The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-07-29

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which he obtained
NJ /" witness that he
was righteous,
God testlfying of his gifts; and by It
he being dead yet speaketh.'
Here there is nothing, apparently, or
brave daring, of courageous abandon.
OF sublime heroism. Why then should
such simple deed be carved in the
lmperishable granite of Gods Wordl
The most perfect picture ever con-
ceived of life and all its hallOwed re-
latlonships Is found in the opening
chapters OF Genesis. But the charm OF
that life was dispeIied by the blight
ing invasion of sin. Sinful nature, sim
full environment and sinful atmosphere
was the beQuest of Adam and Eve to
their countless posterity, yet God did
not abandon His disobedent children.
He loved them. His love furnished an
antldOte for their sin. Before they
left Paradise the gospel of salvation
was proclaimed. redemption offered
| and righteousness provided
There is every reason 10 believe that
the guilty parents OF the race accepted
the divine pinn of salvation when they
put on the robes of substitution G0d
brought to them. Wonderful indeed
must this all have been to them.
Oh, how could they sin In the midst
OF love and light and libertyl They
did, and deserved sins inevitable con-
sequence, death; but Gsd, whose grace
was greater than all their sin, brought
salvation ere they suffered the eonse-
Quences of disobedience.
Their life outside began very nats-
rally, l should say-1ust life as It has
continued to the present. They set up
their home, as near the gate of the
Garden as possible, doubtless hope fill-
Ing their hearts Of getting back again.
Children were born into that home,
two boys. Cain seemed so much the
child of promise that his mother named
him Gotten" Before the second-bOrn
was welcomed she had learned that he
was not the promised Seed Of the wom-
an, who was to bring deliveranee from
sins curse. When her second son was
born she called his name ABEL" mean
ing vanity" which seemed TO be n
confirmation of her disappointment In
her frst-born.
The boys grew up. Father and moth
er told them of Paradise with Its dark
tragedy and also Of Its glorious hope
In the Ged-given promise and the way
Of eternal life. The time OF personal
responsibility came when they must.
like father and mother. believe God
or reject His way. A choice was de-.
manded because sin had become per
sonaI. What would they dol God had
said an offering alone could meet the
need.
Both brought an offering. Gains
was one Of human reasoning. He con-
sidered II better than the one God had
taught his father and mother 10 bring.
II was more beautiful, the wsrk OF his
brain and hands No life had been
forfeited to provide II. But alaEzit
was the rejection OF Gods way. The
preferment Of his own. Therefore Il
had in II the essence of sin. for sin. 4
self-will, self-pleasing. self-exattation.
God rejected Gains offering and
Cain was wroth. He was denied his
own way.
Abel brought the very best lamb If
the flock. Just as he had been taught.
He believed God. He responded by
doing what God asked him to DO. BY
faith he offered his sacrifice. This, m
the face OF the attitude OF his older
brother, was keroism indeed. When
any man in loyalty to God dares ia
run counter to popular opinion or to
defy the consensus Of human reason.
It requires a beroism that exceeds that
of the battlefield and. In Gods sight.
crowns him with glory and honor sueh
as this world knows not.
God accepted Abel's offering. Even
80 God accepted Christ's death. He
was delivered for our offences and
raised for our justification.
Oh. can you not see what value God
puts upon the blood. even from the be-
ginning. for He mas declared that
without the shedding Of blood there
is no remission Of sins" There b only
one way Of salvation-through the
blood Of Calvary's Lamb. There h
only one title TO heaven-not moral
ity or good works. or personal virtue.
OF selfsacrihce, or death for another.
but that title which Is the Inheritance
Of the saints IN light through faith
In the Son Of God.