South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-01
GOD WELCOMES
ALL PENITANTS
Rev. James [. Gardiner Talks
on Dignity of Divine
SonShip" Sunday.

Rev. James L. Gardiner, pastor Of
St. Paris 81 T. church. preached
40 the morning services sunday.
taxing as his subject The Dignity
OF Divine worship" lie took as his
text Vow we are the sons OF Cod
from 81. Johns gospel. DR. Gardi-
nsr said:
Centuries ago the Psalmist ask
ed the question. What is man
That question has been one OF the
greatest questions 81 all the ages
OF the civilized world. IL mas occu-
pied the attention q the greatest
iutelIects but still we stand with the
same interrogation on our lips. The
text. however. answers this question,
Vow are we the sons Of God -
THE doctrine OF divine Souship,
set forth i'm these words is not only
one OF the grandest doctrines of the
christian faith. but II is the doc
trine that dinerentiates ours from
every other system of religion. IL
does so not by denying the worth
OF other religions but by emphasiz-
inc this as the climax OF reyela-
ton.
Man Religious Being.
Man IS naturally q religious be-
ing. and in every religion no mat
ter how strange or crude men have
been yearning after the highest and
the best Man everywhere has felt
that i'm some way he was related
10 the Infinite. This principle is the
basic principle Of all religions. As
life has developed. this conscious
ness has been more and more dis
tinctly felt, until in the religion OF
the Lord Jesus Christ. who was the
ever-conscious Son OF God. il rises
10 an abiding assurance that the
Christian believer is indeed the son
Of God. This we do not hesitate 10
say is one OF the richest and sub
limest doctrines to be found any
where i'm the word Of God
This doctrine as taught by Jesus
Christ throws a light upon the fallen
condition Of the human race. Man.
We read, was created in the image
OF God. Tie was created a child of
God. But man fell. What was the
result Of mans fall? Wen, what
ever else is true. mans fall did not
Unrelate him 70 Coo. III your son
were 10 fair INTO sin. that fact would
rot unrelate him 20 YOU. Hence ]
maintain that mans lapsed condi-
ton could not unrelate him 10 the
Diety. God does not love us less be
cause we have gone astray. Does
any worthy parent do this? 40.
certainly not. The true earthly par
ent is panied when his son goes
astray for there is no one that can
feel "a boys sin like his father or
mother. nevertheless he still loves
his boy and Iongingly waits for his
return. Others may slam the door
in his face but the father still keeps
FOR him a place at the table hoping
that one day his wandering lad may
come home. And when the boy re
turns the father Will run out 70
meet him and falling on his neck
viii cut short his confession by q
call for the best robe and com
mand for immediate festival This
IL the true earthly father. Is God
less kind. less loving. and less mer-
ciful than the best earthly parent
No. and ] hold that it is a false the
oloEy that pictures in God what in
condemns in man.
Christ Died for Sinners.
God is better than the best
earthly parents. ] speak with the
authority of scriptures. while We
were Yet sinners Christ died for US.
Note the word sinners il is not
saints. mark you. but sinners We
would not have been surprised il
Christ had died for saints but "a
have died for 'sinners'-this is what
surprises US
The burden or the teaching OF
Jesus Christ is that God so loved
sinful men that He sent His only
hegotten Son TO seek and TO save
To is because we are sons Of Coo