Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-08-30


and do thou likewise.
Best Known Passage.
Few Scripture passages are better
known than this parable, of the Good
Samaritan. One chief value is the light
it throws on the correct way Of inter
preting the Bible For it is a fact that
most portions of this book are under
stood and explained very differently by
both individuals and churches. Many
consider the search for truth in the
Scriptures entirely hopeless. and IN Gym
ical Indifference join in Pilates remark:
what is truth ~
Yet. truth can only be one. OF all
different views of a moral or religious
doctrine, only one can be right. And il
would be surprising if the inspired word
of God should be lacking in clear dircc-
tons on this important matter.
Considering our text carefully we dis
cover that our Savior here by a con
crete example shows us how 10 explain
some Of the most important Bible truths,
setting up Il rule for all other Biblical
Interpretation,
Question at Issue.
The question at Issue was: What
shall | do to inherit eternal LIFE The
story Of the Samaritan II Jesus an
swer to this. The lawyer quoted the
the fulfilling Of the law; the sum Of
Gods demands. 50 far so good. But
when the lawyer holds that this il the
way BY which we can actually inherit
heaven he is in grievous error, 1t was
the way in which Adam and Eve in the
state If innocence were able to please
God But all the rest of the Sculptures
tell lis we are a fallen race. and unable
to keep the Law Of God perfectly. 50
Jesus tells the story of the Good Samar-
itan to prove to the lawyer that God
would demand such perfect love and
generosity. The lawyers qualifications
"Who is thy neighbour" proves he him
self dimly understood that if perfection
was required then this way of the law
would be impracticable.
They Are Mistaken.
Yet we may say that the great ma
jority have this idea Of salvation by the
law. The depend on their respectable
life, their scrupuIous honesty in business
matters. tie fact that they are con
sidercd good neighbors, generous
friends and affe ction ate in
family life They look for salvation ia
some qualities in their own life and
And. as matter Of fact,
they weight these qualities OF the, scales
of public opinion among friends and
neighbours IF ! am considered q good,
upright man III my community then God
naturally should have the same opinion
Of nee | think ! am alright.
But there Is where they are mistaken.
God demands perfection. and If Sou
have it not you have ne chance Of
heaven by anything you may DE abe 10
do. We are all bankrupt, and God help
ms to find it out in time.
50 the lawyer had read his Bible in \
,sliv1 out
of it's contents that seemed To agree
with his own ideas, without considering
that the Bible as q whole must be |
studied.
lie had entirely left out Christ. That
was his great mistake, 4ust as SO many ,
make the same mistake now.
A False RELIGION.
If the lawyer and others could hope .
for heaven through their love of God \
and neighbor, what necessity would /
there have been for Gods sending Of his .
,nly son to suffer and die? "Ihou shalt .
all his name Jesus, for be shalt save
ais people from their sins
So consider the two verses just pre-
,eding our text: Blessed are the eyes
which see the things You see-and hear
he things which We hear" The disciples
saw the mighty work Of the son of
JOL, ana lFdIu LIE "DtuS ~ LLG l1IIHtt I
il life, Jesus. Jesus IL the way, the
ruth and the life he says: No man
,ometh unto the father but BY me.
Any religion, any faith. which leaves
,ut Jesus, is false, and will bring no one
% heaven.
Tie way to understand any article,
my book, any speaker. is to find out the
lin, the purpose. You may pick out
scraps from the Bible and put them TO-
yether, according to your ideas, and be
lead wrong.
The purpose Of the Bible II to lead
men to Christ, the only savior. Mold
hat firmly in mind any time YOU read
| section or hear sermon. Anything
hat sets aside the savior is wrong,
hough it may be a beautiful prayer or
Eloquent speech.
The story of the good samaritan has
he purpose Of CAUSING us 10 despair
e our own puny efforts, and hasten to
ind help, which the Bible states is
ound only in Jesus Christ, the sinners
riend.
Dear reader, have you found him
Rev. A. w. johnson