Show Grace Grace- race Not Merit Mel eri By REV LEO E. E RUBEL An aged grandmother became became became be be- came seriously ill The pastor was called immediately On his way to her home he thought Here is a fine Christian Ministering to her will be easy simply a matter of strengthening her faith and making heaven more real to her BUT THE minister was to experience a sad disappointment disappoint disappoint- ment for this pious person told him Yes Pastor I am sure I will go to heaven I Iwas Iwas Iwas was always a member of the church and I always did what I thought was right Here was a person who had heard Sunday after Sunday Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- day the central doctrine of the Christian Gospel that of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ YET VET DESPITE this oft- oft repeated testimony s she h e trusted in her own personal goodness for salvation Fortunately Fortunately Fortunately For For- she was made to fully realize in the eleventh eleventh eleventh elev elev- hour that grace alone saves We wonder how many members members members mem mem- bers of Christian congregations congregations congregations approach death and the Judgment believing that they are saved by their own efforts ALEXANDER Maclaren the famous English preacher of ofa ofa ofa a few generations ago approached approached approached ap ap- ap- ap death in a different differ differ- different ent spirit He told a friend Take all my sermons my prayers my good deeds everything in which I may maybe maybe maybe be tempted to trust and throw them overboard for I Iam Iam Iam am determined to sail heavenward heavenward heavenward heaven heaven- ward on the ship of free grace The Bible says By UBy grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourself s it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Ephesians MAY MA V THIS TIllS be our deep conviction conviction conviction con con- as we pray to Jesus Nothing in my hand I bring Simply to T Thy h y Cross I Cling I |