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Te Hoa Maori 1885-1910: Number 34. 01 October 1894 |
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TE HOA MAORI
>
; AND
" I haere mai hoki te Tama a te tangata ki te rapu ki te whakaora i te mea i ngaro. " Ruka 19 10
" For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. " Luke 19 10
NAMA, AKARANA, OKETOPA, 1894
No. 34 AUCKLAND, OCTOBER,
"A i whakakikokikotea te Kupu, a noho ana i a matou, (a i kite ano
matou i tona kororia, he kororia e rite ana ki to te Tamaiti kotahi a te
Matua), ki tonu i te aroha noa me te pono. " Hoari i 1; 14.
" And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we be-
held His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of
grace and truth. " John 1; 14.
TE TURE ME TE AROHA NOA
" I homai hoki e Mohi te ture, ko te aroha
noa me te pono i ahu mai i a Ihu Karaiti. "—
Hoani 1, 17.
E Whakataki iho ana taku korero ki
oku hoa Maori i nga tino putake o
te mahi a te Atua mo te ao, tae mai
ano ki tenei takiwa, hei whakaatu kia
tatou i te rereketanga i waenganui o te
ture raua ko te aroha nos. E rua enei
tino putake i ahu katoa mai i te Atua, to
raua tokorua he pai anake; otira he pai
rawa kia mohio kia raua, kauaka, ano
hoki e konatunatutia Na, he mea ano hoki
tenei e kitea nuitia ana kia tatou kua kitea
he mahi na tatou. Otira e rite ana ki te
hinu raua ko te wai e kore nei e taea te
whakahanumi; he penei ano huki ta tatou
kite i roto i te Karaipiture e kore rawa e
taea te whakahanumi te ture me to aroha
noa. Ko enei mea e rua e tino wehe ke
ana i tetahi i tetahi i nga putake katoa.
Ko te ture he whakaatu mai mo te ahua o
te tangata; me te whakapouri ano hoki i
a ia mona kaore i te wahi i whakaritea.
Ko ta te aroha noa he whakakite tonu mai
i te Atua.
Ta tatou rarangi e penei ana na, " I
homa hoki e Mohi te ture. " Ara, ko Mohi
te putanga mai nana i mau mai te ture i
te Atua ki te tangata. Heoi ko te
" Aroha noa me te pono i ahu mai, i a Ihu
Karaiti. " Ko enei mea e rua te kai
whakamarama o ONA. Me aata titiro
iana tatou kaore i te haere ko te aroha noa
anake engari raua tahi ko te pono; ma
konei e whakauru mai nga mea katoa e
kitea ana i roto. Te pono ranei ki te
kahore to aroha noa mana e tahi nga
mea katoa ki te whakawakanga. Otira
ko te aroha noa me te pono i ahu ngatahi
mai i roto i a Ia; a ko enei te whakaatu-
ranga o nga taha e rua o te Ahua o te
Atua, —He Marama he Aroha, i roto i te
ao hara my tona hinganga.
TE KORENGA MOHIO KI TE HARA.
Ki te timata mai i te timatanga; i hanga
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TE HOA MAORI-
koreharatia e te Atua te tangata. Ara, ko
ta te tangata i mohio ai ko te pai anake,
ko ta te Atua i taiapa ai i a ia ki waenga-
nui, me tona kore ano hoki e mohio ki te
kino. Kaore he korero mo te korenga o
te tangata e mohio ki te hara, tona mahi
tuatahi tonu kua whakaaturia ko tona
kore kaore e whakarongo me te hara.
Na konei i kawe mai te hinganga ! i tere
tonu te putanga mai. Na konei i hoatu
ai te tangata i tona take kia arohaina ai e
te Atua. Heoi aroha ana ano te Atua ki
te tangata i hanga nei e Tona ringa i
hanga nei ano hoki e Ia kia pai, kaore i
mutu Tona aroha ki te tangata i muri iho
o te hinganga, heoi timata ana ano i tetahi
huarahi pono mo Tana mahi ki te tangata,
me Tana whakaatu ano ki te tangata, te
tuatahi, mo tona kore kohatanga i nga
mea katoa e rite ana kite aroha; te tuarua,
kaore te aroha o te Atua i mawehe atu i
a ia mo tona korekohatanga.
