The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1918, Page 17

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NOTICE TO ‘REA DER.

When you finish reading this magazine, place a 1-cent stamp on this
notice, hand same to any postal employee, and It will be placed in the
hands of our soldiers or sailors at the front.

No Wrapping — No Address.

A. S. Burteson, Postmaster-Gencral.

Dhe Lutheran Pioneer.

A. MISSIONARY MONTHLY.

Pusiisurp ny tHe EvancenicaL Lutieran Synopicat ConrerencE or Nort AMERTOA.

Rey. F. J. LANKENAU, EDITOR.

Entered at the Post Ofice at St. Louis, Mo., us second-class matter.

ST. LOUIS, MO.,

The Great Sacrifice.

Two facis are established beyond all doubt by
the Word of God and fully borne out by our own
experience. The first fact is, that we are all sinners ;
and the second is, that all sin calls for punishment.
The first fact no man will be foolish enough to
deny. Does not our own conscience tell us that we
are sinners? ‘Does not every ache and pain, every
sorrow and anguish, every sigh and tear, bear elo-
quent testimony to our sinfulness? Yes, all men
have sinned, and John is right when he says: “If-
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.” — And the other fact
is equally certain, that all sin requires punishment.

There can be no pardon without satisfaction. The ©

claims of the violated Law must be met before it
will cease its accusations. Either the sinner must
suffer in his own person, or some substitute must
be found to take his place. And this substitute
must be innocent and divine. The substitute must
be innocent, that his suffering may be acceptable;
and he must be divine, that his suffering may be
sufficiently meritorious. All this Scripture makes
very plain.

But where is, such a substitute to be found? In-
finite Wisdom and infinite Love made provision in
all eternity. All the necessities of our salvation
have been fully met by God Himself, namely, in
this ‘way that the eternal Son of the Father comes
into our flesh and bears our sins in His own body
on the tree; He suffers, the Just for the unjust,
that He may bring us to God: He redeems us from
the curse of the Law, by being made a curse for us.
The sacrifice of the holy and the blameless Lamb is

MARCH, 3 EES

No. 3.

acceptable to the holy God; the sufferings of God’s
own Son are infinitely meritorious. That we may
escape its vengeance, He receives the glittering
sword of Justice in His own innocent heart. By
His infinite sufferings He slays death for us, closes
the mouth of hell, and opens wide the portals of
bliss eternal for the whole world of sinners. Christ’s
death for us, as our Substitute, is the source of life,
the strength of action, the means of victory, and the
pledge of eternal mercy.

“He was wounded for our transgressions; He
was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of
our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we
are healed.” May all the ends of the earth look
upon Him and be saved. May all who labor and

are heavy laden come unto Him for rest. He gave |

Himself a ransom for all, He is the propitiation
for the sins of the whole world.

Oh, that all_men might hear this blessed truth:
Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of all men! This
message of grace is for all, and should therefore be
brought to all. Every man on earth has as much

personal interest in this message as if his name had

been written on the cross over the inscription of

Pilate, as the only sinner for whom Jesus had died. ~

How anxious we should be to bring this message to

every sinner, since every smner needs Christ’s re-

demption, and its unspeakable mercy is for all. Yes,
let us bring the message to the nations; let us beg
them to accept this precious sacrifice; -let us be-
seech them to believe in Christ as their sufficient
Savior. Let us tell them to come to Jesus without
preparation; let us say to them:

“‘Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream” ——-