The Washington herald., 1918-02-07
EVENING SERMON
God Commands All Men to
Repent

SOxXS
pit of hell. and he has got to see
the IRE and birthstone and look with
staring eyes into the depths Of in
iquity.
All right, when you know you are
living wrong a man doesn't need to
be afraid OF going to hell. He can
say. This isn't the right way to
live; I am going to live right" and
then be man enough to live right
for God and for Gods truth. That's
all the Lord wants you to do.
Jesus said there was an endless hell
for the sinner. He only gave US one
view, my friends, but that's enough
For that view He gave US was true
and n wouldn't help any more II He
had given US a hundred. He only
pulled the curtain aside once and let
US look into the pitt no attempt at
frightening men and women to be re-
pentant. Repentance doesn't come
that way, and IL 1t does 1t doesn't
last any longer than the fear. When
the fear is gone, religion will go with
ii. The man who tries to be good for
fear that he will be damned If he
doesn't Is no more good at heart than
a lion is a lamb, or a polecat Is a
guinea pig. You remove the fear OF
punishment and he will be about as
bad as ever. oh, you can't scare peo-
pie into heaven, no more than you can
drive poison from the fangs of a rat
tlesnake by sticking a clothespin on
the end Of his tail.
Now, 1 don't care what puts a man
on his knees. whether he is afraid he
will go to hell II he don't repent, or
whether it is because of a manifesto
ton of the love Of God through Jesus
Christ that breaks his heart; and
when he lives in sin he is living
against God, 1 don't care what 1t is
| only so long as you will keep out Of
hell and live right. don't care what
brings you to Jesus Christ. 1 don't
care now.
Functions Of Church.
Repentance isn't conviction of sin
alone. Many think it is. have heard
people say that's what 1t is, but no.
body can repent without first of all
they are convicted. Nobody sends for
the doctor without first OF all he is
convinced that he needs the doctor.
A man never will be a Christian un-
less he is convinced that he will be a
sinner.
Now men are often deeply convicted
Of sin. but they go right on in sin.
Sometimes they will join the church.
but there will be no change in their
lives, and yet 1 have more respect for
fellow that will join the church,
even il he don't change his life than
have for the guy that won't join the
church and won't change his life be-
cause that man may hear something
that will convert him. while this fel-
! low won't go to church and he is sure
not to hear anything. have got more
respect for him anyway.
And sometimes they will cheat and
swear and lie and commit adultery.
Theyswere convicted but they wouldn't
repent and forsake their sins and with
! out repentance and faith in Jesus
Christ nobody is right with God.
There is never a man or woman
that goes wrong that doesn't feel
mean about it when they are alone
and think 1t all over. I thank God
that He has so ordained that no
man or woman on earth can do
wrong and find happiness in wrong
doing. There is no peace. saith
God, to the wicked. So, there is no
happiness to a sinner. 1 thank God
that he has ordained that we can't
find happiness in sin. Absolutely
you can't do ii, no matter where.
You never could and never will.
So another thing, many people
are sarry they have done wrong,
but they 60 right on in their sin.
That's the way with a drunkard.
That's the way with a thief. That's
the way with a deceiver. That's
the way with a man in a quarrel
with his wife.
God commands all men every
where to repent" Repentance isn't
promising that you will do better.
oh, a good many will promise they
will do better and they will do it.
That's reforming. Reformation is
not regenera ton. What you need
is not a restrained nature. but a
new nature. That which Is flesh
no matter whether it is white flesh,
rich flesh. poor flesh, sober or
drunk, what you need is to be born
again. By the deeds of the law
shall no flesh be justified in His
sight.
So, you promised to do better, and
do ii. I say reform. The devil lets
you promise to do better every day
IL you want to. II I'd ask the audi
ence right now. How many of you
people want to do better" I will
bet, my friends. that everybody here
would stand up, preachers and all
Everybody would get up.
Hold on, wait a minutei Then let
me ask this: How many of you will
give your hearts to Jesus Christ
and turn your back on your sins
and by the grace of God you will
live a life of faith in Christ from
now on?'
True Repentance.
How many would respond to that:
Come on. that's repentance. The
devil will let everybody get up and
say II want to be better"
But when you want to walk down
that aisle to say, by the faith of
| God, I will be Christian" all hell
stands there to keep you back, and
you know it.
That's the difference between repen-
tance and reformation.
Repentance Is more than feeling
sorry and promising you will do bet
ter; repentance is giving up the whole
thing and asking God to forgive that
you ever did That's repentance.
That's repentance through God. Not
to tell the people; it is none of the
peoples business. That might in
volve you and explanations wouldn't
be pleasant to make. It is nobody's
business.