TE WHAKARERENGA O TE TAN-
GATA KI A IA ANO.
I muri iho o te hinganga ka timata te
Atua te waiho i te tangata ki a ia ano,
ara, kaore he ture i hoatu e te Atua ki te
tangata, kia kite ai te tangata i tona
pewheatanga, me te pewheatanga ranei o
tona ngakau. Erua mano tau o te
KORENGA TURE.
I tenei takiwa ka timata te tangata te
mahi i ta tona ngakau ake i pai ai, me te
ki te o te whenua i te aritarita i te poke.
Tetahi ritenga o aua kupu, kohuru ana
ano ratou i tetahi i tetahi a poke ana ratou
me te weriweri ano hoki o a ratou ritenga.
TE WAIPUKE.
"A, te kitenga o to Atua kua nui te
kino o te tangata i runga i te whenua, a he
kino kau i nga ra katoa nga tokonga
katoatanga ako o nga whakaaro a tona
ngakau... Na, ka mea a Ihowa,
ka whakangaromia atu e ahau i te mata
o te whenua te tangata i hanga e ahau "
Kenehi 6, 5, 7. I meatia ai tenei hei take
maunga mai mo te waipuke ki runga i a
ratou;; nana nei ratou katoa i whakan-
garo; ora ake kotahi te tangata ko Noa
ratou ko tona whanau.
TE KAI WHAKAHAERE MO TE
WHENUA.
Na ka mauria ake e te Atua tenei tan-
gata kotahi, a Noa, a whakanohoia ana a
ia me tona whanau ki te whenua hou;
whakamaua ana te hoari o te kai whaka-
haerenga ki roto i tona ringa.
Kaore a ia i kaha ki te whakahaere i a
ia ano; haurangi aua; a hangaia una e
ona tamariki he pa me te pourewa nui,
kia whai ingoa ai ratou i runga i te whe-
nua katoa. Kenehi 11, 4.
TE WHAKAPOHEHETANGA I NGA
REO.
Na konei i whakakore te tino mea e
mate nuitia ana e ratou, otira he penei
katoa te ahua, mehemea te tangata ki te
mahi ki te kahore te Atua.
Ka mea a Ihowa; " Tena kia heke atu
tatou, kia whakapororaru hoki i o ratou
reo i reira, kei rongo i a tangata i a tan-
gata ki te reo o tona hoa. Na whaka-
mararatia atu ana ratou i reira e Ihowa
hi runga ki te mata o te whenu a katoa: a
mahue ake ia ratou te hanga i te pa. "
Kenehi 11, 7, 8.
KARAKIA WHAKAPAKOKO.
I tenei takiwa ka taka ratou ki te kara-
kia whakapakoko; a, hanga ana e ratou
o ratou atua, hei kawenga taumaha ma
nga kararehe waha i aua atua; kaore o
ratou mahara na te Atua ratou i hanga i
tohu hoki, mana ano hoki ratou whaka-
puta. (Tirohia a Ihaia 46, 1-4. ) Ko
enei atua he nanakia, na enei i kukume
ke i te ngakau i te hinengaro o te tangata
ki te mahi he, kia kotiti ke atu i te Atua
pono.
Koianei nga mea e rua nana i whakaatu
te mahuetanga o te tangata ki a ia ano:
ara ko enei: —
1. He tangata aritarita ia me te poke.
2. He tangata karakia whakapakoko ia.
TE KUPU WHAKAARI
Na kua tae mai te takiwa o te kupu
whakaari. Mahue ana i te Atua te toenga
atu o te ao, mauria ana mai ko te tangata
kotahi, a Aperahama; karangatia ana ia
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TE HOA MAORI.
kia puta mai ki waho i tona whenua i ona
whanaunga i te whare hoki o tona papa,
me te whakaaritanga i te kupu; Mahau
ka manaakitia ai nga whanau katoa o to
whenua, hei whakaatu mo te ahua o te
tangata. Na tenei putake o te kupu
whakaari nana i puta katoa mai ai te tan-
gata ki waho o te kupu whakaatu o te
pewheatanga me te mahi ranei a te tan-
gata. Koia nei rawa: E taea ranei, e
whakarite ranei te Atua i Aua kupu
whakaari ? Na runga i tenei i tere tonu
ai te whakahoki a te whakapono: Ae, nga
tongi me nga tohu katoa.
