The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-05-29

III "A III We report one of
IN. his discourses from
81 Va. y wv the text, 81 go to
l75N5 5ToB f{U56gLD prepare a place for
you; and
will come again and receive you unto
myself. that where am there ye may
be also" John xiv, 2, -. The speaker
said -
Doubtless we all have I'm mind the
fact that we have just passed the an
nivcrsary of our nedeemer's ascension
TO the right hand of the Father-to
the highest place in all the Universe,
next TO the Almighty Father. He as
cended up where He was before-to
the spirit plane Of being, with added
excellence of glory and honor, the re.
ward Of His falthfulness and obedi
ence TO the Fathers will, even TO the
sacrificing of His life at Calvary. He
asccnded. the Scriptures declare, from
the more humble condition of human
nature little lower than the angels,
to the exalted condition OF the divine
nature--far above angels, principals.
ties and powers and every name that
Is named
The work for which the LoDos left
the heavenly glory has not yet been
accomplished. He has suffered. the
Just for the unjust, giving His life
Ransom-prico for all; but this was
merely a means toward an end. and
that end has not yet been accomplish.
ed-the blessing of Adam and his
fallen race. Thank God, however, that
the great. broad foundation has been
laid. Thanks be TO God also that
great preliminary work has been in
progress during more than eighteen
centuries since His ascension. That
preliminary work is the preparation of
the Church of Christ to follow Him
In falthfuness and self-sacrifice to ex-
altation with Him to the divine ma.
ture. glory, honor and immortality,
which was His reward QI Peter 1, ~.
A chaste Virgin Espoused.
If, in times past. we have too care
lessly studied our Bibles ana confused
Gods special blessing for the Church,
MS the Bride of Christ, with His subse-
quent blessing for the world through
Messiah and His Bride. let us do so
no longer. Let us note that as the
Divine Plan for the salvation of the
world could not begin before the com
Ing of Jesus, except In n typical sense,
neither can II begin to operate until
the complete selection Of the Church
until her perfecting as the Bride, the
Lambs WIFE" in the First or Chief
Resurrection.
The antitypical sacrifices which Je-
sus began still continue to be offered
by Him. Those desirous of becoming
His Bride and joint-heirs with Him in
His Kingdom are now qualifying for
that eSaltation. The invitation TO
them Is that, renounclng sin and ac-
cepting the Savior. they shall present |
their bodies living sacrifices, holy and |
acceptable TO God"-following in the |
footsteps of their Redeemer.
In certain sense this presentation |
OF the entire Church took place, repre- |
seniatively, in the Apostles and others
Of the five hundred brethren who be-
lieved at the first. They were repre-
sentatives of the entire Church, and |
the acceptance of their sacrifice and |
their begettlng of the Holy Spirit, |
their espousal at Pentecost, represent
ed the acceptance, the begetting and
Of the entire Church from
then until now. We are merely fol-
lowing In their steps; we are merely
lnder-members In the same Body
The Church of the first -borns, whose
names are written in heaven" ,(He-
brews xii. 23l.
81. Paul distinctly points out that
The Church Is not yet the Bride of
Christ, but merely espoused. He
writes 81 have espoused you as a
'haste virgin unto one Husband, who
3 Christ" The period of espousal
vii not be complete until the close of
his Age when the last member OF
he Body shall have been accepted,
nd when the First or Chief Resurrec-
Ion to the spirit plane) shall have
'eea accompllshed-the marriage or
o'nplete union between Christ and
rs Bride in the heavenly glory.
The Way and the Place.
AS the Redeemer was the first to as
END to the glorious station of the dl-
line nature, far above angels, princl-
'alities and powers, and as the Church
to be His associate In that glory, il
vas necessary that He should precede
ler to prepare the way. Our Lord,s
'wn worthiness OF exaltation To the !
lylne nature was. witnessed bylltbel Il
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