The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-01


lieve, renounce sin and make a conse
Grafton Of themselves to walk in the
Redeemer's footsteps as living sacri-
fees. Under this provision the Gospel
call has been going forth for now
eighteen centuries. The object of this,
the Scriptures tell US, is to select pri-
marily the Church of Christ, '1ittle
fiock,'' ''the Bride. the Lambs wife"
and joint-heir with him in his Millen-
NAL Kingdom. which is to bless the
world.
| Throughout this Gospel Age faith
full little flock has gradually been
gathered. Their test is their willing
ness to lay down their lives in the
Lords seryice-in the service of the
! Truth and in the service Of the breth-
rem In doing this they are sacrificing
with Jesus; as the Apostle suggests. 81
! beseech you, therefore, brethren. !. by
the mercies of God. that ye present
your bodies living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable unto God. which is your
reasonable service" Romans xii. II.
This sacrifice of Christ's members is
! counted in as part and parcel Of the
sacrifice of Christ. When this sacrific-
the merit of Christ's sacrifice at Cal
vary appropriated to the Church will
have been laid down again-returned
to the credit of the Redeemer. Then.
at the conclusion of this Age, when the
last member of the Body" has suf-
fered with him and been glorified, the
great High Priest will apply the blood
afresh-not again for his members and
the household of faith. however, but
for the world, as the type clearly
shows.
"The Riches of His Grace"
Glance backward now. and see the
unfoIdings of the Divine Plan: The
Babe of Bethlehem; the Man OF Sor-
rows: the Risen Lord; the Assembled
High Priest and Advocates; the appro-
priation of his merit to the Church;
the joy of forgiveness of sins and rec
| onciliation to God experienced by all
believers; their instruction in the
School of Christ; their testing and
proving by trials and difficulties; and
finally, their glorifcation with their
Lord in the Millennial Kingdom. In
turn, the glorious Prophet. Priest, Me-
diator. King. Head and members
Kingdom reign of righteousness for
the blessing Of the world. Applying
his merit for the world and using it
also to seal the New Covenant, he
opens up the way whereby all then
living may become reconciled to God
may be blessed with restitution to full
perfection Of mind and morals and
physique-and have back again the
Paradise, lost by sin but redeemed at
Calvary.
The Savior purposes. in harmony
with the Divine Program. that not
merely the members Of the race liv-
ing at the time Of his Second Com
ing and the establishment of his
Kingdom shall be blessed by Gods
great Christmas Gift. but additionally.
every member of Adams race. Hence
the arrangement is. as the Master tells
us, "Ail that are in their graUes shall
hear the voice of the Son of man and
come forth"
The "overcomers' of this time of
evil, having passed their trial will
come forth perfected in nfe-the
Church on the Spirit plane, being the
first fruits" The remainder of man
forth unto q resurrection of. crisis
trial. judgment. testing. They will come
forth that it may be testified to them
in that, their due time-that Christ
died for their sins and that redemption
through his blood has been provided
for them and for all of Adams race.
During that thousand years of trial
they must either accept Gods grace
and cooperate in their advance to per-
lection or be destroyed in the Second
Death as unworthy Of any further Di-
vine favor and blessing.
"Great Joy Unto All People,"
Truly, dear friends. we are begin
ming to understand the message sent
US through the angel when our Savior
was born. The message is not, Fear
greatly; l bring you bad tidings of
eternal torment and misery for all peo-
pie. 1t is the very reverse of this,
namely, Fear not; I bring you good
tidings Of great joy which shall be
unto all people" The joy has not
been to all people as yet. Even the
knowledge Of the Lord has reached
only about one in ten of earths popu-
lation thus far. And what did reach
them was generally very unsatisfac-
tory, unreasonable message of damna-
ton and great misery. As we have
just seen. however. the great Plan of
the Ages is rolling onward towards
completion. and its progress at every
stage makes for fresh blessings and
fresh revelations of the glorious things
which God purposed in himself from
before the foundation of the world.
Truly the Scriptures say, As the heav-
ems are higher than the earth. so are
Gods ways higher than mans ways
and his thoughts higher than mans
thoughts isaiah ", 81.