Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1924-02-08

tnere ought 10 De Iull pefSutslou.
First, we would place the matter Of
forgiveness. The bible is unmistak-
ably clear in Its declarations Of free
and full forgiveness OF sins through
the atoning blood Of the Lord Jesus
Christ In John 2:12, II is written,
II write unto you, little children. be-
cause your sins are forgiven you for
His Names sake" In Hebrews 1917,
we read, "Their sins and iniqulties will
/ remember no more" Concerning this
matter God has issued a proclamation
to which we should give heed, and
concerning which we should have
strong convictions. This proclamation
is found in Acts 0:3S, 49, II reads in
this way: "Be 1t known unto you,
therefore, men and brethren, that
through this man Is preached unto you
the forgiveness Of sins" God pro-
claims to the world the forgiveness OF
sins through this man-the man who
was crucifed, who was buried, and
who on the third day arose from the
dead and stood forth as the Lord Of
life and the conqueror Of death. Some
thing has been done by this man which
enables God to offer a free and full
forgiveness to every soul. All the
virtue and value OF the work of Christ
is made over to those who are for
given by faith In the blood that was
shed for the sins OF the world.
We should be fully persuaded con-
corning our union with Christ. When
a sinner believes the testimony Of God
concerning His Son, that sinner is not
only forgiven, but made one with
Christ. so that, to use Bible words,
ave are members OF His body" The
spiritual body of Christ consists Of
Himself as the Risen Head, and every
believer in Him. This union is vital
and vitaIizing. The life of Christ is
impaired to the members of His spirit
ual body, so that each member may
say, as the apostle said. "Chrlst liveth
in me-" This is the source of the be.
LEVERS sufficlency for all things. In
view of this he sings the familiar
words Of the hymn, Thou, o Christ.
art all want, more than all in Thee
I find.n
Again. there ought to be full per-
suasion concerning the necessity of
prayer. Many waver at this point.
They desire a philosophy of prayer.
The Bible gives no philosophy concern
ing prayer. but 1t does bid the Chris
tian to pray. The one person in all
the world who knows about the opera
lions of prayer and It's place in the
economy of God, said: MEN ought al
ways to pray" The greatest incentive
to prayer is not sense of need, or the
accumulation OF statistics, but the fact
that the Son OF God who sees behind
the veil and who knows all that is go
ing on in Gods universe, commanded
US to pray. Prayer, then, Is a matter
of faith, and blessed is he who has
convictions concerning this matter
growing out of faith in the Word of
his Lord.
Another necessary conviction for the
Christian believer is that the Spirit
filled life is the ultimate thing in Chris
tian experience. When one becomesa
Christian through faith in Jesus Christ.
the Holy Spirit comes as the heavenly
and abiding Guest Of the sonl.- all
Christians are indwelt by. t1e Holy
Spirit, but not all Christians are in
filled by the Spirit. 1t is this that
makes the difference between one
Christian and another so far as the
quality of life is concerned. Some /
lives are so preoccupied with human
plans and the activities of self-will,
that the Spirit of God is limited in His
operations. If the habit of life could
be formed of continually saying, Lord,
what wilt Thou have me do sthen' the
Spirit of God could direct and control
In such way as that He would be In
the place of authority and leadership,
and the highest possibility Of Christian
experience would be entered into and
enjoyed. This experience is often
realized by an act Of surrender to God
such as we are called to make In
Romans 6:13. or Romans 12:1, 2, but
the act Of itself is not sufficient; II
must be followed by process in which
adjustment is constantly made to the
known will of God. Let his attitude Of
willingness to do His will prevail. and
the Spirlt-filIed life will become mat
ter of daily experience sIn Fitus 8 81
we read He saved us by 1theswashsng.i
Of regeneration and by the renewing Of
the Holy Spirit. This renewing relates
to the Spirits fuliness. In our contact
with the world as Christians swe ares
called to give our, spiritual strength
constantly in order to bear good
testimony for our Lord. This demands
Just as constant arenewing, and Tor this.
God has made gracious proyIslen.o
His command is: "Be filled. with the
Spirit.
"ln God We Trust." .-s.