THE TWO DELIVERANCES by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 17, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 45.

THE TWO DELIVERANCES.

By H. A. St. John

BY ELDER H. A. ST. JOHN.

THE transgression of God's law brought sin into the world, and sin brought death, and sin and death brought Jesus Christ. He came as a Saviour, a Redeemer, a Deliverer. He is the only one who can now, or ever could, deliver souls from the bondage of sin and death. He is the only deliverer that has come out of Zion who has power to take away ungodliness from Jacob. He is mighty to save, yea, almighty to save, and to save unto the uttermost. His first great uplift to the soul sinking in the river of sin, is to lift him out, in answer to his helpless cry, plant his feet upon a rock, establish his goings, and put a new song in his mouth, even praises to our God. And this new song he would that the redeemed or delivered soul, from the bondage of sin and Satan, should sing all the way along his earthly pilgrimage, with new stanzas added with every new experience. If the soul thus delivered journeys from victory to victory, singing the high praises of God with new strains at every victory, rapid will be his progress to the better land.

If ancient Israel had held onto the same faith, and continued the song of triumph when meeting the many obstacles in their pilgrimage, that they had expressed in a joyful song of praise to God on the banks of the Red Sea, their journey to the earthly Canaan would have been but one triumphal march of a few days' continuance. Oh, how much they lost when they lost that faith and that song! And so it is now in the individual experience of every pilgrim.

The mighty miracle of the passage of the Red Sea, and deliverance from all their old enemies, set Israel fairly on their pilgrimage; and another similar mighty miracle of the passage of the river Jordan ended their journey and planted them in the promised land, flowing with milk and honey. In like manner it is a mighty miracle that lifts souls from the mire, and plants them upon the rock, and establishes them fairly upon their pilgrimage journey. And then it is another mighty miracle that will change them all to immortality at the end of their journey. The first deliverance puts them in possession of the Spirit and character of their Deliverer; they are delivered from a carnal mind, a corrupt heart, an evil conscience, and vile raiment, and clothed with a change of apparel, even the righteousness of Christ. The second great deliverance and uplift puts the saints in possession of immortal bodies, their vile bodies changed and fashioned like unto his glorious body. Hail, happy day!