Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-12-09

nave Deen DrOCner-naterS ana nave
been washed, cleansed. sanctitied,
brought into eart-relationship with
the Lord and into love Of the brethren.
If so. the Implication is that they have
lost the spirit Of murder from their
hearts and are brother-haters no long
er. The Scriptures tell us also that it
will be possible for a man who has
been fguratively washed from his for
mer condition of sin-defilement and
who has been clothed of the Lord
symbolically in a robe of righteous
ness and who had been begotten of
the holy Spirit Of love to turn from
this holy commandment Of Iove-to
turn from the way Of Righteousness, to
his former condition of sin-deflement.
The Apostle gives the illustration of
the SOW that was washed returning TO
her wallowing in the mire Gil Peter ii.
22). But the case Of such is hopeless If
the step be taken with full intention
and deliberation-if the return to a
murderous condition Of heart-brother-
hating-be with the full consent Of the
heart. The Apostle, however, does init
is hope Of recovery and hence he
urges all Of the faithful to assist these.
saying, He that converteth a sinner
(once brother) from the error Of his
ways shall save a soul from death"
Again we read, mo drunkard shall
enter into the Kingdom OF God" q
Corinthians vi, 1Ol. He surely would
be unfit. This does not, however, i'm
ply that all total abstainers from in
toxicant liquors are At for the King
DOM Neither does it imply that
| drunkard might not reform and Ehug
cease to be drunkard, and by the
Lords grace, become fit for the King
dom. Moreover the word drunkard in
the Bible Is frequently used in fig
urative sense. 1t represents an added
condition of the mind; as for instance,
we read. that Babylon's cup made all
the nations drunk (Revelation xviii,
| 2-3). This signifies that fellowship
with false doctrines has permeated,
influenced. bewildered the world in
| general. Gods people partaking Of
Christ's cup Of suffering are said to
receive 'the spirit Of sound mind
! clearness of understanding respecting
the Divine character and Plan and the
principles of righteousness. All who
will be tit for the Kingdom may be
expected to have considerable clear
ness of understanding respecting Di-
| vine things. They are to know God.
and by receiving his Spirit, they are
to have understanding Of 1.-The deep
! things of God" which the natural man
cannot understand q Corinthians ii,
1O-14,. OF this our Lord spoke, saying,
''This is life eternal, that they might
know thee the only true God, and Je-
| sus Christ, whom thou hast sent"
The Importance Of Fidelity.
Pride is another quality of the heart
which would render it's possessor I'M
| fit for the Kingdom of God We read
| that the Lord "resisteth the proud and
giveth grace to the humble q Peter v,
| 81. Pride is one OF the things which
| God hates. 1t is a foe to righteous
ness in general and leads captive
many into sin. When we read that
! God shows his favor to the humble,
we may be sure that the favor Of
| joint-heirship with the Redeemer is
for the humble alone. With what
| carefulness this should lead us to
search our hearts and put away every
| thing in the nature Of pride, Self-con-
| ceit. Love is the fulfilling Of the Law.
Love is the Law Of the New Creation;
and pride is a foe to love. 1t is related
| to selhshness, which is a deep seated
foe of every grace of the holy Spirit.
The Lord wishes us to see that the
| Heavenly Father is not merely calling
| for those who have generally good in
! tentions and who would rather do
! right than do wrong. We may rejoice
with such that they are better than
their neighbors, but they are 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 are ready and willing to EN-
dure hardness as good soldiers Of Jesus
! Christ" and to fight good fight to
the end of the course, laying hold upon
eternal life and glory and immortali-
| ty One of Gods objects in permit
| ting the world and the flesh and the
Adversary to have the power which
they now possess to counterfeit and to
| fight against our good intentions and
! good resolutions is explained in the
| Scriptures We read 1.-The Lord your
! God proveth you. to know whether
| We love the Lord your God with all
! your heart and with all your soul'
/ deuteronomy xiii, 81. If love of sin
or love of self or love of any earthly
thing can oyerbalance our love to the
| Lord and to his Truth and his people,
we are not worthy Of a place in the
Kingdom-not fit for the Kingdom.
/ Not merely good professions, but faith
fulness unto death, fxity Of charac-
ter, are required Of the Lord Of such
as he would honor with a share in 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 characteris-
{ ~ 10 V0I1 L I,o1r-