Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-16

h1m''-''the things which the natural eye nath
not seen and the natural ear hath not heard,
neither hath entered into the natural heart" l
Cor. 2:9
Many natural cars have heard something about
derstood or appreciated. They have seen that
there is this spiritual something, but the de-
tails of II they cannot discern, any more than
our natural sight can discern the conditions pre-
vailing the moon, though we see 1t often.
These New Creatures begin newness OF life
living in the future and for the future. Ihey
count all earthly things but as loss and dross,
that they may win and share with Christ In the
spiritual realm. Necessity, indeed, still com.
pels them to provide things earthly, deeenty ana
honestly for their families and themselves, but,
aside from these proprietles they are deno 10
the worlds ambitions, hopes and aims, because
they have seen with their new eyes and their
spiritual understanding through the telescope OF
Gods Word. the Bible, wonderful things grand
beyond description or comprehension. They are
rich with the heavenly riches and daily becom-
ing wiser with heavenly wisdom, and more thor
oughly copies of their Redeemer, II they follow
on to know the Lord.
Different Fights-Different Fighters
1t will be readily dlscerned that there must
be a great difference IN all the affairs OF these
two classes-the natural man DIETER ana worsel
and the new creature in Christ Jesus (more OF
less developed). But what we wish now 70 I'M
press upon you is the weighty influence OF tne
mental attitude, in respect to all OF these: AS
a man thinketh In his heart so Is me- hs
may think one thing, and strive to DO anotheE
thing but he will find it difficult contTaet,
and ultimately 1t VIII prove Iailure q -
" some, to mean that If one thinks tnlhs
right that makes it right. No. 1t signifies that
the mental determination or Will represents tne s
real man, from the divine standpoint, VIVA ,et
ns weakness blemishes or good ualts' anu
whether he be an old creature or new Great
IRE, this principle prevails he canhot Nv
above OF beyond his will, his intention, his men
tal desires. How allinportant then, II Is that
both the natural man and the new creatures
in Christ should have the Will properly polseu'
balanced and fixed upon righteous OASIS
Although the scriptures are addressed al
most conclusively to the new creatures, they
nevertheless incidentally mark out hhes VI
wisdom appropriate to the natural man. his
standards of justice should be nothlhs iSSS
than the golden rule to do unto others as ne
wishes them to do unto him, under similar
conditions He must be merciful' as ne Woulu
wish them to be merciful; gentle and klno, as
he would wish them to be gentle ana KIND ,
His business, his pleasures his nome relS-
tionship should all be gagged by high stand
ards Of justice. If, heretofore ne mas oeeh
allowing the lower and baser qualities or MS
mind TO dominate him. he should see that TINS
is a wrong course, and change 1t 1orthwlth'
instead of allowing the lower, sensual appe-
lite to control he should have mental re-
election and vote into office and control the
higher qualities of his mind, represented py
the organs of conscientiousness, beneVolence
and the esthetic tastes and should give tnese
rules of authority over his meaner baser ma
ture as IL was originally in the perfect man.
and is indicated by the higher position OF the
nobler organs Of the mind in the brain struet-
ure. The thing necessary is to reach the de-
cision that the higher organs shall control
and the lower ones be subservient. through
greater exercise the less noble organs Oh the
Imam mind have maintained their strength,
while the nobler ones, less used, have become
weakened, If not paralyzed.