Otira tera ano tetahi take i ata waiho
marietia ai, hei whakaatu mo te whakaa-
turanga. Tera tenei take e whakahetia:
A e, mehemea te tangata hinga ka whakaao
he kino katoa ia i te mea kaore i kiia atu
ki a ia mo penei tana mahi; e koro raw i e
pai ake tana mahi mehemea ka kiia atu ta
te Atua i mea ai mona. Na konei to
Atua, i mua atu o to whakatutukitanga o
Ana kupu whakaari, i whakamatautau ai
i te tangata i te tuatahi, hei whakamatau
e taea ranei o te tangata te whakatutuki
a te Atua putake.
TE TURE.
I te takiwa o te ture ka whiriwhiria e
to Atua te whanau o Iharaira: nga uri
mai o Aperahama, me uru ratou ki tenei
turanga u te whakarongo mo te mana.
I taua takiwa ano ka whakaatu Ia kia
ratou mo te maungaroatanga o tona aroha
noa i roto i nga kupu: " Kua kite koutou
i nga mea i mea ai ahau ki nga Ihipiana,
i a au hoki e waha ana ia koutou i runga
i nga parirau ekara, e kawe mai ana hoki
ia koutou kia au. Na, akuanei, ki te ata
whakarongo koutou ki toku reo, ki te
pupuri hoki i taku kawenata. " (Tirohia
a Ekoruhe 19, 4-6.
Kaore ratou i mohio iho ki to ratou
ngoikore, mahia poauautia ana e ratou ta
Ihowa i whakahau ai me te rongo. E toru
a ratou whakahuatanga i tenei. Ekoruhe
19, 8, me te 24, 3-7.
Na konei i whakatakoto te takiwa i
waenganui ia ratou me te Atua, nana nei i
whakatakoto tana rohe tawhio noa te
maunga kei pa atu ratou, no te mea " Ko
nga tangata katoa o pa atu ana ki te
maunga, inn, me whakamate. " (Ekoruhe
19, 12. )
He mea pai rawa ki a ata titiro tatou i
konei ki nga putake o te ture.
Ka mea ratou, " Ko nga mea katoa i
kiia mai na e Ihowa ka meatia e matou, ka
rongo ano hoki matou. " Ekoruhe 24, 7.
Ka mea a Ihowa. " Ina kia mau ki
aku tikanga mo aku whakariteritenga: ki
te mahia hoki ena e te tangata, ma reira e
ora ai ia: ko ahau a Ihowa. " (Rewiti-
kuha 18, 5. )
TE TAKAHANGA I TE TURE.
Tera e kotahi tonu to putanga mai o
enei, tona mutunga he whakarerenga;
kaore hoki o taea e to tangata to pupuri te
ture, otira irunga i to poauau me to ma-
hara tera o taea e ia, Otira kua takahia
noatia atu to ture i mua atu o to homai-
tanga, Hianga e ratou he kuao kau koura
me te ki ano ratou, Koia noi to Atua e
Iharaira, nana noi koe i whakaputa mai i
to whenua o Ihipa. (Ekoruhe 32, 4).
Kua takahia to ture tuatahi, kua mutu
katoa; a i runga i te riri o te ngakau o
Mohi, wahia ana o ia nga papa kohatu e
rua. Otira na Ihowa ano i homai nga
papa kohatu tuarua mo to mau ano tona
manawanui ki te iwi i a ia e whakama-
tautau aua i a ratou i roto i te rua mano
tau, a tao nua ki te tainga mai o te
Karaiti.
