Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-05-08
@eadiag fpr the Sabbath,
zsHE&1 CONDUCTED BIZ E2u GXGT
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
| -''.ri'''' ''s.F '' fOriglnal.
THE CHURCH. - -. - ~. -.

I. /
...Ea- E'7" ''1 "'f1t1E., isl' 80 forigInall
..-.,.., ..@5 THE CHURCH. it - IT, ~
1t is very difficult to give brief, and at
the same time clear and scriptural de6ni-
tion of the word church. 1t is sometimes
spoken of as the church militant, and some-
times as the church triumphant-the church
battling with its enemies and the church vic
torious over all its foes-the church on earth
and the church in heaven, r ,,: - -...,s..2
The church triumphant is composed Of all
those who have passed over the river and
been received into the presence of their glo-
ri6ed Redeemer 1t will ultimately consist
of vast multitude, gathered from all nations,
and from all classes in society. s.ata
The church militant consists of all those
who profess faith in Jesus Christ 1t is visi.
BILE and it is invisible. In it are true believ-
ers and hypocrites AS the wheat and tares
grow in the same field until the harvest, SO
there will ever be in the church here upon
earth, true believers and false professors.
God knows them apart, but man cannot.
They will be separated at death, when the
souls of the true believers will be taken to
Heaven, and the souls Of all false professors
driven away from God.
At the final consummation of all things, a
public separation will take place in the pres
ence of all the creatures Of God. Then the
government Of God will receive q hearty ap-
proval when the wicked are banished forever
from God and the righteous are welcomed
into Heaven
1t is worthy of note, that the church tri
umphant and the church militant are one and
the same While it must be confessed that q
large number of those who are connected with
the militant church will never be crowned
victors in the church triumphant it is still
true that all those who ever will be in the
church triumphant, will be those who have
come through great tribulation, and washed
their robes in the blood of the Lamb Jesus
Christ is all in all to the church triumphant,
and he is all in all to the church militant
To the true believer here on earth, Jesus
is the chiefest among ten thousand, the one
altogether lovely, and to the glori6ed saints
in Heaven, He is the object Of endless wonder
and inefable delight. The hosts of those
who, in this vale of tears, are battling against
sin, and the ransomed multitude who are
saved in Heaven to sin no more, are singing
the same song, the title of which is "Unto
him that loved u.s."
Since the church triumphant and the church
militant are the same, weFmight expect that
there is but one militant church. However
loose and vaguely the word may sometimes be
used, there are not number Of churches.
Christ is not divided. There is one faith, one
baptism, one sacrament of the Lords supper,
one heaven, one Saviour, one God and father
of all his people. Whatever differences may
exist among the people of God, in this world,
it is the children of the same parent wrang
ling among themselves. ! q
Another feature of the church is that it
was established by God, and by him it is pre-
served. No man, or set of men, can say, with
propriety. '"my church" or ''our church" 1t
is the church Of the Living God. Being the
Church of God, whatever privilege is granted
to one believer is granted to all believers.
By faith all true believers are united to Jesus
Christ. There is only one faith. The faith
of Adam and Moses, of Abraham and Isaiah,
of Paul and Peter, of all saints, in all ages,
was, and ever will be, effectively and subject.
lively, identically the same. All true beliey'.
ers put their trust in the same Saviour, and
all true believers are born again, not of the
flesh, but of the spirit The object of the
faith of every true believer is Jesus Christ,
and what the Spirit of God does in regenera-
tion for one he does for all that are regenera-
ted. Is one regenerated individual quickene'l
into life2 So are all regenerated individuals
made alive. ssi a.z ifs..
The church being one and not many, it is
obvious that whatever advances the welfare
of one child of God benefits the whole house
hold of faith, and whatever impedes the pro-
gress of one member of the family is an in
jury done to the whole brotherhood Some
times this is overlooked. The sons of Jacob
sold Joseph, their brother, into bondage in
Egypt. Sometimes the children Of the same
heavenly king fall out by the way and eE-
haust their strength, which should be directed
against the common enemy of all, in attempts
to exterminate each other God marvelously
saved Joseph, rescuing him from his hard
hearted and cruel brothers, and so he contin-
ues to watch over the hated and despised
among his followers. ........,.
The whole church, in all its members and
in all its legitimate work, is the object Of
Gods special love and care. How could it
be otherwise? 1t is his blood-bought church
the trophy of redeeming love.
|