The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1906, Page 3

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The Lutheran Pioneer. 3

this name be reserved exclusively to this Child, that
is, that we should despair of our own and other
people’s good works, and cling with unwavering
faith alone to this Child who alone is entitled to
bear this name Jesus. And it shall belong to Him
alone. — Luther.

a

Epiphany.

Epiphany means manifestation, appearing, or
showing forth. The Epiphany festival is celebrated
on the 6th of January, the twelfth day after Christ-
mas, in commemoration of the manifestation of the
Savior to the wise men who came from a distant
country in the East to find the new-born King of
the Jews. They were led by a wonderful star to
Bethlehem, where they found the Savior, and wor-
shiped Him, and presented Him with their gifts.

These wise men were not members of the Jewish
nation like the shepherds to whom the angel brought
the message of the Savior’s birth in the holy Christ-
mas night, but Gentiles, members of a heathen
nation. The fact that the new-born Savior was
manifested, or made known, not only to the Jewish
shepherds, but also to these Gentiles from a heathen
country, proves that Jesus is the Savior, not of one
nation or people only, but of all nations, of all
people. He is the Savior of all sinners, be they
Jews or Gentiles. He is the Savior of the world.

Therefore the Epiphany festival is the mission-
ary festival of the church, reminding us of our
duty to preach the Gospel to every creature. All
true Christians must be missionaries. How could
it be otherwise? A Christian sincerely believes the
good news that we have a Savior who has delivered
us from sin and everlasting woe, and he cannot
but have a longing to make this good news known
to all whom it concerns. If you believe that you are
saved by the grace of the Savior born at Bethlehem,
and that millions are perishing because they have
not the Gospel which was meant for them as well
as for you, you will do what you can that they, too,
may hear the Gospel of Jesus in whom alone there
is salvation — salvation for all.

Why Are Not All Men Saved?

That you haye been called out of darkness and

enlightened with the knowledge of Jesus Christ, -

that day after day you strive against sin and make
progress in holiness, and that you have hitherto
been able to battle victoriously against the devil,
world, and flesh, —all this is the work of the Holy

Ghost. The Holy Ghost called you, the Holy Ghost
enlightened you, the Holy Ghost sanctified you, and
the Holy Ghost has hitherto kept you with Jesus
Christ in the true faith. The whole work of your
sanctification from beginning to end is the work
of the Toly Spirit.

But not in you only has the Holy Ghost wrought
this work, for He calls, gathers, enlightens, and
sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and
keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.
That which the Holy Ghost has wrought in you He
has wrought in every true Christian. Every true
believer can say with you: The Holy Ghost has
called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His
gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.

Mark well, every true Christian can say this;
no one else. He that is not a believer cannot truth-
fully speak these words. Why not?’ Is the Holy
Ghost not willing to work all this in every heart?
Certainly He is willing; for the Scriptures tell us
that God desires to perform this gracious work in
every man.

.God’s Word tells us, 1 Pet. 3, 9: “The Lord is
not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance.” 1 Tim. 2, 4 we are
told: “God will have all men to be saved, and to
come unto the knowledge of the truth.” And Ezek.
33, 11 the Lord affirms this with an oath: “As I
live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the
death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from
his way and live.’ What could be plainer than
these passages of Scripture! Here God tells us that
He is not willing that any should perish; that He
desires all to repent; that He would have all to
be saved by coming to the knowledge of the truth.
Here God swears by His own life that He wishes
the ungodly to turn from his way and live. Is. 65, 2
the Lord declares: “I have spread out my hands
all the day unto a rebellious people.” Here the Lord
speaks of the rebellious, of those who heed not His
Word, whom the Bible calls stiffnecked and uncir-
cumcised in heart and ears, and asserts positively
that He stands all the day with outstretched hands,
longing to draw them unto Jesus and His kingdom
and to make them eternally happy. Jesus says to
Nicodemus, John 3, 16: “God so loved the world
that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have ever-
lasting life.” God loved the world, not only some
persons, but all humanity; and to save the world,
the whole world, every man, woman, and child, He
gaye His Son, and whosoever believeth in this Son
shall not perish, but have everlasting life.