Te tako o tenei, ta te mea kei raro tonu
te tangata i to ture me te mohi o ano o te
tangata he kai takahi ia i te ture, kua
takatakahia to ture i ona wahi katoa, he
kino ke atu i nga Tauiwi kaore nei ho ture.
E kohukohutia aua te ingoa o Ihowa i
roto i nga Tauiwi e nga Hurai (Roma
2 24)
Na ma tatou e whakawhaiti mai e penei
na, te tangata kaore he ture kua mohio ia
kia ia ki te aritarita ki te hara.
I te homaitanga i te ture; i kua i roto i
tetahi onga papa: "Kaua koe e patu. "
"Kaua koe e puremu, " me etahi atu.
Koia nei tona mahi ki tona hoa tata.
Mehemea kaore he ture kua. mohi o te
tangata ki a ia ano he tangata karakia
whakapakoko.
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TE HOA MAORL
E ki ana te ture i roto i tetahi o nga
papa kohatu; " Kaua etahi Atua ke atu
mou i mua atu i a au. " Tona mahi tenei
ki te Atua. Ma te aroha anake e whaka-
rite raua, otira kaore he aroha o te tan-
gata i taka mai mo tona hoa tata, mo te
Atua ranei.
TE WHAKAHENGA.
Ko te tangata he hara he kore ture i
mua atu o te homaitanga o te ture, hei
whakaatu tenei, he tangata takahi ture ia,
kahore ke atu aua e tatari ai i to ringa o
te Atua, heoi ano ko te whakahenga
(Whakawakanga) anake, ma te mea anake
ranei tera atu ano tetahi take i te Atua i
waho o te ture, no te mea ko ta te ture he
homai i te mate i te whakawa—kanga.
TE KARAITI.
Kia whakapaingia kia whakamoemititia
te Atua, no te mea tera atu ano tetahi i
roto i a Ia nui atu i ta te ture e whakaatu
mai ai. Ko te ture e hara i te mea hei
whakaatu mo te Atua; engari i homai hei
tuunga whakaatu mo te mahi a te tangata.
Ki tonu te Atua i te tika mo ana kupu
whakaari, me Tona aroha noa ki te tangata
i te mea kua kitea te kore koha o te tan-
gata. I roto i Aua whakaritenga i ana
kupu whakaari kia Aperahama, kia
Rawiri, i reira pu ano ka tonoa mai e te
Atua Taua Tama, ka tae hoki ki te wa i
whakaritea, i roto katoa nei hoki nga
kupu whakaari e takoto ana; i roto ano
hoki ta te Atua whakakitenga i a Ia.
I tana meatanga i tenei ka waiho ano e
te Atua kia haere tonu ana te whakama-
tautauranga o te tangata mo tona kaitia-
kitanga. Tera ranei nga Hurai, i
whakaputaina mai nei i Papurona i raro o
te whakamatautauranga nui i whakataua
nei kia ratou e mau i to ratou Mihaia ?
Te mutunga o tenei whakamatautau-
ranga nui, whakakahoretia ana ripekatia
e ratou a te Karaiti!
TE KAI WAWAO.
Kaore a te Karaiti i haere mai ki te
whakatutuki anake i nga kupu whakaari,
ki te whakamatautau ranei i te tangata,
engari ki te whakaoti katoa, i te kupu a te
Atua; koia nei kei runga ake i nga kupu
whakaari katoa. Mauria ana te hara o
te ao; ka kakahuria ki runga ki a Ia!
Ko Ia hoki te kai Waha; te kai wawao
mo te whiunga i rite nei mo te hunga
katoa i muri iho nei ka mau i Ia to ratou
Kai Whakaora.
Mauria ana e Ia te riri, a ngohengohe
ana te whaka wakanga a te Atua, i te
pikonga o Tona ake matenga ki te mate,
me Tona aranga ake ano i to toru o ngara;
ara i te ra tuatahi o te wiki, hei whakapai
hei whakaoti mo nga kupu whakaari
katoa a te Atua i roto i te aranga, hei mau
mai hoki ki roto i nga hua katoa o nga
korero u te Atua.
