Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-05-21

Aht IANhtNIttis Ik'AA ~ - " ff'f 49, ~
| termine the times and the seasons FOL
the dispensing OF these blessings. and
10 whom they shall 20. According - the
Divine Arrangement. the ReGeeiner had
first to die az 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 Ia 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
t~erests. 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. it was
one thing to do mighty works through
his spirit. or power, and another mat
ter TO possess that spirit inherently
TO act directly as 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. symbolically 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 and ambassa-
doris.
From the standpoint of Divine JUS
tice, the Apostles and believers We're
still under the sentence of death as
sinners at the time of our Lords death
1T the time of his resurrection, at the
time Of his ascension. Then he said
to them, III ~ eXpediept for you that |
20 away, for if / go pot away, the
Comforter will not come unto you"
(John xvi, y. After the forty days,
invisibly present with his disciples.
except on a few occasions for q few
moments each, our Lord assembled. ana
after ten days the holy Spirit from
the Father came upon the waiting
household of faith. II 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 their
conservation 10 sacrifice themselves
had been accepted of the Father, and
that henceforth they might count
themselves as "ioint-sacriicers with
Christ" members Of his Body" mem
bers of 1.-THE Church of the First born.
whose names are written III heaven
members OF the seed OF Abraham"
Galatians iii, 29y,
Keys of the 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 signiied that the way into
the Kingdom at that time had not yet
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 We're two opening works to be
accomplished. r.
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 ~inaugurated. The
work of this Gospel Age is to cali
or invite such as have a hearing ear to
become joint-heirs in this Kingdom,
for which he taught us TO pray, Thy
kingdom come, thy will be done ON
! earth as il is done in heaven" So
many as genuinely accept this heav-
emily calling, this high calling to glo-
ry, honor. and immortality, are proba'
tionary members of the Kingdom OF
Heaven. Such are Scripturally ex.
horted to continue faithful to theil
, vows Of conservation. and thus make
their calling and election sure TO &
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, 2Sl; but if any
man draw back. my soul shall have nc
pleasure in him (Hebrews X, 3S).
All who are thus spirit-begotten 10!
the holy Spirit, John !, 49, during tht
age are promised a spirit birth, t.
spirit being in the resurrection. w
read, 1T is sown in corruption; it
raised in interruption: 1t is sown II
dishonor; it is raised in glory: 1t
sown in weakness; il is raised in pow
er: II is sown an animal body; IL
raised a spiritual body. For thi
/ say, brethren, that flesh and bloc
cannot inherit the Kingdom of God
neither doth corruption inherit incoI
ruption' q Corinthians ". 42-44, 80
The entire period between the first ac
vent and the second advent Of u Re
deemer is set apart in the Divine Pro
gram for this great work of selectin