROUGH CHRIST
has
1ntemperance can come only through
Christ. 1ntemperance is terrible
evil, and II has dragged multitudes to
the very pit of ruin. Laws are good.
Prohibition is right. for we cannot af-
ford to give countenance to any great
evil Total abstinence for the indi-
ridual Is wise; for IL is dangerous to
touch any unclcan thing. But all of
these are vain to make man strong.
he must be washed from the stain.
His passion must be mastered. He
must be filled with desire for right :
eousness and cleanness OF living. And
these blessings come from the dying
and rising Christ. Who shed His blood
TO make us pure. and conquered death
by His resurrection that we might con
quer passion and appetite. Our good
women were wise when they placed the
word "ChriStian" in the name OF their
organization and called II the "women's
Christian Temperance Union" AS the
salvation Of Jesus Christ frees from
all sin. SO il frees from the bondage
of special sins. and this sin Of in,em.
perance needs the one and only .in :
Hiour to assure OF victory those who
arc tempted and bound
The Son shall make you free
10" splendid are those words. and
how they inspire with hope, Men
often quote Chr!sts words. "Yc shall
know the truth and the truth shall
make you free" but they forget that
Christ Is the Truth. 1t is not huma n
knowledge or invention or discovery
or civilization or culture that can bring
freedom. These are all good in their
way.
CANNOT By KNOWLEDGE
CHANGE YOUR NATURE,
Greece and Rome and Alexandria had
them In large measure centuries ago,
but their empires failed and the peo-
PIE were still slaves. You cannot rca-
son yourself into newness OF lite. You
cannot by knowledge change your ma
ture or by discovery and wonderful
facts and laws gain strength to resist
evil. God grants us these steps OF
progress that we may find help. but
they are as useless TO the man whose
hands Of children. There must come
new power into the man, and this
power Is given by Christ when we
accept His salvation. and 1t can be
gained in no other way. When we
confess Christ and he In consequence
confesses us before His Father
Our preaching of the Gospel through
out the world has a twofold object
First we would tell the old story of
Jesus the Saviour and bring men to
Him. Second. we would have men
made new in their daily living; we
would purify them and mike right
eousness ru!r over them. The two
must go together. No man really be-
lieves in and accepts Jesus Christ I'M
less he begins new way Of living
1t is poor thing to think we can fit
men Tor heaven when they are not
ftted for earth. We begin here the
heavenly life, and while II is not easy
and is beset by many obstacles and
difhculties and temptations, still IL is
the real thing; the life is hid with
Christ In God" We try to realize this
in our missionary work at home and
abroad, and we have made some prog
ress Yes, l sometimes wonder whether
we urge sufficiently temperance and
purity and Kindness as entering into
and becoming part of salvation.
CHURCH MUST TAKE
POSITIVE MORAL STAND
We urge men to join the church and
that is well; but do we show them thar
the church is a body of people who,
having given their allegiance and love
and faith to Christ, are enlisted under
his banner to fight against the world.
the flesh and the devil? Is the church
herself sufficiently alive to her duty
and privilege in this regard and is she
nghting as she should against the
foes OF righteousness? 1t is certainly
n time and a topic for keen self-ex-
animation. For while the church is
composed OF men who are not yet per-
feet but who are battling for goodness
in their own lives. she is also a light
shining in the worlds darkness. show
ing the way and marking dangers to
be avoided. And she must take clear.
positive. unequivocal stand on great
moral issues because she is carrying
the standard Of her Holy Master.
In the matter Of personal salvation
we must be clear about certain truths.
We must know first that Christ claims
us; we are not our own: we are bought
with price. I must first of all give
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