The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-06-16


out this begetting of the Holy Spirit,
which belongs, of course, to the serv-
ants and handmaidens of God during
this Gospel Age, none are able to APP
preciate the things unseen. And
hence the world of mankind in gen.
eral, brought back to perfection-and
all the ioay back, appreciating human
perfection-will be willing not to sac
rifice their earthly nature to obtain
heavenly, but will enjoy the earthly,
under perfect conditions, in q Para
disc restored Isaiah XXXv, Ezekiel
XXXviD.
David Was a Prophet.
On previous occasion we saw the
teaching % the Scriptures to be that
the first to be blessed by Messiah's
Kingdom will be the Ancient Worthless
-En0ch, Abraham, Moses, David, and
the prophets-and that these will be
made Princes in the earth. AS one of
these Princes, the Prophet David will
have 4 very glorious station. His long
career, his ups and downs" said the
Pastor, show us the lights and shad-
Ows of the Prophets character more
particularly perhaps, than in the case
of any other Bible character And
they show us noble character de-
spite David's human weaknesses and
the frailtieS of his flesh, augmented
in power by his kingly office and the
misconceptions of kingly prerogatives
which prevailed in his day.
The beautiful traits Of the character
Of David, on account of which he was
declared to be, not new creature"
not Il son of God" not an heir of
God and ioint-heir with Messiah" but
"a man after Gods O,0n heart'-these
traits We're his loyal obedience and his
repentance of everything which in any
degree was displeasing to God and in
terrupted the fellowship Divine.
Gods Spirit-begotten children may
not, therefore, take the Prophet David
or any of the Ancients as their pat
tern. Only Spirit begotten ones can
serve as examples to the Church.
They should walk in the footsteps of
Jesus, and may even take the ApOS-
ties and other faithful brethren for
SAdhlplcS. NC y pOStle, however, SuS-
gests that the Church may look back
with profit upon the Worthless of the
past, to note their degree of faith in
God and their obedience to that faith.
ST Paul, however, explicitly reminds
us that God has provided some better
thing for us-the Church-that the An
cient Worthless, without us members
nfy IL T..
feet Hebrews ri, 3S4O).
Joint Heirship With Christ the Better
Thing Reserved For Christians.
The ''better thing" reserved ''for US"
who are called OF God during this Cos
pei Age is the joint -heirship with
Christ, Jehovah's only-begotten Son
and heir of all things, the partaking
with Him in all His subsequent work
alton Therefore it is, as the Apostle
states, that the reward of the Ancient
Worthless tarries until first the over
coming Gospel Church is exalted to
the throne with Christ in the dawn Of
the New DispensatiOn, now so close at
hand
AS soon as the spiritual phase of the
Kingdom is established in power the
setting up of the human phase will be-
gin. In humble recognition, therefore,
of the Divine purpose and order in the
superior exaltatiOn of the Gospel
Church, we repeat the Apostles state
ment that "they chose noble, loyal,
righteous, faithful Ancient Worthless
without us shall not be made perfect"
But as to whether ace shall be num-
bered among the ''us' depends upon
our successful running of the race set
before us. Surely, no less faithfulness
and nobility of character can be eX-
pected of as than Of those who ran for
the earthly prize. And since all the
blessings Of Gods Plan-the exalta-
ton of the Ancient Worthless, the lib
Grafton of the whole world from the
bondage of sin and death and the final
judgment of angels-await the mani
feStatiOn of the spiritual sons Of God,
the Gospel Church, therefore the Apos-
tie Chapter ~, in fOrceful metaphor,
poiltS uS DdCh " tuOSe Anc1eut
Worthless as stimulus for faith and
zeal. saving
Therefore also we, being compassed
about with so great a cloud Of martyrs
lGreek mdrturOn-who so nObly wit
messed for God and righteousnessl let
us [emulate them and lay aside every
weight and the sin which doth so east
ly beset us, and let us run with pa
tience the higher. heavenly race that
is set before us, looking unto Jesus. the
Author and Finisher of our faith, who,
for the joy that was set before Him. en-
dured the cross, despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God
Jesus, our Ransomer, is also our
FOrerunner and Pattern in this race
He ran successfully. and, in conse-
Quence. is even now at the right hand
of the throne of God, whittier we also
may go to Him. I
Jesus way to the crown was the way
of the shameful cross, and He said, !
If any man love me. let him take up
his cross daily and follow me; the |
servant is not above his Lord. etc |