The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 2

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

2 The Lutheran Pioneer.

“Life in His Son.’’

“This is the record, that God hath given to us
clernal life, and this life is in His Son.”

1 John 5, 11.
II.

In many branches of human activity new
methods that are more practical, expedient, and
profitable than the older ones are justly employed.
But would -it not be folly to abandon a fully satis-
factory, aye, perfect method, which could not be
excelled or even matched, for a new, but less efficient
one? Would it not be very unwise to exchange an
old, glorious, and in every respect unequaled treas-
ure for something of less value? The sweet Gospel
of Christ and Him crucified is certainly an un-
surpassed gift, a gift, therefore, to which we should
adhere. We should suffer no earthly treasure or
false doctrine to lead us away from it. This Gospel
message is proclaimed in the text at the head of
this article. Last time we considered the truth
expressed in these words of John, that we, even
now, have eternal life in our possession by faith
in Jesus Christ. This is just as clearly stated in
Jobn 3,36; 5,24; 6, 40.47.54, ete. Death can-
not interrupt our spiritual life. Let us now con-
tinue the study of our text.

Our hope that we shall reach heaven is not
a thing of uncertainty to us, concerning which we
would have to worry. The Christian’s thoughts
with regard to eternal life are not the following:
“T must conduct myself as best I can, perform as
* many good, excellent deeds as possible, force my
way through fierce obstacles and tribulations, pos-
sibly for many, many years; finally I shall perhaps
be given eternal life, if my works and life please
God. He will then say to me, ‘Well done, thou
good and faithful servant,’ etc.” Would not such
a state of uncertainty be miserable? But we may
and should be certain in this matler. True, as far
as our own righteousness is concerned, we could not
obtain salvation. We could never earn this pearl

with those ragged tatters of ours. Nor is this neces-

sary; for “God hath given it to us,” and we have
it “in His Son,” in Jesus Christ. And mark, what
the Master said of Mary is true of us: “Mary
hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken
away from her.” We should indeed tremble when
thinking of our own weak selves. How great are
the dangers! How many that once believed have
fallen awdy! We should not trust in our own
_ power. But while we should not be carnally secure,

we should, as children of God, be assured that our
Father’s Spirit, who has begun a good work in us,
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, out
of whose hand we, His elect, shall not be plucked.
How easily this priceless boon, eternal life, is
obtained! Christians are continually and actively
engaged in doing good; but not in order to be
saved; we are saved by grace. If we trust in our
tedeemer, we have this life. “God hath given it
to us” as a present.— Here some may say with
Nicodemus: “How can these things be? Think,
for instance, of temporal success; is it not subject
to the maxim, ‘Without pain no gain’? In order
that the farmer might fill his barns, it is not only
necessary that the weather conditions be favorable,
but also that he work in the sweat of his brow.”
I answer: It is not always the case even in earthly
matters that a person cannot honestly obtain some-
thing valuable without hard labor. Many poor have
become rich by marriage or inheritance. Or a per-
son may have bought a piece of ground at a very
low price, and later on he discovers a rich oil well
in it, which makes him a wealthy man. ‘This may
serve as an— indeed imperfect — illustration of
what St. John here writes by inspiration of the
Holy Ghost: as soon as we put our confidence in
Christ, we become enormously rich in spiritual
treasures — forgiveness, life, -and salvation. By
faith we receive the riches which our Lord has
purchased for us with His precious blood and inno-
cent suffering on Calvary.
But John brings out another important truth.
He writes in the verse preceding our text: “He that

believeth on the Son of God hath the witness [of

God; see verse 9] in himself: he that believeth
not God hath made Him a liar, because he be-
lieveth not the record that God gave of His
Son.” Then our eleventh verse follows: “And
this is the record,” ete. By faith the Spirit, the
heayenly Comforter, enters our hearts. He bears
witness, assuring us of the fact that we Christians
are the children of God and heirs of salvation.
This witness every believer has “in himself.” The
Holy Ghost leads us into all truth, reminds us of
our Savior’s words, expounds them, strengthens us,
makes us firm and steadfast, prays with and for
us (Rom. 8,26); and assures us that God is our
Father.
deemer’s kindness and love. At times our spiritual
life seems dry like a desert. But if we continue

We do not always feel and taste our Re- |

to use the means of grace faithfully, this-apparent —

desert begins to bloom and to bear fruits. Thus

Tasik

7]