Here is the place for the will to be exer-
cised Here is the place for the natural man
to fight a good fight against his lower or
ganism, so as to make OF himself the pest
and most that Is possible This applies 10
the natural man in varying degrees, in proper
ton as he has inherited fallen and depraved
condition. But 1t applies to all because the
lower organism of the mind has been and is
given svxh general control over the superior
organs. that the result in general Is a reign
Of selfishness and meanness and SIM
The Fight of the New Creature
The conversion or turning Of even decent
natural man from a life controlled by sell
flshness TO one controlled by justice and mercy,
is apt to be a strenuous fight. The lower
faculties Of the mind, will, continually seek
TO assert themselves and to regain their old
control of the life, which win thereafter be
one of discussion and compromise, as between
the higher ideals and the lower ones. The
right in the case Of the more meanly born
natural man is a more severe one, and gen.
orally results in his dissatisfaction, because
the lower qualities Of his being are so strong
that his will for righteousness, mercy and
generosity, is usually overriden., his conscience
bruised and dissatisfied. He cries in his
heart 20 wretched man that l am! VINO shan
deliver me from the power and domination
Of my body. which is dead in tresspasses and
sin, in evil propensities?" There Is no RELIEF,
for either of these extremes. for the in
TO thoroughly abandon sin and live righteously,
soberly and Cody. The warfare is a continual
one, and 1t is little by little that he gains,
even temporarily a victory.
The apostle represents himself in the condi-
ton of this natural man. desiring righteous
ness and unable to attain 1t. because of his
own weaknesses and his evil environment, and
then he gives the key, - wretched man
that 1 am! Who snail deliver me from this
dead body?" lie replies. II thank God
through Jesus Christ Lord. So, them
with .Ae mind 1 myself serve the law of God
but with the flesh the law Of sim" (Rom.
7:25D The deliveraonce comes through full
surrender to Christ, in harmony with tbs
Apostle Paul's appeal. II beseech you, there
fore, brethren, by the mercies Of God, that
acceptable unto God. which is your reasonable
service" (Rom. PAL
1t will be noticed that the apostle does
not address sinners. but brethren They are
counted brethren from the time they turn
from sin and accept bv faith divine forgive
ness. through the merit of Christ's sacrifice.
None but justified believers are thus privt-
legged to present themselves or to be sacrifices
upon the Lords altar. All by nature are sin
ners. and not until the sins are reckone1ly
purged away through faith in the redeeming
blood can the offering be accented.
With the acceptance of the offering OF the
believer came his begettlng of the holy
spirit. as spiEtual son 70 God and joins
heir with Jesus-to heirship in the millennial
kingdom, etc. These spirit begotten ones, call
ed in the scriptures new creatures have
henceforth totally different standing before
Goa. They are Viewed as without sin De-
cause the weaknesses of the flesh belong
to the old nature. which sacrificed. The
new creature. begotten of the holy spirit, is
holy. pure heavenly. in Its desires and aspi-
rations. It feeds upon the bread from heaven
and is blessed with the peace Of God which
passeth all human understanding. 1t is en-
bryotic, however, and develops. grows in grace
and knowledge. 1t is transformed, changed
from glory to glory, coming more and more
to be a COPY of Gods dear Son. through feed
ing upon the great and precious promises Of
the scriptures and availine itself of the privi-
leEes of the junction from the Holy One"
The new creature thrives in proportion to
it's loyalty to the word and spirit of the Lord
Renewed Day by Day
Speaking of the conflict. the fight, of these
is chiefly with their flesh. The new
, mind, the new viii. is begotten in the old
frame or body and needs a reorganization of
the government of the man. by which his rule
Of life is only taken from the baser
faculties to the higher ones, as when he was
justified through faith and turned from SIM
but it means much more. 1t means the plac-
ign of the control outside Of himself entirely
the accordance of Christ as his head, as well
as his Redeemer. Henceforth for him to live
is Tor Christ: as a member of the body Of
Christ. This class everywhere throughout the
world may be scriptually considered as Christ
/ in the flesh, because his spirit dwells in
them. ms mind controls them. In this sense
of t4e word be il observed the flesh or Christ
is still in the world and the spirit or mind OF
Christ is still ruling It. In this larger thought
the 'sufferings of. Christ" are still in pro-
aress, for. the apostle suggests IAN these
are dying daily"-taking up their crosses and
following after their Lord and Head. BY and
I NrrflT