E whakaritea katoatia ana e te Atua
nga kupu whakaari i meatia ki nga Huria
mo te taha ki te whenua, mo roto i te ra
meake nei puta, ina runga mai i te ma-
tenga o te Karaiti. Otira kei te whakaotia
haeretia era atu take, e hara nei mo reira
nga putake o te kupu whakaari, engari e
takoto ana ano i runga i taua mahi ano a
te Karaiti, e na runga ke ana i te putake
o te whakapono.
TE AROHA NOA.
Ko enei putake e tohu ke aua ki te
rangi. Na ta te Atua tikanga i ki ai te
rangi i te hunga kua kitea nei kaore he
painga e noho (ora) ai ratou i tenei ao.
Katahi te Atua whakamiharo! Na ko
tenei na runga ke i te take " o te whaka-
pono, kia waiho ai ma to Aroha noa. "
(Roma 4, 16. ) He aroha noa i ra rototia
mai i te tika i whakaaturia mai nei e te
tahunga tinana a te Karaiti; e hara nei
Ia i te iti iho i te Tama a te Atua!
Na te Atua a-te Karaiti i whakaara ako i
te mate hei whakaritenga mo Tana mahi i
runga i te Ripeka, whakanohoia ana Ia ki
runga ki Tona Torona, tonoa iho ana te
Wairua Tapu ki tenei ao mo tona tuunga,
hei whakapai hoki mo nga ngakau o Ana
tangata. Ko te Wairua Tapu te mana
o te Atua ki te whakaoti i A na take i roto
i te tangata i enei ra.
Na te WHAKAPONO, e hara i te pupuri i
te ture; na reira i tika ai ta te tangata
hara uru ki roto ki tenei oranga nui E
whakaatu mai ana te Karaipiture: "Na
te aroha noa hoki koutou i whakaorangia
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TE HOA MAORI.
ai i runga i te whakapono; e hara ano
hoki tenei i te mea na koutou: he mea
homai noa na te Atua. " Epeha 2, 8.
Te nui o te koanga ngakau o te Atua i
roto i Tona Aroha Noa! Te nui! Te
homaitanga noa mai! E tohu ana te
aroha noa ia ia ki katoa, he rite katoa,
Hurai me te Taniwi: Pakeha me te
Maori!
'' Kaore hoki he pokanga ketanga: kua
hara katoa hoki, kaore e taea e ratou te
kororia o te Atua. " Roma 3-, 23-23.
Ko ona putaki enei; ara, " Me whaka-
pono ki te Ariki ki a Ihu Karaiti, ka ora
ai koe koutou tahi ko tou whare. " (Nga
Mahi, 16, 31. ) E hoatu ana ki katou,
kaore he rohe mutunga mai. E ki ana te
Aroha Noa: Whakaponohia taku Tama a
ka whiwhi ko ki te rangi me tona kororia
katoa me ia hoki.
Ma te Atua anake e tango ake te tan-
gata hara, ma Tona Wairua ma te Kupu
hoki e hoatu ki a ia he tinana hou, e horoi
ona hara ki te tino toto o to Karaiti; ma
konei e riro mai ai i a ia te whakaoranga
mo tona wairua; a tukua ana ia pera ana
me te Manene mo te haere noa i runga i
te whenua, haere atu ana ki te kainga
kaore ona pirau, kaore ona poke, e kore
ano hoki e memeha, e puritia mai nei i te
rangi mo hou o te kai korero. (Tirohia
1 Pita, 1, 4. )
Na e toku hoa Maori aroha e te kai
korero i tenei pukapuka, kei te penei
ranei tou ahua ? Kua ora ranei koe i
runga i te aroha noa me te murunga e te
toto o te Karaiti ? Mehemea koia nei tou
Ahua, tera ko koe tetahi Maori hari. Ki
te kore, kia mahara, ko tenei kei raro tonu
i te homaitanga ki a koe.
