The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-05-16

tue dispensing OF tneSe blessings. ana
to whom they shall go. According to the
Divine arrangement. the Redeemer had
6rst to die ms mans Ransom Price.
before any of the race could come back
Into full relationship with the Creator.
II is true that by faith Abraham and
others Of the past did enjoy certain Of
Gods favors. and much of bis fellow
ship. but none could be received into
full sonship and joint-heirshIp with
Christ, until first their sins had been
cancelled. Then they could be accept
ed IN Christ on the terms which the
Father has appointed.
Those very disciples who received
the blessing in the upper room on Pen.
tecost, had forsaken sin, had become
Jesus disciples. had made full conse-
Grafton of all their earthly hopes and in
terests. had been accepted by the Lord
Jesus, and he had put his Spirit upon
them, enabling them to do many mighty
works In his name. However, II was
one thing to do mighty works through
bis spirit, or power, and another mat
ter to possess that spirit Inherently
to act directly ns agents of Divine ia.
Vor instead Of indirectly. 1t is In har-
mony with this thought that we read
that after our Lord breathed upon
them the holy Spirit. symbolcally i'm.
parting his Spirit. and commissioning
them as his representatives to preach
the Gospel. he told them. nevertheless,
to tarry at Jerusalem until they were
endued with power-the holy Spirit
until the Father should recognize them
directly as his ministers aud ambassa-
dors.
From the standpoint of Divine JUS
tice. the Apostles and believers were
still under the sentence of death as
sinners at the time of our Lords death
at the time of his resurrection, at the
time of his ascension. Then he said
to them. 1T Is expedient for you that
go away. for IL ] go not away. the
| John xvi, u. After the forty days
invisibly present with his disciples,
| except on a few occasions for few
moments each. our Lord ascended, and
after ten days the holy Spirit from
the Father came upon the waiting
household Of faith. 1t evidenced to
them the fact that their sins had been
forgiven for Christ's sake. that they
were justified freely from all things
through his sacrifice. and that theil
conservation to sacrifice themselves
had been accepted of the Father. and
that henceforth they might count
themselves as ''joint-sacrifcers with
Christ" members of his Body" mem
bers of "the Church of the First born
whose names are written IN heaven
members Of the "Seed of Abraham
| Galatians iii, 29).
Keys of tho Kingdom.
The Master In speaking to st. Peter
assured him that to him were commit
ted the Keys of the Kingdom of Heav.
en-. which signitied that the way into
the Kingdom at that time had not vet
been opened and that Peter would be
honored by being the Lords servant
TO do the opening work. There were
two of these keys" and therefore
there were two opening works to be
accomplished.
The Church. under Christ her Lord
| Is Gods kingdom. not yet set up or es.
tablished ''in power and great glory
| not yet finished or inuugurated. The
| work of this Gospel Age Is to 'call
| or invite such as have hearing ear tC
become joint-heirs In this Kingdom
for which he taught us to pray. THY
kingdom come. thy will be done on
earth as II is done In heaven" Sc
many as genuinely accept this heav
enly calling. this high calling" to glo
| ry. honor. and immortality, are proba
| tionary members of the Kingdom OF
Heaven. Such are Scrlpturally ex
| horted to continue faithful to theil
vows of consecration. and thus make
| their calling and election sure to 0
| place In this glorious Kingdom. which
will be inaugurated at the second com
| Ing of Christ. But the Lord instructs
all saying. "Sit down first and count
the cost" duke xiv. 2S, hut IL any
ulstH ulu w DuSh' my ooN' oha'i uuNc III
pleasure In him" Hebrews x. 3S,.
All who are thus sprlt-begotten (b,
the holy Spirit. John |. l3' during this
age are promised spirit birth. tt
| spirit-being In the resurrection w,
read. 1T Is sown I'm corruption; II Il
raised In interruption: 1t is sown IL
dishonor; IL is raised In glory: 1t II
| sown In weakness; II Is raised In pow
er: IL is Sown an animal body; 1t II
raised spiritual body For this
| l say, brethren, that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the Kingdom of God
neither doth corruption inherit incor
ruption" Il Corinthians XIV. 42-44, 50)
The entire period between the first ad
vent and the second advent of our Re
deemer is set apart In the Divine Pro
gram for this great work of selecting
from amongst men the ''little flock,
such as shall be counted worthy ol
these honors on the spirit plane. anC
the privilege of participating with Mes
siah In his great work of the next age
| A To the Jew First.
| Only Jews received the Pentecosta
blessing. The Gentiles were exclude,
for three and a half years thereafter