South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-02-26
MAN MUST TESTIFY
SELF FOR CHI RIST
Rev. 6. w. Allison Declares
Church Membership Alone
Does Not Save Man.

| Iii 80 NdilAt into the NOIlu 10 re-
deem men from the power and do
minion Of sin; 20 transform men
from godlessness to God-Hke-ness.
And whether be intended it or not.
/ his teachings and personal influence
have naturally worked themselves
out into an institution He founded
/ the church. Not any particular de-
! nomination of Christendom TO the
exclusion of all others; but the
Christian fellowship and union we
call the church" So said Rev. George
/ William Allison, pastor of the Hope
Presbyterian church in opening his
! sermon on "why is the Church p
Sunday evening, which was a brief
statement Of the reasons why the
church holds an obligation over the
| Christian. Continuing, Mr.. Allison
said:
The very word church in Greek
means those who are called out
| And II is indeed the group OF men
and women whom faith in God has
called out of the woe and misery
of sin and wickedness. The disciples
/ His commandments, TO observe His
sacraments. and to do as a remem-
brance of Him. 'Ye are My disciples
/ if We rove Me and keep my COM
mandments' If We love Me keep
/ NV commandments These things
are obligatory upon all who would
! truthfully call themselves Christ
ians. If you do not the things Jesus
! commanded, then you are none Of
| Hist
Insisted on Disciples.
zone Of the most insistent de
mands Jesus made of his disciples,
was to make disciples Of all men.
/ Did you ever hear OF one who was
not a member Of some church max
! ing a disciple of a n-believer? No,
4 our experience testifies that no mat
/ ter what may he said, the active
servants Of Jesus Christ. who are
obeying his commands are members
| of the church.
Furthermore. failure TO testify
activity for Jesus Christ is to be
! interpreted in accordance with his
own words as throwing the weight
of ones influence against Him. One
may be trying to live the Christian
! life personally but unless we are
actively lined up with some church
the outside world will not suspect
you OF counting for Christ and you
! become a stumbling block for others
yet unsaved. Jesus Himself said, He
that is not with Me, is against Me-
and if people interpret you as being
against Christ, that is where your
influence counts strongest. There is
no straddling the fence here.
again Jesus said, whatsoever
confesses Me before men, him will
I also confess before My Father. who
is in heaver You believe in Jesus;
but have you told men? And you
confessing Jesus or denying Him?
Failure TO belong TO the church,
which administers the sacraments
as testimonies of Jesus is in every
case a denial OF Him before man and
a failure 10 carry out his commands
Are YOU baptised? Have you observ-
ed the communion of the Lords
| body and blood?
Membership Not Enough.
Not that belonging 10 cnufCn
will save you-possibly many in the
church are not living the saved
life But if you are being saved. you
will belong TO some church OF Jesus
Christ, and will be at work saving
others and not living i'm opposition
to the kingdom and making your
self a stumbling block to some OF
Christ's, 1t were better that one
have milestone tied about his neck
and he be drowned in the deepest
sea than TO prevent by his example
others from entering into the saved
life in Jesus Christ. God help you
all 10 get busy for Jesus Christ and
make your stand for Him before
men and so avoid the great denial
he will pronounce over those who
here deny Him. Depart from me, l
never Knew you"
Announcement was made last
evening that new members would
be received into the church on next
Sunday morning IL is said that
about 40 are expected to join on this
occasion.