The Raymer enterprise., 1912-09-26

like case by the
thought Of the
outcome of them all in the far more
exceeding and eternal weight OF
glory" This glory is certainty, for
he goes on to add: I'VE know that
II the earthly house Of our bodily
frame be dissolved, we have build
Ing from God. an house not made with
hands. eternal. in the heavens" There
are so many things which Christian
may know II he will only take Gods
word for them, and this thing. 30 full
Of comfort. is one Of them. We who
are in the present body groan In It
for many reasons, but our desire is II
We are Christians not merely to be
rid Of It but to be clothed upon," I.
e., to receive our new resurrection and
glorifed body. In other words, the hope
set before the regenerated man Is not
death but that which sooner or later
follows death. the resurrection and all
that It implies. 1t is then that what Is
mortal shall be swallowed up Of life.
Assurance Of Resurrection.
After speaking Of the hope set be-
fore the Christian the inspired writer
goes on to show how assured It IL in
verses s to 8. He that wrought us
for this very thing Is God." he says.
The very object God had in view in
the salvation Of any man and all his
work Of grace In him was to this very
end. A great theologian has said.
THE end Of Gods way are corpo-
riety." thought which Paul sets be-
fore US here as applied to the resur-
rection from the dead. Moreover. God
has not only wrought us to this end.
not only 10 this Gods purpose con.
corning Us Christians. but he has
given Us q pledge Of 1t In the dwell.
ing of his holy spirit within US. The
holy spirit in every believer 10 an
earnest" or foretaste Of this thing,
his indwelling certines to our resur-
rection, so that I'VE are always con.
fdent" or Of good courage concerning
II.
Wherefore, says the apostle. we Ia.
bor." or rather We make 1t our aim
or ambition. that whether present or
absent we may be accepted Of him."
Paul was always looking for the re-
turn Of the Lord Jesus Christ, and II
he. Paul. were present In the flesh on
the earth when he came, he wanted to
be found accepted or well.pleasing In
his sight. 1t was possible. however.
that be might be absent from the
earth and from the body when the
Lord came, but In that case also he
wanted to be accepted Of him. Wheth.
er he were present In the body or abb
sent from the body he expected to
stand before him. I'VE must all ap-
pear before the judgment.seat of
Christ" he says. that everyone may
receive the things done in his body
whether 1t be good or bad" The ref.
erence here Is to Christians. They
will not have 70 stand before Christ's
judgment.seat in order to have 1t de.
termined whether they are lost or
saved, that is determined the moment
the Christian takes Jesus Christ by
faith to be his savior, but they must
render an account to him Of their
stewardship as Christians In order to
determine the matter Of their re-
wards. It was for this reason that
Paul wished to be found well.plea sing
to him, and this reason sets before
10 the power Of the Christians hone
to produce holy life.
Reason for Evangelism.
But there was one special matter In
which Paul desired to be well.pleasine
to his lord. and that was In the sav.
Ing Of lost souls such as he had been
and such as all men are by nature.
knowing therefore," he says. "ths
fear Of tho Lord. e.. having our
eyes on the judgment.seat Of Christ
when we must give account Of osr
service with reference to our reward
I'VE persuade men,"
This was the motive for such serv.
Ice with him. He was not thinking
Just now Of the peril and retribution
that would fall upon the lost. though
OF course. at other times he empha.
sized that motive for saving such.
but he was thinking Of his own ac.
countaoility when. raised from the
dead At Chrsfs second coming, he
must face his record Of service. Paul,s
motive should be our motive. for "a
have the came accountability, ana
must face the same Lord. How Ara
We fulfilling III We have many an.
billions; can ws say that We have this
ambitioni