The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-07-12

Church VIII for u thousand years DE
engaged in a missionary work of the
sublimest and most gigantic character
u work not only for living remnant
of the race. but one which will in
clude in its blessing all the thousands
of millions of humanity under tbt Di-
vine sentence, "The wages Of SIN Is
death" Truly the Scriptures declare,
AS the heavens are higher than the
earth. so are Gods ways higher than
mans ways and Gods plans loftier
than mans conceptions.
Notice next the context st. Paul.
after mentioning Christ as the Head
of the Body, the Church, who is the
irst-begotten. the first-born from the
dead, that In all things he might have
the pre-emlnence. adds, For 1t pleased
the Father that in him should all full
ness dwell" and that (after) having
made peace through the blood Of his
cross by him to reconcile all things
unto himself-both the things in earth
and things In heaven" (Colossians !.
1920. The Apostle indicates the great
scope Of Christs work as 1t shall be
eventually when finished. He Is ap-
pointed Of the Father to establish peace
and righteousness throughout the Uni
verse. But he has not yet accom-
plished all of this. He has only begun.
He has died for the sins of the world,
as we'll as for the sins of the Church.
But he has not yet offered 20 Justice
the satisfaction for the worlds sins:
He first appears before God as the
great Advocate for the elect Church,
"called" of God in advance to be "the
Bride, the Lambs Wife," Note how
the Apostle expresses this thought in
our text, verse 81.
The Church First Reeonoiled.
"And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies In your mind
by wicked works. yet now hath he
reconciled in the body of his flesh
through death, to present you holy and
unblamable and unreprovable in his
(the Fathers) sight, If ye continue in
the faith" etc.
Who are these and why are they
recOnciled in advance of the remainder
of the world-brought In advance into
fellowship with the Father by the Re-
deemer as his Bride? These were by
nature children of wrath even as
Others" BY nature they were alien
ated and enemies in their mind by
wicked works. They were unlike the
Redeemer, who was holy, harmless
and undefiled and separate from sim
ners." Why then did Gods grace
specially come to this classic US who
are of the Church of Christ. accepted
in the Beloved" one? What did we do
or could we do to contribute to this
favor of God bestowed upon us? The
| Apostle assures us further along the
same line, that the elect Church by
nature was not superior to the world
from which 1t was selected. He de-
clnres that it contains not many great,
not many learned, not many rich, but
chiefly the poor of this world. rich in
faith, many of them ignoble as re-
spects birth and natural advantages of
herediity. The difference between
these and others was, first, that they
had IAN ear to hear" the Divine mes
sage. Sometimes this hearing ear
came to them through sorrow and trib-
uation. In their WEAKNESS and heavi'
ness they heard the Masters voice
Come unto me. all ye that labor and
are heavy-laden and l will give you
rest" (Matthew XII, 2S). They heard
this voice. while some OF their neigh
| hnr 70 Ilu citnni tod hon rn III
not But still further blessing came
to them as they responded and drew
near to the Lord by faith and prayer
Desiring to come nearer and nearer
they strove to put away all tilthlness
of the flesh-sn I'm its every form-th,
while realizing that they could no
. cleanse themselves. Then 1t was tina
the Master informed them of the terms
upon which they might join his Churcl
1.-THE Body of Christ which Is th,
Church" They must make full con
, sccration of themselves to God and (,
righteousness, even unto death The!
, must do this with Il full understanding
that II would take them out of toucl
: with the world and the spirit of tn
, ! NOIlu' Wlllle DIlHSlnS lnViu lillo SlOse
= relationship with the Father and witt
: the Son. They were assured that
they thus presented their little all T.
God in the Redccmer's name ant
!, merit, this great Redeemer woul
serve them as their Advocate with tn
Father and lmpute to them sufl
, cheney of the merit Of his sacrifice t
, make good the deficiencies of thei
, flesh, Thus only could the Father aC
, cept their sacrifice of the earthly ma
, ture and all of its rights and bcge
, them with his holy Spirit to joint
, hoirship with their Redeemer in all tn
glories and honors and blessed service
. for the world In his Kingdom OF Glor
which Is to be set up as soon as thi
!, Gospel Age shall have finished Its wor
. of gathering out of the world the elec
Let 1t not be forgotten In this cor
!, nectlon that when the world shall
reconciled TO God in the future. tn
blessings of that reconciliation wi