E whakakahore tonu raneikoe ?
Ma te Atua e hoatu kia koe te hari
pono o te mataurenga ki tenei pono hou i
roto i te whakapono kia Ihu Karaiti!
H. H. T.
TURE. AROHA NOA.
Whakahau Hoatu
Kanga Whakapai
Whakamate Whakaora
Mahi Kua Oti
Te tuunga hei tuunga mote Te Whakakitenga o te Atua
tangata. i roto i a te Karaiti.
Rapunga tika i tu tangata. Homaitanga tika mo te ta-
ngata.
Homaitanga mate me to; Homaitanga ora me te Wai-
whakawakanga rua.
Tena kia kite au i tau mahi. Haere mai kia kite i taku i
mahi ai.
" Ka kanga nga tangata " Ka hari te hunga kua oti
katoa kahoro e mau ki nga a ratou mahi tutu te mum,
mea katea kua oti te tuhituhi o ratou hara te hipoki!
ki te pukapuka o te ture, hei " Ka hari te tangata kaore
mahinga ma ratou. " nei e whakairia e te Ariki he
Karatia 3; 10. hara ki a ia. " Roma 4; 7-8.
[The foregoing Article is a free Translation of the following. ]
LAW AND GRACE
" For the law was given by Moses, but grace
and truth came by Jesus Christ. " John 1, 17.
I propose to trace with my Maori
friends the principles of God's dealings
with the world, up to the present period, in
order that we may see the difference
between law and grace. Both of these
principles came from God, and both are
good: but they need to be understood,
and must not be confounded. Now this
is a thing we are all naturally prone to
do. But as oil and water cannot be made
to mingle, so we may see from Scripture
it is impossible to mingle law and grace.
They are, in fact, perfectly opposed to each
other in all particulars. The law shows
what man ought to be, and convicts him of
not being what he should be. Grace shows
us what God is.
Our text declares, " The law was given
by Moses. " That is to soy, Moses was a
channel to convey the law from God to
man. But " Grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ, " They wore the expression of
what HE WAS. We may note that it is
not grace without truth, which would have
accepted everything as it found it; nor
truth without grace, which would have
swept all away in judgment. But grace
and truth came together in Him, and
these are the expression of the two parts
of God's nature, —light and love, —in a
world of sin and ruin.
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GOOD NEWS.
INNOCENCE.
To begin at the beginning, God created
man innocent. That is he knew only good,
that with which God had surrounded him,
and was innocent of evil. There is no his-
tory of man in innocence, —his first re-
corded act is one of disobedience and sin.
The fall came, alas! all too soon. And by
it man forfeited his claim to be loved by
God. Now God, who loved the creature
of His hand, whom He had made very
good, did not cease to love him after the
fall, but began a series of dealings with
him, to prove to him, first, how unworthy
of anything like love he was; and, secondly,
that God's love was not turned away from
him, spite of his unworthiness.
MAN LEFT TO HIMSELF.
After the fall, God began by leaving
man to himself, —that is to say He gave
him no law, that he might show out what
he was, and what was in his heart. Then
for two thousand years there was a scene
of
LAWLESSNESS.
Man during this time did his own will,
and filled the earth with violence and cor-
ruption. In other words, they murdered
each other, and became filthy and abomin-
able in their habits.
THE FLOOD.
Then, " God saw that the wickedness of
man was great upon the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his
heart was only evil continually....
And Jehovah said, "I will destroy man,
whom I have created, from the face of the
earth. " Gen. 6, 5-7. This He did by
bringing a flood upon them, which destroy-
ed them all, save one man, —Noah, and
his family, who alone escaped.
GOVERNMENT.
God now took this one man, Noah, and
placed him with his family in the renewed
earth, putting the sword of government
into his hand. He failed to govern him-
self, got drunk, and his sons builded a city
and a huge tower, to make themselves a
name, lest they should be scattered abroad
upon the face of the whole earth. Gen.
11, 4.
CONFUSION OF TONGUES.
