Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-12-09


DRY Verses, So - Golden Text, Col ],
II = Commentary by the Rev. u. NJ.
Stearns.
1. peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to
the strangers scattered throughout Pontus,
Galatia, Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia. :"
The writers Of the epistles know but one
master-they are either servants or apostles
of Jesus Christ-and being controlled by
the Spirit they glorify Him (AIath. xiii. s;
John xvi, IA Their aim is to help their
fellow strangers to be holy in their lives
and full CT good works that God may lie
glorifed Chapter ii, IL, ~.
.. ELECT according to the foreknowledge
of God the Father, through sanctifcation
of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling
of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto
you and peace be multiplied" Scriptural
election is the choosing of some to bless
others, these chosen ones being taken out
from the rest that they may be specially
qualified for special service (Eph. i, 4; Rom
viii, 29). The exceeding abundance of His
grace and peace is. given to such that
through them it may be multiplied to 9TH
ers. If you have received Him, you are one
of His elect. If you have not received Him,
you may do so at once John vi, 81; iii, 10;
Rev. xxi, n.
8. blessed be the God and Father OF our
Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His
abundant mercy hath begotten us again
unto lively hope by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead" The signifi-
canoe of the resurrection is fully stated in
| Cor XIV, 10, % He who was dead is alive
forevermore; and at the right hand of God
are the evidence of our justification and the
assurance of our continued life (Rev. i, 49,;
Rom. iv, IS; viii, 30 To be identified
with a risen, living Christ, who has all
power in heaven and on earth, and to be
commissioned as His ambassadors to pro-
claim His salvation is surely the highest
honor that mortal man can enjoy on this
earth John xviii is; II Cor. V, 2O).
4. ITO an inheritance incorruptible and
indebted and that fadeth not away, re-
served in heaven for you" All things here
are perishable, but the word of the Lord
and the glory of the Lord endureth forever
oversees "a, 25; | John ii, II; Heb xii, 2S)
Jesus at the right hand of God is not only
our righteousness and our life, but also the
assurance that our bodies shall yet be just
I like His and that we shall reign with Him
q Cor, XIV, %; Phil. iii, 81; Rev. ', 0, 10).
5. who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation, ready to be
revealed in the last time" Jesus does the
saving and the keeping, and we do the
trusting and obeying. See how we are kept
in Jude l. Rom. xiv, 4; lisa. xii, 10. Saliva
ton is ours now if we have received Christ
We are also day by day working it out, ard
yet we are waiting for it, for it is every day
nearer than when we believed (II Tim i, 0
Phil. ii, -, 49, Rom. xiii, IL. 1t is three
fold salvation. We have eternal life, We
are manifesting that life, and we expect the
glorified body and the joys of the kingdom
q. Wherein yc greatly rejoice, though
now for a season, if need be, yc are in heavi
ness through manifold temptations We
will surely rejoice if we believe the facts
but not otherwise, for joy and peace come
only by believing Rom. XIV, 49,. Jesus tolo
us that we must expect tribulation, but
that we may have peace John xvi 33)
Paul testifies that tits possible to be joyful
yea, even exceeding joyful, in tribulatioL
(Itom. V, 3; II Cor vii, A.
{. That the trial of your faith, being
much more precious than of gold that per
isheth, though it be tried with fire might
be found unto praise and honor and glory
at the appealing of Jesus Christ" 1t is o
most profitable study to mediate on the
word precious" i'll these two epistles q Pet
i, Z, 10; ii. 4, /; II Pet. i, l, ~. Faith that
cannot endure is very questionable faith
We must steadfastly believe and wait pa
tiently till He come GAS. V, I, S; | Cor. iv,
y. Then we shall see how all orr light af
tiictions have been working out for US far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
Oh Cor. iv, IL.
S. Whom having not seen We love; in
whom, though now ye see Him not yet be
lieving, We rejoice in the joy unspeakable
and full of glory" Some think that If they
could only see Him they would love Him,
but He said, Blessed are they that have
not seen and yet have believed" John Xxx
29) To faith unseen things become very
real and may be enjoyed almost as pres
ent possessiCl. The city which Abraham
looked for, a--d the recoulpense of the re-
ward which sustained Moses, and the glory
TO be revealed which Paul saw, were won
drously real 10 them and will be to us if we
only believe Heb. vi, 10, %, 25; Rom. s, Isl
9. Receiving the end of your faith, even
the salvation OF your souls This is not
very clear unless it refers to the joy which
comes from the assurance of present sal
walton, which is an earnest and a pledge OF
the completed salvation at the revelation
of Christ. The nov" of the previous
verse would point that way. 1t is our priv
ilege to rejoice that we are the children Of
God and partakers of tie glory to be re-
vealed (II Tim. j, 2; Pet. V, l; John iii, o.
10. "Of which salvation the prophets
have inquired and searched diligently who
prophesied of the grace that should come
unto you" See Dan. tx, 9, 8; X, II, 81. To
search diligently seems to be the sense of
John v, 49, and not any careless reading
or superficial study, rather constant
day and night meditation as in Ps. /, ga
prayerful and persevering comparing Of
Scripture with Scripture in absolute de
pendence and reliance upon the Holy Spirit.
IL. Searching what CT what manner OF
time the Spirit of Christ which was in
them did signify when it testified before
hand the sufTsrings of Christ and the glory
that should follow Here is the fact stated
that the Spirit Of Christ was in the proph-
cts and may give some light upon chapter
iii, 1890, for the Spirit of Christ was in
Noah. 'The testimony Of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy" tRev. xix, l0l Here is
also the fact that the burden of prophecy
is the sufferings Of Christ and the glory vet
to be revealed. See this illustrated fully in
Ps. xxi and fsa. lii as specimen chapters
By His suffering we are now redeemed, but
I we wait for the glory to be revealed.
u. Unto whom it was revealed. that
not unto themselves, bat unto US, they did
minister the things which are now reported
unto you by them that have preached the
gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent
down from heaven, which things the angels
desire TO look into" Here are prophets
and apostles, in the power OF the Holy
spirit, ninistering unto others. Angels
also are ministering spirits Even the Son
Of Man came not 10 be Ininistered unto, but
to minister (aIath. *, Isl, and if We are
filed with His spirit it viii be our delight
to live to be channels Of blessing TO others.
Some things we, like the prophets, may
have TO pass on TO others without fully