The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-28

ago.. he wrote ito the saints which are
at Ephesus-that is, to the true Chris
tians-and "to the faithful in Christ
Jesus" He was writing to no other
class, remember that. He was not
writing to sinners. to b~acksliders, to
aliens and enemies, to hypocrites and
~pretendcrs, but ito the saints" and
ito the faithful in Christ Jesus Re-
member that. So when you get to the
fourth and fifth verses, the apostle is
writing to the very people and class
he is writing to III the first verse. Ac-
eordingly, he tells them that God had
chosen" them lin Him before the
"predestinated dem unto the adop-
ton of children by Jesus Christ to
Himself, according to the good pleas
ure of His will, to the praise of the
glory of His grace" So all sincere,
humble, praying, devout, cruciied
Christians paul writes. Il am cruci-
fed with Christ"-Gal. 2:20) so far as
we can see and understand, may re-
gard themselves as having been chosen
in Christ before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and with
out blame before Him in love- (verse
fourth.) Why may not every genuine
disciple Of Christ, loving and adorins
the Saviour, living a life of self-deniaI
and a life of separation from the word.
consider himself one of the elect or
chosen of God, for if God did not choose
him, he would not choose God. What
more can there possibly be 10 move the
heart and draw out the gratitude of any
man than this idea Of being mad IAN
heir Of God and a joint heir with
Jesus Christ" through the electing
.grace-that is, the free favor-of God,
and according to the good pleasure OF
His vill?" What can we possibly find
to thank God more for han this saving
grace of our Heavenly Father WI
has blessed US With all spiritual bless
ings in heavenly places in Christi
(verse third.) How can we sufficiently
accuse ourselves of sin. if for this
thus being chosen of Cod" before the
foundation of the world" if for this
we are ret thankful? Has God chosen
us to be holy, from the foundation Of
the world, and shall we still love to
lead q life of w~ickedness? Has He
chosen us to be blameless; and shall we
still prefer to offend? The called Of
God to eternal life are they and only
they who are indeed true saints in
the real meaning of Scripture and the
faithful in Christ Jesus" There are
but two classes, Christians and sinners;
the good and bad; the faithful and the
unfaithful; the adopted ons and the
aliens; the holy and the unholy. There
can be no possible mistake here. The
earmarks of the Christian are sure and
unerring. $50, likewise, whatsoever lie
be of you that forsaketh not all that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple
Luke xiv:33. eff any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not
in him. John ills. He that doeth
good is of God; but he that doeth evil
hath not seen God"-III John ii.
And every. man that hath this hope in
him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure."-I John ills. So it is impossible
TO err in this matter of Christian living.
Any man who is born of the Holy Spirit
has been made "a new creation in
Christ Jesus" hath the witness in him
self-has the divine testimony of his
adoption and sonship. So it may be
concluded that only the class that the
great apostle refers to and describes
in the first verse are the ones to whom
he refers as the elect or chosen of God
1.-The faithful in Christ Jesus" People
who love the world and live in sin
know nothing of the owe of God in
the soul and I'M pretend to be Of
the Chosen before the foundation Of
the world."o to have been the pre-
destinated' "and adopted children by
Jesus Christ to Himself. On the other
hand, all 1.-The faithful in Christ Jesus
of whatever name or religious onnec-
ton, may we'll count themselves to be
among the "chosen" disciples of God
through infinite mercy and ito the
praise of the glory Of His grace"