Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-12-07
NJ ~ 'PLYMO UTH~BETHEL. 81
- 80 1B) S;55l59I (g@gIIaH!I

pared and who shall share its glories and hon
are to understand this worthiness and fitness
not that they were originally so, but we DO UNI
derstand that by Gods grace, through OhriSt,
to this glorieIs position where God Himself
viii esteem them worthy to be called His Gnu!
dren. and to be- joint-heirs with His Son. The
great King.
VARIOUS KINDS OF FITNESS.
There Is one certain standard of fitness tor
the kingdom and none other will do; but there
| NAV be quite a variety or conditions Whlth
| make one unfit for the kingdom. one or lht So
is murder. mo murderer hath eternal lire
| abiding in him." q John, S:15.) he would be
! unfit for the kingdom This would not dignity
/ however. that one who had been muir
| derer might not, fy a scOund conversion anC
| by faihtfUlness in the school of Christ. become
| a member Of the Kingdom class. But the word
| murder here used has broader meaning man
/ is generally attached TO 1.-THE meaning whhh
st. John gave TO the word when he said that
| whatsoever hateth is brother Is murdeter-
! II John. 2:1I.) We know. then, that no brother
! Halter is fit for the kingdom. But some may
I have been brother-haters and have been washeo,
cleG nS' d. sanCtficd brought into bCart-relaUloi-
ship with the Lord and into love of the brethren
If 50, the implication Is that they have lost the
| spirit OF murder from thelr hearts anu aLr
| brOther-haterS no longer. Tie Scriptures tell
| us also that it will be possible for man who
/ has been flgucativelv washed from his former
/ condition of Sin-defilcment and who has been
| clothed of The Lord symbOlicaly III a robe or
| righteousness and who had been begotten OF
| the Holy Spirit of love to turn from this holy
/
| righteousness. to his former condition of sin
| defilemeLt. The apostle gives the tllustrat ION
of the SOW that washed returning 10 her
| Wallow1ng IN the mire. I'll Pet, 2:Za.l bnt
the case of such is hopeless if the step be taken
/ With full intention and dcliberatIon-if the re-
| turn to a mdrderous condition Of heart-brOther-
| hating-ba with the full consent OF the heart.
| The apostle. however does intimate that mp to
| certain point there is hope Of recovery and
these these saying. He that conTerteth a sinne,
] (once brotherl from the error of his ways
shall soul from death. james, $50.
Again we read. mo drunkard shall enter in
I to the kingdom of Cod" Il Corr 6:10.) He sure
ly would be unfit. This does not however,
imply that all total abstainers from intoXi-
does it imply that a drunkard might not reform
and thus cease to be drunkard, and by the
Lords grace, become fit for the kingdom
Moreover, the word drunkard I'm the Eibie is
| frequently used i'm figurative sense. 1t rep
! resehts an added condition of the mind; as for
! instance. we read that Baby4on's cup made all
the natives drunk. REV. 1929 This sig
nifies that fellowship with false doctrines has
permeated Influenced bewDdered the world I'm
general. Gods people partaking of Christ's
cup of suffering are said to receive ''the spirit
of a sound mind''-clearnRss of understanding
respecting the divine character and plan and
the principles of righteousness All who Will
be fit for the Kingdom may he expected to have
considerable cleaness of understanding respect
ing divine things They are to know God and
by receiving His spirit. they are to have I'M
derstanding Of tbs deep things of God" which
| 2:10-14) OF this Lord spoke, saying. This
| is life eternal. that they might know thee the
only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou
hast sent."-John. 17:S.
| Pride is another quality Of the heart which
would render its possessor unfit for the king
| dom of God. We read that Tine Lord ''resisteth
| Il PET. 5:5) Pride is of the things which
! God hates. 1t is a foe to righteousness In gen.
| eral and leads captive many into sin. When
we rhad that God shows His favor to the hum
BILE may be sure that the favor of Joint
] heirShip with the Eedeemer is for the humble
alone. With what carefulness this should lead
us to search our hearts and put away everything
| in the nature of pride self-cOnceit. Love is
! the fulfilling of the law. Love is the law
love. 1t IS related to selfishness, which is
deprecated foe of every grace of the Holy
Spirit.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FIDELITY,
Our text specifies fidelity to our covenant of
conservation as necessary to our attainment Of
its rewdFd-a share in the kingdom. Our Lord
illustrates the subject by a plOWman looking
back after he had started his furrow-loOking
! back rCxretfully, desiring to abandon the pillow,
and really doing it. The illustration teaches
that any of who hear of the grace
Of God and who accept the terms of His
call and make full conservation to the Lord,
Will lose the promised blessing if we I'm heart
look back, in the sense of declining to 20 for
ward, in harmony with the conservation OF their
lves-unto death.
The Lord wishes us to see that the Heavenly
Father is not merely calling for those who have
generally good intentions and who would rather
do right than do wrong. We may rejoice with
such that they are better than their neighbors,
but they not fit for the kingdom of God,
unless their love for righteousness, for truth.
for the will of God, be so firmly established
that they ready and willing to "endure
hardness good soldiers of Jesus Christi and
to flight a good fight to the end of the
course, laying hold upon eternal life and glory
and Immortality. One of Gods objects in per-
uniting the world and the flesh and the ad-
versary to have the power which they pos
sess to counteract and to fight against good
intentions and good resolutions is explained in
the Scriptures. We read THE Lord your God
proveth you, to know whether We love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all
your soul" (Deut.. 1897 If love Of sin or
love of self or love Of any earthly thing can
truth and His people, we not worthy Of n
place in the kngdOm-not fit for the kingdom.
Not merely good professions. hut faithfulness
unto DEATH fixity of character. are required of
the Lord of such He would honor with a
share I'm the kingdom
AN ABUNDANT ENTRANCE
Having noticed that lack of love, lack of zeal
lack of constancy, lack Of devotion would unfit
for the kingdom, let us notice some Of the
characteristics necessary to a place in the king.
dOu-some of the qualities, therefore, which we
must each cultivate In our own hearts, which
must each develop in his own character
The apostle explains these and urges the mat
ter thus. add to your faith fortitude: and to
fortitude knowledge: and to knowledge temper
ance and to temperance patience; and TO pa-
thence godiness; and to godlness brotherly
kindness; and to Erotherly kindness lDve. For
If these things he i'm you and abound they sake
you that shall neither be barren nor un-
fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. for IL We DO these things. We shall
never fail: Tor entrance shall he minis
tered unto you ahundantly into the everlasting
kingdom Of orr Lord and Saviour Jeus Christ. "
= Pet. 1:5-11