The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-12-24

children OF God. Many Christians re-
quest God to do for them that which
lie tells them they must do for them
selves. The one who asks amiss some
times leaves the Throne Of Grace con-
fldent 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 neglecting the
directions OF Gods Word. Indeed,
many SO neglect the study OF that
Word that they are not aware what
are its teachings Its counsels, -rcspect-
Ing Satan and the temptations from
the world. the flesh and the devil. to
which all must be more or less ex-
posed for their testing and character
development.
Some pray to God to save them by
his Divine power and expect him to
work miraculously in them. while they
are giving the best OF their time and
talent ana influence to business or to
pleasure or to Disqualification. 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 to deal
with us as machines. More than this,
he 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-
ton in righteousness, make them
all eventually see, to ultimately force
all 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 n willing mind-only
such as can be moved to energy and
devotion by the enlightenment of their
minds through the Truth. None others
are wanted for this "elect" class.
Those who rightly understand our
the Savior'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 n 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 Millennial reign Of Christ
and his members" the Church. But
he was not "begotten Of the holy
Spirit" He was not transformed by
the renewing Of his mind" that he
might prove the good, acceptable and
perfect will of God. He never added
to his faith fortitude; and to fortitude
knowledge: and to knowledge temper
ance; and to temperance patience; and
to patience godliness; and to godiness
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness love- as the Word assures us
all must do who would make their call
ing and election sure Oh Peter 1, 10, IL.
We will not, however. discuss the
thief further, as we did so on pre-
vious occasion and that sermon is in
print. | will be pleased to mail it free
on post card request.
The spirt-begotten children of God
must work out their salvation as New
Creatures in Christ by growth in grace.
And growth in grace means growth in
acknowledgement general knowledge, but
the special knowledge provided by the
t., l.
with what we everywhere 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
iv, o..
Development in heart, in character,
is necessary to fit us for the future
service as members" of The Christ.
associated in his glorious Kingdom
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 all these, characteristics
ness of Christ might be developed in
US. If we do these things we shall
never fail and an entrance will be
granted us into the everlasting King
dom of our Lord and 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 (Romans viii, IN.
SEND A TEXT FOR A SERMON
To Pastor Russell, Brooklyn Taber.
naele, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Pastor Russell will be glad to have
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 mention this
Journal
Pastor Russell has laid in a supply
Of little booklets containing the beau
tiful poem, The Sweet Brier Rose"
He proposes sending one of these as
his response TO the first thirty of our