South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-12-12

T. A
IOIIC-Ihe Supreme importance
OF Christ's SaCrince Tor the Lost.
/. The Parable OF the Hid Treas
ure. ". 44).
The common Interpretation of
this parable that Christ is the hld
treasure Tor which the sinner must
give up everything in order 10 Guy
salvation is false, for the following
reasons:
1. Christ is not hidden in a field,
but has been lifted up and made q
spectacle TO the world.
2. Nobody has ever been obliSed
10 buy the world in order 10 set
Christ.
3. salvation cannot be purchased,
for IL is Gods free and gracious
gift.
t. No warrant is ever held out 70
man to conceal his religion after
he has obtained it.
In order to find ground that is
safe and that we may appreciate its
beauty and symmetry let US break
up the parable into its component
parts:
l. The field. This is the world
(v. $50.
2. The treasure. In Psalm 1854
we are told that Israel. the chosen
people, is His treasure. The same
truth is set forth in different places
and ways (Deut. 1868; 14:2, 26:18;
.32:S, 81. The kingdom OF heaven
as to its true relation and bearing
is now hidden. Christ was primar-
ily sent TO the Jews; it was for their
sake, the hid treasure, that He
bought the field.
.. The purchaser-the Son Of
God (John 3:16).
4. The purchase price. This was
the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Gods beloved Son, which is worth
infinitely more than silver and gold
and the treasures Of earth q Pet.
1:13. 10; lisa. SD.
III. The Parable OF the Merchant
man Seeking Pearls CIV. As, 46).
The view that this merchantman
represents the sinner seeking saliva
ton is contrary to the whole teach
ing of Scripture. This would make
the sinner to be seeking for Christ
while Christ is as Indifferent as a
lifeless pearl. The whole burden
Of revelation Is that man, since the
fail Of Adam in the garden of Eden,
has been hid away from God, and
that the Father. Son and Holy Spir-
it are all actively engaged in seek
ing for lost men.
l. The merchantmen He is with
out question Christ. He is active
w engaged in the search for pearls.
I'm this search he discovers one
pearl of great price.
. The purchase price. The mcr-
chairman sold all-impOverished
himself in order to buy the pearl.
Christ impoverished Himself (Phil.
2:6-8) TO purchase the one pearl OF
great price by His own precious
blood Il Pet. 1:1S, 10; Eph. 5:25).
Salvation is without money and
without price.
8. The pearl of great price. This
is the church. Christ, the mer-
chairman, Will find other pearls OF
great value, but the peerless gem
set above all others will be the
church which He has purchase with
His own blood. This truth is IN
harmony with the general teaching
of Scripture which sets forth the
different bodies Of the redeemed.
III. The Parable of the Dragnot
wv. 1850.
This para BILE gives us a picture of
the consummation of the kingdom.
Note the parts of the parable:
/. The sea. This word when used
in a hgurative sense denotes peO-
pies or mulutudes (Dan 7.3; Rev.
17:15). This means, then. that out
Of this world shall be gathered a
multitude of people, good and bad.
.. The dragnet. The word net
is properly translated dragnet. The
dragnet cast into the sea, then.
means the preaching of the Gospel
in this age.
3. The dragnet drawn to the
shore when fun. This means that
when Gods purpose is made full re-
garding the preaching OF the Cos
pei in this age, account Will be
taken OF the results.
4. Assortment made by the am
gels. In the day Of this accounting
the angels will be the agents which
shall separate the saved from The
unsaved.
8. The destiny Of the bad fish.
The angels which are sent forth
shall sever the wicked from among
the Just, and shall cast them into
the furnace Of fire. where there
shall be wailing and crashing of
teeth.