Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-10-07
he BlbIe laws down as conditions for


would be eternally tormented. we
have all shrunk from making any rea-
sonable application of the Scriptural
texts regarding saintship. discipleship.
the becoming members of the Church
Of the First-born. This was partly be
cause of fear for ourselves. lest we
might not come mp To the standard OF
salntship. but especially was II be-
cause of our realization that the great
mass of humanity in Christendom. as
well as In heather lands. came far
short OF the terms of dIscipleship laid
down In Gods Word. Today the mat
ter comes close home to us all. for we
realize that many who were very near
and dear to us have died outside OF
the nominal church. and far outside
the special line of conditions which
marked the Church Of the Flrst.born.
Amongst other texts cited by the
Pastor rs showing the exclusive and
high standard VI the elect Church. we
note the following: EFF any man will
lie My disciple. let him take up his
cross aud follow me: and where ] am
there shall Ny disciple be also;' TO
him that oyercomcth will I grant to
sit with Ne In My Throne" strait
is the gate and narrow IL the way
that lcadeth unto life. aud few there
be that find it, luke tx. %: Matthew
vii. III: LET us lay aside every weight
and the sin which doth so easily besct
us and let us rnn with patience the
race set before us 1Iebrews xii. II:
"if these things be in you and abound
1.-THE graces of the Holy Spirit they
will make ycu that yc shall neither
ne barren nor unfruitful In the knowl.
edge ~ our Lord. far SO an EN-.
trance shall. be ministercd unto ycu
abundanily into the everlasting King
dom of our Lord and Savior jesus
Christi II Peter I. 8. II.
Looking Through the Type
ST. Paul Informs us that all the vari.
Gus features Of the Jewish Law were
types OF still higher. still better
things In our text the expression.
Church of the first-born." has ref
ercnce to II type instituted In the very
beginning of lsrael's history, when
God brought that people, by the hand
OF Moses. the Mediator OF the Law
Covenant. ont OF the land OF Egypt.
To this type the Apostle refers In his
| expression, The Church OF the First
born The entire nation Of Israel,
twelve tribes. God had separated from
the other nations TO represent those
who would lie blessing 10 all other
nations. under the Abrahamic Cove
nant. Gods oath to Abraham wa
In thy Seed shall all the families Of
the earth lee blessed"
Pharaoh. King of Egypt. was hold
Ing back the nation from going into
Palestine. the Land OF Promise. One
chastisement after another failed to
move him 10 submission until finally
an intense calamity awaited The
tenth plague was the shifting OF the
iirst-born of Egypt. while the Israel
ties We're protected. thus showing Di-
vine interest IN and care over Israel
Their iirstborn were miraculOusly pre-.
scrved-to represent in type the Church
of the First-born. The true Church
OF Christ are not all that will he saved,
In the Divine Program. but merely as
st. James says. THESE are kind Of
| flrst-fruitS unto God of His creatures"
| Games !. Is: Revelation xiv. Il. Tie
aftcrfruits will come In due time.
under the further development Of the
Divine Plan of the Ages-as the result
of Messinh's reign OF thousand
| years.
Some time after their deliverance
from Egypt. by Divine direction. the
| first-borns Of all the families and tribes
| OF Israel were exchanged. person by
person. for the one tribe OF Levi. Tie
Levites thereafter represented the
| First-born of the Church-they alone
represented the flrst-borns of Israel
passed over In that night. Subsequent.
~ the tribe Of Levi became the in
structors Of he nation in religious mat
tiers aud frrm them was chosen one
family for the Priesthood Aaron and
his sons.
The Scriptural picture is plain. In
the antique We are still IN the night OF
passing over Soon the Morning of the
New DispenSaiion. under Messiah
reign. will begin. and all DESTROYS OF
serving God and having His blessings
will he delivered from the Expressing
power of Satan and his hosts. typiiied
by Pharaoh and his army. God In
tends 10 deliver the whole world from
Satan's power. Satan shall he bound
for thousand years. during Messiah's
reign. and Is ultimately TO he destroy
ed. and the people of God-all who dc.
sire 10 wor hip the Lord and 10 enter
into the glorious Land ~ Promise
will be lei forth. The first-born Of
these IL the Church OF this Gospel Age.
which will he associated with Christ
In His heavenly Kingdom-"the Church
OF the Firsi.borns. whose names are
written IN heaven"
Priests and Levitss Antitypieal
The entire tribe OF Levi was specially
4 liz