Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1915 — The Best Objective, Salvation [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Best Objective, Salvation

By REV. J. H. RALSTON

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TEXT—I press toward the mark for the prize of the' high calling of God in Christ Jesus.—Phil. »:1L In seeking an objective, the principle that nothing should be accepted

but the best, should be adopted. When men were thinking deeply, and the great doctrines of the Protestant faith were being put into creedal form, it was de- . dared that the chief end of man was the glory of God, and nothing has transpired since to show that this was an error, but every-

thing has shown most conclusively that the statement was justified. A man who Ilves with the glory of God In view will not, cannot fail. The Thoughtless Multitudes. Nothing is much more disheartening than to watch the multitudes, especially in our crowded cities, who seem to have no goal in view. They seem to exist for the moment —butterflies that flit before you for an instant and then are gone. If other companies of people are considered, the fact still confronts one. If bread and butter can be secured, there Is no more concern; but the swine get to that point Young people in the schools may have a somewhat larger appreciation of their mission or goal, but must go forward with nothing in view. In a small volume recently issued there is this quotation: “The world stops to let the man pass who knows whither he is going.” That man has an objective, a goal, commands universal respect and the world gives him passage. If this sermon falls into the hands of some young person, whether he Is a Christian or not, let him know that he must have a goal In view or he will fail in life, and if the goal is not one that relates him to God the failure will be the greater and more deplorable. And, if a person has a goal and resolutely keeps his eye on it he will not be diverted by anything. If the goal is that set before him in Paul’s “fullness of the stature of Christ,” he will not be diverted by any of the many religions now seeking the attention of people throughout the world. To him, the religion of Paul, Luther, Calvin and Wesley will be accepted as. reliable and worthy of following until the goal Is reached. Paul’s Objective. In the text, Paul, .who was a mart doing only one thing at a time, said that he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling In Christ Jesus. Without considering the strictly theological bearing of these words, let us note the source of the call. He who calls is God, who knows man, hla capacities and possibilities, and sets before him his best, and he calls to him to make the attempt to reach it. Every person, old or young, should remember that it's God that is calling —not man, nor the greatest of meh —? and when God calls who dare be indifferent? ; ix To what is the call and what is the goal? It is to the realization of Jesus Christ Id all his fulness. Paul speaks in a certain place of “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” which is to say, Christ, in all that he Is and may be to us. Presuming that that fullness applies to all that Christ offers, let us know that to attain this two things at least must be kept in mind: Jesus as Savior and Lord. First, the recognition and acceptance of Jesus Christ as a savior, personal and sufficient This involves the surrender of the intellect, the heart, and the will; in fact, the surrender of the life. Second, it is a recognition of the kingship, or lordship, of Christ Many seem to be willing to accept Christ as savior, but they do not recognize him as Lord. The failure of the latter utterly .vitiates the former —no savior unless Christ be Lord. This carries us back to the realm of the Puritans, who saw that the chief end of man was the glory of God, for man who accepts Jesus Christ as savior and Lord makes every thought, word and action tend to his glory and his honor. ■" ' " ' This will naturally lead to the realization of man’s goal—companionship and partnership with Jesus Christ. The realization of Paul’s prayer can only partially be secured on this earth, but the perfect realization will be when we are with him Where he is., This should be the ultimate goal—to be with Christ ' The goals of life which seem attractive and in some senses worthy soon pass like the chaplet on the brow of the ancient athlete, but there is a goal for. everyone which, if reached, will secure a crown, a golden crown, that is precious and durable. Have a goal; have a vision; secure an objective; keep your eyes steadily on it and you will reach it and, by all means, let the objective ofaß be—the attainment of the stature of the fußness of Christ. wis • -a - '-r ~/*