The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-11-12

God hath from the beginning chosen
Won TO salvation through snnCtihrntiun
of the spirit aud belief OF the Truth,
wherrunto he called you by our Cos.
pel to the obtaining of the glory NJ eur
Lord Jesus Christ I'll ThcssnIonuns
H. 10. IA. Note from these words that
the cull of the Church Is the special
feature of this present Gospel Age and
IFS message. Note also that our can
il not To scctarinniSm. hut 10 \ heart
relationship with the Lord through Il
belief of the Truth aud II proportion.
atr getting rid of error. And this Cu
llghtcnnIeut through the Truth pro
crosses In proportion To our sanctiucu-
ton of sprit-of thought, of word, vt
deed.
Note again the same Apostles cNpla.
nation Of the matter. He says thnt he
addresses them that are sanciitird In
Christ Jesus twho were, called tO hr
saints. ana he explains that while they
had been sinners. children of wrath
even as Others" they had been cleans.
cd bv faith through acceptance OF the
finished work Of Christ on our behalf
aye are washed. We are sanclihcd, We
are justified in the name OF the Lord
Jesus. and by the spirit Of our GOd' Il
Corinthians vi. III. The Suinr 81. Pau
addressing the Ephrsnn brethren. says,
81 commend YOU To God. and To the
Word of his grace. which IL able 10
build YOU up. aud to give you an in
hcritnnce among all them that are
sanctifcd" tACtS w. 32'. Note here
that II Is only the Sanctiipd of thr
present age that are to get the inherit
anrp hat IL now offered the heavenly
inheritance with our Lord Jesus,
share with him in his heavenly King.
dom \0tp also how the Apostle here
again lays emphasis upon the Scrip.
lures as containing the power which
not only leads us tn conservation and
setting apart to the Lords service. hut
which will strengthen us in thought
and word and deed tn do his good
pleasure. to maintain our sanctitird
relationship with him through our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Elected Through Sanctifcation.
st. Peter Il Peter |. >, explains TO us
that Gods election of the members of
the Church from amongst the world
during the present age iS along the line
ot SanCtliCullOn. he elects that all
those who shall accept his favor to the
extent III san, liiicaliOn in the trying
conditions at the present time SHAH be
joint heirs with our Lord aud Redeem
or in his Milemnia Kingdom. Ihe
to the turrknUWlpuge OF God the Fa-
Their. through SiImciilcntiOn of the Spir-
il. unto Obedience and SprinkIing of
the blood of Jesus Christ Il Peter |,
-. Here we have the matter Su"cinCt-
~ stated faith in the blood of Jesus
is essential as the first step in the way
to God. NO man compth unto the Fa-
ther but by me-. said our Lord. Then
our way must he through SnnctiticntiOn
of the Spirit, of the will. the seating
apart ut our hearts from earthly am
billions and pleasures to heavenly ones
cleanliness To the world aud n iivpness
toward God. This work OF grace must
progress day by day.
Our Snncliication is not merely for
the beginning of our Christian expert
ence. but To De the very essence of our
lives thereafter. The trials and test
in'S of life from the world, the flesh
and the devil will serve to demonstrate
the thuroughneSS of our SnnctiticatioD.
God. however Is not seeking to prove
whether or not we are perfect IN the
flesh. for he knows and informs us that
we are imperfect. He does. however,
desire to prove that our cons, Grafton.
our Sanctiiicatiuu. our setting apart of
ourselves to he faithful to the Lori at
any and every cost iS not merely
passing within or fancy. but by con
tinual instructions of his Word by the
inspirations of his Promises. by the
teSlingS of his disciplines he would
fix indelibly. unaterably. this decision
of ours to be entirely his in thought.
in word. in deed even unto death.
"copes Of His Son."
st. Paul. consistently with his state
mentS already quoted. wrote to the
Christians at Rome respecting Gods
foreknowledge and predest ination of
the Elect Church. saying. Whom he
did foreknow, he also did prptlestinate
!" ne 'bIIoTlilPu 10 lDe image OF MS
Son. that he might he he tirstbUrn
among many brethren (tomans viii,
29. Our Heavenly Father decrped
that no one might he n member Of this
elect Church except sanctified ones.
And these must he tested before final
approval. Their Lord. their Redpemer.
having been saint fully cOnsecrated
to the Fathers will these called, chO-
sen and faithful followers will likewise
he saints and, in this respect, the ApOs-
tie declares. they will he copbes OF
their Redcemer. and he will he an
Elder BROTHER amongst them, when
they shall share his glory In his King
dom.
Notice the harmony Of all this with
our text. Roth he that sanctifptb IOur
Lord lesus' and they that are sancti-
fled this elect Church, are all OF one
tof one spirit OF LOYALTY to the Father
and his righteousness nd baptized by
the one spirit into the one Body, Of
which Christ Is the Head. For this
CAuSp no uha Olprtpn1 Daiaau,o., L.