The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1912, Page 18

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18 ‘The Lutheran Pioneer.

world. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world
unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto
them,” says the apostle.

This redemption, secured for all sinners by the
sufferings and death of Christ, is offered to all men
in the Gospel, which is the “word of reconciliation,”
the “preaching of the cross.” The Gospel messen-
gers, preaching Christ and Him crucified, are “am-
bassadors for Christ,’ praying men,’ “in Chrisi’s
stead, Be ye reconciled to God!” 2 Cor. 5, 20.

It is Jesus Himself who through the Gospel of
His redeeming love draws sinners to Him by bring-
ing them to faith in Him as their Savior. And as
He is the Savior of all, and has been lifted up on
the cross to suffer and to die for all, so He earnestly
wills to draw all men unto Him, no matter of what
color and race and nation they are. Therefore He
wants His messengers to go “into all the world
and preach the Gospel to every creature.” There
are those who always resist the drawing of His love
in the Gospel of salvation. ‘To them the preaching
of the cross is foolishness, and they perish through
their own fault. But the labor: of the messengers
of the cross is not in vain. There are many in all
the nations of the earth that are saved through the
power of the Savior’s grace and through the draw-
ing of His love. St. John saw a great multitude
which no man could number, of all nations and
kindreds, and people, and tongues, standing before

_ the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands, Rev. 7, 9. They
are brought there by the drawing of Him who was
lifted up on the cross for their redemption. There-
fore they give all glory to the Lamb, the God of
their salvation.

What a blessed privilege for Christians to help
in the spreading of the Gospel by which sinners are
drawn to. the Savior and brought to everlasting life!

They labor for eternity; they labor for the triumph

of the cross; they labor for that happy day when
God’s children from all the nations of the earth
shall be gathered at the throne of the Lamb, sing-
ing the new song: “Thou wast slain, and hast re-
deemed us to God by Thy blood out of every
kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,”
Rey. 5, 9.

Christians Do Mission Work.

After we have become believers, we should show «

forth the praises of Him who has called us, in order
that other people also come to such faith. — Luther.

“The Lord Hath Laid on Him the Iniquity
of Us All.’’

A pastor once spoke to us both about the happy
and the sad experiences in the early years of his
ministry when he did much mission work in one
of our large cities. 'The following was one of his
happy experiences : —

The pastor was one day asked to visit a dying
person who was unknown to him. Arriving at the
house, he found an old man, who in early life had
been a soldier in the British army, and afterward
a seaman, sharing for many years both in the dan-
gers and in the iniquities to which his calling ex-
posed him. Through these he had been preserved
by the mercy of God; but now a fatal sickness had
suddenly seized him.

After answering a few questions about the ill-
ness ‘that was carrying him to the grave, he said in
distinet tones: “I am the chief of sinners, and
unless there is free pardon, there certainly is no
hope for me.”

“This is just what I have come to tell you
about,” was the reply; “a free pardon, a free
salvation; for the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

Salvation through faith in the finished work of
Christ was then laid before him; and as passages
of the Bible which speak of Christ’s sufferings for
sinners were quoted, he would frequently interrupt
with the remark, “I remember that; I learned that
years ago.” ‘The difficulty, however, in his way was
to believe that after such a life of wickedness he
could be saved without doing anything. He was
shown that he was “dead in trespasses and sins,”
and that a dead man cannot do anything. until he
has life, and that over and over again it is said in
God’s Word: “He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life.” Still the news seemed too good
to be true.

At last the pastor said to him: “There is one
versé in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah which you
surely remember, and .I beg you to fix your mind
upon it as I read it to you: ‘All we like sheep have
gone astray.’ God says that of you and ‘me. Do
you believe it? Is it true?”

“Yes, sir, it is true,” said the old man, and it
describes me exactly; for I have gone astray like
a sheep all my life.”

“Tn the next clause,” said the pastor, “we read:
‘We have turned every one to his own way.’ God
says that. Do you believe Him?”