Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-01-15

pei Age Spiritual Israel-"For the
Law Covenant was shadow Of good
things coming after It,"
/ But before having this dealing with
israel. God made a Covenant with
them, promising them life-eternal il
they would obey. They gladly ac-
cepted the proposition and stroye TO
live righteously. stroye to keep the
Law. They did not gain eternal life
under the Law. because they could
cot keep IT: not that the Law was de-
fective. but that they. like all other
members of Adams fallen race. were
imperfect. God knew Of their weak
ness and allowed them to be disap-
pointed In the outcome of their Gov
enant. but nevertheless he made ii a
great blessing to them-a means of in
stIuction, which. as we have seen. ulti-
mately prepared several thousand to
be Of so ripe condition of heart as
to be ready for the Savior and become
bis disciples. The Jew then bad this
advantage over the Gentle up 10 that
time. lie had Gods promises. He
knew the Law of God He was profit
ed by striving to do the impossible
thing of keeping 1t perfectly. Had
| God not chosen the nation of Israel to
| bring them under the schooling pro-
cesses of the Law Covenant Galatians
! iii pa be would have "winked" at
their ignorance. etc. as he did with
the transgresslons of other nations up
to that time.
"Now Commander All Men,"
What is the secret of this change on
| Gods part-from winking at the sins
and imperfections OF the world to COM
handing them to repent? If it was
| just TO wink at their sins for thou
sands of years. why did not God con-
tinue to wink at them? The Apostle
answers the question. telling us that
this change in Gods dealing which
sent forth the message that the world
should repent was based upon the fact
that his eternal purposes had by that
time reached the stage Of development
which justified such message. The
Son OF God had left the glory of the
Father which he had before the world
| was; he had humbled himself to be-
come d man. As the man Christ Jesus
he had been obedient to the Heavenly
Fathers wish and had laid down his
! life sacriicially- that it might first
benefit consecrated believers during
this Gospel Age secondly that it
might bless the world of mankind
during the Millennial Age.
| For time these good tidings were
| confined to the Jewish nation. but
three and half years after the cruel
fixion the limit of lsraefs favor re-
specting the message came TO an end
and then the good tidings of great joy
was permitted TO go to all the Gentiles
on the same terms that the Jews had
enjoyed.
The Gospel or good news" consists
of the information that God in his
mercy has provided that the death sen
tence upon Adam and his race shall
not be perpetual; that there shall be
a resurrection of the dead. both of the
just and of the unjust: that the pro-
vision for this has already been made
In and through the death of the Re-
deemer Is it inquired what advan-
tage would there be in resurrection
of the dead II Herewith all were to
be placed back just where they are
at present? The answer is that there
would be no advantage in such res
direction. If the Jew could not keep
the Law. and II the very best-inten-
toned of the Genties have found them
selves to be imperfect and their efforts
to stand approved before God in the
present life TO be failures. what good
could result from merely awakening
them from the sleep of death? Would
it not be wiser and better every way
to let them perish like the brute beast?
We answer that Gods Word reveals
a very grand outcome to his Plan of
Salvation The word resurrection, as
Scripturally used. signifies much more
than to be merely resuscitated. 1t sig
mites awakening and more-uplifting
| out of all sin and death conditions, up,
up. up TO perfection-to all that was
lost by Father Adam and redeemed in
the Calvary sacrifice.
God Hath Appointed Day
This. then, is the meaning of the
Apostles argument. BY providing the
Lord Jesus Christ as the Redeemer of
the Church aud the world God has
made possible fresh trial or judg-
/ ment for Adam and his race. Adams
! first Judgment or trial day was in
Eden. There he lost everything by his
disobedence and brought upon him
self and all of his race Divine sentence
to death. Christ has appeared that he
might redeem Adam and his race, tor
| the very purpose of giving them in-
| dividually another full, fair trial or
| Judgment for life everlasting or death
everlasting
| That general judgment day men
| toned by st. Paul in our text is neither
| damnation day nor a twenty-tou'
| hour day. 1t is the thousand-year day
of Christine period of his mediatorial
reign, in the which Satan will be
| bound all evil influences be removed.
and the light OF the knowledge of the
a. 4. a,