This brought about the very thing they
desired to avoid, as is always the case when
man acts without God. Jehovah said, "Go
to, let us go down and there confound their
language, that they may not understand
one another's speech. So Jehovah scat-
tered them abroad from thence upon the
face of all the earth, and they left of! to
build the city. " Gen. 11, 7-8.
" IDOLATRY.
They now fell into idolatry, and made
their gods, who were a burden to the
weary beasts that had to carry them, in-
stead of recognising that God had made
and preserved them, and could carry them
even to hoar hairs and deliver them. (See
Is., 46, 1-4. ) These gods were demons,
who took occasion of man's wickedness and
departure from the true God to get pos-
session of man's heart and mind.
Thus two things had been proved by
man's being loft to himself, viz.:
1. That ho was violent and corrupt.
2. That he was an idolater.
PROMISE.
Now came the period of promise. God
left all the rest of the world and took up
one man again, Abraham, —calling him
out from his country, his kindred, his
father's house, and promising to bless all
the families of the earth in him, in spite of
all that man had proved himself to be.
Now this principle of promise left man
wholly out of the question as to what he
was or what he could do. It was simply
now, can and will God fulfil His word.
To this faith at once answers, yes, every
jot and tittle!
But another principle remained to be
proved ere He did so. It might be ob-
jected, Well, if fallen man proved himself
so bad without being told what he ought
to do, would he not do better if told what
God required of hira. Therefore God,
before fulfilling His promises, tested man,
first as to whether he could fulfil God's
demands.
THE LAW.
God now proposed to the Israelites—the
descendants of Abraham, that they should
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GOOD NEWS.
enter upon this ground of obedience and
responsibility. At the same time He re-
minded them that they had tasted His
grace, in the words, " Ye have seen what
I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare
you on eagle's wings, and brought you to
myself. Now, therefore, if ye will obey
my voice indeed, and keep ray covenant,
&c. (See Ex. 19, 4-6. )
They, not knowing their own weakness,
foolishly undertook to do all that Jehovah
commanded, and to be obedient. Three
times did they repeat this. Ex. 19, 8,
and 24, 3, 7.
Distance at once came in between them
and God, who set bounds about the mount
lest any should touch it, for, "Whosoever
toucheth the mount shall be surely put to
death. " Ex. 19, 12.
It is well to notice here distinctly the
terms of the law.
The people said, "All that Jehovah
hath said will we do, and be obedient. "
Ex. 24, 7.
And Jehovah said, "Ye shall therefore
keep my statutes and my judgments,
which if a man do he shall live in them.
I am Jehovah. " Lev. 18, 5.
TRANSGRESSION.
This, alas! could have but one issue, it
could only end disastrously, for man could
not keep the law, though foolishly think-
ing he could. In fact, the law was
broken before it was received. They made
a golden calf and said, " This is thy God,
O Israel, which brought thee up out of
the land of Egypt. " Ex. 32, 4.
The first commandment being broken,
all was over, and Moses, with spiritual
discernment, brake the two tables of
stone. Jehovah, however, gave them
other two tables, and bore in patience
with the people, while testing them
thoroughly for two thousand years, until
Christ came.
The result of this was, that man under
law proved himself to be an utter trans-
gressor, breaking the law at all points,
and being worse than the Gentiles, who
had no law. The very name of Jehovah
being blasphemed among the Gentiles,
through the Jews. Rom. 2, 24.
Now let us sum up: Man without law
had proved himself to be violent and cor-
rupt.
When the law was given, it said in one
of its tables, "Thou shalt not kill. "
" Thou shalt not commit adultery, " &c.
This was his duty to his neighbour.
Without law he had proved himself to
be an idolater.
The law said in its other table, "Thou
shalt have none other Gods but me"
This was his duty to God.
Love would have fulfilled both, but fallen
man had no love either for his neighbour
or for God.
CONDEMNATION.
A sinner and lawless before the law was
given, he was now proved to be a trans-
gressor also, and could expect nothing at
God's hands but condemnation, unless
there was more in God than the law indi-
cated, for it only dealt out death and con-
demnation.
