The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-01-30

~ everlasting IA
Their, the Prince
of Peace. But he did not do so. He
simply said, "Behold the Lamb of
God which taketh away the sin Of the
world"
In the feI9 of Johns vision there
was black cloud Of sin, out of which
wrath was falling on men the world
over. He saw men enslaved by sin.
He saw that they were to die eter-
nally on account of sin, and in Jesus
he saw the worlds Savior.
1t seems strange that the greatest
curse on man should be given a name
containing only three letters; yet the
greatest idea that man can entertain,
as name, contains only three let
ters-God. 1t may be fanciful, but
there is possibly suggestion that
these two words, so short, should al
ways be considered together. No God,
no sin. "Sin is the transgression Of
the law" If there were no God to
promulgate law there could be no
sin. Sin was the ugly thing that sep
arated man from God, and that now
threatens to make that separation
eternal, and none but God himself
could take it away.
With very many sin is simply the
transgression of the law of God that
affects oneself or society; 1t Is only
vice or crime. 1t is altogether proper
to speak of SHINING against ones fell
low men and against himself. A GER
tain man, whose name Is familiar be-
cause notorious within the last four
years, sinned greatly against society
at large, against the whole human
race. If man thinks he has pre-
served conscience void or offense
toward his fellow men he thinks
that he is meeting all Gods require
ments. Man frequently speaks of
transgression of the law as directly
affecting himself and others, but
often that man is altogether indiffer-
ent to the practical fact that there
is consideration far above this of
what sin does, and that consideration
is that sin affects God.
There is nothing needed now more
than a sense of God. There are many
who are utterly goddess and they are
not called atheists, but they are
atheists practically. As far as In
terest in God is concerned God might
as we'll not be. There are, however,
some evidences that this sense Of
God is being realized as never before.
A soldier In France wrote, "All inf
dels are in the rear; everyone here
at the front believes In God and the
future.
In the Bible we have two very clear
illustrations Of sensitiveness to sin
as Offense against God. When Joseph
was tempted by the wife of Potiphar
he was saved by the thought, "How
can do this thing and sin against
God" Here was utter Indifference
to anything but the thought of sim
ming against God. The other case
is that of David who prayed, Against
thee, thee only, have / sinned and
done this evil in thy sight" Again,
utter Indifference to the consequences
VI Ills Sill as tOuNhihS ihnocb anu
others. The same thought Is reflect
ed I'm the prodigal's words when he
returned to his Father. This recogni-
ton and confession Of offense against
God is the door through which
the true penitent comes into a
place Of deiiverance. 1t is here that
he secures spiritual freedom. and that
spiritual freedom is only realized
when, the guilt Of sin is taken away.
The taking away of sin is real. The
strong shoulders Of the Son of God
bear 1t away, as the scapegoat of old
bore away the sins of Israel into the
wilderness N
IT. Jeshs Christ is able to carry
away thf sin OF the world 1t is quite
reasonable to say that, he can take
away he sin or sins of any man.
There hre. some who fear that they
may pave sinned so grievously that
their fin can never be taken away, but
IL Je$ls Christ can take away the sin
of tie world, which certainly means
all SIN, the sin of the troubled sinner
canjalso be taken away.
lay my sins on Jesus,
The spotless Lamb of God
He bears them all and frees us
From the bccursed load.