News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1917-09-19

rectlOn OF CHRIST Wnlch lnSureS sal
walton, and then he says that "who-
soever believeth on him shall receive
remission of sins
Faith in Christ Necessary.
Cornelius was very sincere man,
doing the very best he knew how, but
his sincerity was not sufficient He
was something like Paul, who says
shat if any man had whereof he might
trust in the flesh, he more" In the
second place Cornelius was a very re-
ligious man for he had conviction Of
sin which led him to sorrow for his
sin. A reading of the tenth chapter Of
Acts would, show he had a great desire
to know the way Of salvation. He was
also, we are told, man of great piety,
which showed itself in great reverence
and much liberality in the way Of
fins giving. To crown it all he was
a man given to much prayer. But his
piety, reverence, prayer or even his
repentance was not sufficient to give
him salvation. Sincerity of purpose
and Christianity are not synonymous;
synonymous. None of these things
which are so much thought of as be-
ing necessary for salvation can ever
take the place of simple faith in Jesus
Christ. The Bible does not say ''who-
soever repenteth and is reverent and
prays and has a desire to be saved, or
is sincere, shall find remission of sins"
= Hieti ctl thot twin
soever believeth in him shall receive
remission Of sins"
Faith in Christ Sufficient for Salvation.
The thief upon the cross could not
get down and undo what he had done,
nor make restitution of any kind, nor
could he come down from the cross
and live good life, but he could ex-
ercise faith in Christ, and this was suf-
ficient for his salvation. NicOdemus
had everything which would recon-
mend him as worthy of salvation, but
his morality and rectitude of character
left him dead in trespasses and in sins
until he exercised simple faith in
Christ. When Paul speaks to the
brutal Roman jailer of Philippi he says
nothing of reformation of life, but tells
him simply to "believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved"
when Philip finds Nathaniel engaging
On prayer, he does not tell him to pray
harder or longer, but brings him to
kChrist. The Holy Spirit declares in
Romans 4 IS, "but to him that wOrketh
mot. but believeth on him that justi-
rieth the ungodly, his faith is counted
for righteousness" The Gospel of
John has been written "that we might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that believing we
might have life in his name" While
faith in Christ is absolutely neces-
sary for salvation, it is entirely sutfi-
Client.
Faith in Christ Open to All.
Our text does not pick out any par |
Sicular class which may have faith in
Christ, but it uses the widest word |
Hossible and says, whatsoever believ-
eth in him shall receive remission of |
tsins." This wide word is used |
throughout all of Scripture. Isaiah |
saws. "Ho. every one that thirsteth."
.Iobn 3:16 declares, "That God so loved |
the world that he gave his only be-
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth |
In him should not perish, but have ever
hasting. life" Romans 1:16 declares
that the Gospel of Christ "is the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that |
believeth." And the Bible closes with
the broad invitation for whatsoever will
10 come. No one is shut out. Faith in |
Christ is the simplest thing in the |
nrnrld. II is absolutely necessary, but |