Only so is salvation. "Thou shalt call His name JESUS," said the angel; "for He shall save His people from their sins." And He saves us from our sins by taking away our renounced and confessed sins and dwelling within us by His Spirit—Jesus, Immanuel. Simply believing this,—taking Him for our Saviour, His righteousness for our sins, His death for our penalty, His life for our death, by faith bringing the power of His resurrection into our every-day life, we can say with His devoted servant of old: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me; and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me."
THERE is mighty power in this life of faith. It brings the Christ-child home to the little ones, and His loving tenderness entwines about their heart-strings and saves them from sin. His strong, holy manhood strengthens, penetrated the darkest places of earth, lighted the children of darkness to the peace and rest.
BUT apart from Him, there is no peace.
"Peace on earth; good-will to men," said the angels at His birth. But the peace is for God. It is not in the natural hearts of men.
"The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it can not rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
And the great world has demonstrated it. For nearly two thousand years the angels' song has been floating down the centuries, penetrating the walled lands and charming the ear of the world; but never were the nations under the control of the war god as to-day.
They cry, Peace; but there is no peace. They echo the birth song of Christ; but they know not His Spirit. He is not to them Immanuel. They desire His peace, but they will not surrender to His love. Hence war and war preparations occupy the minds of men and nations.
Among those who have not seen the battles fought with sword and gun and the fields incarnadine, there is hatred, variance, and strife. It is manifest in so many forms we can not name them. Truly, as declared the apostle, those without Christ, "The way of peace they know not;" but they know not Christ. "He is our peace, who made both one."
He declares, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you." And His peace awaits every soul which will lay down its arms of rebellion to God, and receive His righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Then "the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever." This is the message of peace which the birth of Jesus Christ into humanity ought to bring us, not only one day, but every day. And this blessing we invoke for all our readers.
