Milford chronicle., 1909-05-21

separate 10 himself a peculiar people
10 be the associates Of Jesus. thei
Redeemer. I'm his subsequent work O
uplifting the willing and obedient Of
the world of mankind But God has
not predestinated nor desired the elec.
T tion of any except a sanctiied class,
class not sanctified through stripes,
} not through force or compusion. but
sanctified through a knowledge OF the
z Truth. Such are drawn to God in de-
votion through a knowledge Of his
, glorious purposes and heart sympathy
therein. sufficient to induce them to
sacrifice their all, so far as earthly
matters and interests are concerned.
These are the elect whom the Lord
has been searching for and testing
with the magnet of his Truth, and the
manner of their response to it through
out this Gospel Age determines wheth-
er They shall be mine, saith the
Lord, in that day when / come to
make up my Jewels"
"Whom He Did Foreknows."
It is not for us to quibble respecting
/ the Divine power of foreknowledge-
to question the ability of our Creator,
to have foreknown, had he chosen to
do so. and foretold every member Of
the elect class. The Divine is so far
above the human that it is impossible
for the human mind to measure the
infinite or to comprehend his power.
We must merely accept the Divine
statement However, nothing in the
Word of God tells US that we were
foreknown individually - personally. !
Rather the iutlmation is that God pre-
destinated the election of a Church.
predetermined the number Of persons
who would be accepted as members Of |
that Church. the Body of Christ pre-
determined what characters they must
have and what tests Of character
would be necessary to demonstrate /.
their loyalty and to prove the indi-
vidual worthy a place in the fore /
ordained 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 we are eXhorted to make our
calling and our election sure" We are
assured that Faithful is he that call
eth you, who also will do it'-dO all
that he has promised-kee his part Of
the contract This being so. all Of the
called ones have the determining Of re-
suits in their own cases. God is faith
full If they are faithful at heart to
the terms and conditions of their Cove
nant they win be Of the elect-other-
wise not
"Hs Also Did Predestinate."
We come now to the particular
clause Of our text which has seemed
to fortify the error. "Them he also
lid predestinate." All. say many that
ixes it! There is no option, nothing
dependent upon it. God predestinated
Not SO, we answer. In /
he past we have been prone to read
,ur text disconnectedly and thus doing
We have overlooked its clear teaching.
We thought of it as though It read,
God predestinated the elect" but not
o. The declaration is that God pre-
ESTIMATED that all that would be OF
he elect class must be copies Of his Son.
he predestination Of this verse re
ltes not to individuals. but to a GER
ain character which all of the elect
ldividuals must attain tO-otherwise
hey will not be Of the elect
How beautifully simple and plain
his makes it all Nor would we ask
be matter otherwise. Just and true
re thy ways, Lord God Almighty|
he great honor, the high distinction
,hich God proposes to confer upon
le very elect" in the First Resur-
sction at the Second Coming Of Christ
so grand that the very highest pos
bic test Of character is appropriate
those who would be granted such
Dnors and Immortality. Our Lord
esus said to his disciples. Sit down
-st and count the cost Of discipleship
ld if you determine that it is worth
ie price, come. take up your cross
I'd follow me-" As a reward l prom
e you that where l am there
Iall my disciple be" ITO him that
'ercometh will grant to sit with me
my throne"
Those who attain the character like
,ss Of Christ Jesus viii have the
aracter likeness Of the Father. Of
hom the Son is the express image
ID character likeness. Hence the ap- q
opriateness of our Lords words. BE =
like unto your Father which is in B
aven." 4
All Things Work Good.
So direct an application as we are
lking of these words may appall A
me of the Lords people who have A
en- thinking carelessly that If they
re once in grace they would always p
in grace-if once elect they would nc
yer fail. desire to awaken such to nj
ealizatiOn of the heights of our call u
, and Of the necessity OF our obedi- W
&c to the terms of the calling, if we pr
uld make our calling and our cleo la,
u sure-certain. However, it is well A.
remark here that the perfection to 80
ich the called ones are exhorted is cl