The Tupelo journal., 1904-09-16

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MI %NWS~ Ing the former
cWNXW tive work of
- MMZ Christ whereby
~@MVNNMN the soul was deliv-
%VW W cred from it's
bondage of sin unto death to liberty
and life in Christ Jesus. He is called
disciple because he Is a convert and
adherent to the teachings Of Jesus.
Jesus likened the disciple unto a
branch Of a vine to illustrate the init
mate relationship which existed be-
tween Himself, Who was declared to be
the vine, and His followers, and again
He called His disciples friends, to as
sure them of the cordial and pleasant
intimacy which existed between them
and their Master. He also called them
the sheep and pointed to Himself as
the Good Shepherd to impress them
with the thought of His tender care
for them, His leadership, and His pro-
lection from every enemy. In the epis-
ties we meet repeatedly with the ex-
pressions sons of Cod" and children
Of God" and are taught that those who
have been saved through the cleansing
power of Jesus blood hold a peculiar
and vital relationship with God. In
the truest sense God is their Father,
and because sons of God, they are
"heirs and joint heirs with Christ to
all the riches Of the Fathers house.
The term "bond-servant," or slave is
also used, which conveys forcibly the
truth that the Christian is bought
with a price and that he no longer has
a right to think of himself as apart
from his Lord, or as doing anything
independent of His will. Eye are not
your own, we are bought with a price,"
is the plain declaration of Scripture,
and if this is true. then bond slaves
of Jesus Christ.
THE disciples of Jesus taken as one
i united company are referred to as
the body of Christ" Of which
He. Christ. is the Head, thus en-
phasizing again in another ngure
the intimate and vital relationship
between the Redeemer and the re-
deemed, and reminding the Christian
that he is not a single, independent unit,
Int part of one glorious whole, and that
until the return of the Lord in glory and
the union with His body the church, he,
| the Christian, is incomplete. AND there
are other terms which are used to desls-
nate the follower of Characterization,
saint, etc.-and these all convey their
| own peculiar meaning and express some
particular relationship which exists be-
tween Christ and the believer. And in
the text before us we find still another
| term-"children of light"-which has
| reference to the state and privilege and
responsibility of the redeemed. Light
is suggestive Of purity and righteous
ness, lust as darkness stands for moral
and spiritual corruption. Christ was
declared to be the Light of the world be-
cause. as the manifestation of Gods
| holiness and truth in the flesh, He was
| the great ~revealer of human corruption
and sin. Light reveals, light purif1es,
light marks the safe pathway, and for
| this reason Jesus was called the Light OF
| the world, and for the same reason His
| followers are declared to the children
Of light"
THE apostle admonishes us to walk
! as children of light" The whole
life and course of the Christian is in
volved in that term walk" So walk
that you may enjoy the privileges which
belong to the children of light" So
walk that you may meet the obliga-
tons which rest upon you. So walk
that you may realize the needs of the
peculiar relationship. So walk that
the dangers which lie in your pathway
may be successfully avoided. So walk
that the blessings which are promised
to them who love Christ and keep His
commandments may be received and
enjoyed. Oh, it means something to
be a child of the light. 1t is more
than wearing a badge or a button; it
involves more than church member
ship, or long prayers in the market
place or the chief seats in the syna-
gogue. It means something to be
known as a child of the light. First.
then, what are the privileges? They
are almost innumeraple, but there are
four which particularly command our
attention: First, access to and fellow
ship with God; second, clear vision
and q plain path; third, identity with
God, and, fourth, the knowledge Of the
deep things Of God. We have not
time to adequately unfold all that is
implied in this four-fold privilege Of
the children Of light. but let us briefly
suggest what it means. trusting that
you will with the aid Of the Holy
Spirit come into fuller realization of
all it means to be a child of light.
Access to and fellowship with God.
Words cannot begin to express and
explain all that is involved in this
privilege.
r re WHO has daily access to the
/ very presence Of an earthly king
and is on terms Of intimate fellowship
with him, knows theat there Is no re-
quest which he may not make, no
favor which he dare not ask, and he
knows that If it is within the power
of the king to grant them, he shall OBJ
tain his desires. What a privilege!