Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-18
ForeOrdinatiOn, Presentation and Election

,EEICbbEOII G&IbCk GESCLIOGG
through a kncwledge of His glorious purposes
and heart sympathy therein. sufficient to IL
duce them to sacrifice their all, so far az
earthly matters and interests are concerned
These are the elect. whom the Lord has beer
searching for and testing with the magnet q
His truth. and the manner of their response &c
It throughout this gospel age determines
whether they shall be mine. saith the Lord
in that day when 1 come to make up ny
NS4oM HE DID FOREKNOw."
1t is not for us to bubble respecting the di-
vine power of foreknOwledge-tO question the
ability Of our Creator to have foreknown, had
he chosen to do So and foretold every mem
above % the human thar If is imrossible for the
human mind to measure the infinite or to COM
prehend His power. We must merely accept
the divine statement: However, nolhmg III
the Word of God tells us that were fore
known individually-personally. Rather the in
timaticn is that God predestinated the election
of a church, predetermined the number Of per
sons who would be accep ed as members in that
church, the Body of Christ. predetermined what
characters they must have and what tests of
character would be necessary to demonstrate
their loyalty and to prove the individual worthy
place in the foreordained class.
1t is in full harmony with this that we read
that many are called to the few who will be
chosen and that again eNhorted to
make our calling and our election sure We
are assured that Faithful is he that calleth
promised-keep His part of the contract. This
being so. all of the called ones have the dc,
tCrml0nR OF results IN their own cases. UOu
is faithful. If they faithful at heart to the
terms and conditions of their covenant they VIII
HE Also DID PRFn1FsTINATE."
We to the particular clause Of our
text which has seemed to fortify the error
many. that fixes It! There is no option moth
ing dependent upon it. God predestinated every
haVe been O prone to read our text disconnectedy
and thus doing we have overlooked its clear
God prpdpstina .od elect - but The
declaration is that God predestinated that all
that would be Of the elect class must be copies
Of His Son The predestination of this verse
relates not 20 individuals, but to certain char
ncter which all of the elect individuals must
attain to-otherwise they will not be OF the
elect.
How. beautifully simple aud plain this makes
It all! Nor would we ask the matter other,
wise. Gust and true thy ways Lord God
Almighty" The great honor. the high distinc-
tion which God proposes to confer upon the
Every elect in the first resurrection at the
second coming of Christ is so grand that the
very highest possible test of character is appro-
pirate to those who would be granted such hon
ors and immortality. Our Lord Jesus said to
his disciples. Sit down first and count the cost
of disciDleship and if YOU determine that 1t is
worth the price come, take up your cross ana
follow me-" As a reward I promise you that
where l there shall my disciples be" 'IS
him that Overcometh will | grant to sit with me
in my throne"
Those who attain the character likeness Of
Christ Jesus will have the character likeness
Of the Father of whom the Son is the express
image and character likeness Hence the aI-
prOpriateneSS OF our LOrdS words, Bc We Ike
untO your Father which is in heaven.
So direct an application as we are making OF
these words may appall some of the Lord
people who have been thinking carelessly that
&c they once I'm grace they would always
he in grace-if once elect they would never fail.
desire TO awaken such TO a realization OF the
heights of our chilling and of the necessity OF
our obedience to the 'erms OF the calling, II
We would make orr calling and election
certain However II is we'll to remark here
/ that the perfection to which the called ones
are exhorted is not perfection OF the tlesh,
which would be impossibility because OF Its
natural blemishes, it's hereditary taints and
weaknesses. 1t Is the heart, the Will that the
Lord is inspecting. proving, and not the flesh.
blessed are the pure in heart" said our Saw
Jour And we may be that the pure IN
make considerable progress in overcoming the
weaknesses of the flesh. The Lord VIII expect
them to prove their faith rnf their loyalty ~
such good works as are possible to tfem IN thelr
weakness and under their environments
CALLED CHOSEN FAITHFUL.
The very elect" those who will make their
calling and their election sure. those who win
inherit the glory, honor and Immortality In
the first resurrection. are described as the
called through the gospel message, through the
Bible and tracts and hymns and Christian
lives. every way are many. Many are cali can
The majority noting the fact that the vows
Of conservation imposed score hard against the
will OF the flesh and make the way TO glory
narrow decline to enter the straight gate and
the narrow way" hoping still for some favor
from the divine provision hoping against
world but still hoping. Nor is the hone in
vain as we have already seen. God has
gracious arrangement and common saliva
ton which, in due time, viii be offered TO
all men. But how much they Will miss. All
the wonderful things that God has In reser-
walton for them that love Him''-for the elect!
And besides, to whatever extent they shall
wilfully engage in sin and selfishness they
will degrade their fallen natures and make the
more difficult the ascent In the restitution
highway of the coming age. Let us be GLAD
if, in Gods providence, our ears have heard
the message of His love and grace and If
our hearts have responded and II, subsequent
w. we have been begotten of the holy spirit
and thus have a mark of being not only called.
but chosen. - -
It is to this class that our text refers, as
surfing us that "all things work together for
according to His purpose" So we should ex
pect. These called and chosen, begotten OF
the holy spirit, are children OF God and II
children, then heirs-heirs Of God and joint
heirs with Jesus Christ their Lord" Rom.
SIG, 10. Could expect less than that their
Heavenly Father would watch over their every
interest temporal and spiritual? Could we
think for a moment that He would become
negligent of their interests? On the contrary,
ment with Just what we should have expected.
For, the apostle says of these, All things
are yours ana we are Christ's and Christ is
God ST. Cor. 3:22. 23
How is It, then that our Redeemer was
man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs?
How IS it that so many of His followers have
Teacher forewarned these, Think 1t not
strange if the world hate you and persecute
you and do all manner of evil against you
for my sake?" How is it that the apostle
writes ''Whosoever will live Cody Tin this
present time) shall suffer persecution and
assures that must suffer with Christ.
if we would reign with Him? How do these
sufferings comport with the assurance that
"Al things shall work together for good" to
these?
All. the secret lies in the fact that these
are counted new creatures begotten Of the
spirit. and merely for a time tabernaclinC-
subjected to trials and testngs, chiselings and
polishings, through the weaknesses of their
own flesh and through their association with
other imperfect ones The nature de
velops. grows strong in proportion the hui
man nature is conquered and brought into sub.
lection and finally mortified. 1t IS therefore,
not inattention to best interests
Fathers part that permits to have trials.
difficulties prosecutions, but, on the contrary,
His interest in US guarantees that gooG
thing will He withhold from us-nO trials,
difficulties or other experiences which will
be really helpful shall be withheld Yet II,
will not suffer us to be tempted above that
able. but WILL with every temptation
provide a way of escape. How glad arr
to know Alright Heavenly Fathers pre-
destination and election ard to have share
therein! Let with increasing zeal seek L.
make calling and election sure!
DEATH TO ARMENIANS
USED TO STOP REVOLT?
ATN7NAR Asiatir Turkey Nav 15-Tt