Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-06-28

hearty approval.
The passage re
ferred to reads in this way Whose
ever will, let him take the water Of
life freely. For ! testify unto every
man that heareth the words of the
prophecy Of this book. II any man shall
add unto these things, God shall add
unto him the plaques that are written
In this book. And IL any man shall
take away from the words of the book
Of this prophecy, God shall take away
his part out of the book Of life.'
water said the negro preacher,
rs that to which nothing can be added
and from which nothing can be taken
away. 1t is fitting symbol Of the
Word Of God to which nothing must
be added and from which nothing must
be taken away. 1t Is so complete in
itself that to add to IT or to take away
from 1t spells 1t and brings down judg-
ment from God"
A perverted Gospel is the Gospel In
modified form, the Gospel to which
some sxtraneous matter Is added or
from which some vital element Is sub
tracted. In either case, such Gospel
becomes powerless to save.
There are those who would remove
some vital element from the Gospel,
such as the deity or humanity of our
Lord, or His cross and resurrection as
the instruments OF a perfect redemp-
ton. When these are omitted, the
Ia
strength. 1t ceases to Inspire and
enthuse the hearts Of men and becomes
lifeless and powerless.
The other method of attack Is to add
something to the finished work Of
Christ as a means of salvation. This
was the method followed in Paul's day
against which ne wrought and fought
latians is protest against any addi-
tons to the Gospel which deprive 1t OF
its power to save, thereby making void
the grace of God.
The Apostle had some things in com
mon with those who perverted the Cos
pei Of grace. Both parties believed
that Jesus was the Messiah and the
Duh VI JOQ. DUH Dtilcytu tuut IlG
had died and had been raised from
the dead. Both believed that it was
necessary to put faith in Him. But at
this point they parted company Paul
preached that faith in Christ crucified
for our sins and raised for our justi-
fication was sufficient to save q sinner,
and give him place of acceptance be-
px>v~ MI 49, k.xset
swered back to every claim Of the
broken law. The virtue and value Of
Christ's saving work was reckoned
over to the account Of the sinner who
put faith In Him. To this the false
teachers objected, asserting that In adj
dition to faith in Christ, the religious
rite Of circumcision was necessary
and the law keeping, of which cir
cumcision was the beginning. Hence,
the conflict Of that early day.
To some people this difference may
seem to be small or trivial. But 1t Is
not SO. 1t was and is tremendous and
vital. 1t marks the difference between
q religion Of grace and a religion Of
merit. In the conflict, Paul was the
conqueror because he was on the side
Of God and truth. Those who preach
faith plus something else, preach a per
verted Gospel-a Gospel powerless to
save. They make the grace Of God,
that grace which provides a perfect
salvation without any additional merit
obtained or attained by use of ordi-
nances, sacramento Or 0bsc-vances
The question of circumcision has no
interest for US, but that which 1t rep
resented-a system Of works whereby
salvation was to be secured--is still q
burning question. There are today
those who preach salvation through
faith plus law keeping, especially the
fourth commandment, or through bap-
tism, or membership in some religious
communion. These things have their
proper place in the lives of those who
are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, but
to make them in any sense essential to
justification, is to pervert the Gospel
of Christ and to mislead the souls Of
men.
The liberty to which the apostle re-
fers in this epistle is obtained only by
those who stand fast in the truth of the
Gospel. 1t is the liberty wherewith
Christ has made US free. 1t is the lib
erty Of the sons of God. 1t is the lib
erty that leads soul into the place
Of Joy, strength and triumph. Like all
other forms Of liberty, 1t needs to be
guarded and directed in it's activities
Provision is made for this in the 10Th
verse Of the fifth chapter in the words,
Walk in the Spirit" The highest
place to which Christian can come is
indicated in this chapter and In these
words: Stand fast in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free"
and then. walk in the Spirit