The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1909-09-04

6ans m, 2q).
ognized the promise upon which this
hope is based:
God Foresaw the Present.
This is the pitiable condition Of
many of Coos true children; for they
are merely babes in Christ, using the
milk Of the Word. They have need Of
the strong meat of Gods promises. as
the Apostle speaks of 1t, that they may
be strong in the Lord and the power
Of his might" that they might have on
the whole armour of ~God-helmet,
b~reastplate, sandals, sword and shield
and be able to quench the fiery darts
Of the Wicked One; able also to help
the weaker n e in this day when the
Adversary is assaulting the Word Of
God, the citadel of the truth. with vari-
Il intldel arguments in the hands and
mouths Of those who profess TO be min
listers Of the Word.
Need | quote the promise, the one so
repeatedly referred to in the apostolic
writings, the one which is the basis or
anchorage for u souls?
The Apostle Paul referred to this
very promise, declaring that the Seed
of Abraham mentioned therein Is
Christ. All Christians agree to this,
although they have not distinctively
and properly associated it with the
declarations Of the promise. But the
Apostle makes clear to us that In say
ing that Christ is the Seed Of Abra-
ham. he had in mind not only the Lord
Jesus as the Head Of the Body, the
Head of the Christ, but also the over-
coming saints Of this Gospel Age as the
Body Of Christ, This he distinctly
states In many places, for instance
Galatians iii, 1929. Here he declares
the matter expressly, saying: "If We be
Christ's, then are We Abraham's Seed.
and heirs according to the promise"
"The Seed Of Abraham is the Cos
pei Church. with her Head, the Lord
Jesus; as the Apostle states again say
ing: I'VE, brethren, as Isaac was
0ypi6ed by Isaac). are the children
Of promise" Galatians ". 2Sl, 1t fol
lows that the Seed Of Abraham men
toned in the promise is not complete
and will not be until the full close Of
this Gospel Age-the harvest time Of
which we believe we are now in.
But what a wonderful thought is in
volved in this plain Interpretation of
the Divine Word. II is big with hope
for Spiritual Israel. the Spiritual Seed.
aud no less, 1t means a blessing for the
natural seed. ieshly Israel. and ulti-
mately the millennial blessings to all
the families Of the earth. Let us ex-
anime these three hopes: The hopes for
these three classes center in this great
Oath-Bound Covenant. Let us thus
obtain what the Apostle tells us was the
Lords intention for us, namely, strong
consolation-strong encouragement.
All through the prophecies the Lord
foretold the sufferings Of Christ and
the glories that should follow; never
theless the glories to follow have been
granted much more space in the Di-
vine Revelation than the sufferings OF
the present time. The implication sug-
gested by the Apostle is that when the
glOries Of the future shall be realized,
the trials and sufferings and difficult
ties Of the present time will be found
I NOT u~nrfhv 60 no anunna rod hrak fhngn
glories and blessings have been yelled
from our mental vision, and instead a
great pail hangs over the future in the
minds Of many Of the Lords people.
Distort Simple Language.
Many of us have learned to distort
the simple language OF Gods Word in
such a manner as to cause us anguish
and distress. For instance, destroy"
perish Idle" second DEATH" "ever-
lasting destruction" ETC., terms used
by the Lord to represent the ultimate,
complete humiliation Of those who
will not come into harmony with him
after a full opportunity is granted
them, are interpreted to mean the re-
verse Of what they say-life, preserva-
tlon In torture, etc.
It is high time, dear friends, that
we should learn that Gods Book Is
not the foundation Of these horrible
nightmares which have afflicted US,
and which in the past hindered many
Of Is from a proper love and rever-
ence Of our Creator. II is high time
that we should take the explanation
which the Apostle gives us Of this
matter and Of all the errors which as
sail poor humanity respecting the fu-
ture. He says: The god Of this world
has blinded the minds Of them that
believe not, lest the glorious light Of
the goodness Of God. as It shines In
the face Of Jesus Christ our Lord,
should shine into their hearts QI
Corinthians w, Al. We cannot here
and now discuss this subject. but have
provided In the hands Of the ushers.
some free pamphlets on what Say the
Scriptures about Hell?" should the
supply prove insufficient drop me a
postal-card and ! will cheprfully send
from Brooklyn what will satisfy both
your head and your heart.
Now what hop. and interest has the
Church Of Christ In this promise made
to Abraham? To us belongs the very