Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-08-23

VI "a y u - 81 SAAS
pang tells Of possible despair.
In Gods word both the present In
iQuity and the impending ruin ARE full
~ stated. Sicknesses, heartaches,
tears. God-defyings, deaths. are fully
stated here. You do not find any stoi-
cal heartless ignoring of our suffer
ings or needs. Every phase Of them
Is dealt with both for time and eterni-
". lniquity Is therefore real, and
ruin may be as real.
RuinI There is not pleasing or
wihsome consideration attachable to
the word. A ruined city, a ruined
nome, ruined health. ruined reputation,
ruined soull 1t all stands (nay
Iaiis) hidden in night unllt by even
the faintest glow worms light. Ruini
lt means worth. but worth discarded
20 the past 1t means value indeed,
out hopelessness. 1t Is the guilt OF
an eternal sin"--a stumbling to
fall
God, through Ezekiel, was calling
TO His people, although they were
ubiquitous. His purpose was to end
the wrecking before 1t became ruin.
And this Is the very business Of the
Christians Gospel. 1t can prevent the
doom. 1t Is uttered that men "might
not perish" Is there any subject In
all the world one-thousandth so ro-
mantle? Behold here the ruin of a
soul Is prevented, not by fence OF
fatalism placed between the soul and
ruin, but by work Of grace wrought
within the soul itself which causes II
to turn In its journey toward ruin and
eternally journey toward increasing
glory.
First, then, there Is the iniquity
cure. II the malady were a physical
one, we might hear the physician say
that there Is one chance In fifty or
perhaps one In twenty for recovery.
But 1t Is never so here. HE Is able
to save unto the uttermost" The
sinner "of whom am cher having
been saved, certainly 1t us worthy OF
all acceptation" that Christ falls With
none who accept Him. Find in ali
the universe one, just one failure.
where this remedy has been accepted
and has failed. If you could find one,
then you would find that all had failed
and that there was no real Gospel to
announce to sinful men.
Second. There Is ruin rendered for
ever impossible. 1t is first saved, then
safe. 1t Is kept by the power of
God" and with that keeping who could
be ruined? "We are not Of the night"
eternal day has begun.
Third. It is the very opposite to
ruin. Over against that word there
Is set for the saved soul, "riches OF
grace" mo condemnation" saliva
tion." Are you thinking Of ruined
business? Place them over against 1t
these riches" Is 1t the guilt In ruin?
Place over against 1t mo condemna-
tion." Is it wreck? Then place over
against 1t salvation" Look into the
depths and behold the impending ruin,
then look, oh soul, into the heights
and behold the place prepared by Him
who made the worlds. There Is what
you escape; here Is what you gain.
And 1t Is all personal. Let 1t be
stdteu, II am tne man VINO mas SUI
fered from iniquity, the man APP
preaching ruin; but / am the man,
through grace in Christ Jesus-saved
and safe" To Israel the call was
national. but in the Gospel Of grace
1t is personal. "Christ loved Me and
gave himself for Me-" 1t Is our Lord
Jesus who says to poor Bartimeus,
what wilt thou that should do unto
thee?" 1t is all personal to that blind
sufferer. Now. "Bartimeus" means
"son Of the unclean.' And that Is
my name. That same Jesus appeals
to me, an unclean soul, the son OF
the unclean, saying, "What wilt thou
that l should do unto thee2r And
He gave me cleanness.