South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-08-01
MANS SALVATION
PERSONAL MATTER,
PASTOR DECLARES
Gods Desire for Sinners
Salvation" is Theme of Sun
day Morning Sermon.


Gods Desire for the Sinners Sal
vation,' was the theme of the Sun
day morning sermon delivered 10y
Rev. Albert II. Keck, pastor Of the
Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran
church. A portion OF Rev. keck's
address is as follows:
THE Word OF God tells Us that al
thoee Will be lost who continue in
sin and unbeibef unto their end and
leave this world without being born
again of the Holy Ghost. Those who
compose this class are more than
those who accept Christ and are
saved. Our authority for this state
ment IS Christ Himself. He says
Many are called; but few are chOs-
en-. And again He says: Vile is
the gate, and broad is the way that
leadeth 70 destruction, and many
there be that go In thereat; because
straight Is the gate, and narrow Is
the way that leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it, 1t is a
most solemn thought that the many
are treading the path that leads TO
eternal death.
Murmur Against God.
What is the effect OF this truth
upon many 10 whom 1t is preached?
Instead of being terrified at the
thought of sin. they murmur against
God. Instead of striving to save
their souls, they accuse God Of being
cruel. Are these accusations true p?
BY no means. God does not desire
the death of any sinner His earnest
desire ia that all should be saved
Let US note some proofs that this Is
So
First, let us see what God him
self says in the Old Testament. one
passage is sufficient for our purpose
though many more might be cited.
In Ezekiel we read: AS live satin
the Lord God, | have no pleasure IN
the death Of the wicked; but that the
wicked turn from his way and live;
turn ye. turn We from your evil ways:
for why viii ye die, house OF
Israeli Here God swears by Him
self that He has no pleasure in the
death OF any wicked and II Is i'm
piled that If men do die it is their
own fault.
Desire for Salvation.
Next. turn to the New Testament. |
Jesus Christ came to reveal TO men
the true character of the Father.
hrists desire for the salvation Of
he sinner is therefore the Fathers
desire also. And certainly none can
say that Christ did not labor untir-
ingly for the salvation of souls or I
seek to impress upon men that His
one great desire was for their saliva /
ton. See Him in the passage from |
which our text Is taken. Christ's /
tears because of the sins Of those /
who had prosecuted Him and who |
were on the point Of destroying Him |
are witnesses 70 Gods love that
speak louder than words. In the /
fearful eyes Of the Son OF God every |
man can read the words-God truly |
desires the death Of no sinner.
But there is still greater proof OF
this truth This proof is Calvary. IL
to sufIer, bleed and die for men can we
doubt that He desires the death OF no /
sinneri The nail marks In the hands
and feet Of our Lord, the riyen side ana /
the world that God does not desire the /
death OF any sinner.
Provision.
In addition TO this we note the pro-
vision which He made for the proclama-
tlon Of His Gospel to all men and the ]
simple terms upon which this salvation /
Is offered He has established His |
church upon the earth and He has in
which repentance and remission Of sins
are to be preached TO the end OF time.
And when men ask. as I'D many on the /
day Of PentecOst, What shall we dor
the answer Is most simple-"Repent, and /
be baptized In the name Of Jesus Chr st
for the remission Of sins, and we shall \
receive the Holy Ghost" What easier
terms could God have stipulated than
that the sinner should recognize his guilt /
and believe In Jesus Christ?
Surely then the fault cannot be laid \
on God If men perish eternally The \
fault is mans and his alone. Whoever
viii haughtily despise Gods mercy, will /
persist in his sin, will trust in his own
works and virtue, or viii not listen 10 /
the Gospel-he cannot De saved by God
brief. men perish because they them
selves will not be saved. God opens the |
door. but they viii not enter. God offers
life, but they choose death.
Christ puts il thus: 20 Jerusalem,
Jerusalem. thou that k!llest the proph-
cts, and stOnest them that are sent unto
thee, how often would ] have gathered
thy children together, even as hen
gathereth her chickens under her wings.
and We would not" This, too, is a sol
emn thought that those who are lost
have no one 20 blame but themselves,
nothing 10 accuse but their own perver-
sity.
we live in a day when IL is popular
20 make light OF sin. 20 regard 10 as
trif1e and to trifle with ia day when
Il is popular 10 go with the crowd. re-
gardless OF where IL IS going. The tears
Of Jesus should remind rs that sin Is no
trifle-that Il is not something to be
trifled with-that 10 can bring only SUI
fCring and misery 20 those who yield
them Aalves servants 70 it. Let US thank
God that He has no pleasure in the
death OF the sinner-that He has reveal.
ed the way by wrich the sinner NAV OBJ
tain everlasting life-that the conditions
Of salvation are so simple Let Us know,
TN this the day Of cur visitation. the /
things which belong unto our peace and
let US labor IN the spirit and after the
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