Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1909-12-18

hearts working In us both 10 tciu and
TO dD Gods good pleasure. ST. Peter
gives us word right to the point.
saying. Whereby are given unto US
exceeding great and precious promises; !;
that by these ~ might be partakers of
the Divine nature" I'll Peter |. A..
Work Out Your Own Salvation.
We have heard many improper pray
ers presented at the Throne of Grace
by well-intentioned but ndsinformed
children of God. Many Christians re
quest God to do for them that which
he tells them they must do for them
selves. The one who asks anliss some
times leaves the Throne of Grace con-
fident that God will do for him what
God has never promised to do for any
body. but has told us each must do
for himself. Many pray. Abandon us
not in temptation. but deliver us from
the Evil One" and then walk straight
into temptation. wholly ueglecting the
directions Of Gods Word. Indeed.
rlany SO neglect the study of that
Word that they are not aware what
are its teachings. its counsels.-respect
Ing Satan aud the temptations from
the world. The flesh and the devil. to
which aI must be more or less ex-
posed for their testing and character
development.
SuIne pray to God TO save them by
his Divine power and expect him TO
work miraculously iu them. while they
are giving the best of their time and
talent and influence to business or to
pleasure or to qualification. Such
need to learn the meaning of our text
Work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling" They need to
learn the meaning of the Apostles
words. Keep yourselves in the love Of
God" God absolutely refuses 10 deal
with us us machines. More than this.
be refuses TO coerce. to push. to pull
to drive those whom he is now call
ing to sonship and joint heirship with
Christ in his Kingdom.
During the Millennium the world
will receive all sorts of pulling. push
ing driving. "stripes," for their correc-
tiou In Righteousness make them
ali eventually see, to ultimately force
alI to take their stand for right or for
wrong. intelligently. But now 1t is
different God is calling" drawing"
and accepting through faith in Christ
as members of the Body of Christ.
only such as have willing mind-only
such as can be moved to energy aud
devotion by the enlightenment of their
minds through the Truth. None others
are wanted for this elect class.
Those who rightly understand our
text could never have so misunderstood
the SaviUr's words to the dying thief.
Thou shalt be with me in Paradise
as to suppose that he meant that the
penitent thief would be member of
the ELECT" Church. his joint-heir in the
Kingdom Indeed not. That thief had
not worked out any salvation. He
will indeed be in Paradise eventually.
Paradise will be restored and the whole
earth become as the Garden of Eden
under the MllenniaI reign of Christ
and his members. the Church. But
he was not -begotten of the holy
Spirit" He was not transformed ny
the renewing of his mind,' that he
might prove the good. acceptable and
perfect will of God. He never added
knowledge; aud 10 knowledge temper
ancP: aid to temperance patience, and
TO niIipnce godliness: and TO godliness
bro; o;hrry kindness; aud 10 brotheriy
kindness love, us the Word assures ns
all must do who would make their c;ll-
ing aud election sure Gil Peter j. 10. IL
We will not, however. discuss the
thief further, as we did so on a pre-
vious occasion and that sermon is in
print. | will be pleased 10 mail it f.
GU post card request.
The spirit-bcgotten children of God
must work out their salvation as New
Creatures in Christ by growth in grace.
And growth in grace means growth in
knowledge general knowledge. hut
the special knowledge provided by the
Lord in his Word, II is in full accord
with what we every where observe of
the widespread ignorance of the Word
of God. even amongst Christians. that
the Scriptures declare, My people per-
ish for lack of knowledge" Hosea
iy. O..
Development in heart. in character,
is necessary to Et US for the future
service as members" of The Christ.
associated III his glorious Kingdom
work Our call is TO be kings and
priests that We may serve the world
of mankind. TO prepare US for that
service is the object of our present
call and the trials of faith and pa
tience that by ali these. characler-like-
ness of Christ might be developed in
U.S. Ii we do these things we Shall
never fail and an entrance will be
granted us into the everlasting King
dom of our Lord aud Savior. If we do
these things heartily they will prove
that we are copies of the Lord Jesus
and it is the Divine predestination that
only such as are copies of Gods dear
Son shall be his joint heirs in the King
dom tlsomans viii, 10.
SEND A TEXT FOR A SFRMON
To Pastor Russell. Brooklyn Taher-
nacle, Brooklyn. N. 7.
Pastor Russell will be glad to hare
post card from such of our readers
as are interested in his weekly dis
courses and have received some bless
ing from them. Suggest topics for
next years sermons. and meafioa this
Journal.
Pastor Russell has laid in supply
Of little booklets containing the beau
tiful poem, The Sweet Brier Rose
He proposes sending one of these as
his response 10 The first thirty of our