ss, in
order to its fullest manifestation. Hence the deep significance of the
prophecy spoken over the cradle of Jesus: "Behold this child is set for
the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall
be spoken against, _that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed_"
(Luke 2: 34, 35). All the most hideous sins of human nature came out
during the betrayal and trial and passion of our Lord. In that "hour and
power of darkness" these sins seem indeed to have been but imperfectly
recognized. But when the day of Pentecost had come, with its awful
revealing light of the Spirit of truth, then there was great contrition
in Jerusalem--a contrition the sting of {190} which we find in the charge
of Peter: "Jesus of Nazareth, whom ye have taken and by wicked hands have
crucified and slain." Was not that deep conviction, following the gift
of the Spirit, in which three thousand were brought to repentance in a
single day, a conviction of sin because they had not believed on Christ?

For our reproof the Holy Ghost presents another side of the same fact,
calling us to repentance, not for having taken part in crucifying Christ,
but for having refused to take part in Christ crucified; not for having
been guilty of delivering him up to death, but for having refused to
believe in him who was "delivered for our offenses and raised again for
our justification." Wherever, by the preaching of the gospel, the fact
of Christ having died for the sins of the world is made known, this guilt
becomes possible. The sin of disbelieving on Christ is, therefore, the
great sin now, because it summarizes all other sins. He bore for us the
penalties of the law; and thus our obligation, which was originally to
the law, is transferred to him. To refuse faith in him, therefore, is to
repudiate the claims of the law which he fulfilled and to repudiate the
debt of infinite love which, by his sacrifice, we have incurred.
Nevertheless, the Spirit of truth brings home this sin against the Lord,
not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
In a word, as has been well said, "it is not {191} the sin-question but
the Son-question" which we really raise now in preaching the gospel.
"Christ having perfectly satisfied God about sin, the question now
between God and your heart is: Are you perfectly satisfied with Christ as
the alone portion of your soul? Christ has settled every other to the
glory of God." In d