The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-01-25

III
right when he
said. az have waited, o God, for thy
salvation" and the Psalmist spoke
,ruly when he said: salvation be-
longeth unto the Lord our God"
Many have the idea that salvation
is something that originates with man;
an effort by which he attempts to ex-
tricate himself from sin. Contrary to
this notion is the fact that salvation Is
of God. He is the author OF 1t. 1t
originated in his heart of love, was
wrought out of his will and has the
marks of his handiwork upon 1t.
When the fulness Of time came God
sent his Son TO be the savior OF the
world. From the lofty heights Of
heaven he came to the lowest depths
of death and on Calvary's cross he
bore our sins in his own body, putting
them away by the sacrifice of himself.
Thus, you see, salvation of which God
is the author, is also wrought out by
God and this makes it great.
Salvation Preached.
Salvation which is provided by God
is made known through preaching. at
pleased Cod" we read, "by the fool
ishness " preaching to save.them that
believe" This is the way the good
news is made known. Human lips
proclaim the gospel. 1t might suit
man TO have ii made known some 9th
er way, but this is Gods way of telling
sinners about the salvation he has
provided. 1t has pleased him to do 1t
this way, and Christ commanded his
followers to preach the gospel to all
creatures.
But what avail is II to hear the Cos
pei If one does not accept It? Hear
ing the gospel Is not sufficient to save
one. 1t must be accepted IL 1t Is to be
in ones life the power of God unto sal
walton. The way to make 1t ones own
is to believe it, that Is, believe 1t with
a faith that acts upon 1t. 1t may help
us to understand this better II we say.
that the one who really believes the
gospel Is the one who trusts himself
to Christ to be saved by Christ and
by him alone. 1t is not enough to be-
heve there was Christ; that would
be simply an historical faith; or to
believe that Christ is the Savior; that
would be only n religious faith. 1t Is
necessary In addition to these to trust
oneself personally to Christ as ones
own Savior; this is saving faith.
surely, this makes salvation great.
What II Does.
And then salvation Is great, be-
cause of what it does. It brings to
'hose who believe the forgiveness of
SINS Through this man is preached
unto you the forgiveness of sins and
Dy MIN all that believe are justified
from all things" Think of it! God
iorgiVes and justifies those who be-
heve In the Lord Jesus Christ. No
matter what ones sins may be. the
provision God has made, IL accepted, Is
sulhcient to meet the need. The
euiitiest sinner In the world will be
forgiven II he Is willing to turn away
IRON MS sin and accept the Lord
Jesus Christ as his Savior.
But salvation does not sion there,
,or 1od not only forgives our sins,
OUT ne gives us power over sin. That
is' he puts his own life within us when
we peiieve, and because of this new
ne which is his own, we have mower
over sin. That Is why the drunkard
VINO is saved quits his cups: why the
swearer no longer curses, why the har-
,o' ana the libertine change their ways.
!. Is not because they have resolved to
w oe'ter' but because God has actu-
any entered their lives. That is what
70 meant by being born of God. II Is
'"'ihg the very life of God himself
pu' within ones soul and a salvation
.i'"t ooes that is truly great. No mat
~. ,heh what our ancestry may be on
ne human side, II we are true believ-
is IN the Lord Jesus Christ. we baye
zee. peen Dorn from above and by this new
o"'h are the only genuine ar,stocrats
On earth, the children NJ Goa
No Escape.
=. Ahe text nsks, How shall we escape
u we neglect so great saIvationf
ruhRiy' do not know. do your II
mere Is only one way of beInr saved.
anu we do not take that wav. what
sna Is there for us from the wrath
pa t Judgment Of God against slnf
IT, preaching, said: Neither II
IL NJ, .a'yauon In any other; for there
on e oher name under heaven CIV
.aua.' ",ng men, whereby we must be-
the.a This makes 1t very clear that
anart En-. 10 Other way Of being saved
40. sura ,o'n christ, and since this II
w surely, salvation is great.