The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-10-29

PEOPLES PULPIT.
Grieving the Spirit.
Text, "Grieve Not the Holy
Spirit Of God, by Which You
Were Sealed Unto the Day of
Deliverance" (Ephesians iv, 3O).

| tuOTOuSuly IedTueu l. ueIl tue ueliNeT-
| 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
member of the race needed or received
so prolonged lesson. The first step
of recovery was accomplished by our
Redeemer'S sacrifice of himself. The
second step has been in process since
Pentecost Ghe calling and accepting
of the antitypical Levites) specially
amongst these of the antitypical priest
hood. who now rejoicingly suffer with
the great High Priest. They lay down
their lives in his service. under the
promise that in the First Resurrection
share his glory and, as "royal priest
hood under him. rule instruct and
every way assist in uplifting the
''groaning 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 as The 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-
fled. with her Lord. then our prayer
and the prayer of our Redeemer will
begin to have fulfillment-"Thy King
dom come: thy will be done on earth
as it 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 will
Outward obedience also to the extent
of ability only these will be accounted
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 a loving parent watches
the progress of his child in school. so
the Heavenly Father is interested in
our progress and DESTROYS that we
shall make our calling and our election
sure to the heavenly glories. Hence
he pictures himself as pleased with our
progress and as grieUed when we fail to
learn the necessary lessons. He has
promised us Il place with our Lord in
his Millennial Kingdom Throne, but
the promise is conditional one. Our
Redeemer expresses it thus: "To 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 begotten
children. They have his love and favor
and smile in proportion as they follow
the Redeemer's footsteps. A failure
to walk i'll this way grieves the Lords
spirit or figuratively brings his frown
instead of bis 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-the spirit of
love. the spirit of Truth, the spirit of
obedience. the spirit of self sacrifice.
Indeed, if earthly friendships and
earthly loves be entirely severed
through faithfulness to the Lord. the
loyal one may reach the place where
he can 'rejoice in tribulation also''
Sealed by the Holy Spirit.
A seal is an authoritative mark.
With a signature a seal implies that
the contract of the document is no
longer open. no longer a mere pro-
posal, but an accomplished. finished
agreement or bargain. In olden times.
seals were usually impressed in wax
while it was yet soft; the seal itself
represented q 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
picture which cur text brings before
our minds. God our Creator. our Fa-
ther impresses upon our willing hearts
by his holy Spirit his own character
likeness. which is specially exemplified
for us in the words and doings of our
Redeemer and the apostles who walk
ed in his steps Of devotion to God and
to Righteousness and in self sacrifice in
the interest of others.
What beautiful picture our text
then gives us of the holy Spirits opera
ton upon our hearts, sealing us, mark
ing us, continually deepening the i'm
preston, eventually Transforming u.s.
until. by the final change of the First
Resurrection. the sealing processes
shall have been accomplished. Then
the glorious promises of Gods Word
having been fully realized. we shall be
like our Lord on the spirit plane and