The age-herald., 1900-05-28
"GOD'S PLAN OF
 GLORTFICATION" Subject of an Able Sermon by Rev. 0. P. Speigel.
TOOK TEXT FROM ROMANS
Difference Between Foreknowledge and Predestination in Its Application to Mans Salvation-After All
 Acceptation of Gospel

The Christian church tabernacle at the | corner of Fifth avenue and Twenty-first street was crowded yesterday morning, | and after several congregational hymns and beautiful solo by Miss Norma | Scholar, Rev. o. P. Speigel preached an able sermon in his forceful and character | istic style on Gods Plans of Glorifca- tion,' choosing his text Rom. viii, 2S-30. And we know that all things work to- gether for good to them that love God, to | them who are called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, them he also called; l and whom he justified, them he also glori- l fed"
 Entering at once into his subject pr. | Speigel said in part:
 "To foreknow is to know before. To predestinate is to decree something Au- | gustine says: There can be no predestn- ation without foreknowledge, but there
 can be foreknowledge without predestina- l tion The two ideas are entirely different. | Foreknowing that some event is going to | take place does not cause or decree the event to take place. When Isaiah said several hundred years before Christ's death, He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth,' this foreknowing His death, I | suppose no one would accuse Isaiah of de- | creeing predestinating that his death should occur If Isaiah could foresee or | foreknew events without decreeing their occurrence, how much more can God. Foreknowiedge of God 'Whom does God foreknow? The word foreknow is used here in the sense of fore approve, or approve beforehand. The same use is made of it in Matthew vii, 2-3: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you'' I never approved of your wickedness is the idea. He foresaw that some would accept His call of mercy, and these are they whom he foreknew.
 What did God predestinate of those
 whom he foreknew? Not that they should love God. Not that they should believe Him. Not that some should be saved and others damned but that those whom He saw beforehand would love and obey Him, should be conformed to the image of His son. That is, that they should be Christ like in life and like Christ in eternity
 "How did He call them? Whereunto (salvation) He called you by our gospel II Thes. 2:14. And the fundamental thesis of this letter to the Romans is the first chapter, sixteenth verse: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.' Jesus said: Go ye into all the world and preach thy gospel to every creature. He that beieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that be- lieveth not shall be damned. Mark says: Many are called; few are chosen The reason is that while many are called only a few heed the call
 'Who were glorified? He tells us they were those justified.
 ''All things work together for good to those who are called according to Gods ancient purpose, and they are thus called by the gospel Those whom He foresaw in purpose would obey Him, He predestinated to be conformed to the image of His son, when raised from the dead. Those whom He thus predestinated He also in purpose called, and those whom He called in pur- pose He justified in purpose; and those whom He justified in purpose He glorihed
 
 called, predestinated, justified, glorified.
 Predestination
 ''When God saw the vision of man as the first representative of the human family rise before Him, long before mans actual existence it was then that He foreknew Those whom He foreknew would accept Him He prpedestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. Those accepting were justified because the acceptance con- sisted in the obedience of belief, and God held them as just. This call we are ab- solutely free to accept reject; and ac- cordngly as we do that or this, we will be saved or lost. And He calls all alike the difference being that some voluntarily ac- cept, while others wifully reject. But why call those whom God saw would reject?
 That it might appear in the judgment that God had made no difference; that He had made the same provision for all, the same tender to all; had left all alike free, and that each of his own accord and with no discriminating influence from God, had chosen his own destiny. The calling was Gods act in carrying out His predestina- tion. Hence Peter says: Make your call ing and election sure If their calling and election had been made sure from before the foundation of the world and unaltera- ply fixed at that Peter could not have thus exhprted
 '"rhe calling comes to you through the inspired gospel; if you accept the call God decrees blessed results for you. That you may gladly accept the calling and be saved is my prayer"
 mi ed mel Mechanics Huntsville, May 27.-(Special.) )-The state