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MISSIONARY MONTHLY. EvANGELICAL
LUTHERAN SYNODICAL CONFERENCE OF NORTH A.i'1ERICA. R. A, BISCUOFF, E11itor..
E ntered at the Poat omce 11t St. Louis, Mo. , 115 accond-cla.aa m11tter.
Vol. VIII.
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St. Louis, Mo., Jan.:u.ary, 1886.
How Are We Saved?
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. In the first month of another year nnd nt the beginning of another volume of our testimony for Christ it is well to consider this important question-, How are we saved ? The answer to the question is clearly and fully given in the word of God. "By grnce are ye saved through faith ; and thnt not of yourselves : it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast,'! (Eph. 2, 8. 9). From this and from many other passages of the Bible we ]earn that we are saved by grace, and by grnce only. ,vhatsoever we can do as forming the ground upon which we try to stand before God, or seek to commend ourselves to His favor, is swept out of the way by God's Word, that He alone whose name was called Jesus may have the glory of our salvation, as He alone can meet our desperate need. " We are all us an unclenn thing," it is written, " nnd all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," (tsa. 64, 6). Mark well I All our rigltl.eou.snesscs are as filthy rags. Surely we can not expect to buy heaven with !J. Jot of dirty rags. Just here in our helplessness Jesus comes to us, aud He comes in grace all the way to our place of guilt and ruin. He points to the work which He accomplished in our stead. For He cc appeared to put n,,•ay sin by the sacrifice of Himself," (Heb. 9, 26); He came as the "Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." By Him every claim against the sinner has been answered, every demand hns been met. And God is perfectly satisfied with that work of His Son. The kind invitation tlrerefore goes forth to all sinners: "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,• : '(Rev. 22, 17). Yes, let him take salvation freely, without money anrl without price. "It is salvation by grace, and by grace only. To every sinner the Gospel brings this free salvation and it is said to him, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," (Acts 16, 31). And what is believing? It is not doing. Nol It is resting, upon that which is already done; it is accepting whaL God says in the Goepel na true; it is calmly trusti~g in that faithful, and unchangeable, and almighty
Saviour whose nnme was called Jesus, because He a~oue could save His people from their sins Your goocl resolutions, nnd your feelings and your doings, and your works, nud the works of all the saints were not called Jesus. Nol The Saviour of Bethlehem was called Jesus, for in Him alone there is ealvntion. cc There is a · great difference between your religion nod mine," said an old Christian lady to a friend, who for a long time had been groping in darkness, frying to be saved. '•Your religion consists of two letters, D-0, nnd mine consits of four, D-0-N-E." Happy old Cbristinnl This happiness we wish you, dear·reader, in the ne,v year upon which you have entered. Io all the troubles that may befall you, in the hour of death that may come to you before the close of another year, you can find true happiness and consolation only in that free l!alvatioo which is brought to you in the Gospel of Jesus. May the Lord give you to see that all the doing is done, and that "1vl,osocver believeili HATH everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but IS passed from death unto life," (John 5, 24).
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Every-day Work.
No. 1.
and implore His blessing. Ask Him for a spirit of patience and meekness in contending with all the little wearisome difficulties and linnoyaoces connected with it; ask Him to enable you not only to bear the daily cross, but to " take it up," denying yourself, and following the footstepii of the Lord Jesus. Then put your whole might into it-the might that you have borrowed from n. :Mightier than yourself, for that is the secret of real work. Do it as if your Master were standing before you; do it as you would have cnst n. net into the sea, as you would have fastened together the tent, as you would have labored in the carpenter's shop, had you lived in the early days with Christ and His A poatle11. We think it ,vas John Ne,vton who went one day to visit a Christian brother, and found him busily engaged in his occupation of tanning. The man attempted to apologize. "Just so, my friend," said his pastor, "may your Lord find you when He comes; it is the ,vork He has given you to do, and He expects you to do it diligently." e
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Count Them.
Count what? ,vhy count the mercies which Those who wish to bestow the years of their have been quietly falling in your path through life upon God most also give Him the days, every period of your history. Down ihey come every morning and evening, nngel mesthe hours, and the moments. Look around, then, you who are yearning sengers from the Father of lights to tell you to be employed in the service of your God, of your best friend in.heaven. Have you lived and try to realize what He has given you to these years wasting mercies, trending them bedo to.if~, and do not look beyond it. Strength neath your feet, and consuming them every is promised according to your day. Every- day, nnd never yet. realized fro!D whence they day work requires every-day grace, and every- came? If you have, God pity you! You dny grace requires every-day asking. Just bnve murmured under your affliction; but who try the experiment, then, for once-no matter has heard your rejoicing over your blessings? what your occupation may be, no matter how Do you ask what are these mercies? Aak the distasteful to your natural disposition-so long suobenJD, the rain-drop, the star or queen of as it is your duty. It may be the arithmetic night. ,vhnt is life but a mercy? Did not lesson taught to the little child, or the weari- God's mercy keep you during the past year? some watch with the complaining invalid, or Is it not His mercy that sends to you, for your the petty and fatiguing duties attendant upon soul's salvation, the Word of the Goepel in this your household concerns, or the routine of the time of grace? Yea, count the mercies of God school-room, or the ehop, or the counting- bestowed upon you, and you will have reason house, or the writini-oftice; · whatever it is, for daily thanksgiving even in the midst of take it first to God. Before you begin, kneel troubles and afllic.tione.