Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-04-26

81 perfect life was
.s# e essential to his
worthiness as a
sacrifice, for the Lamb must be with
out blemish or spot. But even though
he had lived his perfect life, there
would have been no salvation for sin
ners had he not gone to the cross. In
the strong words of Bishop Moule,
His life had to do with his being
all-worthy. But it did not, in whole
or in part, constitute the sacri-
fee" The Apostle Peter sums up the
matter thus: aye were not redeemed
with corruptible things, as silver and
gold, from your vain conversation re-
ceived by tradition from your fathers,
but with the precious word Of Christ,
as of lamb without blemish and
without spot"
His life was given "for" us, that is,
'1nstead of" us, for so the word may
be translated. The idea of substitu-
ton cannot be removed from this ex-
preston. An illustration of the
thought is found in Exodus 3O:12:
when thou takest the sum of the
children of Israel after their number,
then shall they give every man a ran
som for his soul unto the Lord" The
half-shekel given by each man was
"atonement money" "to make atone
ment for their SOULS as the succeed
ing verses make clear. The people We're
considered not as doomed but as ram
somed by the atonement money paid
instead Of their death. Just so, Christ's
death takes the place of ours.
The reality and solmnity of the
substitution of Christ for sinners is
set forth in Galations 3 :13: Christ
hath redeemed us from the course of
the law, having become curse for
u.s." The old revival hymn well ex-
presses the amazing and glorious
fact:
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned he stood;
Sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah!
The death Of Christ cannot be under
stood save as the death of the sin.
bearer. This alone explains the agony
and bloody sweat of Gethsemane and
the plea, Father, if thou be willing
remove this cup from me-" Christ
would not be worthy of the respect
paid even to soldiers who have gone
without f1inching to death, or to mar
tyrs who have sung at the stake, i
his death were no different from
theirs. But if we understand that h
was entering into the shadow Of tn
| vry1,; nh, I,o Il.
sins of the world, we can understan,
his shrinking horror of it all.
AS to what Christ suffered on tn
cross we must speak with reverent re
serve. But his cry, my God, my Coo
why has thou forsaken me?" must no
be emptied Of it's awful content Bisf
op Moule points out that Christ coul
not suffer that personal remorse fo
sin which must be one awful elemen
of the future woe of sinners; yet hi
cry on the cross cat least favors tn
belief that the all-blessed Suffere
willed to bear, and the Father to O.
dain, the personal experience Of d.
sertion such as enters into the fin;
DOOM" The bishop wisely adds, '"rl
reverent disciple will avoid all detaile
speculation in such a matter" B,
we'll may we sing:
None Of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed,
Or how dark was the night the Lo
went through,
To find the sheep that was lost.
What price has been paid for o.
redemption Surely we could ask
no more; God himself could ask for
more and Satan is silenced in view
the work done on the cross. Chris
cry, cit is finished" answers all t.
questions which could be asked
heaven, earth Or hell.
We need only fall down and than
fully accept the deliverance bought
his precious blood.
A Christian girl lay dying. Wi
much effort she moved one hand to
other and. after feeling the palm fol
moment, whispered, "No nail; his ha
was pierced with the nail" With ev
more effort she raised her hand to /
brow and, after feeling it, said, /"
thorns; his brow was crowned w
thOrns." Finally, her hand stole to
side, and with triumph she cried, {"
spear; his side was pierced by
spear"