Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1899 — THE PASTORS’ COLUMN. [ARTICLE]

THE PASTORS’ COLUMN.

[Under this head extracts from the Sunday sermons of the various pastors of the Rensselaer churches will be published each week from copy furnished us.) Synopsis of sermon by Elder N. H. Sheppard at Christian Church at evening service, Jan 15. 1899. St. Luke records in Acts 2: 37 : “And said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?” This is the language of those who were pricked in their hearts at the wonderful sermon of Peter which they had just heard preached. The question, “what shall we do?” confronts us every hour and everywhere. The only answer that any one dare give us who is interested in our welfare is “Do right.” But to whom shall we go to learn right? Our minds ask tjie question; who will answer it for us? The child goes to his parents, the adult can go only to God. God tells us from Sinai, by the prophets and apostles through inspiration, all recorded in the Word. The Bible then is our only guide in the question of what is right. But the question asked by these people at Pentecost was a question concerning Christian salvation. Peter tells them to “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remissions of sins, andye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The plan of salvation is not in the mysterious, and it is, to the human mind, reasonable and easily understood.

The steps to salvation are as follows: (1) Preaching, Peter preached Christ to the people. (2) Hearing, These people heard Peter preach Christ. (3) Believeing, These people believed Peter when he preached Christ, and were pricked in their hearts. (4) Repenting, Peter told them to repent, when they asked what they must do. (5) Confessing, Jesus had once asked Peter, “Whom say ye that I am?” Peter had answered “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus had once said, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” (6) Baptizing. Peter had also told these people, when they had asked what they must do, Be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (7) Growing, Peter, in his Epistle writes, “Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, Godliness; and to Godliness, brotherly-kind-ness; and to brotherly kindness, Charity.” (8) Enduring. Christ had told his desciples, “But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.” What a plain and easy way to eternal salvation! Will you not believe and obey?