The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-09-20
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
What We Know, or Certainties in
Religion.

many blessings are the result of this
union.
One blessed result is, He is a new
creature. Paul in 2 Cor. SIT shows
this conclusively. He shows US very
clearly that two things are necessary
to our living to Christ, both of which
are consequences of His dying for us,
one is regeneration and the other is
reconciliation.
''If any man be in Christ he is a new
creature. says the Apostle. He must
be. Some however read this, LET
him be new creature" We should
be very careful of this, wholly that we
have a new name; new suit, but that
we have new heart that is the essen
tial thing. Grace works a wonderful
change in the heart so that old things
pass away, all becomes new. Old prin-
ciples. old thoughts, old associations,
old desires and inclinations are no Ion
ger pleasing to US, but we cast them
aside for the better and purer, even the
spiritual which come to US and which
we are glad to entertain ana practice.
A new world, as it were, Is opened up
to US, for it has been formed in the soul
by that grace which regenerates. The
renewed man acts from new principles,
he is governed by new rules, he has new
ends to gain and he associates in new
company and though in the world he is
not of it.
Another result of this union, is that
the veil is taken away in Christ. Paul
teaches this in Cor. 3:14, when he SAYS,
"But their minds were blinded; for I'M
til this day remaineth the same veil
untaken away in the reading of the
old testament. He infers from what
he has said about the o. THE duty
of plainess of speech.
Ministers should not, like Moses, put
veil on, that is they should not dark
en- those things that ought to be made
plain. The gospel is undoubtedly a
clearer dispensation than the law.
Types and shadows prefgured the
hings of God in the 0. T. dispensation,
bat under the gospel it is revealed in
Christ. Types and shadows are ac-
complished as the veil is done away in
Jesus. Christ has come as the end of
the law for righteousness to all them
that believe and to Him Moses and the
prophets pointed and of him they wrote.
third blessing received is this, the
believer speaks before God, he enters
within the veil, he walks in new way.
No fiery vengeance eyer prevents or
deters him in coming. Hear Paul as
he speaks to his Corinthian friends
e Cor. 12:19l Think ye that we ex-
cuse ourselves unto you? We speak
before God in Christ but we do all
things dearly beloved for your sakes.
He j. centuring them for what is faulty
in them. They had not defended him
as they should have done He reminds
them of his intentions and behavior to-
wa-d them. He was not burdensome.
He sought them only, not theirs or
what belonged to them. He was not
self seeker, or a Wilkins Macawber
sort Of man who was always bidding
for compliments or gifts, but he was in
dependent enough to help himself, vet
he did not hesitate to tell them that
they owed the workmen his honest hire.
They were ungrateful but in spite of
that he loved them as much as ever
Notwithstanding their ingratitude and
unkindness Then after his kindly re-
buke, he shows them his object. He
did all things for edifying, He desired
to do good, to lay good strong foun-
dation and upon that to carefully erect
good structure. He does not excuse
himself to them for he has no thought
OF that. He simply says, we speak be-
fore God in Christ That is saying a
good deal, but he is sure of it. So do
we now do the same thing The Chris
tan an come into the Holy of Holes.
He can approach soss,,near that:sa near
access is lnconceiyable.
We also triumphIn Christ The same
dPOSLlSt having gwen directions con-
corning communicated persons. turn
ed aside to give an account of his
travels and labors for the furtherance
of the gospel. A door was opened to
him of the Lord. Success attended his
efforts, The hearts Of the people were
opened and now he speaks of these
things as matter of thankful
ness and of rejoicing. Thanks be to
God who always causeth US to triumph
in Christ"
So we today may say the same, He
giveth US victory. The church can say
so she is fearfully crippled in her in
fiuenle and hindered in her work, by
inconsistent and unworthy members by
those who though prominent IN her
ranks, do not hesitate to break Gods
Sabbath when it suits them, who break
the law of the land as well when they
can make dollar by so doing, and so
the churches influence is weakened by