The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-24

In Romans, second chapter, which
we briefly considered last Sunday. we
left of at the fourth verse, showing
how those will fare who know not the
goodness of God and are not led TO re-
p~entance. In the fifth verse the apostle
shows how the hard and impenitent
heart up wrath
against the day of wrath and revela-
ton of the righteous judgment Of God"
He presents two characters who meet
two conditions and a an altogether
different reward in the life 10 come.
While Gods judgment viii De every
way righteous there will be wrath for
one class and peace and pleasure for
the other class. The n who rejects
Christ here pays the penalty Inevitably
and equitably in the coming day, and
because God will render to every man
according to his deeds (verse sixth.)
The God Of forbearance and mercy and
love will deal with the rebellious and
scoffers and unbeIievers in the Day of
Wrath with a stern hand. The good
and faithful will be amply rewarded on
the other hand. ITO them who by pa
tent continuance in well doing seek for
glory and honor and Immortality" will
be granted the greatest Of all boons
that sod can bestow-"eternal life"
But not so with the other class, for
unto them hat are contentious, and
do not obey the truth, but obey UPRIGHT
eousness, Indignation and wrath, trib-
ulation and anguish, upon every soul
Of man that doeth evil" Mark his
comes to them in 1.-The day of wrath
and revelation of the righteous judg-
ment of Cod" That is the time or day
when the perfect justice will be made
manifest Ito the assembled world-the
Day appointed for the final adjudica-
ton, when the mu~ltitudinous children
of men from Adam to the last of the
race, shall stand before Christ Jesus
of either life or death Already has the
sentence been sent forth upon millions
of THE race. Already does God see the
wickedness Of the wicked, their stiff
knocked rebellion and defiance, and He
determines of the soul which sinneth
that 1T shall die. Of the other class
the righteous, the faithful believers
who have remained steadfast con-
secrated-God declares that they shall
receive glory, honor and peace" The
books will be opened that contain an
absolutely fair, perfect, unbroken re-
cord of every life; and all shall see and
understand. This will not be done to
remind Jehovah of what has been done,
to tell Him of the faithful or to bring
before Him the evil deeds of the wick
ed. He knows them all and none can
escape the scrutiny. The opening of the
books will be made simply for the JUS
tifying of His judgments to all OF His
assembled creatures. In that day ali
will be made plain Inc all will be dealt
with according to their 1ife-record, and
For there is no respect of persons with
God" (11th verse; What a day! The
entire race at the Bar Of God. The
judge is the Redeemer. The apostle
describes 1T a. 1.-THE day when God shall
judge the secrets of men by Jesus
Christ according ITO my Gospel" Then
all the realities of life will be unfolded
| Then the hidden sins will be revealed
Then the true characters will be seen
and many a supposed saint will be
| found ito be a concealed devil. Not only
! they who are seen to do evil will be
| discovered fully, but they who in their
hearts act contrary ITO the will of God
they who cherish in the soul thoughts
| of sin, which nothing binders them from
| also must then be put to the shame
(Girdlestone). What a revelation 1
| will be Of wickedness, of depravity, o.
lust, Of general meanness and deviltry
Remember that all this will be "in thu
| day when God shall judge the secrets
of man by Jusus Christ according t
my Gospel'-that is the Gospel which
Paul himself had been commissioned Il
preach.
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