BAPTIST CHURCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 September 1938, Page 5

BAPTIST CHURCH

ANDREW JOHNSTON MISSION

Despite the wet night, a congregation which filled the Baptist Church, gathered last evening. Mr. Johnston’s subject was “Believing—What is it?” His text was chosen from the story of the conversion of the Philippian jailor, whose inquiry regarding the way of salvation was answered in the words “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” To believe in Christ, said MrJohnston. was first of all to accept Him as the Son of God. He was more than a great man and a grand example. “He was God manifest in the flesh.” But to believe in Christ, was also to accept Him as the infallible teacher. And in this regard, Mr. Johnston remarked that while Christ in His teaching made direct reference to Heaven on one occasion only, he referred to the. subject of Hell over and over again, both by direct instruction and a parabolic teaching. Why is that? asked the preacher, is it not because the human heart naturally looks toward our hopes for a blissful hereafter, while just as naturally it shrinks from the thought of eternal retribution for sin? And Christ by frequent reference and solemn warnings, sought, to turn men away from sin. and that Hell which is sin’s reward. To deny the awful reality of Divine retribution for sin. is to fail lo believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the infallible teacher. To believe in Christ is again to look to Him as lhe sin-bearer. It. is lo lay by the glad consent of our own will, our personal and individual sin where God: has' laid il —namely on Christ. To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ is finally to accept Him as lhe God and Master of life—to bring life and conduct, in all its relations under His control—to be obedient in all things to His will as revealed in His Word — rhe Bible.

Mrs. Johnston sang, with strong appeal, “The Old Rugged Cross.” Mr. Johnston’s subject to-night will be “An Astonished Man.”