# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1884_S33 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) Che Lutheran Pioneer. A MISSIONARY MONTHLY. PUBLISHED BY THE EVANGELICAL LuTHERAN SynopicAL CONFERENCE oF Nort AMERICA. R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor. Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter. Vol. VI. Dead in Sin. The Bible speaks of the unconverted as dead in sin. St. Paul writes to the Ephesians that in their natural state they were ‘‘dead in tres- passes and sins.’’ Eph, 2, 1. To the Colossians he says, ‘‘Being dead in your sins,” Col. 2, 13. Of an unconverted woman who has made worldly pleasure the aim and end of her exist- ence it is written, “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth,’ 1 Tim. 5, 6. St. John says, ‘‘He that hath not. the Son of God hath not life,’’ 1 John 5, 12. Of those who profess to be Christians whilst they are still in their natural state it is said, ““He that loveth not his brother abideth in death,’ 1 John 8, 14.; “Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead,’’ Rev. 3, 1. Of all the children of Adam, old and young, rich and poor, edu- cated and uneducated it is thus plainly said in the word of God, that apart from Christ, or until Christ is received, they have uo life— they are spiritually dead. There is not a spark of spiritual life in that nature with which every man is born into this world. That nature is called ‘‘the flesh,’’ and it is said of it that it “ig death,’’ ‘‘enmity against God,’’ ‘‘not sub- ject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Hence our Saviour’s solemn testimony, ‘That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye musr be born again,” John 3, 6.7. “They that are in the flesh can not please God,” Rom. 8, 8. They may run the round of the sciences, they may explore the depths of philosophy, they may become familiar with the fine arts, but if they are in the flesh, if they have only the nature inherited from fallen Adam, if they are not born again, if they are not made spiritually alive, they can not enter the heavenly king- dom, they can not please God, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him,”’ Heb. 11, 6. “© dead in sin! Wilt thou still choose to die The death of deaths eternally? Dost thou not feel the gloom Of the eternal tomb? “Q dead to life! _- Wilt thou the life from heaven Reject the life so freely given? Wilt thou choose sin and tears Through everlasting years? 9 * St. Louis, Mo., September, 1884. “O dead to Christ! Wilt thou despise the love Of Him who stooped from joy above To skame on earth for thee, That He might set thee free? “O dead to God! Wilt thou not seck His face? Wilt thou not turn and own the grace? Wilt thou not take the heaven So freely to thee given?”’ oa 0 - ee What Christ is to Us. We are condemned and killed by the law, but by Christ we are justified and restored to life. ‘The law astonisheth us and driveth us from God; but Christ reconcileth us to God and maketh for us an entrance, that we may boldly come to Him. For He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Now, if the sin of the world be taken away, then it is taken away from us also which do believe in Him. If sin be taken away, then is the wrath of God, death and damnation taken away also. And in place of sin succeedeth righteousness; in place of wrath, reconciliation and grace; in place of death, life; in place of damnation, salvation. Let us learn to practice this distinction, not in words only, but in life, and in lively experience, and with an inward feeling. For where Christ is, must needs be joy of heart and peace of conscience; for Christ is our reconciliation, peace, life, and salvation. —Inither on Galatians. Taught of God. If all the blind men in the kingdom should endeavor to bear me down that the sun is not bright, or that the rainbow has no colors, I would still believe my own eyes. I have seen them both; they have not. I cannot prove to their satisfaction what I assert, because they are destitute of sight, the necessary medium; they would not—they could not—hesitate a single moment, if they were not blind. Just so they who have been taught of God, who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, have an experimental perception of the truth which renders them proof against all the sophistry of the infidel.—Newton. No. 9. Freethinkers. Free thinking has for its result free acting. A man who does not believe in God will act according to the sinful desires of his corrupt heart. An old gentleman once said to a visitor, ‘Do you believe in God, sir?’’ The reply was, “God is a mere notion of some superstitious people, which men of thought have long since abandoned.’’ ‘‘Very good, sir; and may I ask if you believe in the ten commandments?’’ “No, sir,’ was the reply; ‘‘they can be de- monstrated to be the offspring of a barbarous age.” The old gentleman rang his bell, and when the servant appeared, said, ‘John, stand by the hat rack until this person goes. Noth- ing is safe when a man neither believes 2 God nor the devil.”’ And one day two French freethinkers dined with Voltaire and began to speak against the existence of God. But Voltaire, who himself was a scoffing freethinker, stopped them at once. ‘Wait,’ said he, ‘‘till my servants have withdrawn; I do not wish to have my throat cut to-night.’ . <2 -—— The Endless Rest. There are no weary heads or weary hearts on the other side of Jordan. The rest of heaven will be the sweeter for the toils of earth. The value of eternal rest will be enhanced by the troubles of time. Jesus now allows us to rest upon his bosom. He will soon bring us to rest ~ in His Father's house. His rest will be glo- rious. A rest from sin; a rest from suffering; a rest from sorrow—the very rest that Jesus himself enjoys. We shall rest, not only with Him, but like Him. Thanks be unto God for the rest we now enjoy. Ten thousand thanks to God for the rest we shall enjoy with Christ! Wearied one, look away from the cause of thy present suffering, and remember theré is rest remaining for thee. A while and thou shalt enter into rest. —_—2~< eo To ask God for a promised blessing and not expect to receive it, is either to doubt His faith- fulness or His power.