Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-12-15

doing. OF the Divine influence in our
hearts working In us both to toiH and
TO do Gods good pleasure. st. Peter
gives us a word right to the point,
saying. whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises;
that by these We might be partakers Of
the Divine nature" I'll Peter |. a.
Work Out Your Own Salvation.
We have heard many improper pray
ers presented at the Throne of Grace
by well-intentioned but misinformed
children of God. Many Christians re-
quest God to do for them that which
lie tells them they must do for them
Delves. The one who asks amiss some
times leaves the Throne of Grace con-
fdent that God will do for him what
God has never promised to do for any
body. but has told us each must do
for himself. Many pray. Abandon US
not in temptation. but deliver us from
the Evil One" and then walk straight
into temptation. wholly neglecting the
directions Of Gods Word. Indeed.
many so neglect the study of that
Word that they are not aware what
are its teachings, its counsels.-respect-
ing Satan and the temptations from
the world, the flesh and the devil, to
which all must be more or less ex-
posed for their testing and character
development.
Some pray to God to save them by
his Divine power and expect him to
work miraculously in them. while they
are giving the best of their time and
talent and influence to business or to
I pleasure or to disqualification. Such
need to learn the meaning of our text.
Work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling" They need to
learn the meaning of the Apostles
words. Keep yourselves in the love Of
God" God absolutely refuses to deal
with us as machines. More than this,
he refuses to coerce. to push. to pull.
| to drive those whom he is now call
ing to sonship and joint-heirship with
Christ in his Kingdom.
During the Millennium the world
will receive all sorts of pulling, push
ing. driving. stripes" for their correc-
ton in righteousness,-to make them
all eventually see, to ultimately force
all to take their stand for right or for
wrong, intelligently. But now it is
different. God is calling" drawing"
and accepting through faith in Christ
as members of the Body of Christ.
only such as have willing mind-Only
such as can be moved to energy and
devotion by the enlightenment of their
minds through the Truth. None others
are wanted for this elect class.
Those who rightly understand our
text could never have so misunderstood
the Savior's words to the dying thief.
Thou shalt be with me in Paradise"
as to suppose that he meant that the
penitent thief would be a member Of
the elect Church. his joint-heir in the
Kingdom. Indeed not! That thief had
not worked out any salvation. He
will indeed be in Paradise eventually.
. Paradise will be restored and the whole
earth become as the Garden Of Eden
under the Millenniai reign Of Christ
and his members" the Church. But
he was not 'begotten of the holy
Spirit" He was not transformed by
, the renewing of his mind" that be
might prove the good. acceptable and
perfect will of God. He never added
: to his faith fortitude; and to fortitude
knowledge; and to knowledge temper
ance; and to temperance patience; and
to patience goodness; and to goodness
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness love, as the Word assures us
all must do who would make their call
ing and election sure Oil Peter i, 10. III
We will not, however. discuss thu
: thief further, as we did so on a pre-
vious occasion and that sermon is il
) print. ! will be pleased to mail it fire.
= on post card request.
;. The spirit-begotten children of Coz
y must work out their salvation as New
: Creatures in Christ by growth in grace
And growth in grace means growth il
= acknowledgement general knowledge, bu
:, the special knowledge provided by tn
Lord in his Word. 1t is in full accor'
: with what we everywhere observe o
" the widespread ignorance of the Wor,
of God. even amongst Christians. tina
: the Scriptures declare. My people pei
- ish for lack of knowledge" (HoSe:
iv, g..
Development in heart. in character
= is necessary to fit us for the futur
: service as members" of The Christ
. associated in his glorious Kingdom
:. work. Our call is to be kings an(
priests that we may serve the worl(
of mankind. To prepare us for tina
. service is the object of our presen
L call and the trials, of faith and pa
>tience, that by all these. characterize
. ness of Christ might be developed il
u us. If we do these things we shall
never fail and an entrance will bt
granted us into the everlasting King
u dom of our Lord and Savior. If we de-
these things heartily they will prove
that we are copies Of the Lord Jesus
and it is the Divine predestination thai
/ only such as are copies of Gods dear
{ Son shall be his joint-heirs in the King
4 I'D x-;;;