The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-07-15

y43XX ~
the present claim
Of Christ upon them? Men, who care
fully consider and discharge conscien-
tiOusly other obligations that devolve
upon them. often fail to regard the
obligation that rests upon them to do
something with Christ. who rightly OBJ
| Obtrudes himself upon them.
Whether man likes it or not. he
must do something with Jesus Christ.
He must either accept Christ by faith
as his own personal Saviour or reject
him. There is no middle position he
can take. Jesus himself settled this
when he said: "He that is not with
me Is against me-"
To assume To take neutral posi-
ton toward Christ In view of this
plain word of his. is 10 90 contrary
10 Christ's statement of Ithe truth,
that there is no neutral ground. Why.
then. should one attempt TO put of
his decision concerning Christ by the
sOphistry that he is neutral toward
him? 1t is simply an attempt to de-
lay decision that must be made some
day. Christ ut once places those who
assume this position on the side of
those who are against him, and So
though one says: Il refuse TO commit
myself further than to say | am neu-
trail toward Christ" Christ himself
says: "There is no neutral ground.
you are against me-" The so-called
neutral position with this fact so
"a, to 20 ha
tenable one.
There are, then. just two classes of
people in the world. those who are
against Christ and those who are for
| him. In which class are you? Are
| you one who Is trusting him. as your
Saviour and are, therefore, with him.
or are you one who has never taken
this step of faith and so are against
him?
1t behooves us TO determine definite
ly our relation to Christ, because so
much depends upon 1t. If 1t is provf-
dent for us to provide for our tenn
poral needs. It certainly is provident
for us to make provision for our splr-
itual needs and these can be met only
In Christ. He alone. meeting every
spiritual need. satisfies the human
heart.
At one time after Christ's resurrec-
tiOn. so we read. he came into the
midst of his disciples the doors be-
ing shut. This incident we'll Illus
trates how Christ presses his claims
upon men. There Is no way of shutting
him out of ones presence; no doors of
life can keep him out. Business may
seem to be door that should shut
out from man the claims Of Christ
upon him. But try II ana see II by
immerslng yourself i'm business you
can altogether avoid Christ. II may
he that you will live your life in bust
ness as If there were no Christ but
TO thus ignore him does not by any
means relieve you of the fact Of his
existence anil his claim on you. He
Is there. silently there. with you ut
your business. You date your ledger
and your letters In recognition Of him.
I do not say in honor of him. hut in
recognition of him. for he is the sig
nifcance Of the date that heads your
letter and on your ledger keeps your
business transactions so that you can
keep track Of them.
Then, too, In various other ways and
places, as well as I'm business, Christ
evidences himself. The land Is dotted
with churches and other institutions
that speak loudly of-him. How can
you ignore that verse OF Scripture
that greeted you today. as you rode in
your automobile out on the country
highway? You say some religious
crank put II there. Well. grant II. but
mark you, though n religious crank
may have put II there. that which you
read Is the Word of God and II is
vocal with Christ
On earth there Is scarcely place
Won can go TO get away from the fact
that Christ has claim upon YOU He
Is preached on the street corner. In
gospel halls and churches. Go to the
islands Of the sen or bury Yourself
among some uncivillZed tribe. and If
Christ's missionary Is not there. he
soon will he for the genius Of Chris
tianity Is that II Is 10 he preached and
the preachers are to 20 70 the utter
most parts Of the earth to proclaim
the glad tidings Of Christ's salvation
Mark you well. that TO ignore
Christ's claim upon you does not re-
lieve you Of your responsibility to-
ward him.