Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-02-22

The drawing and calling Of the church has
not been along the lines of human perfection
| for all are sinners and none righteous or per-
feet And many Of those drawn of the Lord
were by nature much more fallen and depraVeo
| than some who give no evidence of the work
| of grace in their hearts. The LORDS Gaining
| and drawing seem to be along the lines OF
| justice, love of Righteousness, faith, HUMILITY
| and obedience. These qualities will all belong
| to the perfect man. But all have lost them In
varying degrees. Such respond to the Lords
| call now are accepted as being in the right
heart attitude which, II they had perfect
| bodies, would constitute them perfect men. In
other words, they have qualities OF heart
which, If brought to knowledge or the truth,
would prove some Of them to be pure IN heart
and such as the Lord would desire should nave
eternal life and all of His favors. But more
are called and drawn by Gods providence ana
the preaching Of His message than He designs
to save in the present salvation. ne Is enoos s
pose and therefore makes the terms and con-
ditions of their salvation extremely difficult
As consequence we read. MANY are cameo;
but few chosen''-under this nigh Gaining Oh
God in Christ Jesus"
TERMS OF SALVATION DIFFER.
OF course, these different salvations imply
different terms or conditions. GODS require
ment of Adam, that he might continue to live
forever and everlastingly enjoy divine favor.
his Eden home. etc., was obedience TO reason
able, just requirements. 1t was his violation
of the divine law that brought upon him the
sentence Of death-"Dying thou shalt die
with all that this has implied to him and his
pOsterty of mental, moral and physical decline,
weakness death. The requirement OF God for
the world of mankind during the millennial
age will similarly be-obedence to Gods Just,
reasonable regulations, law. Whoever then
will render obedience may with proportionate
rapidity go up on the highway of holiness to-
ward perfection at its end Whoever refuses
obeL4ence to the extent of his ability Will fail
to make progress and ultimately die the second
death, from which there Will be no redemption
and resurrection.
Such obedience as will be required OF man.
kind in the great Mediator's kingdom Will IN,
clude their cooperation in the resistance OF
their own fallen weaknesses. 1t viii include
the exercise of patience and kindness towards
their fellow creatures fellow sufferers. The
divine law OF love 20 God with all the heart,
mind, soul, strength and for the neighbor as
for ones self they must learn fully. AS they
will reanze their own blemishes and strive
to overcome them and ask, not the Father,
but the Mediator for forgiveness, they Will
be obliged to follow the divine rule Of exer-
eising towards others similar mercy and for
giveness to that which they desire for them
selves.
But they will not be required to enter into
the covenant OF selfsacrifice, self-deniaL ETC.
All the blessings of God the earthly plane
will be for them fully and freely to use and
enjoy, in harmony with the divine regulation.
Instead Of laying down their lives day by day,
they win daily add to their mental, physical
and moral health and strength. Instead OF
suffering for righteousness sake every good
deed viii bring it's reward and assist In their
own recuperaticn and uplifting. Thus gradually
day by day and year by year they will be
perfected in the flesh and may finally regain
all that was lost In Eden. They will sit,
every man under his own vine and fig tree,
with none to modest or make afraid. The
blessings of the ransom sacrifice Of Christ VIII
be apportioned to the world, under and through
the new covenant to be executed with Israel.
1t will not be for them to lay down, to sacrt-
flee. but for them to have, to keep, to enjoy
forever.
The conditions governing the salvation OF the
church are wholly different from those which
will appertain to the world. The church Is call
ed out of the world under Divine invitation
to suffer with Christ in the present -Ae and
during this gospel age and then to reign with
Christ during the millennial age, participating
in His mediatorial kingdom for the blessing,
uplifting, salvation OF the world. 1t is not In
vain, therefore, that our Lord and the apostles,
in setting forth the call Of the church during
this age specified particularly and rreGue1 9nis
salvation to participate with the Redeemer In
His sacrificing, in His death, and consequent
ly participate in His resurrection" and In Ills
reign Of glory. Hark to the words, 'Be tnou
faithful in death and l will give thee crown
of life;' $50 him that overcometn VIII
grant to sit with me in my throne;" And who
soever doth not bear his cross, and come after
me. cannot be my disciple. Luke, 14:H.
Let us remember our Lords words to the 1is-
ciples James and John, respecting place in HIS
millennial throne. He intimated that the get
ting to the throne at all, in any place, would
imply great humility and sf;s ,nv lie re
drink Of the cup that shall drink OF and to
be baptized with the baptism Onto death) that
L DapIlzeQ WltnE lMark, IOsoc.D
again: This cup of which He tells us we must
drink, If we would sit in His throne, is ms
communion cup. 1t is offered, not to the
world, but to His consecrated followers. 1t is
not another cup, but "My cup" The invita-
ton was, This is my blood OF the New Tests
ment, which Is shed for many FOR the remis-
sion Of SINS Drink ye all Of It," Matt,
26:2S, 27.) 1t must all be drunk before the
many, the world. can get their share OF the
intended blessing through tne ell, new S,sc,aIs.
of Christ, only those who desire to walk in HIS
steps. are invited to drink Of that cup. All OF
them are 50 invited and they will drink all OF
it. None of it will be left for the world cur
ing the mlliennial age to drink. 1t is
special privilege to drink Of this cup. With
the special salvation Of this gospel age Except
we eat of dis flesh appropriate the merit or
His sacrificed, and unless we drink His blood
Ooin in sacrifice with hina), we have no lite
in us-inherent life, Immortality.
In view OF these things we wonder that
the apostles so repeatedly urged the faithful
to lay down their lives, to present their bodies
living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God
through Christ? Can we wonder that they de-
clare that only 'if we suffer with Him shall
we reign with Him7 'if we be dead with Him,
we shall live with Him." From this stand
point we are not surprised that all who shall
be saved In the salvation of this gospel age
must become dead with Christ, not only to sin,
but to all earthly rights and prospects and priv
ileges. Those earthly rights which the world
will get to keep and to enjoy forever are now
in advance loaned to us, reckoned to as the
basis for our sacrifice that we may be joint
sacrlficers with our Redeemer and joint-sharers
in His kingdom glory.
So far hearts and minds are concerned
at the time Of our conservation they must be
fully given up to the Lord ere he will accept
them. We could be no more fully consecrated
If we had absolutely perfect bodies and were
absolutely free from all the entailment Of Ad-
ANS condemnation. But Gods requirement Is
that no sacrifice may come upon His altar,
except such IL without spot or blemish.
Hence he could not accept offering, our
| conservation, even though it were completely
and fully made as was our dear Redeemer's.
Hence His first provision was that the right
| eousness of Christ should be imputed into us
| an account of our faith and obedience, in order
| to pemit us to offer sacrifices holy and ae-
| ceptable to God.-Mal 3:3; Rom. 1911
| This view Of participation in the Redeem
| er's merit separately and apart from the worlds
/ participation in it-by faith and imputation of
merit and not actually-the Bible declares to
| be a mystery" which not many are able to
discern-only the spiritually minded-only the
| spirit-begotten. Those who and hear
| and understand the terms and conditions Of this
| great salvation of this gospel age specially
| blessed-'Blessed are your eyes, for they see,
| and your ears, for they hear" Matt. 1870.
To see, to hear, to understand, that glory, hon
| or, Immortality, eternal life the spirit plane
are the rewards of a few years Of selfdenial and
self-sacrifice is to hear of a pearl of great
/ price, of which few know. And to know of that
pearls and not to be willing to sell all that we
| have to obtain it would demonstrate to the
\ Father our unworthiness OF life ON this high