The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1903-02-26
Two Works of Grace ~
II II and Gods
Il y Hand in it All
BY W. c. ANDERSON
CHAPTER VI.


CHAPTER VI.
Ny dear readers, it is my purpose in
this chapter to reason with you in re-
gard to one of the most interesting and
all important questions before the hu-
man family today, 1t is written in
Gods word, Come, now, and let us
reason together, saith the Lord; though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like
crimson they shall be as wool lisa. /, 49,. }
Why can't we all reason together on a
great question, when our eternal desti-
ny hinges on it? What do you suppose
/ am writing these articles for? Is it
for credit or praise of men? By no
means, for God would spurn such q
thought, and [ could not be able to
write with freedom the blessed truths
of the gospel. And again it is written,
eff / would seek to please men | would
not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1, 10. }
Is it for any remuneration in this life
that / write the little book, Goods
Hand In 1t Alp" I am sure that none
Of these things have set my pen to
work, as l have already spent few
dollars to get these truths before the
people and will continue till the little
book has been completed and given to
the world so far as possibly can. Then
| am very peculiar preacher, indeed,
that 1 am not only willing to spend
and be spent to send the truth into ev-
cry home, but am anxious to use my
means to preach and send the gospel
that will save men from sin and an aw
full eternity. We are, to be sure, Pc
culiar people Il Peter 2, 81, when we
are willing to pay to preach the true
gospel of the Son of God, while others
must have pay and stated handsome
salaries or they will not preach at all.
But listen to that man of God that ]
am following, "Now | beseech you,
brethren, mark them which cause di-
visions and offences contrary to the
doctrine, which ye have learned, and
avoid them. For they that are such
serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but
their own belly; and by good words and
fair speeches deceive the hearts of the
simple (Rom. 1G, 17-1S)
The above does not apply to all
preachers on salaries (Eph. 4, ~, and
therefore the dog that is not hit need
not go bowling.
There are two great kingdoms OF
contending forces in the world, and
have ever been. The first is the natu
raj carnal evil or sinful, and the Other
is the unnatural or spiritual, and eacl
of these come into existence and power
by natural and then o spiritual birth
We see that there Is but one way to
become an heir of either of these king
doms, and that the spiritual birth mus
inevitably follow the natural or there
can be no spiritual life. But what il
the great question which we started
out to discuss in this chapter? 1t il
this, am / really born of God, in tru,
scriptural sense, or am | just on m,
way to birth, or have | ever been eyei
begotten by the gospel? q Cor. 4, 15.
1t is hard, indeed, for some people tt
know just where they are in Gods spir
itual kingdom, if in it at all, and it j
our purpose in this chapter by the he'll
of the great teacher (John Ia, 26; 2 27)
to put every fellow where he belongs
whether in his first natural state, or il
his embryo, or born into Gods spiritua
kingdom. There must first be gene
rating power put in force before ther
can be birth to follow, and the gene
rating power may be put in force an
for many reasons there may never b
any birth to follow, but the most ger
eral reason is for want of faith. TIL
lack of faith is keeping millions out {
Gods spiritual kingdom. BY grace W
are saved through faith, and that nc
: of ourselves it is the gift of God cpl
2, 81 1t is written, "He Christi ws
in the world, and the world was mad
by him, and the world knew him moi
He came unto his own (Jews) and h
own received him not. But as man
as received him to them gave he powC
to become the sons of God, even
them that believe on his name, whic
were born not of blood nor of the wi
d of the flesh, nor of the will of man, bu