The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1886, Page 5

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- The Lutheran Pioneer,

A MISSIONARY MONTHLY. :

PusBLisHED BY THE EVANGELICAL LurueRaAN SyNopicaL ConFERENCE oF NortH AMERICA.
R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor.

Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter.

Vol. VIII. St. Louis, Mo., February, 1886. No. 2.

Your Mission. Saved or Lost. marks the dividing line between the two great
classes into which the whole human family is
separated. Reader, to which class do you be-
long? To the saved or to the lost? ‘‘ Believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be

saved.”’

In outward appearance, in mental gifts and
culture, in social standing, and in many other
particulars there are many different classes of
men; but it is a solemn thought that in the
most important respect there are but two
classes. These are the saved and the lost.
Moreover, the question of salvation turns en-
tirely upon man’s relation to Jesus Christ, for
in many forms of statement the Holy Ghost
declares that “neither is there salvation in any
other; for there is none other name. under
heaven given among men, whereby we must
be saved,’’ (Acts 4, 12).

Hence of the one class it is written, ‘‘He
that believeth on Him 1s not condemned,”
(John 3, 18); ‘‘He that believeth on the Son
HATH everlasting life,’’ (John 3, 36); ‘By
Him all that believe ARE justified from all
things,’ (Acts 13, 39); ‘‘ Being justified by
faith we HAVE peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ,’’ (Rom. 5, 1); ‘There is
therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus,’’ (Rom. 8, 1); ‘‘Beloved,
now ARE we the sons of God,’’ (1 John 3, 2).

Of the other class it is written in language
no less plain as to their present condition, ‘‘ He
that believeth not is condemned already,’’
(John 8, 18); ‘‘He that believeth not the Son
shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth
on him,’’ (John 3, 36); ‘* Ye will not come to
me, that ye might have life,’” (John 5, 40);
clearly implying that ‘no man has life, spiritual
life, eternal life, until he comes to Christ to re-
ceive it.

It can be easily seen that between these two
states of the soul there can be no middle
ground, for we can not be partly saved and
partly lost, partly justified and partly con-
demned, partly alive and partly dead. ‘He
that hath the Son matH life: and he that
hath not the Son of God hath nor life,”
(1 John 4, 12).

‘As there is no condemnation to them who
are in Christ Jesus, no matter what they have
been in the past, it is equally true that there
is nothing but condemnation to them who are
out of Christ Jesus, whatever their rank, their
wealth, or their boasted morality. The Cross

Hark! the voice of Jesus crying—
“Who will go and work to-day?

Fields are white and harvest waiting;
Who will bear the sheaves away?”’

Loud and strong the Master calleth,
Rich reward He offers thee;

Who will answer, gladly saying:
“Here am I; send me, send me!”’

a

A Receipt in Full.

Do you remember the story of Martin Lu-
ther when Satan came to hint, as he thought,
with a long black roll of sins which truly might
make a swaddling-band for the round world?

To the arch-enemy Luther said, ‘‘ Yes, I must
own them all. Have you any more?’’ ose

So the foul fiend went his way and brought |
another long roll, and Martin Luther said,
“Yes, I must own them all. Have you any
more?’”

The accuser of the brethren, being expert at
the business, soon supplied him with a further
length of charges, till there seemed to be no
end to it.

Martin waited till no more were forthcom-
ing, and then he cried, ‘‘ Have you any more?”’

‘‘ Were these not enough?’’

“Ay, that they were. But,’ said Martin
Luther, ‘write at the bottom of the whole ac-
count, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth
from all sin.’”’

If you cannot cross the ocean,
And the heathen lands explore,
You can find the heathen nearer,
You can help them at your door.
If you can not give your thousands,
You can give the widow’s mite;
And the least you do for Jesus
“ Will be precious in His sight.

If you can not speak like angels,
If you can not preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
You can say He died for all.
If you can not rouse the wicked
With the judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children
To the Saviour’s waiting arms.

If you can not be the watchman,
Standing high on Zion’s wall,

Pointing out the path to Heaven,
Offering life and peace to all;

With your prayers and with your bounties
You can do what heaven demands;

You can be like faithful Aaron,
Holding up the Prophet’s hands.

s+ +e oo

Christ our Righteousness.

In spite of the plain teaching of the New
Testament in regard to the impossibility of he-
coming reconciled to God through a self-made
righteousness, how many people still cry out, 1
“T am not good enough for God to accept
me.” What a clear distinction on this point
is made by Luther when he says that we do
not become righteous by doing what is right-
eous; but having become righteous we do
what is righteous. And the becoming righteous
is God’s work through Christ, not man’s work
for himself.

—— oa oe :

THE word of the Lord is suited to each in-
dividual as if he were the solitary occupant of —
the universe.

If among the older people,
we > You may not be apt to teach;

‘Feed my lumbs,’’ said Christ, our Shepherd,
“Place the food within their reach;”

And it may be that the children
You have led with trembling hand,

Will be found among your jewels
When you reach the better land.

Let none hear you idly saying,
“There is nothing I can do,’

While the souls of men are dying,
And the Master calls for you.

Take the task He gives you gladly,
Let His work your pleasure be;

- Answer quickly when He calleth:

“Here am I; send me, send me!??

—Selected.