THERE are many creeds in Christendom, from the so-called "Apostles' Creed” down to the "I believe" of the latest-born sect. But the two creeds I am about to present, express the belief of two individuals, one still living, the other absent from the body and present with the Lord.
Alice B—was in her nineteenth year. She died in the early morn of Thursday, 30th January 1890.
A short time before she passed away, her father, Dr. B—, who is a Christian, asked her if she had any message to send to the absent loved ones. She replied, " Tell them I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and I know that He is my Savior; I can fully trust Him.”
What a simple, sweet, and scriptural confession of faith, or rather of Christ I My reader, is this your creed? Can you, in the presence of God, and in the face of eternity, say, "I believe that Jesus died for my sins"? Have you had your eyes opened to your sins? Have you really been burdened and troubled on account of your sins? Have you discovered that you cannot save yourself from your sins? Have you, in the consciousness of your guilt and helplessness, been brought to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who died for your sins? Have you the blessed assurance resulting from such faith, and say "I know that He is my Savior." Oh what rest and peace this gives! 'It not only soothes the troubled conscience in the presence of a holy God, but it delivers the soul from "fear of death," and in the very presence of death and eternity fills the heart with that confidence expressed in the words, "I can fully trust Him.”
My reader, if you, like Alice B—, should be brought face to face with death and eternity, have you the faith and confidence she had? Alice B—'s creed-book was the Bible, the Word of God; her teacher was the Holy Ghost.
Now I want to tell you of the other creed.
Philip S—was spoken to by a Christian about his soul. His confession was, “I believe in living hard, I believe in working hard, I believe in dying hard, and then going to hell." Truly this is an awful creed.
If the reality of believing is shown in works, then Philip S— has already given abundant evidence of his faith in the first two articles of his creed. He is both a hard liver, and a hard worker; and if he does not repent, he will surely die hard, and go to hell. My reader, is Philip S— creed yours? Do not get angry, and say, " I would not dare to say such wicked things." Perhaps not.
But remember "actions speak louder than words.”
What is the language of your life? Are you going on in sin? Are you an unbeliever? Are you a rejecter of Christ, a neglecter of God's great salvation? If so, then you are "living hard." In the eyes of your fellows you may be accounted respectable and good; and perhaps the thoughts of your own deceitful heart have joined themselves with the judgment of the world to fasten the delusion upon you. But in the eyes of a holy God, and according to His judgment revealed in His Word, you are a "hard liver." And doubtless you are a “hard worker,"—working hard in pursuit of the “pleasures of sin for a season," or in the endeavor to "lay up for yourselves treasures on earth"; or it may be working hard in a religious way, deceived by the thought that your works can secure you the favor of God and the salvation of your soul.
And, my reader, what will the end be of your hard living and hard working? You will die hard, and go to hell, You may not have the hardihood to express it, as did Philip S—; you may even shrink and shudder at the thought of dying hard, and going to hell; but, my reader, as sure as God's Word is true, such will be your end if you continue in unbelief.
What a striking contrast these two creeds present! Both were uttered in the village of A—, in Illinois, one on the morning of January 30th, the other on the afternoon of March 12th, 1890. God grant to each reader of this narrative the faith of Alice B—, "I believe that Jesus died for my sins, and I know that He is my Savior; I can fully trust Him.”
J. P.
IN 1 Cor. 2:1212Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12) we have revelation (ver. 12), inspiration (v. 13), and reception (ver. 14), and all by the Holy Ghost. Revelation is the communication which God, by the Spirit, makes of His mind to His prophets or apostles. Inspiration is the record or communication which these vessels make of the revelation “not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, communicating spiritual things by spiritual means.” Reception is that which is open to us who hear the Word of God, betas "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God" it is really the effect of the Spirit's work if they be received, “because they are spiritually discerned." This makes nothing of man, and everything of God.