XL

TWO VERY Sure and Effective Means BY WHICH THE TRUE CHRISTIAN WORKER CAN FIND APPROACH TO THE NATURAL SINFUL MAN, CONVINCE HIM OF SIN, LEAD HIM TO JESUS CHRIST FOR PERSONAL SALVATION, AND BUILD HIM UP IN CHRISTIAN MANHOOD

First, Stated by Jesus Christ-John 16:8-11. Second, Stated by the Apostle Paul-Col. 1: 19-29. Two very significant and definite statements in the Bible specify sure and effective means by which the true Christian worker can find approach to the natural, sinful Man, convince him of sin, lead him to Jesus Christ for personal salvation, build him up in Christian manhood, and qualify him to do like work for others. The one statement was made by Jesus Christ concerning the effective work of the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Holy Trinity, the other by the Apostle Paul concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His power to save to the uttermost all who believe on Him.

In the first place, the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking of His departure from the world and the coming of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, said:

8. "When he (the Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove (convince) the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment:

9. Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10. Of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye

see me no more;

11. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged" (John 16:8-11).

It is essential that the natural sinful Man must be convinced of these three things, or of the first two at least, or he cannot and will not be saved. With these three things, sin, righteousness, and judgment, in a multitude of forms and significations, men and nations are constantly dealing in a most unsatisfactory manner; as crime, proof of innocence or prison; debt, payment or punishment; murder, justification or death; transgression, or reparation or war. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can convince the natural Man of sin, righteousness, and judgment, as here spoken of by Jesus Christ. It would not do merely to say to the natural Man what sin, righteousness, and judgment are. Otherwise the repetition of this statement of Jesus Christ here recorded would be all that would be necessary for all time. But this would not do, for it was said of Jesus Himself:

37. "But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him" (John 12:37).

Moreover, without the Holy Spirit it would not avail to convince the natural Man of their truth by a dramatic statement of these words of Jesus Christ, nor by a mental argument in proof of them, however clear and conclusive. They must be spiritually understood.

The sin of unbelief in Jesus Christ by the natural Man is all-inclusive. He rejects the only Saviour, that could save him from his sins, and leaves them all in full account against himself.

The righteousness of Jesus Christ going to the Father is all-inclusive. While in the earth He paid the full pen

alty for all the sins of all mankind. Hence, now at the right hand of God the Father, He is the complete righteousness for all who believe on Him.

The judgment, that the prince of this world is judged, is also all-inclusive, because it includes the prince of this world himself, and all with him who reject Jesus Christ, the only one who could save them from their sins.

In the second place, "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God" (Rom. 1:1), made the following all-assuring declaration of the power of Jesus Christ to save the natural Man who believes on His name, and to present him holy, unblamable, and unreprovable in the sight of God:

19. "For it pleased the Father that in him (Jesus Christ) should all fulness dwell;

20. And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

21. And you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight;

23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

25. Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

26. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages

and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1: 19-27).

With these two all-sufficient means-the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Christ-all true Christian workers could say with Paul concerning Jesus Christ and the natural sinful Man:

28. "Whom (Jesus Christ) we preach, Warning every man,

And teaching every man in all wisdom;

That we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

29. Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” (Col. 1:28, 29).

As a Rule, to Ensure True Success, Make Use of These Two Means in the Order Above Stated. As a rule, the best course to pursue in dealing with the natural Man to whom the Lord would send you, or whom the Lord would send to you, would doubtless be to follow the order of these two all-important statements of Jesus Christ and Paul just referred to. First, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to convince him of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Then preach to him Jesus Christ, warn him and teach him in all wisdom, that you may present him perfect in Christ Jesus.

1. Show him what sin is, the evil effects of sin in this life, and the terrible results of sin in the life to come.

2. Show him Jesus, the righteousness of God, the only all-sufficient Saviour from all sin, and His willingness to save to the uttermost, and assure him of the blessed

experience of the Christian life in this world, and of the all-glorious experience of the Christian life in the world to come; and

3. Show him the certainty of the judgment of God and the uncertain tenure of his life in this world; that in an hour, a day, a week, a month, or a year, he may be summoned from this world to the next world, from time to eternity, when the misery or joy of his life will be fixed forever, as far as we are able to know from reason and revelation.

Then remind him how careful he is to have the title to his real estate in this world perfect and correctly recorded; and to have his buildings' and other valuable, perishable property insured against damage and destruction by fire and storm, while he has no certain title to the all-glorious life in the world to come, which is now so freely offered to him by Jesus Christ and has no assurance whatever against the innumerable evils that constantly threaten his life and soul.

If he is impressed, as he ought to be, with his sinful and helpless condition, that would impel him to exclaim, "What must I do to be saved?" Then,

1. With all your heart and soul preach to him Jesus Christ as his only all-sufficient Saviour.

2. Warn him against trusting in his own works or in any other dependence or substitute for Jesus Christ, and from falling into the spirit of unbelief in departing from the living God.

3. Teach him in all wisdom.

4. That you may present him perfect in Christ Jesus. In this connection, I would further urge with great earnestness and emphasis, that every true Christian