CHRIST.
But, blessed bo God, there is more in
Him than the law indicates, for the law
was never intended as a revelation of what
God was, but was given simply as a stan-
dard of what man ought to be. There was
faithfulness in God to His promises, and
grace toward man generally, when all
alike had been proved unworthy. In ful-
filment of His promises to Abraham and
to David, God now sent forth His Son,
when the fulness of the time was come, in
whom all the promises were vested, and in
whom God fully revealed Himself.
In doing this, however, God made a
further test of mau in responsibility.
Would the Jews, who had been brought
back out of Babylon, in order that this
final test might be applied to them, receive
their Messiah?
The result of this final trial was that
they refused and crucified Him.
SUBSTITUTION.
But Christ came not only to fulfil pro-
mises, and to test man, but also to accom-
plish all the counsel of God, which is
above all promise. Bearing away the
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GOOD NEWS.
sin of the world, and taking upon Him-
self, as a substitute, the punishment due
to all who should afterwards receive Him
as a Saviour, He bore the wrath and ex-
hausted the judgment, bowing His own
blessed head in death, and rising again
the third day, —that is on the first day of
the week. —to make all the promises of
God good in resurrection, and to bring in
all the fruit of the counsels of God.
God surely will literally fulfil every
promise made to the Jews with reference
to earth, in a day shortly to come, based
upon the death of Christ. But now He is
accomplishing other purposes, which never
were the subjects of promise, based upon
the same work of Christ, and on the prin-
ciple of faith.
GRACE.
These purposes have reference to
heaven. God will fill heaven with a
people who have been proved to be unfit
to live upon earth. What a wonderful
God He must be! Now this is on the
principle "of faith, that it might be by
grace. " Rom. 4, 16. A grace based
upon righteousness, which is manifested in
the sacrifice of Christ, who is no less a
being than the Son of God!
God has raised Christ from the dead in
answer to His work upon the Cross, and
seated Him upon His throne, sending down
the Holy Spirit into this world to occupy
for Him, and to make all good in the souls
of His people. The Holy Spirit is thus
the power by which God accomplishes His
purposes in man to-day.
FAITH, then, —not law-keeping, —is ne-
cessary in order that the sinner may enter
into this great salvation. And Scripture
declares, "By grace are ye saved, through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the
gift of God. " Eph. 2, 8.
How God delights iu His grace! How
rich it is! How free! It addresses itself
to all alike, —Jew and Gentile, Pakeha and
Maori! " For there is no difference, for
all have sinned and come short of the glory
of God. " Rom. 3, 22-23.
Its terms are, " Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt bo saved, and
thy house. " Acts 16, 31. It gives all,
it demands nothing. It says, Accept my
Son and you shall have heaven and all its
glories with Him.
God takes up a poor vile sinner, gives
him a new nature by His Spirit and the
Word; cleanses him from his sins in the
precious blood of Christ; gives him the
salvation of his soul, and sets him as a
stranger and a pilgrim on the earth going
on to an inheritance incorruptible, unde-
filed, and that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for him. (See I Pet. 1, 4. )
Now, my dear Maori reader, is this
your case ? Arc you thus saved by grace,
and cleansed by the precious blood of
Christ ? If this is your portion you should
be a happy Maori. If not, remember,
this is still under offer to you. Will you
refuse it?
May God give you the joy of knowing
this is true of you, through faith in Jesus
Christ! G. J. S.
LAW. GRACE.
Demands Gives
Curses Blesses
Condemns Saves
Do Done
The standard of what man The revelation of what
should be. God is in Christ.
Requires righteousness Provides righteousness for
from man. man.
Ministers death and con- Ministers life and the
demnation. Spirit.
Let me see what you can ' Come and see what I Lave
do. done.
" Cursed is everyone that " Blessed are they whose
continueth not in all things iniquities are forgiven, and
which are written in the whose sins are covered.
book of the law to do them. " "Blessed is the man to
Gal. 3; 10. whom the Lord will not im-
pute sin. " Rom. 4; 7-8.
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