The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-05-18

"A
long since fallen
into decay, but the
EAAAA11 -z --',-'a''- messages given
from them are still to be heard.
The Center Cross.
From the center cross there comes
the message that provision has been
made for the taking away of mans
sin. This provision has been made by
God alone. He needed no assistance
from man. The prophet has said that
1t pleased the Lord to bruise him; he
has put him to grief Qsaiah SO :1O).
Peter has declared that our Lord was
delivered by the determinate counsel
and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2 :23).
And Paul has declared "God commend
ed his love toward us in that while we
were yet sinners Christ died for us"
CRomans 5:S). 1t will be seen that
this provision has been made by God
through sacrifice, for Jesus was the
Lamb of God taking away the sin OF
the world (John :29). He was the
fulfillment of the types of the Old Tes-
lament. The coat of skins wherewith
Adam was clothed, the blood of the
lamb which protected the people in
Egypt on the Passover night, the Offer
ings of blood of Leviticus, and all the
slain beasts offered in sacrifice, point
to the fundamental truth that without
the shedding of blood there is no re-
mission" CHebrews 9:22). Not only
is this provision made by God alone
and by sacrifice, but it is made by the
sacrifice Of substitute. Long before
Christ came, the prophet had declared
that 'he was to be wounded for our
transgressions and bruised for our in
EQUITIES. All we like sheep have gone
astray and the Lord has laid on him
the. iniquity of us all" Usaiah SO -, 81.
And when at last that substitute came,
Peter declared that he 'his own self
bare our sins in his own body on the
tree" q Peter 2:24). This one upon
the center cross is there in mans
place, standing in mans stead, the sub
stitute to whom is charged all OF mans
sin, the sacrifice, plotting cut by his
own blood, the iniquity Of man. This
>
away of mans transgression.
The Second Cross.
The second cross brings us a mes
sage of salvation received. 1t speaks
to us first of all Of realization of the
need for substitute, and also convic-
ton of sin. When the thief cried,
lord remember me-" he was voicing
the plea of the publican, "God be mer-
ciful to me the sinne-." This is fol-
lowed by faith In him. 1t is one thing
to have faith, it is another to have
faith in the proper object. Faith in
deed saves us, but it is faith in Christ
alone. One may have good faith in
a bank, and yet lose his money, not
because there was anything wrong
with the faith, but because there was
something wrong with the object of
the faith. One may have good faith
in many things and lose his soul, not
because there is anything wrong with
the faith, but because that faith has
not been centered in the Lord Jesus
Christ, who alone Is Gods provision
for mans sin. This dying thief could
not come down from the cross and go
back over his record and undo the
things which he had done. He could
not make restitution he could not blot
out his record, nor was he given time
to come from the cross and live good
and upright life, but If he were saved
ut all, he had to be saved by what
Christ did and not by anything which
he could do added to what Christ had
done.
The Third Cross.
The message from the third cross
speaks Of the insanity Of sin. There
is n story told of young man who
had committed crime for which he
was tried and found guilty and SEN
fenced to penitentiary. After he had
been placed in the prison, his mother,
at the expense Of great deal of time
and care, and with many tears, finally
succeeded in securing for him pardon
from the governor of the state. With
joyous heart, feeling well repaid for
the long weeks of ceaseless effort, she
went to the penitentiary bearing the
precious pardon which would liberate
her boy. When st last she stood In
his presence with tears of Joy in her
eyes, she handed to her boy his par
don. Instead of being grateful, and in
stead of accepting and making use
of the pardon, the boy deliberately
tore 1t into pieces, throwing 1t upon
the eoor, and stamped upon IL with
disdain. II is thus that the sinner who
rejects Gods proffered salvation treats
what God has to offer. 1t is the In
sanity of sin leading on to suicide of
the soul. All one has TO do to commit