Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-08-17

satisfied in heart. The victory Of faith
was hers.
The only way by which spiritual
truth can be realized and enjoyed IN
experience is by faith. Abraham be
lieved God" He staggered not at the
promise of God. through unbelief, but
was strong In faith, giving glory to
God and being fully persuaded that
what He had promised He was able
to perform. This is victorious faith.
1t asserts that God is true and rests
upon His word rather than upon
| moods. dispositions or feelings.
When the founder Of the Young
Mems Christian association, Sir
George Williams, lay dying, friend
leaned over his bed and whispered the
words Of our text, I'VE are complete
In Him." Immediately smile passed
over the face Of the dying man as
there came to him in those last mo-
ments renewed sense of a Savior IN
whom nothing is lacking. whose saw
ing work is as complete as He Him
self is complete. The Christ OF the
Bible Is very different person from
the Christ Of pious fiction, or the
Christ Of current literature. There Is
as much difference between the two
as there is between the ocean and
dewdrop.
The Preacher's Christ.
A certain gospel minister, whose
work has been greatly blessed all over
the country, was recently called to the
pastorate of the most influential
church in his denomination. A report
er from the city to which he had been
called waited on him and In an In
terview asked the minister what he In
tended to preach In his new field. The
reply was II shall preach Christ there
as have here" "What viii you
preach concerning Him?" asked the
reporter. To which the preacher re-
Piled: II shall preach the Christ OF
eternity. the pre-existent one. who
was in the beginning with God, who Is
one with God. and the one by whom
all things were made. / shall preach
the incarnate Christ. who because
the children were flesh and blood.
likewise Himself took part OF the
same that one who, being In the
form Of God, took upon Himself the
form Of the servant and was made In
the likeness Of man; / shall preach
the Christ Of the spotless life, who
was able to look up into the face OF
God and say, I do always those
things that please Him; the Christ
Of Calvary, whose death provided the
only atonement for sin by virtue OF
which sinners may be reconciled to
God; the Christ Of resurrection life
and power; the Christ of sympathy
and intercession, the great High Priest,
who is touched with the feeling OF
our infirmities and who Is able to
save to the uttermost, those who come
unto God by him; and the Christ who
shall come again In glory. This said
the preacher, is the only Christ
know, the Christ OF the Bible God
be thanked FOR all such preachers, who
have mighty Savior to preach about.
1t is because the Savior is what He is
that his work Is what 1t Is. He Is
80 complete and his work so absolute
ly perfect, that God, looking upon
those who are spiritually united to
Christ by faith, can say, I'VE are COM
plete in Him."
Complete In Him.
The first three words OF this text
could not stand alone In their appli-
cation to any life. The sense of In.
completeness is strong, even In the
hottest and best. OF none can it be
said, Ye are complete In yourselves,
but take the text as 1t is, I'VE are
complete In Him" and 1t becomes
blessedly true Of great multitude
which no man can number.
An important Christian truth and
doctrine emerges from this text. 1t
concerns our Identification or union
with Christ. 1t is not dependent upon
any isolated passage of scripture but
permeates the whole Of the New Tes-
lament teaching. It is a truth from
which comfort Of heart and strength
for labor may be derived. It finds ex-
preston In part In the following stan
zas by Percy Beard:
Thy Resurrection too.
Lord, Thou hast left for sinners
Just nothing else to do
But claim the victory, satisfied
That / am thus identified
Through aerial hosts. victorious.
Up to His Fathers throne
The Lamb Of God assembled
To claim what was His own;
And seated by His Fathers side
I'm with Him now identified.
The great High Priest now seated
Unceasing prayer now makes,
Until He for His footstool
His enemies He takes;
So / with Him must now abide,
IN conouering prayer identified