The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-11-03
PULPIT.
Grieviing the Spirit.

Spirit Of God. by Which You |
Were Sealed Unto the Day Of !
Deliverance" Ephesians ", 30).
For six thousand years cur loving
Creator has permitted Adams disobe-
dIenee to bring upon his family terri
BILE reign of sin and death. God SYM
pathizes with the grooming creation"
and has promised assistance-deliyer
ance. But his Wisdom determines that
the lesson OF the slnfulness Of sin and
the bitterness of its fruit must first be
thoroughly learned. Then the deliver
ance TO righteousness and life may be
the better appreciated and all danger
of reversion to sin be avoided, and
an eternity of Righteousness and bless
Ing result
Preparation for this great program
has not been swift, nor Is haste neces-
sary. The lesson of sin and its bitter
fruitage has come to the world during
six thousand years. though no single
iitiubtl vi tle iitc Detutu VI TtCtlNeu
so prolonged lesson. The first step
of recovery was accomplished by our
Redeemers sacrifice of himself. Tho
second step has been In process since
Pentecost Uhe calling aud accepting
of the antitypical Levites) specially
amongst these OF the antltypical priest
hood. who now rejoicingly suffer with
the great High Priest. They lay down
their lives In his service, under tho
promise that In the First Resurrection
they shall be with their Redeemer and
share his glory and as royal priest
hood" under him. rule. instruct. and
every way assist In uplifting the
grooming creation" during the Millen-
NAL Kingdom of the great Mediator.
whose members they will be- This step
in the Divine Plan is spoken of In the
Scriptures MS "rhe Mystery Of God;"
that the Church now being selected are
members OF The Christ. As soon as
this mystery hidden from ages" shall
be completed and the Church be glori-
fed. with her Lord, then our prayer
and the prayer of our Redeemer will
begin to have fulfiIlment-"Thy King
dom come; thy will be done on earth
as 1t Is done In heaven"
Not all who have named the name Of
Christ; not all who have turned away
from sin; not all who have made full
conservation OF themselves even will
attain to the glorious things which
God hath In reservation for them that
love him" Only such of the conse-
Grated as learn In the School of Christ
the great lesson of supreme love to
God and heart obedience to his win
! Outward obedience also to the extent
of ability only these will be accounted
worthy to share In the Kingdom. It
is these that are mentioned In our text
as sealed by the holy Spirit OF prom
Use and waiting for the resurrection
morning, the deliverance day, the day
OF attainment to the glorious things
which God has In reservation for the
faithful. AS Il loving parent watches
the progress OF his child In school, so
the Heavenly Father Is interested In
our progress, and DESTROYS that VIC
shall make our calling and our election
sure to the heavenly glorics. Hence
he pictures himself as pleased with our
progress aud as 0rieued when we fall to
learn the necessary lessons He has
promised us place with our Lord In
his Milcnnial Kingdom Throne. but
the promise is conditional one. Our
Redeemer expresses 1t thus: ITO him
that overcometh will | grant to sit
with me In my Throne" Thus we get
glimpse OF Gods special interest In
each Of his consecrated. spirit begottcn
children. They have his love and favor
and smile In proportion as they follow
the Redecmer's footsteps A failure
to walk In this way grleves the Lords
spirit or figuratively brings his frown
instead OF his smile and tends to sep
arate us from his love.
The child of God should seek TO ever
live IN the sunshine of the Heavenly
Fathers favor Whatever clouds arise
between such and their very best
earthly friends will be light Affections
indeed, If they still abide In fellowship
with the Heavenly Father and the Son,
through the holy Spirit-thc spirit Of
love. the spirit OF Truth, the spirit of
obedience, the spirit of self sacrifice.
Indeed, II earthly friendships and
earthly loves be entirely severed
through faithfuness TO the Lord, tho
loyal one may reach the place where
he can "rejoicc In tribulatIon also"
Sealed by tho Holy Spirit
A seal is an authoritative mark.
With signature n seal implies that
the contract of the document Is no
longer open. no longer mere pro
posal, but an accomplished, finished
agreement or bargain. In oldcn times,
seals were usually impressed In wax
while 1t was yet soft; the seal Itself
represented coat of arms or some
thing representing the personality Of
the one who used It, The pressure
upon the soft wax was gradually in
creased and then held firmly until the
wax had cooled, hardened, and permit
ted the removal of the seal. without
injury TO the impress which then was
clearly revealed This Is the mental
| ,sicture which our text brings before
our minds. God our Creator. our Fa-
Their impresscs upon our willing hearts
by his holy Spirit his own character
likeness, which Is specially exemplined
for us In the words and doings Of our
Redeemer and the apostles who walk
ed In bis steps OF devotion to God and
to righteousness and In self sacrifice In
the interest OF others.
What n beautiful picture our text
then gives us of the holy Spirits opera