Christ the Center of the Message
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before the church and the world. “For God so loved the world, that
he gave his only begotten Son” (
John 3:16
). What love is this—what
marvelous, unfathomable love—that would lead Christ to die for us
while we were yet sinners! What a loss it is to the soul who understands
the strong claims of the law, and who yet fails to understand the grace
of Christ which doth much more abound! It is true that the law of God
reveals the love of God when it is preached as the truth in Jesus; for
the gift of Christ to this guilty world must be largely dwelt upon in
every discourse. It is no wonder that hearts have not been melted by
the truth, when it has been presented in a cold and lifeless manner. No
wonder faith has staggered at the promises of God, when ministers and
workers have failed to present Jesus in His relation to the law of God.
How often should they have assured the people that “He that spared
not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with
him also freely give us all things?” (
Romans 8:32
).
Satan is determined that men shall not see the love of God, which
led Him to give His only-begotten Son to save the lost race; for it is
the goodness of God that leads men to repentance. Oh, how shall we
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succeed in setting forth before the world the deep, precious love of
God? In no other way can we compass it than by exclaiming, “Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should
be called the sons of God” (
1 John 3:1
)! Let us say to sinners, “Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (
John 1:29
)!
By presenting Jesus as the representative of the Father, we shall be
able to dispel the shadow that Satan has cast upon our pathway, in
order that we shall not see the mercy and love of God’s inexpressible
love as manifested in Jesus Christ.
Look at the Cross
Look at the cross of Calvary. It is a standing pledge of the bound-
less love, the measureless mercy, of the heavenly Father. O that all
might repent and do their first works. When the churches do this, they
will love God supremely and their neighbors as themselves. Ephraim
will not envy Judah, and Judah will not vex Ephraim. Divisions will
then be healed, the harsh sounds of strife will no more be heard in
the borders of Israel. Through the grace freely given them of God,
all will seek to answer the prayer of Christ, that His disciples should