The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-03-28


'ese' - time began II was
Christ who was daily Gods delight
prov. $500. And all during time he
Is still the pre-eminent one, for II has
pleased the Father that In Christ
should all fullness dwell (Col. 40.
Not man but Christ has been made heir
OF all things (Heb. 1 :2). After time
will be passed this will still be true, as
Is stated In Eph. 10, shat In the dis
pensation OF the fullness Of times he
will gather together In one oil things
In Christ, both which are In heaven,
and which are on earth" The error
Of humanitarianism rises out of n de-
NAL Of this truth and the consequent
attempt TO put men In Christ's place.
Humanltarianism is nothing more than
the exaltation Of man. leading TO his
dedication and the enforcement of
the human above the divine. Mankind
can come into the purposed blessing
from God only as Christ Is given his
proper place-that OF being the pre-
eminent object OF Gods counsels. And
what Is true of the human race is true
Of the individual. That life is blessed
In the measure In which Christ is pre-
eminent therein.
As the Object Of the Scriptures.
The object OF the Scriptures Is not to
give the world history, although the
only absolutely true history In the
world Is found there. Neither is the
Scripture a scientific book. although
wherever the Scripture touches science
II touches IL with a true hand and is
never unscientific. Neither do the
Scriptures set forth a system OF philos-
ophy as the object for which they were
written, although the deepest philos-
ophy Is found there. The pre-emInent
object Of the Book is Christ. Without
him they would never have been writ
ten and we read our Bibles TO little
purpose II we fail to find him upon its
pages. lie rebukes those of older time
by saying In Jno. 80: "Ye search the
Scriptures. for In them ye think ye
have eternal life and they are they
which testify of me-" Eternal life is
in him and he Is in the Scriptures.
They would not receive him of whom
the Scriptures spake and so missed
the eternal life for which they sought.
Through the books Of history, prophecy
and psalms the one radiant object in
type and symbol, ceremony and pre-
diction is this pre-eminent one-Christ
Jesus the Lord. He Is the only key
which will unlock the mysteries and
the only light making plain the dark
places.
As the Object Of Our Faith.
Our eternal destiny does not rest
on what we do with certain things but
certain person. II is not the faith
but the object Of the faith that counts.
1 may have splendid faith in a poor
bank and lose my money. l may have
much faith In a rotten boat and lose
my life. And | may have first-class
faith In some other object than Christ.
such as a good life or charitable deeds.
and lose my soul. II 1t is salvation l
need l am TO believe In him and be
saved (Acts 16;3D. II II is justifica-
tlon l want l am TO believe In him and
be justified from all things (Acts
10 800. Freedom from condemnation,
eternal life, sanctificatlon, all that has
10 do with my spiritual well-belng
hangs on my faith In him. No wonder.
then. that we read, this is the work of
God that ye believe ON him whom he
hath sent" Ono. :29). He is to be
the pre-emlnent object OF my faith.
Win my reader stop and ask from the
heart. "Am i really trusting In Christ
alone or is some other object pre-emi-
nent before my faithi" He must do
all for us or he can do nothing for US.
IF We be circumcised Christ will profit
you nothing" (Gal. 8 ;2). Adding any
thing To him and his work makes him
10 be OF no value TO us. He is TO be
the alone Savior, Justifier, Sanctlfier.
God will give all things through him,
nothing apart from him.
The error OF humanitarlanlsm will
come In when any other object than
this pre-eminent one is before us. We
will be kept from the leaven OF the
Pharisees when we seek for him alone
In the Scriptures, and the eternal in
terests of our souls will be safeguarded
and made sure when he Is the supreme
object Of our faith.
Thou o Christ art all want;
More than all In thee 1 find.